Upon hearing Elliot's question, Morax looked slightly taken aback. Though he couldn't understand why Elliot would suddenly ask about humans, he still began to think it over.
After a long silence, he finally answered, "I cannot comprehend humans."
"Oh? And why is that?" Elliot asked with interest.
"Well... it's hard to explain. Every aspect of them is difficult to grasp." Morax seemed conflicted, as though there was too much he wanted to say, but he didn't know where to begin.
"No rush, take your time." Elliot handed him a cup of tea.
"I'm not drinking that. It's bitter." Morax waved his hand in refusal.
"Maybe it'll help clear your mind. Try it."
At Elliot's urging, Morax finally picked up the warm tea and drank it all in one gulp.
"Awful..." He stuck out his tongue, trying to blow the bitterness away with air.
"That's because you swallowed it too quickly. You have to savor it slowly. The sweetness that follows the bitterness is far greater than you think," Elliot said with a faint smile.
"No, no. I can't taste it that way." Morax pushed the tea away.
"So, what do you think now? Tell me."
"Let me see..." Morax began thinking again. This time, he wanted to connect all his thoughts together more clearly.
"I think humans are quite strange creatures. How should I put it... They're a bit too weak.
Though weak, they're clever. They huddle together for warmth and manage to survive stubbornly on this land.
They have so many weaknesses—they need to drink, eat, and spend long hours sleeping every day. And when they sleep, they're completely defenseless, easy prey for danger.
Then there are those incomprehensible things like family bonds and love...
When I traveled the world, I met many humans. Most of them seemed narrow-minded, living their whole lives within a small patch of land. And whenever they caught the slightest glimpse of elemental power, they became wildly excited.
To me, they seem small, weak, ignorant, and dull. So I cannot understand them, nor have I had much to do with them."
As expected... The worst outcome had come to pass. Just as Elliot had foreseen.
Morax's attitude toward humanity was one of indifference. Convincing him to take responsibility for protecting humans would be nearly impossible. And that was precisely the task of Elliot's Ninth Incarnation.
For an god to think this way was natural. After all, they were born complete from the start. They never went through infancy or learned to babble, nor did they know familial bonds. From birth, they were solitary—possessing power, language, and wisdom without needing to learn. They remained in their prime for eternity.
That is what it means to be an god. A race entirely different from humans.
To them, humans are pitifully weak. And if such a mighty race as the gods were left unchecked, they would become an unimaginable terror.
That is why the Archon War was necessary—to cull the excess gods, leaving only the seven strongest to serve the Heavenly Principles, further restrained by [Wear].
Otherwise, if the gods were allowed to flourish freely in Teyvat... If they ever established a nation of their own... Their power would outshine Khaenri'ah a hundred times over.
And if they truly advanced, even the Heavenly Principles themselves might not be able to stop them so easily.
After all, Khaenri'ah alone forced the Heavenly Principles and seven Archons to act, yet it was never fully destroyed. Instead, it unleashed countless monsters that invaded the entire continent of Teyvat.
If gods ever formed a nation and grew strong, not even the First Throne or Second Throne could stop their march.
The power of Archons is enough to reshape landscapes. Barbatos can blow away entire mountain ranges. Morax can raise Mount Tianheng with a single hand. Zebul can carve a massive canyon with one strike.
And there's Osial, still sealed away, and other beings capable of unleashing catastrophic floods—none of them are beings to provoke.
If they ever united to build a nation... The thought alone is terrifying.
Cruel as the Archon War was, it was necessary. At least from the perspective of the Heavenly Principles, the threat posed by Archons was far too great.
Unrestrained, they would become a ticking time bomb, one powerful enough to obliterate all of Teyvat.
"You..."
"Your understanding of humans is far too shallow. This species is far more complex than you think. And far stronger than you believe."
At that moment, Elliot spoke slowly, countering Morax.
"Brother... I can't agree with that. What's so complex or strong about them? Other than speaking, they're no different from animals—they eat, drink, and sleep just the same."
Clearly, in Morax's eyes, that was what humans were. Such a firmly rooted belief couldn't be changed overnight, nor with a few words.
Only by seeing with his own eyes and experiencing it himself would Morax's view of humanity begin to shift.