Chapter 1

Part I. The Start of Ajax’s Very Bad Day

“Lord Harbinger!”

“Lord Harbinger, please, wake up!”

Lord Harbinger? What’s a “Lord Harbinger”?

“Lord Harbinger! Oh, thank the blessed Tsaritsa! He’s opening his eyes!”

“Is he alright? Do we know he’s alright?”

“Please don’t die. Please don’t die. If he dies, it’s on our heads!”

“Lord Harbinger” is a person?

“Oy! Instead of panicking, go get a doctor!”

“W-which doctor?”

“Are you stupid? Any doctor who’s qualified to heal people! Do you want to die for your incompetence?”

Wait. Am I “Lord Harbinger”?

Ajax has two realizations the moment his eyes snap open. They’re quick little things, striking his chest like one punch after another, each leaving him more breathless than the last. Metaphorically speaking.

And physically speaking, come to think of it. He feels like complete and utter garbage. Garbage that’s been left to rot in the sun, at that, and his chest hurts something fierce like someone’s cut it open and set the inside on fire.

So, that’s realization number one: he is in a lot of pain.

Realization number two comes after he can get his eyes to focus. The ceiling features a lattice of redwood with light blue silk strips hanging overhead to create a classy canopy. He’s also lying on something that feels soft like clouds and oh so cool to the touch—holy crap, is that silk? Is he lying on silk sheets?

This is a very far cry from his shitty little studio apartment with its boring white ceilings and its cracked and chipping paint, his creaky Ikea twin bed that his six-foot frame can barely squeeze into, and his threadbare and thin sheets and mattress.

Realization number two: clearly, he is not in his apartment anymore. Not that he is complaining, because this is a significant upgrade.

“…Lord Harbinger? Can you hear me?”

He blinks. There are three masked strangers staring back at him. They sport identical expressions of panic, their eyes wide beneath the holes of their strange, bird-like masks. Their faces look especially pale against the sombre black and red uniforms they’re wearing.

And speaking of those uniforms, what is with that design? They’re strangely ornate with dark fur trims, heavy metal buckles, and a flashy-looking brooch clipped over the chest, featuring a polished, glowing red gem, like banked fire trapped in glass. Those are some bizarre, fantasy-like outfits that shouldn’t exist outside of an anime convention.

Those uniforms also look familiar.

Ajax opens his mouth to say something; he’s not sure what, maybe protest a little because there are three strangers in fantasy outfits staring at him, but what ends up escaping him is a wheezing, choking cough followed by more pain flaring in his chest. Oh, God.

“Lord Harbinger, please take it easy,” Stranger 1 says, “you have suffered a grievous injury. We have tried to patch you up as much as we can. Vlad has gone to get you a doctor.”

“What?” Ajax manages to gasp out.

“What caused your injury? Sir, we believe you were fighting some Ruin Guards, but something went awry. Our men found you lying injured on the outskirts of Mt. Tianheng and we brought you back as soon as possible.”

Mt. Tianheng? Again, that flash of familiarity crosses Ajax’s mind. He…knows this name, but where…?

Wait. Ajax feels his heart go cold. Those outfits, Mt. Tianheng, Lord Harbinger—aren’t those words from that video game—

“WELCOME USER!”

Ajax’s heart lurches at the sudden appearance of a glowing, semi-opaque blue message window, like the ones that appear in computers or in video games. His surprise makes him jerk back, jostling his chest wound. It sends a fresh wave of agony through his body so painful that his vision goes a worrying gray.

The three strangers are yelling something in alarm but Ajax is a little too busy trying to breathe through the pain to pay attention. In the background, he can see a string of words starting to appear in the message window, accompanied by the sound of a robotic voice, not unlike Siri.

“…to a new user experience! You have triggered this interface with the keywords, ‘Stupid game! Stupid devs! I want my f*****g money back!’. To improve user satisfaction, you have …”

“Lord Harbinger! Please breathe slowly!”

“Someone get him some water!”

“Where the hell is Vlad with that doctor?”

“…been given the account ID User_02. Please wait as your account finishes binding to your assigned character. Waiting time: 15 seconds…14…13…12…”

“I have a doctor!”

Ajax can barely keep up. The searing pain in his chest is stealing every bit of his breath, shattering his concentration. What the—what the fuck is happening?

“About time! Lord Harbinger woke up but he’s not doing well! Is there anything we can give him?”

“Please hold him down so that he won’t thrash around. I can give him a dose of pain medicine and sleep inducer.”

“…8…7…6…”

“Lord Harbinger, please forgive us! This is really for your own good!”

Ajax’s vision is graying fast; even the large numbers of the countdown timer in the window are looking fuzzy. He thinks he feels a prick in his arm, followed by another, and in the next breath, he feels his body sinking like an anchor as his muscles go loose. Slowly, the sharp, stabbing pain in his chest recedes like the tide, leaving behind a tingling, numbing, floating sensation flooding through his entire body. Blessed, blessed relief.

His lids feel heavy, very heavy, and he tries to blink, but that sinking feeling grows stronger. Maybe he can rest his eyes for a little bit. He’s safe here, right?

His last conscious memory before he drifts off is the countdown timer going to zero. Then, the robotic voice chimes out, “Congratulations! You are now bound to the character Tartaglia, the Eleventh Harbinger of the Fatui, codename: Childe! We hope you have an enjoyable user experience and we welcome you once again to Genshin Impact 2.0!”

---

Even before the game was officially released, Genshin Impact has garnered a wave of hype. In the preliminary reviews, the game’s stunning graphics, open-world environment, and action-based battle system earned it high praises. The musical score, solid story, and countless options to customize characters to fit the players’ fighting styles only added to the game’s growing popularity to the point of propelling it to the top of the charts as the best new game of the year.

The game features a fantasy world called Teyvat, in which magic exists in the form of seven natural elements and where gods roam amongst the mortals. The player follows the journey of the Traveller as they traverse through the land in search of their lost sibling, exploring one country after another while uncovering the dark secrets the world holds. Along the way, the Traveller is joined by a cast of eclectic characters, some of which are locked behind the most loathsome of all evils: a pay wall.

Ajax was one of many who had forked over money for the pre-release sale, and he had not regretted it—at least at first. The game was everything the reviews were claiming and then some, and Ajax had spent countless hours levelling up the Traveller, even dipping into his very, very lean student budget for some of those locked characters.

(His personal favourite was and still is Zhongli, the once God of Liyue. The moment the game announced the release of this character, Ajax was caught, hook, line, and sinker. Everything about this character was so very cool, from his design to his character music, to his battle animation and powers. Dear lord, the number of hours he spent levelling this character up to the max is embarrassing, let alone all the weekends he spent equipment farming. Only the very best for his Zhongli!)

But as the game progressed, the storyline took a nosedive. What was once a promising start featuring a wealth of lore and complex characters dissipated as the game focused more on enticing players to collect new characters, new equipment, new weapons, and new skins—all of which came with a steep price tag. The plot suffered, the new characters were uninspiring, hell, even the new lands that were unlocked felt half-assed and devoid of the care spent worldbuilding for the earlier parts of the game.

Ajax stubbornly persisted for years, mainly because he figured he had invested this much into the game already, so he might as well stick it out to the end. He was also hanging on for Zhongli’s questline to see whether his favourite character would finally achieve the peace of living his life as a mortal and whether he would manage to let go of the burden of his past.

With the announcement that the game was ending, Ajax hung on to the bitter end, ploughing through one soul-sucking, money-grabbing event after another, spamming the skip dialogue button with lightning speed just so that he could keep going in the vain hope that one day, he would get his resolution and that Zhongli would get his happy ending.

Finally, finally, after all that persistence and effort, he reached the end.

