Ryen passed Arlecchino's letter to Rosalyne and the others. As they scanned the contents, the sheer gravity of her situation became clear.
She had indeed arrived in Fontaine two weeks ago. Wishing to maintain a low profile and avoid entanglements with the local authorities, especially under the Tsaritsa's urgent pressure to reach Liyue, Arlecchino had ordered her forces to disperse and travel covertly.
Everything had proceeded smoothly. If not for unforeseen interference, she should have arrived in Sumeru last week, and by extension, Liyue, days ago.
However, Arlecchino had severely underestimated the situation. For reasons unknown, likely Pierro's machinations, Fontaine had become aggressively hostile toward the Fatui. They had pinpointed the location of every single scattered unit under her command. In a single stroke, Fontaine had detained hundreds of her subordinates. Were it not for Arlecchino's own overwhelming combat prowess, which allowed her to shatter their blockade and rescue her people, the entire expedition would have ended in disaster before it truly began.
Realizing the severity of the situation, Arlecchino abandoned her stealth tactics. She consolidated her forces, moving the entire army as a single, unstoppable unit. With three thousand elite troops and the advanced alchemical potions supplied by the Tsaritsa, they carved a bloody path through Fontaine's encirclement.
The containment by Fontaine's forces was ultimately a triviality. Compared to the lethality of the soldiers Arlecchino commanded, Fontaine's rank-and-file were inconsequential. To be honest, had she truly wished to, her three thousand men could have toppled Fontaine's regime entirely.
But Arlecchino held fast to the Tsaritsa's mandate: avoid unnecessary casualties.
She bypassed the main roads, marching through treacherous, uncharted terrain to reach Sumeru. The local monsters were no match for her forces; they were simply too numerous and too well-equipped with Minecraft-derived resources. Whenever they encountered a powerful local beast leader, the Abyss Order would step in to assist in suppressing it.
The positive news was that while there were injuries, no lives were lost. The Abyss Order had proven unexpectedly useful. Aether had even dispatched several Abyss Lectors to provide escort.
The bad news...
The true problem was not Fontaine. The Fontainians, seeing that the force Arlecchino brought was not composed entirely of Fatui soldiers, reluctantly accepted the claim that they were merely passing through. Though they remained under observation, it was largely a defensive posture.
The real trouble originated from Pierro and The Doctor.
It was a mystery how Pierro managed to divert resources while simultaneously being harassed by the Abyss Order, but he had infiltrated Fontaine with large, powerful groups of modified Fatui soldiers. They were hunting Arlecchino, determined to sabotage her progress.
A bizarre conflict had broken out between these mindless, modified Fatui soldiers and Arlecchino's troops. These modified husks lacked consciousness, but their individual combat power was staggering. Had the Abyss Order not intervened periodically to provide support, Arlecchino's forces would have suffered genuine losses.
"Damned mongrel!"
Smack!
Tartaglia finished reading the letter and slammed it onto the table with a furious roar. The wood groaned under the impact, nearly splintering.
"The nerve of them! Are they trying to rip the mask off entirely? We can't touch The Doctor for now, as his segments are scattered and their locations unknown. But what right does Pierro have to stand against us?!"
"Your Majesty, I request to lead the Dragon Riders back to eliminate The Jester!"
Scaramouche stood to the side, his voice a low, dangerous growl. "I'm going with him!"
The Tsaritsa frowned and shook her head. "No. Our strength in that world is already stretched thin, and we are on the verge of launching the New Continent expedition. We have neither the time nor the manpower to address this internal schism."
"Furthermore, The Jester's strength is unpredictable. Engaging him poses an unacceptable risk. If we must move against him, we need the assistance of Morax and his ilk. But we must avoid incurring any more debts if it can be helped. Regardless, this is an internal Snezhnayan issue."
"Arlecchino's path is difficult, but with her capabilities, she will manage. The Abyss Order is assisting with transport. I have already coordinated with Alhaitham and the others; once our people reach Sumeru, they will provide escort. The route will be clear, and they will reach Liyue within three days."
"As for The Jester... we wait."
