The Tale of the Sixth Harbinger

3

They had left Inazuma for a few days now, taking a ship and landing in Liyue Harbor. Then, they marched north west, to Snezhnaya where Columbia claimed she needed to return to since her mission was finished.

Though Kunikuzushi didn’t doubt her mission was completed -- he was definitely sure that Columbia believed he was related to the Shogun’s suspicious actions -- he was surprised that she wasn’t pressing anything from him. Instead, she was acting like nothing happened and was overall friendly.

Kunikuzushi couldn’t let his guard down, however. No matter how delicious the food she offered was, or how many expensive gifts she gave him, he will never tell her anything.

During the journey to Snezhnaya, Kunikuzushi didn’t have to do much work. Columbia ordered Kunikuzushi to stay by her side while she was doing some simple paperwork, which gave him the chance to observe.

During the first few days of travel, Kunikuzushi realized that Columbia had a weird bond with her subordinates. Instead of the normal boss and worker relationship, Columbia and her soldiers were more like friends. Everyone was relaxed with each other to the point where Columbia joined in with the banter. Laughter and talking was always in the air and when Columbia was giving out orders, her soldiers listened without hesitation. Kunikuzushi also never heard a single complaint about Columbia that wasn’t banter.

Loyalty, Kunikuzushi had realized. They are all loyal to Columbia. Every single one of them.

When he had questioned Columbia about her bond with her subordinates, she laughed and replied, “I’m always careful with who joins my fraction. Their skills are taken into account of course, but what decides it all is their opinions on me. I can’t let someone who may betray me join.”

Columbia was a sneaky dove. Kunikuzushi had realized that from the incident between them back in Inazuma, but the way she chooses her soldiers confirms it even more. No matter how friendly and carefree she acted, she was a Fatui Harbinger through and through.

The first clue that told them when they were in Snezhnaya was the cold temperature. Most of the Fatui soldiers and Kunikuzushi had bundled up in thick layers of clothing to counter the cold. The only ones who didn’t were the ones who had pyro or cryo Visions. Their Visions protected them, which was something Kunikuzushi was jealous of.

When he had first worn his thick layers of clothing, embarrassingly, he had a few moments of stumbling around as he adjusted to the weight. Everytime he had fallen because of his winter clothes, Columbia’s mocking laughter would never fail to follow. And always following her laughter would be Kunikuzushi’s threats and yelling.

Stupid cryo Harbinger… He had mentally cursed many times on the journey.

The next clue would be the heavy snowfall. It started off gentle and slow, but within a few minutes, they were traveling through a blizzard and feet deep snow. One time when they were camping in a cave to wait for a terribly strong blizzard to die down, Columbia had the audacity to approach Kunikuzushi.

Unlike Kunikuzushi, who had a permanent red face and was shivering constantly from the cold, Columbia didn’t look any different from when she was in Inazuma. She didn’t have red cheeks or snot running down her nose and wasn’t wearing pounds of winter clothing. Rather, she looked as if she belonged in the roaring blizzard, with her white Harbinger uniform and icy smile.

While patting Kunikuzushi on the back, she had said, mocking him, “If you are cold, I don’t mind cuddling up with you.”

This earned her Kunikuzushi’s curses and threats. Of course, none of his threats were effective, not when he looks like he is about to turn into an icicle. Columbia replied to his curses with laughter that sounded genuine and warm.