"Truthfully, the Emperor is very gentle. It's only because he has endured too much that he has become this way."
Cloud Retainer, sipping her soup, explained softly.
"I agree with you, but when meeting someone for the first time, it can make things feel a little too distant."
"When we first shared a meal, Morax just sat there eating without a single expression. It scared Marchosius into thinking he had messed up, and he nervously begged me to apologize to you on his behalf."
Guizhong recounted the incident, and the sociable Cloud Retainer chimed in: "When we first met the Emperor, we also thought he was terribly stern."
"Right? Right? I knew it wasn't just me!"
Guizhong, as if finding an ally, began complaining about Morax right in front of him, joined by Cloud Retainer.
But Morax didn't mind—what they said was true, after all.
As they spoke, Morax slowly took out the mask, the Immovable Rock Visage.
He ran his hand across it, his heart unsettled by Guizhong's words.
He couldn't remember when he had stopped showing expressions, when he had discarded so many emotions.
Long ago, he had been cheerful and passionate, a bright youth always laughing and carefree.
Now that he thought about it, it seemed he hadn't truly felt joy in a very long time.
"Morax."
Hearing Guizhong call, he raised his head slightly to look at her.
"Look!"
"The Cloud Retainer–Guizhong Beast!"
Guizhong spread her arms wide where she stood. Cloud Retainer perched on her shoulders, wings half-extended and chest puffed proudly. Together, woman and crane struck a ridiculous pose before Morax.
Morax: "?"
"..."
"What exactly are you two doing?" he asked flatly.
"Aww~ Come on, smile a little!" Guizhong stomped her foot in frustration at his blank reaction.
"Why?" Morax asked.
"Don't you think it looks cool? Look, my sleeves even hang down like wings." She waved her sleeves in front of him as she spoke.
"They look like wings, yes—but it's not cool. It's just silly."
That blunt response left Guizhong dumbstruck.
"Ahhh!!! You stone-headed fool!!" she cried, then ran off in tears.
Morax said nothing, only stood there quietly watching her retreat.
"What's gotten into her?" he asked Cloud Retainer.
"Perhaps she only wanted to cheer you up," Cloud Retainer replied.
"Though she might scold me for saying this, she came to me before, asking about you."
"Asking… about me?" Morax asked, puzzled.
"Yes. She asked what you like to eat, what you enjoy doing."
"What for?"
At that, Cloud Retainer fell silent for a moment, almost exasperated.
Even with such obvious hints, Morax remained completely oblivious.
She sighed, then decided to be direct.
"Emperor, don't you see? Guizhong likes you. That's why she cares so much about your state of mind. She wants to make you happy, so she tries to amuse you."
"She worries that guarding Guili Plains and Liyue is wearing you down, and she wants to share that burden."
"That's why she has been throwing herself into mechanical arts—working tirelessly, studying day and night. She's even more fanatical than I was in my most obsessive days."
"But gods are too powerful. Ordinary mechanisms can't hurt them. She knows this, but she pushes herself anyway. And mechanical arts—unlike combat—can't be rushed. A single unsolved problem can stall you for ages. She's exhausted, yet still desperate to help you."
"And have you ever seen her act like this before commoners? Of course not.
"She may appear to mingle with them freely, but she still hides her truest self, guiding them as one above.
"She only shows her real self before those closest to her. Her feelings for you are sincere. We all see it—only you remain blind, and you've driven her away with your words."
Cloud Retainer let out another sigh, then spread her wings and flew off in the direction Guizhong had gone.
Morax rose to his feet, stunned, her words echoing in his mind.
"She…"
"So that's what she felt?"
He rubbed the Immovable Rock Visage in his hand, murmuring to himself.
It was difficult to digest all at once, and he wasn't sure of his own heart.
But one thing he did know—his actions had hurt Guizhong.
After standing silently for a long while, Morax let out a quiet sigh.
He put away the mask and began walking in the same direction.