After reading Childe's story, some people's perception of the Fatui had softened somewhat.
Originally thought to be a group of heartless villains, they unexpectedly possessed human-like emotions as well.
A child's dream…? Hu Tao's thoughts drifted as she reminisced.
At the age of thirteen, she had taken over the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, becoming its 77th director—and then… presided over her grandfather's funeral.
She had tried to search for the person who once nurtured her dreams, but no matter how long she wandered that world, she never caught sight of that figure.
It was then she understood: the director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor must live without regrets while still alive.
Hu Tao gazed at Lucian, who lay motionless on the table, and wondered:
What kind of story will he write about me? How far into my future will it be? What will I be like then?
Lucian… just how much do you really know about me?
Lucian lay limp on the table, utterly drained of energy—seemingly exhausted, but in truth, he had already been "gone" for a while.
"Lucian, will you write my story too?" Even Navia couldn't resist asking.
Lucian didn't speak, merely raising a hand to give a thumbs-up.
Navia sighed in relief. Good, at least after writing for the big boss, you'll still write for this second boss—no favoritism here.
Meanwhile, on Signora's side, she had also finished reading the story.
Closing the book, she—uncharacteristically—didn't seek out Tartaglia to argue, despite his usual provocations.
For someone who couldn't recall her past, a child's dream felt far too distant.
Now, her dreams were filled only with flames.
In Mondstadt, Fischl finished reading the story in her room. She, too, had her own dreams—but hers didn't need anyone's protection.
She had created her own kingdom of dreams, independent of others' care.
She lived in her dream kingdom, indifferent to others' judgments.
"Take pride in all that is unreal, for we are above this world!"
Closing the book, Fischl found herself wanting to meet the author, Shikikan.
An author with such abilities… surely they'd understand the unreal as well?
At the Angel's Share, the four prodigies of the tavern—Diluc, Kaeya, Venti, and Rosaria—had gathered.
Amusingly enough, all four had experienced less-than-ideal childhoods or adolescences.
Yet they had all walked the same path: protecting the dreams of Mondstadt's people.
"So even the Fatui have human emotions," Diluc remarked sharply. He was no fan of the Fatui.
"Think 'Ruin Guards' would sell in Mondstadt?" Kaeya seemed to have spotted a business opportunity.
"Not if you're involved. You'd just use them to scare kids," Rosaria muttered drowsily, half-awake as she listened to their discussion.
Venti, meanwhile, was busy chugging his drink.
In Inazuma, Yae Miko sighed, popping a piece of fried tofu into her mouth to soothe her mood.
The Raiden Shogun, who once protected the dreams of Inazuma's people, had now become the very one who stripped them away.
Yae hesitated over whether to show this story to Ei. The last one had backfired—what if this did too?
"Protecting children's dreams? This guy gets it!" Arataki Itto laughed boisterously.
Kuki Shinobu had been reading the prophecy book, so the normally book-averse Itto had bought a copy out of curiosity.
This 'Childe'… might just be someone I—Arataki Itto, the Supreme Leader of Kids—could be friends with.
"Boss! The Shogunate's general is here!" Itto's lackeys—Genta, Mamoru, and Akira—warned him urgently.
"Arataki Itto, hand over your Vision," Kujou Sara commanded sternly.
Meanwhile, in Sumeru, the one most skilled at nurturing dreams was undoubtedly the Lesser Lord Kusanali.
Even with her physical limitations, she tirelessly cared for the dreams of Sumeru's people within them.
But adults in Sumeru didn't dream, and many children grew up without ever seeing Nahida again.
Compared to this story, the "death" of Rex Lapis concerned Nahida far more.
Yet as she read the second act, she found it still didn't reveal the culprit.
Instead, it only showed the Traveler accompanying Zhongli around the city, preparing for the "Rite of Parting."
Nahida desperately wanted to know what had happened to her senior. The Irminsul recorded the past, but not the future.
Moreover, Nahida couldn't freely access its information at this stage.
How unfit I am as a god… so deeply connected to the Irminsul, yet unable to read its knowledge at will.
As she read, Nahida could only hope the author would hurry and write the third act, so she could learn what had truly befallen Morax.
Speaking of the second act, some parts were particularly intriguing.
For instance, it revealed to the people of Liyue that even the ever-reliable Consultant Zhongli had flaws.
He never considered prices when shopping and never carried Mora—how had the Wangsheng Parlor not drowned in unpaid bills?
No wonder the director has to personally promote their services—she's being forced into it!
Little did they know, Hu Tao did it purely out of personal interest; the parlor was far from strapped for cash.
Another notable segment was the selection of perfume for the statue of Rex Lapis.
As for the detailed process of making the perfume… that's… that's a bit much, no?
Still, Ying'er's "Seductive speaking" had certainly brought booming business to the Scent of Spring shop.
Returning to Rex Lapis—he ultimately chose "Fleeting Clouds," a scent said to appeal to mature older women.
[Paimon: "Wait… does that mean the 'Geo Archon' is actually a big sister?"]
[Zhongli: "Hahaha… perhaps."]
["The forms of Rex Lapis are countless—it's possible such an incarnation exists."]
The adepti were quite pleased with this Zhongli. Truly, he was one of the few in Liyue who still understood the rites for an adeptus' passing—a fitting consultant for the Wangsheng Parlor.
Most reverent of the adepti.
Yet this "friend from Mondstadt" Zhongli mentioned felt oddly familiar…
Or is this just how all Mondstadters are? Bringing wine when visiting friends?
The adepti still didn't know Zhongli was Rex Lapis, as the Archon hadn't yet sent them a dream to reveal the truth.
When meeting them, he hadn't used the Zhongli guise—and to avoid complications, he hadn't even visited the adepti at all.
Another segment featured the Traveler seeking the Cleansing Bell from Granny Ping, inadvertently exposing both her and Zhongli's identities.
So… Zhongli is an adeptus! No wonder he knows so much.
The adepti also realized: this Zhongli must… be one of their own!
They just didn't know which old friend's incarnation he was.
Only Ping and the "big bird" (Cloud Retainer) fully grasped the truth—they were intimately familiar with the Cleansing Bell's history.
The other adepti had no interest in music or machinery, so they remained unaware of the intricacies.
While they knew of the bell, they didn't know who held it or who else might know its whereabouts.
Thus, they assumed Zhongli was merely another adeptus, never suspecting he was Rex Lapis.
After all, holding your own funeral is just too outrageous—even by outrageous standards.
But Cloud Retainer now knew: Rex Lapis is alive!
"So he's chosen to live as a mortal, like Ping…" The "I-Love-Inventions" Adeptus sighed in relief. So long as His Majesty is safe.
She flapped her wings, ready to share the news with the others—but then paused.
Hmph! These fools didn't even let me attend the Rite of Descension. Why should I tell them anything?
===✧✦✧===
Character Voiceline · Cloud Retainer: About 'Yangu'
"Hmm… what an adorable nickname. To think Ganyu had such a moniker, and I, her master, was unaware. Unacceptable—I must jot this down."