Chapter Text
“Sergeant, here are the war plans that the Tsaritsa provided regarding the planned surge along the south-east of Mondstadt,” the Pyro agent handed over a crinkled parcel to me as I ripped open the top using a finger, scanning over the contents of the letter as well as the attachments.
“This says I’ve been transferred to work under the Young Lord in Liyue and that my operation as sergeant in Mondstadt has been promoted to lieutenant in Liyue. Are you sure this is correct, Javert?” I questioned the agent to which he nodded.
“It’s what the Tsaritsa ordered. The mysterious traveller is working their way towards Liyue Harbour and the Tsaritsa doesn’t want them to interfere with her plans, hence the change of position and location. Your new group would be stationed a stone’s throw away from Liyue Harbour to incapacitate any wandering group.”
I nodded. It wasn’t unusual for a change in position for me as I had worked my way to as high a position as possible in the Fatui’s military, devoting myself to her Tsaritsa’s plans. Maybe, just maybe, I’d get promoted to Harbinger even. It was a wistful dream, but an achievement if I could get it nonetheless. Perhaps I could make my sister proud.
There it was again, as though time collapsed upon itself, as though I was swimming through ice. I could hear myself muttering her name I couldn’t remember, I couldn’t see her face either. I tried to taste her name on my lips, tried to feel what I was saying. She was swaying like a golden leaf in the autumn, her laugh like a carol of bells. I had to remember.
“Lieutenant, I was calling you,” the man in front of me sneered, “If I was the Tsaritsa, I wouldn’t have promoted you, honestly. You keep spacing out. If you do that during battle, then you’re done for.”
I swatted him aside with my staff, “Get lost.” Javert barely dodged the bullet and swore to himself as he patted down his outfit, leaving the cold premise of Mondstadt. I, for one, was glad for the change of plans. Even with the fur coat, the air of Mondstadt was a little too cold for my liking. Every so often I would have to bite my tongue to stop my teeth from chattering and to prevent myself from collapsing in the chill. Snezhnaya wasn’t even this freezing honestly. This place caused frost to creep up my skin, I could feel it turning brittle beneath my layered clothing.
I stepped back from my post, tucking the papers into my coat. It was late in my shift anyway, a retreat to the base would be better than to stay out at night or it would get too cold to do anything. I placed my staff against the tent pillar, close to me as I took a seat on the hammock in my tent. I took out the papers once more and properly read through them. There were mentions of guarding the outside to Yanshang Teahouse as Javert would accompany the Young Lord to collect debt. Sounded simple enough.
I packed my supplies and belongings, not that there were much anyway. Everything I had with me belonged to the Fatui, except for a tiny straw doll that was slightly burnt. I quietly chuckled to myself at the sight of the doll. A guy during training years back decided to give it to me, saying it was a gift because he looked up to me, I’d accepted it without thinking.
To think someone else in the Fatui might still have their sanity in check is certainly something comforting. Perhaps if I managed to become a Harbinger, perhaps if I ascended the ranks fast enough, I’d find that guy again and thank him for supporting me years back. Perhaps if I did, I could question the Professor and ask him myself if he’d done anything to me since I was first recruited those years ago.
I sighed as I placed the papers in my bag, clipping the top shut as I swung my leg over my body on the hammock, placing my hat on my nearby desk. I was too tired to change, not that I needed to. Every single outfit I had was simply fur coat after another.
Dragonspine is chilling at night, the harsh winds nearly tore down one of our tents. As soon as day broke, I leapt out of my hammock and began dismantling my tent as well as the inside furnishing, a simple foldable desk, a lantern, and my hammock. I stuffed them in another bag, wore my hat and marched towards the legionnaire's tent.
“Ah, Sergeant Nikolay! Or should I say, Lieutenant Nikolay. You really impress me, you know that?” The person in front of me was a Cryogunner Legionnaire of the cohort I was in, a great corporal, his name’s Aquilo. Compared to other legionnaires of his ranking, he preferred combat at a further range.
I knelt in front of him, accepting his compliment. “Corporal, I have served my duty under your watch. I give my thanks and wish the cohort here my best wishes.” Aquilo laughed at my formality.
“I too give my thanks for your help with the surge. Thanks to the guidance of your group, we’ve managed to capture some wayfarers and demand ransom from the Knights of Favonius. And furthermore, you’ve managed to leak hilichurls into the borders of the city. That is quite an impressive feat for an at-the-time sergeant, especially for being promoted by the Tsaritsa herself to Lieutenant.”
I bowed to the corporal before taking my leave as I boarded a simple carriage given out by the Tsaritsa. Try as I might, I could never understand why people try to needlessly flatter others. It’s honestly embarrassing, for me to not have been flustered earlier was certainly an achievement. Unfortunately, that wasn’t stopping me from covering my already bandaged face as I could feel my face grow hotter even in this weather. Damnit.