Chapter Text
“Care to explain this,” The regrator grimaces, fist clenching the crumpled sheet of paper “...transaction.”
Sandrone glares, neck clicking as she cranes her head back “like I said moneybags- I'm working.”
“Thats-” he sucks in a sharp breath, pinching the bridge of his nose “your malfunction just cashed almost 1.5 million mora, my mora to some schmuck in mondstat!"
“Pish posh” she mutters uninterested in his outburst “you agreed to the reward system-”
“Because no adventurer is even remotely skilled or frankly have the basic ability to compete in the ranking system we all created, there is no set precedent seen anywhere in our statistics that someone could reach a rank of 25” he hisses, waving the paper once more “let alone 57- 57! Sandrone”
She scoffs, motioning to Pulonia to move her to face the Pantalone “I regret to inform you banker but this Katheryne is not malfunctioning. You best remember who you're talking to.”
“Your machine must've been hacked then, if not broken then compromised” he slams his hands onto his desk, shoulders hunched as he sneers up at her, a cold emotionless expression meeting the burning stare
“No. She's working perfectly.” Her hand lifts, finger twitching as a screen flickers to life “this adventurers book- is filled out meticulously, correctly.”
Pantalone snatches the screen from her hands, a huff leaving her voicebox
“what- this is intelligible!” he bemoans
“exactly.” she concludes
Pantalone rolls his eyes “just, explain.*
“It seems, whoever has submitted their booklets, has been traversing all around Teyvat for almost 5 years by now, and yet here, it says it's only been registered this morning. While I would have immediately forced this Katheryne to enter her termination module, I also received several pings from across the adventurers guild system of a number of greetings to numerous Katheryne's” a shadow covers her face “none of which should be possible, each Katheryne is built with their own separate servers for memory. I suspect this person's entries are genuine, they just haven't happened yet.”
Pantalone stares at her for a moment
“You know, I never thought you insane but perhaps you should take up accepting a meeting with the doctor, he-” Pantalone yelps as a dagger is flung embedding into his desktop “you ingrate! This is high quality karmaphala wood!”
“this ‘Traveler’ is writing in an unknown language unseen in any native archive or dialect known to even us” Sandrone hisses “nevermind the fact that it is updating as we speak, the text is translating itself as it is occurring”
He looks back down to the screen, shipping back to the earliest entries, or rather the entries dated to the current date; watching as the screen indeed is morphing, words jumbling before settling in readable script
“it is as if, dear banker,” she settles “we have ourselves, ‘divinities prophet’”
Pantalone looked at her with a raised brow “right, so, insanity.”
Sandrone bristles “I am not- do not class me in the same group as that disgusting mass of flesh”
“mondstat,” he groans out ignoring Sandrone “mondstat, mondstat, mondstat… that’d be Signora's current target, yes?”
“it is” Sandrone makes an exasperated expression "you'd be stupid if you think you could get her to investigate this while she's focused on obtaining the gnosis, though”
“she wouldn't take requests from me either way-”
“as she should, if I had a choice, I wouldn't work with you either, ”
“-which is why I'll simply visit the nation myself.”
Sandrone stares at him blankly, gears twisting visibly as she sit up straighter in Pulonias hold “you- you have barely left Scneznayha as is, Regrator. and you suddenly decide you want to investigate, this person-”
“has fairly. earned. their rank rewards.” the sickly sweet words spoken through a strained grin “I simply wish to personally congratulate this adventurer and perhaps treat them to dinner for the achievement.”
“leave them alive.”
Pantalone barks out a laugh “I am not one to get my hands dirty Marionette, you know this.”
“I want to see what they do” she grits out “they could very well be-”
“I do not care if they are the prophet, they have my mora.”
“Would you stop? Interrupting me!” her voice box crackles with static “you insufferable coin piece, this is the first real sign we have been waiting for Millenia for”
“you know I'm not the religious one, ragdoll”
“Do not mistake me for the puppet-” a flash of danger flashes in her eyes, making Pantalone falter “I do not wish to abandon my post in Nod-krai for this, but I will.”
