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The next morning arrived swiftly, sunlight filtering through mottled leaves and spilling across the grand entrance of Hotel Bouffes d'ete.
The Fatui guard standing watch at the gate stared ahead vigilantly when she suddenly spotted a familiar figure—Shao Yun.
Though she had already seen Shao Yun the day before, professional discipline compelled her to step forward without hesitation and block his path.
Shao Yun showed no irritation at all, simply stopping where he was and waiting calmly.
At that moment, Lumine took out the exquisite greeting card decorated with a penguin motif from her clothes and handed it to the Fatui guard.
It was the very card Freminet had given her earlier.
After carefully inspecting the card, the guard lowered her arm and allowed Shao Yun and the others to enter the estate.
Passing through the spacious and brightly lit corridor, Shao Yun's group arrived at the reception hall.
Inside, Lyney was busy with something.
When he casually lifted his head and saw Shao Yun and the others, he froze completely—so much so that for a second, he wondered if he was dreaming.
His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the scene before him, his mouth slightly open, yet no words came out.
However, after the brief shock passed, Lyney quickly regained his composure. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—he absolutely could not let it slip by.
He swiftly adjusted his emotions, walked forward with a smile, and warmly invited Shao Yun and the others to sit down.
Shao Yun, on the other hand, appeared somewhat distracted, seemingly uninterested in the lively atmosphere around him.
He lazily leaned back on the sofa, boredly watching Lumine and Paimon chat with Lyney, Lynette, and that adorable penguin-like boy, Freminet.
Just then, a child from the House of the Hearth hurried over and softly said to Shao Yun, "Father is waiting for you in the reception room. He says there's an important matter to discuss."
Hearing this, Shao Yun frowned slightly, but still stood up and followed the child toward the reception room.
Pushing open the all-too-familiar door, the first thing that came into view was Arlecchino.
She sat leisurely with her long, beautiful legs crossed, holding a steaming cup of coffee and taking a light sip.
When she noticed Shao Yun's arrival, Arlecchino lifted her gaze and gestured for him to sit on the sofa across from her, then continued savoring her coffee.
Shao Yun walked over and sat down silently, secretly wondering what Arlecchino had summoned him for this time…
He plopped down onto the sofa without ceremony, crossing one leg over the other and resting his hands casually on the armrests.
Seeing this, Arlecchino set her cup aside and looked at him as she asked, "Lumine and Paimon are chatting happily with the children of the House of the Hearth. So, do you have time right now to talk with me?"
Shao Yun fixed her with a sharp gaze and got straight to the point. "What is it? Say it."
Arlecchino didn't get angry at his blunt tone. She picked up a coffee pot and slowly poured him a steaming, fragrant cup of coffee.
As she poured, she spoke gently, "There's no need to be so hostile toward me. I do consider myself someone who can communicate reasonably."
She set the pot down, slid the filled cup toward Shao Yun, and smiled. "I heard you're not very fond of tea, so I prepared some coffee for you instead."
With a blank expression, Shao Yun picked up the cup, looked at the dark brown liquid inside, and inhaled its rich aroma.
After giving it a thoughtful swirl, he said calmly, "Hmm. I have to admit, in that regard, you really are the type who can communicate effectively."
He then took a small sip, the bold flavor instantly spreading across his palate.
Shao Yun narrowed his eyes slightly, savoring it for a moment before commenting sincerely, "Your intelligence network is impressive. This coffee is good."
Arlecchino watched him drink the coffee she prepared without hesitation and casually asked, "Aren't you worried at all…?"
Shao Yun already knew what she was about to say. He lifted a finger and calmly cut her off before she could finish.
"With my abilities, even if I were poisoned and on the brink of death, I could still drag everyone in Hotel Bouffes d'ete down with me."
"Surely you have no doubts about that."
Knowing Shao Yun's strength, Arlecchino had no reason to doubt him and gave a wry smile. "It seems I was worrying for nothing."
Shao Yun remained unfazed. He poured himself another cup of coffee and continued evenly, "It's fine. You already knew the answer when you asked, so you were just making conversation."
