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ArabicGenshin Impact: A Guide to the Unofficial History of Teyvat — Chapter 51
Chapter 51: Lovia’s Daily Life
Although Lovia was naturally timid and prone to bouts of social anxiety, her ability to compartmentalize her panic was surprisingly refined. Before long, the lingering dread of exposure was firmly shoved to the darkest corners of her mind.
After all, her true identity as a humanoid Melusine had already been exposed to a select few, and her petty revenge was complete—or so she thought. Dwelling on endless “what-ifs” would only invite unnecessary wrinkles. The absolute worst-case scenario involved being dragged back to Fontaine and thrown into the Fortress of Meropide, and overthinking wouldn’t change that grim possibility. Instead of living in a constant state of paranoia, she might as well seize the moment and enjoy her peaceful, sunlit days in Liyue Harbor.
As for fleeing the nation entirely? That was a viable backup plan, provided Monsieur Neuvillette didn’t personally cross the ocean to apprehend her. She highly doubted she could outrun the Iudex of Fontaine.
Rationalizing it this way, Lovia felt a massive weight lift from her shoulders.
Humming a cheerful little tune, she practically skipped the rest of the way back to her small seaside cottage. The moment she slipped through the front door, she kicked off her shoes and launched herself onto her incredibly soft bed, sinking into a mountain of plush cushions with a giddy squeal.
“The results are even better than I expected,” she muttered, happily tapping her fingers against the mattress. “Even that poor kid Chongyun got dragged into the crossfire and actually went out to buy the book himself… Hahaha, I wonder what kind of expression Xingqiu is making right now?”
She pictured the scene perfectly: Xingqiu smoothly coaxing Chongyun into handing over the novel, flipping open the cover, and reading the scandalous contents with one eyebrow raised and that signature, half-smiling smirk plastered across his face.
He probably wouldn’t fly into a rage; instead, he would…
Lovia’s giggles abruptly died in her throat.
Instead, he would what?
Given Xingqiu’s terrifying intellect and vast network of resources, would he… follow the clues?
Liyue Harbor was a massive commercial hub, but the circles of high society were intimately small. Just a short while ago, Xingqiu had accidentally uncovered her true Melusine identity. And mere days after that incident, a mysterious author named ‘Mr. Li Xin’ had published a highly scandalous “unofficial history” entirely about him.
The timing was far too coincidental.
If Xingqiu genuinely decided to investigate the matter… a belated chill crawled up Lovia’s spine, freezing the blood in her veins.
When she was furiously drafting the manuscript, she had been entirely consumed by the intoxicating thrill of revenge. She hadn’t stopped to consider the real-world consequences of slandering the Second Young Master of the Feiyun Commerce Guild.
“N-no way, right?” Lovia whispered, desperately trying to comfort herself. “I was incredibly careful. I didn’t leave a single personal trace behind. The manuscript was submitted anonymously, and the publishing royalties were collected through a proxy…”
‘He shouldn’t be able to trace it back to me… right?’
She shook her head vigorously, slapping her own cheeks to snap out of the downward spiral. There was no use scaring herself now. The book was already printed, distributed, and taking the city by storm. The cultural impact was remarkable, and it was far too late for regrets.
Pushing her anxieties aside, Lovia turned her attention back to her true passion: her creative work.
She still had a pending draft to finish. Who told the brilliant Second Young Master Xingqiu to practically hand over prime source material on a silver platter?
Lovia giggled mischievously as she pulled out her notebook and resumed writing her next planned masterpiece: Secret History of Wanmin Restaurant: Guoba the God of Cookery. Her pen flew across the parchment in a blur of ink. The more she wrote, the more excited she became, her imagination conjuring up increasingly absurd scenarios until her grin stretched from ear to ear.
However, right in the middle of a particularly dramatic culinary showdown, a loud, ill-timed gurgle echoed from her stomach.
“Ah… writing really takes it out of you,” Lovia sighed. She dropped her pen and rubbed her aching wrists. “Creative work is an exhausting project. It doesn’t just consume brainpower, it consumes snacks!”
Without looking, she reached toward the wooden bowl resting on her bedside table—a vessel strictly dedicated to her writing fuel. Her fingertips brushed against the smooth inner wall, finding nothing but air.
