A trace of embarrassment flickered across her face, tangled with something harder to name: bitter frustration.
"Very good."
The Pyro Agent's smile widened as he studied the Electro Cicin Mage standing before him, his tone carrying that familiar, mocking ease. "You succeeded, just as I knew you would."
He stepped forward slowly, black boots ringing against stone with deliberate weight.
"Mondstadt is in chaos now. The Knights of Favonius will lock down every street, every corner, and they'll never find you."
The Agent's smile deepened, almost theatrical. "Don't worry. Mondstadt has no evidence. Even if they suspect us, they won't find a single thread to pull."
He paused, then asked with calm, controlled interest, "So... where is the Sky Lyre?"
A flicker of hunger lit in his eyes, excitement bleeding into his voice. "You've hidden it well, haven't you? Tell me, where?"
The air in the room seemed to thicken, heat pressing in from all sides.
Every Fatui operative present turned toward the Cicin Mage, waiting.
But then—against every expectation
The Cicin Mage let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh.
She lowered her head. "My lord... I didn't succeed."
The air froze.
Firelight danced across the Pyro Agent's face as his expression darkened in an instant, the smile still half-formed on his lips.
His pupils contracted. "...What?"
His voice dropped, warmth draining away like water through a broken dam.
The three Fatui elites standing nearby stiffened, shock rippling across their faces.
They knew what was happening outside. Mondstadt was in uproar. The Knights had been mobilized. Every sign pointed to mission success.
And yet now, the Cicin Mage was saying she had failed?
Impossible.
The Pyro Agent's face turned colder with each passing second, his gaze sharpening into something lethal.
He locked eyes with her, his tone a razor's edge. "...Are you joking with me?"
He stepped closer, each footfall heavy with menace. "If you didn't succeed, then why is the entire Knights of Favonius on high alert? Why the city-wide lockdown?"
His voice dropped to a whisper laced with venom. "Unless... you're trying to keep the Sky Lyre for yourself?"
The room plunged into absolute silence.
Fire elemental energy began to shimmer around the Agent's body, heat rolling off him in waves. The threat was unmistakable.
The Cicin Mage's face went pale. Cold dread coiled in her chest.
She shook her head frantically. "My lord! I would never—how could I do something like that?!"
"I saw the Sky Lyre... but then—it vanished! Just... disappeared!"
Her jaw clenched as she recalled the moment, face twisting. "I was right there, meters from the altar. I'd timed the patrol perfectly—one more step and I could have taken it and left. But in those few seconds... it was just gone."
"I was stunned. I'd seen it with my own eyes only moments before."
"And worse—someone hit me. From behind. Hard. A hand, maybe—strong enough to nearly knock me forward."
"I spun around immediately. Nothing. No one. Not even a trace of elemental energy."
Her fists clenched, voice shaking with anger and fear. "It was like someone invisible struck me and took the lyre at the exact same moment."
"They got there first. And they hit me just to rub it in."
Dead silence filled the room.
The Pyro Agent's eyes narrowed to slits, searching her face for any sign of deception.
But he found none.
Her expression radiated genuine fury and bewilderment. She truly had no idea what had happened.
And the blow to the back of her head—that was the strangest part.
This operative was agile. That's why he'd recruited her from another region specifically for this mission.
The Agent's eyes narrowed further, his mind racing. "...You're saying it vanished into thin air?"
The Cicin Mage nodded fiercely. "Yes! Like someone…like it was stolen by an invisible hand!"
His face grew darker still, head tilting back slightly as he murmured, "...When did Mondstadt acquire someone like that?"
A cold unease stirred in his chest.
Someone had moved while they were acting. Someone had taken the Sky Lyre out from under them.
And slapped the Cicin Mage on their way out.
Without leaving a trace. Without elemental signature.
Who?
The firelight flickered, casting his face in shadow.
Then—
Knock knock knock!
Urgent pounding shattered the tense quiet.
A servant burst through the door, breathless and pale,礼仪 abandoned in his haste. "My lord! The Knights of Favonius have surrounded the embassy!"
"They have a search warrant—they're demanding entry!"
The atmosphere snapped taut as a drawn bowstring.
The Cicin Mage's face went white. She stood rigid, panic flashing in her eyes.
She turned instinctively toward the Pyro Agent, voice trembling. "How did they move so fast?!"
The Knights' response time was far beyond what she'd anticipated. Even with the Grand Acting Master mobilizing forces, it shouldn't have been possible to reach them this quickly.
How?
Had Mondstadt somehow gained the ability to track their movements in real time?
The other Fatui operatives exchanged uneasy glances, tension coiling through the room.
But the Pyro Agent
He didn't flinch.
He remained perfectly still, and then his lips curled into a cold, knowing smile.
"Heh... so they've come knocking already?"
He let out a derisive laugh, adjusting the crimson folds of his coat with casual precision. "It seems the Knights of Favonius are more efficient than I gave them credit for."
He strode toward the door, voice dropping to ice. "Cicin Mage—stay hidden. Don't show your face."
