A/N: Yo, Shonpufi here!
So this is going to be the first interlude!
For those who don't know, these are interludes of the present, which will be released as the story of Meliodas in the past continues.
This is also a pretty big chapter, about [4708] words. Probably could have broken it down to 3 separate chapters, but once again, quality over quantity.
One last thing. Normal chapters will be bracketed with these brackets [CHAPTER NUMBER] while interlude chapters will have {CHAPTER NUMBER}. I'm doing this so that it's easier to distinguish between main story chapters and interludes
Anyways, Enjoy the Chapter!
-3rd POV-
In the bustling city of Liyue, within the headquarters of the Qixing, hundreds of workers moved swiftly through the halls, each attending to their duties—filing reports, balancing budgets, organizing shipments, and managing logistics.
But amidst the constant flow of bodies and voices, one person stood out: a slim young woman with shoulder-length brown hair and sharp hazel eyes.
Her name was Asuna Pendragon, a recent addition to the Qixing's ranks. In just a few weeks, she had proven herself to be an exceptional talent, so much so that she'd quickly climbed the ranks and was now the manager of an entire branch.
The workload was intense, and the responsibilities were heavy, but for Asuna, this was where she shone the most. It was the one thing that truly set her apart from her sisters.
Especially Violet, the smartest of the Pendragon siblings. But even Violet's intellect couldn't match Asuna's sharp business acumen and uncanny sense for money.
You could say she was born to be a merchant.
When Asuna first joined the Qixing, she was surprised at how easy the work felt to her.
Thanks to the rigorous education provided by her father—and the treasure trove of books stored in their family's vast library—her knowledge of economics far surpassed that of her peers.
Upon entering, she briefly wondered if some of the staff were still counting with their fingers like apes learning math for the first time.
Yet, a part of her often wondered where her father had acquired all that knowledge.
He knew everything, from wielding multiple weapons to medicine to engineering advanced gadgets that seemed almost magical.
But over the years, she'd learned not to question what he did or how he knew what he knew.
Her father was—and always had been—an enigma. A walking mystery wrapped in layers of secrets and strange powers.
(N/A: So close, yet she doesn't even know it, lol.)
Back in the present, Asuna was finishing up some late-night paperwork as part of her role as branch manager. While others might have felt overwhelmed by the mountain of tasks, for her, it was manageable.
After all, she had [Ki].
The rare energy allowed her body to push past its limits, enhancing her stamina and mental clarity. It made late-night sessions like these effortless.
Asuna glanced outside the window, noticing how dark the sky had become.
She was working overtime to take tomorrow off and visit her sister Mitsuri at Wanmin Restaurant.
Mitsuri had inherited their father's talent for cooking despite not being blood related and had become a disciple under the restaurant's owner, just as their father had instructed.
Asuna let out a soft sigh.
"I miss Dad's cooking" she murmured.
She'd been feeling a little homesick since leaving home. Having Mitsuri nearby helped, and visiting her always lifted Asuna's spirits.
Mitsuri was the only one whose cooking came close to their father's.
*Knock. Knock. Knock.*
The sound broke through her thoughts.
"Come in" Asuna called, instantly shifting into her work-mode persona. Even in her own office, she knew better than to let her guard down. In this world, people were always looking to climb over you.
The door opened, and a neatly dressed man stepped inside, bowing respectfully.
"Greetings, Miss Pendragon. I come bearing a message from Lady Ningguang" he announced.
Asuna raised an eyebrow.
During her studies at the city library, she learned all she could about Liyue's culture and economy, including the identity of the mysterious Ningguang her father once mentioned.
She was the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, a woman with such immense influence that a single move from her could shift the city's entire financial balance. The way her father spoke of her… it was almost intimate. She had always wondered what their relationship truly was.
"Lady Ningguang has been interested in your remarkable rise through the ranks. Becoming the branch manager in just one week is no small feat. She wishes to meet with you personally" the man continued.
Asuna gave a calm nod and stood, following him without hesitation.