Only to be met with shock and anger because it turned out…

“What?! The sibling is not even in Teyvat? What do you mean, ‘she’s gone off to parts unknown’?!” Ajax jumped up from his computer chair, furious. His desk rattled from his sudden movement, as with the large mug of tea he had next to his laptop. “Really, Genshin Impact? You’re going to pull a Princess Peach is in another castle after I’ve spent literal years looking for her?”

The end credits continued to roll across the laptop screen to the backdrop of happy, triumphant music. Ajax’s eye twitched. Triumph? What triumph? There was only insult and injury from being cucked so very hard. What the actual fuck, game?

“But what about all those unresolved plotlines?” Ajax asked out loud to nobody in particular in his tiny rental apartment. “What about Snezhnaya? The Harbingers? What about Zhongli?”

The ending credits had not stopped, so Ajax pulled out his phone for answers. Maybe the developers were planning to make a sequel. Maybe they would publish a webtoon or something to tie up any loose ends.

But nope, the company that made Genshin Impact merely released a statement thanking its fans for the support and announced that they would be shutting down production for the game. There would be no resolution to those unfinished plotlines.

There would be no justice for Zhongli.

Ajax’s glare turned hot. “Oh, not on my watch!”

The credits finally stopped and the game went back to its starting screen. Ajax pulled his chair close, sat back down, and jabbed the quit button to close the game. Then, he pulled up every single review page for the game, and he went to work.

The scathing comments came flowing out of him like water bursting out of a crumbling dam. He went through website by website, leaving a devastating string of one-star reviews, fuelled entirely by spite and the righteous fury of a fanboy scorned.

“Stupid game!” he finished one of his reviews off with, his fingers flying over the keyboard. His hands were starting to cramp up a bit, but such trivial matters could be ignored in the face of justice being dispensed. “Stupid devs! I want my fucking money back! Zhongli deserved better!!”

But just as he was about to click send, his arm knocked over his mug, sending a cascade of hot tea pouring all over his desk.

Including his laptop.

The only laptop he owned, in fact. The laptop that contained all of his schoolwork, including the finished paper due the next day.

Frozen, Ajax could only watch at the way the screen flickered once, twice, then spluttered to black. A few seconds later, a faint whiff of smoke filled the air.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Ajax jumped up. “Unplug it. I need to—”

He reached for the power bar behind the desk jammed full of electrical plugs.

Several realizations occurred a beat later, the first being that the power bar was wet, the second being that his hand was wet, and the third being that liquid plus electricity meant Bad News.

It was too bad that those realizations were had after he had already made contact with the power bar. As Ajax was slammed with heat and pain slicing up his hand, his arm, his chest, his everywhere, and his body began to spasm uncontrollably, his last thought was that he couldn’t believe this fucking game was what took him out for good.

---

This time, when Ajax comes to, it’s to the sound of soft murmurs.

“…condition is stable and the wounds are sealed. He is well on his way to recovery. I recommend that he should stay in bed for at least one more week, especially in light of the blood loss. In the meantime, I will prescribe some medicine to speed up his recovery as well as some painkillers in case he needs them.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” comes a female voice. “The Lord Harbinger appreciates all that you have done for him, as do we all.”

“You’re very welcome. Have a good evening.”

There’s the sound of the door shutting closed.

“Shit, what do we do, Ekaterina?” a new voice whispers, this one male. “Tartaglia only just stepped foot into Liyue and already, disaster strikes. He’s supposed to appear in multiple meetings this week as well. There’s one with the Qixing and one with our allies—”

“Postpone them all,” comes Ekaterina’s order. For someone faced with disaster, she sounds calm. “In the meantime, we continue to report everything back to La Signora.”

“The Eleventh Harbinger sure isn’t starting things off on the right foot. La Signora is going to use this information to crucify him.”

“That is not our concern. Our orders are to report his actions to La Signora. If you want to live long enough to retire, you keep your head down and do as you’re told.”

Ajax doesn’t open his eyes until he hears the door opening and shutting, then silence.

The first thing he does is breathe out a heavy, heavy sigh.

Fuck. This can’t be real. This can’t be real.

As any Gen Zer grown up fully entrenched in the world of the internet, compounded by his lone-wolf lifestyle, Ajax has read his fair share of light novels and is particularly well-versed with the myriad of tropes in existence. So, the fact that he’s woken up in a different universe, one of the games he apparently spent his dying (!!!) breath cursing, he knows immediately what happened to him: he either got isekai-ed or he got transmigrated.

But, considering the fact that people were referring him to as Lord Harbinger, his money is on the transmigration.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

But just in case, “System?” he whispers into the air, feeling very, very stupid for it.

A blue window pops up. “Good evening, Character Tartaglia! Do you have a question for me?”

That sends him cursing anew.

Fuck! He really did get transmigrated! Also, fucking really? Tartaglia? He was hoping he misheard that!

But one thing at a time. “What are you? Where is this place?”

A string of words begins to appear on the screen at the same time as the robotic voice speaks.

“I am System, your helpful guide to ensure your experience in the world of Genshin Impact 2.0 goes seamlessly. I keep track of your scores, your quests, and your story progress. I have an internal storage system and shop which are available to you. You are in Teyvat, situated in Liyue Harbour, Liyue. You are currently in a hotel across from the Northland Bank. The hotel you are in is designated as the living space for Fatui members.”

Liyue Harbour? That tracks. No wonder the design elements of the room around him seem so familiar. Ajax has spent many, many, many hours exploring every nook and cranny of this city.

Next question is, “How did I get here?”

“You have experienced a tragic accident in your original world and have died. However, seeing that you have died with unfinished business, your soul has been transported to this world so that you may seek fulfillment. You have been assigned a character whose soul recently vacated its body for seamless integration into the world.”

Ajax closes his eyes as something heavy settles into his chest.

Died. He’s…dead.

He was alone in his shitty little apartment with no one around and no friends. God, nobody’s going to even find his body; he’s going to make the news as one of those horrifying stories where a neighbour called the police after the rank smell of his decomposing flesh seeped through the walls.

As for his family. Well.

No one is going to miss him. His parents haven’t missed him in years since they divorced and gone off to have families of their own. His older siblings have all gone off to parts unknown and they haven’t bothered to keep in contact with anybody. It’s just Ajax, the one left behind that nobody wants—not when he’s a reminder of a failed relationship. A literal eyesore.

Maybe his younger stepsiblings would care. Tonia, Anthon, and Teucer are darlings and he loves them dearly, but it’s not like he plays an important part in their lives anymore, not since his dear stepfather made it clear how he didn’t want Ajax’s bad influence around his children.

Apparently, stepdad gets his wish. No more Ajax to haunt their doorstep. No more Ajax, period.

He wipes the corner of his eyes with the back of his hand, wincing a little at the way the wound in his chest twinges in pain. Yeah, well, good fucking riddance to them and the high horses they rode in on. Who the fuck needs them anyway? Not Ajax, that’s for sure. He’s made it through middle school, high school, and the first two years of college with his own strength, tenacity, and wit. This situation changes absolutely nothing.

If nothing, it’s an opportunity for a fresh start, one where he can reinvent himself into someone bigger and better.

…Wait, can he even do that?

“System,” he whispers again, stuffing his emotions back into the neat little box in his heart where no one can see them. “You said I’m playing the character Tartaglia. What does that mean?”

“Your role is to play the character Tartaglia. Your primary objective is to ensure that certain plot points of this story are met. Those are indicated as Main Missions under the Mission Tab. Failure of any Main Missions results in a severe point deduction.”

Point deduction? Interesting, so he does get points for certain actions.

As if predicting what Ajax’s next question is going to be, the System continues, “As you play the character Tartaglia, you may be awarded certain points called Story Points, or SP for short. SP can be gained based on your actions, the relationships you build with people, any self-growth you’ve experienced, and naturally, the completion of missions. The more you interact with the world around you, the greater the likelihood of SP earned, so you are encouraged to submerge yourself in the Genshin Impact 2.0 experience.”

