Ganyu stared at her reflection, then turned to Akio, her eyes filled with tender emotion as she looked up at him.
"What's wrong, sweetheart? Do you like this outfit?" Akio asked.
"I love it~" Ganyu nodded softly, murmuring, "This is the most beautiful attire I've ever seen."
The finest bridal wear was something every woman dreamed of, and Ganyu was no exception.
Long ago, a close friend of hers had married a mortal, and the mortal had given her a wedding of the highest caliber in Liyue. Ganyu had attended and couldn't help but envy the beauty of love.
Yet, Ganyu felt even more fortunate now, knowing the one she loved was a god. They had endless lifetimes to spend together, without the inevitable aging and mortality that mortals faced.
"Darling~ I want a beautiful bridal outfit like this too," Keqing said longingly, looking at Akio. Ningguang nodded in agreement.
As former mortal women, unlike Ganyu, they inherently yearned to marry the one they loved most.
"Of course," Akio nodded. With a flick of his finger, two equally stunning yet distinct sets of phoenix crowns and bridal robes appeared on them, accentuating their breathtaking beauty.
"Darling, when do you plan to hold the wedding with the sisters of Inazuma?" Keqing asked. "I remember you mentioning it before."
"Calculating the timing, it should be soon. I've entrusted the arrangements to the Yashiro Commission, and they should have everything ready for me by now," Akio said after a moment of thought.
Just then, a notification lit up on Akio's Bracelet. He glanced at it—it was Kamisato Ayaka.
"Look at that. Speak of the devil, and she appears. Ayaka's calling," Akio said with a chuckle before connecting to the video call.
"Akio..~" Ayaka greeted sweetly as the call connected.
"And Sisters Ganyu, Ningguang, and Keqing," Ayaka said, acknowledging the three women beside Akio.
The trio returned her greeting with smiles.
"Ayaka, calling me so late—do you have something on your mind?" Akio asked.
"Mhm, it's about our wedding. The Yashiro Commission has finalized the entire plan ˇ," Ayaka said with a smile.
Having completed the preparations, she couldn't hold back her excitement and wanted to share the news with Akio right away. She yearned to marry her beloved Akio—her days filled with thoughts of him, her nights with dreams.
"Oh?" Akio's interest was piqued. "When is it set for?"
"We've scheduled it for a month from now. It's an auspicious date," Ayaka replied. "However, as per Sister Makoto's wishes, we won't be holding an extravagant celebration inviting all six nations. Instead, Sister Makoto wants to send personal invitations directly to the six Archons."
"Inviting the Archons of the six nations to our wedding?" Akio mused, rubbing his chin.
It wasn't a bad idea. The Anemo Archon Barbatos and the Geo Archon Morax would definitely attend.
Barbatos, after all, loved roaming around, and a wedding meant endless wine. That booze-loving bard wouldn't pass up a chance to drink freely.
Akio's relationship with Morax was also fairly good. As a friend's wedding, he was sure Morax wouldn't decline.
However, since Morax had faked his death, he couldn't make a public appearance.
It wouldn't do for the people of Liyue to discover their Archon's ruse, would it?
As for Lesser Lord Kusanali, it was less certain. Assuming the storyline's progression, Lumine should already be in Sumeru by now, but Kusanali was likely still imprisoned in the Sanctuary of Surasthana.
Furina would definitely be able to attend, which was easy enough to arrange. But the Pyro Archon and the Cryo Archon? Akio wasn't so confident they'd show up.
"Currently, the internal situations in Sumeru, Natlan, and Snezhnaya are tense. Their Archons might not be able to make it," Akio said.
"Ah? Then what do we do?" Ayaka asked, a bit stunned. Could it be that other Archons wouldn't even give face for a fellow Archon's wedding?
"Submit the plan to the Tenshukaku for now and send out the invitations as planned. If they don't come, it's no big deal. This is our wedding; we don't need them to grace us with their presence," Akio stated calmly.
"Got it," Ayaka nodded.
"Our wedding will be a celebration for all of Inazuma's people to rejoice in. Receiving the blessings of our own subjects is more than enough."
"I understand," Ayaka nodded again. If the Archons didn't come, it would actually save quite a bit of money. Hosting Archons required the highest standards, and frankly, Ayaka was a bit reluctant to splurge like that.
With Inazuma still rebuilding, spending funds on her own people didn't pain her, but giving it away for nothing did.
Under Akio's guidance, Ayaka had already stepped into the realm of divinity. Naturally, she didn't place too much importance on other Archons. Her concerns lay solely with Akio and Inazuma.
After chatting with Ayaka for a bit longer, the call ended.
"Hm? A month from now— isn't that a bit rushed?" Keqing asked, puzzled.
"If we're only inviting Archons, the timeframe is quite sufficient," Ningguang said, shaking her head.
"Darling, with Rex Lapis having passed, Liyue might not be able to…" Ganyu said with a hint of apology in her tone.
"Right, darling. Since Rex Lapis has passed, how can Liyue attend your wedding?" Keqing asked, confused.
"..." Ningguang seemed deep in thought. She had a suspicion that the Geo Archon might not actually be dead—at least, there was someone in Liyue who reminded her strongly of Rex Lapis.
"Looks like Ningguang has a theory," Akio said with a smile. "You think Morax isn't dead, don't you?"
"What?!" Keqing and Ganyu gasped in unison, turning their stunned gazes to Ningguang.
Ningguang nodded. "It's just a hunch. After all, everyone witnessed Rex Lapis's passing firsthand."
"Keqing, are you familiar with a certain Mr. Zhongli from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?" Ningguang asked, looking at her.
"Of course," Keqing nodded. "That gentleman from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is remarkably knowledgeable and worthy of respect. However, his way of thinking is far too similar to Rex Lapis's… If he were more assertive, I'd love to have him work under me—he'd be a tremendous asset."
"Wait… are you saying…" Keqing seemed to catch on, staring at Ningguang in shock.
"I also believe Mr. Zhongli might be Rex Lapis," Ningguang confirmed with a nod. "His eloquence and wisdom far surpass what any mortal could achieve. Initially, I thought he might be a reclusive Adeptus in Liyue, but now, it seems that's not the case…"
"…" Keqing turned to Akio.
Akio nodded. "Zhongli is indeed Rex Lapis Morax. After faking his death, he's been living in hiding at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
"How could this be?" Ganyu muttered, struggling to believe that the unassuming Mr. Zhongli was actually Rex Lapis.
"But why would the Geo Archon do this?" Ganyu sighed. "Was he disappointed in Liyue?"
"Rex Lapis…" Ganyu stood there, dazed, unable to comprehend his reasons.
"Even stone wears down over time. Morax has already given more than enough to Liyue," Akio said quietly. After a brief pause, he turned and walked into the room.
A/N: Enjoying the story? Read 60+ chapters ahead on Patreon! Your support helps: Patreon.com/nneol