After Idris and Arlecchino brushed past one another, the Knave paused and glanced back at his departing figure, letting out a soft chuckle.
Lyney tilted his head in confusion.
"Father… didn't you still have something you wanted to say to Lord Idris?"
"Why let him go so easily?"
Arlecchino folded her arms.
"What I wanted to tell him was about the Hydro Archon's Gnosis."
"His meddling with that Bloodline Elixir has thrown my original plan into chaos. Acquiring the Gnosis now requires an entirely new strategy. A nuisance, really."
"I considered mentioning it to him… but ultimately, I decided against it."
She narrowed her eyes.
"No number of complications is worse than risking Idris—the Grand Sage of Sumeru—developing an interest in the Hydro Gnosis himself."
Then she looked at the siblings.
"Lyney, Lynette. Idris and the little princess will likely be traveling in Fontaine for a while.
If you get the chance, use your identities as magicians to get close to him."
"A man like him makes for an excellent teacher… and learning from him will help you manage the House of the Hearth someday."
Lyney and Lynette exchanged startled glances.
Their Father rarely spoke of anyone with such high praise—especially someone previously positioned as their potential adversary.
But Idris… was indeed someone worth learning from.
Even the God of Wisdom was still learning from him, after all.
Meanwhile, Idris and Nahida had slipped out of the Opéra Épiclès, ready to take a leisurely tour around Fontaine.
And of course—since he was out exploring—
Idris wanted to try something he had been itching to play with ever since he stepped into Fontaine.
Guns.
Revolvers.
Muskets.
Shotguns.
Rifles.
As a man, he could never not be excited about firearms.
In his previous world he couldn't legally touch one.
In this world? He had piloted a god-machine and could now get his hands on actual guns.
That kind of thrill was hard to suppress.
And acquiring a few firearms was… extremely easy.
Just take a few from Fontaine's military camp.
Quietly.
As long as nobody noticed—perfectly fine.
Of course he'd return them later during tomorrow's negotiations. After all, ammunition would be noticeably missing otherwise.
Soon, Idris was standing at the seaside, joyfully testing each gun—feeling the recoil, the sound, the weight.
Even though, given his current strength, a gun was no more threatening than a stick, he still enjoyed it.
It was like adults returning to their favorite childhood snacks.
Some things never get old.
"Hm… maybe I can negotiate for firearm manufacturing rights tomorrow," Idris muttered.
"I'll equip the Sumeru Royal Guard with them as well."
Once he had his fun, he quietly returned each gun to where it came from.
Nahida, seeing how delighted he was, had cheeks full of amusement.
"Lord Idris, I truly didn't expect you to act so much like… a young man."
Idris blinked.
"I am in my twenties. When was I not a young man?"
Nahida huffed.
"You usually talk like an old scholar, only caring about Sumeru's affairs.
It's rare to see this side of you."
"…But I like this version. It feels more real."
Idris chuckled. "Then I'll take that as a compliment."
They continued strolling around Fontaine until trouble inevitably found them.
If Fontaine was famous for one thing besides laws and water—it was gossip.
The Steambird Newspaper was headquartered here, after all.
By nightfall, the entire nation knew:
The Grand Sage of Sumeru, Idris, had arrived in Fontaine—and defeated Neuvillette.
But that wasn't what stirred chaos.
What truly set Fontaine ablaze was—
Idris was the creator of the Bloodline Elixir.
Wealthy merchants immediately began shouting rewards:
"One million mora for Idris' location!"
Of course, nobody cared about the money.
They cared about the elixir that could rewrite fate itself.
Using Nahida's power to conceal their presence, Idris and Nahida slipped into a small clothing boutique for safety.
"Info spreads fast," Idris remarked. "If we hadn't used Charlotte's ship to disguise our arrival, we'd have been swarmed by now."
Nahida peered out the window.
The street was flooded with people searching.
Inside the shop stood a beautiful girl with a deadpan, expressionless face.
Chiori.
The Inazuman tailor famed for her craftsmanship and her… blunt personality.
She rolled her eyes at Idris.
"If I had known my late-night customer was you, Lord Idris, I wouldn't have let you inside."
"And if you're not buying anything, get out. I'm closing soon."
Her tone had the same sharpness whether speaking to strangers or archons.
That was simply Chiori.
Nahida smiled sweetly.
"Don't worry—we'll buy some clothes. Your designs are lovely."
Idris added, "And… after buying them, could we perhaps spend the night here?"
There was no chance of reaching a hotel safely.
They needed a private place to set up the teapot realm.
And they chose Chiori precisely because she was Inazuman—unaffected by the lure of the Bloodline Elixir.
Chiori's expression didn't budge.
"Absolutely not. I live alone. This is a clothing shop, not an inn."
Idris calmly placed something on her table.
A teapot. But not an ordinary one.
The enhanced Serenitea Pot.
Nahida's eyes sparkled.
"Is that… the Serenitea Pot used by the Adepti of Liyue to create pocket realms?!"
"Idris, how do you have this?"
Idris smiled lightly. "Didn't I tell you I love Liyue? I 'requested' one."
"We'll sleep inside the pot. You just need to make sure nobody touches it."
Chiori blinked.
"…Live in a teapot?"
After Idris explained its functions, Chiori inspected it with open curiosity.
"No wonder you're the Grand Sage. You really do have ridiculous treasures."
"Fine. If you're sleeping in there, I won't chase you out."
Idris thanked her, bought a few outfits as payment, then entered the teapot with Nahida.
Inside was a beautifully designed realm in full Liyue style.
Nahida giggled.
"Hehe~ buying clothes as an excuse to stay the night…
This is what a proper holiday feels like."
Idris flopped onto the bed.
"A proper holiday doesn't involve running from an entire country."
"Sleep. We negotiate with Furina tomorrow."
Nahida rolled her eyes affectionately.
"You really can't relax, can you? Even on vacation you're thinking about work."
"Responsibility," Idris corrected, stretching again.
Nahida puffed her cheeks, then quietly snuggled against his arm, her voice tiny:
"…Lord Idris, can I ask you something bold?"
"Go ahead."
"Th-the… position of queen in your heart… is that spot reserved for… me?"
Her face turned crimson as she hid under the blanket.
Idris paused—then patted her head.
"We'll talk about that when you're older.
Right now you're… just a very soft pillow."
"P-PILLOW?! You—! During that day in Vanarana, you were this close to falling for me!"
"That was a momentary lapse."
Idris yawned and fell asleep instantly.
Nahida glared at him, tempted to kick him off the bed, but ultimately curled up at his side.
The next morning—
Idris and Nahida emerged from the teapot, bid farewell to Chiori, and headed toward Fontaine's grandest hotel—
The Hôtel Debord.
Today, Idris would be meeting with Fontaine's leadership…
for the official negotiation regarding the Bloodline Elixir.
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