I, the Rock King Emperor with 21 billion in power, have joined the chat group.

"Ha...haha...ha~~!" D'Artagnan stood frozen in place, holding his teacup, a smile that was both awkward and polite.

He really couldn't believe that Zhongli in front of him was someone who could think about such things.

After a long pause, he managed to finish his sentence: "Even the most skilled astrologers wouldn't know this kind of knowledge, so Mr. Zhongli, please don't worry about it."

Zhongli glanced at him, said nothing, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded slightly.

"That's right."

The storyteller on stage continued.

"The Emperor, moved by the suffering of the people, established the Pact with Liyue. He made the first [contract] with the Three-Eyed Five-Manifestation Immortal, using the Immortal's power to protect Liyue..."

The two people below the stage quietly sipped their tea.

After a while, the tea was finished.

The story is over.

Just as he was about to pay, Zhongli patted his pockets and then looked at Dadalia.

Prince D'Artagnan, seeing his expression, shook his head with a wry smile and walked forward as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.

He took out Mora, made by the Rock King Emperor and circulated throughout the continent, to pay the tea bill.

"Mr. Zhongli, you should still bring a wallet!"

"It's alright, things can always be resolved."

"Haha! But... I'm running out of funds!"

Volume 0, Part 2: Nana

Chapter One Barbatos

"Zhongli~~~Zhongli. Now you're calling me by that name again."

A pleasant male voice, accompanied by a clear harp melody, drifted on the wind to Zhongli's ears.

"One word was changed."

Zhongli leaned back under the towering tree, raised the jade cup in one hand, and put it into his mouth.

"Wandering leisurely in the mortal world, detached from life."

The sound of a harp came from a large tree. Following the sound, a handsome young man wearing a sky-blue cloak was leaning against a branch, gazing leisurely into the distance.

As far as his eyes could see, there were wispy, boundless clouds and beautiful mountains and rivers under the sky.

A distant eagle circled and cried out.

"What brings you here today? Why did you accept my invitation to have a drink?"

The azure-clad youth had raised a jade cup at some point and was gesturing towards Zhongli from afar.

"Drink it all!"

"Drink to your heart's content."

A noisy wind blew from afar, and Zhongli squinted, the fragrance of glass lilies filling her nose.

He squinted, raised his glass, and drank in response from afar.

Another hundred years have passed.

The boy in sky-blue robes occasionally plucked the strings of the zither in his arms, the sound of the wind helping to convey his beautiful music.

"Since the end of the war between the demons and gods, the rulers of the world have changed several times, but only the two of us old guys are still holding on."

“No, it was me who insisted. Wendy, the wind spirit, what you did wasn’t insistence.” Zhongli retorted directly, a rare occurrence for him.

"Hahaha~~!" Wendy naturally burst out laughing at such accusations.

He has always been a free spirit. After Mondstadt successfully rebelled against the tyranny of the Tower King, he became the ruler of Mondstadt, also known as the Wind God.

But his free-spirited style remained unchanged.

The wind is freedom, the wind is spontaneity, the wind is love.

"Hahaha~~ Don't tell me I didn't care about Mondstadt. In the beginning, I could work hard every day, level mountains, turn oceans into fields, flatten the world, and create the prosperous Mondstadt Plains."

The God of Wind laughed and boasted about his achievements.

"Well, rationally speaking, you were indeed competent at first."

Zhongli took another sip of wine, and his thoughts drifted along with the God of Wind's, extending to the distant past.

With a few close friends, we can cruise the lake, enjoy the mountains, savor a cup of wine, and drink the morning dew.

He slays demons with a smile and nurtures all living beings with a humble demeanor.

Then, under the tree and in front of the lake.

They held a grand banquet for their guests, who danced and drank merrily.

It has the fragrance of glass lilies and a sense of tranquility.

But time eventually passed.

Six thousand years of time seem to be right before my eyes, and I feel as if I am reliving the time of the wind god.

