When the object of one's schemes belongs to a deity, caution is paramount.
But when the object involves an existence beyond imagination, all actions—even thoughts—vanish.
Arlecchino is not an impulsive person.
Now, all she can do is try to negotiate.
If negotiation fails, she can only abandon the mission.
As for why she chose Furina over the more divine Focalors?
The reason is simple: Furina seems far more human.
She should be easier to communicate with.
Moreover, Furina often behaves... rather immaturely!
Through subtle probing, Arlecchino can likely discern her thoughts.
She can also use Furina to convey her intentions indirectly.
This way, she avoids direct confrontation, leaving room for both sides.
Most importantly, if she offends that person, she can withdraw at any time before it's too late.
"Do any of you have Miss Furina's contact?" Arlecchino asked Lynette.
Lynette shook her head.
That's Furina we're talking about!
How could an ordinary person have her contact info?
At the very least, Lynette and the others didn't.
"It seems I'll have to go through Monsieur Neuvillette."
Arlecchino did have Neuvillette's contact. As a foreign diplomat, high-ranking officials from different nations needed to stay connected for efficient communication and to avoid unnecessary complications.
Immediately, she contacted Neuvillette and requested Furina's contact details.
Pocket Dimension
Lu Heng was browsing through food-themed item cards.
Not a single person in the household knew how to cook.
Who even cooks these days?
If I personally pick out the food cards, doesn't that count as me cooking?
They taste great and are even good for the body!
Though no one at home really cared about such minor benefits.
On the living room sofa, Furina lounged lazily in her spaghetti-strap nightgown, scrolling through her phone to read novels.
Focalors was browsing Fontaine's daily news.
The tiny Greater Lord Rukkhadevata sat beside her, also reading.
The internet was wonderful!
No need to step outside to learn about things happening thousands of miles away!
In terms of coverage, the Akasha System had been completely surpassed!
Aside from not directly implanting knowledge into one's mind, the internet was superior in every way.
Suddenly, Furina sat bolt upright.
She stared at a friend request with a default avatar and a randomly generated username. The note read: Miss Furina, hello, I am Arlecchino.
That mushroom-eyed woman!
Furina remembered her all too well.
The first time they met, Furina had sensed Arlecchino's scrutinizing gaze.
Back then, Furina had secretly nicknamed her The Smiling Tigress.
It wasn't unfounded—Arlecchino had chatted with her amiably, but the look in her eyes gave Furina an ominous feeling.
Later, Lu Heng told her that in the original timeline, this woman had actually ambushed her!
Good heavens!
She really is dangerous, isn't she?
So why was she adding her now?
What did she want?
Furina wasn't afraid of Arlecchino anymore.
With her current strength, Arlecchino was no match for her.
Since the other party posed no threat, there was no need to be nervous—just curious.
What does that mushroom-eyed woman want?
Puzzled, Furina accepted the friend request.
A message arrived instantly.
[Arlecchino]: Miss Furina, good afternoon. Do you have time to talk? I have a question for you.
[Furina]: The Gnosis isn't with me!
Furina reacted swiftly.
Though Lu Heng sometimes called her silly, that didn't mean she was actually stupid!
Knowing Arlecchino's identity and motives made her "purpose" easy to guess.
On the other end, Arlecchino smirked in understanding.
Just as she'd thought.
During their first encounter, Arlecchino had sensed that Furina didn't seem like a true deity.
At close range, she could feel the curse-like aura around Furina.
Now, Furina claimed the Gnosis wasn't in her possession—meaning it must be with Focalors.
Previously, Furina had exhibited no divine aura, and now she had split into two... There was likely some hidden secret behind this.
But Arlecchino had no intention of digging deeper.
Sometimes, uncovering others' secrets wasn't worth the trouble. If unnecessary, it was best avoided.
[Arlecchino]: Miss Furina, the Fatui are interested in purchasing the Gnosis. Would you or Lady Focalors be willing to part with it?
Furina let out a soft huh.
The Gnosis—that wretched thing—was something the Fatui wanted to buy now?
Her interest was piqued.
[Furina]: Name your price first! I'll discuss it with Focalors later!
Arlecchino's eyes gleamed.
