Everwinter Without Mercy

And just like that, we're in Snezhnaya! Feels like we only just left Nod-Krai.

Remember back in Nasha Town, how all our friends came to see us off before we left?

The day's finally come. We're off to meet the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya! What is she planning, and why does she need the Gnoses? Soon, we'll have our answers.

Guess this'll be the "end of your journey" that your sister mentioned... What is she expecting you to find there?

*sigh* Snezhnaya still feels like a long way away. Hopefully, there'll be plenty of time to relax, eat some good food, and have fun before we arrive.

...But whenever Paimon gets thinking about how our destination is right around the corner, all these questions come flooding into Paimon's head. It makes her so nervous...

Yeah... Anyway, enough about all that. We can't start the final leg of our journey with that kind of mindset!

Just think — we've fought dragons and sea monsters, defeated creations of the gods, faced prophecies of doom and the threat of the Abyss... Heck, we've even been to the moon.

With all that experience under our belts, how could we be any more prepared?

Great point. Thanks for the pep talk.

Sure thing! Now, stick close to Paimon, the best guide you could ever ask for, and let's charge straight for the finish line! Off we go!

What about me? Do I get a callout?

Whoa! Columbina? You kinda snuck up on us there...

D—Don't look at Paimon! Paimon didn't sell you out this time!

...!

Oh, so it was you! Alright, guess there's no hiding it now.

All your friends have gathered at The Flagship to see you off.

I invited Sandrone too, but she said she had to go back to Snezhnaya. She must be busy.

She had some nasty things to say about you before leaving. Would you like to hear them?

Ugh, she hasn't changed a bit. Alright, let's hear it...

"If they're heading to Snezhnaya, I'll bet it's to cause trouble for Her Majesty the Tsaritsa. Attending a farewell party for people like that would not be a good look for me right now."

"Also, please tell them not to count on getting help from a Fatui Harbinger in Snezhnaya."

"Our time working together was... not terrible, precisely, but we're on different sides. So when you get there, don't do anything to make life difficult for both of us."

Well, that definitely sounds on-brand for her. The attitude, the reasoning... Alright, we'll do our best to keep our distance then.

No, you've misunderstood. I think she means that she'd like you to go see her.

Uh... How'd you figure that?

As long as you don't make things difficult for both of you, you'll be fine.

Huh. You really have to read between the lines with Sandrone...

Go on, get to the The Flagship — everyone should be there by now. I told Lauma that you once treated me to a truly unforgettable meal...

Today, I want to return the favor. It's... my gift to you.

Hehe, it's definitely nice to be treated. But hopefully by this point, you know that you don't owe us any favors.

Mm. The moon of Nod-Krai will always give you a warm welcome.

Wow, pure white as far as the eye can see! It's so pretty... Come on, keep up!

Let's see how your Kamera skills are these days... Whoa, wait a sec, Paimon sees something.

Come on, quick! It looks like a train carriage!

Paimon's heard that Snezhnaya has loads of railways and trains. This must be one of them! But... why is it abandoned?

It's still so cold...

Still feeling chilly from getting buried in the snow?

Dunno... maybe? Also, is it just Paimon, or is the snow getting heavier?

...

Yeah. So it can't just be because of the cold...

Ugh... It's hard to describe, but Paimon feels so weird... She's never felt like this before.

Everything feels heavy... Getting kinda dizzy, too...

Should we turn back?

Oh, no need. Paimon's just feeling a little low on energy, that's all. It's nothing serious. Not worth ruining our travel plans over.

Yep, sure thing! Snezhnaya, here we come!

Incoming entity detected. Authorization... granted. Initiating original...

Hello, Transcend... Descender, who has reached the eve of Tomorrow. Eye of Graeae, at your service.

Time since last activation: ... Time measurement unavailable due to the influence of... Anyway, it must have been a very long time.

Um... What are you?

I am, uh... I was born to fulfill a mission: to reach Tomorrow.

To this end, I must... I must... Strange, what was it...? Wait, my body...

Huh? Why is my body like this?

Apologies. After a long period of inactivity, it appears that a lot of data has been lost.

Anyway, I was created so that humanity could reach Tomorrow... But I am unable to load further details at this moment.

Nevertheless, serving humanity remains my primary objective. I have detected a drop in your surface body temperature. You cannot remain active in this state for much longer...

In accordance with my preset programming, upon reactivation, I must ask the one who awakened me the following question:

Will you accept me, Transcender? I will assist you, protect you, and fulfill my mission until we reach Tomorrow...

I understand your position. However, given your current physical condition, I must suggest that you reconsider.

Before I was activated, you called out a name. Presumably that of your missing companion?

If you agree to accept me, after helping you get out of here, I will search for said companion and pinpoint their location.

...Really? You can do that?

To answer your question: Yes.

...Then I accept.

You have made a very wise decision.

Now that we have reached an accord, you will be my new user. May I ask your name?

Traveler.

Very well. I will remember this name until the mission is complete.

What is your mission, exactly?

I need to... I need to recover my body, retrieve the power to unlock Tomorrow, and help the suffering masses to reach the far shores where the Empty Ark floats...

I can sense my power scattered across this ice-covered land. I even have a vague sense of where it might be found... But right now, that is not essential.

The key right now is you. You must survive and reunite with your companion.

Scanning local environment... Exit has been sealed off with ice...

Maybe we can use Pyro?

That would not be an efficient approach. One moment... Usable Construct Blueprint detected nearby...

You can use this to clear the solid ice ahead of you more quickly.

Kresnik Kristall located. Please collect at your earliest convenience.

The recent construct you built provides highly efficient heating by utilizing the unique properties of Kresnik Kristall.

Unfortunately, Prime Ice Constructs have a very short lifespan and cannot be stabilized during the development period. Hence, the authorization to use Kresnik Kristall was granted.

...That said, I have already forgotten what warmth feels like.

Maybe when you get your body back...

Yes. Perhaps then, we can warm ourselves by the fireside together.

...

But for now, all you need to remember is this: If you collect Kresnik Kristall, I can extract the energy within and use it to maintain your body's surface temperature.

Approaching the target location. Scanning for signs of life... Lifeforms detected: ...Two?

Does that mean someone else is there besides Paimon?

Affirmative — however, that is not the reason for my confusion. According to my database, this location is a train station, meaning the number of lifeforms is unusually low.

Real-time environmental data suggests that the train station may no longer be in use. But whatever the situation, please exercise caution.

Let's head inside and take it from there.

...

Paimon!

...Who are you?

Don't worry. She's only sleeping.

You must be Traveler. She called your name repeatedly while attempting to battle her way through the blizzard.

Newcomers to Snezhnaya struggle to adapt to the sheer cold at the best of times. Lately, even the locals are suffering, with a powerful monster having summoned a bitter snowstorm.

You two must be very important to one another. You should take more care not to get separated.

Your eyes... are you... Khaenri'ahn?

There are indeed some Khaenri'ahns left in this world who survived the cataclysm. But I doubt that is news to you.

It would be unwise to interrogate my identity here. Focus your attention on your travel companion instead.

We will meet again very soon.

The unidentified subject has now left the area. He appears to be an individual of great significance, but my search has yielded no relevant data. I will try searching the database again...

Against the odds, your companion is safe and sound. The other person even left a blanket for her.

I'll boil some water.

*groaning*...

Ah, Traveler! Thank goodness you're okay! Paimon was so worried. She looked everywhere for you... *coughing*!

It's okay, take it easy. Are you feeling alright?

Um, pretty much the same as when we first got to Snezhnaya... Paimon must've caught a cold. She was feeling so faint, she just couldn't keep going any longer, so she had to lie down and sleep it off...

Wait... Where did The Jester go?

"The Jester"? That was The Jester?

Yep, the Director of the Fatui, "The Jester" Pierro. So you met him?

(The Jester must know everything about the Tsaritsa's plans, but there's no way he'd tell me just like that. We might well have ended up clashing...)

(Hmm... Well, he was right about one thing. Right now, the most important thing for me is to take care of Paimon while she's unwell.)

He had no intention of explaining his motives, and he left in something of a hurry.

Eek! What the... who was that!?

Oh, I found this in an ice cave.

It looks like a... pair of goggles. How amazing... A self-aware, talking pair of goggles...

Snezhnaya was once the land of the fae. There are many ancient creations here that I'm sure would broaden your mind further still. Mind you, my database is also expanding as we speak — you must be a rare creature yourself.

Oh, wow! Well, thank you so much! You've earned yourself some of Paimon's favorite candy! ...Oh, but by the looks of it, you probably can't eat that, can you?

Goodwill detected. Instead of candy, perhaps I can suggest my preferred strategy: Please clean me regularly to keep me operating at peak efficiency.

Hehe, that makes sense — every pair of goggles needs wiping clean once in a while. Sure thing, Mister!

Anyway, back to The Jester for a second. Paimon's still confused about something...

When he first showed up, he already knew Paimon's name — and he acted like he expected Paimon to know who he was, too...

Paimon could tell that he was Khaenri'ahn from his eyes, and he definitely seemed like someone pretty important. But beyond that, Paimon didn't know anything about him.

It was only later, after he rescued Paimon from the snow, that he properly introduced himself. That's the only reason Paimon knows he was The Jester.

Seems unlikely... He ran into the snow following the sound of Paimon's voice with a really anxious expression on his face. He didn't act like someone who knew she would be here in advance...

And after bringing Paimon here, he just stared out at the snow. He didn't do anything to Paimon at all. In fact, he barely said anything. Wouldn't even answer any of Paimon's questions, either.

Paimon didn't feel unsafe around him, and he didn't seem to have any ulterior motives. For all we know, he might have just ignored Paimon's questions so she'd give up and go to sleep...

Please allow me to interrupt. "Fatui" and "Director" are unfamiliar terms. May I ask for clarification?

Wait, you've seriously never heard of the Fatui? Huh. They're like, uh... the Tsaritsa's inner circle. Really powerful people. And the Director is their boss!

Understood. Since they hold elite positions and serve their god directly, it stands to reason that they would conduct themselves with due decorum. I am inclined to agree with your assessment, Miss Paimon: I did not detect any ill will from the gentleman in question.

*coughing*...

Sorry, I shouldn't have encouraged you to talk so much...

Paimon, new plan. Let's get out of Snezhnaya for now. We can come back after the weather clears up and you're all better.

The Jester mentioned that this snowstorm, being the work of a monster, is worse than most. Even if we made it to Snezhnograd, we'd still have to wait out the storm before we could do any exploring.

Aw... Well, it's really nice of you to look out for Paimon, but... *cough* she doesn't wanna hold you back...

We were really psyched up for this journey when we first set off. Just think of all the burning questions we have... If we turn back now, who knows how long it'll take before we finally get answers?

Further information is required regarding the monster situation. But objectively speaking, there is another, more pressing issue at hand.

At this point, we have traveled a significant distance into the blizzard. Were we to turn back now, the road would be extremely treacherous — especially since we would need to travel on foot.

If, however, we continue onward, there may be a better solution.

Do you remember what I said as we neared this location? I told you that this is a train station. While it has evidently fallen into disuse for unknown reasons, the tracks remain intact.

We can break through the blizzard and forge ahead by driving a train. That is the Snezhnayan way.

There is a small town up ahead, which would be the perfect place for Miss Paimon to rest and recover.

Paimon thinks Goggles here makes a great point, hehe. Let's do that!

Are you sure you're up to this? I don't want you to push yourself.

Ah, c'mon, don't worry! Think of all the traveling we've done so far — when has Paimon ever gotten sick before? Practically never, 'cause she's in great shape! Sure, she's a little tired right now, but it's sure to clear up on its own.

Affirmative. Should you ever need my assistance during your future adventures, please call for the "Eye of Graeae" whenever you wish.

Otherwise, I will remain silent to avoid causing any unnecessary distraction. Now, please follow me to the train tracks.

Heading north from here, we will soon arrive at...

Wait, there's an error message... "Could not detect clear tracks"...?

Um, what exactly does "clear" mean...?

Brace for impact, friends! Preparing to enter impromptu flight mode...

How strange. Not only was the station's status different from my records, but even the railroads and the terrain itself have changed substantially...

Paimon, are you okay?

Yeah, thanks to your quick reflexes...

My sincere apologies for putting you in danger. I'm afraid I'm as confused by all this as you are...

Agreed — this is likely a consequence of outdated railroad data. The discrepancies between the old data and present reality are far greater than I anticipated...

Fortunately, our crash landing has at least brought us much closer to the town. According to the data, anyway.

Your data had better be right this time...

I can assure you, it certainly is. Please look this way, and you will see a Kresnik's Torch.

It seems our ill-fated train ride was a blessing in disguise. We have taken the shortest possible route.

It wasn't what you'd call comfortable, though...

Rest assured that I will take user preferences into account next time I plan a route. Next time, I will get it right...

Hi there. Do you know if there are any inns still taking guests in this town?

Doubt it. They're probably all closed. No one has enough Kresnik Kristall to heat their own homes, let alone a business.

*sigh* What a bummer...

I clocked you a while back. You adventurers, or something? We don't get many tourists in inland Snezhnaya these days.

Why's that? Because of the snowstorm?

In part, but the bigger reason's Project Stuzha. Since it's Her Majesty's will, we have to put up with it whether we like it or not.

I don't really know what Project Stuzha is.

Oh, sorry. I assumed it was common knowledge by now. Basically, the Tsaritsa is planning something big — something that requires an enormous amount of energy.

Even if they used all the surplus Kresnik Kristall in Snezhnaya, it still wouldn't be enough to meet demand.

So, the Veche passed a resolution requiring all factories and households to reduce their energy consumption. The policy has been charmingly named Project "Stuzha," meaning "bitter cold."

Bitter cold? So like... "It's gonna be a cold winter, folks — you're all gonna have to find a way to get through it." That kind of idea?

Pretty much. When you're broke, you scrimp and save. When it's cold, you huddle together for warmth. There's always a way to stretch things out to make ends meet...

Trouble is, if you stretch someone out like an elastic band for too long, who knows if they can ever bounce back... *sigh* You know what? Come with me, and see for yourself.

Can you please explain to me why the price of Kresnik Kristall has gone up by a third again, even as our purchase quota's gone down?

You only come here twice a month! This won't even last us a week!

The supply and pricing of Kresnik Kristall are based on current production volumes and price data.

We Fatui are only responsible for delivery and security. I'm not in a position to explain to you how the figures are calculated, but I assure you they are as fair and reasonable as possible.

Oh, so our lives mean nothing to you? How can you expect anyone to survive a single night in this weather without heating!?

