15: No Grief — Violent Sky

Negotiating with Zhongli as a member of the Fatui was a fundamentally disadvantaged position. Due to the nature of their needs, Zhongli's sheer power and the Gnosis he held were unavoidable obstacles. For this reason, even if most of their interests had to be forfeited, the Fatui still had to strike a deal.

After all, the Gnosis was the ultimate goal. Everything else could be sacrificed—Tartaglia, the Ninth Regiment sent into the Chasm, all of it.

Saphir returned to her seat and picked up the Gnosis from the table, toying with it in her hands. "The authority of the Geo Archon? This little piece doesn't look all that powerful."

"Morax forged Mora not only with divine power, but with his own bone and blood. People say I'm one of the oldest gods, but they don't understand—I, too, suffer from inevitable erosion," Zhongli said, looking at the curious girl before him, his thoughts drifting far away. What Saphir didn't realize was that merely appearing before him was, in a way, another form of erosion for him.

"If I have this, could I become the Geo Archon?" The girl looked up, meeting Zhongli's amber-gold eyes.

Zhongli averted his gaze with a cough. "A curious idea. But forgive me for being blunt—it likely won't work. You lack the qualifications to become one of the Seven."

"Doesn't matter. It's not what I want anyway." Saphir began channeling her power into the Gnosis, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea—nothing changed.

"Looks like you were right. It won't accept me." Her golden Vision dimmed. Scratching her head, she handed the Gnosis back to Zhongli, who had been watching with keen interest the entire time.

"Now that the deal is struck, what are your plans, Boss Phil?" Zhongli tucked away the Gnosis, feeling as if a great weight had been lifted. He suddenly felt like inviting some old friends for a drink—to celebrate this premature retirement of sorts.

Saphir thought for a moment before replying, "The Rite of Descension is still a while off. I've settled everything in Liyue for now. I'm thinking of heading to Mondstadt for a bit. Wonder if Barbatos has woken up yet."

Zhongli nodded. "That drunkard bard acts indifferent to all things, yet he's one of the few who truly understands the world. I imagine you'll get something valuable out of your visit."

"Drunkard bard, huh? Sounds like a fun guy." Saphir chuckled. Her trip to Mondstadt wouldn't be under her Fatui identity. Since she would need to act in Liyue under a new persona in the future, Mondstadt was the perfect place to establish it.

After a few more casual exchanges, Zhongli took his leave. As expected, he ran into that old man and his friends at the door, and soon they were chatting again over tea. But all that was no longer Saphir's concern.

Aida brought back the tea leaves, and Saphir appointed her as the acting manager of the Yanshang Teahouse. Meanwhile, she began preparing to depart for Mondstadt.

At the door, she ran into Zhongli again. He told her that in a few days, he'd have someone deliver the items she had requested and suggested she wait patiently.

At the Jade Chamber, Yelan had already delivered her report to Ningguang, but had omitted anything related to Zhongli.

Ningguang nodded in acknowledgment and said no more. As it stood, Tartaglia had left Liyue without a trace, and Saphir remained quietly operating a teahouse in Liyue Harbor without taking any overt actions. The storm that once seemed imminent now felt like an illusion that had quietly passed. Liyue was calm—eerily calm. And that gave Ningguang an uneasy feeling. She couldn't shake the sense that she had missed something.

"The Fatui... Liyue... Snezhnaya... Saphir the Dark Shepherd…" Ningguang marked down line after line of leads. Yet they all pointed toward a blank space. She knew neither why Tartaglia had left nor what Saphir was planning with the teahouse acquisition. It had been a long time since she'd encountered something so opaque. The last time, her intelligence network hadn't even existed.

"Unless…" Ningguang's gaze settled on Yelan's report. "Did Yelan deliberately withhold information? Has she betrayed me? No... no, it doesn't feel like betrayal. It's more like she was trying to hint at something she couldn't say aloud. But what could be so serious she couldn't even tell me?"

The answer was already forming in her mind. In Liyue, only one person could claim a higher standing than the Qixing. Even the Adepti stood as equals to the Qixing, never as their superiors—unless it was that person.

