Upon hearing the exchange between the human and the cat — both baring their teeth — Nahida blinked in surprise.
"Hm?"
"Ye Xi, that cat on your shoulder..."
Because she possessed the power of a god, Nahida could hear Arlecchino's voice. The Balladeer standing nearby could too, owing to the faint traces of divine power still lingering within him.
At the moment, the two Harbingers were busy trading barbs.
Ye Xi nodded. "This is the Fourth Seat of the Fatui Harbingers — The Knave. She'll be our pet from now on."
[Who are you calling a pet?! Change me back this instant!]
Arlecchino launched a furious assault of tiny paw-swipes.
Unfortunately, the striking power of her little kitten paws felt about as threatening as a gentle pat.
Ayexia and Setaria, standing nearby, were both thoroughly astonished.
"Master, you... did you just say this cat is a Fatui Harbinger?!"
"Good heavens — I've met the Second Seat, The Doctor. He looked perfectly refined on the outside, but he was completely unhinged. And The Knave is... a cat?"
Setaria had been at the Lidu Valley factory herself and had witnessed Dottore firsthand. She knew all too well the suffocating pressure a Fatui Harbinger could exert.
But this one in front of her...
So cute... I want to pet her!
Ye Xi explained, "I used my ability to turn her into this. Saves me the trouble of her causing problems."
Hearing that, the girls immediately recalled what Ye Xi had done that very morning.
They hadn't realized that not only could Ye Xi turn people into cat-eared girls — he could turn them into full-blown cats!
"Master is amazing!"
"I want to try turning into a cat too, just to see what it's like!"
Nahida, standing to the side, said nothing. Having already experienced being transformed into a Fungus creature, she had absolutely no desire to be turned into any strange form ever again.
Ye Xi smiled. "Once we're home, you can play around all you like."
"And that goes for you too, Thunder Cannon — if you don't behave, I'll turn you into this too."
The Balladeer, who had been muttering curses about Ye Xi under his breath over the name [Bongo-Head], immediately fell silent.
Turn me into a cat?
Are you kidding me?!
That would be humiliating beyond belief!
He instantly shot Nahida a look that screamed Mom, save me.
Nahida crossed her arms. "You heard him, Bongo-Head. From now on, you meditate properly!"
Just as they were speaking, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata returned to the Sanctuary of Surasthana from tending to the World Tree.
Upon seeing Ye Xi and everyone gathered there, she looked mildly surprised.
"My, has something happened?"
Ye Xi grinned and quipped, "Just here to escort my lovely wives home."
That declaration sent Ayexia and Setaria into a flustered blush.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata smiled warmly. "Such a smooth talker."
Now that everyone was gathered, it was time to head home.
Ye Xi activated the [Space Portal] skill.
On one of the walls of the Sanctuary of Surasthana, a doorway-shaped rift began to take shape.
As he established the connection to the Serenitea Pot, he chatted with the girls about their new home.
Before long, the portal was ready.
"Come on — let's go home."
With that, Ye Xi pushed open the door.
Just like at the Jade Chamber, beyond the doorway was a vertical shimmering surface of water, rippling gently.
Setaria and Ayexia felt a flicker of nervousness — so Greater Lord Rukkhadevata stepped through first.
Meanwhile, Nahida was still lecturing the Balladeer.
"...When we get back tonight, you will meditate properly. No slacking!"
"Otherwise, I'll ship you straight back to Inazuma and hand you over to the Electro Archon!"
At those words, the Balladeer frantically shook his head. "No! Don't send me back to that old hag! She doesn't even care about me!"
Watching the Balladeer's dramatic reaction, Ye Xi let out a helpless sigh. This is what a child starved of maternal love looks like.
He herded the two girls through the portal, then called out to Nahida.
"Alright, come on!"
"Coming, coming!"
After dismissing the Balladeer, Nahida hurried after him and ducked through the portal.
On the other side was a mysterious space — something like a corridor.
Within that corridor were two more doorways.
This was because Ye Xi had chained several portals together in sequence.
One led to the Ye Family Compound. The other led to the Serenitea Pot.
"This way."
They stepped through the door marked with the [Serenitea Pot] sign — and the world that opened up before them was simply breathtaking.
The moment they laid eyes on the charming little villa, all the girls let out gasps of wonder.
"Whoa——!"
"This is gorgeous! Is this going to be our home?! It's so beautiful!"
Nahida and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, however, wore expressions of pure astonishment.
"Incredible — he's actually linked multiple spaces together to enable instant teleportation!"
"I see now. This must be the Liyue Adepti's Serenitea Pot."
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata was no stranger to the wider world.
Back when the Seven Archons used to gather, she had often visited Liyue to share drinks with Rex Lapis. Rex Lapis, as the foremost among the Adepti, was well-versed in all things related to the Serenitea Pot, and had told her about it more than once.
