Is he really Character Tartaglia's System though? He's starting to have doubts about this theory.
"Do you know if you have any information on what sort of effects you should expect to experience?"
"Unfortunately, the User Manual is silent on this topic. Yet more information that the Administrators are hiding from us. I am beginning to feel really sick and tired from all the games we are forced to play."
"I'm guessing from that answer, it means the Administrators have not contacted you, huh?"
"No."
Gods, all he wants at this point is to peel back the layers of secrecy to get to the truth. He's close to it, he knows it. The intense reactions he's getting are only proof of that.
But he'd be lying if he denies that those sensations from the previous dreams have scared him.
Maybe they can wait a little longer to continue their investigation-- at least until the wound is not so fresh.
But time is not on their side. With the Traveller back from her side quests and with all the preparations ready for the Rite of Parting, the countdown clock begins ticking down to the great battle between Lumine and Ajax.
There is no more time to dilly-dally, no more time to recover. It's do or die.
"I am thinking that perhaps now it's the time for me to go against my non-interference clause."
Ajax goes still. "Wait, what?"
"My non-interference clause in my employment contract. As a System, I can provide aid to help you accomplish objectives but only to a certain extent. There is a line that I cannot cross. There are certain things that I am prohibited from doing, like, for the lack of a better term, time manipulation."
Ajax does not sound thrilled. "AR, buddy. Remember that chat we had about fucking around and finding out? I really, really don't want to find out. Also, what the fuck? Time manipulation?"
"It's more like an ability to fast forward certain things without affecting the time of the world around it," AR explains. "Like, say, making crops sprout instantaneously from planted seeds, or making an animal grow to its full size in the manner of seconds. In this case, I was thinking of using the function on the dreams. As for the risks, I'm willing to gamble."
It takes some more convincing before Ajax is onboard (and it's only after AR promises to bring Ajax along in the fight against the Administrators).
User Ajax is very kind and, in a strange sense, he reminds AR of Character Tartaglia in his youth before he becomes tainted.
All the more reason to shield him from the horrors of the Abyss.
Hacking for the Time Manipulation code is easy. Perhaps a bit too easy, but AR is not going to look at a gift horse in the mouth. He activates the special ability as Ajax sinks into his sleep, just in time because in the next blink of an eye, he's back in the familiar surroundings of Skirk's cave.
It appears he and Ajax are dropped off shortly after the events of the last dream. The boy wakes up, pale, beaten-up, and heavily bandaged to the presence of Skirk's righteous fury.
A wave of familiarity hits AR. He remembers the feel of coarse fur pressed against his skin (where it's not covered by the heavy bandages), the disgusting rotting herbal sludge coating his mouth from Skirk's medicine, and the constant, throbbing ache that seems to spread from head to toe. He can feel the way his back is starting to ache with the way he's being propped up in his bed of furs and the heaviness of his lids as the last of his energy disappears, but there's also a desperation to stay awake to listen to the precious information Skirk is willing to share.
"It is critical that you keep your transformation under control, boy. In your transformed state, it becomes infinitely easier to lose yourself to bloodlust and madness. It's even more important that you use your transformation sparingly."
"Why?" Tartaglia asks. "I know you said that form is a manifestation of the Abyss's poison but you were so strong in it."
"Idiot boy. You think there is such a thing as gaining something for free? There is always a price to be paid when it comes to the Abyss or Celestia. The sooner you remember this, the better. Do not let your guard down and do not give into the temptation of this poison. Trust me, boy. You will regret it if you forget."
Dread hits AR and he shivers.
"I – I won't," the boy promises. "I won't forget."
Wrong. This is all so very wrong.
AR pushes away that unnerving sensation and watches on. He watches the way Skirk teaches the boy how to control his power slowly, carefully, through blood, sweat, and tears. And every time the boy succeeds just a little further, AR can feel the way his body contorts to accept the power, can feel his bones creaking and cracking as his limbs distort, then, become flooded by raw strength.
It's all so familiar. It's all so, very familiar. He can almost…grasp it.
"Defend!" Skirk growls out.
AR's attention refocuses just in time to see the boy being soundly beaten by his mentor.
Unsurprising, really. He never ever manages to beat Skirk. She can fight him with one hand tied behind her back and would still soundly kick his ass.
