Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I wait for you when the night becomes day,

sighs of hopes already lost.

I don’t believe that you will come, I know,

I know that you will not come.

I know that the distance wounds you,

I know that the nights are colder,

I know that you are not there anymore.

I believe I know everything about you.

I know that your day quickly becomes night:

I know that you dream of my love, but you don’t say it,

I know that I am an idiot for waiting for you,

because I know you will not come.

I wait for you when we watch the heavens at night:

you over there, me here, yearning for those days,

when a kiss marked goodbye,

perhaps for the rest of our lives.

It is sad to speak like this.

When my day becomes night,

and the Moon hides that radiant sun.

I feel alone, I know,

I never knew so much of nothing in my life,

I only know that I find myself so alone,

and I do not want to be there.

A thousand pardons for feeling like that,

my intention has never been to offend you.

I never dram of loving you,

nor of feeling like that.

My air ends like water in the desert.

My life is cut short because I don’t keep you within.

My hope of living is you,

and I am not there.

Why am I not there? You will ask,

why have I not taken that bus that will take me to you?

Because the world that I have here will not allow me to be there.

Because I torture myself every night thinking of you.

Why do I not simply forget about you?

Why do I not simply live like that?

Why not simply…

- Mario Benedetti 

Chapter Text

Guili Valley felt strange.

Or at least, that’s what Chongyun said when he agreed to perform the daily incense ritual to sanctify the valley.

Xiao had voiced concern over the increasing number of Abyssal creatures in the area.

Hu Tao had mentioned the strange presence of ghosts wandering through the valley.

“Zhongli, I’m talking to you.” Hu Tao waved her fingers in front of him. “You’re not listening. I’m saying something important and you’re just dissociating again.”

“I apologize, Director. My mind is elsewhere” he answered, embarrassed. “What were you saying?”

“I’m telling you that Chongyun’s really worried. Abyssal energy and ghostly energy are becoming too intertwined in that place. I don’t know if the exorcist can purify the entire area on his own, or if we need to conduct a specific ritual. This has been going on since before the Jade Chamber was rebuilt for the second time.” She started biting one of her nails. “First the chams, then Osial again... I’m telling you, something’s off.”

“Perhaps I should look into it.” Zhongli straightened up in his seat. “Why would they choose Guili Valley?”

“Isn’t that where Guizhong, the Goddess of Dust, died?”

“The elemental traces left behind by her death tend to attract Abyssal energy,” he sighed. “I’d have to examine the area in person to understand what’s happening.”

“The famous consultant finally getting over his breakup?” A mocking smile curved her lips. “You’re finally leaving your hermit dragon cave?”

“hermit dragon cave?”

“You’ve locked yourself in here ever since you came back from Snezhnaya. It’s been a while since you’ve enjoyed an opera or even a simple walk around the harbor. You’ve buried yourself in work as a form of escape.” She frowned, crossing her arms. “I had to drag you to that dinner with the exorcist and Venti from Mondstadt.”

“We’ve been overwhelmed with work.” He stood up from his desk. “I remind you, Director, the new diplomat is extremely strict regarding information about funerary rites.”

“I’m sure there was more paperwork back when Childe was the Harbinger in charge.”

“But he wasn’t this demanding.”

“Of course not. He was in love with you.” Zhongli let his brush fall onto the desk. “It’s the truth.”

“Director…” He looked at her pleadingly

“Alright, sorry.” She smiled sheepishly. “It’s just… I haven’t heard anything from him since he left. I know it might be cruel to think that, even if he was angry with you, i just thought he could’ve at least written to me. But i have recieved nothing.”

“Childe is a Harbinger. One who’s preparing for war” he replied. “It’s likely we won’t hear from him for a long time.”

“And are you really okay with that?”

“We made a promise. I know Childe takes promises seriously. That gives me peace of mind.”
Those words were a reminder for Zhongli to keep calm, even though it had been nearly three months since the Harbinger’s departure.

“In any case, it’d be good if you could come with us to check the valley this week. Your wisdom might help explain the strange presence of these creatures. I know you’re just a consultant now, but your knowledge of Liyue’s lands is still valuable.” She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms again.

“I’ll look into it.”

“Good…” She smiled at him. “I’m going out with Yanfei to sort out some legal issues for a client, and he’s rather complicated. It’ll take a while, so I’ll probably head straight home afterward.” She stood up. “Don’t forget to lock up.”

“Of course.” He dipped his brush into the black ink once again.

“And Zhongli…” She turned back as her hand touched the doorknob. “If you ever want to talk, or just need someone to listen, I’ll always make time for you.” A fond expression softened her face. “You and Childe are like older brothers to me.”

A faint smile touched Zhongli’s lips.

“Thank you, Hu.” The familiarity of the nickname on his tongue brought back the same warmth he used to feel whenever he watched Childe and the director together during his stay.

When the door closed behind her, Zhongli allowed himself a moment to pause.

He hadn’t written a single letter to the Harbinger.

There was no point in insisting on communication. Zhongli had never been one to chase after the Harbinger in the first place.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t worried or interested in his wellbeing.

He had written to the Tsaritsa at the end of the first month, asking after Childe’s health. The reply had been brief: “He is well.”

Ignorance was a slow and painful form of torture.

He wanted to believe in Childe enough to trust he’d stay alive, that he could protect himself responsibly without giving in to that ever-burning thirst for battle that lived in his soul.

His days remained busy, calm amid the bustling life of Liyue Harbor.

Human life felt like a clock ticking slowly.

Back when he was the Archon of Liyue, time had felt like a different concept entirely. What humans considered centuries had passed, for Morax was mere minutes.

But now time felt distant. 

Maybe Zhongli had never considered that, those two years with Childe had actually been a significant span in this new life. Not as fleeting as they had seemed.

He longed for the day he could look into his eyes again.

Zhongli had spent years living with loss. 

The loss of his fellow Yakshas, the fallen Adepti, the Goddess of Dust—all weighed on his heart as burdens from a life shaped by history.

When Morax descended from the skies and laid down his form at the pavilion, Zhongli had let go of the burdens of a millennia-long existence.

But how did one cope with loss from the heart?

How did one cope with the absence of ocean-blue eyes?

The more he looked at the gifts Childe had given him over the years, the more foolish he felt. No one would spend that much money just to fake social status in the city. Childe had willingly stayed beside him for two whole years. He could’ve hidden in the shadows and caused chaos, but instead, he had fallen for the charm of their friendship.

Zhongli sighed and rose from his chair.

He grabbed his coat, remembering the colder weather, and tried to step outside for a walk through the harbor but stopped at the entrance of his office with his hand on the doorknob.  

"Would a walk really help soothe his exhausted mind?"

Every corner reminded him of that blue eyed young man.

Xiansheng, you really should try the new grilled fish skewer!

The perfumer gave me free samples again!             

Think you could wait while I go hunt for pirate treasure?

Come on! Yunjin’s performing soon!

Zhongli truly didn’t know whether his appreciation for the mortal life came from its serenity…
Or from having someone to share it with, but one thing was certain.

The Master Childe who had walked Liyue’s streets with him was very different from the Harbinger Tartaglia who had bid him farewell months ago.

He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t thought—just for a moment—that putting their bond on hold would finally free him from the clouded feelings in his heart since learning Childe was his fated soulmate. But now, the Harbinger’s absence weighed heavier than ever.

There was a void no priceless gem could fill.

The serenity he’d found after laying down his duties as Liyue’s Archon… was now gone.

He asked himself what exactly he missed most about Childe, besides his constant presence.

Was it the easy laughter he offered whenever Zhongli didn’t understand his childish jokes?

The way his eyes crinkled slightly as he watched children run through the harbor, full of joy?

Or maybe the dedication with which he searched for the prettiest starconch to send his sister as a gift?

Or that nervous smile that crept across his face whenever they tried to talk about the attraction they both felt?

Zhongli had seen so many versions of him, that he wasn’t even sure which one he missed the most.  He had known Tartaglia, the controlled and focused Harbinger. And Ajax,  the young man who let children braid flowers into his hair in Mondstadt.

Zhongli gripped his coat. 

Childe was a mystery. 

A puzzle.         

A riddle he had failed to solve.

Did loving Childe mean loving Tartaglia?

Did loving Tartaglia mean loving Ajax?

His heart raced at the memory of their final moments together. That nervous smile, the vulnerable gaze, the flushed cheeks, the way their hands touched, innocently yet charged.

Was this feeling created by their bond?

Was this attraction false?

Zhongli knew he loved Childe.

But how? And what exactly did he love?

How did humans define this kind of love?

This inevitable pull between two souls?

He knew it was love.

But what else was it?

“See how things work out when you don’t overthink them?”

Zhongli was doing it again, falling into that endless spiral of overthinking. He needed to calm himself.

Childe had promised they would meet again.

He needed to let the flowers bloom in their own time.

