Entralling Bloom

18.) Results and Fears

Albedo

Albedo couldn't help but chuckle as he watched Rosalind's mouth contort into a twisted and forced-looking grin.

Somehow her discomfort was reassuring. It proved to him that he wasn't the only one who valued Lisa's giving nature, but also could stand certain parts of her personality.

"Great it's a date then," Lisa replied with her signature wily grin, "Tomorrow at noon we can all meet outside headquarters!"

Rosalind's grimace only deepened at her words

"I'm glad that's settled," Lisa continued with a sigh. "But now I think this conversation has gone on long enough. It's certainly had enough ups and downs to disturb the patrons too. Likewise, I'll be needed us to end it here so I can return to my work. Can't be slacking off if I'm going to tell Jean that I'll be closing the place early today and tomorrow."

Albedo almost rolled his eyes at this.

I'd bet anything she was sleeping at her desk before we got here, he thought to himself with a smirk.

"Oh but before that, I have a private matter to inquire about with Mr. Kriedeprinz so I'll see you two girls tomorrow. Amber, and Rosalind be sure to get some rest! I plan on giving you both a thorough tour of my favorite stores."

"Yes ma'am!" Amber said with a laugh and a quick salute.

"Oh, alright then," Ros whispered in contrast.

"I'll see you both tomorrow. I look forward to it" Lisa added with a smile as Amber led Ros out of the library. She was staying true to her promise to walk Ros home even if that home was just a few steps outside.

After the door was shut behind, Lisa sharply turned towards Albedo.

"So? Anything out of the ordinary with her? Nothing that gives you a hunch that she hasn't been forthright with any information?"

Well, it's now or never,  Albedo thought. Time to see if I'm as good at concealing my doubts about Rosalind's origins as I am easing people's doubts about mine.

"I thought she seemed honest enough, " Albedo began making sure to maintain an even tone and eye contact with Lisa as he spoke. 

"Her story is unlikely but it can neither be proven nor disproven. I can only say that the story she told me matched the one she described to you and Jean. And, truly, if she didn't lead the life she described, her lack of connections and gaps in common knowledge would be near unexplainable. Her real upbringing would have to be at least similar to the story she told. Instead of thieves, it could have been overprotective parents who undereducated her for instance."

Lisa put her hand to her chin as she thought over Albedo's words. 

"Everyone has the means to lie, but I also suspect she has little motive to lie if her story can only be a hair different from reality," Lisa murmured as she absorbed Albedo's findings.

 "Really, I feel Jean only gave you this assignment because I gave her quite the shocking new member proposal when I mentioned my assistant," Lisa said with a chuckle after a beat. "When I heard she was giving you a background check I only thought to myself 'why we should do one on Razor while we're at it... There's no way of knowing the origins of someone who doesn't carry any documentation or records with them."

 "Jean's already sent correspondence to the Liyue Qixing and other governing bodies who partner with the knights to see if a person who matches Ros' description exists in their country or in all of Teyvat. The Tianshu said he'd discreetly have an investigation team of their own do some digging but based on their records a Rosalind Monet or with Ros' unique attributes was never a known citizen of Liyue or its trading partners."

"And Liyue's trading partners would encompass... the entire continent?" Albedo prompted.

"All of Teyvat as one would expect," Lisa said with a nod. "As head librarian, I'll make a record of this conversation for Jean. Sorry to send you on a wild goose chase getting potion ingredients for me but I figured it would give you an excuse to end this fool's errand of an investigation asap.

"Acquiring the materials had its ups and downs but establishing relations with Rosalind and getting her to be comfortable enough with me to have conversations about her past would take longer than any trip or background check should," Albedo said with a shrug. "If anything your idea to send Ms. Monet on that errand saved me the trouble of arranging introductions."

"Good to hear," Lisa chirped as she clapped her hands together. "Well, that's it for me! You be sure to rest too, Mr. Kreideprinz. I'll send tell Jean about your findings. Perhaps when I see you next it'll be at little Rozy's party.

Albedo nodded and turned to leave, but was stopped in his tracks when Lisa suddenly put her hand on his shoulder.

Startled he took a step back and flinched only for Lisa to laugh lightly. 

"Sorry sorry, but... I just had a great idea..." Lisa said her eyes alight with mirth.

Rosalind

"I'm gonna pass out and vomit all at once!" Rosalind groaned as she finally collapsed in the bed of her small and secluded room.  The brass bed frame and iron springs of her mattress whined back at her in protest,  but Ros was past the point of caring about the noise she was making for the people below her.

"What the hell even was today!? I swear my luck hasn't been this bad since I was an Earthling..." she sighed.

"I met too many... strange and dangerous people for my anxiety's liking. And now, in less than 48 hours, I have to survive a party."

Ros pressed a hand to her temples and scowled. 

"No no stay positive, let's not fall into a downward spiral as we did on Earth as well... Alright, it'll all be fine," Rosalind whispered to herself. "I just have to endure these next two nights and it will be back to smooth sailing as usual. There's no way that knight, Albedo, or even Lisa or Jean could ever find out that I'm not from their world. And there's no way the party could lead to anything more than a few awkward conversations and weird silent moments. "

Ros rolled onto her back and stared up at the cracked stucco ceiling of the attic.

 "I'll live... And this time I'll actually enjoy being alive," she swore to herself as she turned onto her sighed, and blew out the candle on the bedside. 

Albedo

The next morning Albedo woke up early only to find himself cursing under his breath.

"Since when did Lisa get so good at roping people into things..." He said as Klee hopped excitedly at his side under the shadow of a humongous glittery marquee.