She hesitated. "My lord, what will you do?"
"What else?"
He pushed the door open, his final words echoing through the chamber:
"They have no proof. We didn't steal anything."
"We're clean. What is there to fear?"
He walked out without looking back, ascending from the underground chamber and stepping into the night.
Outside, the Knights of Favonius had formed a perimeter around the Snezhnayan embassy, weapons drawn and ready.
The Pyro Agent emerged into the cool night air, lifting his chin to survey the line of armored soldiers.
His mouth curved into a contemptuous smirk.
No panic. No fear. Only mockery.
"What's this? Has Mondstadt's hospitality devolved into drawn blades?"
His voice was smooth, unhurried, laced with amusement that made the Knights' faces harden.
The lead knight glared at him, voice cold and firm. "Chaimenhuofu. The Cathedral has been robbed. We have reason to believe the suspect is hiding within your embassy. Under Mondstadt law, we have the right to search the premises."
"Search?"
The Agent raised an eyebrow, arms crossing over his chest. His grin sharpened.
"Heh... since when does Mondstadt law supersede the sovereignty of a Snezhnayan diplomatic mission?"
He took another step forward, looming over the knight with theatrical disdain.
"Without the consent of the Snezhnayan envoy, any unauthorized entry into this embassy is an act of disrespect to Snezhnaya itself."
His smile turned dangerous. "Are you certain you want to proceed?"
The Knights' faces darkened. Hands tightened on sword hilts. Some of the younger soldiers flushed red with anger.
They knew the embassy wasn't ordinary ground. Barging in could trigger an international incident.
But—
The stolen relic was the Sky Lyre. The Cathedral's sacred treasure.
This couldn't be ignored.
One young knight bit out, "Don't hide behind excuses! The Sky Lyre is missing, and we've tracked the suspect's trail—it ends right here, at your embassy!"
"If you're innocent, let us search. Otherwise, you're only proving your guilt!"
The other Knights nodded in agreement, gripping their weapons tighter, poised to act.
The Pyro Agent's gaze turned glacial.
He glanced at the young knight with slow, deliberate contempt, then smiled—cruel and thin.
"Heh... slander without evidence. How... knightly."
"Where's your proof?" His tone turned venomous. "Can you prove it was one of us? Or has the Knights of Favonius abandoned even the pretense of law? Will you now accuse a sovereign nation's diplomats on baseless suspicion alone?"
"Where's your Grand Acting Master? Bring her here."
"This isn't a decision for small fry like you."
He emphasized the insult deliberately, voice dripping with scorn.
The young knight's face flushed crimson, fists trembling. He nearly drew his blade.
But the senior knights beside him held him back. They couldn't afford to act rashly. Procedure mattered.
As the standoff intensified, the commotion began to draw curious citizens from nearby homes.
"What's going on?"
"Why are the Knights mobilized at this hour?"
"Did something happen?"
Whispers spread quickly. Soon, word began to leak:
"The Cathedral was robbed!"
The murmur exploded into outrage.
"What?! The Cathedral?!"
"Who would dare?!"
"It's the Fatui—I knew those Snezhnayans couldn't be trusted!"
"They even stole from the Cathedral—unforgivable!"
The crowd's anger swelled. Some citizens began shouting insults toward the embassy.
The Pyro Agent's face darkened, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes.
These fools...
He wanted to burn them all where they stood.
But he held back. Now wasn't the time.
He inhaled slowly, suppressing his fury, then spoke with icy calm:
"You want to search? Fine."
"Send someone with authority."
"Otherwise..."
His smile turned predatory. "This will become a diplomatic incident."
The tension crackled. Both sides stood on the brink.
The lead knight made the call. "Report to Grand Acting Master Jean immediately!"
Meanwhile, across the city
At the tavern. Second floor.
Lumine glanced at the empty seat beside her, scratching her head. "That's weird... where's Venti? He said he'd meet us here after we got it."
Kael Archlight smiled faintly, pulling the Sky Lyre from within his coat. "He'll show. Here—our deal is complete."
"Yes!" Lumine's face lit up as she accepted the lyre with both hands, eyes shining.
This is what the Anemo Archon used?
Once she helped Venti with this, she'd become Kael's assistant. They'd travel together.
The thought made her grin.
At that moment, a translucent panel materialized before Kael, text scrolling across his vision:
[Faced with the Trailblazer's request, you chose equivalent exchange. You shared everything about the Stellaron and generously offered to accept payment later—leaving the Trailblazer shocked at how much you know.]
[Congratulations! You have received Option Three Reward: Trailblazer's Destruction Path Ultimate — Stardust Ace. Upon use, unleash a devastating strike imbued with cosmic force.]
A torrent of power surged into Kael's body like a dam breaking.
For an instant, he saw it, a vision of infinite starlight and a strike that cleaved the heavens, obliterating everything in its path with annihilating Destruction energy.
His breath caught.
"Incredible..."
Heat flooded his veins, raw and overwhelming, filling him with a sensation beyond words.