The Fatui Harbinger Pantalone removed his glasses, staring blankly as the leaders of Liyue's Seven Stars and Eight Bureaus bowed respectfully to the Prince of Snezhnaya.
For a moment, his mind went completely blank.
The Prince now stood on equal footing with the Geo Archon—and even held authority over the Seven Stars and Eight Bureaus.
Didn't that mean his old nemeses—Ningguang, Yelan, and the rest—had effectively become his colleagues?
Taking the thought even further…
Didn't this mean all of Liyue was on the verge of becoming Snezhnaya's back garden, with resources and wealth flowing endlessly northward?
Yet the next words he heard shattered that fantasy.
"Compared to the boredom of the Regent's seat," Severin said indifferently,
"I'm more interested in tasting the wine Lady Ningguang has prepared tonight."
Ningguang and Keqing exchanged glances, both spotting the same trace of surprise in each other's eyes.
This Prince of Snezhnaya showed no interest whatsoever in the title of Regent.
And this was Liyue's regency—
a position in no way inferior to Snezhnaya's princely rank.
Ningguang's mind raced.
A possibility quickly formed:
Rex Lapis and the Prince had not reached a full agreement. The regent title might have been Liyue's unilateral goodwill—one the Prince had no intention of accepting.
If that were the case, the Seven Stars and Eight Bureaus were now in an awkward position.
The Archon had acknowledged Severin—so they were forced to acknowledge him as well. Every prior plan aimed against the Prince had become void.
Fortunately, his attitude seemed mild. Communication might be possible.
But people like him were often the hardest to read.
"The dishes from Wanmin Restaurant are excellent," Severin remarked casually as he ate, offering commentary from time to time.
Standing behind Ningguang, Baishi was secretly stunned.
So the unfamiliar man she had seen beside Zhongli backstage at the auction—
was the Prince of Snezhnaya himself.
No wonder his presence had felt no weaker than Zhongli's.
Seeing Severin's cup empty, Baishi moved to pour wine—but Ningguang stepped in and filled it personally.
Not just Baishi, but Keqing and the others were all momentarily dumbfounded.
Whether internal gatherings or foreign receptions, Ningguang—Liyue's de facto leader—never lowered herself to pour wine for others.
Yet now, she was playing the role of host herself.
The reason became clear almost instantly.
Though Severin had not explicitly accepted the regency, Rex Lapis had already approved it. At any moment, the Prince could become their direct superior.
Even if he declined, he remained the Archon's chosen candidate.
Who would dare show disrespect?
Moreover, this only proved Ningguang's greatest strength—
she knew when to rise, and when to bend.
"Pantalone," Severin said calmly.
"Eat."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Pantalone felt as though he were dreaming.
Ningguang—Liyue's greatest rival to the Fatui—pouring wine personally for the Prince?
That privilege had once belonged to Rex Lapis alone.
If word of this spread back to Snezhnaya, it would shake the nation.
This was Tianquan Ningguang—her intellect rivaled even the Fatui Harbingers. And yet, she had lowered her proud head before the Prince.
"Lady Ningguang," Severin continued,
"have everyone eat. What—are you all not hungry?"
Ningguang nodded gracefully.
"You heard His Highness."
Taking the lead, she lifted her chopsticks. The rest followed.
"Prince of Snezhnaya," she said, raising her cup,
"you've personally come to Liyue. Tonight's welcome banquet may be modest, but it is offered with sincerity."
"The Three Bowls Without Crossing liquor," Severin said after drinking,
"lacks Mondstadt's fragrance, but its depth and strength far surpass any wine from their vineyards."
Ningguang and Keqing were both puzzled.
One bite of food, and he knew it came from Wanmin Restaurant.
One sip of wine, and he recognized its origin.
He had never been to Liyue—so how did he know it so well?
Their first thought was intelligence penetration.
Yet many past Fatui operations in Liyue had been thwarted by the Millelith, proving Snezhnaya's information network was not omniscient.
Then another idea surfaced—
Had the Prince once traveled incognito through Liyue?
As the two speculated wildly, Severin spoke again.
"Lady Ningguang," he said coolly,
"I can see that everyone here is uneasy. If you have questions—things you wish to ask, say, or know—you may speak freely."
"But first," he added,
"let my people start."
His gaze suddenly turned sharp, settling on Pantalone.
Under that pressure, Pantalone instinctively rose from his seat, eyes lowered.
"Your Highness… what would you like to know?"
"Before coming to Liyue," Severin said evenly,
"you told me you had prepared a foolproof plan to deal with the Seven Stars."
Pantalone raised his head, glanced around the table, and asked cautiously,
"Shall I disclose it… in front of them?"
Severin said nothing, calmly continuing to eat.
He picked up a strip of fresh tripe and dipped it into the bubbling hotpot, thick with chili oil.
The sea voyage to Liyue had left him nauseous and hollow. Faced with Liyue's cuisine, he was finally indulging.
Yet to Pantalone—who knew him well—this quiet meal felt like an indifferent interrogation.
The pressure doubled instantly. Sweat soaked into his temples.
"Y–Your Highness… as you know, my long-term objective has always been to replace Liyue with Snezhnaya as the heart of the world's currency."
"To control the heartbeat—
and thereby the economic lifelines of the other six nations."
Ningguang and Keqing both held their breath.
Liyue feared brute force least—no enemy was stronger than Rex Lapis.
What truly threatened them was economic warfare.
And among the Fatui Harbingers, the most dangerous in this domain was Pantalone.
Refined. Gentle-voiced. Seemingly harmless.
Yet the Northland Bank, under his control, had crushed countless Liyue money houses and become the largest bank in the region—something even the Seven Stars could not stop.
Now, hearing his words, their expressions hardened.
His ambition wasn't wealth.
It was Liyue's foundation—
The right to mint currency.
Everyone knew that the Golden House was the only place in Teyvat where Mora was produced and issued.
Whoever controlled minting
controlled monetary supremacy.
"To achieve this," Pantalone continued,
"I intended to initiate a large-scale counterfeit Mora plan to undermine Liyue's economic base."
"The first step involved acquiring vast quantities of gold and Cor Lapis from The Chasm—through mining and purchase—then…"
At this point, Pantalone hesitated.
What followed clearly involved deeply sensitive matters.
He looked toward Severin, seeking approval.
"It's fine," Severin said calmly.
"Continue."
"Yes, Your Highness."
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