Since you insist on making me repeat myself every single visit, I will remind you again: There is no monopoly on the trade of Kresnik Kristall. You are free to purchase the shortfall from elsewhere on the market.

What market? Nobody else is selling — and when they do, they charge eight times the normal rate! It's robbery, is what it is!

Which is why the Snezhnograd Veche passed a resolution to support border communities — without which, you wouldn't even be able to buy Kristall from us to begin with.

So if you're here just to argue, move aside and let the next person in line come forward. Everyone's feeling the cold here.

You... You...!

Alright, everyone, let's calm down for a second. A few words, if I may. We're all subjects of Her Majesty the Tsaritsa, and I'm sure every one of us is dedicated to her great cause.

We all know how cold it is, and the more it snows, the harder life gets. Everyone's struggling already — let's not make things even more difficult for each other.

But Liaison Shishkin, there's clearly something wrong with this quota! I have a family in Morepesok who tell me they can buy at least double our Kristall allotment.

Oh, believe you me, I had the same reaction when I first saw the numbers... Couldn't believe what I was reading. I even wrote a letter to confirm the true figures, but... *sigh* I'm afraid the quota really is as low as you've been advised.

Still, you must understand that calculating these energy quotas is a complicated balancing act. They have to factor in population, town size, industrial application...

Our top priority must be to keep the largest Kresnik's Torch burning continuously. Only then can we sell the remaining Kristall for household use, and in doing so, we must make sure that everyone is treated fairly.

As our Fatui comrade said, they are only responsible for delivering the goods. They need to keep accurate records, and they do not have any authority to modify the rates or quotas.

That's right. Our duty is to do things by the book.

*sigh*...

...Tell you what. Listen, I know how anxious and upset everyone is. As a matter of fact, I was just discussing it with the mayor.

What we can do is open the lower combustion chamber of the Kresnik's Torch to the public. You can come to me directly to register, and I will allocate time slots accordingly.

I can't guarantee there'll be ample energy for household use. But we can at least make sure you'll be able to boil water and cook food each day. Let's hang in there and make this work together, alright?

Fine. I don't see any alternative...

So this is Project Stuzha in action, huh... No wonder nothing's open for business. People are barely getting by.

You were looking for an inn, right? For your, uh... fae friend?

Oh, Paimon's not a fae, hehe. Just Paimon. She must've caught a cold or something. We only just got to Snezhnaya, and we're still getting used to the climate...

I have a small place in Sretomorozsk. I don't stay there very often, though, so it's pretty basic.

But if you're not picky, you're welcome to rest there for now. It's not much, but I've got blankets and a warm fire.

Are you sure? That's really kind of you...

Thank you so much. This is an enormous help.

Alright then. This way.

Ohh, so cozy and warm... Paimon's getting nice and toasty.

Oh, wait, Paimon only introduced herself so far, didn't she? This is Paimon's best friend, Traveler.

Good to meet you. I'm Alyosha.

Most travelers find the Snezhnayan climate to be a shock to the system at first. But as long as you keep yourself warm, you should be fine.

Still, you should keep an eye on your condition. When people are too quick to dismiss a cold, it can easily end up turning into something more serious.

Don't say that! Paimon's too young for chronic health issues...

Is there a doctor in Sretomorozsk?

They aren't in town right now, and they won't be back anytime soon. The train station has been closed ever since these power shortages began.

I do a lot of hunting, so I spend most of my time exposed to the elements. But even the animals wouldn't survive long in a storm like this, let alone a hunter.

Nothing to do but sit tight in town until the weather improves.

Is there any possibility of getting the train station running again?

I get that you're in a hurry, but even if the station were open, that doesn't mean there'd be any trains. We could end up stuck here for a long time, I'm afraid...

Actually... I, uh, have my own train.

What? Your own train? Wait, hold on... THAT train? The one that suddenly fell out of the sky and crash-landed on the ice?

Hehe, we got lucky and found it in a cave. ...Then our luck ran out, and we had a little accident.

I'd really like to get to Snezhnograd and find a doctor.

Pretty crazy for a random find in the mountains... Well, as long as your train's good to roll, you might get to Snezhnograd after all.

I've been doing some digging recently. Turns out, the real reason for the current energy crisis in Sretomorozsk is that some of the supply is being seized for a private stockpile.

But to expose what's going on, I need to catch them in the act. So, I'm heading off to catch a rabbit.

Huh? Wait, a rabbit stole the Kristall?

...It's a figure of speech. Real rabbits couldn't pull this off. They'd prefer carrots to Kresnik Kristall anyway.

Do you have a suspect in mind?

Shishkin. Mr. "Positive Attitude, Let's All Get Along, Now Shall We?"

Him, really? Paimon never would have guessed...

I'll come with you. Let's go.

Huh? You're coming with?

Ah... O—Okay then, just give Paimon a second to get ready—

Alright, guess there's no point pushing myself. Paimon will stay here and hold the fort, then.... Be careful, you two!

Oh yeah, there's one more introduction to do. Tugarin, get in here.

Aww, a doggie!

Woof woof!

Oof, angry doggie... Tugarin doesn't like being petted, then?

He likes to think he's above that kind of thing. He's my hunting partner, so he'll be joining us when we head out.

"Carrots" aside, we'll need to stay completely undetected. We can't risk spooking our rabbit, or there's no telling which burrow he'll scurry back into.

First, we need to find a way into the train station and see if we can find any real freight data. Shishkin's figures can't be trusted.

Then, we get Tugarin to catch a scent and find out which way the Kristall went...

...What are you eating?

Check it out. When you're all out of carrots, try jerky!

Woof, woof, woof!

Good doggie, good doggie!

A fellow dog lover, huh?

Yup! And rabbit-lover! Carrots are great too, y'know!

...Good to know. Eat up, Tugarin. We got a lot of work to do.

There we go: a freight list. Straight from the Fatui, so Shishkin won't have had the chance to doctor the figures.

Looks as new as the day it was printed. I guess no one bothers reading these unless they have ulterior motives.

If they did, there'd be no loophole for him to exploit.

Yeah, this is all we need. C'mon, let's get out of here, then go track down the Kristall.

How do we do that?

Tugarin's a keen hunter, and catching rabbits is his specialty.

This must be the rabbit's warren. Good job, boy.

Sure enough, there's a tunnel. You stay here and keep watch — I'm gonna take a look inside.

Thanks for looking out for us. *sigh* Things are getting tougher by the day.

No need to thank me — it's my pleasure. Sure as Her Majesty the Tsaritsa watching over us, every sacrifice will be worthwhile.

Let's grit our teeth until the blizzard passes. These days of hardship will be over soon.

Maybe for everyone else, Liaison Shishkin. But for you, the hard times have only just begun.

Hmm? Who are you? What's the matter?

I just had a question for you. Why, when times are as tough as this, would someone hoard more Kresnik Kristall than they could ever use?

All the crates here are from the most recent shipment, but they weren't brought here for sale. Instead, they were secretly stashed away.

Would you be able to shed any light on the situation, Mr. Shishkin?

Me? Why, I have no idea... But look at how much there is! It's quite a godsend. Now, there will be plenty to go around.

This "godsend" was found in a cellar adjacent to your residence following a tip from Mr. Alyosha.

And this is only a fraction of what we found down there. We're still taking a full inventory. The official figures will be finalized shortly.

I've always been grateful for your efforts to mediate between us and the townspeople of Sretomorozsk. But now, Mr. Shishkin, it appears you were the source of the conflict all along.

How... How could you do this to us...?

We trusted you to have our backs! You've been lying to us this whole time!?

I... Uh...

The jig's up. Time to come clean.

I... owe you all an apology. I'm sorry... I'm so very sorry.

This isn't who I am. Please believe me, this was a one-time mistake that I will never repeat...

We all know how difficult life has been since Project Stuzha came into force. Energy is an increasingly scarce resource. People everywhere are getting desperate. But some places have been hit harder than others...

I grew up in Alatyr, a small village with no train station. Deliveries of Kresnik Kristall have ceased there entirely. If nothing is done, they're all going to freeze to death...

You know as well as I do how downright impossible it is to buy Kristall these days. The thought of my poor mother and father with no one to help them... Oh, I felt so afraid...

I watched as energy grew scarcer by the week, all the while knowing that their lives were at risk. Then, one day, I looked at the Kristall shipment in front of me and a terrible, selfish thought entered my mind...

*sigh* Looks like I'm just not cut out to be a criminal. I'm so sorry... Once the Fatui have finished their count, you'll see that the numbers match their waybill.

I have the official Snezhnayan quotas here. Anyone who has already purchased energy, please make your way over here to correct your transactions...

I'll make a batch purchase of Kristall worth three months' salary for you all to use free of charge. As for Alatyr... I'll think of something else.

Y—You don't have to go that far...

Yeah, owning up to your mistake is enough for me. You've done plenty of good for the community in the past. I'm not looking for a handout.

Drop the act.

You claim this was a one-time mistake, but the real reason there's only one shipment's worth of stolen Kristall in your basement is that you have an accomplice.

Reporting in, Sir. We've conducted a full search of the mayor's house. As expected, we found many crates full of Kristall, half of which were still in their original shipping containers.

This wasn't your first time at all. You've been colluding with the mayor of Sretomorozsk for a long time now.

The train station's currently out of service, but it does open for a short window every time there's an energy delivery. And every time a train pulls in, you're there on-site to take inventory and oversee the workers unloading the cargo.

The mayor handpicks said workers. Per his instructions, they transport the Kristall by tunnel at night to the mayor's house, and he sells it out of town.

But since he can't get the goods out of town by train, he had to arrange an alternative method of transportation. This meant slower sales, which gave me plenty of opportunity to catch him in the act.

Wait. The mayor's involved in this, too?

Preposterous... What proof do you have of any of this?

Basic math. I've spent a lot of time lately counting carriages as the snowstorm rages.

Counting carriages? What?

The energy consumed by a train depends on its total weight. And since energy is a limited resource right now, it's fair to assume that every carriage is packed full.

So, if we take the energy required for the Kresnik's Torch, add the sales figures you provided, then compare that figure to the train's theoretical cargo capacity, guess what?

The numbers never match — it's always off by one or two carriages' worth. This time, you set a new record — three carriages missing.

Hah! You mean to tell me that you sat around outside counting carriages, in this weather!?

I'm a hunter. I have two options: hunt, or starve.

Well, I've heard enough. The evidence speaks for itself. Take Shishkin and the mayor into custody and escort them back to Snezhnograd.

Argh! You cocky little brat, ruining my business! Just you wait...!

So you've been investigating this for a while, huh?

Yeah. Something felt off, so I just followed my gut. Math isn't my strong suit, though. I'm lucky my dad made me learn enough to get by, but... All this number-crunching was a million times harder than the "aim-and-fire" work I'm used to.

Thank you for your assistance. You're a brave lad.

Shishkin was quite the cunning criminal, as I'm sure you can tell. He did all of this right under our noses, and we never suspected a thing.

Mm. A wolf in sheep's clothing. He had everyone fooled.

Even with that sob story he fed us... He was probably trying to keep the mayor out of it, not just mask his own motives.

Without the compelling case you put together, even I might have fallen for it.

Alyosha, was it? Tell me, are you really a hunter?

We can go find some wild animals if you want. I'll fire off a couple of shots and you'll see whether I'm the real deal.

I didn't mean to cast suspicion on your identity. It's just... Well, I'm sure you've heard of the Rokot? Recently, they've been recruiting people with your kind of talent...

They hide in plain sight under false identities, working against Project Stuzha, sometimes directly opposing the Tsaritsa herself...

They aren't a violent organization, and their goal is to improve the lives of the common folk. But still, as a member of the Fatui, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't keep tabs on them.

Huh. First I've heard of this. I don't really keep up with what goes on in the city.

All I know is, people who don't mind their own business in the city end up paranoid about everything.

As for me? I just couldn't stand Shishkin. I'm from Alatyr myself, and I can tell you, nobody's lived there in years. Why would an abandoned village need Kristall?

Of course, no one really cares about the fate of that place. I'm guessing today is the first you've heard of it.

I... see... It does sound quite tragic, really. Well, thanks again for your assistance, and your friend here too.

I will report this incident to Snezhnograd. The Fatui will take over energy distribution until new officials are appointed. We'll also ensure that the train station resumes normal service as soon as possible.

Haha, looks like it's my turn to brush up on math now. I never liked it as a kid either.

Thanks from me too, Alyosha.

Don't mention it. *sigh*... Isn't the soldier overseeing the delivery supposed to verify the quantity of the goods? Was he just careless, or was he being paid off, too? Who knows...

Excuse me. I'll take a share of Kresnik Kristall too. Thanks.

Hang tight for a moment. This old lady... she doesn't really know who's who anymore.

Wh? Ah... grandson. It's so cold today, you must be freezing...

Ma'am, it's me, Alyosha.

Alyosha? ...Alyosha who?

You know me... I came by earlier today. Cleaned the ashes out of your stove, gave you some warmer bedding, and washed your back.

Oh... Uh...

...I'm sorry, I don't remember.

Now, how often do I get to see my grandson, hmm? Come on, take a seat and relax while I fix you something to eat.

It's okay, you just rest. I'm fine.

Oh, you. It's nice to come and visit your old granny once in a while, isn't it? Sretomorozsk's a good town. All sorts of things to do and people to meet, and the local officials are good to us...

Sit down, come on, take a seat. I still have some fruit left. Let me get it for you.

Please, don't get up on my account, you need to rest... Where's the fruit?

Right under the basket by the door. Um... or maybe it was on the bedside cabinet...

...

Well, grandson dear? Do you like it?

Very much, Ma'am. It's delicious.

Good, good... Wonderful...

You don't need to save anymore for me next time, alright? Fresh fruit is hard to come by at the moment. You should eat it as soon as you get it.

Oh, I don't need it. I'm fine. But if you like it, come back for some more soon.

Some kind soul must've given these to her. But she always saves the nicer things for special occasions.

How do you know her?

I met her at the market back before her health began declining. She was a lovely old lady. We're from the same hometown.

Not many people have heard of Alatyr — and if they have, it's usually for all the wrong reasons... there's a gang of highwaymen that came from there.

Now that it's an abandoned village, it's rare to find anyone who shares fond memories of our hometown. So after we got talking and realized we were from the same place, we decided to keep in touch by letter.

I first learned of Sretomorozsk's energy supply problems from a passing comment in one of her letters. Then, after her health went downhill, I started visiting more often to check in on her.

