"Then that settles everything."
Luo Li wrapped things up with a summary.
All things considered, it could barely be called a happy ending.
Lumine and Paimon were still a little dazed.
"So… does that mean we basically ran around for nothing?" Paimon asked.
Luo Li laughed. "Of course not. Along the way, you met many people. This journey—with all its twists and turns—has surely broadened your horizons. Remember, searching for the gods and your brother isn't the only purpose of traveling. The scenery along the road is also a precious treasure."
Meeting his deep, all-seeing gaze, Lumine stayed silent for a moment, then nodded heavily.
Only Paimon looked dejected. "It still feels like we didn't really do anything…"
"Don't forget about me," Childe cut in.
Rosalyne smiled faintly, half-mocking. "Heh. Since the item is already in hand, idle complaints are meaningless. You should return to Snezhnaya and report to the Tsaritsa as soon as possible."
"And you?" Childe asked.
"I still have business to take care of in Liyue."
Childe glanced at Luo Li standing close beside her and immediately understood.
Tch. A foolish woman whose mind is full of men.
After silently mocking his colleague to vent his frustration, he accepted the Gnosis from Rosalyne. Just as he was about to leave, she spoke again.
"Oh, and one more thing—tell the Tsaritsa that I won't be involved in the Gnosis affairs anymore. Let another Harbinger handle it."
Childe paused, then nodded. "Alright. I'll pass it on to Her Majesty."
After giving Lumine and Paimon a brief farewell, he decisively left this place of emotional damage.
Compared to the Traveler duo, his experience had been even worse—deceived and manipulated by his own colleagues from start to finish.
"No matter what, the outcome was good," Luo Li said teasingly.
Zhongli, for once, didn't feel like responding. Instead, he turned to Lumine.
"This matter could not have concluded so smoothly without your actions. You have my thanks."
Lumine shook her head. She didn't feel she deserved that gratitude.
Paimon suddenly thought of something. "Wait—now that we know who the Geo Archon really is, that means he wasn't the god who separated you siblings, right?"
"No," Zhongli replied.
"Then… where should we go next?" Paimon asked.
That was a real problem. Lumine knew very little about Teyvat—asking her to decide was like asking the blind to lead the way.
Hearing this, Zhongli chuckled softly.
"If you're unsure, I do have a suggestion."
Luo Li immediately felt a bad premonition.
Sure enough, Zhongli continued with ill-concealed amusement, "I've heard that Inazuma, far across the sea, has been rather… lively lately. Perhaps the Traveler should go there. You might gain something from it."
Luo Li: "..."
Lumine and Paimon looked at his visibly stiff expression, puzzled. "Inazuma?"
Zhongli's eyes gleamed with rare interest. "Indeed. Once you arrive there, I imagine you'll gain a much clearer understanding of the identity of the person beside me."
The two so-called tools stared at Luo Li with obvious curiosity.
This man had always been mysterious—his background unclear, only known to be acquainted with gods and to have walked the land since ancient times. He knew countless secrets, yet hid just as many.
Lumine had long wanted to uncover Luo Li's past. Following Zhongli's suggestion, the trip to Inazuma wouldn't just be about confirming whether the Electro Archon was responsible for separating her and her brother—it would also be about uncovering Luo Li's true story.
Hmph. Let's see how long you can keep playing the riddler.
Luo Li fell silent for a long while.
So… the time had finally come.
Seeing his complicated expression, Lumine asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Zhongli smiled faintly, his tone carrying a rare hint of teasing. "Some people, some matters—you have to face them sooner or later. He's probably thinking about how to make himself sound more pitiful, so he can muddle through."
Lumine half understood.
Luo Li shot Zhongli an annoyed glare. "What do you know? I've long been prepared to meet her."
Whether that was true or not, at least he couldn't look weak.
To be honest, after all these years, he had mostly let things go. He'd even prepared himself to return to Inazuma with Lumine.
Rosalyne, standing nearby, vaguely understood the background of the matter—after all, she had once personally met that Electro Archon whose eyes were so dark they seemed almost consumed by shadow.
Simply put, there had been no light left in them.
Zhongli didn't argue. "If you say so, then so be it."
"Ahem. Anyway, it's still a bit early to talk about that," Luo Li changed the subject, turning to the Traveler duo. "The Rite of Parting should be underway now. You might still catch it if you go."
The Rite had long been prepared, but recent chaos meant no one had been able to host it. Now that the demon god crisis was resolved and conspiracies had dissipated, the Qixing could finally carry out the ceremony as planned.
Zhongli nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Traveler, much of the Rite was prepared thanks to your help. You should attend—it's good to see things through to the end."
Lumine was clearly tempted.
Paimon, who loved excitement, immediately cheered. "Yeah! Let's go check it out!"
"Are you coming too, Mr. Luo Li?" Lumine asked.
"No. You go ahead. When it's time to head to Inazuma, come find me. Beidou's fleet will be sailing there soon—she can give you a lift."
Luo Li remembered that the Lantern Rite would be coming up soon, and Beidou was planning to head to Inazuma early to purchase fireworks.
"Alright, it's settled then."
As the two brain-cell-lacking companions left the Northland Bank, only Zhongli, Luo Li, and Rosalyne remained.
"I should be going as well," Zhongli said calmly. "There are old friends I should inform—through dreams—that I still walk this world."
He hadn't truly wanted to die; he was merely stepping into anonymity.
From this day on, there would be no Geo Archon Rex Lapis—only Zhongli, consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Three thousand seven hundred years of duty had finally come to an end.
From now on: strolling the streets, keeping birds, listening to stories, watching operas, tasting tea, admiring flowers—countless pleasures awaited.
The world was vast. Where could he not go?
Watching Zhongli's departing figure grow noticeably lighter, Luo Li sincerely wished his old friend well for finally laying everything down.
Counting on his fingers—himself, Venti, Makoto, and Zhongli—four retired ancients of the old era.
Plenty enough for a full mahjong table.