Heh. Figures. As if he’ll get awarded points by doing nothing.

“You will also unlock Side Quests based upon your actions in Genshin Impact 2.0. SP will be awarded for mission success and deducted for mission failure.

“SP can be exchanged for Items in the Shop. However, User is reminded to keep track of their SP to ensure they do not drop below zero.”

Okay, that sounds ominous. “Why?”

“If you deplete your SP, your account will automatically be terminated.”

Ajax blinks. “Automatically terminated? What does that mean?”

“When your account is automatically terminated, your soul will be ejected from your Tartaglia character, and will be returned to your original body from your world of origin.”

“Wait,” Ajax blurts out. “But you said that I’m dead in my world.”

“Correct.”

“So, what does it mean that my soul will return to my original body? Does that mean I become…undead?”

“No. It means you will perish permanently.”

Oookay. Holy shit. Let’s avoid that scenario!

“You are restricted from the following actions: (1) Disclose the existence of System to any character in this world and (2) Disclose that you are a transmigrator to any character in this world. All attempts at performing restricted actions would be automatically circumvented by the System.”

In other words, it’s literally impossible for him to tell anyone about the System and his situation. That’s fine. That could be a lot worse.

“Do you have any further questions?”

A ton. But he needs to digest the information he’s been given first. The only thing he can think of to ask right now is, “What are my main missions?”

“Your Main Missions as Character Tartaglia are as follows: (1) Ensure the Main Character reaches Hero Status in Liyue, (2) Release Osial from its water prison, and (3) Ensure Character Zhongli (aka Rex Lapis Morax) is freed from the shackles of godhood.”

And that’s when it occurs to Ajax that there’s a very, very big perk of being in Genshin Impact 2.0: he gets to actually meet Zhongli.

---

In the original story in Genshin Impact, Tartaglia is one of the main villains of Chapter 1, the Liyue Arc. Styled as the Vanguard of the Tsaritsa, Tartaglia is supposed to be one of the more powerful members of the Harbingers in terms of battle prowess. From what Ajax remembers, however, Tartaglia is disappointingly boring.

His boss battle was fun and difficult, and Ajax had taken immense pleasure kicking his ass with his over-levelled Main Character and their five-star sword. But outside of that, Tartaglia is a one-dimensional cartoon villain whose sole purpose is to make the Main Character look good. He is arrogant, reckless, power-hungry, and has zero care for anyone except for himself. He views everyone as beneath him and does not make it a secret what he thinks.

It was those very characteristics that lead to his downfall, according to the events of the original story. Tartaglia had been sent to Liyue to act as a Fatui Diplomat while keeping his identity a secret, but his real mission was to steal Zhongli’s Gnosis. However, Tartaglia had not known that he was merely a pawn in a contract between the Cryo Archon and the Geo Archon. The Geo Archon had wished to retire from being a god and agreed to surrender his Gnosis to the Cryo Archon if Liyue could prove that it could defend itself without its god. The Cryo Archon agreed to provide someone worthy to test Liyue properly.

Tartaglia did just that—test Liyue by creating chaos, but do so in a manner that would catch Liyue by surprise. The element of surprise was necessary because if Liyue passed the test, the result would definitively prove that Liyue did not need its divine protector, even in worst-case scenarios, which left Rex Lapis no room to back out of his contract.

To ensure that everything ran smoothly, the Cryo Archon also dispatched La Signora, whose goal was to oversee the operation and act as a point of contact between the two Archons.

But Tartaglia and La Signora never got along, and to Ajax’s disappointment, this point was never clarified in the original game. In any event, animosity existed between the two for whatever reason, and La Signora, recognizing her advantage in his mission, had planted her own soldiers in Northland Bank for the sole purpose of spying on Tartaglia’s every move.

She took great pleasure recording every single one of his infractions and mistakes and had taken greater pleasure reporting them all to the Tsaritsa.

Not to say that Tartaglia was faultless. Tartaglia had despised his role as a diplomat and had chosen to do as he pleased. Instead of keeping his identity as a Harbinger a secret, he had openly declared himself as a Lord Harbinger in his meeting with the Qixing, and in all of his meetings with potential allies. He had snubbed his undercover job at the Northland Bank to fight and abuse the new Fatui recruits stationed in Liyue. His presence had raised significant tension in Liyue such that the Qixing was already keeping an eye out for trouble and had raised its defences accordingly.

In other words, by the time Tartaglia had unleashed the once-defeated god Osial from its watery prison as a ploy to draw out the Geo Archon, Tartaglia had skewed the results of the test so much that it took Liyue less effort to defeat this threat than usual.

Zhongli pointed that out to La Signora when he refused to hand over his Gnosis.

Luckily or unluckily (depending on who’s viewing the situation), Tartaglia became so incensed by the fact that he had been a pawn that he decided to go off on his own to release a second threat on Liyue Harbour as a petty act of vengeance. Caught off guard and having suffered the effects of Osial, the Qixing struggled to assemble a line of defence on time. It was only through the combined efforts of the adepti, the Main Character, and the Qixing that Liyue Harbour was saved. This act of unity was enough to demonstrate to Zhongli that Liyue no longer needed his protection and finally, he gave his Gnosis to La Signora.

For his flagrant insubordination, Tartaglia was stripped of his rank as a Harbinger the moment he made it back to the shores of Liyue Harbour. Weakened from the fight and stripped of his immunity as a Harbinger, both Liyuan and Fatui members turned on him. He died a miserable death with his body torn asunder and his limbs tossed into the wild to be feasted upon by wild animals.

And Ajax gets the honour of playing this scum villain. Hurray.

Well, fuck his life.

(But at least he gets to meet Zhongli, so that almost makes up for all the trouble he will inevitably go through. Almost.)

(He hopes Zhongli won’t be underwhelming.)

---

Part II. Project Unfuck His Life

Ajax spends the night dozing in and out of fitful sleep, and by the time the first ray of sunlight comes shining through the cracks of the window, he feels like garbage that has been left out in the sun to rot and then trampled on by a herd of elephants.

He’s taken the time to digest the information given, to think through the original story, and come up with his action plans. He’s met with mixed success, mainly because there are still so many things he doesn’t know.

According to the information he’s heard by eavesdropping, he’s meant to be meeting the Qixing and other allies this week. In the original story, this is when Tartaglia will make his first of many mistakes. But with his injury, this meeting is postponed, which is a blessing in disguise because this gives Ajax the breathing room to plan.

Here’s the thing, though…Ajax doesn’t remember the chest injury being in the original game. Hell, the injury had been severe enough to kill off Tartaglia, allowing Ajax’s soul to slot into his place. That’s a huge deviation from the original plot.

When he asks the System about this deviation, the System answers with a rather cryptic and unhelpful: “Genshin Impact 2.0 is shaped by User’s experience. User is encouraged to submerge themselves fully into the world.”

Does that mean that Genshin Impact 2.0 doesn’t need to stick to the script of the original story?

Hmm. Ajax shifts around in his bed, wincing a bit at the twinge of pain in his chest. The painkillers are starting to wear off. He hopes someone will come in here to give him a fresh dose soon.

But, back to his train of thought. There are certain objectives that he has to do, like unleashing Osial on Liyue, so he’s not free from the shackles of the original script. How far can he go off-script then? Is he left to his own devices so long as the objectives are met?

He’d rather avoid being Public Enemy Number One and, you know, getting murdered, thank you very much.

Also, what happens after he meets his objectives?

He’s about to ask the System when he’s interrupted by knocks on the door.

“Sir,” a muffled voice sounds from the other side, the same female from last night. Ekaterina. “Please excuse my intrusion, I am coming in with breakfast and some medicine for you.”

A member of the Fatui enters the room carrying a tray. Her calm demeanor does not falter when she sees Ajax awake and watching her.

“Good morning, sir,” she says, depositing her tray on the bedside table. “I hope you are feeling better. We were worried about your injury, but the doctor said you should make a complete recovery.”