The town's been in decline for a while now. But because of her memory problems, she thinks of it as the bustling, prosperous Sretomorozsk, still in its heyday.

That said, I kinda appreciate her optimism. There's not much of it going around in this world of ice and snow.

Sorry, maybe I shouldn't have asked...

It's fine. Everyone grows old.

In Snezhnaya, some people believe that in your final moments, you'll sense a familiar presence by your side.

You turn to look at them, but their face is blurry. So you focus hard, trying to make out who it is. When you finally see their face...

The Grim Reaper reaches out and takes your life.

She still calls me "grandson," though, so at least I'm not a blurry face in her world just yet.

C'mon, let's get back and see how Paimon's doing.

Paimon, we're back. Are you feeling any better?

Yup, Paimon's not cold anymore, but she's still a little dizzy. Flying probably isn't a good idea right now — Paimon might lose her balance.

Hehe, but Paimon's sure she'll be fine. It's probably just from getting hit on the head by that pile of snow when we first arrived in Snezhnaya.

Her complexion's looking much better. Let's keep an eye on her.

I still think we should see a doctor when we get the chance.

Sure. But enough about that — how did everything go on your end? Are you all set? Did you have any trouble?

I'll explain. It's a bit of a long story...

Geez, you guys got pretty busy! Sounds like the liaison officer and the mayor were running quite an operation... Hmph, good riddance to both of 'em. It's a good thing you managed to catch them.

So, you said the train station will open again soon, right? And everyone has enough Kristall now?

Yeah. Well, enough to survive, at least. Project Stuzha isn't going away any time soon. People will still have to scrimp and save to make ends meet.

Don't know. The goal of Project Stuzha is to gather energy for the Tsaritsa, but no one knows where that energy's going. It's never been made public.

The thing is, we were told that the project would only last for six months. But time and time again, they keep extending it...

Extending it? Does that mean the Tsaritsa's plan isn't going very smoothly?

That's what everyone suspects. In principle, any proposed extension needs to pass by majority vote in the Snezhnograd Veche.

But even though opposition has been growing, any detractors end up caving in to political pressure from "The Rooster," Pulcinella.

He's the chair of the Snezhnograd Veche and a key figure in the voting process. He has the backing of many powerful and influential people.

Sounds like par for the course for the Fatui...

How come the Fatui are picking on ordinary people even here in Snezhnaya?

I don't see it like that. Fundamentally, the Fatui will always think and act in the Tsaritsa's interests.

But that doesn't mean they don't care about the plight of the common folk. The only reason Sretomorozsk still receives Kristall shipments is because of a relief proposal put forward by The Rooster himself.

Then there's the Fatui soldiers providing support in every corner of the nation... Even the Northland Bank provided some Mora for disaster relief, and they're as conservative and indifferent as they come.

It's just that the rich and powerful in their fancy palaces live in a completely different world from us. There's always gonna be some conflict when those worlds collide.

Yeah, well, even though we all believe in Her Majesty the Tsaritsa, there are still many differences of opinion on how best to tackle the big issues of the day.

Regular folk don't have an easy way of getting their voices heard in Snezhnograd, while the rich and powerful are either unwilling or afraid to speak out for all sorts of complicated reasons.

"The Rokot" provides the disaffected with false identities and an outlet to vent their frustrations.

Of course, an organization like that exists in a gray area. The moment the Veche think they've crossed a line, there's sure to be a crackdown...

But so far, they've been doing their best to help the common folk.

They sound a lot like you.

Like us, don't you mean? You didn't hesitate to join in. You're not new to this, I can tell.

That's 'cause we're adventurers! It's our job to help people out with commissions and get to the bottom of things.

Sounds like we're going to get along.

So, what's your business in Snezhnograd? Aside from taking your friend to see a doctor, of course.

I want to meet the Tsaritsa. It's complicated... I've had run-ins with many of the Harbingers along the way, and I really need to know what the Tsaritsa is up to.

Her ultimate goal, what the Gnoses mean in all of this... Since I've made it this far in my journey, I have to find the truth, whatever it takes.

Wait, so... No way. Are you... who I think you are?

Sounds like you've heard of us, then! Hehe, we're getting more famous by the day.

I didn't realize I was in the company of giants.

Honestly, we're all as curious as you are about what the Tsaritsa's planning, and why it has to involve us freezing to death in the snow.

But getting in the same room as her won't be easy. The common folk aren't permitted to meet her at the best of times — and right now, she's probably not even in Snezhnograd. Word is, she's heading east on a campaign to slay a monster.

The one that's been summoning blizzards?

Yeah. So you've heard of it. A wild, unpredictable monster with the power to summon snowstorms.

It also absorbs everything around it into its body, so it's growing constantly. Now, it's so big that the Tsaritsa has deemed it the number one threat.

Luckily, as it grew, it became increasingly less mobile, so it doesn't pose an immediate threat to this town or to Snezhnograd.

I'm sure the Tsaritsa and her personal guard, the Druzhna, won't have any trouble defeating the creature between them. It's just a question of how long it'll take...

Suffice to say, you won't be seeing her any time soon. You'll have to wait until she gets back.

Fair. Well, the Fatui will be taking over management of the train station for the time being. Things should be up and running by tomorrow.

Once it's open, we can see about getting your train towed to the station.

Whoa, that's gotta take a lot of manpower... Are you sure we can talk them into it?

The Fatui aren't exactly spotless in this whole mess, plus we helped them out. Should be easy enough to negotiate.

I'm more concerned about what paperwork I need to drive the train...

As far as I know, all the paperwork is dealt with upon manufacture. I've never seen anyone check it, so I wouldn't worry.

Having a train makes everything much easier. We'll reach Snezhnograd in no time. I need to head there myself anyway — got some game to trade for Mora.

I know a good doctor in the city. I'll introduce you when we get there.

Thanks so much! Let's get a good night's sleep ahead of our big trip tomorrow.

Drive carefully, alright? You don't wanna end up in this situation again.

...Also, I don't think I've seen a train like this before. Is it a new model or something?

Yeah, I guess.

Hahaha, not a fan of small talk, are you? Anyway, take this — it's an up-to-date map of the Snezhnayan rail network.

All the track-switching is automated, so as long as the train's moving, you don't need to worry about collisions or anything.

We'll leave you to examine the train's conditions yourselves. Fingers crossed nothing's broken — I doubt Sretomorozsk has any engineers with experience working on this model.

Shouldn't be a problem. Thanks for everything.

Alright then. Have a safe journey, and make sure to check everything's working before you set off.

Alright, looks like our destination settings have been applied. Let's give this thing a final once-over and then head out. Goggles, your time to shine!

Over to you.

Affirmative. Running vehicle diagnostics.

What's this?

Think of it as a kind of autopilot system.

Engine: Green. Wheels: Green. Frame: ...Minor damage, but no impact on function.

Diagnostics complete. All systems nominal.

Neat! Paimon still can't get over the fact that you just found this tech lying around in a random cave.

Yeah, I definitely lucked out there...

I've lived in Snezhnaya my whole life, and I've never heard of an interactive, talking train autopilot.

Strictly speaking, I wasn't designed purely to drive trains, though I doubt you have any interest in navigating the practically unreadable operator's manual yourself.

All configurations are complete. Should you require any further assistance, please call for the Eye of Graeae.

Thanks.

Away we gooooo!

Nope, Paimon's gonna find a warmer seat...

Huh? What's going on?

Oh no!

...Wh—What is this place? Traveler, are you okay?

I'm alright... You okay, Paimon?

Uhh... Paimon's still airborne... But it feels like swimming through thick, gloopy water... Ugh, it's horrible...

Just our luck... Of all the things that could have gone wrong...

Alyosha, you're Snezhnayan right? Any idea what the heck this place is?

It's called the "Shadow Realm." A place where no wind blows, no light shines, and no elemental energy flows... even time itself doesn't exist here. It's a world where everything seems to come to a standstill.

I've only seen it a few times before, and this is my first time inside. It's a dangerous place. Most people who get sucked into the Shadow Realm are never seen again...

And the few who do make it back... They're never quite the same.

Huh? Then... What the heck do we do now?

Oh, maybe Goggles knows something. ...Goggles?

I don't see it anywhere...

Great, now we're done for...

Hold it together. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I heard a story once about the "World of Shadows"... If it's true, there's a way to escape. We just need to find the exit.

C'mon. Let's explore.

Wait, what's that blue thing? Is that... Goggles?

Guess we'd better find a way over.

Goggles!

Hello. I am glad to see the three of you safe and sound.

For now, at least. But things aren't looking too good.

Correct. We are now inside what is known as the Shadow Realm — the darkest space in the shell, where even the most high is loath to cast its gaze.

Time and space hold no meaning here. It intersects with the world of the Light Realm only rarely, like an air bubble that rises to the water's surface.

We must leave this place before it sinks back down into the depths once more.

Sounds like you have a plan.

...Yes. In fact, the very purpose of my creation was likely to... ... ...from the Shadow Realm.

...It appears that key data is currently inaccessible. But now is not the time to resolve that problem.

I have marked the exit to the Shadow Realm for your convenience. In addition, I have prepared some equipment to aid you as you traverse the Shadow Realm, Traveler...

It may well be one of my core functions... Scan complete. Construction in progress...

Activation code: "We once peered into the past from the ruins of the shadows. This is what remains of the Golden City, Hyperborea."

Whoa!

"Now go, arm yourselves with weapons of the spirit, bring down the walls of the stronghold, and extinguish the flaming arrows of the wicked."

Is this... a gun?

In the Shadow Realm, where humans cannot channel the elements... There once was one who, after much research and many attempts, found this to be the most effective means of attack.

Let's go, we don't have much time.

Huh? W—Why is everything shaking so much?

Looks like the Shadow Realm is about to "sink back down into the depths."

The exit is right here...

You mean this... this weird bubble thing? ...Wait, um, how exactly do we—

No time to think — we just gotta go for it...

Whew... Looks like I was right!

I can't believe the Shadow Realm manifested right on the railroad tracks. It's almost unheard of...

Lucky we made it out. All thanks to you and that awesome gun.

While we were in there, you mentioned Hyperborea...

Ah, so you have heard of the Golden City before?

Yeah, it came up a whole bunch in Nod-Krai. You're a pretty neat surprise in that sense, aren't ya, Goggles? We had no idea they left cool gadgets like you behind.

Thanks for saving us again, Eye of Graeae.

Make no mistake, it was a team effort. For a first-time firearm user, your performance was quite outstanding. Far beyond my expectations.

As Alyosha said, it is highly unusual for the Shadow Realm to manifest in a place like this. But we should still watch out for similar dangers ahead.

Let's hope not... If anything else goes wrong with this trip, Paimon's gonna have train-trauma for life...

The Shadow Realm can appear anywhere, not just on the railroad. I am simply advising that we take sensible precautions.

Now, if you wish to further calibrate and upgrade your firearm, you may do so over there, provided you have the necessary components.

Please take a moment to catch your breath while I repair the body of the train. Amongst other things, this will ensure Paimon is a little warmer while onboard.

Thanks, Goggles! You're a trusty train conductor. ...Uh, well maybe "trusty" isn't quite the right word, considering... Anyway, at least you get the job done!

So the gun can be upgraded?

Yes, of course. And just like the Eye of Graeae, I am sure it will be a great asset to you in your future adventures — if not the trustiest, then it will at least get the job done.

Let's get some fresh air while the Eye of Graeae fixes the train.

Will you be okay, Paimon?

Yeah, sure. Paimon wants to forget all about the Shadow Realm — it was so creepy in there. Stretching our legs might help take our mind off things.

It's so quiet here for a train station... Not a person in sight, just abandoned houses.

Huh!? So much for "repair"... You've swapped our train out for a whole new model!

My plan was to restore the train to its original appearance per my records as quickly as possible. Now that the repairs are complete, the train offers optimized performance and a significantly improved "trendiness" level.

Didn't know "trendiness" was a parameter...

According to my calculations, parameterization is the most effective way for the Eye of Graeae to understand trendiness.

("Hyperborea," huh? I'm sure I've heard of that in a story somewhere... What an incredible little gadget you are.)

They really had to build the railroad over a canyon, huh...

No, it's not that. Paimon's just praying that we don't have yet another accident...

You might wanna avoid looking down if you're afraid of heights.

That mountain is breathtaking... Reminds Paimon of Dragonspine.

They say this mountain's the domain of a snegovik lord. A lot of the snegovik retreated there to live in seclusion, so it's a pretty mysterious place. You hear all kinds of stories...

Even the residents of the nearby town of Svetloledovka steer clear of the summit, and they make a living off of harvesting Prime Ice.

Look. Snezhnograd's just up ahead.

Here we are. Welcome to Snezhnograd train station — the biggest transport hub in the nation.

Wow, it's so majestic! Just flying from one side to the other would probably leave Paimon out of breath...

Heh, it's built for maximum efficiency. But yes, transferring trains here can be a little tiring.

In the future, you can use this train station to travel anywhere you want in Snezhnaya. For now, though, come with me. Let's get Paimon checked out.

This way. There's a lift car that goes straight to Zapolyarny.

Look, look! They have really funny-looking heads...

And those ones are about the same height as Paimon. But it looks like they can't fly...

Those would be "volkodlak" and "domovoy." You'll also see the winged "vila" and the snow-born "snegovik" amongst others.

No wonder... We'd heard that Snezhnaya used to be the realm of the fae. Paimon can really see it now...

To the left is the market of Zolnyy. They sell everything there. You can often find some nifty little trinkets.

To the right, you'll see the Korolevskiy Theater in the distance.

Look at that... Incredible!

Wow, Snezhnograd is stunning... Seeing it with our own eyes makes all the trouble we went through to get here worth it.

I found it pretty stunning when I first came here, too. But I soon found out that stunningly beautiful means stunningly expensive... The prices here are crazy.

I'm just a small-time hunter, so Zolnyy is where I spend most of my time.

This way will take us to Podvorye Restaurant. They offer food and lodging there, so you can get settled in while I fetch the doctor.

Um... is that gonna be stunningly expensive too...?

Yeah... I mean, there are places to stay in Zolnyy, but I highly doubt they'd meet your standards.

Most of the stoves are out of Kristall, the windows are drafty... and at night, four-legged roommates come out to play, sharpening their claws on the roof beams and floorboards.

Yep, no way. Not a chance Paimon's staying anywhere like that... Maybe we can split the cost of the room between us? Paimon still has some savings left.

What happened to sponging off me? Come on, it's tradition.