The Tsaritsa's gaze was as cold as a cutting gale. She drew a deep breath, forcing the fury in her chest to subside.
"That damned dog dares to stand against us in the open, and we are just to do nothing?" Tartaglia huffed, his brow furrowing with sudden worry. "And what of Teucer and the others...? Snezhnaya is currently too chaotic. I fear The Jester might, "
"Do not worry about your siblings," the Tsaritsa interrupted, her tone softening. "The Rooster has quietly arranged for them to join a Snezhnayan merchant caravan, with security detail stationed along the route."
"Once some time passes, they will arrive in Liyue. Until Snezhnaya stabilizes, you may have them settle in Liyue Harbor and look after them."
Tartaglia exhaled, his tension breaking. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
The Tsaritsa waved off the thanks and continued. "Put The Jester out of your mind. Our priority is the New Continent. Once we master the Sorcery mod and equip our Master-tier staves, dealing with a Jester will be trivial."
The others nodded. Scaramouche, still visibly agitated, muttered, "Damned bastard. Sooner or later, I'll carve him into pieces!"
The Tsaritsa turned to Rosalyne. "You will coordinate with the Liyue officials later. Once Arlecchino arrives, ask the Millelith to escort them to Mt. Tianheng and have them stand by. We are unsure how long this expedition will take; it is best they begin familiarizing themselves with the local situation now. We will finalize further arrangements upon our return."
Rosalyne nodded. A look of profound regret crossed her face. "It is a pity. We were so close... If not for those setbacks, Arlecchino would have arrived on schedule. We could have integrated them into that world before our departure. They could have begun training, and once we finished exploring, they would have been ready to start harvesting resources."
The Tsaritsa's expression darkened again. After a long moment, she shook her head. "Forget it. Dwelling on it serves no purpose. When they arrive, they arrive."
"Additionally, Tartaglia, send a message to The Rooster. Tell him to find a way to recruit five thousand more. Have them ready at any moment. And ask the Abyss Order to intensify their pressure on the Fatui."
As the final syllable left her lips, Aether's voice sounded from the doorway.
"You can stop worrying about The Jester."
His tone was thick with a rage they had never heard before. The Tsaritsa looked up to see Aether's face twisted in a dark, violent scowl.
"That damned animal... I don't know where he got the intelligence, but he ambushed us."
"Over a hundred of our Abyss Mages were transporting hilichurls back to the Abyss to prepare for our eventual restoration. He led a force that slaughtered every last one of them."
"The Jester is our sworn, blood-feud enemy."
"I have already dispatched a massive force toward Snezhnaya."
"You can notify your people to consolidate their defenses. My orders are absolute: total extermination."
"Even if we cannot kill The Jester, I will raze every one of his strongholds to ash!"
The group exchanged glances. They could easily comprehend Aether's fury. The restoration of Khaenri'ah was finally within reach; the Abyss Mages were poised to reclaim their humanity. To suffer such a catastrophic blow at such a critical juncture, and by the hands of a traitorous former Khaenri'ahn Court Mage, was a knife in the back.
Aether likely had the urge to tear The Jester apart with his bare hands.
The Tsaritsa sighed, a trace of apology in her voice. "My apologies. This fault lies with us."
"It has nothing to do with you."
Aether's voice was icy. "That damned wretch never cared for Khaenri'ah in the first place!"
"Regardless, The Jester is now at the top of Khaenri'ah's kill list. I have already sent my people to Snezhnaya. You should pull your forces back and tighten your perimeter. My orders are total eradication. Even if we cannot reach him, we will dismantle his entire power base!"
The Tsaritsa had no objections. The Fatui loyal to The Jester were either soulless husks or utterly brainwashed. Wiping them out was a net positive.
After pondering for a moment, she replied, "Give it a few days. I will notify The Rooster to provide any necessary coordination."
Aether nodded curtly and strode out, his face like stone.
The Tsaritsa slumped back, feeling a wave of exhaustion. "If I had been more vigilant... if I had foreseen the extent of his ambition... we would not be in this predicament. Alas... the fault is mine."
Rosalyne reached out, her eyes full of pity. "It is not your fault, Your Majesty. Who could have foreseen such treachery?"
