Whale and Dragonfly // OC x Childe Genshin Impact fanfiction

Chapter 20: Encountering the Past

Now that she didn't get any other help requests from Childe regarding their gnosis mission, Charlotte decided it was about time to take care of her commissions. Ekaterina has already had a whole list prepared for today, giving it to the young Harbinger.

"That's all?" Charlotte asked, examining the paper.

"Yes. All the jobs written here are a really routine-like matter. Are you sure you should be dirtying your hands with them? You can send your agents to deal with them."

"No no, it's all good, Ekaterina. I'm pretty bored anyways. Some activity to pass time won't hurt."

"If that's what you want, Zanni. Good luck. Or I guess, I should be saying that to the treasure hoarders you will be dealing with." Ekaterina chuckled, walking over to talk with a new Northland client.

Charlotte gulped, examining the commission description paper. She will be dealing with treasure hoarders... People who kept torturing her for more than 6 years, treating her like a complete slave.

Mission was simple enough: go to the treasure hoarders' camp, negotiate on the debt and force them to pay it. If they refuse, use force and combat.

Charlotte sighed, once again checking the location of the camp and a few other things before putting down mission description papers on the reception desk side and leaving the Northland bank. She had all day to complete this debt-collection mission and the hoarders' camp wasn't too far from the city either. Zanni decided to take a slow and relaxing pace to get to her destination, even though her mind was full of doubts.

After walking for 20 minutes, young Harbinger finally reached the camp. Despite being deep in debt, treasure hoarders seemed to be relaxed, enjoying the warm sun of Liyue, taking naps in their tents. One guy with blonde hair who had a crossbow by his side seemed to be on watch while other are resting.

Charlotte approached them at self-trusting pace, getting noticed by the guard immediately. The blonde with crossbow immediately sent alert to others, waking them up. All hoarders pulled out their weapons, standing up in a defensive possition.

"Now now, there's no need to get worked up. Or is there?" Zanni said ironically, thinking about the large amount of mora they owed for Northland bank.

"Who are you and what do you want from us?" said a guy who wore a black coat with cherry-colored fur.

"Hmm, let's see. Did you know you're in the Nation of Contracts? Bank loan is a contract of sorts too." Charlotte crossed her arms on her chest.

All men exchanged looks. One of them gestured to the blonde crossbow guy and he immediately raised his weapon, aiming at the brow-haired girl in front of them. After a second, arrow was released.

Charlotte silently thanked Childe for training her reaction skills: she caught the arrow right before it impaled her chest. Treasure hoarders looked at her shocked, whispering with each other.

"Boss, this girl is a big deal..."

"We should give her what she wants before there's trouble-"

"Make her leave us in alone!"

Even if she didn't seek revenge, it felt quite amazing to be the one treasure hoarders feared. Not the vice-versa like in her slavery years.

Girl broke the arrow in half, throwing its remains away in the tall grass.

"Enough playing around. You owe Northland bank a huge amount of mora. I expect you to pay your debts here and now." Girl huffed. "Of course, unless you want to put your lives on the line in the battle against a Harbinger."

If treasure hoarders weren't yet shocked enough, now they were for sure.

"A H-Harbinger? You are a harbinger?!"

"Prove it!"

Charlotte sighed, lifting up her sleeve to reveal the glove with delusion that immediately lit up with gentle light blue glow. Before the treasure hoarders could react on what's happening, Zanni quickly knelt down, punching the ground and making ice spikes burst out of the hard, rocky Liyue dirt.

Treasure hoarders were easily knocked back by the spikes, laying there as the taken hit was heavy. Girl stood up, her delusion deactivating and becoming a greyish orb again.

12th Harbinger stepped closer, walking up to the guy with black and cherry-colored coat, lifting him up from the ground while gripping his collar. Since his coat collar was pretty narrow, it started choking him a bit, making him grip at Charlotte's wrist.

"As a Harbinger, I wield both – vision and delusion... Just so you know, I'm way more skilled with my pyro vision, so hand over what you owe before I turn you and your camp to ashes..." girl was surprised at how cold her own voice sounded.

She let go of the hoarder who then fell back on the ground, coughing and rubbing his neck. Once he recovered, he looked up at her, then at his comrades, exchanging a few nods. Standing up, he walked over to one of the tents, opening up the chest with a ton of mora.

"How much do we owe?" he asked, his voice slightly shaking.

"I thought you know... 800.000 mora. And I'm not leaving until I have it all."

"Will be done, miss." Hoarder grabbed a nearby bag, starting to count every coin, making sure he puts the exact amount required.

After good 10 minutes of counting and counting again, the bag of mora was ready. Forgetting her own past regarding them, Charlotte felt pity for hoarders. After the debt collection, they were left with barely 10.000 mora. On other hand, it's their own fault for taking so much money and not thinking about consequences, right?

"That'd be all. Please leave."

"Not like I'd stay here. Let me lend you a piece of advice - next time, make sure to take a loan small enough so you could pay it back on time. You're welcome, thanks and hope to see you never again~" Zanni threw the bag over her shoulder, walking away.

Mission was easier than she thought but it still drained her emotionally. After all, it's not easy to come back and look straight into your dark past's eyes.

In the end, 12th Harbinger hoped she'll soon get used to it...

~~~

(A/N: Hello there! Just wanted to say Happy New Year to all of you! I wish you all amazing 2022! As always on special occasions - extra chapter! :3)