"Festival...? The Lantern Rite? Is it celebrated every year?" Morax seemed to catch on.
"Yes. There's already so much down here, but in the sky there's only a single moon. Don't you think that's a pity? Such a vast sky, left so empty." Elliot tilted his head slightly, gazing up at the false heavens.
Just then, the full moon, long veiled by thin clouds, slowly revealed itself, casting its glow across the land. Though not as dazzling and fierce as the sun, its light was gentle and soothing.
"If everyone released sea lanterns... the sight would be magnificent. But what do they look like?" Morax asked.
"Since I came up with the idea, and this festival exists to remember me, it's only right that I design them. That way, even if they forget my name, as long as they remember the Lantern Rite, it's as if they remember me. Wouldn't you say so?"
Hearing this, Morax once again fell into hesitation.
What he truly wanted was for the people of Liyue to remember Elliot himself as a god—not just the Lantern Rite. Even if the festival's meaning was beautiful, even if the idea was splendid, it was not the same as Elliot himself.
"Morax, in truth, names don't matter. They're nothing more than symbolic titles."
"You could be Zhongli to humans, Morax to the gods, or the Geo Emperor to the people of Liyue."
"And the Lantern Rite can serve as my title. Each year, during the festival, I'll witness the wishes of the people of Liyue and their happiness and safety. Isn't that also a form of remembrance?"
"Compared to the 'Dark Night Sovereign' who hides behind a mask and never shows his face, I would rather be remembered through the Lantern Rite, a symbol of peace and joy."
At last, Morax let out a long sigh and accepted Elliot's proposal.
"When will the Lantern Rite begin?" Morax asked eagerly. Clearly, he too wanted to see the wishes held in Liyue's people's hearts.
Elliot glanced up at the moon and answered slowly, "On the night it becomes full."
"The full moon night?"
"Yes. About a week from now. That should give us enough time to prepare," Elliot estimated.
"Good. Tomorrow morning I'll announce the Lantern Rite. Your first festival must be celebrated in grand style!" Morax declared.
"No—it's Liyue's festival," Elliot corrected.
Morax paused, then gave a faint smile. "You're right. It is Liyue's festival."
...
Early the next morning, Morax descended to the mortal realm and announced the Lantern Rite.
The Lantern Rite would be held on the year's first full moon night—seven days later. Its purpose was not only for the gods to receive the wishes of Liyue's people, but also to reassure those far from home that all was well in their homeland, and to guide the lost back to their way.
Liyue did not exclude outsiders. So long as they wished to join, and followed its rules and contracts, Liyue welcomed them all.
Because of this, Liyue had grown from a village of fewer than two hundred people to a settlement of four to five hundred. Though still small, in this age it was already a formidable community—large enough to be called a city of trade.
The day after the announcement, Elliot finished designing the lanterns for the festival. It had taken more than a dozen attempts before he was finally satisfied.
Over the next five days, he crafted thousands of lanterns. On the morning before the festival, he and Morax hid them all throughout Liyue.
Each lantern came with a letter and a pen. Whoever found one needed only to take the letter, write down their wish, light the lantern, and release it into the night sky—the prayer would then be complete.
...
Liyue, the next day.
"Today's the Lantern Rite the Geo Emperor spoke of! I'm so excited!"
A young boy leapt from his bed early in the morning, brimming with anticipation. He had been waiting for this day for a long time, because he had a truly wonderful wish—one he longed to entrust to the Geo Emperor during the Lantern Rite.
"Up so early today?" his mother called as soon as he got up.
"Yes! It's the Lantern Rite! I'm going to make my wish to the Geo Emperor!" he said happily, already dressing and rushing for the door.
"Wishing to the Geo Emperor, are you? Eat breakfast first," his mother teased, though she tried to stop him.
"What's wrong with that? Children have wishes too. And our Geo Emperor can do anything. Go on, son, your father supports you," his father said with a smile, patting him on the shoulder.
"Alright!" With his father's backing, the boy bolted out the door in a flash.
"You always spoil him," the woman said reproachfully.
"Hehe, my dear, look what I've got." The middle-aged man carefully lifted a sea lantern from beneath the table.
Having never seen one before, the woman stared in surprise and asked instinctively, "What is this?"