Chapter 2

Part IV. Zhongli! Zhongli! Zhongli!

Ajax may have been nervous about meeting the Qixing, but it sure as hell does not compare to the level of nerves thrumming through his veins at the prospect of meeting Zhongli.

It’s just—it’s Zhongli! The Zhongli he spent countless hours building and hunting gear for, and that’s not including all the essays he wrote in defense of his character against those who dared to slander him. The nerve!

“Zhongli is not a great DPS character. Zhongli is a shitty 5-star character!” Pah! Those naysayers. Not only were those comments patently untrue, but they were made by those who were clearly shit at the game. Ajax took great pleasure in proving them wrong through patience, dedication, skills, and by angrily opening his wallet and paying for superior gear.

(Zhongli may have the Wrath of the Rock, but Ajax has the Wrath of the Wallet.)

His point remains—Zhongli is an amazing character and his all-time favourite, so the prospect of meeting him is equal parts amazing and terrifying.

“Urgh. What do I do?” Ajax groans out loud. He is in the safety of his hotel suite, in the middle of copying the vast intelligence reports when his panic flares again.

What if the meeting ends terribly? What if Zhongli hates him?

“System! Do you have any additional abilities I can purchase? What about your shop?”

The blue window shimmers into existence and the robotic voice of the System sounds out, “The limit of one Ability per Tutorial Quest has been met. Abilities are locked until you complete the remainder of your tutorials.”

“System! Why do you have to do me dirty like this?”

Thoroughly abandoned by the System, Ajax is left to panic on his own. He does end up getting a gift that he thinks Zhongli would like: several volumes of fairy tales and folklore from Snezhnaya. It’s the same gift that he’s clutching to his chest like a shield as he makes his way into the Liuli Pavilion.

He promptly finds it difficult to breathe because holy shit, it’s really happening! Zhongli is right there! Zhongli is there, and he looks so cool. Even the simple things he’s doing are cool, like the way he’s drinking his tea, the way he’s looking at him in his gloriously OP glory, the way his mouth opens to say something, the way his brow furrows a little in confusion, probably because Ajax is gaping at him like an idiot. Okay, Ajax. Focus. Focus.

“Ah, I’m so sorry.” Ajax shakes his head and winces. He tries to draw the same level of confidence from when he had activated Silver Tongue but it’s gone, dissipated into smoke. It’s just Ajax now, awkward, nerdy little Ajax.

But as a starving student with minimal financial support from his parents, Ajax had also worked multiple gigs, many of which were in the service industry. It’s from that deep well of (emotionally scarring) experiences that he’s drawing from to muster a friendly smile.

“My apologies,” he repeats. “This is my first time in Liyue and I am still getting used to my surroundings.” He laughs and rubs the back of his neck. “My name is Childe, and I trust that you are my contact from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour? It’s nice to meet you. I apologize for the inconvenience of rescheduling our first meeting.”

Zhongli is all elegance and grace in returning his handshake (so cool!). “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Master Childe, and it is no trouble at all,” he says with a polite smile. And that voice of his. Ajax is so happy right now. “My name is Zhongli. I am a consultant for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour. I hope you do not mind, but I took the liberty of ordering something in advance.”

Ajax shakes his head. “Not at all. I have heard fantastic things about Liyue’s cuisine but haven’t had the chance to try them. I look forward to seeing what you have chosen.”

Ajax almost cries when the dishes arrive. Plates upon plates of colourful, beautifully crafted culinary masterpieces are out on the table in the most glorious spread known to man. It’s funny because these are dishes that he’s seen in the game and thought looked tasty. Now he actually gets to eat them—not to mention bask in the glorious fragrance of chilis, garlic, and roasted meats.

The only small hiccup is the chopsticks. He’s never mastered them in real life, only using them like mini javelins to skewer the food, which he knows for a fact that Zhongli would definitely judge him for.

“Is something the matter?”

Looks like nothing escapes Zhongli’s notice. “It’s nothing, I just…” Ajax gestures a little helplessly at the chopsticks. “I’m not very good at using these, I’m afraid.”

“I see. My apologies, that is an oversight on my part,” Zhongli says with a slight downturn of his lips. “I can request a fork, unless you are interested in learning how to use them?”

Ajax is never one to shy away from a challenge, let alone one that’s giving him the perfect opportunity to further his friendship with Zhongli. “If you don’t mind, I would love to learn!”

“Of course.” Zhongli takes one chopstick and places it in his hand for demonstration. “With the first chopstick, place it between your pointer finger and thumb, and balance it on your ring finger, like so. Very good.”

He plucks the second chopstick and continues, “Now, place the second chopstick between your pointer finger and thumb but rest it on your middle finger this time. Hold it a little lower. A little more. That’s perfect.”

Uh oh, Ajax thinks as he tries to mimic what Zhongli is showing him. Zhongli’s voice is dangerous. He can see himself getting lost in the sound of Zhongli’s soliloquy already, hanging on to every word to savour the rich timbre of his voice and the softness of his words.

“—And now,” comes Zhongli’s instruction, cutting through the haze in Ajax’s mind, “try to pick up something.”

Ajax reaches for a nearby piece of pork and…

“Mister Zhongli! Look!” He grins at Zhongli, the pork placed delicately between the two chopsticks. “It worked! I did it!”

As soon as he utters those words the meat slips out of his chopsticks. It lands on the table with a small, sad splat, bouncing a few times before rolling to the floor. Ajax stares at perfectly wasted food with sad, dejected eyes.

“…My pork.”

A chuckle interrupts his misery, jerking Ajax’s attention away, and oh wow, what a sight it is. Zhongli’s eyes are sparkling with mirth, his shoulders are shaking, and his lips are curled up into a happy, gentle smile.

“Perhaps a bit more practice is required,” Zhongli offers. “Not to worry, I am sure that with time, you will be able to excel in using chopsticks.”

Ajax seriously doubts it, but he appreciates the kind words nonetheless.

The rest of the meal is spent making comfortable small talk ranging from business to general tidbits about Liyue. Normally Ajax finds small talk to be tedious, but between the amazing company and amazing food, he finds himself rather enjoying his evening and wishing it would last a little longer.

“Mister Zhongli, the amount of knowledge you have on local culture and customs is truly extraordinary,” Ajax says, fully knowing the reason why the man has such a wide breadth of knowledge. But knowing is one thing; experiencing it first-hand is something else entirely, and Zhongli never fails to impress. “I can understand why your expertise comes highly recommended among our contacts. I look forward to our partnership.”

That little upturn of Zhongli’s lips is back. “Likewise. I look forward to a fruitful partnership with you as well.”

So, so cool.

“Oh, before I forget!”

Ajax takes the gifts that he’s left on the seat beside him and hands them to Zhongli with both hands—he remembers that particular gesture being particularly well-received when he tried his Silver Tongue ability.

“As a gesture of goodwill, please accept this token of appreciation on behalf of the Fatui. It’s a collection of folk tales from Snezhnaya, translated into the standard language.” He continues after Zhongli receives the gift with thanks and opens the box holding the volumes. “The books are hand-written, bound, and illustrated by the author herself. I understand that you are passionate about culture and tradition, so I hope this gift will align with your interests.”

And Zhongli does seem interested. His amber eyes light up and his hand skims over the cover of the first volume, tracing the delicate flowers and decorative vines painted by hand. “May I?”

“Of course, please go ahead.”

Zhongli flips open the first cover, his eyes skimming over the looping letters, delicate illustrations, and…

Ajax’s breath hitches.

Zhongli is wearing a soft, delicate smile, one far from the polished and reserved mask he’s donned most of the evening, or the amused quirk that sometimes makes its way onto his face. This particular expression feels…special. It makes him seem oddly vulnerable, oddly human.

And very, very real.

Ajax feels his chest go tight.

There’s something discomforting about the fact that Zhongli is an actual person, one outside of his voice lines, character stories, and stats that Ajax knows like the back of his hand. Zhongli has his own thoughts, feelings, and opinions that Ajax is not privy to, as he should because he’s not a video game character. The Zhongli before Ajax is an actual person.

The funny tight feeling in Ajax’s chest intensifies and he places his hand over his heart.

