"My lady? Your tea has gotten cold."
Ayaka could hear Thoma's voice, but she hardly made sense of his words in the middle of her thinking. She was staring out the windows when Thoma walked in on her, clasping something in her hands absentmindedly.
"My lady? Miladyyyy," Thoma called. Ayaka blinked and turned to him in surprise, "Oh... Sorry, Thoma. Were you saying something?"
Thoma sighed. It wasn't long when he also walked in on Ayato staring blankly at his desk. What's with these two siblings?
"Nevermind, milady. Is there something on your mind?" Thoma asked worryingly.
Ayaka watched softly as Thoma cleaned up her table. "I was just wondering about...something," she said and looked at Thoma curiously, "Have you ever received word about Soleil?"
Thoma blinked, then placed Ayaka's teacup on his tray. "No... Now that I think about it, it's been weeks since she last came over," he said.
Ayaka sighed. "I thought so," she whispered and looked out the window. The both of them fell silent.
"Why do you ask?" Thoma asked. A wistful glimmer colored Ayaka's silver blue eyes.
"It's been long since Soleil left Narukami, and she never visited once. How am I to know she is doing well?" Ayaka said.
Thoma said nothing, unable to find an appropriate response. Ayaka looked at him.
"Have you seen my brother, Thoma?" she asked. "Yes, milady. Just a few hours earlier, in fact," Thoma replied, "He looked just like you, you know?"
"Worried?" Ayaka asked. "...Yes," Thoma said quietly. Ayaka smiled sadly and looked away.
"I overheard his men reporting to him earlier...just before sunrise," Ayaka muttered. Thoma's eyes widened in surprise.
"I...I know it's unbecoming of me to eavesdrop. But I just couldn't help it. They were talking about Soleil...How they were unable to find her," Ayaka's fist clenched and she bowed her head, "They said she was in the company of the Fatui."
Ayaka laughed lightly despite the gloss in her eyes. She turned to Thoma with a smile, "Brother knows something... doesn't he?"
"...I'm sorry, milady. I don't know, either," Thoma apologized quietly, "He rarely opens up about the matter especially after what happened when you were younger."
Ayaka said nothing and looked out the window. The knitted gloves in her hands were squeezed in her attempt to calm down.
"And he still refuses to confide in me," Ayaka sighed sadly and closed her eyes. Nonetheless, I pray that your worries will soon cease, dear brother.
"Ugh... What a circus. I disappear for vacation only to come back hearing you started a war. Tsk."
"Hey, this isn't my fault! No matter what they say, none of this was under my control."
"Whatever. What's done is done. Complaining won't do us any good. I just hope you know how to get out of this mess," Luna said to Soleil over a call.
Soleil's pocket watch was atop a work table. The scholar herself was tinkering with a few gadgets, assorted tools in both her hands as she spoke to the watch.
"I know what to do. I'm simply thinking of ways to take advantage of the situation. We both know there are other things crawling beneath the carpet," Soleil said meaningfully.
"And I'm guessing those 'other things' are about to become my business, too," Luna grumbled. "Ehe," Soleil smiled apologetically.
The investigator was irked. Ehe, my ass. What 'ehe'?!
Luna sighed loudly at Soleil's guilty response. "Why should I get involved?" she asked, "If the Guild ever hears word I'm enabling a war overseas, my cover will be blown."
"They won't hear anything. Besideees, it's not much–"
"Liar."
You're very stubborn, Soleil thought with a dismayed twist of her lips. She paused for a while before her eyes lit up with an idea.
"I'll add three hundred thousand on your next pay~" Soleil tempted, a cat smile on her face. Luna paused.
Soleil's smile widened. She could practically hear the shower of mora in Luna's head.
Yeees, there's no way she can say no to that amount added to her usual salary, Soleil grinned mischievously.
"Five hundred," Luna negotiated. "Five hundred mora?" Soleil teased, "Sure, why not?"
"Five hundred thousand. But I don't mind if you make it five hundred million."
"Ah, so expensive. But fine," Soleil sighed. Luna's skills are much needed to her operations–practically invaluable. The intel she could provide is worth twice the amount so she's not losing any mora needlessly.
"A done deal. So, what do you need me to do?" Luna asked. Soleil grinned victoriously.
"I always like cooperative people. First, I need you to stop by Inazuma City and pick up a...certain something for me," Soleil said, "I can't entrust that thing to the Fatui so I need you to hold it until we next meet."
"A thing...? Oh, wait. I remember," Luna said, "But I thought you sent the shrine maiden to do your bidding."
