In Teyvat, it all begins with rescuing the grass god.

After uttering this cryptic remark, the lady tossed her cloak aside, turned, and left.

However, this statement also gave Rhodes plenty of hints.

Although it is unknown what methods were used, the Ice Queen did indeed know that the Great Tree King was about to be resurrected.

And this unconditional assistance is truly a free gift.

As for the reason.

The lady has made herself very clear.

"A god who once fought a deadly battle with the abyss."

Rod repeated what the lady had just said.

Then I think back to the ideal of the Ice Queen.

Cleanse this world of its distortions: the short-sighted and foolish gods, and the filthy, dark abyss.

What is shortsightedness and ignorance?

This Rod is still unknown.

The only thing that can be confirmed now.

That is, cleansing the abyss and being an enemy of the abyss is indeed part of the Ice Queen's lofty ideal.

If we consider this statement in conjunction with the rest of the text...

It's no wonder that those gods who died in the War of Kanria and the Dark Calamity were able to win the favor of the Ice Queen.

And the Great Compassion Tree King.

He was one of the gods who died in battle.

With this premise, the cause and effect of the goodwill that Zhi Dong unexpectedly sent can be clarified.

It's a mystery how that distant deity knew about her impending return to Mount Sumeru without ever coming into contact with the Great Compassion Tree King.

Also.

There's a hidden meaning in those words.

Only gods who have fought to the death against the abyss can earn the respect of Winter.

So why did the woman treat Wendy so badly?

It might not be the previously speculated story of Rustan's death or some other miscellaneous matter, but simply because Wendy was the first god to flee during the War of Kanria five hundred years ago.

Although the Black Calamity had already broken out across the entire continent when Venti ran away, and Mondstadt was almost destroyed by the evil dragon Durin, it would have been too late if Venti hadn't gone back to save the day.

But perhaps the woman, who was then called Rosalyn, was already angry about this act of desertion.

"What kind of mess is this?"

With his mind clear, Rhodes stopped worrying about why the Ice Queen had suddenly shown goodwill and forwarded the message to Narcida. Then, with a bitter expression, he headed towards the Mondstadt Embassy.

This unexpected incident occurred.

He knew he would have to break his promise, so he had to carefully consider his words to avoid damaging the good relations between Sumeru and Mondstadt.

(I'm having a really tough time with writer's block; it's that feeling of knowing what you're supposed to write but just not being able to.)

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 206 Compensation for Breaking a Promise

After Rod explained his helplessness and distress.

Even though I was very unwilling.

But Diluc and Kaeya still chose to accept it reluctantly.

no way.

Zhi Dong played his card too aggressively.

Let alone Sumeru, if other countries in Teyvat had the opportunity to receive free industrial aid from Winter, they would definitely make the same choice as Grass God.

"I'm really sorry."

Rhodes was still apologizing for breaking his promise: "I didn't expect this to happen. I was already prepared to do it."

"It's not your fault."

Kaiya shook his head and said, "If it were us, we would make the same choice as long as Lord Wind God doesn't mind."

That was a bit offensive.

But it's reality.

"Let's not talk about this anymore."

Kaeya changed his expression and returned to a smiling face much faster than Diluc beside him: "We had a very pleasant conversation with the Grass God, thanks to your connection."

"Given our relationship."

There's no need for flattery or praise.

Rhodes waved his hand: "In the past, the Church was stubborn and self-willed, but now that there is an opportunity for more cooperation, Narcida will not miss it."

He just finished speaking.

Diluc, who had been silent all along, interjected, "Dawn Winery will build a new winery here, and will also open a tavern business later."

"At this?"

Although it's a good thing that Dawn Winery is investing in building a winery and tavern in Hope City, Rod doesn't think highly of the project: "This is the desert. Think it over, or you'll regret it because of a momentary impulse."

Whether it's out of friendship or for some other reason.

all in all.

Diluc's intentions in investing in the winery were good.

Unfortunately.

If he were planning to build a winery in the rainforest, Rod might not have any other opinions.

In the desert, this matter would be worth discussing.

Hope City is just a city under construction, and although it is located in an oasis, it is not the most suitable place for the development of the brewing industry.

The immense popularity of Dawn Winery is not only due to its unique winemaking techniques, but also to the fruit wine lake in Mondstadt.

And Mount Sumeru.

There is no such top-quality brewing raw material as Guojiu Lake.

And it's not just a matter of raw materials; transportation and storage are also completely different from Mondstadt, where it's spring-like all year round. From developing new wines to opening up the market in Sumeru, the effort and costs required are astronomical.

Therefore, Rhodes is not very optimistic about Diluc's investment.

In his opinion.

Investing in this project would absolutely result in a complete loss of money.

rich.

That's not how you spend money!

However, his persuasion did not change Diluc's mind.

“I spoke with a businesswoman named Dolly about this.”

"She is willing to serve as the general agent for the Morning Light Winery's Xumi branch."

After briefly explaining his thoughts, Diluc mentioned a name that Rhodes was very familiar with.

"Huh?!"

"You've seen Dolly? When?"

Rhodes was speechless. How long had Diluc and the others been in Hope City?

Didn't it just arrive this morning?

Moreover, they had been with him before he went to Jingshan Palace to meet Naxida.

When did Dolly find Diluc and also reach a cooperation agreement?

"Before you came."

Kaeya replied on Diluc's behalf: "That businessman came to us himself. He's a very good businessman and worth cooperating with."

He finished.

Diluc then said, "What you said are indeed things that need to be considered, but I also have my own considerations."

His expression darkened slightly: "Dawn Winery hasn't changed for hundreds of years. It's time to make some changes."

"That's it."

Rhodes didn't continue to refute, his brows furrowing slightly as he said, "Then you should be mentally prepared. But I have to remind you of one thing: it's best not to bring your business from that Northern Continent intelligence organization over here."

"."

Hearing Rhodes so directly reveal the organization behind him, Diluc's expression didn't change. He simply remained silent for a moment and said, "I know."

Let alone Teyvat, any normal country would not allow other countries to plant their intelligence organizations on its territory.

As for how Rhodes knew about the organization behind him...

Diluc had no doubts about this; it would be rather strange if Rhodes didn't know.

The subsequent chat was much easier.

Most of them were suggestions for Hope City.

Diluc and Kaeya are both highly respected figures in Mondstadt, and they have more experience in management than Rhodes.

The national conditions of Sumeru and Mondstadt are different.

The conflicts among believers of the three gods are particularly acute.

This reminds Diluc and Kaeya of the class conflict between the ruling class and the common people during the old Mondstadt aristocracy.