Chapter 63: Furina: Neuvillette, Convict Him!

Under Ningguang's detailed explanation, Keqing naturally turned bright red, her entire head steaming like a kettle. She was both excited and embarrassed. The excitement, of course, came from the fact that the Geo Archon wasn't truly gone. Although Keqing often made statements that seemed anti-Geo Archon, she didn't dislike him, nor did she disrespect the gods. She simply felt frustrated by humans who relied entirely on the Geo Archon's protection. Keqing believed that even gods couldn't protect humans forever. Humans needed to stand on their own. If one day the Geo Archon no longer protected Liyue, wouldn't the people of Liyue still need the ability to survive independently? That said, she wasn't anti-god, nor did she think gods shouldn't rule over humans. She simply had a resilient mindset of preparing for the worst, ensuring that all possible contingencies were accounted for. While the world took it as common sense that gods would always protect humans, and Liyue believed the Geo Archon would forever guard them, Keqing was the only one who constantly prepared for the worst. This was why, when the Geo Archon "passed away," she was the first among the Qixing to shake off her grief and confusion, quickly getting back to work. On the other hand, Keqing was actually a pure and devoted fan of the Geo Archon. While she prepared for the worst, her admiration and reverence for him were genuine. In fact, among the Qixing, she was undoubtedly the Geo Archon's staunchest supporter. This was why, upon learning that the Geo Archon wasn't truly gone, she felt so excited and uplifted. —As for the embarrassment... well, that goes without saying. The Qixing and the adepti all knew the Geo Archon wasn't dead—only she didn't. How could she not feel embarrassed? It was as if the Geo Archon had excluded her. However, that wasn't the case. The reason Keqing didn't know the Geo Archon was still alive wasn't because he had forgotten to inform her in his dream—it was simply because... she thought it was just a dream. Dreams? Everyone has them. The Geo Archon had passed away, so wasn't it normal for her to dream about him? In the dream, the Geo Archon comforted her, saying he wasn't really dead—wasn't that just her subconscious comforting herself? Obviously, Keqing couldn't take the dream seriously. Otherwise, if she had dreams every now and then about, say, the legendary Supreme Bishop of Fontaine, would she have to take those seriously too? (Ningguang's desk had a photo of the Supreme Bishop, so Keqing had always thought she had a crush on a man she only knew through a photo and legends, leading to her youthful infatuation.) So... that really was the Geo Archon appearing in her dream? Indeed, thinking back now, that dream was quite different from her usual ones. Normally, dreams were either forgotten upon waking or felt so real that it was hard to tell if they were dreams at all. But that dream about the Geo Archon had a surreal, hazy quality, making Keqing aware from the start that she was dreaming. Yet, after waking up, she remembered every detail clearly. Now, Keqing finally understood—that really was the Geo Archon appearing in her dream! The Qixing and the adepti had all received the same dream, so it had to be real. —And she was the only one who thought it was fake. Keqing wanted to cover her face and run away. Seeing her embarrassment, Ningguang stepped in to help, calmly changing the subject: "In any case, since the adepti have spoken, we can feel much more at ease. However, until Shanhai Jing is officially incorporated into Liyue's governance, could we ask the adepti to stay in Liyue Harbor for the time being, just in case?" After all, the other party was a god—a powerful one at that, on par with the Geo Archon. Dealing with such a being made Ningguang feel uneasy. With the Geo Archon's current stance unclear—whether he had truly stepped back from Liyue Harbor—Ningguang lacked a solid sense of security. It was hard to feel confident when facing a being powerful enough to destroy a nation with ease. No matter what, standing before a god, it was impossible to negotiate as equals—but with the adepti present, it was different. The adepti of Liyue had always interacted with gods as equals, as they were seen as peers, and they themselves believed this to be true. Gods didn't see the adepti as inferior. And for the adepti, while gods might seem lofty, they were also friends. Even the Geo Archon, revered as the Ancestor of All Adepti, was not just a distant deity to them but also a close companion. With this psychological advantage, they wouldn't be at a disadvantage in negotiations, unlike mortals like the Qixing. This would be very helpful in their upcoming discussions with the Mountain and Sea Fairy. Understanding the meaning behind Ningguang's words, Cloud Retainer nodded. "Very well. I'm also curious about the Mountain and Sea Fairy, whom Guizhong often spoke of. I'll accompany you." With that, the crane adeptus transformed into a beautiful woman. "I'll join as well," Madame Ping said with a sigh. "There's something I'd like to give her." As she spoke, her elderly form was enveloped in mist, and in an instant, a stunning woman stood before everyone. If the Qixing weren't too surprised by Cloud Retainer's transformation, seeing Madame Ping turn into a beautiful woman left them all wide-eyed. "It's been so long since I've seen you like this!" Mountain Shaper couldn't help but exclaim. "Indeed, it's been a while since I've seen you in human form," Ganyu agreed. "And you too, Ping. All these years, you've always appeared as an old woman." "Hmph, living in seclusion in the mountains, my true form is more comfortable." "Meeting the Mountain and Sea Fairy requires a more respectful appearance." Cloud Retainer and Madame Ping were unfazed by such comments. "Then it's settled," Tian said, nodding to Ningguang and Keqing. "Ningguang, Keqing, the two of you will accompany the adepti and Ganyu to meet the Mountain and Sea Fairy. We'll await your news." "Don't worry, Tian," Ningguang said, smoothing a strand of hair by her chest with a smile. "We'll proceed with caution." PS: Fontaine Mini Theater Neuvillette: "Ye, I heard you pushed your work onto me so you could go on a date with Lady Furina in Liyue. Is that true?" Ye: "Do you have any evidence? If not, I could sue you for defamation." Furina: "Exactly, defamation—utter defamation! Investigate thoroughly who's spreading these rumors! I want them in Meropide!" Neuvillette: "Fine, I have no evidence. Let's move on. Ye, three days ago, you approved your own request to advance a year's salary. What was that for?" Ye: "Because I predicted Lady Furina might deduct a year's salary from me. But Lady Furina is kind-hearted and only deducted half a year. I was wrong. Don't worry, the remaining half will be returned to the account soon." Furina: "...Neuvillette, what did you say earlier?" Neuvillette: "Ye, three days ago, you approved your own request to advance a year's salary. What was that for?" Furina: "I meant the very first thing you said." Neuvillette: "Ye, I heard you pushed your work onto me so you could go on a date with Lady Furina in Liyue. Is that true?" Furina: "Yes, that's exactly what happened. He forcibly carried me out, went on a date with me against my will, and committed a grave act of disrespect. I can testify. Neuvillette, convene the court. Convict him." For the Supreme Bishop's act of disrespect, the Chief Justice quickly convened a trial. Lady Furina testified, but in the end, due to the Supreme Bishop's defense, the Chief Justice ruled that there was insufficient evidence to convict. However, at the last moment, the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale delivered its verdict: the Supreme Bishop was guilty and sentenced to seven days of detention. Once again, the Supreme Bishop ended up in Meropide due to Lady Furina's behind-the-scenes maneuvering. —The Steambird: Real-time reporting on the unjust actions of the God of Justice. Ye: "..."