The sky gradually darkened.
A gentle breeze swept across the wilderness, where a bonfire burned brightly, illuminating the surroundings.
Lumine held skewers of meat over the flames, roasting them.
Fat dripped from the meat, glistening golden under the firelight.
Lumine was no delicate maiden. Though many memories eluded her, she had ample travel experience—grilling meat was child's play for her.
The savory aroma made Paimon clutch her stomach, groaning with hunger.
"I'm so hungry… feels like my stomach's about to cave in."
"Just wait a little longer," Lumine said.
"Mmm!"
Paimon could endure a bit more.
As she grilled the meat, Lumine was lost in thought.
Based on the natural environment and specific flora, Paimon deduced they were in the nation of Mondstadt.
The environment was pleasant, with a constant breeze. Even at night, it wasn't overly chilly.
Thanks to that, despite camping outdoors for days, neither of them had fallen ill from the night winds.
Their robust constitutions probably played a part too.
"I wonder how long it'll take to reach Mondstadt City?" Lumine mused aloud.
"It shouldn't be much longer!"
Paimon perked up, trying to distract herself with conversation.
The wilderness was far less comfortable than the city. Resources were limited, and wild animals were highly alert. Sleeping rough wasn't enjoyable.
Paimon scratched her head. "If we follow this road, we should spot a Statue of the Seven soon. Once we find it, I'll know the right path!"
"After we eat, we'll rest and set off tomorrow. Hopefully, we'll find the Statue you mentioned."
To Lumine, Paimon was at least a somewhat competent guide.
She knew nothing of this world, but Paimon was well-informed.
As the saying goes, even a fool can teach a wise man something.
"The meat's ready. Try it!"
They had no seasonings, so the grilled meat wasn't particularly flavorful.
But it was enough to fill their stomachs. In the wild, one couldn't afford to be picky.
Night had fallen.
The lights of Liyue Harbor glowed warmly, like candlelight.
After dinner, Tartaglia strolled toward the Northland Bank, stretching his shoulders.
Life was good.
With his mission accomplished, he had nothing but free time now.
If things had gone as fate originally intended, he'd still be nursing injuries… but now?
"Nothing beats a leisurely life like this, right, Froggy?"
Croak!
The Electro Frog on his shoulder chirped in agreement, its demeanor unusually docile.
"Hahaha, I knew you'd agree!"
Tartaglia grinned, though a hint of melancholy crept in.
"But I'm not someone who enjoys peace and quiet too much…"
As a warrior—one with ambition—Tartaglia craved strength!
Cards were a shortcut to power, and he wasn't so old-fashioned as to reject them.
But what truly thrilled him was battling strong opponents.
A shame, really.
Tartaglia was beginning to understand the loneliness of standing at the pinnacle.
He couldn't beat Zhongli yet, but once his funds came through and he went all-in, even the Geo Archon would be no match for him.
Thinking about it… there weren't many left in Teyvat who could challenge him.
The thought was bittersweet.
But as a young man, he wasn't one to dwell on such things. He quickly shook off the mood.
As he reached the Northland Bank's entrance, he spotted Manager Andrei.
Andrei's face was smeared with blood, his clothes torn in multiple places.
The wounds bore signs of Electro burns, charred black in spots.
Supported by others, he looked pale and weak, coughing violently.
"What happened?!"
Tartaglia rushed forward, swiftly swapping the cards on his Vision.
A fourth-tier healing spell washed over Andrei, significantly improving his condition in an instant.
Cough cough… "Lord Tartaglia…"
Andrei could barely stand.
"Don't rush. Inside, explain slowly!" Tartaglia gestured.
The Fatui agents helped Andrei into the bank.
Once seated, Tartaglia continued healing him while questioning,
"Weren't you escorting the convoy? What happened?"
For a diplomatic mission to have top priority, the team needed a high-ranking figure.
Andrei, as the bank's manager, wasn't high-ranking enough—but he carried Tartaglia's insignia, representing an elite Fatui Harbinger.