They both needed time to understand each other.

This distance was necessary.

“Fine,” he finally muttered. “Once I finish my missions... I’ll come find you.”

Three knocks echoed on the door of his office. He emerged from his daydream and gave a vocal signal for the person to enter by backing up from where he was standing. The ferry lady looked at him nervously.

"Consultant, a package has arrived for you. The sender is unknown."

"Was no one able to see who left it?"

"It appeared at the door. When I asked around, no one had seen who left it" she placed the package on his desk. "It’s been on the lower floor, in case you’d rather open it safely there." Zhongli frowned and walked to the door.

"Thank you very much." The girl nodded uncertainly and returned to her reception desk.

Zhongli made his way down to the lower floor, where embalming typically began.

On the central stone table lay a small package wrapped in brown paper, tied with thin white string. Its shape remained mostly intact. He opened it cautiously to inspect the contents. Inside was a letter and what looked like a black-and-red scale. It appeared to have been preserved in resin.

Tartaglia

I looked into the death of the Fatui couple.                    

Upon reaching their residence far from the main city, I found documents and  a map related to Dragonspine, as well as a preserved—or imitation—scale said to belong to Durin, the dragon of Mondstadt. I asked Barbatos about it, but he said it’s fake, suggesting it might be more of a theoretical study object than a biological one.

The documents described their research into areas with strong elemental energy, enough to potentially create a sort of portal.

I imagine these portals may have some link to the Abyss.  Elemental energy is like candy to them.

The locations they had marked were in Inazuma, Liyue, and Mondstadt, but the map was too blurred to determine the specific places. 

I also visited the place where they were buried, but something felt off. You said you found Lyudmila’s body and that they were buried together? Because the site was too flat. I tried to find the bodies, but they were gone.

Are you sure that’s the spot where you buried them? 

If so, then someone took the bodies. 

I hope you receive this letter. If you're unavailable, I’ll leave it with Ekaterina. She’ll know how to get it to you, along with the scale. 

I’ll let you know if I find anything else, idiot.

—D.R

Zhongli carefully examined the paper that came with the letter. One was a blotched map, and the other was the same one they’d used in Master Diluc’s house. It clearly marked the site where the funeral ritual had been performed.

The bodies weren’t there?

Why had the letter come to him?

Why had Ekaterina left it in his office?

He took the package and headed outside the funeral parlor, heading toward the Northland Bank.

How could two corpses buried beneath snow simply vanish?

The Director had confirmed the couple’s souls had passed on. How could the bodies disappear if they no longer had souls within them?

As he reached the bank’s entrance, he realized it was the first time in a long while that he had chosen to come to the bank himself. Since the arrival of the new diplomat, all organizational meetings were held at a harbor restaurant with Director Hu Tao.

Zhongli hadn’t visited the bank since that fateful day.

For that reason, behind his pale gray mask, Vlad looked at him with both curiosity and suspicion.

“Can I help you with something, Consultant?” The Snezhnayan accent twisted at the tip of his tongue. Vlad had gray eyes that stared with firm resolve.

“I’ve come to see Miss Ekaterina” he responded politely. “I believe I received a package by mistake. The sender claims it is for Harbinger Tartaglia.”

“Our Master Childe? The master has relinquished responsibility at the bank” Vlad replied, his expression hidden beneath the mask.

“That’s correct. However, this package arrived today. Would it be too much trouble for me to speak with Ekaterina directly?”

“Of course not, Consultant. The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor still maintains cordial relations with our organization, even amid the discord between your most prominent figures.”

“Discord?”

“Consultant, Harbinger Tartaglia declared during his tenure that the consultant from the funeral parlor was not to be admitted. All meetings would be conducted with Miss Hu Tao, the Director.” Zhongli raised his brows in surprise.

“I’m afraid I wasn’t aware of that order” he replied, glancing down at the package in his hands.

“May I offer you some advice, Mr. Zhongli?” Vlad looked at him with tired eyes. “Master Childe can be stubborn and secretive, but we’ve never known a Harbinger with a warmer heart. To rise to the position he holds, one must be cold and calculating, willing to stain their hands with blood. But that doesn’t change the fact that he is the most human of them all. I hope you won’t judge him by Liyue’s morals, but rather by the morals of a man preparing for war… a man who would burn the world just to protect and rebuild it from the ashes.” His words, sharp like blades, fell from his mouth with natural admiration.

The consultant clutched the package more tightly.

“Master Childe and I remain on friendly terms. I understand your devotion—thus, I believe it proper to apologize for my misjudgment.” he replied gently. Vlad didn’t seem entirely convinced. Nonetheless, he stepped aside and nodded for him to enter the bank.

“I hope you and Master Childe are able to work things out between you” he offered a soft, kind smile, and Zhongli nodded in thanks.

He pushed open the wooden door and the scent of sandalwood incense filled his nose.

The bank smelled just the same as always: expensive incense and ancient documents. Yet there was a tension in the air, as if someone had breathed too deeply in a room shut for years.

“Consultant” Ekaterina stood as he entered. She bowed a respectful fifty degrees and brought her hands together to speak. “How may I assist you?” The dark-haired woman maintained a courteous posture, but a trace of distrust laced her voice.

Ekaterina.

Childe’s right hand during his stay in Liyue.

“I’ve received a package addressed to Master Childe.” Ekaterina observed him for a few seconds before sighing.

“Mr. Zhongli, would you accompany me to the office?” she said, stepping out of her cubicle and heading to the stairs, clearly assuming he would follow without question.

The confidence in her steps reminded him of the Harbinger who used to walk the harbor. A sense of familiarity he had only felt when he met Diluc and his strange connection to Childe. The Harbinger’s trace remained in every person he had drawn close to.

Did Zhongli leave any trace at all?

“Since his departure, his office has remained untouched. Just as he left it that day he prepared to meet with you and uncover what happened to our comrade” Ekaterina said.

“And the new diplomat?”

“He resides in the right wing. The left wing remains Master Childe’s office until a new Harbinger arrives. The hierarchy must be respected in matters of confidentiality regarding Her Majesty’s treaties” she explained, pulling a key from her pocket and inserting it into a black door with dark detailing.

Zhongli followed her into the office.

A mix of alcohol and a man’s cologne with hints of oak and citrus tingled in his nose. 

Not once in all their daily meetings had Zhongli ever visited the Harbinger’s office.

The wooden walls were painted in traditional brown tones, suggesting little in the way of personal decoration. Everything looked factory-set, save for a desk in front of the window overlooking the harbor. Papers, apparently discarded letter drafts in Childe’s native tongue, were scattered in a corner. Near them sat a crystal glass with remnants of strong liquor, judging by the orange bottle beside it.

“He was never a man who drank heavily. But that last week, he drowned himself in liquor while locking himself in here” Ekaterina indicated a spot behind the desk chair, where empty bottles had been piled up.

Next to the desk was a shelf holding stone figures they had once bought together. Beside them sat a folding fan Zhongli recalled seeing Childe buy on one of their outings. Childe had said it was for his sister, Tonia.

“That was for you.” The informal tone of her comment, clearly referencing the direction of his gaze, felt far too bittersweet. “This office is full of memories of you and him. He spent his last weeks chained to this desk just to avoid seeing you, and yet this was the place that reminded him of you the most. It was so far removed from everyone else that he could work here unnoticed.”

“Miss Ekaterina, I’m afraid I don’t understand why you brought me here.”

“Consultant, may I drop the formality and call you just Zhongli? You and I both know something doesn’t add up. Lyudmila and Mikhail’s bodies have vanished from their graves, and Master Childe… received orders that didn’t come from the Tsaritsa.”

“Pardon?”

“Master Childe received a letter before setting out with you on the expedition. Her Majesty instructed him to tie up any loose ends in Liyue. But the letter was a forgery, though it bore her signature, her paper and her handwriting. Very few people know that format. The Tsaritsa only uses it to communicate with those she deems essential” she licked her lips. “We’ve been investigating, but we’ve made no progress. Diplomat Yakov has stated it’s not a priority, given that nothing has happened since Master Childe’s departure.”

“You’re saying such a perfect forgery could only come from someone with access to Snezhnaya’s internal records. Someone who wanted us to find the Fatui couple’s bodies. Someone who might be listening in the main lobby.” He brought a hand to his chin. “Someone within the Fatui is collaborating with the Abyss Order. Mikhail’s death confirms it. But why are you telling me this? Why give me this package?”

Ekaterina removed her mask, revealing large sky-colored eyes filled with pity.

“Because I believe you're the only one who can grasp the gravity of the situation, especially after…”

“After…?”

“After the fact that there's been no trace of Master Childe to resolve any of this.”

"What?”

“Consultant, Childe has been missing for two months. The Tsaritsa has issued a search order across all nations to find him...alive or dead.”

