Rex Lapis

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***

Seeing that he didn't get a response, Yomite asked again,

"Can I cop a feel?"

Ganyu lifted her head sharply in a response to his weird and crude advances.

"I-I am sorry but...I-It's an inappropriate behaviour!" She protested hastily, before muttering, "Um so, yeah, uh, I was, uh...It's something done...um...in a relationship with your...significant other ehm...w-we just...we just met...ehm...you can't just...do that...out of the blue..."

"I see, what a shame. Could have guessed as much. Horns seem to be quite important, huh."

"Yeah horns are...huh...? Huh!???" Suddenly it dawned upon Ganyu, "Horns!? That was it!!?"

"Well, those are horns, right?"

"N-No!!! Those are...h-hairpins I wear on my head!" She was nervously throwing in explanations...

"Hmmm...they look like horns to me, no matter how I look at them."

"T-They're not! Not at all! I'm a human! A human female! Yes! Those are just bows I tie to my head!" With every additional bit of explanation, her posture and tone changed to panic, her hands shivering visibly.

"Bows? Didn't you say they were hairpins?"

"Y-Yes! Hairpins! Hairpins! Hairpins! They're totally hairpins!" 

She was repeating it so many times, that it was starting to sound like an incantation or a blinding curse.

"I see. Ahhh, I see...you're really a human, huh... those are surely not horns, right?."

"T-That's right! I am a pure human!"

She was lying to him, that much was certain.

Her whole body was quivering, her face flushed, and she was sweating profusely.

Yomite didn't know why, but he found the situation quite funny.

All he wanted was to touch her horns, to figure out how it felt and to see whether he would get some cute reaction out of her, as in the novels he used to read, stuff like cat ears, elf ears or horns were usually very sensitive.

Some authors even wrote the reactions they would cause inside their bodies and the emotions the demihumans felt.

But at this point, he felt like messing with her some more, rather than to examine her horns.

After hesitating for a brief moment, he let out a heavy breath and continued, "Hmm, I don't know...are you really a human though?"

"Y-Yes, I am! I'm a human! I-I-I'm definitely not an Adeptus!!! I'm a human through and through!!!"

She was almost sobbing now, the desperation evident in her body language.

"Oh my..."

The Ferrylady scratched her cheek, her amusement turning into sympathy.

She was watching their exchange this whole time without saying a single thing, rather enjoying the scene.

Until she eventually spoke up, announcing her presence, due to the fact that she might have heard something she shouldn't have.

Yomite also noticed the slip of her tongue.

(An Adeptus? There is that term again...that bastard Zhongli's also an Adeptus. I don't know what it means, but I guess it's some sort of race?)

More mysteries to add to his list of neverending questions.

(Come to think of it, Hu Tao also mentioned the word before, but refused to elaborate on what it meant...)

Looking over at the fidgeting Ganyu, Yomite sighed.

"You're not from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, is that correct? Are you here to collect the debt?"

"Uh....I-I was here to notify them about the quota, but i'm..."

She lowered her gaze to stare at the ground in an attempt to compose herself.

"Alright, so you're from that Qilixing thingy."

"Eh...? It's Qixing, and yes, I'm a secretary." She nodded briefly.

Yomite made a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Not the point. Either way, that makes things easier."

After rummaging in his bag he pulled out a bunch of coin pouches and handed it over to the girl.

"30 million Mora, was it? Here you go."

Ganyu took it reflexively and glanced inside, shock gracing her lovely features after realizing how much it was.

"Is it actually...!?" She exclaimed.

"That should cover the debt, correct?"

"Y-Yes!"

"Good."

He then turned to the Ferrylady and handed her the remaining pouches.

"This is 60 million Mora. Use it to reward your employees. I'm not sure what the situation is, but I assume they weren't paid properly for a long time now, so do that as a reward for their patience. Afterward, the rest of the funds will be used for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor itself, so that you would never find yourself in this terrible situation again."

"But what are y-" Before the girl could finish, Yomite grabbed the Ferrylady's arm.

"Do that for me, will you? If I find out a penny was missing from this, I'll find out where you live."

A threat. What a nice way of ending such a good afternoon, by threatening a woman with no options left.

"...You don't have to do this, I would never steal. Although this is indeed a bit too much of a responsibility for someone of my low rank..."

Ferrylady complied with his request without objections, while Ganyu was counting the Mora one by one to make sure it was the full sum.

As Yomite began walking away, Ganyu called out to him,

"Could you please wait a moment...!?"

Yomite stopped abruptly in mid-stride, taking hold of his forehead and attempting to make himself look annoyed.

With a raised eyebrow, he asked Ganyu casually, "What? Did you finally make up your mind about the horns? Can I pet them?"

"N-No...They are hairpins...! I know It's a silly question but...are you Rex Lapis...?"

"Huh? Who?"

Yomite opened and closed his mouth once or twice before trying to recall who this Rex Lapis actually was, but couldn't find the answer.

"...Eh? You don't know who Rex Lapis is...?"

Ganyu paused before speaking out, with more intensity than ever, "Surely...you must know of his greatness! He is the Deity of Liyue!"

"...Oh, so he's a god?" It was then he remembered she might have been talking about Morax/Zhongli, the bastard who shoplifted and then let him pay for his own gift.

(Zhongli had so many titles it wouldn't surprise me if Rex Lapis was one of them...)