"Miss Noelle, please summon Miss Lisa and Captain Kaeya. I have an important matter to discuss with them."
"Yes, of course." The diligent maid quickly hurried out.
Jean, meanwhile, was constantly weighing the pros and cons. If they could acquire the technology for that train, they could even establish a line between Liyue Harbor and Mondstadt City. This would not only shorten the time it took to transport goods but also significantly reduce the city's expenses. Due to Inazuma's Sakoku Decree, many of Mondstadt's products could no longer be sold, and not every ship captain was like Beidou, willing to brave the thunderstorms of Inazuma to continue trade. The inability to travel to Inazuma meant that Mondstadt had lost a vital source of income.
Here, the difference between Ningguang and Jean became apparent. These were two women standing at the pinnacle of power, yet they lived completely different lives. The former was a master of making money, she understood people, knew how to enjoy life, and could generate wealth for Liyue. She was a true steward. The latter, however, was single-handedly leading a team of countless "pig teammates," working herself to the point of collapse every day with no one willing to lend a hand. Diluc, a man of immense strength and business acumen, had left the inefficient Knights of Favonius. Kaeya spent all his time slacking off and shirking his duties. Eula was ostracized by everyone. Still, Jean had been forced into the role of Acting Grand Master, and the fact that she could maintain the current state of affairs was already an incredible feat.
In less than ten minutes, Lisa and Kaeya arrived one after the other. Seeing the troubled look on Jean's face, Lisa asked, "My, my… what has happened now?"
"I heard this has something to do with Liyue, correct?" Kaeya chimed in.
"Hm? You're here. Take a look at this letter."
After reading the letter from Ningguang, Lisa's brow furrowed in surprise. "A train? I've never heard of such a mode of transport. If it can truly be built, it would indeed benefit both nations. However, security would be an issue." Churl-churls were one thing, but there were also the Abyss Order and the Fatui to consider. If the train were to be intercepted midway, it would be a disaster.
Kaeya analyzed the situation and shook his head. "No. Even now, merchant caravans are attacked, and the Knights must maintain patrols regardless. Conversely, if a railway is established, we would only need to protect a single route. We could even station troops near the railway line itself!" Just like the entrance to Dragonspine, they could dispatch knights to guard the areas the train passed through. It would kill two birds with one stone.
"Hm? That's a good method. We could dispatch cavalry for daily patrols," Lisa said, adding her own suggestion with a sly smile. "The railway could even pass by Diluc's Dawn Winery. I imagine with that man around, it would lessen some of the pressure on us as well." It was a win-win-win situation. Passing by the winery would allow the Dawn Winery's products to be sold in Liyue without them having to arrange their own transport. What could be better?
Jean nodded and smiled. "Since we are all in agreement, let's proceed. Lisa, please go and find Sucrose. Consider it a mission… she is to head to Liyue for three years."
The proposal was quickly passed. That same day, Lisa took the mission assignment and the letter to Sucrose's alchemy laboratory.
"What? You want me to be an envoy to Liyue? N-no, I can't… I'm not that skilled of an alchemist," the young woman stammered, her face flushing red as she waved her hands in refusal. She was just an alchemist's assistant; how could she possibly serve as a tutor for so many people? This was like trying to force a duck onto a perch.
Lisa spoke gently. "Sucrose, you are a very skilled alchemist in Mondstadt. And… Jean also holds you in very high regard. Here is a letter from Ningguang for you. The atmosphere in the city has been very tense lately, and we need some good news to lighten the mood. I hope you will consider this seriously."
"Oh, okay…" Sucrose had no idea what the value of this letter was, but she took it to be polite. The moment she saw the words "otherworldly engineering," however, she froze. The test tube in her hand slipped from her grasp and shattered on the floor.
"What? How could this be…" Knowledge from another world. Does such a thing really exist? Looking at the mysterious symbols described within, Sucrose felt her heart begin to pound uncontrollably. As someone who had dedicated her life to the study of alchemy, she simply could not resist such a temptation.
"I… I want to go to Liyue and try!" Sucrose said, having regained her composure and now expressing her own desire.
Nearby, Timaeus leaned over to get a look. "Miss Sucrose, what does the letter say?"
Sucrose quickly hid the letter and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Timaeus, I… I can't say. The contents of this letter are of great importance." The information within had to be kept secret and could not be easily revealed.
Timaeus pouted. "Fine, don't tell me then. I'm going back to work."
Watching him walk away, Sucrose turned to Lisa. "Let's go."
"Don't you need to say goodbye to anyone?" Lisa was a little surprised. This trip would keep her away for a very long time. What on earth was in that letter that made this shy little girl agree so readily?
Sucrose shook her head. "I don't really have any friends. As for… as for my teacher, I'll write him a letter to let him know." Her teacher, Albedo, was a very busy person. He was gone all day long, and every time he returned, he would leave a new research topic and then disappear again. It was impossible to even find the man.