"Durandal-sama does not have time to see you. Please leave, members of the Fatui."
Outside the residence, the female housekeeper arranged by the Chen family for Durandal and her companions blocked the Fatui members who wanted to visit Durandal.
No matter what the Fatui members said, the housekeeper showed no intention of yielding. Even when they threatened her, her expression didn't change in the slightest.
Because she knew very well who stood behind her. Even if she offended the Fatui, as long as Durandal stood behind her, she wouldn't have to worry about retaliation.
Seeing that there was no way to see Durandal this time, the Fatui could only leave with an empty threat and depart.
The housekeeper politely said goodbye, told the guards to be vigilant, and returned to the living room on the second floor where Durandal was, to report back to her.
"Well done. I thought you wouldn't be able to withstand the Fatui's offensive and would eventually allow them to enter."
"Durandal-sama's order to me was to forbid all Fatui members from entering this house. As your housekeeper, I naturally must obey this order."
Durandal nodded in satisfaction. Having her block the Fatui at the door was a test for her. If she couldn't even do something of this level, then she could leave.
She didn't need a servant who lacked even this much ability. Although she was her housekeeper and not a servant, with this contractual relationship, she was already considered her servant.
Durandal put down her book and looked thoughtfully at the housekeeper, White Oriole, considering whether she should become her follower in Liyue.
"Aren't you worried about being targeted by the Fatui? You saw what happened yesterday; if they want to do something, it's hard for ordinary people to defend against it."
"Even so, it's not a reason to let the Fatui in. Even if there's danger, I will complete my mission."
Durandal stared into White Oriole's eyes. She was very frank, accepting Durandal's gaze naturally. Having struggled in Liyue for years, she clearly understood that Durandal was testing her loyalty.
Without such insight, she wouldn't have been able to stay in a prominent family like the Chen family. Now that she finally had a chance to connect with a powerful figure like Durandal, she naturally had to seize it.
Paimon, who was eating nearby, looked at the scene blankly and tried to say something, but Lumine covered her mouth before she could speak.
The situation here did not affect Durandal. Durandal appreciated White Oriole's attitude. By saying such words, she implied that she saw Durandal as her backing and believed she could help her deal with the Fatui.
She could do that, but she wouldn't help others for no reason. She needed to see one thing: loyalty.
Although she could easily obtain such a thing with a flick of her hand, she preferred to see loyalty obtained without resorting to such means.
"You… are very good. It seems they sent me a very capable subordinate."
Durandal stood up and walked towards White Oriole. White Oriole cooperatively half-squatted on the ground, so Durandal wouldn't have to look up at her.
"Tell me, are you my housekeeper now, or still with the Chen family? I'm only giving you one chance; don't disappoint me."
Do not lie. Durandal could tell if White Oriole was lying. If she lied, she would have failed and not passed the test.
But telling the truth might not necessarily pass the test, because if she didn't say the answer Durandal wanted, then she also wouldn't gain Durandal's approval.
"I… am your person, Lady Durandal. Whatever you need, I can do it."
"..."
She wasn't lying. It seemed she had made up her mind before coming. A very good resolve.
"Very good, excellent. You already possess the most basic, and also the most essential, condition. If you can't even do that, you will forever be a housekeeper, a house-watcher."
"Looking at your body, you seem to have mastered some martial arts? What do you know?"
"Reporting, Lady, I have studied a bit of spear technique since childhood. Although I cannot compare with those who have inherited masters, it can still be used for self-defense."
"But you can't deal with Vision wielders, or those magic devices of the Fatui, can you?"
"Yes."
Ordinary martial artists cannot compare with Vision wielders. Even if someone could, that person would not be White Oriole.
She was not chosen by the Gods. If she possessed a Vision, she would not merely be a housekeeper for the Chen family.
She envied those with Visions, but envy was just envy. She would never fall into despondency because of it. She would prove through her own efforts that her life was no worse than theirs.
Durandal extended her hand, and under White Oriole's gaze, a purple glowing gem gradually formed in her hand. Before she could be surprised by Durandal's action, the other party pushed the gem into her chest.
There was no sensation of touching a hard object; the gem easily entered her body.
The next moment, White Oriole felt a surge of violent energy within her body, and the intense pain almost made her cry out.
"Those not watched by the Gods, to gain power, must endure a certain amount of pain. Let me see where your limit is."
Rosaria didn't experience as much pain when fusing with the gem because of the help of her Vision and her years of combat.
