Uh…
Well, no wonder she once worked in the Court of Fontaine—those words really did sound like they came straight from a judge.
Ningguang looked at Lora, her inner suspicions solidifying even further.
Cloud Retainer beat her wings lightly and spoke to Lora.
"What objections could we possibly have? If not for Rex Lapis's assassination, this Adepti wouldn't even bother coming to the present-day Liyue Harbor. This place feels far too unfamiliar now."
"Cloud Retainer, even as Adepti, I believe Rex Lapis would have wanted us to accept the new era," Mountain Shaper sighed as he addressed her.
"Rex Lapis wanted us to… accept the new era?"
Cloud Retainer fell silent. After a long pause, she finally said, "I understand. With matters here concluded, this Adept shall return to Mt. Aozang. Liyue Qixing, do not forget your duty. The Adepti bear the responsibility of safeguarding Liyue. Should the situation become dire, we will not stand by and do nothing. The mechanisms this Adept has constructed may yet prove useful."
"Thank you for your understanding," Ningguang replied with a nod.
"And you… Purifying Water." Cloud Retainer's gaze shifted back to Lora. "I will host a banquet at Mt. Aozang. Once you have finished handling matters in Liyue Harbor, come visit me. How about we catch up then?"
"All right," Lora agreed, nodding—though inwardly she felt a little bewildered.
Catch up? Did she even have any past with this woman?
Ah well. As expected of her—her acting really was quite convincing.
After the Adepti departed, the other members of the Liyue Qixing also left one by one to deal with their respective affairs.
Ganyu stayed until the very end, gazing at Lora as though trying to see through everything she was concealing. She knew perfectly well that among Liyue's Adepti, there was absolutely no one known as the Adeptus of Purifying Water and Judgment.
Yet the contract power belonging to Rex Lapis on Lora's body was unmistakably real.
Coupled with the revelation that Rex Lapis was still alive, could it be that she was an Adept Rex Lapis had specially sought out for Liyue's sake?
Rex Lapis truly had done so much for Liyue.
The more Ganyu thought about it, the more moved she felt.
"Ganyu, there should be quite a lot of work waiting for you at Yuehai Pavilion, shouldn't there?"
Lora finally spoke up when she noticed Ganyu still staring at her. Even with her relatively thick skin, she was starting to feel a bit awkward.
Only then did Ganyu snap out of her thoughts. She nodded. "There is indeed a backlog of affairs at Yuehai Pavilion. Then I shall take my leave first, Lady Ningguang, and… Adeptus of Purifying Water and Judgment."
"Take care," Lora said with a smile, waving her hand.
The great hall was left with only Ningguang, Lora, and Rhodeia.
As if suddenly remembering something, Lora turned back to Ningguang and asked, "Oh, Lady Ningguang, our employment arrangement is still valid, right? I've helped you settle the Adepti' issue, so you'll still pay me my wages as usual, won't you?"
Lora noticed that the moment she said the word "employment," Rhodeia visibly clenched her fist, clearly itching to give Ningguang a blow to the back of the head.
"Rest assured, your remuneration will naturally be paid," Ningguang replied with a slight nod. "However, I do have a question I hope the Adeptus of Purifying Water and Judgment can answer." Her gaze remained fixed on Lora, filled with scrutiny.
"Go on," Lora said, meeting her eyes.
"Who are you, really?" Ningguang asked directly.
Uh…
Why does everyone insist on asking that?
Lora could only sigh helplessly. "I'm Lora Chaya."
"You are Lora Chaya—but who is Lora Chaya?"
Ningguang continued to stare at her, as if trying to see through her to her true self.
"You told me you are from Fontaine, that your attendant also came from Fontaine, and that you lived in Qingce Village for a period of time."
"Now, you have become an Adept of Liyue. Although those Adepti appear familiar with you, I have never heard of the title 'Adeptus of Purifying Water and Judgment,' nor have I found any record of it in any text."
"Furthermore, I noticed earlier that when you transformed that blue staff, although Hydro elemental power was clearly being manipulated, the Vision at your waist did not light up. That means you are able to wield elemental power without relying on a Vision. For that reason alone, I am certain your identity is anything but ordinary."
"My lady!" Rhodeia immediately stepped up to Lora's side, fixing Ningguang with a sharp stare, ready to act at a moment's notice.
Lora gently patted Rhodeia's shoulder, signaling her to calm down. Then she turned back to Ningguang, smiling. "My, my. As expected of the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing—you really are sharp. My identity is indeed… not simple."
"Then may I ask who you truly are?"Ningguang pressed, her smile unchanged.
Lora slowly shook her head.
"Take a guess."
Ningguang did not get angry. After a brief moment of thought, she began to analyze calmly.
"The ability to wield elemental power without a Vision means you are not human. Moreover, if my guess is correct, you only acquired the identity of an Adept after arriving in Liyue Harbor. It is very likely that this Adept status was something you requested from Rex Lapis to facilitate your actions here."
"That would mean you are not subordinate to Rex Lapis, but rather his equal—perhaps even a friend. A being from Fontaine, a friend of Rex Lapis, capable of manipulating Hydro… that would leave only one possibility: Fontaine's deity, the Hydro Archon, Lady Focalors. As for Miss Rhodeia, she must be the Oceanid from Qingce Village, correct?"
"Half right," Lora laughed softly. After all, she had been dead for five hundred years—of course, the first deity people thought of would be the current Hydro Archon, Focalors.
She glanced at Rhodeia and said, "She is indeed an Oceanid, but I am not Focalors."
"You're not?" Ningguang froze. Had she guessed wrong? Every sign clearly indicated that Lora was a god of hydror—there could be no mistake about that.
Yet she denied being Focalors…
Then could it be…?
"Are you the former Hydro Archon of Fontaine—the one who died five hundred years ago—Lady Egeria?"
Ningguang asked in shock, finally voicing Lora's true identity.
"Uh…"
Lora nodded after hearing her words.
"Yes. That's me."
Just as Ningguang was about to say something more, Lora raised a hand to stop her.
"Don't ask me how I came back from the dead. The waters here run far too deep—you wouldn't be able to grasp them. In short, just continue treating me as Lora. As for my true identity, don't go revealing it to others."
"…Understood."
Ningguang nodded, fully aware of the gravity of the situation. The resurrection of a god was shocking enough—let alone one of such exalted status, someone not to be offended lightly.
"Good. Thanks," Lora said with satisfaction, nodding. Anyone capable of sitting in the position of Tianquan was indeed intelligent.
Talking to smart people was always much easier.