Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [509]

"Something about this mural feels… off."

Gu Sanqiu narrowed his eyes.

He knew the Golden Apple Archipelago had murals left behind by stranded Inazuman sailors. That was common knowledge.

But this Dodo-King mural?

It felt like one of Alice’s elaborate games.

Still—if she had designed this for Klee, why was it so dark?

A battlefield.

A lone, monstrous figure surrounded by warriors, fallen soldiers at its feet.

If this were really for a child’s game, shouldn’t Dodo-King be holding toys, facing a group of confused but curious kids?

This whole aesthetic...

It suspiciously matched the "evil overlord" persona that he and Albedo had fabricated.

...Wait.

It matched the version they made up?

That meant…

This was likely recently created.

Alice—was she here?

Or was some automated mechanism actively adjusting the scenario in real time?

"That does seem possible."

Gu Sanqiu stroked his chin.

If some construct was running hidden maintenance, maybe Klee could end up with a new playmate?

He had already noticed the genuine bond between Klee and Itto—two walking disasters with endless energy.

Unfortunately, Itto wasn’t from Mondstadt.

Eventually, he would return to his own world.

Maybe finding Klee a local friend would be a good idea.

Like…

That one librarian.

Lisa.

A towering woman paired with an excitable child.

On the surface, it looked like buff guy x elegant lady—but fundamentally? It was strict big sister x chaotic little brother.

...Actually, scratch that.

"Boss! Get over here!"

Itto’s voice rang out from the front.

"The first ‘trial’ that big idiot mentioned—it’s here!"

"What kind of trial?"

Gu Sanqiu walked over and found himself staring at a massive rock wall.

On it—

A giant Dodo-King was depicted, mouth wide open, seemingly ready to unleash a laser beam.

Next to it, there was an inscription:

【Prove your strength! Destroy this rock wall! Only then will you be worthy to stand before me!】

Gu Sanqiu gave Itto a flat look.

"This is what you’re calling a ‘trial’?"

"You, the self-proclaimed Arataki ‘Number One Oni in the World’ Itto, need me to tell you how to break a wall?"

Itto rubbed the back of his head.

"Nah, Boss, it’s not like that! It’s just—"

He pointed at three handprints carved into the rock.

"Albedo said we can’t just smash it. Looks like we need three people to activate some kinda resonance using elemental energy."

Albedo nodded.

"I checked. This rock is reinforced by a barrier technique.

"Brute force alone won’t work.

"The only way through is by triggering the designed mechanism."

"Fine."

Gu Sanqiu placed his hand on one of the carvings.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed both Albedo and Itto doing the same.

Their palms fit perfectly into the engravings.

A perfect match.

Ha.

Not only did the handprints fit, but all three of them were Geo users.

That meant…

Someone else had been here first.

Someone who knew exactly who would show up.

…

Thankfully, no one suspected the truth.

They all chalked it up to Dodo-King’s "divine foresight" rather than realizing this was a handcrafted playground.

"Begin."

At Albedo’s signal, the three of them activated their elemental energy.

The Geo resonance surged through the rock wall, flooding it with immense power.

Low, thunderous vibrations rumbled across the terrain.

Waves of energy pulsed outward.

Diluc frowned and instinctively moved closer to Klee, ready to shield her at a moment’s notice.

He wouldn’t openly admit it—

But ever since he became "Little Red Riding Hood No.1",

He had—begrudgingly—grown far more lenient toward the tiny firestarter.

To the point where he even treated her like a child.

Jean was Mondstadt’s "Mom".

Diluc…

…was "Dad".

(Scratched out.)

These days, whenever Klee wandered around Mondstadt, if she got thirsty—

She didn’t go looking for a fountain.

Instead, she went straight to Angel’s Share, where there was always a perfectly chilled drink waiting for her.

And if she ever missed mealtime at the Knights of Favonius cafeteria?

Well.

A certain "unapproachable" winery owner would "coincidentally" have Charles prepare a meal for her.

Fresh fish, caught from Cider Lake.

Grilled to perfection.

…And, of course, he had an excuse prepared for it.

Something about "how energetic children boost the mood of the tavern," leading to "increased sales" and "better business opportunities."

Very official.

Very professional.

Who knew?

He probably even had data charts to back it up.

After all—

A man like Diluc Ragnvindr would never allow himself to be caught doing something "soft".

Of course, Klee was the only exception.

For everyone else—

They were simply "equal customers."

Well.

Except for Kaeya.

Kaeya’s status was 100 floors lower than everyone else.

If "ordinary customers" were neutral, Kaeya was…

A serf.

So.

When the barrier mechanism suddenly started behaving abnormally—

Diluc instinctively positioned himself between Klee and the wall.

…Honestly.

If Gu Sanqiu weren’t busy right now, he would’ve roasted him for being utterly clueless.

Dude. Just pull the mother-daughter duo behind you.

Direct flight to marriage secured.

"Uh.

"Why does this thing feel like a bottomless pit?"

Gu Sanqiu frowned.

With the amount of Geo energy they had poured into it, even a Geovishap Lord would have exploded.

And yet—

Nothing was happening.

"It’s possible… it’s not enough?"

"NOT GOOD!"

Itto suddenly yelled.

"Something inside—it’s trying to suck in my hand!"

The mechanism had changed.

Without hesitation, Gu Sanqiu released his grip and grabbed Itto’s forearm, attempting to yank him free.

"OW! OW! OW! Boss—STOP—THAT HURTS!"

Without a second thought, Gu Sanqiu kicked the rock wall with full force—

Cracking it open.

"KLEE!"

He grinned.

"Your turn! Drop a big one in there!"

"I'm on it!"

Klee beamed, hugging her bomb.

She sprinted forward, jumped—

And tossed it straight into the opening.

"[BOUNCE, BOUNCE, JUMPY DUMPTY]!"

BOOM.

A chain reaction erupted from inside.

Albedo and Gu Sanqiu immediately raised shields, closely monitoring the structure.

Then—

With a final explosive burst—

The top of the rock detonated, sending streaks of golden-red energy skyward.

Fireworks.

Brilliant and dazzling, they bloomed in the blue sky.

"Whoa!"

Klee clapped excitedly.

"Look, everyone! FIREWORKS!"

Itto, now free, whistled.

"Yo.

"That’s exactly like what Yoimiya makes!"

Gu Sanqiu, however—

He wasn’t admiring the view.

He had just figured something out.

The "prove your strength" challenge?

It was never about destroying a barrier.

It was about charging up a massive fireworks launcher.

If Klee hadn’t thrown in a bomb,

The fireworks would have only been gold.

"…Heh."

Gu Sanqiu smirked.

High EQ: Geo warriors.

Low EQ: Geo laborers.

---

This is a fan translation of 原神之璃月奉香人 by 淡白蛋清. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!