Story#3: To be Worthy
Prologue: Jealousy is like spice of life; it can be good or bad depend on how much you put them in …
Note: There will be 3 parts on this one…I decide to split this into 3 for easier read. Enjoy the stories everyone :D
Part#1: Unknown Feeling
Liyue Harbor… 6 months after the Rite of Parting
The route to Inazuma still hasn't opened yet. Aether still have to wait for at least 4 months more as at that time, the Crux's fleet will return to the Harbor to take him there … But he doesn't mind about it because he also wants to spend these times with his friend … his girlfriend.
Another event is coming soon: The Rex's Lapis Memorial Day… (A/N: yes, I made up this event xD) and in order to do so, the city held a lot of activities about him, from writing contest, making a clay figure, or may be just some mini game … The market is also very crowded today as the land of Liyue and Geo Archon are the symbol of trading after all.
The event is for the civilian to enjoy but is also a busy day for the Qixing …
Only a few more days till the festival started.
Keqing's Office
"I wonder how's everyone doing right now? Time is running out…" The purple hair girl keeps pacing back and forth, biting her nail.
"Don't worry about it … Keqing. Everything will be fine, we have done about best now … everyone is really working hard for it" Ningguang said, looking at Keqing … she has spent so much effort on it.
"This is the first time we held this event and I don't want any flaws on it. If anything bad happen the people will lose hope on us." Keqing said
"Why don't you go to the city and take a look around to see how's everyone doing? If we sitting in here, we can't plan anything" Ningguang then continued "Also you've been in the office for quite long since this now, you're going to need some air…"
After this new event has been suggested by Keqing, all the Qixing and the people in Liyue are really exciting about this idea and they put high hope on it. Although Rex Lapis is no longer with Liyue anymore but his legacy, his idea still remains strong in stone. Keqing at first, she really didn't like the way Rex Lapis was doing in the city because she thinks the people will become depend on the Archon too much. But after the Rite of Parting, she had a new different look on Rex Lapis and now she's trying to to become good like him or may be even better than him.
That's why she spending so many times in her office to design this event and almost forget what's really happening outside right now and more importantly …
"Besides, you haven't that golden hair boy for a while now right … or should I say your … boyfriend?" Ninggunang teased her, grinning.
That sudden line came from Ningguang made Keqing frozen in place, confused about what to say next. Her face's getting flushed …
"Ho… Ho… how did you know that…?" Keqing stuttered.
"It wasn't too hard to spot you and him in the Lantern Festival … and your obvious face right now" Ningguang chuckled. "But anyway, you should take him go too. Go out there and show him how much effort you put on it, he inspired you a lot about this event right?"
Keqing then nodded: "Yeah, you're right … I can't do this without him. I should invite him for a stroll around"
Adventure's Guild Liyue's Branch…
"Thanks, you for your help today, Traveler! Here is your reward." Katheryne said as she gave the reward to Aether
"It seems like that was the final request now! Everything is ready for the festival!" Paimon excited.
"Yeah, we can finally have a rest now. After all, these hard works seem to be paid off well" Aether said.
He's really enjoy helping other people and also, they need all the money he can get in order for his next journey too. Beside there is another reason…
He wants to help her also… building a new and prosperous Liyue … together.
"It seems like we haven't seen Keqing for a while, I wonder how's she doing right now?" Paimon asked "Should we pay her a visit?"
"I don't think that's a good idea, Keqing is like a hard-working person…if we come now, we might bother her…" Aether said, scratching his neck…
"Come on…you are her boyfriend, what's wrong with that…" Paimon urged.
"I just don't know… Paimon"
"Ugh...You're so stubborn sometime…come on let's go" Paimon kept tugging his shirt but then she saw someone look so familiar.
Seem like Paimon doesn't need to do that anymore…
"Hey, miss Keqing, we are over here!" Paimon shouted, waving.
Keqing hear Paimon's shouting then saw Paimon and Aether are at the Adventure's Guild. After a few minutes she finally met both of them.
"Hey, Paimon and Aether … long time now see you both" Keqing greet them.
"Hey Keqing…How's you doing?" Aether said, scratching his head agagin.
"I'm…fine… what about you?" Keqing shyly said, her face blushed.
"I've just finished all the commission for today, it was the last one for the festival, everything seems ready for now."
"That's good… thanks you for your help, Aether…" Keqing then continued. "Mine is almost done now…although…".
Aether saw her worried face then asked her: "What's wrong, Keqing?".
"Im just afraid I haven't done good enough yet"
"Don't worry, you've done your best now…" Aether tried to cheer her up, then continued "When I was doing the commission, the people in here had very excited for it, they'd enjoy working too"
"That's why today I'm going to take a look today and see how's the result of my work… and I want you to go with me too". Keqing then took his hand "Besides, this is your work also… you've worked so hard for me…".
After that … both of them started to have a walk around the city.