Hmph, fine then! It's your treat! Paimon will save her money for buying a nice little cake...

...Don't worry, you'll get some too.

I'm glad to see you've perked up.

If you find yourselves in the mood for some sightseeing later, there's a few places around here worth seeing.

This way leads to Zapolyarny Palace, which serves as the Tsaritsa's audience chamber and also her personal quarters.

The adjacent block is kind of a city in its own right. That's Glupov, the headquarters of the Fatui.

Inside, there's a munitions factory known as the "Armory Palace" producing a constant supply of all kinds of equipment for the Fatui. A lot of important research happens there, too.

And over there is the Snezhnograd Veche, where all the big shots meet regularly to make policy decisions.

These places are best admired from a distance. I'm sure I don't need to explain why.

Yeah, they probably have super strict security. We're not looking for trouble right now.

The downtown area is near the center of Zapolyarny. That's where you'll find the restaurants, bookstores, and gift shops.

Another place of interest is the Northland Bank, which is over this way.

Oh, and I'm sure you'll want to make contact with the Adventurers' Guild at some point, right? That's right here.

Ooh, speaking of adventuring, we use alchemy quite a lot. D'you know where we can find a Crafting Bench?

Um... No one practices alchemy in Snezhnograd, I'm afraid. Apparently, there's some historical reason for it.

Oh. We'll just have to use the one on the train, then... *sigh* Kinda inconvenient. ...Wait, how come there's one on the train if that's Snezhnayan too?

Yeah, I dunno. Not my area of expertise. Still, I wouldn't say the absence of alchemy makes life here any less convenient.

Anyway — finally, there's Zolnyy in that direction. It's mostly residential buildings and factories, but there's a few shops too. Worth a look around if you're interested.

That's about it. You guys go ahead and get checked in while I track down my doctor friend.

Sounds good. Thanks for all the recommendations. It'll be good to get out of the cold wind — Paimon's starting to feel another headache coming on.

Let's get you inside.

Podvorye Restaurant is right this way.

Looks like you get what you pay for, huh! Paimon likes this room a lot!

Feeling better now?

Yeah, much better now that we're out of the cold. Thanks for taking such good care of Paimon. Honestly, she feels kinda bad for throwing a wrench in the works...

If this were anywhere else, we'd be out investigating and adventuring by now. But instead, we're stuck here waiting for a doctor.

...You're right. No need to push ourselves too hard for no reason.

A lot happened on our way into the city. Let's review what we've learned so far and try to figure out what to do next.

Obviously, the million-Mora question is: "What is the Tsaritsa planning?" Everything else leads back to that.

Yeah, that was our main goal in coming to Snezhnaya.

Sure was. And so far, we've learned that in addition to the seven Gnoses, her plan also requires a ton of energy.

But we won't get to see her anytime soon. Alyosha said that she went east to fight that big monster.

It must be a pretty powerful one if it can blanket the whole of Snezhnaya in a snowstorm this awful.

Mm-hmm. It's one of the threats we'll need to face, I think.

...To be honest, what we're really lacking right now is information. The kind of information that only the higher-ups in the government would know, not "word-on-the-street" type of info.

Paimon can think of a few people who might be able to help us, but...

They're all Fatui.

Right. And when we left Nod-Krai, Sandrone specifically left a message reminding us which side we're on...

So it's unlikely they'd tell us anything confidential about the Tsaritsa's grand plan.

Yeah, fair point. Besides, that Glupov place is right nearby. We've got nothing to lose, so it'd be a waste not to go.

There's gotta be someone there willing to talk to us, right? Maybe Arlecchino or Sandrone... Hmm, or possibly Tartaglia.

But it's unlikely we could sweet-talk Arlecchino. Let alone Sandrone... she basically told us to stay in our lane already.

Well, it's been a while since we last saw Tartaglia.

Yeah, the last time was all the way back in Fontaine, right? Too bad we missed him in Nod-Krai. Apparently, he came to help out.

Hello, is there a Traveler and Paimon in there?

That's Alyosha! Come in!

Hello, I'm Doctor Luneva. Alyosha mentioned that one of you is feeling a little under the weather?

We'd be grateful if you could take a look at her.

I see. So you're my patient today, yes? And you're a... fae, I presume?

Good question... Paimon's not too sure either, but she's definitely not the same kind of fae as the ones we saw at the train station. ...Is that gonna be an issue?

Not exactly, it's just... I'm used to treating human patients. Fae tend to be far more resilient than even the healthiest and most long-lived of humans.

But don't worry, I do have some experience treating fae. I've even diagnosed plenty of cats and dogs in my time. Safe to say, I have a fairly eclectic range of expertise.

It'll be fine! Paimon's basically the same as a human.

Right? We're no different when it comes down to it, are we?

Hmph! That's just 'cause Paimon knows how to eat!

Hehe. Now, please take a seat.

Okay, vital signs are good, test results are all within normal ranges... I don't think it's anything serious. More than likely, you've just caught a cold.

I can give you some medicine to tide you over, but as long as you rest properly for the next couple of days, you should feel better. Make sure to keep an eye on your temperature, though.

If you find yourself with a persistent low-grade fever or if your symptoms don't improve, just contact me again.

Sounds like there's no cause for alarm.

Yeah. Let's see how it goes over the next few days.

Thank you, Doctor.

You're very welcome. Just doing my job. I'll leave you in peace now — time to visit my next patients.

Take care.

You heard the doctor. Best you rest up here for a couple days. No sightseeing for the time being.

Alright then, guess we've got no choice. Let's just treat it as a short vacation!

I have to get back to it. If you need anything else from the doctor or me, go to the Hunter Trade Station in Zolnyy. The boss there knows how to reach me.

Thanks for everything.

Hey, no big deal. You saved my life in the Shadow Realm. This is the least I could do. See ya around.

Hold on. Please display your invitation letter or permit.

Glupov does not accept meeting requests without a prior appointment. You'll have to apply per the advertised booking process and wait until your invitation letter is issued.

...Might I ask who you're hoping to visit?

Harbinger "Childe," Tartaglia.

(Another one who thinks the rules don't apply to them... I don't understand why people think they can talk their way in here. You don't just show up and land a meeting with a Harbinger...)

(Ugh, but I have to go through the motions, for protocol's sake. Honestly, it's such a waste of time asking when I already know what the answer's gonna be.)

Wait a moment — I'll pass on your message. If Childe is unavailable, you'll have to go through the proper procedure.

Lord Childe is a busy man. He's probably not in Glupov at present. If I were you, I'd cut your losses. No point waiting any longer.

Guess I picked a bad time.

Even if you two are old friends as you claim, please understand that the Fatui Harbingers are often busy with their official duties. They tend not to stay at Glupov for extended periods.

Next time, stick to the rules. You'll make life easier for both of us... Hmm?

Greetings, Lady Marionette.

Sandrone?

I'll take care of our guest here. It's his first time in Snezhnaya, so it's no surprise that he doesn't know the rules yet.

I trust no choice words have been exchanged? No misunderstandings I should be aware of?

No, Lady Marionette. No incidents to report.

(Phew, that was a close call... Good thing I played it cool...)

Is that right? Good to know. Hmm... wait, where's Paimon?

Under the weather? Huh, that's hard to imagine. She's always buzzing with energy...

I take it she's still adapting to the climate? Happens to a lot of people. It's even colder here than in Nod-Krai. Has she seen a doctor? I can get you one if you need.

Alright then. Well, let me know if you run into any other problems.

Did you come out here specifically to see me?

Why else? I was just about to sit down for some much-needed tea time when I heard that an old friend of Tartaglia's had shown up outside, no appointment, nothing.

And, as obnoxious as it may be to show up uninvited at Glupov, I couldn't help but take pity on the poor soul who was waiting outside in vain. So, I had no choice but to abandon my freshly brewed, piping-hot tea and come to see this mystery guest for myself...

You already guessed it was me, didn't you?

Hmph. Well, I felt our time working together in Nod-Krai warranted some courtesy. I couldn't exactly let you freeze to death out here in the wind.

Unfortunately, I can't invite you inside either. The rules of Glupov wouldn't allow it, and as a Harbinger, I have to lead by example.

On the plus side, Snezhnograd actually has some class — unlike Nasha Town. Torchlight Books has a very nice selection of teas and cakes, so we can catch up there.

Your treat, of course.

What? Why?

Because I already wasted one perfectly good cup of tea today. That's why.

I've ordered for the both of us. No objections, I assume? I'm sure you trust my taste.

Okay, let's get down to business. I'm guessing you don't actually have any urgent business with Tartaglia, per se. You just want information, right?

Wanna take a guess?

Um... Has he been picking fights again?

Heh, of course you'd say that. You shouldn't underestimate Councilor Tartaglia, you know...

"Councilor"?

That's right. I'm sure you've heard of the Snezhnograd Veche by now? Well, he's busy preparing some paperwork for their next meeting.

They'll be discussing yet another extension to Project Stuzha. It's basically all anyone cares about in the Veche these days.

Yeah, he's more of the "shoot first, ask questions later" sort, isn't he?

It all started with a very detailed letter that Capitano left for "The Jester," Pierro, before leaving for Natlan.

In that letter, he detailed the future arrangements for his subordinates. All of his key people were reassigned to Tartaglia.

I guess he'd already prepared to leave us for good all the way back then. But Pierro didn't reveal the contents of the letter until the events in Natlan had concluded.

Why Tartaglia?

Heh, that was his reaction, too. "Why me," with a bewildered look on his face.

He'd always assumed Capitano looked down on him. He was a man who kept his thoughts to himself and barely spoke to him the whole time they'd known each other.

But he occasionally brought Tartaglia along to my tea parties back in the day. So to the rest of us, it was clear that Capitano had quite a lot of respect for his young comrade.

...By "the rest of us," I mean my tea party regulars: Arlecchino, Rosalyne, and... actually, not Columbina. She was probably oblivious to it.

Anyway, then the Liyue situation happened... Normally, it took a lot to get under Capitano's skin, but that time he was furious... It's not really my place to talk about it, though. You can ask Tartaglia about it sometime.

Basically, Tartaglia probably had the wrong idea about Capitano all along, right up until Pierro revealed the letter he'd left behind.

Capitano believed that despite Tartaglia's immaturity, he showed great potential — plus, he possessed a kind of purity rarely seen among members of the Fatui.

That makes sense.

Yeah, it's one of the few things that I'd agree those two have in common. But there's one other reason why Capitano chose Tartaglia to assume command of his troops.

He knew that after he was gone, several of the others would swoop in on his army like vultures...

With the ones who stood to benefit the most being "The Rooster," Pulcinella, and "Regrator," Pantalone.

Once they'd divided Capitano's troops between them, they'd be more powerful than ever. No one would be able to stop them...

...So, you can see why Capitano chose to hand that letter to Pierro, right?

Because The Jester needs to maintain a balance of power?

Exactly. Pierro also needed to back a Harbinger as soon as possible. And all things considered, Tartaglia was the best choice.

Even though Tartaglia has had the support of Northland Bank for a long time, he and Pantalone are ultimately not cut from the same cloth.

I'd say Capitano made a good judgment call. Anyone else caught in this situation would probably feel like they'd been hung out to dry.

His best course of action will be to distance himself from any shady business while still maintaining friendly relations with Pantalone, but seeking Pulcinella's support at the same time.

Are you sure it's okay to tell me all this inside information?

Heh, what's the point in having a tea party if you don't spill a little tea?

Besides, none of this is confidential anyway. Ask any journalist out there — they'll give you all the lurid details.

You'll see it firsthand if you ever sit in on a session of the Snezhnograd Veche. All the factional strife, whether open or unspoken — it plays out for all to see in that one little room.

Having a voice in the Veche is the only way to steer policies in your favor. So, every person in that room represents a particular interest group.

Pantalone, for instance, represents the financial sector, and Tartaglia represents the Fatui soldiers.

Personally, I have no interest in political jousting, but since I have a number of engineers and researchers under my command, I have to make their voices heard.

Then there's Pulcinella, the linchpin of the Veche. He represents "politics" itself.

Everything involves him, so nothing can bypass him. Any issue that comes up, he knows how to mediate. That's what the Tsaritsa values most about him.

This explains a lot...

(I'm starting to see why everyone is so frustrated with the way things are, but also powerless to change it...)

(A complex web of interests connects all parties involved, and the Tsaritsa sitting at the top adds another layer of complexity. It must be nearly impossible to come up with a perfect solution.)

Alright, I'm done carrying this conversation. Time for you to answer a question of mine.

You must have known that you can get the info you needed from me. So why was Tartaglia the first person you asked to see, and not me?

I just don't understand, that's all. Anyway, do I really need a reason?

Wait... Oh, I think I know what it is... Columbina passed on my message to you before you left Nod-Krai, right?

I only meant you should be mindful of which side you're on... Is that actually why you didn't ask for me? Because you took that to heart?

You...! Ugh, fair enough, it's not your fault. I blame all these politicians I've been hanging around with lately. Always beating about the bush when they talk — I guess it must've rubbed off on me...

Anyway, just ask for my help next time, okay? Little things like this are no problem.

Lady Marionette.

What now? Can't you see I'm on my break!? Whatever it is, just leave it on my desk! I'll look at it later...

Sorry to disturb you during your break, Ma'am, but I'm afraid it's an emergency...

Ugh, isn't it always? I've told you before: Fixing the tracks and transporting ice blocks does not constitute an emergency...

The equipment in Svetloledovka is in urgent need of maintenance. With how the weather's been recently, we suspect that the cause is a buildup of snow, exceeding the maximum weight limit.

The supports on one of the machines broke and fell, awakening a dormant beast and leaving many of the ice miners trapped in a nearby ice cave.

Luckily, Odette's team was nearby and launched a rescue operation. But we're still facing a severe manpower shortage for both the rescue and engineering teams.

...

I guess that's it, then. Our tea party will have to end here. I'm the only engineer you'll need.

Do you actually want to come with, or are you just saying that?

Hmph. Nice of you to return the favor... I'll have a couple of people look after Paimon. They can let her know that you had to step out for a while. Given how urgent this is, I'm sure she'll understand.

And honestly, I'd rather have your help than anyone else's. Between your skills and experience, you'd be reliable help.

Great, thanks. Sounds like a plan.

Then let's go. You, take two people to Podvorye Restaurant. Find his room and watch it like a hawk until we get back.

If anything happens to Paimon, you'll be answering to me.

Yes, Lady Marionette!

They weren't exaggerating — this is really dangerous. It's a good thing only one of them broke...

