"I always thought you'd look down on tactics like that."
Hearing Ningguang say she could use the same approach, Keqing couldn't hide her surprise.
She had always seen Ningguang as someone lofty and dignified—someone who would disdain such... underhanded methods.
"Why shouldn't I?"
"It doesn't burden the people, and it doesn't harm innocent lives."
Seduction might sound indecent, but if you thought about it carefully, it was still an effective strategy.
Su Ran was handsome.
His abilities were exceptional.
If the situation called for it, why would she refuse to use such a method?
People like Keqing, on the other hand, would only end up overlooked.
"But..."
At first glance, Ningguang's reasoning actually made a certain amount of sense.
She wasn't hurting anyone.
She wasn't wasting public resources.
There was nothing logically wrong with what she'd said.
Even so, Keqing still found it... strangely unsettling.
Was Ningguang really willing to go that far?
"What?"
"You don't think much of Su Ran?"
Ningguang looked at Keqing with a hint of amusement—and faint disdain.
Without some means of her own, how could anyone hope to secure a place beside someone like him?
Keqing had been born into a prestigious family.
Her starting point had always been far higher than Ningguang's.
Naturally,
her resolve wasn't as ruthless, nor were her methods.
As for whether Keqing looked down on Su Ran, Ningguang already knew the answer.
Having climbed from the bottom to where she stood today, her judgment far surpassed that of the pampered daughters raised in noble households.
Her pride exceeded theirs as well.
Not long ago, she had believed no one in all of Teyvat was worthy of her.
Yet even she felt that she was the one benefiting from being with Su Ran.
So there was no way Keqing considered him beneath her.
She simply couldn't bring herself to use methods like these.
"Countless people dream of sharing his bed."
"You, on the other hand, are still so... innocent."
Ningguang didn't particularly care what Keqing thought.
It had only been casual conversation.
Whether Keqing took her words to heart was irrelevant.
Faced with someone like Tingyun, Ningguang felt a genuine sense of pressure.
But Keqing?
Even if she somehow found that kind of determination,
Ningguang wouldn't see her as a threat.
The gap between them was simply too great.
"I just don't want to be like you."
"I don't want to use such shameless methods to gain benefits."
Keqing retorted angrily.
Of course she didn't look down on Su Ran.
He was capable.
Powerful.
Good-looking.
And despite everything, he wasn't a bad person.
How could she possibly think he wasn't worthy of her?
If anything, when she stood beside him, she sometimes felt a trace of inferiority herself.
But what Keqing wanted was never a simple transaction.
"There's nothing wrong with mutual attraction between a man and a woman."
"Any benefits are merely a bonus."
"Even without them, I wouldn't regret it."
"Because no matter what..."
"I'd still be the one who gained something."
Only someone as young as Keqing would believe relationships could slowly develop over time.
But with a genius like Su Ran, taking things little by little?
That was wishful thinking.
How often would his attention ever fall upon Keqing?
The opportunities were already scarce.
Only a naïve young girl would still cling to such romantic fantasies.
Ningguang wasn't Keqing's family.
She had no obligation to lecture her.
Offering a little advice was already more than enough for the sake of an old colleague.
"Miss Chiyo."
"What do you think?"
Keqing turned hopefully toward Chiyo, wanting someone to agree with her.
Ningguang merely glanced at the oni horns atop Chiyo's head, smiled, and quietly walked away.
"...It's only because I can't beat him."
Chiyo scratched her head awkwardly.
The difference in strength between them made it impossible for her to act.
Otherwise, given the straightforward temperament of the oni, she joked that she'd probably already be preparing for motherhood by now.
Besides, constantly acting like a quiet, gentle woman around Su Ran was honestly exhausting.
Unfortunately, she simply couldn't imitate Kitsune Saiguu's natural charm.
Keqing: "???"
Am I really the only one who feels completely out of place here?
No.
She had to find someone who shared her values.
So she sought out another employee working aboard the station—
Sangonomiya Kokomi.
After explaining everything, she waited for a response.
"...That actually seems like a good strategy."
"But where is the boss's room?"
"And when does he usually come back to sleep?"
After hearing Keqing out, Kokomi thought about it carefully.
Then she concluded... it really was a viable plan.
After working here for some time, even she could plainly see the station's true value.
In fact, the entire value of Teyvat couldn't compare to this single space station.
The technological advancements here were something Teyvat couldn't hope to catch up to even after another ten thousand years.
If there was a shortcut, Kokomi naturally preferred taking it.
Keqing stood there, mouth hanging open, staring at Kokomi in disbelief.
During all this time, she had thought Kokomi was a genuinely pleasant person.
They shared many common interests.
Talking with her had always been much easier than talking with Ningguang.
Yet now...was she the strange one?
"...Don't you think that's a little shameless?"
Kokomi didn't agree with Keqing's reasoning at all.
Shameless?
Wouldn't I be the one benefiting?
In Inazuma, Su Ran was practically a godlike existence.
Across the universe, he ranked among its greatest minds.
Most people would never even have the chance to meet him.
So how was this "shameless"?
Being looked down upon—that would deserve such a description.
But this?
People would obviously be envious instead.
Was it only because...girls tended to feel embarrassed about such things?
"It's alright, Miss Keqing."
"That's only your personal way of thinking."
"You don't need to force it upon yourself."
Kokomi gently patted Keqing on the shoulder.
A young lady from a noble family had her own way of living.
Kokomi wasn't one.
There was no reason for her to think the same way Keqing did.
If someone wanted to call her shameless, then so be it.
Compared to what she stood to gain, that was a trivial price.
Then she thought again about Su Ran's qualities.
Kokomi's Motivation: +10086
In the past, she hadn't viewed him this way.
She had simply felt that this godlike figure was somewhat too arrogant.
But looking back now, she couldn't help wondering why someone of his stature had been so approachable.
She had been the leader of the resistance army, yet she had still received such tremendous opportunities.
Now she lived in this place that stood above the entire world.
Other than being unable to return to Inazuma, there really wasn't anything bad about her life anymore.
She could even visit Liyue whenever she liked.
Her workload wasn't particularly heavy, either.
Kokomi's Motivation: +1000
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