Chapter 57. The La Signora's Shock
Yes, Tartaglia and Yelan had come to visit, but by the time they arrived, everyone had already nearly finished eating.
Guizhong had even left ahead of time, bringing Klee along with her because she needed the little girl to help install certain special components into the Azhdaha Mech.
Albedo looked exceptionally helpless about this matter. In the end, he could only decide to accompany them as well. On one hand, he genuinely wanted to see the Azhdaha Mech for himself. On the other hand, he truly could not feel at ease leaving Klee alone together with Guizhong.
After all, according to Futsu Mitama's description and Zhongli affirmation, Guizhong was practically a "grown-up Hu Tao."
Trusting her was even less reassuring than trusting Hu Tao herself. At the very least, Hu Tao still understood where the line was.
Guizhong, however, had confidently declared:
"I have Azhdaha and Morax backing me. In all of Liyue, who would dare cause trouble for me?"
As a result, Guizhong, Klee, and Albedo departed early.
Not long after they left, Tartaglia and Yelan arrived together.
Aila led the two of them into the residence. The moment they stepped inside, both Tartaglia and Yelan immediately caught the lingering aroma in the air, and nearly at the same time, expressions of regret surfaced on their faces.
Both of them knew about the "A Bite of Liyue" event.
What had truly drawn attention during that event was not Yanxiao unexpectedly rising to first place, but rather the miraculous performance of the legendary kitchenware personally forged by the Raiden Shogun.
And now, the fragrance lingering throughout the room made it obvious enough. The meal they had just missed had undoubtedly been prepared using those legendary kitchenwares.
For a moment, even Tartaglia and Yelan felt genuine regret.
Had they known beforehand, they absolutely would have arrived earlier to join the meal.
"Ah… I'm so full…"
Paimon patted her round little stomach while lying limply across Lumine's shoulder, so stuffed that she no longer even wanted to fly.
"The taste really was incredible."
Sangonomiya Kokomi also revealed a satisfied smile. Food prepared with legendary kitchenware truly possessed a flavor unlike ordinary cuisine.
Kuki Shinobu quietly nodded as well.
Even she herself felt somewhat surprised. Although she knew most of the credit belonged to the kitchenware rather than her own skill, seeing everyone enjoy the meal so much still gave her a subtle sense of accomplishment.
"Ningguang is looking for me?"
Futsu Mitama looked toward Tartaglia and Yelan while setting down his chopsticks.
The moment he finished eating, Black Aila silently stepped forward and took out a handkerchief to wipe the corners of his mouth.
Aila watched the scene quietly from nearby.
However, the slight tightening of her fists made her dissatisfaction painfully obvious.
"Mm." Yelan gave a small nod before calmly saying, "Ningguang asked me to invite you to the Jade Chamber."
Then she glanced sideways at Tartaglia beside her.
"As for him—he insisted on following me here."
Tartaglia shrugged helplessly.
"How can you call it insisting?" he replied casually. "If your side hadn't confined Lady, I wouldn't have needed to come at all."
"And according to diplomatic protocol, detaining a Snezhnayan diplomat without proper justification—"
Tartaglia slowly narrowed his eyes.
"Should I interpret that as Liyue intending to unilaterally invalidate the alliance?"
Although his tone remained calm, nobody present believed he was joking.
Because this matter genuinely irritated him.
Originally, Tartaglia had already been disappointed after failing to discover any traces of Azhdaha within The Chasm.
Although they had unexpectedly uncovered information related to Osial's sealing grounds instead, before he could proceed with any further plans, he suddenly learned that La Signora had effectively lost contact after entering the Jade Chamber.
After emerging from The Chasm, Tartaglia immediately received reports from his subordinates stating that Signora had not returned for an entire day and night.
Tartaglia might have been obsessed with battle, but he was far from stupid.
Naturally, he understood exactly what had happened.
The reopening of The Chasm was no minor matter. And Signora herself had already caused enough incidents in both Mondstadt and Inazuma that Liyue keeping a close eye on her was perfectly understandable.
Tartaglia could understand it.
