Episode 18: By Seeking The Truth


Opening Theme: Breaking Benjamin - Angels Fall (Aurora Version)


Just after sundown, two figures parted at the front door of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. After repeatedly offering his thanks, Diluc bowed deeply to the young girl named Hu Tao, and she sheepishly grinned in return. That was how that fateful night came to an end.

On a bench nearby, a blue-haired man sat patiently, watching that exchange. After the young girl finally disappeared inside the orange glow of Wangsheng, Diluc joined Kaeya on the bench.

"How'd it go?" Kaeya asked tentatively in a low voice.

"She passed on to the other side," Diluc said, sighing deeply. "I couldn't have asked for anything more."

But contrary to his words, Diluc's face showed a myriad of emotions in that moment.

"I see. Glad to hear that."

"Yeah. Thanks for coming, even though it seems you weren't needed after all."

"I'll make you repay all this wasted time somehow, don't worry."

Diluc chuckled. He didn't feel irritated at that flashy man beside him, and it was sort of unnerving to him. He looked up at the sky, leaning back on the bench.

I hope you found your parents.

As Diluc's mind drifted away to fanciful dreams of the afterlife, he heard a voice that was becoming quite familiar coming from the Parlor.

"Greetings, stranger. Or should I say, Diluc."

"Ah, Zhongli. Good evening."

"I heard most everything from the director. It seems your mission was a resounding success. Allow me to offer my gratitude for your assistance. I know it wasn't easy."

"Ha, thanks, but it was mostly to satisfy my own selfish wishes. I can't take too much credit for that."

"Regardless of your intent, the outcome was the same. Lady Keqing is now safely in the hereafter, and any danger of curses is long gone. It seems this tragic tale has reached a conclusion at last."

"Yeah…" Diluc trailed off, feeling sentimental.

After over six months, the pain of losing her had started to grow duller than before. One day, it might have disappeared completely, if not for today. Right now, he keenly felt the afterglow of their final moments together. The feeling of her lips on his, so warm and tender, was something he promised himself he would never forget. That miraculous feeling would certainly last forever, until the day the world itself ceased to exist.

"Diluc, if I may, there's some things I'd like to discuss with you." Zhongli said.

"Oh? What's wrong?" Diluc asked, pulling himself out of his reverie.

"Nothing is wrong, per se, but I believe you deserve to know about certain things I've discovered recently… Especially now."

Zhongli's sharp face was drawn tight.

"Ah, I see. I have no reason to say no. I owe you a lot, after all."

Just then, Kaeya stood up and turned his back to the two men, stretching.

"Leaving already?" Diluc asked.

"Yeah, this sounds too deep for me. Plus, I'm feeling rather thirsty. A really strong drink sounds great right about now."

Diluc smirked and shook his head.

"Got it. I'll be back at the inn later."

"Roger that."

And with those words, Kaeya walked away, never looking back. He offered a lazy wave of the hand as he strutted towards Main Street. The two men watched him leave, then resumed their conversation.

"Now, let me get right to the point, as always," Zhongli spoke up, taking a seat next to Diluc on the dimly-lit bench.

Diluc leaned forward, wondering what this mysterious man would have to say.

"Young man, I've been watching the events of late, and it seems that someone has been pulling the strings behind all this. Perhaps you arrived at a similar conclusion? Or am I overstepping?"

Diluc took in the meaning of his words, recalling the events that led him here to this point.

"I sort of get what you're saying, but the trail ended after I faced Tartaglia."

"Ah yes, Tartaglia. The Eleventh Harbinger. That man and I go back a ways. Unfortunately, it seems that his loyalty to the Tsaritsa pushed him to do something unthinkable."

"You knew that guy?" Diluc asked, surprise written on his face.

"Yes. We had a sort of agreement for a while, but since "that" happened, Snezhnaya has been unwelcome here, to say the least."

"Yeah, understandable," Diluc said.

Diluc couldn't help but recall his bloody rampage on that awful day after Keqing left this world behind. Those feelings of hatred and rage felt strangely foreign now. Suddenly, a thought hit him.

"Wait, you knew it was him?"

"Not at the time. But since, I was able to ascertain that fact."

"I see…"

"But no matter, that isn't what I wanted to discuss. Perhaps you remember when I pointed you towards that mysterious blond man?"

"Yeah, what was up with that?"