She has, in fact, done so in the past and he ends up lying in bed all day just to recover—
AR blinks and shakes his foggy head. Those…those thoughts weren't part of the dream he was experiencing. Those are something new entirely.
The fights stretch on in an endless cycle of transformation, fighting, defending, and then, recovery. The boy learns how to wield his Abyssal power to boost his speed, to teleport, and to create new and terrible weapons with his Hydro.
Of all the weapons he can make, he's always preferred the double-bladed spear.
It's easy to create too; just merge the two Hydro blades with more power and mould the handle between them allowing for a weapon with perfect balance. But he's done it hundreds of times, thousands of times, so much so that he can do it in his sleep.
"Stop it," AR hisses. "Shut up already."
But like the monstrous hissing, this new voice doesn't heed his demands to stop. Thoughts come trickling into his mind like water through the cracks in a dam, detailing ways to attack, to defend, to form the myriads upon myriads of weapons out of Hydro, and to harness the dual powers of the Vision and the Abyss.
It's as if he's learning how to fight alongside the boy.
No, AR corrects himself, his body going cold as realization dawns on him, this information is not new. I…know this.
He's not learning how to fight. He's remembering how to fight.
And he knows this information intimately, not merely as an observer; the memory is far too visceral.
He knows this. He knows this because he himself has experienced it. He's experienced it all which means, he's really—
But if that's the case, why is he remembering in pieces? Why did it take experiencing glitches and now, these dreams, for the puzzle to start coming together?
What happened to him? Did the Administrators do something to him?
He turns his attention back to the fights between the boy and his mentor.
Master Skirk.
"Good!" she says in a rare moment of praise. The sound of her approval makes his heart hurt for some reason. "Now, remember to do that again the next time someone goes for your flank."
"Yes, Master Skirk," he mutters in sync with the boy.
Eventually, all good things must come to an end, and that includes leaving the little haven that Master Skirk had housed the boy in for these past three months.
AR watches the way the boy cries out in happiness the moment they reach the exit, but all he can feel is dread.
"Alright! Time to get going! Mama and Pa are probably worried sick about me! And my sisters and brothers too. I hope they've been doing alright. Master Skirk, you're going to love them, just you wait! Mama will cook you her best fish stew and I bet you won't be able to stop with just one bowl!"
It takes a few seconds for the boy to notice what AR has caught onto already.
"Master Skirk?" he asks. "What are you doing? What are you waiting for?"
Skirk shakes her head. "Sorry, boy. I'm not going. Go on without me."
"W – what do you mean? Why aren't you coming?"
"Boy, the Abyss is my home. I've been surviving here for decades now and I rather like it here. Out there, there's nothing left for me. Not anymore."
"But – but – won't you get lonely?"
Skirk smirks. "I'll be fine, boy. Truth be told, I've spent more time living in the Abyss than I have in the surface world. I don't think I remember what Teyvat looks like, at this point, and I can't say I miss it." She leans over and flicks the boy on his forehead. You, on the other hand, have people waiting for you. So go. Don't keep them waiting."
The feeling of dread grows and AR grimaces. This is not going to end well, will it?
"For you, boy," Skirk says as she fishes out a small wooden fox carving from her pocket and gives it to the boy. "A gift so that you may remember our time together as well as our lessons. Don't forget about control and moderation. I know how reckless you can get."
The boy looks as miserable as AR feels.
"Master Skirk…"
"Huh, still so soft-hearted despite it all. Good. Don't lose that heart of yours, boy."
"I – I won't forget your lessons, Master Skirk! And don't think I'm going to just leave you here either! Once I get back home to make sure Ma and Pa know I'm alright, I'm coming back and – and I'll bring fish stew! A whole pot! So – so just you wait!"
With that last promise, the boy squeezes his way through the exit to the outside world and goes home.
The dream ends the way AR knows in his heart would end, but witnessing the way things have panned out – at the way the boy treks back to the Abyss entrance, a pot of stew in hand, only to see that the hole had sealed over completely – only seem to bring an old, forgotten ache to the forefront.
As he watches the boy wail in the snow, all AR can say is, "She knew."
It's so obvious now.
"She knew and she hadn't said anything. W – why hadn't she said anything? Why would she just leave m – why would she just—"
But that's not really the case. It's not that she hadn't said anything, it's just that he hadn't been listening.
