The house on Feiyun Slope was once again a quiet hub of gentle, loving preparation. But this time, the atmosphere was entirely different from the frantic, fearful packing that had preceded his journey to Inazuma. A new, profound sense of trust had settled between Ganyu and Ren, a quiet acknowledgment of his growth, his strength, and his remarkable ability to not only survive the world, but to change it.
Ganyu's involvement was less that of a worried mother packing for a child's first day of school, and more that of a proud, supportive partner. She didn't hover with worry this time; she merely assisted.
"The climate in Sumeru is said to be quite varied," she would muse, her voice a soft, thoughtful murmur as she helped him fold a set of lightweight, breathable tunics. "The rainforests are hot and humid, but the deserts can grow quite cold at night. You should be prepared for both."
Her concerns were practical now, the anxieties of a seasoned traveler, not the frantic fears of a guardian. She packed him a small, adeptal-infused emergency kit filled with potent healing balms and restorative teas, but she did so with the calm efficiency of a quartermaster, not the tearful worry of a mother.
Ren, for his part, was a picture of calm, organized focus. He meticulously checked the components of his demonstration kit, ensuring each man-made Vision was polished and perfectly functional. He carefully packed his beloved photo album, his precious chronicle of a life that was becoming more incredible with each passing day.
It was during one of these quiet, peaceful afternoons of preparation that a familiar knock came at their door. It was a messenger from the Adventurers' Guild, bearing a small, travel-worn, and very welcome, letter.
Ren's face broke into a wide, happy smile as he recognized the neat, practical handwriting. It was from Lumine.
He opened the letter, Ganyu reading over his shoulder with a fond, curious smile. Lumine's words were, as always, direct and full of a weary, heroic determination.
"Ren," the letter summarized, "I hope this finds you well and that you have fully recovered. Paimon and I have just returned from the Chasm. It was… a difficult journey. We saw a strange, upside-down city, and dealt with a great deal of dark, dangerous mud. But we also met some new, and very interesting, friends."
Ren's mind immediately flashed to his own, game-based knowledge of the Chasm's depths, of Dainslief, a person he had yet to meet, and his own mission in that dark place. He was glad his friend had navigated it safely.
The letter continued, and the next few lines made Ren's heart beat a little faster. "Our time in the Chasm is drawing to a close once more. Our path, as you know, is a long one, and the next Archon on my list is the God of Wisdom. We are preparing now for the long journey west. We will be heading to Sumeru City. Paimon is very excited about the food."
The final lines were a simple, heartfelt, and wonderfully timed, expression of friendship. "I am not sure what awaits us there, but I hope, if your own journeys ever take you that way, that we will see each other again soon. Stay safe, Ren. Your friend, Lumine."
Ren carefully folded the letter, a slow, knowing, and deeply happy, smile on his face. Sooner than you think, my friend, he thought. The timing was perfect. The Sumeru Archon Quest, he knew, was about to begin. Lumine's arrival in the city of scholars would be the catalyst, the spark that would ignite the next great chapter of Teyvat's story. And he, through a strange, wonderful, and very convenient, series of events, was going to have a front-row seat.
His own sense of purpose, of being in the right place at the right time, was solidified. He sat down at his desk and, with a fresh piece of fine, Mondstadt paper, he began to write his own letter. It was a short, simple, and very exciting, note, addressed to a certain librarian at the Knights of Favonius headquarters.
"Dear Lisa," it began. "I hope you are well. As per our previous discussion, I will be traveling to Sumeru City to file the official, international patents for my inventions. My estimated time of arrival is two days from now, given timely departure. I very much look forward to our next conversation."
The pieces were all moving into place. The board was being set. His friend, the hero, was on her way. His other friend, the scholar, would be waiting. And he, the quiet, catalyst of it all, was about to make his own, very grand, and very official, entrance.
That evening, as the sun began to set, casting a warm, golden glow over the peaceful garden, a familiar, authoritative, and very welcome, presence arrived at their door. Ningguang swept in, her usual, elegant, and powerful, demeanor softened by a warm smile.
"I trust the preparations are complete?" she asked, her gaze full of a genuine, affectionate warmth as she looked at Ren.
"Almost," he replied with a happy, confident smile.
"Excellent," she said, her voice a smooth, satisfied sound. "My own duties have been… delegated. The Qixing is in Keqing's very capable, if slightly over-caffeinated, hands. We will depart the day after tomorrow, at dawn. We will, of course, be taking my personal hovercar. The Eclipsing Star. It is the fastest, and most comfortable, way to travel."
She then produced a small, sleek, and very official-looking, document from the sleeve of her gown. It was a brand-new, freshly printed, Liyue Hovercar License, complete with her own, elegant portrait and a long, impressive identification number. She showed it to Ren with a grand, theatrical, and a somewhat teasing, flourish.
"I passed my exam, you see," she said, a wicked, foxy glint in her amber eyes. "With a perfect score, I might add. It is a shame, of course," she continued, her voice a low, dramatic, and utterly insincere, sigh, "that you are still so very underage. Otherwise, I would have, of course, allowed you to drive."
Ren, who was now well-versed in the art of the Tianquan's playful, affectionate teasing, simply responded with a dramatic, and equally theatrical, mock glare. He crossed his arms and turned away with a playful, exaggerated pout, his cheeks puffed out in a perfect parody of a slighted child.
Ningguang let out a soft, delighted laugh, a sound of pure, genuine amusement. She walked over to him and, in a gesture that was now as familiar and as comforting as Ganyu's own hugs, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a warm, silken, and jade-scented, embrace.
"Oh, I was only playing with you, my little advisor," she murmured into his hair, her voice having a happy and fond lit. "Besides, you will get to have a scenic view, while I will be busy driving."
Ren's pout instantly vanished, replaced by a bright, happy laugh as he hugged her back. He was ready. He was more than ready. He was about to embark on a grand, new adventure, a journey to a land of wisdom and of wonders, and he was going not just as an inventor, but as the beloved, cherished, and very well-protected, ward of the most powerful woman in Liyue Nation.