Who Was It Who Asked Who Claire Was?

Claire stumbled back a few steps, still shaken, staring at the shattered glass and flowing L㏒s liquid on the floor, before turning to the unexpected intruder.

He's so handsome...

Wait, what am I thinking?

Reason told her that she should either tell the intruder to stop or run outside to find a patrolling officer for help.

But looking at his face... I couldn't help but want to believe him.

So, after much deliberation, her choice was...

Close your eyes and hide.

You'd better answer truthfully...

Xingsu's eyes blazed with barely suppressed rage, his gaze fixed intently on his opponent, showing no sign of backing down.

The man was suspended in mid-air, his neck gripped by one hand, his face quickly turning a deep purplish-red. He frantically raised his hands and desperately tried to pry Xingsu's hand away, his fingertips turning white from the effort, but Xingsu's hand remained unmoved, all his struggles in vain.

A moment later, the strength in the man's limbs gradually dissipated, white foam spilled from the corners of his mouth, his eyes rolled upwards, and he completely lost consciousness.

Xingsu casually released his grip, and the man fell heavily to the floor.

Xingsu moved his hands, bent down and placed his hand on the unconscious man's forehead, slowly closed his eyes, and focused on probing the memories sealed in the man's mind.

Fortunately, this person was not a clueless, easily manipulated cannon fodder; he retained a considerable amount of crucial information.

After a long while, Xingsu slowly opened his eyes, the coldness in them piercing to the bone.

"While issuing foreign loans, they secretly sold L㏒s. When borrowers were unable to repay their debts, they forced them to distribute L㏒s to settle the debts. It was a clever scheme, with each step linked to the next."

Deep within the retrieved memories, a noble title clearly emerges, perfectly matching the name on the list Daerdufu wrote before his death— Sir Valerius (a fictional character in this book).

"Phew, this is much more efficient than interrogation."

Claire frantically hid behind the solid wood counter, her heart pounding. The store was deathly silent; the previous commotion had abruptly subsided, leaving only the sound of one person's footsteps.

She held her breath and waited for a long time, making sure there was no more noise of arguing outside, before she braced herself on the edge of the counter and stood up shakily.

Soft lighting illuminated the store, revealing Xingsu's figure. He was silently bending down, carefully picking up the shards of broken glass on the floor, and cleaning up the spilled L㏒s liquid with a rag.

The man who came to sell L㏒s was lying slumped to the side, his fate unknown.

Claire swallowed hard, hesitating to approach, and spoke softly from a distance:

"Um, excuse me... what just happened? What exactly was that liquid?"

"L㏒s, an addictive drink, is not just simple intoxication. Long-term exposure and consumption gradually ensnare a person's mind with hallucinations, slowly corrupting their intellect." Xingsu looked down at the remaining liquid on the ground, his gaze grave as he continued, "Once addicted, people will empty their savings and do anything to continue obtaining L㏒s."

"Then why doesn't Court of Fontaine completely ban the circulation of this kind of thing?" Claire gripped her apron tightly, her voice still filled with lingering fear and confusion.

Xingsu straightened up, casually gathered up the last shard of glass, and a mocking sneer curled at the corner of his lips.

"Court of Fontaine actually passed legislation a long time ago to ban the distribution of L㏒s. Unfortunately, written laws and their actual enforcement are two different things."

He scoffed softly, his tone full of helplessness. "Fontaine's administrative system is ridiculously inefficient. The laws are in the open, yet massive black market transactions still operate with impunity in the shadows. They only catch the lowly errand runners on the streets; the real power holders behind the scenes remain safely aloof."

Claire listened, stunned, a chill running down her spine. "So... even if you break the law, as long as you have someone backing you up, you can get away with it?"

"That's how it is most of the time, but this time, their chain has slipped up." Xingsu looked at the unconscious man on the ground. "This guy is a pitiful wretch. His family has been controlled by the mastermind behind it all. If it were a normal interrogation, they probably wouldn't get anything out of him, and he might even try to commit suicide. Unfortunately for him, he ran into me."

"I see..." Claire murmured softly, her emotions still reeling. She then looked up at Xingsu, "Thank you! Sir, may I ask your name?"

Xingsu paused slightly, then shook his head.

"... No need, my name is not important."

Seeing this, Claire didn't press further, but bowed deeply in thanks. "In any case, thank you so much for today. I don't have anything to offer, but if you don't mind, I can make you a snack to take with you."

Xingsu paused slightly, remained silent for a moment, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, and softly replied:

"Okay, pack it up. I... can't stay here for long." Xingsu casually pulled out a chair from the side, sat down, and began to think.

Xingsu watched Claire's busy figure disappear into the kitchen and fell into deep thought.

In fact, he had long suspected that, with the power of Arlecchino's Fire of Two Worlds, Clervie, like he had in the past, had lost all her memories of the time at the House of the Hearth.

However, there is a world of difference between the two. As an existence born from memories, he drifted along the Ley Line after his death, eventually reaching the Irminsul, where he was discovered by Nahida and thus given a new life.

How did Clervie come back from the dead and stand here as Claire?

He pondered repeatedly, but couldn't find a single clue in his mind. Countless questions were intertwined, and he couldn't find a solution.

Xingsu slowly exhaled, temporarily suppressing her chaotic thoughts.

This mystery is best left for me to explore in the future.

The most important thing right now is that he saw with his own eyes that she is still alive and well.

That alone is enough.

"Heh." Xingsu chuckled, a hint of self-mockery in his laughter. He finally understood Arlecchino's feelings when she learned he was still alive.

After all, not just anyone can wade into the murky waters of the Fatui and the House of the Hearth.

Now that Clervie is peacefully running her little dessert shop and living a quiet, ordinary life, completely detached from those heavy memories of the past...

Perhaps, forgetting her is the best ending for her.

"Here I am, here I am!"

Claire hummed a little tune as she walked out quickly, carrying a box full of exquisite desserts. She carefully handed the box to Xingsu, and the sweet aroma of the pastries wafted over her.

"Thank you." Xingsu accepted the gift box, thanked him softly, and turned to push open the store door to leave.

Please wait!

A crisp sound rang out from behind him, Xingsu's steps suddenly stopped, his back stiffening slightly.

He slowly turned halfway to the side. "Excuse me, what's wrong?"

Claire frowned, took two steps forward, and her clear gaze fell on him, carrying a hint of inexplicable confusion.

"Sir, you... you seemed unable to look me in the eye the entire time. And I've been wondering, have we met before?"