Ajax doesn’t respond. He’s not sure what to say, to be honest.

Ekaterina is one of La Signora’s spies. Just last night she admitted to being indifferent as to whether or not her reporting Tartaglia’s actions to La Signora would harm him. Ajax supposes that he can see where she’s coming from. Tartaglia is not her supervisor, so his downfall wouldn’t affect her. If anything, Tartaglia is probably terrible to her in the original game.

Wait, if he can go off-script, does that mean he can stop being terrible to her? Because Ajax is not one to be an asshole, especially to those who are overworked, underpaid, and are just trying to do their jobs. (As a waiter, he was that poor bastard who was overworked, underpaid, and just trying to do his goddamned job.)

Time for a test.

As Ekaterina helps him up so that he’s seated more comfortably in bed, he gives her a nod and a small smile. “Thank you.”

For some reason, that makes her freeze. “Lord Harbinger?”

Aside from her reaction, the System does not issue a warning and does not threaten to deduct points. Interesting.

Ekaterina is still looking at him strangely. “Yes?” he answers with a tilt of his head.

“How are you feeling?”

Hm. Good question. He hasn’t really had the chance to test things out since he was so caught up in his thoughts last night. He wriggles his fingers and toes, then he tries moving his arms and legs. So far, so good. The only pain he’s experiencing is from his chest, so it seems like that’s where he was injured worst. Better ask for confirmation just in case.

“I’m fine.” He clears his throat. “Minor pain. Nothing too worrying. What is the state of my injury?”

She seems to relax at the question. “You’ve suffered a large gash across the chest, which required stitches to close, as well as a cracked sternum and blood loss. Luckily, the doctor was able to heal the worse of the damage, though he does advise you to stay in bed for the week. In the meantime, he has prescribed medicine that will accelerate healing and some painkillers.”

Something tells Ajax that she might be downplaying the severity of his injury. After all, it had been severe enough to kill off the original Tartaglia. Ah well. So long as he’s recovering.

“I see.”

“Would you like to have something to eat, Lord Harbinger? The kitchen has prepared some light soup and toast, but if it is not to your liking, I can request the kitchen to prepare something else.”

She says the last bit with an air of resignation like she’s expecting him to send the food back at least a few more times. And wow, Ajax can definitely relate. He’s had customers who were high on their ego trips pulling the same crap on him. Suddenly, he feels very, very sorry for her.

Jesus Christ. Didn’t Tartaglia just arrive at Liyue? How much of an ass was he to everyone for them to already expect the worst in him?

“There’s no need, thank you,” he says, trying to gentle his voice. “What you’ve brought is fine. Could you bring the tray over? I don’t think I’d be able to reach it, thanks.”

The look of alarm is back, stronger this time, though she does lower the tray carefully on his lap. “Sir, are you sure you’re feeling alright?”

But Ajax is more focused on the food. When Ekaterina said soup and toast, he thought he’d get some clear vegetable broth and a slice of plain, toasted white bread. What he’s being presented with is a feast: a generous bowl of creamy chicken soup with fresh vegetables and egg noodles, garnished with fresh herbs, a basket of perfectly toasted brioche buns, sourdough bread, rye, baguette slices, and a selection of crème fraiche, jams, and butter to go with the bread. There’s also a mug of tea with a slice of lemon on a separate little dish, and two little vials with clear liquid that are probably medicine.

To Ajax, the poor starving college student whose last meal was some ramen noodles and whatever vegetables he’d chucked into the soup that were still good from the fridge, the food before him is a dream come true.

Needless to say, he shamelessly dives right into his food, and everything is so delicious he almost weeps in happiness. He’s halfway through the bowl before realizing that Ekaterina asked him a question. “Hmm? Sorry, I didn’t catch that.”

The frown on her face persists. “I asked if you’re feeling alright, Lord Harbinger. I apologize in advance if this comes off a bit rude, and I mean no disrespect, but perhaps I should call in a doctor to do a second check-up on you?”

A check-up sounds nice, and it’s very kind of Ekaterina to make that suggestion. “Sure,” Ajax says, going back to his food. Ooh, what kind of jam is that? He doesn’t recognize that berry, which makes sense because he’s in the game, eating ingredients that wouldn’t exist in the real world. Oh, this just got way more awesome. Ajax is going to eat all the food. “That’s a great idea. Thanks for suggesting it.”

“Alright, I—you’re welcome?” Ekaterina’s calm composure breaks, and in its place is pure bewilderment. “I’ll go fetch that doctor right away, Lord Harbinger. Please continue enjoying that meal.”

She leaves with hurried steps and the room is plunged into silence once again.

“I think that went quite well,” Ajax says out loud to himself, downing the two vials of medicine in one go. Surprisingly minty tasting, huh.

“Status Update!”

Ajax startles and winces from the pain in his chest. The System’s blue window pops into existence and words start flowing through its interface.

“Relationship Status with Ekaterina, R Points: +5.”

A bright red “+5” pops up next to Ekaterina’s name. When nothing else shows up, Ajax asks, “What the hell is that?”

“The game keeps track of the different interactions User has with people. Based on those interactions, User’s relationship with those people will change accordingly, denoted by different types of points that can be earned or lost.”

“That doesn’t answer the question at all!” Ajax scowls. “Wait, are those points exchangeable in the shop?”

“No. The shop only takes Story Points as currency.”

Ajax’s eye twitches. “Then what the hell are R Points? Why are there so many different types of stupid points? Why is this system so convoluted?”

After spending some time arguing with the System, here’s what Ajax figures out.

First off, the only currency that truly matters is Story Points (“or SP for short,” as the System likes to remind him), since he could die if his Story Points reach zero.

Second, the System uses a separate set of point systems to track relationship progress and skill progress.

R Point and F Point are used to track relationships. F Point means Friendship Points, while R Point means—

“Regret Points?” Ajax splutters. “What do you mean +5 Regret Points!” Does that mean Ekaterina regretted her interaction with him just now? “But…but, I was so nice to her! Oy, System! Are you sure you got that right?”

“The System does not lie and the System does not make mistakes.” Ajax can swear the System is sulking. “The type and number of points earned from the interaction have been correctly calculated.”

“But what’s the point in all of this then?” This time, it’s Ajax’s turn to scowl. “What’s the point of interacting with people if I’m going to be earning shitty, useless Regret Points? I might as well find ways to solo all the main missions and live life as a hermit!” He just needs his SP to not be zero and that’s easy to manage. Keep his SP points above 0 and don’t get murdered. Oh, and meet Zhongli. Easy peasy.

“Even Regret Points have value!” The words flash immediately on the screen as if trying to stop Ajax from his clearly brilliant strategy. Tsh. Buzzkill. “Reaching a certain threshold of skill points and relationship points, including Regret Points, can unlock achievements!”

Ajax’s protests stop and he perks up.

There are achievements in this world?

---

Ajax would describe himself as a lot of things: restless, energetic, a bit of an adrenaline junkie, and imaginative, to name a few. It’s those traits in particular that got him into trouble in his wayward youth. The number of times his teachers had to call his parents (or whichever parent would bother to pick up the phone) to discuss his “wild tendencies” and “lack of discipline” are too numerous to count. By the time Ajax was in his teenage years, it was the cops who were doing the calling.

(It was also after one such incident that Ajax’s stepfather had put his foot down. “Stay away from my kids. They don’t need to be influenced by the likes of you.”)

Those traits only represent one side of Ajax. As Ajax continues to grow older, he’s picked up a few additional traits out of necessity to survive on his own. He’s learned to be stubborn, bold, driven, meticulous, hard-working, and to some degree, even patient.

