Chapter 193: The Lady Who Won't Leave

No matter how unwilling.

When the Lady came to Sumeru on official business as an envoy of Snezhnaya, Luo De also had to go to the Academy to meet her as she requested.

Actually, given Luo De's status.

He is obviously not qualified to converse on equal terms with the envoys sent by other nations.

Or rather,

In Sumeru, up to now he still only has the identities of a villager of A Ru Cun and a shramana of the Academy, with no other official positions.

This is the result of Luo De's own evasion.

Originally, according to Nadixa's idea, he should at least have a formal official position.

But Luo De feared trouble.

So he refused them all.

Even the Academy's Scholars' Affairs Department issued an ultimatum, but he couldn't be bothered to report it; for this, Juleshi and Nafesi scolded him plenty.

However, although these two teachers of his scolded him, they did not continue to press him, merely dropping the line 'Love it or leave it,' and let these matters drift away.

"Sigh——"

On the way to the Academy, Luo De kept sighing.

It's not the theft you fear, but the thief's lingering intention.

Back in Mondstadt,

he had opposed the Lady over the matter of borrowing the Gnosis, and even injured an executive.

But after that, Snezhnaya never came looking for trouble, and gradually he came to regard it as Snezhnaya's own bad luck, giving up revenge.

Who would have thought that what was bound to come still came.

As for why the Lady came looking for him,

Luo De roughly knew the reason.

What else could it be?

Nothing but the Gnosis.

Therefore, before coming, Luo De made a special detour back to Hope City to obtain the Wind God's Gnosis from Nadixa before going to the Academy to see her.

Under Ai'ersen's arrangements,

Luo De met the Lady in the reception hall for receiving foreign guests.

Strictly speaking,

this is their first formal meeting.

Before, in Mondstadt, he had secretly observed the Lady, but she only knew Luo De's name.

Upon meeting,

The Lady crossed her arms, gave Luo De a once‑over, then snorted coldly: 'The one who injured that puppet is actually such a green‑horn kid—hah, Snezhnaya's face has been completely lost to that puppet.'

Luo De ignored her snide remarks and simply tossed the Wind God's Gnosis over: 'Take it; I know you're here for this.'

"Huh?"

The Lady, who had still been planning to say something, was instantly caught off‑guard by Luo De's move.

It is true that she came to demand the Gnosis.

But in her original plan,

she intended to meet the Dendro Archon directly and, in the name of the Snezhnaya Empress, reach a Gnosis trade with the Archon.

This is different from what happened in Mondstadt.

Although the Lady's attitude toward other gods remained haughty, before departing for Sumeru the Snezhnaya Empress herself had ordered her, explicitly stating that she must not be overly offensive when dealing with the Dendro Archon.

Although the Lady did not quite understand why, given the Empress's strength, she would be so courteous toward a weak god who could be imprisoned by her own followers.

Out of loyalty and unwavering trust in the Snezhnaya Empress,

she still decided to follow the Empress's words and adopt her most proper attitude toward the Dendro Archon.

And the reason she sought out Luo De for a meeting

was simply because she wanted to see what kind of person this was—the one who ruined her plans in Mondstadt and beat that foul‑smelling puppet so badly it couldn't get out of bed for a month.

So, before she even opened her mouth,

Luo De's act of tossing the Gnosis over was completely unexpected by the Lady.

And that wasn't the end of it.

After sending over the Wind God's Gnosis, Luo De then said: 'Nadixa's Gnosis can't be given to you yet; isn't Dadalya currently stationed in Liyue? I'll send it to him after a while.'

"."

The Lady's gaze toward Luo De instantly turned strange.

Everything she had prepared to say to the Dendro Archon was spoken by Luo De instead.

Moreover, how could Luo De possibly have the authority to make decisions for the Dendro Archon and outright promise her Gnosis?

Thinking this,

the Lady unconsciously narrowed her eyes slightly.

If Luo De's words were spoken with the Dendro Archon's approval, that would still be acceptable.

If not,

then she felt she needed to urge the people of Hearth Home to update their intelligence on Sumeru properly.

The Lady also recalled the Foolish People's current intel on Luo De.

A foreigner who suddenly appeared in A Ru Cun, calling himself the Envoy of the Red King, enjoys great prestige in the Sumeru desert, is suspected of not being a native of Teyvat, led the operation to save the Dendro Archon, is the Archon's most capable aide, during his mission to Mondstadt he got on well with the high ranks of the Mondstadt Knights of Favonius and even reached a deal with the Wind God, though the exact contents of that deal are unclear.

Hearth Home is an intelligence organ subordinate to the Foolish People.

This organization nominally called the Welfare Institute is an intelligence agency controlled by the Fourth Seat Executive Officer, Servant Arlecchino; most of the children who leave here engage in intelligence work for Snezhnaya.

Some of them will hide in other countries, some will carry out orders issued by the Executive Officers to gather intelligence, and some of average talent will join the army and go out to fight with the troops.

The Lady's relationship with the servant was not bad; after visiting Hearth's Home a few times, it could be said that host and guest enjoyed themselves fully, and she liked the children there.

However, being on good terms with Hearth's Home is still good.

The Lady felt it was still necessary to remind Arlecchino to urge her subordinates in intelligence work more.

Information concerning Luo De is certainly incomplete.

At least, Luo De's relationship with the Dendro Archon is absolutely not as mentioned in the intelligence.

I'm afraid.

Their relationship is not a superior-subordinate one; it is likely even closer than that.

Do you have anything else?

If you're not busy, I'll be heading out then.

After presenting the Gnosis and making a promise, looking at the contemplative Lady, Luo De tilted his head and asked.

The Lady originally wanted to say there was nothing more.

She came to Excellent Mountain simply because, while in Mondstadt, she noticed the Wind Archon's Gnosis was missing; combining clues from the Dragon Disaster with information provided by Hearth's Home's intelligence personnel, she ultimately deduced that the Gnosis was very likely taken by Luo De.

Considering that even the puppet of Sanbing, famous for his resistance to beatings, was beaten into that miserable state.

She therefore did not hastily repeat her actions in Mondstadt, but instead applied to the Empress of Snezhnaya to bring the Gnosis back to Snezhnaya through formal diplomatic channels.

According to the original plan.

Her purpose in coming to Excellent Mountain has already been fulfilled; she can now set off to return home to report, and then proceed to Liyue to undertake the next step of obtaining the Geo Archon's Gnosis.

But after a brief conversation with Luo De.

The Lady has now changed her previous idea.

She decided not to leave for now, staying in Excellent Mountain to closely observe Luo De, this unusual fellow, to see what exactly sets him apart.

Thus the Lady's response to Luo De became as follows.

"I heard that Excellent Mountain is currently constructing a new city; in keeping with the Empress's friendly intentions, I will go visit that new city, and if there is anywhere we of Snezhnaya can help, we will spare no effort to assist. Mr. Luo De should first inform the Dendro Archon, and I hope you will not disappoint the Empress's goodwill."

Put in plain words.

The meaning is that we, the Foolish People, want to interfere in your internal affairs in Excellent Mountain; you had better not make excuses, or else everyone will end up embarrassed.

(End of chapter)