《R18+》Cigno Fanciulla | Scaramouche

● Act II | Chapter I

Cigno Fanciulla Act II: Notte di Luna
《 Chapter I - Wishful Tides 》

Given the sense of peace - serene tranquility - the waters carry on the wishes as it reflects the starry night sky. If a wish could be made, and a wish would be received, then would you take a chance on the wishful tides of the sea?

Our entrance was not well accepted by the meeting hall - especially by a certain Harbinger who had been fuming in his seat after realizing that I would be sitting next to my escort due to our rankings. The round table was indeed arranged so that the seats would mark the points of a clock, with the centerpiece being where Her Highness stays.

Unlike the Harbingers, the Lady Tsaritsa had her seat above the round table - a small chamber of ice that floats in the air probably supported by the Cryo Archon's powers. Her place reminded me of a crystal adorned chandelier. It was simple in structure, but complex in design. The patterns of ice were asymmetrical, and varied - yet they worked perfectly in harmony. With her Majesty seated on her throne at the meeting hall, the chambers glowed like a prism struck by light- and it remained dim shall the Tsaritsa leave.

Back to the other Harbingers, our arrangement of seats went clockwise so as the Twelfth Fatui Harbinger - I was seated in a way that I mirrored the Sixth Fatui Harbinger, Scaramouche. He bore holes into me with his gaze, and I could feel the needle-pinning pain of electric shocks.

Oh, I knew full well of what was happening soon as he mouthed the words, "You are mine, remember who you belong to."

I swallowed in a lump that formed inside of my throat as I flinched from the sensations running through my body, gasping ever so lightly as the electricity starts to pain me less - inducing in great pleasure that numbed me into my bones. I let myself to feel weak from the current, and to submit with every fiber of my being unto his command.

"Covielle, what do you think of handling Liyue for a few days before your transfer to Inazuma with Scaramouche?" The Jester's voice suddenly cuts me out of my blissful trance.

Feeling lightheaded, with my mouth kind of dry from the punishment, I tried my best to compose myself. I'm not aware of how I look, but my best guess would be that I've automatically switched to my usual stoic expression - all because I felt that the muscles on my face have already relaxed.

Giving it some air to think, I confidently gave my reply. "It would be my honor to watch over Liyue. Though if I may ask, is it because you're planning to have me babysit Tartaglia on his probation period stated by the Qixing?" Surely they don't intend to have me deal with the Land of Contracts for long as they have already planned that I would go retrieve the Shogun's gnosis along with Scaramouche in Inazuma.

Having Pedrelino to my left had made it possible for me to hear his hums of approval. So, I turned to face him, finding that he had that cunning smile on his face - the signature mask the Jester displays for the world to see.

"Sharp as always." He starts, only to pause as his face turns serious. "We were lucky that the Qixing only put Tartaglia on probation period. He would be able to continue with the Bank's businesses of tax payments, but he wouldn't be there to deal with other matters."

At the mention of other matters needed to be dealt with, I understood that this would be my part. So, I paid attention to every following word the First Harbinger said - my interest peaking as we shifted to the topic of the meteorite research.

"Thanks to the intel on the meteorites gathered by Scaramouche and Covielle, Dottore was able to manufacture plenty of the energy trackers. Now, we have several sightings of the fragments around Liyue." Another pause ensued to let the information sink in to our brains.