Zhongli's answer was not beyond Rosalyne's expectations.
In fact, it was exactly what she had envisioned. This response aligned perfectly with her understanding of Zhongli.
The God of Contracts was strict to the extreme when it came to upholding agreements.
However, if they proceeded according to the original plan…
Rosalyne was convinced that the Fatui would be in deep trouble.
Liyue's current strength was not something the Fatui could afford to meddle with. Once Liyue fully stabilized, the faction that would be blamed for this entire contract—the Fatui—would almost certainly become the target of a furious backlash. That was as certain as night following day.
If it were before, Rosalyne wouldn't have cared. At worst, the Fatui could simply withdraw from Liyue. Even in the worst-case scenario, they could still put up a decent fight.
As long as the Adepti didn't intervene.
But now…
Liyue didn't even need the Adepti to take action. Just the mobilization of the Millelith alone would be enough to easily crush the Fatui.
There wouldn't even be a chance to fight back.
Before coming, Rosalyne had taken the time to observe Tianheng Mountain from afar.
Each and every Millelith soldier stationed there had strength that was nothing short of monstrous.
With the help of alchemical potions, a single soldier could practically overpower an entire vanguard squad.
And such soldiers—Liyue had thousands of them.
This was seriously troublesome.
If they didn't fulfill the contract, Zhongli would be displeased and punish them with the Planet Befall. The Fatui would die.
If they did fulfill the contract, Liyue would be angered, and the entire Millelith might march down upon them. The Fatui would still die.
Rosalyne was clearly troubled.
What's more, she actually wanted to win Liyue over as an ally in the coming rebellion against Celestia.
But if they went forward with the original plan—if Tartaglia released Osial again—it would be the equivalent of burning all bridges with Liyue.
Forget about forming an alliance. If Liyue didn't mobilize troops to wipe the Fatui off the face of Teyvat, that would already be considered mercy.
Yet if she voiced these concerns, Zhongli might just interpret it as an attempt to back out of the contract—and punish her accordingly.
Seeing Rosalyne's troubled expression, Zhongli frowned slightly.
"Is there a problem?"
Rosalyne shook her head. "The contract itself is not the issue. It's just… Lord Morax—"
"You may call me Zhongli."
Rosalyne nodded. "Mr. Zhongli, wouldn't releasing Osial be a bit too much? After all, that was once a demon god…"
Her words were already very tactful. She was one step away from outright saying, "We Fatui really don't want to be stuck with this reputation."
Liyue had become far too powerful. At this point, their best strategy was to avoid provoking them entirely.
Besides, after releasing Osial, it wouldn't be provoking anymore—it'd be a full-on declaration of war.
And on another level, Rosalyne was probing, trying to gauge Liyue's actual condition.
Naturally, Zhongli could see right through her little schemes. After all, her age didn't even scratch the surface of the years he had lived.
"There's no need to worry. After a long period of being sealed, Osial's strength is barely a tenth of what it once was. While it may pose a bit of a challenge, it won't result in any casualties for Liyue."
Rosalyne's eyes flickered. Her evaluation of Liyue's strength climbed even higher.
Was Osial weak?
Yes.
Zhongli had sealed him for centuries with a single thrown spear.
But Osial was still a demon god, undeniably so.
Once in the sea, his power would recover and surge quickly.
Even in a weakened state, Osial could maintain the level of a low-tier archon.
And an archon… was not something mortals could oppose.
Among all the Harbingers, only the top three had the power to even challenge a being like that.
Yet here was Zhongli, speaking of Osial as if he were an annoying fly, even from a Liyue citizen's standpoint.
This clearly showed that Liyue's true strength was far greater than they let on.
The realization made Rosalyne even more unwilling to let the Fatui carry the blame for such an event.
After a brief pause, she gently asked:
"Mr. Zhongli, if you already foresee that Liyue will defeat Osial safely under mortal leadership, then why persist in following through with the plan?"
Zhongli looked at her deeply and responded with a question of his own:
"Does the result matter?"
Rosalyne didn't answer. She didn't understand what he meant.
"Rather than focusing on the outcome—that Liyue will definitely win—I care more about the process by which they win without me."
Off to the side, Ryen nodded in agreement.
Both he and Zhongli believed that Ningguang and the others would be able to resolve this turmoil.
But that belief came from their roles as friends—and as Liyue's caretakers.
Still, beyond this confidence, what Zhongli truly desired to see was a mortal-led Liyue that, when facing a powerful threat, neither lamented nor prayed to the gods—only stood strong together, supporting one another to overcome adversity.
That was what Zhongli longed for.
Rosalyne still couldn't fully grasp Zhongli's thoughts, so she remained silent.
But Zhongli understood her worry.
"This plan will proceed exactly as originally laid out. What you're truly afraid of… is that Liyue has grown far stronger than you ever anticipated."
"You don't want the Fatui to offend an enemy you cannot afford to offend."
"I can promise you this—once the event is over, I will explain to Liyue the terms of the contract between us."
"Liyue will not make things difficult for your faction."
Hearing this guarantee, Rosalyne finally exhaled quietly and looked much more at ease.
"I hope so…"
Then she hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help asking:
"Mr. Zhongli, Liyue's path… you must already see where it leads."