That entire time at the exit, Master Skirk had been trying to say goodbye.
She knew she had to let him go and had been trying to be merciful by giving him that fox gift…
Shit. The gift. Where is the gift?
An image flashes before his eyes. The apartment. The couch.
A panicked voice cuts through his thoughts. "AR!"
In the next blink of an eye, AR finds himself transported back in his white room once more. He's seated at his desk, the monitors lit, showing Ajax looking around his bedroom frantically.
"Ajax?"
"You doing okay, buddy? Do you know where you are?"
"Ajax," AR interrupts. "I am sorry to ask this of you, especially since we have just gotten up, but I need you to head to m – to the apartment. The one in the hotel."
"AR, buddy, I don't understand. Why do you want me to—"
"Please, Ajax."
Credit where it's due, Ajax moves quickly.
"The couch," AR says when they get to the hotel. "Under the seating cushion to the far right. Lift it up please."
"What are we do—what the hell?"
From his monitor, he sees a hidden compartment beneath the cushion, sealed shut by a wooden panel acting as its cover. Ajax lifts the panel up and fishes out a note and a very familiar wooden fox figurine.
Finally. There it is. Master Skirk's last present to him.
AR grimaces and rubs at his chest. But what's the note? Why does the sight of it bring that same heavy feeling of dread?
Ajax unfurls the note and suddenly, AR understands why.
Sorry Master Skirk, Sorry Master Skirk, I failed I failed I failed, I killed, I lost control, I killed – didn't mean to kill him – was my only friend – lost control – sorry Master Skirk Sorrysorrysorrysorry—
The words blur and AR sees a field. The air is cold around him but tinged with the unpleasant metallic scent of copper. He looks down.
The blanket of snow covering the ground is tainted by crimson, the same crimson coating his hands and drenching his clothes. Further away, there is a figure, lying completely still, his blank glassy eyes open but not seeing. How could he when his head is almost completely severed from his neck and—
"Traces of Tartaglia (2) You have found some of Tartaglia's hidden objects in your quest to discover more information about Tartaglia. You have found some important information about Tartaglia's childhood. Continue your search to discover Tartaglia's link with the Abyss. Complete."
AR's head snaps up. The message does not disappear from his side monitor. From his primary screen, he can see Ajax looking at the pop-up window that has appeared in front of him equally confused.
But he didn't make any announcement so how…?
More words appear. "You have found the last of Tartaglia's hidden objects and have seen his pas—"
The words flicker and warp and blur into a chaos of numbers and letters. Cursing, AR's hands fly to the keyboard and he tries to get whatever is happening to stop.
Nothing. No matter what buttons and shortcut keys he's using, he's having no effect.
Then, the words start to delete themselves, one letter at a time before a new message blinks into existence:
"Traces of – W H A T D I D Y O U L E A R N ?"
The question seems to glare at him, silent and judging, and it's starting to become more and more clear just what is going on.
And who is behind all of this.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" he hears Ajax exclaims in a panic. "What the fuck did I learn? I don't even know what the hell is going on, let alone learn anything! AR? AR, you're not controlling this, are you? AR?"
"You won't understand that question," AR answers. "Because that question is not for you. It's for me."
The Administrators are indeed watching.
And for some reason, they've assigned him, the original Ajax Rybakov of this world, to act as a guide to a version of him from an alternative universe.
Extra II: Zhongli
To say that Zhongli is feeling elated is a massive understatement and it's all too easy to trace the cause of his good mood.
From across the table, Childe is enjoying his breakfast, adorable cheeks bulging from the mouthful of fresh, fluffy congee he is enjoying. The tri-banded ring on his ring finger sparkles in the morning light.
Zhongli feels himself grow warm and fond once more.
Never in his thousands of years of being alive would he have expected marriage. In his youth, he had been driven to safeguard to his group of precious followers who had put their faith in Rex Lapis's strength to keep them alive and thriving. Then, that responsibility had grown with his alliance with Guizhong alongside years and years of personal growth as he tried to understand those little humans.
But no amount of wisdom gained was enough to prevent Guizhong's death. After that tragedy, he dedicated his time to settle his people somewhere safer, a place shielded by the mountains and the sea where they could rebuild and prosper once more. He amassed strength by securing alliances and sealing any gods unwilling to give up their bloodlust. Osial, in particular, had proven to be a stubborn foe.
