Durandal didn't stay too long before leaving. Before she left, Chef Mao told her to visit often and he would make her delicious food.
Durandal nodded, accepting the invitation, and prepared to explore other parts of Liyue, wondering what scenery she would find there.
There are so many people. All those guests who came for the Rite of Descension are walking on the streets. This lively environment is many times more bustling than the market in Mondstadt.
Is this Liyue? I wonder what it's usually like here. Will it be as lively as it is now when there's no Rite of Descension?
"Big Hilichurl is sick, second Hilichurl looks, third Hilichurl gathers herbs, fourth Hilichurl howls~"
Before crossing the bridge, Durandal saw a cute voice singing a strange nursery rhyme.
It was a girl about Lumine's age. What caught Durandal's attention were her plum blossom-shaped pupils and the somewhat feigned smile on her face.
Is she also from Liyue? There are all sorts of characters here. It's just that the aura around her is a bit strange, and what's with the ghost accompanying her?
Durandal had seen many spirits, of all types, so she had no reaction to this harmless spirit.
The singing girl noticed Durandal staring at her, or more accurately, staring at the ghost beside her, and immediately became interested.
"Yo-ho, a new face. Did you just arrive in Liyue?"
The Damselette clasped her hands behind her back, smiling at Durandal: "I am Hu Tao, the Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Do you know the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor? We do funeral business. If you need anything, you can contact me. With this, you can get a discount. We're also running a promotion right now, buy one get one free!"
"Funeral? Discount? Buy one get one free?"
She didn't quite understand what 'funeral' referred to, but from the discount and buy-one-get-one-free, she could tell that she wanted to do business with her?
"That's right, business hasn't been good lately, and as the Director, I naturally have to find ways to expand our avenues. The old methods definitely won't work, so I have to come out and look for suitable clients."
"...Why look for me?"
"Because the aura of death around you is very strong. I've only seen this kind of aura on elderly people who are about to die naturally. It's so strange, your complexion shows no problems at all, so why is there such a Rich aura of death?"
Hu Tao was a little confused. The aura of death around Durandal was a bit too strong. If it weren't for the healthy flush on her face, she would have thought Durandal was a zombie, just like that little girl from Bubu Pharmacy.
Moreover, she wasn't afraid of the ghost accompanying her, which was very interesting. Most people, when they first see a ghost, show some fear on their faces, but she felt nothing at all.
"Nah, nah, nah, why is that? Why? Can you tell me the reason? Are you also in this line of business?"
"Because I have taken countless lives, that is why the aura of death emanating from me is so dense."
Although she wasn't entirely clear what Hu Tao meant by 'aura of death,' since it was related to death, it should be the aura associated with dying, she supposed.
Having taken countless lives, she naturally carried a lot of this aura. It was just that Hu Tao could actually perceive it; how did she do that?
"Eh? Taken countless lives? Taken? Are you a killer?"
Hu Tao was startled by this unexpected answer and instinctively took a few steps back, carefully scrutinizing Durandal.
Hmm~ From her appearance, Durandal just looks like a Demoiselle, and I didn't find a Vision on her. How could she take other people's lives without even that?
"Are you kidding me? Yeah~ Although what I said to you earlier was also a joke, taking someone else's life, that kind of joke is too fake, isn't it?"
Is that so? You don't believe it? Of course, how could an ordinary person do such a thing, especially with my current deceptive appearance?
Watching Hu Tao laugh uncontrollably, Durandal pondered for a moment, then stepped forward, grabbed her by the shoulders, and pulled her in front of her.
Hu Tao hadn't expected Durandal to make such a move. Her hands were clenched into fists in front of her, her eyes blinked rapidly, and her cheeks were slightly flushed.
"Wh-What's wrong? You're not angry, are you? Oh~ Don't be like that, I was just joking with you, no other meaning. After all, you're the first person to see my ghost and not be scared, so I couldn't resist wanting to joke with you."
Hu Tao had few friends because of her profession; no one played with her when she was a Children, and after becoming the Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, even fewer peers were willing to approach her.
Most people were scared when they saw the ghosts around her. Now that she had finally met someone who wasn't afraid, Hu Tao couldn't resist striking up a conversation, wondering if she could become friends with the other person.
Durandal ignored Hu Tao's words. Her dark purple pupils fixed on Hu Tao's eyes, and she said, "Look into my eyes."
"Hm?"
Hu Tao looked at Durandal's eyes in confusion. In just a glance, Hu Tao suddenly felt her body lose weight, and everything around her was pulled backward.
This situation startled her, and before she could react, the unusual phenomenon ended. But that didn't mean she could relax.
