The next day, the Knights of Favonius delivered a clear response to both of them. Surprisingly, even the Cardinal of the Church of Favonius had been unexpectedly cooperative, approving Tartaglia’s request to access the texts he wanted.
Their reasoning was straightforward: even if a Fatui member gleaned anything significant from the ancient texts, any action taken would still have to occur in the real world.
And in Mondstadt, the citizens of the Anemo Archon would never back down to the Fatui.
As for Gu Sanqiu’s request? It was simple. Once the two foreigners left, the Knights gathered once more to discuss the practical implications of this so-called “cross-border enforcement authority.”
Their final verdict: it would be useful.
As long as limitations were set within the treaty, this regulated, geographically restricted cross-border enforcement authority could only help both nations uphold justice and rid the land of wrongdoers.
Moreover, the one who’d proposed this idea was from Liyue, the nation of the God of Contracts.
For a policy of this nature, some ritual observance would likely be required for the approval process, so that it bore “the gaze of the divine.”
As allies, or more specifically, as a contract-bound nation under the protection of Morax, Mondstadt felt it could extend a basic level of trust.
Had Tartaglia been the one to make this suggestion, Mondstadt would have responded politely, yet diplomatically directed him to “stand wherever he pleased.”
The Importance of Nationality and International Image, Vol. 1
Afternoon, Church of Favonius
“Honestly, you’re the one offering me a reward, so why did I have to come over here at this hour to pick it up? Couldn’t you just have it delivered to the Goth Hotel?”
“Well… if you’d like, I could bring along a whole group of fans to watch me deliver your gift right there at the Goth Hotel.”
Barbara sheepishly tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
“That might… cause you some unnecessary trouble, though.”
“Oh, so you mean your fan club?”
“Eh? You know about them, Teacher?”
“Yeah, I guess you could say that. Quite impressive to have so many fans at such a young age.”
Barbara gritted her teeth in frustration. “Teacher, I don’t think you’re much older than I am!”
“Oh, can’t really remember. But I’m sure I’m still older than you.”
Completely unfazed, Gu Sanqiu patted Barbara on the head. “After all, I can go to Angel’s Share for a drink, but you can only order apple juice.”
“Evil teacher, take this!”
Barbara, fuming, gathered two water orbs and hurled them straight at his chest and lower abdomen.
“Hmm, you’re right, these two spots are technically the easiest to target.”
Two thin crystalline shields appeared in response, and the water orbs splashed against them, dissolving back into elemental energy and forming a few blue crystal shards.
“But you seem to have forgotten that I possess a Vision. And it’s a Geo Vision at that. Your trick here might work on ordinary thieves or the greenest of rookies.”
Gu Sanqiu tossed a blue shard at Barbara, encasing her in a protective shield.
“But when dealing with someone wielding a Vision, you’ll need more practice on speed, strength, and even the trajectory of your water projectiles. Got it?”
“Hmph! One day, I’m going to defeat you, Teacher!”
Gu Sanqiu gave her another light pat on the head. “Don’t. Spending your life chasing an impossible goal… well, that would be just a bit too miserable.”
Despicable, despicable, despicable!
Evil teacher!
(╬￣皿￣)=○#(￣#)３￣)
In her mind, Barbara pummeled Gu Sanqiu into oblivion.
“Alright, now where’s my gift? Hurry up. I made a reservation at The Good Hunter, and I don’t want to end up eating cold food.”
“Hmph, fine! Take this!”
Barbara threw him a bracelet. “It’s made from polished crystal ore and infused with my concentrated healing energy. Wear it, and it’ll help alleviate your fatigue.”
“Oh? So you’re able to concentrate healing energy now? Looks like your talents in healing far outshine your combat abilities.”
“Is that really the point?”
“Oh, got it. So the highlight is the bracelet itself, crafted from crystal ore. Ordinary smithies don’t have that skill. Did you happen to commission an alchemist?”
(╬￣皿￣)
Evil teacher!
The most important part was clearly the heartfelt sentiment behind her gift!
“Alright, alright, I’m just teasing. Thank you for the gift—I’m really grateful.”
Gu Sanqiu slipped on the bracelet, then took out a small jade bottle and tossed it to Barbara.
“For you, a little something in return.”
“A medicinal pill from Liyue?”
“You could call it a local specialty.”
He waved his hand dismissively. “You’re showing signs of early burnout, similar to an old friend of mine. This pill will help with that.”
“You may be young, but over time, the body retaliates. Ignoring it now will only result in things like prematurely loose and yellowed skin, a strained voice, and an all-too-short youthful bloom.”
“T-That bad?”
“No kidding. Self-care’s an art, you know. I’m pretty good at it, since those around me don’t exactly make it easy.”
Gu Sanqiu rolled his eyes. Keqing and his elder sister were liver-busting workaholics, both with nearly the same insane drive as Jean herself. And unlike a certain adeptus-secretary with a Qilin’s resilience, they couldn’t exactly keep pace with that kind of dedication.
Not to mention the rhyming, twin-braided, tone-deaf director at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. None of them could ever give him any peace of mind.
Pop.
Barbara’s shield burst, and with a wave of his hand, Gu Sanqiu dispelled the remaining mist.
“Alright. I’ve also absorbed all that sweat on your brow. Doesn’t seem like you need me anymore.”
Resting his chin in his hand, Gu Sanqiu smirked. “As we say in Liyue, ‘The roads are long; we’ll meet again if fate wills it.’”
When Barbara snapped out of her thoughts, Gu Sanqiu was already a fair distance away.
“Teacher… were you just trying to cheer me up, to help me unwind a little?”
“No, you’re reading too much into it. I was only teasing you because it’s entertaining, nothing more. Pure mischief. No need to dwell on it.”
Since you call me Teacher, I can’t just watch my student wear herself down.
When a student offers a gift, it’s only proper for a teacher to reciprocate, after all.
Without turning around, Gu Sanqiu waved a hand. “Bye-bye.”
“Hmph, definitely an evil teacher.”
Barbara let out a small huff, then bowed deeply as he walked away.
(≧ω≦)/
On a clear day, sometime that year… I said goodbye to my teacher. But I feel pretty good about it.
—
That night, at Angel’s Share, Gu Sanqiu took a hearty gulp of wine and let out a long, contented belch.
“Buurp—”
“When exactly did you develop that… lovely skill?”
Kaeya gave Gu Sanqiu an exasperated look as he leaned back, mouth wide open. “Sure, if it’s just the two of us tonight, but could you maybe mind your manners in front of a lady?”
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