"Um… you don't mind one more person joining us for dinner, do you?"
Tartaglia's tone carried hesitation.
Truthfully, he wanted to see Su Ran put the Lady in her place for once— but if her sudden appearance somehow interfered with the Genius's plans, internal squabbles would hardly be worth it.
"Who?"
"The Lady."
Oh, that woman.
"No problem."
For a moment, Su Ran had braced himself for the worst— perhaps Zhongli showing up from Inazuma, or even the Traveler suddenly appearing.
But since it was only the Lady, there was no need to fuss.
He'd treat it as nothing more than a Harbinger gathering.
After all, he had no "plan" to begin with.
He'd even gone out of his way to feed Liyue advance intel on the Fatui's objectives.
Surely their spies were already watching from all around—
Tartaglia knew this much.
But unlike Tartaglia, who considered such things as calculated maneuvers, Su Ran simply wanted to try Liyue cuisine.
When they arrived at the private room, the Lady was already seated, waiting.
Her eyes immediately fell on Raiden Ei's hand—still clamped firmly around Su Ran's arm.
What was the meaning of this?
"My dear Rosalyne, long time no see. From the look of you, your Mondstadt mission went well? The Anemo Archon's Gnosis should be in your hands by now, yes?"
Su Ran slipped into a chair without ceremony.
Ei dragged the neighboring chair closer and sat beside him.
Rosalyne ignored his question, her gaze flicking instead to Tartaglia.
Faced with her pointed stare, Childe could only lift his hands innocently.
What could he say?
He'd barely asked one question earlier and the Raiden Shogun had already threatened him.
What explanation was left to give?
"The Electro Archon herself—why is she here in Liyue?"
Even knowing full well who sat before her, Rosalyne showed no fear.
This was their private room.
Here, she was the host, and this god— the guest.
"This has nothing to do with you."
Ei dismissed her curtly.
Any Harbinger showing up here was to be expected.
But this woman?
She neither knew nor cared to know her.
If she grew too noisy, Ei had no qualms about cutting her down.
"Arrogant!"
Rosalyne grit her teeth.
It had been a long time since anyone dared to belittle her so openly.
This god's eyes and voice stung like acid.
"Oh? You dare speak to me like that? Do the Fatui no longer want Gnosis?"
Ei's lips curled slightly.
The Fatui's whole purpose was to seize Gnosis— not only hers, but those of the other Archons as well.
If she dangled hers as bait, would they meekly fall in line?
Sure enough, at the mention of a Gnosis, Rosalyne swallowed her rage.
Her gaze darted sideways, signaling frantically at Su Ran.
Watching the tension mount, Tartaglia hesitated.
Should he even sit down?
But when he saw Su Ran casually helping himself to the food, he decided to ignore the storm brewing between the two women.
He chose a seat far from both Ei and Rosalyne.
Ei, utterly unconcerned, picked up her chopsticks and began sampling the dishes.
"Genius, your relationship with her seems… unusual."
After a brief exchange, Rosalyne realized something was off.
This did not match Scaramouche's report.
Her tone, her presence— she didn't act like a puppet at all.
"She's the true Electro Archon. Careful—she doesn't care about the Fatui, and she really will cut you down."
Su Ran understood why Rosalyne had dared to posture earlier.
She thought Ei was nothing more than a doll, bound to calculate risks and weigh consequences.
So she'd gambled that a threat against Inazuma would be enough to stay her hand.
But if this was the real Raiden Shogun?
Then none of that logic mattered.
She was a god who had carved her name in blood during the Archon War.
How many top-tier fighters could Snezhnaya truly field?
When push came to shove, it was they who would have to weigh the risks.
The Tsaritsa's ambition was Celestia itself.
Would she really jeopardize that to defend a single Harbinger?
As expected, once Su Ran revealed Ei's true identity, Rosalyne's fury ebbed.
Caution—and a touch of dread—slipped into her gaze.
A puppet, she might scorn.
But the god herself?
That was another matter.
Unlike the Geo Archon, who bound himself with contracts, the Electro Archon was sharp steel incarnate.
One misstep, and the blade would fall.
Sensing the shift, Tartaglia hastened to change the subject.
If Rosalyne pushed her luck again, this Raiden Shogun really might draw her sword.
He was eager for battle—but not suicidal.
"By the way, Genius—what happened in Inazuma? Why have all our operatives there gone silent?"
The diversion worked.
At least it gave the Lady a graceful way out.
If she had any sense, she'd take it.
Otherwise, provoking Ei's hostility could prove disastrous.
A single subtle move during their coming plans… and both the Geo and Electro Gnosis might slip from their grasp.
"Inazuma's waters run deep. But don't worry—I've already gained the Shogun's trust. That problem is solved. The real question, Tartaglia, is about you. Rosalyne has secured the Anemo Gnosis—how much do you know about Morax?"
Su Ran spoke with perfect ease, even with Ei sitting right beside him.
He didn't fear rousing her displeasure in the least.
That nonchalance shocked not only Tartaglia, but Rosalyne as well.
Had he truly enthralled the Raiden Shogun somehow?
Otherwise, how could she remain so calm while he spoke of these things openly?
Her own slightly sharp tone had nearly cost her life.
"This…" Tartaglia grimaced. "Morax isn't like the Electro Archon. I only get one chance a year—at the Rite of Descension. That's the only time I can approach him."
Unlike the other Archons, the Geo Archon descended but once a year.
Such a task was absurdly difficult for the Fatui's Tenth Seat.
But if this was truly just a matter of contract, and once fulfilled the Gnosis would be handed over anyway— then his role as pawn was sufficient.
After all, the one to claim the prize in the end would not be him.
He was only a tool.
A tool who had yet to realize his place.
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