He’s not sure why but this realization unsettles him.

“Thank you, Master Childe, for this thoughtful gift.” Zhongli’s words are warmer and more relaxed. “I will be sure to treasure these tales.”

They finish their dinner and continue their small talk, with Ajax recounting his incident with the Ruin Guards while sightseeing. He feels bad for lying, but it’s the best excuse he could come up with to justify the awkward and abrupt way their meeting was rescheduled. That, and it makes a hell of a lot more sense than Ajax’s truth about his soul possessing the body of Tartaglia.

At least Zhongli acts appropriately concerned and seems to readily accept the excuse.

“Here, allow me,” Ajax says when the bill arrives. “For the inconvenience of having to reschedule our meeting and as a celebration for the beginning of our time working together.”

“You have already given me such thoughtful gifts. It would not be fair if you were to pay for dinner as well,” Zhongli points out. “A partnership should be about reciprocity and fairness. How about this? In return for dinner and your gift, allow me to be your guide to all things Liyue for the duration of your stay.”

Having Rex Lapis himself acting as a personal tour guide? This opportunity is way too good to pass up!

“That sounds wonderful, thank you for offering,” Ajax says with a grin. “I cannot think of a better guide than the knowledgeable Mister Zhongli himself. With you guiding me, I won’t run into another unfortunate incident with the Ruin Guards!”

All in all, Ajax thinks that dinner went successfully. He and Zhongli part ways with the agreement that Zhongli will take Ajax sightseeing during the weekend and Ajax spends the rest of his walk back to the hotel in a sunny, sunny mood.

That sunny mood promptly crashes to the ground when he gets his quest update.

Side Quest (Tutorial): Meeting with the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour is now complete. SP +10. Relationship Status with Zhongli, F Point: +1.

Achievements earned:

“All You Can Eat and Dim Sum” for taking part in a feast made of Liyuan cuisine. Rewards earned: +1000 Mora.

“You Dim Sum, You Lose Some” for spending over 50,000 Mora on a meal at Liuli Pavilion. Rewards earned: VIP card at Liuli Pavilion (allows priority booking and 10% discount on all future meals).

“Let Our Words Be Bound by Stone” for completing the side-quest “Meeting with the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour” with a positive result. Rewards earned: SP +5.

“F Point plus one?!” Ajax gapes at the green +1 displayed on the interface. “What do you mean one Friendship Point? Even my meeting with Ningguang gave me more Friendship Points than that!”

“The System does not make mistakes in recording updates. User is encouraged to reflect on his past interaction with Character Zhongli to determine why the relationship progressed the way it did.”

Ajax scowls. “I do not need sass from you.”

The System does have a point, though.

Ajax plants himself down onto a nearby chair and thinks.  He thought the meeting had gone well. Once Ajax got over his bout of nervousness, the conversation between him and Zhongli flowed seamlessly. Zhongli was polite and smiled the entire time. His movements loose and easy, which spoke of a certain level of comfort. He seemed genuinely pleased by the gift and amused by Ajax’s terrible attempts at using the chopsticks.

Were those not real? Was Zhongli putting up an act like how Ajax was?

He thought he had a read on Zhongli. He thought he knew this character inside and out but—

But he’s not a character. Zhongli is his own person with his own secrets, his own opinions, and his own personality.

That uncomfortable, unsettling feeling returns with a vengeance. Grimacing, Ajax idly rubs his chest over his new scar. Okay, seriously, what the hell is going on? Why does the idea of Zhongli being his own entity bother Ajax so much?

Focus, Ajax. Focus. That is neither here nor there. What’s important right now is to figure out where he went wrong with that interaction.

No matter how Ajax slices it, he’s not seeing anything wrong. And if things had gone wrong, surely he wouldn’t have received that achievement for successfully completing the tutorial.

Hm, let’s take a step back and see things from Zhongli’s perspective.

At this point of the game, Zhongli had already formed a contract with the Cryo Archon to trade in his Gnosis. She had dispatched Tartaglia (that’s him) with the mission to steal the Gnosis without telling him about the contract. She had also sent La Signora to Liyue to oversee matters, and since La Signora is the official contact person between the Tsaritsa and Zhongli, Zhongli must also be aware of Childe’s identity as the Eleventh Harbinger, the so-called Vanguard with a terrible bloody reputation.

Ajax face-palms. He’s an idiot. No wonder Zhongli doesn’t trust him. Zhongli thinks he’s been acting. The fact that he’s even able to score one Friendship Point is a small miracle.

Goddamnit, Ajax just wants Zhongli to like him. Is that so much to ask?

On the other hand…Zhongli doesn’t dislike him. He didn’t receive negative Friendship Points nor R Points from the interaction, so, that’s a win right?

Not to mention, Zhongli offered to be his guide, so there will be plenty of opportunities to develop a beautiful friendship.

The knot in his chest loosens and Ajax sighs. They’re moving in baby steps, but that’s fine. Ajax is stubborn and determined, and dammit, he will win Zhongli over, just like how he will win Ekaterina over—with kindness, patience, and basic fucking human decency.

---

Part V. Metagaming and Making Friends With Style

Now that his important meetings are over, Ajax finds his schedule wide open for the first time since recovering from his injury. It finally leaves some time to think about his next steps.

“System? When is the Main Character expected to show up?” he asks from the comfort of the couch in his hotel suite.

“Currently, you are experiencing events that are occurring before Chapter 1 of the original plot. Chapter 1 is expected to be triggered in 18 months.”

Ajax’s brows rise. Eighteen months? That’s quite a bit of time to work with. It’ll give him plenty of time to buff up his character, get his achievements, and then get the hell out of dodge so that he can live peacefully for the rest of his life.

Speaking of buffing his character: “System, what are ways to increase my stats?”

“Your character’s Attributes are measured by six criteria: Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Each attributes can be improved upon by performing certain activities associated with them. For example, to improve Strength, the User can perform activities including training, sparring, or exercising. Which Attributes is User interested in learning more about?”

Ajax pulls up Tartaglia’s stat page. His Strength is high, which makes sense given Tartaglia is supposed to be a battle prodigy. Naturally, Tartaglia’s HP and Speed are also impressive, which explains his excellent Constitution and Dexterity numbers, respectively. Ajax supposes that he can always boost those stats up to keep his edge over the competition. It wouldn’t do well for him to fall behind.

He looks at his Wisdom and makes a face. Urgh. Terrible. “System, how do you boost Wisdom?”

“Wisdom can be naturally increased through User’s experience and interaction with the world over time. As User’s understanding of the true intentions of those around him grows, so does his Wisdom.”

Well, that’s just shitty. There’s no way to boost that except grow older. Looks like Tartaglia is going to be stuck with shitty Wisdom stats for good, then.

Maybe Intelligence and Charisma would be easier to work on? Intelligence would be useful to help him come up with better strategies for not getting murdered and on successfully completing missions. Charisma would be useful to inspire devotion from other people and to raise Friendship Points so that, again, he won’t get murdered. As the adage goes, friends don’t murder friends, right?

“What are ways to raise Intelligence and Charisma?”

“Intelligence can be improved by activities associated with gaining knowledge, including reading, studying, and research. Charisma can be improved through activities associated with performing an art. Alternatively, Charisma can be improved via every successful attempt at Intimidation or Leadership.”

Let’s go for the easier and less douchey option. “What counts as performing an art?”

“Examples of performing an art include acting in front of a live audience, playing music in front of a live audience, and sharing cooked food made by the User.”

Ajax grins. Now they’re talking. These are things that he can actually work on.

“However,” the System continues, “because Charisma involves interacting with an audience, a negative reception from the audience can result in the loss of Charisma.”

Wait. What?! “System, explain!”

“User can prevent a negative reception from the audience by improving his skill in the activity he is performing. For example: for acting in front of a live audience, User should improve his acting abilities before the performance. Likewise, for performing music, User should improve his ability to play music.”

Ajax crosses his arms over his chest and taps his thumb on his chin. “Okay, okay, so what you’re saying is that there are two steps to this. Step 1, get good at what I’m trying to do. Step 2, flex those skills.”

