"Is there no benefit in believing in a departed god...?" Kokomi sighed.
She was well aware of this truth, but given the Raiden Shogun's current actions, how could the people of Watatsumi Island, already at odds with the Shogunate, possibly coexist with them?
At the end of the tale, Zhongli cast down the Salt ruler and Salt chalice of Havria into the depths of the sea.
Zhongli explained that while these artifacts still retained some remnants of the Salt God's authority, even Osial would find such power insignificant.
One might say this was a single sentence disparaging two gods—but who could argue? After all, he was Morax. Even if others took offense, they had no choice but to endure it.
Before this, Zhongli had shared one final conversation with the Traveler.
[Zhongli: "I was the one who ended an era. I have often pondered how to record the history... that I brought to a close."]
["History can be recorded, but history is not infallible. This incident has proven as much. Time wields immense power; history becomes distorted over the years..."]
["I must find a better way to 'record,' to etch the truth of history into permanence."]
["And so, Traveler, I thought of you."]
["You are one who has crossed the celestial expanse, journeyed beyond the sea of stars. If history is engraved within your memories, it may one day travel with you to another world."]
["As a traveler, so long as you can 'record,' the eras and history of Teyvat will have a 'backup of existence'..."]
This was Zhongli's reason for wanting the Traveler's companionship—he saw the Traveler as a portable hard drive.
Even if Teyvat, the "main system," were to collapse someday, so long as the Traveler survived, the "files" could be transferred to another "system."
At Three-Round Knockout, Iron Tongue Tian stumbled through the conclusion of his storytelling—not due to lack of skill, but because Zhongli himself was seated among the audience.
Zhongli paid no heed to the stares of those around him, simply sitting there and listening.
Once the tale concluded, Zhongli nodded in approval. That had indeed been his original intention.
But now, thanks to Lucian's presence, he had discovered another method of preservation.
That old rascal wrote books everywhere, turning every untold story into common knowledge—wasn't that, in itself, a form of record-keeping?
To draw an analogy: before, knowledge was passed down through word of mouth, inevitably leading to omissions or loss.
Lucian, however, had essentially connected everyone to the internet. Now, if you wanted to know something, you didn't need to rely on a kind soul to share it—you could just look it up.
Far away in Mondstadt, the Traveler was puzzled. "Record Teyvat's history? Easy. Once I return to Liyue, I'll lock Lucian in a dark room and force him to write relentlessly—whip him if he refuses!"
That way, stories about Teyvat could be produced quickly.
And since Lucian was an otherworlder, he might even drop some extra "gold coins," writing tales beyond Teyvat that the Traveler could also document.
Yet while the idea was sound, reality was harsh. Not only did Lumine fail to lock Lucian away, she even ended up running errands for him.
For instance, the Portable Waypoint she now held in her hand.
Lucian had given it to her before she left for Mondstadt, instructing her to place it there.
As for the location... since Lucian had no acquaintances in Mondstadt aside from Mona, he told Lumine to put it in her house.
Recalling how Mona had once berated Lucian, Lumine wondered—would Mona even agree to this?
Well, grievances had their rightful owners. She was just the messenger. If Mona wanted revenge, she could settle it privately when Lucian teleported to Mondstadt.
Most readers, however, focused on Morax's overwhelming power.
A casually thrown stone spear could alter landscapes, create mountains and islands—what godly might!
"Ah, the old man back then... he was truly terrifying."
Venti gestured animatedly, regaling the tavern crowd with tales of Zhongli's past feats.
His vivid storytelling might have led one to believe he was boasting of his own accomplishments.
"What about you, Tone-Deaf Bard? Weren't you also one of the original Seven?" Paimon asked.
"Huh? Me? Oh, I'm nothing special~!" Venti laughed, waving a hand.
"Liyue was the bloodiest battleground. As for me... let's just say I lucked into godhood."
"You're so unambitious! Why don't you ever pick a fight with Zhongli!?" Paimon flailed her tiny fists.
Venti smiled wryly. Fight Zhongli? Even Ei, the martial fanatic, wouldn't dare provoke Morax.
"I'd like to report Paimon for inciting conflict between nations. Arrest her, please." Lumine raised her hand.
"Huh?!" Paimon gasped.
"Noted. The Knights of Favonius accept your report." Kaeya smirked, stepping forward.
"W-Wait! I'll go find Klee myself, okay!?" Paimon pleaded, looking around in panic.
The most astonished, however, were the people of Liyue. The god depicted in the book was now standing before them.
Zhongli glanced at the crowd—still many onlookers.
He made no effort to hide, curious to see how long it would take for Liyue's citizens to grow accustomed to his presence.
This was what one might call desensitization training. The people of Mondstadt had already adapted to Barbatos.
"Ah, it's been some time since I last went shopping. How I've missed it." Zhongli mused.
Since his identity was revealed, he had refrained from purchasing antiques—after all, given his status, no merchant would dare accept payment.
Anything he acquired, regardless of its true value, would skyrocket in price simply for having been in his collection.
That took the fun out of it. The joy of collecting antiques lay in the discerning eye, not in artificial inflation due to one's reputation.
He would simply have to wait until Liyue's people grew desensitized before resuming his hobby.
With nothing else to do, Zhongli decided to return home—well, to Lucian's home. Might as well go back and play mahjong with them.
Meanwhile, at Lucian's residence, Guizhong had just finished reading the book.
She had known Havria—during the Archon War, their territories had been close.
Both were gods of modest strength, but while one chose retreat, the other allied with the powerful.
Regardless of the choice, both were compromises made by gods too weak to protect their people.
In some ways, Guizhong had been luckier—at least she had found true friends. Havria, meanwhile, had died in obscurity.
"Havria... I hope you like this era." Guizhong whispered.
She knew what Lucian had gone to do, and she bore no resentment toward Havria. The Archon War was over—they were no longer enemies.
At that moment, Lucian and Hu Tao stood deep within the ruins of Sal Terrae.
"Got it! Explain the situation, then dress her up, right?" Hu Tao nodded.
"Dressing someone who can't move? That's this director's specialty!" She grinned mischievously.
Lucian flicked her forehead, recalling the time she'd drawn a turtle on his face while he slept.
"Hey! What was that for? I didn't do anything wrong this time!" Hu Tao protested, ready to retaliate.
===✧✦✧===
Character Voiceline · Kokomi: About Departed Gods
"The people of Watatsumi Island will never forget the sacrifices of the Great Serpent, Orobashi... but perhaps it is time to let go of this faith."