It’s those traits that have driven him to work multiple part-time jobs and do a full load of coursework while keeping himself on the Honour Roll. It’s those traits that kept him motivated to save up enough money to send thoughtful, lovely presents to Tonia, Anthon, and Teucer so that he could keep his last bonds with his family alive. (And as a big “fuck you” to stepdad.) It’s also those very same quirks that got him to spend countless sleepless, caffeine-fueled nights level-grinding Zhongli, and farming for the best possible gear to achieve the best build he can for his favourite ex-god.

Unsurprisingly, Ajax lights up like Christmas has come early at the words “unlock achievements”.

There are achievements in this game to unlock? To collect?

That changes everything. Suddenly, he’s more than interested in playing the game.

---

“His injuries seem to be healing rather well,” the doctor in standard Fatui medical division garb says half an hour later. By that point, Ajax had managed to grill the System some more about achievements, because apparently, you can get perks from them, and he had to stuff all that excitement under the calm mask of Tartaglia. “How is the pain?”

“Nonexistent with the medication,” Ajax answers, taking care not to jostle his chest. “Can I take off the bandages? I would like to wash up.”

“My apologies, Lord Harbinger, but I would advise against removing the bandages for at least one more day until the medicine has more time to do its work. In the meantime, I can send one of my assistants to help you wash up with a cloth.”

Ajax doesn’t know why the doctor is growing paler and paler as he speaks, almost as if he’s deathly afraid or something. “Alright, that sounds reasonable. I will wait the day, then. In the meantime, please send in an assistant, thanks.”

The doctor’s eyes go wide. He’s sporting the same incredulous expression Ekaterina had before. “…Lord Harbinger? Are you feeling alright?”

This is getting ridiculous. Why is everyone around him looking so worried? He’s only being courteous.

“Check his head,” Ekaterina pipes up. “Make sure there aren’t any injuries we haven’t noticed yet.”

Before he can protest, the Doctor’s hands are pressing to the back of his head, fingers skimming over his scalp before moving to the temples, then back down to the base of his neck. “I do not feel any bumps and I am not seeing any other injuries.”

“That’s because I’m fine. My head is fine!” Ajax scowls and tries to wave away the Doctor. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”

“My apologies, Lord Harbinger. Out of an abundance of caution, I had to make sure that you have not suffered any injuries previously hidden.” The Doctor actually looks relieved at his apparent grumpiness. “I suppose we were caught off guard by your…” he glances at Ekaterina as if looking for emotional support, “…lack of frustration given your current condition and orders for bed rest?”

Wow. Tartaglia really has made a reputation for himself as being an asshole. Ajax has his work out for him if he wants to reverse this damage, which he does. It’s part of his goal of not getting murdered. Is showing basic courtesy a step too far? How can he salvage this?

“Let’s just say I had some time to reflect on my actions that led to this injury,” he answers in what he hopes is vague enough of an explanation. “It’s funny how a near-death experience brings a certain level of clarity that does not exist previously, especially with respect to who I am as a person and the sort of legacy I would like to leave behind. I would like to change all of that.”

Neither the Doctor nor Ekaterina look like they believe him, but they accept the explanation with quiet nods. That’s good enough for Ajax!

“Very good, sir,” the Doctor replies. “I will leave you to your rest and will send up my assistant shortly. Have a pleasant rest of your day.”

They leave. Ajax barely refrains from screaming into his pillow at the System’s notification that his relationship status with the doctor and Ekaterina gained two more R Points.

---

“Hey System, run this by me once again,” Ajax says later that night, after he’s had dinner. He’s lying in bed, waiting to drop off to sleep on his amazing silk sheets.

“What would you like to know, User?”

“The only restrictions I have are that I cannot disclose your existence or that I am a transmigrator.”

“That is correct.”

“But everything else I do is permitted then? Including choosing to interact with people in a manner different from the original Tartaglia? Or just acting different from the original Tartaglia altogether?”

“User is encouraged to complete the Main Missions, and some of the Side Quests. Otherwise, the User is encouraged to explore the world and interact with the surrounding however User sees fit. The System prioritizes User having as fulsome of an experience as possible.”

Interesting.

“Next question. My effort spent building relationships with people and building my own skills are being tracked.” Yeah, by using bullshit point systems. “And based on what I do, I can unlock achievements, which in turn can get me perks. What are those perks?”

“User is awarded SP, resources such as Mora, and rare equipment and items otherwise not found in-game. User may also get skill boosts, which are permanent, or unlock further special talents.”

Now the System is talking Ajax’s language. A way to make himself stronger? Sign him the hell up!

“What happens after I have completed the main missions?”

“User is free to do as User pleases, of course, with no missions or Side Quests constraining them.”

Huh. Freedom to do as he pleases. The freedom to live unconstrained, unburdened by who he was in the original world.

The freedom to live a life after remaking himself as someone bigger and better.

(Maybe, then, he’d finally know what it’s like to be happy.)

Ajax really, really likes the sound of that.

So, it’s on the first night of Ajax being in this strange new world that he’s come up with his personal goals.

First, he will do everything to avoid getting his ass murdered like the original Tartaglia. He’s going to reverse all the damage the man has caused, and he’s going to take a page out of Ekaterina’s book by keeping his head down and quietly doing his job. If he does his job, then there’s nothing for La Signora to report to the Tsaritsa, and he won’t have his Harbinger immunity stripped from him.

Second, the moment he’s done the main missions, he’s going to get himself far, far away from the main plotline, because fuck that noise! He already knows how the game ends and it sucks balls! But to ensure a smooth exit, he’s going to need to be strong and self-reliant, so it’s time to build up his character…which leads to point three.

Third, as a follow-up to the second point, he’s going to need to figure out how to get all the achievements because Ajax is a perfectionist game nerd who likes collecting stuff and refuses to let his character be a weak-ass scrub. Also, the perks.

Fourth (and he fully admits that this is stupid and self-indulgent) but goddamnit, he’s going to meet his favourite character Zhongli come hell or high water.

---

Part III. Diplomat Childe in Action

The week of recovery comes and goes, and by then, Ajax feels mostly healed and a little more settled in.

(Thank God for that. What a fucking shock it had been to see his own face—red hair, blue eyes, freckles, and all—staring back at him in the mirror when he could finally shuffle to the bathroom for a proper bath. His second shock came after he had taken off his clothes to discover, aside from the new scar on his chest, that holy fuck, he has abs. Legit, rock-hard, super impressive abs, he could grate cheese on them sort of glorious abs. After a more thorough inspection, Ajax came to the realization that he looked basically like how he did in his original world, except much more fit. He wasn’t complaining at all!)

During that week, the doctor came to check up on him once a day, and each time was accompanied by Ekaterina. Each time they left, Childe accumulated a few more R Points.

He’s trying not to be salty about that. If nothing else, he must think of the achievements. Think of the perks.

On the last day, the doctor gives him a clean bill of health with the word of caution to take it easy, which Ajax has the intention to ignore.

“Excellent. Thank you for your help.” He beams at the doctor. He’s actually sitting up in a chair instead of lounging in his bed like a beached whale. Progress! When he sees that the doctor does not flinch at his words, his mood skyrockets even more. Ha! Double progress!

“I shall refresh your prescription in case you need them, Lord Harbinger. If there’s nothing else, I bid you a pleasant day.”

“You as well, Doctor. Oh, Ekaterina, do you mind staying behind for a bit?”

“Sir, is there something you need?” Ekaterina asks the moment the door closes.

“I understand that due to my injury, a number of previously scheduled appointments have been rescheduled. Can you provide an updated itinerary for those meetings plus any intelligence reports the Fatui has gathered on those I am supposed to meet?”

After a week of unexpected behaviour, Ekaterina is getting much better at hiding her surprise. “Yes, my Lord. You are scheduled to meet the Qixing next week on Tuesday and your allies at Wangsheng Funeral Parlour on Thursday. I will send a report on them right away. Is there anything else you would like, sir?”

A blue window shimmers into existence, followed by two soft dings and the following words:

“New Side Quest (Tutorial): Meeting with the Qixing. Objective: Venture outside the world and meet new people. Familiarize yourself with the game mechanics. Reward for successful completion: 10 SP.