From what I've been told, most of the trapped miners are over in that direction.

I'll go rescue them.

Yeah, you do that while I check the rest of the equipment. I'll evacuate the people around here as I go.

Meet me back here as soon as you're done.

(I have to be getting close...)

Don't go any further.

It's too dangerous here. There's a highly aggressive monster on the prowl. You need to leave, now.

Ah, I see — you're the backup from Snezhnograd. Well, I'm Odette. Good to meet you.

(Ah, so this is Odette. She was the first member of the Fatui on the scene...)

There are five people trapped in the cave. Monster type is unknown, and so is its location.

Let's go, every second counts.

Thank you for saving us... We'd have been monster-fodder otherwise.

Thank you, thank you...

Welcome. You should be safe now. Follow this route out. He and I will stay behind to watch the rear.

Thank you... C'mon, let's go. This way.

I've searched the area. Pretty sure the monster made a tactical retreat.

Was this its lair?

Yeah, but with us here, it won't be coming back anytime soon.

It may be small, but don't be fooled — it's a ferocious beast. People are just food in its eyes...

It's lucky we got here when we did.

The trapped miners have been successfully evacuated. Time for us to leave.

Wait, this place... There's something unusual about it...

Everyone's accounted for — we managed to rescue them all. We also placed a sign at the entrance to the cave, warning people to stay away.

...You really held your own today. I... still don't know your name.

It's Traveler. I'm an adventurer.

Hmm. Don't think I've seen you before. I'll remember the name.

Alright then... see you around.

Hello, Lady Marionette.

I hear the rescue operation was a great success. I knew I could count on you.

What brings you here, Odette? Here for a performance?

No, a Fatui mission. I happened to be nearby and heard the crash.

Performance?

She hasn't introduced herself, then. Hehe, Odette is the prima ballerina of Snezhnograd. She's quite the celebrity.

If you ever hear people mention the "two crowning jewels of the Korolevskiy Troupe," they're talking about Odette and the prima donna, Vodyanitsa.

On top of that, Odette's also a rising Fatui star. It's looking likely she'll inherit the title of "The Fair Lady."

She learned all her combat skills from Rosalyne herself. Used to be one of her most valued subordinates, too.

...You flatter me, Lady Marionette.

(If she's Rosalyne's protegee, that makes me... Never mind, there's no need to bring it up. No point making things awkward.)

N—No wonder you're such a keen fighter...

How's progress on your end, Lady Marionette?

Equally successful — I've finished reinforcing all the equipment. Took me a little longer without Pulonia's help... Hmph, but the outcome is the same, of course.

Even if the heavy snowfall summoned by that monster lasts for another three months straight, this equipment won't give way.

Alright — now that we're done here, it's time to get out of this blizzard.

That's it? Isn't there more work to be done here?

Sure, but Snezhnograd will send someone to investigate and draw up a relief plan... Ugh, and I guess I'll have to write the incident report myself this time, since it involves a mechanical malfunction.

First, Pantalone needs to approve the budget, then Pulcinella has to sign off on the plan. Once they've argued it out and reached a compromise, we can move forward...

That's the rough process, anyway. Could take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, depending on how smoothly it goes.

And in the meantime, the people here just have to wait?

Yup. Nothing we can do about it. There's a whole stack of incident reports like this back at the office.

...

(The snow has eased a little for now, but there's no telling when that will change with that monster still at large...)

(Fuel for heating is in short supply, and relief is weeks away. There's no immediate threat to life, but still...)

(It just feels like there should be a better way.)

...

Hey, quit daydreaming. Let's get back to Snezhnograd.

Ah. Well, if it isn't Councilor Tartaglia. Mr. Big Shot himself.

Heh, go easy on me, alright? I'm still recovering from the interrogation the real big shots put me through.

Hey, comrade. It's been too long! I heard you came looking for me earlier. Nicest surprise I've had in a while.

Good to see you too, Odette. I'm guessing you guys just got back from Svetloledovka? How'd it go? Crisis averted?

It went fine.

How about you? Any new developments?

Not really, same as ever. Growing opposition to Project Stuzha, and the usual rebuttals are starting to ring hollow.

The results of the mock vote were pretty dire. Pulcinella was fuming... I've never seen the old man so angry.

That's not good news... It takes a lot to rattle him.

Yeah. Obviously, if push comes to shove, there are ways to crack down on dissent, but...

Sorry, I have to ask something. This is going to sound blunt, but may I?

Huh? Of course, fire away.

It sounds to me like everyone's tearing their hair out trying to figure out how to deal with opposition to Project Stuzha.

But what exactly is this project's purpose? And how can it be so important that even people like you two refuse to stand up for the ordinary people of Snezhnaya?

...

(Haha. Interesting. I gotta hand it to you, comrade — you sure don't mince your words...)

(Excuse him!? What does he mean, refuse to stand up for ordinary people!?)

(Oh my gosh... How does he dare speak to the Harbingers like that?)

Are you interrogating us now?

It's okay, Sandrone. Let me explain. I think I understand where he's coming from.

...If I could, I'd take your side right now.

In fact, my position's very similar to yours. I've only held back on casting a dissenting vote in the Veche because the Tsaritsa would never let me get away with it.

Still, I have a responsibility to the Fatui armed forces, so I do what I can to make their voices heard. Most of them are just regular folks from small towns far from the capital.

I'm sure you've seen how much those kinds of places are struggling right now. Oh, and for what it's worth, I'm from Morepesok myself. Things aren't going so swell there, either.

Right, so this affects you directly. Hence my question.

The Tsaritsa wants to create a better, safer future for the people of Snezhnaya, but she's thinking long-term. I don't doubt that from where you're standing, Project Stuzha seems to be creating all sorts of issues for everyone.

But considering the Tsaritsa's vision for the future, these are sacrifices worth making. Sounds cold, I know. But I promise it's not as black-and-white as it seems.

Maybe Sandrone and I can't oppose Project Stuzha outright, but we're constantly raising our concerns in Veche meetings.

And even though we can't put an end to it, there are plenty of other ways to make a difference. We're trying everything we can think of, and so is Pulcinella.

I respect Her Majesty the Tsaritsa and trust her decisions. But at the end of the day, I'm still just a normal guy who cares deeply about my homeland... and my family, who all live here.

There's no way I would ever abandon them.

As contentious as things can get within the Veche, there's no selfishness or malice behind it. Everyone wants to get through this period as smoothly as possible.

The issue is that there's no way of pleasing everyone under the present circumstances. Most of the time, we're trying to decide on the lesser of two evils, which obviously isn't a great look.

But that is not the same thing as being blindly loyal to the Tsaritsa. No one's got their head in the sand here. We're all well aware of the way things are — we're just doing our best to make it work.

(In fairness to Sandrone, she rushed to Svetloledovka's aid the moment she heard that people were in danger.)

(And even Tartaglia, who used to only care about the thrill of the fight, is clearly doing his best to rise to the demands of his new role as councilor...)

Hey, come on. There's only so much we can say, so don't press us too hard. Look, I know how untenable the Tsaritsa's position looks if you don't understand her motives.

Maybe you've heard already, but she's currently leading her army on a campaign to the east to defeat the monster that's been causing these brutal blizzards.

Striking that monster down will be a significant step in dealing with the present energy crisis.

As laser-focused as she is on realizing her lifelong ambitions, she's still putting time and energy into taking down this powerful monster.

To me, that says a lot. If she thought Snezhnaya and its people didn't matter in the grand scheme of things, why would she waste her time on something like this?

Haha, thanks. I meant every word I said, though. I wasn't just trying to placate you — I've already done more than enough diplomacy for one day.

...I still think this adventurer raises a very important point.

Our two Harbingers have made their positions very clear. But there are many others in the Veche who must feel trapped and forced to vote against their conscience.

I think it's a very valuable quality to be willing to speak one's mind despite the risk of offending powerful figures.

It's mostly because we know each other quite well...

Hmph, you can say that again. I highly doubt we'd feel the need to explain ourselves so much if we didn't know you so well.

Forgive me, Adventurer, but might I be so bold as to ask about your background? How is it that you can converse so openly with two Harbingers?

Umm...

Oh, haven't you been properly introduced?

Easier said than done... I like to think I'm not the kind of person who goes around busting open people's old wounds!

I've only learned his name so far, no details of his experiences. Is... something wrong?

(Uh oh... is there no avoiding the subject of Rosalyne...?)

No, it's just... *sigh* Alright, I guess there's no getting around it.

This is the world-renowned Traveler, who helped resolve the Stormterror threat in Mondstadt, cleaned up after the mess I made in Liyue... and then went to Inazuma, where...

...There was a duel before the throne, in which the Traveler defeated Rosalyne.

Oh...

I'm sorry, I didn't think you two would be seeing much of each other, so I figured it wasn't worth bringing up...

It's fine, it was a long time ago... It's fine.

Sorry, I just remembered that we have a rehearsal coming up. Please excuse me, I should get going.

*sigh*

I've mentioned this to you before, remember? She was Rosalyne's most valued subordinate... but they didn't actually get along.

Not that Rosalyne was really the type of person to make friends, but... death has a way of resolving a lot of conflicts.

Don't let it weigh on you. Like she said, it was a long time ago. It's in the past now.

Odette has a very different personality from Rosalyne. Give her some time. I'm sure she'll work through it.

Hmm...

Oh, by the way, where's Paimon? It's not like her to hide away.

She hasn't been feeling well, so she's resting at Podvorye Restaurant. I got a couple of my people to look after her while we were gone.

Oh, right. Sorry to hear that. Poor thing — reminds me of when Tonia was little. She really felt the cold back then, used to get ill all the time...

I felt so bad for her, seeing her lying in bed, coughing... She was so mature for her age, though. Whenever someone came to visit her, she'd greet them with a smile and would never complain.

I'm sure Paimon's a good kid too, haha.

You're a little short on manpower, right? Lemme have a couple of my people take over for yours. I'll send my most capable and reliable — they'll make sure Paimon can recover in peace.

Well, that would be great. Your people are more qualified.

Thanks.

Hey, don't mention it. I'm sure you have things to do. Hopefully this takes a load off your mind.

So no more accusing me of not being on your side, alright? Hahaha.

Already? That was quick...

Hmm... I'm afraid I can't help you there. Our director's recent movements are confidential — even we're not in the loop.

If you hadn't told me, I never would've known he'd gone south. I assumed he'd been in Glupov this whole time.

Oh, I see... Got it.

Well, I guess I'd better go sort out Paimon's security situation. I have some other work to catch up on at Glupov anyway.

Me too. I have an incident report to write up... Let's leave it there for now.

Sure thing. See you.

(I guess everyone's in a difficult position. But Tartaglia's right — I have things to do... things I want to do, and things I ought to do.)

(...To start with, I should ask Alyosha if he knows any way to help Svetloledovka.)

(How strange... This sword seems to be vibrating of its own accord.)

(It's a very faint vibration, but it's getting stronger as I get closer to the Statue of The Seven...)

(Does this sword have some connection to the statue? But all it does is vibrate, even when I touch it...)

(That place I got this sword from was definitely out of the ordinary. Maybe I should try channeling the power of Cryo?)

(I don't really understand what just happened, but I'm pretty sure this sword just got a little more powerful.)

(I'll have to try the same thing again when I come across another Statue of The Seven. In the meantime, I'd better go find Alyosha.)

Hello there, how can I help?

I'm looking for Alyosha.

Ah, sure thing. Gimme a second, I'll go fetch him for ya.

*sigh* It's a familiar story. I've had similar experiences. Although Snezhnograd doesn't deliberately delay or withhold relief, those first few days of waiting for help are always the hardest.

It's a fundamental contradiction: If emergency relief can't be delivered in time, what's the point in even calling it emergency relief?

Hmm, not necessarily. I think there's a good chance that Kresnik Kristall from Sretomorozsk will start flowing into the market.

Really? Why?

When we resolved Sretomorozsk's energy issue, it's like we opened the floodgates.

A huge backlog of Kristall is now available to the townspeople. There's no way they can use it up at once.

A lot of them will probably stockpile it and slowly work their way through — probably a good idea, since energy prices are only gonna keep rising. But there'll always be people who urgently need Mora.

So they'll sell it to the highest bidder...

Exactly. At the current prices, selling Kristall is an easy way for an ordinary person to make a fortune.

Hey Boss, how much do I have left in my account?

One second, let me check... So you're planning on buying the Kristall out of your own pocket?

Yeah. I dunno if I have enough, so I'll chip in a little extra and buy as much as I can afford.

No, no, it's fine. You're new to Snezhnaya, and you have your own living expenses to worry about. Besides, you're already providing the train.

It's okay, I volunteered for this.

Here's your mora. See what you can find at the market, but I doubt there'll be much Kristall left.

Yeah. Well, can't hurt to take a look.

Let's see... Huh?

What's Odette doing here?

Oh, Alyosha and...

H—Hello...

Hello.

I didn't realize you two knew each other.

Yeah, I take on some odd jobs in the city to supplement my hunting income. Sometimes I work as a cleaner or prop hand at the theater, where Odette is one of the big stars, so I've met her a few times.

When the weather's as bad as this, it's better for a hunter to adapt than to keep looking for game.

Yes, and we sometimes need extra help.

...

...

(Wait, why's the atmosphere so awkward? I thought things went pretty smoothly in Svetloledovka...)

So, what brings you here, Miss Odette? Looking for some new props?

No. After I got back to the theater, I couldn't stop thinking about the situation in Svetloledovka. It bothered me so much, I couldn't focus on my dancing.

So I decided I'd come here and see if there's anything I can do.

Couldn't let it go either?

Mm. You too, I presume? I suppose that's why you're here.

I didn't feel comfortable expressing my true opinions in front of the Harbingers... Not least because ordinary Fatui like me don't even know what Project Stuzha is all about.

Without knowing the full picture, I can't make sense of it. And at some point... if things aren't making sense to me, I can't just keep going along with it.

*sigh* So many people feel the same way. They wish they could do something, but all kinds of reservations hold them back. Explains why groups like the Rokot are springing up to fill the gap.

Yes. Well, that's one option, but there are risks to consider with organizations like that. The Fatui does not encourage their activities.

Right, 'cause things can get out of hand, and it's hard to hold the right people accountable when they do... I've heard about a few cases like that.

(Sandrone said Odette was on track to inherit the title of "The Fair Lady." If so, she'll be able to find out what Project Stuzha is really about...)

(Still... It's probably a little soon to ask her about that. There may be more to the story.)

What's on your mind?

Nothing... I just spaced out for a moment.