Pantalone gapes at her for a moment “that- that project has cost me- us hundreds of millions of mora. You will absolutely not abandon your post”
“So we have an agreement.” she seethes “good.”
“we are not-” Pantalone splutters, sharp coughs leaving his throat as he bring us a handkerchief to his mouth, angling away from Sandrone
“see to it you do treat The Traveler to dinner” she rests her head upon a closed fist, leaning back and gesturing for Pulonia to lead them out
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“Breathe in” he sucks in a slow long breath
“good, breathe out.” he exhales, spending an extra second to blink away the sprinkles of exhaustion from his vision
“Well, I can certainly say the night seems to favour you at this moment, Pantalone. There's no new symptoms and I'll be able to release you in the morning in time for your boat ride home.” There's an amused twinge to Baizhu's look as he unhooks the stethoscope from his neck, winding it up to place away into his desk. Pantalone can't help but feel relieved at the news, even knowing the extra long stay was going to be a detriment, both to his missed plans and personal account
“Thank you Doctor.” he murmurs, shrugging his robe back up over his shoulders, and running his hands over his heck “am j to guess im your last patient of the night then? it's quite late to still be in the pharmacy.”
“you are.”
“You should go home, you do good work here.” It wasn't often he passed out compliments, but with the late hour, the exhausting week of being out of commission and the forced proximity to the man, perhaps it was all getting to him finally
“hah, i appreciate the concern” Baizhu chuckles lowly “but my residence is also here.”
“You live here at the pharmacy? I thought you lived in Chenyu Vale, that lovely spot up the coast on the border there.”
“it makes my travel much easier to simply convert the back to be private quarters”
Pantalone scoff “surely not, living where you work- that must be hell, you'd know no peace”
“there really isn't any in this profession either way. I enjoy it though, it keeps Liyue healthier this way” he smiles
“...did you need additional funding? we, at the Northland Bank provide the most wonderful services, especially for our dear essential workers like yourself-” before he could continue on his tangent, a series of coughs rattled from his chest, the croaky and rough rumble making him splutter and brace himself on the beds edge, a hand flying up to cough into. Baizhu comes forth slowly rubbing his hands into his side, helping ease the cramping sensation racking his body
“lets lay you back down hmm?” he nods tiredly, letting the good doctor assist him back into the sheets
he shudders as the feeling doesn't leave, sitting like a brick in his chest and simmering as if on fire with his throat tight
“-this is he- ll” he chokes out, breathing heavily “ca- nt i just si- t up.”
“After I apply some more salve, then I'll prop you up on some pillows.” Baizhu says, getting up to grab his basket off the shelf. he has to admit, after coming to the doctor for a good decade of his life, to finally see his back office was exciting, the basket even having his files stacked neatly from where he see
He comes back quickly, a half empty ceramic bowl in hand, already with its lid popped and the good doctor's fingers gathering a large wad. He shivers as the paste- disgusting- is smeared into his side, chest and feet.
“ca- nt you disc- over a better wa-y to do this?” He wants to gag when Baizhu laughs, and pulls on his socks for him, trapping the salve. then helping him to sit up again
“I could, but I find it rather funny seeing your reaction to it” he grabs a cloth to wipe off his hands, dipping them into a nearby cleaning basin and standing “you'll be alright, this time round. next time i suggest you don't stay near… whatever it was that caused this flare.”
he nods, shoulders tensing “...I'll keep th- at in mind doctor.”
“good, as much as i do enjoy your company, i much rather it not be with you as my patient.”
he smiles faintly “will do. go have a good night now doctor”
he hums “yes, you too. as usual if you need any assistance, you ring that bell there- tonight's assistant nurse is qiu.”
“-not that zombie child?” Pantalone murmurs
“Qiqi is at a sleepover tonight.” Baizhu reveals “She's been helping out a lot with all the current affairs happening in Liyue so i sent her off for a well deserved break with her friends, She'll be back in the morning.”
“ah, good for her… you make a good parent.”
Baizhu pauses at the door “I- Thank you.”
