A/N - I have changed the name of Keqing Family's Sword Technique from Cloud retainer Swordmanship to Yunlai Swordmanship. I have already changed the name in previous chapters, so this note is only for old readers
*Thump-thump... Thump-thump!*
With each step forward, Keqing felt her heartbeat growing stronger.
As she approached them and stood face-to-face with Nathan, her heart nearly leaped into her throat.
Fortunately, having become one of the Liyue Qixing, Keqing was no stranger to pressure. It was the composure cultivated under such high-pressure environments that allowed her to maintain her current calm appearance.
"Lady Keqing, what brings you to the military camp today?"
Even though everyone knew Keqing's daily work mainly involved planning and construction, her position as one of the Qixing commanded respect. The Qixing represented the pinnacle of power in Liyue. Apart from Rex Lapis himself, the Qixing held the highest authority.
Wang Hu, the ordinary squad captain, immediately bowed respectfully upon seeing Keqing. He also placed his hand on Nathan's back, guiding the dazed young man to bow alongside him.
"Nothing in particular. I was just passing by and thought I'd take a look," Keqing replied with a composed face, speaking words that weren't entirely true.
This was far from a casual visit—it was an inexplicable premonition that had guided her here. She had come straight to the military camp without any detours.
"Well... then please feel free to look around, Lady Keqing!"
Captain Wang Hu stammered slightly, feeling the pressure of being in the presence of such a high-ranking Qixing member. At that moment, he wished she would go elsewhere to observe.
However, Keqing ignored this suggestion, her attention completely focused on Nathan.
"By the way, Captain Wang Hu, who is this person beside you?"
Keqing asked stiffly, trying to direct the conversation toward Nathan.
"Oh, you mean Nathan? He's a traveler who arrived in Liyue recently and wants to join the Millelith."
"Oh?"
Raising her voice imperceptibly, the name "Nathan" struck her like lightning from a clear sky.
"Lady... Lady Keqing, is something wrong?"
Now it was Captain Wang Hu's turn to be confused, worried that Nathan had somehow offended the Qixing member.
"Nothing. You said he's a traveler who recently arrived in Liyue?"
Even while conversing with the captain, Keqing's gaze remained fixed on Nathan.
"Yes, Lady Yuheng. I arrived in Liyue just a week ago!"
To help the captain out of his awkward situation, Nathan had to speak up. Remembering that night in the simulation, when the girl's eyes were full of affection, he kept reminding himself that reality was different from the simulated world as he met Keqing's calm gaze.
"You've never been to Liyue before?"
Looking at this achingly familiar face, Keqing asked with mixed emotions. Logic told her that Nathan was gone, but in her heart, she hoped he would give her the answer she yearned for.
"That's correct, Lady Yuheng. Before a week ago, I had never been to Liyue!"
Nathan answered truthfully. Not counting his life in the simulation, he had indeed only arrived in this Genshin Impact world a week ago.
This aligned with his reported identity as a traveler who had never visited Liyue before.
Hearing this response, Keqing felt a sharp pain in her heart. From his familiar expression, she could tell Nathan wasn't lying.
"Don't be foolish, Keqing. Nathan died that night!"
"Impossible... how could there be two people who look exactly alike?"
Inside Keqing's mind, it was as if two miniature versions of herself were arguing. A cheerful one urged her to believe this person was definitely Nathan, while a gloomy one completely denied her suspicions.
If this continued, Keqing felt her head might explode. To put her heart at rest, she forced herself to ask Nathan the most crucial question.
"Have we... met before?"
Seeing Keqing's serious expression, Nathan thought he had somehow displeased her. After all, their intimate relationship existed only in the simulated life. In reality, they were mere strangers.
Given her high position as a Qixing member, he couldn't risk leaving a bad impression.
"No, Lady Yuheng!"
Nathan shook his head, and thus both parties misunderstood each other perfectly.
"You said your name is Nathan?"
"Yes, Lady Yuheng!"
"Then from now on... don't address me as Lady Yuheng with such formality!"
After saying this, Keqing shifted her attention away from him.
"Captain Wang Hu, please continue with your duties. Don't mind me!"
"Y-yes! Lady Keqing, I'll take Brother Nathan for his combat assessment right away."
The almost-forgotten Millelith captain hastily responded.
"What... combat assessment?"
This response, however, caught Keqing's attention once again.
"Well... Nathan has already passed our physical fitness test, and now we need to take him to the training ground for combat practice!"
Not understanding why this had sparked the Qixing member's interest again, Captain Wang Hu explained honestly.
"Perfect, I'll observe from the side!"
Keqing clearly hadn't given up. She didn't want to miss this opportunity. If Nathan used techniques she recognized during the combat test, it would prove he was merely avoiding her.
"If Keqing is watching, I can't use the Yunlai Swordsmanship!"
What Keqing didn't realize was that Nathan was thinking about the same thing. The intermediate Yunlai Swordsmanship he now possessed was a reward from the life simulator. In reality, Yunlai Swordsmanship was Keqing's family martial art.
Demonstrating such techniques in front of its true inheritor could lead to awkward questions about how he learned them if Keqing recognized the style. Above all else, Nathan absolutely couldn't reveal the system's existence. The life simulator was his key to survival in this dangerous world of Genshin Impact.
...
With different thoughts in mind, the three arrived at the training ground.
"Brother Nathan, what weapon do you specialize in?"
Captain Wang Hu asked from across the field, holding a spear. In the military, polearms were indeed the most common weapons. After all, they held natural advantages in battlefield combat.
"For me... I'll use a sword!"
Nathan approached the various weapons and finally selected an ordinary iron sword. He had no choice— his Sword Intuition talent had a necessary trigger condition: he needed to have a sword in hand.
Having decided not to use Yunlai Swordsmanship, he needed the Sword Intuition even more to face his opponent.
"Hmph, a sword indeed!"
As Nathan picked up the sword, Keqing's pupils contracted from her position nearby. Since he specialized in swordsmanship, it brought him one step closer to confirming her suspicions.
"I must... expose your disguise!"
"I must... not let Keqing notice anything suspicious!"
The two people present harbored perfectly opposing thoughts, yet their hearts beat as one.