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[ Of Justice and Contracts ]

A little tired, I suppose, now that I've taken on Lady Furina's responsibilities in addition to my own.

[ He does not say it, but he feels whole after a lifetime of aching for a fundamental part of his being that the Usurpers had taken from him. No combination of words in any human language could accurately convey that sense of being complete once more. Yet that feeling is tinged with something melancholy; Focalors had died for this and he will always carry the burden of knowing that his power was not returned to him without sacrifice. ]

It's going to take some time to get fully accustomed to governing the nation by myself. But that aside, I'm faring as well as can be despite being busier than ever before.

[ A selfish part of him wants her to take up the mantle once more because he already misses governing the nation together with her as they had done for over centuries; despite their differences, they were like the ebb and flow of an oceanic tide and working together simply felt right. But he ignores that ugly little voice in the back of his mind because he would never voice that thought out loud when he knows how much Furina hated her role. She deserves to simply rest for as long as she wants to and then live out the rest of her mortal life pursuing the things that had been denied her for centuries.

He only wishes for her remaining years to bring her joy and fulfillment.

Adjusting his hold on the vishap, he strokes a hand over its back as he looks Zhongli in the eye, as though waiting for him to ask something. Like why the Seven are now the Six; surely he must've felt something when the divine throne shattered? ]

[ From one workaholic to another, Zhongli can see how much pride Neuvillette takes in his work. How he sees the added responsibilities as a privilege instead of a burden.

It warms his heart even as he is already thinking about conspiring with Sedene to send dinners and specialty waters to the Chief Justice on the days where he works well into the rising of the moon. Just as how he remembers his own adepti's fussing and squawking. How Guizhong had stolen all of his scrolls one evening under Streetward Rambler's excellent ploy of distraction. That's how it had started in the old days, before everything had started to fray at the edges. Those long-ago more innocent days where guiding one's people had been the sole focus of many of the original archons.

Fontaine is rather lucky, Zhongli thinks. To have someone like Monsieur Neuvillette to help get it back on its feet. The smile is fond (and perhaps a bit nostalgic) as he raises his own head to meet the other man's gaze. ]

One of my domains is history.

[ For while Zhongli had stepped down as an Archon and attempts to live a normal life, there are some parts of a divine being that simply will not change. Even moreso for a stubborn rock who does not know how.

And one of those things is his attachment to his domains, many as they had come to be during his life. Unlike contracts and gold, history was something that Zhongli had grown into. A desire that burned within him as another beloved comrade fell, their stories kept only so long as they lived in people's memories. ]

I'd like to keep the story of what happened here if it is one that you wish to be preserved in this world.

[ For a quiet moment, only the breeze and the rustling of leaves in the trees can be heard. Gold and contracts, and history... so far, the only person he's told about Focalors is Furina—and all she had to say that she was tired and wanted to rest, looking neither saddened nor comforted—but he had a feeling that the former Geo Archon would sooner or later seek him out for answers. Now that time has come and he will give him those answers. The general public will probably never hear the full story of the god who deceived the Heavenly Principles, but he will share it with someone who can preserve it for centuries and millennia to come. Her deeds deserve to at least live on in the hearts of her fellow gods. ]

It is. I will tell you everything.

[ His gaze flickers briefly to the statue of Focalors in the distance, then returns to settle on Zhongli once more. He takes a deep breath to sort out his thoughts a little and settle on an appropriate place to start. He breathes out, and begins to speak. ]

When that bright light enveloped the courtroom, I was brought to a plane of consciousness created by the true Hydro Archon, Focalors—she had been within the Oratrice all this time, having set up the past five hundred years to unfold in a manner that would fulfill the prophecy via technicalities while still saving her people.

Edited 2024-01-25 06:35 (UTC)

The true Hydro Archon...

[ Zhongli had been present at the trial (anyone who was nearby had crowded in to attend). He had been seated near the back as he had not directly been involved in the Traveler's and everyone's plot to put Furina on trial. So he like everyone else had been shocked by the twists and turns of the trial, sympathetic to Lady Furina's distress even if he understood what the others were trying to do.

That whole event must have been terribly troubling to all of them.

