In her past, she had been just like this.
Rostam, busy with the affairs of the Knights, while she sang for the weary citizens. In those moments, he would always reward her with a smile.
But the past was the past, buried like the earth scorched by the Crimson Flame, never to grow life again.
*Creak.*
The sound of the door opening pulled Rosalyne from her memories.
She turned her head. As she expected, it was the man who had defeated her. He was holding a tray of food, and it looked as if he had prepared it himself.
Rosalyne made no move to accept it, instead asking coldly, "Why didn't you kill me? Are you planning to recruit me? Heh. When have you ever seen a Fatui Harbinger surrender?"
Her silver eyes were filled with a sharp, repelling frost.
Su Han understood her vigilance was high. "La Signora died in Mondstadt City," he stated plainly. "I've already announced the news. Her belongings have been collected as spoils of war. The Fatui Harbinger from Snezhnaya has paid the price for her attack on Mondstadt."
"You… do you have any idea what you're saying?!"
Rosalyne felt the situation was absurd. She was clearly alive and well, yet he was claiming she was dead? And he had announced it to everyone?
No, wait. She immediately grasped the key to the problem.
She looked at Su Han with a complicated expression and snorted. "Do you think I'm a little girl who will fall for such tricks? Either kill me, or I *will* run the moment my injuries are healed."
"If you truly wanted to die, you should have chosen death five hundred years ago when the Crimson Flame consumed you, not clung to life for so long," Su Han countered, his voice cutting. "The power of a Witch is strong, but the more you use it, the more your life is like a candle, slowly burning down to the wick. Am I wrong?"
"Heh. You've certainly done your research. Oh, that's right… I remember Mondstadt has another Witch, doesn't it? The one those old fools at the Akademiya called a genius?"
At the mention of Lisa, Rosalyne's eyes filled with contempt. *Who wasn't a genius once?*
"She is. But Lisa has already repaired the flaw in her body and is slowly returning to normal. And haven't you noticed? Your own body hasn't been lashing out at you, either. My power can suppress the Crimson Flame within you."
Hearing Su Han's words, Rosalyne's body trembled. *My body… could it be… he did this?*
She paused, then said with a desolate air, "So what if you sealed my power? My life has already reached its end. You're just wasting your effort. Even the Cryo Tsaritsa had no way of fixing my body."
Five hundred years ago, after Rostam's death, she had fallen completely into madness, using the power of the Crimson Flame without a care for the consequences. In the end, she had become a candle in the wind, liable to be snuffed out at any moment.
With the power of the Witch sealed, she was just a cripple. And she wouldn't live for long. The damage to her body wouldn't just disappear. She knew the power of the Crimson Flame better than anyone.
Su Han smiled. "Don't always talk about the Archons. In my memory, you held the Seven in nothing but contempt. Alright, I'll stop teasing you. I gave you a treasure that can greatly extend your lifespan. Living for another thousand years shouldn't be a problem. Although the Crimson Flame has caused irreparable damage, as long as you cultivate diligently from now on, your body can be restored."
"What did you say? Something that can extend my life by a thousand years? Don't be ridiculous! We are enemies! An enemy who has tried to kill you time and time again!"
Rosalyne couldn't believe him. If he had such a treasure, why would he use it on her? Wasn't he afraid she would betray him?
"You can close your eyes and feel it for yourself. I was originally planning to use that item for alchemy, but who asked you all to cause trouble? I could only take a part of it and give it to you. The good news is, there were no side effects. As for why I saved you... trading one treasure for a top-tier expert? I think it's a very cost-effective deal. After all, Mondstadt is severely lacking in top-tier masters."
Faced with Su Han's explanation, Rosalyne fell silent for a moment, then closed her eyes.
Although she couldn't use her power, her senses were still there. Her vision fell into darkness.
*What is that?*
She was incomparably shocked. Inside her own body, there was an object that was releasing a boundless life force. Her body was clearly riddled with holes, but with this magical thing, her life was being sustained. It was incredibly active, and with every pulse, it released the essence of life, allowing her body to absorb it.
And based on her judgment, if nothing unexpected happened, she really would have no problem living for several hundred more years!
"Why are you doing this for me?" Rosalyne looked at Su Han, her expression complex. She now completely believed his words, because a treasure like this did not lie.
"Do you want the truth, or do you want a lie?"
"The truth."
