The finest suite of the Goethe Hotel — currently reserved exclusively for Rosalyne.
"We've eaten. We've had wine."
"So perhaps now we can discuss the Gnosis?"
Rosalyne exhaled slowly, forcing her irritation down. Her smile was polite — but brittle.
She had been more than generous.
She'd ordered every dish the hotel had. Every bottle worth presenting.
And throughout the meal, she had repeatedly tried to move the conversation to business.
But Su Xuan had waved it off each time, only saying:
"After dinner. In your room."
Now that they were in her room, Rosalyne realized—
He never intended a business tone at all.
"You seem to be making yourself quite comfortable."
Su Xuan looked around casually.
"Nice room. I'll stay here tonight."
Rosalyne froze.
He wasn't here to negotiate.
He was here to take the room.
That was it.
Her jaw clenched.
Part of her wanted to snap — "Shall I fetch you a troupe of dancers as well?"
But then Su Xuan turned his gaze toward her.
Calm. Soft.
Yet it struck her like a predator's teeth at her throat.
Her blood ran cold.
"What's wrong?"
"You look like you didn't want to say yes."
Her body reacted faster than her mind.
"No… not at all. If you wish to stay here tonight, then stay.
If you want to stay longer — stay as long as you please."
Su Xuan nodded, satisfied, and went to her wine cabinet.
He pulled out a bottle she herself rarely touched, poured two glasses, and sat lightly upon the sofa.
Then — finally —
"Now. Let's discuss the Gnosis."
Clack.
He set a small emerald chess-piece-like object upon the table.
Rosalyne sat opposite him, eyes fixed on it.
And then — memory struck.
In the diary projection — she had seen Su Xuan fabricate a false Gnosis out of thin air.
Her stomach tightened.
"Before anything else," she asked carefully,
"I must confirm — is this truly Barbatos' Gnosis?
Not one of your replicas?"
Her tone held respect — and fear.
Su Xuan's lips curved faintly.
"It's Barbatos'.
I have no need to lie to you.
I don't value the Gnosis at all — I only accepted it so you would come find me."
Rosalyne blinked.
Her heartbeat slowed.
Then—
"...'Find you'? What do you mean by that?"
"You read my diary.
I said I wanted to use the Gnosis to climb the highest peak."
Rosalyne nodded.
"And you already climbed Dragonspine. I saw it—"
Su Xuan shook his head.
"I wasn't talking about a mountain.
Among you all — you are the highest peak."
Rosalyne: "...?"
His gaze drifted downward.
Rosalyne followed it.
She looked down.
She saw.
Her breath stopped.
"No. Wait— No—"
Rosalyne backed up a step, pulse hammering.
"Your diary said you would sell the Gnosis!"
Su Xuan sighed.
"There is a saying where I come from:
'Big chest, small brain.'
I didn't expect to see such a flawless demonstration of it today."
Rosalyne: "...!"
"Do I look like I need Mora?
If I wanted money, Ningguang would hand me a treasury.
If I wanted more, Ei would give me an island.
And if I wanted easy coin, I could rob every corrupt merchant from Liyue to Fontaine in an afternoon."
He tapped the Gnosis lightly.
"Saying I'd sell it was simply to make sure you came here.
Willingly."
Everything suddenly aligned.
Rosalyne's face turned pale.
From the beginning—
She was never the hunter.
She was the target.
"Someone like you… You're not serious. You're— You must be joking."
Su Xuan looked genuinely confused.
"What?
You think I don't get to desire things?"
He leaned forward.
Voice low. Even.
"My dear Eighth of the Fatui Harbingers."
You don't get to watch my secrets for free.
His fingers tapped the table — once.
"Since you came to me, you have two choices."
The room chilled.
Even with her Cryo nature — Rosalyne felt cold.
"First."
"You give me a good night.
Then you take Barbatos' Gnosis and go home."
"Second."
"I seal you into a wall in Lisa's underground lab."
"You will not die. You will simply be… stored."
"And I will visit when I feel like it."
A pause.
"Now choose."
Rosalyne:
"...???"
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