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Geo: The Price of A Contract (2)

P.S. I now have a discord server! Discord .gg/ceBMM2Zz6c


Zhongli felt glad that he had been at work for a few hours. The Funeral Parlor was the best place to seek some peace as Liyue tried to reorganize itself.

It was the purest form of hysteria that claimed the harbor. The Liyue Qixing has enacted lockdown policies to keep the citizens inside their homes for a day or so to prevent major accidents, but the efforts were troubled from the very beginning. The implementation was sluggish due to the limited Millelith's presence, with a large group having been sent out of Liyue to intercept some 'potential suspects'.

That last bit had worried Zhongli a fair bit, but he had some 'friendly eyes' on the situation and he could tell Kratos had taken a most difficult road to shrug off his chasers. He wasn't as sure for the Traveler and her companion, but he knew that Childe had not lied to them in regard of seeking the Adepti for help.

While it is true that Zhongli had felt the mortals needed to be more active in their own policy-making, that didn't mean excluding the Adepti from the process. Mortals and the divine - they were all children of Liyue.

Of course, the path up ahead was far from easy or simple to understand.

The Qixing had been a robust organization to govern the harbor, but it definitely had neglected some contigency plans in regard to panic-related issues. Zhongli was also reminded that 'collateral' damage did exist in the form of those of the elderly folks dying at the thought that the 'Favor of Rex Lapis' had vanished from Liyue.

It was a grim reality that left him with a stone-like expression as he tended to the sudden rush of clients at the Parlor. Even Hu Tao's usually jubilant mood at having a sudden rise in orders for coffins and rites was dampened by the overall thought that the Geo Archon had 'died'.

Speaking of the Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, he couldn't help but nod in approval at her overall attitude. Hu Tao was keeping up a cheerful mood, but just like anyone else she was also keen to show some displeasure at the situation.

Which is why Zhongli was doing his best to keep up with his job's requests. And he was doing well enough to cheer the director some more in getting the the rest of the work done right.

There were so many that were dying due to those accidents, and Zhongli felt genuinely pained by what was happening. It was a price to pay, yes, and one he was paying with minimal regret. Not because he didn't care of those lives that were lost, but because he knew that things could have gone worse if he allowed himself to retain his roles even as he approached his own proper death.

Erosion was the main concern in the long run, the possibility his body and spirit would collapse and vanish entirely. What would happen then? How would Liyue have handled that sort of situation. Even then, the Fatui plan worked fashionably well with what he sought for the harbor.

A challenge that was going to forge a new status quo for the harbor. One without Rex Lapis and one without a deity that has unfinished businesses with him in particular.

His shift finished by the evening. Even though Zhongli had planned to stay and do some overtime work, Hu Tao had 'strictly ordered' him to get a proper break. It was amusing how caring the girl can be despite being quite the cheapskate when the situation demanded it.

Still, Zhongli marched out of the parlor with a somewhat satisfied mood. Most of the rough job had been done, and it was now a matter of dealing with the last batches of paperwork for Hu Tao.

It was a pleasant evening too... so, it was a shame that someone saw to have his free time used for some unwarranted conversation.

"So, you truly adapted to the harbor."

He paused, then turned with a flat look at the source of that intrigued and yet disgusted voice. La Signora was not the Harbinger assigned to Liyue, but the Tsaritsa had wanted for her to take care of the negotiations for the Gnosis. It was a shame that he had to compromise with such an individual, but he knew better than to just rule her out due to her smug and abrasive personality.

Despite what one may assume at first glance, there was barely a semblance of control within the woman's mind and soul.

"As I recall mentioning last time we spoke," Zhongli replied. "Is there something you seek from me?"

"The answer to a question," The woman replied earnestly, but he could tell this was not something he was going to like.

"Is it pertinent to our agreement?"

"No, but-"

"I have no reason to grant you any favor, Fatui Harbinger," The man interjected coolly. "I remind you that we already concluded all the needed transactions for the deal. I seek not to do more beyond what stipulated in our contract."

...

"Where is he?"

"Who?" Zhongli asked back, but feigning confusion only roused the heat all around them. And the few passerbies that felt the temperature change paused in confusion.

"You know who I am referring to. And I know you are aware of where he currently is."

"Perhaps. But I am afraid the grounds you seek to enter do not grant you permission to look for him."

"But he will be back, will he?" La Signora interjected, causing him to pause over her vicious smile. "After all, the truth lies with the Harbor."

His silence told the woman all she needed, and she walked away from the conversation. There was no formality within such a rude departure, but Zhongli was not in the mood to spoil more of his free evening. At this time, he sought to get some tea and listen to a storyteller.

He was, after all, an 'old' man with simple desires in his long life.


AN

Small interlude to bring up something I always wondered: I mean, we are talking about a 'god dying', I don't think Liyue was just that chill and I bet some people had heartattacks at the thought that their God died just like that.

Hu Tao is this mixed girl in regard to more commissions, knowing that this is good for her coffers, but bad for the overall mood in town. It just doesn't feel like a 'balanced' development.

Still, La Signora is around and... hunting down Kratos! Things will sure get interesting once the Archon Quest starts to get wrapped up in that regard.

Next time... Dad and Daughter reunites with Girl and Brat (also Bird appears, I guess). One thing I wish to say about the first contact with Cloud Retainer is... Kratos has some PTSD with divine women that can turn into birds and are quite the clever people.