After two months of wandering back and forth between Liyue, Mondstadt, and Dragonspine to conclude his one-month holiday that he was supposed to spend with his ex-lover, Childe had avoided Inazuma. He wanted to solidify an agreement with strangers he had initially met. He felt embarrassed, having indulged in excessive drinking, resulting in making a scene and coming up with a ridiculous plan: A FAKE RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE WHOSE BACKGROUND HE DOESN'T KNOW. That's just crazy!
Somewhere hidden, Childe opened a door to his own solitude. His annoyance was evident; he didn't want to be there. He sighed heavily, walking through a path that led to an abandoned mansion in a cave. Once luxurious, the rooms now echoed with hollow sounds of loneliness. Footsteps, if any, had long faded, leaving behind a ghostly resonance that danced through the empty halls. The grand staircase, once trodden by elegant figures in elaborate attire, now stood as a silent witness to the passage of time.
Dim light filtered through the dust-covered windows, casting a muted glow on worn carpets and threadbare furniture. Cobwebs clung to the corners like spectral drapes, adding to the desolate atmosphere. The cold seeped through cracked panes, making the air heavy and frigid.
The mansion's vast rooms, once filled with laughter and conversations of a bygone era, now echoed with the emptiness of abandonment. The abandoned ballroom, with cracked marble floors and faded grandeur, whispered tales of glamorous gatherings long forgotten. Suffice it to say, that mansion he walked into could potentially become a center for paranormal activity, gaining popularity among the locals. As he traversed through some rooms, he was greeted by servants of that organization. He greeted them with a smile. "Welcome back, Sir Tartaglia," they addressed him. Every room he passed through, his name was gently called out by women and men, showing immense respect for him. Childe was quite different from others in his organization; he wasn't always violent and enjoyed conversing with those who worked under him. That's why Childe was loved by his people. His cheek muscles were probably already numb, especially considering the staircase to the specific room he needed to reach was way too damn far away high.
Upon reaching the destination, he knocked once and entered. "Who missed me?" Childe shouted with excitement, ready for a hug. However, everyone in the organization glanced at him briefly before returning to their own conversations. "Hey, that's not nice! I've devoted myself to returning to work and look at how much sweat has dampened my clothes!" Childe pouted. This time, everyone looked at him, but with a glare.
His face was flushed, a testament to the effort that induced the sweat. A faint, salty scent hung in the air as perspiration mixed with the surroundings. The room was now repulsed by Childe's presence. "Tartaglia... come on, you're ruining the mood," Columbina grumbled when the smell reached her nose. "Man, you smell worse than shit," the short man interrupted, sporting indigo hair and a narcissistic tone whenever he spoke. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Blame Tsaritsa since she has too much Mora to spend on the staircase," Childe said, now sitting comfortably since there was only one chair available, which happened to be his place.
Arlecchino coughed to remind Tartaglia of his current situation. Childe looked at Arlecchino with an annoying smirk. "I'm sorry," Childe said slowly, rolling his eyes to look at the furniture in the room.
The Eleven Harbingers are the most powerful and highest-ranking members of the Fatui organisation, and are also all wealthy politically influential members of Snezhnayan society that are chosen by Tsaritsa. They are also assigned a ranking number, which is based both on the individual's power and their overall contribution to the Tsaritsa's cause in comparison to the other members. The top-ranked Harbingers, up to No. 3 (Columbina), possess powers which can rival the gods. The Harbingers can also partake in a "wild" and "frenzied" banquet to which Pierro may personally invite prospective recruits. Further information about this banquet is not known, but it may have something to do with the Harbingers' rankings. The Harbingers have disparate methodologies and motivations, which leads to frequent internal squabbling and a mutual lack of respect or trust among a number of its members. It is quite tragic to Childe since he lost himself into the Abyss at a very young age.
Childe sat there bored, as the other Fatui members discussed plans to steal the 'Gnosis' of the Archon. He was tired of hearing them, not because he wasn't loyal to Tsaritsa, the leader of the Eleven Harbingers. He knew their actions would benefit her rule of the world, but he was simply bored doing nothing. "Childe, we understand your disinterest in this discussion, but this is important. I need your focus on what I'm about to say. Let alone your personal affairs with our job here." Pierro said sternly. "He is saying that we need you to patrol and observe La Signora's next step. Tsaritsa has tasked her with making a deal with the Electro Archon, Raiden Ei. What troubles us is whether those Archons are using a vessel to protect their real bodies from harm," Pantalone interjected. Childe knew that he's the lowest ranking of all, the Eleven Harbingers.He was often used by upper ranks due to his differences. He tried to convince them he could be as cold as them, but his kindness shone brightly.
After the news of his breakup with Zhongli spread in Liyue, everyone offered encouraging words, which annoyed Childe. He didn't want encouragement or comforting advice; he still wanted to understand why Zhongli acted that way or whether Zhongli truly believed their relationship with the cold-blooded Fatui Harbingers would impact his future.
Maybe yes. Maybe not. Maybe that thing didn't even exist, just as he once said, 'I still love her.'
"Why do you need me to patrol the place? Don't you have someone else or could Arlecchino or Dottore take over? Dottore never moves a muscle unless it's time to take specimens or create chaos. Didn't you see how he just injected Scaramouche?" Childe tried to make a reasonable excuse so that Pierro might consider letting him off the hook. "Hey, you don't know what that puppet can do! Thanks to me, you didn't get hurt when I tried to inject you with my new drug," Dottore retorted, slamming the table upon hearing his name in the argument. "Who are you calling a puppet, you stinky pervert!" Scaramouche growled at Dottore. The room became chaotic due to the arguments among Childe, Pantalone, Dottore, and Scaramouche. Pierro and Arlecchino could only sigh and shake their heads. Columbina was in her own world, cheering for the potential fight. It was rare to see Pantalone angry because of Childe; previously, Pantalone had always remained calm, even when Childe and Scaramouche blamed him. Maybe he had finally had enough?
"Enough!" Pulcinella's voice cut through the room, silencing everyone present. "We can't afford La Signora's actions without careful consideration. We all know how difficult it is for her to attend our meetings, and I urge you to reconsider. Without her, our organization potentially will fail if we don't control her. Childe, I ask you to reconsider the offer. We can take care of your family, and we'll never interfere without your consent," Pulcinella stated, devoid of any signs of an offer but rather sounding more like a threat. Childe's eyes twitched; he subtly gestured behind his back, trying not to draw attention to his nervousness. With a heavy sigh, Childe looked at Pulcinella with a heavy heart. "For Tsaritsa," Childe replied in a deep voice. Pulcinella smiled broadly. "Wouldn't it have been easier if you had accepted the offer earlier? Good—"
"Did Scaramouche accompany me?" Childe interrupted, addressing Pulcinella. Pulcinella smiled once again, saying, "No. This is your first individual mission assigned by Lord Tsaritsa." Childe was taken aback by Pulcinella's statement. 'Oh, dear Tsaritsa. May you always have been blessing forever!'
"I will not disappoint you," Childe declared, placing his fist over his chest to show respect to Pulcinella.