Everything after had happened so fast that Zhongli had just accepted his gaps in understanding as just that — gaps. But hearing that there was a being living within the Oratrice itself all this time. Ah, that put both trials— Tartaglia's and the small private trial the two of them had prepared later into a much different light.

What a clever and determined person, to plan a counter-strategy that would stretch over centuries. ]

It seems that you experienced much that day. Please.

[ He bows his head. ]

Continue.

[ Neuvillette nods, shifting slightly to settle into a more comfortable position on the grass as another vishap moves to lay across his outstretched legs, tail lazily moving back and forth as it looks at Zhongli with half-closed eyes. Needing only a few seconds to think about how he wants to word what to say next, the Iudex continues: ]

Originally one of Egeria's Oceanid familiars given human form, the Hydro Archon split herself in twain. All of her divinity was transferred to the Oratrice to exist separately as Focalors, leaving behind the mortal vessel called Furina.

Furina was one of the two individuals needed for Focalors' plan to succeed; tasked with the role of pretending to be an Archon, she maintained her masquerade for five centuries to delay the final stage of the prophecy for as long as possible and keep the Heavenly Principles from taking notice of what Focalors was doing behind the scenes. Had she faltered or slipped up even once, all of her work would have been for nothing.

[ The way Neuvillette speaks is measured and even, yet a hint of melancholy catches in his words. Five centuries may not be a lot to someone like him, whose lifespan is naturally infinite, but it's far beyond what the mind of a normal human can handle. Yet Furina bravely carried on with that torturous burden placed upon her shoulders.... he can only respect her tenacity and mental strength. This is another reason he is now relaying this tale to the Lord of Geo. Just as Focalors' deeds deserve to live on in memory, so does the frail mortal with the willpower of a god who saw her duty through to its conclusion. ]

As for the second individual... that would be me. Before I continue, I have a question for you: have you worked out what I am yet?

[ The Traveler had figured out his identity as a Sovereign, it would not surprise him in the slightest if Zhongli has as well; someone claiming history as his domain should be well aware of Teyvat's ancient past before the gods walked the earth, and Neuvillette has heard the tales of Rex Lapis and Azhdaha. He must've noticed the similarities between the Iudex and his Geo counterpart. ]

An Oceanid...

[ Rex Lapis remembers clearly how fond Egeria was of her Oceanid familiars. Her family just as much as the Adepti were his. It really shouldn't come as a surprise that she would entrust her divinity to one of them with the prophecy looming like a dark shadow over all Fontaine.

But the other Oceanids— had they known as well? Had they known that one their own had taken up the mantle. Surely, Focalors and Egeria must must have been close if this task was passed on to her. But still they fled from Fontaine, self-exiled to any number of places in Teyvat. It was, after all, Rex Lapis's fondness for Egeria that silently accepted Rhodeia's presence in Liyue in spite of the rare occasions she would lash out. As long as she brought no real harm to Qingce Village. Every being deserved a home, especially if they could no longer find one within the lands they were born. ]

I had no idea, but that only proves how clever and determined they both were in carrying out their duties.

[ What a frighteningly lonely experience for the both of them.

Zhongli pauses at Neuvillette's next question, fingertips steepled in thought. Rex Lapis was always a calculating figure, never giving voice to his assumptions unless he was sure of the truth of his words. But he had his hunches, his theories.

And since Monsieur Neuvillette was asking for his opinion ever so blatantly: ]

You remind me of a dear friend. A gentle and devoted soul who was one with the earth and mountains, but wanted something more.

His name is Azhdaha.

[ Present tense. Because even though he is gone in all ways physical and practical, Azhdaha's parting words still ring through his mind, clear and calling like a bell. That the two of them might meet again should fate allow. Such fanciful whims did not suit an archon, but they did for one that had since retired.

But, more true to his nature, Zhongli moves one chess piece across the board, both baiting the other player to see their reaction while keeping the majority of his cards close to his chest. One did not rule a nation for almost 4,000 years by being reckless after all, and such habits change ever so slowly. ]

Perhaps you know of him.

