A week passed quickly.
Lin En left every morning and returned in the evening. Sensing Anemo went from unfamiliar to familiar, and what he had barely managed to shape he could now wield with ease.
Though Venti taught rather casually, Lin En studied diligently. Venti's teasing occasionally made him blush, but after seven days, he could reliably control Anemo for simple attacks and defense.
If he faced the Ruin Serpent again now, he would be able to put up a fight.
Ronava had not returned to Windrise over the past few days. She stayed at the inn, spending most of her time studying the spear. Occasionally, she closed her eyes to meditate, an extremely faint black aura flowing around her.
When Lin En returned, she would occasionally ask about his training. Her tone was indifferent, but he noticed that she put down her book while listening, her gaze fixed on him the whole time.
The little dragon and Ronava had grown much closer. Whenever Lin En was away, the little fellow would run over to her and bask in the sun on her windowsill.
Sometimes the little dragon rubbed its head against her hand. At first, Ronava did not want to pay it any attention, but later she would occasionally reach out and stroke its back.
On the evening of the seventh day, Ronava packed her belongings and stood up.
"Tomorrow we'll return to Liyue, then go to Inazuma."
Lin En nodded.
Early the next morning, the two of them and the little dragon left the City of Mondstadt. Venti came to see them off, waving from the city gate.
"Next time we meet, you'll have to buy me a drink."
He said to Lin En.
"Haven't I bought you enough drinks these past few days?"
Lin En grumbled. He had spent quite a bit of money buying Venti drinks over the past few days, but compared to what he had learned, it was worth it.
The journey from the City of Mondstadt to Liyue Harbor took the two of them two days.
The little dragon followed behind Lin En. Ever since learning to use Anemo, he had felt much lighter and moved much faster. If they had not needed to wait for the little dragon, the two of them could probably have reached Liyue Harbor in a single day.
It was afternoon when they arrived at Liyue Harbor. People came and went through the harbor, while vendors' cries rose and fell around them.
The two walked along the harbor toward the docks, planning to find a ship to Inazuma. Lin En was calculating the price of a ticket when a familiar figure suddenly caught his eye.
The Traveler!
Lumine stood in front of a notice board by the harbor, apparently looking over some commissions. Paimon floated beside her, pointing at one of the notices and talking nonstop.
Almost at the same moment, the little dragon dashed past Lin En and ran toward Lumine.
"Raar!"
"Wait!"
Lin En reached out, but it was too late to catch the little dragon. It reached Lumine and circled her twice, the red headscarf on its tail particularly conspicuous in the sunlight, before plunging into her arms.
Lumine froze. She looked down and saw the little creature in her arms clearly, her golden eyes widening abruptly.
"Y-you... what are you doing here?"
Paimon was stunned too. She flew around the little dragon twice, covering her mouth with her small hands.
"Isn't this the little dragon? How did it get to Liyue?"
Lumine raised her head and looked past the little dragon at Lin En as he approached. Then she saw Ronava behind him, and her expression instantly darkened again.
"You again."
"We meet again."
Lin En smiled. He had not expected such a coincidence, running into her again.
Lumine looked at Lin En in confusion, her gaze questioning.
"How did the little dragon end up with you?"
Lin En briefly recounted what had happened on the snowy mountain-the remnants of the dragon race, the cube, the portal, and the Pyro Dragon Sovereign.
Lumine fell silent for a moment after hearing him out, then looked down at the little dragon in her arms. The little fellow was rubbing its head against her palm.
"It can't stay with me."
Lin En said.
"You're the most suitable person."
Lumine glanced at him, then looked at Ronava, who was waiting for Lin En by the docks in the distance. Finally, she nodded.
"I'll take it back to Natlan, but before that, I need to go to Inazuma."
"You're going to Inazuma too?"
Hearing that, Lin En nearly spat out the lunch he had just eaten. But then he remembered how many ships sailed to Inazuma every day. Surely they would not end up on the same one?
He turned and strode toward the docks, where Ronava was already waiting beside a passenger ship bound for Inazuma.
The two boarded the ship. It was large, but apart from them, there were only a handful of passengers, most of them merchants. There was still some time before departure, so they could rest for a while.
After an hour's wait, the ship was finally about to depart.
Just as a sailor untied the mooring rope, a voice called out.
"Wait, we haven't boarded yet!"
Lin En recognized the voice at once. It was Paimon.
"No way it's that much of a coincidence, right?"
He glanced at Ronava, who had already gone into the cabin, then at Lumine and Paimon as they ran over.
The two boarded the ship, panting for breath.
Paimon closed her eyes and thought seriously for a moment before speaking to Lumine.
"It's all that person's fault, suddenly handing the little dragon over to us. But the little dragon wouldn't be safe staying with that person either. I'm going to give him a nasty nickname. Let's call him 'Jinx,' hehe."
"There should be no problem if we leave the little dragon with Hu Tao."
The two walked toward Lin En but did not notice him.
The sails rose, and Liyue Harbor gradually shrank into a row of silhouettes on the horizon.
Lin En could not be bothered about it. A nickname like that was far too harmless.
He stood on the deck, the sea breeze cool and salty against his face, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon.
Ronava came out of the cabin as well and leaned over the railing. The setting sun fell on his silver hair, giving it a golden edge.
"Is there something you're looking for in Inazuma?"
"Yes. The Raiden Shogun has a token she inherited from Phanes, with a small portion of authority sealed inside it. I need her to hand it over willingly."
"Will she?"
"I don't know."
Lin En fell silent for a moment. The sea breeze blew into his collar, making him feel a little cold.
He recalled Istaroth's words. Snezhnaya had already noticed that Ronava was still alive. If Snezhnaya came after her, this journey would probably not be peaceful.
The ship sailed for a day and a night. The next morning, Lin En leaned against the ship's rail, watching the sunrise as the sea shimmered with golden-red light.
Suddenly, the ship jolted violently, as though it had struck something.
The frightened passengers rushed out of the cabins. Lin En grabbed the railing to steady himself. Ronava was already standing at the bow, her golden eyes fixed on the sea ahead.
The water began to churn.
An enormous black shadow slowly rose from beneath the surface. The waves it raised rocked the ship violently. The shadow drew closer and grew larger, until it finally broke through the water, blocking out the light of the setting sun.
It was a sea monster unlike any Lin En had ever seen. Its serpentine body was covered in blue-black scales, and two curved horns grew from its head. Crimson vertical pupils looked down from on high at the little passenger ship.
Its body was as thick as an ancient tree a thousand years old, and the waves it raised as it surged through the sea were like a wall of water.
"Sea monster!"
A sailor shouted, desperately turning the helm.
But the sea monster was too fast. Its enormous tail swept in from the side and struck the hull with a violent blow. Splinters flew, and the entire ship tilted nearly halfway over.
Ronava grabbed Lin En's hand and steadied him.
Lin En's Vision lit up at his waist, and Anemo and a cyclone gathered in his other hand. But Ronava reached out to stop him, her golden eyes turning to Lumine, who was ready to fight on the deck.
"It's coming for her."
"Don't jump in yet. Let's see what she can do."
The sea monster's second strike had already arrived.