“New Side Quest (Tutorial): Meeting with Wangsheng Funeral Parlour. Objective: Venture outside the world and meet new people. Familiarize yourself with the game mechanics. Reward for successful completion: 10 SP.”

Wait, Wangsheng Funeral Parlour?

As in, Zhongli?

Ajax does a fist pump in his head. He gets to meet Zhongli!

“…Sir?”

Ajax shakes his head. He’s probably wearing a dopey expression on his face, but he doesn’t care because Zhongli. “We should also arrange for some apology gifts to be prepared for both the Qixing and Zh—our allies at Wangsheng Funeral Parlour for causing them the inconvenience.”

Apparently, this is too much for Ekaterina because the incredulous expression makes its comeback. “Sir? Apology gifts?”

Ajax nods. “Of course! It’s only polite to bring gifts for the first meeting, and it’s more necessary given the rescheduling. I wouldn’t be much of a diplomat if I were to offend the Qixing on our first official meeting.”

Ekaterina nods. Ah, one day, Ajax is going to win her over with the power of kindness, and she’s going to feel so bad reporting him to La Signora. “Do you have something in mind for those gifts, sir?”

What to get, what to get? Zhongli likes anything fancy, but maybe something of Snezhnayan make would hold his interest more. Alternatively, the man loves knowledge, so books are always a safe bet.

As for Ningguang…

In the original game, Ningguang is, thankfully, one of the characters not locked behind a paywall so he was able to get her, level her up, and equip her with decent gear. But in addition to doing all that, Ajax has read up on the lore and stories on her since she was one of his earlier characters.

Here’s what he remembers of Ningguang: she’s a shrewd businesswoman who abhors law-breaking. She has eyes and ears everywhere, with her secret weapon being the children running around Liyue as her informants. Very Sherlock Holmes-esque.

As for her likes, that list is pretty simple: Mora and the Jade Chamber. This is not exactly useful knowledge when it comes to gift-giving. (And he doesn’t want to give her a shit ton of money. That screams of bribery.)

Ningguang is very much a pragmatist at heart, so maybe a gift that actually serves a purpose would be more thoughtful.

“I think the Qixing would appreciate tools that can help them do their jobs easier,” Ajax finally says. “Would we be able to get a collection of Snezhnayan self-inking pens on time?”

“Unfortunately not, sir. The only collection we have on hand is the one you commissioned, sir.”

How is he not surprised that Tartaglia would commission fancy stationery for himself? “What do they look like? Are they stamped with the Fatui logo all over?”

“They are a set of gilded enamel pens crafted by the Palace’s jeweller. No Fatui logo.”

So, they’re ostentatious as fuck and probably worth a king’s ransom. Hopefully that will be offset by how useful they are. “Perfect, we’ll use those as gifts to the Qixing, plus a pack of our finest quality inks for the pens’ refills. That should smooth over any ruffled feathers.”

Ekaterina’s eyes go wide. “Your pens, sir? You would give away your pens just like that?”

Ajax shrugs. “If they help salvage relations, sure. Besides, they’re just pens. I can get more.” Though maybe not ones from the Palace jeweller. The Mora could be better spent getting something more worthwhile like food or better gear.

“…Of course, sir. And what about for Wangsheng Funeral Parlour?”

Ajax grins. “I have just the idea!”

---

He spends the next couple of days doing homework, reading up on the reports the Fatui has gathered on the Qixing. They contain preliminary sketches of the members of Qixing’s personalities, business operations, and perceived strengths. Compared to the wealth of backstories and character dialogues Ajax has at his disposal, the reports could be made much, much better, and his hands are itching to add his own notes to the report.

But he’s not sure whether he wants to be sharing that information with the rest of the Fatui yet.

“Hey System?” Ajax asks in his empty room. “Would you be able to make a copy of the reports in front of me and stash them in storage?”

A blue window shimmers into existence. “The Copying Function can be unlocked by spending 5 SP. Would you like to spend this amount?”

Ajax snorts. Of course, it would’ve been too good to be true if this service was offered to him for free. “How much SP do I have?”

The window changes and in front of him is an image of his face with the words “Character Tartaglia” next to it.  More information follows: Story Progress: 0%, SP: 50, Level: 63.

Yeah, the level tracks. Ajax remembers that bosses are capped at around those levels in the Liyue Chapter in the original story.

Then, more words appear. “Wait! Are those stats? My stats?”

Ajax hungrily devours that information. He cackles at the beastly numbers that are his Strength and Constitution. Yes, yes! He is a tank! Hell, his Dexterity is also terrifyingly high though not as insane as his Strength, but his comment stands. He is a tank on steroids.

His other stats are less impressive. Intelligence is average. Charisma is above average, which is a surprise to Ajax. It’s a lot higher than he would’ve thought, but he supposes that Tartaglia cultivated it with how he intimidated the hell out of people on a daily basis.

Wisdom, on the other hand, is just plain pitiful.

“Why is my Wisdom so bad?” Ajax laments.

“Wisdom is defined by the character’s perception and insight!” the System adds, unhelpfully.

What perception and insight? Even a blank wall has more perception and insight than Tartaglia. “So, what you’re saying is that Tartaglia has no social awareness whatsoever? Is that why I keep getting R Points from Ekaterina and the Doctor? Because I can’t read the room?”

He just wanted to be nice to people and not get murdered, is that so much to ask?

And he’s supposed to meet with the Qixing, too. And Zhongli!

Oh God, he hopes he doesn’t fuck things up. (And he hopes he doesn’t make an ass out of himself in front of Zhongli.)

---

He does end up buying that Copying Skill after much grumbling, which makes him feel slightly better.

What makes him feel significantly better is seeing just how much money he has.

Spoiler: it’s a lot. He’s no Jeff Bezos but he has to have the equivalent of at least a hundred million US dollars. Woohoo!

And then, the System advises him to test out his Vision, and things become awesome.

Who even cares about Wisdom, he thinks as he waves around his amazing water blades, thoroughly, thoroughly vindicated. I have magic and money!

---

“Welcome to the Yuehai Pavilion, Master Diplomat. Please, right this way. Miss Ningguang is waiting for you.”

Ajax follows Ningguang’s secretary through the ornate halls adorned with ink paintings, grand porcelain vases, and colourful silkscreens. He’s led to a large room with a big, rectangular table made of redwood surrounded by eight chairs. The table is set up with plates of snacks and a steaming pot of tea.

Seated at the table is Ningguang and one other secretary Ajax does not recognize.

Ningguang: Tianquan of the Qixing, responsible for maintaining law and order, and de facto leader of Liyue. She prides herself in her wits and efficiency, and she has no patience for people who waste her time.

Judging by how she remains seated at his arrival, she is none too impressed by Ajax either, probably because of his last-minute cancellation. Brilliant.

System, Ajax thinks. Help! What do I do?

A soft ding sounds in his head. “Would User like to activate a temporary Ability Enhancement? Free of charge as a means to help User familiarize himself with the world.”

Oh, dear Lord yes. Yes, activate whatever the heck ability that is.

“Understood. Ability ‘Silver Tongue’ activated for the duration of this Quest.”

A flood of tingling warmth fills his body from head to toe, not unlike dipping into a hot bath after a long day at work. Instantly, Ajax feels his tense body relax. Words that are trapped in his throat become unclogged, flowing out of him with the ease of a current running downstream.

“Miss Ningguang.” There’s something in the back of his mind guiding him to bow, so he does. He repeats the same to the secretary beside her. “Miss. Please allow me to introduce myself. I go by the name Childe, and I thank you for being so accommodating with rescheduling this meeting, especially on such short notice. I apologize for the inconvenience and I have brought a small token as proof of my sincerity. I hope you and the rest of the Qixing will like it.”

