"Hehehe… I arrived a bit late, but the timing was perfect."
Inside the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's storeroom, Hu Tao flashed her usual mischievous grin while flipping through ancient texts.
"Lin Ze didn't spell it out, but aside from me, I bet most people still don't understand why Ganyu suddenly exploded like that, right?"
She had arrived late—but just in time to witness Ganyu's emotional breakdown.
After watching the excitement, Hu Tao had quietly slipped away without getting involved.
After all, her goal had already been achieved.
Lin Ze had agreed to keep that fun little Diary Subspace around.
With Ganyu having already settled the matter, there was no reason for Hu Tao to stay any longer.
Besides, she still had unfinished business—there were more ancient records to check, especially anything related to Qiqi.
Inside the Plane of Euthymia, Raiden Ei let out a soft sigh.
"So Lin Ze truly is that powerful…"
Even something like a system—an existence bound by rules—was something he could casually rewrite.
Her earlier decision was clearly the right one.
She needed to meet Lin Ze in person.
Perhaps… she could finally discuss the meaning of Eternity with someone who stood beyond it.
Deep within Sumeru, Nahida also felt a wave of awe—followed quickly by quiet loneliness.
"As expected of him…"
But she couldn't leave.
No matter how curious she was about Lin Ze, she remained trapped.
The Aranara had already gone to Liyue to look for him—but they still hadn't found him.
She wanted to ask him something very simple, yet very important:
What kind of god… counts as a good god, in his eyes?
Lin Ze's diary updates and announcements sent ripples through the hearts of every Diary Subspace holder.
But Lin Ze himself was completely unaware of that.
Right now, he was sitting on his bed, deeply conflicted.
This time, the system had crossed a line—actually listening to his inner thoughts.
In a fit of anger, he had grabbed it by the throat and rewritten it.
Which led to a new dilemma.
Should he let Zhongli—or Zhongli's female incarnation, Zhongli / Zhongli (钟璃)—gain access to the Diary Subspace as well?
Lin Ze was genuinely torn.
After taking control of the system, he now knew exactly who held diary access.
They were all familiar faces.
Even figures from Snezhnaya, Natlan, and Fontaine—people he'd heard of, people he remembered.
The Tsaritsa.
Signora.
Others like them.
Without exception—
They were all women.
Zhongli claimed that gods had no gender, and he had even created a female incarnation to prove it.
But still…
The image of Zhongli, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor consultant, was far too deeply ingrained.
Lin Ze simply couldn't see Zhongli's female form as a completely separate woman.
And once he realized that only women held the diary…
A dangerous thought surfaced.
Maybe it should stay that way.
Just like before.
Keep everyone guessing identities.
Keep teasing them under the guise of ignorance.
Some things were easier to say when you pretended not to know who was reading.
Letting Zhongli in wouldn't break anything—but emotionally?
It felt… awkward.
After a long moment of thought, Lin Ze made his decision.
Leave things as they are.
The system's recruitment function was still active anyway.
If the system itself recognized Zhongli's female incarnation as eligible—
Well.
Then Lin Ze would accept it.
He'd just… rein himself in a bit.
Decision made.
Into the blankets.
Straight to sleep.
While Lin Ze finally felt at ease, Ganyu most definitely did not.
By now, she had fully recovered from her strange emotional state—
Only to realize exactly what she'd said earlier.
Her face burned all the way to her ears.
Heavens… what did I even say…
I'll never be able to face anyone again…
"Master… I'd like to return to the mountains for a while."
She didn't wait for Cloud Retainer to suggest it.
Embarrassment alone was enough reason.
As for her contract with the Geo Archon, she would report in properly.
After working diligently for so many years…
Surely taking a short break was acceptable.
"Good. That was our plan as well."
Cloud Retainer nodded calmly.
"This time, Yanfei will accompany you. Madam Ping has already gone to inform her."
"Afterward, Madam Ping will escort Yanfei to Mt. Aocang. As for you—pack up and return with me."
Under normal circumstances, Cloud Retainer wouldn't have been this straightforward.
But Madam Ping had spoken to her beforehand.
Once Ganyu regained her senses, she was to be taken away immediately.
That was why Cloud Retainer—at least in Ganyu's eyes—suddenly seemed far more understanding than usual.
Ganyu shot her master a grateful look.
Then—
Whoosh.
She vanished from the Jade Chamber in a blur of afterimages.
Watching her leave so hurriedly, Cloud Retainer shook her head.
"So impatient… ah well."
With that, she departed as well.
Left behind, Keqing stared blankly at Ningguang.
"…Do you think I've failed as a friend?"
"I've worked with Ganyu for so long. We even go out for late-night meals together."
"And yet… I never noticed her heart was in such pain."
"So Ganyu breaks down—and now you're spiraling too?"
Ningguang looked at her meaningfully.
"This is a critical period, Keqing. You can't afford to collapse right now."
"If you do, the Ministry of Civil Affairs will descend into chaos."
Everyone knew how much Ganyu and Keqing—Liyue's self-motivated overtime duo—had contributed.
Ningguang softened her tone.
"Listen. You heard Ganyu yourself."
"She's always believed her half-adeptus identity was a barrier."
"Unable to fully integrate with humans… and perhaps unable to belong among the adepti either."
"And as Liyue's secretary, she's watched countless familiar faces grow old, marry, raise children, and eventually return to dust."
"Under those circumstances, do you really think she'd confide her heart-knot to anyone?"
"In her eyes, no matter how close the bond, a hundred years later it all ends the same."
"You're already one of the Seven Stars who's been closest to her throughout history."
Hearing this, Keqing let out a long, quiet sigh.
She understood.
She truly did.
But that didn't make it any easier to accept.
Seeing a close friend suddenly reveal such deep suffering—suffering she'd never noticed—was devastating.
"I know you're not in a good headspace right now," Ningguang said gently.
"Go home and rest."
"If you need to… you can visit Mt. Aocang as well."
"Leave the Ministry to others for now."
"But remember—you are the Yuheng Star."
"You can't stay away forever."
"At most… one month."
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