They exited the building and made their way to a hidden location—one that housed a flying elevator leading directly to the Jade Chamber.
Upon arrival, the man whispered a secret password to a woman stationed nearby. After confirmation, Asuna and her guide were granted access.
As the elevator ascended, Asuna couldn't help but marvel at the sight before her.
The Jade Chamber was unlike anything she had ever seen—floating high above the city like a palace in the sky, adorned in unmatched elegance and prestige.
Upon entering, she was just as impressed with the interior. While luxurious, it was also designed for function. Several of Ningguang's closest assistants worked diligently at their stations.
At the far end of the chamber stood a majestic door, ornately carved and likely lined with gold.
The man approached and gave a polite knock.
"Lady Ningguang, she has arrived" he announced.
"Come in" came a calm, refined voice from within.
-Asuna Pendragon POV-
I'm nervous—like really, really nervous.
Although I know I'm smarter, I don't think I can match up with someone as experienced as Ningguang.
I might not be the strongest or the smartest of my sisters, but I'm still confident in my abilities. Yet I don't know what to expect in the face of someone like Ningguang. What I do know is that once I step through that door, it will become a battle of wits.
As the guards stationed at the door opened it, I was greeted by a room that could only be described as the epitome of luxury. Beautifully carved and crafted furniture, rows upon rows of shelves likely containing important files and confidential information—and finally, the legendary board, rumored to hold some of the most valuable data Ningguang possesses... or at least, information that would be very important to others.
But at the center of it all sat a beautiful, young-looking woman—probably in her late twenties—with long, luscious white hair and a red flame tattoo running down her exposed leg. She sat behind her desk, one leg elegantly crossed over the other.
The woman looked at me and smiled "Welcome to my office, Ms. Pendragon. It's a pleasure to meet you. As you may already know, my name is Ningguang, leader of the Qixing," she introduced herself.
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Lady Ningguang," I replied.
"Please, take a seat. There is much to discuss," Ningguang said.
"Indeed," I responded.
I walked over to her desk, keeping my poker face as I took the seat in front of her.
"Would you like some tea?" she asked.
"Yes, I would," I said, as Ningguang snapped her fingers and a servant entered, carrying warm lavender melon tea.
After placing the tea in front of us, the man left. Ningguang picked up a folder beside her and opened it.
"Asuna Pendragon. Age 18. Brown hair. Hazel eyes. Arrived in Liyue a few weeks ago from Mondstadt, accompanied by her sister, Mitsuri Pendragon. In the short time since her arrival, she's risen to the position of branch manager due to her superior intelligence and her expertise in mathematics and business," Ningguang read aloud.
I was surprised she had gathered so much information on me already.
"I have to say, this resume my people collected is quite impressive," she said with a smile.
"You're too kind, Lady Ningguang. It's all thanks to my father," I replied, a bit of pride slipping into my voice.
"Oh? Your father? Then he must be someone from the Akademiya in Sumeru, considering your education," Ningguang said, nodding to herself, confident in her assumption.
"No, my father isn't... well, at least I don't think he is?" I admitted, suddenly realizing I didn't know much about his past.
"...I see," she replied, likely deciding not to press further since we weren't close enough to share such details.
"Getting back to the main topic, I'll be blunt... I want you to become one of my assistants. More specifically, I want you to become a Yuheng intern working under Keqing," she said, catching me off guard—what my dad would call a "surprised Pikachu face," whatever a Pikachu is.
"Although your business sense is among the best Liyue has seen in years, you're still inexperienced. So, you don't yet qualify for a higher position. Instead, you'd begin as an intern under the Yuheng, Keqing. Do you accept? The finer details—salary and such—can be discussed later," she explained.
"Sorry, but I decline," I said firmly, surprising her.
Though I enjoy my work, I still want a life beyond it. Becoming an assistant to a Yuheng would mean dedicating myself entirely to a country I don't really care about, and where I likely won't stay permanently.