Ye Xi nodded in admiration. "As expected of our Lord Tree King — well-traveled and widely informed."
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata let out an amused laugh. "But the idea of connecting a Space Portal to the Serenitea Pot — that creativity is genuinely impressive."
"If you were to use portals to connect all seven nations..."
"We could travel to any country on the continent of Teyvat in a single instant, couldn't we?"
Ye Xi nodded with a broad smile.
The God of Wisdom truly lives up to her name. The moment she laid eyes on the Serenitea Pot, she had already seen straight through to his future plans.
Perched on Ye Xi's shoulder, Arlecchino stared in utter disbelief.
She looked around.
There was an ocean. A beach. Rolling grassland and dense forest!
There was even a sun and a moon!!
And yet — just moments ago, they had been standing inside the Sanctuary of Surasthana!
This whole world exists on the other side of a single wall?!
It's utterly inconceivable!
[Ye Xi — just how many tricks do you have up your sleeve?!]
Hearing Arlecchino's question, Ye Xi smiled. "Didn't you want to get close to me and investigate my secrets?"
"Then take your time and watch."
With that, he nudged the girls beside him. "Alright, let's head inside — time to get dinner started!"
......
Zapolyarny Palace.
At this moment, all the Fatui Harbingers had assembled.
The Jester. The Fair Lady. The Doctor...
Their faces were grim, brows furrowed tight.
With the Tsaritsa seated upon her throne, Director Pierro spoke in a low, measured voice. "Your Majesty the Empress, just now, we lost all contact with Arlecchino."
"It's possible she has perished on foreign soil."
The Tsaritsa's brow knotted into a deep furrow, and she drew a long, slow breath. "Ye Xi again?"
"Yes."
At Pierro's confirmation, the Harbingers below could no longer sit still.
Il Capitano crossed his arms, his voice grave and deliberate. "Your Majesty the Empress, to be defeated by the same person time and again — we must reflect on ourselves."
"Capitano, are you questioning Her Majesty's decisions?"
"Heh."
Pantalone smiled coldly. "Mayor, if your capacity for action were even half as sharp as your capacity for criticism, I imagine you'd have far more room to grow."
"Everyone, everyone."
Tartaglia spread his hands and stepped in to mediate. "I don't think there's any need to make this more complicated than it has to be."
Since The Rooster was busy looking after his family, Tartaglia could hardly stand by and watch The Regrator take shots at The Rooster. But then again, The Regrator was the financial backbone of his operations at the Northland Bank and had helped him enormously.
He couldn't take either side — so the only thing he could do was play peacemaker.
"Oh?"
Pantalone turned to look at Tartaglia, a cold smirk playing at his lips. "Is that so? And what new perspective do you have to offer, Ajax?"
"Well."
Tartaglia spread his hands. "You may not yet be aware, but Master Ye Xi has been frequenting Liyue Harbor lately."
That was indeed news to everyone present.
Pierro frowned. "But Arlecchino fell in Sumeru. If Ye Xi is in Liyue, how did he deal with Arlecchino in Sumeru?"
Seeing the curiosity on everyone's faces, Tartaglia explained. "That Ye Xi possesses a flying machine that moves at tremendous speed!"
"By all accounts, the journey from Sumeru to Liyue takes him no more than an hour or two."
"What?!"
At those words, the Harbingers were stunned.
Everyone present knew perfectly well just how vast the distance between Sumeru City and Liyue Harbor was.
"To think such a convenient invention could exist!"
Sandrone, who had the greatest love of all things mechanical, was clearly intrigued.
Machinery and mechanisms were her greatest passion — Khaenri'ahn technology most of all.
She had heard that Ye Xi was Khaenri'ahn ever since The Doctor's defeat. From that moment on, she had been paying him particular attention — even going so far as to dispatch her own spies to Sumeru to observe him.
When word reached her that numerous Ruin Guards had appeared in Sumeru, she had already been burning with impatience to meet this formidable master of mechanical arts.
And now, hearing that Ye Xi had invented a flying machine — her curiosity had only grown stronger.
"If Snezhnaya could get its hands on technology like this, the benefits would be immeasurable!"
"It seems the Mayor and I are of one mind on this matter."
"If Ye Xi were to join the Fatui, then his strength and his technology alike would serve our cause!"
Hearing the two of them plotting, the impassioned Il Capitano couldn't help but protest. "Hey! What is the meaning of this?! We just lost Arlecchino — why aren't you talking about avenging her?!"
Dottore gave a cold laugh. "Even though he destroyed my finest Segment, I have to admit — making an enemy of him is simply not a wise choice."
Seeing the uproar among the Harbingers below, the Tsaritsa let out a quiet, frigid hum.
Instantly, the entire palace fell silent.
As the Empress, she understood better than anyone: there were no permanent enemies in this world.
Even if both Dottore and Arlecchino had been defeated at Ye Xi's hands, that didn't mean they had to become blood enemies.
