After the quarrel in the garden, Scaramouche ended up staying in his new home.
Lu Chen had promised that once he completed the task, he'd stop interfering and let him return when the Gate of Teyvat was opened.
But figuring out how to complete this task… now that was the real headache.
Miko glanced at Lu Chen's troubled face and teased, "You looked so confident when you agreed back then—I thought you already had it in the bag."
"It was just a stopgap, a reason to make him stay," Lu Chen said, shaking his head. His gaze drifted toward a tightly shut door.
Ever since moving in, Scaramouche hadn't eaten, drunk, or made a sound.
If Lu Chen hadn't used his perception to sense him sitting inside staring blankly, he would have thought the guy had slipped away.
"This task really is tricky…" Ei sighed helplessly. "Changing someone's personality isn't easy."
Lu Chen nodded. If he truly wanted Scaramouche to become a so-called "model youth of the new era," his bad temper had to be addressed. With his arrogant habit of looking down on everyone, this wouldn't be just "difficult"—it would be very difficult.
"Is it really that bad?" Miko said. "From now on, when you two go out, just bring him along. Do some good deeds—help an old man cross the street, break up fights when you see them…"
She couldn't even finish before laughing. The thought of Scaramouche in such a role was absurd.
"His way of breaking up a fight would probably be to beat both sides until they can't move…" Lu Chen chuckled. "Even if we ignore that little problem, I doubt just taking him out to do good deeds would be enough to fool the system."
Passing by, Nahida saw the lively conversation at the bar and hopped onto a stool—barely making it up.
"I think…" she began, recalling Scaramouche's past behavior, "he's filled with resentment. If you want to complete the mission, you'll have to get him to open up first."
"Resentment, huh…" Lu Chen exchanged a glance with Ei.
Scaramouche had said he'd endured many betrayals.
First—being abandoned by his creator. Because he didn't meet Ei's standards, she had built a second puppet instead: the Raiden Shogun who now ruled Inazuma.
Second—Miko had told Lu Chen about his days in Tatarasuna. Scaramouche, left in the Asase Shrine's Borrowed View Pavilion, had been taken by a samurai named Katsuragi to Tatarasuna, where the swordsmith heir Niwa took him in. For a time, he had family and friends.
But then a disaster struck the Tatarasuna foundry. Niwa, knowing he bore responsibility, fled with his family to escape punishment. To Scaramouche, it was a second betrayal—this time from his closest friend.
Miko had said the incident was suspicious, likely with hidden truths, but after so many years, the facts were impossible to confirm.
As for what he'd gone through afterward, Lu Chen didn't know much. But it was clear: with such a sensitive heart, life had constantly gone against him. Disillusioned with the world, he eventually joined the Fatui and became the person he was now.
"We'd love to talk to him, but he won't even step outside," Lu Chen said, glancing at Nahida.
"That's because he doesn't want to face you all," she said thoughtfully. "There are so many people in this house—why not have one person take him out more often? At least get him out of his room. If he stays shut in, there'll never be a chance to connect."
"Good idea!" Lu Chen's eyes locked on her without blinking.
The look on his face made Nahida uneasy.
"Then I'll leave this difficult mission to the clever and insightful Lord of Dendro!"
"Ah?" She froze.
It suddenly felt like she'd dug her own grave. "I only came over for juice!"
"Hehehe! You're the only one fit for the job!" Lu Chen grinned mischievously. Everyone else in this family was a bad influence—hand Scaramouche to them, and he'd end up either an alcoholic, a retiree, or brawling with someone like Diluc who loathed the Fatui. By comparison, Nahida was the safest bet.
"I'm counting on you!!"
After repeated pleading, Nahida sighed in resignation. "Fine…"
She had accepted the thankless task.
...
Later, Lu Chen still had one important thing to handle.
One day, he brought Ei and Nahida to the empty villa next door, moving their "secret laboratory" there as well.
Then he took out eight cubic meters of Skyfrost Nail fragments from his system storage.
The sheer size lit the entire villa with a burst of blinding blue light.
"This much?" Ei said in surprise.
"Couldn't help it. Primordial Energy's too useful—I just had to steal a little extra…"
Lu Chen recalled when he'd suppressed the evil god of Yashiori Island—Orobashi's powerful resentment had been easily pinned under the mountain by just a faint trace of Primordial Energy.
Inazuma had proven its worth. If it weren't so closely guarded, Lu Chen would've happily hauled back the entire Skyfrost Nail to study—after all, the Heavenly Principles had no say here.
"From now on, do your experiments here. I'd rather not risk blowing up our villa with all this energy."
Nahida gave a wry smile. "If this much Primordial Energy went out of control, it wouldn't just be Ling Shan Bay—the whole city could be flattened."
"Then it's in your hands," Lu Chen said seriously. "Last time, we saw its potential as a weapon. Things have been quiet lately, but I doubt the Abyss Order will let it stay that way. Whether against them, or for our ultimate goal of taking down Celestia, this will be our trump card."
"Hmm…" Ei's gaze was fixed on the massive crystal, her mind already working.
"We've tested its combat potential… What if we infused Primordial Energy into a machine? Wouldn't that show its value even more… Maybe even make another puppet…"
Muttering, she wandered back into the lab, lost in thought.
Nahida remained where she was.
"You're not joining her?" Lu Chen asked.
She shook her head. "Did you forget? I have something more important."
"What's that?"
"Taking Scaramouche out for a walk—to feed the cats at the park down the mountain."
"Feed cats?" Lu Chen blinked. That was exactly what he'd done with Nahida to grind achievements. Was she sure Scaramouche would care about something like that?
"Ugh…" Just thinking about his foul temper gave her a headache.
"I have to start by tempering his nature. I'm going to turn him into a kindhearted child who cherishes life."
Seeing his doubtful expression, she grinned. "Don't worry. If he refuses, I'll use your promise as leverage! He wants to go back so badly, to escape you two—he'll have to agree."
"Fair enough…" In his mind, Lu Chen could already picture the scene—
Nahida, looking at a reluctant Scaramouche:
"Mr. Kunikuzushi… You wouldn't want to be stuck here forever, would you? Then…"