The only reason I'm here is because Dad said it would be the best place for me to grow and gain experience alongside my sister, Mitsuri. After all, this is the nation of commerce.
"...I see. It's a pity, but if you ever change your mind, the offer still stands," she said with a soft smile.
"Thank you for your time, Lady Ningguang. Good night" I said, rising from my seat and walking toward the door.
"Good night, Miss Pendragon" she replied.
But just before I reached the door, I paused and turned back to face her.
"If you would indulge me, I have a question" I said.
Looking up at me, she responded, "Ask away."
"Do you happen to know someone named Meliodas?" I asked, wanting to understand their connection. From the way Dad talked about her, he seemed to know her well.
Raising a curious eyebrow, she answered, "Meliodas? I do know the name, though I don't know him personally."
"Really? How?" I asked, intrigued.
She picked up what looked like today's issue of The Steambird. Standing up, she walked over and handed it to me, still sipping her tea.
I took the paper from her, and as I read the front page, I felt a headache coming on.
"Dad's doing WHAT?!" I screamed in shock.
----------
-Mondstadt's possible new dragon slayer?-
In recent weeks, Mondstadt has been attacked by a dragon nicknamed "Stormterror." Most recently, it attacked Mondstadt's main city, causing great chaos.
*Pic of black armored Meliodas punching Dvalin out of the sky*
But thanks to Mondstadt's enigmatic rank 60 adventurer, Meliodas Pendragon, and a mysterious wandering traveler, Stormterror was warded off...for now.
*Pic of Meliodas talking to Kaeya, Amber, and Lumine*
----------
First time we leave and he's already off fighting a dragon...
After reading the front cover, I instantly wanted to go back to Mondstadt and help him, but I held myself back.
I knew I'd only be a burden, just one more thing for him to worry about.
Deep down, I think he suddenly sent us away because he already knew Stormterror would attack.
I clenched my fists, the sting of helplessness tightening around me.
He'd said it himself: we were too weak, especially too weak help. And there he was, fighting a dragon alone while we stood by, powerless.
But something shifted inside me. A new resolve burned in my eyes as I turned back to Ningguang—only to see her spit out her tea and start choking.
*Pffft!!*
*Choke!*
*Cough! Cough! Cough!*
I quickly reached out, patting her back as she tried to clear her throat. After a few tense moments, she finally calmed down and looked at me, her expression a mix of surprise and... maybe a hint of amusement?
"He's your father? He looks even younger than me! At what age did he and your mom conceive you?!" she exclaimed, clearly in shock.
I couldn't really blame her — finding out he was my dad surprised most people. After all, he's almost the same age as us.
If he was REALLY our blood related father, he would have had us around the time he was six or seven.
"I...am adopted" I confessed.
Looking at me with a surprised expression, she said "I see... he has my respect. Raising such young girls by himself and educating you to this level must have been quite the challenge for him, especially considering he did it at such a young age" she added, her eyes filled with awe for my father.
"I will do it," I suddenly declared, causing her to look confused.
"Do what?" she asked.
"I'll take your offer and become an intern. The whole reason I'm here is to grow and gain experience, just like Dad wished for me. But what I truly want is to be by his side and help him. I'm too weak to do that right now… so I'll take this chance. I will become a Yuheng, gain wealth and political power unlike any of my sisters, and help Dad as much as I can!" I said, my gaze filled with determination.
Looking at me in surprise, Ningguang said, "Well, if that's the case, then I, Ningguang, the Tianquan of the Qixing, welcome you, Asuna Pendragon, to the Jade Chamber as an intern Yuheng. From now on, you'll be transferred to work here and will learn under Yuheng Keqing," she smiled.
Returning her smile, I shook her hand and said, "I look forward to working with you."
-3rd POV-
After Asuna left the room, Ningguang's smile dropped to a serious expression.
Her eyes drifted to her desk, looking at the picture of Meliodas on the newspaper's front page.
"So that's how you look, Dark Knight?" She whispered under her breath.
