He's Using My Money to Charm My Idol, in His Own Name!

"I understand your concerns, but by all rational logic, an insider would be better positioned to provide unique information. Please wait a moment." As the oldest of the ancient gods, Zhongli was also well aware that their experience might be, well... a bit too "rich."

The scene shifted, and a toy salesman with a thoroughly resigned expression appeared on the screen.

Zhongli pretended not to notice Childe's utter despair and said, "Lord Tartaglia, I have a favor to ask."

Childe glanced at the several gods who had just finished their meal, the mess of a dining table, and Morax, who had no Mora on him, and quickly guessed why he'd been called over.

"Got it. You want me to foot the bill again, huh?" To be honest, Childe didn't really mind paying—after all, it wasn't his money. What annoyed him was being treated like a walking wallet by a certain god.

[Pantalone: Again? Foot the bill? I see, I see now...]

(Pantalone was the Fatui Executive known as The Rich Man; from here on, he'll just be referred to as The Rich Man.)

[The Rich Man: @Tartaglia, Ajax! Is this what you call "necessary expenses"!?]

[Tartaglia: Hey hey hey, hold on, hold on! Rich Man, let me explain.]

[Tartaglia: When I first got to Liyue, I needed to gather intel fast, right?]

[Tartaglia: So I heard that Mr. Zhongli from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was incredibly knowledgeable and quite renowned.]

[Tartaglia: I figured I'd ask him to be my guide. Who knew he'd turn out to be...]

[La Signora: Who knew he'd turn out to be the Geo Archon Morax, right!]

[The Rich Man: So what does that have to do with you buying Liyue antiques, tea leaves, and those restaurant bills!]

[Tartaglia: I wanted to build a good relationship with him, so I had to treat him to meals, right? And if I wanted his help, I had to give him gifts. So...]

[The Rich Man: So that's why your expenses alone are more than all the other Executives combined! Answer me! Ajax!!!]

The Rich Man wasn't actually that upset about the amount Childe had spent—after all, that sum was only a bit more than the combined budgets for Mondstadt and Inazuma, and there were a few Executives who were big spenders on research, making this look like pocket change. What really infuriated him was this: Childe was using his money! Going to his homeland! Wooing his idol! Spending The Rich Man's money! In Childe's own name! And winning his idol's favor!

[Director Hu: So you're our Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's greatest benefactor! If you ever want one of our packages, I'll give you a fifty percent discount!]

Zhongli realized Childe might have misunderstood. Honestly, it wasn't like he called him over just to pay every time.

Zhongli patted his chest confidently. "I'll cover the bill this time." (Though the Mora would still have to come out of his wallet, right...)

When Childe heard he wouldn't have to pay this time, he wasn't the least bit happy. Instead, he asked with some hesitation, "This matter... is it that hard to handle?"

Childe couldn't imagine what else Zhongli would need his help with besides paying the bill. It couldn't be that he wanted him to leave Snezhnaya, could it? Haha, how could that be? As a Fatui Executive from Snezhnaya, how could he ever leave Snezhnaya? At most, he could only temporarily part from it.

Marvika watched the two of them getting along so harmoniously, showing no signs that one was a Liyue god and the other a Fatui member, and she couldn't help but complain for the umpteenth time, "What kind of gathering is this supposed to be!"

Under the gaze of several gods, Childe "voluntarily" shared information about the "Captain" with Marvika.

"I see. So the 'Captain' really isn't someone who's easily defeated." Marvika wore an expression of understanding.

Then, with a confident look, she declared, "But that only fuels my fighting spirit even more!"

"I'm sure you'll have no trouble with your strength," Zhongli said, sipping his tea on the side.

Seeing that the meal was nearly over, Venti and the others decided to take the chance to wander around while they still had time.

"It's still early. Let's go check out some other places," Venti said as he headed for the door, grabbing a glass of wine on his way out.

"Great idea! I want to buy some Liyue desserts to take back." Even though the dishes were delicious, Furina still craved something sweet like a little cake.

"Me too." As a dessert lover, Ei naturally wouldn't pass up the chance to taste Liyue's sweets.

"Then let's hurry!" Seeing that everyone else was leaving, Nahida also wanted to take a good look at the nation managed by her senior and see if there was anything she could learn.

The gods quickly left the place.

All that remained was a toy salesman with a face full of despair, a waiter waiting to collect payment, a cash register that kept spitting out bills, and a pile of receipts that reached up to his thigh.

Childe stared at the stack of bills now at his waist, thought about the funds that had already been docked this month, and briefly considered skipping out on the tab. But one look at the waiter staring him down made him abandon that idea.

However, with his monthly budget already blown, there was clearly only one way to settle these bills...

"Put it on Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's tab."

Finally, Childe uttered the words that would send Director Hu's blood pressure through the roof.

[The Rich Man: Well done!]

[Director Hu: Childe, you ******! What gives you the right to put it on Wangsheng's tab!!!]

[Zhongli: Director, by all rational logic, this is a debt I agreed to take on.]

[Director Hu: Then pay up!]

[Zhongli: From what I can see, the me in that video didn't bring any Mora.]

[Director Hu: Then bring some next time!]

[Lumine: Didn't he bring his wallet in the end?]

[Tartaglia: My friend, you're not referring to me as that wallet, are you?]

[Lumine: Who else?]

[Tartaglia: I don't mind covering for Mr. Zhongli, but calling me a wallet is a bit...]

[The Rich Man: Shut up! That's MY money! MY money!!!]

[System: Alright, alright, you two wallets, stop squabbling (^▽^)]

[System: Why must wallets make things hard for each other?]

[The Rich Man: **********]

[The Rich Man has been muted]

[Now starting to distribute rewards!] (Acting as if nothing happened)

[Congratulations to Zhongli, Venti, Raiden Ei, Furina, and Nahida for receiving -10% erosion]

[Zhongli: What!]

Zhongli focused and sensed it, finding that the erosion had indeed lessened significantly.

[Venti: Th-this, even erosion can be restored?!]

[Ei: The erosion has lightened quite a bit.]

[Furina: I feel much lighter.]

Unlike the other two deities, Furina, as a human, lacked their power and only had the mental state of an ordinary person.

If Furina's Main Body were a demon god, with her mental state, she would likely have long succumbed to the erosion and gone mad, just like Azhdaha.

[Nahida: It feels like eating a mint candy and then drinking a sip of ice water.]

Nahida wasn't as shaken as her seniors, after all, she was only five hundred years old—still a very young deity compared to Zhongli and the others.

[Congratulations to Marvika for receiving...]