Night gradually descended.
Up on the mountain, rows of ceremonial teams were taking their positions.
Zhongli, ever the busy one, seemed to still be occupied with his own procession.
"Yo, Brother Taro—you're here."
"Come on, come on, sit down! The rites just started. The old man will be here soon."
The usually calm face of the bard showed a relaxed grin.
"You didn't actually sit here waiting this whole time, did you?"
Taro took a seat at the table, staring at the empty dishes in disbelief.
This drunkard—patient? Really?
No drinking, no fooling around, just quietly waiting?
"Brother Taro, you underestimate me."
Venti arched a brow, smiling lightly. "For someone like me, who's lived over ten thousand years… waiting isn't hard.
When you've seen enough, you learn to be calm—and to endure solitude."
Calmness, he could understand.
But solitude?
Taro frowned slightly. It was something beyond his comprehension.
He'd never experienced that kind of loneliness.
After all, both his past lives had been filled with their own struggles and routines.
Lonely? Nonsense.
When you're busy just staying alive, where's the time to feel lonely?
That kind of sentiment belonged to people with full stomachs and idle minds.
At least, that's what Taro believed.
Living alone doesn't mean being lonely.
If you can live freely, without pressure, doing what you like,
many people would choose solitude.
Once upon a time, he was one of them.
"You ancient folks really talk about age differently."
He waved his hand dismissively.
"Let's skip the loneliness talk. I'm not old enough for that. Can't feel it."
Three lifetimes combined, and he wasn't even fifty.
With so little experience, talking about the "many phases of life" would just be laughable.
"Young, huh~"
Venti chuckled knowingly.
"Young people are full of energy. Unlike me or the old man—look young on the outside, but inside, we're already ancient."
"Skip, skip~"
Taro shot him a look. "Didn't I just say not to talk about that?"
"Trying to show off your wisdom?"
"Never, never!"
Venti rubbed his hands together. "Alright, alright—let's change the topic then."
"What is it?"
Taro raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me this concerns all of Teyvat."
"I'm not some log you can throw into your world-saving bonfire.
If I'm in a good mood, sure, I'll add a spark.
If not, I might just dump a bucket of cold water instead."
"..."
How were they supposed to talk like that?
The man shut every path before the discussion even began.
"No, no~"
Venti laughed awkwardly, scratching his head.
"You know me, Brother Taro. I'm no big shot.
I just want to keep my little patch of land, live quietly, eat, drink, and be merry.
That's enough for me."
"The old man's the same way, really.
Except he's too responsible for his own good, which makes his life exhausting.
Ever since Guizhong and the Adepti Council days,
among the Three-Eyed Five Manifestations, he's worked the hardest."
"Brother Taro, take a look at him right now…"
"Hm?"
At Venti's cue, Taro glanced down at the ceremonial square.
It didn't take long to spot Zhongli standing at the head of his team.
Moments later, he looked away.
"Yeah. He does seem a bit different from before."
Venti grinned. "Right? He feels… younger now, doesn't he?"
Taro nodded.
"True. He's at ease. No more endless work pressing on his shoulders."
And it made sense.
Before his retirement, Zhongli carried seventy percent of Liyue's burdens alone.
Ganyu handled another ten percent,
the Yuehai Pavilion took half a percent,
and the rest were split among the Qixing.
To outsiders, it looked like the Qixing ran Liyue.
But the Qixing themselves knew the truth—
compared to what Morax handled, their share was dust on a mountain.
Now that Zhongli had stepped down and Guizhong was still studying administration,
most of Liyue's responsibilities fell to Ganyu, Yuehai Pavilion's secretaries, and the other Adepti.
Half of all state affairs now rested squarely on the shoulders of the Qixing.
Lately, they were constantly busy.
No time for public appearances, business events, or banquets—
barely time to eat.
Work, sleep, repeat.
"Hehe~"
Venti clasped his hands together.
"Gotta say, Brother Taro, you're amazing."
"I tried to persuade the old man before, but it never worked.
You show up, and poof—all problems solved."
"..."
Was he flattering him? Probably.
"This had little to do with me."
Taro chuckled. "Even without me, he was ready to retire."
"Besides…" he squinted at Venti, "…stop pretending you don't know."
"You knew about Zhongli's contract with the Cryo Archon, didn't you?"
"Hehehe~"
Venti scratched his cheek, laughing awkwardly.
So he'd been found out.
Yes, he knew.
But everyone had agreed to act as if they didn't.
Now that Taro had said it outright, there was no point hiding it.
"Alright then."
Taro leaned back slightly.
"Whatever you and the others are planning, it's none of my concern.
As long as it doesn't involve me or cross my line, I won't interfere."
"Teyvat's future isn't my business."
"If the world really collapses one day, I'll just pack up what I care about and open my own world."
"About that…"
Venti leaned closer, grinning sheepishly.
"I swear, I'm not here today to freeload drinks.
I just want to… leave myself an extra way out, you know?
If you people mess things up, at least there's one escape route left."
"..."
Looking for an escape route, huh?
Taro raised a brow.
"Fine. I'll leave you a door—once I've thought it through."
"But…"
"But what?"
Venti's eyes lit up eagerly.
Taro shrugged.
"...Haven't thought about that part yet. I'll let you know."
"..."
Brother Taro, you're killing me here.
He felt like a cat scratching at his own heart, desperate for an answer.
(End of Chapter)
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