"Ladies, gentlemen, and children!" Silvando announced, standing proudly beneath the morning sun in Fontaine's bustling Vasari Passage district. His vibrant attire shimmered in the light, instantly drawing every eye.
"I am your humble craftsman, Fenn the Magnificent, toymaker extraordinaire!" he declared, spreading his arms wide, his confident smile dazzling. "I bring joy to all—young and old alike! From delicate dolls to daring action figures!"
Snapping his fingers, a swirl of shimmering light burst around him, forming an illusion that glittered like Cryo frost. The crowd quickly gathered, captivated by the display and eager to hear what he had to say.
"You see, my friends," he continued with a grin, "for far too long, children have been stuck playing with the same old ordinary toys. But what if I told you there's a toy that lets you and your friends battle for victory?"
Reaching into his bag, he held up a small spinning top gleaming with intricate detail. "Behold—the Blade Blade! A new way to play, where skill, speed, and imagination collide!"
"Wow, Mom, can you get me that?"
"Please, Mom!"
"I want one too!"
Silvando smiled to himself. Capturing children's attention was going to be easier than he thought.
Before any questions could be asked, three officers in blue approached interrupting and one of them holding a birdcage which was silver in color.
"Young man," one of the officers said, "Lady Furina asked us to return the bird you left behind at the restaurant."
Wait a minute, Stolas was with Furina? That little traitor! How could he? Knowing that owl, he probably let her smother him with hugs and endless praise.
Lucky bird. Still, Silvando couldn't help but wonder what he might have learned, something to ask him about later.
"Thank you, officers. I apologize for any inconvenience and please, send my regards to Lady Furina," he said politely as the officer handed him the cage.
"Don't worry about it. Actually, Lady Furina was quite enjoying herself, petting your owl," one of them said.
"Oh, and we have a message for you as well," the officer added. "You're scheduled for a meeting at the Palais Mermonia tomorrow at three p.m."
So she kept her promise, he thought, a small smirk tugging at his lips. He was already looking forward to trying his luck at charming the goddess. "Thank you, officers and have a good day."
The officers tipped their hats and walked away, leaving Silvando to glare at the owl, who blinked up at him with feigned innocence.
"Hoot," Stolas replied meekly.
Back inside his shop, Silvando carried on with his day with ringing up customers, chatting lightly, and watching children rush in with bright smiles, leaving moments later clutching their new toys.
"Mister, this toy is cool!"
"Mom, look at this cute stuffed animal!"
"Wow, look at this robot action figure—it would make a cool collection!"
One by one, his customers departed, their joy lingering in the air. The warmth it left him always brought a quiet thought to mind: a life free of the weight pressing on his heart, where he could simply live as a human.
"That would be nice…" he murmured. But he couldn't, not with the chains of his past still clinging to him.
Other than that, the Fatui should work quickly to get his shop stocked with the premade toys he had crafted. He nodded, glancing at the shelves and their neatly arranged contents.
"Um… boss, why am I dressed like this?" a young brown-haired Fatui agent in a white uniform with a skirt asked, looking down in embarrassment.
"Of course," Silvando said with a faint smile. "I need helping hands, and I'm not about to pay someone an hourly wage."
"Ah, Tarvia isn't so bad… You're cute. Maybe you'll find a husband," a young man in the male uniform teased as he walked up.
"Josh, stop joking! I didn't come all the way from Natlan to play dress-up," she snapped, shooting a glance at Silvando.
"Don't glare at me like that," Silvando said with a grin. "We have important tasks, and maybe some exploring in those underwater ruins."
She sighed, exasperated.
Silvando chuckled softly. She was a handful, but brilliant. He had found her at her lowest point back in the Akademiya and taken her under his wing.
And now she stood among the top officers in the research department—though, of course, he had transferred her here to Fontaine along with Josh.
"Fine, you'll be paid," he said. "The shop is open from 12 to 8. Weekends off, I don't want you cooped up. And remember: call me 'boss' or 'Fenn.'"
"Yes, boss," they both said, saluting.
Gazing at the fading light outside, he yawned. "It's getting late, so let's close the shop" Cleaning up, he flipped the switch and locked the door behind him.
Waving his subordinates goodbye, Silvando walked along the streets of Fontaine and windows flickered with families settling in, and lovers lingering by balconies, laughter carried softly by the breeze.
Hands tucked in his pockets, until a faint rustle drew his attention. Turning his head, his gaze met the familiar round eyes of Stolas perched on his shoulder.
"So, you met Furina," Silvando asked quietly. "Tell me—what did you learn?"
Hoot. Hoot.
"Loneliness, huh?" Silvando murmured, a wry smile tugging at his lips. He supposed he knew that feeling all too well… though, in his mind, loneliness was just another tool to be used.
"Stolas, how would you feel if I tried to use that loneliness to make her fall in love with me? Or is playing with a goddess's heart too much?"
Hoo.
"What? No way!"
Hoo.
"So what if she made me cry?"
Hoo.
Silvando glanced around and noticed the eerie quiet—no one in sight. A heavy sense of unease hung in the air, as if something terrible was about to happen.
Then, sharp and urgent, Stolas hooted, not his usual sound, but a clear warning. The owl took flight, darting toward a nearby alley.
Silvando's eyes narrowed. He leapt effortlessly onto the rooftops, sprinting across the metal and stone until he stopped his expression hardening. Below, several Fatui agents lay dead.
"It seems someone wasn't too happy with the Knave's little investigations…" he muttered.
"Stolas, warn the Knave."
"Hoot!"
With his owl flying off, Silvando jumped down into the street, stepping over the bodies men and women alike, their uniforms riddled with bullet holes and faint traces of elemental energy.
Then—
BOOM!
An explosion ripped through the air, smoke rising high over the plaza. Silvando's eyes widened, recognizing the direction immediately.
"The bank…" he whispered.
The devastating attack on the Snezhnaya Bank was nothing short of an act of war. Silvando, however, had no desire to get involved.
But boots echoed from every direction. His eyes narrowed. He was surrounded.
"How long has it been since I last fought in a real battle?" he muttered under his breath.
"Men, open fire!"
Gunfire erupted, shattering the silence as smoke and chaos swallowed the alleyway.