"Kamisato Ayaka, I've made a decision," her voice was serious.
Zeyan felt a vague unease creep over him. "What have you decided?"
A bright light, the light of hope, appeared in her eyes. But at this point, what hope could still remain? He had a sinking feeling that it would end in vain, but could he stop Kamisato Ayaka?
Like someone searching for light in the darkness, Kamisato Ayaka said in a hopeful tone, "Perhaps we can go to Liyue."
Zeyan blinked in surprise. "Liyue?"
Kamisato Ayaka nodded. "The strange phenomena that have appeared... no matter how you look at it, they can't possibly have spread all over the world, right? It must be confined to the Inazuma region. If that's the case, maybe we can go to Liyue, find the others, and ask for their help to restore things in Inazuma."
Zeyan raised an eyebrow. "But the situation in Liyue is fine. Isn't that just your judgment, Miss Kamisato?"
Kamisato Ayaka answered with firm conviction, "Though this is all uncertain, I believe the possibility is still high. This is a new hope, and we can't just give up. We still have a future to pursue."
But Zeyan found it hard to believe this was hope. He knew that Liyue might not offer the solution Kamisato Ayaka envisioned, no, it certainly wouldn't. But how could he convince her?
Kamisato Ayaka spoke to herself, "The deity of Liyue is the Geo Archon, Morax. It's said that he and the Shogun are friends. Once he hears of what happened in Inazuma, he won't stand by idly. Our chances of getting help are good."
Zeyan furrowed his brow. "But even the Raiden Shogun is missing. What difference could the Geo Archon make?"
Kamisato Ayaka responded earnestly, "Among the Seven Archons, the Geo Archon is the oldest, having lived over six thousand years. He's seen so much in that time. Maybe, just maybe, he can resolve the situation in Inazuma."
Zeyan shook his head. "I'm not holding out much hope for that."
Kamisato Ayaka looked at him. "Zeyan, I know you've lost hope, but if you don't agree with my decision, I won't force you. I can go to Liyue alone."
Her decision was made. Or rather, she needed to hold on to hope.
Inazuma could no longer give her hope. Even the Raiden Shogun was gone. What else could give her hope? Liyue, across the sea, seemed like the last chance.
Zeyan sighed. "Miss Kamisato, I told you before: no matter where you go, I'll be with you. I don't agree with your decision, but I won't leave you."
Kamisato Ayaka's expression softened, and she said, "So you're willing to go to Liyue with me? Think about it, Zeyan. Liyue is your homeland. Returning there shouldn't be unacceptable, right?"
Zeyan rubbed his temples. "Going to Liyue sounds simple, but it's not as easy as you think. There are many problems in our way."
Kamisato Ayaka spoke earnestly, "No matter the challenge, shouldn't we overcome it? If we try our best, the difficulties will be resolved."
Zeyan shook his head. "Miss Kamisato, you're too optimistic. You say we should go to Liyue, but how exactly will we do that?"
He gestured to the window. Though the glass was shut tight, the sound of rain hitting it was still clear, and the occasional flash of lightning was visible outside.
Kamisato Ayaka understood immediately.
Before she could respond, Zeyan continued, "It's pouring outside, this isn't the right time to set sail. To navigate in this weather, we need a sturdy ship, and the bigger the ship, the more crew it requires. Just the two of us can't manage it. Our only option would be a small boat, but in this storm, that would capsize easily. We wouldn't make it to Liyue, we'd be lost at sea."
His analysis was precise, and each word made perfect sense.
Kamisato Ayaka hesitated, her heart torn. Zeyan saw her reaction and felt a sense of relief, knowing the reality might calm her down.
He added, "Miss Kamisato, I'm still willing to go with you to Liyue, but given the situation, it's not a matter of me stopping you, it's that the circumstances simply don't allow it."
Kamisato Ayaka's spirits sank, and a hint of exhaustion appeared on her face, making Zeyan feel a pang of sympathy.
After thinking for a moment, Zeyan said, "Why don't we wait for the rain to stop? Once the storm passes, we can set off for Liyue together."
Kamisato Ayaka paused, then nodded. "Perhaps that's the best option. The storm can't last forever. It will eventually stop, and when it does, we'll leave for Liyue."
Seeing her mood lift a bit, Zeyan breathed a sigh of relief. But he wasn't entirely convinced her plan would work. He suspected that the rain might be a part of the Dungeon's features and wouldn't stop until the Dungeon ended.
"Before we set off, we still need to make preparations," Kamisato Ayaka continued, focused on the future.
"How do you plan to prepare, Miss Kamisato?" Zeyan asked.
"First, we need a ship. There are many in Ritou, but we need to choose the right one and check its condition. Also, food, on a long journey, we'll need supplies that can be stored for a long time. We need to gather food, medicine, spare clothes, and...etc"
Kamisato Ayaka spoke rapidly, deeply concerned about the journey ahead.
Zeyan felt a sense of complexity. Watching her put in the effort, even though he knew failure was inevitable, was a strange feeling.
Her hope was genuine. It was something Zeyan couldn't take away.
Zeyan sighed inwardly. Could he really burst her bubble and make her see the reality? Or should he let her keep this impossible hope, at least until the Dungeon ended?
But the question remained: when would the Dungeon end?
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