Its silent when he leaves and Pantalone cant help but finally relax, as much as he did like the good doctor, there was still something about the man that kept him second guessing, and well-
“It was like he would never leave.” an annoyed tone comes through from the open window and he has to sigh when he turns his head to see Dottore stalk up to it, leaning in and turning that stupid mask toward him
“Doctor-” he starts
“You really use that name for him, then turn around and so blatantly repeat it at me” he says flatly “am i not special, Regrator?”
Pantalone rolls his eyes, adjusting his glasses as he shifts to the edge of his bed and slowly makes his way to the window sill
“Dottore.” he corrects himself earning a hum “What are you doing in Liyue, you're not stationed here”
“its only a few steps away from Sumeru” he grins “I thought I'd give our lovely banker a visit, seeing as Tartaglia had sought it fit to deliver the message of your untimely collapse-”
“He was exaggerating.” he grits out “I'm fine.”
“Oh yes, being stuck in this-” Dottore flicks his hand towards the inside of his room "honestly, atrocious medical center is you being ‘fine’, the fact your window is accessible to the public that pass by is enough of a cross contamination hazard.”
“I like this room excuse you”
“regardless, walk with me.” he glares at the man as he stands and start strutting down the side of the pharmacy
“h- you can't just. stop walking!” Pantalone barks and hushes himself when he realises the nurse might hear him if he's too loud, hastily trying to lift himself onto the sill and over the edge to join the other man
Dottore turns, walking backwards with his arms folded behind him, snickering at the sight of Pantalone, dressed in only his robe climbing out of the pharmacy window, hobbling along the wall to keep himself up and an annoyed expression blanketing his face
“oh come on now, Regrator- live a little, don't let the boundaries of your form restrict you”
“i ought to really show you just how annoying you are one day.” he hisses “return the favour- im too old to be climbing out of windows like a lovesick damsel.”
the two walk to the back of the pharmacy togethers, the bustling streets of Liyue dampening, Pantalone pants as he leans against the wall when Dottore stops, turning his gaze in through a crack in the next set of windows along the building
“hmn.” the doctor steps up and leans in
“dont be so crude” Pantalone whispers, batting at the mans shoulder
“Oh come off it, it's just your precious doctor.”
“thats worse” he grunts “get away-”
“he's blessed…”
Pantalone has to refrain from rolling his eyes “i never thought you'd give compliments like that to others you-”
“no.” he says firmly “hes. blessed.”
the man pauses, narrowing his eyes before stepping next to the doctor and peeking his head in as well
Baizhu is sitting with his eyes closed, a golden light swirling up his right arm and pooling in his palm as he idly rolls it over his fingers as if playing with divine power. His breathing is soft and brows pinched, his other arm taps a quill against the side of an ink well
Pantalone leans in closer entranced. ‘...of course he is,’ he clenches his fist at the sight
he jerks back when Baizhu sighs, the light seemingly fading, dissipating. the man cracked his eyes open and closing the book he had splayed
Pantalone feels Dottore tug him away from the window, lest he gets caught sneaking out so quickly
they both continue until they make it to a bench off to the far end, he sits himself down with a huff while Dottore paces, his pointer tapping at his mask “-That power, not even Tartaglia showed that level of mastery nor ability to manoeuvre it when he returned to show it off after his fro. it is as if it was directly following his order, Regrator, has he ever shown divine enhancement? perhaps a certain affinity-”
“Dottore.” he breathes out “just stop. i need to-”
“right, right. Your frustrating inability to accept the truth, go on then, don't mind my rambles while you flap your hands incessantly in my face”
he lets out a ragged breath, swiping off his glasses so he can drag his cold palms over his flushed face, the gravelly inhales slowly creeping back “you're such an asshole.”
“-That easy manipulation of the energy was extraordinary…“ he hears the good doctor mutter “this is unprecedented in the current order, accolades have not reported that extent of control over the divination- this needs further testing, an evaluation.”
“youre not kidnapping my GP.” Pantalone hisses “I need him alive.”
“i wont kill him, he can still treat you under my observation.”