[ Ah. So Morax is taking a more indirect approach, rather than outright asking him... the use of present tense doesn't go unnoticed, either. Curious, given how all variations of the tale ends. ]

I do. [ Neuvillette nods. ] I've heard the tales of how you carved his body out of a rock you found. Of course, we both know that part is patently false.

[ Many legends and folk stories passed down orally are like that. Half-truths, details omitted because they're irrelevant or forgotten, reality embellished over the generations to the point where it sometimes morphs into complete fiction; perhaps the bards and storytellers narrating this tale wanted to make it more interesting to the audience, or perhaps they wanted attribute more great deeds to their revered Lord of Geo. ]

He was formed from the shifting of tectonic plates below the Primordial Sea; at most, you gave him a pair of eyes.

[ He recalls a memory from a very distant past, when a great earthquake had struck these ancient waters all of Teyvat's native life originates from. The earth shook so violently mountains rose from the sea and in the aftermath, the first geo vishaps emerged from cracks in the ocean floor. One of them had been larger than the others and would eventually become a true dragon capable of molding the earth to his will. ]

[ So it seems that his hunch is not far off the mark. Such a realization (as well as how rigidly Neuvillette consumes stories — of course, they were exaggerations and embellishments. History was only as objective as those who recorded and distributed it) brings clarity to their previous conversations. It also sheds light on Neuvillette's sometimes terse behavior with him.

Ah, so it wasn't because he was a foreigner and Fontaine did not like foreigners meddling in their affairs. It was for a different and much more intrusive "meddling."

But as with such things, this revelation gives birth to a whole host of new questions. How much of his previous life did Neuvillette remember, if any? ]

You are correct, of course. Azhdaha was a fully formed and sentient being when I met him. And I can hardly proclaim to be the protagonist when it was he who called out me, despite how the stories portray it. Hmmm. [ He places a hand upon his chin, thoughtful for a moment. ] I like to believe such retellings are more romanticizing the act of bringing him to the surface and introducing him to a whole new world above ground than just providing literal eyes.

[ Even though he did give his dear friend a set of eyes, it was not just that for which he was grateful. Never before and never since had Zhongli enjoyed a companionship with such ease. After all, who might understand the earth but another stone themselves.

And to that same point, who might truly understand a Sovereign but another Sovereign. ]

You knowledge is ancient, well before even the time of the Archons. That narrows down who you are to only a handful of possibilities. But I will speak it aloud all the same if you wish me to.

[ Neuvillette mirrors the gesture, bringing his own hand to his chin as he contemplates Zhongli's words, a thoughtful look crossing his features—romanticism wasn't an angle he had considered, but it could very well be part of it. The poets and the bards will romanticize everything from heartbreaking relationships to the ugliness of war in the stories they pass on, and the common folk will project their fancies.

He lowers his hand once more to continue stroking he vishap in his arms with delicate movements as to not rouse it from its nap. It stretches in its sleep, one languid paw coming to rest on the Iudex's chest. ]

I wish to hear it from you, Monsieur.

[ He did ask if he had worked out his identity, after all, and he supposes that there's a part of him that simply doesn't want to feed him the right answer even if it's obvious that the other man has arrived at the correct conclusion.

Meanwhile, the vishap closest to Zhongli has woken up and is now sniffing at his shoes, looking at them as though they might be a pair of chew toys. ]

[ Zhongli does not dissuade the Vishap at his shoes, merely offers a hand for him to inspect like one might approach a curious puppy. He sparks the tiniest bit of geo energy through his fingertips just to let the creature know just exactly what he was. Not a brethren, but a dragon all the same.

Zhongli lifts his head to look at Neuvillette directly.

Ah. He supposes this time, he could go the more direct route. Fontaine, and most importantly their Chief Justice and their retired Archons, were owed that much. ]

Those from Enkanomiya prophesized that the Hydro Sovereign would be reborn again in mortal form. And as we both know from this ordeal, prophecies tend to have a least a hint of truth to them though interpretations may vary wildly.

I have also noticed the peculiar weather here in Fontaine, where it seems the sky does not command the rain. There's a children's rhyme associated with such a phenomenon that I'm sure you're aware of. And the rumors that say you, Monsieur Neuvillette, were invited to Fontaine from— well, now I suppose I do not know if it was from Lady Focalors or Lady Furina. But that does not matter so much I think.

