[EARLY ACCESS] SHRINK IMPACT | GENSHIN IMPACT - Chapter 11

A/N: The two most popular girls from the poll will be appearing in the next chapter~!

The atmosphere eased slightly as everyone settled back into their seats, but the calm didn’t last long.

Sucrose, clearly still nervous, reached for the teapot with shaking hands. “Would anyone like more tea?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I would be honored,” Fischl said with a regal nod. “This tea, brewed under the auspices of the heavens themselves, is truly a nectar of divine origins.”

She still seemed a bit embarrassed about almost flattening you under her shoe, but she was mostly back to her usual ways. As for you, now sitting atop a stack of books, you attempted to regain your composure as best as you could, at least grateful you were still alive.

Things could have gone horribly. You could very well be a fleshy little pancake on the floorboards right now…

Sucrose poured carefully, her hands trembling as she filled Fischl’s cup. Mona leaned back in her chair, her violet eyes scanning the room for any potential hazards. But in her moment of distraction, Sucrose’s grip slipped. The teapot wobbled in her hands, and a splash of tea arced through the air.

You had only a moment to react as the slightly steaming liquid landed beside you, almost hitting you. Startled, you stumbled backward—right off the book you’d been standing on.

The world tilted as you fell, the air rushing past you in a blur before you landed with a splash into Mona’s teacup. The sudden warmth enveloped you immediately, the fragrant liquid soaking through your clothes as the scent of chamomile and lavender overwhelmed your senses. You struggled to keep your head above the surface, the golden liquid rippling around you as you tried to get your bearings.

Thankfully it wasn’t scalding, but that wasn’t really your concern. No, there were greater dangers than that.

Above you, the edges of the teacup towering like smooth porcelain walls. You were just small enough that trying to reach for the rim to pull yourself back out again was a futile effort. 

The faint steam curling into the air made the world seem hazy and dreamlike—a sharp contrast to the rising panic pounding in your chest. It was like being in an onsen, but not a pleasant one.

“M-Mona!” you shouted, your voice barely a squeak compared to the giants around you. “I’m in here!”

But Mona, engrossed in her conversation with Sucrose and Fischl, didn’t hear you. She absentmindedly reached for her teacup, her fingers curling gracefully around the handle. There was such an irony to it; she was the one so worried about keeping you safe, and yet she was about to swallow you.

Your heart froze as the cup lifted. The warm liquid sloshed around you, pulling you toward the rim as gravity shifted. You scrambled to hold onto the slippery surface, but the tea was too slick, too unstable. The porcelain rim drew closer to Mona’s lips—soft, pale, and slightly parted as she prepared to take a sip.

“No, no, no!” you yelled, waving your arms wildly. But your tiny cries were drowned out by the normal conversation of the three women, Mona smiling slightly as she visibly relaxed, still thinking you were safe on your perch. Not on the floor, and certainly not about to be eaten alive…

From your perspective, Mona’s mouth loomed like an enormous cavern. The faint warmth of her breath rolled over you, carrying the scent of herbs and sweetness. Her lips parted wider, revealing a glimpse of her teeth and the dark abyss beyond. Panic surged through you as you realized just how close you were to being swallowed.

You flailed desperately, the warm liquid pulling you closer with every tilt of the cup. “Mona, stop!” you screamed, but she remained oblivious, her violet eyes focused elsewhere as she absentmindedly brought the cup to her mouth.

The liquid tipped further, and you slid toward the edge. The smooth porcelain offered no grip, and you felt yourself falling, the tea carrying you toward the inescapable.

Just as the rim of the cup brushed against her lips, Mona paused.

“Wait,” she muttered, lowering the cup slightly. Her eyes narrowed as she glanced down, a faint frown crossing her face. “What’s…?”

Her gaze sharpened, and her violet eyes locked onto you, flailing in the tea. Her expression morphed from confusion to horror in an instant, and she nearly dropped the cup in her panic.

“Archons!” Mona gasped, setting the cup down with a clatter. Her hands trembled as she reached for you, carefully scooping you out of the warm liquid and cradling you in her palms. “Traveler! What are you doing in there?!”

You coughed and sputtered, dripping wet and shivering slightly as you looked up at her. “It wasn’t on purpose! I got a fright and I…I slipped.”

Mona’s face turned an even deeper shade of red as guilt and panic flooded her expression. “I almost… Oh no, I—Archons, I’m so sorry!” She carefully dabbed at you with a soft cloth, her hands shaking. “I didn’t even see you! You could have—”

You’d certainly tried, hadn’t you?
“I-I’m okay,” you reassured her weakly, though your heart was still racing. “Just… a little shaken.”

Sucrose and Fischl had gone silent, both staring at you with wide eyes. Fischl recovered first, placing a hand dramatically to her chest. “Such peril! To be mistaken for a mere addition to one’s beverage! Verily, thou art most fortunate to have escaped unscathed.”

Oz, perched nearby, added flatly, “Little bit rich, Fischl…”

Sucrose, meanwhile, was bright red, her hands clutching her lap tightly as she watched. Her eyes were wide behind her glasses, curiously.

With a sigh, Mona gently placed you back on the stack of books, her hands lingering protectively for a moment. She looked sheepishly at the other two girls.
“Maybe we should call it off for today. I’m stressed.”

They didn’t seem to object, it was obvious she was. So, they did the polite thing and excused themselves for the rest of the afternoon. Once they were gone, Mona cupped you close to her chest, pressing you against her breast.

“...We need to change you back soon…” she whispered, worriedly.
“-Before something awful happens to you…”

You shuddered. She was right.