“Hmm?” Lovia blinked, looking down. The bowl was completely empty.
Her entire stash of “raspberry mixed with ore”—her absolute favorite treat—had been polished off at some point during her writing frenzy.
“No way…” she groaned. Hopping off the bed barefoot, she scrambled over to her somewhat dilapidated storage cabinet and threw the doors open.
The shelves, once packed with various Melusine “delicacies,” were now tragically bare. All that remained were a few dull-colored Crystal Chunks, a small, sad bundle of dried glowing algae, and a few incredibly ordinary-looking carrots.
They sat there looking lonely and pathetic, completely incapable of satisfying Lovia’s restless taste buds or her desperate craving for something with a good, solid crunch.
“A total supply crisis…” Lovia lamented, rubbing her stomach. She wasn’t actually starving, but her mouth was watering for a specific texture. Her food reserves, particularly the specialized snacks tailored to a Melusine’s unique palate, were completely depleted.
Restocking her ingredients was an absolute essential.
“No choice, then.”
Resigned to her fate, she pulled a heavy hooded cloak from the coat rack. She wrapped it tightly around herself from head to toe, ensuring her conspicuous antennae and distinct features were entirely hidden in the shadows of the fabric.
After checking her disguise in the mirror one last time, she carefully pushed open the door of her cottage and slipped out, blending into the sweltering afternoon sunlight of Liyue Harbor.
Her mission was clear. First, head to her usual supplier to restock her “raspberry mixed with ore.” It was a bizarre snack made by mashing sweet Berries together with finely ground, high-quality minerals. The resulting paste had a uniquely crispy, gritty texture with a sharp hint of sweet and sour—the absolute perfect brain-food for a struggling author.
Second, she needed to buy some fresh ingredients. A few imported fruits from other nations, perhaps, or a fresh batch of Fluorescent Fungus from Inazuma. She adored the fungus; it made a delightful crunching sound when chewed, which did wonders for relieving her writing stress.
Lovia handled the winding streets and narrow alleys of the harbor with practiced ease. She deliberately avoided the crowded main thoroughfares, opting instead for the secluded, quiet paths where the shadows were longest.
Yet, even in the back alleys, her hidden antennae keenly picked up the surrounding chatter.
The explosive popularity of the Secret Tales of Feiyun had not diminished in the slightest. If anything, the gossip was only burning hotter.
“…Say, do you think the Second Young Master of the Feiyun Commerce Guild could really be a…”
“Shh! Keep your voice down! But you have to admit, Mr. Li Xin wrote it so convincingly. He even detailed stories about his childhood…”
“I don’t think it’s entirely made up! Maybe there really is some hidden truth to the rumors!”
“Exactly, exactly! And what about that little Daoist priest, Chongyun? The book claims his Pure Yang Spirit acts up whenever he sees the ‘Second Miss,’ making his face turn red and his heart race. Well, my cousin’s neighbor actually saw him running out of the Feiyun Commerce Guild today, and his face was bright red!”
“Oh? Really? Tell me everything!”
Listening to the hushed, excited whispers drifting from the tea stands, the corners of Lovia’s mouth curled up beneath her hood.
The public reaction was outstanding, and there were even unexpected real-world dividends! Chongyun really did go to find Xingqiu, and his reaction was just as intense as she had written!
How fascinating!
She barely suppressed the urge to whip out her notebook right there in the street to record the new material. Forcing herself to focus, she quickened her pace. Business first.
The restocking process went smoothly. The elderly vendor who sold special minerals was long accustomed to this heavily cloaked, eccentric customer, and he skillfully packed a massive portion of ground ore for her. Buying the fresh fruit was equally simple, though tracking down a merchant selling Inazuman Fluorescent Fungus took a bit more time.
By the time she finished her shopping, the setting sun was already casting a brilliant golden glaze over the tiled roofs of Liyue Harbor.
Lovia contentedly hefted the heavy shopping bag in her arms, the scent of her beloved delicacies wafting through the paper. Her sense of security returned instantly. Because she had bought so much, and given her rather petite Melusine stature (though she would never admit to being short!), she had to wrap both arms around the bag and press it tightly against her chest just to carry it.
“Alright, time to head home and get back to creating!” She pivoted happily on her heel, preparing to take her favorite shortcut back to the seaside.
