At the same time Rowan was signing a contract with Ningguang, Lumine and Paimon ran into Tartaglia.
Because of Rowan, the Fatui hadn't done anything flashy in Mondstadt. Lumine and Paimon hadn't even run into a single Fatui member there.
But after staying in Mondstadt for so long, they'd naturally heard from Mondstadters about what the Fatui had done in the past.
They were extremely wary of those people.
So when Tartaglia extended an olive branch, they stayed on guard.
Fortunately, Tartaglia had enough self-awareness. After handing them the Sigil of Permission, he immediately slipped away.
There wasn't a single nation on the whole continent that truly liked the Fatui.
Even Natlan didn't have a good impression of them.
"Lumine, what do we do?"
"Are we really going to do what he said and go to Jueyun Karst to ask the adepti?"
After Tartaglia left, Paimon scratched her head and looked at Lumine.
In her heart, she still didn't trust Tartaglia much.
But with the way things were now what should've been "the Knight King's attendants," honored guests in Liyue, had turned into "suspects in Rex Lapis's assassination."
Some of the Millelith had even seen Lumine's face.
If they really walked around Liyue Harbor openly now… who knew if the Millelith would grab them and drag them off for interrogation?
Even though they honestly didn't have any real suspicion on them.
Lumine was also frustrated.
Rowan had already said Rex Lapis had nothing to do with the god who took her and Aether.
But the moment she saw Rex Lapis's Exuvia fall… she still chose to run on instinct.
And now look, she'd become a wanted criminal.
It was ridiculous.
Lumine sighed helplessly.
"We don't have a choice. Let's go."
"Right now, the only path left is to go to Jueyun Karst and seek the adepti."
"The Fatui really shouldn't be trusted… but we have nowhere else to go."
At this point, they truly had no road left.
All they could do was take the Sigil of Permission Tartaglia gave them and gamble.
Even though they'd already met one adeptus before, who knew if they could find another?
Those were immortal beings who had lived in seclusion in Jueyun Karst for centuries.
Even locals in Liyue might go their whole lives without ever managing to find one.
Forget it.
When you reach the mountain, there'll be a road worst case, they could always go to Wangshu Inn and look for that one.
So after Lumine made up her mind, the two of them left Liyue Harbor and headed toward the heart of Liyue: Jueyun Karst.
"Interesting. Morax, who watched over Liyue for three thousand seven hundred years, actually got tired. Really interesting."
In Rowan's little courtyard, Istaroth looked at Zhongli and sighed with emotion.
"It can't be helped. Even the hardest rock gets worn down by time—let alone me."
Zhongli's mindset was basically in "retirement mode," his face indifferent.
After today, he was no longer Morax.
Now, he was only a minor consultant of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Everything from before was nothing but passing clouds and smoke.
…Well, not entirely.
At the very least, before reviving his old friends, he still couldn't truly rest.
Right now, he was constantly searching for any relics left behind by those companions who had passed.
But after searching for so long, he'd found nothing.
Especially the things belonging to his "good sons'" sworn brothers.
He had found Minos's weapon.
But as for Indarias's and Bosacius's belongings—he still had no clue.
"You Archons are something else."
Istaroth took a sip of tea and spoke in a mocking, yin-yang tone.
"Every one of you puts on a show and disobeys behind the scenes. What, are you that eager to make her awaken and have her bring divine punishment down on Teyvat?"
Of course, she wasn't really one to talk.
She herself did things like that all the time.
For example, dragging Inazuma's Sacred Sakura from five hundred years in the past to five hundred years in the future.
Or tossing Lumine's ship key into the future.
What she'd done wasn't "a little" or "once or twice."
"This is none of your concern, Lady Istaroth."
"I didn't expect you to fall in love with humans as well. Is Rowan really that important to you?"
"You betrayed your own 'main body' too—so you don't exactly have the right to criticize me, do you?"
Zhongli—an ancient god who had lived over five thousand years—wasn't easy to bully. He immediately shot back.
The Four Shades were four shadows cast by the Heavenly Principles, essentially fragments of it.
But as time passed, those four shadows developed their own wills.
Most of them grew rebellious toward the Heavenly Principles in different ways.
The most openly defiant was Nabu Malikata.
Now even Time had "betrayed" them
Phanes truly had enemies on all sides.
"Fair enough. But what's the point of you doing this?"
"Why not just sleep like Little Ba does?"
Istaroth was only teasing—she wasn't actually interrogating or condemning him.
Her own people knew their own business.
If anyone deserved to be killed by the Heavenly Principles first, it would be the four shadows.
But then she became genuinely curious why Zhongli was doing all this.
If he didn't want to keep watch anymore, then just quit.
Simple.
Why stage a fake death? Was he sick in the head?
"This…"
Zhongli was just about to answer when Rowan walked in from outside.
And he answered for him.
"Not only that—once Lumine clears her name after going to Jueyun Karst, this guy's going to host the Rite of Descension with her and personally 'send off' Morax."
The moment those words landed, not only Istaroth— even Jean, who had stayed silent the whole time, stared at Zhongli in shock.
Both of them wore the same expression:
Are you actually insane?
Fake your own death… and then hold your own funeral?
What kind of funeral ritual is that?
Zhongli: Morax is dead. What does that have to do with me, Zhongli?
Facing their stunned looks, Zhongli's face didn't redden and his breathing didn't change. He calmly drank his tea.
"Indeed. Even though Lumine has already been confirmed as the Child of Fate, I still must examine her character."
"I won't hand Liyue's future to someone whose nature I haven't verified."
Rowan walked over to Istaroth.
Istaroth immediately stood up and yielded her seat. Rowan sat down without any hesitation.
Like a little newlywed wife, Istaroth began massaging Rowan's shoulders—right in front of Zhongli's dumbfounded eyes.
"I think you're just bored."
"There were clearly better ways to do this, but you insisted on this one. How pointless."
(End of Chapter)
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