Furina's response confirmed the Gnosis was indeed with Focalors.
Asking about the price meant she was curious about its value... If the offer was high enough, the likelihood of a successful deal increased!
But what was the right price?
The Gnosis itself was irrelevant.
But given the circumstances, a lowball offer would be disrespectful.
After all, it was a divine artifact—selling it for a pittance would be unbecoming, whether or not the news spread.
Yet an exorbitant price would make the Fatui look like fools.
Arlecchino had already prepared for this.
[Arlecchino]: How about one billion Mora?
One billion?!
Furina was stunned.
In this day and age, was the Gnosis really worth that much?
Obviously not!
Furina frowned, then turned to Focalors.
"Do you think the Gnosis is worth one billion?"
Focalors blinked, momentarily surprised.
She had thought Furina was just engrossed in her novel.
Now, hearing this...
"Let me see." Focalors reached out.
Furina handed her the phone.
After scanning the message, Focalors chuckled.
"One billion? That's quite the generous offer."
Though Greater Lord Rukkhadevata hadn't seen the screen, she guessed correctly.
"This accounts for the deity's status and also carries an underlying message of friendship, doesn't it?"
"I think so," Focalors agreed.
One billion Mora sounded abstract, but rationally speaking, it was a substantial sum.
Buying the Gnosis?
Perhaps the Gnosis was just a pretext—the real goal was to forge goodwill with the Hydro Archon... or her husband?
"Go ask your husband for his opinion," Focalors teased.
"The Gnosis isn't mine—it's yours!"
Furina grumbled but slipped on her sandals and scurried over to Lu Heng.
She handed him the phone.
"The value of 100,000 draws?" Lu Heng raised an eyebrow.
With good luck, 100,000 draws could yield at least a 5-star gold card—perhaps even something better than the Gnosis.
Arlecchino wasn't foolish. If she was making this offer, there was a deeper meaning.
But Lu Heng wasn't overly concerned.
As for the "friendship" angle, he remained noncommittal.
No matter what, this Mora would ultimately flow into the card shop, with only the intermediate steps generating additional value.
Besides, among the Harbingers, Lu Heng's impression of Arlecchino was relatively favorable.
"Tell her one billion is too low. Counter with 1.5 billion, and I'll invoice her for two billion," Lu Heng joked.
"Huh?!"
Furina gaped at him before bursting into laughter.
"If the Tsaritsa finds out about this accounting trick—"
"I don't know how she'd react, but two of my friends might lose their minds," Lu Heng said dryly.
Furina laughed even harder.
She quickly messaged Arlecchino.
Hotel Bouffes d'ete
"An actual transaction of 1.5 billion, but reporting two billion?"
Lyney was aghast.
"Father, if Lord Pantalone finds out about this, how will we explain it?"
"What of it?"
Arlecchino was unfazed.
She was no rigid ideologue.
Moreover, she had decoded the subtext:
First, the Gnosis deal was confirmed.
Second, her intention to build goodwill with the Hydro Archon and Lu Heng had been recognized—and approved.
Why "approved"?
The extra 500 million Mora had to go somewhere—straight into Arlecchino's pocket!
Arlecchino was already formidable, possessing [Absolute Control] and [Blood Harvest].
Though only two gold cards, their value was immense.
Her potential was at least mid-tier Archon level, and with opportunities, high-tier wasn't out of reach.
She didn't need much more power, but what about the children of the House of the Hearth?
Stable income sources included:
Funds allocated by the Fatui.The House's own operations—intelligence gathering.
Selling non-critical intel is perfectly normal, right?
Thus, the House wasn't poor, but neither was it wealthy.
Take Lyney's previous operations in Fontaine—bribing officials and mingling with nobles wasn't cheap.
High income, but equally high expenses!
How could the children grow stronger in this new era?
There were many ways, and this was essentially free money!
As for Pantalone... would he ever learn the truth?
Arlecchino promptly called the Tsaritsa and laid everything bare.
Before any forced confrontation, she had no desire to antagonize her. Transparency was best.
"Understood."
The Tsaritsa's reply was emotionless—her usual demeanor.
No objection meant tacit approval!
Arlecchino immediately responded to Furina.
