Chapter 175. I am Confused
Mitama's mind was reeling. Venti's casual data dump had fundamentally shifted his understanding of the board.
Egeria couldn't join the Chat Group. She couldn't be allowed to regain consciousness, and even if resurrection was on the table, it had to be delayed until Fontaine's apocalyptic prophecy had fully run its course.
Venti seemed to believe this mandated coma was the safest outcome for everyone involved.
"Is it really that serious?"
Mitama pressed. He hadn't been overly invested in Fontaine's political struggles, initially viewing them as a distant problem. As time passed, his focus had narrowed entirely onto Liyue. He was far more interested in watching how Zhongli orchestrated his elaborate 'death' given all the wildcards currently on the board.
"Yes. It is exceptionally serious."
Venti nodded, all traces of his usual playful demeanor vanishing. His expression was grim.
Venti usually masked his terrifying competence behind a drunken, carefree facade. Given his true strength and ancient insight, there was very little in Teyvat that genuinely worried him. Seeing him this solemn made Mitama pause.
If Venti says it's dangerous, it's dangerous.
Mitama wasn't arrogant enough to ignore a direct warning from a surviving original Archon. He wouldn't stubbornly insist on pulling Egeria into the system just to test the limits of his authority. Until his strength eclipsed whatever entity was watching the sky, discretion was the better part of valor.
"Oh, right!"
Venti's mood suddenly flipped back to cheerful, as if the heavy conversation had never happened. He flashed a bright smile.
"While I was in Sumeru, I dropped by to see Rukkhadevata and Nahida. They'll be arriving with the Sumeru delegation the day after tomorrow. They probably won't announce themselves, though. Just like me! Honestly, I bet only the old blockhead and Guizhong will actually know they're here."
Venti laughed, tearing into a roasted suckling pig.
"Oh man, this Rite of Descension is turning into a total circus! It's basically a secret Archon summit!"
"Wait, Maha Rukkhadevata is coming too?"
Mitama was genuinely shocked. Nahida coming made sense—she was actively engaged in diplomacy. But Rukkhadevata? If both Dendro Archons left, who was running the Akademiya?
Venti chewed thoughtfully before swallowing.
"I mean, give her a break, man. She's been trapped in Irminsul for five hundred years. She literally just got out, and you want her to go straight back to pushing papers?"
"Besides." Venti grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief, "a Rite of Descension where the Geo Archon fakes his own death is a once-in-a-millennium spectacle! Anyone with clearance to the script is going to buy front-row tickets. And aren't you dying to see the look on Azhdaha's face when he finds out Morax is retiring?"
Venti winked. He didn't care about Liyue's political future or international relations. He was here entirely for the drama of watching Zhongli scramble to maintain his cover while half the pantheon ate popcorn in the audience.
"Cough, cough..."
Mitama choked slightly.
He glanced around, suddenly paranoid that Zhongli was secretly listening to them through the bedrock. Even though Mitama had crossed the threshold into the Demon God Realm—and possessed the immense, stabilizing buffs of the Chat Group—he was absolutely certain he couldn't defeat Zhongli in a straight fight.
Against newly ascended or strictly bureaucratic gods like Nahida, Makoto, or even Guizhong, Futsu Mitama felt confident.
But Zhongli, Venti, and Ei were entirely different beasts. Mitama hadn't crossed blades with them seriously, so he couldn't accurately gauge their absolute upper limits.
But he knew one thing for certain: those three had drowned the continent in the blood of rival gods during the Archon War. They were apex predators who had survived the most brutal era in history. They absolutely possessed apocalyptic trump cards they had never shown.
Venti could afford to openly mock Zhongli. Mitama could not.
Even if he had explicitly traveled to Liyue Harbor a month early specifically to watch the chaos unfold.
Seeing Mitama sweat, Venti's grin widened. He raised his wine bottle.
"Come on, a toast! Tomorrow, the Inazuma delegation arrives. I'd bet my lyre that Baal and Beelzebub are going to sneak in with them."
Mitama nodded slowly, clinking his own bottle against Venti's.
It was a safe bet.
Makoto and Ei had relentlessly trolled Azhdaha and Zhongli in the Chat Group. There was zero chance a drama enthusiast like Makoto would stay cooped up in Tenshukaku and wait for a digital live stream when she could watch the chaos unfold in person.
"So, what do you think about the current state of Mondstadt?"
Futsu Mitama asked, relaying the updates Jean had shared during dinner.
"I don't know."
Venti answered simply, taking a long pull of wine. He looked down at the glowing harbor.
