Genshin Impact: Villain Impact

At the Same Time, Yuehai Pavilion

"What?!"

A girl who had been soundly asleep at her desk suddenly sat up, startled, without even noticing the drool trickling from the corner of her mouth.

The girl was strikingly beautiful, her blue hair cascading down her back and small black horns adorning her head. She was none other than Ganyu, the caretaker of Yuehai Pavilion and the messenger of the Qixing.

For her, working late into the night was routine. But the strain of her workload and irregular schedule often caused her to suffer from narcolepsy. Sleep could claim her at any time, anywhere.

It wasn't uncommon for her to doze off while working and awaken in the dead of night. However, her sleep was usually dreamless and undisturbed. This time, though, she had a long, vivid dream—so vivid that her cheeks flushed as the details flooded back to her mind.

Not only did she adopt a monster in the dream, but she also...

Ganyu's face turned a deeper shade of red. The dream's memory was far too clear. Even recalling it made it feel as though it had happened right before her eyes.

Suddenly, Ganyu seemed to remember something. She quickly opened her desk drawer and retrieved a photo hidden in its compartments. It was a picture she'd taken not long ago with Lucas, a member of Yuheng Keqing's family. She had staged the photograph to placate Cloud Retainer, who had been pressuring her about relationships.

"How is this possible?" Ganyu murmured, staring at the photo. Lucas' awkward smile bore an uncanny resemblance to the figure in her dream.

"The adopted son in the dream… and the man in this photo… They look so similar," she whispered.

"What could this mean?" Ganyu rubbed her temples, her brows furrowing. "Could it be because I've been so busy lately? Have I been under so much pressure that I had such a strange dream?"

It was a plausible explanation. After all, the Qixing had recently been deliberating the matter of the Tianshu's resignation. Plans were underway for a selection conference to find a suitable replacement, and much of the workload had been delegated to Yuehai Pavilion.

If Ganyu were an ordinary person, this could easily be dismissed as a dream born of stress. But she was no ordinary person. As a half-qilin adeptus, her dreams often carried a peculiar connection to reality. Though not prophetic, they were often tied to future events.

For instance, when she was young, she once dreamed of an apple falling from a tree and rolling down a hill. The very next day, she climbed an apple tree, fell, and rolled down a slope herself.

During the Archon War, she dreamed of choking on food, only to end up defeating a monster by choking it during a battle the next day.

But this dream? What did it mean? No matter how hard she thought, Ganyu couldn't find an answer. Yet the idyllic life in her dream—a life of peace and simplicity—lingered in her thoughts.

"When my duties to Rex Lapis are fulfilled, maybe I could live like that," she mused wistfully. "Two or three close confidants and a quiet, secluded life…"

Her musings were interrupted by a soft tapping sound. Ganyu turned toward the window to see a small paper crane lightly tapping against the glass.

It was a letter delivered by Cloud Retainer's signature paper crane!

Ganyu hurriedly opened the window to let the delicate crane in. The tiny paper figure circled her head a few times before landing gently in her palm. It unfolded itself into a piece of fine stationery, revealing the following message:

To my daughter, Ganyu, greetings:

I am glad to hear that you have found a suitable match. This fills me with great joy. As I currently have no pressing matters at hand and have not seen you for some time, I plan to visit Liyue soon to meet you.

Rest assured, my visit is purely out of affection and not at all to assess the character of your future husband.

This impromptu visit is meant to be casual, so there's no need to prepare congee, sweetened steamed milk cake, Osmanthus-flavored desserts, chestnut cakes, wish cakes, "Harmony Soup," pearl and jade dumplings, lotus leaf soup, plum blossom pastries, or similar treats. Do remember this well.

Yours,

Cloud Retainer

Reading the letter, Ganyu couldn't help but smile.

Cloud Retainer had always prided herself on being a master of subtlety, but the contents of the letter revealed her true thoughts plainly enough.

Her smile soon gave way to worry, however.

After all, the photo she had sent to Cloud Retainer as "proof" of her engagement was nothing but a spur-of-the-moment fabrication. She and the man in the picture had only met once.

If Cloud Retainer came to Liyue and discovered the deception, things could get messy.

"What should I do?"

