"You two really are legendary adventurers renowned throughout the world." After leaving the Knights of Favonius' training grounds, Danika offered them her heartfelt thanks.
"But Danika, your master is no slouch either, is he?" Tang Wang asked. "He's the Knight of the Pillar, The Captain, the first of the Fatui."
"Yes, that's right." Danika nodded. "But that doesn't mean your instruction and training were meaningless to me."
"If all the Adventurers' Guild's S-rank adventurers are as capable as you two, then I think founding the organization was a brilliant move on his part."
"You mean Pantalone, the ninth of the Fatui?" Tang Wang shrugged. "That old chain-smoker never cared about things like that, except for putting up the money."
"But Marionette, the seventh, who keeps it running these days, really has put work and effort into it."
"If I may be so bold," Danika began. She instinctively started to bow again, but felt that doing so would only make things more distant between them, so she stopped herself. "Just how much do you know about Snezhnaya?"
"Not all that much, I suppose." Tang Wang shrugged. "I basically know everything The Third Seat knows. And the same goes for her."
"But you can rest assured. As long as The Third Seat remains a Harbinger, I can't possibly be your enemy. Or rather, I won't stand against Snezhnaya."
It sounded like a promise, but Danika had already heard the implication: what if The Third Seat ceased to be a Harbinger? Not being an enemy of Snezhnaya didn't mean he wouldn't be an enemy of the Fatui.
But she saw nothing wrong with that. Given the Fatui's actions, they were notorious even in Snezhnaya itself.
Besides, judging by Tang Wang's words and actions, he undoubtedly supported the Tsaritsa's plan. As far as she was concerned, that was a good thing.
"In that case, everyone, please stay at the Goth Grand Hotel tonight. I'll cover the cost." Her tone was humble.
"After all, if you hadn't come to my aid, I might have died at that Abyss Herald's hands."
"You don't need to be so formal." Tang Wang shook his head. "After all, we'll be traveling together in Mondstadt for quite a while yet."
"What he means," Linaya explained, "is that as members of the Adventurers' Guild, we have rooms permanently reserved at the Goth Grand Hotel."
"As long as no other adventurers are staying in them, we don't have to pay to use them."
"But you only have two rooms, don't you? What about Miss Ronava?" Danika asked.
Before Tang Wang could speak, Linaya jumped in with a smile:
"Well, Ronava can share a room with me!" She turned to Ronava, her eyes shining. "What do you say, Ronava? Would you be willing to spend the night alone with me?"
As a "scholar" with a keen interest in all sorts of rare and wondrous creatures, she had harbored a pure desire for knowledge and an even purer desire to admire Ronava ever since they first met that day.
But as Tang Wang had said, the situation had been urgent, so she could only suppress those feelings.
Now that the situation was right, she no longer concealed her desire.
"Human, why exactly..." Ronava's body began to tremble involuntarily. "Why do you have that... look on your face?"
"Lili, you're scaring her." Tang Wang patted both women on the shoulder, bringing Linaya out of her lovestruck daze.
"Oh, all right." The little wings beside her ears drooped in disappointment. "Sorry, Ronava. I lost my composure."
"I'm just really, really interested in you, that's all."
"Geo Lili is an adviser to the Adventurers' Guild. She's studied all kinds of creatures and landforms in tremendous depth," Tang Wang explained on her behalf. "So, Ronava, she's shown some... scholarly interest in you."
"There's no need to be afraid or worried, and you don't have to force yourself. If you don't want to, just say no."
"...I accept." Unexpectedly, after a moment of silence, Ronava ultimately chose to accept the proposal.
Afterward, the four enjoyed a lavish dinner at Angel's Share and took the opportunity to discuss their battle plans for the following day.
After dinner, Danika had intended to return directly to the Goth Grand Hotel, but judging by Tang Wang's route, he seemed to be planning a stop at the Adventurers' Guild. Curious, she chose to follow, and he did not stop her.
"Good evening, Columbina." Facing Katheryne, whose eyes had gone vacant, Tang Wang suddenly called out a somewhat familiar name. "I'm in Mondstadt now. Is there anything you'd like me to bring you?"
"Mondstadt...?" Katheryne's mouth remained still, but the voice of another girl came from within her. "What kind of place is it?"
"Ah, it's a very beautiful place." He considered his words. "A hazy mist hangs over Cider Lake all year round. The breeze through the woods brushes past every dandelion and Windwheel Aster, then blows through every shop window in the morning."
"This place is known for its wine and poetry, and the people of Mondstadt are highly accomplished in those arts. But to me, the songs you sing are still the loveliest."
"Is that so..." The voice inside Katheryne paused. "I can't help feeling it's a pity I couldn't see it for myself."
"Then, Tang Wang, could I ask you to bring me the prettiest flower here? Preferably... one with dew on it."
"Is that request..." The girl's voice grew quieter. "Is it too much?"
"No, it isn't. I'll bring it to you." He gently shook his head. "And this time, please pay me with a song again."
"Mm." After that reply, the voice disappeared, and the light returned to Katheryne's eyes.
"Let's go." Beckoning to the others, Tang Wang headed toward the Goth Grand Hotel.
By this point, Danika, who had listened to the whole exchange, was breaking out in a cold sweat. She had finally recognized the voice: it belonged to Damselette, The Third Seat of the Fatui.
Judging by that conversation, Tang Wang and The Third Seat were far more than just close friends, weren't they? She felt that if the two could see each other whenever they wanted, their relationship would have long since gone beyond so-called friendship.
In fact-taking the thought to its most extreme conclusion-if they could see each other every day, their children might even be old enough to run errands by now!
After all, Danika had only ever encountered similar conversations in Snezhnayan operas and poems about romance.
And she knew that the top three Fatui Harbingers all had combat prowess comparable to that of gods. Her master, The Captain, was among the finest of them.
Yet for that very reason, in Danika's eyes, the elusive Damselette was dozens, even hundreds of times more dangerous than the other Harbingers. She was a being whom even The Doctor could not see through.
It seems he definitely won't be an enemy of Snezhnaya, Danika finally concluded.
"Tang Wang," Ronava said beside her while she was lost in thought, "what exactly is your relationship with that Columbina?"
Although Ronava still didn't quite understand human feelings, as she listened to their conversation just now, she kept experiencing a strange, indescribable feeling.
"We're very good friends," Tang Wang answered truthfully. "If possible, I'd actually rather we could be family."
"...All right, all right, Ronava, time to put on your pajamas!" Just as the atmosphere grew awkward, Linaya's lively, sweet voice broke the strange silence. "Have you ever played the most, most fun game of all-a pillow fight?"
And so Ronava spent what was, for her, the most unforgettable night of her life so far...