But understanding did not mean he would simply ignore it.
As a fellow Harbinger, he still intended to speak on Signora's behalf. After all, she had not actually done anything yet.
"Relax. She's only considered a 'guest' for the moment."
Yelan smiled faintly.
"She's free to leave the Jade Chamber now if she wants to. She simply hasn't chosen to."
The meaning behind her words was extremely obvious.
At present, Ningguang and Signora were engaged in a silent battle of negotiations. Neither side intended to yield first.
As for Tartaglia mentioning the alliance—
In truth, after Il Dottore caused chaos within Liyue half a year ago, that so-called alliance had already become little more than decorative paper.
"..."
Tartaglia did not continue the topic.
Instead, he folded his arms and glanced toward Zhongli not far away.
The moment he entered, he had already noticed him.
If the current atmosphere had not been inappropriate, Tartaglia honestly would have preferred to pull up a chair beside Zhongli and discuss matters concerning Osial.
Compared to Azhdaha, he was now far more interested in the God of Vortex.
Zhongli merely gave him a calm nod in return before lowering his gaze once more, quietly savoring the aftertaste of the meal as though nothing around him concerned him in the slightest.
Futsu Mitama looked toward Yelan.
"So? Do I need to make a trip there?"
The moment those words were spoken, both Aila and Black Aila immediately raised their heads.
If Futsu Mitama intended to leave, then naturally the two of them would accompany him.
At the same time, Sangonomiya Kokomi's eyes lit up slightly, while Lumine and Paimon also revealed visibly interested expressions.
Clearly, the three of them were rather curious about the Jade Chamber.
After all, none of them had properly visited the famous floating palace before.
"Mm."
Yelan nodded.
Then she swept her gaze across the room before asking politely,
"Does anyone else want to come along?"
Ordinary people naturally could not casually enter the Jade Chamber.
However, everyone present here was someone worth befriending, so Ningguang would not object to allowing them entry.
Still, Yelan asked the question out of courtesy.
"I'll stay behind to clean up."
Kuki Shinobu calmly volunteered herself.
Someone had to wash the dishes and tidy the house, and she was already accustomed to handling such things.
Besides, after everything that had happened recently, she also wanted some time to quietly rest.
As for whatever Ningguang intended to discuss with Futsu Mitama, or what kind of friction might arise between Liyue and the Fatui—
Kuki Shinobu honestly was not especially interested.
If something truly important happened, Futsu Mitama would tell her afterward anyway.
"I should train for a while as well."
Shenhe gently rubbed her stomach.
Whenever she ate too much, she would habitually increase the intensity of her cultivation afterward.
As for the reason—
Cloud Retainer was largely to blame for that.
That illuminated beast constantly enjoyed bringing up stories from Ganyu's childhood, to the point where even someone as emotionally detached as Shenhe had begun developing a strange sense of self-consciousness.
Because of that, Shenhe absolutely refused to allow herself to gain weight.
So whatever she ate now, she would simply compensate for later through even harsher training.
"I'm going too!"
Paimon immediately raised both hands high into the air, her face filled with excitement.
The Jade Chamber!!!
That was the Jade Chamber where the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, Ningguang herself, resided.
And more importantly, Paimon still clearly remembered what Keqing had said before. After the Traveler purified the sludge eruption within The Chasm, the Liyue authorities would provide a reward worth over one hundred million Mora.
One hundred million Mora!!!
Even if it wasn't truly one hundred million, as long as they received tens of millions, their future journey across Teyvat would immediately become far more comfortable.
And perhaps—she could even use this chance to establish some kind of business connection with Ningguang.
Then the Mora would continue multiplying.
More Mora creating even more Mora.
At that point, becoming the richest person in all of Teyvat would no longer be just a dream.
"I'll go as well."
Sangonomiya Kokomi also revealed a rather interested expression.
Although she had already spent quite some time in Liyue Harbor, she had never once visited the Jade Chamber.
After all, throughout all of Liyue, anyone who looked up could see that magnificent floating palace suspended above the clouds.
Naturally, countless people wished to enter it at least once.