Chapter Text

“After the fact that there's been no trace of Master Childe to resolve any of this.”

“What?”

“Consultant, Childe has been missing for two months. The Tsaritsa has issued a search order across all nations to find him...alive or dead.”

Childe was missing?

“I’m sorry, Miss Ekaterina, I think I misheard you ” Zhongli said, clutching his fists tightly to his chest, searching her face for any sign of deceit.

“The Harbinger Tartaglia was ordered to be transferred to Fontaine, where he was charged non sense sentence. While imprisoned and attempting to escape, Master Childe vanished without a trace. No one's heard from him since. According to the letters we've exchanged with the Traveler, they’re still searching for him.”She licked her lips, carefully choosing her next words. ”In light of Master Childe’s disappearance, the only person I could think of to prioritize this matter was you, Mr. Zhongli.”

“Because you know my true identity?”Ekaterina blinked in confusion.

“Because I trust you. Master Childe trusted you, even after you lied to him. He would never have allowed you to investigate Mikhail if he hadn't placed his trust in you.”

“I don’t know why I’m telling you all this,” he made a displeased expression. “Sometimes I forget that you’re not the person I thought you were and you are no longer worthy of my trust.”

“Even after i lied to him?”

“In Snezhnaya, trust and belief are two very different things. To believe in someone is to accept them without prejudice. But to trust someone... is to place your hopes, your safety, your life in their hands. Master Childe may not have believed in you, but he trusted in what you are, whether that's the God of Stone, or simply the funeral parlor consultant.”

What's happening to me, Zhongli? Why does it feel like the world is crumbling at my feet every time you do something kind for me?

Ekaterina stepped closer, hands gently folded.

“We have a saying: Сердцу не прикажешь. It means ‘You cannot command the heart.’ We can choose who to believe, but never who we trust.”

"I would not say that all Fatui are lovers of loyalty, however, they are all extremely faithful to their homeland and their goddess. Only few enjoy the loyalty of a Fatui outside their nation or beyond their queen, despite their obvious missions and crimes towards other archons." Childe spoke a little more calmly as he put a piece of meat in his mouth. "There are few who earn our trust, once they earn it. So, is very difficult for them to lose it 

“So you don’t trust me. You trust in Childe’s judgment,” Zhongli said, more to himself than anyone else, beginning to pace slowly around the office. The room felt like a time capsule, oppressive in its stillness.

If the port of Liyue held echoes of Childe’s footsteps in the rain, this office was a moment frozen in time: the taste of a shared meal at dusk, a laugh in the dark, a touch never fully understood.

Zhongli ran his fingers across the polished wood of the desk, half-hoping to feel some lingering warmth where Childe had once sat.

He should’ve never agreed to sever the bond. At least then he would know if Childe was alive... if he was coming back.

Was it selfish to wish he’d rather suffer the ache of distance than live in ignorance, not knowing the fate of the man who now held his heart in his hands?

He glanced at the chair, its seat cushion slightly pulled back from the desk. Just enough room for Childe to cross his legs comfortably, as he often did.

That relaxed posture, so out of place against the heavy weight of duty, evident in the signed documents and the list of names scribbled in the corner notebook.

“No,” Ekaterina said quietly. “I don’t believe the way you humiliated Master Childe on the day Osial awakened was something worthy for a human. A human wouldn’t have treated someone so coldly, someone who stood by them every single day for the past two years. A human wouldn’t put the well being of a nation above their own heart’s truth.” She smiled gently, a contradiction to her words. “Still... I have no right to judge you. I could never understand the burden of divinity. Your actions must reach beyond the grasp of human comprehension. Only someone who loves his people that deeply, would dare sacrifice the one person who stayed beside him, for the sake of the future.” She finally dropped the rigid posture that had held her up until now.

Zhongli lowered his gaze in quiet shame. Her sincerity had struck something deep within him, something he thought he had buried the moment he chose to live as a mortal.

“That is why I’m asking for your help, Mr. Zhongli. Your wisdom, your memory, your history... could prove vital while Master Childe remains missing.” She sighed. “If he ever returns at all, besides Harbingers are destined for short lives.”

“Childe promised he’d come back. And I trust his word.”

“As do I. What I don’t trust... is the people judging him. He may be calculated and careful, but he’s just as naïve as his little brother when it comes to those who truly get close to him. His ambition, his determination will be his downfall someday. A fool, in the end.”

“I never thought your bond ran so deep.”

“We were training partners. I met him when he first joined the Fatui... Lord Zhongli, if you had seen him back then, you’d have wanted to protect him from everything. He was so small, so broken, so abandoned. The ones he loved most had turned their backs on him. Of course he seeks acceptance in a world designed to reject him.” She clenched her fist over her heart. “That’s why I won’t forget the last mission he left in my hands.”

Zhongli’s gaze drifted toward a wilted bouquet of flowers in the corner of the room.

“What do you need from me?”

Ekaterina offered a quiet smile.

“I know Master Diluc gave you an abyss charged map on his own. The patrol reports he referenced don’t match those in Liyue’s archives, nor do they align with the Fatui’s. Mr. Zhongli, you currently hold a favorable position with the Millelith. It would be ideal if you could ask Lady Ningguang for access to any threat records.”

“I could also ask the Adepti. Some of them are more attuned to abyssal energy. Still, I suspect this may not be a matter of the Abyss... but rather an internal Fatui issue.”

He rubbed his chin, thinking aloud.

“The missing corpses from his unit in Mondstadt... we were meant to honor them, but Master Diluc said they were never found there.”

“If the letter Childe received led him to Mikhail’s body to give it a proper burial and now that very body has vanished, then maybe...”

“It’s a message,” Zhongli finished.

“This is a message for Childe.”

"You should have stayed dead when you fell that day." A macabre smile adorned his mouth as he raised his hand to touch the one gripping the spear. "Tell me, child, do you think luck will chase you for your entire life? Those who belong to the realm of the dead will, sooner or later, have to return."

Zhongli felt his throat burn just from recalling the words spoken by the Kerespial.

"But I must admit, there's one thing I've been curious about...your eyes, Master Childe. There's a certain lost look in them"

Childe remained silent for a moment.

"What about them interests you?" Childe asked with his tone showing faint interest, though the answer mattered little to him.

"In my years working as a funeral consultant, I must confess..." Childe saw hesitation in him."I have never seen a pair of eyes like yours, Master Childe." he finally continued, an unusual honesty coloring his tone. "Your gaze feels like a stagnant sea inside a dark cave, motionless, just existing within the shadows with no light to guide its way back home."

"Do you want to know the reason?"

"My curiosity is merely an appreciation; I don't intend to pry into an area that you, Master Childe, clearly consider off-limits given how you've responded."

"You're certainly interesting, Xiansheng. You express curiosity, but close the door just as it opens" Childe replied with a hint of irony in his voice. "I don't talk about my eyes not because I dislike it, but because I don't know what others expect me to say. I find them the same as everyone else's, and I don't plan to hide a story where there isn't one.

Zhongli wasn’t naive. He knew that someone who didn’t fear death was someone who had already met it. He used to think Childe danced with death, but in truth, it seemed he had once shaken hands with it.

"Are you not going to ask what it meant?" He wasn't looking directly at him; his profile remained straight, as if trying to guard something of the intimacy he had been exposed to.

"I’ll keep you informed" Ekaterina nodded. Then she gave a soft whistle, and the flutter at the window signaled a small bird had landed there.

"I know that as a Prime Adeptus, you’re capable of understanding all beings around you, including animals that live among us. But due to your current role as a human and consultant, I must provide you with a bird for communication. Master Diluc helped Master Childe train birds for long-distance messaging." Zhongli frowned. "I see you know Master Diluc."

"Master Diluc is a kind man who welcomed us into his home in Mondstadt," she said calmly. "It seems he has a close relationship with the Harbinger" Ekaterina observed him with hidden amusement glinting behind serene eyes.

"My lord has a charismatic personality. I wouldn’t be surprised if he could charm even those who despise our nation and its goals." She leaned against the wall. "Their bond always surprises me. Lord Diluc appears to be a man of strict morals, someone who wouldn’t hesitate to turn his back on a Harbinger of the faction responsible for his father’s death."

"The Fatui killed his father?"

"The Fatui gave him a power he couldn’t bear, a Delusion, to be specific. Delusions are double edged swords. The more you use them, the more they consume your body. Visions flow naturally through the blood; Delusions force their way in with violence." She lowered her gaze. "Even Master Childe must pay the price every time he uses his."

Zhongli remembered the marks, red lightning, like scars that spread across Childe’s torso. Scars that seemed to want to devour every inch of his body, claiming something that was never theirs to begin with.