But White Oriole was different. She was just an ordinary person. When power not belonging to her integrated into her body, her body would naturally show a rejection reaction.
If she endured the pain during this period, the magic gem could fuse with her, granting her power.
If she didn't endure it, Durandal would retrieve the magic orb from her body, but this would also mean she was not suitable for this power.
White Oriole barely heard Durandal's words. She gritted her teeth and held on, her body twisting on the ground, her fists pounding the floor.
Lumine and Paimon looked at the suffering White Oriole with pity, but they both understood that this was a necessary experience to gain power. No power was easily acquired. If she failed, she would continue her life as an ordinary person.
Perhaps she would fare better than most, but only within the realm of ordinary people, because unlike the few who gained Visions, she was not watched by the Gods.
"Think carefully about your current situation. I can protect you, but you can't stay in the house forever. Once you leave the house, if the Fatui catch you, they are very likely to act against you."
Durandal walked around White Oriole, muttering, "They can easily kill you without anyone knowing, and without leaving any trace. I can cure diseases, but I cannot bring people back to life. If you don't get through this, then when you face the Fatui, you'll be just like those who bow and scrape to them."
"You know, don't you? How many things have the Fatui done, relying on diplomatic immunity? Even if they make a mistake, as long as it's not a big one, they only receive a small fine."
"Even with power and influence, without strength, they will be ambushed. That person who was corroded is an example. What is your choice?"
Durandal's whispers clearly entered White Oriole's ears: "If you can't hold on, I can take the magic orb out of your body. I have no demands on you, because your performance has been very good. I will keep you by my side, but only to that extent."
Only to that extent. No chance to advance further, no chance to gain power. Was this what White Oriole wanted? No, it was not.
Why did she dare to face the threat of the Fatui? Was it not because she saw Durandal's extraordinary nature and believed that showing loyalty to her could bring about change?
Now that she had finally gotten this opportunity, how could she choose to give up because of a little pain?
Her body, already fragile from the torment of pain, began to move. She no longer struggled on the ground as before. She gritted her teeth, enduring the pain brought by the magic orb, and tried to stand up.
"I… will not surrender. Having finally gotten this opportunity, I, who am not watched by the Gods, will not let it slip away from my sight this time!"
Her strong willpower infected the chaotic power within her body. It began to flow into various parts of White Oriole's body, transforming her originally weak physique.
White Oriole, adapting to the pain, looked at the surging electricity in her hand, extended her right hand, and condensed this power into her hand, forming her most familiar weapon, a spear.
The weapon, entirely composed of lightning, had restless currents that caused no DMG to White Oriole, as if it were a part of her body.
Besides the weapon made of lightning, she also discovered another effect of the electricity surging through her body.
Suddenly, White Oriole's body vanished from its spot. Lumine and Paimon didn't even see how she disappeared; she simply instantly appeared on the other side.
"So fast!" Paimon exclaimed.
Her speed was so fast that it could leave afterimages, stimulating her body with electricity to gain extreme speed for a short period.
This move was very powerful, but its drawback was that it consumed too much stamina. With White Oriole's current stamina, she could only maintain it for a few seconds.
When she returned to her original spot, she was already covered in sweat, her clothes soaked, and she was panting heavily from the intense exertion.
But she was radiant, her eyes shining.
This was a power she had never even dared to dream of before. Now she possessed it, and she felt she could go even further, she could become even stronger.
Without a Vision, yet able to do better than those who had them—this was her… brand new self.
"Are you done playing?"
Durandal looked displeased at White Oriole, who was caught in ecstasy. She didn't give White Oriole power just to watch her revel in self-satisfaction.
White Oriole quickly knelt before Durandal: "I'm very sorry, Lady Durandal. I got carried away."
"...How do you feel?"
"...Better than ever."
Compared to what she had now, the pain from before was nothing.
"Please accept my loyalty, Lady Durandal. I... will pledge allegiance to you."
Actually, the Chen family had arranged for her to get close to Durandal with a purpose, but she had completely disregarded the Chen family's instructions. Now, she only pledged allegiance to Durandal.
After gaining this power, White Oriole understood that Durandal was not as simple as she appeared. This was not the power of a Vision, which meant she was very likely one of the legendary Gods.
She could actually ally with a God; she had to seize this opportunity firmly and absolutely not let it go.
Her current address of Durandal as Lady came from the heart; even the Geo Archon couldn't compare.
From this moment on, Durandal was her God.