With such determination to right the sins of their predecessors, who else would they call upon but the reincarnation of the Hydro Sovereign? The Hydro dragon himself.

[ The ends of Neuvillette's antennae twitch faintly when a prophecy from Enkanomiya is mentioned, a crease forming between his brows; this is complete news to him and he comes close to interrupting the other man immediately to demand answers, but in the end he says nothing as he waits for Zhongli to finish. He gives a nod of his head once he's done talking.

Meanwhile, the Vishap gives Zhongli's hand a curious sniff, the spark of Geo making it tilt it head to the side in puzzlement as it works out what the human-shaped person is conveying. ]

You are correct. Five hundred years ago, I was living out in the wilderness in Inazuma when a letter found its way to me. Within was an invitation penned by Focalors, who claimed "I shall leave you a seat with the best view in the greatest theater."

At that time, I had little interest in the human world I had been born into and subsequently left at a young age. I nearly discarded the letter, but ultimately curiosity compelled me to find out why the Hydro Archon would want a Sovereign in her audience.

[ And with some encouragement from the youkai he spent his time with, the Hydro Sovereign had set his sights on Fontaine, traversing the seas before journeying across the mountainous terrain of Liyue. All he had on him at the time were ill-fitting clothes (stolen from a bandit camp in Inazuma) and the letter as he set foot on the coastal elevator that would take him up to the nation of Hydro proper. He would later find that the view was indeed great as he watched all manners of performances, unaware of the true purpose of his position and that the seat mentioned in the letter was something far more than a chair in an opera house. ]

Who told you about this prophecy? I have never heard of it before.

I heard of it many centuries ago passing through Inazuma. The story of how memories of an Enkanomiyan god that was felled their seeped into the leylines, bringing such a prophecy to light.

[ Or more precisely how the Electro Archon had warned Rex Lapis in particular, being the eldest of the Seven once they had attempted to treat the poor man who was the recipient of such terrible memories. A burden that no mortal mind was meant to bear as the unfortunate soul went mad quickly after. It was then the Geo Archon's duties to pass it to the rest of the Archons, especially Egeria so that she might be prepare in whatever means she saw fit.

The claim, of course, could never be verified. Nor did another person ever happen to stumble on those particular memories of Orabashi, which was for the best in the long run. Whether that was by Ei and Makoto's hand or something else, that sort of forbidden knowledge did not need to be let loose into the world for a myriad of reasons.

However, now, in this private meeting to record the true history, it seemed only fair that Neuvillette know all that Zhongli could provide. With one of the Archon seats destroyed, it was most likely only a matter of time before Celestia fixed their gaze back upon the land of Teyvat with more scrunity.

Best to equip those who would change the course of history with as much information as possible. For Zhongli knows deep in his bones that this is just the beginning of the tipping point for whatever lies before. ]

That you were reborn there should then come as no surprise. Nor that you would find your way here eventually.

Fate or the powers that be do enjoy dabbling in irony.

That god would be Orobashi, the patron deity of Watatsumi Island. Long ago, it brought the Enkanomiyans to the surface and created the island so they would have a home. At some point after that, it attempted to conquer a nearby island for its resources and was slain by the Narukami; its lingering power then became a curse that blighted the land.

[ Tongue pressed behind his teeth and a crease forming between his brows, Neuvillette looks a little troubled by the information he is receiving. Part of him is telling him that he shouldn't so readily believe what Zhongli is saying—there's no way to confirm the veracity of this alleged prophecy, after all. But the former Geo Archon doesn't seem the type to willingly pass along misinformation and must consider his source trustworthy... he's briefly reminded of an encounter he had a few decades before the Cataclysm struck. An Oceanid by the name of Idiya had found her way into his nest. She had simply asked if he was a dragon and departed almost immediately after he nodded. He didn't think much about it at the time, but now he wonders if Egeria had sent out her familiars to search the world for the Hydro Dragon. This would explain how Focalors knew where to send the letter.

