Yuandai nodded and entered Wangshu Inn with Shuyu supporting her.
Furina, meanwhile, had gotten the full story from Focalors, but she still could not quite process it.
She leaned close to Zhongli, studying him from head to toe, even circling him several times as if that would help her see through him.
Zhongli noticed and asked, "Lady Furina, is something the matter?"
"Oh my god! That tone is exactly like Neuvillette!" Furina jumped back in shock. "Aside from Neuvillette, only Chaya talks like that!"
"So... are you really Chaya?"
Zhongli paused briefly. "Chaya existed only because Lora needed her at the time. There is no need to dwell on it. You may simply think of me as Zhongli."
Furina clicked her tongue and shook her head. "Who could just forget that? Mr. Zhongli, I think you were excellent as temporary Chief Justice. Any interest in coming back?"
When Chaya had been there, her attitude toward Furina had been completely different from Neuvillette's. At the very least, Chaya went along with almost everything Furina did and never lectured her. If Neuvillette was the strict parent, then Chaya was the one who spoiled the child rotten.
Furina loved Chaya far too much.
Zhongli sighed and shook his head. "That will not be necessary. Mr. Neuvillette is an excellent Chief Justice. There is no reason for me to take his place. What happened back then was only a temporary measure. Let the past remain in the past. Lady Furina need not dwell on it."
Furina sighed in disappointment.
The only ones present who did not understand what "Chaya" meant were Jiehu and Houzhang. After Furina's outburst, they glanced around in confusion and saw that Xiao and Xianyun both seemed to be holding something back.
Jiehu quietly asked, "Conqueror of Demons, do you know who this young lady means by Chaya?"
After a brief silence, Xiao said seriously, "Mountain Shaper, please don't ask."
"Huh?" Jiehu stared at him in confusion.
Was there some terrible karma involved, something even Adepti could not bear? Why else would Xiao be so cautious?
"And she is no ordinary young lady," Xiao added. "This is Lady Furina, Fontaine's Hydro Archon."
Jiehu: "..."
Houzhang: "..."
"And so is she." Xiao then introduced Focalors.
Jiehu: "?"
Houzhang: "?"
"Yes, that's right. All three of us are." Lora nodded and briefly introduced herself as well, since Jiehu and Houzhang still had not caught up.
Question marks practically appeared over both their heads.
What was happening?
Last time, three gods had come from Inazuma. Now three gods had come from Fontaine.
Which nation was going to send several gods next?
"What's with these Adepti? Do Liyue Adepti inherit overreacting as a tradition?" Seeing Jiehu and Houzhang's expressions, Furina took a few small steps toward Zhongli and whispered.
Zhongli remained perfectly calm. "You should ask Miss Lora about that."
"Hm?" Furina paused, then turned to Lora.
Lora met her gaze with perfect composure. "Ah, that is a long story. In short, it is one of my glorious achievements from the past. You will experience it soon enough!"
Furina blinked. She still did not understand, but since Lora said she would experience it soon, she stopped worrying about it.
Zhongli then asked Lora, "By the way, have you seen that drunk poet?"
Lora shook her head. "Not since you knocked him flying last time. I even wondered if you launched him straight out of Teyvat. But I checked the barrier, and it wasn't broken, so he probably didn't make it out."
"You even checked the barrier. How thoughtful of you, Lora," Zhongli remarked.
"Oh my, how could I compare to you? Earlier, Hu Tao and I nearly exposed your identity. I thought you would knock me flying just like Venti. I was terrified. But you didn't do anything, did you?" Lora smiled and waved a hand, speaking as if she meant every word.
Zhongli looked at her calmly. "That would require me to defeat Miss Lora first. You now bear the identity and power of the Sustainer. How could deceased gods like us possibly be your match?"
The moment Zhongli said "deceased gods," everyone present except Lora nearly lost control of their expressions.
"You're starting again, aren't you?" Lora's face turned serious.
Zhongli blinked, then nodded. "Yes, my mistake. I thought Lantern Rite had already begun."
"So this is what Lantern Rite is like?" Furina suddenly understood as she watched Lora and Zhongli trade barbs.
She had thought Lantern Rite was simply Liyue's New Year festival. Now it seemed to be the day when a group of old-timers mocked one another nonstop!
Just as that thought crossed her mind, Lora seemed to sense it. She slowly turned around and smiled at Furina.
Furina jolted.
"What are you thinking about, Furina?" Lora asked gently, looking into her eyes.
"N-nothing!" Furina quickly shook her head.
"Silly roe deer, I'm your mother. You think I don't know what's going through your head? The moment your butt twitches, I know which bench you're about to sit on." Lora's smile brightened as she watched Furina's guilty expression.
"You only know how to scare me..." Furina muttered.
Focalors patted her shoulder and said gently, "It's fine. Egeria scares me too."
Xianyun sighed from the side. "This is exactly why I said you don't know how to raise children."
"Just let them grow freely! They won't turn out crooked anyway." Lora spread her hands, as if declaring an eternal truth.
Fontainians were one thing, but Oceanids like Focalors and Furina would never turn bad no matter what.
Zhongli nodded in agreement. "Mm. Miss Lora makes a fair point."
"Please don't agree with her," Xianyun said, staring at Zhongli in speechless disbelief.
How old was he already? Why was he still acting like a child?
Inside and outside Wangshu Inn, the atmosphere was lively and cheerful.
Just then, a little girl in blue-black clothes came up to Wangshu Inn, holding up a letter as she called out, "Letter for Zhongli and Lora. Please accept it!"