"An Adeptus name, huh…"
Lora frowned and fell into deep thought.
This was something that had to be chosen carefully. If she wasn't careful, it might end up recorded in some obscure tome, then adapted into a nine-part serial by storytellers under a bridge, recited day after day on repeat. If she picked an awful name, it would be humiliating to even mention it later.
Shocking! The Dark History of the Hydro Archon—Who She Once Was!
An Exclusive Look at Why the Hydro Archon Chose Such a Terrible Name!
If a headline like that ever appeared in The Steambird after she returned to Fontaine, she really would start swinging.
Lora pondered for a moment, thinking of names like Cloud Retainer, Mountain Shaper, Moon Carver, and Savior from Distress. Inspiration struck quickly.
"How about… Adeptus of Purifying Water and Judgment?" she suggested to Zhongli.
"Adeptus of Purifying Water and Judgment?"
Zhongli repeated her chosen title, then nodded.
"Mm. It suits your identity well. A fine name indeed. Zhongli, Guest Consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, pays his respects to Adeptus of Purifying Water."
As he spoke, he rose to his feet and cupped his hands in greeting.
"Uh…"
Lora stared at Zhongli, momentarily at a loss for words.
Had he spent too long sitting on the seat of the Geo Archon, only to completely let himself go after retirement? Thankfully, she wasn't actually an Adeptus but a god. Any true Liyue Adeptus would probably lose a thousand years of lifespan from that bow alone.
And Adeptus of Purifying Water…
It sounded suspiciously like a water purifier that had gained sentience.
"If you keep greeting other Adepti like that in the future," Lora said earnestly, trying to save some poor souls she'd never meet, "I think they'll go bury themselves the moment they get back."
"Oh? Would it really come to that?"
Zhongli looked at her in genuine surprise, as if he truly hadn't considered the outcome.
Lora: "..."
Damn it. For a brief moment, she actually believed he didn't know. As expected of the old man—even his acting was better than hers.
Just as Lora was marveling at Zhongli's performance, a server from Xinyue Kiosk knocked on the private room door, then entered.
"Mr. Zhongli," the server said respectfully, "Mr. Tartaglia has arrived with the Traveler. Please prepare yourselves."
Zhongli nodded slightly. "Mm. I understand."
Watching Zhongli return to his seat, Lora still felt uneasy and reminded him,
"When Lumine and Tartaglia arrive, you two can just talk. I'll sit on the side and listen. No need to worry about me."
"Very well," Zhongli replied.
Judging by his expression, he clearly hadn't taken her words to heart.
Lora leaned back in her chair, her gaze fixed on the doorway. Before long, guided by the server, Tartaglia entered with Lumine and Paimon.
The moment they spotted Lora, all three of them froze in visible shock.
"Lora? What are you doing here?" Paimon stared at her in disbelief, clutching her head.
"I should be asking you that!" Lora shot back. "When we entered Liyue Harbor, you said you'd go on ahead. I've been here for days and couldn't find you anywhere! Do you have any idea how miserable I've been? No Mora, no acquaintances in Liyue Harbor…"
As she spoke, Lora somehow managed to squeeze a few tears out of the corner of her eyes. She even produced a scrap of cloth from nowhere and dabbed at them.
Thanks to her—her Hydro element was fully charged.
"Uh—Lora, don't cry!"
Paimon panicked instantly.
"We—we ran into some trouble and had to leave Liyue Harbor! We weren't trying to avoid you!"
She flew over in a fluster, reaching out to wipe Lora's tears.
Lora immediately stopped crying, looked at Paimon, and said calmly,
"Then your punishment is handing over all the snacks in your little pouch."
"Huh? That was fake crying? That's so sneaky!" Paimon stared at her in shock.
"Paimon," Lumine called helplessly from behind.
Paimon glanced at Lumine, then at Lora, and finally nodded. "Fine! You can have the snacks. But can we eat them together? I have a lot—I'm worried you won't be able to finish them all by yourself!"
"Sure," Lora said with a bright smile.
Tartaglia watched the entire exchange, scratching his head in confusion. With a laugh, he said, "Looks like this young lady is your companion? Though I don't recall inviting her. May I ask who you are, and why you're here?"
Paimon snapped back to her senses and turned toward Lora. "Right! Lora, how did you end up here?"
"Uh… well…" Lora hesitated, wondering how to fabricate—no, explain—this situation.
Before she could speak, Zhongli took a leisurely sip of tea and said calmly,
"This is Adeptus of Purifying Water and Judgment, a Liyue Adeptus. Upon hearing of the passing of Rex Lapis, she came to Liyue Harbor. By good fortune, I have a bit of standing, so she agreed to attend at my invitation."
"..."
Lora froze on the spot, utterly speechless. She stared at Zhongli, her expression rich with unspoken emotion.
What an introduction. Truly outstanding. Her Hydro element surged once more.
Zhongli, meanwhile, remained perfectly composed, sipping his tea as though nothing unusual had occurred.
"So you're an Adeptus!"
Tartaglia said with clear surprise, though his trademark grin quickly returned. "I'm Tartaglia, a Harbinger of the Fatui from Snezhnaya. Most people call me 'Childe.' It's a pleasure to meet you, Adeptus of Purifying Water and Judgment."
"Hello, Psy—" Lora nearly blurted out a nickname. "—Tartaglia."
She corrected herself just in time.
"Huh? That's strange…"
Paimon frowned in confusion, looking at Lora.
"Why would Lora be a Liyue Adeptus? When we first met, you fell straight out of the sky, lost your memory, and didn't remember anything at all. Now you're suddenly a Liyue Adeptus—it's really surprising."
Lumine didn't ask aloud, but she looked at Lora as well, her gaze filled with curiosity and scrutiny.
"Uh… heh, heh…" Lora laughed awkwardly. "Honestly, I'm surprised too. Guest Consultant, maybe you could explain it for everyone?"
Zhongli shook his head calmly.
"As this concerns the affairs of the Adepti, how could mere mortals like us speak freely? Adeptus of Purifying Water, please don't jest with me."
"..."
Who exactly was joking with whom here?!
Lora had always thought her pranks on Venti back in Mondstadt were peerless. Who would have guessed there was someone even more audacious than her?
So this was the retired Geo Archon, Morax?
Why are you messing with me?!