"I think I smell a familiar presence."
Su Bai narrowed his eyes and looked toward Mondstadt. So he had come to Liyue as well—how rare. Shouldn't that guy be in Inazuma? It seemed events had deviated somewhat from his plan. Still, having one more actor might not be a bad thing.
Downstairs, Signora was the first to sense that familiar aura in the distance. She used Cryo to push Childe back. In his rage, Childe grabbed the Delusion at his waist.
"Foul Legacy!"
Electro energy began spreading from his arm across his body. But before Foul Legacy could fully activate, a delicate hand rested on Childe's shoulder. The transformation stopped abruptly.
"Childe, there's no need to use such a desperate trump card in a sparring match."
"If you have too much energy to burn, you can come investigate the falling meteorites with me."
That casual yet slightly gentle tone made Childe's pupils contract. What was Scaramouche doing here? Hadn't he been operating in Inazuma? Had he already obtained the Electro Archon's Gnosis?
"Relax, relax. I'm not here for any purpose. I just wanted to listen to what you two Harbingers were discussing."
"And let me remind you both—don't end up being clowns played by someone else."
Scaramouche looked up toward the top of Wangshu Inn. Standing there was that fox who always annoyed him. A flicker of barely perceptible jealousy crossed his eyes.
'What a lucky guy. If our fates were swapped, would I be just as carefree as him, shielded by others?'
Looking at the young man with the long spear protecting Su Bai, Scaramouche felt a moment of confusion. Once upon a time, he had experienced such feelings too. But that person was gone now, forever left behind in the Inazuma he had given everything for.
After a brief moment of disorientation, Scaramouche quickly regained his composure. He would kill that fox eventually, but not now. This was Liyue, not Inazuma.
Liyue was Su Bai's homeland. If he fought Su Bai here, he would be signing his own death warrant. The adepti here would tear him to pieces. So until he obtained a Gnosis, he wouldn't lay a hand on Su Bai.
"Go on, tell me. Why were you fighting? If your reason convinces me, I won't report what I saw today to Her Majesty the Tsaritsa."
Scaramouche smiled as he nibbled on a Fisherman's Toast. Seeing the unfriendly looks from Childe and Signora, he awkwardly put the toast away.
"Force of habit. Go ahead, speak. I'll stop eating, alright?"
Signora turned her head away, forcing herself not to smell that aroma. She kept reminding herself that Fisherman's Toast was nutritionally unbalanced and bad for her skin.
Childe rubbed his empty stomach, cursing Scaramouche under his breath. 'Damn it, I'm starving. Rumor said Scaramouche made delicious Fisherman's Toast, and it seems that was true.'
"What could I discuss with this old auntie Signora? She had me buy her a thousand coffins and deliver them. I asked her to meet so I could find out why she needed so many."
"Childe, when did I ever say I wanted to buy coffins? As much as I'd like to reunite with Rostam, now is not the time. I think you're just trying to provoke me."
"You're lying! Your subordinate left me a note. Otherwise, why would I have carried those coffins all the way from Liyue Harbor to here?"
Childe was furious again at Signora's denial. 'Damn it. My men and I carried those coffins here, enduring all kinds of stares. Now that they're here, you're denying it? Are you mocking me?'
"I'm telling you, Signora, if you don't give me an explanation today, I won't let this go!"
"Childe, don't you think I wouldn't dare kill you?"
Seeing them about to start fighting again, Scaramouche quickly stepped between them. His head was already spinning. Had these two grown their brains in their chests? Or had they simply not developed any brains at all? How could they not see such an obvious scheme?
To be fair, it wasn't entirely their fault. Both were so focused on killing each other that they hadn't stopped to think about what was strange.
"How about you two pause for a moment and let me walk you through it?"
Scaramouche wasn't feeling great either, sandwiched between them. The Hydro and Pyro energy around them kept triggering Vaporize reactions on him. Not too damaging, but very uncomfortable.
"Hmph. For your sake, Scaramouche, I'll give Childe a chance. If he can't give a proper reason, even if you don't report to Her Majesty, I will."
"Heh, same to you. You wrote me that letter yourself, and now you won't admit it?"
Childe pulled a letter from his coat and waved it, a victorious smile on his face. Signora froze. What? She had written Childe a letter?
"Impossible. Since Rostam died, I haven't written a single letter. Absolutely impossible."
Now it was Childe's turn to be dumbfounded. What? Signora hadn't written that letter? But his men had told him it was delivered by her subordinates. And that subordinate had taken tens of thousands of Mora from the bank.
"Signora, answer me this. Did you send your men to Northland Bank to withdraw Mora?"
"I did give that order. But those three never came back. They're probably still in Liyue buying herbs."
"Three? Not two?"
"No, three. They're in the same squad."
Scaramouche took the letter from Childe and carefully examined the handwriting. Just as he suspected—that white-furred fox's doing.
'Impressive. With a single letter, he got two Harbingers fighting each other. I should have just kidnapped him back then instead of hesitating.'
The moment he saw Su Bai at the top of Wangshu Inn, Scaramouche had guessed this incident had something to do with him. But he hadn't expected Su Bai to be behind the whole thing.
It seemed that after a few years apart, Su Bai had become even more cunning. Dealing with him in the future would be harder. But that also made it more interesting, didn't it? For now, though, he needed to resolve the immediate problem.
"Childe, this isn't Signora's handwriting. I've seen her writing before. Hers isn't this ugly."
"Scaramouche, are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
Hearing Scaramouche's confirmation, Childe finally understood. He had been played. Which meant the two people who had withdrawn tens of thousands of Mora from Northland Bank weren't Fatui either.
"Assemble! Back to Liyue Harbor!"
Childe gave the order. His men immediately formed up and marched swiftly toward Liyue Harbor. Childe silently wondered who would be so bold as to scam him of all people.