"Thank you," Morax sighed after receiving Akio's response.
"I don't want to see this happen again, Morax. You know what I mean," Akio said coldly, showing no deference to the Geo Archon.
"I understand. It won't happen again. I promise," Morax decided he would send a dream to all of Liyue's citizens, warning them not to abuse their power or cause trouble for the time being.
Without saying more, Morax nodded to Akio and disappeared.
"Don't let him appear in front of me again," Akio said coldly.
"Take him away!" Ningguang waved her hand. She wouldn't let this Millelith guard off easily. She intended to uproot everyone connected to him.
"Lord Akio, this way, please."
Akio nodded and followed Ningguang. He glanced at the Millelith guard who had tried to mediate earlier and praised, "You did well. You have principles."
Ningguang looked at the guard in surprise and nodded, committing his face to memory.
In the VIP room, Ningguang turned to Ganyu and said, "Ganyu, could you brew some tea? Use my top-grade Golden Silk Leaves."
"Of course," Ganyu nodded. Golden Silk Leaves were Ningguang's prized tea, grown exclusively in Qingce Village. There was only one tea tree in all of Teyvat, and its annual yield didn't exceed ten taels. A single tael of this tea was worth millions of Mora.
After Ganyu left, Ningguang looked at Akio and said apologetically, "I'm deeply sorry, Lord Akio, for the unpleasantness today. I truly didn't—"
"No need to explain," Akio waved his hand, cutting her off. He smiled and said, "Actually, I said those things on purpose."
"Huh?" Ningguang looked at Akio, puzzled.
"Once people rise above their class, they often lose empathy for the common folk. This is an eternal truth," Akio said calmly. "I understand you, and I understand human nature."
This kind of thing was all too common. Throughout history, those who rose from poverty to power often ended up exploiting the very people they once belonged to. Even a mere streamer, after making money, could openly mock their audience.
Human nature was like that. No, it wasn't just human nature. Even Akio, after gaining absolute power and becoming a god, could he truly empathize with the struggles of mortals?
Willpower changes over time. One could choose not to empathize with suffering, or become aloof and detached. But the one thing that must never change is the moral line one draws for themselves.
Clearly, Ningguang, despite wielding the power of a nation and rising from nothing to immense wealth, had not forgotten the common people. She had not done anything to harm them.
Akio's words to her were both a warning to her and a reminder to himself.
"I understand!" Ningguang was intelligent and quickly grasped Akio's meaning. She sighed and said, "When I was young, I used to sell Mora Meat, walking from Yaoguang Shoal all the way to the docks. My family was poor, and even a single bun had to be divided into three portions. When people bullied me, I could only smile and keep selling."
"Looking back now, those are not fond memories I'd like to dwell on," Ningguang shook her head.
The two chatted casually, and Ningguang, not daring to steer the conversation with a god, treated it as a simple exchange.
"The tea is ready," Ganyu soon returned, pouring tea for Akio and Ningguang.
"Actually, I came today mainly to see Miss Ganyu," Akio said.
"Eh? Me?" Ganyu was surprised, then said, "Lord Akio, you can just call me Ganyu."
Akio nodded and said, "I'm not here on official business. I'm just visiting Liyue for sightseeing. I have a letter from Yae Miko for you, as well as some Sea Ganoderma."
"Yae Miko?" Ganyu's face lit up with joy at the mention of her name. She hadn't seen Yae Miko in centuries and naturally missed her.
Akio handed the letter to Ganyu, along with several neatly packaged boxes of Sea Ganoderma.
Ganyu happily accepted the Sea Ganoderma and said, "Yae Miko… it's been centuries since I last saw her. I remember when she was little, so small and pink. When she came to Liyue with the Raiden Shogun, she loved to cling to my back and pester me. She'd even fight me over a single Qingxin flower."
Akio: "..."
Why did Ganyu's words sound so much like that woman's?
Truly, the disciple of the Cloud Retainer… their way of speaking was identical.
"Ah! I'm sorry," Ganyu blushed, realizing she had adopted her master's manner of speech, and quickly apologized.
"It's fine. Yae Miko wouldn't mind," Akio waved his hand, though he thought to himself, I'd better not let Yae Miko hear this, or she'll bite me. A fox's teeth are sharp.
"Lord Akio, since you're here to visit Liyue, why not come to the Jade Chamber for a visit?" Ningguang invited. "I'll arrange a banquet for lunch."
"I've long heard of the stunning floating palace above Liyue, a place many would give everything to see," Akio said. "But not today. I have other plans."
"In that case, I'll await your visit at the Jade Chamber," Ningguang nodded, not pressing further.
"You both have official duties to attend to. I'll take my leave now," Akio stood up. Ganyu and Ningguang rose to see him off, but he waved them off. "No need to escort me."
As Akio slowly walked out of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ningguang's expression darkened. She rarely got angry, but this time, she was truly furious.
"Someone, bring in the Millelith guard who was on duty this morning," Ningguang said coldly.
"Yes!"
Soon, the Millelith guard was brought before Ningguang, trembling as he said, "Lady Ningguang!"
"Tell me, who was the person on duty with you this morning who offended Lord Akio?" Ningguang asked coldly.
"His… his name is Wang Hao (a fictional name, please do not associate it with real people). I only know his family is very wealthy," the guard stammered.
"I recall there's no rule in the Ministry of Civil Affairs prohibiting notifications. Why was Ganyu being sought out blocked?" Ningguang asked. "Do you know the reason?"
"This…" The guard glanced at Ganyu but didn't dare to continue.
However, Ningguang quickly understood. She laughed in anger. "Well, well! Chasing women all the way into the Millelith? The Millelith is meant to protect the people of Liyue, not to serve as a platform for your romantic pursuits! How dare such incompetence infiltrate the Millelith?"
"What's your name?" Ningguang asked the guard.
"My name is Xiang Ming," the guard replied.
"Xiang Ming… From today, you'll be promoted to squad leader, responsible for the security of the Ministry of Civil Affairs," Ningguang said. "Ganyu, draft a document for me."
A/N: Enjoying the story? Read 30+ chapters ahead on Patreon! Your support helps: Patreon.com/nneol
and next target is 200 Powerstones for one extra chapter :)