That was sufficient.
Originally, Andrei was supposed to accompany the convoy at least until it crossed the border before returning to Liyue Harbor.
But now…
Seeing Andrei's injuries, it was clear something had gone wrong.
Cough… "Lord Tartaglia…"
Andrei spoke haltingly, shamefaced.
"The convoy… was ambushed!"
"Ambushed?!"
Tartaglia shot to his feet, disbelief etched on his face.
The Fatui's diplomatic convoy, traveling on an official road, had been attacked?
Who dared?!
This was an outright provocation!
"Explain. Clearly." Tartaglia's expression darkened.
The convoy carried the Gnosis!
If it were just ordinary goods, Tartaglia wouldn't care beyond the Fatui's reputation.
But if the Gnosis was lost…
His eyes burned with fury.
Andrei, as the bank manager, had a Vision and two fourth-tier cards Tartaglia had given him, along with several third-tier ones.
Why?
To ensure the convoy's safety!
Yet now, a team led by a fourth-tier combatant had been wiped out?!
"This is what happened…"
Andrei recounted the events.
Normally, returning to Snezhnaya from Liyue by ship was the most convenient option.
But compared to automobiles, ships were slow.
Fortunately, the official roads across nations were well-maintained, and local authorities regularly cleared them of monsters, ensuring relative safety.
For efficiency's sake, Andrei's team had raised diplomatic flags and driven back to Snezhnaya!
The vehicles were fast—on Liyue's roads, they could average eighty kilometers per hour without issue.
Before departure, they'd stocked extra fuel.
Alongside the Fatui convoy, a contingent of Millelith escorted them in stages.
The journey had been uneventful.
But ten minutes after crossing the border, the lead vehicle hit a mine!
An explosion erupted, flipping the vehicle and bringing the entire convoy to a halt.
"Then… a shadow appeared. It moved too fast—none of us could react…"
Andrei, carrying the Gnosis for safety, had hidden under a truck during the chaos.
Tartaglia frowned, studying Andrei.
The manager's eyes were clear—he didn't seem to be lying.
Though Andrei had cards, he wasn't a fighter.
"That shadow was clearly searching for something… Most of our team was either severely injured or knocked unconscious… I tried calling you from under the truck, but I was discovered immediately!"
Knowing he stood no chance, Andrei fired off an attack skill and fled.
But the assailant was faster.
In an instant, they intercepted Andrei.
A surge of Electro slashed at him, leaving multiple wounds like blades.
The attacker found the Gnosis on Andrei, took it, then kicked him into nearby bushes.
Before leaving, they crushed every phone in the convoy.
"Bastard!"
Tartaglia's face twisted into a snarl.
"Did you get a good look at them?"
"...No."
Andrei shook his head weakly.
"They were masked. Never spoke a word. And their disguise… was utterly plain."
"No distinguishing features?" Tartaglia's frown deepened.
This was premeditated.
They'd known the Gnosis was in the convoy and targeted it.
But here was the question:
In this era, aside from the Tsaritsa and the Fatui… who else would want a Gnosis?
To most, it was useless—just a fancy paperweight!
Only major factions like the Fatui could utilize it.
Tartaglia racked his brain…
The Knights of Favonius? Unlikely. They had no need.
Liyue's Qixing? Impossible! Though he hadn't disclosed the cargo, Zhongli must've informed them.
That's why they'd been waved through checkpoints without inspection.
The Gnosis was a gift from Liyue's Archon—why would they steal it back?
After much deliberation, Tartaglia couldn't pinpoint any suspect organization.
The only one with motive was… the Fatui themselves!
Because in this world, only the Fatui coveted Gnoses!
But he was a Harbinger!
Would his own people rob him?
It made no sense!
"Wait, Lord Tartaglia!"
Andrei suddenly remembered something.
"They were short!"
"Judging by their chest, likely male. But their height was lacking!"
