GENSHIN 1ST ONE SHOT (Patreon)

(AN: This is the start of Genshin impact one shot series. Before anyone worry. No this isn't really a new project nor even a side project and I even publish it for free on scribble. Basically I am participating in a event and for rewards. There will be a one shot of Genshin basically once every month (it's a recurring event) or so. So it won't affect any of my other release)


"My lady, it's time to wake up."


Sitting in the state of meditation on a soft velvety cushion, a pale whitish-blue-haired girl, in her teens, opened her pale grayish-blue eyes, akin to the hues of tempered steel on the verge of its completion, as she heard the call beyond the door. It was a wake-up call from her personal maid, though clearly, it was irrelevant.


Shifting her gaze to look at the hanging clock near her futon, she saw that it was just 5:30 in the morning, a time most people would loathe to even think of waking up at, but for the girl, this was just routine.


In actuality, she had already woken up more than an hour ago and had been meditating since then; to calm her mind and temper it in preparation for the adversaries of the day… knowing her lifestyle, she needed all the preparation she could muster.


"I understand. I’ll be out shortly.”


The room of the youthful girl could hardly be equated with that of a girl her age. 


It was an austere traditional Japanese-style room with little to no decoration aside from her futon and the bare necessities that should be kept in a bedroom. 


The walls were made of wood to frame them into their look, tones for layering different patterns, like lacquered wood in various shades and earthy tones of cream; quite opposite of cherry blossoms at full bloom in the spring garden. 


Above, the ceiling was lined with irregularly cut boards, making beautiful lines against the white-shaded paint plastered on the ceiling wall. To create a pleasant atmosphere, natural colors were included throughout in intricate patterns and shapes: deep blue tatami mats were neatly laid over the wooden floor while wooden panels covered the ceiling above. 


All of the features were placed in an orderly fashion and restrained by repeated lines of graceful contours. Simple elegance would thus capture the eyes of anyone entering this room which encapsulated the theme it wanted to convey.

The ornamental arrangement of the room did portray the elegance befitting a noble’s, yet the contents within could barely be called the possession of mere commoners. Such was the bedroom structure of the gracefully seated girl.


This juvenile girl was none other than Ayaka. The young lady, the princess as well as the vice clan lord of the world-renowned Kamisato clan, one of the three greatest clans of the land of thunder and eternity — Inazuma.

Based on the Inazuma city of the Narukami Island, the ruling center of the Inazuma nation as well as its capital, the Kamisato clan was a ruling noble household that led the Yashiro commission — one of the branches of Sanbugyou, a ruling governmental body of the Inazuma Shogunate subservient to the sovereign of the nation: The Raiden Shogun — and the young lady, Ayaka, was the sub-leader of such a prestigious organization… few could understand the pressure she was chronically under and that too from a juvenile age.


——


For people who knew little about the intricacies of nobility, they would be often tempted to think that as a leader of such a large and noble family, Ayaka lived a life full of lavish luxury and opulence.


Of course, it was indubitable that be it her clothes or the classes she took, none of them were affordable for the common masses also known as peasants in some frowned noble circles. But it would be inappropriate to call it a luxury or simply basking in the opulence delivered by her position; for rather than mindless indulgence, all of these activities were a necessity… a burden naturally imposed on her for being born as the princess of the eponymous clan.


Those who had the privilege of being a princess had to wield the elegance and manner supporting one; of a noble with significant influence and how to exert it properly. Knowledge and skills were a part and parcel of her life, things she couldn’t go without. And to avail an exorbitant amount of knowledge for her to perfectly compliment her standing in the social and political hierarchy, more often than not, she had to take some extreme measures.


For this very purpose, Ayaka would be up and working on honing her repertoire of skills even before the first light of dawn could grace the city of Inazuma. She’d be up even before the servants attending her could tidy up to show themselves before her.


Her everyday morning routine was usually composed of a short meditation session—tailored to cleanse her mind and bring peace to her psyche. With her meditation done and mind rejuvenated she would proceed to her official schedule which was a short training session in her sword arts to not let her sharp edge become besmirched with the dull membranes of indolence.


In every sense of the word, Ayaka was a master of the blade, the great inheritor and perfecter of the ancient blade technique of their house — Kamisato Art: Tachi Jutsu, yet she had never let the competence of her overarching abilities cloud her with the veil of arrogance. 


Rather, to keep her accomplishments on the path of the blade from rusting away with the erosion of time and indolence, she made it a core habit of her being to train the basics of her art, and the subsequent complex iterations, at the very least for an hour each day; more when she was free and had the time to spare.

In her relentless pursuit of the blade path, even after attaining near-perfect attainment on her ancient technique, she didn’t let it be the end of her pursuit and persevered to further enhance her techniques, constantly striving to surpass her previous self.


Once her training session concluded, she would routinely take a hot bath in order to wash away the accumulated sweat and help relax her taught and strained muscles as well as to loosen her strained nerves. The bath was one of the few rare moments of indulgence that she allowed herself to bask in. A moment that solely belonged to her where she didn’t need to push herself for her astronomical ideals.


During those scantily short moments, she wasn’t the ‘Shirasagi Himegimi’ anymore who everyone looked up to as a role model, and a symbol of elegance, dignity, and ethereal presence. She didn’t have to mask herself in her noble self nor act with absolute elegance befitting her status.


She could relax and play around to her heart’s content, befitting a girl her age. It was a minuscule amount of time, but a time necessary for her, in order to not snap under the burden of her noble existence.


She reapplied the mask of nobility and propriety she had worn to showcase to the world after her bathtime, the time of her bittersweet indulgence, was over.


——


“Ayaka. You are as early as always.”


“Good morning, Onii-sama.”


The moment Ayaka entered the dining room of the Kamisato estate, she was immediately greeted by a young man, sitting on the dining table, clearly waiting for her, with a voice tinged with warmth and affection directed towards her.


Kamisato Ayato. He was Ayaka's beloved older brother and the family head of the esteemed Kamisato clan.


At first appearance, Ayato seemed to be nothing more than a gentle and feeble young man who barely stepped into adulthood. His aura, disposition, and everything about him oozed a warm and carefree attitude that would make others believe him to be a kind and harmless individual.


