Lumine crossed her arms, a trace of suspicion and caution flickering in her eyes.
"You're talking about… the Fatui?"
Ningguang nodded, her expression turning grave.
"As things stand now, the Fatui are our greatest threat."
"Traveler, you should already know that there are currently three Fatui Harbingers stationed in Liyue: Signora, Childe, and The Gambler."
"It might sound laughable, but without the pressure of the Geo Archon, and given that the Qixing and the Adepti have never seen eye to eye to begin with…"
"Snezhnaya's foreign policy has always been aggressive. Now, whether in diplomacy or other matters, Liyue can barely hold its ground."
"Traveler, I assume you've already met Keqing since arriving?"
"But if you had to choose between her and me—who would you trust more?"
Lumine said nothing, remaining silent.
"…Haha, you'd choose Keqing, wouldn't you? My instincts are still sharp enough to see that much."
"I used to think someone so headstrong would break easily. For her to become one of the Qixing, I figured I'd still need to pull strings behind the scenes."
"But when she said, 'The era of the Adepti is over. If the Qixing can't accept that, then what future does Liyue have?'…"
"Well, it cleared up a lot of doubts I had."
"I won't deny that the Geo Archon's passing seems to benefit the Qixing politically. But for Liyue's sake, I can't let rumors of a 'Qixing coup' bind my hands."
Lumine stroked her chin.
"You're saying the Fatui are also behind those rumors?"
Ningguang neither confirmed nor denied it.
"I ordered the information blackout and the concealment of the Archon's body to stabilize the situation temporarily—and to avoid… a repeat of what happened in Mondstadt."
"The Fatui have already taken too many liberties, using the Archon's death to cross the boundaries of diplomacy."
"As Tianquan, responsible for Liyue, I don't have the luxury of worrying about appearances."
Lumine gave a slight nod.
How much she believed—well, only she knew.
…
After leaving the Jade Chamber, Lumine remained deep in thought, brows furrowed.
Paimon, seeing this, couldn't help but worry. "Lumine, don't stress about it too much…"
"Hmm?"
Pulled back to reality by Paimon's voice, Lumine tilted her head and looked at her in confusion.
"What am I stressing about?"
Paimon wagged a finger, putting on a serious face.
"You've looked worried ever since we left the Jade Chamber. You're probably wondering whether to join the Fatui, or how to help Liyue through this crisis, right?"
Lumine rolled her eyes.
"Absolutely not! If the Fatui want to recruit me, fine. If not, that's their problem. And Liyue… Well, it's their own nation's affairs. Unless we're directly invited, we shouldn't interfere too much."
"Eh?!"
Paimon scratched her head.
"Then what were you thinking about?"
Lumine responded seriously.
"I was just thinking about what to eat tonight."
Paimon: "…"
…
"Lumine, look! Why are there so many Millelith here at the city gates? And Fatui too?"
Paimon hovered around, scanning the scene with a worried expression.
Lumine's tone was serious.
"After careful observation, I'm certain…"
Paimon tensed up.
"You're certain…?"
Lumine nodded.
"I'm certain… something big is about to happen!"
Paimon tumbled mid-air.
"Even Paimon could tell that!!!"
Lumine muttered under her breath with a pout.
"Tch. Emergency food, my foot…"
Paimon stomped her foot in frustration.
"I heard that, you know!"
Nearby, a few Fatui agents were whispering among themselves.
"Why are we being gathered here too? I heard our three Harbingers have been butting heads with the Qixing in diplomatic talks."
"You idiot, it's obvious! The Adepti and Qixing are on the verge of fighting. They're scared we'll interfere, so they've pulled us all together."
"Liyue can barely hold itself together right now. Why would the Harbingers agree to such an unreasonable request?"
"Are you crazy?! Who are we to question the Harbingers' decisions?!"
"True enough…"
Just then, a Fatui operative approached Lumine and Paimon, recognizing them instantly.
"Miss Traveler, Miss Paimon—this area is currently under special security measures. Please relocate to a safe distance."
Lumine asked curiously, "And you are…?"
The agent bowed politely.
"My name is Phillips. I had the honor of meeting you once at the Northland Bank."
Only then did Lumine recall—yes, this was the man standing nearby while she'd been speaking with Shajin and the others.
And as for why Phillips was being so respectful?
Well, rumor had it this Traveler might one day become a Harbinger herself.
She could very well be his future superior. It never hurt to show some respect early on.
Paimon voiced her concern.
"What's going on here?"
"The Adepti from Jueyun Karst have finally made their move. Judging by the atmosphere… their intentions don't seem friendly."
Lumine thought for a moment.
"They're here to seek justice, aren't they?"
Phillips nodded slightly.
"Most likely. I heard a few of the Qixing have already gone out to 'welcome' them…"
He let out a mocking chuckle.
"Heh… more like trying to stop them at the city gates."
"Both sides are being stubborn. The whole situation's reached a deadlock."
Lumine recalled her earlier conversation with Ningguang.
"This was inevitable…"
Phillips agreed.
"The Adepti don't acknowledge the Qixing. They only recognize the contract with the Geo Archon. If they choose to force their way in, I doubt Liyue Harbor can hold."
Paimon interjected.
"But the Qixing aren't the type to sit around and do nothing!"
Phillips shook his head.
"Hmph. Everyone knows how stubborn they are. But that's exactly why this conflict between mortals and Adepti is about to explode."
Lumine narrowed her eyes.
"Then why is the Fatui suddenly being treated like the enemy?"
Phillips looked irritated, but quickly composed himself.
"Hah… apologies. It's because of that Ningguang."
"She claimed that 'in these stormy times, the Millelith must fully monitor the Fatui's movements.'"
"Even if the Harbingers agreed to it, I still can't swallow that kind of insult."
A glint of disdain flashed in his eyes.
"Tch! Now they want to keep us in check? So much for the mighty Qixing!"
He stepped back and politely took his leave.
Lumine looked up at the dark clouds gathering in the sky.
The storm was coming.
_
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