“Things seem to be getting a bit turbulent lately,” Wendy, the Wind Goddess, suddenly said after taking a couple of drinks.

"Please speak."

Zhongli put down his wine glass and listened attentively.

“Tvalin is having some problems.” Wendy shook her head. “He seems to be in a lot of pain, and I’m trying to find him and comfort him.”

Zhongli lowered his head and pondered for a few seconds: "Any clues?"

“It must be a problem with the old wound inflicted by the Poison Dragon Durin.” Wendy’s expression was slightly helpless. “There’s a strange monster group called the Abyss Order that’s lurking behind the scenes.”

"The aura from beyond this world reappeared some time ago, and it seems that travelers from beyond this world have appeared in this world."

Zhongli reminded him in a low voice.

"It's alright, that's the responsibility of Heaven." Wendy released the small harp in her hand, letting it turn into specks of sky-blue elemental particles that drifted away in the wind.

He leaned back against a tree branch.

"The Free Wind God, who hasn't been involved in anything for a thousand years, is going to have to get busy again."

"Is your strength still sufficient?" Zhongli sat up straight and looked up slightly. "The seven rulers of the mortal world, their divine hearts are closely related to the kingdoms they control."

"You have not governed a country for a thousand years, and the power of the Heart of God has declined to the extreme. You may even be inferior to the Knight Commander of your Mondstadt."

“That’s the kind of character the Wind God is,” Wendy said, spreading her hands as if she didn’t care.

"When I rebelled against the tyranny of the Tower King, I was a free wind spirit. I sang for the Wolf King of the North, blessed the Knight Commander, and sang joyful songs while riding on Dvalin's back. I was just a bard."

"Don't expect too much from me, God of War, God of Rock, God of Contracts, the strongest ruler!"

Wendy suddenly smiled slyly.

"If I were to manage Mondstadt like you, I would be exhausted to death before Mondstadt even prospers. Look at the other old guys, they left us early precisely because they were too serious."

"Only you, the strongest ruler, can remain glorious and immortal to this day."

"But even you must be tired by now."

Wendy, the Wind Goddess, narrowed her eyes and teased with a grin, "I overheard a bit of your negotiations with the Queen of Winter Kingdom."

"Hmm?" Zhongli frowned slightly.

“The wind brings stories, so I am Mondstadt’s best bard,” Wendy said proudly, patting her chest.

"It's not that I'm tired."

Zhongli slowly stood up and stood under the trees, on the cliff face.

Looking up at the mountains and rivers of Liyue, bathed in the splendid light of the sky.

"Let me tell you this story, you best bard in Mondstadt."

"One day, I was strolling around Liyue Harbor, exploring the city."

"As I passed by a certain place, I saw a shopkeeper talking to one of his employees, whose hair was slightly gray."

"Old buddy, you've worked for thirty years. It's time for a break. From now on, you can come here every month for a monthly allowance of Mora, and you won't have to do those heavy jobs anymore."

"After hearing these words, I was filled with emotion."

"Even ordinary people who have worked for so many years eventually retire when they have achieved their goals. When should I retire?"

"It was with this in mind that I made this agreement with the Queen of the Winter Kingdom."

"Ring ring ring~~~!"

The beautiful music of the harp accompanied the narration, as if time stood still at that moment.

The rulers of Mondstadt and Liyue, and the gods of wind and rock gathered together.

The aroma of the liquor mingled with the fragrance of the glass bags on the cliff.

"Haha, you're still tired, Zhongli."

“…”

"After saying all that, you just want to rest, don't you?"

"..."

"Why should I, who live a leisurely life like myself, strictly govern the country?"

"..."

"Hmm?? Say something, Morax!"

"Get to work, Barbatos!"

As the words fell, a massive rock, seemingly reaching to the heavens, rose from Barbatos' feet.

The angle of the rock was so steep that Barbatos, the god of wind, lost his footing and fell off the cliff.