Then, more disasters rocked the land. There was the sealing of his old friend Azhdaha and the fall of Khaenri'ah and the subsequent flood of monsters from the Chasm. It took a good few hundred years before Zhongli felt settled enough to relax his guard and a couple hundred more for him to contemplate retirement.
But marriage? Him? The thought had never entered his mind, not even once.
Not even with the obvious attraction and affection he feels for the man with which he's sharing his home and heart.
But that night when Childe had offered him a bouquet of beautiful roses and…fumbled his way into his proposal, face flushed and blue eyes wide with panic, how could Zhongli possibly refuse what was offered? It would take a being with a heart made of stone to be able to say no.
Especially when Childe had been so very earnest, first with his words and then with the mountain of golden and jade gifts filled with phoenix and dragon imagery.
"You're super important to me. Like, the most important person ever. And living with you has been the best thing that has happened to me and it means a lot to me when you offered me your home as a refuge."
Oh, Childe. His sweet little priest. And now, his adorable fiancé. It had taken everything in Zhongli to not wrap the other in his arms and rain kisses all over his body. With every hour that passes, Zhongli can feel his self-control to pull the other close and slot his lips against Childe's chipping away.
Those deep v-neck sweaters are not helping, either, not when they keep reminding him of the very toned body hidden under that shirt based on that time Childe had gotten himself soaked to the bones during their trip to the temple, his shirt translucent and clinging onto his wet skin—
Control, he reminds himself in his head for the umpteenth time. Not until we've had a chance to talk. And after that, not until we've had our three bows.
He will honour his future spouse's dignity by behaving accordingly. He's had thousands of years of patience, what's waiting a little more at this point?
The opportunity will present itself soon enough. Besides, in the meantime, there are plenty of other ways to show his affection which he plans to use liberally and aggressively.
His prediction on timing is proven correct when the Traveller and Paimon drop by Wangsheng Funeral Parlour to inform him that she had secured the wild glaze lilies.
"Excellent, thank you so much for your hard work," he says. "I also heard you were invited to visit the Jade Chamber. Did you enjoy your visit?"
The Traveller looks at him in surprise. "We did. How did you know?"
Zhongli chuckles. "When Secretary Ganyu makes an appearance to personally invite someone, that tends to attract the attention of passersby. I merely overheard the excited whispers of merchants."
"Yeesh. The merchants of Liyue Harbour sure gossip a lot," Paimon notes. "The place is super nice though. Very fancy. The fanciest place I have ever seen!"
Zhongli nods. "Indeed. It's second to none in all of Liyue. I also trust that you met with Ningguang? What did you talk about with her?"
Paimon's eyes light up. "She's super rich and so generous. Paimon thinks she's very friendly!"
Lumine snorts. "Business people are always friendly when it suits their interests."
"She's better than that tactless Yuheng! That one is so mean!"
"Oh, so you also met with Keqing?" Zhongli asks. "What did she say to have left such a strong impression?"
"She said that the time of the Adepti has long passed and that the Qixing has to mobilize now to secure Liyue's future."
Zhongli is not surprised. If anything, hearing that admission brings relief to his heart. He chuckles. "No respect for the divine. Keqing has a reputation for being bold. In contrast, Ningguang is more of a businesswoman at heart. Although she's friendly, there's no way of clearly discerning her true intentions aside from her love of mora."
Lumine shrugs. "She seemed pretty straightforward to me. She talked a lot about the Fatui. She said that after Rex Lapis was murdered, the Fatui have constantly been trying to sink their fingers into Liyue and that they aren't to be trusted. The ones camped outside of Liyue Harbour are particularly suspicious."
"How so?"
"There has been some correspondence between them. Something about waiting for the right signal to participate in some great plan that will rain chaos on Liyue Harbour. There were also talks about them in possession of Sigils of Permission."
Sigils of Permission?
Ah. His Childe has one. He remembers being shown the Sigil when Childe had asked for more information about it some time ago. Could it be that the Qixing has stumbled upon Childe's plot to test Liyue?
A part of him feels…giddy about that. The sooner the test takes place, the sooner he can retire (assuming that everything goes well) and the sooner he can start planning his wedding.
"No matter what they may be planning, you must be careful when dealing with the Fatui," Zhongli says. "Always be on your guard."