But Ayaka knew better. He was her brother, after all, there was no one in this world who knew him better than her. 


If she was the light of the Kamisato family, the public face that was praised and adulated by everyone while maintaining public relations and coordination of the family and the subsequent commission as a whole, then Ayato was the shadow that kept itself shrouded in the veil of darkness. The hand behind the curtains which dealt with the dark malevolence directed towards her family, that Ayaka couldn’t handle on her own, so that his beloved sister did not have to dirty herself.


Ayato predominantly dealt with the government-related matters of the Yashiro Commission run by the Kamisato family. Very rarely did he make any public appearance and kept himself secluded to collaborate with the subordinates of the governmental body and the Guuji of the Sacred Sakura shrine. If not for the annual festivities that demanded the attendance of the leaders of all the commissions of Sanbugyou then it was possible that no one would even remember or rather even see his face.


His secluded lifestyle was a front and a requirement he had to maintain to properly conduct the dark dealings that plagued the Inazuma city in its depths.


No matter the secrecy with which he led his life, Ayato had always been there to handle the matters of the family whenever he was needed to. Even in his childhood, he was a silent and lonely child; preferring the peace of his household rather than the bustle of playing with the others outside. However, when the family was in need of his presence, he would shed his reclusive shell to come forward and conduct his duties.


A suitable example of his resourcefulness and decisive competence, in times of need, would be the time when the family was at its lowest point, since its establishment, after the unfortunate death of his father; alongside a severe loss of influence in the domestic stage due to the extinction of some of the sword forging arts instructed to be under their protection by their ruling God — The Shogun herself.

An unknown individual, going by the name of  Kunikuzushi, had orchestrated a vile scheme against the forgery methods passed down from the ancient times from the great Narukami Ogosho herself. Due to that calamitous scheme, some of the forgery arts were set to ruin due to the complete massacre of the families inheriting those arts. 


All of the happenings took place right under the nose of the Yashiro Commission which led to the mass decline of the Kamisato clan; since they were tasked to protect and maintain those arts and the people inheriting them. 


Enemies abound all around and with no ally at sight, it was Ayato — a boy who was merely in his early teens, a weak-looking boy who had lost his father and saw his mother crumbling at the departure of her husband — who single-handedly propped up the family from their dire straits and stopped it from sinking into oblivion.


And it was also around that time that Ayaka herself had begun to change, to see the world not as the child she was supposed to but as the noble princess of the Kamisato clan. Before those events, she had always been somewhat of a child who could not understand the gravity of her existence and the environment surrounding her. She was just like an ordinary child who was oblivious to the intricacies of humanity, the darkness that ran deep in their souls. 


Seeing her mother on her sickbed and her brother hard at work, however, Ayaka — even with her childish mind overwhelmed with grief — found herself with no choice but to change to take care of even a fraction of a burden that constantly pressurized her, similarly grief-stricken, beloved brother.


Hence, she resolved to take up her long-disused sword arts and poetry recitation, both staples of the Inazuman nobility circle. She utterly hated both, but she reckoned if she could master those staples, at the very least, she could pass for a somewhat decent lady of the Kamisato Clan, and thus help her brother show up at some festivals, alleviating his burden by taking care of the public front. She knew it would be extensively arduous but it was her duty nonetheless, and she wasn’t going to shy away from them.


Truth be told, Ayaka was not preternaturally gifted and would spend much time being troubled by her inability to memorize poetry, write elegantly, or brandish her sword to a satisfying standard.


Yet she did not waver for a single bit — a poem she failed to memorize once would be memorized fifty times, a poorly-written word would be written fifty times over, and a sword technique that failed would be swung fifty times more. 


It was a repetition cycle, she had no qualms with breaking down her body if need be, pushing herself to the limit of her mental and physical borders; all that mattered was that she’d succeed at the end of the cycle if she didn’t the cycle wouldn’t finish. Tenacious — perhaps an apt word to describe her.


"None may deflect a swing that has been practiced a thousand times." — Such the saying went, something that her mother had told her in her childhood; whether it was a whim spoken to a child or an earnest suggestion made by an adult who had seen through her limitations, she could never know. Still, she believed it to be the latter. For, she also believed her mother to have seen through her limitations.


When her mother inevitably left this world, Ayaka was no longer ‘Little Ayaka’ anymore. She was now Kamisato Ayaka, the young lady, and princess of the Kamisato Clan. Her honor was now closely tied with that of her clans, and even though she may not care for her own, there was nary a possibility she would let the honor of her family fall due to her own negligence.


This was her earnest resolution and drive that let her pass through the innumerable hurdle that was chronically inflicted on her on a daily basis.


Ayato — seeing the graceful smile full of elegance, befitting a noble princess, bloom on Ayaka's face yet never reaching her eyes — sighed, thinking of the weary visage that was surely hiding behind the graceful mask his dear sibling wore to project her majestic image to the servants of the household.


Ayaka's acting was impeccable, easily able to fool everyone… just not her brother, that is. He had basically brought her up from young so she knew the true form behind the noble Ayaka that the world knew about; hence, it was impossible for him to not peer through her mask and peek at the real thoughts swirling in her mind.


Releasing a bitter smile, a sigh of lament accompanying that dispirited smile, Ayato made sure to not let his sister see through his thoughts. He had never meant to burden his dear sibling with the duties that she had to foresee, yet he couldn't do anything about the things she herself took on… nothing but lament at his inability to gift her a life she could jovially pursue without any reservations or strains… and lament he did, maybe for all of his life.


Thus began the breakfast in the Kamisato household, intertwined with the bleak thoughts that the siblings held in their hearts but dared not to present to the world.


A low rectangular table was placed in the middle of the room with dishes tailor-made for nobility placed above, catering to the delectable desires of the leaders of the noble clans. Yet, neither of the sibling duo really preferred those lavish meals. However, they still ate, filling their stomachs to prepare for the day.


It was a quiet affair. Neither Ayaka nor Ayato were the talkative bunch, preferring to keep their thoughts to themselves as they gracefully chewed down the lavish meal.


The silence, however, didn't represent the state of their relationship. The siblings, by no means, weren't estranged or at each other's throats. They had a powerful familial bond between them, making them inseparable.