He also wonders why this prophecy hadn't been known by the descendants of the Enkanomiyan people; surely someone would have been able to connect the dots and realize that the strange inhuman child born among them was the Sovereign. But perhaps Orobashi had made sure it wouldn't be passed down from one generation to the next in an effort to stay in the Usurper's good graces. Knowledge of Teyvat's ancient past is a privilege reserved only for a few; the rest must remain unaware, lest a terrible fate may befall them. ]

...I'm from Watatsumi Island. For a long time, I thought the location of my rebirth was merely because of its proximity to the Vishap population in the depths below, but it seems that the answer is more complicated than that.

[ He's not sure how to feel about this. He came to Fontaine looking for answers, and now it's looking like they had been under his feet in the very place he left behind. ]

So you were born in Watatsumi. And it was Lady Focolars that called you here to Fontaine.

[ There were some educated guesses that Zhongli could make based of the fragmented memories that he saw in the fountain's waters brought to life by the Sovereign's hydro. The clothes, landscape and architecture of Neuvillette's memories had all aligned with Zhongli's recollection of Watatsumi Island during that time. Though busy with his own nation's troubles and the passing of multiple members of the Seven, Zhongli had scarce time to visit Inazuma outside of attempting to send Ei his most sincere condolences. Such a task would have been much more suited to Barbatos, but unfortunately the god of freedom had also succumbed to another centuries long nap.

The confirmation, while welcome, does little to bring peace of mind. What of the other Sovereigns then, now that one had once again regained their full power? The inevitable and upcoming conflict was looking to have more and more players entering the stage, their relationships and grievances weaving into a more complex web that Zhongli could have guessed when he made his own contract with the Tsaritsa.

Were the days of peace (won in the blood of fallen and stolen power) finally coming to an end? And at what cost to Teyvat herself? ]

As I believe the rest of your story might fill in the gaps of my understanding of the greater forces at play here, are you satisfied with my conclusion of your identity?

Yes, I am completely satisfied. [ He says, giving a resolute nod. The revelation of a prophecy pertaining to his rebirth (who first spoke this prophecy, and to whom? How much did Orobashi know?) is a shocking one, but they are digressing from the topic at hand. Zhongli has thoroughly established his identity and that is his cue to continue his explanation of the events that unfolded. ]

I arrived in Fontaine shortly after Furina took on her role as the Archon. She taught me how to live as a human, and I eventually enrolled in law school. After I passed the bar exam, I went on to become a judge and was later appointed the Iudex.

[ It's said after a moment of silence as he considers how to best keep it concise while also conveying what he considers important; although he only became aware of just important he was to Focalors's plan at the very end, he was the linchpin since the very beginning. Furina's masquerade had to go on for as long as it did so that he would actually give a damn about Fontaine and the fate of its citizens. ]

Gradually, I became quite fascinated with the joys and sorrows of humanity. I came to care for the species seeded by the foreign invader that had upended the ancient world.

[ There's an undercurrent of gravity to his voice now, accompanied by emotions too complicated to articulate. He takes a deep breath, looking fondly at the Vishap sleeping soundly in his arms before looking into Zhongli's eyes once more, pale lavender meeting amber. ]

Unbeknownst to me, that was exactly what Focalors wanted as she amassed enough Indemnitium over the centuries to carry out the final part of her plan—executing herself and shattering the divine throne of the Hydro Archon in the process.

Humanity and their endless potential... How easy it is to treat them as children who need guidance and protection when it is they who have been guiding us all this time.

[ Rex Lapis is no stranger to sacrifice. He had offered words and encouragement to mortals and adepti alike, lead them into battles where he knew that not everyone would return. He watched karma taint the soul of his yaksha, driving them mad all while knowing there was little to nothing he could do to ease their burden. When he was younger, he wondered why it had to be them that gave their lives each time as his own life carried on, an endless thread tying event after event together. The keeper of history and the preserver of memories. There was a reason each year at Lantern Rite the heroic deeds of one of the fallen was selected.

(At least, in his old age, he has stopped asking himself why not himself instead of everyone else?)

But even surrounded by millennia of death, the level of devotion of Focalors — a familiar of Egeria, an Oceanid, one who probably did not live long enough to truly enjoy the world that she gambled her life away for— is something he has never encountered. And for what, to finally free Fontaine from the clutches of Celestia?