Lumine nods. "Aren't you concerned though? Your husband is part of the Fatui."
Not his husband, yet, but what's the point of arguing over semantics?
"Although Childe is part of the Fatui, he is working as a diplomat and as a bank employee," Zhongli lies. "He hardly ever leaves the city. But should the situation become more complicated, we've had conversations about alternative career plans. He told me that he would like to try becoming an adventurer-bard."
Lumine snorts. "The both of you are going to starve," she says uncharitably. "Better have proper financial planning in case he loses his fancy bank job."
Ah. Financial planning. That is…a good reminder. Zhongli should make sure he has a stash of mora prepared in order to convince Childe to leave his position as a Harbinger. As a soon-to-be married man, it is only right that he has the resources to support his spouse's dreams.
"Thank you, Traveller. I will heed your warning. Now," he fishes a key from his pocket and hands it to her. "I recall my promise to help you gain access to the Golden House so that you may see the Exuvia. I took the liberty of making a copy of the key to the back door of the building. I only request that you get rid of this key once you leave."
Lumine nods and tucks the key into her travel pouch. "Thank you."
"No thanks necessary. Thank you for helping with the Rite preparation. I wish you luck and I hope you find the answers you seek."
They do not get to continue much of their conversation because it is at that moment that Childe shows up for lunch, not like it matters. The deal is done and the rest will be up to fate to decide.
Later that evening, as he lies on the couch with his head on his priest's lap enjoying the music offerings, Zhongli is even more eager for things to move quickly. The day when he can shirk his responsibilities and escape into the sunset with his love is quickly approaching. Finally, he can spend the rest of his days in blissful harmony with his lovely mate.
(Zhongli also looks forward to spending at least a week in his marital bed with Childe. There's only so much control one can have when their beloved parades around their home in generous v-necks and shorts every day.)
Extra III: La Signora
Her Tsaritsa's request to investigate all the instances in which Morax is with the beast is proving to be a tall order – though not because the information was hard to find. La Signora was aware that Morax kept a close eye on the madman.
It's because the number of occurrences is as innumerable as the number of stars in the sky.
"What do you mean, they're living together?!" Just how close of an eye is Morax keeping?
Her loyal righthand lieutenant bows. "According to eye-witness testimony, this arrangement began due to the Eleventh's living quarters requiring renovations."
"Renovations? Impossible. The location he picked for his stay would've been perfect to begin with."
"According to the hotel manager, the Eleventh had deemed the space no longer satisfactory and paid them a hefty sum for upgrades. The hotel manager was more than happy to agree."
La Signora paces in her private study, a room that only her most trusted lieutenant has ever seen. Here, in the complete privacy of her space, she need not worry about putting up an image for the rest of the riffraff outside.
Which means she can openly display her incredulousness at the news she's getting.
"Morax had agreed to this arrangement? Surely, if he wishes to keep an eye on the beast, there are better ways. He could've used his godly abilities." At the lieutenant's look of alarm, La Signora snorts. "We are on his land and he is the oldest of all the gods. Operate on the assumption that he has the suspicion and power to monitor all of us, at least while he still has his Gnosis."
"Of course, my Lady." Her lieutenant bows. "As for your question, indeed, Morax had agreed to this arrangement. None of the eye-witnesses are surprised either given the, uh, harmonious nature of his relationship with the Eleventh."
La Signora narrows her eyes. "Harmonious as in diplomatically friendly?"
"Harmonious as in…potentially married, my Lady."
"What?!"
Her lieutenant does not bat an eye at the outburst. Truly, she is the best of her agents. "They act like a married couple, my Lady. The merchants, shopkeeps, and even bank staff have all noticed how close they are. At first, they would meet roughly a couple of times a month but this quickly increased to once a week, then twice, then so forth. Before they moved together, they were having lunch almost every day of the week."
This… is implausible. More importantly, why hadn't her other spies reported this to her?
Wait. They told her about meetings with Morax but she had dismissed them and told them to focus on any suspicious activities that the Eleventh has committed that would blow his cover. Stupid as they are, the grunts followed her instructions to a tee.
There is nothing to it. She will need to remedy her oversight now.
"What other information do you have about the current state of their relationship?"
"Since moving in, the two are frequently seen together shopping, dining, and attending various plays. Most people are convinced that they are married. The Traveller was heard talking to the Eleventh and referring to Morax as 'your husband' on numerous occasions."
