We stood at the grand entrance of the Jade Chamber like three country bumpkins who accidentally wandered into a five-star hotel. And standing there, radiating elegance and "I make more money in a second than you do in a lifetime" energy, was none other than Lady Ningguang herself.
"Welcome," she said, her voice silky enough to be bottled and sold for 9.99 primogems.
Lumine straightened herself up. Paimon floated nervously. Me? I gave my best "trustworthy traveler" smile—which, to be honest, looked more like a guilty kid caught stealing cookies.
"Lady Ningguang!" I announced proudly, slamming my fist on my chest like some knight, "We have prepared a gift for you!"
Paimon blinked. "We did?!"
Lumine raised an eyebrow. "Since when?"
I coughed dramatically. "Uhh… we did. Probably. I think so. Hold on." I patted my pockets with the urgency of someone looking for a missing wallet. After a few seconds of intense professional rummaging, I yanked out my phone.
Ningguang's curious gaze followed every movement.
"Behold!" I declared and tapped the screen to open my inventory. "Here! An apple!"
Ningguang blinked. "An… apple?"
"Wait, no no no no!" I scrolled faster, panicking. "That's—uh—not the gift!"
Paimon floated closer, peeking over my shoulder. "Why do you even have a random apple?"
"Emergency snack," I mumbled. "You never know."
Finally, after furious scrolling, I found something weird shoved way deep in my inventory.
"Ah-ha!" I exclaimed. "An MP3 player and earphones! How the heck did this end up here?! Cool!"
Without hesitation—because thinking things through is for chumps—I presented it to Ningguang with both hands like some sacred relic.
"...What is this?" Ningguang asked, tilting her head slightly, genuinely confused.
I puffed my chest out. "This, my dear Lady Ningguang, is the pinnacle of technological advancement from my world! It plays… music."
Paimon hovered next to Lumine, whispering, "Is this really a good idea?"
Lumine just shook her head. "Too late."
So there I was, standing in front of one of the most powerful women in Liyue, teaching her how to use an MP3 player. Like some ancient bard, I selected a random playlist.
The first song that blasted into her earphones? A high-energy Vtuber song by Suisei. Nothing beats GHOST.
Perfect.
Ningguang's expression shifted slightly—an elegant raise of the eyebrow—but then… she smiled. A genuine one.
"This is… delightful," she said.
Proudly, I nodded. Hoshiyomi pride swelled within me. My mission here was complete.
Until…
"And this?" Ningguang pointed at my phone.
I froze. My brain crashed. My body went into DEFCON 1.
"No," I said quickly, hugging my phone like it was my firstborn child. "Sacred artifact. Off-limits."
Ningguang blinked again, slightly amused.
Paimon floated closer. "Yeah, even we're not allowed to touch that thing," she whispered like we were talking about some forbidden ancient text.
Lumine nodded solemnly. "It's where he keeps… things."
Things.
They didn't have to know about The Sacred Nilou Folder. My sanity's last defense.
If anyone—ANYONE—touched it, I would even fight the Seven Archons themselves barehanded.
Anyway, back to business.
Ningguang, very gracefully pretending I wasn't a complete idiot (bless her patience), led us further in.
"I have been keeping an eye on you three for some time now," she said.
Paimon gasped. "Really?!"
"Of course," I said, arms crossed. "Not literally, emergency food. She has eyes everywhere. It's called being rich. Mommy—I mean, Lady Ningguang—has men everywhere."
A very, VERY tiny smirk appeared on Ningguang's lips. "Not the 'mommy' part, but… yes."
Lumine facepalmed so hard I swear I heard a slap.
Ningguang continued, explaining how the Jade Chamber wasn't always this grand. It started as a humble room—a simple dream—and grew into something towering and magnificent. She wanted it to overshadow the seven nations themselves someday.
"Only a select few are allowed to ascend here," she said, giving us a look. "But since Acting Grandmaster Jean vouched for you, I trust you."
I tried to look trustworthy. It probably came off as "constipated."
"However," she added, "I do not expect your full trust in return."
She turned and walked to the edge of the Jade Chamber, the wind playing with her silken sleeves, making her look… glorious.
"Do you know about the Archon War?" she asked, staring out at the Guyun Stone Forest.
Lumine nodded. "Yeah."
Paimon gave a lazy two-finger salute. "We got a walking spoiler in the team."
I pouted. "Hey! That was- yeah not totally wrong, but still!"
Ningguang chuckled—a rare, musical sound—and continued.