No, it seemed her plan was greater than that. Great enough to invite the Hydro Sovereign openly when the other archons had spoke in more hushed and cautious whispers of his second coming. Ah, how tragic. That Zhongli will never get to meet this facet of the archon who truly loved her people. How tragic for all of them. ]

May Lady Focalors rest easy knowing that all she put into motion played out to the tune of her score. Saving the people of Fontaine from the prophecy was folded into all of this, was it not?

[ They'd both been there in the aftermath — Zhongli and Neuvillette though Zhongli only catched glimpses of the other much later, too busy helping the Maison Gardiennage pull people from the ocean as the waters had risen. Waters that should have swallowed each and every one of them whole. ]

[ Above them, some grey clouds have started to roll in, making what was previously a pleasantly blue sky look more like a used rag in several places. It's not the kind that portends a heavy downpour, bur rather signifies a slight shift in the Hydro Dragon's mood. ]

Yes. By destroying the throne and returning the power stolen by usurpers, Focalors made me the final judge of Fontaine and its citizens.

[ Not the Heavenly Principles. He thinks back on Focalors' final moments as she finished explaining her plans to him, bidding him farewell as she stepped into her dance, moving around the stage with that massive sword of condensed Indemnitium following her and hanging directly above her head throughout the whole scene; he doesn't know if she had thought it appropriate to end this centuries long "drama" this way, or if it was something as mundane as wanting to do something human in the few seconds she had left.

After all, that is all she had wanted for herself—"In my eyes, to be human is to be part of the greatest opera ever known."

A few raindrops begin to fall to the earth in an uneven cadence, splashing their hair and clothing. Neuvillette isn't outright weeping, but the equivalent of an errant tear has escaped to drift along the dragon's cheek. Nevertheless, he continues, voice just as steady as before. ]

My predecessor was the beating heart commanding the Primordial Sea that birthed all native life in this world. Unlike Egeria who could only create an incomplete race of facsimiles, I was able to grant all Fontainians true humanity and thus absolve them of their sin.

[ "I came to care for the species seeded by the foreign invader that had upended the ancient world. Unbeknownst to me, that was exactly what Focalors wanted—"

Zhongli's mind drifts to the curtain call of his own Archonhood, a play also wrought of his own design. He remembers the look of betrayal on a certain Harbinger's face then. One that he had traveled all this way to make amends for as it had taken so very very long for Zhongli to understand the pain that he went through. After all, what was the pain of one individual weighed against the good of a nation? To measure strictly by what is fair and the best outcome for the many, the plight of the one is always ignored.

(Is it the title that makes them the Archons behave this way? The responsibilities. Or perhaps only beings prone to such dispositions ever rose to the ranks of Archon in the first place.)

Raindrops start to dampen his coat and hair as Zhongli reaches out a hand to catch one in his palm. It's wonderous and terrible in a way — that the hydro dragon can only express his sorrow in such a manner.

Will Neuvillette then too crack and splinter like the rest of them had over time? Or would being a Sovereign grant him the strength to avoid such a fate?

Zhongli takes a deep breath, fingers curling around the water pooling in his palm — asks the question that he should have asked back then — back in the halls of the Northland Bank. ]

Do you regret the part you were forced to play in all this?

"Forced" is not the word I would use. I willingly accepted her invitation and I don't regret the life I've made.

[ To Neuvillette, the word forced implies compulsion or coercion, without the individual's voluntary consent or choice. Neither Furina or Focalors did such a thing; Focalors had simply penned the letter and likely left some instructions for Furina on how to receive their guest should he arrive in Fontaine. Furina only knew the bare minimum about her divine half's plans; she had been kind and encouraging as he had taken his first tentative steps into the human world he had rejected as a young child over a thousand years ago.

