Venti shook his head.
"No... how can you call it something I shouldn't have said? Think about it. Back then, you and Lora had both left, and I had to face Director Hu all by myself. Of course I needed to make up an excuse to get through it, right?"
"So what excuse did you make up?" Lora demanded.
Venti lowered his voice. "Nothing much... I just said... you and... Zhongli... the two of you... eloped."
The moment he finished speaking, Venti immediately ran off, putting distance between himself, Lora, and Chaya.
"Hey, hey! Lora just came back, and everyone's happy! No fighting allowed!"
Chaya really did not lay a hand on him.
She simply condensed a boulder half as tall as a person and smashed Venti straight out of the Palais Mermonia.
Looking at the shattered office window, Lora calmly said, "Send the bill to the Knights of Favonius. Let them pay for their god. Cash only, no credit."
"Understood," Neuvillette nodded.
At that moment, Lumine and Paimon, who were exploring Fontaine, looked up and saw a green figure rapidly shooting toward the horizon.
"Lumine, look at that! What is it?" Paimon pointed at Venti as he streaked across the sky.
Lumine narrowed her eyes and frowned. "That looked like... Venti?"
"Venti? Why is he flying through the sky?" Paimon scratched her head, utterly confused.
Lumine spread her hands. "No idea. But he didn't look like he was flying by himself. It looked more like someone sent him flying..."
Paimon blinked in shock. "But he's the Anemo Archon! Who could send him flying?"
"Only a few people could do that," Lumine said after thinking for a moment. "It was probably Chaya."
Paimon clicked her tongue and shook her head.
"How miserable..."
No one knew where Chaya had blasted Venti off to. In any case, he was not seen again for quite some time.
After handing her work over to Neuvillette, Chaya set off for Liyue.
Lora naturally stayed in Fontaine. However, when Neuvillette came to her with official documents, she flatly refused.
In her words, she had worked hard for most of her life. Was she not allowed to enjoy herself now?
Neuvillette looked at Lora, who spoke with perfect righteousness, and said in a low voice, "Lady Lora, I believe I have also worked for five hundred years. Moreover, this should have been your duty to begin with. As Fontaine's Hydro Archon—"
"Stop! The Hydro Archon is dead!" Lora crossed her arms into an X and said to him, "Fontaine has no god now. Not me, not Focalors, and not Furina! Fontaine only has you, the Hydro Dragon Sovereign!"
"But it cannot be denied that you are still Fontaine's head of state," Neuvillette continued.
Lora cleared her throat. "Then the head of state will now issue an order to you, Chief Justice! From now on, all political affairs of the Court of Fontaine are entrusted to you! This is a sign of my trust in you. Be diligent, be disciplined, and live up to the organization's expectations!"
Neuvillette: "..."
Lora added the final blow. "All right! I'm taking the kids out to play. Do your best, Monsieur Neuvillette~"
With that, she jogged toward the door. After stepping outside, she poked her head back in, waved at him, and only then left the Palais Mermonia.
Neuvillette: "..."
He slowly turned around and looked at the piles of documents on the desk, remaining silent for a long while, as if contemplating his life as a dragon.
...
On the streets of Liyue, Zhongli walked slowly, taking in the familiar scenery before letting out a long sigh.
"This is the longest I have ever been away from Liyue. It certainly brings many thoughts to mind..."
"Hey! Over here!"
A familiar voice called from his left. Zhongli turned and saw Hu Tao waving at him, with Xiangling standing beside her.
He walked over. "Director Hu. It has been some time."
Hu Tao circled him once. "So why are you back?"
"Hm?" Zhongli looked puzzled.
Xiangling looked at him curiously. "Hu Tao said you and Miss Lora went to Fontaine to get married! So why did you come back alone? Where is Miss Lora?"
Zhongli frowned. "That was merely nonsense Venti made up on the spot. It is not true."
"Ah, it's not?" Xiangling was surprised.
Hu Tao, however, leaned closer. "Don't tell me Miss Lora chased you back and you're too embarrassed to say so. It's fine. Wangsheng Funeral Parlor still has a place for you!"
"Miss Lora and I do not share the relationship Director Hu imagines." Zhongli's tone grew more serious. "If you do not believe me, you may ask her yourself."
"Perfect!" Xiangling took an invitation from her bag. "I received a letter from Miss Lora yesterday. She invited me to Fontaine for some chef selection competition at the Palais Mermonia."
She looked at Hu Tao. "Let's go together!"
Hu Tao immediately turned back to Zhongli. "You too."
"I have only just returned from Fontaine," Zhongli replied.
"There's no harm in going again!" Hu Tao grinned. "Unless you're..."
"Very well." Zhongli sighed. "Since both of you wish to go, I shall accompany you."
As expected, he truly could not handle this child.
"Oh my! I finally found you, Mr. Zhongli!"
Another voice came from behind him. Zhongli turned and saw Yun Jin from the Yun-Han Opera Troupe.
"Does Ms. Yun need something from me?" he asked.
Yun Jin nodded. "Yes. Miss Lora sent me an invitation to perform at the Opera Epiclese. I thought she must have gone through quite some effort to obtain it, so I wanted to thank her in person. Since you are acquainted with her, I came to ask where she is now."
"She should currently be in Fontaine," Zhongli said.
"Perfect! We're going to Fontaine too. Yun Jin, come with us!" Hu Tao immediately said.
Yun Jin did not refuse. Traveling with a group would be much more convenient than making her way there alone.
"Then let's not delay. Let's get ready to set off!" Xiangling said.