The Tsaritsa waved her off, keeping her tone measured. "You should all return and prepare. I suspect Ryen will return to that world tomorrow to finalize the last of the operational details. If all goes according to plan, we depart tomorrow."
The others acknowledged the command and quietly filed out.
Compared to the convoluted, treacherous mess in Snezhnaya, the situation in the other nations was far superior. Liyue's affairs were complex, but they had ample administrative talent to manage them, even Zhongli had returned to the workforce. Mondstadt was tranquil, with everything proceeding smoothly without drama. As for Sumeru... the news was nothing but positive.
The desert terraforming had reached the Mausoleum of King Deshret. Out of respect for the Scarlet King, the Mausoleum remained untouched, preserving the original desert landscape. Even so, the newly expanded rainforest provided more than enough arable land to sustain the entire desert population. The primary terraforming phase was essentially complete; Sumeru's priority now was simply digesting the newfound prosperity.
Furthermore, construction on the new branch of the Akademiya in the desert had begun. They estimated that with the resources from the Minecraft world, it would be finished within half a month. With supplies flowing back to Sumeru, the quality of life for the average Sumeran had surged to a new tier.
Alhaitham and the others were thrilled. Their greatest relief was that they wouldn't need to make extensive arrangements before leaving. Their previous development plans had not yet fully materialized, so they simply needed to maintain the current trajectory. At most, they only needed to recruit a new batch of Sumeran soldiers to meet this year's deployment quotas.
The day after the Lantern Rite passed in quiet routine.
Ryen had spent the day happily resting with Ei. He had kept his promise and refrained from doing anything "excessive."
In his own mind, "excessive" was just the final step. Everything leading up to that...
Seeing Ei willingly allow him to take whatever he wanted, if Ryen didn't feel a flicker of desire, he would have genuinely suspected something was wrong with his own biology.
Fortunately, there was no such risk.
He spent the day teasing Ei, having her open the door to "New Worlds." Aside from the forbidden final zone, he explored every other inch.
He had even used the "scabbard" as a holster a few times.
Ryen didn't only care about his own pleasure; he made sure Ei received the rewards she was due. Seeing the cold, aloof Ei display such shy, exquisite vulnerability was a sensation he found infinitely fascinating.
The day was unremarkable. The Millelith soldiers, aside from the core units returning to the Minecraft world to continue city building or other critical duties, spent their final hours of vacation in Liyue Harbor.
Tomorrow, real life would resume.
Ryen had returned to the house, embracing Ei. Though the "polishing" was done for now, there were always other ways to play. He pressed his hand against Ei's head, exhaling a breath of pure, unadulterated joy.
Ei sprinted to the bathroom. Not long after, she emerged, having restored herself to the cool, composed appearance of a Shogun.
"I'm heading back. I need to see if Makoto has anything else to deal with."
Ryen lay sideways on the bed, looking at her languidly. "What could Makoto possibly have to deal with? You cannot handle the tedious administrative details anyway. Stay here with me tonight."
"Tonight?" Ei froze, her voice dropping. "Did you not say we would wait until the New Continent exploration was finished?"
"What are you thinking about? I just mean simple rest and sleep," Ryen said, shooting her an exasperated look.
Ei stared at him with a flat, unwavering gaze. "You said we were just going to take a simple nap earlier as well."
Ryen's expression turned awkward, and he let out a dry, forced laugh.
"The mood simply took over! Relax, I'm not deceiving you this time."
"Let Makoto handle the work. You staying here with me is a novel experience, isn't it?"
Ei bit her lip, then gave a soft, yielding nod. "I will inform Makoto. I shall return shortly."
Ryen waved his hand, watching her walk slightly stiffly out of the room.
He wasn't a selfish person who only prioritized his own gratification. He knew how to pace himself.
He stretched his limbs, leaned back against the pillows, and closed his eyes, focusing on the flow of Imaginary Energy within his core.
Today was the final sliver of absolute quiet he would experience for a long time. He needed to savor it.
The moment the New Continent expedition launched, his feet would scarcely touch the ground.