He could have left Fontaine and returned to his previous life at any point and no one could've stopped him. There were a few times he considered doing so, early on, but the thought never materialized into reality as he continued to find reasons to stay. Law school had been difficult and exhausting, but had given him a sense of purpose and meaning he had lacked when he was living out the wilderness. He came to see the value in both his own work and in all the endeavors of the people of Fontaine, feeling pride and fulfillment in carrying out his duties as a judge. ]

I am glad my power was returned to me after a lifetime of aching for that missing part of myself. [ He continues, closing his eyes for a moment as scattered raindrops hit his face, cold yet soothing. ]

But I wish it had happened in different circumstances, where I wasn't an unwitting piece in a scheme that ended with her killing herself in front of me.

[ The sight of the sword slicing through her body like the blade of a guillotine will haunt him for decades, possibly even centuries; it has been indelibly etched upon his memory. ]

[ Perhaps forced is too strong a word for such an situation, but Zhongli can see how Focalors had guided all of them to this conclusion — the risks calculated and the ends justifying the methods. Perhaps that is simply the way of the Archons as Rex Lapis cannot claim he was any different during his rule. (Cannot really claim that he is any different now in his retirement.) Nor was Makoto on the day she followed the call, leaving her sister Ei behind. And now the Tsaritsa follows that same path with her own grand schemes.

It's strange. Perhaps he should feel more trepidation at a sovereign regaining their power. It was something that the Archons always knew to be wary of, and it would be well in the hydro soveriegn's right to be angry with the Archons for what they had lost to them. And yet— Neuvillette had been cooperative and even courteous in allowing Zhongli to remain in Fontaine for purposes that could only be described as meddling. He knew the entire time who Zhongli was and let him wander his land freely as long as he conducted himself according to Fontaine's rules.

And yet here they are sharing stories as if they were— well, friends. And were they friends? Zhongli had no reason to not believe so, at least from his side. Because there are some stories that can only be shared with the understanding that the listener resonates with the storyteller. And this— this seems like one such story. Who else can understand the magnitude of such a tale except those who have lived to see as much as someone like Zhongli has.

He does not congratulate (or even acknowledge) the return of Neuvillette's powers. To do so would be too awkward. However— ]

Life is full of people that we treasure. Families, friends, loved ones, the community to which we belong, the nation that we call our home.

But sometimes, there are brief encounters, unexpected in their intensity, that stay with us forever. I am sorry for your loss and for what you experienced that day. That the chapter will close as is with no chance to get to know her more than in those fleeting moments.

But I am glad that you are sharing such a tale with me. And glad that she will live on in your heart and memories.

Is that not the greatest gift that can be given to one who sacrificed so much for the sake of others?

[ Above their heads, some of those gloomy clouds begin to part, allowing shafts of sunlight to pass through the gaps. Although he can't quite figure out why, it seems that sharing his encounter with the God of Justice has taken a burden he wasn't even aware he was carrying off his shoulders. He didn't feel this way when he told everything to Furina, possibly because he could tell from the start it would not bring her any comfort, whereas with Zhongli... it feels akin to removing a splinter lodged in one's finger.

It's strange, feeling this way when the man next to him is one of the usurpers he intends to call to trial in the distant future. He does not like Zhongli. He had only allowed his involvement as long as all rules were followed to the letter because it's his sworn duty as the Iudex to uphold and apply the law fairly and impartially, even when the Lord of Geo himself enters his territory to stick his nose in foreign affairs. And yet working with him has been... tolerable, even if he only uses that word begrudgingly. He doesn't want to like him.

...Emotions are a complicated labyrinth to navigate, and it doesn't seem like it will get easier anytime soon. ]

I agree; the dead deserve to be remembered, not just because they died, but for why they died. [ "You speak with wisdom befitting your age sometimes," is the thought that follows but is not spoken out loud. A Sovereign should not be praising one of the Usurpers in that manner.

A single raindrop lands on his forehead; it seems to be the last one. ]

Thank you for listening, Monsieur Zhongli.

[ Zhongli presses his fingertips to the fallen drop, pulling it down to look at it before it is absorbed into the thick leather of his glove.

"Hydro dragon, hydro dragon, don't cry."

Is it a blessing or a curse — to have one's very element give away one's deepest feelings? The earth had never betrayed Zhongli's own personal inner turmoil at the difficult decision he had to make. Something he had always considered a necessity until now. And though he does not regret it, though he is thankful for it, perhaps in another place and another lifetime... ]

Of course. I would not wish for this chapter of your journey to close with regrets. Not with the difficult path that lies before you.

