The next morning.
Ningguang slowly opened her sleepy eyes.
She sat up and stretched lazily. When she noticed that Elliot's bed was empty, she figured he had probably gone out to buy something—or maybe he was meditating on the rooftop again.
He often did that.
She opened the door and stepped outside, but the rooftop was empty.
"Did he go out for groceries…?"
She mumbled to herself, not too concerned at first, and went to wash up.
But even after waiting at home for a long time, Elliot didn't return.
That was unusual.
"Where did Elliot go? He never takes this long…"
Anxiety started to creep in. She paced back and forth, wanting to go out and look for him but worried that if she left, he might come back and not find her—then he'd worry too.
Just as she was growing more restless, glancing about anxiously, her eyes fell on a piece of paper.
She picked it up and read it carefully—then froze, heart pounding.
"No... Elliot wouldn't leave me... I don't believe it..."
"This has to be fake… it must be fake…"
Each word pierced her like a thorn, stabbing into her heart.
Her hands trembled as fat tears rolled down her cheeks.
She tore through drawers and cupboards, desperately searching—but the tea set she had given Elliot yesterday was gone.
Gripping the letter tightly, she burst through the door and sprinted toward Liyue Harbor, tears falling like pearls behind her.
"I'm sorry, Ningguang. By the time you read this, I will have already left.
There are things I must do. I'm sorry I can't bring you with me—please, don't come looking for me.
Don't blame yourself. I truly cherished the time we spent together.
I'm grateful for this joyful, though short, year we shared. But I must go."
...
"Don't leave me… Elliot… please don't leave me…"
"If you're with me, I'll go anywhere… even if it's a mountain of blades or a sea of fire… I'll go… just don't leave me alone…"
"Why didn't you ask if I wanted to go with you…? You can't just abandon me like this… Elliot…"
"Am I going to lose my home again…? Lose my family all over again…?"
"I don't want this… Elliot… don't go… I don't want to be alone anymore…"
"You said I could rely on you… you can't just disappear without a word… please don't leave me… I can change… I can be what you want me to be…"
"Please… just hold me once more…"
Her tears blurred her vision entirely, turning the world around her into a hazy smear.
Rushing blindly along the rugged mountain path, she stumbled. Her foot caught—and she fell.
Her knees scraped raw against the rough ground, her palms bleeding from fresh wounds.
But she barely noticed. She pushed herself up and kept running toward Liyue Harbor.
She couldn't stop—not even for a second.
...
"After I'm gone, make sure to eat regularly, and go to bed early.
It's almost autumn—bundle up at night, don't kick off your blanket or you'll catch a cold.
Eat more meat, even if you're on your own. Don't be too frugal—Mora can be earned, but your health can't be replaced.
Also, don't share the things I taught you with just anyone. People change.
There aren't many as kind as you—so take good care of yourself."
...
She reached Liyue Harbor, but tripped again along the way.
Her clothes were torn to shreds, her hands and legs caked in blood and dirt, her hair a tangled mess. She looked nothing like the confident Ningguang from before.
Now, she looked worse than ever.
Back then, even barefoot and poorly dressed, at least her hair and face had been clean.
But now she looked completely deranged—her clothes filthy and bloodied, her hair wild and loose.
"Have you seen Elliot?! He's a tall, handsome merchant—he always plays with the kids!"
The moment she spotted someone, she rushed up and grabbed him, shouting desperately.
"Why are you covered in blood? You're filthy—stay away from me! I've never seen him."
She looked like a mad child. No one recognized her. That was understandable.
Hearing his response, Ningguang immediately ran to another passerby.
"Have you seen Elliot?! He's a merchant who likes to hang around the docks—he's really tall—"
"Shoo! Crazy kid!"
Shoved away again, she set her sights on another person, undeterred.
...
"Ningguang, remember when you asked me about the little room next to our house?
It's called the Qunyu Pavilion. My dream was to make it float in the sky—an airborne castle so vast it could cover all Seven Nations.
A place where we could live—a place that would become a holy land longed for by all of Teyvat.
But… I know now that I won't be the one to realize that dream."
...
Despite being turned away again and again, Ningguang didn't stop.
She ran straight for the teahouse.
Seeing her arrive, the teahouse owner froze in surprise. Zhongli, who had been calmly sipping tea, also turned his gaze.
"Boss… have you seen Elliot…? Has he come here…?"
The moment she spoke, the owner's eyes widened, and Zhongli frowned slightly.
"Ningguang? What happened to you…?"
The teahouse owner hurried out, visibly shaken.
"Elliot… he doesn't want me anymore…" Ningguang sobbed, her eyes red.
"What? No way! Why would he suddenly abandon you? Did he not like the tea set?"
The owner was completely baffled.
Just last night, she was happily haggling with him—how had things come to this?
"No… it's not that…"
"Elliot said… he had something he had to do… and then he left… he left me…"
"He doesn't want me anymore…"
The teahouse owner stood there, utterly stunned.
Until Zhongli slowly walked over.
"Big Brother Zhongli… do you know… where Elliot went…?"
At this point, Ningguang was asking anyone who might have even a sliver of information about Elliot.
"He left?" Zhongli asked gently.
"Mm… he left me…"
"When did he leave? Did he say anything?"
"I don't know… he just left this…"
She held out the letter.
...
So this… is the "false contract" you spoke of...
After reading it, Zhongli finally understood what Elliot meant back then.
Looking at Ningguang in this state, he couldn't bear it. So he stepped in to refine Elliot's parting gift—his "false contract."
"He's gone somewhere you can't follow. But he's still somewhere in this world."
"Why… why would he leave me… I could have gone with him… no matter where… I would've gone…"
"Maybe where he's gone is full of danger. Maybe… he wasn't confident he could bring you back safely."
"I don't care… I don't care about that… I just want him…"
"You would've followed him without hesitation. But he chose to leave for your safety. And… perhaps this isn't goodbye forever."
At those words, Ningguang froze, then rushed forward and grabbed Zhongli's sleeve.
"Can I still see Elliot again…?!"
"Take another look at his last message," Zhongli replied softly.
He didn't spell it out—just nudged her gently.
He knew how smart she was. She was just too shaken to see clearly at the moment.
Ningguang quickly re-read the letter, her expression shifting as realization crept in.
The early parts of the message were just instructions and reassurances.
But at the very end… he'd mentioned his unfinished dream.
"Does Elliot… want me to fulfill that dream for him…?"
"I only know one thing—an airborne castle large enough to cover all Seven Nations could be seen from anywhere in Teyvat."
With that final hint, the pieces clicked into place.
A clear vision formed in her mind.
...
—Elliot had gone to a very dangerous place.
—He didn't take her because he was afraid she'd be hurt.
—She didn't have the strength to protect herself—she'd only get in the way.
—If he could make it through, he would definitely come back.
—I have to make the Qunyu Pavilion rise above Teyvat—to welcome him home the moment he returns.
—He will come back. I have to believe in him!
—I'll follow every one of his instructions—eat well, stay healthy—so I can greet him at my very best.
—I can't let him down!
...
In that moment, Ningguang found her purpose.
She wiped away her tears, eyes burning with determination.
She was going to earn Mora.
As much as she could!
She would carry on Elliot's dream—build a floating castle, a sacred place the entire world would envy.
Watching her renewed resolve, Zhongli smiled faintly.
The sixth life—was complete.
...