"Because I don't manage it. I entrusted Mondstadt to its people. Unless a cataclysm threatens to wipe them out completely—like Dvalin's corruption or Durin's invasion—there is absolutely no reason for the Anemo Archon to interfere."
Venti looked at Mitama with a wistful smile.
"Doesn't that sound incredibly freeing? It's infinitely better than being the Geo, Electro, or Dendro Archon. You don't have to plan centuries ahead. You don't have to draft laws. You just step in when the world is ending, and the rest of the time? You drink when you want, eat when you want, and sleep under the stars."
Venti raised the roasted pig leg like a conductor's baton, subtly pitching the concept of inheriting the Anemo throne to Mitama.
Mitama sweatdropped.
He's still trying to pawn his job off on me.
Honestly, taking over Inazuma as the Third Electro Archon sounded much easier.
Makoto and Yae Miko handled the politics, Ei handled the military, and Aila and Black Aila could manage his personal schedule. If he took the Electro throne, he wouldn't have to lift a finger for a thousand years. He could just be a terrifying, lightning-wielding mascot.
Venti didn't push the issue. They spent the next hour swapping stories until the bard had inhaled every scrap of food and drained every drop of wine.
"Alright, I'm going to wander the harbor for a bit. See you tomorrow or the day after~"
Venti chirped. He dissolved into a gentle, playful breeze, sweeping the empty takeout containers and wine bottles into a neat vortex before vanishing into the night.
Futsu Mitama stood up and stretched. Instead of slicing a rift through space to return home instantly, he decided to walk. He needed the time to process.
Why can't Egeria join the group?
Venti had implied that doing so would attract the attention of "Her"—an entity clearly operating on a hierarchy far above the Archons. But why was Egeria specifically blacklisted?
The other original Archons—Makoto, Venti, Zhongli, and Rukkhadevata—were all in the Chat Group. Makoto had literally been resurrected from total erasure without triggering any divine wrath.
So why was Egeria the exception? Had she personally offended the Heavenly Principles?
But that didn't make sense. If she had angered Celestia, she would never have been granted the Hydro throne, and Fontaine would have been nailed from orbit millennia ago.
Mitama rubbed his temples, a headache building behind his eyes. His meta-knowledge was failing him. He only knew the game's lore up to version 3.2. Whatever apocalyptic secret Fontaine was hiding in version 4.0 and beyond was entirely a mystery to him.
Lost in thought, he arrived back at his house. He paused.
Mona was squatting on the front porch, staring blankly up at the night sky.
"Uh... what are you doing?"
Futsu Mitama asked, a massive question mark hovering over his head.
"Ah! Mitama, you're back!"
Mona jumped up, hurriedly dusting off her skirt.
"Is something on your mind?"
He asked, noting her distracted expression. He had a soft spot for Mona. In his past life, she had been a staple in his combat rotations—an unwavering, dedicated support character who enabled his most ridiculous, screen-clearing nuclear damage combos.
"There is."
Mona nodded slowly, her gaze drifting toward the glowing silhouette of the Jade Chamber floating above the city.
"I feel like I've missed something critical. Honestly, for an astrologist, this kind of gut feeling is usually a massive red flag. Normally, I would cast a divination immediately to see what shifted."
Mona wasn't just a fortune teller; she was a prodigy. She had managed to glimpse the apocalyptic truth of Fontaine's prophecy—a feat that proved her hydromancy was practically unrivaled in the mortal realm. If she felt something was wrong, something was definitely wrong.
"So why don't you divine it?"
Mitama asked.
As long as she didn't aggressively pry into the fate of the Seven Archons or entities from Celestia, she would be fine. The backlash from scrying the Hydro Dragon Sovereign had been temporary. Even if she accidentally brushed against the cosmic Whale again, it wouldn't kill her.
"Ah... well..."
Mona's expression turned deeply conflicted.
She didn't want to admit it, but after finding out Barbatos had sneaked into the city, she was terrified her sudden premonition was connected to the Anemo Archon.
More importantly, the Old Hag had specifically ordered her to travel to Mondstadt to retrieve a highly classified box from an old rival's successor.
"If you dare to peek at what is inside that box, you will suffer the consequences." her master had warned her.
Initially, Mona hadn't cared. She wasn't a gossip, and she had no intention of looking in the box. But the Old Hag's astrological prowess dwarfed her own. If Mona accidentally scryed something connected to her master's secrets, the Old Hag would instantly know. The resulting punishment upon her return would be a fate worse than death.
"Are you scared?"
Futsu Mitama chuckled softly, seeing the hesitation written all over her face.
"Don't worry. Cast the divination. If things go wrong, I'm right here. I don't understand astrology, but I can establish a link with you. If you accidentally scry a hostile, terrifying existence, I'll share the mental burden and help you block the backlash."
