"What is the meaning of this?"
Just as the atmosphere between the two men reached a boiling point, a gentle voice rang out from the side.
As the "Shirasagi Himegimi" of the Kamisato clan, though Kamisato Ayaka's Vision was of the Cryo element, she herself was not as biting as frost.
Quite the opposite—she was kind-hearted, benevolent, and impeccably polite. Even the esteemed General Kujou Sara did not hold the same level of approachability among the common folk as she did.
She possessed the exquisite beauty of an ice crystal without the coldness of the ice itself. If one were to describe her using ice, perhaps the brilliant, shifting light refracted by frost on a winter morning would be the most accurate portrayal of her soul.
"Lady Ayaka!"
Seeing Ayaka return from her errands, Hirotatsu immediately stepped in front of her. His mission from the Lord Commissioner included protecting the young lady of the house; he would not allow her to be within striking range of a Fatui member. However, he seemed to forget that Ayaka, a Vision wielder, was likely far more powerful than he was.
"My Lord Harbinger's letter. My superior ordered me to deliver it personally into your master's hands," Georgiy said. Seeing Ayaka, his tone softened considerably. But in Hirotatsu's eyes, even if the tone was softer, it was still crude and disrespectful.
"Har... Harbinger?"
The title made Ayaka realize exactly who was behind this. Though she controlled her facial expressions perfectly, the slight tremor in her gaze betrayed her true state.
She was panicking. Fortunately, her folding fan provided excellent cover, preventing her from losing her composure in front of the two men.
"This... this gentleman insists on seeing the Lord Commissioner," Hirotatsu explained, bowing with a hint of shame. "But the Lord Commissioner is occupied with a thousand daily tasks; how could he have time to receive him? I offered to deliver the message on his behalf, but this man used 'Superior's orders' as an excuse to cause a scene! Lady Ayaka, please step back; I will escort this rude fellow away immediately."
Hirotatsu felt a sense of disgrace that his lady had to witness such an unseemly scene at her own front gate. He failed to notice, however, that Ayaka's expression was becoming increasingly complicated.
"Wait a moment."
From her conversations with her brother, she knew there were currently two Harbingers in Inazuma. But the one who would bother to send a formal visiting card was, without a doubt, that one. He had just spoken with her brother and stated he would visit soon.
However...
Recalling the floral arrangement she had just sent off to Thoma, Ayaka buried her face behind her fan once more. Being the daughter of the Kamisato clan, she quickly regained her poise and stepped past Hirotatsu to stand before Georgiy.
"Pardon my intrusion. I am the daughter of the Kamisato clan. May I accept this visiting card on my brother's behalf?"
The Instructor's visiting card could not be refused. Regardless of their personal feelings, Bai Luo was visiting as an envoy of Snezhnaya; they had no legitimate reason to turn him away.
If they did, those who sought to sabotage the Kamisato clan would be delighted, as the siblings usually managed their affairs so perfectly that they left no openings for their enemies. Even though Ayaka primarily handled internal matters, she understood the political implications clearly.
"Superior said it must go to the master," Georgiy replied stubbornly after a moment of silence.
Just as Hirotatsu was about to lose his temper again, Ayaka raised a hand to stop him.
"My brother, as the Lord Commissioner, handles the urgent matters of state. However, in the Kamisato household, the hospitality and reception of guests are handled by me. Even if you were to deliver this personally to my brother, the arrangements would eventually fall to me. Am I not qualified to receive this card from the Lord Harbinger?"
Ayaka was not lying; this was an arrangement the siblings had long since agreed upon. Within the estate, Ayato served as the Clan Head and managed government affairs, while Ayaka managed the internal and external social affairs of the family. Hosting guests and maintaining the public image of the Kamisato clan were her responsibilities.
"Mm."
The gruff Georgiy finally stopped repeating his mantra. Ayaka let out a quiet sigh of relief. Her brother had been run ragged lately due to the "Instructor"; if she could handle this small matter herself before informing him, it would be for the best.
"Hirotatsu, prepare a return gift for this gentleman to take back with him," Ayaka instructed. In Inazuma, a "return gift" was essentially a tip or a fee for the messenger's hard work—a standard social convention.
Georgiy, however, showed no interest. Once he was certain Ayaka had taken the card, he simply turned and walked away.
"What a strange man," Ayaka murmured. She dismissed Hirotatsu and returned to the estate.
She intentionally avoided the study, tiptoeing back to her own room. If she guessed correctly, her dear brother had likely just finished his work and was resting. He hadn't slept well in days, and she didn't want to disturb him. Sitting at her desk, she solemnly opened the visiting card and began to read.
It was a standard card, not much different from an Inazuman one, save for the signature at the bottom.
"Anatoly?"
In Ayaka's memory, the Instructor's name was Bai Luo. Who was this Anatoly?
In truth, only the Fatui knew that Bai Luo carried three names.
Bai Luo was the name he had used since arriving in this world.
The Instructor was his title as a Harbinger, given as an exception. Since there were originally only eleven Harbingers, and he was the "extra" one, he often wondered if the Tsaritsa was simply too lazy to give him a code name from the Commedia dell'arte, or if she wanted to distinguish him from the others by using his former rank.
As for Anatoly...
That was his Snezhnayan name given to him by Pierro, meaning "Sunrise." However, from hints dropped by Pierro, Bai Luo suspected the name had actually originated from the Tsaritsa herself.
He found the name quite ironic, given his deep and bizarre affinity for "Sunsettias" (literally "Sunset Fruit" in Chinese). Perhaps that was why he rarely used it, preferring the name Bai Luo as he traveled Teyvat. He only used "Anatoly" on formal occasions when acting as an official envoy of Snezhnaya.
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