10 A Tea-Sipping Dragon

I woke up feeling refreshed, and now I remember that I'm not in that boring shrine. I'm in the land of Commerce and Contracts, and now is my time to look for a job.

I spent all my money in 2 meals and staying in this hotel. Sorry Ayato, but your months saving weren't worth more than a day. Doesn't matter, I can get a job easy. So walking with a few meat skewers I walked through Liyue Harbor.

I read in Ayato's library that in Liyue there are a lot of exorcists, and those losers are nothing before the great Kenshin. If I remember correctly, grass-eater told me to go to the Wansheng Funeral Parlour. I guess that's were I will go.

After asking for direction, I started going towards that place, but I saw a man having tea in a terrace.

Spoiler, it was not a man.

It's soul was massive, even bigger than Yae, and had a density I had only seen in the sword of the purple woman, and it resembled a dragon from one of the pictures in Ayato's library.

So of course I needed to ask him. I'm in the city so hurting me was probably a no-go so I'm probably safe. If I feel like I'm in danger I will return to Inazuma and face death over there. I like the sakura trees in Inazuma better than this place.

"Excuse me" I was going to say sir, but he is not a human is he?.

"Hmmm" he looked at me with a curious face. Maybe he was irritated because I interrupted his tea time?. I couldn't know, his face was like a stone.

Who drinks tea this early in the morning any way?.

"I was wondering something" seeing him nod and telling me to continue, I did just that."What are you?. I think you are a dragon, but I didn't see one before so I'm not sure".

NOW I can tell he's surprised. Hehe, be awed by my awesomeness.

"Why do you ask?" .

"Curiosity" I answered honestly. "If you don't want to tell me, I will leave without telling anybody about it, it's your business. If you tell, I will leave anyway, as I got what I wanted".

"Hmm, have humans become this precocious in this era?" he muttered to himself.

"Of course not, I'm special after all" I pointed to my cool purple eyes.

"What is it that your eyes see when you look at me" the mysterious man asked me, his tea forgotten.

"A huge brown and golden dragon" I answered.

"So Rex Lapis raised his draconic visage, his golden body gleaming in the sun, gathered his adepti and marched to war" the storyteller near us finished his tale.

The mysterious man and me looked at each other in an awkward silence.

"Well, as I promised I will leave now. Good morning Mister Lapis" I bowed gracefully and continued going to my future employer's place.

"Wait a moment child" he beckoned me. Of course, I had to answer the call of the oldest Archon.

Still, I think our Archon must be way stronger. A mere paper-pusher and some sort of assistant to the Shogun gave me the same feelings of danger as him, our Archon must be awesome.

"Yes Mister Lapis".

"I'm called Zhongli" he introduced himself. Again, I would not let lies enter my ears.

"No you are not, I think we already settled that I know your identity".

"It's the name I am using now" .

"Okay, then I suppose it's your name".

"Hmm, I want to ask you to not let anyone know of my identity. I am currently enjoying the peace of Liyue while wearing this inconspicuous vessel".

"No, like I said, I don't care. You do you I guess". I really don't care about how he spends his vacations.

"What are you doing in Liyue?" he sounded curious, and a bit guarded.

"I'm running away from my 'teacher' I suppose could be the most appropriate term, but she hasn't taught me anything yet. She is the Head Priestess of the Great Narukami Shrine".

"Are you aware of the danger of those eyes of yours?" he asked me with a frown.

"I don't know, I got them a week ago after I touched a cursed man" I shivered remembering the pain.

"A curse granted you those eyes?" he asked in wonder.

"No, I was special before. I was always able to see souls and curses"

"So that's your eyes' ability...peer through souls....That's dangerous" he said with a frown.

"I know. I realized my 'teacher' wasn't human after all. She is what we call a youkai, the Inazuman version of your adeptus I think"

"And how did the curse change your eyes?".

"I don't know, I just touched the cursed man and fainted from pain after a while. When I woke up a week after they were already like this and I could see more things".

"I wonder how much could a curse affect someone to cause this great of a change..." before he could get lost in his musing, I tried to reply. While I was interested in talking with an Archon, I had to look for a job.

"My 'teacher' called the man hilichurl, maybe that helps" I shrugged. I swear I heard a 'crack' coming from his neck with how fast he looked at me.

"You were able to see a hilichurl's curse" he looked worried and cautious about me. Why would he?, he can squash me like a bug.

"Well, yes. It was a nasty thing, but it was before my eyes changed. Maybe I can get more information now, I may even be able to dispel it" I was getting excited. How did my magic brain not think of the possibility before?.

"You will not do such thing" for the first time the ¿man?, in front of me ordered me with a serious voice. And I didn't like that.

"Why?".

"Because you will catch the attention of the one who placed it, and it's something not even the seven archons together can beat".

"Okay, you have a good reason. I will give up". I know when to admit defeat.

"Just like that?" .

"Why do you look surprised?. I would be stupid to do that. Right now I want to learn how to use my ability. My 'teacher' also told me how dangerous my ability is, but didn't teach me anything. So I need to learn how to use it, other plans will come later". Yes, it looks like a good plan. First train to fight later.

"Hmmmm" he looked to be pondering something.

"Well, if that's all I will leave. I have a job interview" and I left.

"Wait" only to be stopped again.

"I really need to go. I have no money to have lunch or to sleep under a roof". Time was ticking.

"Is your situation that dire?. Where are your parents?" he looked a bit surprised.

"Yes, it's that dire. My parents are in Inazuma"

"And your teacher?"

