DUTY | 𝗔 Chili 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗰 | GENSHIN IMPACT

10. Scaramouche

1 DAY AGO...

--

"Hi~ya." 

Childe turned around, wincing at the bright afternoon sun, blazing right into his azure eyes. He averted his gaze to the dark figure emerging up the mountain, the silhouette of a little man wearing an oversized appearing slowly. 

"The balladeer." Childe spat resentfully.

Scaramouche smiled darkly at the 11th Harbinger.

"Hello, Childe, it's been a while, my lovely junior!" His smile disappeared, leaving an emotionless mask of a poker face.

Childe closed his eyes, rubbing his temples, hoping that he was really just experiencing a nightmare and that number 6 of the Fatui Harbingers wasn't standing metres away from him, and that upon opening his eyes, he would realise that it was simply a dream. However, Childe reopened his eyes to be greeted with the disappointing feeling of having to bare the sight of Scaramouche.

"Scaramouche. Why are you here? I thought you had returned to Inazuma."

"C'mon Childe, that's no way to talk to your senior, is it?" 

Childe rolled his eyes, sighing in an exasperated manner.

"Answer my question, please." Childe spat, exaggerating every syllable in the word 'please.'

Scaramouche chuckled bitterly. 

"Well, when you put it like that, I have no choice, really!" He sighed, his shoulders loosening up, "You're correct. I was in Inazuma until yesterday. I got a message from her highness the Tsaritsa. Her highness wanted me to return to Liyue to oversee your mission." 

Childe nodded, his resentful expression morphing to one of utmost professionalism at the mere mention of the Cryo Archon. 

"I'll take it that your... mission was successful, then?" Childe asked, lowering his voice.

Scaramouche abruptly scanned his surroundings without moving his head even an inch.

"We can't talk about it here. It's as they say, the walls are thin here in Liyue."

Childe nodded again in agreement, forgetting his resentment against the older harbinger.

"Oh, and what's all this? Do you really have time for such... fooling around?" Scaramouche criticised.

Scaramouche gazed at the dimly lit table set on the peak of Mt. Hulao, silk flowers scattered around a small round table in the middle of the setting, with a single xiao lantern placed on top, illuminating the surroundings. 

"I know what I'm doing."

Scaramouche sighed lightheartedly, before taking a few steps towards Childe.

"This mission better be a success. Too much is at stake." He remarked, lowering his voice down to a whisper. 

Childe stepped away from Scaramouche, frowning in annoyance.

"Anyway! I'll be off, now! C'ya, Childe!" Scaramouche lightheartedly said, a drastic change in his voice. 

Childe turned around, facing the table, before collapsing onto the chair, breathing a heavy sigh of relief. 

"Scaramouche, that ass."

Scaramouche descended Mt. Hulao, heading for a nearby Fatui Camp, as he heard a rustling sound from a nearby bush slightly to the left. He stopped dead in his tracks, not a single waver in his facial expression, and his head facing straight ahead.

"So, why don't you come out already?"

"..How did you know I was here?"

---

word count: 484

a/n

scaramouche makes his debut! and who was he talking to? 👀