Suddenly, he thought of a certain woman who was exceptionally good at chatting and suggested with mild amusement, "I recommend you talk with Cloud Retainer from Liyue. She's very good at finding topics."
Hearing him mention a Liyue adeptus, Arlecchino frowned slightly and began searching her memory for intelligence reports brought back by Childe's subordinates.
After a moment, she shook her head. "A Liyue adeptus? Considering the foolish things Tartaglia did before, your suggestion has zero chance of being accepted."
The mention of Tartaglia stirred something in Shao Yun's mind.
He realized he hadn't seen Tartaglia around lately. What was going on?
He didn't get thrown into the Fortress of Meropide again, did he? If the trial ended, why didn't Navia or Charlotte mention it…?
"By the way, where is Tartaglia?" Shao Yun asked.
Arlecchino rubbed her temples lightly. "He returned to Snezhnaya with Teucer… which is probably for the best. At least it avoids unnecessary conflict between you."
Shao Yun looked mildly surprised and muttered, "He went back to Snezhnaya? Hah… maybe that's for the best."
Looks like he won't be rotting in prison, then. As for that so-called star-devouring whale… whatever. Lumine, Paimon, and I aren't even from Fontaine—none of our business.
Neuvillette and his master will handle it. No rush…
No wonder Arlecchino's so bored now—resorting to chatting with me to kill time. No excuse to stir up trouble in Fontaine and seize the Gnosis, after all…
At that point, the conversation naturally shifted.
Arlecchino leaned forward slightly and spoke first. "There's something I'd like to ask you…"
Before she could finish, Shao Yun abruptly raised his right hand in a stopping gesture.
"Stop. Don't ask. I don't have the time to answer your questions." He poured himself another cup of coffee.
Even so, Arlecchino didn't back down. Ignoring his warning entirely, she continued, "About Dutch—"
She didn't even finish the phrase.
The instant those two syllables left her mouth, Shao Yun moved with terrifying speed, yanking John's Cattleman Revolver from his waist.
The pitch-black barrel pointed straight at Arlecchino, accompanied by a low, threatening growl.
"Shut your mouth. You know nothing—understand?"
Arlecchino remained calm, staring directly at the cold muzzle aimed at her forehead, not a trace of panic on her face.
She met his gaze steadily and said in a composed tone, "Please calm down, Mr. Shao Yun."
"At present, only Lyney and I know about this matter. There is absolutely no third person aware of the details."
Shao Yun tightened his grip and pulled back the hammer, the sharp metallic click echoing harshly through the quiet room.
Expressionless, he asked coldly, "What? Do you think that alone is enough to threaten me?"
"Do you think the Fontaine authorities would believe a Fatui like you… or take my word instead?"
Facing his undisguised hostility, Arlecchino let out a soft sigh and slowly extended her hand.
With gentle but unyielding force, she pressed his gun downward until the barrel no longer pointed at her head.
After doing so, she said softly, "Mr. Shao Yun, please don't misunderstand. I have no intention of blackmailing you. Such stupidity is not my style."
"I only want to know why you went to such lengths—trading crucial intelligence—for such trivial requests."
She narrowed her eyes slightly and elaborated calmly.
"My meaning is simple. Pierro, as the Director of the Fatui, holds an exalted position."
"To my knowledge, he has never strayed far from the Tsaritsa's side, let alone left Snezhnaya."
"So, for someone he values so highly… the three conditions you proposed seem like an utter waste to me."
Hearing this, the tension in Shao Yun's body eased slightly.
He realized Arlecchino wasn't threatening him—she was simply stating her opinion.
Shao Yun slowly holstered his gun, steadied himself, and explained, "For me, minimizing unnecessary trouble is what matters most."
"As for whether those so-called 'wishes' were wasted—that's for me to decide. Not you."
Arlecchino fell silent for a moment before offering a meaningful remark.
"You're like a venomous serpent… no wonder The Fair Lady and the Balladeer met such tragic ends."
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