“The ending… why is the ending like this?”
“No, I don’t believe it!”
“Velina, are you even human?!
Give Gin back to us!”
“Aaaah, I want to slaughter those two little brats…”
More and more readers finished Hotarubi no Mori e.
Their reactions roughly fell into three types.
One type was reluctant to accept Gin’s disappearance.
Another type wanted to slaughter the little brats.
And the last type wanted to slaughter the author.
“Eh?
What’s wrong with them?
They seem to be calling your name.”
Xiangling, who was only halfway through reading, raised her head upon hearing the commotion and poked Velina beside her.
“They were probably moved by the story.”
Velina said with certainty.
“Moved?”
Xiangling turned her head and looked again.
No matter how she looked at it, it did not seem like they were moved.
Their righteous indignation made it feel as if they were about to draw knives the next second.
“Mm… so this is the ending.”
At this moment, Hu Tao also finished reading the novel.
With a soft pa, she closed the book and looked at Velina with a meaningful expression.
Velina scratched her cheek with a finger, feeling a bit embarrassed under her gaze.
This feeling was like having one’s own novel posted in the family group chat—it just felt strangely awkward.
At the same time, she could not help but feel a bit of anticipation.
“How does it feel?” she asked tentatively.
“It’s great!”
Hu Tao answered without thinking.
“That’s good.” Velina let out a breath of relief in her heart.
“The boundary between life and death should be clear.
The deceased being trapped in the mortal world without release is the greatest suffering.
Dust returns to dust, earth returns to earth—that is the best destination.”
This was also the philosophy of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
“Ah?
Gin didn’t end up together with little Hotaru in the end?
Velina, how could you write it like that!”
Xiangling, who had been spoiled, only felt that her entire person was unwell.
“Velina?
Where is Velina?”
“That dog author still dares to come over?
This time we’ll give her a good show!
Everyone keep a close eye—don’t let her escape!”
“She must have come to see our expressions after reading the novel.
I can’t stand it…”
Xiangling’s voice was neither loud nor soft, and it just happened to be heard by the surrounding readers.
Looking at their righteous and indignant appearances, Velina swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
She felt that if she were exposed, probably only the Millelith would protect her.
“Under the watch of Rex Lapis!
Don’t let me find that guy!” a Millelith soldier shouted with a face flushed red from anger.
Don’t you need to patrol?!
“Velina, I feel you’re going to become popular.”
Hu Tao leaned close to Velina’s ear and spoke in a low voice.
The warm breath washed over her, making the ticklish Velina involuntarily shrink her neck.
“The kind of popular where people want to chase after me and beat me up?” she complained.
“Pretty much.
Anyway, it’s very popular.” Hu Tao waved her hand with a grin.
“Let’s go, let’s go.
First return to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
A good book like this needs one copy for each person!”
Velina scratched her head.
She could already foresee the expressions of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor employees after they finished reading the novel.
Just thinking about it… was rather anticipatory.
After returning to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Hu Tao could not wait to gather all the employees of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, including Consultant Zhongli.
“The novel written by Velina—one copy for each of you.
Employee benefits.”
Hu Tao distributed the novels.
“Eh?
Miss Velina wrote a novel?
I thought it was a joke before.”
“Miss Velina is truly both talented and beautiful—not only is she pretty, she can also write novels!”
The employees exclaimed in admiration, speaking words of praise as if they cost nothing, making Velina feel a bit embarrassed.
“Consultant, there’s one for you too.”
Hu Tao handed a copy to Zhongli with a cheerful smile.
“After you finish reading, don’t forget to tell me your thoughts.”
“I will carefully savor it.” Zhongli accepted it and nodded slightly.
Rex Lapis savoring my novel?
Looking at this scene, Velina could not quite control her excitement.
Zhongli took the young girl’s change into his eyes.
The appearance of forcing a calm smile yet unable to hide the joy in her heart was no different from the one in his memories.
