"Su Bai, is this plan of yours really going to work? We're just wearing Fatui uniforms, and we'll be able to withdraw Mora from Northland Bank?"
Lumine tugged at the black uniform on her body, her voice full of concern. She and Diluc had worn Fatui disguises before, trying to trick the Fatui into revealing the Skyward Harp's location. They had been recognized the moment they entered the Fatui base. If they hadn't been strong enough, they probably wouldn't have made it out alive.
Now Su Bai was telling her that simply changing into Fatui uniforms would allow them to get Mora, and at a heavily guarded place like Northland Bank. If Su Bai hadn't changed into a uniform himself and was going with her, Lumine might have thought he was tricking her.
"Lumine, don't just stand there. Help me stuff my tails into the uniform. Ever since I grew another tail, my old custom-fitted clothes have become too tight."
Su Bai struggled to stuff his tails into his pants and shirt. Watching him struggle, Lumine wanted to laugh, but remembering that Su Bai was about to help her earn Mora, she suppressed her amusement and helped him tuck his tails away.
"Haha, Su Bai, I never expected you to be this adorable sometimes."
Paimon didn't have Lumine's restraint. Watching Su Bai transform from a normally proportioned fox adeptus into a chubby 'Fatui agent,' she laughed so hard she couldn't stand up straight. Maybe she laughed too hard—she nearly stumbled and fell.
"I can't, I can't. My stomach hurts from laughing. I don't even have the strength to fly."
Paimon clutched her stomach and found a clean spot to sit down. Su Bai looked down at himself dejectedly. He didn't know how Lumine had managed to stuff all three tails into his uniform.
With his fluffy tails tucked inside, from the outside it looked like he had grown a small belly. And since the uniform was stretched tight, to prevent it from ripping and exposing him, Su Bai couldn't make any sudden movements. He could only waddle along slowly.
Fortunately, Northland Bank wasn't too far away, and Su Bai had prepared a hood and an eyepatch. Even walking through the streets, no one would recognize him.
Watching Su Bai's comical movements, Lumine finally couldn't hold back and burst out laughing. In response to Su Bai's 'fierce' glare, she just shrugged.
She really couldn't help it. Watching Su Bai's movements reminded her of a type of cute animal from another world called a penguin. Su Bai's waddle was exactly like that silly penguin's.
"Stop laughing. Pull yourself together. We're heading to Northland Bank."
Su Bai tried to sound serious. He was mostly worried that if this continued, he would start laughing too. Hearing that the operation was about to begin, Lumine immediately wiped the smile off her face. This operation would determine her future quality of life. She didn't want to fail.
Paimon also stopped laughing. According to the plan, she was responsible for observing the Fatui's movements. If Su Bai and Lumine were discovered, she needed to find them an escape route with few Fatui agents.
To make communication easier and to protect Paimon, Su Bai had given her a special talisman. If Paimon encountered danger or noticed anything suspicious, she just needed to tear the talisman. Su Bai would sense it and know to retreat with Lumine.
The operation began. Su Bai and Lumine walked toward Northland Bank. Perhaps because they were wearing Fatui uniforms, on the short journey from Liyue Harbor's entrance to Northland Bank, the Millelith stopped them for inspection four separate times.
"Su Bai, your Liyue Millelith are truly diligent."
Lumine, who had assumed the Millelith were similar to Mondstadt's Knights of Favonius, muttered quietly in Su Bai's ear. Su Bai nodded in agreement. Compared to the lax attitude of Mondstadt's knights, the Millelith's diligence and caution were far more reassuring.
Paimon, entrusted with an important task for the first time, finally understood what responsibility felt like. To constantly monitor the Fatui's movements, she hovered high in the air without blinking. For the sake of Mora, even Paimon was giving it her all.
Inside the Northland Bank manager's office, Andrei was checking the ledgers against the Mora. Looking at the long list of Lord Tartaglia's expenditures, the Northland Bank manager cursed under his breath.
Compared to the other Harbingers, Lord Tartaglia was relatively normal, and that was exactly why Andrei had chosen to serve under him.
But the Lord Tartaglia who had been perfectly fine in Snezhnaya had become such a spendthrift after arriving in Liyue. In less than two weeks, the Northland Bank had already paid out over a million Mora for him. If he kept spending like this, the bank would go bankrupt sooner or later.
"Could this be what they call retail therapy?"
"I heard Lord Tartaglia's family wasn't well-off when he was young. Coming from hardship to a prosperous place like Liyue, developing this kind of psychological condition is understandable."
Andrei found a reason to comfort himself. After all, Tartaglia was a Harbinger and Andrei was just a soldier. He didn't dare ask where the Mora was being spent.
As someone without connections, power, or influence, Andrei had clawed his way to the position of Northland Bank manager by never asking unnecessary questions and simply doing as he was told. His life motto was: better to do nothing than to make a mistake.
"I need to see if there's any way to fill this hole. If Lord Tartaglia keeps spending like this, and that woman Ningguang uses some little tricks, our Northland Bank will be in trouble."
"I remember someone named Maocai mentioned wanting to monopolize the Cor Lapis business with us. Numbers One and Two, go ask him for his specific plan. Tell him if he wants to cooperate, the Fatui takes seventy percent of the profits."
"If he agrees, fine. If not, he won't need to see tomorrow's sun."
By the candlelight, a cruel look flickered across Andrei's face. The Debt Collector hidden in the shadows received the order and slowly faded into the air.
"Maocai, I hope you know what's good for you. Otherwise, I'll just have to find another partner."
Andrei put down the ledger. He couldn't look at it anymore. If he kept staring, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to stop himself from arguing with Lord Tartaglia the next time he saw him. What a complete spendthrift!
Enough thinking. He needed to find something else to do. Andrei picked up a light novel confiscated from Nadia, who had been slacking off on the job.
It was actually quite entertaining—no wonder light novels were so popular in Inazuma. This one was called Reincarnated as a Hilichurl: Getting Stronger by Eating Sunsettias.
Andrei flipped through it with interest. The creative concepts and amusing stories made him laugh heartily, and he felt much better.
"Manager, manager! Something terrible! Someone's here to withdraw Mora!"