"I hope wherever he is, he doesn’t have to resort to his Delusion and Foul Legacy together. That’s a torturous combination." She shook her head. "I trust Master Childe will return. In the meantime, please accept the aid we offer. You're no longer the Archon of Liyue; cooperation with the Fatui need not be strictly diplomatic." She placed her mask back over her eyes. "You may use Master Childe’s office. I’ll be at the reception." She bowed deeply, a full ninety degrees, then left in silence, leaving him alone in that suffocating space.

If the harbor reminded him of Childe, then this office was like reliving him, through memories and regrets.

He looked toward the street facing window, where the black-eyed bird stared at him expectantly, with a certainty that felt eerily familiar.
If he sent the bird to search for Childe… would it find him?

Zhongli pressed his fist to his chest.

He had to trust the Harbinger.

Maybe he was just on a mission that required absolute discretion.

After all, the last thing Zhongli remembered was that the Tsaritsa had ordered him to find one of his comrades in Inazuma.

Zhongli let himself observe the room, soaking in a closeness to his fated companion.
There was a certain order hidden within the chaos of a hectic day. Folders filled with information about Liyue's historical events sat on a dark wooden shelf next to books that had once echoed from Zhongli's mouth during countless lunches.

There was a black notebook filled with notes in a neat, cursive hand, structured and grammatically perfect. There was something charming in the fact that Childe's handwriting in his native tongue was elegant and precise, while in Liyuen, it was rough and hesitant.

In the trash bin were torn pages inked with attempts at old Liyuen calligraphy. The way the ink had pooled in drops showed that Childe had spent hours practicing each vowel’s strokes, even if the final result wasn’t perfect.

He could’ve used Fontaine’s invention, the typewriter, to handle all his work in the Stone Nation. But Childe had insisted on writing everything by hand, out of respect for tradition, just as he had when he first arrived at the harbor.

So much effort had gone into making Childe a respectful, honorable diplomat, it was no wonder he’d even tried to draw Zhongli out of his cave to reclaim his Gnosis, using historical references and traditional practices.

Seals and buried gods.

Elements that remained ingrained in Liyue’s culture as remnants of a bygone age, an age now fading, giving way to modernity, to a world that would fight without divine guidance from the heavens.

Zhongli looked at the package he’d received as he sat in what had once been Childe’s seat.

The scale was large, nearly the size of his whole hand. Zhongli had never liked scales much, even as a Qilin himself. The armor that protected him from outside threats was also what kept his blood cold and made him long for companionship.

He didn’t miss his natural form.

Was it strange to not miss one's origin?

Now he was just a consultant watching over the soul of someone he had hurt.

His mother would have called him a fool.

But must we always remain what we were born to be?

There was something so beautiful about the metamorphosis of a butterfly. It was impossible not to envy the transformation of such a fragile creature. After all, even in another form, it was still a caterpillar... only now with the ability to fly on silk wings.

Zhongli had reduced his existence to that of a simple human consultant. A reduction that had brought him relief from his eternal duties as a god, a form, an origin, that he could no longer carry.

He loved his nation, loved his people, adored the traditions and the culture. For that very reason, he wished to live it all in a loyal way, one that brought him closer to those who had carved such a historic legacy.

What better way than to become human, to leave behind the divine perspective on things?

Even when it was difficult for him to separate Zhongli from Morax.

It was ironic.

Zhongli had been born from the need for modernity and change.

Morax remained etched in the archaic and ancient.

And yet, both converged in the vessel that held the scale.

Could the modern world coexist with the former through balance?

How does the old world remain, if one decides to create a completely new one?

He looked at the map that came with the scale and studied the scribbles. It wasn’t a coincidence that the locations that could potentially be used for some kind of plan were all places that required a high elemental charge.

Would they use Guizhong’s mourning site?

He didn’t doubt it. 

The memories of a god’s passing still grew among the grass in that shadowed place.

“Xiao,” he murmured into the air, and a shadow appeared before him within seconds.
“Did I disturb you?”

“No, Lord Zhongli.” Xiao shook his head while maintaining his stance, his expression hinting at the effort it took not to kneel, just as Zhongli had asked ever since Rex Lapis fell from the skies.

“Barbatos?”

“Venti is well. He’s been resting more in the Teapot, but he hasn’t done anything to make me fear he’ll disappear again,” he answered softly. “At least now, he’s been keeping me company at night.”

“You’ve been sleeping?”

“Venti insists it helps calm the karmic debt,” he replied with a sigh. “Truth is, that his presence is soothing my debt.”

“I’m glad Barbatos is well,” Zhongli smiled gently. “I called you because I need to ask you something, my dear friend.”

“Is that why we’re in the Harbinger’s office?”

“How did you know?”

“This place reeks of him.”

“Childe left months ago, the scent should’ve faded by now.”

“The Abyss is like stubborn weed, it won’t leave, no matter how hard you try to rip it from the root.” He crossed his arms.

“Have there been more creatures lately? Which areas are most affected?” Zhongli sat on the floor and laid the map out between them. “Could you mark them?”

“What is this?”

“A Fatui map,” he replied, carefully studying the smudged regions. “Master Diluc from Mondstadt sent it to Childe.”

Xiao sat cross legged in front of him, resting his chin on one hand as he looked at the map.

“You call him Childe often…” he said calmly. “Barbatos insisted I try to understand his situation, but I still don’t. I know the bond is strong, but if that were the case, shouldn’t you have been drawn to him from the start? Like a fish to bait.”

Zhongli let his gaze linger on the office, memorizing every corner as though it could ease the Harbinger’s absence.

“It’s hard to understand, I know, I didn’t either, and part of me still doesn’t. Guizhong used to say that human life is too volatile to waste time overthinking. Humans live in the moment because their lives are fragile, ones that can be taken at any time.” He sighed. “Perhaps it’s part of this vessel’s nature to act, but I didn’t realize it until it was too late, until the Harbinger had already become an important part of my life as a consultant. He kept insisting he was my Childe… I suppose now that I feel his absence, I finally understand what he meant.”

“And what did he mean?”

“I suppose I miss the company of a pair of blue eyes that liked walking beside me along the harbor. Something so simple, so detached from his duties as a Harbinger, or what I once was as Morax.” He brushed his fingers over the map. “I was always a fool, Guizhong repeated it far too often. No one would believe that the all powerful Geo Archon has been reduced to a foolish man.”

Xiao watched him closely, his golden eyes sharp, almost suffocating in their intensity.

“I thought you didn’t love him.” Zhongli didn’t respond. He remained silent. “The longing in your words is far too real to be false.” Xiao crossed his arms and closed his eyes. “Even if I don’t understand it, sir… I think I’m beginning to see why Venti insists I give you my unconditional support.” He opened his eyes, softening his expression. “I used to believe I wasn’t worthy of someone as pure as him. How could a god ever care for someone condemned to suffering?”

“Xiao, you are not condemned to suffering.”

"Mr. Zhongli, let me finish..." He closed his eyes again. "Venti was like a refreshing breeze on a sunny day. He spoke about poetry and freedom as if he were its king, even when he was a prisoner of that same philosophy among his own people." He let out a soft snort that surprised the Consultant, a simple gesture that meant immense freedom for the Conqueror. "I thought I would hurt him, that our connection was a mistake. How could the god of freedom be bound to someone chained by bloodstained hands and war crime?"

Zhongli remembered the argument, the confusion. It had been centuries since Xiao had finally chosen to join Barbatos for good. He remembered seeing him frustrated and puzzled upon hearing about their bond, his constant rejection and self sabotage had often led Barbatos to show up in his place, demanding help with his young Yashka.

"It’s that contract that keeps him from feeling worthy! He thinks he owes you for saving him from that horrible god. Why don’t you tell him that’s not the case anymore? He says it’s impossible for us to be soulmates… that even if we were, it wouldn’t matter, because his life belongs to Liyue and I’m tied to Mondstadt."

"Alatus is free to serve Liyue. But it was that very contract that gave him his freedom."

Barbatos hadn’t backed down.

"He shouldn’t have to carry it forever! Your people are strong now, they can protect themselves. You even have trained exorcists. Why keep binding him to a burden he no longer needs to bear?"

"The contract was carved in stone, Barbatos."

"But he doesn’t believe he’s worthy of me! He thinks that, as a mere servant of another god of another nation, he can’t love the god of wind. Why is it so hard for him to understand? I know what I felt was real. I carry his marks on my chest, the same ones he bears on his back. What more proof does he need?"

"Perhaps what he  really needs is time, enough to understand that his debt doesn’t define him. That serving doesn’t mean denying the soul that calls out to him. Even if that soul is the irreverent god of Mondstadt."  Then he lowered his voice, almost as if speaking to himself.

"I’m not a hero, nor a great god. I was just a spirit of the wind in the right place at the right time... I’m not what he thinks I am. But I know what I feel. And if our bond could ease his burden, even just a little, I would give everything. Everything... just to not see him suffer like that. If only he could accept what we have, his debt might weigh less." He sighed.

