A New Friend
The next 2 weeks were spent just like that. During the day we 3 went around all Liyue, meeting a lot of people, trying different foods and seeing a lot of landscapes.
I fell in love with that kind of life, but I always felt a pang in my chest when I thought about Inazuma. I really love my country.
The pink view the sakura trees in bloom, the always stormy Seirai, the beautiful view of all Narukami island from the shrine.... I knew that even if I travel a lot, and sees a lot of new things, my heart will always be in Inazuma.
Anyway, during these 2 weeks I have improved a lot. I only need to concentrate, and I can learn whose remains I am facing without needing to approach my hear to the remains.
And the most important thing, I can now seal things!.
Yes, you heard that right. A week ago the Boss introduced me to an exorcist who taught me how to seal things. He made it sound a lot more complicated than what it really was, but maybe my ability helped me.
I just had to approach the jade slip they use to the thing to seal and the slip will 'suck' whatever it is into it. Nice and easy.
Why didn't they tried this before with the Remnants?. Because they couldn't even see them and to seal them you need to interact with the one thing you want to seal. So I needed to go 'into' the Remnants and seal the pinned down being.
Of course, I released those who wanted to die, and sealed the rest. And now we are in the last area of Liyue left, the Dihua Marsh.
"So this is the last area huh" I felt a bit emotional. I found a lot of tragic and moving stories like Shen Zi's, and I started writing them in a book. I was quite proud of it.
There were all kind of stories. Tragic ones, happy ones, heroic ones, sad ones.... And yet every single one of those protagonists ended up trapped and suffering.
But now I could release the good ones and seal the bad ones, at least no one is suffering any more.
After watching all this stories I felt fulfilled, knowing that I was able to help that many people, be it gods or adeptus, or even the humans living near those remains. I enjoyed these 2 weeks a lot.
Of course, I didn't forget about sending more letter to the pink woman, but I started to get nervous.
A month sounded like a lot, but half of it was gone and my death sentence was approaching quickly. But again, that's a problem for future Kenshin.
"Yes, this is the last zone" Xiao nodded. His face didn't change during the last 2 weeks, but I can understand that he is feeling happy and relieved that his duty is going to end. I will ask him later what is he going to do. If he says something as dying to meet my friends I will slap him back to sanity.
"Hmmm" the Boss nodded. Was he feeling a bit emotional?. After all Liyue was going to be safer now than it has been for the last 2000 years since it's inception.
"Let's end this and have fun later" I nodded and started doing my thing.
Concentrate, feel his name, seal. Honestly Zhong Li wasn't even needed now. After thousands of times repeating the same, I could feel who was an angry god and who a sad one. So I just 'enter', 'feel' and seal. Of course, those that are sad or desperate are freed and they leave, I don't know where.
"Still, it's a bit depressing. Out of a hundred gods, 99 are still wanting more beef" I said, feeling a bit perplex. They have been in pain for 2000 years and they still want to fight. Insanity made soul.
"That's indeed sad" the Boss agreed and spear boy nodded.
"Oh, this one is different" I said looking at a certain Remnant.
I 'entered' and saw a small woman with grey hair, with the same dead look.
"Wakey wakey, it's time to wake up" I said with humour. If I had to cry every time I do this I could have established my own subaquatic country.
"Plea-".
"I know, I know. I will release you now".
"Thank you" she muttered gratefully.
I started seeing the most significant moments of her life.
A tall man, hugging a small woman with me in the middle, making me laugh.
A short girl, saying something and making me laugh.
A gap in the sky, fear, people running.
A council of 6 people. A tall man wearing a white cloak.
A woman wi-
"WAIT WAIT WAIT, was that the Boss?".
A woman study-
"I told you to WAIT" I grabbed the disappearing woman, who had a face of relief. Now she looked perplexed at me.
"No no no lady, you are not going anywhere. If the Boss knows I let his young lover go away I will be a red spot on the floor".
"How...do know it.." she muttered not having any strength.
"Lady, I have done this thousands of times. I know where this is going". Indeed I did.
"You...know....Morax?" she asked in a hopeful voice.
"If I know him you say. He's just outside, probably looking at the black wriggling sludge you have turned into".
To her credit, she didn't look that embarrassed or sad.
"Is he..good?" she asked with a happy expression.
"He is retired, but seems to be happy, but I'm tired of hearing him say how good Osmanthus Wine is, but 'where are those we shared the memories with'. Honestly, he's like a grandpa"
"He remembers....we used....to drink it...with our...friends" she had a nostalgic expression. "Is....Cloud Retainer...good?".
"That bird?. He is, and has a student. Can you believe it?, I'm the first one to be able to cleanse the Remnants of the Archon War in 2 thousand years and she has the gall to reject me. But don't worry, I got my revenge" I added with a sly smirk.
"What...did you do?" she asked with a worried expression. Hmm?, its me or is she talking more fluently?.
"For the last 2 weeks I sent her a lot of recipes of dishes involving birds" I answered smugly.
"...Pfff.." she couldn't hold back her laugh.
"Is Liyue...a nice place?".
"Liyue as the land is nice. A lot of majestic mountains and clear rivers. Liyue Harbor is too cramped for me. I prefer Inazuma, it's where I come from".
"That's good. Now please...let me go" she said with a relieved smile. Maybe knowing that her friends and home where safe made her feel relief.
"If that is your decision, I will abide by it. I will try to tell Morax what happened. Any last words?" I felt sad, but it was her decision in the end. I had to respect the life of someone who gave her life for those she cared for.
"Yes please. Tell him tha-"
I sealed her.
"Haha, you are truly naive. Did you think I would pay attention to your last words?. Please" I mocked her.