Meliodas Pendragon, Mondstadt's strongest adventurer.
For many years, that name has reverberated throughout Mondstadt and even far beyond to the other nations of Teyvat.
And the name has also caught the attention of one person in particular, Ningguang.
As the leader of a nation, it was only fair that she be interested and find out information about another country's powerhouse, right?
That's why she placed lots of resources into finding out everything she could.
But months passed, and there wasn't much she could gather about him.
She even attempted to buy information about him from the Adventurers Guild, but to her surprise, they denied her no matter how much money she offered.
Which was unusual as they have had no problem taking her money before in exchange for information.
This intrigued Ningguang so much, in fact, that she personally went down there to ask why.
And what was their response?
-Flashback-
Ningguang sat in the inner office of the Adventurers Guild,
"So why does Tianquan want to see me at such a late hour?" Lan, Liyue's Adventurer's Guild branch master, asked.
"I just came by to inquire as to why the Adventurer's Guild isn't able to... share some information with the Liyue Qixing? I was sure that with the long partnership we've had, most information was accessible to us," Ningguang replied, her stare alone was already putting pressure on Lan.
Lan sighed. She knew that Ningguang was going to come herself to inquire about "That" person sooner or later.
Who wouldn't?
But she couldn't.
"It's... complicated," Lan sighed once more.
"Oh? I have more than enough time to listen," Ningguang smiled, her voice laced with light amusement.
"Alright... the reason is because hehimself requested that we didn't give out his information."
"Oh?" Ningguang was even more interested.
But the question was, why were they even listening to him?
Sure, the Adventurer's Guild has a reputation to uphold and relationships to make, especially when it comes to a rank 60 adventurer.
But Ningguang was sure that the relationship with the Liyue Qixing was a thousand times more valuable than the one with him.
"Is a connection with him more valuable than the one we've had for all these years?" Ningguang asked.
"No... it's just" Lan shifted nervously.
"I wasn't there, but the Mondstadt branch warned us, 'If he ever finds out that you gave out his information, he WILL come to your branch and wipe it out, at least that's what he said to tell you all' and they warned that it was a code violet..." Lan explained with a sigh.
"Code Violet?" Ningguang said in surprise.
Code violets were usually only used by the Adventurer Guilds when a matter was of the utmost importance and incredibly serious.
And not just any of the Guild employee could send out a code violet. Only the branch master could.
"Yes, and initially we refused their request," Lan said, surprising Ningguang.
'What changed their minds?' She wondered.
"But a week later, we were attacked. An arrow was shot and lodged in our front desk."
"An attack? Why didn't you just report it to us-"
"From all the way in Mondstadt," Lan cut her off, shocking Ningguang completely.
An attack? from all the way in Mondstadt?!
A shot like that should be, in every way, impossible. Even IF he had a vision.
"Are you sure-"
"Yes, we made sure. We had our analysts calculate everything. He shot an arrow from his home all the way to us. We don't know how; we even asked branch master Cyrus, but he said he didn't know how. We can only chalk it up to him being truly worthy of that rank 60." Lan explained grimly.
"I see..." Ningguang replied. What else could she say?
"And how did you know it was him? For all you know, it could have been someone else," Ningguang asked. It was an arrow shot from Mondstadt, yes, but they never caught the shooter, nor did the arrow have his name on it.
"A letter was attached to it" Lan replied, earning an intrigued eyebrow from Ningguang.
"It's for you..." Lan pulled out a folded letter from the desk drawer next to her, the front of the card saying "For the nosy woman: Ningguang"
Ningguang's lip twitched. Who are you calling nosy?!
Ningguang took the latter and opened it.
----------
-To my dear Ningguang
By the time you read this, you've probably already come in person to ask why you can't buy my information and were given this letter.
And I want to say one thing to you.
F.U.C.K O.F.F
You're REALLY fucking persistent.
Didn't you get the memo the moment ten of your spies didn't come back?
Here I thought mailing you the head of one of them would do the trick.