“i didnt know he was even on the registry for accolades.” he sighs, carting his shaky hand through his hair, wincing as it catches on the knots at the base- he'd been in that bed for too long
“he isn't." Dottore states it like a fact, Pantalone has to ignore the fact that it means the man had already looked into his GP, for one reason or another “which means we can use this to our advantage”
“no.” he declines immediately
“That doctor has what I've been searching for, for decades!" Dottore huffs “not once has the Creator shown favour in all their millennia of existence- not until that descender brought down the skies with him, enlightening the common folk of this world. only for this- weak, frail, old man to have an even higher concentration!”
“Maybe it's a different factor that the Creator searches for in worthy Accolades.”
“-i need to see what makes him such a valuable variable in the divines view.”
“then do it from afar like you normally do” he barks back, regretting it when he starts coughing. Dottore sighs, reaching into his pocket and tossing a cloth at the man, he grimaces but uses it regardless to cough into
“you don't want me touching your toys.” he grates out
“no I don't, he's too well connected anyways” he counters not even wanting to address the implications of his, frankly, unneeded protection of the man “his disappearance will be noticed immediately.”
“so? it would not be the first time we take out a public figure-” Dottore shrugs, not fused about the notion “I say, that Crepus guy was much more popular in comparison- no one batted an eye”
“except for his son- he destroyed our strongholds on the south peninsular in Snezhnograv!”
he purses his lips “oh, yes, i suppose there was him. but it left us in good favour with the Knights of Favonius did it not?”
“you are so frustrating to work with” Pantalone growls out “how about i draw up an investment plan instead, so you leave him alone”
“What are you proposing, my dear banker?” he turns to him interested “you know how much i love hearing those words come from your sleezy mouth”
“i'll look into the good doctor for you during my visits- and you keep him off your experimental radar.”
the blue haired man laughs “thats it?... that doesn't sound like a worthwhile proposition at all.”
“-and i'll increase your monthly allowance by a further 5%.”
“now now, 10% sounds fair.”
“4%”
he sneers, crossing his arms “fine. 5%. I'll leave your precious doctor where he is.”
“thank you.” he sighs
“You truly test your limits with me, banker.” Dottore leans away from the man “you should act more gracious i grant you mercy”
“bite me.”
“Maybe when you're recovered” he snickers. “I would have thought you'd like my idea, I could have altered his physiology so he'd join us in perpetually, Artificial Immortality is all the rage with doctor types, you know.”
“i cant see why he'd want that” Pantalone grunts out, looking towards the good doctors room solemnly
“oh please- i wouldnt be surprised if thats how he developed those abilities of his, a humble local doctor going out of his way to treat everyone and everything, even the detestable Ninth Harbinger of the Fatus?” Dottore grins “one he knows has lived for a rather long time considering, what about that is not curious?”
“how about i ask him then, hmm?”
“please do, if that's all it takes to get him on board then i will gladly share my expertise for a taste of creating divinity”
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the ceramic clinks against the ornate plate harshly, the scoff echoing from Sandrone loud and clear as she levels Pantalone with a glare
“You're serious. This doctor of yours has the divine touch of the Creator?” she asks, voice squeaky as she looks at him incredulously “I thought the Liyuen government has been regulating the Accolades with an iron fist. Surely it would have been announced there's a potential High court forming.”
“Doctor Baizhu, right?” Tartaglia interjects, "I didn't sense anything from him when I first met up with him- and Zhongli would have said something too if it were the case”
Pantalone sneers into his tea "-don't utter that dog's name.”
“sorry, Regrator-” he replies, not sorry at all “what i mean to say is, are you sure you're not hallucinating with all that poison in your veins?”
“no, I believe him. if Il Dottore has become involved, that surely means there's a basis to consider” Capitano grunts out, reclined in seat
“exactly!” Pantalone exclaims
“-well, you understand why we would be hesitant in taking your words at face value, Regrator.” Arlecchino says “you don't often speak about Il Dottore in our chats first.”
“because I'm aware none of you like him- and I much prefer to hear your ranting about him, it gives me something to berate him about next time I meet the psychopath."