In this world, where cruelty ran amok and dangers abounded in every corner, the pair of siblings had only each other to rely on, to trust, to have their backs in bleak times of need.


The gods had also graced them with similar personalities and traits, making it easier for them to empathize and support each other, creating a pair who would never cross each other even in the most challenging of times.


While other families might be torn apart for a fight of inheritance, the Kamisato siblings worked seamlessly well together, as though they were perfectly fitting gears, tuned to fit and run along smoothly, overlapping each other's gaps, without any hindrance.


"Where is Thoma?"


Once the breakfast ended, the conversation was picked up again, Ayaka being the conversation starter.


Even though Thoma was a mere servant under the Kamisato clan, he was the only man both Ayaka and Ayato could call a friend. In the vast clan filled with numerous servants, only he was worth their trust in full and to whom they could show their true nature without any reserve.


"We will have a conference with diplomats from Mondstadt and Liyue this morning. I sent Thoma to dig a little into the situation to pick up some clues about the proceedings. It seems that we will be receiving some guests of honor.”


"I see."


Ayaka merely nodded, calmly, opting to not inquire further into the matter. Her brother was the resident expert in matters regarding governmental affairs and she had the utmost faith in Thoma's skills. So she mused that there was no need for her to poke her head into the matter. There was nothing that she needed to worry about.


Glancing to the side and looking at the hanging clock on the decorated wall, of the same type as the one in her room except being exceedingly archaic, she stood up from her seated state and smiled at Ayato, a true smile that she could only direct to those closest to her, the smile of a young girl filled with purity.


"Very well then, Onii-sama, it's time for me to go to school."


"Have a good day, Ayaka."


——

One might wonder why was it that the young miss of the Kamisato clan entered school when she could be taught personally at home. No doubt, the personalized study she would receive would be tailored to suit her needs, fully intended to draw out her full potential and complement her future aspirations. 


Why then would she enroll in a generalized schooling structure that was provided in a school study system? Well, there was a fairly simple answer to it.


The nature of the institute and what it stood for.


The school Ayaka was enrolled in was by no means an ordinary one. Not even the words extraordinary could truly hope to describe the institute.


Teyvat Academia for the gifted.


This was an escalator-type school that went from primary school straight to the university level all packed into one institute of continental level glory.


It had been created under the proposal of the mysterious and enigmatic Dendro Archon of the nation of Sumeru and approved by the other six Archons of the six other nations comprising the Teyvat continent — the only known continent of this mystical world.


Seven nations, seven Archons, seven elements. The world was built under this rule of seven. 


Seven elements comprised the composition that drove the world, seven Archons — Gods with overwhelming might above all other lifeforms — controlled those seven elements, each with a dominion on a single one of them paired with the concept they wielded. Heralding on this power, they wielded with absolute authority, they ruled the seven nations that made up the Teyvat continent. Thus the world revolved around them, ruled under their deliberate supervision, at least on the surface that is.


Backtracking back to the academy in question, even though Teyvat Academia had many similarities with the Sumeru Academia — situated in the nation of Sumeru under the Dendro Archon's domain — the other Archons had made sure of the fact that the beguilement of knowledge that drove members of Sumeru Academia insane, and desecrated them to a life filled with malevolent deeds they unhesitatingly performed for the sole goal, or rather excuse, of gaining knowledge could never reach the students of this Academia.


It was not just the hubris of the Archons that they believed that the plague that infested Sumeru Academia could never reach out here or develop in that heinous direction. The belief came from the single facet that made the academy vastly different from its counterpart.


That facet — Teyvat Academia didn't welcome scholars but rather special people who had received a particular gift… a gift from the ruling Gods themselves, or so was the popular belief. 


Vision. 


Very little was known about Visions even at this point in time. Archons refused to elaborate on it and there were pragmatically no methods to understand the intricacies of said object. Even people fortunate enough to have been bestowed with one as well as those who researched Visions, none could unearth the mysteries hidden in these miraculous items.


The one thing that was known for certain was that Visions were conduits for their associated elements. However, how Visions allowed their wielders to harness their respective elemental energy, as well as what was exchanged for that power, was still a clandestine mystery… one that plagued the mind of a great number of wielders of this divine present.


Every power came with a corresponding price — an age-old saying in Teyvat that predated the history of men themselves. Yet visions seemingly gave unlimited droves of might with nothing as the price, an unbelievable thought, and indeed, even though the simpletons among the wielders took it for granted, the truly keen of the lot were skeptical. 


With no ways to uncover the secrets and the consequences hidden within, however, they could only cautiously and meticulously endeavor to one day hopefully chance upon a satisfying answer… An answer that wouldn't be harrowingly diabolical.


In the meantime, the one thing everyone had to accept, even though with disgruntled reluctance, was that a Vision was a gift bestowed upon those who dwelt in Teyvat and were recognized by the gods.


This was the kind of student the academy accepted with open arms and trained to uphold the future of the world… to what end, only the Archons knew the answer to that.


———


"We have arrived, my lady."


Looking up from her beautifully written notes — detailing the amalgamation of her understanding of the myriad of topics she daily learned and reviewed in the school — Ayaka, who was clad in a short flowing red skirt, a clean white shirt, and a black fitting jacket accentuating her demure teenage curves nodded at the driver before looking at her school through the black tinted windows of her car.


Every time she looked at the academia, she couldn't help but sigh with eternal admiration. The school campus was large enough that one might think it was a mini-city and the buildings within mainly followed the architecture style of the nation of Mondstadt — medieval European architecture design. 


The main building belonging to the high school students' branch had been constructed based on the Cathedral of the Anemo Archon, Barbatos, ruling over the free city of Monstadt… well, the outside designs at least followed that pattern, the inner structure was a different matter altogether.


And this was only the high school branch. There were branches ranging from primary to the university section all with different styles of architecture corresponding to each of the seven nations paired with dormitories capable of housing almost the full brunt of the astronomically high student population.


Each branch had a section of its own with its own pairings of prerequisite facilities that perfectly catered to all the needs of the respective sections, its inhabitants, staff, students, and related personnel and population.


