—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Furina: "Th-that pressure… it's overwhelming!"
Furina: "Truly befitting a supervillain!"
Furina: "My heart nearly leapt from my chest during that last scene!"
....
—✦In Between✦—
—✦Genshin Impact World✦—
Within the Palais Mermonia, Furina's lips were slightly agape, a fine sheen of cold sweat beading upon her skin.
Aventurine's performance had been utterly suffocating.
Even through the screen, it had filled her with dread!
"This Mr. Aventurine is clearly a man of formidable presence, not easily swayed. Should I ever encounter such an individual, how would I even begin to contend with him?"
Beside her, Neuvillette, having observed Aventurine's display, fell into deep contemplation.
As the Chief Justice of Fontaine, he routinely received diplomatic envoys.
Yet, not a single one had proven as intractable as Aventurine.
Indeed, not even a tenth as challenging!
Thus, witnessing Aventurine's machinations, Neuvillette found himself assailed by apprehension.
Given his current diplomatic acumen, should he face a man like Aventurine,
he feared he would be utterly outmaneuvered, unable to gain even the slightest advantage!
And this, for Fontaine, would undeniably be a detriment.
.. . ..
"Magnificent, truly magnificent! Mr. Aventurine's mastery over the entire situation is undeniably profound. To cross wits with such an individual would surely be an incredibly rewarding experience."
Within the Jade Chamber, Ningguang watched as Aventurine, with casual ease, nearly shattered the Trailblazer's mental defenses, and couldn't help but voice her admiration.
As both a merchant and a politician, she herself was a master of such intricate maneuvers.
Therefore, witnessing Aventurine's actions, she felt an undeniable sense of camaraderie.
"Tsk, beneath that veneer, he seems to be a rather mad fellow. Such individuals are the most troublesome to deal with."
"But also my favorite prey."
In a secluded corner of the Jade Chamber, Yelan idly twirled a die in her fingers, a faint, almost imperceptible smirk playing on her lips.
—
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Klee: "Bad guy, bad guy! You're not allowed to bully Big Sister Stelle!"
Klee: "Klee really, really wants to blow you UP!!"
Aventurine's bullying of the Trailblazer incited Klee's displeasure.
Hook: "Arghh, how dare you treat an honorary member like that! Hook wants to teach you a lesson with my Dig-Dig Machine, you big meanie!"
Clara: "Please don't bully the big sister! Otherwise, Clara will bring Mr. Svarog to protect her!"
Boothill: "Hahah, even children are disgusted by your filthy behavior!"
Boothill: "If I were you, I'd just do everyone a favor and bash my head against a wall. Save yourself the embarrassment."
Hanabi: "Hehehehe Little peacock, getting lambasted, aren't we~"
Hanabi: "Now, what ever shall you do~"
Hanabi: "Surely you haven't gotten so sad… that you've started to cry? Waaah, how pathetic… you've made me cry too~ (I'm crying, I'm faking it.jpg)"
....
—✦In Between✦—
"Heheheh, a poor little peacock, before it even had a chance to show off its plumage, it's already a drowned rat~"
"How utterly delightful~"
Within Penacony's dreamscape, Hanabi's youthful, pretty face was alight with an irrepressible, radiant smile.
—
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "Damn it, why am I such a pushover in this video?!"
Stelle: "He completely dominated me the entire time!"
Stelle: "I refuse to accept this, it's slander, this is absolutely not me!"
Stelle: "If I were there in person, I'd definitely give him a good whack, and let him know how I earned my reputation as the Galactic Baseballer!"
In the Parlor Car, Stelle watched her on-screen counterpart, her face flushed with indignant fury! When had she, the Galactic Baseballer, ever suffered such indignity?
To be so terrified by a single person that she couldn't even speak. This was an affront to her magnificent image!
Acheron: "See, I was the one who came to her rescue."
Acheron: "Now you can believe I'm not a bad woman, can't you?"
Acheron watched the woman who pushed open the door in the video, and felt that the misunderstandings the livestream viewers held about her should now be somewhat alleviated.
March 7th: "Just for that action, we believe you're a good person!"
March 7th: "We finally get it now, only this Aventurine is the true villain!"
Xiangling: "Exactly, exactly, and he went to Penacony with ulterior motives!"
Xiangling: "His intentions were impure from the very beginning!"
Bronya: "His purpose in going to Penacony was actually to collect a debt."
Bronya: "That does bring back some unpleasant memories. Fortunately, we were lucky enough."
Topaz: "Uh… hehe, mine was a misunderstanding. It's not like his at all."
Bronya: "Yes, which is why I'm so grateful that we encountered someone as understanding as Miss Topaz."
Bronya: "If it had been this assertive Mr. Aventurine, perhaps Belobog's fate… would have become far more uncertain."
....
—✦In Between✦—
"Pela, Seele, speaking of which, we truly are fortunate. First, we received the righteous aid of the Astral Express, and then we met an agreeable IPC executive like Miss Topaz, who helped us rebuild Belobog together."
"I truly wonder how such good fortune continuously falls upon Belobog."
In Qlipoth Fort ,Bronya looked at Seele and Pela beside her, and couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
—
『 The video continued.
[ Aventurine: …Your room? ]
Aventurine paused slightly at Acheron's words.
But then, he quickly registered the implication.
[ Aventurine: ….Impressive, friend. You've only just arrived in Penacony and you're already recruiting allies. ]
Aventurine raised an eyebrow, looking at Stelle.
[ Aventurine: Don't misunderstand, I merely wished to remind you—this place is a veritable den of vipers, teeming with ill-intentioned individuals. Remember to be vigilant, for instance… remember to close your door. ]
[ I shall take my leave then, Stelle! I wish you both a pleasant time. ]
Seeing Acheron watching him with such predatory intensity, Aventurine knew he no longer had an opportunity to press Stelle further.
