As he led the three of them onward, Zhongli's voice remained calm and unhurried.
"Liyue is built upon contracts and fair trade," he said.
"Though the Northland Bank belongs to the Fatui, its presence here is not entirely without reason."
He paused, then added lightly,
"Liyue is a nation of commerce. Whoever abides by Liyue's contracts may establish themselves here."
"The Northland Bank's existence is based upon such a contract."
Lumine's brows knit together. She clearly wasn't entirely convinced by that logic.
Paimon, still hugging her arms with an indignant pout, muttered,
"So Liyue really is that obsessed with contracts… even more than I thought…"
She glared at the lavish façade of the Northland Bank, grumbling under her breath,
"If it were me running Liyue, I'd never let the Fatui strut around like that!"
Zhongli only gave a faint smile at her complaint, his gaze drifting over the street ahead as though he hadn't heard.
"The Fatui also funnel funds through the Northland Bank for their operations in foreign lands," Kairo said quietly.
"Sometimes they even use the bank as a base of operations."
"In Liyue's current situation, the Qixing would very much like to dig out this 'thorn' stuck in the city's golden heart. But once a contract has been signed with Snezhnaya's Fatui, even the Qixing cannot simply tear it up."
"So that's how it is…"
Paimon and Lumine both scratched their heads at that.
This was a nation of contracts, after all.
Even the Fatui—so long as a deal was in place—couldn't be driven out by force.
"In the past, the Qixing and Snezhnaya cooperated more often," Zhongli added.
"But those dealings have grown rare."
"Among the Seven Nations, Liyue is the most prosperous. For many years it had a god to guard it and the Qixing to govern it. As such, many of the Fatui's usual diplomatic tricks do not work here."
"Lady Ningguang, one of the Qixing, remains highly wary of them. The things you saw them do in Mondstadt—"
He glanced at Lumine and Paimon.
"—you will not see repeated so easily in Liyue."
"Oooh."
Lumine and Paimon exchanged a look of sudden understanding.
Zhongli continued to guide them through the city, pointing out notable buildings and sights as they went.
At that same time—
Inside a hidden residence behind the Northland Bank.
Candlelight flickered softly, throwing long shadows across the walls where Snezhnayan banners hung.
The room smelled faintly of cold pine.
Spread on the low table was a detailed map of Liyue, with several places specially marked in ink.
In the center of the room, a Fatui elite soldier in formal uniform knelt on one knee, expression taut with seriousness.
"Lord Harbinger," he reported, "the Traveler you ordered us to monitor has arrived in Liyue. The estimated time of arrival—last night."
"…"
The man seated behind the desk paused.
The easygoing expression he'd worn up to now vanished, replaced by a focused, shadowed look.
It was Tartaglia—Childe, Eleventh of the Fatui Harbingers.
He raised his brows, surprise and confusion flickering in his eyes.
"She's already here? That fast?"
He'd expected the Traveler to take at least a few more days to reach Liyue—
maybe even linger in Mondstadt for a while.
Who would have thought she'd show up the very next night?
Childe frowned slightly and gestured for the agent to continue.
"At the moment, she's in Liyue Harbor…"
"…accompanied by the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's consultant, Zhongli."
"It appears Mister Zhongli is acting as her guide."
"…"
This time, Childe's surprise was genuine.
The fingers around his wine cup stilled, the doubt in his eyes deepening.
"She's with Zhongli?"
Why?
The Traveler had just arrived.
By all rights, she shouldn't have had any connections here yet.
She should have been feeling out the city's layout, learning the situation, then slowly making her move.
Instead, she'd barely set foot in Liyue and was already walking around with Zhongli as her guide?
That completely threw off his expectations.
Childe had been keeping an eye on the Traveler's movements, intending to make good use of her strength.
If he could coax her into getting involved with Liyue's political balance, maybe he could even maneuver her into accepting the Fatui's "help."
But now—
She'd gone straight to Zhongli?
How do they even know each other?
A chance encounter?
He rapped his fingers lightly against the table, eyes half-lidded as he considered the possibilities.
Zhongli…
The one person in Liyue he could actually have a normal conversation with.
The Qixing, the Millelith, all the major guilds and factions—
Everyone in this city looked at him like they were watching a thief.
Only Zhongli didn't.
The funeral parlor's unassuming consultant bore no hostility toward him, nor did he go out of his way to avoid him.
He was cultivated and articulate, rich in learning, and could speak at length about Liyue's rites, customs, and the workings of the world.
He was someone you couldn't help wanting to listen to.
Most importantly, Zhongli never judged him by his Fatui identity.
Childe wouldn't say he had any true friends in Liyue. But if he had to pick someone he could talk to like a normal person…
It would be Zhongli.