It was, by all means, a miniature-sized representation of the continent showcasing all the nations in all their glory tightly packed in this mini-city esque campus.


Lastly, the main attraction of the campus was definitely the presence of the seven statues representing the seven Archons. Eponymously named as the statue of seven, the seven statues represented the status of the Archons and were a centralized point of worship for their followers. 


The statues were ingeniously placed in seven cornerstones of the campus in a heptagonal formation, and by the blessings of all the ruling Archons, interconnected with each other, resonating with their elemental representation to create a vast dome that covered the entirety of the campus as a means of protection.


The magical dome, a rendition of the collective forces of all the Archons, served as a method of peremptory security that worked both as a security and identification measure and a shield for any form of attack from the outside world. Needless to say, not many things, if there were any, to begin with, were able to take this dome down — which served as the collective representation of the Archons' might.


Interestingly, the dome only let those who were permitted by the Archons to enter through the Academia premise and barred entry for everyone else.


Having perused the intricate details about the Academia Ayaka was brought to reality by the arrival of her servant to open the car's door for her. She didn't believe that such labor was needed but as a noble, it was necessary to keep up certain pretenses even if she thought of them to be… rather unsavory.


Once the door of the lavish car was opened for her, she stepped out gracefully with all the bearings appropriately exerting what a noble princess could ever be dreamed of exerting, and definitely went beyond… at least in the eyes of those who were witnessing the scene.


Her entrance was like the sole lamp in a desolate plain of darkness, immediately attracting the focus of everyone within. The students in the vicinity couldn't help but gawk at her enchanting sight, even though it had already been more or less an everyday occurrence for them; such was the magnetic grace Ayaka wielded.


It had to be said once again but, be it because of her identity, her beauty, or the grace with which she presented herself in every moment of her existence, Ayaka was a woman that was admired and respected by all.


Even in this school full of people with extraordinary powers and overarching influence, she was a caste of a breed cut way above the rest, so high, only a few in the entirety of Teyvat were able to attain.


As a third-year student as well as the current vice-president of the student council, even without her identity as a princess, she was still immensely respected by the student body as a whole. In fact, she was so popular that it wasn't just limited to the high school branch but rather the other divisions of Academia as well.


"Welcome, Kamisato."


Standing by the ginormous door of the high school entrance, while others were looking at her with star-struck eyes, only one person was completely indifferent to her presence and grace, calmly welcoming her arrival.


Said person was also a girl Ayaka's age with fair milky white skin and dark amethyst eyes, paired with an unusual set of oval cat-shaped pupils overlapped with diamond-shaped markings on the iris giving her an exotic and enigmatic look. 


Her light purple hair tied into waist-length twin-tails, topped by small odango-style buns perfectly resembled the shape of cat ears, and most if not all who saw her for the first time were trapped into questioning the identity of her race due to the uncanny similarity of her hairstyle.


She was none other than Keqing, the president of the student council of the high school section.


Even though her face was a stern mask of indifference and a frowning face that seemed to always be irascible, Ayaka took no offense to the almost hostile look she was sending her way; for she knew that Keqing was a woman who wore her heart on her sleeves. 


She was a very kind woman who always thought the best for the student body as a whole and had no qualms investing a major portion of her everyday time in the betterment of their student lives.


If Ayaka had to pry for the only defect in this outstandingly beautiful and persevering woman, if one could even call that sort of thing a defect that is, then it would be the sad truth about how hard she was on herself regarding the most minuscule of matters. That, and her usual bouts of a workaholic tendency that gave no room for any personal time for her enjoyment and relaxation.


Anyone who knew and adored her was perpetually worried because of this nature of hers. However, no matter how much they advised her, she didn't relent. It had become an addiction she couldn't simply let go of even after she knew the deficits of her lifestyle. Unless something miraculous or life-changing were to happen to her she surmised she wouldn't be able to change.


Smiling amicably to Keqing, leaking a sliver of the real Ayaka hidden beneath that mask of aristocracy, the two of them walked alongside each other as they entered the school.


"What might be the matter, miss Keqing?"


Ayaka asked curiously once they were out of the clamoring hubbubs and disoriented noises of the student body into a more noiseless and isolated area.


"Miss Jean warned me of the arrival of new 3rd-year students. I do not know much about them since I wasn't able to dig deeper into the matter due to the suddenness of the news, but I gathered some info from my networks that allegedly reported that they received the title of honorary knight. 


"Moreover, miss Jean herself ostensibly had bestowed upon them the titles for relieving the nation of some form of calamity, that too of national significance. I'm…still not sure of the calamity's actual nature but they seemed to be the real deal."


"Oh my.."


Jean was the current principal of Teyvat Academia and was also recognized as the highest-ranked woman in the nation of Mondstadt. In the hierarchical standard, she was the 3rd most influential person of the nation, and with the absence of the 2nd in command and several circumstances relating to the ruling God of the nation, she was practically the ruler of Monstadt, the highest unquestionable authority of the nation of Freedom and Wind.


The title of honorary knight meant that the person who received it was a guest of the highest honor in that country. Numerous pages and annals of history can be scanned and still one hand was enough to count the number of people who had received the title of the honorary knight in the past, such was the prestige of the title. The implications that one title held for the nation of Mondstadt was unimaginable to those who weren't well versed in the political world.


"Why haven't we been warned earlier though? Personages of that standing should be marked with the highest standard of priority and immediately notified to the student body or at least the student council, yet we didn't even get a nudge, much less a complete debriefing which, in this case, should be the proper procedure."


The application for new students was one that took quite a bit of time and the student council should have been warned at least a week or so before the arrival that was the proper decorum for any transfer student regardless of their identity, but here they were, completely clueless about the arrival of students with such high accolades that needed immediate attention of the council body… something just didn't add up.


Keqing scoffed at Ayaka's question, glaring hatefully at the direction of a particular Archon's statue, with eyes that seemed to peer through space to look at that hateful face depicting the charlatan God, as she spat in a tone oozing venom, "That unreliable drunkard in the name of an Archon conveniently forgot to send the application after filling them. Hmph! Disgusting Bard bastard!"


"Hahaha."


