Morax's residence sat on the highest ground in the area. He had built a stone dwelling for himself there.
It wasn't as splendid as a palace, but compared to the homes of his people, it was already rather luxurious.
Under Morax's lead, Aether arrived at a stone pavilion. Inside was a set of table and chairs.
And on the table sat… square cups?
Square wine flasks?
…Six.
Because the pavilion was built high up, the view from here was wide and open. There were no other tall structures in the territory.
With a single glance, Aether could see the entirety of where Morax's people lived.
At the same time, he noticed a mountain that looked oddly out of place.
It was too straight—too steep—like it had been deliberately ripped out of the earth and planted there.
"Morax, what's going on with that mountain over there?" Aether asked.
Morax sat down.
Hearing Aether's curiosity about that mountain, he smiled and explained,
"I call this land Liyue. Liyue is a coastal city—beyond that mountain is the sea."I call this land Liyue. In the distant future, people may call it Liyue Harbor. Later, Liyue Harbor will still be Liyue Harbor. This won't affect anything.
"My people suffered from tidal disasters. So I simply used a mountain to seal the gap on that side. That way, the seawater can no longer surge through."
"And my people may live in peace."
Aether slowly typed a question mark in his head.
So… because he worried his people would be harmed by the sea, he casually made a mountain by hand to block it off outside Liyue?
Is that even reasonable?
…Yeah. Somehow, it's very reasonable.
"Morax is really good to your people," Aether said, resting his hands on the table and propping his face up as he looked at Morax.
Morax replied, "Since they chose to follow me and become my people, I should fulfill my duty to protect them."
"I see. Then… can I be your person too?" Aether blinked.
Hold the thigh. Hold the thigh. Hold the thigh.
That was the only thought in Aether's mind.
Morax slowly produced a question mark.
He felt he truly couldn't understand Aether's way of thinking.
Generally speaking, demon gods had a strong sense of territory. A lofty demon god would never live under another's roof—who would come up with an idea like Aether's?
Another strange demon god, added to the count.
"I have never heard of a demon god becoming another demon god's subject."
"However, if you like it here, you may stay as a friend."
Morax said.
He didn't accept Aether's request, because he felt it was… somewhat absurd.
Instead, he offered an alternative.
He still held a good impression of the newly born Demon God of Manifestation, Zennos.
From the fact that he had given his people food called "bread," it was clear he wasn't some great evil.
If anything, he seemed like… a simple youth?
"Friends? Yes, yes!" Aether immediately agreed.
"Then we're friends from now on. The contract is formed—no changes allowed!"
"Those who break it shall suffer the Wrath of the Rock!"
Aether said excitedly.
If he could become Morax's friend, then he'd truly latched onto the strongest thigh there was.
Morax hadn't brought up contracts at all yet.
So when he heard Aether's words, he chuckled softly, finding it quite amusing.
"Very well. The contract is formed—those who break it shall suffer the Wrath of the Rock."
Morax said.
Sure enough, that line only felt right when Morax said it.
Aether stayed in Morax's territory—Liyue—as a friend, and Morax was generous enough to directly give him a room in his own residence.
Uh…
Looking at the room Morax had assigned him, Aether rubbed his chin and fell into deep thought.
Because the entire room contained only a set of stone chairs and a stone bed.
Oh, right—there was also a lamp made from glowing stones.
It wasn't that Morax was deliberately doing anything to him.
Aether had toured the residence more or less thoroughly—this was simply Morax's overall interior style.
One could only say that in this era, the arts and culture in Liyue were still not developed.
Morax was a rock.
What would he know about art?
"Sigh… whatever. I'll just do a little decorating myself."
Aether let out a breath.
It wasn't that he was being picky.
He was a bright, sunny, upbeat guy—what was there to be picky about?
The main point was that he had the ability.
If he had the ability, why should he make himself suffer?
Ahem. Even if he made Morax suffer a little, he still couldn't make himself suffer, right?
"Huh? I'm that strong?"
Aether looked surprised.
He lifted what looked like a heavy stone table with one hand.
It seemed that after some time, he should find an opportunity to test just how strong the body he had created really was.
And he also needed to research the combat applications of the Authority of Manifestation.
Otherwise, if the Authority could only manifest items but couldn't be used for battle, then in the dangerous era of the Demon God War, how was he supposed to survive?
Was he supposed to become a walking ATM?
That wouldn't do!
Aether casually carried all the furniture out of the room and dumped it outside.
Then he looked at the now-empty, bare, square room and sank into contemplation.
He was thinking about how to decorate.
To be honest, he didn't really know much about interior design.
But thankfully, he'd played with the Serenitea Pot before, so he had some ideas.
"First, a folding screen."
Aether planned to manifest a screen and divide the room into two.
He'd place the bed behind the screen.
Then, in front of it, he'd put a wooden table and chairs.
That would be the main layout.
But it still felt a little too plain.
So he threw in everything—metal candlesticks, a vase with flowers and greenery, a potted plant with little bamboo shoots, and a wooden standing lantern.
All of it, arranged in one go.
Now, looking again, the room wasn't stunning or anything, but compared to before, at least it finally looked like a place meant for people to live.
Aether sat on the wooden chair and enjoyed the room he had decorated himself.
Outside, Morax passed by. Seeing the stone furniture all placed out there, the doubt in his heart rose once more.
Could it be that Zennos… liked an empty room?
So he knocked on Aether's stone door.
"Ah, Morax. Why are you here?" Aether asked.
Uh…
Morax looked past Aether and saw the layout at the back of the room, as well as the furniture Aether had manifested.
Then he recalled his own living space.
Comparing the two…
Morax said, "I saw you moved your furniture outside. Out of concern, I came to ask."
"But now it seems… that was unnecessary."
Compared to this, his stone furniture was simply impossible to measure up.
Aether smiled, grabbed Morax by the hand, and took him around to see the remodel.
Heh—he'd just finished decorating, and he was worried there'd be no one to show off to.
Morax's timing was perfect.
Aether kept chattering to Morax about his design, his concepts, the layout, even layout harmony.
He rambled on about all sorts of things.
"Well? Do you like it? If you do, I'll make one for you too!"
"How about it, how about it? Consider it a return gift for letting me stay here."
Aether offered.
Morax didn't refuse.
"Very well."
"Friends do not require gifts for lodging."
"However… it is thoughtful. Thank you."
Morax thanked Aether.
Mainly because… deep down, he really did want a set of decorations like this.
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