The walk back from the Akademiya was a leisurely descent through the vibrant heart of Sumeru City. The evening market was in full swing, the air alive with the calls of merchants and the scent of spices. As they strolled past a stall selling colorful fabrics, Ren caught a glimpse of two figures.
One was a tall, striking woman with wild, dark hair and piercing blue eyes, dressed in bold red and black. She moved with the confident, watchful grace of a desert lioness. Beside her walked a frail, elegant young woman in a long dress, her face pale but her eyes shining with a gentle kindness.
Dehya and Dunyarzad.
Ren watched them pass, a flicker of recognition sparking in his mind. The Sabzeruz Samsara. The endless dream. These two were key players in the loop that was about to engulf the city. He wondered where Lumine was. Was she already on her way to Sumeru city? She better arrive quickly since the festival was now over a few weeks time.
They didn't find Ningguang in the market's bustle. When they returned to the alumni house, however, they found the Tianquan waiting for them. She was seated at the dining table, looking perfectly composed, a single, sealed letter resting on the wood before her.
"Welcome back," she greeted them, a small, satisfied smile playing on her lips. "I trust the paperwork war was victorious?"
"A complete conquest," Lisa confirmed, sinking onto the divan with a happy sigh. "Our little genius filled out forms with the speed of a scribe on stimulants. It was quite a sight."
They ordered dinner from a nearby tavern—fragrant biryani and crispy samosas—and as they ate, the conversation turned to the letter on the table.
"It seems," Ningguang said, tapping the seal with a manicured fingernail, "that my little excursion into the business district has had the desired effect. The Grand Sage's 'busy schedule' has remarkably cleared up."
She picked up the letter, her eyes gleaming with tactical amusement. "Azar's spies must have reported my meetings with the other merchant guilds. He realizes now that Liyue does not sit idly by, waiting for scraps of his time. If he ignores us, we will simply build alliances elsewhere. A threat to his control he cannot abide."
She opened the letter and scanned it briefly. "He has requested a meeting. Tomorrow morning. To discuss 'potential collaborations and the mutual advancement of knowledge between our nations'."
"A polite way of saying he wants a piece of the pie," Lisa drawled, popping a piece of spiced meat into her mouth.
"Precisely," Ningguang agreed. She looked at Ren. "The meeting is set for ten o'clock."
"I'll be ready," Ren said immediately, setting his fork down.
Ningguang looked at him, her expression softening. She reached across the table and gently covered his hand with hers.
"Ren," she said softly. "This meeting… it will be politics. Pure, dry, tedious politics. Trade tariffs, mineral rights exchange rates, diplomatic posturing. It will be hours of men talking in circles to avoid saying what they mean. You would be bored to tears within ten minutes."
Ren shook his head, his grip on her hand tightening slightly. "I don't care if it's boring. I'm going. I can't let you go there alone."
His mind flashed to the image of Azar—the cold, arrogant sage who imprisoned his own god. And worse, the shadow of Dottore. Only Ren knew the Doctor might be lurking in the shadows of the Akademiya, manipulating the Sages. If Dottore was there… Ningguang would be walking into a viper's nest.
"Azar is… cruel," Ren insisted, his voice low and serious. "And dangerous. I need to be there. To protect you."
Ningguang's eyes widened slightly, touched by his fierce protectiveness. She squeezed his hand. "My knight in shining armor," she murmured, a genuine warmth in her voice. "I am truly touched. But you need not worry."
She straightened, her aura shifting back to the unassailable Tianquan. "Azar is arrogant, yes. Perhaps even cruel. But he is not stupid. I am the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing. I am here on a formal diplomatic visit, surrounded by the eyes of the world. To attempt any underhanded tactics, to threaten me in any way, would be an act of war. Liyue would not hesitate to retaliate, economically and militarily. Azar values his position too much to risk the destruction of his Akademiya for a momentary power play."
Lisa chimed in, her tone light but supportive. "She's right, cutie. Ningguang eats men like Azar for breakfast. Her reputation precedes her. He knows that if he tries anything funny, she'll buy the land under his feet and evict him before he can blink. Besides," she added with a wink, "politics really is dreadfully dull. Why waste a beautiful day in Sumeru listening to old men drone on?"
She leaned forward, her emerald eyes sparkling. "Why don't you come with me instead? Back to the House of Daena. But this time, no forms. No paperwork. Just… reading. Exploring the stacks. Finding books on ancient machines or lost legends. We can have a proper scholar's day out."
Ren hesitated. His instinct screamed at him to stay with Ningguang, to guard her against the unknown threats. But looking at Ningguang's confident face, and Lisa's encouraging smile, he realized they were right. He couldn't protect everyone from everything all the time. Ningguang was a powerhouse in her own right; she didn't become the ruler of Liyue by being helpless in a meeting room.
And the allure of the library—of truly exploring its secrets without the burden of bureaucracy—was strong.
"Okay," he relented, though he gave Ningguang one last, serious look. "But if anything feels wrong… if he tries anything…"
"I will walk out," Ningguang promised. "And if need be, I will summon a meteor upon his desk. Will that satisfy you?"
Ren grinned, the image of Azar facing a Starshatter too good to resist. "Yes. That works."
"Then it's settled," Lisa said happily. "Tomorrow, the Tianquan conquers the boardroom, and we conquer the bookshelves. It's going to be a lovely day."
The tension in the room dissolved, replaced by the comfortable warmth of dinner and shared plans. Ren relaxed, trusting in his family's strength. Hopefully, the shadows of the Doctor would stay far, far away.