The house was modest, tucked away near the lower walls of Mondstadt where the rent was slightly more forgiving. Ren stood before the wooden door, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves. He raised his hand and knocked—three sharp, distinct raps.
There was a pause, then the sound of shuffling feet and a muttered curse. The door creaked open, revealing a young woman with long, dark twintails and large, violet eyes that held a mixture of panic and resignation. She wore a witch's hat that looked slightly too big for her and an outfit that spoke of both elegance and poverty.
"Look, Mr. Goth, I know the rent is technically due today," Mona Megistus began, her voice a rapid-fire defense, "but my column for The Steambird was delayed in transit, and the celestial alignment for financial gain is—"
She stopped, looking down. It wasn't her landlord. It was a child. A boy with glowing azure eyes and messy hair, dressed in fine Liyue silks.
Ren bowed politely. "Hello. I'm Ren."
Mona blinked. "Ren?" Her eyes widened as recognition dawned. "Wait. Ren? The 'Pixie Prince'? The one Fischl won't stop composing epic poems about? And Lumine mentioned a genius inventor from Liyue..."
She looked him up and down, her hydromancy-honed intuition sensing something unusual about his aura immediately. "You're smaller than I imagined. And... brighter."
"It's nice to meet you, Mona," Ren said. "I know you from Lumine and Fischl. They speak very highly of you."
Mona straightened, adjusting her hat, a flush of pride battling with her embarrassment. "Ahem. Yes, well. As the Great Astrologist Mona Megistus, my reputation naturally precedes me." She glanced behind him, checking for an angry landlord. "How can I help you? Are you looking for a divination? My rates are... negotiable."
Ren shook his head. "I need your help with something else. Something... complicated. Can we talk inside?"
Mona hesitated. She glanced back into her apartment. Ren caught a glimpse of the chaos within—stacks of books, scattered star charts, and empty salad bowls.
"It's a bit... lived-in at the moment," she muttered, mentally groaning at the state of her home. I can't even host a guest properly. This is humiliating.
"That's okay," Ren said gently. "I don't mind."
She sighed, stepping back. "Come in, then. Mind the books."
Ren stepped inside. The apartment was indeed messy, a testament to a mind that lived among the stars but struggled with earthly chores. But amidst the clutter, two objects stood out, gleaming and new.
In the corner hummed a sleek Liyue heater, its violet crystal glowing softly. And in the small kitchenette, a pristine white refrigerator sat like a monolith of order.
"Oh, those," Mona said, catching his gaze. A faint smile touched her lips. "Yes. I... saved up. Prioritized them over new lenses this month. The fridge helps me ration food. Salads last much longer now. It's... remarkably effective technology."
She looked at him, realizing who he was. "Wait. You invented those."
"I did," Ren admitted. "I'm glad they help."
"They do," Mona said sincerely. "More than you know."
She cleared a stack of papers off a chair for him and sat on the edge of her bed. "So. Why is the famous inventor knocking on my door? And what can a humble astrologist do for someone who has the ear of the Tianquan?"
Ren sat down, his hands resting on his knees. He looked at her, his expression serious.
"I know how busy you are," he began. "And I know... I technically can't afford the kind of help I need. No amount of mora can buy what I'm asking for. But you're the only one who can help me, so I have to ask."
Mona frowned, sensing the shift in the atmosphere. The boy's aura had changed. The cheerful inventor was gone; in his place was someone carrying a heavy, ancient burden.
"Go on," she said softly.
Ren took a breath and began. He didn't hold back. He told her everything he had told his family in the Jade Chamber. He spoke of the void, the mirrors showing his past as a Fatui experiment. He spoke of his status as an anomaly from another world, his fragmented memories.
Then, he dropped the names that made Mona's blood run cold.
"Nicole Reeyn spoke to me," Ren said. "She told me I am an affront to the concepts of Life and Death. And I met Istaroth... the God of Time. She warned me that I must find my past to stabilize the future."
Mona sat frozen, her violet eyes wide as saucers. Nicole. The Hexenzirkel. The Shades of the Primordial One. This wasn't a consultation; this was a cosmic crisis sitting in her living room.
"You..." she breathed. "You're serious."
"I am," Ren said.
Mona stared at him. "Why tell me? I'm a stranger. This is... dangerous knowledge. Information that could get you hunted by the Fatui, or worse."
Ren looked at her, his gaze unwavering. "Because I trust you. Lumine trusts you, and she's the best judge of character I know. And... I think I'm a pretty good judge too."
He looked down, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "And... if I want your help... wouldn't it be good to show some trust first?"
Mona looked at the blushing boy. He looked so vulnerable, so earnest. A surge of protective affection, entirely unbidden, rose in her chest. Oh, Archons, he is adorable.
"You really know how to disarm a girl," she murmured, a small smile appearing.
Ren looked up, his eyes intense again. "I need to contact Barbeloth Trismegistus. Your master. She's an elder of the Hexenzirkel. She might know why Nicole spoke to me. She might know how to find the memories Irminsul hid."
He clenched his hands into fists on his lap. "Please, Mona. Can you help me reach her?"
Mona looked at his white knuckles. She saw the fear behind the bravery. She sighed, running a hand through her hair.
"The Old Hag..." she muttered. "Contacting her is... tricky. She's elusive. Stubborn. And she hates being bothered."
She looked at Ren. "I can try. I have a method... a scrying ritual using my hydromancy. I can send a message through the stars."
She held up a hand. "But listen to me, Ren. Whether she actually answers... whether she decides to turn up or just laugh at me... that is not in my hands. The witches of the Hexenzirkel do as they please."
"I understand," Ren said. "Just trying... is enough."
Mona nodded decisively. "Alright. I will perform the ritual tonight, when the stars are highest. It might take a few days for a response to manifest."
She stood up, offering him a hand. "Go back to the Knights. Rest. Wait for me to contact you."
Ren stood, relief washing over him. "Thank you, Mona."
"Don't thank me yet," she said. She walked him to the door. Before he stepped out, she placed a hand on his shoulder.
"And Ren?" she said, her voice firm. "If you need anything else... food, a place to hide, or just someone to explain why the stars are laughing at us... don't hesitate to come by. Okay?"
She smiled, a genuine, warm expression that transformed her face. "Just like I am Lumine's friend... I am your friend now, too."
Ren beamed at her. "Okay. I'll remember that."
He stepped out into the evening light, leaving Mona alone with her cluttered room and a task that terrified and thrilled her in equal measure. She looked at her scrying bowl.
"Well, Old Hag," she whispered to the empty room. "You better answer this one. It sounds important."