Rosalyne's voice was very soft.
Odette.
The little girl whose father died in the line of duty and whose mother broke her leg.
She was the one who brought the mother and daughter into the Fatui' house; she was the one who watched the little girl grow from being as thin as a reed into the cold, aloof person she is now.
It was also she who trained her with the cruelest methods, training her until she cried, training her until she hated.
She wanted her to be able to live independently, and she wanted her to one day no longer have to depend on anyone.
But the child only remembered the hatred.
She subconsciously remembered that at the Snezhnaya, she wanted to bring a gift to the little girl who was dancing.
"You're not worthy to see the dance I learned from my mother."
"Sir?" the debt collector asked cautiously.
Rosalyne snapped out of her reverie and unconsciously ran her fingertips across the table.
"What's she doing here?" Rosalyne's voice turned cold. "I didn't let her go on this mission."
"Reporting to you, my lord, Odette... arrived with the three Harbinger."
Rosalyne's pupils contracted slightly.
Could it be...?
After a long while, Rosalyne came to her senses and sighed softly.
"Sigh, that child... never mind, let it be."
"And Columbina and the others, Your Majesty, what is this...?" Rosalyne walked to the table and put the letter down.
A light tap of the fingertip on the table—"How little trust you have in me."
She quickly figured it out.
"Hehe."
She laughed again.
"I've been planning this in Mondstadt for so long. The Gnosis in Barbatos only needs a single morning."
She looked up.
"At this time, three more Harbinger arrived."
The debt collector lowered his head even further. "Sir, should I go and make contact to ascertain their purpose?"
"No need."
Two words: crisp and decisive.
"Their arrival actually saves trouble." Rosalyne walked back to the window.
"Tomorrow morning, plans will proceed as usual."
Yes.
"They're at the beach, let them be." She looked at the lights outside the window.
"And..." Rosalyne's voice trailed off, "Keep a close eye on them. Don't alert them, and don't get close."
"I understand."
"If they interfere—"
She paused for a moment, then continued the conversation herself.
"They won't interfere."
"A hint of coldness played on her lips. 'If they were willing to fight, they wouldn't be playing on the beach.'"
The debt settlement officer responded with a "Yes," put away the letter, and quietly left.
The door closed.
She was left alone in the room again.
Rosalyne walked to the wall.
A map of City of Mondstadt hangs on the wall, with the location of the cathedral hidden beneath a blue chess piece.
She stared at that spot for a long time.
" The Anemo Gnosis "
She read it aloud softly.
"And Odette..."
Odette's tent was pitched on the beach overnight.
It wasn't big; five people were crammed inside, sprawled out haphazardly, and none of them slept very soundly.
Bai You woke up first at daybreak.
She shifted and realized she was still nestled in Varesa's arms.
Varesa's arms were wrapped around her waist, and she didn't let go all night.
"Good morning." Varesa was already awake, and she leaned down to kiss her forehead.
"Good morning." Bai You snuggled closer to her, and as she moved, sand fell from her hair.
Sand fell onto Varesa's hand.
Varesa smiled and reached out to remove the grains of sand from her hair, her fingertips brushing against her earlobe.
"It itches."
"Endure it."
On the other side, Sandrone was awakened by an itch.
The tent was small, and she was very close to Columbina, a strand of her long hair brushing against the tip of her nose.
She frowned and pushed the door open. When she opened her eyes, she saw Columbina propping her head up and smiling at her.
"Why are you looking at me?"
"I was watching you sleep," Columbina said matter-of-factly. "I've been watching for a long time."
"... Pervert." Sandrone blushed and buried her face in her arms.
At the very back of the tent, the spot where Odette should have been was empty.
She was the first to get up and had already lifted the tent flap.
The sea breeze blew in, carrying a salty taste, and also her voice.
"I came out as soon as I woke up," she said. "Breakfast."
The five people sat in a circle around the bread, the sea breeze blowing in gusts, and no one was in a hurry to speak.
Odette took out several bottles of milk from the insulated box, distributing one to each person, and then unwrapped the bread.
Sandrone picked up his bottle, took a couple of sips, and then casually pushed Columbina's Columbina toward her.
His eyes were always looking elsewhere.
Columbina looked down at the bottle of milk, smiled, said nothing, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip.
Bai You bit into her bread, biting so fast that crumbs fell all over her chest.
Varesa reached out and swatted it away for her.
"... Eat slowly."
"Hmm."
Odette looked at the group of people and added casually:
"The guy who kicked me in the tent last night knows what he's doing."
The four people looked at each other, none of them daring to recognize the other.
Bai You secretly glanced at Varesa — Varesa winked at her.
After we finished eating, the sky was just beginning to brighten, reaching its gentlest point.
Five people sat side by side on the beach, facing the sea.
At the horizon, a hint of pink peeks through first.
Then came orange, then gold, then a whole expanse of burning red.
The sun slowly rose from the sea, cradled by the water, gradually revealing half its face.
Bai You was stunned.
Beside her, Columbina naturally rested her head on Sandrone's shoulder.
Sandrone's shoulders stiffened.
It didn't move.
Two seconds later, she turned her face away and muttered softly, "... just for a little while."
"Okay."
"Let go after watching the sunrise."
"Okay."
Odette stood at the very back, arms crossed, gazing at the sea burning red.
He didn't say anything.
As the wind blew by, she handed a coat she was holding to Bai You.
Bai You took it, draped it over her shoulders, and smiled at her.
Odette turned her face away and hummed in response.
Bai You put on her coat and stretched out her hand to catch the sunlight.
The light fell on her palm, warm.
"The sunshine is so warm," she said.
"Am I warm enough?" Varesa pressed against her from behind, cupping her hands in her own palms.
The sun has fully risen.
The fog dissipated, revealing a sea of shattered gold.
"Pack your things," Odette clapped her hands.
She dismantled the tent and quickly packed it into a bag, her movements swift and efficient.
Sandrone went over to help, shaking the moisture-proof cloth clean and folding it into a single piece.
"You folded it even more neatly than I did," Columbina leaned closer to look.
"Enough with the nonsense." Sandrone shoved the folded cloth into her arms. "Take it."
Columbina hugged the cloth, her eyes crinkling with laughter.
Columbina carried a garbage bag and collected the charcoal ash, bones, and skewers from last night, humming a song as she did so.
The five people walked back along the coastline.
The beach gradually turned into a gravel path.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, the outline of City of Mondstadt came into view.
A few dandelions were blooming on the grass by the roadside. Bai You squatted down, puffed out her cheeks, and blew on one.
The city gate was getting closer and closer.
Bai You looked up at the city and whispered, "We're here. We're here."
Varesa ruffled her hair.
"Yes, we've arrived."
Sandrone walked behind, still carrying the bag of trash in her hand. Columbina went over and reached out to help her.
"I'll do it myself." Sandrone dodged.
"Then I'll go with you." Columbina wasn't annoyed; she just stayed close to her, walking forward step by step.
Sandrone stopped hiding.
Odette walked at the very front.
The five people walked into City of Mondstadt, one after the other.