I think we can both agree that, no matter which side you're on, it can't stop you from doing the right thing. Where there's a will, there's a way.

Mm-hmm.

I know what Rosalyne did while she was abroad. You made the right decision, so no hard feelings.

So. What's your plan?

Oh, we were gonna buy some Kristall. I heard there's some on the market right now.

Funny — I had the same idea. In that case, let me pay. I can claim it back as mission expenses.

The real issue here is that government relief is behind schedule. Surely it makes more sense for the state to cover these costs than for us to pay out of our own pockets.

True. It's a huge expense, after all.

Thanks for helping.

Let me see... I'll take it all, please. And I'll be needing a receipt.

Right. Choose "mission budget" under the expense category, but be sure to specify "emergency rescue operation" in the description. Otherwise, the normal reimbursement limit will apply.

Let's book this train. Regulations say that if we need to transport Kresnik Kristall during Project Stuzha, extra carriages can be added one hour before departure.

That should do it. The train will be escorted to its destination by Fatui guards.

This is my first time seeing you handle Fatui affairs, Miss Odette. It seems you're as skilled an officer as you are a dancer.

You flatter me. It's only because I've been doing both my whole life.

Well, I'm glad we're in safe hands.

Anyway. I bet you've been non-stop today, am I right? Any idea how Paimon's doing?

I've had my hands full, but I'm gonna go back to check on her now.

What's wrong? Who's Paimon?

His travel buddy. Hasn't been feeling well. She caught a cold right after they got to Snezhnaya.

Sounds like she's important to you... I... I can't believe you've been dealing with this on top of everything you've been doing to help the people of Snezhnaya...

I've got nothing going on right now, so I'll join you. I wanna see how she's doing.

May I come too? I have some candy that someone gave me back in Svetloledovka. Plus, I know a little bit about relieving cold symptoms.

Alright then. Let's go.

(I still don't know what the deal is between these two, but at least the tension seems to have vanished... A good sign, hopefully.)

Hello. Sorry, but there's a sick person recovering in this room. Can I help you?

What happened?

Oh, please excuse me — are you Traveler? Hmm. Could I take a quick look at your Adventurer Handbook? Master Childe said I should verify your identity.

Here.

Ah, it's really you. Sorry for the inconvenience. We're under strict orders from Master Childe to keep this room well guarded.

At the same time, we can't interfere with Podvorye Restaurant's business. That would only seem all the more suspicious and draw unwanted attention to this room.

Besides myself, a few of my colleagues are stationed in and around the restaurant — in plain clothes, of course. Rest assured, you're in safe hands.

I didn't expect such a high standard of protection.

Well, Master Childe handpicked us for this special assignment. We're not about to let anything go wrong.

Anyway, I won't keep you any longer. Please, head inside.

Traveler, Alyosha! You're back! ...Oh hey, who's our new friend?

Hi, I'm Odette. Traveler and I crossed paths a few times.

She's a member of the Fatui, but she's solid. We can trust her.

Another friend from the Fatui, huh? You're practically a member yourself by this point.

Heh. How are you feeling?

Paimon's definitely on the mend! We should be back to our usual travels in a few days' time. Seems like that doctor was right!

It's just, uh... Hehe... Paimon's limbs are still feeling a little chilly.

I have just the thing.

Whoa, what's this? Is that... a flame inside an ice cube? Wait, is this real ice? How's it not melting? And how does the fire keep on burning...

All keen observations. You're right, this is called Cor Ignis.

Whenever I've caught a cold in the past, I've found I recover much more quickly if I place this by my bed. You're welcome to borrow it.

Awesome! Wow, it's so nice and warm... Hehe, it's like magic...

Um, your name was Odette, right? How did you two meet again?

Looks like she's in pretty good spirits. That's a relief.

Any progress with your investigation yet?

Mm. No surprises there, I'm sure. They're not likely to let anything slip.

The Rokot, huh...

Hmm... Let me think...

...Members of the Rokot keep their true identities hidden, but... I think there might be someone I can introduce you to.

Leave it with me. Meet me at the Korolevskiy Troupe tomorrow, and I'll tell you how it goes.

Would anyone like a drink? I'm gonna head to the bar.

Paimon will have, ummm... maybe some hot milk? Yeah, Paimon's in the mood for something warm.

Enough with the secret chat, you two! Let's catch up properly in a minute — Paimon wants to know everything that's happened today!

Yes, Ma'am.

It'll be kinda like Tabletop Troupe. No reason why listening to a story can't be an adventure!

Ah, you made it. I've got some tickets, and I managed to set something up with the Rokot.

It'll have to wait until after the show, though. Happy to stay and watch? I doubt you've seen the Korolevskiy Troupe on stage before.

Pleasure. Here, this is the way in.

Please present yourself for a routine inspection in accordance with theater regulations. Thank you.

...

(Uhh... Is that guy with the Fatui? Looks like he's waiting for something...)

Okay, all done. Thank you for your cooperation. Please proceed through to the theater.

What's up? Everything okay?

I wasn't expecting such strict security here...

Snezhnaya's business and political leaders are always passing through here, so it makes sense that security's tight.

Still, it's a little unusual to see the Fatui's Armory Palace guard here... You saw him, right? The guy right at the back — strong, silent type. His name's Valeriy.

He's part of the Special Assignments Battalion, but I only ever see him here for one thing — to look for a guy named "Mitya."

Mitya? Who's that?

Supposedly a researcher, though he never seems to put much time in at the office. The theater is one of his favorite places to hang out when he's playing hooky from work.

But that's not for us to worry about. Let's go, the show's about to start.

What do you think? Pretty impressive, huh?

It reminds me of the Opera Epiclese.

Oh, the one in Fontaine? I hear it's iconic. Never seen it for myself, though.

Here we are, just in time. Sorry, coming through.

Excuse us.

Hmph, if you're gonna show up late, keep your mouths shut.

(What's his problem!? ...Whatever, no point arguing with people like that.)

Look, there she is. That's who I'm introducing you to later. She's the lead singer of the troupe, Vodyanitsa.

This leads directly to the greenroom. They're expecting us. Vodyanitsa will be waiting for us there.

Hey there, excuse me.

Ugh, can you believe it? I am so mad right now... Come in!

Oh... it's you two.

I wasn't expecting to see you here.

Huh? You know each other? Oh, wait. Is this who you were telling me about? The one you met yesterday and couldn't stop thinking about?

I never said that.

Yes, you did! Why are you denying it? It was right before I went on that rant about the moody factory owner! Oh, I remember it so clearly...

Might I ask what brings you two here?

Oh, I just brought him here to see the show, and when it finished, he was full of praise for Vodyanitsa's performance.

So, I thought I'd try my luck, see if we could get the chance to chat for a bit... maybe get an autograph...

You work here... You of all people ought to know that's against the rules. It's not what the greenroom is there for.

Oh, what's the big deal? Come on, don't be shy. I can give you an autograph. You can take a picture too if you want.

...Do as you please.

I've finished all my shows for the day. I'll leave you to chat.

I wasn't making that stuff up, you know. Odette's just too proud to admit it.

She thinks very highly of you. And so do I. You did the right thing in Svetloledovka.

...We're good. Odette's out of earshot — I'll lock the door.

What?

Confidentiality, of course. The Rokot is very strict on that.

Whoa, Alyosha! Not out loud! Not with an outsider here!

Relax, I've taken care of it. Look at this.

The president's reply, sent this morning... Wait, so... he's been approved to join!?

...As in, me?

You told me last night that you wanted to get intel from the Rokot. Unfortunately, Rokot intel is only available to members.

But ever since you set foot in Snezhnaya, we've been working together. I've seen the way you work, your character, and your motives.

Everything about you is perfectly in alignment with what we're trying to achieve in the Rokot. So I figured I might as well cut to the chase...

I wrote a letter to the president explaining your situation, including just the right amount of detail. His approval came very quickly.

Of course, it's still your decision whether you want to join or not. We'll respect your choice.

Well, assuming Odette was telling the truth and she didn't misjudge you, I guess we don't need to worry about you blowing our cover...

Still, you gave me a real fright! I didn't know that's why you came looking for me.

Hmm... So that stuff you said about admiring my performance... was that just because Odette was here? Did you actually mean it?

No, no, I meant every word. I loved your singing.

Hehe, now you're talking! That's what I like to hear.

Anyway, lemme give you a quick rundown of how things work. Like I said, the Rokot is a covert organization, and we hide our identities.

Members typically don't meet in person or even know each other's identities. This helps us maintain a high level of independence and secrecy.

Because of this, members are basically free to decide their methods without constraints, so long as the outcome of any activity doesn't violate the organization's principles.

After all, we don't have any ostensible contact with each other. This way, if anything goes wrong, no one else will be implicated.

Beyond the freedom to choose how you operate, it's also your choice whether to act at all. We have plenty of members who have yet to take any action.

In short, joining the Rokot in and of itself won't place any restrictions on your activity in Snezhnaya.

There's a code of conduct you can read if it interests you. But basically, as long as you don't plan on using your anonymity to go around doing evil, you'll be fine.

I tried reading it five or six times... never made it all the way through. Even the most lackluster script makes for more interesting reading.

Great. Then, I'll go grab an official application form. Be right back.

Hah... Well, Alyosha has this pet dog, you see. His name's Tugarin, and this one time, Alyosha brought him backstage.

Tugarin took quite a liking to me, so I played with him for a little bit and fed him some treats.

Then, the Rokot was out on a mission one day, and even though we were all in disguise, Tugarin recognized me right away.

Just a coincidence, really. We didn't report it to the higher-ups, though, to avoid dealing with the fallout.

Like... *sigh* my job at the theater, for instance. I really need it to make ends meet.

By the way, what were you complaining about just before we came in? Did everything go okay with Chugunov?

Hmph, everything did not go okay. That's why I was so mad! I tried to make some small talk with him before I went on stage to fish for intel about the Iskra Manufacturing Plant.

But he wouldn't take the bait. No matter what I said, he kept dodging the question.

And then he started complaining! He said he didn't appreciate his second-rate seat in the stalls because he usually gets a private box...

I mean, what did he expect? Everyone knows that if you want a box seat, you buy a ticket well in advance! But instead, he sends me a letter the day before the show, when we're practically sold out!

I had to juggle things around just to get him a half-decent seat, hoping he would appreciate the gesture enough to share some information. But nope! He didn't give me anything!

*sigh*... Yeah, meeting Chugunov in person has definitely been a disappointing experience...

Oh, you probably don't know who we're talking about, do you? Chugunov was that older guy you were sitting next to today. I'm sure he didn't make a great first impression on you, either.

To the citizenry, he's a family man and a kind boss.

But our interactions with him tell a very different story... It's one thing to ask for a favor, but he acts like it's his right. He always expects special treatment.

Take the ticket situation, for instance — I've actually gotten him a private box in the past. But not only was he not even grateful, now he's acting like I've sold him short this time!

Not to mention that he's never paid for a single one of his tickets! Hmph.

That's pretty outrageous...

And another thing! If he's such a big family man, why doesn't he bring his wife and daughter to see the show once in a while? I've never seen them here, not even once.

Calm down, Vodyanitsa. If he won't do it the easy way, we'll have to try the hard way.

But first things first — here's your application form. Go ahead and fill it out.

Excellent! We'll hold onto this for you.

Uh... Hmm, looks like I'll need to make a few little tweaks here and there... But other than that, you're good to go. We'll hold onto this for you.

Alright! Now that we're officially Rokot comrades, I can tell you... Chugunov is the target of our current operation.

Recently, we've done some recon work at the Iskra Manufacturing Plant, which pretty much confirmed that their energy consumption is way beyond the legal limit.

All we need now is some direct evidence to present to the Veche, so we can demand that they shut the plant down.

That way, the Kresnik Kristall can be allocated to where it's needed most.

I was hoping he might let slip during one of our chats, but he's too tight-lipped. We'll have to find another way.

I'm meeting another regular theater-goer tonight. Mitya.

Alyosha mentioned that name earlier.

Ah... but Valeriy's here too, and he's probably looking for Mitya. So he may end up being a no-show.

Hehe, don't you worry. He must know how to dodge Valeriy, or he wouldn't be showing up on time for every performance.

Mitya is a renowned energy expert. Although we can't get any direct evidence of the excessive energy consumption at the plant, we can "accidentally" let the information slip to him.

The authority should take someone like him seriously. So, if he starts raising questions about energy use at the Iskra Manufacturing Plant, there'll be a proper investigation.

Also, we're not allowed on site, but he has clearance. So all we need is his cooperation.

Yeah, so that's the other thing we're trying to figure out... though I think we're far less likely to make any progress on that front.

Still, I hear that Mitya is a bit of a chatterbox. So, who knows? Maybe if we catch him in the right mood, he'll let something slip.

What do you think? Sound like something worth your time?

Definitely. I'd love to join you.

Okay. In that case, you guys find a seat somewhere nearby, pretend you're a couple of buddies there to eat, and keep your ears peeled for useful information.

He's a huge fan, so I doubt he'll have his guard up around me. But you two need to be convincing. If he suspects anything at all, he might stop talking.

Sure. Don't worry, we'll make a believable pair of buddies.

I'm sure we can manage a bit of friendly chit-chat.

Perfect, you've sold me already! Now, help me tidy this room up a bit before we head out.

Okay, what needs tidying?

Everything.

We come here often, so we shouldn't stand out. Let's sit here.

Now, it's up to Vodyanitsa. Let's see how the conversation goes.

Ah, Mr. Mitya! Over here, over here!

Ah, sorry, I got a little held up on my way here. Now we have even less time than we planned...

Go ahead and order some snacks and drinks — whatever you'd like. Let me see, according to my schedule... we still have twenty-five minutes left.

Hmm, you're really pressed for time today, huh? I was imagining this would be a leisurely chat... If you'd prefer, we can always reschedule for another afternoon when you have more time.

Hehe, no need. Getting to meet the lead singer is a very precious opportunity for me — I'm not about to pass it up.

I've already had to decline your invitations several times because our schedules rarely align. If I don't grab this chance while it's here, who knows when the next one will come around.

Well, it's very kind of you to make time just for me.

I'm not too sure, to be honest. But Snezhnaya's full of weird and wonderful things like that, so people tend not to bat an eye. I'm sure the same will go for the Eye of Graeae and Paimon.

That'll make getting around easier.

The reason I invited you out for tea and a chat today was to get some feedback from a true fan of the theater.

Well, I genuinely have nothing bad to say. No matter how many times I hear you sing, it never gets old. It always seems fresh and new somehow.

