The corpses of certain things should never be touched carelessly.
For example, Beisht's severed head.
Though it had been cleanly sliced off by Bai Luo and had lost all signs of life, the residual power within it was still far beyond what ordinary people could safely handle.
So when someone suggested dismantling Beisht's head into sellable goods, the first to object wasn't Bai Luo—it was Beidou of the Alcor.
"You dare take this thing? Have you lost your minds? Don't forget who her husband is!"
While the Vortex God Osial had been sealed away by the Emperor, rumors persisted that his prison was weakening, allowing his influence to seep into the world.
If he were to discover that his wife's remains had been scavenged by mortals...
He'd lose his damn mind.
Beidou's warning instantly sobered the greedy sailors.
Had it been Orobashi's corpse, her words might not have been enough to dissuade them.
But Osial's name carried too much weight among the people of Liyue—fear alone did the job.
After some discussion, the Crux Fleet ultimately decided to leave Beisht's body behind. However, at Bai Luo's suggestion, they pried out the horn from her forehead.
Fortunately, Beisht had shrunk her form before her death, and the horn itself wasn't overly large—otherwise, transporting it would've been impossible.
Even so, it took all three ships an entire night to haul the horn aboard, where it was promptly sealed by an on-board exorcist.
While extracting the horn, Beidou discovered something else—a smooth, translucent crystal nestled within Beisht's skull, resembling amber but far more refined.
Since this was Bai Luo's spoils of war, she handed it over to him.
At least, that was her official explanation.
In truth, she was wary of its potential dangers—and if it was dangerous, Bai Luo was the only one likely to handle it unscathed.
Hence, she gave it to him.
With the horn secured, the three ships didn't linger.
Under Beidou's orders, Bai Luo and the other Vision-wielders—along with a handful of ordinary sailors—boarded the ship carrying Beisht's horn, while the rest dispersed between the Alcor and the remaining warship.
Without further delay, they set sail along their prearranged route, chasing after the main fleet under the cover of night.
Life at sea was monotonous, so after a hard-won victory, a celebratory feast was inevitable.
Bai Luo had no intention of attending, but as the undisputed star of the evening, he had no choice.
Thankfully, the sailors had enough sense not to push drinks on him, knowing he'd just been through an "intense battle."
(Or more accurately—because none of them could take him in a fight anyway.)
Regardless...
At the height of the festivities, Bai Luo slipped away, sitting alone at the ship's prow, gazing back toward Liyue with an occasional faint smile. No one could guess what he was thinking.
"Sunsettia. Sweet. Want one?"
Beidou appeared beside him at some point, lowering herself with visible effort before offering him the fruit with her bandaged left hand.
Her injuries were severe—any normal person would've been bedridden for days.
But Beidou wasn't one to back down. Even wrapped like a mummy, her right arm in a cast, she insisted on doing things herself.
"Have you ever eaten a sour sunsettia?"
Bai Luo gave her an odd look.
"Mmm... heard of 'em, seen 'em, never tasted one."
Before this voyage, Beidou had assumed sunsettias only came in one flavor: sweet.
Toss one into a well, and the water would probably turn sugary.
But recent events aboard the ship had shattered that belief.
"So... do you think this one is sour or sweet?"
Still fiddling with the crystal from Beisht's skull, Bai Luo asked with mild amusement.
"Definitely sweet."
Beidou didn't hesitate.
She'd personally overseen the sunsettia purchases. Aside from that one peculiar crate, every batch had been sampled for safety—and all were sweet.
So the one in her hand had to be sweet too.
"Oh?"
Taking the fruit, Bai Luo held it up to the moonlight, examining it for a moment before declaring:
"I think it's sour."
With an inexplicable smirk, he handed it back to Beidou and stood, heading for his quarters without another word.
Beidou: "...?"
Watching him leave, she studied the sunsettia again.
It... looked perfectly normal.
So she took a bite.
The moment her teeth sank in, her expression twisted into something unrecognizable—a face no one would've thought Beidou could make.
She forced the pulp down with a gulp, then stared at the remaining fruit, her bandaged hand trembling slightly.
Beidou, who had spent her life braving the seas, who dared to slash mountains from the waves, the only person in all of Liyue Harbor bold enough to win Mora from Ningguang—repeatedly—
Who had even raised her blade against Osial's wife without flinching...
Was now utterly defeated by a single sunsettia.
"...Better feed it to the fish."
Wiping away the drool that had gathered at the corner of her mouth from the sourness, Beidou's trembling right hand tossed the half-eaten sunsettia into the sea.
After the ship sailed away, a swarm of fish quickly gathered around it.
But before they could take a bite, several sea creatures that had been trailing the fleet emerged from the depths.
They had been drawn by the scent of humans, but the lingering presence of Beisht's aura had kept them at bay—until now.
As for this discarded offering from the ship... they wouldn't hold back.
"Better head back, or the crew'll start worrying about me."
After lingering at the prow long enough, Beidou finally stood, intending to return to her cabin for some rest.
Thanks to her injuries, nobody had let her drink tonight—making this celebration unbearably dull.
"Ooooh—"
But just as she rose, a distant sound reached her ears.
It resembled the cry of some sea beast, but Beidou, seasoned in maritime travel, recognized it instantly.
That wasn't a roar—it was a scream.
Perhaps due to Beisht's horn, the three ships—led by the Alcor—encountered no further obstacles, catching up to the main fleet in just a day.
After regrouping and a brief respite, the Crux Fleet finally resumed its journey to Inazuma.
This time, aside from the Shogun's thunderous storms, they faced no further hindrances.
Once the fleet breached the tempest's edge, excited shouts erupted from the deck.
"It's Watatsumi Island! We've arrived!"
Bai Luo's lips had already curled into a smile—until the sailor's words registered.
…Huh? Watatsumi? Not Ritou?