Not long after Osial had been driven back.
Inside the Northland Bank.
Zhongli, the Fatui Harbinger La Signora, and Lumine and Paimon, who had just arrived, were all in the same room.
As for Childe, Ellin had severely injured him earlier that day, and he was still receiving treatment.
Lumine stared fixedly at La Signora, making no attempt to conceal the hatred in her eyes.
Clearly, she still held a grudge over what had happened in Mondstadt.
La Signora, however, could not have cared less. She gave Lumine a contemptuous glance, then turned her gaze to Zhongli.
"Well then, Morax. As agreed, I've come to collect your Gnosis."
Even the Cryo Archon herself would probably not have dared to treat the Geo Archon with such disrespect, yet La Signora, merely her subordinate, dared to address him by name.
Such behavior was deeply rude, even contemptuous of a god.
Fortunately, Zhongli was a god who had lived for six thousand years. With his temperament, he naturally would not stoop to taking offense at La Signora.
"The contract is fulfilled. I bestow upon you that which was promised!"
He extended his hand and opened his palm. The Gnosis floated above it, radiating a faint golden glow.
"Hmph. What a lofty tone!"
With a faintly contemptuous expression and a flippant tone, La Signora casually took the Geo Gnosis.
Then she turned and left the Northland Bank.
Yet that brief exchange between Zhongli and La Signora left Lumine and Paimon completely dumbfounded.
"Zhongli, you're actually Rex Lapis?!" Paimon's eyes widened.
"My apologies, Miss Lumine, Paimon. Forgive me for not telling you the truth sooner."
Zhongli smiled and slowly explained the circumstances behind his retirement and staged death to Paimon and Lumine.
"Zhongli..."
After learning the whole story, Paimon and Lumine wore complicated expressions, but