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"How can this be called meddling in other people's business? I just felt that this gentleman looked familiar."

Faced with his sworn brother's words, Kaiya wanted to defend himself, but he simply said calmly.

"You're just imagining things. If you're not going to drink properly, I'll make sure you do."

"Okay, okay, you're right."

After seeing Diluc's attitude, Kaeya immediately backed down.

While the two brothers were gossiping to each other, Pantalone, who paid no attention to them, simply glanced at them and then invited the bard to find a seat.

The bard, who had kept his distance from the other guests and stayed in a corner, couldn't help but show a relieved expression after being rescued by Pantalone, and then looked at him with a grin.

"Oh dear, thanks to you, otherwise I would have had to work for the winery owner to pay off my debts."

Pantalone didn't say much after encountering the bard's glib tongue.

After ordering a glass of dandelion wine, she took a small sip and smiled slightly at the bard.

"Does Your Majesty Barbatos find satisfaction with the current state of the world I have created?"

"I have to say it's quite surprising. In a sense, you're still my boss now, so how could I not be satisfied with the current situation?"

The bard, or rather, the former god of wind, Barbatos, spoke with a slightly mischievous smile and a half-joking tone.

Now, under the new laws, everything from the past has been changed in this mortal world.

The former ruler of the mortal world no longer exists, and Barbatos no longer holds the position of wind god, but has once again become one of the thousand winds.

Apart from a few exceptional beings, few beings retain memories of the old world.

Everything from the past was burned to ashes in the fire of the old world, never to return.

As if he had thought of something, Barbatos's previously lazy face suddenly turned serious, and he stared intently at Pantalone as he spoke.

"If you still want to fight me, I'm not interested."

"Don't worry, I wouldn't make a special trip for something like this."

Pantalone smiled gently.

This relieved Barbatos, who then returned to his usual jovial demeanor and looked at Pantalone, asking a question.

"Speaking of which, how come you, as Lord Tenri, have so much free time to wander around like me?"

"I am like a thousand winds, omnipresent."

Pantalone only gave this reply to Barbatos's response.

Upon hearing this, Barbatos immediately understood. Seemingly recalling some unpleasant memories, he chuckled and changed the subject.

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about that anymore. Why don't you tell me your story? I'm really interested in what you did after that."

"Wouldn't it be such a shame if I, the world's best bard, didn't sing the story of the Fool? Hehehe."

Although it was said in a half-joking tone, in a certain sense...

Barbatos certainly wanted to know that story; it was his greatest curiosity as a bard.

Seeing Barbatos enjoying the dandelion wine for free, Pantalone lowered his eyes slightly, as if recalling something, and chuckled softly.

"That's a long story..."

……

On the stage in Liyue, the legendary tales that have been sung countless times are recited fluently by the storyteller.

Even though it has been told countless times, it is still a story that the people of Liyue Harbor never tire of hearing.

People gathered here to listen to stories and watch plays, enjoying their leisure time. Among the many people drinking tea and watching plays, only one young man dressed in a solemn black robe, as dark as a mountain rock, stood out.

Ancient times and aura emanated from his amber eyes as he sat at the tea table with the figure of the Fool, listening to Liyue's traditional operas and stories.

Just as in memory, the Fool sat facing the God, seemingly returning to that old topic.

"Mr. Zhongli still remembers what I once said, everything I once told the gods of Liyue. The world's children no longer need the protection of the gods."

"For a god, if his people no longer need his protection, is it because the god has been abandoned by humans who are like children, or is it because the god has fulfilled his duty?"

The god, who appeared young, gazed calmly at the fool who had posed this question to him.

"The responsibility of gods is to guide mankind, but there are some things in this world that even gods cannot answer. When mankind no longer needs the guidance of gods, it can walk on the right path."

"Perhaps this is the time when your duty as a god has been fulfilled. I think this is the answer you, as the new God, want from me."

The ancient god of Liyue spoke his answer in a calm tone, yet his calm demeanor revealed an indescribable peace and tranquility.

That was a sense of relief and an answer for the ancient god of Liyue after he had shed the burden of 3,700 years.

After thousands of years, the rock no longer needs to bear the burden for humans. At this moment, as the god of Liyue, the Geo Archon can truly live for himself as a mortal.

"Then go and truly experience the fate of being human as a mortal. You can rest now. This is the promise I, as the embodiment of Heaven, made to you."

The Fool gazed at the god of Liyue and smiled slightly, his words seeming to be a reply to the god, or perhaps a promise to this ancient deity.

When the god of Liyue looked again, the Fool, who had promised him everything, had vanished.

The Rock King Emperor sat atop his throne for a long time without uttering a word.