Futsu Mitama was confident. He was a Demon God-tier combatant, and they were standing in the heart of Zhongli's territory. If things went truly apocalyptic, Venti was wandering the streets below. Between the three of them, they could handle anything short of the Heavenly Principles descending personally.
"Huh?"
Mona blinked, staring at him.
Her cheeks suddenly dusted with a faint, embarrassed pink. He was offering to link their minds just to keep her safe. He was so incredibly reliable.
Could it be...
Mona furiously shook her head, instantly banishing the romantic delusion.
Futsu Mitama was like this with everyone. He was endlessly supportive of Lumine, Shinobu, Kokomi, and even the Mondstadt delegation. She wasn't special; he was just a genuinely good person.
"Thank you."
Mona said earnestly, centering herself.
"Excuse me."
Mitama murmured. He stepped closer, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. A soft, emerald-green light flared between them, establishing the mental link.
An unimaginable wave of absolute peace washed over Mona. The sheer, stabilizing presence of a Demon God anchored her mind, entirely erasing her anxiety. The sense of security was intoxicating.
If I had this kind of raw power, Mona thought, marveling at the connection, I could probably divine the Seven Archons without flinching!
With her confidence restored, she summoned a scrying mirror of pure, swirling water.
"Destiny! Manifest here!"
Mona channeled her hydromancy, tracing the threads of her sudden premonition. Beside her, Mitama braced for combat, his senses dialed to maximum just in case the mirror decided to explode. He looked into the swirling water.
A constellation of brilliant, twinkling stars appeared in the mirror, forming a beautiful, chaotic pattern.
"I see!"
Mona gasped, her eyes widening in realization.
"It turns out the target for my master's retrieval mission has already appeared! No wonder I felt a sudden shift in my fate. It wasn't a warning; it was the stars aligning!"
She waved her hand, dispelling the water mirror.
Seeing the divination conclude safely, Mitama smoothly severed the mental link.
There was a slight flaw with the neural connection: Mitama could hear her surface thoughts. He had heard her entire internal monologue. Eavesdropping on a girl's private thoughts was terribly impolite, so he cut the connection the moment it was safe.
As the emerald light faded, the overwhelming, intoxicating sense of security vanished from Mona's mind.
A sudden, sharp pang of loss pierced her chest.
How nice would it be if this mental link could last forever?
The thought arose unbidden. Mona violently shook her head again, thoroughly embarrassed by her own imagination.
Stop overthinking! Look at his status! Look at his strength! Know your place!
"Your mission target?" Mitama asked, tactfully ignoring her flustered state. He knew exactly what the stars meant. "You mean Klee?"
"Yes!" Mona nodded excitedly. "I told you and Lumine before, right? After the Rite of Descension, I was supposed to travel to Mondstadt to retrieve something for the Old Hag."
"The target holding the item is Klee. I can't believe I ran into her in Liyue! My luck is incredible right now! Now I can just get the item from her here and save myself a massive trip."
"That is incredibly convenient." Mitama smiled. "You can track her down tomorrow. Or, if you want to save time, just wait at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Hu Tao is dragging Klee back there tomorrow to teach her Talisman Arts."
Hu Tao's absolute adoration of Klee knew no bounds. She was literally passing down the ancient, esoteric explosive arts of the Wangsheng lineage to a foreign child. It was ridiculous, but Mitama understood it. Voice-actor jokes aside, Klee was undeniably adorable and fiercely loyal. Hu Tao wouldn't teach her any of the deeply guarded, Director-only secrets, but the baseline Talisman Arts were fair game.
"Understood." Mona nodded earnestly. She bowed deeply to Mitama. "Thank you again for your protection tonight. I truly appreciate it."
"You're welcome. We're friends." Mitama smiled warmly. "Get some rest. I'm heading inside."
Mona watched his retreating figure, opening her mouth to say something else, but the words caught in her throat. She smiled softly to herself, turning her gaze back to the starry sky above the harbor.
Meanwhile, high above the city in the Jade Chamber, the Mondstadt delegation had been escorted into a lavish reception room.
Ningguang was waiting for them. Yelan, having completed her escort duty, stood silently by the door.
"It has been too long, Jean."
Ningguang offered a warm, incredibly genuine smile. She wanted to appear perfectly relaxed for her favorite pen pal.
Despite the immense responsibilities of running their respective nations, Ningguang and Jean maintained a steady correspondence. They deeply admired one another. Jean respected Ningguang's ruthless efficiency and brilliant resourcefulness, while Ningguang admired Jean's unwavering morality and dedication.
