Even If You Don't Know (Clorinde x OC)

Chapter 6: Sign of a Looming Danger

A/N: I got my new phone and finally can play Genshin Impact. Imagine how happy I was? So my apologies if this was a late update. I'm currently in Liyue and I got Raiden, one of my favourite.

After meeting Nicht at the infirmary, Paimon hurried out, her tiny wings fluttering frantically as the Traveler followed close behind. Once they were far enough, she skidded to a stop, doubling over to catch her breath, hands on her knees as sweat dripped from her chin.

"Paimon?" The Traveler called, concern lacing his voice. "What's wrong?"

She straightened up, her expression unusually tense. "T-Traveler! That guy is a bad news!"

Aether raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms with a sigh. He trusted Paimon, but her sudden panic seemed out of place. Without any clear reason, it felt unreasonable to jump to conclusions.

"And why do you say so?" he asked, trying to understand her thoughts.

"B-because..." Her eyes wandered nervously, fingers fidgeting as she poked them together. "Because he had a really scary look?"

"Look Paimon, you know it's not right to judge someone by their appearance alone. You owe him an apology later."

Paimon bit her lip, clearly conflicted. She knew Aether had a point, but something about Nicht had unsettled her in a way she couldn't explain. Suppressing the lingering fear, she nodded slowly.

"O-okay... but still, he gives me the creeps."

*****

Once Arlecchino left the office, a Melusine approached, her voice laced with worry. "Are you sure? She had issues with Lady Furina before. Can she really be trusted?"

To her surprise, Neuvillette merely took another slow sip of his coffee, his gaze steady. "No," he calmly replied. "She's not someone who should be trusted."

"Then why accept her proposal?" The confusion on her face was evident as she tilted her head, silently asking for more.

Neuvillette set the cup down, bearing an unreadable expression. "While it's ironic for me to say this, I don't believe the Knave is the culprit, but my instinct tells she know who is, which is why I agreed to her plan—to draw out the real one."

He leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing as he thought far ahead. This wasn't just a kidnapping. Neuvillette knew better than anyone that this was a carefully orchestrated move, one with dangerous implications for Fontaine's relations with Snezhnaya.

One wrong step and the consequences would be catastrophic. The Cyro Archon's military might wasn't something Fontaine could contend with. War with Snezhnaya meant only one thing—inevitable ruin.

His fingers drummed lightly on the desk as his mind spun countless possibilities. Maintaining the status quo is essential, but Snezhnaya was moving in the shadows, threatening to destabilize Fontaine from within.

"Divide and conquer..." he murmured, almost to himself.

Neuvillette placed the empty cup back on the table with deliberate care, his gaze distant as he was lost deep in thought. The Melusine stood quietly beside him, sensing the weight of the silence, and waiting patiently for his words.

It's quite obvious what they were trying to attempt. In the Nation of Trials, the majority is considered as the absolute justice, similar to democratic and republican political system. By kidnapping an influential key figure, you'll be able to manipulate the populace all while disrupting their morale. This will cause division between the authorities and justice making Fontaine an easy prey to conquer.