When he re-awoke it was to some frantic crew members talking in hushed voices as he lay on a bed, the boat rocking gently. He groaned as the light hit his eyes and the fatui soldiers eyes snapped to him,
"Lord Harbinger!"
"Lord Tartaglia you're awake!"
"We're saved!" He raised an eyebrow and the leader of the crew stepped forward,
"Lord Harbinger. We have just pulled into the docks. We were discussing what to do shall you remain unconscious. Though that is now irrelevant. Please, some guards are waiting for us to disembark." He nodded and moved from the bed soundlessly. Exiting the cabin and making his way into the city of Liyue was.. something else. He'd never been in the harbour. Not before this body nor in it.
He recognised the god of contracts and archon of geo the moment that he stepped into the same room. Childe tensed.
"Greeting, diplomat Childe. I will be your consultant for your time here in Liyue."
...
Really? This... Was not what he was anticipating. He plastered a pleasant smile on his face and greeted the man back.
"Lovely to meet you...?"
"Zhongli."
"Zhongli. It's a pleasure."
It took a while of getting used to being in the geo archons presence again. After all, as Osial he'd been sealed under Guyun stone forest for many millennia. Even now so small of a fraction of his power was available to him that Morax hadn't detected him. Over time he developed a plan. La Signora was clearly in Liyue, shown by all her cicin mages and other troops stationed about. She was terrible at covering her tracks, most certainly not as sneaky as she thought she was. Maybe if she had tried such actions when Tartaglia was younger, in another nation, it would have worked. In Liyue? Never. As Childe, in Liyue? He remembered his past as Osial. He regained his experience and power, even if most of his power remained sealed at the moment.
She had been trying to lead him towards several sealed gods. All of which Childe would not be freeing. From his time as Osial he knew those gods and knew that those gods were gods that would be too much for what he was meant to be doing. He did not wish to destroy the harbour. If only for selfish want to explore the nation himself. He also did not harbour particularly strong hate towards the archon of this land. Despite the god having sealed him. He understood after all. If with slight bitterness. Morax had never been a bad person. Well.. On purpose. Sure, when the geo archon was younger he was rude and blunt and mostly uncaring for mortals. But once the god had learnt about them he had become kind. Had done his best to understand them, even if he hadn't really succeeded.
He had loved the god of stone, in his younger years. He may be an ancient god by definition while Morax is not, but in all truth, for immortal ages? Osial wasn't much older then Morax by any accounts.
He's getting side tracked. With barely half a thought he brought his twin hydro blades down to end the final treasure hoarder of this encampment. Looking to the sky he could gauge it was about time for him to head back and have lunch and consultations about Liyues history with Rex- Zhongli. Not that he really needed to be taught all that much of it, he knew of most of the harbours culture, it took after the Guili Assembly more than he'd thought it would've. Regardless, it was nice to fill the gaps and voids in his knowledge, as well as pieces of information he hadn't realised had such depth. Such as the history of silk flowers and bamboo and the silks they produce and the ways they're different.
He was making his way back to the harbour, thinking about how to break the seal over his leaking, half-dead body.