The wind on Bayun Island brushed against Yae Miko's delicate skin, sending a faint tingle through her.
It was likely a lingering effect from that battle years ago.
The scar left by the Raiden Shogun's Musou no Hitotachi still tainted the seawater around the island with traces of Electro. Even the breeze carried a subtle numbness from the lingering elemental energy.
Yet Yae Miko seemed to relish the wind of Bayun Island.
The Electro-charged gusts felt almost like the gentle caress of a long-lost hand—Sasayuri's hand—brushing softly against her.
So whenever she wasn't tending to duties at the Grand Narukami Shrine, Yae Miko would come here to let the wind wash over her, quietly remembering the figure etched forever in her mind, the one she missed with all her heart.
But longing is torment.
Unlike others, ever since becoming the Guuji of the shrine, she rarely dreamed ordinary dreams anymore.
Her dreams carried weight—they either reflected events unfolding in the present or foretold fragments of the future.
Neither kind allowed her the simple comfort that the Shogun found in the Plane of Euthymia, where she could meet Sasayuri in dreams.
Yet, just one month ago, she had dreamed of him.
The Sasayuri in her dream was different from the one in her memories—he lacked the black wings that marked the Tengu clan.
But Yae Miko knew without a doubt.
This man now called Mode Ganqing was Sasayuri reborn.
That was why she had crossed oceans without stopping in Liyue, heading straight for Dragonspine.
She intended to traverse the snowy peaks and enter Mondstadt's borders to finally see the person she had yearned for across centuries.
Would Lin Mo be captivated when he saw her in human form?
But when the moment finally arrived and she stood before him, a rare nervousness fluttered in her chest.
She had never appeared before him as a human.
"If he remembers me..."
"Will he embrace me passionately, like lovers reunited after long years in Inazuma tales?"
The more she thought about it, the faster her heart raced.
Poof.
A wisp of pale smoke rose, and Yae Miko reverted to her familiar form—a small pink fox.
"How pathetic..."
"In Inazuma, it's always others who grow flustered around me."
"Fine, fine. It's you, after all—Sasayuri."
"Being a little hopeless in front of you isn't embarrassing."
At that moment, Lin Mo looked down at the little fox staring blankly at him and tilted his head in confusion.
"Little fox, why are you staring at me like that?" he asked. "Are you hungry?"
The question snapped Yae Miko out of her reverie.
In a flash, she wriggled free from his arm and burrowed into his knight's uniform, nestling against his warmth just as she once had long ago.
"Hey—! Hahaha, that tickles!"
The fluffy sensation of fox fur instantly gave Lin Mo goosebumps.
A moment later, the fuzzy little head poked out from his collar.
"Little one, are you cold?"
Lin Mo gently stroked the small head at his neckline. "Do you want to go home, or do you want to travel with me?"
The pink fox nuzzled affectionately against his palm.
She loved this feeling—being close to him again.
"Go home?"
"Wherever you are, that place can be home."
Yae Miko made her decision in an instant.
She would stay by his side, just like before.
As for revealing her human form...
She would wait for the perfect moment.
A dramatic transformation in front of him—a delightful surprise.
After all, she had carefully studied his preferences.
She was certain he would adore a beautiful girl with a generous figure, long legs, fair skin, and striking features.
In other words—herself.
In Lin Mo's eyes, the little fox let out a series of soft chirps, as if telling him how warm and cozy it was inside his clothes.
He lowered his head with a smile. "Since you don't seem to want to go home, you can stay in there."
"Right, I should give you a name..."
"I once had another little cutie just like you. Her family name was Yae." He paused, noticing the faint scent of cherry blossoms on her fur. "And you smell like sakura... How about Yae Sakura?"
"If you like the name, give your little head a nod."
The gentle tone was met with an immediate response.
The fox bobbed her head eagerly, clearly delighted.
"Alright."
Lin Mo nodded. "Then we're off. First, I'll introduce you to my wife."
"Hiss—! Ow, ow!"
"Why did you bite me?!"
Lin Mo quickly pulled back his finger.
Though the skin wasn't broken, a clear set of tiny teeth marks remained.
"You already have a wife!? How do you have a wife!?"
The little fox in his arms let out fierce, indignant squeaks.
Lin Mo blinked, then chuckled as understanding dawned.
"You're... not happy about meeting my wife, are you?"
"Happy? Of course I'm happy!"
"I want to see just what kind of woman managed to get to you before I did!"
"Right—it must be one of those people I saw on the mountain earlier."
"Quick, take me to her!"
To Lin Mo, her response was nothing more than angry chittering.
But having spent plenty of time around fox clans in the past, he could read her gestures.
He noticed the paw pointing insistently in one direction.
"Huh, that way?"
He recognized the path immediately—it led to Albedo's laboratory.
"So my wife didn't go soak in the ice lake after all, or maybe she's already done?"
With that question in mind, Lin Mo headed toward the lab.
At Albedo's laboratory, only Paimon, Albedo, and Ying stood on the cliffside facing a canvas.
"Hurry, hurry! Paint me the way you see me in your heart!"
Paimon floated excitedly in midair.
"Um... uh..."
Ying rubbed her forehead in helpless embarrassment.
She really had no experience with painting.
"I'm done."
Soon, Ying turned to Paimon, guilt flickering in her eyes.
"It probably won't be anything you'll like..."
Paimon had a bad feeling, but she drifted over to the canvas anyway.
"Ah! What is this?!"
On the canvas was an image of herself stewing in a giant hillichurl pot.
"Isn't it good?" Ying asked weakly.
"You... you..."
Paimon was momentarily speechless with rage.
