Genshin Impact, I, a mere mortal, cannot accompany you to the very end.

“Someone told me to run, but I’m not going to. I’m going to stay here and wait. I don’t want to be a deserter.”

Kiyono remained silent, and lowered his head slightly.

"So, young man, would you like to take a boat?"

"Mmm," Kiyono said softly.

"Hmm...I see."

"You're from over there, do you know what's going on at the front? Did the Pillar General win? Hey, I'm not kidding, but my dream is to ride the Pillar General in a carriage, what an honor that would be, haha."

"Ah."

Kiyono nodded.

"He won."

"A resounding and exhilarating victory."

He raised his head, his gaze passing over the sea, over the heavy waves and clouds, and looking toward the island where the giant serpent was coiled.

He gripped the snake-slicing knife tightly in his hand.

The snow continued to fall, and my heart began to tremble for the first time in a long time.

He won before.

He will continue to win.

His voice was heavy, falling on the silent snow like a thunderbolt, bursting forth with thunder in silence, echoing across the sky and the wilderness.

Kiyono slowly stepped onto the old boatman's boat. He paused, then said:

"Please give me a ride, Private Second Class Mishima Chimin."

-

Note: The riddle at the beginning comes from a relic in the original work.

P.S.: Actually, her identity is quite easy to guess; the introduction almost reveals it.

These three chapters actually contain quite a few foreshadowing elements and explanations.

Kiyono Raimei is a very annoying guy.

I really shouldn't have chosen him to be a guard.

However, the desserts he made were passable.

This was Kage's first impression of Kiyono Raimei.

What was that called again?

Dumpling Milk, I don't know if it's dumplings or milk.

The first time I saw him do it was on an autumn afternoon, when the leisurely autumn sunlight cast shadows of the pine and cypress trees in the courtyard everywhere.

After practicing her sword in the courtyard, it was already getting dark, so she went straight back to her room. She walked through the long corridor and passed through a small room, where she smelled a strange fragrance.

The sticky glutinous rice balls were pressed by the slender index finger, and the boy slowly added them to the milk. The fresh milk and the pure white rice balls were mixed together, shaped, and then Kiyono put them into the oven.

"Shadow, hello. Would you like some snacks?"

"This is dango milk. I've had it before at Inazuma's shop. It's smooth but not greasy."

He had clearly seen the shadow and asked.

This lack of respect for elders is also annoying. Moreover, for martial artists who are engaged in rigorous training, food is merely a means to supplement their basic daily needs. Ying has always scoffed at things like "goodies." Besides, this is just a snack for children.

"mortal."

Ying calmly replied, "Those who cultivate would not eat such miscellaneous things...moreover..."

As she spoke her next sentence, her gaze grew even more stern, and the aura unique to Narukami Omikami surfaced in her eyes:

"When did I give you permission to call me by my given name?"

"You're getting a little carried away."

Icy.

Rejected, the young samurai gave a helpless smile and scratched his head: "...Maybe it's delicious? Have some, have some, just to fulfill the wishes of your people, isn't it? This is also one of Narukami Mikoto's duties."

“I already said, this will disrupt my cultivation... I don’t like mortal food.”

"Ah...it's ready, do you want some?"

"..."

That kid is really annoying; it was a mistake to recruit him as a close attendant... and he's as stubborn as a bull.

"...I'll only eat one piece."

Ying said with a hint of helplessness.

Lately, I keep thinking about things from the past.

"Do you know how to make milk dumplings?" Ying asked the attendant standing on the steps, looking at the snow scene outside the window.

"Huh...?"

Kiyono Sara was somewhat puzzled.

When His Highness Narukami suddenly asked such a question, she didn't know how to answer, so she simply replied, "I only know how to eat."

"Didn't your patriarch teach you that?"

"Shadow asked."

"No."

"Is making milk dumplings also a subject in a samurai's assessment?" The straightforward girl was greatly surprised.

"Never mind." Ying turned her gaze back to the wooden window.

As dusk approached, snow continued to fall. The view from the castle tower was excellent, stretching all the way to the horizon. The drifting snow covered the clouds, preventing the sunlight from reaching them, which instead slanted onto the clouds, making half of the clouds red and the other half dark.

As darkness fell, beneath the half-hidden dark clouds lay the gloomy city of Inazuma, with smoke rising from every household's chimney.

It's time for dinner.

Those annoying mortals.

I said such resolute words that day, and he hasn't made a single move in the past four days...?

Is he truly begging to retire and resign?

Do you really think this huge castle tower and the huge Inatsuma Castle can't function without him?

Ying found it truly laughable.

He resigned from the position of Grand General, after all, he was indeed getting old. He had served as a close attendant for hundreds of years; it was essentially a nominal position. Who was he trying to impress by resigning...?

Thin, light snow covered the eaves of the castle tower, accumulating into a thick layer. Looking at the snow on the corner of the eaves, Kage suddenly remembered the last time he ate his 'milk dumplings,' which was also snowing heavily.

On that day, the demon god Orobas declared war and led the rebel army of Haiqi Island to attack Bayun Island. All the defenders were killed in battle, the people were in dire straits, and the urgent call for help came from thousands of miles away. At that time, the eaves of the castle tower were covered with a layer of snow.

The first to rush to aid Hachi-yeon Island was the Pillar Army stationed on Narukami Island—commanded by Kiyono Raimei.

Using the excuse that a general in the field may disobey orders, he ignored the waiting order and went straight to Ba Yun Island.

That night, Kage waited on the castle tower, watching the fine snow drooping from the eaves, gently wiping the scabbard in his hand, gazing at the distance where the snow and night blended together, until it was past midnight.

Kiyono Pillar returned, covered in blood. The first thing he did upon his return was to go up to the castle tower and make a bowl of milk dumplings for the shogun.

Like snowflakes, the dumplings had a slightly astringent taste with a hint of sweetness in the aftertaste—this was Ying's final impression of the 'milk dumplings'.

For some reason, I've been thinking a lot today.

I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm not usually a gentle and annoying person, so why am I so 'annoying' when I'm just a mortal?

Let's give him one last chance.

"Kiyono Sara".

She suddenly became a little irritated and said, "Go and call your master here again, and tell him that this is a military order."

...It's only been four days.

Kiyono Sara was still somewhat confused, but she immediately replied:

"I'm afraid that won't work, Lord Narukami."

"After four days of rest, the illness should be cured."

"But... after the head of the family resigned, he went on vacation. I don't know his exact whereabouts."

"..."

He really deserves to be beheaded!

Is this bastard really going to resign?

If you want to get out, then get out!

Perhaps because the sunlight was gradually fading, Ying's face darkened noticeably, and one could even hear her gently biting her teeth.

"Send a message to him: die out there, and don't come back to Inazuma."

Ying left behind her last words, then slowly closed her eyes, left the castle tower, and returned to the Pure Land of One Heart.

The snow is still falling.

...

The snow was still falling, and Kiyono sat on the boat.

He slowly exhaled.

He took off his straw hat and gave the snake-cutting blade a final wipe. The white snow reflected the gleam of the blade, and the blade trembled slightly.

Mishima Saimin moored the ship at the shore. It was a large, two-masted warship, with the flag of the Pillar Army flying on it: Thunder and Serpent.