Chapter 138. Selling Barbatos' Information
It had been nearly a month since Futsu Mitama departed Inazuma.
In that span, the sequence of events he had experienced was so dense, so dramatic, that it distorted his sense of time. It felt as though he had been away for years rather than weeks.
And yet, in reality, very little time had passed.
So when the Harbinger mentioned "important information from Inazuma," his attention sharpened immediately.
After all, a certain Guuji had drifted at sea for eight or nine days before finally reaching Liyue only yesterday to meet Keqing and Ganyu. For eight or nine days, Sangonomiya Kokomi had received no word whatsoever, devoting herself entirely to the Resistance's cause. Kamisato Ayaka had been moving constantly between the Kamisato Estate, Inazuma City, and occasionally Ritou—yet she remained unaware of developments beyond her immediate reach.
Of course, Ayaka could always ask Kamisato Ayato. With their relationship, nearly any intelligence in Inazuma could be placed before her.
But that was precisely why Futsu Mitama was interested. What, exactly, did the Harbinger believe she possessed that he did not?
And then there was the one billion mora.
Mora. The more, the better.
A few hundred million sounded impressive—but in truth, even moderately sized merchants could mobilize sums of that magnitude. Purchasing information about a god for one billion mora was, strictly speaking, a bargain for the buyer.
Which was why the Harbinger was willing to sweeten the deal with intelligence from Inazuma.
When she saw the subtle shift in his expression, she quietly exhaled in relief. Straightening slightly, she began, "Before we proceed formally, I wish to sign a contract with you—in the name of Rex Lapis."
Futsu Mitama raised a hand.
She stopped.
A flicker of vigilance entered her eyes. She was not proposing the contract to deceive him—on the contrary, she intended to prevent being deceived.
Her prior dealings with him had taught her something essential: Futsu Mitama was trustworthy in principle, but he was not above tactical mischief.
He had once agreed to disclose why the Raiden Shogun came to Mondstadt—only to suggest revealing it in front of the Raiden Shogun herself.
That lesson had been sufficient.
A contract in the name of Rex Lapis would bind both parties absolutely. Should he violate it, she could seek arbitration from the Geo Archon. Morax's contracts were inviolate. Those who breached them faced the Wrath of the Rock.
Across millennia, countless fools had attempted to circumvent such agreements—through force, trickery, or blind confidence.
Without exception, they were punished.
Even she would not gamble against that. But now Futsu Mitama had interrupted her.
"Wait," he said calmly. "I'm waiting for a friend who understands contracts better than I do."
He did not even glance at the draft she held. He knew enough to recognize his own limitations. If she embedded a linguistic trap, he would be the one ensnared.
Better to consult an expert.
"A friend?" The Harbinger smiled faintly, crossing her legs. "Call that female ninja. I rather miss her. She's become quite famous in Inazuma."
Futsu Mitama returned her smile—one layered with meaning she did not immediately decipher.
Five minutes later, under her stunned gaze, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's consultant arrived.
Zhongli entered with unhurried composure. He ordered a pot of fine tea and seated himself neatly between them.
The Harbinger felt her spine stiffen. She had intended to sign a contract in the name of Rex Lapis. She had not intended to place the contract before Rex Lapis himself.
Technically, it was entirely appropriate. Any contract bearing his name would inevitably fall under his perception. That was precisely why such contracts were not drafted lightly across Teyvat.
But summoning him directly to review the document? This was another level entirely.
"Mr. Zhongli, thank you for coming," Futsu Mitama said, sipping fruit juice. Tea and wine did not suit him; fruit juice did.
Through the Chat Group, the request had been simple.
Zhongli inclined his head. "It is no trouble."
He looked at the Harbinger, indicating she could proceed. She handed over the contract without protest.
Zhongli examined it briefly. His gaze lingered on several clauses before he nodded.
"There are no structural issues," he said calmly. "However, one point requires clarification. If an agreement is reached, then regardless of unforeseen circumstances, the agreed items must still be delivered."
"For example, if the Fatui Harbinger in question were to suffer an accident, the information must be transferred to Tartaglia in Liyue Harbor."
"If Futsu Mitama were to encounter misfortune, the one billion mora and related intelligence would pass to Aila or Kuki Shinobu."
Having said that, he accepted his tea. He would remain until the signing concluded.
The Harbinger felt a thread of cold tension unwind within her. She had not embedded deception—but had she done so, it would now have been exposed beneath the gaze of the God of Contracts.
