Outside the Angel's Share, Mondstadt.
Eula and Amber were savoring lunch in the sun.
"Fate is a joke," Eula muttered. "The Heavenly Principles love all things, yet the False Firmament's arrangements are this absurd? Did it malfunction while 'Heaven' slept—grow a bias of its own?"
She curled her lip. After reading the Balladeer's "destiny," she couldn't help comparing. A heartless puppet wandered Inazuma; some treated him as a monster, but most people he met were kind. He still hurt them. He wanted a heart of his own, wanted revenge on Raiden Ei; then a crowd rushed to enthrone him. The plan collapsed only because Lumine—the variable—intervened. And even as a prisoner, "fate-correction" washed him clean and handed him a lavish life in Sumeru.
"What a load of nonsense."
"No wonder Su Xuan quips he's the most 'exalted' among Teyvat's living," she said with a cold laugh. "Who can compete with that luck? Heh… I'm writing this grudge down."
"But your own fate's already shifted, right?" Amber smiled.
A faint blush touched Eula's cheeks. Amber was right. Since receiving a power from beyond Teyvat at Su Xuan's hand, the townsfolk's attitude had flipped. Before, no matter what Eula did, "Lawrence" shadowed her—whispers and scorn. Now, while they weren't warm, they acknowledged her service. Over drinks she'd even overheard: "She's not like the other Lawrences." It stunned her. So this "new life" Su Xuan promised wasn't a slogan—it was altering fate itself.
"Good thing he came to our world," Eula breathed. "Otherwise… all my life, I'd never change their minds."
…
Aboard the Death's Omen, at sea.
Rosalyne slumped over the desk, stunned that the Balladeer's future rolled out so smoothly. After a long silence she let out a brittle laugh. "Heh… Fate… damn it."
"Dottore only wanted him as a test subject," she said at last. "So what?" Su Xuan chuckled. "No matter Dottore's aim, the end doesn't change: the brat enjoyed Sumeru. And whatever the motive, Dottore is still the one who realized his climb to godhood. He wields a god's power, sure, but compared to true ruling gods he's a ways off—and without a Celestial 'Star' to mark him, he's only a chess piece of fate."
Rosalyne had no answer. Looking at the record, Dottore really was just a midwife to the Balladeer's easy road. The more she thought, the madder she got. Her fists creaked—and then she laughed sharp and cold.
"So the brat has backing and gets to feast after wrecking lives—while I worked hard for the Tsaritsa and got killed by his scheme? Tough luck—for him. Things have changed."
"He's 'backed'?" She bared her teeth. "I'm a diary-bearer."
Su Xuan paused. Arrogant, yes—but not wrong.
"The False Firmament can't touch me anymore," she said. "This trip to Inazuma has one main goal: personally send that brat back into the ley lines. Let's see how 'fate-correction' helps him when he's dead."
Su Xuan and Shenhe traded a look. As predicted, learning the Balladeer's endgame had Rosalyne fuming to combustion. Women and grudges—fearsome.
"Can you beat him right now?" Su Xuan asked. "He outranks you by two seats, and used to outpower you by a lot. Your limit break isn't even three months old—you've only ridden the first doubling."
"I'm no pushover," Rosalyne said, chin high. "With my power doubled—and the Demon's Extract backing me—I can't match an Archon yet, but that brat? More than enough."
Su Xuan didn't shoot her down. If Scaramouche was still in Inazuma, Su Xuan could blanket the whole nation with telekinesis, locate him, and twist his neck like a twig. But if Rosalyne wanted the catharsis, let her go first. At the Balladeer's current level, she'd outclass him anyway.
"Fine. As you like," Su Xuan said mildly. "If you're in a hurry, I can drop you ashore early."
Rosalyne shook her head. "No. First I'll borrow your status and take the Gnosis. He wants Ei's Gnosis so badly? I'll wave it in his face before I kill him."
Shenhe, chin in hand, listened to Rosalyne preen. She understood: Rosalyne meant to needle him before the kill. As for Shenhe—she didn't know the man and didn't care. Fate no longer bound her; what she craved was more study with Su Xuan.
Seeing Rosalyne finished, Shenhe stepped closer. "Anything else?"
"Nothing. Why?" Rosalyne blinked.