"Celestia will never allow it to continue like this. In the end, conflict will be inevitable."
"So, why not work with the Fat—Her Majesty the Tsaritsa?"
Rosalyne was well aware that neither Liyue nor Zhongli had much goodwill toward the Fatui.
To be precise, they held deep resentment for certain people within the Fatui.
But the Cryo Archon… was a different story.
From the intelligence she had gathered and the conversations she'd had with the Tsaritsa back in Snezhnaya, Rosalyne could already tell—
Zhongli and his people secretly supported the Tsaritsa.
Their relationship was, at the very least, amicable.
Rosalyne truly believed that an alliance was very possible.
But Zhongli gave Rosalyne a deep look.
"Is that her idea?"
Rosalyne didn't dare lie and replied truthfully,
"Her Majesty's reply hasn't arrived yet… This is only my own thought. I just wanted to help Her Majesty."
"Liyue is very strong right now. If we could gain their support, Her Majesty's great cause would have a higher chance of success. Even in the worst case… at least she might survive."
Upon hearing that, Zhongli's expression softened considerably.
After a moment of silence, he gave a slight nod.
"There are still a few loyal and sincere ones among the Fatui. Compared to someone like the Doctor, you are certainly better."
Before Rosalyne could feel pleased, Zhongli continued:
"However, such a cooperation is not something you can establish. The Fatui and Liyue have deep-rooted grievances, and with Mondstadt—there is a blood feud."
"Now, Liyue and Mondstadt are allied and stand together. We will not accept cooperation with the Fatui."
Rosalyne wasn't intimidated by Zhongli's words. She simply stood firm and asked:
"Then what if it's the Tsaritsa herself?"
A flash of admiration crossed Zhongli's eyes, and he nodded slightly.
"She is her. You are you. The Fatui is the Fatui."
"We will not cooperate with a faction so large, messy, and full of hidden agendas."
"But if it's her, let her come personally to negotiate."
"I told you—this matter is not yours to decide."
With that, Zhongli subtly glanced at Ryen and saw him give a small nod of agreement.
Zhongli waved his hand.
"Go on. Continue with your plan. The contract must not be broken. As for everything else—we'll discuss it another day."
Joy flickered in Rosalyne's heart.
No matter what, Zhongli hadn't outright rejected her—that was already the best possible outcome. More importantly, he hadn't denied their future intention to oppose Celestia.
The Tsaritsa… was not walking this path alone!
To be honest, when it came to high-level negotiations, she wasn't qualified to sit at the same table with Zhongli and Ryen.
All she could do now was report everything to the Tsaritsa and let her decide.
Rosalyne gave a slight bow, and also stole a subtle glance at Ryen.
"My apologies for disturbing you without notice. I'll take my leave now. I'll report today's conversation to Her Majesty in full and let her decide personally."
With that, she turned and walked into the darkness without hesitation.
Suddenly, Zhongli called out to her:
"Don't get too close to certain Harbingers. You need to understand clearly—who you're truly loyal to."
"The Fatui… is far from being a unified group."
Rosalyne paused, then turned back and said resolutely:
"Thank you for the advice, Mr. Zhongli. But I have received Her Majesty's grace—I will always remain loyal to Her Majesty, and give everything for her dream."
After speaking, Rosalyne completely vanished into the dark, without a trace.
Zhongli stood still, quietly gazing into the shadows. After a while, he let out a soft chuckle:
"The Fatui… what an inconsistent and fractured force."
Ryen chuckled and nodded in agreement.
"Some are good, some are rotten. That's true. It's honestly impressive that the Tsaritsa even managed to gather them all."
"This Lady—she's arrogant, but full of loyalty and passion. To have such a subordinate… she's a rare light on a lonely path."
Hearing Zhongli say this, Ryen playfully patted him on the shoulder.
"You know, this Lady once slapped Venti. If he hears you talk about her like this, he'll probably cry."
"Hmph!"
Zhongli scoffed.
"That was a slap he deserved. Five hundred years ago, he failed to protect his own nation. Mondstadt paid the price in blood and tears."
"This Lady burned her own life to drive away the dark monsters. She's a tragic hero."
"That slap—he should've taken it."
As he spoke, Zhongli seemed to recall the suffering Liyue had endured and the people who had died. His expression turned heavy again.
With a long sigh, he looked up at the night sky.
"Not just Venti… me as well. We both failed in our duties. In the end, I too am guilty toward Liyue."
Ryen rolled his eyes.
"Old people really do like to overthink. Hurry up and send me back already—Hu Tao's still waiting for me."
Zhongli was at a loss for words and gave Ryen an exasperated look.
"You're carefree as ever. I just hope you don't let Ganyu or Hu Tao down."
Seeing Zhongli actually trying to lecture him about feelings, Ryen snorted.
"Morax, you have no heart."
"…"
Zhongli instantly fell silent. That line—he'd once heard it from an old friend.
And thinking back on it now, he realized…
When it came to matters of the heart, he really didn't have the right to criticize Ryen.
Zhongli sighed and gave up arguing. He quietly activated the leylines and sent Ryen back.
Then, he returned to his room alone… lost in gloom.
~~----------------------
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