She told us about the Archon War, how 2000 years ago gods clashed, fought, and fell. Only seven remained standing, founding the seven nations.
She pointed to the Guyun Stone Forest. "Those rocks are not natural formations. Rex Lapis hurled giant spears of stone during the war. That is where many who challenged the Archons now lie."
"Talk about having a rocky end," I muttered.
Paimon groaned. Lumine just sighed like she had long given up on me. Ningguang… actually laughed quietly behind her fan.
Victory.
Ningguang sobered a bit after that.
"Nations may change gods over the years, but Liyue and Mondstadt have been exceptions," she said. "However, with Rex Lapis' passing… changes are inevitable."
She looked at us, eyes sharper now.
"The relationship between gods and humans will shift."
She explained that the Exuvia—Rex Lapis' body—was hidden deliberately, not simply for protection, but as part of a calculated strategy. It was a bait, a silent challenge cast into the crowd of mourners, meant to draw out the true enemies lurking among them. Those who dared to plot against Liyue would be unable to resist revealing themselves, driven either by ambition, fear, or opportunity.
Lumine and I exchanged a glance.
"It's him, isn't it?" Lumine said, chuckling.
Paimon blinked. "Huh? Who?"
Ningguang caught on. She didn't say anything… but her eyes glimmered with understanding.
Inside the Jade Chamber's grand halls, Ningguang laid out the full picture.
The Fatui were stirring trouble under the guise of "diplomatic business."
I shrugged. "Right, right, saw that coming from a mile away."
"We will deal with them," Lumine said calmly.
"And," I added, grinning, "we're totally asking for compensation later."
Ningguang actually smiled at that.
And somewhere deep inside, I knew…
This was only the beginning.
***
So here's how it started: we walk into a shady-looking Fatui camp, expecting some minor resistance, maybe a guard dog or two, and instead we walk right into what I can only describe as the Fatui equivalent of a Black Friday sale. People were everywhere. Fatui Agents. Skirmishers. One guy had a chainsaw, probably. (Okay, maybe not, but it felt like it.)
"So, uh... Plan?" I asked.
"Fight," Lumine replied, already summoning her sword.
Paimon nodded solemnly. "Punch now, talk later."
I liked this plan.
Cue chaos. Again.
I was dodging Cryo shots, getting singed by Pyro dudes, and at one point I think a Fatui guy tried to sell me insurance. It was wild.
"WHY ARE THERE SO MANY OF YOU?!" I yelled mid-dodge-roll. "IS THERE A FATUI DISCOUNT CODE I MISSED?!"
Lumine was basically a blender at this point, slicing through the crowd like it was a clearance sale. Paimon floated behind her shouting "Emergency food support incoming!" and tossing occasional fruit at us for moral support.
I was doing my best. Which, to be fair, wasn't that bad. I only tripped twice.
Maybe three times.
Okay, look, fighting Fatui on an empty stomach isn't ideal. And one of them hit me with a Cryo attack so cold my soul briefly left my body and went to Snezhnaya without me.
At one point, I slipped on an icicle and accidentally did a perfect 360 spin. It would've been cool if it wasn't immediately followed by me landing on my butt.
"Style points: ten," I muttered. "Pain level: also ten."
Eventually, after turning the camp into a modern art installation of unconscious bodies, Lumine pointed at a stack of papers and glowing objects near the tent.
"Shigeru," she called. "Come look at this."
I swaggered over, trying to look cool despite the twig stuck in my hair and the obvious bruises on my face.
"What've we got?" I asked.
Sigils of Permission.
Just like the one our friendly neighborhood ginger gave us.
I grinned, tilting my head at Lumine. "You know what this means, right?"
She sighed. "That our theory was right."
"Exactly!" I said, then paused dramatically. "We're definitely fighting that ginger menace soon."
Internally? Oh, I knew.
This—this right here—is why I endured near-death training with Mountain Shaper. While Lumine thought I was out there becoming one with nature, spiritually awakening, reaching enlightenment—I was just trying to not get swatted by a talking crane while screaming 'PLEASE TEACH ME HOW TO PUNCH HARDER.'
And now? It's go time.
But first—formalities.
"Let's go see Grandpa Zhongli," I said. "Finish the Rite of Parting. Then we'll deal with Mr. Discount-Tsundere."
Dihua Marsh looked peaceful. Serene. Probably the exact opposite of what my brain was doing.
Zhongli stood like the world's most elegant rock -pun intended,- and greeted us with that calm, scholarly tone like nothing ever phases him.
"Traveler. Shigeru. Paimon."