You're lucky that the girl with a fruit bowl ass haircut even made it back alive in one piece. Would have killed her if she weren't hot.
Anyways, just fuck off or my next target WILL be the Jade Chamber.
I know what it means to you and your country.
I don't make promises, I make guarantees.
-Yours truly, Meliodas Pendragon.
----------
The letter crumbled in her hand, and the veins that ran along the back of her palm bulged with anger.
"I see... apologies for taking time out of your busy schedule, Ms. Lan. I can guarantee that this won't hurt our relationship." Ningguang immediately got up and left the room.
-Flash Back END, Return to 3rd POV-
"It's nice to put a face to the name, isn't it?" A voice spoke beside Ningguang.
From empty air, a woman with pale skin, light emerald-green eyes, dark blue hair, and asymmetrical bangs that are lighter at the tips appeared out of thin air.
Her outfit features a blue qipao-like overcoat and a dark bodysuit adorned with silver accents. Her attire is embellished with various trinkets and accessories, including white bracelets on her arms and multiple chokers and necklaces around her neck, from which a charm resembling a die hangs.
Additionally, she has a furred white coat draped from the back of her outfit, somewhat resembling a cape, and wears a pair of thigh-high boots that leave part of her thigh exposed, where her Hydro Vision is attached. She also wears a pair of white earrings with blue tips that resemble teardrops.
"Been here since the beginning, Yelan?" Ningguang asked, not really bothering to look over her shoulder to see who it was. She already knew.
It wasn't like Ningguang was bothered by her being invisible in her office; she just wanted to know if she needed to explain the current situation to her.
"Yup" Yelan responded curtly. She strided up to Ningguang and snatched the newspaper from her.
"Although I never expected him to be so young, especially with kids," Yelan muttered.
"Indeed, it was a surprise, although welcomed," Ningguang said. She had just acquired a great talent.
And even if that "talents" father threatened her, Ningguang could look it over... but Yelan couldn't.
Yelan ripped the newspaper in half, her face red in indignation as embarrassing memories flowed through her mind.
'Fufu~ She's still mad about it.' Ningguang chuckled in her mind.
As said earlier, Ningguang sent spies to Mondstadt to gather information on Meliodas, but none returned.
And at that point, Ningguang sent out Yelan herself to investigate.
-Yes, Another Flashback-
Yelan, hiding in a tree, watched and inspected a house from afar.
It's been about two days since she arrived in Mondstadt, and Yelan has been spending every waking moment collecting information from locals and others who might be close to Meliodas.
And surprisingly, she has managed to obtain a significant amount of information that was more or less reliable.
1. He had kids, about 6 of them. This meant that Meliodas's age should average around 25-30. But although he had kid, no spouse was talked about.
2. He more than likely holds some sort of ancient relic, most likely from the age of the gods. Yelan has never seen it before, but from what she got from the locals, a lot of the time when Meliodas is at work, he usually wears dark armor, dubbing him the Dark Knight by the people.
Yelan theorized that the armor was probably where he got his increased power.
3. He lived in a small town named Springvale on the outskirts of Mondstadt. Despite the wealth that he has probably accumulated by now, he decided to live in a small town, in plain sight.
4. He's a doctor...
This greatly surprised Yelan as she didn't think that the person who had probably been the one to kill all their spies in cold blood could be a doctor.
These were the four most significant pieces of info she has managed to get on him, but it all wouldn't be able to compare if she got evidence straight from his house, right?
Yelan activated her shoulder coat's invisibility feature and dashed through the meadow until she reached Springvale. Silently, she jumped from room to roof until she arrived at Meliodas's house.
Jumping down from the roof, Yelan landed right in front of the window. Yelan activated her Hydro Vision, creating a string of water that slid into the small crevices along the corners of the window. As the water string made it to the other side, it moved to the window and unlocked it from the inside.
Yelan retracted the water string and gently pushed the window open. Silently, she sneaked in.
'Hm~ Seems pretty normal' Yelan thought as she sneaked through the house.