Which was why he was perfectly willing to pay Zhongli's bills without asking anything in return.
…But why was the Traveler with him?
And as a tour guide, no less?
Childe's gaze grew darker.
Was this just coincidence…
or something else entirely?
"Ugh…"
After a while, he realized he was getting nowhere with his speculation and let out a helpless sigh.
He set his wine cup back on the table, expression smoothing out again.
"Keep monitoring her," he said. "But don't interfere."
"Also, find out how she managed to get here so quickly."
"When she and Mister Zhongli go their separate ways, let me know. Figure out where she's staying."
"I'd like to have a chat with her."
With the Rite of Descension drawing near, he needed the Traveler as his way in—his starting point for action.
The Tsaritsa's Harbinger in Mondstadt, Signora, had already completed her mission.
He, meanwhile, hadn't made any real progress.
His time in Liyue hadn't been wasted—eating, drinking, and playing were just part of the cover—
but Liyue's defenses ran deep.
There were places the Fatui were flatly forbidden to approach,
and even slipping in unnoticed was nearly impossible.
The more he thought about it, the more his temples started to ache.
He needed to crack this situation open soon if he wanted to execute his plans.
"Yes, my lord!"
The elite soldier bowed his head deeply, then withdrew from the room.
Once the door closed, Childe leaned back in his chair and rubbed at his brow.
"Zhongli acting as a tour guide for the Traveler… what am I even supposed to do with that?"
If he went over now, there'd be nothing for him to offer, no way to wedge himself into the conversation.
Just the thought gave him a headache.
While Childe worried, time moved quietly on.
By afternoon, sunlight poured over Liyue's stone streets, scattering dappled shadows under the shop eaves.
The city hummed with a lazy, contented energy.
Zhongli led Kairo, Lumine, and Paimon toward Heyu Teahouse.
Inside, a refined fragrance of tea hung in the air.
Fine porcelain cups were lined neatly across wooden tables.
Sunlight passing through carved wooden windows painted the interior in warm, gentle tones.
The tea was clear and bright, its subtle scent soothing the senses.
"In Liyue, we receive guests with tea—and debate with tea," Zhongli said, lifting a steaming cup.
He blew away the foam on the surface with a slow breath, speaking in an easy, thoughtful tone.
"Tea is something to be savored. One must appreciate the mood as much as the flavor."
Lumine nodded slightly at that, her eyes wandering around the teahouse's décor.
Every corner seemed to radiate an understated elegance, the kind that drew you into quiet contemplation.
Paimon, meanwhile, clutched her much smaller cup in both hands and took a cautious sip—
then scrunched up her face and stuck out her tongue.
"Uuugh… so bitter!"
Kairo couldn't help laughing.
"You have to wait for the sweetness to come back," he said. "You're drinking it too fast."
Zhongli smiled as well, but offered no further explanation.
He simply took another slow drink, letting the peaceful afternoon stretch on.
As the sun slid further west, the streets outside turned golden.
The stone roads glowed faintly in the light, and shadows grew long.
Zhongli brought them next to the Yun-Han Opera Troupe.
This was Liyue's most renowned venue for opera, home to many of the finest performers in the land.
Every show drew a full house.
Before long, the curtain rose on that day's performance.
An actor in richly embroidered costume took the stage, voice ringing out in a clear, lyrical melody.
The tune rose and fell, graceful yet powerful, telling tales from Liyue's long history.
Paimon sat frozen in place, both hands cupping her cheeks, eyes sparkling.
"Woooow… they're amazing!"
She'd never heard anything like this before.
Each note felt heavy with centuries of culture,
pulling the listener in until the rest of the world faded away.
"Liyue's opera carries this land's history and spirit," Zhongli said quietly, his gaze on the stage.
"Within a single play, you can find a whole lifetime. Many people's stories are hidden in this singing."
He watched for a while, then shook his head slightly, a hint of regret in his tone.
"It's a pity Mister Yun isn't performing today."
"Huh? Mister Yun?" Paimon tilted her head. "Sounds like someone really important?"
Zhongli nodded.
"One of the pillars of Liyue's opera. Her singing is truly unique. If she were on stage today, this performance would be on another level still."
Kairo smiled faintly to himself.
He'd heard Yun Jin's singing before—he knew exactly what Zhongli meant.
Liyue's opera wasn't just technical skill.
It was the culture, the persistence, the emotion within.
Especially that "Divine Damsel of Devastation" performance… someday, he'd get to hear it again.
Even if it took time.
Paimon didn't really grasp the deeper meaning behind the opera, but she still clapped happily.
"Then we definitely have to come back next time and listen to this Mister Yun!"
