"If you hadn't said that, I wouldn't have thought about it. But now? I might just change my mind," Albedo replied, letting the matter of payment slide without further debate.
"So, what are your plans from here? How long do you intend to stay in Mondstadt?"
Gu Sanqiu leaned back in his chair. "That depends. If there's nothing major happening, I'd prefer to return to Liyue as soon as possible."
Aside from Venti's situation, Mondstadt's developments seemed to follow a standard pattern: leveling up and fighting through challenges. For Kong to complete his journey across Mondstadt would take a considerable amount of time.
The activation of teleportation anchors also turned out to be more demanding than anticipated, giving Gu Sanqiu more flexibility with his schedule.
Meanwhile, Xiao had mentioned unusual disturbances in Liyue's ley lines. Those foolish Visions of Manifestation seemed to be surfacing again, and Gu Sanqiu needed to consider whether to lead a team to clear the map once more. It would serve as both a purge and a training exercise for the Millelith.
Not to mention, he was still waiting for the Pyro and Cryo Brothers—currently working in Dragonspine on his behalf—to return with valuable information.
Gu Sanqiu scratched his head. "In short, when I leave Mondstadt depends entirely on the situation."
"Why?"
Albedo's voice cut through the calm. "Mondstadt is merely a stop on your journey. You have no obligation to do anything more for this city."
"Even if you left and disaster struck, causing immense destruction, this place isn't Liyue Harbor. Why care so much?"
Gu Sanqiu tilted his head. "You're asking why I'm putting so much effort into Mondstadt, like some kind of self-sacrificing fool?"
Albedo nodded. "Though the phrasing could be more polite, yes, that's the core of my question."
Gu Sanqiu smirked. "Well, that's because Mondstadt has you. You're my motivation for being this generous."
…
Albedo blinked and stared at him. "I have no such inclinations, and based on my observations, you don't either."
Gu Sanqiu burst out laughing. "What if I've just been hiding it all this time? If that were true, wouldn't you have misjudged me?"
Albedo paused, giving Gu Sanqiu a long, searching look.
"…I think it's time to go. Staying up too late isn't good for one's health."
Gu Sanqiu laughed even harder. "Alright, alright. I'm just teasing. Let me tell you the real reason."
He straightened up. "When it comes to economic development, Liyue is by far the most advanced region in all of Teyvat."
Albedo nodded in agreement. "Indeed. It benefits not only from its geographical advantages but also from the protection of Rex Lapis—the Heaven's Favor. Combine that with the people's harmony, and the city thrives."
"Exactly. Liyue Harbor's nouveau riche are no small number."
Gu Sanqiu spread his hands. "Here's something amusing: plenty of people mock my family—or me specifically—claiming that the Gu clan is just a bunch of fools."
"Take the Mondstadt domain expedition, for example. I've participated in countless endeavors in Liyue with a 'no payment, no reward' approach. Naturally, people think I'm an idiot."
"They say, 'How can the head of the Gu family be so spineless?' Some even call me a scatterbrained spendthrift."
"They think, 'As the heir to a thousand-year-old family, why bother with such thankless, exhausting tasks? Where's your pride or arrogance?'"
"The reason is simple: they're idiots."
Gu Sanqiu's bluntness was cutting. "The titles of 'Liyue's oldest family' or 'first noble house' mean absolutely nothing. They're labels slapped on us by others."
"Even if we returned to Minlin, the Gu clan would remain a pinnacle among cultivators. Our identity has nothing to do with status or location."
"What I do, I do for myself and the people I care about."
"For Rex Lapis."
Gu Sanqiu sighed softly. "This is one of the downsides of economic progress. Once people have a little money, they start overthinking. To them, my actions don't align with the weight the Gu family supposedly carries."
"Demons and gods once roamed this world. While I have no interest in conquest, I understand the suffering of the people. All I wish is to cleanse the chaos and safeguard a corner of this world."
He continued, "Legend has it that Liyue was founded on such a principle. Rex Lapis drove out demons and foreign invaders, and the Gu clan, once the foremost among cultivators, answered his call, descending from the mountains to protect the people."
"When the Archon War ended, my family relinquished its position as leaders, choosing instead to remain among mortals as humble incense bearers, watching over Liyue."
"What I do isn't weakness, nor is it foolishness or cowardice. It's not that I lack ambition or principles."
"What the Gu family has inherited isn't just an unending fortune, freely shared knowledge, or countless ancestral weapons."
At this, Gu Sanqiu grimaced. "If someone had told me earlier that the Gu clan had separate main and branch lines, I wouldn't have been stupid enough to think the heir had to master everything. Those were some truly miserable years."
"Our true inheritance is the spirit of duty. We honor the ancient pact between gods and mortals. We uphold our responsibilities for Liyue and those we hold dear. No matter how much the fools gossip, I won't care."
"Because I am Liyue's incense bearer."
Gu Sanqiu shrugged. "My sister even wanted to deal with some of the louder detractors, but I told her to let it go. Putting those nouveau riche in their place isn't worth it."
"Or, you could say, their mindset is just too low-level."
Albedo added, "You might consider compiling a list and monitoring them. Historically, such individuals are the most likely to betray others."
"That's exactly my plan."
Gu Sanqiu snapped his fingers. "There's no fun in dealing with them now—it'd only give others ammunition to criticize me. I don't like losing money on bad deals."
Albedo refilled Gu Sanqiu's glass. "But you still haven't explained why you're doing all this."
"Because life is full of unexpected encounters, and each one can give birth to new bonds," Gu Sanqiu replied with a grin. "I'm greedy. I want everything."
"When you're broke, you suppress your desires to survive. But once you've got a little money, you want to make up for lost time. Then you realize it's still not enough—you want everything."
"But I'm different. Whether rich or poor, I refuse to let go of what I want. Anyone who tries to pry it from me will lose their fingers."
Gu Sanqiu's grin widened. "That's why I declined my friend the Yuheng Star's offer to take up an official position in the Qixing."
"If I took the job, I'd either burn out working for Liyue or become the biggest embezzler in its history."
"Anything I care about, even a trivial toy, I won't let slip through my fingers. And if anyone dares to try, I'll cut them down."
So, this man considers us part of what he cherishes.
Albedo understood now. Gu Sanqiu was a greedy, possessive man who treated the people he cared about as his own. It was a strange mix of selfishness and protectiveness, but it somehow inspired neither anger nor disdain.
Albedo's fingers brushed the faint marks on his neck.
Even someone like me—a being not entirely human—has earned such consideration?
Albedo smiled faintly and raised his glass toward Gu Sanqiu.
"To your greed, then. Let's drink."
---
T/N: title drop