Ayaka let out a quiet laugh, still conscious enough to not let her gracefulness diminish even at this trivial act. She knew that Keqing was a woman who believed more in the potential of humanity and hated how the Archons still took care of them as if humans could do nothing by themselves, as though they were babies in need of babysitting across the eons by their respective ruling Gods.


This was quite the novel point of view for Ayaka since in her country, the land of electro — Inazuma, the Archon was the supremest existence who could decide the life and death of all the beings which they ruled over with their slightest whims. 


Granted, their deity never imposed upon them such ironclad supremacy, her noble unapproachable aura still made one who had the fortune to be graced with her sovereign presence feel that way.


In the past, she had always thought that all the Archons were lofty beings like the Raiden Shogun — Baal, someone who Ayaka deemed as the noblest being in the entirety of Teyvat. But she soon understood that like humans, Archons also had different presets of personalities and their own individualities.


Meeting the Anemo Archon — Lord Barbatos had been… quite entertaining to say the least, yet it was also sobering, reminding her of the fact that it wasn't really right to put beings on too high a pedestal. It was an eye-opening experience for little Ayaka which also made her aware to never judge others without being able to know the person on a more overarching basis.


Still, this was quite the coincidence. Her brother had just talked about guests of honors coming from afar this very morning and now this?


Were the two cases related or was it really only a coincidence? Her experience told her the former had more chances of being the truth.


Curious, she couldn’t help but inquire the president of her council further about the matter,


"So, what are the names of our special students? Surely, we are aware of it already, right?"


"Well, yes… but that's because I investigated them, otherwise there were more chances of us not even knowing their name before they arrived here. Sigh, anyway, their names are pretty peculiar if I say so myself…


"Lumine and Aether."


———


Walking side by side along the immaculate and lengthened hall of the school — one with unmatched grace, the other with overbearing authority — when they finally reached their classroom, neither of the two girls were surprised by the cacophony of dissonant voices, and a myriad of screaming noises that was projecting from the scene… that could only be described as… carnage, inside the bustling classroom.


"Yahallo! How have you guys been?"


The one who called out to them was a quirky and cheerful girl. She had long dark brown hair with fading crimson at the tip at the ends, and her brilliant eyes that gleamed with roguish splendor, full of playful mischievousness, were a bright scarlet with white, blossom-shaped pupils, faded red makeup painted at the corners of her eyes and eyebrows.


"Good morning Hu Tao."


"Yoimiya! Stop running in the hallway, also I already warned you that jumping on the walls was forbidden. Why can't you just follow the rules like most of the students?"


"Hahaha! You will never catch me alive! Nor will you make me follow those stupid rules. I already said they are booooooring!"


Behind them, they could see a girl with shoulder-length light strawberry blonde hair, tied into a high ponytail that messily sticks out in all angles being chased all around the classroom by a brown-haired girl with golden pupils gleaming with slight anger and frustration, clearly directed towards the dastardly girl she was trying to catch.


Amber, the brown-haired girl, was a member of the discipline committee of the high school branch of Teyvat Academia and Yoimiya was a notably problematic student and a certified delinquent that got a sort of malefic high from causing trouble in her wake.


Thankfully, she was only at the level of doing some harmless mischief and not actual harm. On that pretext, the committee was quite lenient with her. In actuality, beneath the exterior of the delinquent act, Yoimiya was a kindhearted girl that loved helping people, it's just that she was very lively and utterly abhorred following any rules. Hence, her daily delinquent antiques graced the students of her class. 


"Arere!? Did I hear something about being alive? Why not make sure that she can't catch you even in death? A super new proposal for the month for a magnificent coffin so mysterious and enigmatic that the souls of the golden land can't even hope to catch your deathly shadows. It's a limited-time offer too, that too with a 47% discount but for you my friend I'll up it to 48%, what do you say?"


Yoimiya laughed out loud at the rather creepy proposal coming from Hu Tao but did not seem to be offended. She was more or less used to her eccentric antics and just chalked them up as a facet of her quirky personality, not paying them any heed whatsoever, taking them as some odd takes at some dark jokes. And it was just not her who had that mindset towards her.


At first, most students had been quite a bit uncomfortable, if not downright appalled, about the way she talked so lightly about death and made offers to handle their funerary process.


But as all of them spent more and more time together, all of them understood that despite her odd and rather dark set of quirks, Hu Tao was a very gentle girl, albeit with a rather weird sense of humor, who meant no harm to anyone around her.


'This class is always so interesting.'


Ayaka watched all of this happen with a gentle yet slightly distant smile gracing her sakura-hued lips.


In a way, even though she was standing here right now with all of them surrounding her and enveloping her with their presence, she… also felt as if she was alone even amidst all of this bustling presence as if they were in another world altogether in contrast to her. The distance of worlds separated their heart and soul even though they were so close to her in the physical realm.


She was not really an outcast in her class, no she was, no way in particular, distanced by the others, constantly approached by her classmates, and showered by their attention. However, neither could it be said that she was particularly close to anyone in the class, close in the truest sense, one she could call a true friend.


This was why, looking at all of them having so much fun together — laughing, playing, mingling, living their life to the fullest — a deep wrenching feeling of uncontrollable envy filled her heart and oozed throughout her body making it scorch and quiver uncontrollably. Thankfully, she was able to rein those feelings in and not let them project outwards; moreover, she made sure to chastise herself every time those words surfaced in her mind.


Nevertheless, she knew in her mind that, if things went as they did, one day, sooner or later, she just might break and do something she couldn't take back no matter however she tried.


'I wish I could have someone I could confide in.’


“Everyone…Please take your seat. It’s time for homeroom.”


Once Ayaka took her seat on the chair close to the window in the back, a gentle voice with a hint of shy awkwardness and meek tiredness sounded before the door was promptly opened to reveal the silhouette of a person with womanly presence.


“Hah..”


The presence was that of a somewhat slender yet voluptuous woman with deep blue hair and two small curved black-red framed horns on either side of her head, jutting out of her cloud-like soft blue hair, and wearing an office lady outfit. The mature lady with a professional aura staggered a little as she entered the classroom but thankfully did not fall down, finding her balance on the very last steps. 