"Sure, I did. But I'm talking about something different this time," Soleil said, "I'll send you further details later. But now that you mentioned it, please go pick up Gendou Ringo's assignment. She's good, but she lacks... what's right term? Ah, right. 'Discretion'."
"She was previously a spy for the Fatui," Luna pointed out. "Yes, and that is why it's risky to let her keep the item. She belongs to Miko's shrine, after all," Soleil said seriously, "Pick the item up with her and...clean some mess up if necessary."
Luna said nothing. Soleil continued giving her instructions, "Once the two items are secured, go to Liyue Harbor and visit the Northland Bank."
"Why?" Luna asked. "Because your paycheck is there. Duh," Soleil sassed, "I'll give you fifty percent so you'll be motivated."
"How generous," Luna rolled her eyes, "What's the real deal with the bank?"
"Heh," Soleil's eyes sparked, "I need you to do a little investigation on Pantalone. I suspect that old fox is trying to get a feel of the situation here in Inazuma."
"Huh. You really think he's got time for that?" Luna said. "The Fatui received a request from Liyue Harbor that they want to send reinforcements to Tartaglia. We never sent any word outside about our situation," Soleil said seriously, "Except from me to you, of course."
"I'm getting a little too familiar with the Regrator recently... But fine. I'll see what I can do," Luna said. "I also heard that there is a large set of metal ore being prepared for shipment at the Harbor," Soleil mused.
Whether it was telepathy or just the same line of thinking, Luna understood what she meant.
"I get it. To summarize, fetch two items and dig some information. Is that all?" she said. "For now," Soleil said, "I'll give you more instructions once you're in Liyue."
"I sincerely hope you know what you're doing this time. Sangonomiya Kokomi is rarely seen on the field, but I dare say she knows how you think," Luna warned, "She will use what she can to stop you."
"No need to state the obvious, Luna. But you really don't have to worry," Soleil said lightly as she examined her newly-finished contrapment, "Let me know when you're in Liyue, but I'll be the one to make the call."
"K."
Soleil shut her pocket watch and inspected her new device. "Looks like it's ready," she muttered.
It was a cube-shaped device, made of metal and powered with a stock source of Electro. Soleil tossed it into the air before her, causing the cube to disperse and project a blank screen and a matching keyboard in front of her.
Soleil scrutinized it, finding no risky errors during its start-up. "Perfect," she said pleasantly, "Those soldiers should be done by now..."
At a separate camp in Seirai, two soldiers wearing the red armor of Watatsumi were idly strolling in the camps, being the least injured during the backfired operation on the Fatui ships.
At least, they looked like they were strolling. Once they were out of sight, they dropped their small talk and hid in the shades. They produced a few items from underneath their armor and began to tinker with them.
The items resembled bird figurines. The feathers were artificial, but no one could really tell from the distance. Setting up on the ground before them, the spies watched as the birds' eyes blinked with light.
Soleil noticed the blank screen glitch, eventually revealing several live feeds, all of which were showing the faces of the spies. She smirked.
"Can you hear me?" she asked. The soldiers on the screen shared surprised looks before they replied in a hush.
"Yes! Loud and clear, Miss Soleil," one of them said. "Good. Your job at the main camp is done. Find a way to get into their next operation and join them. That will serve as your exit and return back here swiftly. Fake your deaths if needed," Soleil said, "Do not give General Gorou any opportunity to learn that they were infiltrated."
"Yes, Miss!"
The two spies watched as the metal birds flocked away, mimicking a living bird with the flap of its wings. They were in awe. The scholar's creations are always so lively, it's deceptive.
Meanwhile, Soleil twisted her lips in dismay. She's glad her two spies are safe, but them being undetected was a little unsettling.
This is the second time the Fatui infiltrated one of Kokomi's camps successfully. The first time around was during the Vision Hunt Decree. She lost many men that time, Soleil thought. Has she not learned anything and she allowed it to happen a second time?
Regardless, she'll use it to her advantage. But risking a full infiltration will be dangerous. The birds are more than enough. They're her creations, after all.
A metal bird perched on a branch, its mechanical eyes on the training soldiers under Gorou's watch. At a separate feed, Kokomi was inside her room and watched from the window.
Soleil's lips curled. Had she chosen a violent path and equipped the birds with explosives, they would have long been obliterated. But alas, she chose to keep her hands clean.
"You can't catch water with your hands, Kokomi," Soleil mused, "And it's a big ocean out there."
★