"In Inazuma"

"Why is she not with you?. It's a mentor's duty to guard and lead their student in a safe environment, if she left you here she failing her duty" he looked serious.

"Of course she is not with me. I am running form her. She is quite powerful in Inazuma so I had no choice to escape the country". I feel sad at being persecuted like this. Well, that's a problem for future me.

The dragon was quite surprised hearing me, but he probably decided that he was not going to understand it, so he gave up.

"I could introduce you to somebody who can teach you, but it will depend on her to accept you or not. Your ability is too dangerous to be left unchecked and she can teach you how to control it" he proposed.

"But I have no money, how can I pay her?".

"Why would you need money to pay your teacher?" He looked genuinely confused. It must be nice thinking that way. "Do you pay your teacher in Inazuma?"

"Of course, I am all day doing chores, and even assist in some of the rituals. But my specially is seeing curses, as I'm sure you realize, my eyes are incredibly powerful". Kenshin, curse and spirit radar.

"Hmm, I see" he mused again.

"There you are!" a soft voice interrupted us.

"Oh, hello" I nodded at the local grass-eater, who looked at me with a weird gaze. Hah, she must be watching my meat skewers. I'm sorry, but I don't care about your eating habits so much to change mine, but if I say it like that she will cry again. Hmmmm, how to say it. Ah, got it.

"You see this?" I asked waving the only meat skewer left. "This cow was eating your food, so by killing it, we carnivores eliminated your competition for the limited natural resources. You are welcome" I nodded sagely.

She looked dismayed, offended and angry at the same time, but she only sighed.

"I was looking for you. I thought you wanted to find a job in the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour. I wrote to Yae yesterday and she told me to keep an eye on you while you are here. She also sent me your letter. That was very mean!" she scolded me. Well, after receiving my mom's scolding she could very well be whispering to me.

"Okay" I nodded. That pink woman will make me suffer for it, so I'm just selling my own future for temporary satisfaction. I know every mean comment I make will be returned to me two-fold, so I don't feel sorry.

"Huh, okay?...Y-Yes, that's right" she nodded satisfied that I learned my lesson. "Didn't you want to go the the Funeral Parlour?"

"Not any more" I shook my head. I got the chance of training under someone the Geo Archon himself recognized as a good teacher. No way looking at some ghosts is going to top that.

"No any more?" the grass-eater looked stunned.

"No, the mysterious man here made me a good offer, one that I plan to accept" I said gesturing at the boss of these lands.

"Who are you?" the grass-eater said with a frown. What are you talking about girl?. He's the Boss of this city, he can probably even drop a meteor in Liyue destroying it. At least according to the books about the Archon War.

"Just in time. You are the kid Cloud Retainer picked up, am I right?" the Boss said with a calm face.

"Huh, you know teacher?". Suddenly this 'teacher' didn't look like a good idea. I mean, her student thought no one knew she is and adeptus. Can you truly believe that whoever mentored this person did a good job?.

"Yes, and I wanted to ask her a favour. I want her to teach this young human, as his ability is very dangerous".

"Aren't you more dangerous?" I muttered, but letting him hear me. I was disappointed as he didn't react.

"W-well, I have no problem with that. But I don't know if she will accept. She is a bit moody" she laughed uncomfortably. This 'teacher' looks even worse now. Her own naive student was calling her moody now.

"I won't force her. If she refuses I will not insist, I will look for another way" Boss replied.

"Are we going or not?. If she doesn't accept I still need to find a job" I urged them.

"It's a bit far, I don't know if you will be able to go there....". To have this airheaded woman worried about you was something I didn't want to experience ever again.

"I will help with that" said the Boss, and suddenly we appeared inside a weird symbol on the floor.

"What?. How did we arrive here?" asked the grass-eater. Woman, think with your big head, the Boss told us he would help. Don't you think this may be related.

"Are we there yet?" I asked, not wanting to engage in a long explanation. While I think this half-adeptus is a very gentle and kind soul. It may be a bit exasperating sometimes.

"Y-yes, we are very near" she replied.

Near my ass. It took 4 hours to arrive to a normal mountain. on the top there was a calm lake with some weird-shaped fishes. Inazuman fishes were better, there are some electric fishes can you believe that?. Truly, electric fishes in the Land of Lightning, what a surprise.

"Who goes there?" I heard a strong voice coming from a cave on the side of the mountain.

"Cloud Retainer, it's me, Ganyu. Someone asked me to bring this child to you. He said that this kid has a powerful ability, and he needs guidance" the grass- eater shouted at the mountain.

"I'm not interested in having another student. Leave" the loud voice dismissed us.

"Okay, I only hope this doesn't end with me squashed into the floor". I replied and turned around.

Even if I need to walk for another 4 hours, I refuse to learn under person that doesn't listen.

"But Cloud Retainer, this person looked quite powerful. Are you sure you don't need to talk to him?" Ganyu tried to convince her teacher weakly. She would be more relaxed knowing that Kenshin was in good hands because she had to work, but she promised Yae that she would look out for him.

"No Ganyu, I have my hands full with the student I took a month ago. She requires all my attention". Okay, I can respect that. If you have someone that needs you, you need to pay attention to them. No hard feelings, this just wasn't supposed to be.

"Okay...." said Ganyu, who turned and followed me.

I had no hard feelings, but I was pissed about walking for 4 hours for nothing, so yes, I had some hards feelings.

"Boss man is not going to be happy. Even you fly with those wings of yours, maybe a meteorite dropping on this mountain will make you change your opinion" I said. Of course it was a joke, but she didn't know it.

"What!?" the voice asked again.

"Any way, let's go. I have a wonderful plan"