"Of course!"
Klee puffed up her cheeks, her ruby eyes sparkling as she looked at Kairo.
"Big Brother Kairo, we have to play together again tomorrow!"
She stretched out her tiny hand and solemnly made a pinky promise gesture.
"Mhm. We'll play together again tomorrow."
Kairo smiled softly and hooked his finger with hers.
"It's a promise!"
"It's a promise!"
Klee leapt into the air with joy, her face glowing with excitement.
"Then Klee's gotta make lots more bombs tonight!"
Her expression turned completely serious.
"Today's bombs weren't enough! Tomorrow I have to bring more!"
Kairo: "..."
Hearing that, Fischl went quiet for a moment—
She recalled the explosive power of Klee's "toys" and instinctively took a small step to the side before coughing lightly.
"Our journey of destiny shall not end here! Tomorrow, the wheel of fate shall once again turn, guiding us toward a brighter future!"
At the separate table, Oz translated while chewing on a piece of meat:
"Milady means she'll be joining you again tomorrow."
The three chatted as they continued their hearty meal.
Time passed.
After eating and drinking their fill, they left The Good Hunter and parted ways at the street corner.
"See you tomorrow, Big Brother Kairo!"
Klee waved her small hand, skipping toward the Knights of Favonius headquarters—no doubt eager to manufacture her next round of explosives.
Fischl, wrapped in her dark violet cloak, lifted her chin with dramatic poise and strode off toward her mansion.
"The journey of destiny continues! Tomorrow—we fight once more!"
This time, Kairo didn't even need Oz's translation to understand her words.
See you tomorrow.
He watched them disappear down the street, then leisurely turned and walked home.
Night had fallen over Mondstadt. The day's bustling laughter faded into a calm, warm stillness.
Lanternlight swayed gently, and the faint aroma of wine drifted through the air from nearby taverns.
Then—
As Kairo walked down a quieter side street, he suddenly stopped.
A few shadows silently emerged ahead, blocking his path.
Seeing the three figures cloaked in black, Kairo's expression turned oddly familiar.
This scene again? Déjà vu.
"Good evening, genius of Mondstadt."
One of the Fatui Skirmishers stepped forward, his voice calm.
"May I ask you a few questions?"
Kairo: "???"
Such polite Fatui?
Since when did the Fatui get so well-mannered?
But since he had no weapon on him, Kairo thought for a moment, then replied quietly,
"What is it?"
"We're Fatui."
The Skirmisher spoke bluntly.
"Before we arrived, did any other Fatui approach you? After discussion among our ranks, we've decided to invite you to join us. Has anyone contacted you already?"
He emphasized the question twice, making Kairo's expression turn stranger by the second.
So these Fatui really didn't know that their previous comrades had already been… dealt with?
"No."
Kairo answered calmly, without blinking.
"This is the first time I've spoken with any Fatui."
If they were here to question him, it meant they had no clue he was the one who'd taken out their last squad.
No reason to confess.
He even briefly considered—should he just eliminate these three as well?
But… he had no weapon.
And there were pedestrians nearby. Handling them quietly would be troublesome.
After a moment's thought, he gave up on the idea.
"No?"
The Skirmisher frowned.
Where had Kurt and the others gone then?
He didn't think Kairo was lying—
They were Fatui. Even the Knights of Favonius usually didn't dare deceive them.
And Kairo didn't even have a Vision.
Kurt's squad had a Delusion-user among them, all elites.
How could an unarmed civilian have taken them out unnoticed?
So, he believed Kairo immediately.
But then… where did Kurt's team vanish to?
The three Skirmishers exchanged puzzled looks.
Apparently, they'd have to continue investigating elsewhere.
The leader turned back to Kairo.
"In that case, would you be interested in joining the Fatui? On behalf of our Mondstadt branch, I'm inviting you. For a talent like you, the Fatui are the best choice. If you join, we can even transfer you to Snezhnaya later—better resources, better training."
Might as well make an offer while they were here.
But before Kairo could respond, a translucent virtual interface appeared before his eyes.
[The disappearance of elite Fatui agents has drawn the attention of higher-ups. You've now been approached for investigation by Fatui superiors—and other forces are watching as well.
You chose to wait and see.
Reward for Option Two: Relic Fragment – Silver-Scaled Gauntlets of the Iron Guard: blessed by the Preservation Path, Reduces incoming damage by 8%.]
[Due to your previous contact with Clara and Seele, certain entities have now taken notice of you.]
[You are once again being questioned by Fatui higher-ups. They refuse to believe a mere medic could eliminate their elites—even if you handled their lower ranks before.]
[Be advised: Svarog is currently observing you through his mechanical sentinels. You have triggered your first faction choice.