Thus, he left with a few parting words and departed. 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Keqing: "What, 'teeming with ill-intentioned individuals'?"
Keqing: "Are Mr. Aventurine's words a self-introduction?"
Paimon: "Aahhh, he's just too arrogant!"
Paimon: "Not only does he do bad things, but he's so self-righteous about it!"
Paimon: "Aventurine, with that attitude, does your conscience truly not ache?"
Pela: "He's a villain, so he probably doesn't have a conscience, right?"
Pela: "No conscience, so naturally, no pain."
Paimon: "Uh… I guess that's true."
....
『 In the video.
After Aventurine left, only Acheron and Stelle remained in the room.
[ Stelle: Have we met before? ]
Stelle stared at Acheron for a long time, feeling an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Upon closer thought, this seemed to be the person she had dreamt of in her strange dream.
[ Acheron: …. ]
[ Why… are you still here? ]
Acheron did not answer Stelle's question, but instead calmly posed a rhetorical one.
[ Stelle: Huh?? ]
Stelle was taken aback by the question.
Isn't this her room?
What was this person in front of her talking about?
[ Acheron: I said, why are you still here?? ]
Acheron's tone sharpened slightly.
However, seeing the bewildered expression on Stelle's face, she muttered:
[ Acheron: Did I take a wrong turn? That shouldn't be, I double-checked the room number before interrupting you…. ]
[ Perhaps it's the wing… no, did I get the floor number wrong too? My apologies, this hotel is too vast, and the corridors are arranged so similarly, one can easily lose their way... ]
[ Stelle: There's a strange feeling… ]
Stelle listened to Acheron's explanation, a peculiar sensation stirring within her.
[ Acheron: In any case, I'm glad you're safe. I should return to my own room now. ]
[ But before I go, may I ask you one more question? It might sound strange, even impolite, but I wish to know…. ]
[ ….Have we met before? ]
The familiar words from Acheron's mouth stirred something within Stelle.
[ Stelle: Perhaps in a dream… ]
Stelle replied.
[ Acheron: ….Right, a 'dream'. I had a dream on my way here, and your figure seemed to be in it… it feels like a thought just flashed across my mind…. ]
[ Stelle—that's your name, isn't it? It's a pleasure to meet you. ]
Acheron seemed to recall something.
[ Stelle: You remember me? ]
Stelle was slightly surprised.
[ Acheron: You forgot, the gentleman said it before he left. My memory isn't the best, but I wouldn't forget something that happened just a few minutes ago. ]
Acheron smiled.
[ Acheron: Galaxy Ranger, Acheron… that's how they refer to me, feel free to use it. We should meet again. ]
Stelle watched Acheron utter her name once more, using the same phrasing.
[ Acheron: Finally, just a small piece of advice… there are those who possess an unwavering will and conviction, yet have no intention of using it for righteous ends. ]
[ And on that gentleman's face, I saw a familiar expression. ]
[ If one carries a blade, they are bound to cut something with it. And a gambler, before losing everything, will always burn their bridges and stake it all… I can only say so much. ]
[ You should know these things before making a choice. Farewell. ]
After subtly warning Stelle about Aventurine's danger,
Acheron turned and left Stelle's room. 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Hu Tao: "Huh? So Miss Acheron wasn't actually there to rescue her?"
Chongyun: "It seems she just got lost, perhaps?"
Zhongli: "In my opinion, that is not the case. While Miss Acheron's words were elusive, her demeanor suggests she was indeed there to intervene."
Sampo: "I gotta say, Acheron, it's a real pain listening to you talk."
Hanabi: "Riddlers, they're all like this. You just get used to it, heheh."
Furina: "I can't believe Miss Acheron saw he was a villain just by meeting Aventurine once!"
Furina: "It seems Miss Acheron has incredibly sharp insight!"
Paimon: "Miss Acheron described Aventurine as a gambler. Dr. Ratio also called Aventurine a gambler before."
Paimon: "Does that mean Aventurine is someone who really loves to gamble?"
Venti: "Ehe, not necessarily, I think."
Venti: "This 'gambler'… it probably refers to Mr. Aventurine's style of operation, doesn't it?"
Dr. Ratio: "Precisely, that is correct."
....
『 [ Stelle: Acheron left… Strange, I kept feeling a subtle sensation earlier….. ]
[ Never mind. Though it's been a winding road, I can finally enter the dream now, can't I… hmm? ]
After Acheron left, Stelle shook her head, casting all those troublesome thoughts aside, preparing to rest and then enter the dream.
However, the sound of footsteps echoed, and Acheron had returned once more.
[ Acheron: … ]
After entering the room, Acheron remained silent for a moment.
[ Stelle: That reunion came quickly… ]
Stelle made a joke, breaking the silent atmosphere.
[ Acheron: Hmm… my apologies, could you tell me the way back to the lobby? The corridors around here are truly too similar…. ]
Acheron spoke with a slight hint of embarrassment.
[ Stelle: ….. ]
Stelle was somewhat speechless, then pointed Acheron in the right direction.
Acheron thanked her profusely, then hastily departed. 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "Miss Acheron actually has no sense of direction?"
Acheron: "My apologies, I seem to have amused everyone."
Hu Tao: "Uh… seeing this, I suddenly feel again that Miss Acheron just got lost!"
Zhongli: "By universal rational standards… that possibility is not entirely absent… however…."
....
—✦In Between✦—
"However, I cannot shake the feeling that all of this is too coincidental. The eerie convergence of dreams, the perfectly timed rescue, and the words laden with hidden meaning."
"Could all of this truly be unconnected?"
Within the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Zhongli stroked his chin, lost in prolonged contemplation.
—