"In that case," Shenhe turned to Su Xuan, voice calm, "let's resume our… deeper discussion on emotions."
Rosalyne: "?"
"You can join," Shenhe added sincerely.
…
Tenshukaku, Inazuma.
Yae Miko and Lumine were giving Raiden Ei looks. Enough of them that the Shogun grew prickly.
She glanced at Lumine, then cut her gaze to Miko. "Your eyes are strange. You're putting me in a bad mood."
Excuse me? Miko thought. The blonde auntie is staring too, but you dump it on me? Fine. When Su Xuan docks, I'll make sure you get your lesson.
Raiden Ei ignored her and sank into a fretful silence. She hadn't imagined her puppet would make such a mess in Inazuma, then cross into Sumeru for worse. Worst of all, Su Xuan disliked Scaramouche—that was the problem: what if it soured things between them?
"I should have listened to Guuji," she murmured. "I should've disposed of him. There'd be no trouble now."
The whisper carried; Miko, Paimon, and Lumine traded looks. So the Shogun could brood about things like this.
Lumine smiled. "No need to panic. Su Xuan doesn't actually care about the Balladeer. If he brought him up now, I'd blame Rosalyne. She spoke to me before I came—besides getting your Gnosis, she wants to… discipline the Balladeer. I think he's still in Inazuma, just moving quietly."
Purple light flashed in Raiden Ei's eyes as she stood. "He dares remain in Inazuma? I'll drag him out and correct my mistake—"
"Wait." Miko lifted a hand. "Su Xuan arrives in a few days. Our job is to greet him properly. As for the Balladeer, Rosalyne will ask Su Xuan how he feels—she's already testing it. If Su Xuan dislikes him, Rosalyne will pitch her plan to take him out. If you rush ahead and kill him now, what does that look like?"
Miko sighed inwardly. Honestly, you're Su's first woman in Teyvat—how do you not get his mindset? With Su Xuan's strength, crushing the Balladeer is like stepping on an ant. The fact the brat still breathes in Inazuma means Su Xuan isn't interested; he's leaving him for Rosalyne's catharsis. And would Su Xuan actively hunt the brat? As if Scaramouche deserved that honor.
"Su Xuan will let Rosalyne handle it," Miko finished. "Don't barge in and scramble his board."
Lumine nodded. "Exactly. He's just a puppet. If we let one puppet run us ragged, it cheapens us—as diary-bearers and as sisters. If we're cheapened, Su's face is cheapened."
At last Raiden Ei exhaled, nodding. "You're right. Thank you both."
"Think nothing of it," Miko said sweetly. "We've been close since forever, and now we all hold diaries. As Lumine said—we're sisters. Who else would we help?"
Raiden Ei dipped her head. "You're right."
Miko hid a flicker of mischief. When Su arrives, I'll tell him I urged you to 'solve' that distasteful puppet early, but you hesitated because he was your creation. Then we'll see if he spanks you. Preferably in front of the sisters. The naughty thought vanished behind a placid smile.
"Lumine," she said, "I do need a little favor."
"Ah?" Lumine froze. I came early to sightsee and harvest Electro, how'd I get roped in? She regretted, belatedly, declaring them all "good sisters" with such gusto.
"Nothing troublesome," Miko said quickly. "Before the Crux Fleet reaches Ritou, could you take the starship and quietly deliver the Gnosis to Rosalyne? Right now, Inazuma refuses all things Snezhnayan—especially the Fatui. If Rosalyne lands with Su Xuan, the people will demand answers. Let her hold Ei's Gnosis first, then ask her to lay low for a bit—spare everyone the awkwardness."
A quick there-and-back on the starship wasn't hard. Lumine nodded. "All right, I'll make the run."
Miko lit up. "A righteous sister indeed! I can't let you do it for nothing—give me a moment and I'll post an announcement: from now on, all your expenses in Inazuma go on the Yae Publishing House tab."
Paimon sparkled. "Really?!"
Miko giggled. "Why would I lie to you, little one? We're sisters." Then, lightly, "If Rosalyne's ready, coordinate with her and smuggle her in on the starship. As a Harbinger, she'll have better ways to sniff the Balladeer out. Let her take out the trash—unseen by the public. When the Crux drops anchor at Ritou, all we need to do is welcome Su Xuan."
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