Tartaglia laughs, grabbing a madeline cookie and tossing it into his mouth, crumbs messily falling onto the table making Sandrone wince “mnph- yeah, you're right. but still- that lanky guy being a messiah? its really hard to believe”
“having never met the good Doctor, i cant say i have an opinion” Arlecchino soothes out “perhaps i should schedule an appointment”
“dont” he shakes his head “the fees for his clinic are too high to justify a hoard of Harbingers attending Bubu pharmacy on a curious whim”
“i thought he was a public clinic,” Sandrone asks, "those are supposed to be free.”
“For Liyuen locals, yes. He has a special fee for people of certain status- which does include Fatus members unfortunately. I don't want to pay my rates ten times over for your curiosity. I've already bribed Il Dottore with an increase in funds to stay away from him.”
“Yeah, he cost me almost three million just for just one item for my mission, I even had the traveller do the cut for me!” Tartaglia bemoans “and then my own expenses going into that coconut milk trade route for his kid… he really milked me for what i’m worth, that guy.”
“...dont ever say that phrase in front of me again, Childe.” Sandrone spits “-well this has been a delightful tea, company excluded, so do please leave before I tire of your presence further. I have work to do after hearing about this ‘blessed’ doctor of yours.”
“i concur, the children are waiting for me to return and conduct tonight's prayer.” Arlecchino finishes her cup, folding the napkin placed on her lap and pressing it over the empty ceramic “until next time.”
“ill be taking my leave as well” he grunts, being a lot less careful with his own, he stands up and brushes of his fine suit, if any of them had the proper etiquette, he’d maybe still hang around to show it off
he tsks, rolling his shoulders and thinking solemnly to the only member that had some class ‘if only Signora was still around.”
He's already halfway through the corridor, the click of his heeled Triada shoes bouncing off the walls, in sync with the noctilicous encrusted cane he stabilises himself with. a sheer image of grace within these drab frozen walls of the Zapolyarny Palace.
‘-at least the bitch knew how to compliment good fashion.’ he pulls out his pocket watch and sighs as he makes a left turn, tucking it back it and peeling off his glove with his teeth to press against the mechanism embedded in the wall
it clicks, turning green. the door slides open smoothly as he has to refrain from flinching when he sees another knelt in the sacred room
Pantalone clears his through, and smooths his suit before entering, nodding his head to Pierro before moving to take a stand before the mural and statuette of the Creator.
He eyes the man from the corner of his vision, glasses glinting in the moonlight. The old man- could he really call him old? surely the title fell to… he shakes his head, he was getting off topic so quickly.
he ruffled through his pockets, plucking an iridescent pearl from deep within and placing it delicately in a bowl reserved just for him upon the altar, it was a rather barren sight if he compared it to the extravagance that Sandrone or the Doctor provides to the site with the Marionettes intricate constructs that putt around the space or the- uuhhg, the Taxidermied creatures Il Dottore had fashioned of one of his man-made species- being the richest man alive, it was hard for him to find value in much else nowadays
He does not kneel, he does not offer his thoughts to the shrine, he stands silent as his peer does so for him. The mage having not yet looked up from his mumbling, his prayer to the Creator.
“another pearl…” he jumps at the soft spoken voice, swirling around to see Columbina perched on high next to the open window of the sanctuary “where is it from this time?”
“urk- you should really announce your presence, Damselette.” he grits out, shifting to tug his glove back on
“I did.” she says simply, leaning to rest her chin upon her knees “so?”
“...its from an enclave near the banks within the harbour- we've established a new breeding ground for this new strand.” he runs off the facts quickly, tipping his head begrudgingly
“it has a nice aura to it” she murmurs “it feels pure.”
“It should, the mollusks are being used as a filter to combat the Bank's unintentional leak into the ocean that the Qixing caught onto” he grimaces “it's the last time I let Childe take over as overseer- I swear that boy truly wishes to give me a heart attack.”
“He is young.” Pierro chimes in, his hands unclasped now, placed liberally on his knees as he stares at the mural “allow him some breath, Regrator”
he scoffs “he needs to learn that using his delusion for useless matters has serious after effects and not just on his body.”