"I didn’t understand at first," Xiao said suddenly, breaking the silence as if the words were heavy, though no longer painful. "I thought it was an illusion. That his affection was a dangerous distraction, a trap disguised as wind. That I couldn’t have him… because I didn’t deserve it. That it was Celestia’s way of mocking me."

Xiao wasn’t looking at him.

"I hurt him, and I knew it, even if I refused to admit it back then. Every time I pushed him away, he came back… more persistent than before, with a calmness only the wind could carry." He made a pained expression. "I used to tell him I wasn’t worth it, that he should go back. And he would respond with a song. I carried death, and he spoke to me of freedom. He filled my ears with melodies, trying to make me understand that my life was a sonata to him."

"Of course you don’t get it, rock head. It started as something innocent, a curiosity sparked by the sight of a lonely knight. At first, I wanted to free him from his chains, but that wasn’t enough. I wanted to spend time with him, to ease his pain... and that’s when I realized who he truly was." Barbatos looked down at the cup in his hands with care.

"Alatus is gentle, even with those who won’t leave him alone." He sighed tiredly. "But there are things he has to work through on his own. His debt is more of a personal burden. I’ve tried to help, but he’s the one who must allow himself to be helped."

"That’s exactly why I fell for him beyond being soulmates. His kindness, his gentleness it comes naturally to him. It wasn’t forced, it was a choice. And if that means there’s even a sliver of hope for us because he’s chosen to walk away, it means he does care. He’s too good to stay by my side with the fear that his debt might harm me."

"That’s why you keep trying," Zhongli said, a conclusion that needed no mental acrobatics.

"Alatus is the one thing I want to be selfish about."

"I couldn’t accept that he was meant for me, but I did accept that he loved me, and that I loved him. I longed for his presence, longed to see him even after our fights… when he slept for centuries after granting freedom to his people, I felt lost, as if something was missing in my life. I missed his strange jokes, his boundless kindness, his immense love for his people, the way he looked at the world with those crystal clear eyes." He shrugged. "When I saw him again after so long, I knew I couldn’t lose him, not again. Even if I didn’t understand why we were bonded, I accepted it, just so he wouldn’t leave my side. And when I finally accepted the bond and could feel how deeply he loved me, I realized how cruel I had been to make him wait so long."

A nearly imperceptible smile tugged at his lips, filled with tenderness, a kind of adoration Zhongli had never seen in his eyes before. A glimpse into the pure love Alatus had for his partner.

"Why don’t you say these things to me in person?" Venti’s playful voice made Xiao straighten up. Sitting cross legged on the desk, a bright smile on his face, was Venti.

"It’s rude to appear without warning," Zhongli said, eyes closed with practiced patience. "It seems your many years haven’t taught you manners."

"Years? I’m just a humble bard. Life’s too short to waste it on manners," he replied cheerfully. "Besides, I wanted to know where my dear Xiao was. I just had to listen to the whisper of the wind, and it brought me here." He got up and began walking around them. "I thought you were gossiping about me, but I didn’t know you held me in such affection behind my back."

Zhongli opened his eyes and found Xiao with red ears, looking down.

“How are you feeling? Xiao told me you’ve improved.”

“Better than ever. I can still feel the tingling of the Abyssal power in my limbs, but it’s nothing I haven’t felt before. I can’t believe Childe has carried that feeling for years.”

“You call him Childe too.”

“He’s Zhongli’s partner. Should I call him Herald Tartaglia?”

“I thought you distrusted him, that’s why you followed us in Mondstadt.”

“I didn’t follow you. I just heard the sound of the wind.” He sighed and sat cross legged beside Xiao, leaning on him naturally. “I wasn’t distrustful; I was curious. he had been to Mondstadt before, after all, but never acompannied. I was surprised to see Diluc get along so well with him.” He brought his hands to his chin. “That’s why I wanted to help save him, besides the fact that he’s your partner.”

“Mr. Zhongli, as I was saying…” Xiao regained his composure and looked at Venti. “Before you interrupted us.” He turned his gaze back to him. “Even if I don’t understand the bond, I accept it.” He shrugged.

“If you ever meet again, you might have to face off.” Venti smiled playfully.

“I’d kill the mortal.”

“Not necessarily, I think he’d hold his own quite well.” He smiled.

“You’re defending him?” Xiao turned his head toward him. “Why do you trust him so much?”

“I like him.”

“You like him?” Xiao frowned. “What is it about the Herald that hypnotizes everyone?”

“He’s charismatic.” There was a hidden excitement in the bard’s amused smile. Zhongli watched him closely, making him stop.

“Xiao, he’s messing with you. He just wants to see you annoyed.”

“Jealous, old man? Childe confessed all his sins to me the first time we met. Don’t you think we look good together?” Now Venti was playing with him.

“I have to get back to my post.” Xiao sighed, getting up. “Mr. Zhongli, I’ll patrol for the week. Is it okay if I take the map? I can mark the places with the most activity during this week.” Zhongli nodded in thanks.

“That’s the map Diluc had.” Venti took the paper in his hands. “Activity in Mondstadt hasn’t been affected, so we thought it was just research. The scale seemed artificial. I was going to give it to Albedo to examine it, but Diluc insisted on giving it to Childe. He said they have a Herald who’s more qualified in biological studies, the creator of the delusion would help more than alchemist”

“I received it today, actually”

“and what about Childe?”

“Childe, after we met in Dragonspine, found out I was his ultimate bond. he swear i've been playing with him and lying about us. He decided to cut ties and freeze the bond. Now I have no trace of where he is, and apparently he’s missing.” He confessed, lowering his gaze to the floor again.

“That’s bad.” That was all Venti said. “You say he’s missing? I could search for him through the wind. There’s no place in this world the wind doesn’t trace him, unless it’s somewhere remote and desolate. Where did you say he was sent?”

“He was sent to Inazuma, but his mission was redirected to Fontaine. I don’t fully understand the terms, but somehow he ended up in jail and tried to escape. Since then, there’s been no news about him.”

“I could talk to the Traveler. They’re in Fontaine, according to the last letter sent. Also, I can always check the wind.” He put a hand on Zhongli’s shoulder in consolation. “He can’t be that far. He’s probably training or facing whoever Celestia throws at him.” He tried to make his comforting words help, but Zhongli still didn’t feel at ease.

Childe had made him a promise.

“The mortal must be somewhere. I don’t think he’s the type to accept death without a fight, at least publicly.” Xiao’s words forced him to lift his gaze to those golden eyes.

Xiao tried to comfort him.

“Thank you.” He smiled gently in gratitude. “Once you finish the map, call me and I’ll come to you.” The Conqueror blinked like an owl, surprised by his words. “Thanks for your help, my friend.” A click echoed in the Yasha’s head as he looked at Venti as if the god of wind was confirming that what he’d just heard was real.

“Friends are found in adversity…” Venti smiled smugly and chuckled.

“I’ll be going then.” He bowed, completely detached. “I hope to hear news from the Herald soon.”

“Aren’t you going to say goodbye to me?” Venti gave him a meaningful smile. “I can’t believe you’re mad.”

“I’m not.” Xiao shook his head, sighing. “We’re in front of Consultant Zhongli.”

“When you saved me, weren’t we in front of everyone too?”

“That was different.” He frowned. “You were in danger. Your safety was my priority.”

“I’ll leave first.” Zhongli got up from the floor. “You can take the scale to young Albedo.” He handed the scale to the small man and bowed. “Thank you for your help.” Then he left the office to exit the bank, not without hearing their ongoing banter inside, the game Barbatos enjoyed playing.

He walked back to the funeral parlor and stopped at the threshold.

Suddenly, the funeral parlor felt too big for him.

Such a vast place for a man so alone.

He had his people.

He had freed himself from the burdens of being an Archon.

He had chosen to live among his people.

So why did the harbor feel too much for him?

"Please come back to me alive" He whispered.

Chapter Text

The rebuilt Jade Chamber was, without a doubt, the truest representation of modernity in the ancient times of what would become Liyue. Designed by Ningguang herself for both personal and national benefit, it stood as proof of the immense power she held over the nation.
Humans saw the limits of the sky as nothing more than a challenge to overcome.

Zhongli crossed one leg over the other as he quietly observed the hall’s decorations through the crowd bustling across the platform.

Back when he led Liyue, Mount Tianheng and the Guili Plains were the only places he had used as residence, alongside his adeptal domain. He had never considered owning a mortal style home or even something physical or tangible to human eyes as a display of power. After all, an Archon’s power was measured by their actions and the faith of their people, not by the land they possessed.

He had shared a few physical meeting places with Guizhong, but his true residence had always remained within his adeptal realm.

“Consultant, what a pleasure to have you visiting.” Ningguang’s velvety voice pulled him out of his thoughts. Her scarlet eyes were fixed on him with deliberate attention. “Would you allow me to guide you to my office for our meeting?”

