"Barbatos… Shikikan…" Rosalyne thought again of these two people who irritated her.
For some reason, these two remembered her name, treated her as that "maiden," and refused to see her as the "witch."
What frustrated her most was that in their presence, Rosalyne felt her pride slipping away.
Rosalyne truly didn't want to admit it—didn't want to admit that she actually appreciated it.
"Damn it!" Rosalyne gritted her teeth, pulling out a photo of Lucian and burning it to ashes.
Lucian had never publicly revealed his appearance, but within the Fatui, they naturally investigated his information and circulated his photos, so there were plenty of them.
Looking at the ashes on the ground, Rosalyne sighed. To think she had to resort to such self-deception to maintain her proud dignity.
It's all because I labeled them as enemies from the start. Now, constantly receiving kindness from my "enemies," how could I possibly admit I'm touched by it!?
Though she had already accepted it in her heart, she couldn't lose face verbally!
She hoped that one day she could help them, so she could continue to hold her head high.
Meanwhile, Rosalyne's colleagues had also finished reading the story, and Pierro, the Jester, fell into deep thought once more.
Rosalyne's story had slightly warmed the Fatui's tarnished reputation.
First, Lucian exposed some of their secrets to "threaten" them.
Now, he wrote Rosalyne's story, salvaging some of their reputation.
What a clever move by the Prophet—first a stick, then a carrot…
"The Crimson Witch of Flame, huh…" Arlecchino sat in her chair, legs crossed, her foot gently swaying, the sharp heels of her shoes tempting one to submit at her feet.
Flames coiled around her like a "serpent," adding a touch of "cunning" and "danger" to her aura.
Arlecchino's expression was icy, in stark contrast to the flames surrounding her. "How similar."
Both were flames ignited for certain causes…
"…I should go talk to the Hydro Archon again," Arlecchino said, standing to leave.
She recalled Furina's earlier performance of "Deep Sea Maiden" and now found that being with Furina was unexpectedly relaxing.
Speaking of Signora's origins, not all Fatui Harbingers were aware of them.
For instance, the youngest, Tartaglia, genuinely didn't know, which was why he always called her "Rosalyne."
But that wasn't a big deal—no colleague habitually called him Ajax either.
Just like no one would call Scaramouche "Raiden Cannon" or "Raiden Nation-Toppler." The relationships among the Fatui Harbingers weren't particularly close, but they weren't terrible either.
Only Pierro, the "HR manager," might use their real names and maintained decent relations with most Harbingers, acting as a "link" between them.
Mondstadt had its "social butterflies" like Amber and Klee; Liyue had Hu Tao and Xiangling; Inazuma had two generations of fox spirits; Sumeru had Dehya; Fontaine had Charlotte and Furina.
Snezhnaya, too, had its own "social butterfly."
Fatui Harbingers rarely used their real names, which was why Arlecchino was surprised when Lucian called her "Peruere."
Tartaglia closed the book. Though he didn't like Signora before—and still didn't—he was willing to carefully keep this story.
"What a pity. This time, I'll let it slide and won't mock you with your 'death' in Inazuma," Tartaglia said with a shrug.
In Liyue, Baizhu also finished the book. "Amnesia, rebirth…"
He glanced at Qiqi. "Sigh, this 'ailment' is hard to cure."
In Mondstadt, the Knights of Favonius were silent. The Young Wolf Rostam was a role model for their order.
The Crimson Witch of Flame, however, was spoken of as a "calamity" in legends.
No wonder in the third act of Inazuma's story, Rosalyne passionately declared, "Don't call me a witch!"
"We must clear Rosalyne's name," Jean declared firmly.
Mondstadt had made too many mistakes and forgotten too much. They needed to make amends.
Whether it was Dvalin or Rosalyne, their contributions to Mondstadt shouldn't be forgotten. They weren't the Stormterror or a witch.
They were heroes who once protected Mondstadt! The only one remembered shouldn't just be the Anemo Archon!
This story truly resonated across nations, as every nation had heroes who sacrificed themselves to protect others.
Rosalyne, who was previously unwelcome everywhere, suddenly became popular.
In Inazuma, Lucian arrived at Ei's Plane of Euthymia, holding tricolor dango, dango milk, and another new book.
"So, what did you think of Rosalyne's story?" Lucian asked casually.
After all, in the original timeline, it was the Raiden Shogun who killed Rosalyne.
"Who?" Ei asked, puzzled.
It turned out she hadn't even read the book yet, as she had planned to abstain from reading today.
She had been sitting quietly in the Plane of Euthymia with the Musou no Hitotachi, intending to reflect on eternity.
"Alright, here's the new book you insisted I write," Lucian said, not dwelling on it, and handed the book to Ei.
This was the book Ei had demanded be prioritized: [Imperatrix Umbrosa Chapter: Act I]. Yes, it was Ei's own Legend Quest.
Ei's eyes lit up as she reached for it, but Lucian pulled the book back, dodging her hand.
"?" Ei looked up at Lucian, saying nothing, but her cold expression betrayed a hint of confusion, looking rather adorable in its blankness.
"You can have the book, but after you read it, you have to come with me to see Inazuma as it is now," Lucian said.
Ei nodded, not refusing. She did want to take a fresh look at Inazuma, and this was a perfect opportunity.
Satisfied, Lucian handed the book to Ei. Though Ei had emerged from her seclusion recently, she had merely traded one form of isolation for another.
She no longer completely avoided people but still refused to leave.
Like in the original timeline, she had stopped meditating in solitude but was now "repenting" in the Plane of Euthymia, trying to comprehend "eternity."
In short, she still had no intention of "going out."
Now, he could finally get her to step outside and take a look. Thankfully, the festival's final day was still ongoing.
Ei, unaware of Lucian's little scheme, began reading.
This book was released alongside Rosalyne's story, so others could read it too.
[Omnipresence Over Mortals: Act I: Shadows Illuminating the Floating World]
The book's cover featured Ei's blade-drawing illustration, and truth be told, the cover alone was already stunning.
The story recounted events after the Traveler "defeated" Raiden Ei.
Kujou Kamaji and Thoma were discussing the thunderstorms over Inazuma's outer seas. Ever since the Raiden Shogun adjusted her mindset, the storms had grown increasingly erratic, even drawing closer to Inazuma.
Everyone believed this reflected the Raiden Shogun's will to enforce the Sakoku Decree, so they were discussing how to petition her.
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice · Baizhu: About Rosalyne
"For those gravely ill, healing must first mend the heart. I wonder if this book can achieve that."