"I've had my eye on him for a while now. It seemed that he was affiliated with the Fatui at first, but if anything, he is more of a lone figure doing as he pleases. However, one particular night I spotted him together with Tartaglia, or "Childe" as he was known here."

"What? Wait, that would make a lot of sense actually," Diluc said with a finger on his chin.

"It would seem so. That Harbinger probably has answers to a lot of your questions. It is your prerogative to ask him or not."

"You know where he is?!"

"Indeed I do. But that will come in time, I have more to discuss with you before then."

"Ah, alright."

Diluc couldn't hide the disappointment on his face, and Zhongli smiled, then continued.

"My friend, I have come to believe that something is amiss in this world. Perhaps you have felt it too? That overwhelming sense of déjà vu, or the prickling feeling that you already knew the answer you were seeking…"

Diluc had felt that, of course. It didn't even really come as a surprise for Zhongli to mention it, for some reason. But it was something he had wanted to overlook. That creeping feeling of wrongness had been growing for a while, peaking when he found that box in Keqing's office. Despite his best efforts to forget that little detail, it had found its way back to him again. What was the meaning of this?

"I hate to admit it, but you're right. I have."

Zhongli smiled again reluctantly, before continuing.

"What would you say if I told you that all the tips I gave you were a result of that déjà vu?"

"What does that mean…?"

"Something has been telling me that the blond man is at the center of all this. I don't fully understand it myself, but that "intuition" hasn't been wrong yet."

"I don't get it, though. Why are we both having thoughts like that? Why now? What's going on?"

Diluc recalled that moment when Dainsleif said that cryptic phrase, and cold chills assaulted his body.

'The secret of this world.'

The clues were in front of them, but there simply wasn't enough information to piece it together. Too many pieces of the puzzle were missing, or didn't fit correctly. However, Diluc had a very strong feeling that one thing was true:

Dainsleif knew the answer.

"I can't answer any of those questions, unfortunately. However, I can tell you where Childe is hiding. And perhaps he will know where that mysterious man is. That is the best I can do for now."

"That's more than enough. I owe you plenty as it is."

"Don't concern yourself with that. But I must say, be careful. I have a gut feeling that all of this is leading up to something, though I don't know what. If only that Traveler was here, maybe he would know something."

"That guy has been gone for years, though. But yeah, I'll be careful."

"Right, then. The Eleventh Harbinger is hiding in a small house outside of town, near the border of Sumeru. If you take the road past the Golden House, then take a left once you pass the small village, you can't miss it. It is a well-known Fatui safehouse, since it is technically not within the jurisdiction of Liyue. My sources tell me he won't be there much longer, so make hay while the day persists, young man."

What is this guy, my grandpa?

"Understood. Zhongli, thank you for everything."

Under the glow of the starry night sky, Diluc extended a hand to the man whose advice had played such a significant part in his time in Liyue. Zhongli looked a bit taken aback, but quickly grasped Diluc's hand in his, giving it a firm shake.

"It was my pleasure. I wish you well."

Diluc nodded, then gazed up again at the millions of stars twinkling overhead, so far beyond the city where they stood. For some reason, a question rang out in his mind as clear as a bell, and he spoke it aloud to the man standing beside him.

"Hey, you think I'll be able to meet her again one day?"

Zhongli was silent for a few seconds, as if pondering deeply upon his next words.

"I wish I could offer words of reassurance, but I simply don't know. Every culture has its own beliefs about the afterlife, and perhaps all of them are wrong."

The enigmatic man joined Diluc in staring at the sky, and continued on.

"I can't give you any facts, just a supposition… but I truly believe that one day, you will meet her again. Somewhere, beyond the stars above… away from the reach of even the Heavenly Principles… I'm certain such a place exists. And if it does, she will certainly be waiting for you there."

Diluc felt his eyes burning as they threatened to tear up. He gave a firm nod, which Zhongli returned, gripping Diluc's shoulder for a moment before turning to leave.

The man strolled back to Wangsheng, pushing the door open, and just like that, he was gone.


Diluc had promised Kaeya that he would meet him back at the inn that night, but that promise was on thin ice already. Now that he knew where to find answers, he couldn't bring himself to delay any longer. He had to do this tonight.

He practically ran down the path leading from Main Street out of the city, passing under the rocky overhangs, and past the small, nearly abandoned village on the other side of the cliffs. Once the path led down to a grassy bottom, it leveled out, leading towards the border with the neighboring country of Sumeru.