“No problem.” He rose and followed her to the lower floor. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Ganyu talking with one of the attendants, and when their gazes met, Zhongli offered her a sincere smile. She quickly straightened her posture in response.

“You know, Mr. Zhongli,” Ningguang began once they were seated in her office, “a few months ago I had a Harbinger sitting in that very same seat across from me.” A faintly amused smile painted her lips in red. “Funny coincidence that I now receive the man who used to be his companion for so long. But something tells me you’re not here to compensate for the city’s infrastructural damages this time.”

Zhongli allowed himself a quiet sigh.

Wherever he went, Childe seemed to follow him, like a debt he would never finish paying.

“Miss Ningguang, I’ve come today to discuss matters of greater importance.” He steered the conversation back to its purpose. He couldn’t reveal the true reason for his involvement; after all, the case required Fatui cooperation, and the organization’s reputation was currently… fragile. “At present, I’m handling an investigation that requires access to Millelith patrol records.”

“I wasn’t aware that a funeral consultant was also a professional investigator,” she remarked, resting her chin on one hand while her fingers on the other drummed lightly on the desk. “Yelan oversees investigation missions, and she hasn’t mentioned your name lately.”

“One of the adepti contacted me regarding concerns about Abyssal activity within Liyue’s territories.”

“And this adeptus didn’t provide you with a map?” she teased, smiling knowingly. “Why would you need patrol records if you already have an expert who knows both the terrain and the elemental flows?”

“Unfortunately, I am but a man. I cannot demand missions from the adepti, I may only assist them however I can.”

“So, you’re asking for cooperation, then? Why not go directly to the Qixing? If this is a matter of national risk, we should have been informed sooner.” Zhongli smiled faintly. Ningguang truly was a natural born leader.

One of the reasons he had decided it was time to retire was precisely because the new generation of human leaders far surpassed him in navigating the modern world. And Ningguang, qualified as she was, never failed to question every move he made. After all, his position in society was nothing more than that of a funeral consultant under Director Hu Tao. He bore no responsibility for the nation’s safety, unless, of course, it involved a historical investigation.

It was ironic.

He had fought so hard to live as a human, to savor the simplicity of mortal existence in his own nation, only to now find himself constrained by it.

“So, are you going to tell me the truth, Mr. Zhongli, or shall we continue this masquerade until we get bored?” She straightened in her chair, her tone sharp. “I know you’re here on an assignment from the Fatui Harbinger. His sudden disappearance from the harbor without a proper diplomatic farewell made me dig into your circumstances, which led me to discover that you visited the bank a few days ago with a rather peculiar package. Your story about an adeptus friend doesn’t quite convince me.”

“I must admit, Miss Ningguang, you are truly impressive.” He smiled, a hint of pride in his chest. “Worthy of a nation’s leader.” A flicker of amusement danced in her eyes. “I assume you’re aware of our little expedition as the funeral parlor’s representative.”

“You found a Fatui body on the shore and decided to give it a proper burial. You asked the Harbinger for help, and then you came back without him. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t consider the possibility that the body was a pretext to get rid of the Harbinger, but you, Mr. Zhongli, are an honorable man. If you had wanted to do that, you would have done it long ago and not after going on multiple outings with him.”

“The Fatui body bore an Abyssal mark, and the victim’s identity turned out to be the partner of a Fatui agent from Mondstadt. We don’t know how the corpse traveled from the nation of wind, but it’s believed they were part of an investigation involving the Abyss. However, we have no proof. When we gained access to the couple’s residence, we found a map marking certain zones in both Liyue and Mondstadt, along with a few other nations. That is why I request the patrol records.” He ignored her hypothesis and spoke plainly. Ningguang nodded slowly.

“And what role do you play in all this, Mr. Zhongli?” Her question was a deliberate trap. Those scarlet eyes sought the truth behind his calm, measured expression.

“I am concerned for the nation I reside in. As a citizen of Liyue, I worry for my people’s safety.” It was an honest, simple answer, one that would be convincing enough even if she didn’t know who he truly was. The woman studied him in silence, then sighed. Rising from her seat, she moved toward a cabinet filled with folders sorted by date.

“You still haven’t told me what happened to the Harbinger.”

“He was summoned by his Archon.” The straightforward response made her pause briefly. “His duties in the Nation of Geo have come to an end.”

“The Tsaritsa has begun to move more quickly. Doesn’t that worry you, Mr. Zhongli?”

“The affairs of the Nation of Ice are not my concern.”

“Among leaders, there are whispers of war, an imminent one.” Her back was to him now. “A war between gods and humans. Surely, as someone of your… stature, you understand why I’m worried about our endurance.” Her voice carried a rare note of uncertainty. “Victory against Osial was nothing more than a flower blooming in a field of blood. Humanity cannot keep depending on gods for its survival, not when Celestia is the limit.”

“Celestia has always been the limit, Miss Ningguang. Contracts define the boundaries of what cannot be reached.” He shrugged lightly. “The Tsaritsa knows this. Her plan accounts for it. The Harbinger Tartaglia knows it too, that’s why his devotion to her surpasses all else.”

The silence that followed was enough to mark the end of their exchange.

“Would you prefer this year’s records?” she finally asked, her tone unexpectedly casual. “I’ll inform Yelan to accompany you on your mission, Mr. Zhongli. Both of you could benefit from each other’s skills, after all, she’s quite familiar with the Conqueror of Demons.” She handed him a file heavier than anything he’d held in a long time.

“Though I must warn you, Mr. Zhongli, the Millelith patrol records contain observations gathered throughout the entire year up to today.” There was an unmistakable double meaning in her words.

“Observations?” he repeated quietly.

“You’ll understand,” she said with a polite bow. “But Mr. Zhongli, you are aware that everything concerning the harbor and the nation of Liyue falls under the jurisdiction of the Qixing, correct?”
The double meaning in her words was deliberate, an elegant assertion of authority.

No one understood the concept of modernity without gods better than Ningguang herself.

“I understand, Lady Ningguang.” He inclined his head with genuine respect. “Any findings will be reported to the Qixing, and therefore to your TingQuan. I have no intention of overstepping the legal ranks of the nation’s political order. After all, I am merely a consultant.” A glimmer of satisfaction lit up Ningguang’s eyes, pleasure at the recognition, subtle yet unmistakable.

“Always so honorable, consultant.” Her lips curved into a faint line of amusement. “Review the documents. I hope you find what you’re looking for. If you require more information, speak to Keqing, she oversees civil management. She might have additional insight.”

“Thank you, Miss Ningguang.” He rose from his seat, bowing slightly as he gathered the heavy folder in his hands.

“It’s been a pleasure, consultant.” She offered him a courteous smile, then raised a hand before he could leave. “I’ve heard that the Harbinger has gone missing.” Her scarlet eyes fixed on him with a look that pierced through silence, a conviction that reminded him of Guizhong as a leader. “When the time comes, and contracts no longer hold meaning before the eyes of the gods… don’t forget which side you’ve chosen, Mr. Zhongli.”

━━━━━━✧❃✧━━━━━━

To say the folder contained “all kinds of observations” would have been an understatement. Every page, written in refined script and neatly organized in the Liyuan language, documented the Millelith’s daily reports and citizen activities in meticulous detail.

It was divided by section, day, month, hour, and location, including firsthand notes from the soldiers themselves.

Morax had never been one to record the actions of his people. The preservation of culture through time had always been entrusted to humans. Of course, Morax remembered every fragment of Liyue’s history about its creation, its evolution, but he had never been so attentive to the everyday lives of its citizens.

Since becoming Wangsheng Funeral Parlor’s consultant, however, he realized something: he had spent eons watching over his people but not seeing them at all.

Even when Guizhong dedicated her philosophy to understanding humanity as it truly was, by seeing them as not as something to simply protect.

 He had never managed to do the same.

For Zhongli, it had always been harder. He was not born human, nor had he ascended as one. Other gods, like the current Pyro Archon, had once walked as mortals, something he found far more admirable than simply existing in the right place at the right time.

Guizhong would have laughed at him if she could see him now, finally confronting everything she had once tried to teach him. It had taken millennia for him to experience the emotions and reflections she’d begged him to understand.

He had to meet Childe to truly start living.

How ironic.

He himself had called that man a beast, yet that same man had taught him more about humanity than anyone else ever could.

Zhongli was a fool, an ignorant one. He didn’t know everything, and that was painfully clear. The people saw him as wise, perhaps even scholarly, but all that historical knowledge meant nothing compared to the confusion he felt whenever he tried to define what Childe meant to him.

He had wasted so much time trying to connect his past to his future that he had lost his present.

He ran a hand gently over the folder’s cover.

If only he had understood sooner mall those things that had troubled him, the ones he had refused to face.

Would he and Childe have found a way to be together?

Would they have forgiven each other earlier?

Could they have had something?