A look at her eyes made it crystal clear why such a misstep might have occurred from a teacher of this prestigious school. Deep dark bags — a telltale sign of sleep deprivation and exhaustion marred her beautiful face as her eyes battled every second to not be closed shut. It was evident that she hadn't slept much last night, probably working late into the night for the school staff as was the case due to her workaholic nature.


All the students present in the class seemed to release a sigh of relief, a breath that got caught unknowingly in their throat at the sight when they saw her manage to catch herself from falling. Several students who had been readying themselves to help her break her fall also relaxed at that sight, making it clear that the teens were deeply worried about the well-being of their teacher.


After all, even though she was their homeroom teacher, she was also in a way the mascot of their class and the whole school in general.


Blushing because of her misstep, Ganyu walked up to the podium with her head slightly lowered to not show her unsightly appearance to the students of her class. She couldn't help but sigh inwardly at the careless and unreliable image she was steadily building up in the minds of her students. She even sensed some of them preparing themselves to help her in case she really hurt herself. Needless to say, it warmed her heart to see her students care for her so, yet still, it made the feeling of her being utterly useless all the more prominent.


“Don’t mind, don’t mind, Ganyu-sensei.”


Yoimiya laughed in a good-natured way as she encouraged Ganyu in her own way so that she didn't think much of the matter. The others did the same and once again, the class was filled with a cacophony of noises as they tried to console the constantly drooping mood of the teacher they came to love over the years.


Said noises instantly stopped once Ganyu cleared her throat to draw their attention and silence themselves.


It had to be clearly said, while the class was full of students with rather peculiar personalities, none of them was the particularly malicious or disrespectful kind. Due to that, the atmosphere in the room was always more or less harmonious and peaceful, at least when the teachers were there to conduct the class.


“Today we are welcoming a new student. Everyone, please take care of her and make sure that she doesn't feel awkward and isolated.” Turning her head towards the door, Ganyu made a gesture for the student to come in.


*Step* *Step* *Step*


The sounds of clacking heels silently boomed in the surroundings. Even though the class had already been silent, the atmosphere seemed to have rapidly changed as the arrival of a new student was announced, small murmurs began between them as they patiently waited for the one who made those noises to enter the room.


And when the presence entered their curious gazes, everyone gasped collectively at their sight. The one who had entered was a girl. A very beautiful one to boot too.


Once she stood on the podium standing straight next to Ganyu, Ayaka felt like she could not take her eyes away from the girl's visage. Her eyes glued, deeply mesmerized by her presence as though her very soul was attracted to the transfer student's being.


Deep gold hair and equally golden eyes graced her facial features. A beautiful sleeveless dress accented with various shades of light blue at the neckline and hem, black at the waist and adorning the front and back, and gold embroidery in the same place, with a gold metal four-pointed star embellishing each section of the top skirt layer.


Be it the girl's looks or her clothing style, she was without a doubt foreign to everything Ayaka and the others students knew or had the chance to learn about. She was such a bizarre sight that everything about her drew the sight of the surrounding students inside the classroom.


But what really caught their attention was something else. Something very very important. An incredulous sight that made them question if what they were seeing, or rather what they weren't, was true or not.


‘She does not have a vision?’


Several students did a double-take as they scrutinized over and over and finally came to the conclusion that they couldn't sense or see any vision on the new student. And it flabbergasted every single one of them. 


Neither Ayaka nor the others were the kind who thought of themselves as superior because of their vision. They did not discriminate against people without vision either.


But this school endeavored to teach those with Vision only. Then why was a person who clearly didn't possess one permitted admission then? No one knew the answer… A thing for another time perhaps.


“Hello everyone. My name is Lumine. Happy to meet you. I hope that we all can get along, okay?”


———


During recess, Ayaka stood up and advanced to face Lumine who was being surrounded by an audience of different students in their classroom.


She could clearly see that the one initiating the first of their discussions was none other than the strict Amber. None of the strictness she usually exuded was present as a hyperactive Amber started weaving stories ostensibly about the new student. Curious, Ayaka hastened her pace to hear the contents of their discussion.


“You should have seen her and her brother. It was so awesome. They were gliding in the air like pros even though it was their first time and then, whoosh and whoosh.”


Ayaka hid a little laugh from leaking at how Amber was acting right now. But this also got her very interested. The title of Honorary Knight wasn’t one to be given lightly. Even though Mondstadt was the country of freedom, there were still some limitations that were not to be crossed, and since Principal Jean herself sanctioned the title, all the more reason to give importance to the matter.


Also, as Keqing had previously remarked, Lumine should have come accompanied by her twin brother. But from the looks of it, they had been placed in different classes. Surely it was meant to help them adapt more and avoid the scenario they became recluses not mingling with the other students and keeping to themselves.


“Hello Miss Lumine, I am Kamisato Ayaka. But, you can simply call me Ayaka if you so desire.”


The others made space for Ayaka as she neared Lumine’s seat, a sign that clearly showed her leading position in the classroom dynamic.


“Hi. Happy to meet you, Ayaka.”


“Well, as Ganyu-sensei said, I will take care of you and show you around the school.”


“Thanks, much appreciated. The school seemed so large, I thought I would get lost.”


Lumine showed a rather mature smile as she thanked Ayaka for her future care.


“Oh! Lumine, you will be in good hands. Ayaka is very attentive.”


Amber chimed in from the side, clearly, they knew each other and were surely good friends already. So, it was reassuring to see her talk good about herself. But to keep decorum she still didn't forget to ask.


“Hum. Are you two friends? Also, Miss Amber, I am quite curious about the exploits of our new classmate. Would it be a bother to ask you to narrate it for us?”


She could see Amber beaming at that suggestion, evidently waiting for someone to ask this question. The reason Ayaka had asked for this was very simple — Amber, alongside another quiet kid, Razor, were the only students from Mondstadt in this classroom.


Razor was a good but awkward and reserved kid while Amber, despite her work ethic, was a bit of a blabbermouth when she was let loose. The occurrence was rare but it still happened enough times for everyone to know about that trait of hers.


Amber's eyes shone as she began to narrate the story despite the clearly embarrassed protests coming from Lumine. In the end, seeing the enthusiasm of her friend, she resigned herself with her face hidden behind her hands awaiting the tales that would escape Amber's lips.