Once he got that far, it wasn't long until he saw it. A small, inconspicuous-looking house near a river that ran through the verdant valley. And tonight, fate must have been feeling friendly.

Outside the house, on a bench, sat two contrasting figures: a brown-haired, tall man and a young boy. There was no mistaking it, it was them.

Awful memories threatened to boil over inside Diluc's chest. He could still taste the bitterness of letting that man go, that horrible, empty feeling of failure that wouldn't leave him alone for weeks afterward. It threatened to return, but he shook his head, hoping to dispel those thoughts, and rushed towards the house with doubled speed.

As he got even closer, he could see that the two figures were looking up at the sky. Childe was leaned back, his arm around the back of the bench where Teucer sat. Suddenly, alerted to the sound of boots on dirt, Childe jerked his head around towards Diluc with eyes wide.

Diluc was already close enough to attack, and that possibility lingered in his mind for much longer than he cared to admit. However, the desire for revenge passed as quickly as it had appeared.

He simply couldn't stain this day with blood.

Childe spoke up hastily, trying to get ahead of the situation.

"Ah, my old friend! What an unexpected visit! What brings you here?" he said cheerily, but his face was drawn tight.

"Big bro, is that your sparring partner?"

"Yep, that's him. Though it's a little late for sparring right now…"

Childe looked at Diluc, assessing him closely. He was now within ten feet of the two. His jaw was clenched, and his fists as well. The red-haired man was looked down at the ground, not speaking. A strange posture for an attacker.

"We won't be sparring tonight, kid. I just need to have a little talk with your big bro."

Diluc addressed Teucer, to Childe's surprise. He stared at Diluc even harder, trying to figure out his intent. Finally, that brown-haired man spoke again.

"You heard him, Teucer. Time to go inside now, we can watch the stars more another time."

"Okay, big bro. I'll be waiting, alright?"

"Alright. Now go inside and play for a while, I'll be in to put you to bed later."

The kid nodded, then ran inside. Something about that scene pricked Diluc's heart in a way he didn't like. Sympathizing with the enemy was a good way to get killed, after all. Despite that, Diluc spoke up first.

"I'm not here to kill you."

"Oh? Having second thoughts?"

"Don't make me take that back," he shot back, his brows furrowed deeply.

"Sorry, sorry. Though I am curious, if not that, why are you here after all this time? And how did you know where to find me?"

"The details aren't really important. I'm here to find out about that blond man, Dainsleif."

"Dain- who?"

"Blond guy, tall, black clothes, weird black mask. Ring any bells?"

"Ah, you mean Dmitry? He's a messenger from the capitol. Fairly new face, but he's a courier of the Tsaritsa."

"Wait… …what?"

It was Diluc's turn to be confused. This wasn't what he had expected to hear at all.

"What about him? I can't just be sharing any secret you know, even if I'm still at a disadvantage here."

"That man… are you sure he's from Snezhnaya?"

"I don't know him personally, really. But he's definitely the Tsaritsa's courier. The letters he brought had her signature and seal. That's impossible to forge, trust me."

"But that man told me where you were… hell, if it wasn't for him, I'd have never found any clues in the first place. Your pal is a traitor."

"Wha-? What the hell?"

In the stillness of night, as the crickets chirped away in the tall grass, two men stared at each other in confusion. Neither knew whether to trust the other, and communication was breaking down already. The ends of this frayed rope simply didn't connect properly. Diluc continued on, though.

"I have no reason to lie about this. That man had me hounding your footsteps every time I met him. He even knew what time you would be returning to the hotel that day."

"No, that's… that's fucking impossible! I didn't tell anyone about that!"

Diluc stared at the man intently. He seemed sincere, and quite disturbed.

"Seems like I wasn't the only one he fooled."

"But… No. No fucking way. That would mean that killing her…"

Diluc bristled at those words. He hadn't forgotten for one second what this man did, and it was burning him up inside.

"It might not have even been the Tsaritsa's order…?" Childe concluded his thought, shocking Diluc again.

Childe's face twisted into an ugly grimace. The innocent mask he often wore fell away, revealing something that was probably closer to his real self. He turned to Diluc, glaring.

"You better not be fucking with me," he growled.

"You really think I'd come all the way here just to bullshit you? I'd be more likely to just go ahead and kill you."

"…Fuck this shit. If this is true, I'll kill that lying bastard myself."

Tartaglia's eyes were vacant, void of emotion. At that moment, he looked like a practiced killer - a murderer. Diluc looked on, slightly disturbed by his sudden transformation. But he couldn't stop now.

