"Phew~" Watching the Adepti slowly disperse from the docks, Paimon let out a long sigh of relief. "Looks like the crisis of a human-Adepti showdown has been resolved peacefully, huh?"
"The Adepti were reasonable enough… but there's still something we haven't figured out." Glancing at Ningguang, Keqing, and Ganyu—who had stayed behind—Lumine felt the atmosphere grow subtly tense. Part of her wanted to leave quickly, yet there were real suspicions lingering in her mind.
"You were thinking about that too! That's why I think we should go find someone right now," Paimon declared proudly, clearly delighted she'd finally been a step ahead for once.
"I also thought of someone."
"Then let's both say that person's name out loud and see if we're totally in sync!"
Lumine nodded. A moment of silence passed.
"Zhongli."
"Childe!"
Their voices rang out in unison—yet not a single syllable matched.
"Eh?! Ehhhhh?" Paimon looked utterly shocked. "Why would you think we should go to Zhongli? Don't tell me… we're not the most in-sync duo anymore?"
"Think about it. Zhongli's way more suspicious than Childe."
Lumine stated her real opinion first. But seeing Paimon's pitiful expression, she added with a smile, "Actually, I did think about Childe too. But after the Golden House, we lost track of him. Zhongli, on the other hand, is definitely still at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. If we find him, we'll probably find Childe too."
"Ohhh! So we are still in sync!"
"Yeah, that's right. But the air here feels too heavy... Let's go."
Ever since the Adepti left, Ganyu had felt incredibly awkward. Keqing, Ningguang… the other Qixing had deliberately sent her away during the most critical moment. Just like during the last meeting at Yuehai Pavilion… it felt like she wasn't trusted, like she was an outsider… She almost wanted to just follow Cloud Retainer back to the mountains and retreat into seclusion…
Keqing and Ningguang, standing across from each other in a subtle opposition, also seemed stiff. It was unbearably awkward… How was she supposed to face the Qixing after this…?
"I should return to the off—" Noticing Lumine and Paimon departing, Ganyu scrambled for an excuse, only to realize she no longer had an office to return to. Ever since the Archon's passing, she'd essentially been cut off…
Quickly changing course, she stammered, "I-I'm going to help Xiangling taste-test the bubblegum! I'll head off now!"
Without daring to look at Keqing or Ningguang's expressions, Ganyu followed after Lumine.
"Ganyu... is she just too tired? After the Rite of Parting, we should find a reason to let her rest," Keqing said softly.
"That doesn't seem like simple exhaustion. I'm afraid she's disappointed in us…" Ningguang sighed quietly. "Though… what exactly is 'bubblegum'?"
"That name… those five called themselves the 'Bubblegum Squad' back at the Jade Chamber. Probably a new dish Xiangling whipped up at Wanmin Restaurant?"
"Hm… those five—once the chaos in Liyue Harbor settles, we'll need to reward them properly. And the golden-haired traveler as well."
"Yes, they were a great help. And… your Jade Chamber… it's just gone now."
"Heh. Trading the Jade Chamber for the Archon's approval? I'd say that's more than worth it." As Ningguang spoke of it, her face didn't show a trace of sorrow. On the contrary, she smiled. Just like earlier, when she realized she could pin all financial losses on Childe.
"You mean the Archon?!"
"The Sigil of Permission, the method to break the Overlord of the Vortex's seal, the uncharacteristic 'gentleness' of the Adepti today, and the legendary art of 'dream visitation'… If I'm not mistaken, you—and probably the other Qixing too—dreamed of the Archon this morning, didn't you?"
"..."
Come to think of it… that dream this morning… The Archon had just stood there, silently listening to all my complaints and frustrations until I was done—then simply left?
Keqing shut her eyes, a little embarrassed, rubbing her temples in frustration.
Being the older one, Ningguang could guess what Keqing was thinking just from her reaction. But she didn't think it was a bad thing—young people should speak their minds.
She slowly walked to the edge of the pier and looked out over the sea.
On the large ships, people were cheering and celebrating having survived the disaster. In the water, expressions varied, but all carried a kind of vitality born from surviving catastrophe. With help from the Millelith, they swam toward the piers or the nearest ships. At the far edges of the docks, merchants who had been hit by rogue waves busied themselves clearing up debris—or lent a hand to those still swimming.
"Humans… are truly remarkable.
Fragile like water weeds, yet once anchored to solid rock, they remain unmoved by undercurrents or crashing waves.
More like wild grass, really. So long as it roots in soil, no storm or downpour can do more than help it grow. Even if a wildfire scorches the land… come spring, it will flourish once again.
That is humanity—and that is what will define the age of mortals…"
...
