Lumine clearly remembered that in the past, whenever Yunqin mentioned the Lord of Geo, she would never use such a distant title as "Rex Lapis."
Even if her words never openly revealed her affection for the Geo Archon, in the Yunqin that Zhongli had previously described to her, her reverence for Rex Lapis was no less than anyone else's. Even a mere mention of his name would make her eyes shimmer with admiration.
But the Yunqin before her now had not only changed her form of address but was also deliberately pitting the "God of the past" against the "Liyue of the present," as if she were intentionally severing that very reverence.
This shift in perception was too abrupt, as if someone had violently twisted it with a knife, making even her emotions feel unfamiliar.
Seeing Lumine staring at her without speaking, Yunqin's brow furrowed instantly, her tone carrying a hint of impatience: "What's wrong? Why are you staring at me? Did I say something wrong?"
Lumine snapped back to her senses, hurriedly shook her head, and forced a smile, while her fingertips secretly pinched her palm to force herself to calm down: "It's nothing, I just thought what you said made some sense. I was overthinking it."
She deliberately changed the subject, but her gaze drifted toward Yunqin's Vision.
Just now, when "Rex Lapis" was mentioned, a wisp of black energy seemed to flash across the edge of the already dim Vision.
Even the transparent casing shimmered with a faint, elusive purple light, as if resisting the name or suppressing something.
Standing to the side, Tartaglia had witnessed their entire interaction, a flicker of solemnity crossing his eyes.
The real Yunqin would never have said something like "Rex Lapis is a God of the past," nor would she have spoken of him in such a cold tone.
This "Yunqin" before them might not only have a fake Vision, but her memories, emotions, and perceptions of important figures could all be false!
He didn't expose her, simply pointing to the jewelry Yunqin and Paimon had set aside and saying with a smile to the clerk, "Wrap these up first, then let them take their time to pick out a few more."
Seeing the topic change, Yunqin didn't press further. She merely leaned back toward the counter, but the excitement from before had vanished from her eyes.
Her gaze repeatedly drifted toward the Rex Lapis stone carving, then quickly darted away, as if she were avoiding something or confirming "if she had said the wrong thing," and she just stood there stiffly.
Looking at her profile, Lumine felt unease wash over her like a tide, nearly drowning her.
The young woman before her had Yunqin's appearance, Yunqin's voice, and even Yunqin's lively demeanor.
Yet her core perceptions, emotions, and reverence were so unfamiliar that it made her heart race with anxiety.
The atmosphere at the counter chilled instantly.
"This is enough," Tartaglia broke the subtle silence first, glancing at the wrapped jewelry on the table.
"Take them, the amount is just right." He bent down to gather the jewelry boxes on the table one by one, then gently handed the stacked boxes to Lumine. "Ningguang is perceptive. She'll understand your sincerity upon seeing them. Too much would seem deliberate and might make her overthink."
Lumine reached out to take the boxes, subconsciously lightening her grip.
She looked up and met Tartaglia's eyes. Seeing him nod slightly, she focused her mind, and a faint Anemo glow flashed in her palm.
The jewelry boxes were steadily stored in her Elemental Space, lying quietly in a corner of her conscious space, a safe distance away from the seventy thousand Primogems.
Only after confirming the jewelry was safely stored did she breathe a sigh of relief and thank Tartaglia softly, "Thanks to you, otherwise we really wouldn't have known how much to pick."
"No need to be polite with me. After all, I won't be going to the Jade Chamber with you later," Tartaglia smiled.
"Why not?" As soon as the words fell, Paimon leaned in close to him.
Tartaglia sighed helplessly and tapped the Vision on his body. "I am a Fatui Harbinger, after all."
"What is the Jade Chamber? It is the core of the Liyue Qixing's governance, the most critical place where Ningguang handles Liyue's official affairs."
"If I, an 'outsider,' were to follow you, putting aside whether the Millelith would stop me, what if some gossip-loving individual saw me, took a picture, and wrote an article titled 'The Fatui Collude with the Qixing' with extra fuel and oil? I wouldn't mind, but Ningguang would be criticized for it."
He paused, then added: "Liyue has just experienced the Rite of Descension incident, and now it's already wary of us Fatui. I don't want to complicate your visit because of myself."
Paimon listened with half-understanding, yet still nodded, her little head shaking like a rattle, her tone carrying a hint of sudden enlightenment: "That makes sense!"
Seeing Tartaglia's serious expression, Lumine also understood his concerns.
He seemed easygoing, but in fact, he knew the boundaries of his position better than anyone.
She didn't try to persuade him further, just nodded gently: "I understand. You be careful too."
Tartaglia grinned, revealing a bit of cheerfulness: "Don't worry. Just don't be too nervous when you go up. Though Ningguang looks imposing, she's not an unreasonable person. Just talk to her properly."
Then he turned to the silent Yunqin, a trace of imperceptible gravity flashing in his eyes.
Tartaglia turned to Lumine, his eyes carrying a hint of an implicit warning: "You two be careful, Yunqin she..."
He paused, ultimately not saying the words "something's not right."
Lumine, however, nodded with great tacit understanding, clearly knowing what the second half of Tartaglia's unspoken sentence was likely to be.
Tartaglia said nothing more and waved to the three of them.
"Then I'll be going now. Be safe on your way."
After speaking, Tartaglia turned and walked out of the jewelry store.
The curtain was lifted by the wind and then fell.
As it swayed, he took one last look at Yunqin before quickly departing.
With Tartaglia's departure, the atmosphere quieted down again.
Paimon lost her previous excitement, merely floating beside Lumine and muttering softly: "So are we going to the Jade Chamber now? I'm a little nervous... What if I say the wrong thing to Ningguang?"
Lumine was about to speak in comfort, but she caught sight of Yunqin's movements.
She was staring at the Rex Lapis stone carving in the corner, her eyes carrying a few traces of indescribable complexity, as if she were avoiding something.
Lumine shook her head, only able to pat Yunqin on the shoulder.
The three of them walked toward the Jade Chamber.
As they neared the guide's location, Yunqin stopped and pointed to the figure not far away, saying, "The guide is right there. I won't be joining you after this."
"Why?" Paimon frowned, moving closer to Yunqin.
Yunqin's gaze shifted evasively, and her voice dropped slightly: "I still have some matters to handle and can't accompany you."
But the moment she turned, Lumine reached out and grabbed her wrist.
The instant her fingertips touched Yunqin's sleeve, she clearly felt the other woman's body stiffen.
That familiar, warm Geo element aura was so weak it was almost nonexistent, instead carrying a faint chill, like touching a stone just pulled out of ice water.