She allowed herself a small, composed smile.
Once signed, he would be bound.
"Alright," Futsu Mitama said. "You provide the information first. Mr. Zhongli will evaluate its worth."
"One billion mora does not suffice for the Anemo Archon's exact location," he continued evenly. "But I can offer this much: the Anemo Archon is currently restrained and cannot return to Mondstadt for a year."
He dangled the bait deliberately. This disclosure had not been unilateral.
In the Chat Group, the exchange had been almost absurdly straightforward.
He had tagged Venti.
Venti had demanded cases of apple cider and dandelion wine.
Yae Miko had declared the deal acceptable before anyone finished deliberating.
Raiden Makoto had agreed.
Even Keqing had remarked that such conduct was entirely in character for the Anemo Archon—freedom embodied.
Thus, Barbatos had effectively sold himself.
The Harbinger frowned slightly. "Within Mondstadt? Or overseas?"
She sought to extract more.
"Money for goods," Futsu Mitama replied smoothly. "I've already revealed a portion. The one billion mora first."
Without argument, she produced another contract and slid it forward.
"I do not carry such sums personally," she said. "Present this at Northland Bank. It authorizes one billion mora under my name. Even if I were to—defect from the Fatui in the future, this contract would remain valid."
She glanced at Zhongli.
He nodded. "Fatui Harbingers possess sufficient standing that one billion mora would not justify repudiating such an agreement."
Futsu Mitama accepted the document with a quiet chuckle. One billion mora was insignificant to the Fatui's continental network. Their daily revenue eclipsed such figures effortlessly.
The real exchange lay in intelligence.
The Harbinger's smile sharpened slightly. The negotiation had entered its decisive phase.
"Now," she said evenly, fingers tapping once against the table, "tell me—what information from Inazuma would interest you?"
Futsu Mitama picked up a chicken drumstick with unhurried composure, as if the topic under discussion were nothing more than tavern gossip rather than the balance of power between nations. He chewed thoughtfully, eyes resting on the Lady.
Zhongli, having fulfilled his role as arbiter and witness, finished a cup of tea and excused himself once the payment arrangement was acknowledged. Matters concerning Mondstadt's Anemo Archon were one thing. Inazuma's internal strife was another entirely. Whether as a humble consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor or as Rex Lapis, it was not his place to intrude upon that domain.
His departure did not surprise the Lady.
She fixed her gaze on Futsu Mitama. "Though the contract is signed, I require confirmation. Can you verify the Anemo Archon's situation?"
Her tone remained level, but the undercurrent was unmistakable.
If Barbatos was truly unable to return to Mondstadt for a year, then her entire strategic posture collapsed.
She had withdrawn her base of operations. She had engineered political pressure. She had secured a one-year non-interference agreement with the Knights of Favonius. All of it was calibrated around a single objective:
Force Barbatos into the open. Seize the Gnosis. Withdraw.
If he never appeared, then everything she did in Mondstadt would amount to geopolitical self-sabotage—gaining nothing while provoking suspicion across Teyvat.
The Gnosis was the objective. Everything else was expendable.
"Mm." Futsu Mitama did not hesitate. "I swear in the name of the Raiden Shogun."
On Teyvat, such an oath was not spoken lightly.
The Lady's expression hardened.
He would not swear falsely in the name of his own deity. Not on something so easily disproven. The implication was devastating.
She could not press further without offering something of equivalent weight. After a measured breath, she abandoned her initial reserve.
"The Tenryou Commission will initiate a large-scale suppression operation," she said evenly. "Within thirty days, the Resistance will be uprooted—if nothing interferes. The commanding officer will not be Kujou Sara. It will be Kujou Takayuki. And the Fatui have been invited to participate as an auxiliary strike force."
Futsu Mitama's chewing slowed.
Kujou Takayuki.
The old fox had always preferred stability. Delegation. Indirect control. Why would he personally assume command?
"What does this have to do with Inazuma's overall structure?" Futsu Mitama asked, deliberately neutral.
The Lady's lips curved faintly. "Stop pretending. Your association with the Resistance has already been exposed—by Scaramouche."
"Though I do not fully grasp your objective, a Retainer of the Raiden Shogun entangling himself in a rebellion suggests ambitions that are… substantial."
"And that fox shrine maiden has also intervened."
She continued calmly, but there was precision in every word.
