"Load up you three, it's time to go," Ivanovich said as he walked away with another man to finish loading up the last cart. The other consultants and I sat in a wagon near the end of the wagon train and got ready to leave. After a few hours, the train returned to the harbor. Ivanovich jumped down from the wagon and thanked everyone for joining the expedition. Yuki hopped down from the cart as Zhongli and I quickly followed her. Everyone from the party stood around and chatted among themselves, slowly going their separate ways as everyone returned to their homes. Zhongli, Yuki, and I decided to go out for dinner to celebrate a job well done, but before we left, I hear Ivanovich calling for me. 

"Outsider, wait, don't leave quite yet!" Ivanovich said while he caught his breath. With a raised brow, I looked toward the expedition manager. Grabbing a cloth from his pocket, Ivanovich wiped the sweat off his face and created a smile.

"What did you need?" I questioned. Ivanovich handed me a small box and a bag of mora. The bag was closed with a drawstring and the box was covered in the smell of fragrant oak.

"I need this box delivered to Xingxi and was wondering if you could do it. Because of my busy schedule, I can't do it myself and the person who requested the box would get it late." Ivanovich requested while he looked at me with a pleading look. Sighing, I reluctantly nodded and was abruptly met with a wide smile from Ivanovich. Saying our goodbyes, the other consultants and I finally get to enjoy dinner together. As the dinner finished, I return to Xingxi's shop later that night, holding Ivanovich's parcel in my left hand and my bags from the expedition in my right. 

"Xingxi, I'm back from the expedition!" I happily expressed while my boss poked her head outside the back door of her store. The black-haired woman waved happily as she ran outside to meet me. Looking at me, she noticed the small box and mora I had with me.

"Is that the order from Mr. Ivanovich?" Xingxi questioned while I nodded. Handing Xingxi the box and mora, the two of us went inside the shop through the backdoor and sat down on a set of chairs. Xingxi opened the box to overlook the stone she was to package for Ivanovich's buyer.

"Is this stone supposed to be cracked?" Xingxi questioned with a concerned tone. Tracing the crack with her finger, a faint glow emitted from the stone, caused Xingxi's eyes to glow with curiosity.

"Another consultant caused the crack which in turn burned their hand. Even Ivanovich was shocked to find it cracked, but brushed it off as a mere accident." I explained. Xingxi's expression changed from curious to concerned.

"Do you know if Ivanovich's buyer is aware of the crack?" Xingxi continued, clearly asking just to be nosy. I shook my head as Xingxi closed the lid to the box unsatisfied.

"I should get started on packaging this. Wait a moment, and I will have you deliver it to the address." Xingxi started wrapping the box in the paper Ivanovich had requested. Handing me the box, Xingxi gave me a paper with the address written on it and sent me off on my only delivery for the day, despite it being late at night. The address itself was that of some bank called the "Northland Bank." I had never heard of it, struggling to find the location due to my lack of knowledge regarding the modern-day Liyue shopping center. For being an Adeptus, I was struggling with finding a mere bank to deliver a package. Eventually, I find the bank and double-check the address.

"I didn't even know the harbor had a bank." I think to myself as I ascend a set of stairs that led up to the upper parts of the shopping district. I enter the Northland Bank entrance and see a man standing in front of it wearing a mask. As I approach the door, the man puts his hand out in an attempt to stop me.

"Hold it, do you have an appointment?" The man asked, clearly keen on keeping me out of the bank. Handing the man the paper with the written address, he grabs it and reads the address. Raising his eyes at me as if he is forcing an explanation out of me.

"I have a special order from Ivanovich, a merchant who commissioned my boss, Xingxi, to wrap this box. May I deliver the box to the buyer as instructed?" I questioned, clearly seeing the ever-growing annoyance on the masked man's face. Reluctantly, the man nodded, opened the door, and guided me inside the bank. When I walked in, I see a tall figure standing at the small counter in the room that extended from the bank's entrance. The tall figure was Zhongli who was setting up his next appointment with the lady standing behind the desk.

"Mr. Zhongli, is that you?" I questioned, clearly confused, why a consultant had business with a foreign bank. The burnet turned around and greeted me with his usual warm smile.

"What a surprise, good to see you, Outsider. Might I ask what you are doing at the Northland Bank?" Zhongli asked. I showed him the wrapped box and the burnet quickly inferred the situation.

"You must be the delivery person for Ivanovich's order to Master Childe, might I see the box?" The lady popped in from behind Zhongli while up to this point just letting us converse. Walking over, I placed the box on the counter as the masked lady inspected the wrapping ensuring everything was in order.

"All seems to be in order, thank you for delivering the box." The lady thanked me with a small, yet forced smile. Another figure appeared from the door appeared, this time, however, without a mask on like all the other employees.

"What's with all the commotion out here? Did I miss all the fun?" A cheery, almost condescending voice chimed in. The voice belonged to a tall, lean ginger-haired man who stood near the same height as Zhongli. The jolly voice wrapped his hand around Zhongli as if the two were lifelong best friends and looked toward me.

"Who's this, Mr. Zhongli?" The ginger questioned, looking at me with his seemingly dead deep blue eyes. The constant look made me feel uncomfortable, but Zhongli simply stood there with a small smile. Hopping over the counter, the ginger leaned against the bank's already small desk, showing his stature compared to the woman standing behind him. A small smirk appeared on the man's face, making me even more uncomfortable.

"They're known as the Outsider, they work for a local jeweler and were who delivered your order," Zhongli replied with a monotone demeanor. The ginger requested the box from the lady behind the desk and grabbed it earnestly. Opening the wrapping, it showed the small box that Ivanovich kept the rock in. Once the box had been opened, the ginger immediately noticed the crack Ivanovich's letter had discussed.

"Is this why you came to explain yourself, Mr. Zhongli?" The man asked while Zhongli nodded. Looking toward each other, the two men seemingly stared for a few moments after the ginger closed the back and reattached the wrapping.

"Oh well, not much we can do now. We didn't know it would happen so you're off the hook, for now." The ginger sighed. Looking at me once again, the man in a grey uniform smiled and thanked me for the safe delivery. Handing me a bag of mora, he guided me outside the door of the bank. As the guard shut the door, he shooed me away as if I was a fly waddling in on his dinner. Walking away, I decided to return to Xingxi and give her the commission fee for the delivery.

"So that's who this contract belongs to, isn't it Mr. Zhongli?" Childe probed in an attempt to annoy the consultant. With a sigh, Zhongli nodded in response, causing Childe to smile excitedly.

"Shame you can't get your creation back or else this whole thing would be much more interesting. Maybe even fun. Your stubbornness towards your contracts, however, prevents you from being fun to play with." The harbinger pouted with a sarcastic tone. Zhongli simply stood there was no emotion on his face, clearly aware of his lack of control. Putting the box onto the counter, the ginger's smile grew larger.

"I wonder how Her Majesty will react with a personal Adeptus her rival created. Honestly, I am truly curious, are you not? With this contract of yours in the hands of another Archon, who knows what calamity will befall both your reputation among your Adepti and the poor soul you just waved goodbye to." The ginger teased. Zhongli still stood there and simply nodded, not wanting to argue verbally with his contractor. The truth was, Archon truly was concerned about the contract, but it was either you or his gnosis. Making a contract with Childe ensured that his gnosis, and by extension the larger majority of the other Adeptus, not including the Outsider would be safe. One Adeptus couldn't hurt to lose if it means the majority are safe, right?