The morning in the city is so peaceful and calm, there are so many activities around and people are having fun with this event. The market is very crowed today with so many trading ships coming in then out in the Habor, the economy is blooming day by day. In short, Liyue is becoming better than ever.
The pair went to the Chihu rock and saw a lot of stuff, of course there is a lot of sourvenirs about Rex Lapis, Keqing eyes sparkled and looking all of it in every store, shops and probably buy any of it if possible.
"Are you sure about this…you've bought a lot of this recently" Aether asked as he have to carry all the bag with a lot of stuff for her.
"But it looks so beautiful, I want to buy it… they're just to keep me on the straight and narrow…" Keqing stuttered, her face blushed.
"If you say so…"
The pair then stopped at the book shop…
"I want to buy this…and this…and this too…" Keqing pointed all the book and of course they are all books about Rex Lapis.
"How do you manage to read all of these…" Aether asked her again as he carried another bag with a lot of books.
"I need to know more about him so I can work more on Liuye so of course I need to buy a lot of it" Keqing said to him…excited.
"Is she a book worm…?" Paimon asked Aether.
"I have no idea…"
When they have bought enough, they went back to her office to put all the bag there.
But then after that.
He got some feeling that made him feel so uncomfortable…and it growing overtime…but he still doesn't know what it is…
Yujing Terrace…Ritual's Square
This is the place where all the of the Rite of Descendant and the Rite of Parting is held therefor it's indeed a good place to make a speech about the Memorial's event.
Aether and Keqing are going to take a look around to see and everything is ready for the event… Both of them are very hype and excited for it.
"This is the place where the speech will be held… and I will be the person will do the finale speech…" Keqing said.
"Oh…yeah…that will be an honor then" Aether said to her but his thought is currently in another place…trying to find out what made him feel so discomfort right now.
"At first, I had so many things to disagree to him, I thought he just feels the need to come down here and poke his nose into everything that's going on for some reason…I was too narrow-minded. But after I took his role, I am now finding out more about him, I had a new-found respect for Rex Lapis and all his hard work over the last millennium… I find myself thinking: What would Rex Lapis do? Maybe he really IS an expert in everything, and I've got more left to learn than I realized..."
Those words from her keep striking him even worse…
It would be normal if he didn't get this unknown feeling. After that, he started to asked himself…
Rex Lapis this…Rex Lapis that…
Why she's talking so much about Rex Lapis?...
Of course, he is the idea for her… so she needs to know much more about him, right?
But she doesn't know much as him…He knows more than her.
Because he knows Rex Lapis…is Zhongli…
A true gentleman, elegant, very knowledgeable, polite, and he had managed the whole country for thousands of years…
Compare to him, although he also an being also lived long like Zhongli but he can't do like him, he just the traveler has gone world after world and nothing more... Even worse, he's now powerless and can't even find his sibling.
Aether started to feel unease about it…he worries if he can be worthied to her. But she's keep talking about Rex Lapis…
What should he do now?...
…
Keqing saw Aether somehow just frozen in place…emotionless, she placed her hand on his shoulder to check him up: "Hey… Aether are you ok? You sick?"
Got startled from her call, he shot up: "I'm…fine…"
"Are you sure… you suddenly look not so good?" She asked again, worries stared to show up on her face.
"I'M FINE!" His shouted made Keqing scared.
Some people are curious about what happened and started to gather around.
"Sorry…" Aether weakly said then ran away…
"Wait, Aether! Where are you going?" Keqing tried to called and went after him but he was gone.
1 hour later...
Ningguang's office
Keqing and Ningguang are in there to find out why did Aether suddenly left without any reason… after Keqing told Ningguang about what was happened… Ningguang then facepalmed, shaking her head about what Keqing did.
"Ugh…even you have dated with him for a few months now but you still acting like this…" Ningguang said with disappointment…
"But why would he do that?" Keqing asked, still clueless about what Ningguang said.
"All you talking about it's just work…and not to mention about you're talking like comparing Rex Lapis to him…" Ningguang then continued "Although he might be a bit overthinking person sometimes but I think the reason here because he likes you a lot and he's afraid if he worthies enough…"
"That's nonsense! He is totally worthy!" Keqing shouted as she admits about it.
"But that's not what he thought…Probably he's never had this feeling before…I hope he didn't go anywhere far after this" Ningguang said, worried.
Keqing then started to feel anxious about this since he suddenly left without saying anything but she still hopes he will just run back to his house to calm himself down then he will be back to normal soon. Also, Paimon is with him so she will be a big help to cheer him up.
"So, we just have to wait to him to come back?" Keqing asked, unsure about this…
"That's what we can do…saying anything to him right now is just pointless…let's just wait and hope…" Ningguang said
"Thanks, Ningguang"
"Well, we should check everything one more time then, the event will start in 3 days…But if you want…you can take a rest…"
Keqing nodded as she left the room.
Part#1 End
Up next: Part#2: To be worthy