[Furina]: Deal! Once the Mora arrives, the Gnosis is yours.
Arlecchino turned to Lyney and Lynette.
"Children, with 500 million Mora soon in our hands, how shall we use it?"
Lyney was stunned, then understood. He bowed with a smile.
"It seems we'll be fighting a wealthy war now."
Pocket Dimension, Dining Table
The tiny Greater Lord Rukkhadevata ate quietly.
Furina chattered excitedly.
"1.5 billion... 1.5 billion..."
For personal wealth, this was a fortune!
Previously, Furina's expenses went mostly to funding her intelligence network—monitoring sea levels, gathering intel, and so on.
Combined with her lavish spending, her savings over 500 years weren't substantial.
She beamed at Focalors.
"Focalors, congratulations on your fortune!"
Hmm?
Why did that sound so ominous?
As if she was about to lose something.
But Focalors remained outwardly calm.
"Thank you."
"I remember..."
Furina's gaze drifted, as if reminiscing.
"Someone once said they invited Furina the actress to perform on stage... By market standards, hiring an actress costs money, doesn't it?"
Oh?
She actually remembered that?
Lu Heng was impressed.
Huh?
Focalors blinked, then chuckled, tapping Furina's forehead lightly.
"Silly, I thought you were going to say something else. Fine, you can have all the Mora."
Furina was taken aback.
"You're giving me all of it? What about you?"
"Me?"
Focalors smiled softly.
She scooted closer to Lu Heng, leaning against him.
"I have a husband, don't I?"
She looked up at him.
"Right?"
"Of course," Lu Heng affirmed.
There were many reasons to grow stronger.
Lu Heng's was simple: to protect his beloved.
"Love you~"
"Love you too~"
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata: "..."
Her bowl was small, barely half-full. Why did she suddenly feel stuffed?
"He's my husband too!"
Furina panicked, clinging to Lu Heng.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, watching him being hugged from both sides: "..."
Really? You're just going to ignore me?
Focalors sighed playfully.
"For at least the next few minutes, there's no room left."
The already quiet Greater Lord Rukkhadevata turned even more introverted.
I never said I wanted a hug!
It seemed this possibly-Inazuman-born Hydro Archon was walking further down a certain path.
Hotel Bouffes d'ete
Arlecchino soon received a call from Pantalone.
Thankfully, Tartaglia had delivered communicators and phones—otherwise, contacting him would've required snail mail!
"You want two billion for the Gnosis?!"
Pantalone's voice seethed with suppressed rage.
He'd thought Tartaglia was the pinnacle of idiocy, but now someone had outdone him. Whose subordinate is this?!
The Gnosis wasn't worth two billion!
If it were, Pantalone would chop off his own head and use it as a soccer ball!
"Correct."
Arlecchino remained unflappable.
"Heh... Splendid..."
Pantalone wasn't a fool.
He could read between the lines—Arlecchino and the "Hydro Archon" had struck a deal.
Wonderful!
Using my money to buy your goodwill, huh?!
You're quite the schemer!
Pantalone's breathing grew ragged, like a broken bellows.
There was nothing he could do!
He spat out through gritted teeth:
"Take it from your personal funds in the Northland Bank! I'll cover the shortfall! Goodbye!"
The line went dead.
Hopefully he doesn't smash his phone in anger.
Probably not.
Afternoon, Near Fontaine's Coast
Small waves rippled across the sea.
A speedboat raced toward the gradually visible Port of Lumidouce.
Cyno stood at the bow, arms crossed, gazing solemnly at the approaching harbor.
"Court of Fontaine."
He spoke gravely.
Tighnari and Collei, as if anticipating this, sighed in unison.
This isn't funny!
Tighnari and Collei exchanged resigned glances.
"Not funny?"
Cyno pondered. "Let me explain—"
"No need!"
Tighnari cut him off. "I just want to get ashore... This boat is too fast—it's making me dizzy!"
"Very well."
Seeing Tighnari's disinterest, Cyno felt profound regret.
--------
T/N:
You'll also get 5 extra chapters just for being a free member!
Access 50 chapters in advance on my Patreon : p@treon.com/furinaimpact