Liyue is so vastly different than Sumeru in so many broad ways that it's overwhelming to try and take it all in with just one awed stare at the sheer enormity of differences. But Dehya wears that look for a long minute, trying to decide what to focus on first, before deciding that it would be much easier to just go into the city, start small, get some food and drink, walk the streets, look at the vendor stalls and shops. She's ready to be done walking, as most of her trip from Sumeru was done on foot, but resting can wait for later, after she's had a look around and sound her way to an inn.
And so she does, spending the day meandering without purpose, buying some snacks (and promising herself to go back for more later, because damn that's good), finding her way to the harbor and watching the sea, the ships, taking in the scent of the salty air. It's so different than the dry desert she hails from, and she can feel that same awe from esrlier beginning to fill her mind again. It's incredible.
As the sun sinks towards the horizon and paints the sky with pinks and yellows, she tears her eyes away and glances around. She still has yet to find an inn, but food and drink feels more important. She could go for some wine - or something harder, but she'll save that for when she isn't brand fucking new to the city. A man catches her eye, a mask affixed to the side of his head, the silhouette of what reminds her of a Fatui. Not unusual, there's Fatui everywhere, but he looks far more relaxed than most she's seen. With a smile, she moves towards him.
"Hey there," she says with an air to match what he exudes: casual, friendly, but still with an edge of alertness disguised behind a grin. "You know of any good places here to eat? Preferably with a decent wine to go with it."
Childe heads out of work just before the sky and clouds start turning colours, the sun not yet all the way behind Mount Tianheng. Instead of heading straight back to Baiju Guesthouse, he slips his hands into his pockets and ambles his way southward through the throngs of people on the main street, debating the pros and cons of picking up groceries versus finding a place to eat for dinner against the murmuring backdrop of the crowd.
He has yet to make a decision when a call in a distinctly non-Liyuen accent catches his attention, almost as striking as the visage that accompanies it — a lilting woman’s voice, probably a low alto, he thinks, whose consonants terminate in an unfamiliar manner. Her hair is… wow. That mane alone is extremely eye-catching with its luxurious volume and streaks of gold. The woman wears dusty travel clothes, ones mostly well suited for the heat and humidity of Liyue, but not of any style even remotely close to those worn by people in the harbor.
That leather will be miserable to get out of.
“Depends; do you know how to use chopsticks? My usual dining company is very insistent that,” he folds his hands behind his back as he draws himself up perfectly straight — thanks owed to his old foot-soldier training — and affects a deep, Liyuen-accented voice, “‘Liyuen cuisine can be properly appreciated only when one dines with the appropriate utensils, as the chef and tradition intended’. Restaurants up on Feiyun Slope share that idea, and while you can forego chopsticks there, they’ll give you judgy looks.”
Childe chuckles, his posture relaxing back into his usual lanky ease, and thumbs over his shoulder towards the less-upscale district of Chihu Rock. “But I happen to know that Wanmin Restaurant keeps forks on hand for foreigners; there’s good food there too, and they’re not far from a little hole-in-the-wall place that serves good baijiu and beer both. Chef Mao at Wanmin lets customers bring their own alcohol to the tables so long as nobody gets rowdy.”
The mysterious woman doesn’t look like she’s from Mondstadt or Fontaine, despite the immaculate eye-shade and lines of kohl that would meet the approval of even the strictest salonnière, so he doesn’t extend his hand for an introduction. Instead, he gives her a friendly little two-fingered wave. “Call me ‘Childe’.”
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lmao? okay ii guezz ii can zpiill. the guy gettiing all the zhiiz done iiz a lowblood whiich iiz rlly funny to me. doiin hiighly iillegal treazon ztuff whiile beiing liike one angry viiolet from beiing culled at all tiimez. iitz liike a power thiing. pumpiin iillegal hiighbloodz iinto iimzelf to feel ztronger. zaiid he wanted to iignore the cazte zyztem and rule hiimzelf. ziigh. iif only ii could report thiiz guy wiithout gettiing otherz iin trouble. the zciientiizt behiind thiiz iiz a geniiuz who dezervez to further theiir ztudiiez. worzt part iiz that ii would be culled liike eiight tiimez over becauze ii helped them iin such a way that the world blazphemy can’t even cover. even wiith all the blood criimez iid be the mozt fucked. not even wiilliing to detaiil iit wiith all my cyber zecuriity becauze iitz that fuckiin bad. unlezz ii got liike a phone not made by a Troll and chiilled iin zpace to zubmiit iit maybe.
lmao iit all feelz zo comiical of courze iim The dramatiic hiighblood makiing thiiz about me. anywayz lowblood iillegal blood miixiing criimez okay? thaz juzt an affront agaiinzt nature. ii
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ok briiefly iithought iiwaz piitch for them becauze of that but iitwaz baziic moraliity they triied to pazz off az me beiing a cazteiizt azzhole. ii get iit man The cazte diiferencez and all but YOUR BLOOD MAN YOU DONT RUIIN IIT LIIKE THAT OH MY GOG II DONT CARE THAT YOURE A LOWBLOOD THATZ YOUR NATURAL HATCHED BLOOD BROTHER THE MEZZIAHZ DONT WANT NO FAKE ZHIIT PLEAZE JUZT LET IIT BE II KNOW THIIZ ZYZTEM IIZ FUCKED BUT PLAYIIN IIN IITZ FAVOR WONT FIIX IIT. YOURE JUZT A WIIGGLER PLEAZE
zorry lol anywayz uhhh niice weather huh
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Question: lmao? okay i guess i can spill. the guy getting all the shit done is a lowblood which is rlly funny to me. doing highly illegal treason stuff while being like one angry violet from being culled at all times. its like a power thing. pumping illegal highbloods into himself to feel stronger. said he wanted to ignore the caste system and rule himself. sigh. if only i could report this guy without getting others in trouble. the scientist behind this is a genius who deserves to further their studies. worst part is that i would be culled like eight times over because i helped them in such a way that the world blasphemy can’t even cover. even with all the blood crimes id be the most fucked. not even willing to detail it with all my cyber security because its that fucking bad. unless i got like a phone not made by a Troll and chilled in space to submit it maybe.
lmao it all feels so comical of course im The dramatic highblood making thiz about me. anyways lowblood illegal blood mixing crimes okay? thats just an affront against nature. i
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ok briefly i thought i was pitch for them becaue of that but it was basic morality they tried to pass off as me being a casteist asshole. i get it man The caste differences and all but YOUR BLOOD MAN YOU DONT RUIN IT LIKE THAT OH MY GOG I DONT CARE THAT YOURE A LOWBLOOD THATS YOUR NATURAL HATCHED BLOOD BROTHER THE MESSIAHS DONT WANT NO FAKE SHIT PLEASE JUST LET IT BE I KNOW THIS SYSTEM IS FUCKED BUT PLAYING IN ITS FAVOR WONT FIX IT. YOURE JUST A WIGGLER PLEASE
sorry lol anyways uhhh nice weather huh
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