Unique Archon Meets Unique Scholar

"Mori~... Is the Traveler here yet?" Furina asked for the nth time.

"No. She is still... in Sumeru." A silver-haired man answered robotically.

"Why is the traveler not here yet~?" The Archon grumbled as she yawned in her seat.

"Why do you think, Lady Furina?"

"Don't answer my question with another one!" She stated in annoyance.

"Hmm... I wonder why she is not here yet." Mori replied sarcastically.

"You! Ughhhh..." Furina stopped paying attention to him and looked down instead, her gaze onto the stage.

It has been a few weeks, and the rumors during the incident when Lady Furina visited the Chief Justice are slowly dying down.

Another thing slowly dying down is Furina's patience.

"Is there really nothing interesting about to happen for this entire week? What a waste." The archon slumped down on her seat, uninterested in the performance happening below.

"There are interesting things, whether it be cases or performances. I simply believe that it won't fit your taste." Mori informed.

"Mori, do something about this... Being genuine or not doesn't matter to me anymore. Just do something. " She pleaded.

"Isn't it your job as Fontaine's Archon to make things interesting? Your people would be disappointed if they see you right now." He sighed , and implied the barrier that had been created for this situation.

"..." Furina mourned the situation in silence.

"Hey, Mori. Do you remember when we first met?" She tried to start an interesting conversation in her eyes.

"No, I do not. If you plan to start reminiscing then please don't drag me into it." Mori said with an uninterested face and left.

"That guy... He was respectful at first too..."

***

(Flashback - Furina's POV)

"Rejoice, my beloved citizen! For I have come to receive your summons~." I announced my arrival to the silver-haired man in the room.

'He must've waited far too long for this chance. Oh, poor, pitiful citizen of mine~... I must give him my best, just like with the others.' I thought as I scanned the mysterious man, slowly yet gracefully walking to my seat.

"Thank you for your time, Lady Furina. This one's name is Mori, simply Mori. I am nothing but a scholar wandering the lands of Teyvat." The man named Mori introduced himself to me with a respectful attitude that I like.

"And pray tell, what may a wandering scholar want with me, The God of Justice?" I asked with my usual extravaganza.

"I have come to repay you for your blessing, oh Archon." He said, then revealed a familiar device to me. A hydro vision.

"This device had saved my life once during my travels. If not for it, I won't even have the chance to reach Fontaine." Mori added, then bowed.

'I see... But the jurisdiction of visions is not an authority of us Archons. Telling him that... would simply be a waste~.' I chuckled silently.

"What a wonderful follower you are~. In response to your integrity, I, Focalor, The Hydro Archon, have used my wits and knowledge to devise the most suitable way for you to repay me." I stood up proudly, showing my beloved citizen my magnificent self.

"If it is something I can do, then I shall." He replied so seriously that I was taken aback for a second.

"A-Alright. I am in need of talented people to be my eyes in every location of Teyvat. For starters, you can remain in Fontaine." Mori nodded to my demand.

"Do your job well, and you can consider your debt to me, fully paid~." I stated and laughed cheerfully.

***

(Present - Furina's POV)

"That was how it went and how it continued at first... How could I have expected that he's talented enough to reach the highest rank of this organization I made, The Spy Master aka My Attendant in only half a year?!" I groaned in her seat.

Opera Epiclese had already closed today. So once again, I was the only one left in the huge building.

'It remained normal for a few months even after Mori reached the highest rank. And then that happened... Ugh, Unbelievable!'

***

(Flashback - Furina's POV)

I can't fathom why, but I've been on edge these last few days. I mean, I understand why, but it shouldn't be enough to make me unable to sleep last night because of nervousness.

"Lady Furina, are you sure you're fine? You haven't even touched your cup of tea and it's been twenty minutes. Is this thing you want to inform me about that nerve-racking?" Mori asked with his usual calm look.

"Hmm? N-No no, it's not like that."

'What am I doing?! I'm the one who borrowed this place (With Neuvilette's help), invited him to this private room (Albeit, with some stuttering), and the one who wanted to talk to him in private (This one is true)! There's no time to hesitate now!' I resolved myself, although with complex feelings.

...

I took a deep breath, and then.

"T-The Vision. (Ugh! What am I doing?!)" I stuttered, and yes, I'm ashamed.

"What's this about a Vision?" He replied normally (How dare he!).

"I mean your Vision!"

"Yes? What about it?" Mori questioned, clueless about the matter.

"It wasn't me..." I whispered, really, really embarrassed about it.

"What?" He tilted his head, seemingly not understanding (This guy!).

"I-I wasn'ttheonewhogaveyouthatokay?!!!" I admitted.

'Ugh! I feel like a child who's deepest secret had been exposed...' I held my head in shame.

...

"What about it?" Mori replied calmly.

"Huh?!" Now that I look at him more clearly... Even though he is calm as usual, his mouth is slightly turned upward.

'He's smirking!!!' I realized it immediately.

"You knew?!" I asked for confirmation.

"Of course I did."

"Then why?" I stated, unsure.

"Why what?"

"Answer me properly! Why are you still working like normal?! Why are you still serving me like normal?! W-Why are you still here?!!!" I shouted at him, frustrated.

"Did you already forget? I'm paying my debts, of course." He answered calmly, which only infuriated me further.

"I was not the one who gave you that vision! What debts are you-"

"The Archons doesn't bless people with visions. I'm paying the price of having that knowledge." Mori cut me off.

"What?!" Now, it's my turn to be confused.

"We've known each other for almost a year now. So you should know by now that being really cautious is one of my main personalities. How can I be sure of my safety after receiving such knowledge?" He explained with an amused expression.

"...So you remained by my side for protection?"

"That is one of my reasons, yes." My attendant nodded.

"What about the other reasons?"

"I'd prefer to keep that to myself." Mori snarkily remarked.

...

"Go to hell." I immediately trapped him inside a water cage. I'm not in any way or form mad at all.

He struggled to keep his breath as he tried to tell me something, but no words came out of the water.

After a few more seconds, he gave me peace signs which I ignored. But after a while...

"Huh?" I uttered, confused at what had happened. He suddenly disappeared from the water.

"What are you, a kid?! No, even a kid won't drown someone because they're really embarrassed due to something they started in the first place!" Mori appeared outside the water cage and berated me.

"I like you better this way. Now stand still." I laughed out loud as I reached out to him once again.

"Hmph!"

"Wha?" I was flabbergasted. He deflected my attempts to trap him once more using his vision.

"Just according to my calculations."

"Cool yourself- I guess that won't work. Calm your waters. Peace." Mori hurriedly left the place.

Aided with his hydro vision, he was too slippy for me to catch. Though only because I was surprised by his mastery of the vision, even if it's mainly used for escaping.

"So that was what he meant by the peace sign..." I sighed, and calmed my waters like he said.

'He's not resigning, is he?... It's gonna be really annoying to find a replacement. And... nevermind.'

***

(Present - Furina's POV)

'Thinking back on it now... Nuevillette was right that there's no reason for me to worry. Both when he told me before I talked to Mori, and after I did.'

"Done with your daydreaming, Furina?" I heard a familiar voice.

"Hmph! It's already been dark outside long ago, Mori." I rebutted with sarcasm.

"Then I should've waited until morning. You seemed fully engrossed to your dream anyway."

We talked, in our own way, for a few more minutes before he left after handing me the report for this week.

After checking it for a bit, I noticed that the last two pages are different as usual.