At first, Ayaka was only slightly interested. But the more Amber spoke, the more she focused until her eyes were sparkling as she imagined all the adventures Lumine and her brother went through.


Fighting evils, saving a cursed dragon from its doomed fate, tricking the church into acquiring their holy artifact, and helping people without asking for any compensation whatsoever.


Even the fact that they could use elemental powers without the use of any sort of Vision.


Only one word came to her mind as she heard those stories.


Heroes. 


Chivalrous Heroes.


"Then they… *Mhmm*"


"Alright, alright, everyone gets it. Now please stop."


Ayaka chuckled out loud when Lumine stopped Amber by blocking her mouth with her hands, face blushing a deep red from shame and ignominy, clearly not wanting her to disclose any more of her rather heroic tales.


Even though she knew that the things she did were nothing to be ashamed of, the enthusiastic way Amber recounted those tales made her tremble with a sense of embarrassment and unease that resonated from her soul. She just couldn't let her recount more of her tales, at least not in this public setting where everyone was showing looks of absolute adoration.


"Well then, Ayaka. Shall we go, please?"


"Of course."


With that said, Lumine bolted out the room with a smiling Ayaka in tow, escaping from that shameful atmosphere.


——


Teyvat Academia was not that different from normal high school, at least in the interior sense. The inner structure was mostly in modern designs even though the outward appearance deeply varied among the branches and the theme of the nation they implemented.


The Academia ground was based on Inazuma, on a small island not far from Seirai Island. It was like a middle ground in the Inazuma nation.


Geographically situated in between all the islands that comprise the nation of Inazuma, notably close to Seirai Island and the Yashiori-Kannazuka conjoint islands, it was an artificial land that the Raiden Shogun herself unearthed into existence from the Inazuman seabed and made available for all the Archons to build the Academia that upheld their dreams and ideals.


Well, 'small' was a clear understatement. After all, the island was big enough to have an entire city the size of Inazuma City or Liyue Harbor on it which made it rather large in a sense but not enough to overshadow all the other islands that comprised the nation of eternity.


Teleportation rings manufactured with technologies from lost times and a nation forgotten by the masses and representing darker times were used so that students and personnel from all over the Teyvat Continent could conveniently access the Academia site.


The school itself followed a curriculum like any other high school. But, because of the identity of some of the students, there were also some special courses initiated for them to take.


The main goal was of course to help students learn how to control their Vision and unlock the full potential hidden in each individual.


But for those that did not need such a thing, their main goal was more about forming connections as the Academia ground was a hub for all the teens of important households scattered across and having vast influence in the continent of Teyvat.


After all, while most students had commoner identities, there were many nobles or people of high ranks among the masses, and the academy grounds gave them that opportunity.


Thanks to that, the atmosphere in the school could be rather tense at times. Though there were students like Yoimiya or Hu Tao who seemed to feel none of that tension whatsoever.


"I see. Thanks, Ayaka, you are very attentive as Amber stated earlier."


"Ah…No…Not at all. I am just doing my job."


Ayaka couldn't understand why she was acting so flustered around Lumine. This was clearly not like her. She couldn't help but wonder where all the nerves of steel she cultivated had gone to at this moment. It was just the first time they had met each other and she was already a variable piece of mess in front of her. It made her ashamed to show such an unsightly form in front of this girl she had just met.


But, remembering the stories Amber shared, she couldn't help but fall in a daze as those sights seem to clearly revolve in front of her eyes as though she herself was there to witness those amazing scenes.


"Say Lumine, what brings you here? Amber said that you used to travel a lot with your brother? What kind of thing did you witness?"


Ayaka didn't want her time with her to end prematurely. She wished to know more about her. Speak more and understand her more.


This was the first time in her life that she felt so interested in someone else.


In the eyes of others, she lived a lovely life as the one and only princess of the Kamisato clan.


Ayaka herself was aware that she was blessed to have the life she had even though it left much to be wanted. She was still faring much better than most people.


But what she yearned for from the deepest part of her heart was – Adventure. A lively life… mundane meals with her party, and a bed under the gaze of the distant shining stars.


Exploring the world, witnessing wondrous sights, fighting against evil, and saving people.


Even though she was a master swordsman, she had never even fought against someone in a true situation of life and death. Not even able to put to use the skills she cultivated with all her blood and soul.


And how could it even happen? She couldn't blame anyone. Who would dare to oppose the Kamisato clan in Inazuma?


Rather than her monotonous life, a colorful life like the one Lumine and her brother lived seemed so beautiful and appealing.


"I envy you…"


Unconsciously, those words leaked out of her lips without her notice; till her pupils constricted into horror as she understood just what she uttered.


"Ah…I apologize…"


Lumine shook her head seemingly unbothered by her rather immodest remark, "I understand. As they say, the other side always seems greener."


She smiled as she elucidated a bit more about her situation, "Our life isn't as glamorous as you may think. Every adventure we had was one where we had to put our lives on the line. 


"The reason we help people isn't out of goodness but because we are cowards who want to be desperately accepted by others."


"Ah…"


Ayaka opened her mouth wide before hanging her head low in a deep sense of utter shame and unease.


She couldn't believe that she had done the same thing all the people have been doing to her.


Judging someone using superficial knowledge and getting all envious without even properly understanding the full situation.


She had always hated how people called her a genius while being envious of her.


In their opinions, everything she did came to her naturally because she was a 'genius'. A prodigy with heaven-defying luck and a smooth sailing life from the day she was born.


But only Ayaka knew that she was not any genius.


To learn the blade. She gave up on all sorts of divertissement.


To become a proper noble, she took several lessons complex and demanding enough to make anyone else collapse.


She woke up sooner than anyone else in the household and went to sleep later than anyone in the entire city.


She recognized that she was talented, she was talented in her perseverance and her ability to adapt. But, calling her a genius was in a way an insult towards all the hard work she had put in to reach the level she was currently at.


Now though, she was acting in the same way those very people did all throughout her life. The embarrassment, agony, and shame she was now going through almost made her body numb and blazing hot.


"I deeply apologize for my careless words!"


This time, Ayaka immediately gave a deep bow. Her position as a noble didn't matter in this setting.


She admitted that her mindset had been wrong from the start.


