"Oh, Master, Adeptus Xianyun said you absolutely have to come!"
Just as Beleth was wondering whether she should leave for now and come back after the banquet was over, a young voice rang out from the doorway.
Immediately after, Shuyu and Yaoyao came in from outside, practically pushing Ping along with them.
The moment Jiehu saw Ping enter, his face lit up with delight. "Oh my, Ping, you came at just the right time! You haven't spent the last few Lantern Rites with us, so this year, don't even think about running off... no, don't even think about making excuses!"
"You..." Ping heard Jiehu hastily correct himself and sighed helplessly. "Is this how you treat an old friend?"
"It is now," Houzhang said from beside Jiehu.
Ping shook her head helplessly, then looked toward Zhongli. "You're not going to do anything about this either?"
"Mm. It is beyond my control." Zhongli nodded to Ping, then offered some reassurance. "Do not worry. This year's Lantern Rite will not bring anything that leaves you feeling unsettled."
"Hm? How do you know that?" Ping asked curiously.
Jiehu and Houzhang also listened closely, and even Beleth, who was sitting in the corner, leaned forward slightly, wanting to hear what was going on.
"Consider it a rare moment of peace before the storm," Zhongli said slowly after looking at them and giving a sigh.
The three of them looked somewhat puzzled after hearing that.
If even Zhongli was saying such a thing, what exactly had happened?
"Do not worry. An explanation will be given to everyone," Zhongli reassured them.
Aside from Sophia, the person here who understood Lora best was Zhongli. He understood what she was thinking right now, and he also knew what she intended to do.
Scaramouche walked over to Beleth and said, "Your Majesty... are you just going to sit here like this? Aren't there supposed to be things you gods can discuss among yourselves?"
Beleth glanced at him and shook her head. "You should know that I am not one of the first-generation gods. Among the people here, there are few I know well."
Among those ancient gods, she was only relatively familiar with Venti. Yet even now, he still had not arrived.
What could she do?
She barely knew most of the people here. What was there to say?
Scaramouche clicked his tongue and shook his head. "The Tsaritsa really has spent too long shut inside Snezhnaya Palace."
Beleth frowned at him. "Is it because the Electro Archon is backing you now that you dare speak to me like this?"
Scaramouche laughed. He placed a cup of water in front of her and said, "Have some water. I don't know whether you gods get thirsty."
After saying that, he left Beleth's side and returned to Ei and the Shogun.
Beleth stared at the water in front of her, lost in thought.
Before long, Zhongyue kicked the door open.
Beleth, who had just picked up the cup and was about to drink, was startled and looked over in surprise.
"Is the food ready?" Zhongyue asked loudly.
"Almost!" Lora's voice called from the kitchen. She soon poked her head out, and when she saw Zhongyue bringing Hu Tao and the others in from outside, she greeted them with a smile. "Director Hu, everyone, sit wherever you like!"
"You're too kind!" Hu Tao replied with a smile, though her expression was a little awkward.
She had not forgotten Xianyun's behavior in front of her during a previous Lantern Rite.
Thinking about it now, Lora was Fontaine's Hydro Archon, yet during past Lantern Rites, she had still taken on the role of a junior just to mess with the adepti.
Terrifying.
As soon as Hu Tao entered, she looked around the courtyard.
Some people she had seen before, such as Furina and Focalors. Others, like Beleth, she had not.
She quickly ran over to Zhongli and asked, "Consultant, give me the truth! Miss Lora isn't going to mess with me today, is she?"
Zhongli looked at Hu Tao's anxious expression and said calmly, "Rest assured, Director. Lora knows her limits."
"Limits?" Hu Tao thought back to the way some of the adepti had looked in the past and still felt uncertain.
"Consultant, we've worked together at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor for so long, haven't we? You wouldn't set me up, right?" Hu Tao nudged Zhongli with her elbow.
Zhongli nodded. "Of course not."
"Let me ask you something. Who is that?" Hu Tao pointed at Beleth, who was sitting by the wall, and asked Zhongli.
"She is an old friend of Lora and myself," Zhongli introduced.
Hu Tao asked about several people she had never seen before, and Zhongli answered her one by one. Yet after listening to his introductions, she realized she might as well not have asked.
Every answer Zhongli gave was vague.
Once the food was ready, everyone took their seats.
Xianyun hesitated beside the table, unsure whether she should sit down. Seeing this, Lora quietly asked, "Do you know what you did wrong now?"
But no sooner had she said that than Sophia struck her on the head with a sugar-roasted chestnut and said, "Stop teasing people!"
"Ouch..." Lora held her head and gave a small cry, then said to Xianyun, "Sit down..."
Watching Lora get completely held in check by Sophia, Xianyun clenched her fists and held back her laughter.
She knew very well that she absolutely could not laugh at a time like this, or she really would be finished.
But before anyone could pick up their chopsticks, another knock came from outside the door.
Everyone looked toward the entrance, curious about who could be knocking.
Makoto gave Scaramouche a look. His expression turned extremely helpless, but he still got up, walked over, and opened the door.
"Yoo-hoo! I arrived at just the right time, didn't I?"
Outside the door, Venti smiled and waved at everyone.
He had deliberately timed his arrival for when everyone was present, so Lora and Zhongli would have no way to take a swing at him.
"Oh, so you finally decided to show yourself?" Lora snorted when she saw him.
"He's afraid of dying, so he only came at this time," Wynlin, who was standing beside Venti, exposed his little scheme without hesitation.
Zhongli nodded. "Mm... I can tell."
Sophia smiled and said, "Don't stand outside. Come in and sit down!"
"Hey! I brought a gift for Lora and Mr. Zhongli!" Venti waved a hand and did not immediately come inside.
"What gift?" Lora asked curiously.
Venti gave a mysterious smile, cleared his throat, and said, "Everyone, next comes the moment to witness a miracle! Don't blink. Please behold the gift I prepared for all of you!"
At that, Venti quickly stepped aside, revealing the person he had been hiding behind him.
"Everyone, long time no see," the person behind Venti said with a smile, greeting them.