Ganyu paced back and forth in her office, clutching the letter. "If I come clean, Master will be upset—though that's the least of my worries. She might start arranging more matchmaking meetings for me, which would be a nightmare."

Though Cloud Retainer would never force her to marry, Ganyu couldn't easily decline the arranged meetings, as a gesture of respect.

And since Cloud Retainer was an Adeptus, her matchmaking candidates were often descendants of mythical beasts or individuals of considerable status and strength.

Despite this, Ganyu felt no connection with any of them, making each meeting an awkward ordeal.

Suddenly, an idea struck her.

"If I've already lied to Master once, why not lie a second time?" she mused aloud, clapping her hands. "Though lying is wrong, I have no other choice. If she finds out later, I'm sure she'll forgive me."

She picked up the fabricated photograph, a small smile creeping onto her lips. "Looks like I'll have to trouble you one more time."

The Next Day

"Morning is the key to a productive day"—this was one of Keqing's guiding principles. Early in the morning, she was already immersed in her work, sorting through documents in her study.

When it came to workaholics in Liyue Harbor, Ganyu and Keqing were unrivaled, leaving others to vie for third place.

"Lady Keqing!"

Keqing's maid, Chunxiang, burst into the study, looking visibly flustered.

"What is it?" Keqing asked, frowning slightly. "Isn't receiving visitors a routine matter? Why are you so unsettled?"

"B-but this guest…" Chunxiang stammered before taking a deep breath. "It's Lady Ganyu!"

"What?" Keqing froze for a moment before quickly regaining her composure. "Lady Ganyu? Here? Quickly, invite her in!"

Keqing had good reason to be surprised. Ganyu, as a high-ranking official in Liyue, rarely made social visits. She was widely respected, but outside of official duties, she avoided forming personal connections—even with influential individuals.

For Ganyu to visit her personally was both a shock and an honor. Keqing couldn't help but wonder if something significant had prompted this rare visit.

It wasn't long before Ganyu was shown into the study.

"Lady Ganyu," Keqing greeted her respectfully, standing up. "To what do I owe the honor of your visit?"

"No need to be so formal, Miss Keqing," Ganyu said with a gentle smile. "I've come today on a personal matter, not official business."

A personal matter?

Keqing was even more intrigued. While they worked closely as colleagues, Keqing and Ganyu didn't share a deep personal connection.

"Please, do tell me what brings you here," Keqing said carefully.

She had immense respect for Ganyu, who had devoted over 3,000 years of service to Liyue.

"Well…" Ganyu's cheeks turned a faint shade of pink. "Do you remember sending someone to deliver documents to Yuehai Pavilion recently?"

"Yes, I recall," Keqing said, nodding. "Is there an issue? The messenger was just a servant from my household. If he offended you in any way, I apologize."

So this is about Lucas?

Keqing's curiosity deepened.

"No, no," Ganyu quickly waved her hands. "It's nothing like that. I… I'd just like to meet him."

"Of course," Keqing said, clapping her hands. "Chunxiang, go summon Lucas at once."

"That won't be necessary," Ganyu interjected. "Since I'm the one imposing, it would be inappropriate to make him come to me. Please, allow me to visit him instead."

What in the world?

Ganyu—the Qixing Envoy of Liyue—offering to personally visit a mere servant?

This was unprecedented.

Though puzzled, Keqing didn't argue. "Very well. Chunxiang, please escort Lady Ganyu to his quarters."

Meanwhile…

"Ah-choo!" Lucas sneezed and stretched lazily.

As he opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of Shenhe lying beside him. Her disheveled hair cascaded over the bed, and a few loose red ropes were still tangled around her body.

Lucas' heart skipped a beat as memories of the previous night came rushing back. But what surprised him even more was realizing they weren't in Shenhe's house.

"This… This is Keqing's place!"

"You're awake?" Shenhe murmured, her voice laced with drowsiness. She stretched like a lazy cat. "After all that, you're still full of energy? I'm going back to sleep. Don't disturb me, or else… hmph."

"Wake up already!" Lucas said, exasperated. "How did we even end up here? Last night, we were clearly at your place!"

"You don't remember?" Shenhe replied with a sidelong glance. "You said something about 'returning the favor' and insisted on showing me where you live."