"Hiss—"
Aether sucked in a sharp breath as the Abyss grew even hotter.
What did he just hear? His own sister hugging Koji so intimately.
Aether knew well—if things had reached that stage, it meant Koji already held a very high place in Lumine's heart.
"When I meet Lumine again, don't tell me I'll see her walking over while holding my nephew in her arms?" Aether muttered.
Just picturing that scene made his expression twist into something complicated.
This progress… was far too fast.
"I get it. With that old man Morax sitting in Liyue Harbor, don't go in there and seek death."
"As you command, Your Highness."
…
"Delicious!"
In front of Wanmin Restaurant, Koji and the others bought Mora Meat and were enjoying it with bliss written across their faces.
The taste didn't strike Koji as completely novel—it was similar to roujiamo—but the flavor was better: crisp bread, tender meat, rich and juicy, every bite intoxicating.
Eating Mora Meat was so absorbing that even a pile of Mora in front of you couldn't distract. No wonder it was called "Mora Meat."
They had already been in Liyue for two days. Since Mora wasn't a problem for them, they indulged themselves in all the local specialties.
"Koji, I think Liyue has so much good food. Why don't we just buy a house here?" Lumine suddenly suggested.
"Not going to travel and find your brother anymore?"
Koji laughed as he asked. For him, buying a house wasn't troublesome. There were many ways to get Mora.
"Of course we'll still travel. But buying a house means that when we get tired, we'll have somewhere to return and rest." Lumine explained.
The Serenitea Pot sounded nice, but it was still a mobile residence. A fixed home was another matter.
Take Liyue, for example: beautiful scenery, pleasant climate, and above all, countless kinds of delicious food. Compared to Mondstadt's cuisine, she preferred Liyue's.
"Have you seen any place you like? Liyue Harbor is already saturated. Buying here wouldn't be suitable." Koji said.
Liyue's territory was vast, but outside of the harbor, human settlements were sparse. Some areas barely had inhabitants.
With population growth, the harbor was nearly overflowing with residents.
"Young friend, what's your opinion?"
The old man and the drunkard walked over. Early in the morning, Venti carried osmanthus wine, even though he no longer had the title of Archon of Wine.
"Venti, where have you been these last two days?" Paimon asked curiously.
"Oh, I joined the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Like the old man, I became a guest consultant." Venti grinned.
Eula and Noelle glanced at each other. Their own Anemo Archon had joined a Liyue organization—wasn't that a bit too free-spirited?
And with both the Geo Archon and the Anemo Archon as guest consultants, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was way too powerful.
"Zhongli, is it possible to build houses in Guili Plains?" Koji asked.
He guessed it was tied to events of the Archon War. The earliest Liyue settlements had been there, but people later had to relocate to Liyue Harbor.
As for leftover remains of defeated gods, Koji figured it wasn't unsolvable. Clearing out one usable area for building would be enough.
"Guili Plains…"
Zhongli's face grew wistful, as if he saw again that long-sleeved maiden.
Guizhong, Zhongli—Gui and Zhong, parting and ending.
"There are several reasons. The location is remote, it hasn't been developed for centuries, monsters breed wildly there, and development would take much time and resources. Most importantly, remnants of slain gods remain."
A purple-haired, cat-eared figure strolled over at leisure. Keqing spoke slowly.
She had met Zhongli many times. He was truly erudite, and conversations with him were always rewarding.
"Greetings, friends from Mondstadt. I am Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing, Keqing. My duty is overseeing land and construction."
"As Miss Keqing said, Guili Plains has been abandoned for too long. To build there, we'd first have to clear monsters. Otherwise work is impossible. And godly remnants corrupt life heavily." Zhongli continued evenly.
The project would be massive, requiring years. Unless the Liyue government rallied the effort, one or two merchants attempting it would just be foolish extravagance.
Many gods had perished there. Their remnants were lethal to other beings.
"Still, Liyue Harbor is near saturation. Developing new regions and building new cities should enter consideration." Keqing rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
The harbor was ultimately just a port. Its position was good, with Mt. Tianheng a natural barrier, but that also blocked development inland.
Both the Qixing and Zhongli knew Guili Plains had potential, but the remnants were a difficult problem.
"Need to find Ningguang…" Keqing murmured, walking off.
Koji and the others looked at each other.
"Don't mind it. Miss Keqing takes her work very seriously. That's just how she is." Zhongli explained.
"Young friend, are you saying you want to build a house in Guili Plains?"
"I have that idea. Liyue Harbor is too crowded. Rather than buy a house, I'd rather build one in my own style." Koji replied.
"Zhongli, what do you think a nation without gods would become?"
The question pulled both Venti and Zhongli into silence and memories.
Their minds went straight to Khaenri'ah, that godless nation.
Unrestrained, reckless development. Contact with the forbidden Abyss. In the end, it left an indelible scar on all of Teyvat.
Venti might neglect Mondstadt most of the time, but when the Lawrence Clan rose to power, he had been forced to intervene. Otherwise Mondstadt would have fallen astray.
"Liyue does have problems. The current Qixing are decent, but can you guarantee every generation will fulfill their duties? If not, you'll intervene, won't you?"
Zhongli didn't deny it. He wanted Liyue to be governed by its people. But if true calamity struck, he would act.
Liyue was like his child. He could never allow it to be destroyed.
"Too much population is concentrated here. Four-fifths of Liyue lives in this one harbor. If disaster struck, Liyue could be ruined in a single blow."
Koji wasn't exaggerating. If not for Zhongli standing guard, such a dense settlement would be nothing but a live target for enemies.
A god's power could shatter a city with ease.
Zhongli felt a headache. He wanted retirement, yet hearing all this, how could he feel at ease?
Venti too pondered. Mondstadt's population also clustered in its city.
What a troublesome matter. He'd have to mention it to Jean and the others when he returned.
(End of Chapter)
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