Goddammit. Looks like he’ll have to grind for skill EXP first before he can even get started on building up his Charisma stats. It’s…fine. He’ll just plan accordingly to optimize growth. He’s a pro at this, having done it a million times for all the characters in Genshin Impact.

Which of these skills should he invest his time in for his Charisma stat? Music is something he wants for entirely selfish reasons. It’s the one thing in his old life that he’d stuck with since he was a kid, from the music lessons in his (happier, pre-divorce) childhood to the more recent random paid gigs he managed to land in pubs. He’d hate to give that up now.

Besides, when he inevitably chucks himself out of the main storyline post-Osial debacle, he can rely on his music and be a bard or something. No, wait, an adventurer-bard. Adventurer by day, bard by night. Yes.

In addition to music, he’d like to up his cooking skills because he can directly benefit from a well-cooked meal. Imagine: no more shitty instant ramen for him! He could recreate the meal from Liuli Pavilion in the comfort of his own home, or when he’s out in the wilderness being an adventurer-bard.

Happy with his decision, Ajax turns to the other attributes. Hmm, Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution are easy—fight monsters and he should be good to go. But Intelligence? He’d rather not have to spend hours upon hours simply reading or studying unless those activities serve a purpose beyond stat raising. Even that’s too monotonous for him.

Is there a way that he could maximize his Intelligence gain with something else, like incorporating it into his day job or something?

Ajax’s eyes light up in realization. The Bank!

---

In the original story, Tartaglia was technically given a post at the Northland Bank to help his cover as a diplomat. Naturally, Tartaglia completely ignored this in favour of doing what he actually enjoyed, which was fighting and harassing the recruits. This derelict of duty was one of the things that ended up being reported to La Signora and, subsequently, reached the Tsaritsa’s ears.

I hope the employees like the sight of my face, because they’re going to be seeing it frequently, Ajax thinks as he’s climbing up the red steps leading to the Northland Bank, whistling a jaunty tune. There’s no way he is going to be caught with his pants down, no sirree. He’s going to be the best employee and he’s going to balance the hell out of those books if it means he’s not going to get murdered. Also, he’s doing it for the stats, so he’s doubly motivated.

“L-lord Tartaglia?!” The day guard, Vlad, does a double-take at the sight of him. “Y—what are you doing here?”

“Master Childe,” Ajax corrects. He’s supposed to be incognito out in public. “And what do you mean, ‘what am I doing here?’ I am an employee of the bank, am I not?”

He chuckles, and with a wave at the bewildered-looking guard, he pushes open the door and breezes in.

“Welcome to Northland Bank. How may I be of servi—my Lord!” Ekaterina splutters. “What are you doing here?”

“Good morning! And it’s Master Childe.” The shock that he’s seeing, again and again, is equal parts hilarious and sad. “I am here to work, of course!”

He looks around the space. It seems like he’s still early because he and Ekaterina are the only ones here. The atrium he’s in is distinctly Liyuan with its exquisite redwood carvings and luxurious gold accents. Very bougie, very nice.

Now, where is his office? He spins around a bit, but all he’s seeing are more space for the guests. “I’m afraid I will have to trouble you to show me where my desk is located,” he finally says.

“Of course.” Ekaterina dips her head. “Right this way, L—Master Childe.”

He’s guided to the side where rows of offices are hidden away from public view. The space here is not as lavishly decorated as the reception area, instead retaining a cozy vibe with its warm lights, rich mahogany floors, and decorative scrolls lining the wooden walls. Ajax follows Ekaterina down the hall, all the way to the end where the corner office sits.

“This is your office, sir.” Ekaterina slides open the door and gestures for him to step inside.

Ajax gives a low whistle. Damn. The space is large with elegant windows that let in a flood of natural sunlight. Right in front of one of these windows sits a huge antique oak desk, its surface polished to gleaming with sides decorated in flower motif carvings popular to Snezhnaya. Tucked around the table is a majestic leather chair—also a Snezhnayan import, judging by its distinct design—and two smaller matching chairs for guests. Rows and rows of empty shelves and cabinets fill one side of the wall.

Aside from the furniture, the rest of the room is bare.

“Should you wish to bring in more furniture or customize the space further, please let any one of us know, sir. We will make it happen.”

“This is very nice, thank you,” Ajax answers. “I do have a question though. Who did this office belong to?”

Ekaterina seems to freeze. “Sir?”

“It’s just,” Ajax rubs the back of his neck, shrugging a little helplessly. “This office clearly wouldn’t have been left empty before my arrival, which means I must have taken over someone else’s space.” Someone whose actual job is to oversee the bank and who has the skills to back them up.

No matter how Ajax slices it, it doesn’t feel right usurping someone else’s spot, especially when he’s the least qualified person in this building to run a bank. Also, that’s how resentment festers, and the last thing he needs right now is yet another person hating him from the dark.

To think, the original Tartaglia probably never stepped foot into the corner office he had stolen. Ajax wonders if the original owner of the office was one of the many who ended up stabbing Tartaglia the moment he lost his Harbinger status.

“Please return this office back to its original owner,” Ajax says, mentally shaking away that grim thought. “I’ll just take whichever office is empty, thanks.”

“But sir, that wouldn’t be appropriate,” Ekaterina says after an awkward beat of silence. “What about your status?”

Eh? “What about my status?”

“We can’t give the Harbinger any office space and let a…a,” she lowers her voice like she is saying something inappropriate, “a civilian take the corner office.”

Yikes. That is so many shades of not okay. It’s doubly not okay when Ajax is just some starving student who happened to have hijacked this body.

“I may be a Harbinger, but I’m certainly not a banker, so I will gladly defer this spot to someone who knows how to run a bank and can put this office to better use than I can,” Ajax explains. When Ekaterina doesn’t look convinced, he adds, “Besides, I’m here not as the Harbinger, but as Master Childe. And as Master Childe, who is new to the city and to the bank, it would seem very suspicious if word got out that I occupy such a lavish office space.”

“Oh.” Ekaterina blinks. “I hadn’t thought of it that way. That does make sense.”

“Right.” Ajax nods, giving himself a mental pat on the back for his quick thinking. “It’s best if I were given another office for the purpose of discretion, one that’s more suited to an employee with my level of experience.”

He ends up getting an office half the size, which is still probably bigger than what he should get, but it’s a compromise he’s more willing to accept. Ah, one less complication (and potential murderer) to worry about!

The System’s window appears with a soft “ting”. “Status Update: Wisdom +2 for perceiving the underlying conflict involving classism and for correcting the injustice.”

Ajax pumps his fist. Two Wisdom points? Sweet.

The window continues its update. “Relationship Status with Ekaterina, R Point: -1; Relationship Status with Andrei, F Point +5.”

Oh, so Andrei is the guy whose office he stole and then gave back. Good to know. His good deed also manages to score some Friendship Points with him and a regret point reduction with Ekaterina.

Pleased with that bit of unexpected development, Ajax turns his attention to setting up his new office and going through what tasks have been assigned to him. He’s one hour into his work (he’s definitely getting lowballed here. Data entry? Really?) when he gets a knock on his door. “Come in!”

A mousy-looking man with spectacles and a long brown coat gingerly steps into the office. “L-Lord Tartaglia,” the man stutters, “it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Andrei, the manager of the Northland Bank. I wanted to, um, officially welcome you to the bank and to see how you are settling in.”

Huh. So, that’s Andrei. The man doesn’t look much like a potential murderer, but then again, what do potential murderers even look like?

Ajax slaps on his customer service smile. “Mister Andrei,” he greets in what he hopes is going to be his new Childe persona. He gets up to shake the man’s (sweaty) hand. “Very nice to meet you. Please, call me Childe.”

He gestures to take a seat, which Andrei does with the slightest tremors running down his body. Ajax pretends not to see this.

“I am doing very well, thank you,” Ajax continues. “I have just settled in and have gotten started with a bit of work. I can’t say I have ever worked in a bank before, so you will have to excuse me for my inexperience.” Although he has taken some basic accounting courses, so he’s not completely hopeless.

“You’re working. You’re actually working?”

This is the third person he’s getting this flabbergasted reaction from. At this point, Ajax feels bad for these people. Tartaglia must have been awful.

