The morning sun rose slowly over Liyue Harbor.
Its golden rays illuminated a city that was no longer the same.
The scars left behind by Osial's attack could be seen everywhere.
Collapsed buildings.
Broken roads.
Destroyed docks.
Damaged ships.
Workers and Millelith soldiers moved throughout the city, beginning the long process of rebuilding what had been lost.
Far beneath the city, inside a quiet prison cell, Aether sat against a cold stone wall.
Unlike the previous days, his mind was calm.
The battle was over.
The shouting had stopped.
The chaos had ended.
All that remained was silence.
Aether stared quietly at the floor.
His thoughts drifted from one memory to another.
The accusations.
The hatred.
The loneliness.
The realization that no matter what he said, nobody had listened.
Then the sound of footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Aether slowly raised his head.
A Millelith guard approached his cell.
The man looked nervous.
Almost guilty.
He stopped before the iron bars and avoided meeting Aether's eyes.
For several moments, neither of them spoke.
Finally, the guard took a deep breath.
"Traveler... I have orders."
Aether remained silent.
The guard unlocked the cell door.
Metal chains rattled.
"You are no longer considered guilty of assassinating Morax."
Aether blinked.
The words felt strange.
Almost unreal.
The guard continued.
"Lord Morax returned during the battle and personally saved Liyue."
The guard knelt beside Aether and unlocked the restraints around his wrists.
"You are free."
For the first time in many days, Aether slowly stood.
The weight around his wrists disappeared.
The guard stepped back.
"You may leave."
Aether looked down at his freed hands.
Then he quietly nodded.
"Thank you."
The guard looked surprised.
After everything that had happened, he had expected anger.
Hatred.
Resentment.
Instead, Aether simply walked forward.
The guard silently escorted him through the prison corridors.
Eventually they reached the main gate.
Sunlight poured inside.
Fresh air touched Aether's face.
The guard stopped.
"This is as far as I go."
Aether stepped outside.
For several moments he simply stood there.
Feeling the wind.
Feeling the warmth of the sun.
Feeling freedom.
Then he slowly walked toward the city.
Elsewhere...
In front of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, preparations were underway.
Rows of memorial tablets stood neatly arranged.
Incense drifted through the air.
The atmosphere was solemn.
Respectful.
Quiet.
Hu Tao stood beside a large table covered with documents.
Across from her stood Zhongli.
The former Geo Archon silently reviewed a list of names.
Each name belonged to a fallen Millelith soldier.
His golden eyes lingered on every entry.
Every life.
Every sacrifice.
Hu Tao noticed his expression.
"Mr. Zhongli?"
Zhongli slowly closed the document.
"They fulfilled their duty."
His voice was calm.
"But the price was heavy."
Hu Tao nodded.
Normally she approached funerals with her usual energetic personality.
Today was different.
There were simply too many names.
Too many families grieving.
"Their families will be proud of them," she said softly.
Zhongli looked toward the city.
"They protected their people until the very end."
Many soldiers had given their lives evacuating civilians.
Many had stood against impossible odds.
Yet despite their bravery, they had failed to stop the destruction.
The burden of that failure now weighed heavily upon those who survived.
Meanwhile, inside the rebuilt offices of the Yuheng, Ningguang stood before a shattered window.
The city stretched out before her.
Workers moved through the streets.
Repair crews rebuilt damaged structures.
Yet she could not focus on any of it.
Her thoughts kept returning to one person.
Aether.
She clenched her fists.
The more she reflected upon recent events, the more uncomfortable she became.
At the time, arresting him had seemed logical.
Reasonable.
Necessary.
Now she was no longer certain.
A quiet knock interrupted her thoughts.
"Lady Ningguang?"
"Come in."
A secretary entered.
"The traveler has been released."
Ningguang remained silent.
"Understood."
The secretary hesitated.
Then left.
Ningguang stared at the city once more.
For the first time in a long while...
She felt uncertain.
At the Northland Bank, a very different conversation was taking place.
Childe sat at a large table.
Across from him sat La Signora.
Neither appeared pleased.
Several reports lay scattered across the table.
Signora sighed.
"The Tsaritsa will not be happy."
Childe frowned.
"No. She won't."
The plan had failed.
Completely.
Instead of obtaining the Geo Gnosis, they had ended up with nothing.
