Chapter 6: Compromise
-Azoth-
"Their reaction was about what I expected," Azoth murmured, watching the quintet retreat while idly toying with the thought of testing himself against Mondstadt's strongest Vision bearers.
There was simply no chance they would allow him to personally collect his compensation in Mondstadt, even if he followed them obediently. They feared, quite reasonably, that it was all a ruse, and that he intended to run wild the instant he entered the city.
Instead of feeling flattered by their—no, by Albedo's—overestimation of him, Azoth felt a faint prickle of annoyance. He much preferred, as the Chinese would say, "Playing the pig to eat the tiger."
The proverb itself likely drew inspiration from Sun Tzu's saying: "Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak."
Ironically enough, that was exactly his current circumstance. Albedo clearly assumed he still possessed the full, terrifying might of an Archon-level being, or close enough to it. But that couldn't be further from the truth. He was weak.
Weaker than Durin by more than a dozenfold. At present, he was little more than a hatchling dragon. Things might have been different had he been formed from the scales and bones of something far older and stronger than a mere Geovishap Hatchling.
In Fate terms, he possessed EX-rank Mana paired with E-rank Strength. Naturally, devouring a dragon's heart came with benefits, in this case, an absurdly vast reservoir of Abyssal energy.
Yet, fortune and misfortune always walked hand in hand, and power never came without a price. As an Abyss Dragon, Azoth could feel a distant connection to something. He was certain it was the Abyss itself, for ever since his metamorphosis, he had sensed [Constant] repelling unseen tendrils that sought to twist his mind, body, and soul.
Shouldn't it have said something by now? Rebis furrowed his brows in thought, a single possibility surfacing. Could it be that the very words spoken by the Abyss carried corruption, and were therefore being blocked by [Constant]?
It was entirely plausible. The Abyss had personally tempted the Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah, whispering to them like a devil perched on their shoulders. Yes, the Eclipse Dynasty had been teetering on ruin—a mad king and all—but he doubted that a mere few days or weeks of some shady voice in their heads could have swayed them so completely.
Well… unless your name happened to be Rerir. Even without passive corruption in the Abyss's whispers, Rebis found it perfectly understandable that he'd reach for its power. After all, the man had been desperate to save his fiancée from being sent to the… Moon?
He wasn't entirely sure that had been her destination. He'd transmigrated after Luna II, after all.
Anyway, he digressed.
Since the Abyss couldn't influence him, that was all that mattered. He was beholden to no one but himself, and he fully intended to keep it that way by seizing everything this world could offer.
But if serving someone brought benefits… bowing his head cost him nothing. He could lay aside ego and dignity without feeling stripped of identity or humiliated.
What was pride, if not a suit of armor one could remove when necessary?
With that thought, Azoth lowered his thought-speed and resynchronized with the real world.
"A-as you expected?" a feminine voice blurted from behind him.
He glanced over his shoulder. "Ah. I almost forgot about you."
His tail—still loosely coiled around her—unwrapped and dropped her unceremoniously to the ground.
"Ah!" The Cryo Cicin Mage yelped, rubbing her backside before shooting him a glare.
"Hm?" Azoth lifted an eyebrow, stepping toward her and reaching out.
Her expression instantly shifted from irritation to fear, convinced he was about to strike her.
But the dragon had no such intention. He merely tilted her chin upward, studying her face closely. A flicker of familiarity tugged at him.
"Remove your mask and hood."
"Huh?" Confused yet fearful, the Fatui complied. The instant both came off, the familiarity snapped into place.
"Is your name Cerydra?" Azoth asked, momentarily surprised before taking in her features with renewed focus. Aside from lacking the rhombus-shaped markings in her hair, she was identical to the Demigod of Law, the Imperator Cerydra from Honkai: Star Rail.
"H-how do you know that?!" The white-haired girl's pupils shrank in shock.
Though, appearance aside, she is nothing like that tyrant, Rebis mused. If Ei could cook like a disaster despite sharing Mei's face, then a Cerydra-face being timid and submissive wasn't far-fetched. I wonder how the Imperator would react if she saw this version of herself…
Azoth's lips curled at the thought as he turned toward the cavern's interior.
"W-wait!" Cerydra scrambled upright and darted in front of him, blocking his path. "You didn't tell me how you knew my name!"