"Not yet. That man knows something we don't. I have to find him. If he dies, the truth dies with him."

Diluc masterfully turned the situation to his advantage, trying to find common ground with the murderous man. It made him sick, but he had to do everything he could. He was too close to the truth to back down, no matter what it took.

"Good luck. I haven't seen him in months. As a matter of fact, he hasn't delivered another letter since the one with the orders to kill that girl."

Diluc ground his teeth, but continued.

"No clues? Not even a guess?"

"No. I would have said he's back in Snezhnaya, but that smells like shit now."

Dainsleif, you fucking bastard. Why did you have her killed?

Diluc grew angrier by the second. His blind faith in that enigmatic man had come to this: a vicious spit in the face. If Childe wasn't lying, then this whole thing was a sham. His true enemy had led him around like a dog, even letting him play a part in the death of his beloved soul mate.

"I can't let this stand," Diluc muttered darkly.

"Never thought I'd agree with you," Childe growled in reply.

"You stay out of this. You can have him when I'm done with him."

"Leave plenty for me, then. I'm pissed enough to blow this whole fucking country sky high right now."

For a while, the two men were silent, processing their interweaving stories into one coherent narrative. Diluc was the one to pick the conversation up again.

"Listen. I haven't forgiven you for killing her. I probably never will. But tonight, I got to spend a little more time with her before she left this place behind for good."

Childe raised an eyebrow in surprise, looking at Diluc in confusion as he continued.

"I'm in a pretty good mood now, so I'll say this: I'm not looking for revenge. I'm here for the truth. It looks like neither of us knew a damn thing before tonight, either. That Dainsleif has been fucking with us the whole time."

"Yeah, no shit! You think I would have had Lady Keqing of the Qixing killed if I knew the Tsaritsa didn't even send the orders?!"

"No fuckin' clue. But since your nose is so far up The Tsaritsa's ass that you can't see anything else, I'd tend to believe you."

"What's your point, asshole?"

The two men argued like drunken sailors at a bar, getting more crass by the second.

"My point is, killing you would accomplish nothing. I'll let fate see to you, while I figure out what the hell is going on in this world."

"You sound like a delusional light novel character right now."

"So be it. That guy led me this far, and I'm gonna see it through to the end."

"Sigh… you do as you wish. I don't see how that has anything to do with me."

"It has plenty to do with you. In fact, thanks, Tartaglia. You made me realize what I should be doing from here on."

"Really? That's great," Childe said, as if he wasn't concerned in the slightest.

Diluc stared up at that starry sky again, this time with a whole new outlook on life. A purpose had once again fallen into his lap. Where would this path lead? Right now, only fate herself knew.

He turned to leave without another word to the brown-haired man. However, that man still had more to say. While Diluc had been staring at the stars, Childe's face had taken on a serious expression. He finally spoke, dropping an anvil on Diluc.

"I still regret having her killed… to this day."

"…What?"

Diluc felt his chest burning as he muttered in disbelief.

"I'll never be able to make up for what I did. Some day, I'll pay for it, and all the others too. Hell sounds like a good home for someone like me. I'm sure I'll fit in just fine there. But that girl… she didn't deserve that."

"…I don't want to hear any more."

Diluc somehow kept his emotions from boiling over, and the brown-haired man made a sour face.

"Suit yourself. I'm going inside now."

Diluc didn't respond. His back was turned to the man, and his fists unclenched as Childe slipped into the safehouse. His heart was a bit conflicted, but that was all. That was the extent of it. He couldn't bother with things like empathizing with the enemy right now. There was work to do.

The twinkling stars above watched as the red-haired man trudged back to the city. He felt strangely refreshed in the cool night air, despite what had just happened. No, maybe because of what had just happened. The burden of revenge no longer crushed him under its weight.

He felt free.

From here on, the fire of resentment would no longer fuel him. It couldn't. There's no way she would want that now. In the deepest part of his heart, he knew that without a doubt. Because every time he wondered what to do next, that image of countless butterflies disappearing into the night sky filled his mind. That beautiful memory left no room for anything else.

That night, he made an oath, not of revenge, nor hatred, but love.

"I'll figure this out, Keqing. And one day, when this is all over, I'll be there, by your side."

"I promise."


Ending Theme: FELT - Bouquet


Arc 2: END


Next:

Episode 19: Thread of Fate