Goth Grand Hotel, Mondstadt.
Rosalyne quietly lifted the curtains. Her gaze swept toward the distant city gates before falling back onto the diary projection hovering beside her.
On the screen, the green-clad bard in white stockings was smiling foolishly, chatting with Su Xuan as if the world were weightless.
Rosalyne's breath tightened. Her chest rose and fell — not from fluster, but from suppressed anger.
The first time she learned that Barbatos was secretly following the blonde Traveler, she immediately led Fatui operatives out of the city to intercept — only to return empty-handed.
The second time — yesterday — she saw Barbatos directly in Mondstadt's plaza. But Su Xuan had been beside him that time.
With Su Xuan's attitude toward the Fatui still unclear, she didn't dare gamble.
If she provoked him and he felt annoyed…
Mondstadt would not be the only thing twisted into rope.
Snezhnaya could easily follow.
And now, again, the Archon had appeared — this time at the gate.
No surprise — exactly as Su Xuan's diary had predicted.
The floor rippled in scarlet and black. A debt collector agent bowed before her.
"Lady Signora. We've spotted the target you described at the city gate. Shall we initiate action?"
The description hadn't come from the diary.
No — the Tsaritsa herself had once shown Rosalyne Barbatos' mortal guise.
So she could identify him perfectly.
"Not yet," Rosalyne replied coldly. "We act only when he is alone."
The agent hesitated.
"Is this because of the black-haired young man next to him? We can… remove him first."
Rosalyne's eyes snapped open like a blade being drawn.
Icy killing intent flooded the room.
"Are you incapable of understanding words?"
Remove him?
Remove Su Xuan?
Was he trying to get the entire Mondstadt Fatui division turned into a braided souvenir?
No — was he trying to get all of Snezhnaya tied into one giant frozen knot?
"If you have nothing else to report — leave. And listen well: you will not lay a finger on that man."
The agent swallowed hard and vanished without another sound.
Rosalyne exhaled, slowly.
The Archon was not the threat here.
The man beside him was.
At Mondstadt's Gate
"Hehe~ We meet again! Remember me? I'm that bard from last night — Venti~"
Su Xuan gave him a flat look.
"Yes. The three-time consecutive winner of Mondstadt's 'Most Beloved Bard.' I remember."
Venti brightened… then blinked, realization flickering.
"That blonde Traveler and her floating companion… didn't they stay with you?"
"You mean the golden-haired girl and the tiny silver-haired food vacuum?"
Su Xuan's lips curved.
Venti froze.
Why did that smile feel like it contained implications?
"…Yes, those two."
"You don't need to ask me." Su Xuan continued.
"If you want to locate them, use the wind. That is your authority, isn't it… Archon?"
Venti went still — then sighed, defeated, wearing his usual easygoing smile again.
"You saw through it from the start."
"Listen clearly," Su Xuan said, voice calm. "I'm only helping Dvalin. Nothing more. I made a promise."
Venti's eyes widened — then softened with relief.
"You're willing to help purify him…?"
But a moment later, confusion flickered in.
"…But you didn't prepare anything. How do you intend to find him? I may have a—"
"No," Su Xuan interrupted.
"We're not stealing the Holy Lyre. I have my own method."
Venti stopped mid-sentence.
His entire thought process laid bare.
"…You can read minds, can't you."
Su Xuan didn't confirm — or deny.
He simply walked forward.
Venti followed — quietly.
"Then… may I at least come along? He's still my friend."
A small pause — then Su Xuan nodded.
The diary shimmered with new text:
[Diary Update]
I barely stepped outside Mondstadt and Barbatos immediately blocked the road.
He insists on coming along to help Dvalin. Fine.
It's his companion — it's natural he'd care.
But once Dvalin is dealt with…
I intend to ask Barbatos for his Gnosis.
This morning, I unlocked a new authority — the Herrscher of Reason.
I want to see whether its power of conceptual reconstruction can analyze and replicate a Gnosis.
Goethe Hotel — Rosalyne
PFFFFFT—!
Rosalyne, halfway through a sip of tea, choked and sprayed directly across her chest.
"He— He intends to take Barbatos' Gnosis—"
"For an experiment?!"
Her voice cracked.
"Then what am I supposed to do!?"
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