Returning to the dreamscape, Kamisato Ayaka found herself in surprisingly high spirits.
Being overwhelmed by the vastness of the universe was only part of the reason.
More importantly she had been thinking about something else:
Does Lord Su Ran even like this dreamscape?
From start to finish, he never seemed to care about it.
The only one truly invested in this eternal dream was the Shogun—Ei.
In fact, she was probably the only one invested in it.
Which meant—
If she wanted to unravel the dream, she wouldn't need to fight three Archons.
She only needed to persuade Ei.
…Which, even then, was still insanely difficult.
Ei was the god who slaughtered her way across Inazuma during the Archon War.
Compared to the puppet Shogun and even the gentle Makoto, Ei was the true apex of Inazuma's power.
Hard? Yes.
But at least… Ayaka now saw a glimmer of hope.
With that small hope warming her heart, she returned to the Kamisato Estate excited to tell her brother everything.
"Brother! I—"
But as soon as she opened the hall doors, Ayaka froze.
Because inside were not one but two men:
Her brother, Kamisato Ayato and a stranger.
"Ah, Ayaka, you're back."
Ayato smiled and gestured toward the guest.
"This is Tartaglia—Childe—the last-ranked Harbinger of the Fatui."
"Hello, Miss Kamisato."
Childe smiled kindly and waved.
His aura was friendly but Ayaka was not happy.
A Fatui Harbinger.
Why…
Why was her brother who always rejected any proposal from the Fatui—
being so friendly to one??
"Uh… it's fine if you're wary of me. I get that."
Childe raised his hands helplessly.
"But I'm actually here for the same reason you are to help break this dream."
Ayaka blinked.
That… was not what she expected from a Harbinger.
"The Fatui's reputation is bad, I know,"
Childe laughed, completely unbothered.
"Even I can't defend it. There are too many of us doing stupid things—
I can't control them."
Ayaka remained silent.
He understood.
Nobody liked the Fatui.
Except… maybe Snezhnaya.
"But!" Childe suddenly grinned.
"I am also a comrade of the Genius—Su Ran. A close comrade.
Does that explanation make you feel a little better, Miss Kamisato?"
…It did.
Embarrassingly, it really did.
Fatui Harbinger = terrifying.
Fatui Harbinger who knows Lord Su Ran = …maybe acceptable?
Childe sighed inwardly.
Why was it that the moment he mentioned Su Ran, people's attitudes changed instantly?
Ayato, who normally wouldn't dream of cooperating with the Fatui, was suddenly open to talking.
Ayaka, who originally looked at him like he came to kidnap her dog, now seemed less hostile.
Why did it feel like Su Ran and the Fatui had opposite reputations in Inazuma?
Fatui is despised.
Su Ran is adored.
"But… about breaking the dream,"
Ayaka said hesitantly, "Is that truly your intention?"
Even if Childe claimed closeness to Su Ran, she wasn't going to trust him immediately.
"Of course!" Childe said, exasperated.
"I'm stuck here too, you know? I can't spend my whole life trapped in this illusion.
Of course I want out!"
Just mentioning the dream made him want to cry.
Sure, the Tsaritsa treasured the Genius Su Ran.
But Childe was also his comrade!
So why treat him like a disposable tool?
Being used as a pawn in Liyue was fine the Tsaritsa compensated him with god-tier power.
He even got the Geo Gnosis.
But being thrown into Inazuma without a briefing?
Running around blindly like a headless chicken?
He was an executive Harbinger!
Was it too much to ask for a little respect?
Like… a mission outline?
A plan?
Anything??
"Miss Kamisato, you need not doubt me."
Childe said confidently.
"The Genius gave me power rivaling that of a god.
Even against the Raiden Shogun, I may not lose!"
Yes, gods were strong.
But so was he.
Childe believed that when raw power was comparable, experience and adaptability were the key.
He probably couldn't beat the Shogun puppet…
But Morax was trapped here too.
If he could find Morax maybe they could overthrow the Raiden Shogun together!
Even if Su Ran was close to the Raiden Shogun, he was still fundamentally on Snezhnaya's side.
Childe was convinced this logic was sound.
"…Haha, indeed."
Ayato forced a polite smile.
Power rivaling a god— that was one reason he didn't dare mistreat Childe.
But the more important reason was the connection to Su Ran the now-dominant force in Inazuma.
He suspected the Fatui were plotting something big.
But after spending time with Childe…
He realized…
This man had no schemes.
None.
Zero.
He began doubting whether this man was truly a Harbinger at all.
Ayaka, hearing her brother's words, relaxed slightly.
She still didn't trust Childe fully but at least she no longer saw him as an immediate threat.
With the atmosphere eased, Ayaka decided not to hide anything.
She told them everything:
Leaving the dreamscape, traveling to outer space, what she saw there—
everything.
Mostly for Ayato's sake.
As for Childe as a Harbinger, he surely knew at least part of Su Ran's abilities.
But the more Ayaka explained…
The more Ayato's expression grew solemn.
He couldn't understand:
If Su Ran truly had such overwhelming power…
Why was he acting like a tyrant in Inazuma?
What was he after?
And Childe?
He was utterly stunned.
He understood almost nothing.
But he understood one thing very clearly:
The Tsaritsa is outdated again.
—------------------------------
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