Ajax quirks up his brow. “Uh, yes? I am?”

“Why?”

“Because I’m supposed to be an employee of the bank?”

“Surely, you have other things more important to do, Lord Tar—Childe, than, uh,” Andrei’s eyes skim over the work that he’s been doing and pales. “Data entry? They’re making you do data entry?”

“It’s not the most riveting,” Ajax admits with a shrug, “but it’s as good of a start as any to familiarize myself with the different businesses that have taken a loan from the bank. Besides, since I’m supposed to be working for the bank already, I might as well actually do work for the bank.”

Seeing the books also gives Ajax a head’s up on when a debt collection is coming up. It’ll be useful to see the Fatui agents in action, or better yet, to join in on one of those excursions to get more tasty stat points.

 “Are you sure you won’t be more comfortable working from the big office?” Andrei asks in a small voice. “I…I understand that you didn’t want it. If there’s anything that’s wrong with it, we’re happy to make any renovations you choose!”

Ajax’s smile turns sincere. Poor man. Maybe he doesn’t have it in him to be a murderer. He’s trying not to step on anyone’s toes while doing his job. He’s probably more likely to keep his head down when things go south than to actively engage in murder.

“Yes. Please keep your office. I do not want to steal the space from you when it is not rightly earned. If you do feel the need to make it up to me, which you do not, I would appreciate if you can give me something more challenging than data entry.” Harder work means more Intelligence stat points right? Ajax is banking (heh) on it. 

Andrei doesn’t bother to hide his relief. “Of course, Master Childe! I will have that arranged for you right away!”

Sure enough, Andrei pulls through and Ajax is given something more challenging to do, to the surprise of Ekaterina and the rest of the employees.

By the end of the workday, Ajax leaves the bank in a sunny mood, happy to wave the wide-eyed guard from earlier goodbye. He’s also five Intelligence points richer and he’s gained another two Friendship Points with Andrei. Not bad for his first day!

---

With his day job set up so that he’d generate a steady stream of Intelligence points, Ajax turns his mind to buffing the attributes he’s actually good at, and that means venturing into the great outdoors.

Late spring in Liyue is a sight to behold. The trees are in full bloom, swathed with the pinks, whites, and yellows of peach, along with cherry blossoms nestled within budding green leaves. Bright green grass carpets the ground in a rich, thick layer, and every step Ajax takes feels like he’s walking on plush velvet. He stops his trek to enjoy the warmth of sunlight against his skin and to take in a huge breath. Even the air around him feels fresh and clean.

Yes, Liyue is stunning. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and there’s hardly a cloud in the sky. From the distance, a herd of Slimes is peacefully bouncing out in the fields without a care in the world.

Ajax takes the opportunity to stretch his arms high up, sighing in satisfaction at the pops of his joints.

Then, he materializes his water blades; a determined grin spreading across his face that’s made of all teeth and manic energy.

What a beautiful day for bloodshed and farming some enemies.

---

“…Hey System?” Ajax asks as he stares down a couple of bouncing Pyro Slimes slowly bouncing their way toward him.

“Does the User have a question?”

“Yeah. How do I fight?”

“User has been granted Tartaglia’s skills, fighting abilities, and instincts based upon his experience. For example, User can try to take a swing at the nearest Pyro Slime.”

Ajax takes a tentative step closer and waves the blade around.

Or at least, that’s what he thought he was doing. What was meant to be a weak, halfhearted flail of an arm transforms into a lethal strike as Ajax feels his stance change and, as if operating on autopilot, his arm brings the blade down in a beautiful, efficient arc.

The Slime takes one blow and dissolves in a mini-explosion of light.

Holy fuck.

“Holy fuck!” Ajax stares at his hand in wonder. “I one-shotted him!”

If he can one-shot a Slime with one measly swing, think of how much more damage he can do!

Ajax’s eyes light up and he positively cackles.

Oh, this is going to be so fun!

As if sensing his malicious intent, the remaining slimes turn tail and flee, their little bodies hopping as quickly as possible down the hill without outright rolling down.

“Awww! Don’t be like that, come back!”

“User should also take note of the potential Status Effects he can receive while fighting enemies,” the System interrupts him just as he’s about to give chase. “For example, if successfully attacked by a Pyro Slime, User has a chance of obtaining the Burn status, and would sustain a certain amount of damage over time until the effect wears off, the effect is cured, or if the effect reacts with another to nullify it. In any event, User should be diligent in checking his Status Effects to ensure optimal health.”

Huh. That’s good to know. “Hey System, can I check my status effects?”

The System’s window flashes and a new window pops up. Ajax’s eyes zero in on what looks like some blurred-out text.

“Uh, System?” Ajax asks, squinting at the blur. “What’s that?

“This information is currently quest-locked,” comes the System’s robotic reply. “Please continue to work hard to unlock this information!”

Quest-locked, huh? Ajax stares at the smudge with suspicious eyes before deciding to let it go, closing the status window with a shrug. It’s not like there’s anything he can do at the moment. Looks like he’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, he’s got plenty of fighting to keep himself busy.

---

No matter the type of Slime, they do not stand a chance. Nor do the Hilichurls, the Samachurls, the Mitachurls, the Lawachurls, the Geovishaps—big or small, the Whopperflowers of any variety, the Automatons, or Eye of the Storms. Tartaglia’s muscle memory is serving him well, to the point where Ajax can mentally take a back seat and leave his body to go through the familiar motions of hacking and slashing. Not for the first time since arriving to this world, he gives a quiet thanks to Tartaglia’s generous stats.

“System! System! Look, look! I’m a Battle God! A literal Battle God!”

“User is acclimating to Tartaglia’s skills well. Continue to work hard!”

By the time he’s done “testing”, the once pristine, lush field of verdant green grass is a mess of monster bits and broken machine parts, plus one wildly grinning Ajax standing at ground zero of the disaster site.

“Plus tens across all three stats, very nice.” He laughs, absolutely delighted. “And that’s just within my first hour. If I go about this for at least two hours each day, five days a week, plus another four hours on Saturday and Sunday, I’d be racking up an easy 180 points per stat every week! At that rate, I’d be able to level up to Level 90 in no time. I can probably optimize my gear and give myself some serious Crit Rate and Crit Damage boost. Then, I can rack in even more experience per week, up to 250 or even 300—”

“Em, Lord Tartaglia?”

Ajax startles and spins around. Standing a couple of feet away from him is one of La Signora’s men (Felix, was it?) and a group of recruits. From the way they’re standing in formation, they’re probably off to do some training. They’re also staring at him with something akin to muted terror on their faces.

It occurs to Ajax what he must look like to outsiders. Here he is, in the middle of a field, surrounded by complete and utter decimation, muttering under his breath with the manic energy of a college student who’s had ten shots of espresso. He gives himself a quick glance and cringes internally. He’s also covered in the blood of his enemies, some of it dripping quite liberally from his arms.

“Status Update.” The System’s blue window suddenly appears with a soft ding. “Relationship with Felix, R Points +5.”

Ajax tries not to recoil. He doesn’t think he hides it very well when the window proceeds to smack him with R Points gained from every single one of the recruits present. Yikes, wow, okay, time for some damage control.

Ajax slips back on his Childe persona and gives the group a guilty smile. “Ah, sorry, looks like I got carried away with testing out the limits of my Vision.” He clears his throat and with a wave of his (gory) hand, he sends a rush of water over his head in an impromptu shower. With a flick of his wrist, he extracts the water clinging to his skin, hair, and clothes, and sends it hurtling towards a patch of empty field some distance away. There. Cleaner and freshly dried.

“Holy shit,” he hears one of the recruits whisper in awe, “is that what Vision users can do? That’s some insane elemental control.” Then, “Wait, did the Vanguard just apologize?”

Ajax ignores the background chatter in favour of focusing his attention on a frozen Felix. “So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Mister Diplomat?”

“I—uh, I was bringing the new recruits out here to do some training.”

“Ah.” Ajax looks around the field devoid of any monsters. Whoops. “It looks like I have accidentally derailed your plan.”

Felix shakes his head vigorously. “It’s no matter. We can go elsewhere to hunt for more monsters.”

