"I have to go now. Take care of your mother and Ivan. I trust you, you're the man of the house now."
It was the word that General Tsarivich said to Alexy before he was taken inside a military vehicle and left.
(This time, it's messed up real big!) Alexy sighed.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Tsarivich was taking care of Ivan. She was worried sick about him when he was kidnapped. Now she had to worry about her husband, but she tried to hide it to cook delicious food for her sons.
"What are you doing?" Alexy asked when he went into the dining room and saw Ivan playing with something very weird while waiting for the food.
"It's the Shard of Foul Legacy." Ivan answered.
"What!?"
"Um...I don't know either...but that Toy Salesman said it was a toy, but he did not say how to play it. I'm still trying to figure it out."
"It's Childe's." Alexy heard Paimon's voice.
"Ivan, can you give that to me? Your Big Brother is gonna find that Toy Salesman and ask him how to play with it."
"Can you find him?" Ivan lowered his voice "Because he was the mysterious one who brought me home."
"Of course, your brother is super awesome!"
"If so, I want to keep this, you can go call him here to teach me."
"..."
===
Inside the system's dimension
"Why the **** did you go near the Griffin Palace, Kaeya? It's because of your action that resulted in so many messy things right now!" Alexy immediately confronted the Cavalry Captain of the Knight of Favonius.
"Don't think you could get away because we were so busy with many things?" Paimon added.
"Ahahaha...don't be so mad. I was just out to learn about the architecture of your country, dear Supreme Leader of the Fatui, Freedom Protector of Mondstadt,..."
"Stop right there! I don't want to hear that list of titles again ever in my life!"
"As you wish, Supreme Leader of..."
CLANG
Alexy took out his Dull Blade and made a vertical slash from the top at Kaeya. But the Knight blocked it with his Harbinger of Dawn. Paimon immediately flied to between the mediate them.
"Woah, why the sudden rage...?"
Kaeya's face showed his shock. Alexy's eyes showed coldness. They were like the eyes of a god looking down upon an insolent creature.
Paimon could not hide her shock either.
"...Sorry, I suddenly had the urge to strike you...and before I knew it, I already took out the sword..."
"Huh..." Paimon was puzzled because of the sudden attitude change.
"Ahahaha...don't worry. How's about a little spar???" Kaeya quickly hid his shock.
"...Hey, are you trying to distract me???"
"Ahaha...no, of course not. A spar helps relieve frustration, you know?"
"What were you doing there?"
"...Alright...I confess. I was trying to spy the President of your country. As you already know from the ghost girl back at the school, the President has been President for at least 60, 70 years. That's impossible, unless he's not human, or an immortal human, or he has some secrets. He could be our enemy. It couldn't hurt to find out something about our potential enemy in advance."
"...Yeah, you're right."
"Can I carry on my espionage?"
"No...because you're already caught once. You'll be inside this dimension until I say otherwise. That's final!"
===
After the confronting Kaeya, Alexy followed Viktor to meet other Fatui members. Since he had used their money, he had to do the job. He was now wearing a Fatui uniform for male members, but with light gold replacing red on the uniform, indicating a higher rank. The mask he was using was also different, instead of the standard Fatui mask, it was more like a half-face black Venetian mask with Fatui symbol in light gold around his left eye, making his eye the center of the symbol. And of course, a black cape.
(When did they have the time to make these things?) Alexy wondered.
Alexy was standing on higher ground at some place that looked like the wild of Liyue. Paimon was floating on his right side, and Childe was standing on his left side. Viktor stood on the left side of Childe.
"All Fatui" Childe opened his mouth "Her Majesty the Tsaritsa has appointed a Supreme Leader for all the Fatui and he will act as Her Vicar. Her command is that we obey him as we obey Her."
Many of the Fatui standing on the lower ground were puzzled, some even dared to whisper to each other.
"What's happening?"
"Why's the sudden command?"
"And the from-Archon-know-where Supreme Leader!"
(Do something!) Alexy looked at Childe and Viktor.
"Ahem...listen here, you lot, if anyone dares to disobey or even doubt this command of Her Majesty the Tsaritsa, he will have to face the wrath of the 11 Fatui Harbingers, starting with me, the 11th of the 11 Fatui Harbingers." Childe announced.
"..." all Fatui shut their mouths up.
"It's your turn now, Supreme Leader comrade!" Childe whispered to Alexy's ear.
"Ahem..."
"..."
(Ah ****, what did my father usually say to his soldiers?)
"..."
(Ah, that's right! Dad used to rely much on his superiors' names. Let's try it!)
"Ahem...comrades, I know that you have some doubt regarding my appointment as the one in charge of all Fatui. But have do doubt in Her Majesty the Tsaritsa and her ability to understand people."
The Fatui nodded.
"And starting from now, I will do my best to prove myself to be an exemplary leader of the Fatui and worthy of the trust of Her Majesty the Tsaritsa. ALL HAIL HER MAJESTY THE TSARITSA!"
"ALL HAIL HER MAJESTY THE TSARITSA!" the Fatui said loudly.
"Now, for my very first act as the Supreme Leader of the Fatui,...I will send you to the...outside world. Your task is to live as normal citizen, learn everything about the outside world and report back to...Viktor, my secretary."
"WHAT!?" Viktor shouted.
"Ahem...Viktor will tell you what you would do later. Be mindful that you're our eyes and ears. Dismiss!"
---
"You did great. Even Paimon truly believed you're the Leader of the Fatui." Paimon said.
"Thanks Paimon!"
"You still have a long way to go, comrade! You'll get there eventually,..." Childe said.
"Why do I sense a 'but'?"
"But you have to train rigorously, be it fighting, social, economic or knowledge in mysticism and science, cooking, crafting, alchemy, oh and of course, fishing."
With each subject, Alexy's jaw dropped lower and lower. In the end, he fainted.
===
Upper floor of the system's dimension,
Tsaritsa seemed to be amused.
"Boy, My name is a priceless treasure which will open many doors for you within the Fatui. I will be mad if it's used carelessly."
***
AR: 8 (2825/4000 EXP)
Primogem count: ?
Mora count: ?