What was it that he’d lost and could never have?

Lovers? Partners?

What was it that they truly wanted from each other?

What would happen when they met again? Would they return to being friends? 

Acquaintances?

Childe had been clear that their last fight was about settling a score, but for Zhongli, it wasn't

He knew that soulmates weren’t necessarily bound by romance. Yet, it was common for soulmates to develop a romantic connection with those whose bond felt inevitable.

He and Guizhong had been companions, an inseparable pair that didn’t quite fit within human definitions. Too close to be friends, too far to be one. Physical affection had been a natural thing between them, a comfort. Guizhong liked to run her fingers through his hair as easily as she did through the Yakshas’.

Ironically, the way he had discovered Childe was his soulmate had also been through touch. And even more ironic, after spending so long avoiding physical contact, it was now the one thing he longed for most.

He glanced at the folder once more and decided to finally read it through.

Report 003

Location: Main Plaza, Harbor
Observation: Dispute between two merchants over Noctilucous Jade pricing. Resolved without intervention. 

The city begins the year in relative peace.

Report 009

Location: Yuehai Pavilion Entrance
Observation: Mr. Baishi tripped over his own documents and fell down the stairs. No major injuries. Event caused quiet laughter among bystanders. Recommend railing inspection and stair safety review.

Report 015

Location: Liyue Library
Observation: Two young men, apparently from the Exorcist family and the Feiyun Commerce Guild, argued passionately over whether Rex Lapis wore shoes during the Archon War. They were asked to leave quietly. Case closed. 

Further research suggested to clarify misunderstanding.

Report 018

Location: Guili Plains
Observation: Abyssal activity detected among groups of five. Area cleared without incident.

Report 020

Location: Wangshu Inn
Observation: Minor altercation between travelers over the last shrimp dumpling. Mr. Verr Goldet diffused situation by offering extra rations. 

Special commendation recommended.

Report 022

Location: Outer Harbor
Observation: Arrival of a foreign individual later identified as “The Harbinger,” codename: Tartaglia. Several citizens expressed initial concern due to his attire and armed appearance, but no disturbances occurred. Discreet surveillance maintained during indentity control.

Brief interaction recorded with Miss Ganyu at immigration.

Report 027

Location: Liyue Harbor
Observation: First recorded appearance this year of the 11th Fatui Harbinger, Tartaglia. Arrived alone. Later seen at Heyu Tea House terrace accompanied by Mr. Zhongli. Conversation was lengthy. No interference.

Report 033

Location: Liyue Teahouse
Observation: Citizens reported seeing Harbinger Tartaglia and Mr. Zhongli sharing a table for at least three hours. Waiter described their conversation as “amusing and strange.” Reason unknown. Light surveillance approved.

Report 035

Location: Provisional Mining Tunnel
Observation: Abyss Heralds detected in an underground cave within The Chasm. Area successfully cleared with the aid of an Adeptus and several Vision bearers.

Report 039

Location: Night Market
Observation: Tartaglia purchased local sweets and offered one to Mr. Zhongli, who declined with a smile. No incidents.

Report 040

Location: Upper Terraces
Observation: The Harbinger and the Consultant were elegantly dressed during the Lantern Rite. Surveillance maintained.

Report 044

Location: Cuijue Cliff
Observation: Both individuals were seen in the area. They weren’t arguing or speaking. Just… standing still, watching the horizon. Meditation? Ritual? None of the guards dared to ask. Strange atmosphere. Record left open.

Report 051

Location: Public Library
Observation: Mr. Zhongli requested old texts on ancient writings and relics of Rex Lapis. Tartaglia waited outside, arms crossed, humming a tune in a foreign language.
A student said: “I can’t tell if they’re lovers, enemies, or two pieces of a very strange puzzle.”
Statement archived.

Report 059

Location: South Watchtower
Observation: Tartaglia requested permission to spar with a recruit using a spear. Mr. Zhongli observed without intervening. The Harbinger did not use his Vision.
Afterwards, both left without a word.
Further training with authorized guards is encouraged.

Report 082

Location: Liyue Harbor
Observation: Citizens report that the Harbinger and the consultant spoke quietly near Mingxing Jewelry. Neither raised their voice. It didn’t seem like a fight, more like… something personal.
Mr. Zhongli left alone. Tartaglia remained, staring at the sea.
Kiriko continues to receive letters from the Harbinger, postmarked from a village in Snezhnaya.

Report 090

Location: Central Plaza, Harbor
Observation: Fatui Harbinger Tartaglia was seen trying to teach a group of children how to use makeshift spears made from brooms. One of the children called him “Master Tontaglia” and refused to give the broom back.
Mr. Zhongli appeared, smiling softly as he watched. Tartaglia exclaimed, “I’m educating the next generation!”
The session was interrupted when an elderly woman hit him with a fan for teaching her grandson to fight.

No injuries. Mild humiliation.

Report 092

Location: Harbor Plaza
Observation: An elderly citizen reported that a young man of athletic build took her freshly bought boar meat, shouting: “Official endurance training, ma’am!”
The subject was later identified as an apprentice from the Wanmin Restaurant.
The incident was resolved peacefully, although the meat was recovered partially eaten.

Recommendation: reinforce behavioral guidelines for trainees.

Report 094

Location: Artisan’s Street
Observation: Two local merchants requested Millelith presence after witnessing a young exorcist (Hu Tao) selling portable coffins, shouting: “Limited, time offer for the cautious living!”
Though no illegal activity was found, it is advised to review the regulations on unauthorized commercial practices.

Report 095

Location: Mt. Tianheng, Eastern Path
Observation: A patrol reported sighting the Harbinger and Mr. Zhongli sharing tea by the cliff’s edge, in complete silence for at least 45 minutes. Both later returned to the harbor.

No suspicious activity detected.

Report 096

Location: Wangshu Inn
Observation: Both individuals rented a room. According to Verr Goldet, they first requested one bed, then changed to two, then back to one.

In the end, Tartaglia slept in the hallway hammock, claiming “someone snores like fractured geo.”

Zhongli gave no comment the following morning.

Report 098

Location: Heyu Tea House Terrace
Observation: Heated argument between the two regarding which tea paired best with lotus cakes. Voices were raised. A waiter recorded the following quote:
“They argue like an old married couple but speak like philosophers.” Mr. Zhongli left the terrace without leaving payment on the table. Tartaglia grabbed the bill and shouted: “you can’t make me pay after insulting me!”

No incidents. High aesthetic tension.

Report 099

Location: Flower Market
Observation: Citizens report seeing the Harbinger accompanying Mr. Zhongli, former consultant of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, while choosing Glaze Lilies.
When asked, Mr. Zhongli replied only: “A tradition written by an ancient god.”
The Harbinger seemed confused while trying to tell apart fresh from dried flowers, causing discreet laughter among vendors.

Report 100

Location: Ministry of Internal Affairs
Observation: Access to ancient maritime maps from the Archon era. Accompanied by Tartaglia. They did not exchange words. One browsed documents while the other watched uneasily.
The Harbinger appeared concerned. 

The guard on duty noted a distant atmosphere.

Report 101

Location: Ministry of Commerce
Observation: Lady Ningguang was personally seen inspecting the contracts for the new jade distribution channel. 

She commented before witnesses: “The gods will not descend to protect our trade routes.”

A 6.7% increase in export tariffs was approved. The Minister of the Navy applauded; Ganyu sighed. Authoritative but popular tone. Consolidation of power.

Report 103

Observation: Arrival of a traveler accompanied by his emergency food. Merchants estimate he comes from Mondstadt.
No incidents. Red category.

Report 104

Location: Yujing Terrace
Observation: The body of Rex Lapis falls from the sky during the initiation ritual led by Lady Ningguang.
Search for the culprit begins.
Critical incident.

Report 105

Location: Yujing Terrace
Observation: The Harbinger is cleared of charges regarding alleged involvement in Rex Lapis’s death. The true culprit remains unknown. Full surveillance continues across the harbor on a national level.

Report 106

Location: Heyu Tea House Terrace
Observation: Mr. Zhongli was seen in the company of Hu Tao and the Fatui Harbinger Tartaglia. They spoke for hours. The owner of the establishment reported: “They looked like they were at a funeral. Except the redhead, he laughed like he knew something the others didn’t.”

Possible meeting in preparation for a diplomatic event.

Report 106 Noon

Location: The Harbor
Observation: The Traveler, the Harbinger, and the Consultant decided to visit the Wanmin Restaurant.

No incidents.

Report 107

Location: The Harbor
Observation: Evacuation extended across the harbor due to the threat. The bank secretary insisted on remaining in the building, claiming she was fine.

The whereabouts of the Harbinger and the funeral consultant remain unknown.

Report 108

Location: Guyun Coast
Observation: During a night patrol, sentries heard a heated argument coming from the Northland Bank. Though the details were drowned out by the sea, the voices were identified as belonging to the Harbinger and Mr. Zhongli.