With both hands on the parcel, he hands the box to the secretary who guided him to the room with another small bow. The secretary hands the gift off to Ningguang, who with delicate, careful hands, unwraps the parcel. Although she does not say anything, her brow raises a hint, signifying that she is impressed by the gift.

“These are Snezhnaya’s self-inking pens, designed and crafted lovingly by Zapolyarny Palace’s very own jeweller, Master Fabergé, himself. Each of these pens is designed with different motifs inspired by the types of plants most symbolic to Snezhnaya. The rose for passion, the chamomile for versatility, the magnolia for dignity and splendid beauty…”

As Ajax rattles off the different meanings of flowers, in his mind, he’s settled down and made himself comfortable. The Silver Tongue perk is truly phenomenal. 10/10, would recommend.

“These pens do not require dipping into ink; simply uncap and use. They should last for over 200 pages worth of writing. If you find the ink running out, there are additional ink cartridges provided in the parcel. Alternatively, you may reuse the empty cartridge in the pen and refill it with the ink of your choosing. Simply unscrew the cap at the top of the pen and the cartridge should be accessible.”

“This is very generous of you, Master Childe,” Ningguang finally says, closing the box. Her frosty demeanor from before has thawed, and Ajax is cheering loudly in his head at that. “Please, take a seat. I hope your travels have been safe and well.”

“Thank you.” With one last bow, Ajax pulls out his seat and makes himself comfortable, thanking the secretary for pouring out his tea. “My travels have been well enough. Thank you for asking. It is with my arrival that I haven’t been so lucky.”

“I trust that that is the reason why you have requested for our initial meeting to be postponed?”

Ajax nods. “Indeed. It is a bit embarrassing.” The feeling in his gut is telling Ajax to look a bit bashful so he leans into it. Silver Tongue ability, don’t lead him astray now! “This is my first time visiting Liyue, and compared to Snezhnaya with its wind and ice, I find myself in awe of the warmth and colours of the country. I had wanted to go sightseeing and heard that Mt. Tianheng is particularly beautiful this time of year but my recklessness led me to become injured.”

Whatever answer Ningguang is expecting, apparently that isn’t it, because she paused in the middle of sipping her tea. “You…were injured from sightseeing.”

Ajax rubs at his chest where the wound is healing. “I ran into some Ruin Guards. Quite a few of them, actually, and suffered a serious blow to the chest. It is just recently that I have been cleared from bed rest by my doctor.”

“Oh.” Ningguang frowns. “I’m sorry to hear about your injury and I wish you a speedy recovery. It is, however, problematic to hear that there are quite a few Ruin Guards so close to Liyue Harbour. We will be dispatching a team of Millelith to investigate.”

“Thank you,” Ajax beams. “But that’s quite enough about me. I do not wish to monopolize your time, Miss Ningguang. Why don’t we get down to business?”

At the way Ningguang’s eyes flash with interest, it seems that Ajax has said what she wanted to hear.

---

Side Quest (Tutorial): Meet the Qixing—Complete. SP +10. Relationship Status with Ningguang, F Point: +2

Achievements earned:

“Baby’s First Steps” for stepping foot outside into the real world. Rewards earned: +5000 Mora.

“Look Ma, I Did It!” for talking to a non-Fatui member and creating a positive first impression. Rewards earned: +5000 Mora.

“Let’s Get Down to Business” for completing the side quest “Meet the Qixing” with a positive result. Rewards earned: SP +5.

“HALP!!” for triggering an ability for the first time to help complete a quest. Rewards earned: +1000 Mora.

---

Extra I: Ekaterina

Ekaterina is well aware that she is solidly mediocre when it comes to her battle prowess. So is her ability to plot and scheme, or her ability to be ruthless. For all intents and purposes, she is ill-suited to be a part of the Fatui.

But there is one thing she is exceedingly good at, and that’s her ability to act with discretion. Apparently, that ability is greatly prized in the Fatui to the point of getting her handpicked by La Signora for a very important mission in Liyue.

“I have chosen you lot because I have heard good things about you,” La Signora had said during that fateful meeting before sending her off to Liyue Harbour. Ekaterina chanced a glance at her fellow Fatui members who were picked for this mission. None of the faces she saw were familiar, but later she would grow to know them as Nadia, Vlad, and Felix. “The Tsaritsa asked that I oversee a very important task for her in Liyue but has ordered that I keep my presence secret. She has also asked me to oversee the Vanguard’s actions since he will be in Liyue for a related mission.”

Ekaterina shivered at the mere mention of the name. The Vanguard? As in the Eleventh Harbinger? She had heard rumors about him. Terrible, horrible ones. As the youngest person to have been granted the title of Harbinger, the Vanguard is known to be arrogant and cruel. It is said that his madness can only be soothed by violence and bloodshed.

She couldn’t imagine what sort of scheme the Tsaritsa had in store to unleash the Vanguard, of all people, on poor Liyue.

“My mission for all of you is to keep an eye on the Vanguard’s actions on my behalf,” La Signora continued. “Be my eyes and ears. I want to hear about everything he does, particularly anything that would stir up attention or trouble. Perform this task well and you will be awarded beyond your wildest dreams. Fail me and you will pay your price in blood. Have I made myself clear?”

“Yes, Lady Harbinger,” the four of them answered in unison, and that had been that.

Ekaterina dis not actually get to meet the Vanguard until three months later.

As expected, the man is a complete ass. Sadistic, vindictive, petty, and arrogant. He’s only been here for two days and already he’s made himself thoroughly hated amongst those posted in Liyue. When he decides to storm off to go fight something or other, nobody bothers to stop or follow him. Ekaterina is more than happy to file a report to La Signora about this latest transgression.

But then, he comes back on the brink of death, and worry sets in.

As much as the Vanguard is hated, he is still essential for whatever mission the Tsaritsa has planned for Liyue. If word got out that he died, Ekaterina is sure that none of the Fatui posted in Liyue would escape the Tsaritsa’s wrath.

It is through sheer luck that they are able to keep the Vanguard alive. According to the doctor, that had been nothing short of a miracle.

“He needs to stay in bed for a week,” the doctor says. “If he wants to live, then it’s best he heeds this warning.”

Easy for you to say, Ekaterina thinks with frustration. You’re not the one who has to relay the bad news to him!

She wonders if she could hand in her resignation notice while staying alive. Probably not, knowing La Signora’s fiery temper.

Ekaterina does not sleep well that night. When morning comes, it is with great reluctance that she finds herself bringing breakfast to the Vanguard. The experience is made worse when she looks down at the tray and sees that it is hot soup being served. Great. Just great. She is probably going to be wearing that in five minutes.

Imagine her surprise that when she drops off breakfast, the Vanguard does not rant or rage, but merely stares at her with a neutral expression. And not only that, he thanks her for getting breakfast.

Then he asks her politely to bring the tray over, and thanks her again.

He sounds sincere both times, too.

By the Archons and everything holy in Teyvat, what is going on?

She watches him devour the food, looking utterly, utterly blissful, which, why? It’s just chicken noodle soup with bread. Surely, as the Lord Harbinger, he’s had fancier fare.

When her worry finally threatens to boil over, making her offer to request the doctor for a follow-up, the Vanguard thanks her for her suggestion, calling it a “good idea”.

That settles it for Ekaterina. Something is very, very wrong with the Harbinger.

Dear Tsaritsa does she regret drawing the short end of the straw and having to interact with him. She does not need this on her plate right now.

---

“Something is very, very wrong with Lord Harbinger,” the doctor says, repeating her thoughts after his check-up. “He is acting…”

“Entirely too nice?” Ekaterina finishes his sentence for him. “Too chipper? Too reasonable? Too much like a wide-eyed lamb?”

The doctor grimaces. “All of the above. I’ve checked for head wounds, too, and I haven’t found anything abnormal. I don’t understand what prompted this change in personality.”