"Scaramouche agreed to Kujou Takayuki's request for two reasons. First, to formalize Fatui military presence in Inazuma. Second, to apply overwhelming pressure on the Resistance—forcing you and Yae Miko to return."
She leaned back slightly.
"You are indispensable to them, are you not?"
Silence followed.
The information was coherent. Dangerous. Strategically elegant.
Scaramouche had deduced more than he let on. The earlier confrontation—when Futsu Mitama had forced open the Plane of Euthymia through Chakra Desiderata—had exposed too much.
That battlefield had nearly become a grave.
Even now, Futsu Mitama was not fully confident he could kill the Sixth Harbinger in a decisive engagement. His body was too good.
"I need time to process this," he said finally.
The Lady inclined her head. She had achieved her objective: compel his departure from Mondstadt and redirect his focus. If he left, her own operations could proceed unimpeded.
Futsu Mitama opened the Chat Group immediately.
He relayed the intelligence in full.
The response was instantaneous.
Raiden Makoto's dismay at the Tenryou Commission's recklessness. Yae Miko's irritation at Kujou Takayuki's sudden boldness. Kokomi's strategic concern—Shogunate forces alone could be managed through attrition, but Fatui involvement altered the calculus entirely. Ayaka's shock—and the subtle implication that Ayato might already suspect something.
Guizhong identified the maneuver for what it was: a calculated provocation. Azhdaha warned against returning. Kuki Shinobu named the true variable—Scaramouche.
Makoto assessed the timeline: several months of resistance were feasible under ordinary conditions. But with Harbinger-level intervention, the margin narrowed drastically.
Kokomi confirmed it. Ten days, perhaps a month at best if Archon-derived power were invoked.
Keqing asked the direct question: could Futsu Mitama not simply return and resolve it?
His answer was honest. He was strong—strong enough to suppress Dvalin in his madness—but Scaramouche was not Dvalin. The Sixth Harbinger was volatile, calculating, and terrifyingly capable.
Then came the crucial datum.
"Approximately one month," Futsu Mitama typed.
That shifted the atmosphere.
A month was enough to redeploy.
Makoto concluded as much. Albedo offered assistance. Klee volunteered with explosive enthusiasm—prompting Yae Miko to clarify target selection criteria.
The strategic axis turned from speculation to mobilization.
Futsu Mitama exhaled quietly.
Originally, he had intended to linger in Mondstadt for a few more days—rest, observe, perhaps irritate the Lady once more.
That luxury was gone.
He closed the Chat Group.
"It seems," he murmured to himself, "I'll be leaving sooner than planned."
Tomorrow, he would return to Liyue. And from there—
To Inazuma.
"How is it?"
The Harbinger's patience had thinned to a visible edge. Futsu Mitama had remained silent for far too long, and the porcelain plate before her was already empty—dessert reduced to crumbs, spoon set aside with restrained irritation.
He finally lifted his gaze.
"What is Scaramouche's attitude?"
His tone was steady, clinical.
"The Harbingers share intelligence. What is his objective in Inazuma?"
A brief pause.
"And is he truly the only Harbinger present there?"
Though a transmigrator, Futsu Mitama did not allow foreknowledge to cloud tactical assessment. He knew Scaramouche would eventually pursue the Electro Gnosis. He knew of Sumeru. Of Dottore.
But that was the future.
What mattered was now in Inazuma things were derailed.
Was Scaramouche acting independently? Strategically? Vindictively? Had Dottore inserted himself into the board already? Would reinforcements arrive?
The Lady studied him. His seriousness confirmed it—he had taken the bait. Under ordinary circumstances, she would have mocked him. A Retainer of the Raiden Shogun requesting Fatui intelligence? How amusing.
But tonight was not ordinary. If he provided incomplete information about Barbatos in retaliation, her operation would collapse.
So she answered.
"His goal is simple," she said evenly. "Revenge."
She watched his expression carefully.
"Scaramouche originated in Inazuma. In a sense, he is the elder brother of that puppet. Or perhaps the discarded prototype."
Her voice remained calm, but the implication was sharp.
"He was abandoned. His return is not patriotic—it is personal. You and the Guuji are both within his line of sight."
Futsu Mitama's brows tightened faintly. He already knew this. What he needed was confirmation of escalation.
"Dottore?" he asked directly.
The Harbinger's eyes flickered.
"No confirmed involvement," she replied. "As of now, Scaramouche is the only Harbinger in Inazuma."
A deliberate clarification followed.
"As of now."