The Harbinger left the area shortly after and was not seen in the city again in the following days.

Report 109

Location: Jade Chamber, surrounding airspace
Observation: Strong elemental activity detected nearby. Lady Ningguang issued no statement, though adepti and civil personnel were seen moving quickly. The Harbinger was confirmed near Guyun’s coast without the consultant’s company. Witnesses reported visible tension between the two, but no concrete incidents.

Report 110

Location: Harbor
Observation: Several merchants report the Harbinger’s prolonged absence.
Mr. Zhongli has been seen alone on multiple occasions, sparking rumors among dock workers.
Miss Hu Tao has also increased her activity, though the reason remains unknown.

Report 111

Location: Outskirts of the City
Observation: High Abyssal activity detected in the area. Elemental distortions recorded in the air. Guards, assisted by Adeptus Xiao, resolved the issue.
Two casualties reported. 

Families and the funeral parlor have been notified.

Report 112

Location: Liyue Harbor
Observation: Guards report the lifeless body of a Fatui agent at the base of the western dock. No identification, no visible signs of struggle.
Mr. Zhongli was requested by protocol for funeral handling.
Hu Tao arrived first.

Report 114

Location: Northland Bank, Liyue
Observation: Tartaglia attended a meeting with Lady Ningguang without prior appointment.
Arrangements were made for indemnification regarding damages caused during the “dead god” incident.

Contract to be rectified at the bank.

Report 115

Location: Northern Liyue Path
Observation: Confirmed departure of three known figures: Mr. Zhongli, Harbinger Tartaglia, and Miss Hu Tao. They carried enough provisions for several days and did not disclose the destination of their journey.

Surveillance request suspended by internal Ministry order.

Report 116

Location: Northern Exit – Caravan to Mondstadt
Observation: Tartaglia, Zhongli, and Hu Tao departed for Mondstadt on a special mission. Personally authorized by Lady Ningguang.

No further details recorded.

Report 120

Location: Main Gate, Liyue
Observation: Return registered of Mr. Zhongli accompanied only by Miss Hu Tao.
No statements given regarding the Harbinger’s whereabouts.
Atmosphere between them described as “tense and silent.”

Discreet surveillance to be maintained for 48 hours.

Report 132

Location: Main Harbor
Observation: A new Snezhnayan diplomat has arrived to oversee the Northland Bank. When questioned about the Harbinger’s location, Miss Ekaterina responded that “all internal management matters will be recorded in a detailed report later this month.”

Report 134

Location: Guili Valley
Observation:Abysmal activity during night patrols has increased. Reinforcements have been requested. Lady Yelan insists on opening an official investigation due to the growing strength of the creatures. She claims to be certain that what happened in The Chasm and the second fall of Osial signifies an imbalance in the ley lines of the area. Authorization requested from Lady Keqing.

Report 137

Location: The Chasm
Observation:Abysmal activity detected in increasing amounts. Adepti have been alerted. Patrols remain near the perimeter. Entry to the mines is prohibited. Assistance from the Traveler requested.

Report 138

Location: The Harbor
Observation:The Traveler returns accompanied by Yelan, Yanfei, and a foreigner from Inazuma. The Adeptus returns to the inn for rest.

Report 139

Location: Dunyu Ruins
Observation:Night attacks have increased. Adeptus Xiao has been informed for support.

Report 140

Location: Wuwang Hill
Observation:High paranormal activity reported. The young exorcist Chongyun and Miss Hu Tao have been dispatched to proceed with eradication. Reports note that the bodies of fallen soldiers have been relocated to inaccurate sites. Some bodies are missing. Soldiers claim it’s a strange phenomenon that has occurred over the past few months.

Report 160

Location: Jade Chamber
Observation:Lady Yelan insists on investigating the Qionji region, stating a possible connection between the rising activity and Fatui agents from Mondstadt. The Snezhnayan diplomatic agent refuses to respond regarding the Fatui leader’s direction in Mondstadt. A meeting with Harbinger Tartaglia is requested but denied by the Tsaritsa’s palace. Ningguang foresees a political conflict.

Report 180

Location: Jade Chamber
Observation:Ningguang is notified by the Tsaritsa’s palace of the disappearance of Harbinger Tartaglia. Solidarity and discretion between nations are requested. Ningguang orders patrols along Mondstadt’s border. No Fatui presence from Mondstadt has been detected.

End of records.

Ley lines? Fatui personnel? Increasing Abyssal and paranormal activity? Body transfers?

Zhongli tightened the folder in his hands. It wasn’t a coincidence, these were all connected points. The Chasm, Osial’s fall, the Harbinger’s disappearance in Fontaine… There had to be a way to make sense of it all.

Why hadn’t he paid more attention? He had felt the change in the rock, in the earth. He thought the increase in karmic traces of the gods was simply a ticking time bomb that had finally gone off after millennia but he was wrong.

The karmic traces had been awakened by an imbalance in the land itself in the ley lines.

But why? Why now and not before? He knew Celestia had been dormant for five hundred years, yet he could still feel its pulse, even without the Gnosis that once bound him to it.

He drummed his fingers against the report’s cover.
Could it be that the Abyss Order was interfering with the ley lines?
Could the marked locations be roots of the destabilization?

Too many questions, and not a single answer.

He placed the report on his desk and rubbed his chin.

“I also visited the place where they were buried, but something felt off. You said you found Lyudmila’s body and that they were buried together? Because the site was too flat. I tried to find the bodies, but they were gone.
Are you sure that’s the spot where you buried them?
If so, then someone took the bodies.”

Could it be that the Mondstadtian Fatui, Lyudmila and Mikhail, were involved? Zhongli had checked their vital signs himself. The man had been cryogenized as a corpse. 

How could a frozen body return to life?

He had heard tales of the dead reborn among lost souls, but such resurrection required an enormous amount of energy. Most couldn’t endure the cost of existing, remaining among the living only for a brief time.

Azhdaha was a clear example of that his corruption and his elemental separation, and the will to say goodbye one last time had bound him to Teyvat even beyond death’s veil.

But humans? He doubted they could do the same. Most barely had enough energy to linger as spirits that only exorcists or Hu Tao could release. Even then, such entities required a medium to escape the astral plane.

If the corpses were moving or reviving,  then something or someone was acting as their medium.
Or perhaps, somewhere,  a place powerful enough to sustain that energy.

“Are you implying that YOUR Yaksha didn’t do his job?” he asked mockingly, dematerializing his spear.

“Those are not my words,” Zhongli replied, straightening his posture, but before he could continue, movement around them set off his senses, forcing him to conjure a jade shield.

No, they were definitely using Liyue as their medium.

That was the only explanation for the surge of activity across his nation.

If corpses were using the land itself to gather energy to walk among the living, it meant they were disturbing the karmic and elemental remnants where fallen gods once lay the densest sources of energy in Teyvat.

Which meant somewhere, a fracture existed, one that was feeding them with strength.

But where?

The question echoed in his mind, until a memory resurfaced: a conversation with a Fatui envoy.

“Master Childe received a letter before setting out with you on the expedition. Her Majesty instructed him to tie up any loose ends in Liyue. But the letter was a forgery, though it bore her signature, her paper, and her handwriting. Very few people know that format. The Tsaritsa only uses it to communicate with those she deems essential.”

What was causing this fracture and why had “they” wanted Childe and the others to see the body?

“You should have stayed dead when you fell that day.” A macabre smile twisted his lips as he raised his hand, touching the one gripping the spear. “Tell me, child, do you think luck will chase you forever? Those who belong to the realm of the dead must eventually return.”

Childe had died when he fell into the Abyss. 

Was that what was calling them now?

“A Seelie guided me here.”

“A Seelie?”

“It appeared when I managed to connect myself to your soul.”

“So, my soul’s form is a Seelie?”

“When you said I was some kind of Abyssal beast, you weren’t entirely wrong.” Childe closed his eyes and crossed his arms, leaning back against the table. “The Abyss isn’t meant for humans. It corrupts you from the inside, steals your soul, and devours it without mercy. When I fell, a part of my humanity vanished the moment I had to start surviving down there. My master taught me a battle technique that allowed that lost part of my humanity to take form.” He paused for a moment. “However, this technique was something inherent to Abyssal creatures. It was meant to devour, to feed on the energy around it, which made it incredibly unstable. Its Abyssal power could command every existing element.”

“Like multiple Visions?”

“Exactly. But that meant the stronger it became, the more it consumed. My human body rejected it instinctively, like an infection spreading through my veins. There were days I couldn’t even return to my true form until my master taught me how to control it. Yet the madness, the rage, and that insatiable hunger to fight, to devour... stayed with me over time.”

Was Childe the fissure? 

Now that he had vanished… had they decided to start moving? How? And where to?