Lumine, feeling the sincerity in Ayaka's words, smiled brighter than ever.


"I do not mind." Then, giving a mischievous smile, she gently nudged Ayaka and continued, "By the way, you have heard so much about me. Why don't you tell me some more about you too?"


Ayaka blushed a little as she fell silent at those words. The two continued to walk until they stood under the shadows of a very large tree, resembling the unique tree of the Monstadt nation. A tree that allegedly symbolized the ascent of the first human god to Celestia — Vennessa.


Under the gentle shade of the hulking tree, she slowly cleared her chaotic mind, the tree seemed to be providing her with that moment of clarity. Finally gathering her courage, Ayaka began, "My stories aren't as interesting as yours."


"It doesn't matter."


"In fact, I believe I might be quite boring."


"I like boring things."


"Fufufu~! Is that so…"


Showing a natural smile, Ayaka placed her hands behind her back and began to narrate the simple and boring events of her tiring life.


She couldn't understand why she was telling so much to a total stranger. Perhaps it was because of how much at ease she made her feel? But she seemed to have finally found a way to let loose of her innermost thoughts.


So, Ayaka talked…. 


She talked about her childhood when she was still an ignorant child.


Talked about her life after the death of her parents and how her brother raised her to the best of his abilities.


Talked about her regular training and all the lessons she was taking in order to better herself both as a noble and a person, and mostly, for her brother, to help him…


This was the first time Ayaka talked so much and shared so much in all her life.


When she came back to herself, she couldn't help but become deeply flustered because of how forthcoming she had been all the while…


She gave a timid glance towards Lumine, hoping not to see a look of unease or scorn or uncomfortableness. She hoped that she won't find her to be a bother. But, she was in for the surprise of her life.


"It must have been hard on you right, Ayaka?"


Those simple words made something crack inside her, causing dissonant chaos in her psyche.


For the first time in the entirety of her noble life, someone wasn't in awe of her.


For the first time, someone appreciated how much effort she had put in to stand where she was.


Was it hard?


Of course, it was. 


It was unbearably hard.


How much work did she have to put in?


How much pain did she have to bear with?


How many things did she have to sacrifice?


Did she regret it? 


The answer was indeed no. She did not regret any of her decisions. Because those decisions led her to become the noble self that garnered her the respect of the masses, and the competence to run the clan alongside her dear brother. If she was given the choice, she would still make the same decisions.


Even so. Even though she did not regret any of her choices.


There always had been this bitter feeling deep in her heart as she watched other people of her age.


Why couldn't she play around like them?


Why couldn't she make friends or fall in love like girls her age?


Why did she have to swing her sword every day?


She knew the answer to all of them, but she was helpless to change her fate.


Her deep yearning always clashed with her feelings of responsibility.


Because she was Kamisato Ayaka, esteemed vice-lord of the famed Kamisato clan.


Because she was the revered Shirasagi Himegimi — the symbol of grace, elegance, and ethereality.


But…Was it really all she was? 


Was it all she wanted to be? 


Was it all she supposed to be?


"Hey, Ayaka? Ayaka?!"


"...Yes?"


"Would you like to become friends with me?"


Looking down at the fair hand that was stretched towards her, Ayaka fell into a short daze, her mind completely blank of any thoughts.


There were still many things she didn't understand.


Still many things she was struggling to accept.


But, there was one thing she knew she wanted when she saw that fair hand firmly stretched in between them.


"I would love to."


Perhaps – No. Surely, with this girl, she could witness new sights, maybe, she could finally change.


This is how, under the gentle breeze of the erstwhile wind, the pleasant shade of the tree, and the beautiful light of the sun, while standing below a great tree that symbolized human divinity, a beautiful friendship was born between a noble girl and the traveler from another world.


———


That night, while dining with her brother, Ayato couldn’t help but remark. 


“You seem very happy, Ayaka. Did something good happen?”


Ayaka, who was dining quietly as always, was surprised by her brother's sudden remark as she carefully checked her expression and found herself smiling a foolish smile, unknowingly, while having her meal.


“Am I?”


“Of course you are. I am your elder brother after all. I can see your happiness as clear as the morning sun.”


“I-it’s nothing! Haha.”


She blushed a little in embarrassment at being found out and laughed awkwardly to hide the feelings of shame she currently felt at being caught red-handed doing such an unladylike deed. How could she say that she was just happy because she made a friend in school?


“Is that so?”


Ayato gave a gentle smile as he looked at his beloved sister. He didn’t know what Ayaka was hiding, but it seemed that he had to investigate quietly to understand the crux of this matter. 


Disregarding that matter, however, Ayato was happy, so very happy to see his sister in such a pleasant and jovial mode after such a long time. He prayed that… the days of her sister's happiness would continue forever, whatever the reason for them might be… he prayed with all his heart, it was the earnest prayer of a sibling for the blissful life of their dear sibling.


Once the pleasant dinner ended and Ayaka entered her room, her shoulders immediately relaxed as all tension left her body.


Right here, right now, she wasn’t the usual Kamisato Ayaka anymore. 


Just Ayaka — a girl in her teens.


Opening her secret coffers, she took out two diaries. One was a little old and worn out, while the other one was brand new stylized in cold blue color and featuring a heron peeking out of an elegant fan.


Gently caressing the old diary, Ayaka prayed. This diary belonged to her late mother and was something dear to her heart.


Then, putting back that diary, she finally opened her own. Scribbling down content she was utterly elated to inscribe down.


[Dear diary. Today, for the first time…I made a friend. A genuine friend. Her name is Lumine.]


She proceeded to write everything that had happened throughout the day.


It wasn’t much, just a meager start, but she hoped that one day, she would be able to fill this diary with the adventures she made alongside her new friend.


With those thoughts fresh in her mind, and dreams of a colorful future, a future that was originally bleak and uneventful, in her mind she closed her eyes. Hoping her silent prayer, her kaleidoscopic dream, her hopes, and aspirations could be heard and granted by the celestial deities that would be gracious enough to bear witness to them.


She hoped…


She dreamed…


She smiled with her closed eyes…


Dreaming, a bright dream, the white heron's dream…


Of an incandescent future ahead with her beloved friend.