Azoth halted in surprise, glancing down at the girl who barely reached his shoulders. A soft laugh escaped him.
"And here I'd already labeled you a submissive coward. Perhaps I should add 'foolish' as well?"
"Submissive… coward? Me?"
Cerydra stood frozen, as though she had never imagined being described that way.
With effortless strength, he pressed her against the wall, pinning her against the wall. A kabedon. "Am I wrong?" he asked, lifting her chin once more as their faces drew close enough for their breaths to mingle.
"Eh?"
Cerydra flushed instantly, scarlet blooming from her cheeks to the tips of her ears, heat rising so fast it looked like steam might burst from her head. She swallowed hard, gave him a pout which she probably thought was a glare, then blurted, "Y-you smell good…"
Azoth blinked. Then he remembered his [Natural Scent] trait. "Should I add 'dog' to your labels as well?" he mused, amusement flickering in his eyes.
"I didn't—! You don't—!" she sputtered in mortification after realising her words.
If her body temperature rises any further, will she spontaneously evolve into a nonexistent Pyro Cicin Mage? he wondered. After a moment's thought, he decided against testing it. It would be a shame to break Cerydra before ever witnessing the Imperator's potential reaction to her.
He turned and walked deeper into the cavern.
"Ah, wait!" Cerydra hurried after him again.
Azoth waved a hand dismissively. "Relax. I don't know your family's names or faces."
…..
-Jean Gunhildr-
After listening to Eula's report, Jean restrained an almost undignified sigh. They had only just been relieved of Stormterror's shadow, yet now another threat loomed. And not just any dragon.
"Durin. Azoth. Subject Two. Albedo." Lisa counted them off on her fingers, her voice unusually sober. "Synthetic lifeforms… this has Gold written all over it."
"Gold…?" Jean wracked her memory, searching for any reference, but came up empty.
"A Witch of the Hexenzirkel," Lisa supplied, leaning back in her chair. "The greatest expert in Art of Khemia, a specialist in Life Creation."
"Albedo's creator made Durin…" Eula murmured, her expression tightening.
Jean glanced toward her, noting her complex emotions. The Acting Grand Master could only surmise that the young Lawrence woman harbored a quiet frustration: her clan's past mistakes had left her facing unfair treatment, while Albedo faced none of that despite his brother being Durin, and more recent at that.
Yet, the true concern lay not in their relationships, but in how they would respond to the current threat. Judging by the look in her friend's eyes, Jean suspected Lisa had the same thought.
"Did he at least specify what this 'compensation' is supposed to be?" Lisa asked Eula, arching one brow in her usual, familiar, playful way.
Jean blinked at her, incredulous. "Lisa—"
"What?" Lisa stared at her flatly. "Albedo did say to treat him somewhere between an Adeptus and an Archon. Best to prepare for the worst, darling."
The Acting Grand Master swallowed the immediate rebuttal. Her thoughts ran instead to Mondstadt's strongest combatants. It should be possible to gather enough strength, right?
Lisa's look told her she wasn't hiding anything well.
"You do remember Dvalin has only just recovered," Lisa drawled. "And as for Barbatos…" She paused, letting the meaning hang in the air with a knowing smile.
Jean didn't want to question Venti's strength. But a quiet ember of doubt smoldered anyway after recalling what happened against La Signora.
Eula straightened and answered the earlier question. "Azoth didn't name any compensation. I suspect he was testing our boundaries. Albedo, however, said books and alchemical materials would suffice, and he provided a list."
She placed the paper on Jean's desk.
Jean skimmed it, blinking once, then again. "…This is all?"
"Yes," Eula confirmed. "The Chief Alchemist said he will personally choose the books from his camp in Dragonspine."
Lisa let out a soft chuckle. "Well, if there's anyone qualified to wrangle a problem created by Khemia, it's dear Albedo. We might as well let the expert handle it."
Jean nodded slowly, her expression firming. "Agreed. But Eula, be cautious. I trust Albedo, I always have. Still… Abyssal influences can affect anyone."
Eula opened her mouth, as though to argue, but then pressed her lips together and gave a crisp, resolute nod.
"Understood."
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A/N: Really, Cerydra came out of nowhere.