The Dragonspine Mountains were truly a remarkable place.
With its dim, hazy sky, majestic peaks towering like clouds, and crystalline snow blanketing roads and foliage, the frozen landscape exuded serene tranquility—provided one overlooked the lethal extreme cold, even challenging for characters endowed with Visions from Genshin Impact.
Zeke led the way along the snowy mountain path, his characteristic dark trench coat leaving behind a confident and sturdy silhouette.
He held Sin's small hand, while behind them, Seele and Wendy followed, admiring the alpine scenery.
In stark contrast to Zeke's crisp attire, the three girls' outfits were decidedly more elaborate. Sin wore red, Wendy donned green, and Seele opted for white—each bundled up in thick, warm coats like plump little dumplings. This was quintessential overprotective father thinking: Despite their superhuman abilities, venturing into the snow-capped mountains required proper insulation; what if they caught cold without enough layers? As far as preserving their figure, which is typically paramount for young women, it took a backseat!
Holding Seele's hand, Wendy gazed at the majestic mountain peak disappearing into the sky. She then patted her bulky clothing and complained, "Tsk! Can't we take these off? They're so cumbersome!"
"Haha, Wendy, give it up. Big Bro Zeke won't allow it. He can't stand seeing us underdressed when it's snowing."
"Hey! Zeke! Seriously, this outfit is unnecessary! I'm taking it off!" Wendy called out to Zeke's back, reaching to remove her heavy coat.
"Pfft!"
Suddenly, she bumped into Zeke. While undressing while walking, she couldn't see ahead and hadn't noticed him stopping abruptly.
Wendy didn't mind; she knew exactly who she had bumped into. Continuing to shed her layers, she pulled off the thick coat and padded jacket over her head, revealing her rosy cheeks with a long sigh of relief.
"Phew! Much better now... Huh?!"
Having removed the heavy garments and feeling refreshed, Wendy noticed Zeke extending his hand towards her.
She looked up, detecting a hint of resignation on Zeke's otherwise calm face.
A moment later, Wendy's lips curved upwards as she confidently took hold of Zeke's hand. A surge of warmth from it instantly chased away all the chill.
"So warm..." Wendy tightened her grip on Zeke's hand, her smile radiating contentment.
Zeke nodded and said, "Let's keep going. The view should be even better at the summit."
"Heh heh! Alright, I'm ready!" Wendy nestled close to Zeke, wrapping her arm around his, and happily continued walking ahead.
Now, Wendy and Sin each held one of Zeke's hands, leading the trio forward.
Behind them, Seele blinked, involuntarily pouting slightly.
"How nice for them..."
["Idiot! Just do it already! Jump onto his back!"]
"I can't; I'll disturb Big Bro Zeke's enjoyment of the scenery. He's always busy with grand plans for civilization, and this is such a rare opportunity for him to relax. I don't want to bother him."
["...You're truly hopeless, seriously."]
Veliona sighed, frustrated by Seele's reluctance, losing interest in further conversation.
Shaking her head, Seele tried to dispel the sour feeling inside her, but it had little effect. Inadvertently, she touched the pocket where a small hard object—the medicine bottle—could be felt beneath.
"Boom!"
As if burned by fire, Seele instantly withdrew her hand, her face flushing red. Feeling guilty and flustered, she hurriedly jogged to catch up with the others.
"Hey, aren't you guys at the wrong place? This ain't no tourist spot—hand over your... Aaagh!"
"Boom!!"
A fierce blizzard swept away the Treasure Hunter camp stationed by the mountain road, along with the soldier twirling his knife.
Expressionless, Wendy retracted her hand and immediately clung to Zeke's arm again, her cheeks flushed as she cooed,
"Zeke~ The path is clear now! Let's keep climbing!"
Wendy nuzzled closer, beaming sweetly. Forget about maintaining any image; this rare moment of Zeke reaching out to her felt like the blossoming of years spent patiently waiting. Wendy had completely forgotten her usual act—the gentle, sensible persona for others, and the prickly tsundere routine reserved for Zeke.
"Hm, well done."
With both hands occupied, Zeke could only praise Wendy verbally before leading the girls onward.
Meanwhile, Seele lingered behind, examining a wild boar encased in solid ice. Moments later, a massive bundle appeared on the round girl's back, and she briskly caught up to the group.
"Wait for Seele, Big Bro Zeke!"
That night, atop the snow-capped mountain peak, they stood above a slowly drifting sea of thick clouds, with the resplendent starry sky and luminous full moon overhead.
A golden flame burned steadily at the camp's center, its gentle glow not overpowering the breathtaking nocturnal scenery but dispersing the bitter chill wherever it shone. It felt as if a portion of the daytime sun had been captured and placed on earth.
Within the warmth-embraced area, the girls donned their vibrant and eye-catching outfits once more. Seele bustled between grilling kebabs and tending to the stove, while Sin and Wendy frolicked in the snow nearby.
Zeke extended his hands, framing a camera-like gesture.
Click.
The silent shutter snapped, capturing this serene nighttime panorama of clouds and snowy peaks, along with the girls and Zeke himself, forever preserved within Icarus' central archive.
"Should be nice to reminisce about in the future," Zeke murmured, uncharacteristically sentimental for a moment.
Soon, Seele finished preparing dinner and called everyone over to eat.
"Big Bro Zeke, according to that village chief we met earlier, this is an extinct ancient wild boar—quite different from the meat we've had in Mondstadt! You gotta try it!"