There’s unlikely to be any monsters nearby; they’ve probably been scared away by Ajax’s overzealous farming expedition.

“No, no, it wouldn’t be fair to make you waste more of your time because of my actions. What about this? Instead of testing out your might against monsters, I’m happy to aid in your training this evening.”

This sends a fresh wave of whispers through the recruits.

“Wait, we get to spar with a Harbinger? Holy hell!”

“It’s such an honour, but at the same time, I don’t want to die!”

“I promise I will not use lethal force, on my honor as the Eleventh Harbinger.” Ajax makes sure to raise his voice at that while placing his hand over his heart. “This will merely be a spar. The moment I draw first blood, the sparring stops. How does that sound?”

It’s a very generous offer and everyone knows it. To refuse this opportunity of a lifetime would be the height of folly.

“Alright, I accept,” Felix says with a bow. “Thank you for your help, Lord Harbinger. I will leave these recruits to your capable hands.”

“Hmm, what would be a good way to do this? I think I would like to see what everyone’s individual capacity is.” Ajax nods. “Please form an orderly line. For this exercise, I will not be using my weapon or my Vision to attack. Each person will have 15 minutes, so please make your attacks count and use whatever method of attack you want. Mister Diplomat, would you be so kind as to time the sessions?”

Meanwhile, in his head, Ajax hisses to the System, Can I purchase some sort of ability to detect weakness here? Maybe a scan function?

A soft chiming noise sounds out in response. “The Scan ability is available for purchase for 30 SP. This is a permanent Ability allowing you to detect the Level, stats, Strengths, and Weaknesses of enemies and friends alike. Would you like to purchase?”

Oof. 30 SP? That’s most of the SP he’s gained so far from his tutorials. At the same time, Ajax gets how useful being able to see all this information is, especially with this ability being a permanent one.

Fuck it. Sure, let’s buy that.

“Purchase confirmed. Scan ability purchased and bound to User’s account. Activate Scan ability now?”

Yes, Ajax thinks as he watches a shaky recruit step forward. Let’s get this show started.

Ajax quickly realizes a couple of things. First, these recruits are really, really, new.

He dodges the clumsy strike of a claymore. Yikes. He may technically not know how to fight, but even he can tell that the trainee’s hold on the weapon does not look right, not to mention that footwork. How the man manages to still be this nimble is beyond Ajax.

He sidesteps another swing, pivots on his heel, and kicks his opponent on the back. It sends the man sprawling face-first onto the grass with a breathless, “Oof.”

Second, the Scan ability is fucking awesome.

His opponent’s stats pop up on a window to the side, and it shows everything—Levels (low as predicted), attributes, and, the most useful of all, Descriptions:

“Strengths: Affinity for Cryo elemental power, excellent aim, high Dexterity. Weaknesses: Low stamina, low Strength (physical), low health.”

“Alright, alright, stop,” Ajax calls out as the recruit gets up with shaking limbs. “Recruit, why are you fighting with a claymore?”

“Lord Harbinger.” The trainee salutes, or tries to. His shaking is getting bad. “I-I’m fighting with the claymore because—because…well, everyone in my family fights with the claymore.”

“I see,” Ajax says. “I will be honest, Recruit. I think the claymore is not the right weapon for you. With your build and your speed, I believe you are much better suited either with a lighter blade, such as a dagger or gun. Have you tried those weapons before?”

The recruit blinks owlishly at him. “I have, sir, but very, very briefly.”

Ajax turns to the rest of the group. “Is there someone with a gun they can lend out—ah, yes. Thank you.” He loans weapon to the recruit. “You know how to fire one of these things, yes? I want you to aim at that apple—the one right there, right by that funny-looking rock. Whenever you’re ready.”

The fact that the recruit can nick the apple on his first try isn’t a surprise, but nonetheless Ajax finds himself grinning at the look of pure surprise and joy on the recruit’s face. “A natural sharpshooter!” he says, giving the other a friendly clap on the shoulder. “You should consider specializing as a gunner. I suspect that you would make an excellent Cryo Gunner.”

“A Cryo Gunner, sir?” the man asks. At least he stops shaking in fear. “Why Cryo?”

Ajax laughs. “Oh, just a hunch.”

Here’s the thing. Ajax, the gaming nerd, has spent a lot of time on Genshin Impact ensuring that his characters have the best builds possible. He’s built charts, so many charts, pages upon pages of spreadsheets to play around with different weapons, stats, and damage output. He’s done this so frequently that he can see these numbers in his sleep, so it takes no time to slip back into that mindset as old muscle memory kicks in.

“Hm, a claymore is a bit slow. A sword would be better. Quicker strikes with lower damage output, but your speed more than makes up for it. A Pyro Agent in the making if your Dexterity is improved on.”

“Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!”

“Oh, high Strength and high stamina. A good tank. That should be taken advantage of. A war hammer or a claymore would be excellent. Pair it with a potential affinity with Electro and you’ve got an Electrohammer Vanguard in the works.”

“T-thank you for your advice, sir!”

“Now this is interesting!” Ajax murmurs, dancing around a recruit’s Cryo spells. “A Vision user, high Dexterity, above-average Strength as well, but—huh, healing scaled to Attack? Nice. Boost your Strength and your healing ability should increase as well. There’s a high potential to be an amazing support while having a good damage output.”

The recruit stops. “How do I accomplish that, sir?”

Ajax crosses his arms over his chest, skimming over her stats. “Training. Lots and lots of it. Monster hunting at least three hours a day, seven days a week. Keep this up and, in a year, you should find your Strength increased by fivefold.”

The recruit salutes. “Thank you, sir!”

Before Ajax knows it, he’s gone through every single one of the recruits in the group, and Felix is calling a timeout.

“Sir, the day is getting late. We don’t want to monopolize any more of your precious time after you’ve given so much of it already.”

Ajax drags his mind out of the sea of numbers and strategies. In the time spent training, the sky has grown darker and the air a bit chilly. The recruits also look infinitely more ragged and dishevelled than how they started, most with dirt and grass stains covering their clothes from being kicked to the ground. Some sport cuts, gashes, and the beginnings of impressive purple bruises on their faces.

But all of them are lively and giddy, even if they are clearly exhausted.

“Ah, I might have gotten a bit carried away,” Ajax chuckles. “Right, let’s call it a day then. Good work, everyone!”

“Wait, sir,” Felix calls out when he realizes that Ajax is not following them back toward Liyue Harbour, “are you not coming with us? It’s getting late.”

Ajax waves him off. “Ah, I want to spend another hour out here. I have a bit more work to do. I’ll head back afterwards. Don’t wait up.”

With one last wave, he heads off in search of more monsters.

Ajax doesn’t see the growing looks of admiration from the group he’s left behind, but he does do a little dance (after making sure he’s alone) when he sees the flood of newest updates from the System:

Relationship Status with Felix, R Point -5.

Relationship Status with Maxim, R Point -3.

Relationship Status with Michail, R Point -3.

On and on it goes, and Ajax has to scroll through the list a couple of times just to make sure he’s reading everything correctly. Looks like his little training session had worked to salvage his reputation.

This has been a fantastic day.

---

His next couple of days are spent trying to establish a routine that will allow him to gain as much experience as fast as possible. He’s also managed to pull some strings by virtue of being a Harbinger and got his hands on a guitar—one that came all the way from Fontaine.

He spent a few days messing around with the instrument, trying to remember the chords of popular songs from the real world. He has every intention of appropriating all of them as his own work once he becomes an adventurer-bard.

Ajax gives a mean little mental cackle as he strums the chords for Wonderwall. Copyright, what copyright? I don’t know her!

At least with his background in music, he can probably rack up those skill points quickly. His venture into cooking, however, is a different story.

“Suspicious dish? Why is it a suspicious dish again?” Ajax stares at the brown, gelatinous mess at the bottom of his pot in anguish. “It’s just stir fry! It should come out fine! System! What am I doing wrong?”

“User is applying cooking techniques for ingredients that do not exist in this world,” the System says. Although it sounds as robotic as usual, Ajax could swear that the System is judging him. “System has tried to warn User that perhaps he should be a bit gentle when cooking Slime with Jueyun Chili.”