"Sup, Rock Grandpa," I said with a lazy wave.
Lumine pinched my arm.
"Ow! I meant it respectfully!" I hissed.
We went through the ceremonial motions, and everything was quiet and dignified until Paimon opened her mouth.
"Do you think Ningguang sleeps in a jade bed?" she asked me.
"Nah, jade's too cold. Probably has a bed made of silk and Mora."
"Like a gold coin waterbed?"
"Exactly. And I bet she has a tea set made of literal diamonds."
"And a mirror that compliments her back."
Zhongli cleared his throat like a disappointed professor.
We shut up. Temporarily.
"Imagine Ningguang casually using the Jade Chamber to order takeout," I whispered. "Like, 'Deliver to: giant floating palace above the clouds.'"
"She probably tips in gemstones," Paimon whispered back.
Zhongli coughed louder.
We shut up. Again. For real this time. Kinda.
On the way back to Liyue Harbor, something felt off.
It was subtle at first—then not-so-subtle.
Fatui. Loads of them. Gathering. Swarming.
Lumine tensed. "They're mobilizing."
I cracked my knuckles. "It's time."
Paimon looked worried. "Wait, what do you mean it's time?!"
It's time, alright.
Time to face that walking ego with a bow. Time to see if the training paid off. Time to see if Mountain Shaper's lectures, near-death crane yoga, and that one time I got smacked by a cloud were actually worth it.
I turned around dramatically, like I was in some movie scene. The wind picked up, dramatically aiding my hair flow. Thank you, nature.
"The Qixing and the Adepti have probably met already. Big decisions are being made. This is it."
I started walking.
Lumine called out, "Where are you going?!"
I turned my head slightly, grinning.
"Stay here. Protect the people. I'll deal with him."
She opened her mouth—probably to argue.
I just smiled wider.
"I'll deal with him personally."
And with that, I sprinted off.
The closer I got to the Golden House, the heavier my steps felt. Not physically. No. Mentally. Emotionally. Spiritually. Existentially. Like the entire weight of the plot was finally catching up to me.
"It's time," I muttered, staring up at the building.
For a second, I stood there in silence, gazing up at the sky like I was about to deliver a dramatic anime speech. Because I was.
"I was too indecisive at first. Too passive. I thought maybe I could just tag along for the ride, goof around, make jokes, flirt with danger and occasionally Lumine... but no. This world—it demands more. These people—they deserve more."
I took a deep breath and pulled out my phone.
Yes, my phone. Still somehow working despite being isekai'd. Probably powered by the sheer absurdity of my existence.
I opened my Genshin app and stared at my profile.
Shigeru: Level 60. Limit locked.
Lumine: Level 60. Also limit locked.
I tapped the "Ascend" button.
Both of us. No more limits.
"Time to remove my limiter," I said under my breath. "If I'm gonna throw hands with Childe, I'm gonna do it as a main character. Not some joke with plot armor."
My phone sparkled. Probably just my imagination. Or the sheer power of how cool this moment felt.
I slid my phone back into my pocket and unsheathed my sword.
Crack. I twisted my neck left. Then right.
I let the silence hang dramatically, like I was waiting for an opening theme to play.
Then, with a slow inhale, I let more words spill—more for me than anyone else.
"No more standing back. No more hesitating. I've been watching events unfold like a passive viewer binging someone else's story. But this world pulled me in. These people pulled me in. I've laughed with them, fought beside them, and nearly died a dozen times for them. So this time—this time I fight not just because I know what happens next, but because I care what happens next."
I closed my eyes, feeling the wind brush against my face.
You wanted change, right, Shigeru? You wanted to be the hero?
I nodded to myself.
Then be one.
I let this one happen before. I played along. I watched the cutscenes. But this time...
"This time, future events will be dictated by me," I whispered.
I pointed my blade toward the Golden House.
"Alright, ginger boy. Round one starts now."
My heart pounded, adrenaline already kicking in. I grinned—not my usual cocky one, but something sharper.
"Let's dance, Childe."
___________________________________
End of Chapter 26
Quest Completed: Gave Lady Ningguang an MP3 player, teaching her the magic of music from another world, Win over the Tianquan's heart using Hoshimachi Suisei's songs, and Took on the Fatui forces at their camp, uncovering clues about the Sigils of Permission.
Rewards: +1800 Strength, +1500 Endurance, +500 Charisma, +25 Hoshiyomi Points, and A chance to square up with a ginger Fatui Harbinger.
New Title Earned: Suisei's Superfan