"You do not look well, Ningguang."
Jean said gently as she took her seat.
She looked past Ningguang's perfectly cultivated smile, noting the exhaustion buried in the Tianquan's eyes.
"I never imagined the woman who effortlessly untangles the most complex political disasters would look this tired."
In Jean's mind, Ningguang was an unshakable pillar of absolute control. Seeing faint dark circles under the Tianquan's eyes was jarring. It immediately made Jean understand why Ningguang hadn't been at the gates to receive them.
"I never anticipated the logistics for this specific Rite of Descension would be so catastrophic."
Ningguang sighed, the polite facade dropping slightly as she poured tea for the Knights.
She placed a glass of premium, freshly squeezed Liyue fruit juice in front of Klee.
"Thank you, Sister Ningguang! You're a good person!"
Klee cheered, immediately awarding the Tianquan her highest honor.
"You are very welcome."
Ningguang smiled, her exhaustion visibly melting away for a second. She adored well-behaved children like Klee.
Even though Klee had historically caused massive structural damage in Liyue, her tactical contributions against the Abyss in The Chasm more than made up for it. Ningguang was more than happy to turn a blind eye to her explosive tendencies.
"Isn't this what you wanted, though?" Jean teased gently, taking a sip of tea. "I recall a letter where you complained that Liyue was too peaceful. You said you only needed to show up at the Jade Chamber, drink a cup of tea, sign a few documents, and the rest of the day was yours."
"Careful, Jean."
Ningguang shot back, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
"I also recall a letter where you stated that the Acting Grand Master must lead by example, sacrificing all personal time to answer the prayers of the people. And yet, look at you now. The Knights of Favonius are operating so efficiently that you have the free time to take a diplomatic vacation to Liyue and write me multiple letters a week."
Ningguang sighed dramatically.
A year ago, she had been lecturing Jean about the dangers of overwork. Now, their positions were entirely reversed. Jean was practically on paid leave, and Ningguang was drowning in administrative hell.
Jean laughed—a rare, bright, genuine laugh. She wasn't mocking Ningguang; she was simply overjoyed that the reforms in Mondstadt had worked so flawlessly. She silently thanked Barbatos, and Futsu Mitama by proxy, for setting them on the right path.
Yelan watched the exchange with mild surprise. She had never seen Lady Ningguang this relaxed. It was a good thing; the Tianquan desperately needed to vent some stress before they pivoted to the actual diplomatic agenda.
The casual catch-up lasted for half an hour, running through an entire pot of tea.
Finally, Ningguang set her teacup down. Her expression sharpened, the warm smile fading into the cool, calculating mask of the Tianquan.
Jean immediately straightened her posture. The personal catch-up was over. It was time for state business.
"There is a matter I must request your assistance with."
Ningguang said, her tone dead serious.
"The Fatui have been operating with unusual subtlety lately."
"With the Rite of Descension approaching, I cannot determine their exact objective. However, their movements over the last month have been highly erratic and deeply suspicious. The Sumeru delegation and the Snezhnayan delegation are both arriving the day after tomorrow. I am formally requesting that the Knights of Favonius monitor the Snezhnayan delegation during their stay."
Ningguang gestured to Yelan.
"Furthermore, if you have the operational bandwidth over the next few days, I would appreciate your assistance in investigating Fatui strongholds in the lower city. Yelan will provide you with all actionable intelligence."
Yelan nodded sharply, confirming her cooperation.
Jean fell silent, processing the request.
"Monitoring the Snezhnayan delegation and investigating Fatui cells." Jean repeated slowly. She nodded. "As an allied nation, I accept this request on behalf of the Knights of Favonius."
"However." Jean added firmly, "I can only pledge my own operational time. I cannot mandate the involvement of my personnel. You will have to ask them yourself."
It was a perfectly diplomatic boundary. Jean would gladly assist in counter-espionage, but Kaeya, Eula, and Albedo were here strictly as festival observers, not active-duty operatives. If Ningguang had requested military aid in advance, Jean would have brought an elite reconnaissance squad.
Ningguang nodded gracefully.
She had expected as much. Liyue's intelligence apparatus was stretched incredibly thin. The Qixing and the Millelith were entirely consumed by the logistical nightmare of the human transition. They didn't have the manpower to shadow the Fatui properly. Utilizing the Mondstadt delegation—who already possessed deep, hostile experience dealing with Fatui operatives—was a brilliant tactical pivot.
If the Fatui engaged the Knights, Liyue could unilaterally step in to 'protect' their foreign diplomats, granting the Qixing legal justification to arrest the Fatui.