Alright, maybe Ajax had been a bit impatient dumping everything into a pot, throwing in some oil and salt, and setting the concoction to cook on high. In his defense, six times out of ten that has worked for him in the real world, which are good enough odds!

“Given that User has no experience handling the ingredients from Genshin Impact, User should consider seeking training guides to orient himself properly.”

Urgh, training guides? Nobody has time to learn from training guides! Doesn’t the system have some other functions? “Awww, but System, don’t you have something that can help make my life easier?” Ajax wheedles. “Some kind of ability or something? Maybe some vids online? Anything? Pretty please with a cherry on top?”

“System has an Ability that will temporarily allow the User to cook masterpieces. The Ability will cost 200 SP.”

“200 SP?! For a temporary ability?!” Ajax splutters. “System, you’re just messing with me, aren’t you?”

“User can either purchase the ability or seek help from training guides. System has offered its advice. It is up to the User to make his decision. Work hard!”

Ajax jabs the X button with more force than necessary, but yeesh! Good riddance!

His stubbornness does not last. He ends up crawling to Wanwen Bookhouse bright and early on Saturday morning with his proverbial tail between his legs after he’s ruined yet another pot and three bowls.

“Master Childe?” a familiar voice calls out to him, just as he’s done paying for his purchase.

Ajax shoves away any traces of his disgruntled mood and pulls forth Childe. “Zhongli!” he greets with a sunny smile. “A very good morning to you too! What brings you here?”

Zhongli is as elegant as ever. His dark suit is without a wrinkle in sight, his hair neatly tied in a river of dark silk running down his back. In the early morning light, his eyes glow the same shade as the Cor Lapis in his earring.

Honestly, the man looks ethereal. There’s nothing subtle about the divinity practically emanating from every pore of his being. How nobody realizes that Zhongli is Rex Lapis is shocking, especially given the giant Geo-Archon symbol he wears on the back of his coat.

“I wanted a walk around the city. I find the liveliness and bustle of the streets to be relaxing,” Zhongli replies. “And yourself?”

“Oh, I’m just getting some light reading,” Ajax chuckles. He lifts his books so Zhongli can see the titles. “I’ve been trying to recreate some of the dishes we’ve had at Liuli Pavilion, but, I’m a rather poor cook, so I figured I should get some help.”

Zhongli nods with approval. “A noble goal. There is a great chef at Wanmin Restaurant who is known for her culinary genius. Would you like me to introduce you to her? Her knowledge may be of use to you.”

He must be talking about Xiangling. Ajax hasn’t had the chance to run into her yet.

“I don’t want to bother that poor chef with inane questions about cooking basics.” Ajax chuckles sheepishly. “However, I won’t say no to an excuse for trying out more delicious Liyuan cuisine!” Ajax definitely won’t say no to spending more time with his favourite character Zhongli.

He gets his wish. They stop by Wanmin Restaurant to enjoy some breakfast, and Ajax lets Zhongli take the helm in ordering from the menu. The food they receive comes as a shock though.

“White congee, also known as rice porridge,” Zhongli explains. “Traditionally served with a side of fried dough sticks. I have ordered the savoury style and the sweet style. I have also ordered hot sweet soy milk, steamed buns, and a sticky rice roll stuffed with pork floss, pickled vegetable, and fried dough sticks.”

Ajax hesitates. The spread looks and smells amazing, and following his disastrous cooking adventure, his stomach is positively rumbling in anticipation. None of this is the cause for his reaction.

What’s caught Ajax off guard is that, it’s just…none of the food on the table exists in the original game of Genshin Impact. Ajax has never seen any of these items as available for purchase or for crafting. Hell, he’s not even sure if they were mentioned anywhere in the game at all. All of this is brand new to Ajax, and he feels—

Just like in his last meeting with Zhongli, that uncomfortable feeling comes rushing back. His chest is tight like someone has placed a great big boulder on it, squeezing all the air from his lungs. He’s being silly. It’s just food, for crying out loud, why does he feel like the rug has been pulled under his feet as his world has suddenly turned upside down at these new revelations—

“Master Childe? Is everything alright?”

Ajax shakes himself out of his reverie. Christ, pull yourself together, Ajax. “Yeah, sorry. I don’t mean to keep spacing out on you.” He flashes Zhongli a reassuring smile. “Everything looks fantastic. Thank you for ordering. Shall we dig in before it gets cold?”

Ajax turns his attention to the flavour and texture of his meal, pushing the discomfort away with the same single-minded stubbornness as all the other times he’s felt it. Instead, he’s choosing to focus on what’s in front of him: on the way that warm, fluffy plain congee that compliments the crunchy dough sticks, and the silky soy milk.

He takes a bite out of the stuffed sticky rice and hums in satisfaction at the burst of flavours from the pickled, briny crunch of vegetables to the subtle sweetness of the pork. The breakfast contains a lot more savoury elements than he’s used to, but it’s wonderfully hearty and filling.

(Soon enough, the odd feeling from before dissipates entirely, and Ajax breathes a sigh of relief.)

“Delicious!” Ajax says with a sigh after the plates are all cleared. “I will need to figure out how to recreate some of these in my own kitchen!” Once he gets better at cooking, that is.

Zhongli dips his head at the compliment. “I am glad you enjoyed the meal. How are you settling in so far, by the way?”

“So far so good. I’ve been busy trying to get myself more acquainted with my post here, but now that I’ve gotten a hang of things, I wish to take the opportunity to explore Liyue Harbour some more.” Ajax takes a slow sip of his tea, savouring the taste and the way it warms him up. “I have heard wonderful things about the marketplace, especially given Liyue Harbour’s status as the largest trading hub in Teyvat. There is bound to be a lot to see and a lot to buy!”

It appears he’s spoken the magic words because Zhongli’s face lights up. “Indeed, Liyue Harbour is a prosperous city where thousands of ships drop anchor. As the largest port in Teyvat, Liyue Harbour has a history of trade and commerce spanning thousands of years, since Rex Lapis first founded the city. The commercial success of Liyue Harbour is owed to the countless contracts and regulations put into place, all for the sake of honouring the concept of fairness. Indeed, the rules are rooted in ancient laws set down by Rex Lapis himself, and every citizen is given a copy of the updated laws plus commentary to ensure they understand such rules and the importance of contractual obligations.”

“Status Update,” the System’s robotic bot calls out all of a sudden, “Intelligence +1.”

Ajax blinks. What? System, explain!

“Intelligence can be gained through activities associated with learning. This includes research and studying.”

Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Does this mean that the System counts Zhongli’s soliloquies as Studying?

He needs to test this further because this has the potential to be awesome. “Wow, Mister Zhongli. You sure know a lot about the history of Liyue Harbour. Do you know why Rex Lapis decided to build a city here? Surely there are plenty of other places that would have been of interest.”

Zhongli’s smile grows, and Ajax mentally pats himself on the back. “Indeed, there were other options, but none were as protected as this location. You see, legend has it that Rex Lapis had first ruled over territories in the Qionji Estuary with another Goddess called Guizhong…”

“Status Update: Intelligence +1.”

Ajax leans forward and props his chin against his palm, gazing at Zhongli as he spins tales of old into life.

Later, after multiple soliloquies (and a small handful of Intelligence points earned), their bill arrives at the table, brought to them by a smiling waiter.

“Please, allow me,” Zhongli begins. He reaches into his jacket, only to freeze in place. “Ah.”

Ajax frowns. “What is it, Mister Zhongli? Is something the matter?”

Of all the things Ajax expects to see, it certainly isn’t Zhongli with his brow furrowed, looking slightly to the side while his cheeks are starting to flush a delightful, soft pink. The unexpected expression seems completely out of place on the normally proud and elegant man, a spot of bashfulness that, for some reason, makes Ajax’s face heat up as well.

Seeing this unfamiliar expression on Zhongli’s face is uncomfortable, and Ajax finds his chest going a bit tight like before. This wasn’t in the game. He’d remember if it was. But, this time, he’s also thoroughly, thoroughly distracted by the sight to the point of not feeling as discomforted as before. Because holy shit, Mister Zhongli looks adorable. Just freaking adorable in ways that shouldn’t be possible, and what is Ajax going to do with this information now that it exists in his head?