But just as she turned the corner into a quiet, shadowed alley, two incredibly familiar figures walking toward her made her stop dead in her tracks. Acting on pure instinct, Lovia dove behind a towering stack of discarded wooden shipping crates.
It was Xingqiu and Chongyun.
Why was it always them? She was running into these two way too often lately!
They seemed to be returning from an outing, walking side-by-side down the narrow stone path. Chongyun was holding a rapidly melting popsicle, gnawing on it absentmindedly. His cheeks still carried a distinct, lingering flush. Beside him, Xingqiu was lazily waving his elegant folding fan, a serene, knowing smile playing on his lips as he turned his head to tease his friend.
The distance was a bit too far for Lovia to catch the exact words, but her heart skipped a painful beat anyway.
Xingqiu’s reaction… it wasn’t right.
Shouldn’t he be looking troubled, embarrassed, or at least mildly helpless about the city-wide rumors? Why did he look… like he was actually enjoying the chaos?
Even the way his golden eyes occasionally flicked toward the shadows of the alley seemed less like casual observation and more like a predator scanning for tracks.
An absurd, terrifying thought flashed through Lovia’s mind: Could Xingqiu… have already guessed who wrote the book?
The timing was simply too damning. He had just discovered her secret, and immediately after, a highly specific, targeted “secret tale” about him became the talk of the town. With Xingqiu’s sharp intellect, it was entirely possible he had already connected the dots.
Lovia suddenly felt as though the shopping bag pressed against her chest was filled with burning coals.
She peeked through the slats of the wooden crates. She looked at Xingqiu’s terrifyingly calm smile, then at Chongyun, who was clearly suffering the aftereffects of a severe teasing session. A cold sweat broke out across her forehead.
Had she overplayed her hand?
If she had known he would react like this, she wouldn’t have published the Feiyun story so soon. She should have finished the Guoba manuscript first to establish ‘Mr. Li Xin’ as a general gossip author before targeting the Second Miss. At least then, Xingqiu wouldn’t have become suspicious so quickly.
This guy looked gentle, polite, and completely harmless, but beneath that refined exterior, he was an absolute schemer!
As expected, she was still too naive. She hadn’t experienced the true harshness of the human world, and she hadn’t employed a single counter-investigation measure to cover her tracks.
Lovia shrank her neck like a frightened turtle, pressing herself as flat as possible against the damp brick wall behind the crates, silently praying to the Hydro Archon that they wouldn’t glance in her direction.
She didn’t dare breathe until the figures of Xingqiu and Chongyun finally disappeared around the far end of the alley. Only then did she carefully poke her head out, letting out a long, shaky exhale.
“It’s fine, it’s fine,” she whispered, clutching her bag. “Even if he guesses it’s me, he doesn’t have any hard evidence! Right. No evidence!”
“How could the great author Mr. Li Xin possibly be a little Melusine? Everyone probably thinks he’s some grumpy old scholar!”
(In reality, Xingqiu had indeed not yet associated the elusive Mr. Li Xin with the timid Lovia.)
Scrambling back to the safety of her familiar cottage, Lovia slammed the door shut, locked it twice, and reached up to yank off her heavy hooded cloak.
She dumped her newly purchased snacks onto the wooden table. The sweet, earthy aroma of the Fluorescent Fungus and the crushed berries filled the room. She stared at the food, her mind flashing back to Xingqiu’s meaningful, predatory smile and Chongyun’s blushing face.
After hesitating for a long, quiet moment, Lovia suddenly clenched her small fists. The fear in her eyes melted away, replaced by a burning, otaku-fueled determination.
“Whatever! The revenge is already done, and the public reaction is pure gold. I can’t let this momentum go to waste!”
“I’ll finish the Guoba piece first, and then… then I’ll write a direct sequel for the Second Miss. The next plot… I’ll make the romantic tension between the ‘Second Miss’and the’Little Daoist Priest’ even more explosive. Yes! Practicing sword arts together under the moonlight… a sudden slip… accidentally falling into the lotus pond together, soaking wet clothes, and then…”
Lovia let out a mischievous, gremlin-like cackle. She scrambled to her desk, furiously scribbling down her sudden burst of inspiration, before happily skipping back to the table to prepare her crunchy, ore-filled snacks.