"Ugh! Come on!"
"The lines are smooth!"
"The composition is professional!"
"But why did you make me look so stupid?!"
"And why am I in a cooking pot?! I'm supposed to be an emergency food supply, not dinner!!!"
Paimon's indignant protests echoed across the silent snowy mountain.
"Hey? So this is where you all are."
Just then, Lin Mo's voice reached them.
"Diplomat! What are you doing here?"
Paimon looked surprised. "Weren't you studying bio-alchemy with Lisa?"
"Bio-alchemy..."
Albedo turned toward the voice with curiosity.
The moment he saw Lin Mo approaching, a jolt ran through him.
"Godfather?"
"It can't be... Why would Godfather be here?"
Vigilance flashed through his mind, but he kept it hidden.
He wanted to see what this "failure" intended.
In Albedo's eyes, his godfather—the man who had raised Rhinedottir—had vanished from Mondstadt over a decade ago. There was no way he could appear here.
If his real godfather had returned, Klee would have told him.
"What are you all doing? Where's Eula?" Lin Mo asked curiously.
As he spoke, his gaze flicked toward Albedo.
The wariness in Albedo's eyes, no matter how well concealed, couldn't escape Lin Mo.
After all, he had been present throughout Rhinedottir's creation of Albedo.
Albedo had no secrets from him.
Lin Mo was certain: Albedo recognized him, but believed him to be "fake Bedo" in disguise.
"You came at the perfect time! Help me judge this!"
Paimon grabbed Lin Mo's hand and dragged him to the canvas.
"Look, look! How could the Traveler draw me like this? It's not cute at all!"
The more she spoke, the more aggrieved she became, stamping her little feet in midair.
"Oh? So little Paimon wants to be drawn beautifully?" Lin Mo asked with amusement.
"Of course!"
Paimon declared as if it were obvious.
"Alright, hand me the brush."
As he spoke, Lin Mo took a brush from Ying and began sketching fluidly on the canvas.
Albedo watched the masterful strokes, doubt growing.
"Did he even study painting just to imitate me more convincingly?"
Paimon watched too, eyes widening.
"Wow, you're really good! Have you painted a lot before?"
Hidden inside Lin Mo's coat, Yae Miko poked her small head out from his collar, peering curiously at the canvas.
"Aww, what a cute little fox!"
Paimon exclaimed. "Is she your pet?"
"Yeah, I picked her up on the way. Her name's Yae Sakura."
Lin Mo smiled, his brush never pausing.
During their casual chat, he soon finished the painting.
"Wow—so pretty! Is this really how you see me?"
Paimon stared at the canvas: a girl with waist-length cascading hair and long, elegant legs.
Her eyes sparkled with surprise.
But Ying stepped forward immediately, her expression serious.
"Mr. Ganqing! Have you ever seen this god?"
"I saw her portrait in Liyue. I think... her name was the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles."
Lin Mo nodded with a smile.
Yes—he hadn't painted Paimon.
He had painted the Unknown God.
He needed to gently guide Ying.
She couldn't just keep playing around.
After Dragonspine, she had to head to Liyue and properly advance the main story.
"Oh... so it's not me."
Paimon looked deflated.
But as she studied the portrait again, she finally understood why Lin Mo had once mistaken her for a younger version of the god.
The resemblance was striking.
Only then did Paimon remember that while Ying searched for her brother, she also sought the god who had separated them.
So she asked curiously, "Traveler, after we leave the mountain tomorrow, should we go to Liyue?"
"Of course."
Ying nodded. "We'll set out at first light."
Hearing her decision, Lin Mo smiled with quiet satisfaction.
His guidance had worked.
"Mr. Ganqing... strange, why that name?"
Albedo watched Lin Mo's back, growing more puzzled.
At first, he had assumed this man was "fake Bedo" in disguise, trying to earn his trust before striking.
But now... even a fake shouldn't get his own godfather's name wrong.
Who was this man, really?
Just as doubt swirled in Albedo's mind—
"Paimon! So you're all here."
"Huh? Ganqing, you're here too?!"
Eula's voice rang out.
Eula, Klee, and Amber approached together.
"Ganqing-nii!!!"
The moment Klee spotted Lin Mo, she broke into a run, beaming as she charged toward him.
"Ganqing-nii?"
Albedo's eyes widened in shock.
How could Klee get her own father's name wrong?
Before he could speak—
Rumble!!!
Dragonspine suddenly shook violently.
"It's bad—an avalanche! Everyone take cover!" Albedo shouted urgently.
"Strange... In the original story, 'flower Bedo' wasn't supposed to trigger the avalanche until tomorrow."
Lin Mo frowned and looked up.
At the peak, two figures stood silhouetted.
Fake Bedo. Flower Bedo.
"Hmph. Since everyone's here, let's clear things up."
Decision made, Lin Mo drew his Westwind sword with a flourish.
"Arise, wind!!"
Whoosh!!!
A ferocious gust roared up the mountain, gathering the cascading snow into a swirling vortex.
As he held back the avalanche, Lin Mo's figure flashed like lightning up the sheer cliffs.
In the blink of an eye, he stood atop the peak.
"F-Father..."
Fake Bedo's pupils contracted in fear.
"Come with me. I have questions for you—and for Albedo."
Lin Mo gave him no chance to refuse, grabbing his arm.
He shot a cold glare at Flower Bedo. "Are you coming willingly, or do I have to drag you?"
Flower Bedo glanced at Fake Bedo, who gave a small nod.
Obediently, he followed.
Soon, Lin Mo returned with both in tow, presenting them before the group.
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T/N:
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