Zhongli coughs linto his fist. “It appears that I have forgotten to bring Mora,” he mutters with a slight grimace, “I apologize, Master Childe. And here I was, hoping to treat you to breakfast after our extravagant dinner from a couple of nights ago.”

“It’s not a problem,” Ajax blurts out, already depositing a bag of Mora on the table with a small thunk. “I’m happy to cover this meal! Thank you for keeping me company and for introducing me to the history of Liyue.”

Zhongli presses his lips into a thin line, displeased. “I still owe you a tour of the city from before. Although we had originally planned for tomorrow, I would also be happy to take you around the market now if you are willing. It is only fair that I pay you back somehow.”

Really. That man and his contracts. Not everything can be measured like that, not when it comes to (what he hopes is) a budding friendship.

“Oh, pish.” Ajax makes a dismissive gesture. “What’s a meal or two between friends? I would be happy to have you accompany me as I wander around the market, but only if you want to.”

Zhongli goes quiet. “Friends,” he repeats as if testing the word. “I—yes, I suppose that I haven’t considered…” He trails off and shakes his head. “No matter, I wish to wander around the market so I would be happy to accompany you in your exploration.”

Ajax’s grin grows into a bright, toothy thing. “I guess that settles it. Next stop, the market!”

---

The journey around the market proves to be one of the more hilarious adventures Ajax has been on in a long while. It doesn’t surprise Ajax that Zhongli, being the literal God of Wealth and Commerce, would have an expensive taste for everything under the sun, no matter how trivial the object may seem. Only the best tea sets, jewellery, antique vases, and other artisanal ceramics for Mister Zhongli, and everywhere he goes, stories and anecdotes about anything that catches his eye come spilling out of him like a fount.

Honestly, it feels like being on tour with a museum guide—one with a velvet voice and a handsome face, and Ajax is living for it.

“That beautiful ceramic you see at that stall? The one green in appearance? That type of pottery is  celadon, named after the jade green celadon glaze which covers it. This type of pottery originated in Liyue. The jade green colour is produced by firing a glaze containing a small amount of iron oxide at a high temperature in a kiln with minimal oxygen. However, too little iron oxide will give the glaze a blue colour whereas too much will turn the glaze black. Getting the right amount for the desired shade of jade is, therefore, a highly guarded secret by the celadon makers.”

“Status Update: Intelligence +1.”

“It would be a shame to not purchase such a beautiful vase. This shade of jade denotes the mastery of the celadon makers’ skills. But…oh. I do not have any Mora.”

“Not to worry, Mister Zhongli,” Ajax grins, already stepping forward and handing a bag of Mora over to the antique seller. Having done this with three other stalls already, he’s more than prepared this time around. “I have you covered.”

As the hours stretch on, it becomes more and more clear that this trip to the market is just a massive shopping excursion with Zhongli doing all the buying and Ajax doing all the paying. Not that Ajax is complaining; he gets the bonus of spending time with Zhongli while accumulating a generous amount of Intelligence points without doing any work, and listening to Zhongli talk is not a hardship.

“Will you be able to carry everything home alright?” Ajax asks as they make their way towards the hotel in which Ajax is staying. “I’m happy to help take some of the packages back with you.”

But Zhongli shakes his head, looking a touch sheepish. “I cannot trouble you any further, not when you’ve paid for all my purchases. Thank you again.”

“Think nothing of it, I had fun today.” Ajax’s grin broadens. “So…same time tomorrow morning then? We can do breakfast, then venture into the Southern Wharf?”

“We can meet up at Third-Round Knockout,” Zhongli says after a moment of contemplation. “Although it is primarily known for its excellent wine, its food, including breakfast, is also quite delicious. This time, it will be my treat, I promise.”

“Of course, Mister Zhongli,” Ajax agrees, even though he has every intention of bringing enough Mora to cover the meal. “I look forward to it.”

And with that, Zhongli dips his head once and leaves with his arms full of the day’s purchases.

Satisfied that Zhongli can manage everything on his own, Ajax is about to return to the main entrance of the hotel when something catches his eye: a movement by a blurred shadow. He bends down to take a closer look, squinting in the bright sunlight to see what’s hiding by the staircase. A few seconds later, a snout pokes out, sniffing the air, before slinking out of the darkness.

Ajax feels himself melt. Oh, a stray dog, one of the many he’s seen all around Liyue Harbour.

He sticks out a gentle hand, making sure to keep his gesture slow. “Hey pupper, pupper!” he calls out in a sing-song voice. “I’m not going to hurt you! That’s right pupper! Over here, boy! Good boy!” He gushes when the dog walks up to him, its tail wagging furiously. “Look at you! So friendly!”

Before he knows it, he’s got his hands buried into soft fur and he’s giving generous pets to the happy, panting animal. “Who’s a good doggie? You are! You are a good doggie!”

Internally, Ajax is practically crying from joy. He—he’s always wanted to pat the dog ever since the game came out, and despite his multiple, multiple suggestions in the forums and in surveys to make the dogs pettable, Genshin Impact continuously disappointed him on that front.

But now, he finally gets to pet the dog and all is well in this world.

It’s probably some instinct left over from Tartaglia’s body, but something compels him to look up. To his surprise, he catches Zhongli watching him from the end of the street. This far away, he can’t quite be sure what Zhongli’s expression is, but he suspects the man thinks he’s a bit of an oddity given his happiness from petting the dog. Still, he lifts a hand up and gives a hearty wave, beaming when the other shifts his packages to one hand, then returns his wave with a little wriggle of his fingers.

“Status Update. Relationship Status with Zhongli: F Point +5.”

---

Extra: Zhongli

“A contract to end all contracts,” Morax had said to the Cryo Archon when she made her proposal. “An interesting and tempting offer. I will admit that the thought of retirement is an attractive one, especially after thousands of years’ worth of duty. However, I cannot merely walk away and leave the people of Liyue defenceless. I have sworn to guide them and to give them my protection for as long as they need it. It would be a dereliction of my duty and a breach of contract if I were to withdraw my support when they still require it.”

“A completely understandable concern, Morax,” the Cryo Archon had responded. “But the real question is: do your people still require your protection?”

“This I do not know, but perhaps a test would be best to determine the truth.”

From those words sprung an agreement between the two Archons where the Cryo Archon would send her people to create a trial for Liyue to put Morax’s concerns to rest.

“I will be sending you two of my Harbingers to carry out this contract. The Eighth Harbinger, also known as La Signora, will be overseeing matters and acting as my point of contact. Should you require anything, you can relay your messages to her. I will also be sending my Eleventh Harbinger with the mission to steal your Gnosis. He will not be told of our contract so that the inevitable chaos he will stir up will truly test Liyue for all its worth.”

The Eleventh Harbinger. Ah, yes. Morax had heard of him. Famed to be a battle prodigy and the youngest of all the Harbingers, Tartaglia had quite the reputation for causing chaos and destruction wherever he set foot. He was known to be cruel and arrogant with an insatiable thirst for blood.

He is perfect for the task, and it is for that reason that Morax allows him to land on Liyue’s safe harbours. However, the moment the contract is fulfilled, Gnosis or not, Morax will not hesitate to remove him from his lands.

---

Morax, now under the guise of Zhongli, can’t say his impression of the Eleventh Harbinger improves a handful of months after the contract is formed. They were supposed to meet, but the other suddenly cancelled, leaving Zhongli to dine at Wanmin Restaurant alone with the dishes he had pre-ordered.

(No matter. The cost of the meal was covered by the Fatui, so the only thing he lost was the time spent waiting. And if there’s one thing he has plenty of, it’s time.)

But when the Fatui approach him to reschedule, Zhongli does not hesitate to recommend Liuli Pavilion. After all, if the meeting is to be cancelled a second time, let it come at a hefty blow to the Fatui’s wallet.

The Harbinger does end up showing up this time.

Or at least, Zhongli thinks that it’s the Harbinger. He’s not entirely sure.

He’s young. Very young. A bit skinny and rather pretty with fiery red hair, and vivid blue eyes that have no right to be that expressive for a Harbinger. He looks nothing like his ferocious reputation—instead, more like the pampered second son of a rich lord.

