「 "It's over..." Seele sighed with emotion.
"..." Bronya tilted her head up, looking sadly at the golden aurora in the sky, as if she could see the departed Cocolia.
"Mother, have you woken up from your dream?"
Seeing her so sad, Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng didn't disturb her. Instead, they walked to the side and whispered.
"Wow... this expedition was really not easy." March 7th felt exhausted all over, her voice weak: "Uh... but what about the [ Stellaron ]? Uncle Yang used to handle it."
"I've already notified Himeko and Mr. Welt. This [ Stellaron ] will be sealed by them," Dan Heng said calmly.
"Hooray! This time, the crisis of this world is resolved, right?"
"..." Dan Heng turned and looked at the wind and snow dancing wildly nearby, shaking his head calmly.
"The wind and snow are fierce, difficult to stop abruptly."
"After the Stellaron is sealed, the cold wave will gradually recede. The Void in this world will no longer expand fiercely, but it will not disappear out of thin air. Jarilo-VI has the possibility of regaining vitality, but that will take time..." 」
「 .....」
~Genshin Impact World~
"It seems the challenge is over, but in my opinion, the real trouble has just begun."
On the Jade Chamber Terrace of Liyue, Keqing, who was reviewing the architectural blueprints, slowly raised her head. Her gaze passed through the Blossom of the West, looking at the lights of Liyue below.
A breeze brushed past Keqing's hair.
She slowly stood up and stood by the carved railing. In the wind, there seemed to be faint noises.
There were the hurried footsteps of people in Liyue Harbor, the crying of children, the whispers of young couples under the Lantern Festival lights, and even the sound of spatulas touching woks when people in the harbor were stir-frying.
All the sounds seemed to urge her, 'You still have a lot to do.' As one of the Seven Stars – the highest authorities in Liyue – Keqing was only responsible for Liyue's land infrastructure.
Even with the workload in Liyue Harbor effectively divided among the Liyue Qixing 'Seven Stars of Liyue' and the Eight Trades, and Ganyu serving as their secretary to handle various tasks, she still found herself short on time.
"The future Great Guardian, as a nation's leader, will shoulder all its responsibilities. Her work will only intensify from this point forward."
Leading in battle differs significantly from governing a territory. Combat demands focus solely on the adversary and oneself, whereas governance involves countless overwhelming duties. Keqing was curious how Bronya would manage such intricate affairs.
"Keqing, you should also take good care of yourself."
Xianyun, sitting at the stone table behind her, smiled kindly.
"This immortal, your junior naturally understands,"
Keqing replied politely.
"Keqing, I think you can take a break and see how the world in the light screen operates, see Bronya and them..."
Yan Fei, sitting opposite Xianyun, leaned on the stone table, propping her chin with her hand, flipping through the thick law book in her hand:
"For example, I want to learn about the laws of Belobog and see if there are any aspects worth referencing and improving for our Liyue."
"The war for 'survival' is over, and the battle for 'governance' has begun. We can also learn from Belobog's experience."
Keqing lowered her head and pondered:
"Indeed, Belobog has been able to survive for hundreds of years in such an extreme environment. It must have its unique aspects. Their governance and planning for the subsequent Void can be referenced..."
—
「 "Everyone... thank you." Bronya, still immersed in sadness, managed to compose herself and thanked Stelle and the others.
"Don't force yourself."
Even Stelle couldn't make jokes at this moment; she could only comfort her.
"Thank you."
Bronya forced a smile: "I'm fine, don't worry. There's still a lot to do... The residents in the city must have noticed the huge commotion caused by that Engine of Creation. Many questions need to be explained, many truths need to be revealed... I just don't know how to make everyone accept all this."
"Let's disguise the truth," Stelle suggested.
"You mean... to cover one lie with another?" Bronya hesitated, "But if I do that, I..."
"Let's do it, Bronya," Seele also supported the suggestion.
"In the Underworld, we tell the children the same thing every day: 'Tomorrow will be better.' Everyone knows it's a lie, but at least it can let them fall asleep with hope."
"If you tell people what happened here, can you imagine the consequences? People will be disappointed. If even the guardian cannot be trusted—if it were me, I wouldn't know what else I could believe in, or who else I could believe in?"
Bronya closed her eyes, as if she had finally made up her mind. When she opened them again, she slowly said, "...Mother sacrificed herself to [ Preserve ] Belobog."
While Stelle and March 7th were stunned, Bronya slowly walked towards the instrument that had once contained the Stellaron.
"From the traveler who descended from the heavens, she learned the secret of the Stellaron, and she knew that the first Great Guardian failed to destroy the Stellaron..."
"...But she still decided to challenge this power far beyond human imagination. Great Guardian Cocolia sacrificed herself and dispelled the gloom that shrouded Belobog." 」
「 .....」
~Genshin Impact World~
"This child is indeed quick to understand,"
Ningguang praised.
"From now on, this is the truth... It not only 'preserves' the reputation of the Great Guardian, but also 'preserves' the hope in people's hearts."
"But what if someone doubts it?"
Asked by the little secretary beside Ningguang.
"This is the northern snowy plain of Belobog. Besides Stelle and them, who can come here alone? I'm afraid even Gepard can't do it?"
Ningguang said leisurely,
"This lie is reasonable and extremely difficult to disprove."
"But why must you lie?"
The little secretary was still puzzled.
Ningguang smiled quietly:
"Heh heh... Lies are told to cover up the truth, but often the truth is not that important. Just like Belobog—whether the Great Guardian preserved the people is not fundamentally important, what's important is to make the people believe they were preserved."
"Only in this way will people's hearts not scatter... and can be united, and things will be easier to handle."
Ningguang leaned back, lying on the soft silk cushion, and sighed deeply:
"Otherwise, rumors will spread, and alarmist talk will arise. If you're not careful... people's hearts will scatter immediately."
"During the Rite of Invitation, the Emperor was assassinated, and Liyue was in panic overnight. Fortunately..."
Mentioning past events, Ningguang felt her whole body tense up. But smelling the alluring incense in the Jade Chamber, her tense body immediately relaxed.
Fortunately, there was that traveler, and the immortals, and this... old friend beneath her.
—