Seven Months in Heaven [Zhongchi/Tartali]

Chapter 5 - Battling for Dominance

After the day Zhongli called Childe to accompany him to lunch, he returned at the same time the next day to ask again. He called the day after that, too. On the third day, Zhongli had no need to walk to Childe's office, for Childe was already waiting for him at the front of the bank when midday came. They met with a smile and a soft "hey" before linking hands and settling into easy conversation. Zhongli listed off the particular rites required for the funeral of the son of some important merchant, while Childe complained about the painfully unremarkable time he'd had at the bank that morning.

The part he didn't tell Zhongli was how he'd spent the morning holed up in the library, exhausting the final stack of books he'd hoped might contain an answer to the mystery of the Chasm's seals. In the end, his efforts had been fruitless, with only several papercuts and a mild headache to show for them.

Their meal was peaceful and filled with companionable chatter, and when Childe walked Zhongli back to the funeral parlour, he waited at the door until the shadow of Zhongli's figure had disappeared into a blur beyond the entrance's tinted windows.

However, Childe didn't return to the bank.

Instead, he headed toward the area of Yujing Terrace which housed several rows of official buildings, as straight and stuffy as those who worked within them.

Tucked around the back of one of the buildings was a door. It was a door Childe was familiar with, for it led the way to a library, full of rows of books specific to Liyue's landscape, history, and culture.

This was where, after Zhongli had not-so-subtly dropped a vague hint regarding the mysterious sigils which held the power to disrupt the ancient seals containing a certain ancient god, he'd spent much of his time. Many a candle had burned to its base as Childe lost himself in tomes thick with dust, struggling to understand the ancient Liyuean within them..

In hindsight, he couldn't help but respect the old man's audacity; Zhongli had played the piece called 'Tartaglia' to its full potential during that little game of his. Impressive.

As always, a member of the Millelith stood guard, for the resources housed in this particular library were those that the Qixing had deemed it appropriate to limit to citizens and permanent residents, as well as those holding certain diplomatic privileges. The soldier stood to attention as he approached, but Childe came prepared, patting his trouser pocket to check that his relationship permit still sat safely where he'd placed it.

The Millelith soldier stepped in front of the door.

"Hold. Harbinger Tartaglia, you are not a citizen of Liyue. Please state your purpose here." The young man looked to be about Childe's age, but his uniform hung too large on his frame and he shook as Childe approached, giving off a distinct aura of subservience rather than authority.

Childe raised a friendly hand. "Hey there, just coming to check the library, don't mind me."

The soldier gripped his spear a little tighter and said with a quiver in his voice, "Apologies, you don't have permission to enter here. All diplomatic privileges offered to the Fatui were revoked following the Osial incident. You, er, may not enter here please accept my humble apologies."

And please don't kill me, were the words left unspoken.

Childe wasn't sure what the man was so worried about. Sure, his comrades at the Golden House had come out a little worse for wear after he'd finished with them, but it wasn't as though they'd died. A little stabbing in the line of duty was to be expected; Childe had gotten used to it soon after being inducted as a Fatui recruit, so what was all the fuss about?

With what he hoped was a reassuring smile, he drew his permit with a flourish.

"Well, lucky for you I'm not here on Fatui privileges. I have a relationship permit, due to my established relationship with the renowned Zhongli xiansheng of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!"