"I pity you. Losing a loved one is indeed heart-wrenching. And on top of that, you despise the Abyss, so you're not a purely evil person. Your original intention was good; it's a pity you were led astray by the Fatui. Think about it: what was your original reason for joining them? It was to destroy the Abyss. It was to ensure the people of Mondstadt would no longer lose their loved ones, not to become like the Abyss yourself and personally destroy this beautiful country. Now, think about what the Fatui are doing. What's the difference between them and the Abyss?"
Su Han's words were like a great bell, instantly awakening Rosalyne from her hatred.
*That's right. The only reason I held on for so long was so that Mondstadt would never become like that again. Because the Anemo Archon was useless, I joined the Cryo Tsaritsa's side. But slowly, as time passed, my heart became twisted. To achieve my goals, I began to use any means necessary.*
Like Dottore, who bought those children and performed those terrifying Archon Residue experiments. The others were no better.
*How did I become this?*
Looking at the despondent former Harbinger, Su Han said, "Mondstadt needs you. Come back. The hidden dangers in your body… I can help you heal them, slowly."
"Can I still go back? Heh. If my identity as a Harbinger is exposed, I'm afraid countless people will want to take revenge on me." Rosalyne laughed at herself. She was already a sinner. Countless people in Mondstadt wanted her dead.
Su Han shook his head. "I've already said it. La Signora is dead. Her Delusion, her accessories, and her entire past were all buried by the Pope of Favonius. The person who is alive now is 'Luo Lin,' a woman who was harmed by the Fatui."
"It seems you've already prepared for everything."
"Of course. Would you like some Stormterror meat?" Su Han placed the food in front of her.
Rosalyne was stunned for a moment, then let out a laugh. It was a smile as brilliant as a summer flower, and it was mesmerizing.
"Aren't you the Anemo Archon's sworn brother? And you dare to eat his pet? Aren't you afraid he'll come looking for trouble?"
"Tch. Let me tell you, I've been eating it for a long time. As for 'brothers'? I'm the one who swindles my brother. A guy who just slacks off all day, what kind of Anemo Archon is that?"
"Mm! Your evaluation of him is excellent."
Perhaps it was because of this shared disdain for the Anemo Archon, or perhaps it was because Rosalyne had truly let go, but the atmosphere in the room slowly warmed.
After the meal, Su Han began to teach her how to cultivate Senjutsu. Although the power of the Dragon Pearl was barely maintaining her life, it was a temporary fix, not a cure. If she wanted to be completely restored, she had to rely on her own cultivation.
After learning the cultivation method, Rosalyne suddenly said, "There are many things about the Cryo Tsaritsa that I cannot tell you. When we became Harbingers, we all signed a contract. If we violate it, there will be terrifying consequences, similar to that of the Geo Archon's contracts."
"Mm, don't worry about that. Just focus on your cultivation. From tomorrow on, you are my, the Pope's, secretary. And remember your new name."
"Yes, Lord Pope. My name is Luo Lin." Rosalyne rolled her eyes. This guy, why was he always so confident? She really couldn't understand him.
After entering the cultivation state for the first time, Rosalyne's reaction was exactly the same as Lisa's. She was completely shocked by the power of Senjutsu.
"How can there be such a powerful energy? And the life force is so abundant… My body is actually healing?" She was stunned by this cultivation method. How could such a marvelous thing exist in this world?
Rosalyne was certain that as long as she cultivated diligently, the problems with her body would definitely be resolved. And not only that, but the quality of the elemental power condensed by this cultivation method was extremely high, not at all weaker than her Crimson Flame. It was too terrifying!
The most crucial thing was that the power of Senjutsu was extremely pure and did not cause any harm to the body.
Rosaly-Luo Lin opened her eyes and stared blankly at Su Han. "Where exactly did you come from? Why do you have such a thing? This is too scary."
"It's good that you're scared. Now, be a good girl and cultivate. Remember to come to work tomorrow morning. I'm going to rest." Su Han pinched her nose, which immediately earned him a fierce glare.
However, after the door to the room was closed, Luo Lin suddenly began to laugh.
"A new life? I never would have dreamed of it. The heavens took away my greatest love, but they have also given me incomparable luck."
Under the setting sun, the woman lay on the bed, muttering to herself.
The next day, the Church of Favonius had a new Pope's Secretary. And this secretary, just like Rosaria, had no respect for the Anemo Archon. She even spat in the direction of his statue.