SURVIVAL GUIDE, genshin impact

────── 07.

RULE NUMBER 7 : DON'T SHOW YOUR EMOTIONS.

Emotions are who we are, for we are defined by the way our emotions are tied to our beliefs, goals and dreams ; but the first harbinger was not someone who showed his emotions.

(Surely, before he lost everything he had, there had to be a spark of life in his now so empty gaze.)

You only saw him for urgent matters, those which directly concerned the search of the gnosis — and even in these cases, your presence was rarely required because you only took care of the cases which concerned the relations between the different sectors in which each harbinger operated.

For example, if Dottore demanded more money for his experiments, you took care of declaring it to Pantalone ; if Capitano, who managed everything concerning the training of the new recruits, claimed that the number of recruits had to be increased, you declared it to Arlecchino who took care of the orphanages where those who would become future fatuis grew up.

However, it still happened sometimes that the Jester required your presence to give him a report of the activity of other harbingers, and that was the case today.

In front of his empty eye, one can feel nothing but uncontainable fear, a fear that spreads through the skin and penetrates even to the bone like the eternal cold of Snezhnaya.

The Jester's single eye focused on the papers you had just handed him and you fidgeted nervously, wanting to be absolutely everywhere except here, alone with the first harbinger.

"Do I make you afraid, miss Y/n?"

You jumped at the sound of these words, spoken in such a deep voice that pierced the silence of the room; but the one who had spoked them remained unmoved, his cold gaze still fixed on papers in front of him.

Silence fell again, deep and heavy, in the Jester's office which, despite its large size, was stifling to the point you felt like you were suffocating.
Was it just you, or was the room  getting smaller?

What were you supposed to answer? Did he prefer a sweet lie or the bitter truth? The first harbinger was so impenetrable you didn't know what mask you had to wear and what role you had to pretend to be in his presence.

The Jester looked up from the papers to direct his gaze towards you, piercing cyan meeting e/c eyes frozen with fear.

His chest heaved imperceptibly with what sounded like a light sigh, inaudible to your ears which only heard the beating of your own racing heart.

"I think I already have my answer. You can leave now."

"I— Yes, My Lord." You stammered, coming to your senses again, bowing respectfully before heading for the exit.

As your hand brushed the doorknob, his voice echoed through the room again.

"For your well-being, you should control your emotions more when you are in this palace ; some people might use them against you."

You turned to face him, but his eye was fixed on the papers again, a sign that the discussion was now over.

Emotions are who we are, for we are defined by the way our emotions are tied to our beliefs, goals and dreams.
But in this place, emotions are weaknesses — that is why the Tsaritsa caged her heart in eternal ice.

So little bird, bottle up your emotions, keep a mask on your face, coat your heart in ice ; only those with no love left in their heart can survive in the cold lands of Snezhnaya.

𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 ↷
hot depressed grandpa finally got his own chapter!! now the only one missing are columbina, signora and sandrone but their turn will come soon :)) (well, not so soon bc i have a LOT of work bruh)
without forgetting my beloved capitano who didn't have a direct interaction with the reader and was just mentioned :(
thanks for reading, comments and likes are appreciated as always <33