The originally clear weather was suddenly enveloped in darkness, not because it was nighttime, but because everything around them was covered in a thick, black fog.
Not only that, but a terrifying strong wind was also blowing here. The strong wind was filled with a dreadful black fog, and within the black fog was something extremely terrifying; it was the source of all this.
What on earth happened? Hu Tao couldn't understand. Then she heard sounds from all around her, or more accurately, wails.
She turned her head, and when she saw what was before her eyes, she widened them, her face full of disbelief.
The thing before her could no longer be considered a human. Its body, in this terrifying strong wind, was gradually dissolving into liquid like a fluid. Not only its flesh but even its bones were dissolving.
Moreover, this situation wasn't unique to him; all living beings around them were experiencing the same thing.
She instantly understood everything. There were similar incidents recorded in the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's archives. Was the black fog swirling in this wind a plague?
"Did you... see it?"
Suddenly, from within the thick black fog, a clear voice emerged. Hu Tao barely managed to open her eyes and clearly saw the figure walking out of the black fog.
It was Durandal. She maintained her human appearance as she stepped out of the black fog and said, "They are the lives I took. The death aura that permeates me comes from them."
"Now, do you believe me?"
Hu Tao's body trembled violently. In just an instant, everything around her disappeared. She was back on the streets of Liyue, and everything was as it had been.
The only difference was that she still held the memory of what had just happened. Unconsciously, her clothes were drenched in cold sweat.
It was too terrifying. The scene just now was truly dreadful; just one glance was enough to make someone never forget it. Hu Tao felt certain she would have nightmares tonight.
The cause of all this was the girl in front of her. Although she still looked the same as before, Hu Tao's perception of her had changed.
"You saw it. So, do you believe me now?"
Durandal looked at Hu Tao, who hadn't yet recovered, and said, "If I wished, I could turn Liyue into the scene you just witnessed right now. Do you still think I'm joking?"
Hu Tao shook her head. She couldn't be sure if Durandal was joking or not. The scene she had just witnessed was too real, so real it felt as if she had experienced it herself.
But... why did she show it to her? While Hu Tao was afraid, she was also pondering Durandal's reason for showing her those images.
Why did Durandal show her those images? What was the meaning behind her doing so?
"Your work is related to the deceased, isn't it?"
"That's right. The main business of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is funerals. Services like transporting the deceased to a designated burial site are all responsibilities of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
Durandal nodded. No wonder she saw death aura; it was because Hu Tao frequently dealt with corpses.
She walked to the bridge, leaning against the railing: "Then what is your view on life?"
"Life? Do you mean the living?"
Durandal shook her head: "Not specifically humans, but all existing life. Not just people, but bird, rabbits, flowers, and plants—in my opinion, these are all living beings. It is these rich and colorful lives that make up this beautiful, diverse world."
Hu Tao cautiously observed Durandal. Just then, a Bird suddenly descended from the sky and landed directly on Durandal's shoulder.
Durandal did not drive the Bird away. She extended her index finger and gently stroked the Bird's head, her movements soft, clearly having done it countless times before.
The Bird greatly enjoyed Durandal's petting, actively rubbing its head against Durandal's finger, enjoying itself while emitting pleasant chirps.
This behavior made Hu Tao realize that Durandal truly loved life, but... in the illusion, she saw Durandal as the one who took countless lives.
Why? Did she develop an aversion to humans? Only have a fondness for small lives? It shouldn't be. If that were the case, she wouldn't be walking so naturally on the street.
A contradictory person, Hu Tao labeled Durandal as such, but it had to be said that this side of Durandal successfully piqued her interest, dispelling the fear she had felt towards Durandal.
"Before I answer that question, can you answer me: did you show me those things to get back at me for what I said earlier?"
Thinking carefully, the words she had said at the beginning seemed to carry a hint of disrespect towards life.
It was already sad enough when someone died, and she had even said things like 'buy one get one free.' Wasn't that just adding insult to injury?
Durandal was silent for a moment, then shook her head: "No, that wasn't my intention."
Oh, well, saying that just makes people even more suspicious that you did it for that very reason.
Hu Tao gave a wry smile. It seemed that jokes like that were best avoided in front of Durandal from now on.
"Now, answer my question. What is your view on life?"
"...I don't know how to answer, but I want to say, 'Living is a wonderful thing.'"
"Then why are you so actively promoting your business?"
"Business is business. As the Director, if I don't do business, should I wait for it to go bankrupt? I certainly don't want the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to fall apart on my watch. The reason I do this is simply to eliminate people's stereotypes about death, hoping everyone views and understands death dialectically."
"View and understand death dialectically?"
"It seems you don't quite get it. Come, let me explain it to you slowly."