While Ryen and the others were planning the next few days' tasks, the Alcor had already completely sailed out of Liyue's waters.
The Alcor didn't just benefit from the blessings of that other world. After Beidou and Venti grew accustomed to each other,
they even helped make a few small adjustments to the ship.
Thanks to Venti's Anemo enhancement, the Alcor could now reach Inazuma in just half a day under favorable conditions.
And Beidou had only paid him a bottle of fine liquor for the effort.
The cost-performance ratio was extremely high.
Sailing across the open sea, Beidou stationed herself at the bow of the Alcor.
Yet her mood wasn't particularly cheerful.
In the past, every voyage felt like a brand-new adventure, worth giving unprecedented enthusiasm.
But now, she strangely felt a bit tired of it.
By contrast, exploring that other world remained far more exciting.
Her newly discovered continent hadn't been explored much yet. She was just waiting for the Qianyan Army to rest before venturing collectively onto that land.
Still, the Alcor had been her labor of love since childhood, so abandoning it wasn't an option.
Especially now, with the Alcor having an official collaboration agreement with the General Affairs Department, many of its future voyages were Liyue's official tasks.
"I need to find someone to take over for a while…"
Beidou murmured, glancing quietly at everyone on board.
Chongzuo and the others were rough around the edges. Though strong in combat, leading a fleet wasn't just about fighting.
Huixing and her companions were meticulous, but it would be difficult to make Chongzuo's team listen.
As she pondered, Beidou suddenly noticed Kaedehara Kazuha.
Although Kazuha wasn't from Liyue, he had been part of the Alcor crew for some time.
Overall, the crew admired him greatly.
Kazuha's combat ability was on par with Beidou's. He was meticulous, skilled at avoiding danger, and responsible.
It seemed…
letting Kazuha temporarily manage the Alcor might be a good idea.
At least, some of the less critical voyages could be entrusted to him.
Kazuha himself probably enjoyed the free, wandering life as much as anyone.
With that thought, Beidou planned to speak with him after this voyage.
On the deck, Lumine and Ayaka leaned against the railing, watching the vast sea stretch out before them.
The seas of Teyvat were different from those in the MC world.
The MC seas had no waves, stretching endlessly, flat and unremarkable. Even in a torrential downpour, there was barely any movement.
In a sense, it lacked excitement.
The thrill in the MC world came mainly from the anticipation of exploring unknown worlds.
But Teyvat's seas were another story. On calm days, the water shimmered under the sun, with gentle waves.
Fish leapt through the surface, seabirds skimmed low.
Yet when rain came, the sea transformed into a lethal abyss, capable of swallowing unprepared lives in an instant.
Paimon had been a bit down when leaving Liyue Harbor.
But once they were out at sea and witnessing the diverse scenery, she brightened up.
Flying beside Lumine, she gazed longingly at the distant horizon.
A huge fish leapt high into the air as the Alcor passed by. Its crystalline scales shimmered in the sunlight, reflecting a rainbow.
Paimon's eyes lit up as she tugged on Lumine's sleeve.
"Lumine! Go catch that big fish! I have a feeling it's going to taste amazing!"
Lumine rolled her eyes and complained:
"How am I supposed to catch it? If I jump in, the Alcor will be gone in no time! You want me to swim all the way to Inazuma?"
Paimon's expression instantly turned pitiful. She muttered softly:
"If Ryen were here, he'd definitely catch the fish for me!"
Lumine's face darkened. She shot Paimon a glare and fell silent.
Inwardly, she also blamed Ryen for spoiling Paimon, letting her develop such an appetite.
But if Ryen really were here, it wouldn't just be catching fish. Even if Paimon wanted a Sea God from the outer sea, Ryen would go and catch one for her.
Previously, Klee had wanted to blow up some fish, but there were no lakes in Mount Tianheng. The only one that existed had formed from Skybracer's spilled blood.
Considering Zhongli's feelings, Ryen had never touched that strange lake.
Then…
Ryen punched a huge hole, filled it with water, and let Ningguang and the others place over ten tons of fresh fish into it—just to make Klee happy.
When it came to pampering daughters, Ryen ranked second, and no one dared claim first.
Lumine rested her cheek on her hand, enjoying the sea breeze brushing her face.
The slightly salty wind lifted her spirits considerably. She blinked, took out the Serenitea Pot, and looked at Ayaka.
"Ayaka, want to ride the dragon for a bit?"
Ayaka paused, glanced around, and asked softly:
"Is that okay?"
Lumine grinned and waved her hand.
"Of course! Staying on the ship the whole time is boring!"
"Everyone in Liyue has seen dragons, so they won't be too surprised."
"Don't you want to take advantage of being at sea and ride a dragon across the sky and ocean?"
Hearing this, Ayaka's heart stirred.
Sky… Ocean…
Riding a dragon through the air.
It sounded incredibly fun—something she had never experienced before.
If she didn't take the chance now, once they returned to Inazuma, all sorts of messy and troublesome matters would pile up.
She might not get another chance.
Ayaka nodded and laughed softly.
"All right, I'll leave it to you, Lumine!"
The two of them exchanged a glance and, taking Paimon along, dove into the Serenitea Pot.
Before long, three majestic dragons roared as they soared into the sky.
They circled the Alcor once and then began performing acrobatic maneuvers.
At times, they climbed vertically, stirring violent gusts of wind.
At other times, they skimmed close to the water, leaving ripples across the ocean surface.
The sudden appearance of the dragons startled the crew of the Alcor, but once they saw them clearly, everyone relaxed.
Not to mention, these dragons were identical to the ones that had dealt with the Abyss Heralds recently—clearly part of Liyue's heritage.