Keqing was once again immersed in the thought of Liyue growing stronger.
Smith was now Liyue's Seven Star Advisor and, in a sense, Liyue's son-in-law. Based on his strength, he was likely capable of challenging even the Seven Archons.
Nahida, the Dendro Archon of Sumeru, had been growing stronger under the guidance of both Smith and the Geo Archon, Morax. Though she was not a deity of Liyue, she was still a guest of the nation for the time being. If Liyue were ever to face a crisis, Nahida would certainly take action. Even when she eventually returned to Sumeru to fully take on the responsibilities of the Dendro Archon, the bond between the two nations would remain strong, perhaps even closer than Liyue's relationship with Mondstadt.
The presence of the Nine-Tailed Fox, whose power rivaled that of a Demon God, along with the Uchiha clan and the evolving strength of Mew and Mewtwo, only further cemented Liyue's growing dominance. And now, with the addition of the Raiden Shogun herself...
No, this was all for Liyue.
Keqing couldn't help but feel that Liyue had become virtually untouchable. Unless a disaster akin to the calamity five hundred years ago reoccurred, or another war between gods broke out, Liyue was now in an almost invincible position.
Smith had been in Liyue for less than a month, yet his presence had already brought about tremendous changes. Keqing wasn't even sure how she could ever properly thank him.
Could she really allow Smith to do those things to her as a form of gratitude? That would be fatal!
Keqing suspected that this man had endless energy. Since integrating the divinity of the Hydro Archon, his divine power had only continued to increase.
She had indeed benefited greatly, but she was still mortal. No matter how she looked at it, she simply couldn't keep up with Smith's stamina.
At that moment, Keqing noticed Smith's gaze. Having spent enough time with him, she instantly understood what he was thinking. Annoyed, she spoke up, "What are you thinking? This is a Senzu Bean. It can save lives in critical moments. Even if you don't care for it, it can protect others! Besides, when we go on missions to other worlds in the future, accidents are bound to happen. You can't just waste these for... that kind of thing."
Smith pursed his lips but obediently put the Senzu Beans away. He understood Keqing's reasoning, but it was still unfortunate that he couldn't use them to restore Keqing's strength when she was exhausted from their, well, personal moments together.
Though he knew that if things continued at this pace, she would undoubtedly be rendered weak again in less than half a month.
Seeing his reluctant expression, Keqing rolled her eyes. "If you really want a woman, just tell me. I'll help you find one."
Liyue didn't have a strict monogamous system. Keqing was well aware of the customs of large families, where it was common for men to have multiple partners. Even her own father had four mistresses. In past generations, noblewomen would even arrange for maids to be married alongside their husbands.
Keqing had a relatively open mindset about these things. Moreover, at this moment, she wasn't even entirely sure if she considered herself to be Smith's woman.
The problem wasn't him—it was herself.
She simply wasn't strong enough.
More than that, she had noticed Smith's interest in other women. While she could technically prevent anything from happening due to the contract they shared, she understood that restricting someone like Smith might lead to unnecessary complications.
For a god like him, it was impossible to expect complete restraint.
"I'm not interested in ordinary women," Smith replied, watching Keqing's reaction.
She scoffed and shot him an unimpressed look. "So you're only interested in special women?"
He didn't deny it, and Keqing sighed. "Well, at least ordinary women wouldn't be able to handle you. That much is true."
Taking a deep breath, she met his eyes seriously. "Listen to me, Smith. I can tolerate you looking for other women, but if you bring home someone troublesome, you're dead."
She gritted her teeth to emphasize her point, and Smith immediately straightened up.
Was that a threat?
Yes, it absolutely was.
And Smith took it seriously. He was a god now, but if Keqing ever decided to retaliate, he could be in real trouble.
Hurriedly, he pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry. Right now, I only need you. If you weren't so fragile, I wouldn't even be thinking about anyone else."
Keqing was livid.
So this was her fault now?
How was a normal woman supposed to keep up with him?
In Liyue, she was already one of the most physically resilient of all the adepti and original Seven Stars. Only the immortals could surpass her endurance!
Her mind wandered to Ganyu. She respected Ganyu as a hardworking and diligent secretary who had taught her much when she first became a Qixing. Though officially the secretary to the Qixing, in reality, Ganyu had been appointed by the Geo Archon himself and was responsible for guiding Liyue's rulers.
To the Qixing, Ganyu was not just an advisor but a mentor.
Should she... drag Ganyu into this mess?
Keqing quickly shook her head. If Smith was so fixated on divine-level partners, then let him go after other Archons! If he could manage to court the Raiden Shogun of Inazuma, the Hydro Archon of Fontaine, or even the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya, it might actually serve to strengthen diplomatic ties between nations.
At that point, she would simply accept her fate as his subordinate.
Smith, noticing Keqing's conflicted expression, simply smiled and stroked her head.
At least now, she had mentally prepared herself for the possibility.
"By the way, accompany me to Guyun Pavilion later," Keqing said, suddenly switching back to work mode.
"What are we going there for? Did the Nine-Tailed Fox cause trouble again?"
As far as Smith knew, the fox had been very well-behaved. It mostly slept in Guyun Pavilion, wandered around, and occasionally swam in the nearby waters.
Its life was the definition of leisure.
To some extent, Guyun Pavilion had essentially become its territory.
"No, the Southern Cross Fleet is arriving. Their main ship is enormous, and they usually dock it near Guyun Pavilion. We just need to ensure that no conflicts break out."
Smith nodded in understanding.
Liyue's strength was growing, but so were its responsibilities. There was always something that needed to be handled, and Keqing—ever the diligent Qixing—was always at the forefront of it all.
He admired that about her.