Proud of having carried the entire wild boar, encased in ice, all by herself, Seele handed a skewer of grilled mushroom meat to Zeke.
"Zeke!" × 2
Almost simultaneously with Seele, Sin and Wendy also offered their skewers to Zeke's mouth.
Now, three skewers of grilled meat were presented before him.
Zeke paused momentarily, then swiftly grabbed all three before any awkwardness or competition could arise.
"I'll try them all," he said, patting each girl gently on the head. "If they're delicious, I might consider reintroducing this species."
The girls exchanged glances, blinked synchronously, and quietly resumed eating as if nothing had happened.
Building camaraderie takes time, but fortunately, since setting off from Mondstadt until now, everything has been going smoothly without any noticeable issues among them.
"Zeke, ah~"
After a brief moment, Wendy sweetly prompted again for feeding, gazing at Zeke with a mix of bashfulness and anticipation in her sparkling eyes.
Zeke willingly obliged and then playfully flicked her forehead.
"Act your age; being overly infatuated doesn't suit you."
Wendy fell silent, her giddy affection instantly fading away.
Her expression rapidly cycled through various emotions before settling on a flushed face, gritted teeth, and a slow, drawn-out response: "It's not...not entirely my fault that I acted like that when you suddenly treated me so... warmly... Ah! How utterly embarrassing!"
As her emotions cooled, Wendy's usual persona returned, leaving her defenses shattered by her flirtatious behavior throughout the day. She covered her face with both hands, unable to suppress her mortified whimpers.
Sin and Seele tilted their heads synchronously. The ever-genuine Seele, along with the even more straightforward Sin, couldn't comprehend why Wendy felt her self-esteem was crushed—being treated tenderly by Zeke should have been delightful, shouldn't it?
After sobbing for a moment, Wendy sensed warmth near her hand. She lowered her arms to find Zeke silently offering her a steaming skewer of grilled meat.
"...What do you want from me?! One minute you're distant, the next you're all caring—is this some kind of game?!"
"I'm trying to take care of you, not as an elder but as your husband."
"...Huh?!"
"Eat up. Climbing mountains might be no issue for a Herrscher, but indulging a bit won't ruin your figure either. They really taste good; go ahead and enjoy more."
"Thump!"
In an instant, Wendy threw herself into Zeke's arms, clutching his clothes tightly as she looked up with her bright green eyes shimmering brighter than ever.
"What did you just say?"
"I'm neither a robot nor a psychopath. Since spending time together isn't problematic... You're very adorable, and I truly like you," Zeke replied while gently grasping one of Wendy's hands, intertwining their fingers to connect their warmth closely.
Having known Wendy for so long and harboring feelings for her equally as extended, Zeke found the boundary between romantic love and familial affection somewhat blurred. However, experiences with Kiana and Sin taught him that attempting to delineate such emotional boundaries through logic would yield no clear results.
All that mattered was one simple truth—Zeke willingly cared for and protected this girl, even eagerly so. That was enough.
"You fool! Jerk! Idiot... Why...why did you wait until now to give me your answer?! Sob!"
Wendy pounded on Zeke's chest repeatedly, her face buried against him as tears soaked his shirt. Yet, the hand intertwined with his held on tightly, refusing to let go.
"Drip!"
At that moment, a crystalline tear rolled down from Seele's eyes. It carried both blessings for Wendy's fulfilled wish and an unmatched envy tinged with bitterness. After all, Wendy had received what she desired most, but what about Seele? When would it be her turn...
"Would you like to join us?"
With his free hand, Zeke extended it towards Seele—an undoubtedly sleazy move, though he remained oblivious to its implications. Sadly, neither Seele nor Wendy were in any state of mind to question such actions amidst their emotional turmoil.
Large teardrops cascaded from Seele's deep blue eyes, reminiscent of an endless sea. Pouting, she sniffled hard, trying to compose herself.
"Sss... Sss!"
"Big Bro Zeke!"
Tears streaming down her face yet wearing a radiant and flawless smile, Seele threw herself into Zeke's embrace.
This should have been a heartwarming group hug, expressing their emotions and shared joy among the trio.
However, Sin has never been one to hold back her feelings. Witnessing Zeke hugging both girls, she promptly dropped her food, leaped forward like a human cannonball, and joined the embrace.
Zeke, initially composed, instantly tensed up—Sin's physical prowess far exceeded that of an ordinary Herrscher, and she never restrained her strength around him. If he mishandled this moment, someone could get hurt.
"Thud!!"
In an instant, all four tangled together, collapsing onto the snowy ground.
With Zeke at the bottom, bearing the full weight and impact, fortunately, it wasn't too taxing for him. As long as no one got injured, that was what mattered most.
"Hahaha!"
The three girls atop Zeke burst out laughing simultaneously, their joyful giggles resembling chiming wind bells, distinct and melodious, echoing far across the snow-capped mountain peak.
Zeke subtly rolled his eyes but couldn't help feeling helpless. They were all little princesses after all, and at this moment, he simply couldn't bring himself to be upset; compromise was his only choice.
"Alright, let's get up now; dinner isn't finished yet... Hm? What's this?"
Zeke's exasperated tone gradually shifted as he felt something small beneath him—a medicine bottle. Holding it up to examine, the transparent container and pills shimmered with dazzling hues under the moonlight and fire glow.
"!!!" Seele's eyes widened, her entire body trembling uncontrollably. In that instant, she finally understood Wendy's mortification earlier—but no, this embarrassment was hundredfold more terrifying!