"Regarding this matter..." Kaeya drawled, leaning back in his chair and stroking his chin thoughtfully. "I am more than happy to assist. However, performing active reconnaissance on foreign soil warrants a specialized hazard fee. I will require an operational budget in Mora."
"It will be substantial."
Ningguang smiled instantly. Problems that could be solved with Mora were not problems at all.
"Then we have an accord."
Kaeya grinned. He didn't mind working overtime. In Mondstadt, Jean handled the public administration, but Kaeya, Diluc, and Rosaria managed the lethal, shadow-ops necessary to keep the city safe. Infiltrating Fatui cells was practically his hobby. Getting paid by the Tianquan to do it was just a massive bonus.
"Klee wants to help too!!!" Klee announced, raising her hand high. "If we find the bad guys, Klee will knock them out with Jumpy Dumpties!"
Klee possessed a very black-and-white view of morality, and the Fatui were firmly in the 'bad guy' category. If good people made mistakes, they went to solitary confinement. If bad guys did bad things, they got blown up.
It was a flawless system.
"Your assistance would be invaluable, Klee." Ningguang smiled smoothly. "But you must promise to follow the orders of your older brother and sister. No unsupervised operations. Understood?"
"Understood!"
Klee nodded vigorously.
"I am not suited for field reconnaissance." Albedo spoke up calmly. "However, I can requisition a workshop and manufacture specialized alchemical surveillance devices to assist your network."
"Excellent."
Ningguang nodded approvingly.
She turned her gaze to Eula.
Ningguang possessed a terrifying eye for talent, and she recognized the dangerous, tightly-coiled potential within the Spindrift Knight. Eula shared Keqing's relentless, unyielding aura. Once she locked onto a target, she would pursue it to the ends of the earth.
"I have a question." Eula said, crossing her arms. "Why are you asking us? Why not ask Futsu Mitama?"
It was a completely logical question. Mitama's network in Liyue was staggering. Shinobu was a master of intelligence gathering, Kokomi was a peerless military strategist who had actively fought the Fatui, and the Aila twins were walking weapons of mass destruction. If Mitama wanted to know the Fatui's endgame, he could likely uncover it by sunrise.
"Because his involvement fundamentally compromises the objective of this transition."
Ningguang answered, her smile fading into absolute seriousness.
"If Liyue relies on Mitama to solve our crises, it would prove us incompetent. If the situation degrades to the point of absolute catastrophe, I will petition the Adeptus for aid. Only if the Adeptus fail will I seek his intervention."
It was the harsh truth.
Futsu Mitama was an equivalent of Archon. Asking him to solve a mortal espionage ring was equivalent to asking Celestia to intervene in a bar fight. If the Qixing relied on gods to solve their problems, the era of human rule was a farce.
"I see. I understand completely." Eula nodded respectfully. "I will assist, provided it does not interfere with my scheduled observation of the Rite."
"Of course."
Ningguang smiled.
With the primary negotiations concluded, Ningguang briefed them on the specific anomalies in Fatui movement and the projected security layout for the Snezhnayan delegation's arrival. She urged them to operate with extreme caution and to utilize Millelith support if engaged.
With the summit concluded, Yelan escorted the delegation out of the Jade Chamber.
"She is carrying a monumental burden."
Jean murmured, looking back at the floating palace as they descended toward the city.
"It's not easy."
Kaeya agreed. He hadn't expected to be drafted into a shadow-war the moment he stepped off the boat, but targeting the Fatui was always a welcome distraction.
"I will compile the actionable intelligence reports tonight and deliver them to your residence in the morning." Yelan informed them as they walked. "If you encounter any immediate threats, signal the closest Millelith patrol. If discretion is required, send word to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and I will extract you."
"Thank you, Yelan. We appreciate your coordination."
Jean said earnestly.
"The gratitude is mine."
Yelan replied smoothly. She felt a slight pang of guilt for immediately assigning high-risk counter-espionage missions to foreign diplomats on vacation, but she understood Ningguang's ruthless pragmatism perfectly.
Yelan led them to their designated diplomatic residence. It was a sprawling, ultra-luxurious mansion in the upper terraces of the city. Servants, chefs, and dedicated guards were already stationed and waiting for their orders.
"If you require anything else, name it, and it will be provided immediately."
Yelan offered.
Jean hurriedly declined, insisting the accommodations were already far too extravagant. Yelan simply smiled, assuring her that housing a foreign Acting Grand Master in anything less than a palace would be a catastrophic diplomatic insult.
With the Mondstadt delegation securely settled, Yelan offered a polite bow and vanished into the shadows of the harbor. She had her own hunts to organize.