It was just that she no longer remembered.
“I somehow feel the Consultant’s mood seems a bit complicated.”
Hu Tao looked at Zhongli’s retreating figure and stroked her chin thoughtfully.
“Mr.
Zhongli is knowledgeable and well-informed.
He must have recalled something.” Xiangling thought for a moment and said.
“Probably.” Hu Tao did not continue dwelling on this matter.
After greeting the employees, she left Wangsheng Funeral Parlor again.
The Rite of Descension would roughly begin at noon.
They needed to go early to occupy a good spot.
In the study.
Zhongli brewed a pot of tea for himself, then opened Hotarubi no Mori e.
When he saw the first sentence on the title page, he was slightly dazed.
“Unable to form bonds, only adding to loneliness…”
In his memories, one old friend after another had departed.
Only he alone had watched over Liyue for a thousand years.
Sky lanterns rose and fell several times.
People gathered and dispersed.
How long had it been since the wine table in front of Cloud Retainer’s abode had last been wiped free of dust?
In a few days, perhaps he should invite old friends to go for a small drink.
One hour later.
Zhongli, who had flipped to the last page, closed the novel and drank the tea that had already gone completely cold in his cup.
“It can be considered an excellent work of the highest quality.”
He turned and left.
Calculating the time, this Rite of Descension should also be about to begin.
…
Yujing Terrace.
This was the highest terrain area in the entirety of Liyue Harbor.
It was also the office location of the Liyue Qixing and the administrative center of all of Liyue.
Today, however, it was bustling with voices and packed shoulder to shoulder.
No other reason—today was the Rite of Descension.
Everyone wanted to personally witness the bearing of Rex Lapis.
“The Rite of Descension is Liyue’s grand annual festival.
It is hosted by the ‘Tianquan’ Ningguang, who holds authority over Liyue.
During the ceremony she will respectfully invite our Liyue’s guardian deity Rex Lapis to descend and bestow a divine oracle to guide Liyue’s direction of management for the coming year.”
In a slightly less crowded area of Yujing Terrace, Hu Tao was currently giving Velina a popular science explanation.
Velina nodded in response while searching the surroundings with her eyes.
Very quickly, a streak of gold appeared in her field of vision.
Velina’s eyes lit up.
Found her—the golden-haired big sucker… cough, the blonde Traveler, along with the emergency food Paimon following by her side.
As expected.
Even with the variable of herself added, the game’s plot would still develop according to the established main storyline.
“Eh, is that the Traveler?”
Xiangling placed her right hand above her brow to block the sunlight and also noticed that familiar figure.
She had met the Traveler when participating in the cooking competition in Springvale.
“The Traveler?
Mondstadt’s Honorary Knight?”
Hu Tao followed Xiangling’s gaze.
She had heard Xiangling talk about her previous experiences in Mondstadt.
“That’s right.
Speaking of which, Lumine is the same as Velina—both of them can use elemental power without a Vision.”
Xiangling added.
“Interesting, interesting.” Hu Tao bumped Velina’s arm.
“Velina, do you know that Traveler?”
Not only did she know her—she was far too familiar.
But these words definitely could not be said, at least not at the present stage.
“I’ve heard of her.
This is also the first time seeing her.” Velina’s expression did not change.
She was not lying—it was indeed the first time seeing her in reality.
They were a bit far away, and there were quite a few people in between, so Xiangling could not take the two of them over to greet her either.
At this moment, a white-haired woman walked out from the crowd.
The surrounding clamor instantly quieted down.
A qipao with gold patterns on a white base carried an elegance and nobility of one who had long occupied a high position.
“The auspicious time has arrived.”
She raised her head to glance at the sun and spoke to the crowd.
It’s coming, it’s coming!
The legendary top-tier intellectual battle famous scene!
Velina widened her eyes, her entire person becoming excited as well, making Hu Tao beside her look on with curiosity.
Was it necessary to be this excited just to see Rex Lapis?