Even worse...
Morax still possessed it.
Signora crossed her arms.
"The traveler didn't act the way we expected."
Childe slammed a hand against the table.
"Because he refused to play his role."
His voice carried obvious frustration.
"He was supposed to save Liyue."
"He was supposed to become indebted."
"He was supposed to become useful."
Signora narrowed her eyes.
"Perhaps he understood more than we thought."
The room fell silent.
Childe looked away.
For the first time, he considered the possibility.
Had Aether realized he was being manipulated?
Had he deliberately refused to participate?
If so...
The traveler was far more dangerous than they had anticipated.
Childe slowly stood.
"I'll explain everything to the Tsaritsa."
His expression darkened.
"And someday..."
His voice became colder.
"I'll settle this matter with Aether personally."
Back in Liyue Harbor, Aether walked quietly through the streets.
Nobody recognized him.
Nobody paid attention.
Most people were too busy dealing with their own losses.
Merchants stared at ruined shops.
Workers cleared debris.
Families mourned damaged homes.
Everywhere he looked, there was exhaustion.
Despair.
Regret.
Aether observed everything silently.
No one approached him.
No one blamed him.
For the first time since arriving in Liyue...
People simply ignored him.
And strangely enough...
That felt better.
Eventually he reached the city gate.
Two familiar figures stood waiting.
Keqing.
And Yelan.
Keqing stepped forward.
"Aether."
He continued walking.
Yelan raised a hand.
"Wait."
Aether finally stopped.
The three stood facing one another.
For a few moments nobody spoke.
Then Keqing broke the silence.
"Are you satisfied?"
Her voice was sharp.
"After everything that happened?"
Aether said nothing.
Keqing continued.
"People lost their homes."
"Families lost loved ones."
"The city nearly fell."
Her eyes narrowed.
"And while everyone fought..."
"You remained in prison."
Aether remained expressionless.
Keqing's frustration grew.
"You could have helped."
"You had power."
"You had the ability to make a difference."
"But you chose not to."
The accusation hung heavily in the air.
Yelan remained silent.
Watching.
Listening.
Waiting.
Keqing folded her arms.
"If you ask me..."
She took a breath.
"Running away from that responsibility was cowardly."
Silence followed.
The wind blew through the city gate.
Aether looked directly into Keqing's eyes.
Then he asked a single question.
"Did you ever regret putting me in prison?"
The question struck harder than any weapon.
Keqing answered immediately.
"No."
The response came instinctively.
Without hesitation.
Without thought.
The moment the word left her mouth...
Silence returned.
Aether continued looking directly at her.
Then he asked his second question.
"Why are you complaining now?"
Everything stopped.
Keqing's expression froze.
The question repeated itself inside her mind.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Why was she complaining now?
If she truly believed she had done nothing wrong...
Why was she angry?
Why was she frustrated?
Why did she feel uncomfortable?
The answer slowly surfaced.
Because deep down...
She regretted it.
Not the investigation.
Not seeking justice.
But refusing to listen.
Refusing to consider the possibility that he was innocent.
Refusing to correct her mistake when evidence began appearing.
The realization struck harder than she expected.
For the first time, Keqing could not maintain eye contact.
She looked away.
An uncomfortable silence settled between them.
Yelan quietly observed everything.
Neither spoke.
Several long moments passed.
Finally Keqing cleared her throat.
"I..."
The words refused to come.
She looked elsewhere.
Anywhere except at Aether.
Then she took a step back.
"I have work to do."
It was an obvious excuse.
Everyone present knew it.
Without another word, Keqing turned around.
And left.
Yelan watched her go.
Then glanced at Aether.
For a moment she seemed about to say something.
Instead, she simply nodded.
Then followed after Keqing.
Aether stood alone.
Watching them disappear into the distance.
The conversation replayed in his mind.
He had received his answer.
Keqing regretted what happened.
She simply lacked the courage to admit it.
Perhaps one day she would.
Perhaps not.
Either way...
It no longer mattered.
Aether turned around.
The road leading toward Mondstadt stretched before him.
For the first time in weeks...
There were no chains.
No accusations.
No prison walls.
Only open roads.
Open skies.
And freedom.
Without looking back, Aether began walking toward Mondstadt.
Leaving Liyue behind.
At least for now.