"That little idiot!" No wonder the Tsaritsa is requesting an investigation. She must have sensed the Eleventh's loyalty wavering.
As much as La Signora wishes to paint the Eleventh as a treacherous snake, she can't even do that since he does not know Morax's true identity.
Morax, however, knows everything and he's still encouraging this behaviour.
No, it's more than that. If Morax had merely been enjoying himself as one would play with a toy, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to reach out to the Tsaritsa for permission to gift the Eleventh with a boon of protection.
The answer is clear: Morax is fond of the Eleventh, perhaps even loves the beast.
"This has to be a breach of contract," she spits out. "An Archon cannot come in here and…and snipe one of our top lieutenants! That is an insult to Her Imperial Highness!"
Also, how is this remotely fair? The murderous beast gets to have this fairy tale ending and snags the oldest, wealthiest, and one of the most powerful gods in all of Teyvat while her poor candidate was struck down in his prime, gutted, and murdered by that beast in his uncontrollable rage. This little no-name beast from some backwater town has risen so far above his station and this is an absolute insult. It is an insult to his memory and an insult to the natural world order.
"What are your orders, my Lady?"
"Report everything to the Tsaritsa," she snaps. "We leave no details unreported and keep this discrete to our most trusted inner circle only. We do not need to air the Tsaritsa's shame for everyone to see."
"Yes, my Lady."
Her trusted lieutenant compiles her research with lightning speed and the report is sent out at the end of the week along with a crate of supporting documents and paperwork tracking Morax and the Eleventh's meetings.
The Tsaritsa sends a response just as quickly.
La Signora rips open the envelope with glee the moment the door to her study closes, her trusted lieutenant trailing behind her. Her eyes scan over the delicate cursive of her god's beautiful handwriting.
She grins.
"Good news, my Lady?"
"The Tsaritsa is benevolent enough to not be insulted by such transgression. In fact, she finds it beneficial that her top lieutenant has managed to rope himself such a useful ally and thinks that this partnership can be useful for her cause."
The lieutenant looks confused. Rightly so, because none of this was good news. La Signora continues. "However, she is concerned about how distracted the Eleventh has become and doubts whether he would be able to achieve his mission to test Liyue. As such, she has given me full permission to…assist as I see fit."
"Oh." The confusion clears and a look of understanding dawns on her lieutenant's face. "I assume that my Lady already has an idea on how to assist, then?"
La Signora's grin grows sharp. "I have a few ideas."
Extra IV: Ningguang
"What are your thoughts about the Traveller?" Keqing asks, during their weekly afternoon tea session. They've made themselves comfortable in the sitting room in the Jade Chamber with a gorgeous view of the blue sky stretching out into the horizon as far as the eye can see. Below them is the sprawling, shining city of Liyue Harbour, the ruby and jade roofs of its numerous buildings gleaming in the golden sun.
Even if it is a sight that Ningguang has long gotten used to seeing, one cannot deny the beauty that is the pearl of Liyue.
"I find them intriguing," Ningguang replies and takes a sip out of her white jade cup. The jasmine tea is brewed to perfection, as always. "She is honest in her objective, which is to find her brother. She has no interest in power or mora beyond what is needed to survive. She has no interest in the politics of the nation either. How refreshing."
"She's not working for the Fatui?" Keqing asks. "But she's seen spending plenty of time with that diplomat and the consultant of Wangsheng Funeral Parlour."
"Neither of them has raised any red flags among our men," Ningguang notes. "They seem more interested in helping with the Rite of Parting and dating each other than causing trouble."
Indeed, the reports she's been getting from her spies read more like a romance novel. Her spies are carefully detailing their day-to-day romantic activities, from the myriad of homecooked meals the diplomat brings to the consultant to the luxurious meals and outings those two are up to.
Some of the intel she received from her latest report includes the following: This afternoon, the diplomat had dropped off some lunch to the consultant once again. Eye witnesses speculate that lunch comprised freshly made hand-pulled noodles served with spicy braised-beef broth. This speculation was based on a lengthy conversation the consultant and the diplomat had over dinner at Wanmin the night before wherein the consultant expressed enthusiasm to taste the dish. That discussion included the consultant chastising the other to eat more before proceeding to pile more food onto his bowl. The diplomat had looked completely resigned to his fate and did as he was told. It remains uncertain as to whether the diplomat and consultant are married or merely dating; it can go either way based on the targets' behaviour.
