"Try it," Tabibito snapped, glaring at Keqing. "I was asking Ryou, not you."
"Keqing," Ryou said, before the two of them could start again, "I need to talk to Tabibito tonight anyway. Having her eat at our place is fine."
Keqing still looked unhappy.
Ryou lowered his voice. "This is Liyue Harbor, not Qingce Village. People are watching."
That finally made Keqing pause.
One sentence, and they were already about to fight in the street. Ryou's head hurt just looking at them.
"That's settled," he said.
Tabibito's mood immediately improved. "That's more like it. I'll go first, then."
She turned and headed straight for Wanmin Restaurant.
She needed Xiangling.
If she and Xiangling joined forces, her odds against Keqing would be much better. One-on-one, Keqing had too many tricks now. Two-on-one, though? That was a different story.
Ryou watched her leave, then turned back.
Keqing was staring at him.
Not saying a word.
Just staring.
Then she huffed, turned around, and walked ahead without waiting for him.
Ryou hurried after her, wrapped an arm around her, and started coaxing her back from the edge. By the time they were almost at the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Keqing's temper had finally cooled.
They entered hand in hand.
"Ryou-sama!"
"Keqing-sama!"
The greetings came from all around, but the voices were a little strained.
Most of the staff were not actually looking at Ryou.
They were looking at Taroumaru.
He was far too large now. Standing there beside Ryou, he looked less like a dog and more like something that should be guarding a mountain pass. Anyone seeing him for the first time would feel their scalp tingle.
Huixin had been carrying water over, probably to greet them. The moment she saw Taroumaru, she stumbled back, the cup in her hand tipping over.
Tea splashed across the floor.
The fragrance spread at once, but Huixin did not even notice. Her face had gone pale.
Ryou sighed.
"Don't be scared. This is Taroumaru. He won't bite."
The room went even quieter.
The staff clearly wanted to believe him.
Their faces said they were trying very hard.
Ryou gave up on explaining and moved on.
"Has the man we brought back from Qingce Village been questioned?"
Huixin carefully edged closer, stealing another look at Taroumaru.
"Yes, Ryou-sama. He's been questioned. Also… Yelan came by not long ago to ask about the case."
Ryou raised a brow.
"She questioned him too, then left. She said if you returned, you should go to Yanshang Teahouse and meet her."
That made sense.
Anything involving the Liyue Qixing was no small matter, and Yelan handled intelligence for Ningguang. If there was movement around Uncle Tian's successor, there was no way she would ignore it.
When Ryou had arrested Degui before and dragged a Qixing member into the mess, Yelan had shown up too.
This time, she had moved even faster.
That probably meant she was already involved in Uncle Tian's candidate selection. Maybe she even had people watching those candidates in secret.
Before Ryou could think further, footsteps came from upstairs.
He looked up and saw Zhongli walking out with Zhong Lishui.
"Ryou. Keqing," Zhongli said, "come up for a moment. There's something I need to tell you."
"All right."
Ryou turned to Dunyarzad and Dehya. "Wait here for a bit. I'll be back soon."
The two nodded.
Ryou brought Keqing upstairs.
In the office, a teapot and cups were already set out on the table. Zhongli and Zhong Lishui had clearly been drinking tea before they arrived.
Ryou sat down and smiled. "Zhongli, how's temporary office life treating you?"
Zhongli shook his head and poured him a cup.
"Don't tease me. I'm only helping you handle matters for now. I imagine Keqing will return to her position soon."
Keqing accepted a cup and said, "If it's you, Zhongli, I don't mind you handling things for a while. You're capable enough. Even while we were gone, everything here stayed orderly."
Then she noticed his expression.
"But you don't look relaxed. Did something happen?"
Ryou set the cup down.
Zhongli's tone became more serious.
"There is something you should know. It may have a considerable impact."
He looked at them.
"Do you remember Degui's case?"
Ryou nodded.
"The Qixing member arrested afterward was poisoned while you were in Qingce Village. If Zhong Lishui had not been watching the Ministry, he might have died."
Ryou's expression shifted.
"A Qixing member was poisoned?"
That connected too neatly with what had happened to the Wang family.
Someone had targeted a possible successor to the Liyue Qixing. Now a current member had been poisoned inside the Ministry's custody. Whoever was behind this was not just aiming for one family.
They were trying to force their way into power.
Keqing reached the same conclusion almost at once.
"Husband, this sounds like someone is trying to use the chaos to become one of the Liyue Qixing."
"And they've already become bold enough to attack a current member," Ryou said.
Keqing nodded.