"Zhongli went to the Northland Bank! What do we do, what do we do? The last time we saw him was before heading to the Golden House… What if he doesn't know what Childe did yet? Going to a Fatui base right now—it's so dangerous!"
"There's no helping it. Even if it's risky for us too, we have to go."
Just hearing the words "Northland Bank" made Lumine fume. But if they were going to solve this mystery, they had no choice.
When they pushed open the Northland Bank's unattended doors, the scene inside made Lumine instantly tense—Zhongli was there. So were Childe and The Fair Lady.
"The Fair Lady!" The tragedy in Mondstadt with Venti was still fresh in her memory. Her fighting spirit flared.
"Oh? You again. We met in the city of the Bard, didn't we? Not bad… You even remembered my name.
Ahhh—but of course, it's hard to forget the feeling of watching your friend lose something precious, while being powerless to stop it… isn't it?"
"It's not too late to take it back now."
"W-wait! Don't be reckless, Lumine!" Paimon panicked. "You haven't gathered all seven elements yet—your fight at the Golden House already pushed your limits… There are two of the Eleven Harbingers here! This isn't the time to pick a fight!"
Childe tried to ease the mood. "Yo, Lumine. How do I put this—our reunion's a bit… tense?"
Paimon's temper flared at the sight of Childe. Hands on her hips, she snapped, "Hmph! We should've never trusted you when we found out you were one of the Fatui!"
"Don't say that. I may have misled you a little before, but I never bore ill will toward Lumine. Aside from the part where we turned on each other, I thought our teamwork was pretty good, no?
"Different positions, that's all. I don't take it personally if you do.
"But hey, I got tricked too—by The Fair Lady and Zhongli."
"The Fair Lady and Zhongli?" Lumine's mind was already stringing the clues together. If Zhongli really was the Geo Archon…
"Quit wasting time, Childe. If you want to chat, do it after I've finished my business."
The Fair Lady's tone was harsh. She walked upright, back stiff, and stepped toward Zhongli. She could still feel that searing pain on her face—the humiliation of being smashed into the ground with one blow, the shame of being locked away in a dark prison… Unbearable. Utterly unbearable.
Her heart had died five hundred years ago. Her life, too, should've ended back then. Even encased in ice, she had simply been walking toward self-destruction.
She feared nothing. Held hatred for all seven Archons.
That—was who she was.
What kept her going now was a single, pure-white dream. Only that one goal made her bow her head. Otherwise, even if she burned to ash—so be it.
"As agreed… I've come for your Gnosis, Morax."
"Gnosis?" Lumine inwardly sighed. Of course. Of course Zhongli—Morax—had orchestrated everything.
"What are you all talking about?!" Only Paimon was still shocked.
Zhongli cast a glance at her but didn't answer.
"The contract is fulfilled. As promised… I grant you what was agreed upon." He calmly pulled out something nearly identical to the Anemo Gnosis.
"'Grant'? Such lofty language…" Though she said this, The Fair Lady still cautiously received the Geo Gnosis.
"What?! So, you are Lord Morax?" Paimon gasped. "B-but… why would you give the Gnosis to the Fatui?!"
"It's not a gift—it's a transaction based on a contract. Between me and the Tsaritsa."
"I… don't understand your thinking…" Lumine murmured. The Fatui had done so many horrible things. They clearly weren't the good guys.
"Then allow me to explain it simply." For a traveler connected to the Anemo Archon, Zhongli seemed willing to answer.
...
"All of this was part of my plan. The only thing I hadn't anticipated… was the Qixing. I had expected them, like the Adepti, to simply defend Liyue.
But the answer they gave me… was to take this chance to replace the gods. In the vacuum left by my 'death,' they seized full control of Liyue's authority."
"Ehh?! That doesn't sound like a good thing!"
"Haha… On the contrary, I think it's excellent. It was something I both feared was too early, and yet quietly hoped for. A sincere testament to the passing of an old god. Now then—do you have any more questions?"
Lumine thought for a moment. "I want to know—what could be worth exchanging for a Gnosis?"
Paimon nodded. "Yeah! You always say deals should be fair. But is there anything in this world worth trading a Gnosis for?"
"Rationally speaking, no.
"But I am the God of Contracts. Across millennia, I have forged tens of thousands of deals. I would never make one without benefit.
My transaction with the Cryo Archon… was my final act as the Geo Archon: the contract that ends all contracts.
As for what the Tsaritsa placed on the other side of the scale… that is something you will uncover yourselves in your journey ahead."
"Then, Zhongli! What kind of contract did you make with the Cryo Archon?! Tell us! I'm dying to know! Just a hint?" Paimon pleaded.
"Not disclosing the content of the contract… is also part of the contract."
"Ughhh, stingy!"