This supposed Harbinger does nothing to hide his nervousness, and awe. At what, exactly? Zhongli discreetly glances down at himself. His mortal disguise is firmly in place so he can’t be the cause for the Harbinger to react this way.

(The oddest thing about this young man is the lingering Abyssal energy that clings to his body. The energy itself feels detached like it is barely hanging on. Hm. Another mystery for another time.)

The Harbinger—Master Childe, a name that has Zhongli’s lips quirking up—eventually snaps out of his reverie with a nervous laugh and an apology. What happened to the arrogance and cruelty? The penchant for chaos? The difference between the rumours and the young man in front of him is jarring.

Zhongli observes quietly over his cup of tea while the Harbinger’s attention is on trying to pick up a piece of pork with his chopsticks.

Suspiciously jarring. Is this an act? If it is, then Zhongli must give Master Childe a round of applause for his excellent acting skills, because even to Zhongli, this front as an innocent youth is impeccable.

“Mister Zhongli! Look!”

Zhongli turns his attention back to Master Childe, who’s managed to successfully hold a piece of pork with his chopsticks. The young man looks ecstatic about his achievement. “It worked! I did it!”

But as soon as he declares his success, his wobbly grasp on the chopsticks loosens enough for his prize to escape, landing on the table with a splat before rolling to the floor.

Master Childe’s face turns crestfallen. “…my pork,” he utters with the saddest little whine.

Zhongli can’t help it. He laughs. He laughs and he finds himself charmed despite his best effort to remain on guard. The thoughtful gifts do not help Zhongli with remaining impartial either.

The name Childe is incredibly fitting to this young Harbinger’s personality, much more so than the rumours surrounding him. Zhongli can’t help but want to learn more about this enigmatic character.

---

“How was your meeting with the Eleventh Harbinger, Lord Morax?” La Signora asks later that day. They’re seated around a coffee table with fresh tea at a private home on the outskirts of Liyue Harbour that the Fatui have rented for the purpose of conducting these clandestine meetings. “I hope it went well, or as well as it can be with Tartaglia? I do apologize in advance for his brutish behaviour. He can be difficult.”

Brutish? Difficult? The only brutish and difficult aspects of that meeting were the way Childe manhandled his chopsticks and how Zhongli had to witness it.

“I have a question,” Zhongli says in lieu of answering. “The Eleventh Harbinger. He’s young, surprisingly so, with red hair and blue eyes. Is that him?”

La Signora, who was about to lift her teacup to her lips, pauses. “Yes, that is correct. Why do you ask?”

“I was merely curious. His youth caught me off guard, as did his hair. Is red hair a common trait in Snezhnaya?”

If La Signora finds the question odd, she does not show it. “It is rare even in Snezhnaya, mostly found amongst those living in the small, western coastal towns of the country.”

The odds that Master Childe is the Harbinger are high considering the rarity of red-headed Snezhnayans. How curious.

Zhongli takes a slow sip of his tea. “Thank you for indulging my curiosity. The meeting was fruitful and peaceful. Harbinger Tartaglia kept up his role as a diplomat and conducted himself professionally. I appreciate the thoughtful gift.”

La Signora blinks. “Gift?”

Oh? So she wasn’t responsible for that? Even more curious.

“The Eleventh brought a collection of Snezhnayan folklore—translated of course. A most exquisite set of books.”

“I see,” she responds. Zhongli has a distinct impression that La Signora is not happy to hear that. “I am glad that the meeting went well. Should you have any concerns regarding Tartaglia, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.”

Later, back in the safety of his home in Yujing Terrace, Zhongli thinks back on her parting words. It appears that the Harbingers do not have a harmonious relationship. The Eighth’s contempt for Tartaglia was barely hidden behind a veil of politeness towards Zhongli. Her dismissal of his origins, calling it “the small, western coastal towns of the country”, indicates a level of distaste that goes beyond his character.

Something tells him that the feeling is mutual on Tartaglia’s part.

It certainly raises questions on the validity of the rumours surrounding Tartaglia. There’s a possibility that they were created out of malicious intent to smear his character, one of the reasons for which being that he comes from a more humble background than his peers. Anger and jealousy towards someone who is seen to have risen above his station, especially at such a young age—Zhongli has certainly seen that happen time and time again in his 6000 years of being alive.

Either way, Zhongli must admit he’s curious as to how this will play out, and he certainly wants to get to know Master Childe.

---

The second time he meets Master Childe is a few days later at the bookhouse. Zhongli takes a few seconds to appraise the young man, who’s squinting at the selection of books with a distinct grumpy expression on his face as if they have personally offended him.

Zhongli chuckles. The Eleventh Harbinger is very expressive.

The expression dissipates instantly the moment Zhongli calls his name, replaced with a smile that’s much better suited to Master Childe than the previous look of displeasure.

They have breakfast together, which provides a perfect opportunity for Zhongli to treat the young man as a gesture of goodwill. Except, as he reaches into his jacket and finds his Mora pouch missing, he realizes a fatal flaw in his plan.

Ah, it looks like he hasn’t quite mastered living as a mortal. It just so happens that he has to demonstrate such weakness in front of the young Harbinger and so soon into their acquaintance. How embarrassing.

Master Childe is quick to remedy the situation. “It’s not a problem,” he says, and he quickly whips out a bag of Mora. “I’m happy to cover this meal! Thank you for keeping me company and for introducing me to the history of Liyue.”

Still, he doesn’t want to appear like a complete parasite, not when he’s the one who offered to cover breakfast. A morning tour around the market seems to be a fair trade, and he suggests as much to the young Harbinger.

But the Harbinger surprises him again. “Oh, pish.” Master Childe makes a dismissive gesture. “What’s a meal or two between friends? I would be happy to have you accompany me as I wander around the market, but only if you want to.”

A meal between friends. Is this what Master Childe sees them as? Friends?

What a novel concept. Morax can count a small handful of people whom he considers his friend in his long years of existence, and to think that Master Childe so easily ropes him into his fray on the second day of knowing him. Not only is Master Childe expressive, but he accepts people into his fold as naturally as breathing. Zhongli suspects that this is not a trait that the other Harbingers possess.

It is…refreshing.

The hours pass in a blur. Zhongli, regretfully, falls into old habits of spotting and appraising antiques as he strolls through the market, jumping from one tale to another as memory after memory rises to the forefront of his mind. At least his company does not seem offended; far from it, in fact. He seems enraptured by Zhongli’s tales, hanging on to his every word while dropping bags and bags of Mora without care.

When he tries to insist that the purchase is not necessary (words that go against his instinct to add to his hoard), Master Childe merely shakes his head and drops more Mora. “It’s no trouble at all, Mister Zhongli! So long as you like it.”

(The dragon part of him, one that is normally dormant while he takes this mortal form, raises its head from slumber at those words. Who is this little mortal who so readily offers to add to his treasure collection? Who would have the capability and the willingness to satiate his hunger, to spoil him in such a manner?)

(It stares at the young man with curiosity and interest.)

Eventually, even he recognizes that he’s taking advantage of Master Childe’s generosity and stops himself before he begins to offend.

Goodbyes made and promises secured to meet tomorrow, Zhongli departs, wandering down the street to head back home on Yujing Terrace. He glances back at the young Harbinger. And pauses.

Instead of returning to the hotel, Master Childe is petting a stray dog—Hua Hua, if Zhongli remembers the name Ganyu had given the animal. And Master Childe looks delighted standing under the golden sun, his hair shining, his eyes sparkling, cheeks dusted a delicate, rosy pink, and a smile that is positively radiant. He coos at Hua Hua, his voice playful and honey-sweet, as sweet as the compliments that spill from his lips.

He is exactly like a noble, pampered second son of a lord.

But more importantly, the sight of Master Childe being so openly carefree as he shamelessly lavishes his attention on an animal without minding the looks he’s attracting…

It’s endearing. Helplessly so. Zhongli finds his guard lowered once more at the lovely sight.

As he returns Master Childe’s enthusiastic wave with a more subdued one of his own, Zhongli can’t help but look forward to their next meeting. He wonders what new observations about Master Childe he will discover next.