La Signora at the Feast

Scaramouche looked at that face so similar to Niwa's, and after a moment of silence, he asked, "What is your relationship to Niwa?"

"That was my father's former surname; I was adopted by the head of the Kaedehara clan."

This person was a descendant of Niwa. In the eyes of Scaramouche at that time, he was the descendant of a traitor, and thus all the more deserving of death.

After another stretch of silence, Scaramouche spoke slowly: "Tell her, my name is 'Kunikuzushi'!"

Having said this, Scaramouche turned and left, and the image slowly faded to black.

"Niwa!"

In Martial Soul City, Scaramouche softly called out Niwa's name. Although he had been deceived by Dottore at the time into believing that Niwa was a traitor who had fled out of fear of punishment, deep down, he still did not want to believe that Niwa had truly betrayed him.

It was because of this lingering feeling that he had spared Niwa's descendant back then. If he had truly killed him...

Scaramouche dared not even imagine it.

The past of Scaramouche presented on the Sky Screen was quite captivating; most people's lives did not contain as much as he had experienced.

Ouyang Kong also recalled this plot point; it was a short segment presented during the Irodori Festival event, which had sparked quite a bit of speculation and debate at the time.

There had been brilliant researchers back then who, by piecing together this short segment and scattered texts, managed to reconstruct the past of the Balladeer—a truly impressive feat.

A new image appeared on the Sky Screen. This time, it showed a woman with an exaggerated figure, and the Sky Screen thoughtfully introduced her identity.

[The Eighth of the Fatui Harbingers, La Signora—Rosalyne]

The organization known as the Fatui had been mentioned many times by the Sky Screen, drawing the attention of the many powers on the Douluo Continent.

Many speculated that this Fatui organization was likely a power no weaker than the Akademiya.

Their guess was not wrong, though the Fatui were not on the Douluo Continent. Then again, if the Fatui were to gather on the Douluo Continent, it would certainly be an interesting affair.

Rosalyne stood opposite Scaramouche, who spoke with biting sarcasm.

"So, dear 'Signora' has entrusted a bunch of idiots and this dilapidated factory to me?"

"Heh, what good does belittling your subordinates do you? Even if you refuse to admit it, you are a part of the plan. Or do you think these things are less meaningful than fighting in the 'Abyss'? Heh, indeed, it is not as interesting as being a test subject for 'Dottore'."

"Heh, what a sharp tongue you have. However, you rarely seem to gain the upper hand in a war of words. For the sake of the upcoming mission, you had better adjust your mood."

"Hmph, no need to remind me. I know what comes next."

"Though you say that, I must still offer a word of caution: do not think you are invincible, and do not act on impulse."

"Are you worried about me?"

"I simply do not want you to become a stumbling block. Like 'Tartaglia', you are the type who invites trouble."

"I merely wish to set a fire to this chaotic nation. And you... as one who has been discarded, you should be quite eager to destroy it, shouldn't you? Remember back then in Inazuma? You killed many bladesmiths, the people of the Raiden Gokaden. That must have been quite painful, right!"

Clearly, when Rosalyne mentioned this, Scaramouche's expression changed, but he chose silence rather than answering.

"Tsk tsk, look at that expression. Don't dwell on the past, and put away that pathetic tongue of yours; stop being so aggressive. Very well, farewell. See you at the victory banquet!"

Watching Rosalyne leave, Scaramouche laughed.

"Hahaha, a pathetic tongue? A woman who should be burning all over, what right does she have to speak to me like that! No matter. Someone else will come looking for me shortly; what expression should I use to greet them? Heh!"

Seeing Rosalyne again on the Sky Screen, Scaramouche felt a trace of nostalgia.

At that time, he had truly been acting out of a shred of good will in warning her, but unfortunately, she had not listened.

The Fatui did not get to attend her victory banquet, but they did attend her funeral.

At this moment, the Sky Screen thoughtfully inserted a segment showing the final moments of Rosalyne.

The witch who possessed the powers of frost and flame had been defeated in a duel before the throne.

The ruler of Inazuma, the Raiden Shogun, gripped the Musou Isshin and walked toward Rosalyne step by step.

That cold, indifferent aura truly carried the oppressive weight of a god.

Yet, at this moment, Rosalyne appeared flustered and wretched.

"You, what are you trying to do? I am an envoy of Snezhnaya... I swear, if you dare to draw your blade against me, I will make your nation, the Fatui will make the Inazuma you cherish... Stop! I command you, stop! You, and all of you... How, how could I..."

In the end, Rosalyne attempted to strike at the Raiden Shogun, only to be cleaved into ashes by a single stroke of the blade.

Seeing the Raiden Shogun on the Sky Screen, Nahida sighed.

"She is as militarily formidable as ever."

Ouyang Kong looked at Nahida, who seemed to have more to say but held back.

Sensing Ouyang Kong's gaze, Nahida looked toward him.

"Kong? Is something the matter?"

"It's nothing. This is actually the Raiden Shogun, a puppet created by Ei using her own body to maintain eternity. Back then, in order to pursue eternity, Ei remained within the Plane of Euthymia the entire time."

"So that's how it is. Having not seen her for 500 years, I truly was unaware of this."

Ouyang Kong actually wanted to say that she and Raiden Ei had never met, and that her memories originated from the erased Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.

Ouyang Kong looked at the Sky Screen again, thinking that perhaps the story of that period would be exposed later as well.

Returning to Scaramouche, he also shook his head.

"Rosalyne, your final act was truly pathetic."

The image on the Sky Screen changed once more, and a pink-haired woman with fox ears appeared—it was none other than the Raiden Shogun's familiar, the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine, Yae Miko.

She traded the Traveler for the Raiden Shogun's Gnosis from Scaramouche's hands.

And after Scaramouche obtained the Gnosis from Yae Miko, he couldn't help but burst into loud laughter.

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha! So-called eternity is nothing but an excuse for cowards to escape reality! I shall crush your authority with my own hands! From a discarded puppet to a god, this heart is the proof that I have rewritten my fate. You high and mighty beings will never understand how much the trampled ants yearn for power. I, will eventually ascend to godhood! Hahahaha! Hahahaha!"

Following Scaramouche's manic laughter, the image on the Sky Screen gradually faded to black.

Qian Renxue watched the Sky Screen, glancing at Scaramouche from time to time; the Scaramouche before her was vastly different from the manic figure on the screen.

It wasn't just Qian Renxue; many people watching the Sky Screen were curious about what exactly happened to Scaramouche afterward.

Many were also curious about what exactly Scaramouche had obtained, and how he intended to ascend to godhood.

Scaramouche, meanwhile, placed his hand over his heart again, a place that had already been filled by something else.

"I no longer need your things! I have already found a heart that belongs to me, or perhaps, this is a heart I have possessed from the very beginning."