Maybe it's because the more times I listen, the more details I notice. Or maybe you simply improve with every performance, delivering it better each time.

Thank you, I'm delighted to hear that! Could you give me any specific examples?

Oh! Yeah, that, uh... the piece you sang today, for example. Uh, "Beneath the Frozen River"...?

Hey, what's with you? I'm just praising a good performance.

I always used to find that such a bleak and lonely song. But the more you listen, the more you realize that it's not as cold and nihilistic as it appears. When you really dig down into it, there's a certain level where you're surprised by the emergence of hope.

Wow, I'm impressed. I didn't expect you to pick up on that. Actually, I only tried out that angle after talking with the composer.

...Still, Beneath the Frozen River wasn't on today's program.

Oh, really!? But it's a classic... You sing it every time...

Almost every time.

Oh... haha, um... well then, let me say a few words about that other all-time classic, "Flying in the Wind" from "The Mountain Sparrow."

I didn't sing that one today either. My voice wasn't quite up to it, so I switched it out at the last minute.

Oh... but... uhh...

Sorry, Mr. Mitya, but... You were at the theater today, yes?

Of course I was. Remember? I said hello to all the troupe members before the show started. You, Odette, and the others.

So what did Odette sing today?

..."Elegy of the Snow-Winged Goose," of course!

Correct. I see... I see.

You find my singing boring, don't you? That's why you don't remember a single song... Hmm. Looks like I'll need to cut a few from the program next time.

No, that's not it! I swear!

Ah... Alright, I'll be straight with you. I'm sorry. My mind was wandering as you took the stage today.

I enjoy watching your shows because the exquisite performances stimulate the mind. It always sparks some inspiration for my research.

So, whenever I get stuck at work, I come to the theater for a change of pace.

Odette's dance during the Elegy of the Snow-Winged Goose today was simply incredible. It got me wondering what she's been going through recently...

That look of sheer defiance in the face of utter tragedy... It was so inspiring, I started scribbling in my notebook right away.

Not that I made a ton of progress in the grand scheme of things, but I still think it was productive. By the time I snapped out of it, the entire show had finished...

So what you're saying is, you didn't listen to my singing at all...?

Unfortunately not... I'm sorry, I don't know which is more disrespectful: the fact that I don't always come for the show itself, or the fact that I missed your performance...

(Seems like things are getting a little awkward... Hmm?)

You look nervous. What's up?

Mitya just stepped into a conversational minefield. If there's one thing Vodyanitsa doesn't like, it's people who show disrespect for her performance...

Ugh, this meeting was so hard to set up... Don't tell me it's already falling apart...

...Hmph.

It's fine. I suppose this is... affirming in its own way. At least it shows that our performance really... touches people's hearts, right?

Don't let it bother you. It... certainly doesn't bother me.

She's showing a lot of restraint...

Must be tough.

Well, I'll be sure to let Odette know how much you adored her performance.

Please don't say that. I always love your performances too, it's just that inspiration struck at the wrong time today... I'm usually all ears.

I know, I can tell. That's why I value your opinion.

I'm sure some people can't stand it when others praise their coworkers right to their face, but not me. No sir.

Fair enough. I still feel kinda bad, though...

Ah, but you know what I really can't stand? People who only show up to the theater to pretend that they're cultured. Makes me sick to my stomach.

Oh yeah, a hundred percent. There are too many of those people around. By the time they're walking out the door, they've forgotten all about the show.

W—What's wrong? You look furious...

I don't know if you've heard about the boss of the Iskra Manufacturing Plant... He isn't even a theater investor, but he always demands the same privileges as actual investors.

Box tickets only, premium drinks... Even the right to request specific songs!

Well played, Vodyanitsa... seems like she's harnessing her rage to steer the conversation back on track...

Now that you mention it, I've interacted with that guy before. I gotta say... everyone holds him up as an example of a benevolent businessman, but... I dunno. I don't see it.

Yeah, he couldn't care less about what's happening onstage. He's just there to flaunt his social status. I hate that I have to prepare programs for guys like that.

What's the big deal with that factory he runs, anyway? I asked around a bit and heard some pretty shocking stories. Sounds like he's just another greedy capitalist.

Oh, really?

Yep! The things people are saying are pretty damning. Low wages, insanely long working hours, equipment running around the clock... And as if that's not bad enough, he also strictly forbids his employees from giving any kind of interview.

Project Stuzha has now been extended so many times, we're at the point where Kristall rations for the common folk are barely enough to survive on. Yet he even wants to get his greedy hands on them, just to boost his own profits...

If the rumors are true, he's in serious violation of the law.

Interesting. So you've heard about it too.

What? So it's really true?

Haha, who knows? I've only heard the same rumors you have. But there's no smoke without fire.

The Rooster's been coming down on us hard lately, demanding that we track and trace every single batch of Kristall. My coworkers in the Department of Energy have been tearing their hair out over it...

The Rooster? I didn't realize he cared that much.

Yeah. Even though there are no restrictions on Kristall trading, the poor will wind up freezing to death if we let the rich buy as much as they want. That's clearly unfair.

Looks like we'll need to arrange an investigation into the Iskra Manufacturing Plant as soon as possible.

I never knew you kept up with current affairs beyond the theater, Miss Vodyanitsa. You really have a heart for the common person.

Most fae in your position have long been indifferent to the plight of humans.

Well, those of us who choose to live in human cities are naturally going to pay attention to any significant upheaval. Isn't The Rooster a fae himself?

I'm just surprised to learn that even someone with as much experience as him is getting so stressed out over Project Stuzha. What is the end goal of this project, anyway...

(This is it... We're finally going there...)

I'm sure Mitya can sense on some level that she's fishing for information. But since their conversation is so relaxed, he might just let something slip.

*sigh* It's stressing me out, too. If I'd only made better progress with my research, things wouldn't have dragged on this long.

Oh, so your work is related to Project Stuzha?

That's right. The Armory Palace needs a brand-new energy source — not the power of the Light Realm, and not elemental energy.

Right now, the only thing that meets the requirements is the power contained within Stellar Linchpins.

But harnessing that power is costly. Each step of the process requires enormous amounts of Kresnik Kristall, from extraction to quantification, to attempts at conversion.

Progress has been painfully slow, and the team is getting burned out as time goes by. Sometimes I see people staring into space, as if in a trance...

Could it be that this new energy source has side effects?

No, no. It doesn't affect us, because the energy is used for—

Argh... Okay, okay, I got it! Stop choking me... Ahem... Sorry. I can't talk about that.

I think we're all just... exhausted. We've been working ourselves to the bone for so long, with so little progress to show for it. It's no wonder people are struggling to stay motivated.

...Seems like I owe you an apology. I shouldn't have gotten so mad at you for not paying attention during the show.

Haha, don't worry about it. I count myself lucky, to be honest. I don't envy the people who work closely with the Tsaritsa herself — I'd much rather be in my current position. At least I don't have to shoulder any major responsibilities.

So they're trying to develop a completely new kind of energy...

It's a shame we didn't get to hear more.

Yeah. Censored by his scarf. Who would've thought...

Oh dear, it looks like my time is up. I'm afraid I have to leave.

So sorry, we ended up barely talking about the theater...

That's okay. It was a pleasure chatting with you, really.

Let's make up for it next time. Hmm... Yeah, hopefully once the work pressure eases up a little, I'll be able to focus more on the performance, and then we'll have more to discuss.

We touched on some confidential issues today... I'd be grateful if you could keep it between us.

That could have gone worse.

Nice job. Why was Mitya in such a hurry to leave, though?

Sorry, routine inspection.

Is that... Valeriy?

...

Okay. Let's go.

So he wasn't rushing to get back to work... He must have calculated that Valeriy would find him here in exactly twenty-five minutes. That's frighteningly accurate...

One of the main duties of the Special Assignments Battalion is to ensure that important figures stick to their schedules.

Sounds like Mitya's archenemy, then.

Alright, time for us to get going too. Excuse me, check please.

We'll settle our check too, then.

Hello there. Mr. Mitya paid the check before leaving.

He also asked me to pass on a message. He said it was an honor to share his tea break with Miss Vodyanitsa and her two friends.

Wait...

(So he knew we were here all along? Hmm, this raises a lot of questions... Did he deliberately mention the new energy source so that we'd overhear it?)

(Maybe his work isn't confidential after all — maybe the key here is the purpose of this new energy... I guess that's the next thing to look into.)

(Hmm... Vodyanitsa and Alyosha have left. Time to head back and call it a day.)

You're back! You're pretty early today.

How are you feeling?

Paimon was just gonna mention that! After she woke up today, Paimon felt like her temperature was completely back to normal, but her strength still hasn't returned...

Still, there's some good news. Paimon thinks she might've figured out the source of the problem.

It's like there's... some kind of mysterious power affecting Paimon. Paimon's never felt this way before during any of her travels.

She only started feeling this way since we arrived in Snezhnaya...

Some kind of mysterious power, you say...?

That's right. The Armory Palace needs a brand-new energy source.

(Could that have something to do with this?)

What is it? You're making that face again. Y'know, the one you get whenever you have a lightbulb moment.

Let me tell you what I found out today.

...So, they're trying to develop a new energy source here... And you think that might be why Paimon's feeling unwell?

Yes.

Hmm. Well, Mitya denied that the energy they're researching has any side effects — although he did say that people working on the project have been having issues with their concentration and short-term memory...

But even so, those are completely different symptoms from Paimon's.

It's pretty faint, so it's kinda hard to tell... But if anything, it seems like it's coming from roughly the same direction as the Armory Palace.

All the more reason to find out the purpose of their research.

Sure, Paimon's with you there. But how, though? The Rokot only has a limited amount of intel...

Oh, great point! They argue about Project Stuzha every day. If we could sit in on one of their sessions, we might pick up some new leads.

Okay. I need to write a letter to Alyosha.

Good idea. Oh yeah — while you were out, Paimon tried all the yummiest-looking desserts in the Podvorye Restaurant.

This one seemed right up your alley, so Paimon saved some for you! Come try it once you've finished writing your letter.

Ah, Miss Vodyanitsa, prima donna of the Korolevskiy Troupe! What a surprise, meeting you here. Will you be sitting in on a session of the Veche?

Sorry, I'm not taking interviews today...

Oh good, you're here. The session's about to begin — let's get inside.

Please wait, Miss Vodyanitsa...! Could you introduce me to your new friend?

In summary, the energy management commitments made for the outgoing period have been delivered upon. Furthermore, both the production and consumption of Kresnik Kristall show clear signs of stabilizing.

The relevant agencies have assessed the present circumstances and determined that the status quo can be sustained until the next period. For detailed statistics, I would refer you to the industry reports that have been distributed to all persons present.

It should also be noted that while the recent blizzards have led to a significant increase in people's energy expenses, this is strictly a short-term phenomenon associated with a remotely located monster.

Her Majesty the Tsaritsa is giving her full attention to this matter. We should have every confidence that it will be dealt with swiftly and conclusively.

A financial report on disaster relief is also present in this report, courtesy of Pantalone.

Why does it keep getting noisier in here?

*sigh* They cover the same old ground every single time. The Rooster never seems to mind, but everyone else is getting tired of it.

There's a general lack of trust. People aren't seeing any tangible benefits that affect them directly. Of course, none of that will be reflected in any of the reports on the table.

Yeah, if it weren't for these hard-copy documents, I could've at least made something up...

Don't mind me, I'm just out here trying to hit my interview quotas. "Bring Out the Kvass!" Ever read it? Best-selling newspaper in town.

If I remember correctly, you guys don't even have a sales permit... You have to sell from stalls on the street...

Okay then, "best-selling street stall newspaper in town." Still counts!

Order.

We will now open the floor to the representatives. If there are no further substantive issues to discuss, we will then proceed to a vote on this motion.

Snezhnaya has a long tradition of treating members of the Fatui armed forces and their dependents favorably.

But recent survey shows that Fatui families in remote areas have access to 15% less Kristall than the average civilian family in Snezhnograd.

It's been said many times before, but it bears repeating now: There needs to be a clear and consistent rationale behind how Kristall is allocated, or we will soon face immense public backlash.

Perhaps you wouldn't need to keep repeating yourself if you would hear me out for once... I say again, true consistency exists only in principle. In the real world, fairness is relative.

You appear to treat resource allocation as a simple function of production and population. So what about when the equipment used in production breaks down? Have you factored that into your equation?

And do you even know how long it's been since Snezhnaya last conducted a census?

If I knew the answers to questions like that, I'm sure I'd be a very wealthy man — and I doubt I'd be going by "Childe."

I'd like to bring the focus back to the specific issue I raised. Or do you wish to deny that favorable treatment for Fatui dependents is our longstanding policy?

Ah, it's easy to be a critic when there's no accountability. That seems to be a running theme in the anti-Project Stuzha cohort.

Defeat the ringleader, and all other problems will magically resolve themselves. That's what they seem to think.

But in case you aren't aware, not one jot in my report would change, whether Project Stuzha continues or not.

So you have no intention whatsoever of finding a solution to this problem?

On the contrary, I'm the only one here who ever brings solutions.

Childe opened by speaking up for the armed forces. Regrator struck back with style, and a war of words ensued!

Our reporter was live on the scene to get the audience's reaction as it all unfolded: Who do you support?

The people have spoken! Childe received raucous applause from the crowd as he pushed Regrator onto his back foot with a relentless barrage of questions. It had to be seen to be believed.

Now you see why they don't have a sales permit.

Hmm...

(However this reporter wants to spin things, I haven't forgotten that Tartaglia was representing the Northland Bank when we first met in Liyue.)

(So surely their relationship can't always have been this strained...)

You two are getting off-topic. Let's focus on what the data is saying.

Mr. Pantalone, may I speak on your behalf?

Oh, please do. I'm more than happy to save my breath.

Kristall distribution policy undergoes modifications with each new period, the ultimate goal being to find the most reasonable method of allocation, which I believe is what Mr. Tartaglia also seeks.

But I fear many may have been misled on this topic by extremist activists. To clarify, Project Stuzha is not the root cause of the problem. It is merely a framework for resource distribution.

The most recent reports all point to Snezhnaya's resilience and adaptability during this period of fine-tuning, and give clear indications that the distribution framework is improving with each iteration.

To make drastic adjustments without first considering the risks would likely do more harm than good. It would be a waste of the hard-won experience we've gained to date.

Renowned scholar of finance, Arapov spoke up to clarify the fiscal logic, clearly alluding to social organizations like the Rokot in his words.