“i heard it managed to affect you this time ‘round” Columbina muses “I thought you couldn't retain elemental magic”
“I can't." he snaps, perhaps a little too harshly, she doesn't call him out for it though
“so… are you sure you're not changing? Did the doctor's experiments alter you too far this time?”
he narrows his eyes to the maiden “you all need to fetch new jokes.”
“I was not aware I was being funny.” she hums “besides, it would be rude to say such things in front of the altar, wouldn't it?”
“‘Creation and Destruction’, it matters’ not.” Pierro mutters “you would not be struck if that was true, the Creator would not deem the conversation worthy of it”
he flicks his hand to the man “see? I can say whatever I want.”
“-but that does not mean I wont berate you for it” the mage grunts, moving to stand, he has to refrain from wincing as he hears the man's bones creak and pop as he does
“Oh please” he huffs “i may not be the most devout of us, but even i know that does not constitute blasphemy, if anything it should be Columbina for dismissing Creation, albeit done by another's hand.”
“To call Il Dottore a ‘Creator’... oh how the ambitious tremble at such comparison.”
“Enough.” Pierro sighs "you're both acting like petty children now.”
Pantalone looks away back to his bowl, the new addition shiny amongst the dull trinkets he has in it, his first prototype coin, a pebble from chenyu vale, a cork from an old wine bottle
“What are you even doing in here?” he questions the maiden “you never did like praying to the divine either, perhaps it is you who's changing.”
she falters, the ornaments in her hair (he hopes they're ornamental atleast) change colour as does the flowers that had burst forth from her own powers when she'd first placed her additions to the room
“The Eternal moon has shifted behind the false firmament- I will be returned to Nod-Krai seeing as I've now completed my mission for the Tsaritsa.” She tips her head down “The Creator… I sense that they too, will descend.”
his breath gets stuck in his throat at the soft admission, his body becoming frozen, he darts his head toward Pierro and sees that he is staring at him already, awaiting his response
“...you’re sure?” he says breathlessly
“we've heard of yours and Dottores’ discoveries of that Dendro user from Liyue” he hands clench the cane, he ignores the strain it places on his already sweltering grip “we expect the rise in Divine light is in fact a sign of it, seeing as only select vision bearers and inhuman figures around central Tevyat are being affected."
“yes… how curious that the doctor has found another- and so similarly mannered apparently”
“similarly mannered?!” he barks suddenly looking at her incredulously "he's never even interacted with him- those two are not similarly mannered.”
“Then tell us about him?” she prods curiously “maybe we can get another Harbinger to fill the 10th position, it would be right next to yours, Regrator.”
he shivers at the visage, no, he would not have Baizhu as a co-worker. he would forbid the notion
“I would vote against it.” He denies the suggestion adamantly “And we need all votes ‘for’ to allow new members- it must have been easier when there were so few of you but there's a reason our group is now considered a democratic party.”
‘he would spend the entirety of Northland Banks Liyuen divisions funds, and he'd likely be able to convince him to do it’ is what is being silently conveyed as he considers the possibility, and rejects it in the same breath ‘much too dangerous, he's too charismatic- give him the position and he'd immediately overtake the other Harbingers, maybe even out rank them, they'd make me the tenth, uhgg.’
“We are not currently looking to replace any Harbinger, those currently passed or unavailable for the time being. Do not worry about that Regrator.” Pierro puts a pause to his spiraling thoughts
“good.” he presses out “great, don't scare me like that.”
“Did your life or your mora flash before your eyes, Banker?” Columbina hums “or do you just not like the idea of the doctor playing house with us? he sounded nice whenever you speak of your check ups with him”
“he's not Fatus.”
“not yet he isn't.”
“Columbina.” Pierro says making her smile and lay her head back down on her hands, tucking herself further into her corner
“Sorry, Jester, I'm just ‘being funny’, Sandrone showed me a new way of doing so- she said I simply just needed to counter people's words and The Regrator seems to respond the most to this form of teasing”
he cant help the sarcasm that escapes his lips “gee, thanks. dear sister”
“No problem, little brother,” she smiles. “May the moon guide you… preferably into a pit.”