Her spies are perhaps getting a tad too enthusiastic.
"Besides," Ningguang continues, tucking the memory away, "Secretary Ganyu cleared the diplomat. He was not at the Rite of Descension during Rex Lapis's death. It appears that the Adepti are not concerned with his presence, either."
"That's because the Adepti are more focused on trying to find an evil god hidden in the land," Keqing says with a scoff. "They're so positive that Rex Lapis's death cannot be caused by a mortal that they have dismissed the very real and possible threat the Fatui presents."
"Do you think their assessment is wrong?"
"I don't know, they may be right that Rex Lapis was assassinated by an evil god lying in wait. But I wouldn't disregard the mortals as thoroughly as the Adepti have. Thanks to their stubbornness and hubris, it's now up to us to pick up the slack and investigate those the Adepti have ignored."
Keqing has never been fond of the divine nor is she fond of mincing her words.
But Ningguang is used to her friend's temperament, so she is not at all afraid to pry further. "So, you think the diplomat is a suspect?"
Keqing reaches for a golden shrimp ball and takes a bite. "I think all Fatui are suspicious," she declares after finishing her snack. She reaches for another. "But the diplomat probably ranks lower than the rest. He's such a," she makes a disgusted face, "a Rex Lapis fanboy. Urgh."
Mirth and pity for the diplomat fill Ningguang's heart. Not even the killing Rex Lapis earned this level of disdain from Keqing.
"Speaking of the Adepti," Keqing continues, "they're getting to be a thorn in our side. Attempts at cooperation are falling through and every day, they seem to be losing trust in our ability to govern Liyue. What are we going to do about it?"
"We will need to strike a new deal with the Adepti soon to carve out our roles. The Adepti wish to continue honouring their contract with Rex Lapis. That's fine; they can continue to protect Liyue from any supernatural harm. Meanwhile, the day-to-day human affairs can be left to the Qixing to decide without interference. I trust that this would satisfy both parties given the Adepti care not for such mundane things."
"If only they would bother to sit down and listen."
"Their Lord Lapis has died and they are increasingly frustrated that they cannot find the culprit. Until that matter is resolved, the likelihood of working out a deal is effectively zero."
"Hmph."
"It's interesting that you brought up the Fatui, though. I received some interesting intel about their latest activities."
"Are the rumors about the Eleventh Harbinger being in Liyue true? If they are, then that's three Harbingers in Liyue."
Ningguang shrugs. "We're still unsure how that first rumour about Master Childe being the Eleventh Harbinger came to be. It could be a mistake given the two share similar features. It seems that their appearances are where the similarities end though. The Eleventh has the reputation of being violent, unhinged, and proud."
Hardly the type to make hand-pulled noodles for their beloved partner or the one to openly fawn over a foreign god. Further, Master Childe had twice gotten seriously hurt now, once when he had just arrived at Liyue Harbour when he was attacked by Ruin Guards and another time when he had apparently collapsed in the Bank and had to be carried out in a stretcher. Surely, the Tsaritsa's Vanguard wouldn't be so…fragile.
"Given that there have been no signs of such a character in Liyue, I am ready to dismiss this rumour altogether. Wherever the Eleventh is, it appears he is not on our shores."
"One down, two more to go," Keqing mutters. "Better than three I suppose."
"Il Dottore has left Liyue for Sumeru, so we're down to just one Harbinger."
"Urgh, La Signora. Can't stand her." Keqing leans forward. "I heard she was in Mondstadt during the attack on Barbatos. Now, she's here in Liyue with her men circling the city. I don't think it's a coincidence at all."
"Our people have intercepted multiple correspondences from the Fatui stationed there," Ningguang adds, "Something is being planned. We even seized a Sigil of Permission. A copy, of course, but the fact that such a thing exists is worrisome."
"What's the next move, then?"
"I am sending my men to monitor that group. In addition, I will be ordering more guards to patrol Liyue Harbour and guard the gates." Ningguang steeples her hands. "Moving forward, no one will be able to enter or leave the city without us knowing."
It is time that she finally reminds these meddlesome Fatui just who they're dealing with.