"The Archon." Ningguang finally pinned a note bearing the words "The Archon" on the wall alongside her investigation.

Looking at the connected web of clues on the wall, she nodded. "The Fatui's strange movements are related to the Archon. He must be orchestrating something. But what would compel him to act without even informing the Qixing? Although it's troubling, most of the unease in my heart is gone. If it's the Archon's doing, then there must be deeper meaning behind it. Even if we don't understand it—just trust him."

"These blades were reforged from a god's former weapons, known as 'Salt's Grief' and 'Salt's Sorrow.'" At the door of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Saphir arrived at Zhongli's request. Upon meeting, he presented her with a long case, opening it to reveal the contents.

Two silver daggers lay inside, gleaming coldly under the light.

Saphir picked them up carefully and examined them. "'Salt's Grief'... 'Salt's Sorrow.' They tell the tale of a weak, foolish monarch who brought ruin to her people."

"Unyielding concessions only fuel the greed of the shameless. That was Havria's tragedy. After her death, her weapons passed through many hands before reaching me. You know, when I got them, they hadn't even been sharpened." Zhongli's eyes carried traces of distant memories.

He had once considered helping Havria, but it was Guizhong—always known for her gentleness—who had stopped him.

"In chaotic times, kindness without cause invites suspicion. If Havria had surrendered, we could've accepted her and her people. But as long as she insisted on her independent status as a god, she could only be our enemy," Guizhong had said.

"To refuse reliance on strength while lacking strength of one's own… to want everything while giving nothing—that's not kindness, it's greed."

Zhongli's eyes flickered with surprise. Saphir's words were eerily similar to what Guizhong had once told him. He hadn't understood back then—but after centuries as a ruler, he finally did.

"You really are like her."

Saphir laughed. "Havria must've been stunningly beautiful, huh? You really are a rock, Mr. Zhongli. One that can't be warmed."

Zhongli smiled wryly and shook his head. "I reforged them myself—they're much stronger now. Their original names no longer suit them. Why don't you give them new ones? Consider it a ceremony of ownership."

"Names, huh…" Saphir gently traced one blade with her finger. "Then I'll call them No Grief — Violent Sky. What do you think, Mr. Zhongli?"

"They're yours now. Name them however you like." Zhongli raised his hands, expressing no objection.

Watching her leave, Zhongli sighed. He didn't know if giving those weapons to her was right or wrong—but since he had decided to trust her, he would not waver.

"Awoo!" Suddenly, a girl clad in black darted beside him with a mischievous howl. Her large eyes spun with blood-red plum blossoms, a little eerie, yet playfully charming.

Snapped from his thoughts, Zhongli turned with a sigh. "What brings the Hall Master here?"

"I've been watching you since morning, you know! Mysteriously carrying a fancy case—I thought it was some amazing treasure! Before I could even sneak a peek, you went and gave it away?" Hu Tao pouted, clearly wanting an explanation.

Zhongli chuckled. "You're not wrong—it was something quite extraordinary. But it's not suitable for you."

"Hmph! I'm not greedy for your stuff! I've got my Staff of Homa, I'm set! I was just curious, okay? Even if you tried to give it to me, I wouldn't take it!" Hu Tao hopped away, waving her hand. "But, hey, I do have a question."

"Ask away. I'll answer as best I can."

"That girl who just left—what's her deal? I couldn't see through her at all." Hu Tao shaded her eyes with one hand and pretended to search the distance for Saphir.

"Oh? There's actually someone you can't read?" Zhongli spoke with amusement but didn't seem surprised.

"Don't play dumb with me. You two looked very familiar. You even gave her a gift. Look, I'm not the jealous type or anything—but at your age, don't you go having improper thoughts about her, got it? Even I won't be able to help you then." Hu Tao flashed a devilish grin, half-joking, half-warning.

Zhongli sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You overthink, Hall Master. It's strictly business. She'll be leaving Liyue soon, and the items were merely a farewell gift."

"Hmph, you better not be lying to me."

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