[Please call me prophet (smug.jpg)]
[Prophet hello, I'm the werewolf.]
[So returning to the rightful owner really means returning to the rightful owner.]
Paimon: "Eh! Hav… Havria? Isn't that the God of Salt's name? Didn't Zhongli say she already…"
Havria?: "Oh my, there are still people in Liyue who recognize me nowadays?"
Lingya: "But now my name is Lingya. Of course, if you continue calling me Havria, I won't mind at all."
Lumine: "Sorry—she thought you were gone, so seeing you appear caught her off guard. We meant no offense."
[Stelle, don't think I didn't see your shocked look—don't act like you're not flustered.]
Lingya: "Don't worry, I know the two of you meant no offense. And what this cute little elf said is true. The God of Salt, Havria, truly no longer exists in this world."
Jun Bai: "Back then, when she was betrayed by her own believers, she did experience death once."
Jun Bai: "But before that, Havria had already foreseen her own end."
Lingya: "Such an outcome was something I anticipated long ago."
Lingya: "To be in a war yet only think of yielding—the result was inevitable."
Lingya: "So before that predetermined end arrived, I sought out Phenex, who was in the Salt in the Sea at the time."
Jun Bai: "I helped her escape that predetermined fate. And as equivalent exchange, Havria's bargaining chip in the Archon War had to be handed over to Morax."
[So this is the truth behind Havria's death yet her appearance here now.]
[Equivalent exchange? I'm wondering what kind of price could buy a resurrection.]
Stelle pondered: "Only I'm wondering—since Havria could ask Jun Bai to help her do a sit-up, did she really have to die?"
Paimon in the plot voiced the same question.
Paimon: "But Hav… Miss Lingya still died once. Meaning the betrayal wasn't part of the deal."
Paimon: "In that case, why not just have Jun Bai save Miss Lingya right from the beginning?"
Lumine (staring)
[Paimon showing intelligence that doesn't belong to her again.]
[Wonder what bizarre reason it'll be this time.]
Paimon (half-squinting, helpless tone): "Don't look at me—this was Yiya's idea."
Yiya: "Yiya!" (It was Yiya)
[Reasonable!]
[Paimon can actually understand Yiya's exclusive language?]
Lumine: "You can understand Yiya's words?"
Paimon: "Sort of. I can't explain exactly why, but I just can."
Actually Lumine could understand too, but only short phrases.
Players could see Yiya's translations, but anything over three characters wouldn't be translated.
This was also why players were surprised.
But that could wait—the focus now was on the plot.
Lingya (looking at Jun Bai) (then at Yiya): "Oh my! What a cute little one—she looks just like you! Is she your daughter with this beautiful lady?"
Lumine, Paimon: "Eh?"
Yiya: "Yiya?" (Yiya is a girl?)
[? Even this can spawn memes?]
[Don't talk nonsense—Jun Bai is my husband, sure, but I'm still a pure maiden (shy.jpg)]
Stelle smiled: "Yes, we already have an adorable little baby, and she's right here."
The absurd streamer's absurd statement didn't affect the plot.
Lingya: "Eh? Is that not the case?"
Lingya: "Since it's not this lady, could it be Cloud Retainer? Mm… though you two used to clash, I remember your relationship gradually improving."
Lingya: "It could also be Ganyu, or Bonanus. They admire you quite a bit. That Miss Rin we met once isn't impossible either…"
Jun Bai: "So all those rumors about me originated from you. Didn't you know that spreading false rumors is now illegal under Liyue law?"
Lingya: "You're different from the Anemo Archon, who spends all day spreading rumors about the relationship between Rex Lapis and the Dust God?"
[Callback to earlier—during the Mondstadt chapter, Jun Bai and Venti joked about the Geo Archon and Dust God's relationship at Windrise.]
[Back then I really thought Zhongli and Guizhong had something. But after the whole Liyue chapter, I feel Zhongli-Guizhong is more like battle camaraderie, just like Guizhong-Jun Bai is more like sibling affection.]
[I never accept clear opposite-sex CP for playable characters—that would make me uncomfortable. But if it's character gossip and rumors…]
[I'm very interested!]
[Seeds, peanuts, eight-treasure porridge, beer, soda, mineral water. Help yourselves if you need any.]
Jun Bai: "I was just fighting fire with fire. If I didn't do that, the Geo Archon and Guizhong would have started arranging my marriage like before."
Jun Bai: "You changed the subject again. Now people are asking you—answer them properly."
——Teyvat
Lingya—or rather Havria—smiled faintly and said with resignation: "It's not that gods need believers. It's that believers need gods."
"During the Archon War, life was miserable for mortals—they had no foothold and could only survive by clinging to gods."
"Believers depended on me because they trusted me."
"But my power could only betray that trust. Facing invasion from hostile gods, I could only lead my believers fleeing everywhere."
"I failed to fulfill what a god should do, so naturally I had to pay the corresponding price."
"A curtain call was my explanation to the believers who had already lost faith. It was also settling the karma from before."
"From then on, I no longer walk the world as Havria. I am simply a mortal with a longer lifespan than ordinary people—Lingya."
Suddenly, Lingya clenched her right fist and tapped it against her left palm: "I almost forgot—honored guests have come, so I must treat you properly."
"Please come into my humble home and sit."
Under Lingya's hospitality, the group entered her house.
Though small, it had everything needed. From outside it looked crude, but inside it felt warm and cozy.
Soon, Lingya skillfully prepared a full table of delicious dishes and served them.
Color, aroma, and taste were all perfect. Though meatless, even Paimon ate happily.
After enjoying lunch, Lumine and Paimon directly explained the purpose of their visit and presented the two ancient artifacts obtained from the ruins, intending to return them to Lingya.