"Is it really as complicated as Rosalind said?"
In the Goethe Hotel, Childe took off his fool executive uniform. He happened to be here at this time, in the box upstairs.
Childe carefully recalled the conversation he had with Rosalind.
Anime and magical props—these things really intrigued him.
At first, he was supposed to return and investigate the information about the individual known as Takumi. But after leaving Mondstadt's headquarters, he took off his disguise.
Then, under the name of Childe, he requested a common room at the Goethe Hotel.
Suddenly, a black figure appeared beside Childe.
A masked debt handler stood before him.
"My lord," the handler said. "Did I get what I wanted?"
"Yes," Childe replied, his tone serious. "Tell me everything you know about Mond recently, including what Rosalind encountered and the situation with Anna."
"Yes, my lord."
The Fools' Debt Handler was one of Childe's most trusted subordinates. Though he was a debt collector, his intelligence work was impeccable.
"Also, don't reveal that I'm still in Mond. I don't want Rosalind to know," Childe added.
"Yes, my lord."
With a swift motion, the debt handler disappeared from the scene.
Childe watched him leave before hesitating for a moment. Then, he descended the stairs.
For Childe, the young master of the Fools, Takumi was a friend, a warm companion, and Mr. Zhong's pocketbook. But he was also a ruthless killer.
The same friend who rescued you from the Qianyan Army one moment could be the same one who released the Vortex Demon God the next.
It was only in the dead of night that Childe removed his disguise. Perhaps then, he thought, was when the real him showed.
Childe stepped out of the Goethe Hotel and glanced at the mysterious anime shop in the distance. As usual, Takumi's business was thriving. There was a long line outside, and adventurers gathered, exchanging tales of their exploits. Even a few bards entered under the hospitality of Venti.
Was this small shop really as mysterious as the lady said?
As one of the executive officers of the Winter Kingdom, Childe was young, but already very sophisticated in his dealings. That's why he took off his disguise and approached this boss directly to investigate him further.
He was curious—what lay behind this enigmatic individual?
Just as Childe was about to leave, the debt handler reappeared by his side.
"My lord!" the handler exclaimed, holding up several newly acquired intelligence reports. "The information has been collected!"
The handler quickly relayed the findings.
"My lord, according to the intelligence reports, this Boss Takumi is a businessman from Liyue. He arrived here nearly half a year ago. The first significant event after his arrival was that the Scout Knight Amber gained the ability to clone herself, which caused quite a stir in Mondstadt."
The handler continued to detail everything he had gathered.
"The latest hot topic is that Spark Knight Klee obtained something called a digital egg, and single-handedly defeated a level 60 Frozen Tree to complete an A-level commission. This matter has been widely discussed throughout the city."
Childe's face grew serious as he read the materials. Was this the city that Rosalind was in charge of?
It seemed that Rosalind had not reported everything to the Queen. And now, she had called him over, most likely in relation to these events.
Childe was shocked after reading the documents.
They contained records of several strategic attack weapons, all of which were beyond his understanding! There were mentions of Teigu, Digimon, and various magical phenomena, all of which were highly concerning.
But there was one piece of information that stood out: Boss Takumi was a merchant from Liyue. Aside from that, there was nothing else.
Childe thought deeply. He was one of the Fools, known for his sharp vision, but even he could not fully understand the situation.
This Takumi—could he really be just a simple merchant from Liyue?
There was no such thing as "no smoke without fire."
Although Boss Takumi had few records, he had already stirred up significant change in Mondstadt. Was he a common man?
No, Childe didn't think so.
How could a common man have such an impact in Mondstadt? The more Childe thought about it, the less convinced he was that this Boss Takumi was just an ordinary merchant.
Everything seemed to revolve around him—whether it was the knights or adventurers, they all seemed to be involved with Takumi in some way. It all seemed too strange.
The cleaner the place, the more unusual things occurred.
Jean, the acting head of the Knights of Favonius, had visited this small shop many times and even invited the entire Knights to watch an anime. And outside the shop, there were even members of the Knights stationed.
This was highly unusual.
Also, the Teigu in the hands of Scout Knight Amber wasn't something trivial—it allowed her to strike from a distance with a power akin to that of a god.
When Childe learned that the Wave Knight, Eula, had also obtained a Teigu with the power of a god, his pupils shrank in shock.
After reading the report, Childe knew he had to investigate this further.
He needed to see for himself. Who was this Boss Takumi?
Could someone who could bestow divine power be just a simple Liyue merchant? No, Childe didn't believe it for a second.
"It seems I'll have to visit this small shop myself," he muttered.