There was a kitchen, a living room, a dining table, everything that the average house would have.
"Hoh?" Yelan softly muttered as she noticed a book lying open on the couch. It seemed like Meliodas or one of his kids had read it and left it on the couch.
Picking it up, she read the cover, "Mana and its basics."
'Mana and its basics?' Yelan thought, her body tingling with curiosity.
"Mhm~ it's the basics. It's for Mana manipulation." A voice spoke into her ear from behind, sending chills down her spine.
How could he know that she was there?! She had been invisible the whole time, and she hadn't made a single noise.
Without hesitation, she kicked backwards but hit nothing.
Yelan turned around but saw no one.
"Ugh!!!" Yelan grunted as someone grabbed her arms and held them behind her back, slamming her to the floor.
"Who are you? Perhaps one of these spies I've been dealing with for the past week? They don't seem to be Fatui, but you do... especially with that invisibility technology you have." The man asked, but Yelan didn't say a word.
She was too preoccupied with trying to find a way out of her predicament.
Seeing that the hidden figure wasn't answering, the man lifted her upper body slightly off the ground and slammed Yelan back down. "Answer!!!"
"UGH!!!" Yelan grunted as her head smacked against the hardwood floor, and her invisibility flickered for a bit until it turned off.
"Ningguang's people???" The man suddenly spoke in surprise.
'Shit, he knows who I am!' Yelan panicked. It was a spy's number one rule to never get noticed and caught, and it was even worse if her target found out who her employer was.
"So its been that nosy woman who has been sending those spies, huh?" The man muttered under his breath.
Every word that came out of his mouth made Yelan want to slap her forehead in despair.
But to her complete surprise, the man's grip on her arm loosened, and he got off her.
"Look back and I'll cleave your head clean off your shoulders," The man threatened, every word that came out of him sent fear down her heart. It wasn't because he was saying that he was going to kill her or was going to cut her head off, she was used to those types of threats.
What scared her was his lack of emotion and hesitation in his words. There's a difference between a threat and a guarantee, and he wasn't threatening her; he was showing only the second option.
Yelan slowly got up, staying as still as she could and not turning back. She could only guess that he wanted to keep his face and appearance a secret.
*Step*
*Step*
*Step*
The man got right behind Yelan. She could feel his warm breath trickling down her neck.
[A/N: No, he won't be getting into some fifty shades of grey type shit with Yelan.]
"Did Ningguang send you?" The man asked.
"..." Yelan stayed quiet; the man had guessed the right answer the first time, but speaking and saying yes would only confirm it.
"I'll take your silence as a yes. Second question: Do you know who I am?" the man asked.
"Meliodas...?" Yelan spoke. Yelan wasn't planning on answering any of his questions, but her curiosity wanted to know if the man standing behind her was truly the "Dark Knight."
"I see, so she really sent you after me, huh?" Meliodas softly muttered under his breath, confirming his identity to Yelan
With a sigh, Meliodas backed off a bit. The small dagger made of Reishi that had been pointing at her back dematerialized. "You can go."
"What?" This time, Yelan was absolutely baffled.
Wasn't he supposed to kill her like the others? She was already prepared to stay quiet and die.
"What, didn't hear the first time?" Meliodas sighed as he pulled his hand back and smacked her square on her ass.
"EEP!" Yelan squealed.
"Stay here and I'll keep spanking you, unless you want to stay~" Meliodas chuckled as he teased her.
"N-No!" Yelan shouted, her cheeks tinted red in embarrassment.
Yelan quickly shifted back into her invisible form and ran out the window, her ass still stinging red from the slap.
-Flash Back End, Return to 3rd POV-
Ningguang chuckled as Yelan fumed with anger.
'I hope we get to meet face to face one day,' Ningguang hoped, mostly because she wanted to see the reunion between him and Yelan, but also because Meliodas was an interesting character.
Ningguang was sure she would meet him one day, especially now that one of his daughters worked directly for her.