Everyone in the Knights of Favonius highly recognizes Eula, and among them, Amber shares an especially close relationship with her.
"Eula, this is truly wonderful. This story will surely let everyone know about your deeds," Amber said sincerely, happy for Eula.
At this moment, she was, as usual, accompanying Eula on a stroll through the city.
Because if it weren't for the likable Amber following Eula around, the other merchants would be reluctant to have any interaction with Eula and naturally wouldn't sell anything to her.
Only when Amber was around would the other merchants conduct normal transactions with Eula, even exchanging a few words with her.
"Is that so...?" Eula wasn't entirely convinced. She glanced at the gazes of the people around her.
Some of their eyes no longer held hatred or disgust, and no one spat lightly at her anymore.
Unlike before, these people didn't avert their eyes as if avoiding a plague god after meeting her gaze.
"Yeah... it's really different now..." Eula murmured in a daze.
No scorn, no hatred, no disgust—just the way one would look at an ordinary person. She felt like just another ordinary citizen of Mondstadt.
So... I can be an ordinary person too...
Her eyes stung slightly, but Eula stubbornly held back her tears.
She snorted coldly and said, "Hmph, this author, writing my story without permission... I'll remember this grudge."
Amber smiled gently, taking a tissue from her Vision and handing it to Eula.
"I'll help you remember too. Let's go 'get revenge' on him together."
Eula's face flushed slightly. Amber still understood her so well. But how could she cry in front of so many people?
I must maintain the best diplomatic etiquette and image. I absolutely can't let them see me in a weak state.
Amber chuckled. "From now on, I probably won't have to run errands for you anymore."
In the past, people were unwilling to do business with Eula, so daily necessities and such were always bought by Amber and delivered to Eula's home.
Now, it seemed everyone had become more accepting of Eula, so Amber likely wouldn't need to do that anymore.
Come to think of it, Amber's occasional speeches—telling the people of Mondstadt about Eula's achievements—would probably no longer be necessary either.
Only a small portion of people listened to Amber's speeches, but Lucian's book was something everyone was reading.
"Who said that? I still remember my grudge against you," Eula retorted.
Though Amber called it "running errands," it felt more like a sisters' get-together.
"So mean, Eula, treating me like your errand girl," Amber pouted.
Eula panicked slightly. "I didn't."
Then she snorted lightly and added, "Fine. From now on, it's my turn to run errands for you."
"I'll always bring you the dishes you hate the most—that's my revenge!"
"Oh really? Then I'll bring you the dishes you hate the most too. Let's see who knows the other better," Amber said, skipping off toward the Good Hunter.
Eula quietly followed behind Amber.
Yes... Now it's my turn, the older sister who was always taken care of, to look after you, Amber.
===✧✦✧===
Having talked about Mondstadt, let's return to Lucian.
Just two days after returning home, he set off for Fontaine with the Traveler.
Lucian went to Fontaine to pick up little Furina and bring her along to watch the Rite of Descension. How could he not share such a grand spectacle with her?
As for the Traveler? She was just there to unlock the Waypoint. She'd teleport back on her own afterward.
"Will that Geo Archon really die?" Furina asked curiously.
Though he was a god of another nation, who hadn't heard of the name Rex Lapis?
If even such a god could die, what kind of existence could kill him? Would she herself be in danger too?
"He will die," Lucian nodded.
Of course he'll die. How could you stop someone from killing themselves?
To stop him, you'd at least have to be strong enough to fight him. And how many people could actually manage that?
"Then who's the murderer? Lucian, you know, don't you? Can't you tell me?" Furina pressed.
She wanted to know who the killer was, their motive for killing the Geo Archon, and whether they'd target other gods afterward.
"The murderer is someone you know."
Yes, Furina knew them. They'd even dined and shopped together before.
Someone I know? Furina pondered. She knew far too many people.
Excluding ordinary citizens, the remaining individuals—even disregarding their strength—lacked any motive.
Before she could think further, Lucian grabbed her by the ahoge and whisked her off to Liyue.
Upon opening the door, well... three women—Hu Tao, Navia, and Shenhe—were sitting in the living room.
Somehow, it wasn't all that surprising...
If anything, Furina was more curious about why Navia was here.
So Navia had been in Liyue these past few days instead of Fontaine...
Navia, however, wasn't surprised at all, as Lucian had mentioned he'd be picking up the Hydro Archon.
In Navia's eyes, the Hydro Archon was someone who loved spectacles, so it made sense for her to come watch.
Still, she'd asked Lucian: Would it really be alright for an archon of another nation to visit Liyue during such a sensitive time?
To this, Lucian had replied: Of course it's fine. Don't forget my identity—I'm the Prophet! I'll just vouch for her.
Of course, the most crucial point was that Lucian had already informed his senior sister (Ganyu) about Furina's visit.
After Ganyu relayed this to the Qixing, they'd given their approval. Thus, Furina's arrival was officially permitted as part of diplomatic relations.
Given that this concerned the Geo Archon, aside from Ningguang and Keqing, the other members of the Qixing didn't fully trust Lucian and even suspected him and the Hydro Archon.
Their agreement stemmed partly from Lucian's credibility as the Seer—his "vouch" held weight.
But more importantly, they considered the possibility that this was all an elaborate scheme—that Lucian was playing a double-agent role, secretly plotting against the Geo Archon.
Perhaps the prophecy book was just a distraction, making people believe he wasn't involved. That would explain why he never appeared in the story.
If that were the case, the Hydro Archon might be an accomplice.
Though the Qixing knew the odds were slim, when it came to the Geo Archon, they had to consider every possibility.
If this were truly a conspiracy, whether the Qixing agreed or not, Lucian would likely bring the Hydro Archon anyway.
Smuggling her in secretly would only make it harder for the Qixing to monitor her movements.
So they might as well play along. With the Qixing and the adepti gathered for the Rite of Descension, they could confront the threat head-on. If they still couldn't win, then it wouldn't matter whether it was a conspiracy or not.
If the current situation were a game of Among Us, then the Geo Archon was the one killed by the Impostor.
Lucian, as the Prophet, had vouched for Furina and the Traveler.
The Qixing, as ordinary villagers, naturally viewed everyone with suspicion but tentatively trusted the Prophet.
Ultimately, it all came down to an information gap. With too little intel, the possibilities were endless.
As for Cloud Retainer? Once she learned the truth, she buried herself in her inventions, paying no heed to the outside world.
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice · Lucian: About Zhongli
"Whether as Rex Lapis or Zhongli, he's a reliable old-timer to me.
And not just in battle—he's also incredibly dependable at work in the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, giving me plenty of opportunities to slack off."