When had Ningguang ever suffered such humiliation?
Even back when she had yet to amass her fortune, she had never shown herself so humble before another.
In the past, she'd rather break than bend.
But now? She couldn't afford to make enemies lightly.
Especially not with these two— one, the god of Inazuma; the other, a Fatui Harbinger whom that very god had acknowledged as equal to divinity.
Though she regretted not investigating them more thoroughly before inviting them up, now that they were here, she could only make the best of it.
Even if one of them was a Fatui Harbinger.
"I wonder—what brings the Raiden Shogun and Sir Genius to Liyue?"
They had been settled in Inazuma, hadn't they?
What business drew them here?
And what of Inazuma's affairs?
Her three secretaries, waiting quietly nearby, froze in shock.
They stared wide-eyed at the purple-clad girl delicately nibbling sweets at the table.
That's… the Raiden Shogun?
"Miss Ningguang, you are refreshingly direct.
I half-expected a businesswoman like you to dance in circles before getting to the point.
Most merchants do."
Su Ran had assumed she'd probe for information through roundabout flattery.
Yet Ningguang went straight for the throat.
"Sir Genius jests.
Such tricks may serve with common guests— but with ones as exalted as you, such methods would be childish."
In Ningguang's view, when dealing with gods, one had to be forthright.
Gods had no patience for endless prattle.
Such beating around the bush was not only inefficient, but rude.
"Truthfully, nothing much.
I only foresaw that Liyue may soon face a great calamity… so I came to watch the show."
Su Ran cast his bait.
And Ningguang, obliging as ever, bit down hard.
A great calamity?
The Rite of Parting was upon them.
Rex Lapis himself was to descend.
How could there be calamity?
"What calamity could you mean?
The Rite is near. With the Geo Archon's presence, what could threaten us?"
She couldn't believe it.
"Oh, you may find this hard to accept, Miss Ningguang.
But the spark of this calamity… will be none other than the Geo Archon."
"Baiwen, Baishi, Baixiao—leave us."
Ningguang dared not let others hear more.
Trustworthy though they were, loyalty could not guarantee secrecy.
The only secure secret was one no one else knew.
The three secretaries, straining against their curiosity, withdrew.
"The Archon… the source of disaster?"
If anyone else had said it, she would have dismissed it outright.
But Rex Lapis? Impossible.
To Liyue, he was father, protector, and god.
Yet, perhaps—perhaps not of his own will.
Ningguang was already starting to believe.
Why? Because Su Ran was not alone.
The Raiden Shogun's silent presence beside him made disbelief unthinkable.
"Miss Ningguang, do you recall the last Rite of Parting?"
The last one… yes.
Presided over by Keqing, the Yuheng Star.
That was when Keqing had voiced thoughts that even Ningguang had considered nearly heretical— doubting the governance of the Geo Archon himself.
"So it seems you remember. In truth… the Fatui have a plan."
Ei shot Su Ran a glance.
Last time, he had slain a fellow Harbinger.
And this time?
Another knife poised at the Fatui's back?
"Sir, you are a Harbinger.
Would you truly reveal Fatui schemes to the Qixing?"
Respectful as she was, Ningguang could not ignore what he was.
The Fatui were enemies, whatever their formal invitations.
No wonder Childe's efforts in Liyue had met with little progress.
"I have my own designs.
Revealing fragments of information costs me nothing."
With a gnosis already in hand, and the power to summon a divine machine in disguise, Su Ran had no fear.
Unless Rex Lapis himself could pierce dreams and expose him— an impossibility.
"The Fatui struck a bargain with the Geo Archon.
When the time comes, we will use every means to shake Liyue to its core."
So blunt, so unvarnished.
Even Ningguang faltered, hearing it spoken aloud by a Harbinger himself.
Still—if forewarned, perhaps she could blunt the disaster's edge.
Yet one question gnawed at her.
"What terms did you offer?
What price could move the Archon of Rock to sacrifice his own nation's safety?"
Su Ran's smile sharpened.
"Miss Ningguang, you have it backwards.
The question is—what price did Rex Lapis pay, to persuade the Fatui to tear Liyue down?"
Ningguang: "…Ah?"
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