I'm so foolish, really.
Ganyu lowered her head to look at her toes, suddenly feeling a bit mentally exhausted.
I should have realized it sooner.
After all, when the defeated gods of the Archon War fell, the laws they controlled would spiral out of control, causing terrifying natural phenomena.
Such events were no less than a massive disaster.
The once bustling and lively Guili Plains were destroyed in this way.
Even a thousand years later, countless malevolent spirits still emerge from the buried remains of those gods, wandering aimlessly and disturbing the peace of travelers. The Vigilant Yaksha has to guard that area year-round.
This is also why Guyun Stone Forest exists. Those gods couldn't be allowed to die, so the Geo Archon chose to cripple them and then seal them away in remote locations.
If the fall of those gods caused such chaos, how could the Geo Archon, who was even more powerful than them, have fallen without causing any disturbances in Liyue?
The land would have been shaken, and strange phenomena would have been everywhere.
Ganyu sighed.
Of course, she had initially been suspicious. But after personally seeing the Geo Archon's remains, and then witnessing the adepti angrily confronting the Qixing, and later when Osial broke free from the sea, putting the entire Liyue Harbor in danger, yet the Geo Archon still didn't appear, she had no choice but to accept the painful truth.
She had even taken the initiative to organize the Rite of Parting for the Geo Archon.
Now, recalling the time she went to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to find Mr. Zhongli, saying she wanted to hold a Rite of Parting for the Geo Archon, the look in Mr. Zhongli's eyes seemed somewhat meaningful.
Oh, and at that time, she had even said something in front of the fake remains about how Liyue would manage without the Geo Archon. Mr. Zhongli, who was standing beside her, must have heard all of it...
Help! So awkward!
Ugh.
Ganyu couldn't help but cover her face with her hands.
She also thought about Moon Carver and Mountain Shaper. No wonder they've been so leisurely these days, playing mahjong in the teahouse and sometimes even inviting Mr. Zhongli to join them.
And Granny Ping, who has been peacefully taking care of Yaoyao at home as usual, showing no signs of grief.
So, all of you knew the truth, and I was the only one kept in the dark, huh?
Thousands of years of friendship, all for nothing.
Sigh, in this cold and hypocritical world, only Mr. Xia's hands can bring me a little warmth and comfort. Oh, and my junior sister, who is rich and...
"Ganyu, snap out of it. It's been so long, and you still haven't recovered?"
Hearing the voice, Ganyu lowered her hands from her face and looked down at the smiling Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
"You're not angry, are you?"
"I... no, I'm glad to know the Geo Archon is safe."
"Really?"
"Mm... How did you end up like this?"
"You mean this?"
The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata tilted her head, and her form shifted, returning to the wise and gentle older sister.
Ganyu looked at the familiar figure, her eyes slightly dazed.
"Since we're in a dream, I made myself smaller to play with Shenhe. She likes being small."
"Um... My junior sister is a bit naive and doesn't know your identity. Please don't hold it against her..."
"Huh?"
The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata looked at her with a strange expression.
"She knows who I am."
"Ah?"
"She knew from the moment I arrived at the shop."
"..."
Ganyu fell silent again.
"Hey, you two have such a good senior-junior relationship. Didn't she secretly tell you?"
"..."
This bond between master and disciple is also a lie.
Wait, no. She's a god. It's only natural that my junior sister wouldn't casually reveal her identity...
Ganyu shook her head, and the bell around her neck jingled.
"Why did you suddenly appear in Liyue?"
"To have fun."
"How did you become Mr. Xia's cousin?"
"That's a secret."
"Huh?"
"Even Morax doesn't know this. If you really want to know, you can ask Cousin. He might tell you."
"..."
Seeing the Goddess of Wisdom so naturally call out "Cousin," Ganyu's heart trembled slightly.
She wasn't a dumb person. On the contrary, she was smarter than most, which was why she had been the Qixing's chief secretary for thousands of years.
Gods have their own pride.
Even the gentle Dendro Archon was no exception.
For her to willingly stay by his side and call him "Cousin," Mr. Xia must be no ordinary person.
Most likely, he's also a god.
Yes! That would explain why Mr. Xia seems to know everything and can always produce rare items!
Ganyu's heart trembled again.
So, all this time, I've been having a noble god give me full-body massages?
Help!
Is this... disrespectful to a god?
It shouldn't be, right?
I've always paid for it, even if it was a friendly price. Since Mr. Xia set the price, it should just be considered a transaction.
Ganyu had thought that her junior sister Shenhe was in a relationship with Mr. Xia, but now that she knew Mr. Xia was likely a god, she wasn't so sure anymore.
Between a god and a mortal...
My junior sister has never admitted it to me. Could it be that I've misunderstood something?
Wait, no. He's a god. It's only natural that my junior sister wouldn't casually reveal his identity...
Ganyu shook her head again, and the bell around her neck jingled once more.
The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata glanced at her bell and smiled. "Why do you keep shaking your head?"
"N-nothing."
"You've been wearing that bell for so many years."
"Mm, it's very useful."
"It might become even more useful in the future."
"Huh?"
"Never mind. Let's go. We can catch up on the way. It's time to gather materials."
"Okay!"
"Don't be so nervous. The current Dendro Archon is the Lesser Lord Kusanali, not me. Like Morax, I'm retired. You can just treat me as Xia Ci."
"Mm..."
The Seven Archons used to gather frequently in Liyue, and the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata had interacted with the adepti several times, making her an old acquaintance of Ganyu's.
With the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's high emotional intelligence and her adorable child form, Ganyu quickly relaxed.
The two began chatting about lighter, everyday topics.
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