Early the next morning, just as Saphir stepped out of the Goth Grand Hotel, she bumped into Diluc—clearly, he'd been waiting there for quite a while.
She frowned. She'd just managed to adjust her mood and planned to check in on the prototype's progress. What was he doing here now?
Still, despite her reluctance, she opened with a sarcastic tone.
"Master Diluc, out shopping this early?"
Diluc's expression remained cold, but the heavy bags under his eyes betrayed a sleepless night. He looked at Saphir—who was visibly confused—and said seriously,
"I'm here to talk business. About the export trade for Dawn Winery's alcohol."
That snapped Saphir out of her grogginess.
"You should've led with that! I've been interested for a while. How about we go inside and discuss it properly?"
Diluc looked around and declined.
"This deal is important. I'd like to invite you to Dawn Winery to tour the site before we talk specifics."
Saphir agreed. After sending a message to Kunfeng, she followed Diluc to the winery.
She was no stranger to the place. The sprawling vineyards, the fluttering Crystalflies… it all painted a picturesque scene.
"No wonder this is Mondstadt's cornerstone of the alcohol trade," she murmured. "Scale like this isn't something a small distillery can match."
Diluc was confident.
"Our wine might not reign supreme across all seven nations, but it's certainly among the best. Our annual trade with Liyue and Fontaine alone is no small figure."
Saphir nodded appreciatively.
"Snezhnaya might be known for its strong spirits, but it doesn't produce anything comparable to red wine. Probably due to the climate—bone-chilling cold over there. Hard liquor's more practical for staying warm."
"Do you think my wine would sell well in Snezhnaya?" Diluc asked, trying to feel out her stance. Truthfully, this venture wasn't about profit—it was about opening a market.
Saphir waved dismissively.
"Demand drives the market. And demand? That can be shaped by trend. Stir up the right buzz, and the trend-chasers will follow."
Diluc's eyes gleamed. He had worried that Snezhnaya wouldn't have an organic demand for red wine, but it seemed Saphir wasn't concerned. That gave him confidence—this deal could go through.
"What's the markup from Mondstadt to Liyue?" she asked, suddenly switching to hard numbers. This was dangerously close to asking about trade secrets. Diluc hesitated.
Seeing that, Saphir clarified,
"I don't care about your cost. Just so you know, excluding transportation, I won't accept anything with more than a 5% profit margin over what you charge in Liyue. Otherwise, no deal."
She emphasized profit, not price. That meant very little leeway to inflate the markup.
But this was Diluc. After a brief analysis, he gave a clear answer.
"Transport to Snezhnaya is expensive, but I can match Liyue's price. No need to worry on that front."
Saphir gave him a surprised look.
"What's this? Trying to repay a favor?"
Diluc cleared his throat awkwardly.
"This is business. But if it's with you, the benefits aren't limited to Mora."
That's right—he wasn't after money. What he really wanted was a strategic connection. By establishing this line, he gained future leverage.
Saphir chuckled.
"You know, someone once said you and Jean would make a great couple."
"Please don't joke about that," Diluc said, frowning. His tone was serious, but a faint blush crept up his face.
Saphir didn't push further but added casually,
"The Gunnhildr and Ragnvindr families uniting would indeed be something. But Jean is the pillar of her house—she can't marry out. And you… the last heir of the Ragnvindrs. Heh. Heheheh…"
With that, she left the vineyard laughing, leaving a Fatui clerk behind to sign the contract with Diluc.
He watched her go without a word, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. She was right. They both knew it. Unless he abandoned the Ragnvindr name and merged his house into hers, they would never truly be together. Fate was cruel like that.
—
Back at the Mondstadt alchemy workshop, Sucrose and Kunfeng hadn't resumed yesterday's experiments—because two unexpected guests had arrived.
One was Lisa, the violet-robed witch of roses. The other, a pink-haired woman in white shrine maiden robes: none other than the Grand Narukami Shrine's chief priestess—Yae Miko.
Lisa was flipping through Sucrose's alchemy notes as if they were her own, nodding now and then.
"The theoretical model checks out, but your material ratios need work. Also, Sucrose, why are you so insistent on using Crimson Agate as the sword's spine?"
Miko chimed in with her usual teasing tone.