"Likely male… and short?" Tartaglia's frown deepened.
"Could you guess their age?"
Andrei shook his head.
The attacker's disguise was thorough.
Aside from their height—a hard trait to mask—nothing stood out.
"Electro user?"
Tartaglia's brow furrowed further.
He waved a hand. "Go rest and recover."
Once Andrei was gone, Tartaglia pulled out his phone and dialed Arlecchino.
"What is it?"
"You're the intel expert. How many Electro users fit this description: short, likely male?" Tartaglia's voice was grim.
"Not many. Trouble?"
"The Gnosis was stolen."
"Stolen?"
Arlecchino sounded surprised, though not entirely shocked.
Tartaglia was somewhat careless outside of combat.
"Right. Your House of the Hearth has intel networks across nations. Help me investigate!"
He relayed the details.
The House operated in all seven nations, though its presence in Liyue was weaker—most orphans were taken in by the adepti.
"Can't promise results."
Arlecchino wasn't being difficult—the task was simply too vague.
Like finding a needle in a haystack.
"I'll have the children do their best. That's all."
She hung up.
Though the young Harbinger often clashed with her, he had no choice but to rely on her now.
Arlecchino, more mature, didn't dwell on it.
Instead, she pondered:
"Who would dare attack the Fatui? And destroy the phones to prevent Andrei from alerting Tartaglia?"
Clearly, the thief wanted to escape before Tartaglia—a near-godlike fighter—could give chase.
But why?
The Gnosis was useless to most.
The only ones with motive were the Fatui themselves!
Yet it was the Fatui who'd been robbed!
Arlecchino picked up her phone and sent a message to the House's group chat.
After phones became available, she'd gotten them for all her children—not just in Fontaine, but across Teyvat.
It made communication easier.
As for whether transmitting intel via calls or texts was secure…
Arlecchino doubted Venti would care.
"If only we had the Skyward Mirror…" Tartaglia muttered irritably.
With it, they could rewind time and witness the theft firsthand.
Perhaps then, they'd spot more clues to narrow down suspects.
"Lord Tartaglia, the news is out. The Qixing already know," a Fatui agent reported.
"Understood."
Tartaglia's face was stony.
The attack had happened near Liyue's border—the Qixing likely knew before he did.
The thief had waited until the convoy left Liyue to strike… clearly wary of the nation.
"Heh."
Tartaglia couldn't be bothered with blame games now.
His lips curled into a vicious snarl.
"Better hope I never find you."
Fury simmered with no outlet.
Tartaglia vented via social media.
[Tartaglia]:
To the bastard who stole my cargo—
Pray we never meet.
Like a dog sniffing for scraps, you took what even fools wouldn't want. Planning to shove it up your—?
You think you're worthy of it?
You're nothing. A scrawny little rat. I'll—
(The rest is too explicit to translate.)
Ten seconds after posting, his phone rang.
[The Tsaritsa – My Glorious Benefactor]
Tartaglia's heart leaped to his throat.
Hand trembling, he answered—holding the phone far from his ear.
But instead of the expected roar, her voice was as icy as ever…
No.
Softer.
"I've been informed. Do not act rashly. This matter will be resolved."
"Your Majesty…"
Tartaglia's voice cracked.
Though her tone was cold, her words were gentle.
"This was my failure!"
He admitted his fault—he should've escorted the Gnosis personally, not lingered in Liyue's revelry.
"Your Majesty, I swear—I'll make this right!"
"Good."
The call ended.
Tartaglia's expression turned glacial.
"Electro user."
"Youthful build."
Dark purple annihilation energy swirled in his palm.
"What isn't yours will never be, no matter how you steal it."
"Wait in fear."
"When I find you…"
A cruel grin split his face.
Tartaglia never claimed to be a good man.
He was the Tsaritsa's sharpest blade.
For his goals, he'd resort to any means.
Dare to steal from him?
There will be hell to pay.
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T/N:
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