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The following is a fan-based

FICTION

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Geo: The Price of A Contract (4)

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

"This one couldn't believe that you, of all people, would take part to this plot to deceive me!"

Zhongli sighed as he sipped from his cup of tea. Admittedly, this headache had been warranted - which is why he wasn't exactly moving to 'defend' himself.

What was to defend from? A genuine favor from someone that could possibly destroy him and other Archons?

That being said, what really sold him the idea was a matter of principle: one that Kratos had been quite blunt and honest about.

It was needed, and Xianyun's subjectivity influenced her attitude on the topic.

The bespectacled Adeptus was leveling him one of the fiercest glares yes, unlike the one Morax got from failing to protect Guizhong, but this one was far more brutal.

After all, it made sense that a mother was upset over her own daughter's decisions as an adult.

To say that Adepti were wise would be a honest mistake. They were smart and experienced, but wisdom implied starting from a point where they truly had nothing - to start from 'knowing nothing' to 'knowing something' and then to 'know even more'.

The conception of the Adepti was straightforwardish and it allowed for these enlightened beings to excel in their chores.

Xianyun was a mighty inventor, but her research for emotional crutches had led her to 'adopt'.

Ganyu came out right, but that was because she was much of a 'blank slate' with barely any imprint from her parents, both dying when she was young.

Shenhe was a different entity altogether. She was born to humans, she loved her family, and she was betrayed by said family.

While the Red String and the tough-love attitude of Cloud Retainer had shaped her into a fine lady and warrior, that didn't mean her growth as a living being was truly going into a good path.

Humans were odd. They had a wider range of emotions that many would define as 'unbecoming' for Adepti, but between the high and lows, the good and the bad, the humans were indeed the most amusing in Liyue.

Hence why many deities truly loved humans and tried their hardest to appease them all.

In this case, however, Xianyun's wrath was reasonable. He had managed to contact her for a private meeting, but as they spoke, it became clear the reason behind this 'important encounter' was less about them and more about her attitude.

"She needs to have a human connection."

"You lack the awareness of this one's student's needs. And let's not miss on the fact you deserted your duties in Liyue's moment of need!"

To that Zhongli bowed his head, ashamed but unwilling to budge. It was needed, and while he was particularly displeased with Kratos' indirect involvement, he knew that Shenhe was to 'blame'.

Truth be told, Shenhe's stunt had given Zhongli an answer he had been skipping upon as of late out of fear of facing worse than Erosion: was the Heavenly Principles, and its Sustainer, still moving the strings?

Despite a mortal felling a God (albeit a weakened one), there had been no sign from Celestia. No sign of divine intervention and... this was good. Well, for now it was good.

"I take the burden for this, as it was a most cruel but necessary decision, Cloud Retainer. However, this doesn't mean that your awareness of your student's needs makes you immune to the hurt she suffers in isolation."

"She was fine-"

"Was she?"

The subtle interjection stunned Xianyun for a moment. The little hill they picked for this business was indeed most quiet and most serene - a fitting place for such a turbulent skirmish of words and emotions.

"...You know nothing."

"I know that Kratos has raised a fair argument. To deny Shenhe the chance to speak with him- for them to talk and understand what is really their current situation with their bond, they can never go forward and can only fall backward."

Xianyun sighed, looking away as her eyes showed the full extent of her anger... and sorrow.

Would tears be involved? Zhongli couldn't help but wonder that, knowing how Xianyun was still an emotional Adeptus despite her tough shell.

She had a need for social interactions, and she could feel that in Shenhe. And she didn't want to see her student hurt because of it.

Losing Guizhong cut deep into Zhongli, but it was bad for the others. Streetward Rambler and Cloud Retainer being the worst, but where the former surrendered her nature to a more humane environment and erosion, Xianyun decided to become harsher towards herself and bow her head more to the less mortal aspect of her existence.

The end result between the two Adepti's lives was telling: 'Madame Ping' had two students, but neither had any problems in picking their own path - Xianyun instead tried to make an Adeptus out of a mortal.

A valiant effort, but one that failed to accept that the hurt Shenhe felt in being betrayed by her family was not the same as losing her closest friend.

"She needs this," Zhongli reaffirmed, and he saw the Adeptus stare at him with a mixture of dismay and disgust. "It is time for her to spread her wings and-"

"Fly," She finished, her voice solemn and defeated. "This one still doesn't like Kratos. What if he ends up unwittingly making her more like his older self."

That was indeed a good concern but-

"I doubt it. When we loathe our past, we take steps to prevent from happening to others. Like you tried to do with Shenhe."

The two spoke more and more, but the clash soon shattered in the bittersweet memories of the Guili Assembly. The old memories, always lost to the mind until those were looked upon by the lens of sadness, were now giving them the fondest of meetings.

Despite the similar and yet different encounter, it was fair to assume one thing as Xianyun left in her avian form.

Beyond her anger and contempt lied a very mortal and very humane being that was afraid of letting go - even if this was meant to do more good than harm.

AN

Would have written something else, but I am currently in the process of moving out. I think I will get two hours of PC (still at the old house) a day. Considering the pains of moving to a different place and dealing with a building company that is self-destructing between those that want to finish the job right and those trying to delay and milk more money from my parents... yeah, it sucks balls.