Journey[3]

"Hu Tao, I think it's time we heard your story. We would like you to tell us what happened. Why were you alone in the wilderness?"

The question hung heavy in the air. Hu Tao sat still for a moment, her gaze unfocused. Her silence stretched for an agonizing moment before a small sigh escaped her lips. "It all started with a silly dare," she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. "My friends and I were boasting about our travel plans. Mondstadt, Liyue Harbor, even Fontaine! I declared I'd reach Mondstadt before the next full moon, even if I had to crawl."

A snort escaped Qing, quickly muffled into his fist. I couldn't help but chuckle myself. She, however, shot him a fierce glare.

"Oh, laugh it up," she huffed, her cheeks flushing crimson. "But believe me, crawling wasn't far off! I took a shortcut, a 'clever' one, mind you, and ended up hopelessly lost. Many days went by, and the only company I had were some irritable hilichurls and slimes."

She described her near-encounters with a particularly moody Geovishap, her desperate attempt to climb a tree that promptly snapped mid-ascent, and the time she accidentally set her own hair on fire while trying to cook berries.

With each ridiculous mishap, Qing and I were reaching the limits of holding our laughter.

"And that's how I made it," she concluded. "I stumbled upon that clearing where you found me looking like a drowned rat and scaring you half to death and...well, the rest, you know."

You and Qing exchanged a glance before finally erupting in laughter. The image of Hu Tao surviving on berries and burning her own hair was honestly too much for us to resist.

She noticed our stifled giggles, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "What? It's not funny!" she huffed, crossing her arms.

"Oh, Morax, it's hilarious!" Qing choked out, tears welling in his eyes.

"Seriously!! You got lost for such a silly reason?!" I couldn't stop my amusement in the absurdity of it all.

Hu Tao, initially flustered, eventually succumbed to the infectious giggles herself.

As the laughter died down, I was struck by a realization. "Hey guys," I called out to them as they both looked at me, "Come to think of it, we haven't even properly introduced ourselves."

Her eyes widened slightly, "Oh, right. Now that I think about it..."

Seeing the chance, I began. "I'm Aerin, and this beside me is Qing." Then, I proceeded to tell our circumstances and how Qing and I met. However, I was mindful not to share more than necessary about myself right now.

After listening to everything, she also got hyped up.

"Then I guess I also need to introduce myself properly. I am Hu Tao, the 77th director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlour, responsible for... well, trifling matters having to do with mortality. I guess you both knew my name when you first met me due to my identity. It's nice to meet you both."

I nodded in acknowledgment, though my thoughts inside were entirely different. 'Not entirely. Although you are the director, I know you because you are a playable character. But I don't think you would ever get to know that. And it's better if it remains that way.'

The conversation once again flowed lightly and easily. We were still strangers, no doubt about that, but our laughter and our circumstances were slowly but surely bringing us together as friends.

After a few hours, we reached the village that Qing was talking about. As we stopped at the entrance of the small village nestled between rolling hills, the aroma of fresh bread and sizzling bacon wafted through the air, making Hu Tao's stomach growl in agreement. We pulled the carriage off the road and towards the restaurant.

***

After having our fill, we once again resumed our journey. After a little bit of calculation, I determined that only 3 to 4 hours at most were left to reach my location. From there, I would have to travel on foot for two more hours before reaching the Treasure Hoarders location.

Just as I was thinking this, Hu Tao slightly nudged me from beside me as she asked me, "Hey, I've got a question for you."

"Hmm...Ask away."

"You said that you're level 1. Then why are you taking such a quest to kill treasure hoarders right off the bat? Adventurers of level 1 usually get quests like helping out people and gathering herbs in the city."

I looked at her and said, "Well, I would say I have some experience in killing, and I also wanted to make some big mora in a short time, that's why I took this quest."

Hu Tao looked at me strangely, "I understand the part of having some experience in killing, but to make big mora? Adventurers who think like that definitely get themselves killed, you know? But wait..."

As if a spark of light lit up an imaginary bulb on her head, with stars shining in her eyes, she asked me excitedly, "You know what, since you're so eager to get yourself killed, I think I can do something for you."

'Oh god, not this.' I already knew where this was going from here. Only one thing in the whole world can excite her so much. And that's—

"I can give you a VIP membership along with a free signature wooden coffin laid with jewels as a gift for saving the director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. After all, you never know what might happen to you one day. Ah, but this offer is only for a short while. So what do you think? Isn't this great?"

My eyes darkened, "In other words, you're saying that since I can die anytime, I should accept your offer? Are you trying to curse me or what? You want me to die that much?"

She waved both of her hands in denial. "No, no. You got it all wrong. All I'm saying is that you should at least buy a coffin for your big day. Now that you've become an adventurer, you'd spend the whole day scaling mountains, clearing domains, and smiting enemies. In a way, danger and peril will become your bread and butter.

An adventurer's life is full of unexpected threats. It's only natural to take precautions. 'Mend the roof before it rains,' as they say."

Of course, I knew she was not trying to curse or anything. I was just playing with her. She genuinely wants to help people. However, because of her weird personality and because of the nature of her job, people think otherwise. Wangsheng Funeral Parlor has overseen countless funerals for Liyue's residents in its time, guiding people along the final journey in this world. That's why I politely declined her and turned my head away.

"I'm not interested."

But I should've known better than to think this method of denial would work in front of her.

Persistent, she came in front of my face and tried to persuade me again, "Don't worry. Wangsheng Funeral Parlor also welcomes advance reservations! When you choose us, you'll never have to worry about what might be around the corner. But be sure to book a suitable date! Pro tip: it is a living nightmare trying to get flowers at short notice...

And besides, though you may or may not need your 'second home' right away, you can be sure that when you do, it will still be as good as new. 'It won't start deteriorating before you finish doing so yourself' — that's the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor quality guarantee."

'That's somewhat dark.' I thought to myself. But I wasn't one to budge on this matter. I kept declining her requests for her supposedly 'life insurance.' I'd instead focus on keeping myself alive in the first place than taking a 'precaution'—as she called it, of that kind.

But I think I vastly underestimated her resilience on this matter.

For the rest of the trip, I wasn't able to rest for a single bit due to her. But in the end, seeing that I wasn't paying attention to her, she finally stopped, just gave a pout and went back while muttering,

"Hmph, rejecting a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It's your loss. How many people even get to interact with me, the director of the prestigious Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, much less get my favor? Some things are inevitable. It's only a matter of time."

*** 

As I got closer to my stop, I packed up my things and got ready to take the rest of the journey on foot.

Soon, we reached the place from where I was supposed to travel by foot. I got off the carriage as both Hu Tao and Qing also got off to bid me farewell.

"Although it wasn't a particularly long trip, it was one of the best ones of my life nonetheless. I really enjoyed it," he commented.

I nodded at him before reaching out my hand to shake.

"Likewise, Qing," I replied, grasping his hand firmly. "And Hu Tao," I turned to her, a smile gracing my lips, "try not to get into trouble like that for some silly reason again."

She pouted, turning her head sideways, "Hmph, who do you think I am? Some little girl? I don't make the same mistake twice."

"That's good, then. Goodbye, both of you. Who knows, maybe someday our paths will cross again."

Then, with a final wave to Hu Tao and Qing, I turned and took my first step onto the path leading away.

***

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