Ryou turned to Zhongli. "Have people investigate this. Whoever used the poison needs to be found quickly, or more people will get hurt."
"Don't worry," Zhongli said. "I've already arranged it."
"Good. If it's in your hands, I'm relieved."
Ryou paused.
There was another matter he had been holding back.
Dunyarzad.
He knew Zhongli's real identity, but Zhongli's current role was still Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's consultant. Ryou could not simply ask in front of Keqing whether Rex Lapis could cure Eleazar.
So he chose the safer question.
"Zhongli, do you know about Eleazar?"
Zhongli's expression turned thoughtful.
"Eleazar is an incurable disease from Sumeru. For centuries, no one has found a cure. The Akademiya has studied it for generations, but even now, there is no true treatment."
Ryou was not surprised.
He had expected that answer. What he wanted to know was whether Zhongli, as a god, had another answer.
Keqing tugged lightly at his sleeve.
"Ryou, then Dunyarzad…"
"Don't worry." Ryou covered her hand, then looked back at Zhongli. "To be honest, we met someone with Eleazar by chance. I know you're well informed, so I wanted to ask."
He watched Zhongli closely.
"Is there really no way to cure it? Not even for a god?"
Zhongli's expression barely changed.
"Likely not."
Keqing's hand tightened around Ryou's.
Zhongli continued, "Gods possess great power, and many people believe them capable of anything. But power does not mean omnipotence. Eleazar is too complex. At most, it can be eased for a time."
His voice lowered slightly.
"And when the disease reaches a certain point, no matter how unwilling the patient may be…"
He did not finish.
He did not need to.
Ryou felt Keqing grip him harder.
He understood why.
Dunyarzad was gentle. Strong too, in a quiet way. She had suffered more than most people would ever know, and still, she thought of others first. Someone like that dying to Eleazar was hard for Keqing to accept.
It was hard for Ryou too.
He knew Dunyarzad would eventually be cured in the future, but that future was not here yet. She had already left Sumeru. There was no guarantee she would last long enough for the original cure to arrive.
Bloody Mary could suppress the disease. Given enough of it, maybe it could even cure her.
But Ryou could not keep giving that away without consequence.
Keqing forced herself to speak.
"Zhongli, if she keeps drinking Adeptal energy juice and similar things over a long period, would that help?"
"It would help," Zhongli said. "But only to ease the symptoms. As time passes, the pain will worsen, and those effects will gradually weaken."
Zhong Lishui, who had been quiet until now, set down his cup.
"Eleazar is one of the true incurable diseases. No one under heaven can cure it."
Keqing fell silent.
Zhongli was Rex Lapis. Zhong Lishui was Mountain Shaper. If even a god and an adeptus said they could do nothing, then what could anyone else do?
Ryou squeezed her hand.
"Don't think too much. There will be a way."
Keqing looked at him.
He gave her a small smile. "We still have things to do, so we'll head down first."
Zhongli nodded.
He walked them to the stairs.
From there, he saw the two girls from Sumeru waiting below.
One of them was likely the Eleazar patient.
After Ryou and Keqing went down, Zhongli returned to the office and poured himself another cup of tea.
Mountain Shaper sat across from him.
Zhongli poured him a cup of adeptal tea as well.
Mountain Shaper took a sip, then could not hold back anymore.
"Rex Lapis, Eleazar is known as incurable, yes. But are even you truly powerless against it?"
"Mountain Shaper," Zhongli said, "Eleazar is Sumeru's incurable disease. No one in this world can cure it. Even I can do nothing."
He paused.
"If the previous Dendro Archon were still alive, there might have been a chance. As for the current Dendro Archon, I fear she cannot."
Mountain Shaper frowned.
"However," Zhongli continued, "Eleazar should be cured soon."
Mountain Shaper looked up.
"The key lies with Tabibito."
"Tabibito?" Mountain Shaper clearly did not understand. "I have met her. She is unusual, yes, but she does not know medicine."
"She will not cure it directly," Zhongli said. "The opportunity for the cure is connected to her."
He took another sip of tea.
"When the time comes, you will understand."
Then he took out a Mora.
"The pocket world you asked me to make is finished."
Mountain Shaper immediately straightened.
"You prepared it?"
Zhongli placed the Mora on the table.
"You intend to give it to Ryou as an apology?"
"Thank you, Rex Lapis." Mountain Shaper looked genuinely relieved. "It was my loose tongue that let the matter slip. Otherwise, those old ones would not have come into the city."
He hesitated, then lowered his voice.
"Rex Lapis, yesterday I sensed several presences. Do you think they might be…"
[End of chapter]
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