Unfortunately, the Jade Chamber was still technically Ningguang's private property.
No matter how noble one's identity or how powerful one's strength might be, without Ningguang's invitation, entering the Jade Chamber was nearly impossible.
Lumine did not say anything.
However, everyone already knew that if Paimon was going, then she would naturally follow along as well.
"Are we leaving now?"
Futsu Mitama looked toward Yelan.
"If there's still some time before departure, I can help clean up here first."
"Mm."
Yelan gave a small nod.
"Ningguang isn't in a hurry. If you still have things to handle here, you can finish those first."
Tartaglia also nodded slightly.
Although Signora's current situation did irritate him, he still considered Futsu Mitama's matters more important for the moment.
Whether it was the events inside The Chasm or the information regarding Osial earlier, Futsu Mitama had never hidden anything from him.
Tartaglia was someone who repaid favors.
Even if their positions were destined to place them on opposite sides someday, before that day arrived, he would still help whenever he could.
"You all wait a moment."
Futsu Mitama rolled up his sleeves, clearly preparing to help Kuki Shinobu clean the table and deal with the remaining mess.
After all, Kuki Shinobu had already been responsible for cooking the entire meal. If she also had to handle all the cleanup alone afterward, that truly felt somewhat excessive.
However, before Futsu Mitama could even stand up properly, Aila and Black Aila exchanged glances.
Then, without hesitation, the two directly pressed him back down into the chair.
"Young Master can remain seated."
Aila spoke calmly, faint violet lightning already flickering within her eyes as an oppressive aura quietly spread outward.
Meanwhile, shadow-like tendrils slowly emerged behind Black Aila. Her crimson eyes glowed faintly as she stared toward the dishes and leftovers on the table.
"Leave the rest to us."
The moment the two began moving, the atmosphere in the room instantly became strangely tense.
The corners of everyone's mouths twitched slightly.
"Isn't this a little excessive?"
Paimon awkwardly poked her fingers together, looking utterly speechless.
It was only cleaning dishes and taking out trash.
Was there really any need to release such terrifying pressure and even use authority-level power for this kind of thing?!
"..."
Shenhe silently took out a talisman.
"No need! There's absolutely no need for this!"
Kuki Shinobu herself became somewhat flustered.
She truly felt this situation had escalated far beyond what was necessary.
Still, under the combined efforts of Aila and Black Aila, the cleanup process was completed with astonishing speed.
Before long, the kitchen had become spotless.
Kuki Shinobu stared silently at the perfectly clean surroundings, momentarily unsure what she should even do anymore.
Shenhe, meanwhile, had no such concerns.
She directly picked up Calamity Queller, already preparing to begin her usual post-meal training.
As for Zhongli—
He remained quietly seated at the table, still calmly savoring the remaining dishes.
After all, good food should never be wasted.
Once everything was settled, the group finally departed together under Yelan's guidance.
Along the way, Paimon transformed into an endlessly curious child, continuously asking Yelan various questions about the etiquette required when visiting the Jade Chamber.
Although they had met Ningguang before, those encounters had all taken place in formal circumstances.
But what about private interactions?
How should they speak? Should they prepare gifts? Would there be special rules?
Everything had happened too suddenly, to the point where even someone as socially fearless as Paimon felt slightly nervous.
Yelan, however, simply smiled and reassured her that ordinary conversation would suffice.
Ningguang was not nearly as frightening as the rumors made her seem.
Unfortunately, Tartaglia immediately added from the side:
"Ningguang is the kind of person who can smile while eating away at someone piece by piece. If she ever sets her sights on you, you probably won't even realize you're being used."
Then he glanced toward Lumine and Paimon.
"Especially simple people like the two of you."
This instantly frightened Paimon.
Although she did not entirely believe Ningguang was truly that terrifying, Tartaglia rarely lied when evaluating others.
As a result, she immediately turned toward Futsu Mitama for reassurance.
Futsu Mitama merely smiled faintly.
"It's fine. As long as you aren't her enemy, Ningguang won't treat you that way."