Your decision now will determine your alignment and future growth. Choose—]
Option 1:Accept the invitation.
You decide to go with the flow and agree to join the Fatui. You know full well this "invitation" won't be easy—it's likely more a trial, or even interrogation. But if they're interested in you, why not seize the chance to learn their secrets? It means walking in shadows, becoming one of them—perhaps even their weapon. Other factions will grow wary or hostile toward you.
Reward:Ancient Engine — a Relic from the Old World, powered by Geomarrow energy. Its exhaust burns not with fire, but with aurora. Only the Chief Guardian's technical division has access to such data—well, they did, before someone got expelled.
Option 2:Refuse outright.
You firmly reject the Fatui's offer. You know the risk—once they doubt you, they'll never let you go. To avoid being hunted, you head straight to the Firemoth Organization, report everything that happened, and declare your loyalty. Though they, too, dwell in the underground, at least they protect the weak and uphold order. It means standing against the Fatui from now on, becoming their enemy—but at least you'll have allies worth trusting.
Reward:Ten Jin of Meteoric Iron Sand — heavenly ore hard enough to shatter stone. Valuable, rare, and highly sought after by the Company.
Option 3:Play it safe.
You smile faintly, neither accepting nor refusing, skillfully buying time while sounding agreeable. Since they initiated contact, why not see what they're after? Maybe you can use them—get some benefits, then slip away. But it also means you'll never fully gain any faction's trust.
Reward:Light Cone – The Same Feeling — a Memory Cone imbued with the Path of Abundance. When used, it releases stored life energy to heal the wounded. If awakened by true Abundance power, it will reveal greater strength.
Kairo: "..."
What the hell?!
Faction choices now?
The Fatui weren't supposed to be anything more than a bunch of rats in the dark!
Without Svarog's protection, they'd be long dead in the Underworld.
So why did this choice feel… important?
And wait—Svarog is watching?
Since when?!
Kairo scanned his surroundings but saw nothing unusual.
If "Firemoth" was the alternate version of Fire-Den, then perhaps in Mondstadt terms that would be… the Knights of Favonius?
Fischl representing Seele, Klee representing Clara—
Svarog, caretaker of Clara, was the mechanical overseer of the Underworld…
So he'd be… the Knightly Order's head of defense?
No, that didn't add up either.
Kairo rubbed his temples.
His brain hurt.
This entire situation was a mess.
He'd been living and working under Firemoth's territory—essentially a Firemoth faction member already!
Why did the system not recognize that?!
"Stupid system," he muttered inwardly.
Anyway—option three was the best deal.
A Light Cone of the Path of Abundance—an absolute treasure for healing.
Even without the Path itself, he could still use its power.
And with it, he could heal injuries instantly, anywhere, anytime.
Decision made.
Light Cone, it is.
"This is… too sudden," he said aloud, furrowing his brow. "I didn't expect the Fatui to invite me."
"Too sudden?" the Skirmisher repeated, startled.
But since Kairo hadn't refused, there was still hope.
He relaxed. "Ah, surprised, are you? Don't worry, the Fatui don't force anyone—we value voluntary cooperation. Think it over. If you change your mind, come find me at the Mondstadt Grand Hotel. We'll be stationed there for now."
"Let's go. We still have to find Kurt."
With that, the Skirmisher waved to his subordinates and left.
Kairo raised an eyebrow.
That went… surprisingly smoothly.
The virtual panel flickered again.
[You neither accepted nor refused the Fatui's invitation. Svarog took note. Calculations initiated… result: indeterminate.]
[Since you did not join the Fatui, Svarog has decided not to restrict your contact with Clara—but will not facilitate it either.]
[You have obtained the reward: Light Cone – The Same Feeling.]
"So fast, huh."
Kairo took a deep breath.
If only every system choice paid out rewards this quickly.
At his thought, the Light Cone materialized in his hand.
It was thin as cicada wings—like folded light, shimmering with a soft, gentle glow.
Suspended above his fingers, so delicate that a single breeze might scatter it.
But when he focused on it, he felt an immense, pulsing vitality within—
the unmistakable energy of the Path of Abundance.
Two figures appeared faintly within the Light Cone's surface, frozen in time—
A girl in a crimson cloak adjusting a mechanical device, eyes bright with determination;
Beside her stood a calm woman with a doll in her hand, smiling faintly as she watched.
Crimson light rippled across the surface, revealing inscriptions that shimmered with flowing energy.
Each engraved mark carried ancient power.
Kairo gently brushed a finger over the cone, feeling the warmth of life within.
That gentle, healing energy radiated outward—an echo of memories from another world.
It was hard to imagine just how powerful this artifact could be.
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