She had to weigh her options carefully.
"Dottore, give us your analysis."
Dottore nodded. "Everyone, from an objective standpoint: if we continue to make an enemy of Ye Xi, we will be facing a foe who commands the [Time] Authority."
"His strength is unfathomable, and his hand of cards runs deep."
"If we send more people after him, we must be prepared to keep taking losses."
At those words, the room fell into a collective nod of quiet agreement.
Then Dottore continued. "But — what if, instead of making him an enemy, we turn him into an ally and recruit Ye Xi into the Fatui?"
"We lose one enemy and gain a colleague who commands time."
"With the aid of [Time], collecting the Hearts of God would become trivially simple."
At that, Il Capitano found himself with nothing to say.
He prided himself on fairness and justice — so when a fellow Harbinger was taken down, his instinct was naturally revenge.
But hearing Dottore frame it this way, his view began to shift.
A wise man knows when to read the room.
Crossing Ye Xi wasn't going to end well for anyone.
Columbina spoke up, raising a point. "What if Ye Xi is unwilling to join the Fatui? What then?"
"That is indeed a good question."
Dottore's brow creased slightly. "If Ye Xi refuses our invitation, then we maintain neutrality with him."
"He does his thing; we do ours."
"As for the Hearts of God in his possession..."
"We can resort to trade."
"We meet his demands, offer him sufficient incentive — he won't sit on those Hearts of God forever."
"After all, he harbors no desire to become a god. Holding onto those things would only bring him trouble."
Hearing this analysis, the Tsaritsa turned her gaze toward Dottore with a look of approval.
This particular Segment — the one from Dottore's youth — was indeed a sharp mind.
"Well reasoned."
"Then we shall attempt to recruit him."
"Who is willing to go?"
The moment those words left her lips, a clamor broke out below.
Tartaglia spoke up. "I'm currently in Liyue Harbor as it is — naturally, I'm the most convenient choice."
Pierro, standing beside the Tsaritsa, shook his head.
"Ye Xi was once a noble of the Khaenri'ahn Kingdom, and we have worked together in the past."
"The best candidate, naturally, would be me."
"We are acquainted."
But Sandrone wasn't having any of it.
This was a rare chance to make contact with Ye Xi — and as a fellow devotee of mechanical arts, of course she had to meet him in person!
She crossed her arms. "From what I've heard, Ye Xi is quite fond of young women — beautiful ones, in particular."
"Ajax, Director Pierro — do either of you honestly think you qualify as beauties?"
"Well..."
Pierro fell quiet at that.
True enough.
According to intelligence the Fatui had gathered, Ye Xi was surrounded by a crowd of beautiful women, with quite a few devoted companions following at his side.
Compared to an old man like himself, a beautiful woman would probably prove far more appealing.
"That's a bit self-absorbed, isn't it? You really think you're that beautiful?"
Tartaglia flashed a mischievous grin. "I can always dress in women's clothes."
Pierro: ???
Good lord — is this what young people are getting up to these days?
"You——!"
Sandrone stared at him, completely gobsmacked.
She had never liked Tartaglia to begin with!
Ruin Guards were plentiful enough, but usable cores were another matter entirely!
And this man had the nerve to pick fights with Ruin Guards every other day.
Every last Ruin Guard she had carefully sourced had been dismantled by this insufferable idiot!
And now, when she finally had a chance to go meet Ye Xi in person — this Tartaglia had to stick his nose in!
And then he had the audacity to say he wasn't beautiful enough, so he'd cross-dress?!
Was he implying that she — Sandrone — looked worse than him in drag?!
Infuriating!!
"Ajax, don't make me hit you!"
That was exactly the reaction Tartaglia had been fishing for.
"Oh, I'd love that — let me test the strength of the Seventh Seat!"
"You——!"
"Ahem..."
Seeing the two of them on the verge of coming to blows, the Tsaritsa cleared her throat. "Sandrone — let Ajax make the first attempt."
"If it doesn't work out, you can go next."
Sandrone let out a sharp huff at that.
There was nothing to be done — Her Majesty the Empress had given the order, and orders had to be followed.
Tartaglia wore a thoroughly satisfied smirk, then turned to the Tsaritsa with a promise. "Your Majesty the Empress, I will give it everything I have."
"Erm..."
The Tsaritsa's brow gave a small, involuntary twitch.
'Everything you have' — does that mean the cross-dressing?
"Right. Just don't provoke any more conflicts with Ye Xi."
"Even if cooperation proves impossible, try to make contact at the very least. Find out what his goals are."
"As long as our objectives don't conflict, that's enough."
Tartaglia nodded, then took his leave from Zapolyarny Palace.
Watching Tartaglia's retreating figure, Pierro spoke. "Very well, everyone — let us offer our remembrance and condolences for our fellow Harbinger, The Knave."
With that, the Palace of Snezhnaya sank into a deathly, ice-laden silence...
.....
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