|Goodbye Again| kazuscara

九(1)

Bitter Taste

🍁☂️

Upon the arrival of the Shogun, it was not only the grey clouds that struck fear into the Liyuens. All knew what the Shogun had come for, but they also knew that Inazuma's prince had run away for a reason. For whatever reason that may be, no one knew.

The storm had spread from Inazuma to Liyue, and eventually, it would take over Teyvat until the prince was found. Not only did the Shogun's storm cause emotional distress in Teyvat, but it interfered with business and the flow of life. What the Shogun specialized in was eternity, or so what she sought for.

A crow called out from above with its screech before swooping down and landing onto the arm of its holder. The Shogun took the small scroll from the crow's beak before it flew off. Her expression was grim and displeased, but after reading the letter, it softened. There's a lead.

From ahead the path, Millelith guards walked in sync in her approach followed by a great billowing velvet carrier. It was not the rain that kept the man inside from appearing before her majesty, but his desire to keep his identity strictly a secret.

The woman with white hair held out an umbrella for the woman for the both of them to share as the following Millelith guards stood stiffly beside them. She bowed her head low in respect and smiled, motioning for the Shogun to enter the carriage. "Rex Lapis requests your audience in a formal setting. He would like to discuss the prince's tracks in private."

From the window of the carrier held out a black-gloved hand, motioning towards the Shogun with a red money packet.

The Shogun stared at the lady before her, deciding to reply as the matter she spoke of was important. "I accept." Taking the money packet and entering the carrier, she saw who had personally come to greet her.

Inside the carriage was Rex Lapis, the king of Liyue. He sat across from the Shogun, his attire consisting of a simple suit and tie with rather mute colours, but were made of expensive fabrics and jewels.

"I welcome you to Liyue, Baal," he said with a small smile, offering some friendliness even if they weren't all too close. He knocked the side of the carriage and then it began to move, the rain plundering onto the roof of the carriage and the wind occasionally shifting the carriage.

The Shogun began to open the envelope, realizing what was inside wasn't money, but a folded map. Opening it, red dots were marked in certain areas of Liyue before connecting to a final star and stretching out to Fontaine and onward to Snezhnaya in green.

"We'll be heading directly to a site near where I believe I met the prince," Rex Lapis continued as he poured tea into two cups for the both of them, handing one of the small white cups to the Shogun.

"I received an insight that he is traveling to the North with an experienced Inazuman traveller," he said as he took a slow and careful sip of the tea.

Rex Lapis didn't want to sell out the prince of another nation, but this time around it seemed the chance of a nobleman potentially joining the Fatui was far too dangerous than to sit and watch. "I suspect his final stop will be in Snezhnaya, unfortunately."

The Shogun scoffed and folded the map, "Well, we'll just have to search faster then. Have there been any signs the others will be assisting in the search?" She took a sip of the tea, though she frowned at the taste and put it back down. It needed some sugar.

How adamant the Shogun was never ceased to amaze Morax. He never felt uneasy when speaking with other archons of Teyvat, but by her recent visits to Liyue, he had seen how overwhelming her perseverance was. It didn't come to him that fate would ever escape from the touches of the almighty thunder.