"Tsk..."
Zhongyue clicked her tongue and shook her head.
Apep frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing." Zhongyue kept shaking her head. "I just think it's funny watching you want to join now but still trying to act proud. Honestly, I was only refusing for show earlier. You know what I mean, right?"
Apep: "..."
Her fists clenched.
She wanted to hit a dragon.
At that moment, Zhongli stepped between them to smooth things over. "I do not believe this is the time for you two to argue over such matters. If I may ask, Lady Apep, do you know how to make a kite?"
"It is only a kite. I can make one easily," Apep said with great confidence.
Zhongyue immediately added, "But if you want to win, an ordinary kite won't stand a chance. Apep, you don't want your kite to lose to something made by humans, do you?"
"Hmph! How could my kite possibly lose to a mere human's?" Provoked by Zhongyue, Apep instantly said, "Then I shall show you what I can do, little dragon."
Zhongyue clapped, praising her with a smile that did not reach her eyes. "Wow. Amazing."
Watching the two bicker like performers, Nahida tugged at Sophia's sleeve. "Um... Mom, we've never made a kite either, have we?"
"Have you forgotten who we are?" Sophia rubbed her hair. "We are the Goddesses of Wisdom. All knowledge in the world exists within Irminsul. We only need to access it, and we can know everything."
In truth, Nahida had to communicate with Irminsul to obtain knowledge, but Sophia did not.
She herself was its incarnation.
Whatever she wanted to know, a single thought was enough.
After hearing their conversation, Furina also said to Lora, "Mom, I don't know how to make kites either..."
"It's fine. We have money." Lora shook her head, telling her not to panic.
Every team had its own method.
Everyone was thriving in their own way.
...
Meanwhile, in Inazuma, on Narukami Island, inside the third room on the left in Tenshukaku.
"Why is the reconstruction of Yashiori Island costing so much Mora? Is someone in the commissions lining their pockets?" Ei frowned as she looked at the long list of expenses.
Scaramouche clicked his tongue. "Do you even know how a country works? Isn't this level of spending normal? That's the reconstruction of an entire island. Did you think it would be easy?"
"I understand the reasoning, but does Tenshukaku have that kind of money?" Ei asked with a frown.
Scaramouche spread his hands. "You really don't understand anything... It's not as if Tenshukaku is paying for it. How much money does this place even have? The funds come from Inazuma's treasury."
He looked at Ei with an expression that seemed to say, I may not be able to beat you, but I am definitely smarter than you.
"You should probably stop looking at these. You don't understand them anyway," he kindly suggested.
Ei looked at him and fell silent.
Feeling the murderous pressure coming off her, Scaramouche immediately stood and backed away.
Just as he was about to turn and flee the room, he ran into Makoto, who was walking in from outside.
Makoto looked at him. "What happened to you?"
"Tactical retreat," Scaramouche answered seriously.
She glanced at Ei, who was still sitting there, and sighed helplessly. "Why are you two still so hostile? Didn't you already talk everything out?"
"He called me stupid," Ei said.
"I did not!" Scaramouche immediately denied it.
"His expression did."
Scaramouche: "..."
He swore he was innocent.
Makoto sighed, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Try to be understanding. Ei is just like this."
"Sister!" Ei protested.
Did she not need any dignity?
"All right, all right. Don't dwell on that. I came because I have something to discuss with both of you," Makoto said, soothing Ei before addressing them both.
"What is it?" Ei and Scaramouche asked at the same time.
"Let's wait a little. I'll explain once the Shogun and Miko arrive."
Makoto did not tell them immediately. She had already notified the two of them, and they were on their way from the Grand Narukami Shrine.
"You even called them back?" Hearing this, Scaramouche frowned, feeling that something was definitely going on.
Ei, however, had no questions at all.
Since it was Makoto's decision, she would support it completely.
Before long, the Shogun and Yae Miko arrived from the shrine. As soon as they entered, Miko asked, "What happened? Why call us over in such a hurry?"
Once everyone had arrived, Makoto slowly said, "I received an invitation."
"An invitation?" The others were all taken aback.
Miko asked, "What kind of invitation? Who sent it?"
There were only a handful of people in all of Teyvat who could send an invitation directly to Makoto. She quickly remembered that Liyue's Lantern Rite was coming up and asked, "Could it be for Lantern Rite?"
"More or less. But it came from Venti," Makoto said slowly.
"The Anemo Archon?" Miko was somewhat surprised. "Why would he be sending an invitation for Lantern Rite?"
"That is not so strange." Ei was quite calm about it. "Thousands of years ago, when we gathered in Liyue, was he not the one who invited us as well?"
Makoto nodded. "Indeed. It is not strange for him to invite us there, and the date on the invitation is during Lantern Rite. However, its contents are not related to the festival."
"Not related to Lantern Rite?"
Everyone was a little confused.
"The invitation specifically named me, Ei, the Shogun, and Kunikuzushi. It said we must all go to Liyue."
"What is it about?" Ei asked.
Makoto shook her head. "It did not say in detail, but the wording was extremely formal. Given Venti's personality, if he sent an invitation with such serious phrasing, it should not be a simple matter. That is why I called all of you here."
"Are you certain it was sent by the Anemo Archon?" Scaramouche asked.
Makoto nodded slightly. "Yes. The invitation appeared before me out of nowhere, and the dense Anemo energy on it could not be faked."
"Wait!" Miko suddenly realized something and frowned. "Doesn't that mean all of you have to leave for Liyue soon? Then I'm the only one left in Inazuma?"
"The only fox," Ei corrected.
"That is not the point!" Miko said.
"We can only trouble you with it," Makoto said, looking at her in an attempt to reassure her. "But you do not need to worry. You still have the Kamisato Clan, do you not? Besides, the Kujou Clan can still be of use."
"Is that really the point?" Miko asked helplessly.