“Do you think it’s really because he’s had a life-altering experience, as he said?”

The two of them look at each other. Then, they scoff in unison. Yeah, no. A life-altering experience, what bullshit.

“It’s best if we keep this quiet for now until I can investigate the cause of the Vanguard’s change a bit further,” the doctor warns. “The last thing we need is for the rest of the world to know that the Vanguard has ceased to be, well, the Vanguard.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Ekaterina is well-versed in keeping quiet, especially for the sake of keeping herself alive.

But the week drags on and the doctor does not find anything wrong with the Vanguard. Physically, that is. Socially, the Vanguard’s newfound gentleness does not wane. Worse still, others are starting to catch on.

“This might sound a bit strange,” Felix says one day as they are having lunch in Wanmin Restaurant. “But is it just me or are things a bit more…peaceful, as of late? With the Vanguard?”

“You mean how he hasn’t threatened to kill anybody and is being pleasant instead?” Ekaterina jabs her crystal shrimp with her chopsticks with fury it does not deserve. “I’ve noticed.” And every time she sees him, she regrets more and more about everything, from being stuck in Liyue with her current assignment and her inability to escape, to being stuck with this strange person wearing the Vanguard’s face.

The thing is, when he’s not scowling or uttering death threats, it’s rather hard not to notice how young the Vanguard is, probably younger than Ekaterina’s littlest brother by a couple of years.

The thought of her baby brother in the Vanguard’s position sends chills up her spine.

Just think, the things the Vanguard must have seen, the things he must have done in order to climb up the Fatui ladder that quickly. Also, how young was the Vanguard when he joined the Fatui? He couldn’t have been an adult yet.

Sweet Tsaritsa, that’s horrifying.

Felix fidgets a little in his seat. “Do…do we report this to La Signora?”

Ekaterina gives him a look. “What exactly are we going to report? That the Vanguard is alive and is being nice to us?”

“It’s just so weird.”

“Tell me about it. The most we can do is to keep watch. Hopefully, things will get back to normal soon.”

---

Things do not get back to normal. Things take a turn for the bizarre when the Vanguard not only asks Ekaterina about his itinerary, but also requests for preliminary reports on the people he is supposed to be meeting.

The Vanguard is actually sitting down and doing work instead of barging into a situation, blades swinging.

Then, he offers to bring gifts, because it’s “what good diplomats do”, but not just any gifts—he’s giving away the pens he had commissioned from the great Master Fabergé himself. It is a gift that is priceless since Master Fabergé only works for the Tsaritsa and her Harbingers and nobody else in this world.

And he’s just…giving them away with a shrug and a flippant answer of, “I can get more.”

Ekaterina supposes that the last part is fair enough, but still, that initial commission probably costs an arm and a leg even for a Harbinger, and also, he’s giving his pens away as a gesture of good will.

This is too much.

“Maybe he really has seen the error of his ways,” Nadia, ever the optimist, says when Ekaterina calls for an emergency meeting between La Signora’s spies. “It’s been a week and he hasn’t broken out of character once. Maybe that near-death experience really shook him to his core.”

“He’s the Vanguard. His job is to be at the frontlines of the most gruesome battles. Near-death experiences are probably regular Tuesday nights for him,” Vlad counters. “Why now? What’s so different about this instance that’s got him changing this drastically?”

“Maybe he’s possessed,” Felix offers. “Maybe, the real Tartaglia died that evening and a kinder spirit is inhabiting his body.”

Ekaterina rolls her eyes. “For the last time, Felix, he’s not possessed. I still think it’s some sort of head injury that the doctor didn’t catch. Something that made him forget about what a horrible human being he was.”

“But what do we do?” Nadia asks. “I don’t see how we can interject. Besides, do we even want to? I rather like this nicer Vanguard.”

They all look at each other, coughing uncomfortably into their fists. It’s true, nobody liked the old Vanguard and vastly prefers this updated version.

Vlad raises a hand. “How about this? We only stage an intervention if we notice something off about the Vanguard that’s huge, like him losing his ability to fight. That actually has a devastating impact on Snezhnaya’s military might and possibly his ability to complete whatever mission he’s sent here to do. So long as he can continue to be the Vanguard, we keep our mouths shut.”

Ekaterina is happy to agree to that. After all, she is very good at being discreet.

---

Extra II: Ningguang

Tartaglia: the Eleventh member of the Fatui Harbingers, known to be the Cryo Archon’s Vanguard in Snezhnaya’s great war machine. According to the rumours, he is a prodigy when it comes to battles and weaponry. He is fearless, ruthless, and a terror on the battlefield. Outside of the battlefield, he is cruel, egotistical, self-centered, and notoriously difficult to work with. And he’s apparently on the shore of Liyue, pretending to be a diplomat, of all ill-suited roles.

Now this, Ningguang has to see.

She can’t say she’s surprised that her first meeting with this Harbinger diplomat got hastily cancelled for vague reasons. It’s probably done as some petty reminder that the Harbinger thinks himself above the Qixing. No matter. Ningguang is patient, and one day, she will return this insult thrice over.

But that doesn’t mean she has to be pleasant in the rescheduled meeting. Her icy mood apparent to her secretary, who’s shifting uncomfortably in her seat beside her. She abhors those who waste her time.

She fully expects to be displeased with the Harbinger. She expects him to storm into the room, his brutish manner in full display as he declares himself the Vanguard of the Tsaritsa while scorning the Qixing. She actually would prefer the Harbinger to do that. It would make her job in finding out what he’s up to that much easier.

What she gets instead is…a young man. A nervous, coltish-looking thing, tall and skinny, with bright red hair, and large blue eyes. Ningguang barely restrains from raising a brow at her new guest. He cannot possibly be the Vanguard. This looks more like a wide-eyed recruit.

Her secretary thinks so too from the glance they share with each other.

Then, the young man—Master Childe—starts speaking, all earnest, boyish charm and impeccable manners, and Ningguang finds herself re-evaluating her assessment. The boy might not be the Vanguard, but he does have some training as a diplomat. He speaks eloquently with warmth. The present he brings, crafted by the legendary Master Fabergé is overkill.

Ningguang is perplexed, which doesn’t happen often. According to her intel, it’s the Harbinger, disguised as a diplomat, who sought a meeting with the Qixing only to reschedule abruptly. Yet, sitting before her is a young man she didn’t expect at all. Could it be that this Master Childe is attending this meeting in the stead of the Vanguard? Or could it be that her intel about the Harbinger is wrong?

Time to test which theory is right. “I trust that that is the reason why you have requested for our initial meeting to be postponed?”

To her surprise, Master Childe flushes as red as his hair, and she has to bite the inside of her cheek to refrain from smiling. The poor dear looks positively mortified.

What’s even more surprising is that Master Childe proceeds to admit that it’s due to his inexperience and recklessness that he’s gotten seriously injured. From sightseeing of all things.

But his report about Ruin Guards in Mt. Tianheng is very concerning. Master Childe may not realize it, but this incident is considered a diplomatic faux pas.

It’s best that they move along to another topic, one that’s safer grounds.

Thankfully, the rest of the discussion is pleasant. Master Childe continues to be pleasant and eager to do business, and Ningguang cannot sense malice from him. The meeting wraps up after an hour with Master Childe giving one last bow to her and the secretary before being shown to the exit.

Ningguang takes a quiet sip of her tea.

“That was interesting,” her secretary murmurs. “Are we sure that’s the Harbinger? He seems so young and new to his job.”

Ningguang chuckles. “I do not believe Master Childe to be the Harbinger. Master Childe still has a lot more to learn as a diplomat. He’s too transparent at times, but he comes off as honest and warm. Those qualities will serve him well.”

In the meantime, it’s worthwhile to double-check that initial intel to see how they got their information so wrong. Just in case, she should also instruct her Millelith to keep an eye out for Master Childe in case he comes across any more unfortunate sightseeing incidents.