"Expensive materials don't always yield better results. Sometimes simpler ones have hidden potential. There's a reason Crystal Chunks and White Iron have remained weapon staples—cheap, but reliable. Don't innovate just for the sake of it. Broaden your approach. You might find surprising results."
Lisa looked up at her.
"The Grand Shrine Maiden of Inazuma herself, hm? Didn't expect you to dabble in alchemy."
Miko smirked.
"Oh please, I can't compare with the Sumeru Akademiya's long-lost Su Theory genius. I just voiced a few amateur guesses. I hope you'll correct me if I'm wrong, Miss Lisa."
Their smiles were cordial. Their tone? Anything but. The tension in the air made Sucrose and Kunfeng feel like their hair was standing on end.
Eventually, Lisa changed the topic.
"So, what brings the esteemed Shrine Maiden to Mondstadt unannounced? That's a bit irregular, isn't it?"
Miko pouted playfully.
"Aiya, I didn't plan this either. I was looking for someone—figured they'd be in Liyue, but turns out they ran off here instead. So, I had no choice but to chase them down."
Lisa raised a brow. Who could possibly be worth crossing two nations for? Heartbreak, perhaps?
Just as Miko was about to respond, her expression changed. She suddenly whipped out a gohei wand, her true shrine powers blooming behind her. A Sesshou Sakura burst into existence at the entrance.
Boom!
A thunderclap struck just outside—missing by a hair.
A girl's voice rang out angrily.
"Are you insane!? Striking me the second we meet!?"
Everyone inside instantly recognized that voice.
Saphir had broken out in a cold sweat. She'd just been walking over to check on Sucrose and Kunfeng when a lightning sakura appeared out of nowhere. Good thing she dodged quickly—otherwise, she'd be peeling herself off the wall right now.
Yae Miko strolled out, one hand daintily covering her mouth.
"My, my. Swift as ever, Teacher Sujin. You moved faster than lightning. Shall I let Ei slash at you next time instead? Think you can dodge her too?"
Saphir looked at the fox-eared woman in front of her and sighed.
"Ugh, why's this damn fox here again? I really don't have time to deal with her…"
Miko's smile didn't waver, but thunder danced in her eyes.
"Did you just call me a damn fox?"
Saphir darted to the side, dodging another attack from the Sesshou Sakura.
Just as Miko was about to unleash more divine punishment, Lisa interrupted,
"Shrine Maiden Yae, maybe don't casually start fights in Mondstadt. You injure someone here and it becomes a diplomatic mess. Not great for Inazuma's image."
"Exactly!" Saphir chimed in, seizing the chance. "After all this time apart, couldn't we at least exchange greetings before throwing down? What kind of reunion is this?"
Miko glanced from Lisa to Saphir, then at the approaching Knights of Favonius.
Tch. No good. Too many witnesses.
She withdrew her sakura and sat down lazily on a nearby chair.
Moments later, Jean arrived with a few knights. One glance at the scene—burn marks, overturned tables, nervous expressions—and she turned to Lisa for an explanation.
Lisa gave a full account.
Turns out she'd spotted Sucrose and the unfamiliar Kunfeng researching at the alchemy station during her morning walk. Curious about the stranger helping Sucrose, she stepped in to investigate. While analyzing data, Miko had shown up, and well… the rest was obvious.
Jean sighed and rubbed her temples. At least this wasn't Klee's fault this time.
She was more concerned about this troublesome Shrine Maiden than the damage. But since Miko was here to find Saphir, perhaps she could dump the problem on her…
Yet the idea of letting a Fatui Harbinger serve as a host for a foreign official made her uneasy.
Sensing her hesitation, Lisa smiled.
"Why not leave it to me? I meant to tell you—I'll be staying to help with the research here for the next few days. The library will need someone else to keep watch."
Jean was stunned.
"Lisa… you want to take on responsibility? Voluntarily?"
She wasn't questioning Lisa's ability—far from it. But Lisa had always taken a… laissez-faire approach to her job. In many ways, Lisa was a truer follower of the Anemo Archon than Venti himself: laid-back, lazy, powerful, and mysterious.
Lisa gave a wink.
"Don't worry. I'm serious this time. After all, even I can get a little competitive."
~~~----------------------
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