"Everything has two sides. When facing enemies, I also won't show mercy. But toward friends, I'll help however I can."
"Ningguang is the same. She became the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing precisely because she understands when to be gentle and when not to be."
Hearing that explanation, Paimon finally relaxed. Then she immediately turned around and accused Tartaglia of deliberately trying to scare her.
Tartaglia simply smiled without replying.
Meanwhile, Yelan glanced meaningfully toward Tartaglia from the side.
Clearly, she fully intended to relay his "evaluation" directly to Ningguang later.
Under Yelan's lead, the group soon arrived at the Jade Chamber through a teleportation array.
Ningguang's secretary had evidently been waiting there for quite some time already.
The moment she saw Futsu Mitama and the others arrive, visible relief appeared in her eyes.
"Lord Futsu Mitama, welcome."
The secretary politely bowed.
Her attitude was exceptionally respectful.
After all, the person before her was not only the successor chosen by the Electro Archon, but also someone acknowledged by Rex Lapis himself.
"Hello."
Futsu Mitama smiled and nodded politely in return.
"Eh?"
Paimon rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
For some reason, she felt this secretary looked different from the one she had met previously.
Could it be—Did Ningguang have multiple secretaries?
But after thinking about it carefully, Paimon quickly felt that this was perfectly normal.
Ningguang was one of the Liyue Qixing after all.
What was strange about having several secretaries?
"Please follow me. Lady Ningguang has already been waiting for some time."
The secretary quietly glanced toward Tartaglia before leading everyone deeper into the Jade Chamber.
Before long, the group arrived outside a familiar reception room.
However, before the secretary could even open the door—
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Signora's furious voice suddenly rang out from inside.
"Are you trying to dismiss us like beggars?!"
Clearly, the negotiations had already reached a terrible state.
"Do you know how many Snezhnayan soldiers died within The Chasm? They rescued countless Liyue troops down there! And now this is all the compensation you intend to offer?!"
"Are you planning to discard us the moment we've outlived our usefulness?!"
Inside the room, Signora's voice carried obvious anger.
Meanwhile, Ningguang's calm voice followed shortly afterward.
"It is not a matter of discarding anyone. However, you should understand something clearly. The cooperation regarding The Chasm officially ended two years ago when it was sealed."
"While Liyue and the Fatui still maintain commercial and technical exchanges, those agreements no longer include matters involving The Chasm."
Ningguang's tone remained perfectly composed.
"As an ally, I have already shown considerable sincerity."
"You now have two choices."
"Accept my conditions—or Leave empty-handed."
The room instantly fell silent afterward.
It was also at that moment that the door slowly opened.
Both Ningguang and Signora instinctively looked toward the entrance.
Futsu Mitama walked inside first.
The moment his gaze landed on Signora, he immediately noticed the rise and fall of her chest.
Clearly, Ningguang had truly irritated her quite badly this time.
"You've arrived."
Ningguang immediately revealed a graceful smile upon seeing Futsu Mitama. Then her gaze subtly shifted toward Black Aila and Lumine among the crowd.
A faint fluctuation appeared within her eyes.
Through Yelan's reports, Ningguang already knew quite a bit about Black Aila.
Although called "Black Aila," she was also undeniably another "Aila."
Or perhaps more accurately—half of one.
Her strength was extraordinary, and unlike the Aila currently living in Inazuma, Black Aila had grown up within Snezhnaya itself.
She had been trained directly under the Fatui and Il Dottore.
According to the intelligence Yelan gathered, the Fatui Harbingers were extremely hostile toward her. Officially, the reason was that she had committed the grave crime of killing a comrade.
But Ningguang did not believe matters were truly that simple.
A single death should not have been enough for the Fatui to pursue her so relentlessly. There was undoubtedly something hidden beneath the surface.
Still, Ningguang had no intention of digging deeper.
Because currently, Black Aila stood beside Futsu Mitama.
And for Ningguang—the enemy of an enemy was naturally a friend.
"It's you?!"
The moment Signora saw Black Aila, her pupils visibly contracted.
Shock filled her expression.
"You're still alive?! How is that possible?!"
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