Lady Furina has stepped down, yes? Which means her responsibilities will fall to you for the time being. Even though the loss of life was minimal, the damage to Fontaine itself is not. For all that you and your country have taken care of me in the last few months, I only wish to see that repaid in full.

[ It is a bit of a roundabout way to show his support for Neuvillette stepping in to watch over Fontaine. Zhongli rose to the title of Archon because that was what would ease his people's suffering — it was never about power or control for him. In this way, he sees a little of himself in Neuvillette's own ascension, not quite understanding the attachment to mortals— perhaps driven more by justice and fairness than anything— but devoting himself to their well-being all the same.

During that time, Rex Lapis had many people he could rely on and be supported by. And surely Neuvillette does as well and does not need the meddling of an ex-Archon. But perhaps for selfish reasons, Zhongli this once would like to support rather than lead. If only for a short time. (He could never keep himself from Liyue for too long, after all.) ]

[ With his bout of sadness having receded, Neuvillette reaches up to flick some water out of his bangs as he considers Zhongli's words; it's rather roundabout, but he... supposes he can appreciate a sentiment of support, even if it comes from a former Archon. ]

Yes, she has been relieved of her duties and will spend the rest of her mortal years as an ordinary human now that her curse of immortality has been lifted.

[ This isn't something he wants to think about—the knowledge that the person he worked with for over four centuries will be gone in approximately five to seven decades—so he pushes it to the recesses of his mind. He will figure out how to process it once that day actually comes and fretting about it now is not going to do him any good at all. ]

As the now sole ruler of Fontaine, I will carry out my newfound responsibilities with dedication. The duty of the Hydro Sovereign and the duty of the Iudex shall coexist within my person.

[ He had said the same thing to Lumine and Paimon not long ago, when the pair sought him out behind the Opera Epiclese. With his full power restored, he wants to settle the blood debt owed by the Seven (now the Six) and the one seated on their throne in the skies, but Fontaine comes before everything else and that includes his personal grievances. His people (his creations in a sense) needs a leader to set the course and keep things steady; although most are optimistic about the future ahead, a certain sense of unease permeates the populace after a no doubt traumatic experience. ]

[ The Sovereign and the Iudex now as one — a story unfolding parallel to the Tsaritsa's own ambitions. All paths converging to an inevitable and inescapable conflict. It fills Zhongli with an uncertainty he has not felt in many centuries though he has no voice to give his doubts or concerns, ambiguous as they are.

Perhaps for the time being, he should just let things be. The Traveler still had two more countries until this leg of their journey was complete. The final curtain call (while looming) was not yet upon them. ]

A tremendous undertaking indeed.

Then while I still am in this country, please allow a humble consultant from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to offer his assistance before returning home. This land has been kind to him and seen his friend safe—

[ Injured as Childe may be, Zhongli knows him well enough that the fight must have been a thrilling experience for him. Perhaps enough to soothe his anger at his wrongful imprisonment. ]

— and back to his own home.

[ Or so the Traveler had told him as she departed on her next journey. One more duty fulfilled and the reason Zhongli came to Fontaine after all. ]

[ What Neuvillette wants is to tell him that his assistance is not necessary and to get out of his country immediately, but he holds his tongue. His personal feelings don't matter here. Zhongli is offering something Fontaine needs a lot of right now; even though their reconstruction efforts are going as smoothly as they possibly can, it doesn't feel like there are enough hands on deck. He had actually taken out some of the exiles serving time for lesser offenses in the Fortress of Meropide, offering reduced sentences and monetary compensation in exchange for physical labor. ]

Fontaine could use any help it can get; thank you kindly for the offer.

[ He says after a short moment, keeping his words coolly polite as he looks to Zhongli. ]

There are many reconstruction sites that could use assistance from a skilled Geo user. Or, if you would prefer doing something more social, there are children in need of a tutor until more schools reopen.

[ Or soup kitchens in need of volunteers, and so on... the list of ways Zhongli could help is almost endless. ]

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