Apep: "..."
"Why are you saying that so loudly?!" she snapped.
"She said that if it were purely a contest of power, hardly anyone in Liyue could beat her, and winning that way would be meaningless anyway. That's why she insists on defeating humans using human methods," Zhongyue explained from the side.
So this was all because of a Dragon Sovereign's inexplicable pride.
"But that still doesn't justify making such a mess of someone else's home. The least you can do is clean it up," Lora said to Apep. "Lady Apep, you wouldn't want all of Teyvat to hear tomorrow that the Dendro Dragon Sovereign has no manners, would you?"
Apep: "..."
"Exactly. I think she's just plain rude!" Zhongyue nodded.
"And you!" Xianyun turned toward Zhongyue, her voice stern. "Do you think you're getting away with this? You're helping clean up too!"
"So does that mean I can just sit back and watch?" Furina blinked at Lora.
Lora stared at her in silence for a moment. "How about... you help carry the bricks?"
"Huh? Why do I have to help too...?" Furina looked at her in shock, her expression turning pitiful.
Lora ruffled her hair. "Oh, I'm only teasing you! With me here, why would you need to lift a finger?"
"Then can you help me out?" Zhongyue immediately sidled over.
"Clean up your own mess!" Lora fixed her with a serious look. "Don't even think about slacking off. Understand?"
Zhongyue: "..."
Raaagh!
In the end, Apep and Zhongyue resigned themselves to their fate and cleaned the courtyard together.
Lora did lend them a hand. She cleared away all the black soot left behind by the explosions.
By sunset, the courtyard had been restored to the way it had looked before Xianyun left. Apep used her control over plants to regrow all the wooden furniture that had been blown apart.
Nothing could be done about the furniture made from other materials, though. They would have to buy replacements.
"You're paying for them!" Xianyun said sternly, staring at Zhongyue.
"Where am I supposed to get..." Zhongyue instinctively started to protest that she had no money, only to remember halfway through that she owned several shops in Fontaine.
She was rich now.
Xianyun watched her with a smile. "Go on. Finish what you were saying."
Zhongyue: "..."
Forget it. She would just accept her fate.
Zhongyue went out and bought replacements for every piece of furniture they had broken.
Afterward, Xianyun began discussing how they could repair the relationship between Gaming and his father.
"...Tomorrow, Lumine will come up with an excuse to bring Gaming and his father over from Yilong Wharf together. I'll wait by the roadside with Shenhe and Ganyu. We'll only need a few more people to play along." Xianyun laid out each part of the plan in order.
Once she had finished, everyone agreed that there were no major problems with it.
"Excellent! Since no one has any objections, we'll proceed according to my plan!" Xianyun clapped her hands, then emphasized once more, "Everyone must play their part properly. Gaming's relationship with his father depends on this!"
"Don't worry. We're seasoned actors!" Paimon patted her chest and confidently reassured her.
"Honestly, when it comes to acting, none of you can compare to me," Lora told the group. "It's just a shame Gaming knows me, so I can't disguise myself as one of the thieves."
"Can't you change your appearance?" Xianyun asked.
For a deity, taking on countless forms was perfectly ordinary. Zhongli could do it, so Lora should certainly be capable of it as well.
"No. I'm far too beautiful. How could you possibly ask me to make myself ugly?" Lora shook her head, rested her chin in one hand, and batted her eyelashes at Xianyun.
Xianyun fell silent.
She stared at Lora for a very, very long time.
Then Zhongyue kicked open the door.
"I'm hungry! Time to eat!"
Apep followed behind her and addressed everyone in the room. "I made something simple. I do not know whether it will suit your tastes."
"Oh?" Lora looked at Apep in surprise. "You know how to cook?"
"She blew up the kitchen twice and only managed to make one dish. Then she ran out of options and asked me to help," Zhongyue said, mercilessly exposing the truth.
"...Azhdaha, you!" Apep glared at her.
"Why did you suddenly decide to cook?" Lora frowned at Apep. Her behavior reminded Lora of an old acquaintance from Inazuma.
"Consider it an apology. I am not some ill-mannered Dragon Sovereign," Apep said, puffing out her chest and looking solemnly at the group.
Lora nodded with an expression of understanding.
They had barely stepped out of the room when someone knocked on the courtyard gate.
"Hm? Isn't everyone usually eating at this hour? Who would come visiting now?" Lora wondered aloud.
"Could they be here to steal our dinner?" Zhongyue immediately grew wary.
Lora extended her senses. The moment she detected the god-level aura outside the gate, her expression became difficult to describe.
"Oh, it's someone we know."
Zhongyue went over and opened the gate, revealing the Raiden family standing outside.
"Oh, it's you lot?" Zhongyue looked at them in surprise.
"Long time no see, everyone." Makoto smiled and waved in greeting.
Xianyun quickly invited them inside and offered them seats.
Lora grinned. "Your timing couldn't be better. We were just about to eat. Guess who made dinner tonight?"
"It definitely wasn't you!" Makoto replied without hesitation.
Lora: "..."
There was no love left between them.
"Makoto, you've changed," Lora complained.
"No, I haven't. I still look quite good." Makoto turned in a circle and answered with a smile.
Ei glanced at Scaramouche, who stood off to the side. "Say hello."
Scaramouche looked at Lora but remained silent.
He looked exactly like a shy child being dragged along by his elders to visit relatives during the New Year, only to be urged to greet everyone.
Seeing that he still refused to speak, the Shogun said sternly, "Greeting others upon meeting them is a basic courtesy. As representatives of Inazuma, we cannot behave disrespectfully. Kunikuzushi, you..."
"Don't call me that!" Scaramouche shouted before she could finish.
Lora dutifully took on the role of a kindly relative and waved her hand. "Oh, it's fine if the child doesn't want to greet us. Don't frighten him. Come here, Auntie has some candy for you..."
Scaramouche stared at her in disbelief. "Have you finally gone senile?"
Lora's smile froze instantly.
Furina frowned. "Who is this? How is he so bold?"
"Scaramouche. You can call him Kunikuzushi," Lora explained to her. "He used to be a Fatui Harbinger, and he's your Aunt Ei's good-for-nothing son."