Zhongli inclined his head slightly, his gaze distant as if recalling past performances.
Time flowed on.
The sun sank lower and lower, staining the sky with orange and red.
Light rippled across the sea like shimmering molten gold.
Zhongli led Kairo, Lumine, and Paimon down to the harbor once more.
Far ahead, a grand flower-decked vessel lay anchored on the water.
Red-painted hull, gilded cloud motifs curling across its sides, lanterns of glazed glass glowing gently along the railings—
The entire ship looked like something out of a dream.
It was the Pearl Galley.
Liyue's most famous pleasure barge, currently docked and waiting for the evening's guests.
Paimon could only stare, eyes wide and round, mouth hanging open.
"T–That's way too extravagant!"
From the ship came the soft strains of zithers and flutes.
Light from countless lanterns washed over the decks.
Attendants in fine dress moved gracefully through the crowd with trays of food and wine.
Compared to Mondstadt, this was like a completely different world of luxury.
"Liyue's people place great importance on display," Zhongli said evenly.
"The Pearl Galley is one of the finest examples of that."
Paimon stared at the richly dressed guests on the deck and whispered,
"Are… are all of those people super rich?"
"Anyone who can board that ship is either wealthy or important," Kairo mused.
"But normally, isn't it only accessible by smaller boats?"
"Oh? So Mister Kairo is familiar with the Pearl Galley as well."
Zhongli smiled.
"That's how it works at night—if you wish to board then, you'd usually take a smaller boat."
"But right now, the Pearl Galley's berthed at the dock so those who came early can go directly aboard."
"It'd hardly be efficient to send out a small boat every time a few people wanted to get on. They'd need too many of them."
"That's fair," Kairo admitted with a nod.
He couldn't argue with the logistics.
Zhongli stepped onto the gangplank first and they followed him up onto the deck.
A few well-dressed merchants and scholars stood near the entrance, chatting amongst themselves.
When their eyes fell on Zhongli, the conversation stilled.
One man's face lit up and he hurried forward, voice full of respect and warmth.
"Mister Zhongli, you've come."
Soon, more people turned, noticing him in turn.
Respectful gazes followed him, and several guests moved to greet him.
"Mister Zhongli, please, sit with us."
The scene left Paimon once again staring in disbelief.
She tugged lightly at Lumine's sleeve and whispered,
"Zhongli is… really popular, huh?"
Lumine was just as surprised.
They'd thought he was just an oddly knowledgeable guest consultant.
Popular, sure—but there had to be a limit.
Yet after spending a day with him around the city,
she'd watched him move with the same ease through Heyu Teahouse, the Yun-Han Opera Troupe, and now even the Pearl Galley.
Everywhere they went, Zhongli was greeted as if he were a linchpin of Liyue society.
"Mister Zhongli, over here," a refined-looking scholar called from farther inside.
"We were just in the middle of a discussion and could use your insight."
"Very well."
Zhongli nodded lightly and walked over.
"These are my new friends," he added, gesturing for Kairo, Lumine, and Paimon to sit.
"Mister Zhongli's friends are our friends," the scholar said with an easy laugh.
"Anyone he acknowledges is not to be taken lightly."
"Actually, Mister Zhongli," another man chimed in, turning toward him,
"we were just talking about Lord Rex Lapis' history. In the last few days, we came up with a new question and we've been meaning to ask your opinion."
"Oh? And what might that be?" Zhongli raised a brow.
"We were discussing the whereabouts of the very first Mora," the man said with a smile.
"In the beginning, under Rex Lapis' guidance, Liyue's ancestors learned to smelt ore and traded their goods with other lands."
"Nowadays, Liyue holds the sole right to mint Mora across the continent. So that first Mora must have been cast by Lord Rex Lapis himself, thousands of years ago."
"Yes, indeed."
A bespectacled woman nodded.
"Based on my research… with a bit of speculation, I think that coin of great significance may have been passed down as some kind of secret token."
"For example… before each new Qixing takes office, there might be some hidden rite which no outsider knows of…"
"No, no. According to my studies, the status of the first Mora is far greater than that."
Another scholar shook his head emphatically.
"As everyone knows, Mora is a kind of catalyst. Even today there are still secret arts circulating that use Mora in esoteric rituals to strengthen weapons."
"That first Mora must contain the strongest power of all. My next book will be devoted to proving the results of my ten years of research!"
"Namely—" he declared, eyes shining,
"—that Lord Rex Lapis used the very first Mora as a catalyst to enhance a blade or a spear!"
"Mora… can be used to enhance weapons?"
Paimon blinked, completely thrown, and instinctively looked from Zhongli to Kairo.
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