With the notorious Lelek still active to this day, should the Rokot be held responsible? No, there is someone else to blame!

She's just rephrasing what Mr. Pantalone said. The Rokot are the critics he accuses of taking no responsibility for their actions.

As for Lelek... You won't have heard of him yet. He's currently the most famous member of the Rokot... Well, more like infamous.

Ending Project Stuzha has become an obsession for him. Unlike the more decent ones among us, he believes that votes in the Veche are all that matter.

So whether it's threats, coercion, or bribery, he'll use whatever means necessary to get people to change their vote.

Wow. There's more to the Rokot than I thought...

And since we're already on the subject, what do you think of Lelek's methods? Are you for or against?

Yes, don't we all! Lelek's supporters grow in number by the day. We stand with Lelek!

At least someone here wants to take this discussion seriously. I've been considering that issue myself — what you really need is more precise regional data, right?

I think it would be easiest to let the Fatui handle it. Since they're already in charge of Kristall shipments anyway, we may as well get them to collect some data while they're at it.

Whatever you need, you can ask the Fatui to look into it for you. In terms of supervision, I think the Druzhna would be a good fit. I had hoped to discuss this with Miss Vesna, but sadly she's not present.

I will be happy to take a note of your suggestions and present them to Commander Vesna for a decision upon her return.

The Commander has always taken a keen interest in Project Stuzha. However, given the Druzhna's demanding workload, I'm afraid it may prove difficult for them to provide any practical support.

Let us refrain from jumping to conclusions until a concrete and actionable plan is in place.

My apologies, Lord Rooster.

There are numerous issues to address here, including manpower, time-sensitivity, and reporting lines.

Nevertheless, I support drafting a proposal. Follow the usual procedure, and it can be raised as a new motion for all parties to evaluate at the appropriate time.

In that case, I'd like to share one thought before the proposal is drafted. The issue of time-sensitivity was raised just now, which I presume relates to the official reports.

In fact, the Energy Commission already collects regular statistics on each urban center and its surrounding area. Would these be of any use?

That's a good idea. I read every issue of Svetloledovka's report, and although my focus is mostly on the section about equipment operation, the energy consumption statistics also yield a lot of insights.

Be that as it may, does no one see an issue with using local data to determine Kristall quotas? In the long-term, it seems like a very risky solution...

Not if they are used purely for reference. So long as we have the report from the Northland Bank's headquarters to corroborate it, no one will be able to fool me.

Very well then. It appears that this arrangement is acceptable to all parties.

Yeah, sounds good to me.

The members reached a provisional consensus on the issue of improving treatment for Fatui soldiers... *yawn*

(You notice the reporter jot down a few words before suddenly crossing everything out and starting a fresh paragraph...)

Today, the prima donna of the Korolevskiy Troupe attended a session of the Snezhnograd Veche in the company of a dashing young man. The question on all of our minds is: What is the true nature of their relationship?

Write anything like that again and I'm revoking your permission to interview the troupe, got it?

Now then, if there are no further contributions from those present, we shall proceed to the final vote.

Hey, check it out!

Is that... Chugunov?

What made him vote against? Why now...?

The votes have been tallied. Those in favor of continuing Project Stuzha total sixty-one percent, securing a clear majority.

(That was too close... The margin has shrunk yet again. Chugunov was a huge loss...)

(I'll bet Lelek is behind this... I wonder how Pulcinella will respond this time.)

(Chugunov... I see. Lelek strikes again.)

(Yes, go Lelek! Once Project Stuzha is defeated, our unwavering support at "Bring Out the Kvass!" will finally pay off when we make our comeback! Haha, I can taste our victory already!)

In accordance with the result of this vote, Project Stuzha will remain in effect until the next Veche period. Finally, may I remind us all:

"We debate only for the greater glory and solidarity of our nation. May the aurora shine ever on and the tundra always stand firm."

The session is concluded.

I have to say, I really wasn't expecting Chugunov to vote against Project Stuzha.

Why? What's so strange about that?

Well, in principle, Snezhnaya's business and political elites ought to be the ones least likely to oppose it.

As we heard, Project Stuzha is basically just a resource distribution framework that requires everyone to cut back during the winter.

But even if the policy got canceled, the Tsaritsa's energy needs wouldn't suddenly go down. The extra demand from the public would have to be filled from somewhere, so logically, the factories would have to take the hit.

This explains a lot...

I got a letter from Mr. Mitya just before today's session. He said he's confirmed that there are issues around overtime and excessive energy consumption at the Iskra Manufacturing Plant.

In a situation like this, once The Rooster receives the report, he'll order the factory to halt production and submit to an investigation, before issuing a penalty.

But that's a week-long process, and thus didn't make it onto the Veche agenda this time. I don't think he suspects anything so far.

Got it, so for him it's a choice between reducing production and stopping entirely...

Exactly. And as you know, he's a very selfish person.

I was originally gonna try and flip him after he received notice of the official sanctions. My plan was to convince him that the whole thing was completely unfair.

Rather than just sit back and take the hit while his factory stopped production, he'd be better off voting to end Project Stuzha. At least that way, no one else would be able to make any money either, because all the factories would suddenly have more limited energy to work with.

But now, he's already voted against it... which means, someone must've used more forceful means to change his vote. Just like with everyone else who flipped.

You mean, Lelek?

Yeah. No one knows why Lelek is so obsessed with ending Project Stuzha, but by the looks of it, he's inching closer and closer to success.

(Lelek must have strong motivations, given how he'll stop at nothing to achieve his goal. Maybe he knows the full truth of Project Stuzha.)

(Maybe my next step should be to focus on him.)

Alright, what're your plans for the rest of the day? Shall we head out?

Hey, comrade. I noticed you were here during the debate.

I didn't take you for a political enthusiast.

Greetings, Harbingers. I just happened to have some free time today, and my new friend here thought it might be fun to check out the Veche.

Ah, Odette must've introduced you. Haha, looks like you two are getting along pretty well.

I'll leave you to catch up. I should head back to the troupe.

Sure. Break a leg, and all that.

"Thought it might be fun to check out the Veche," did you? Heh, things are never that simple with you, Traveler. There's no way you're here for kicks and giggles. Tell me I'm wrong.

Oh, yeah. To some, he's a captivating enigma. To others, he's the bane of their existence.

No one ever thought that some anonymous nobody from the Rokot could cause such a stir.

Huh? You want to look into Lelek? Haha, then I'm sure his days of anonymity are numbered. What do you think, Sandrone?

Fine by me, I guess. If Traveler actually manages to expose Lelek, it'll be doing Pulcinella a favor.

In return, it seems fair to let him in on what we've learned so far.

My thoughts exactly. Sharing is caring, after all.

Head back to Glupov and grab the files on Lelek. It's easier to just pull the records than go through the rigmarole of getting the Traveler a visitor's permit.

As you command, Childe, Sir.

In that case, since we're going to be waiting anyway, I'll have someone brew a pot of black tea.

One common thread among the many incidents Lelek has been involved in is that the victims are all too scared to share any real information about him. Clearly, he must have threatened them in some way.

His modus operandi is to silently infiltrate the scene and leave a threatening letter behind. But neither the letters nor the crime scenes ever yield any clues to his identity.

So all these files have to offer are short statements by the people affected. They don't give us a lot to go on.

If nothing else, it shows we're dealing with a trained professional who's versed in counter-surveillance.

Yes, and to that point, he often strikes in highly secure locations. The victims are high-ranking and influential people who take their personal security very seriously.

Somehow, Lelek slips right into their rooms without making a sound. There's never any eye-witnesses, nor the slightest trace of a break-in.

If he can get in and out undetected, it means he can strike without warning... Not that that's ever happened so far. But the thought is enough to scare these people sleepless.

It's hard to believe that a human being could pull this off flawlessly every time, so they switched the focus of the investigation to fae. Unfortunately, no one's found anything yet.

Are you saying even you couldn't pull it off?

Careful — don't underestimate me... Heh, although truth be told, I'd probably find it hard not to blow my cover. Direct confrontation is more my style.

We haven't ruled out the possibility of Lelek being human. It's just, there can only be a handful of people in all of Teyvat who'd fit the profile. Fae, on the other hand — plenty would have the ability, but few would have the motive...

No, no, not as strong as me — you'll never find the culprit with criteria like that. Let's go with... "a little weaker than me."

Argh, you hit me right where it hurts... I'll admit, he's strong and meticulous. But can we at least limit this to candidates who have something to do with Snezhnaya?

He's just trying to find a reference point. Stop getting fixated on who's stronger than who.

But that's the most important thing! In my opinion, anyway.

Alright, alright, let's take it down a notch or two.

Odette? Yeah, that seems about right. Her skills are solid, and she's always calm under pressure.

Except she's Fatui, so the likelihood of her working against us is pretty low... But yeah, much more accurate than your previous example, at least.

...No, wait a moment. Maybe we should interrogate that assumption.

What do you mean? Which assumption?

Her Fatui identity doesn't necessarily exonerate her. And when you think about it, the Rokot would be precisely what she needs to conceal her identity.

Hmm... plus, she wouldn't need to be such a pro at covering her tracks. She'd already know where the Fatui will be and when, so she could choose the perfect time to act...

Yikes. I was just thinking out loud... Why is this starting to sound like such a convincing theory?

Still... What reason could Odette possibly have for trying to call off Project Stuzha?

Arlecchino would be the best person to ask — she knows Odette best. Unfortunately, she isn't back yet.

Arlecchino?

Rosalyne used to open up to her in private about her struggles with Odette.

As I'm sure you can imagine, Arlecchino is quite a lot better with children than Rosalyne was.

She gave her some tips on how to handle the situation, and Rosalyne managed to reach a settlement with Odette before leaving. So I suppose there were at least no lifelong regrets left behind.

Beyond that, I don't know the details about that side of things. But I do know that Odette definitely has a motive to hold a grudge against Project Stuzha.

The reason being, her father passed away during the early stages of the project.

That was back before it'd been named Project Stuzha, when things were still being worked out. But in essence, it's remained the same ever since.

Huh, the more you know... Rosalyne was always so self-centered. I never understood why she started paying so much attention to Odette.

Oh, even you didn't know about this?

Hah, is that such a surprise? If you cast your mind back, you may remember that Rosalyne and I weren't exactly close... We had tea together a few times, but that was about it.

Odette's past is no secret. Her father was a Fatuus, and her mother was a very famous ballerina.

On the surface, it looks like she followed right in her parents' footsteps... But the truth is quite a different story.

After her father passed away on a mission, her mother was overcome with grief. She broke her leg during a performance and could never dance again.

Odette was only interested in ballet at the time, but this tragedy left the family with both breadwinners gone. They could barely make ends meet...

Per Capitano's policy, family members of Fatui who died in the line of duty had to be appropriately accommodated and provided with adequate assistance.

So, regardless of how Rosalyne may have felt about it, it fell to her to resolve the issue of Odette's family's livelihood. In the end, the solution they agreed upon was to have Odette join the Fatui.

Right, because the alternative would have been a one-off compensation payment, I guess? In that sense, joining up was definitely the better option.

Still... She must have had mixed feelings about it, right? If she doesn't even like the Fatui...

It's just a theory. A possibility. But as a motive for Odette to become Lelek, it holds up.

That said, I have no idea where Odette's head is at right now, or what her conflict with Rosalyne was about.

Plenty of people were on bad terms with Rosalyne. I have no intention of trying to figure it all out.

So Signora actually wanted to mend her relationship with Odette...

Yes, but there's not much point in discussing that now.

Yeah, back to Lelek. Since our investigations so far have turned up next to nothing, we've got nothing to lose by trying a new angle.

Funnily enough, Tonia and I had actually made plans to go to the theater tomorrow to watch Odette's rehearsal. Unfortunately, thanks to this Lelek situation, I'll be stuck working overtime again.

Which means you can go in my place. No point wasting the ticket, plus you'll get to meet Tonia.

What's the rehearsal for?

"Spirit Seeker," quite the classic ballet. It was passed down through Odette's mother's family for generations, though it hasn't been performed in years.

But Odette's been practicing it diligently, and it's finally ready for a return to the stage. Excitement is through the roof. Tickets for the official performance sold out long ago.

Tonia's excited for it too. She's desperate to see it, no matter what. Personally, it's not really my kind of thing, but since she's my little sister, I had to figure something out.

I've actually seen it several times before. The story's pretty straightforward: The lead character follows a trail of clues left behind by a spirit, gradually recovering her memories along the way.

It's a tale of love and regret — so not exactly reinventing the wheel, at least by today's standards...

But when that classic melody kicks in and the lead character begins to dance, it always gets me. It really is beautiful.

Not an easy dance to do justice to, though. I know it's always been Odette's dream to perform this piece, but I'm not sure she's really ready.

...In that case, I think that even if she is Lelek, we should wait until her performance is over before we respond.

I'll let you take it from here, comrade.

Sounds like you made a ton of progress today! Hehe, it's good that everything's going so smoothly.

Next step is to head back to the theater and get a clear answer from Odette.

Either way, Paimon doesn't get the sense that she's a bad person. Sure, she might have done some pretty extreme things, but Paimon bets she has her reasons.

Maybe this is going too far, but like... With everything she's managed to do so far, wouldn't it make more sense in theory to be even more... y'know, heavy-handed?

Why leave a letter when she could... um... well, we know there are plenty of other ways to keep people in line, right? The point is, she could've gone further, but she didn't.

So if it is her, she's got some principles, at least.

I want to believe in her, too.

Yeah... Well, all you can do is follow the facts wherever they lead.

How are you feeling today?

No change, really. But that thing Paimon told you about yesterday... Paimon feels like she can sense it more clearly now.

*sigh* Hearing you talk about your day makes Paimon itch for an adventure! If only she could be there with you so we could experience it all together...

Yeah, I wish you could be there too. I'm not used to adventuring alone. But don't worry, we'll get to the bottom of this.

Hehe, guess it's just one of those things. Never mind — Paimon will behave herself and keep resting!

(If Odette is Lelek, she may well have inside information on Project Stuzha...)

(Her father was involved with the project's early implementation and tragically died in the process. Now, she's dedicated herself to bringing it to an end...)

(It's hard to imagine she could have gotten this far without knowing anything at all about the Tsaritsa's true intentions.)

(When she spoke to us as a member of the Fatui... how much did she let on, and how much was she hiding?)

(...Only time will tell. Maybe tomorrow, everything will be answered.)

Hey look, it's snowing... Could be a tough day ahead. Make sure you wrap up warm tomorrow!