It was true: those who managed to become Fatui Harbingers were never pure-hearted individuals. The genius was the most dangerous of them all, simply because his loyalties were the most fluid. Others might hesitate to betray Snezhnaya, constrained by the fear of pursuit, divine retribution, or the safety of their families. He, however, would turn his back without a second thought, provided the price was right. In certain lights, he was even more dangerous than Dottore.
Arlecchino watched Su Ran and Rosalyne depart, lost in thought. If the genius could be brought to their side for nothing more than a simple payout, it was a clear indication that his ambitions ran deep. After all, outside of providing Mora, the Fatui had nothing to offer that would truly serve his ultimate agenda. But what exactly was that goal?
"An intriguing man. You've successfully caught my attention."
It was a pity Arlecchino wasn't reading from a dragon monarch script. Though, as it happened, there was a dragon monarch in her homeland. Since Su Ran mentioned he would eventually head to Fontaine for an evaluation, she had better start making her own preparations.
"Strange... as an outlander, he isn't from Teyvat. How could he possibly be so familiar with literature from Inazuma while having stayed in Snezhnaya all this time?"
Puzzled, Arlecchino returned to the House of the Hearth. Inazuman light novels were generally favored by the youth. Perhaps some of the children in the House of the Hearth would have an interest in them; she might find her answers through them.
——————
Inside the headquarters of the Knights of Favonius in Mondstadt, a blonde knight stared at the letter in her hands, her expression one of deep distress. Beside her stood a violet-clad witch with a languid air.
"Sigh..."
Having assumed the role of Acting Grand Master, Jean was utterly exhausted, both in body and spirit. Not long ago, Dvalin, one of the Four Winds and the Dragon of the East, had awakened. This should have been a cause for celebration for Mondstadt, as he was the companion of the Anemo Archon, Barbatos. Unfortunately, ever since he had woken up, the dragon had fallen into a state of madness, launching periodic raids on Mondstadt and leaving a trail of disasters in his wake. He had even been branded with the title of Stormterror.
Yet, there was still no sign of Barbatos. The Knights of Favonius lacked the strength to stop Dvalin, leaving Mondstadt to suffer through the dragon's cycle of destruction time and time again.
And things were about to get worse. Upon learning the news, Snezhnaya announced they would be dispatching two diplomats to provide necessary protection to Mondstadt. It was dubbed protection, but everyone knew it was merely a pretext to station troops in the city and seize greater control. It was an obvious ploy, yet they couldn't refuse. The Fatui had actually brought supplies with them. Jean could say no to their soldiers, but she couldn't say no to the aid. Mondstadt desperately needed those resources to recover; without them, the city would be paralyzed for a long time to come.
It was a blatant trap, and yet she was forced to walk right into it. Her close friend Lisa, the librarian of the Knights of Favonius, was well aware of Jean's dilemma and confusion. Even she had no solution. The Knights of Favonius might be able to object, but the citizens of Mondstadt could not. Because of the dragon crisis, their trade routes with Liyue had been cut off, and they couldn't survive much longer on dwindling reserves. The two women in the office had already reached their decision, though neither had dared to say it aloud.
"I hear the two Harbingers arriving are titled Signora and Genius. Do you have any leads on them, Lisa?"
Jean looked toward her friend. With the Grand Master leading most of the Knights of Favonius on an expedition, Mondstadt was at its most vulnerable. If the Fatui found an opening now, she feared they wouldn't be able to drive them out even after the Grand Master returned.
"I'd wager Signora is a lady, and the genius is quite a clever person!" Lisa winked at Jean.
The jest failed to amuse, earning her nothing but a roll of Jean's eyes.
"This isn't funny. The Genius... he joined the Fatui as a Harbinger only recently. I heard he killed the previous Second Seat."
Dottore possessed many segments, but that was hardly public knowledge. To most of the world, the original Second Seat was dead. As for why the other Harbinger rankings had shifted, nobody knew the truth. What was certain, however, was that a ruthless player had entered the game, and he was about to arrive in Mondstadt. The thought left Jean incredibly tense. If someone that terrifying appeared in the city, what would the consequences be?
"Isn't that a good thing? I've heard the previous Second Seat was a villain who committed all sorts of atrocities."
Compared to Jean's anxieties, Lisa remained optimistic. Everyone could see the Fatui were planning something massive; they wouldn't have dispatched Harbingers across all of Teyvat otherwise.
"Mondstadt is currently at its weakest. If they only wanted to station troops, there was no need to send the Second Seat, let alone two Harbingers at once."
Yet here they were, including one of the highest-ranking officers. Did they truly value Mondstadt that much? If so, why not look on the bright side? Perhaps the Second Seat was just passing through. Maybe, in this instance, Lisa's lighthearted musings would actually come true.
——————
"Rosalyne, I want to go see foxes!"
Traveling leisurely toward Mondstadt in Signora's wake, Su Ran felt incredibly bored.
"Foxes? What foxes? There aren't any foxes in Mondstadt!" Signora frowned. Snezhnaya had snow foxes, but Mondstadt lacked such fauna.
"Mondstadt might not have them, but Inazuma does. I heard there's a pink-haired fox there. I want to go have a look."
Su Ran looked toward the snowy mountains in the distance. If his memory served him right, following the path past Dragonspine and crossing the ocean would lead straight to Inazuma.
"..."
You're on your first mission and you're already planning to go AWOL? As a Harbinger, couldn't you at least set a decent example for everyone else? Signora glared at him, grinding her teeth. "Didn't we agree you were coming to Mondstadt with me?"
"What's so fun about the starter zone? That bard in the green hat and cape, the one begging for wine in the tavern all day, is the Anemo Archon. You can just find a chance to snatch his heart out. I want to go see the pink fox." Su Ran waved his hand dismissively.
Weren't Venti's feelings toward Signora filled with guilt? As long as she didn't harm the people of Mondstadt, he would surely endure whatever she did.