That distinction mattered.
"Others have not traveled there. Whether that changes in a month—I cannot guarantee."
It was the most precise answer she could afford. If Scaramouche remained alone, the situation was tense but containable. If additional Harbingers arrived, the conflict would shift from regional suppression to multinational crisis.
Futsu Mitama nodded slowly.
"I understand."
He did not press further. Intelligence has limits; forcing beyond them yields fabrication.
The Lady's lips curved slightly.
Now it was his turn.
"As agreed," she said.
He met her gaze without hesitation.
"The Anemo Archon traveled to a small island. I do not know its exact coordinates. At midnight—precisely twelve—you may see it from Starsnatch Cliff. It manifests only for several seconds."
His voice lowered slightly.
"That island is connected to a hidden secret. The concept is named—[Time]."
The Harbinger's expression shifted.
"Barbatos sensed something and told me this personally. He went there alone. If he does not return within days," Futsu Mitama concluded evenly, "then he is trapped."
"In that case—we shall meet again in a year."
The information was complete. Specific. Verifiable.
"[Time]…" she repeated quietly.
Even as a Harbinger, the term was unfamiliar in this context.
Midnight. Starsnatch Cliff. A transient island.
Memory surfaced.
There had been one night—near midnight—when Futsu Mitama left Mondstadt alone.
Her forces had been searching the city. If she had followed him then—
Her expression darkened.
Had she missed the Gnosis by mere hours?
Had she allowed opportunity to slip through her fingers?
"You pay the bill." Futsu Mitama stood abruptly.
"I will depart Mondstadt tomorrow. I have fulfilled my side of the contract. We owe each other nothing."
And before she could respond—
He left.
Decisively.
"You—!?"
The Harbinger stared at his retreating figure, disbelief flaring into anger.
She had been analyzing the intelligence. Calculating deployment strategies. Considering additional surveillance windows. And he—
He fled.
As if afraid she would make him pay.
"Good," she muttered coldly. "Very good."
The anger in her chest burned sharp and steady. There would be a next time. And at the right time and place—
She would grind him to dust.
"Send the bill to the Goth Grand Hotel," she instructed curtly.
Then she turned toward the exit—and nearly collided with two familiar figures emerging from the hotel doors.
Amber.
Eula.
Her expression tightened again.
"Oh?!" Amber blinked—then brightened immediately.
They had expected a wasted evening.
Instead, their quarry stood before them.
"Fatui Harbinger," Eula said calmly, frost gathering faintly along her arm. "I accepted your invitation. Shall we speak now?"
Her smile did not reach her eyes. The temperature dropped perceptibly. If the Harbinger refused—
Eula would escalate.
Contract or not.
The Lady exhaled softly.
"Unlucky," she murmured.
But she had obtained the Archon's trail.
That outweighed the inconvenience.
Meanwhile—
At Angel's Share—
Futsu Mitama stood before the bar, systematically transferring apple cider and dandelion wine into a violet spatial rift.
Diluc observed with folded arms.
From his perspective, fine wine vanished into a purple portal.
If he wished to drink, Diluc could prepare it directly.
Why store it like contraband?
"I'm leaving," Futsu Mitama said plainly. "Inazuma requires my return."
Diluc's brow furrowed.
"So soon?"
"Yes."
A pause.
"The information came from the Fatui."
Diluc's eyes sharpened instantly.
"A contract," Futsu Mitama added. "Verified. Tomorrow I go to Liyue. From there, by sea."
Diluc considered this.
"Can I assist?"
The offer was not casual.
Futsu Mitama had resolved the Dragon Crisis. Restrained Dottore. Relayed the Anemo Archon's will.
He had altered Mondstadt's trajectory.
"No," Futsu Mitama replied.
Then he added—
"If the Fatui make large movements, inform the Knights. Do not interfere."
Diluc's gaze narrowed.
"Do not interfere?"
"They would be courting death."
That island—
The power of [Time]—
Barbatos, exerting himself fully, had been trapped.
Zhongli dared only observe from the perimeter. If the Harbinger assaulted it directly— The outcome would not favor her.
Diluc absorbed this.
"Understood."
He stepped behind the bar.
Glass. Ice. Spirit.
Fluid precision.
"Since you're leaving," Diluc said evenly, "I will prepare something appropriate."
"A farewell."
He slid the finished drink across the counter.
"You are welcome to return to Mondstadt. Next time," he added quietly, "we drink without urgency."
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