Genshin Impact: Villain Impact

"I hope I'm not late," Ningguang said with a gentle smile as she stepped inside. Her gaze fell on Lucas, and for a brief moment, a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes before it vanished. Maintaining her composed demeanor, she continued with a charming smile, "This young man must be the 'actor' you've chosen, Lady Ganyu?"

Ningguang?

Lucas froze for a moment before letting out a silent sigh.

Of course, there were few people in Liyue Harbor close to Ganyu, and even fewer who could be considered "reliable." It made sense that Ningguang would be the one to help.

If it had been Ganyu's other friend, Yanfei—also a half-adeptus—she'd likely have given them a crash course on fraud laws instead of romantic coaching.

"Yes, let me introduce you," Ganyu said, gesturing between them. "This is Sir Lucas, and this is—"

"Miss Ningguang, the Tianquan," Lucas interjected with a smile. "Even if I were completely ignorant, there's no way I wouldn't recognize such a distinguished figure."

Ningguang had already deduced that Lucas was Keqing's candidate for the Tianshu election. However, she pretended otherwise, smiling gracefully. "That's nothing but a title. The name Tianquan has been passed down through countless generations. But you… you're the first person I've seen who has managed to catch Ganyu's eye."

How could it be him?

Ningguang didn't dismiss the possibility of coincidences, as luck was often part of one's skill. But this coincidence seemed almost too perfect.

She had just learned about him, and now he was standing right in front of her.

"No no!" Ganyu's cheeks turned red as she waved her hands. "This is just an act! Sir Lucas and I aren't… we don't have that kind of relationship…"

"Regardless, if you're going to act like a couple, you'd better start practicing now," Ningguang said with a shake of her head. "For starters, how can you call him by such formal titles like 'Sir Lucas'?"

"Then… what should I call him?" Ganyu asked hesitantly.

"A couple in love should use affectionate nicknames," Ningguang replied, her smile taking on a mischievous edge. "For example… 'darling.' Why don't you give it a try?"

Ganyu's blush deepened as she stammered, "D-darling…"

"I don't think this is quite right," Lucas interjected, shaking his head. "Given Miss Ganyu's personality, she probably wouldn't use such terms. Forcing it might only make Cloud Retainer more suspicious."

"I agree!" Ganyu quickly added, relieved. "I'll just call him by name!"

"Tch, no fun," Ningguang muttered, looking disappointed.

Hearing Ganyu utter "darling" was likely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, rarer than Ningguang losing money.

Still, she quickly regained her composure. This was only the beginning, after all.

"Next, we'll need to work on some physical displays of affection. These subtle things are learned through experience," Ningguang said, stroking her chin thoughtfully. "So let's move on to something more… direct."

"Direct?" Lucas and Ganyu echoed in unison, both looking puzzled.

"Yes. Holding hands and hugging can be staged easily," Ningguang explained. "But to convince Cloud Retainer, you'll need to make some sacrifices. For example… kissing."

"K-kissing?" Ganyu's voice trembled. "Isn't that a bit… too much for me?"

After all, she was still just a 3,000-year-old child.

"I think Miss Ningguang has a point," Lucas said thoughtfully. "If even Ganyu feels this is too much, then Cloud Retainer, being a fellow adeptus, might think the same. She'd probably assume no real couple would go this far…"

Realizing how his words could be misinterpreted, Lucas quickly added, "Wait, I'm not saying this because I want to take advantage of you!"

"I trust you," Ganyu murmured, her voice soft. "You're right. If we want to convince Master, this might be necessary…"

"Then what are you waiting for?" Ningguang said, eagerly anticipating the scene, almost as if she were preparing popcorn. "Go on, give it a try."

Taking a deep breath, Ganyu reached out and placed her hands on Lucas' shoulders. She hesitated, her face growing redder by the second, as she leaned in slowly.

But halfway there, she faltered.

Despite her inexplicable fondness for Lucas, fueled by her dream memories, the idea of kissing someone she'd only met twice was overwhelming.

"I… I can't do it," Ganyu admitted, her breathing uneven.

"Don't overthink it," Ningguang advised gently. "Just don't think of Lucas as a man. Imagine he's… your child."

Ningguang's comment was meant as an offhand joke, but it seemed to unlock something within Ganyu.

Yes… if I think of him as my child…

"Lucas…"

Murmuring his name, Ganyu instinctively cupped Lucas' head and pulled him gently into her embrace.

Oh no!

It wasn't until Lucas's face was pressed tightly against her chest that Ganyu realized something was wrong. She quickly pushed him away, her face burning. "S-sorry! That was… inappropriate!"

Caught in the memory of her dream, Ganyu had unconsciously treated Lucas as her child, her actions mirroring how she had once comforted him in dreams.

"...I-it's okay," Lucas said stiffly, his movements a little awkward. "I... I just need a drink of water. Excuse me."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked briskly toward a nearby room, not looking back.

"How strange…" Ganyu said with concern. "What's wrong with him?"

"Maybe it was too stimulating, and he needs a moment to calm down," Ningguang replied with a thoughtful smile. "I didn't expect you to be so bold."

That action just now was far more intimate than a kiss.

"It's not like that!" Ganyu hurriedly explained. "I don't know what came over me… I imagined him as my child, and somehow… Do you think he'll be okay?"

"Who knows?" Ningguang shrugged. "Let him have some time alone."

"I'm still a little worried," Ganyu shook her head. "No, I have to check on him."

Meanwhile, in the room, Lucas had closed the door behind him and was gripping the Ring of Manipulation tightly on his wrist, his breaths ragged.

