Genshin Impact: Strength Through Bonds

"It's you?!"

Hearing that familiar voice, Ren instinctively blurted out.

That soft, gentle voice that made people want to protect and cherish its owner…

Wasn't it Nahida, the one searching for her mother?!

Ren had already imagined a whole tragic story—mother and daughter separated due to unforeseen circumstances, unable to reunite.

No idea who her father was, but what a bastard!

But Ren quickly snapped back to reality and shut his mouth.

"Hmm?"

Not far away, Keqing, sensing something amiss, suddenly turned to look at him, suspicion in her eyes.

"Ren, I think I just heard something."

Don't tell me… another girl is stealing the home base again?

Wait—why again?

Keqing's cat instincts flared up once more.

She had to protect her prized cabbage from being stolen away.

"No, no, I was just talking to myself."

Ren waved his hands dismissively, all the while taking a couple of careful steps back.

Keqing's intuition is too sharp!

"Really?"

Keqing frowned slightly, growing even more suspicious.

"Stop right there! Where do you think you're going?"

She puffed up her cheeks and marched straight to Ren's side.

Without warning, she reached out and placed a hand on his chest, her expression serious.

"What are you doing?"

Ren quickly covered himself with both hands, looking utterly baffled.

Broad daylight, and in front of Sandrone and Yoimiya too—this isn't appropriate!

Oh, right, Nahida was here too.

She's just a kid!

"Stay still."

Keqing snorted and began frisking him.

This troublesome guy—was he hiding a communication device?

She had to check personally.

"…"

So, Keqing deliberately did this right in front of Sandrone and Yoimiya…

Leaving no spot unchecked.

As time passed, the atmosphere grew increasingly awkward.

"Um… Keqing, that's enough, don't you think?"

Ren raised his hands in surrender, catching the faint fragrance from the girl leaning close in front of him.

Feels like she's taking advantage of me on purpose…

She had been touching him for so long, and he couldn't even resist—he just had to silently endure it.

Being put on display in front of Sandrone and Yoimiya, he felt an unexplainable thrill.

Guys really need to protect themselves when they're out and about.

"…Nothing?"

Keqing finally lifted her head, cleared her throat, and straightened up.

She shot Ren a sideways glance.

Pretty solid build. Not bad.

After glancing around and finding no one nearby, she hesitated.

Was it really just my imagination?

"My dear partner, you better not be secretly meeting with another girl."

Sandrone, watching from the screen, had also sensed something unusual.

She leaned forward slightly, her gaze piercing.

And that sneaky little cat over there—

Don't think I didn't notice what you just did to Ren.

"You're overthinking it."

Ren shook his head calmly, finally dispelling their suspicions.

"I'm going to get some fresh air. Once you're done chatting, I have something important to discuss with Sandrone."

"…"

Sandrone's eyes flickered as if she had already guessed what he wanted to talk about.

So, he can fully harness that core's power.

She just didn't know to what extent…

"If it's something important, then fine."

Keqing huffed lightly, not pressing the matter further.

Even though Ren was always looking for ways to slack off, when he was serious about something, she naturally supported him.

Not that she cared about him or anything.

"You guys go ahead and talk."

Ren waved them off and walked a short distance away.

Leaning against the railing, he gazed out at the sea and let out a deep breath.

Phew, no slip-ups.

Only then did he whisper in his mind—

"Nahida, you still there?"

"My Apologies."

A soft, gentle voice reached his ears, carrying a hint of guilt.

"I caused trouble for you."

Nahida's voice was quiet, as if deep in thought.

"It's nothing, really. This doesn't count as trouble at all."

Ren shook his head dismissively.

Just three girls meeting each other—

I've seen way more chaotic situations than this. Nothing to be afraid of.

…Probably.

"By the way, you seemed troubled by something."

Ren smiled slightly.

If you've got questions, feel free to ask. I'll help you figure them out.

"Hmm… it's strange."

Nahida murmured, puzzled.

"Just now, your emotions were tense."

Ren froze. How do you know that?

"If they are all people you care about, why does their presence together make you nervous?"

Nahida fell silent, seemingly deep in thought.

"Little one, you're too young to understand."

Ren shook his head, gazing out at the sea.

The adult world is always complicated.

"Too young? I don't need to grow up."

Nahida spoke softly, sounding a little pleased with herself.

Growing up often meant losing dreams.

She wanted dreams to stay with everyone.

Just like how Ren could resonate with her, talking to her, keeping her company.

A resonance strong enough to cross vast distances.

"That won't do. If you don't grow up, then you won't be able to—"

Ren started to speak, then stopped, shaking his head.

Why was he even talking about this with a little girl?

"Growing up lets you do more things?"

Nahida immediately followed up with a question.

"Of course! Like…"

Ren was about to give an example but suddenly went blank.

Like what?

For a moment, he couldn't think of anything.

"You can eat all the sweets you want."

Finally, he managed to come up with an answer that would appeal to a child.

"Sweets? I've never had them before…"

Nahida murmured wistfully.

She had seen sweets in the dreams of children, but she had never tasted them herself.

Her rational mind could understand what they were like—

But ever since she was born, she had been confined within the walls of the Akademiya for centuries.

She had never experienced the outside world.

And that, too, was a kind of regret.

"Your caretaker never bought you any?"

Ren was taken aback. She's never had sweets before?

"He'd probably say sweets are corrupting to rationality and shouldn't exist."

Nahida mused, thinking of a certain someone.

Of course, she meant the Grand Sage of the Akademiya.

"Looking down on sweets? Beat him up."

Ren silently raised a middle finger.

If someone like that dared to show their face in front of Ei—

She'd probably cut them down without a second thought.

…Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration.

The big boss back home had become a lot more gentle lately.

"Talking with you always gives me new perspectives."

Nahida's voice carried a trace of amusement.

Beating someone up over something like this?

Talking to Ren was… truly refreshing.

"By the way, you had something important to tell me?"

"Yes. Something very important."

Ren's heart stirred.

This little girl was no ordinary person—

She had a way of reading people, almost like a mind-reading ability.

Speaking of which, didn't he have a similar ability?

[Ding! System at your service.]

"Nahida, what I'm about to say… don't be scared."

Ignoring the system's notification, Ren continued.

"Please go ahead, I'm listening carefully."

Nahida's childish voice took on a rare seriousness.

It sounded oddly cute—he kind of wanted to pat her head.

"I met your mother."

Ren took a deep breath, his expression solemn.

"…?"

Nahida fell into deep contemplation.