"Ugh, I'm exhausted. My legs don't even feel like my own anymore. The mountains in Liyue are really tall."
Lumine grumbled. The domains of the adepti always required climbing before one could reach them.
"So, after you delivered the news, how did the adepti react?" Koji asked with a smile.
If they were told the Archon had fallen, their first reaction wouldn't be doubt. Reason would come later—rage would rule in the moment.
"They were furious. Said they wanted to descend and suppress Liyue Harbor," Lumine said with a twitch of her lips.
The adepti truly were hot-headed. If she hadn't stopped them, they might already have gone to argue with the Qixing.
"Expected. All of them fought alongside the Geo Archon in the Archon War. Their reverence for him is unmatched," Koji explained.
The current people of Liyue only knew Morax from records and traditions, never having seen his divine might.
But the humans of the Archon War had witnessed him in person. Their feelings were entirely different.
"I wonder what those two adepti look like in their human forms," Lumine said curiously.
Cloud Retainer's human form was beautiful. Surely Mountain Shaper and Moon Carver wouldn't look too bad either.
"You shouldn't expect too much." Koji thought of their "models" and couldn't help but twitch his lips.
Plain faces, utterly indistinguishable in a crowd—like background extras.
"…Got it." Lumine nodded, disappointed.
Adepti could alter their appearance, but only if they could imagine a striking visage in their minds first.
…
It was a wallet—no, it was Childe.
On the streets of Liyue, Koji spotted Zhongli the wanderer, accompanied by his personal wallet, the Fatui Harbinger Tartaglia.
A pure battle fanatic, happiest when fighting the strong.
Master…
Tartaglia's gaze locked instantly on Koji's group. With his battle experience, he could tell at once they weren't ordinary.
He remembered what Signora had said. The boy in orange was Koji, the blonde was Lumine, the Honorary Knight recognized by Mondstadt.
Lumine was one thing, still not at her peak. But from Koji, Tartaglia felt real danger—greater than from his own master Skirk.
But instead of fear, it stoked his fighting spirit. He longed to test himself against Koji.
"Zhongli, is this your lackey?" Koji asked, feigning ignorance.
Zhongli's life was indeed leisurely. Once he'd put his tabs on Wangsheng, now he had a living wallet.
A world where only the rich suffer—achieved.
Tartaglia's brow twitched but he said nothing. He needed Zhongli's help.
"This is a warrior from Snezhnaya, Tartaglia," Zhongli said calmly.
In truth, Tartaglia asking him about the Geo Archon was amusing. He hadn't revealed his identity. Soon, he would need the Fatui.
He could summon Osial himself, but letting the Fatui act saved him the trouble.
"Honorary Knight, I've heard your name. As Zhongli has said, I am a warrior who loves battle. I'd like to spar with you," Tartaglia said with a smile.
Among the Harbingers, he was an odd one.
"You're sure?" Koji asked without surprise.
"Of course."
"Fine. Another time, then."
"Zhongli, why are you wandering when you should be working?"
Guizhong stormed over, grabbed Zhongli's arm, and dragged him toward Guili Plains.
In an instant, Zhongli vanished. She was exasperated—when had Morax become like this?
"Cough… I only came back for a meal. And I needed to inform the Hall Master," Zhongli said helplessly. Like with Hu Tao, he couldn't deal with Guizhong.
He could have pulled free, but instead let her drag him away.
"That woman… is she Zhongli's partner?" Tartaglia blinked. This was the first time he'd seen her.
And Zhongli hadn't resisted. Could it be he was henpecked?
Tsk. Pathetic. Women only slow down battle.
"More or less," Koji replied.
Whether they truly ended up together was a matter for the future.
"I'll take my leave too. If you need help, come find me at the Northland Bank."
Tartaglia waved and departed. Though eager to fight, his current mission was to claim the Gnosis for the Tsaritsa.
"Oh? Eula, didn't expect you'd made so many friends," came a voice.
Yanfei walked up, intrigued.
Through long correspondence, she already knew Eula's circumstances in Mondstadt. The Lawrence family's reputation was easy to investigate.
But she didn't mind. She knew Eula was different from the rest—she was a true friend.
"Hello, I'm Yanfei. Since you're Eula's friends, if you ever need legal help, come to me. I'll give you a discount."
"Yanfei, are you like Ganyu, a half-adeptus?" Lumine asked, noticing the white horns on her head.
"Yes. I carry adeptus blood. You know Ganyu-shijie? What a coincidence. But unlike her, I didn't form a contract with the Archon. I wanted freedom, not endless work."
She smiled. As a half-adeptus, she preferred her life as a legal advisor. Though law sometimes conflicted with sentiment, she managed.
"Agreed. Ganyu's workload would crush any normal human in days," Koji said.
So many years, and she still bore it all alone. Even Fontaine's Hydro Dragon, Neuvillette, had only worked for a few centuries.
"Exactly. No freedom. I couldn't stand it. As a legal advisor, I choose which cases to take. If I don't feel like it, I rest. Freedom suits me."
"But without Ganyu-shijie, the system would collapse instantly."
"Eula, seeing you with so many friends makes me happy. Why not settle here in Liyue?" Yanfei offered.
"I can help with housing."
She patted her chest confidently. For her, it was nothing.
"Maybe later. Right now I'm traveling with Koji and the others," Eula said, shaking her head. She knew Yanfei meant well.
"Travel, huh… I'm jealous. But I've got work. Can't just wander around," Yanfei said with a laugh.
Her reputation was too great. Many came seeking her counsel. She couldn't abandon her work for too long.
(End of Chapter)
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