The ring was glowing with an intense pink aura, its suggestive energy surging. The recent events had almost pushed him over the edge, barely able to restrain his dark impulses from acting out further toward Ganyu.

For the first time, Lucas managed to suppress his desires purely through his own willpower.

After all, had he given in to the ring's temptations and acted on those impulses, he'd likely have been skewered by an arrow through the heart by now.

"Damn it! Calm down!" Lucas muttered through gritted teeth, cold sweat running down his face. He tightened his grip on his wrist. "Calm down, or I swear I'll chop off both you and my hand!"

Whether the ring genuinely understood his threat or its effect had simply run its course, the light on the Ring of Manipulation dimmed after a slight tremor.

"Hah…" Lucas exhaled deeply, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "This thing's influence seems to be getting stronger lately. I really need to find a way to deal with it soon."

He had heard that the Nation of Wisdom, Sumeru, housed the Akademiya, an institution filled with brilliant minds. Even Lisa, who had only scratched the surface of their teachings, was a formidable individual.

Perhaps someone in Sumeru might know how to remove the Ring of Manipulation.

It seemed like a trip to Sumeru was inevitable.

For now, though the ring had temporarily calmed, Lucas decided to stay in the room a little longer to regain his composure.

The memory of being held in Ganyu's embrace still lingered in his mind, causing a heat to rise within him—a sensation that, for once, had nothing to do with the ring.

"Lucas?"

A soft, gentle voice interrupted his thoughts.

Turning around, Lucas saw Ganyu standing behind him, her expression filled with concern. "Are you okay? Are you feeling unwell?"

"I…" Lucas hesitated before nodding. "I do feel a little uncomfortable."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Ganyu asked, her voice tender. "Anything at all—just say the word."

Lucas' heart raced at her sincerity, emboldening him to take a chance. He nodded and said, "Actually, I do have a rather... shameless request."

Leaning close to Ganyu's ear, he whispered something, and her face slowly turned bright red.

"F-forgive me!"

Feeling that his request had crossed a line, Lucas quickly shook his head. "Forget what I said—it was just nonsense. Please don't take it to heart! Let's just head back."

But as Lucas turned to leave, Ganyu unexpectedly grabbed the hem of his clothing.

"I-it is a bit much," Ganyu said softly, her head bowed. "But if it's just three minutes… I think I can bear it. If this will help you regain your spirits, then… I'm willing."

Three minutes—what could you do in three minutes?

Play a quick round of Genius Invokation TCG.

Run two domains for artifacts.

Or... drink freshly prepared warm coconut milk - straight from the source...

A few minutes later.

Lucas and Ganyu emerged from the room together, though their expressions were somewhat... peculiar.

"You two were awfully slow," Ningguang teased with a sly smile. "What were you doing in there, taking your sweet time?"

She didn't genuinely suspect anything inappropriate. Given Ganyu's reserved nature, it was unthinkable for her to act so boldly. Besides, only a few minutes had passed—if Lucas had managed to finish anything in that short time, it would have been... disappointing.

"N-nothing much," Ganyu stammered, fidgeting slightly. "I was just... comforting him a little."

"Exactly," Lucas added hastily, instinctively wiping the corner of his mouth. "I was feeling tense, but I'm fine now."

The two exchanged a brief glance, then quickly averted their eyes.

The memory of what had just transpired lingered heavily in both their minds. Ganyu was particularly flustered. She couldn't believe she had actually agreed to his request. What was stranger still was the eerie similarity between this and her dream—where Lucas had done the very same thing to her.

"Well, that's good," Ningguang said, narrowing her eyes at Ganyu. "But, Ganyu, I must say—you seem to be glowing."

"Really?" Ganyu touched her face, her smile a little strained. "That must be your imagination."

Just like in the simulator, the real Ganyu also needed to periodically release excess energy stored within her body. And just now, Lucas had unknowingly helped her with that process.

With her pent-up energy released, Ganyu naturally felt revitalized. What she didn't expect was for Ningguang to notice such a subtle change.

"So, shall we continue?" Ningguang asked, raising an eyebrow. "You didn't finish what you started earlier."

She was, of course, referring to the kiss.

Ningguang had no idea that the two of them had already done something far more intimate.

"This time, I'll take the lead," Lucas said, placing his hands on Ganyu's shoulders. He gazed into her eyes and spoke softly, "Don't worry—it's simple."

"Alright…" This time, Ganyu set aside her apprehension and slowly closed her eyes.

Lucas leaned forward, brushing his lips softly against hers. The kiss was brief and delicate—just enough to feel the warmth of each other's presence before he pulled away.

He actually kissed her.

Ningguang, who had been observing the whole scene, found herself momentarily stunned.

Lucas was an enigma to her, but she knew for certain that this was Ganyu's first kiss.

A wine aged for over 3,000 years, sealed until now—and this mysterious man had taken the first sip.

"Miss Ningguang?"

Lucas's voice brought her back to reality. "What do you think?"

"What do I think?" Ningguang asked, still slightly dazed.

"About the kiss," Lucas clarified. "Do you think it'll fool Cloud Retainer?"

"I suppose… it could work," Ningguang replied, regaining her composure. "But remember—rehearsals and the real thing are different. Avoid kissing in front of Cloud Retainer unless absolutely necessary. Overacting might make her suspicious."

"That makes sense," Ganyu agreed, nodding thoughtfully. "As expected of Ningguang—you're so experienced in these matters."

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Author's Note: Ok nonono did he just requested to drink her breast milk and she agreed....