I am the mighty Kenshin!. I will do what I want. And I want this stupid lady to live. Others like Shen Zi had nothing to live for, and others had but I didn't care about them. If those last ones wanted to die, let them.
But this lady was someone the big Boss knew, and I'm quite grateful for his help.
"What are you doing!!" an indignant voice screamed from the slip I had in my hand.
"You may not know, but even if he doesn't think so, I'm in debt with the big Boss Zhong, so I decided. You will be my payment" I said with an evil smirk.
"You are selling me!?" she shouted even louder.
"Yes I am. And I'm not ashamed about it". Yes, the mighty Kenshin does not need to explain his actions.
"Who are you any way!?"
"I am Kenshin, from Inazuma. The most powerful Soul Master in the whole Teyvat!" I proclaimed with pride.
"What is a Soul Master?. Is that a new profession?" she sounded confused now.
"No, I'm the only one!". Hehe, be impressed by my grand title.
"Are you stupid?. Then you are the weakest one too" she mocked me back.
"..." I may have bit more than I can chew. "*Ehem* any way. You will be staying there until I find a way to make you able to kiss the Boss".
"Wha-. How could you say such embarrassing things!. And kiss Morax...ufufufu" she is in cloud 9 now.
"So lady, just relax. No one will be able to hear you anyway, so chill. What can you do any way?. You have to pay the rent". I was not going to carry her around for free.
"I don't want to be here!. But I'm the best inventor from our group. No matter how much Cloud Retainer argues, I'm the best!"
"Nice. You can invent things for me to sell and make money off". She was a mine of gold.
"You!. You think my noble inventions are to be sold like that!?"
"This is the start of a beautiful business enterprise".
"It's not!"
-----------------------
"Puaf, that was a hard one" I said while moving my cramped neck.
"Was everything alright?. You took your time" said the Boss. Now that I look at him, he is really the man in Ghizhong's vision.
"Morax!?. Is that you?" I heard Guizhong shouting from the slip, but only someone with my ability would be able to hear her.
"Something wrong with my visage?" the Boss asked in his own archaic way.
"Well, I don't know how to say it" I lied. I had all the time to think about what to tell him. I spent too much time talking with Ghizhong and the Boss always caught me lying, so have no choice but to tell the truth.
"It was a woman named Guizhong" I admitted, making Guizhong shout in surprise.
"You!. What are you saying?!. You can't let him know I'm sealed here, he will get angry!". Indeed he would. His way of thinking was more like 'What's dead is dead, let them rest' kind of bullshit. So I need to answer cautiously about how to tell him the truth while not letting anything slip by accident.
"Guizhong, you say..." the Boss looked emotional. Xiao also looked surprised and looked at the Boss in worry.
"Yes, I realized midway that she knew you, so I talked a bit with her. Do you want to know?. Maybe it will bring you closure." Yes, just like that. I'm doing great.
"....." Guizhong looked worried about Zhong Li's answer.
"Yes, but we should wait for you to seal the other Remnants. Our duty must come first" he sighed heavily.
Dude, what are you doing?. Guizhong just heard you say that, she is going to be sa-. 'Hey, why are you happy?'.
'Huh, you can talk to me?' she asked surprised.
'You idiot, you are a soul, I don't think you can use your hears right?'.
'S-shut up, this is new to me. And to answer your question, it's because Morax hasn't changed at all, he still puts his duty of protecting the people before his own needs' she said with a happy voice.
'You are stupid. Any way, start thinking about what can I say to escape from this. I can't lie to him, he will catch me right away'
'Okay, don't worry. I was the best as a strategist, they will not catch us' she answered in her happy voice.
'No, I don't care if they catch you. The one who needs to escape is me'
'You!. You are truly a cruel human!'
We kept bickering while I kept sealing the rest of the Remnants. Not a single was was peaceful, so no teary story. At this point I was grateful for that.
And then I finished. After 2 weeks of exhausting work I finally laid to rest a problem that had plagued Liyue for 2000 years. I would probably not appear in any book, but when I die I will be able to feel happy with that fact.
'Heh, if only the rest of the people could be happy from knowing you'.
I need to find a way to make this grandma not able to read my mind.
'Who are you cal-Oh, but you called Morax grandpa....yes, like a couple, with some children around....hehe'
Also this lady is too weird for me to annoy. She gets offended by the weirdest things, and with the offensive ones she feels happy.
"We have ended" said the Boss, with a relieved sigh.
"What will you do with all the slips?. There are thousands of them" I asked. There were literally thousands.
"I will take them to a place no one will be able to reach" the Boss said calmly.
"Just don't let anyone free them please. They know my face" it painted a terrifying landscape.
Thousands of angry gods looking for me to destroy my very soul. Well, I have the Boss by my side and the Shogun was supposed to be strong. They will manage.
"Don't worry about that. Now" he exhaled again. "We were going to talk about Guizhong, but I think there should be a few people around. The Conqueror of Demons has already gone to fetch them"
"Oh no" I paled. The lady told me she knew Cloud Retainer, and I went to her home once. She may recognize my voice.
"What's wrong?" the Boss asked me, maybe curious about my reaction. I need to be honest here so he can protect me should the need arise.
"You see, I was pretty pissed after walking for hours only to be sent back, so I pranked her a bit..."
"What did you do?"
Now Guizhong it's in the story.
In canon she was the Goddess of Dust who died in the war, friend to Cloud Retainer and great friends with Zhong Li.
She gave our dear dragon a dumbbell with some 'secret' inside, and even today Zhong Li hasn't been able to open it.
I am proud of thinking about it, because I haven't seen her in any other fic.