The place where Yae Miko had arranged to meet was an Inazuma-themed residence. The interior was decorated in a retro style from a century ago, evoking a strong sense of history as soon as one entered. It was clear that the owner had put great care into the decor.
"You were about to leave without even thinking to come say goodbye. I had to bring it up myself. Truly a heartless man."
The speaker was a charming woman dressed in a pink kimono embroidered with delicate cherry blossoms. Her matching pink hair was elegantly styled into a bun, with a few strands falling beside her cheeks and down to her neck, adding to her allure.
Even a seasoned veteran like Richard had to admit, Yae Miko was one of the most graceful and captivating women he had ever seen.
"Stunned, are you? Mhm, I get it. I know. I look amazing like this. If you're willing to come back with me, I could wear outfits like this for you every day. You can even choose the style. I might even bring Ei along too." Yae Miko smiled seductively, her tone laced with temptation.
This kind of sweet talk, it's no wonder the kitsune clan is known for their mastery in manipulating hearts.
And honestly, she wasn't entirely bluffing. Richard knew that if he really did go back to Inazuma with her, she probably would dress up beautifully for him every day.
As for bringing Ei along... not out of the question, either.
But unfortunately, Richard had no plans to return to Inazuma. He was doing quite well in Fontaine. Though he lacked a foxy lady, he had gained a seemingly aloof but incredibly thoughtful catgirl instead.
His boss was a sweet, innocent celebrity, and her secretary was a curvy, mature woman with a taste for black stockings and heels, personally handpicked by Richard.
Honestly, his current work environment wasn't any worse than what Inazuma had to offer.
More importantly, the doomsday prophecy hanging over Fontaine was drawing near. As a high-quality half-elf with Fontaine blood, he couldn't just ignore it.
When the whole nest falls, no egg remains unbroken. He understood that well.
"Miko, you know me," Richard said with a smile as he looked at Yae Miko.
She slowly dropped her playful expression and gave a cold snort. "Know what? Know that you're all lust and no guts? That you run faster than anyone else?"
Richard shook his head. "We agreed from the beginning, I wouldn't stay in Inazuma no matter what."
"Teyvat is vast, and you want to explore it?" Yae Miko thought of the excuse an author at Yae Publishing House once gave for dropping a story. Richard wasn't an author, but the excuse sounded familiar.
She had dropped such heavy hints back then, and this bastard just up and left.
"You could say that," Richard replied casually.
"You've been exploring for centuries. Isn't it enough already?"
"I've seen enough. But have you considered that Fontaine might be my real home?"
Yae Miko frowned. "Didn't you say you grew up in Mondstadt? Raised by your aunt?"
"Did I really say that?" Richard blinked. 'Did I really run my mouth that much back then?'
'Damn, I even blabbed about my childhood? Shameless!'
"In any case, I'm not leaving Fontaine anytime soon," Richard stated firmly. 'Not even if you wear black stockings, white ones, lace, bodysuits, or swap between kimonos, business suits, stage costumes, and sailor uniforms—it wouldn't work.'
'Well—maybe not entirely useless. It's worth a try. Who knows?'
"Anytime soon..." Yae Miko softly bit her lip. Well, that was better than nothing.
At least he wasn't planning to stay in Fontaine forever. If he were, that would've been troublesome. Constant back-and-forth travel was a pain, especially with Ei still stuck in her self-isolation phase. The entire nation of Inazuma depended on her, and she could barely leave her duties.
"So, can you tell me what's really going on with Ei?" Richard asked, his smile fading.
"I thought you weren't going to ask." Yae Miko gave him a teasing look. "If you really want to know, come back with me and see for yourself."
"So it's not that bad yet, at least everything's still under your control." Richard immediately sensed that Ei was having issues, but they weren't critical.
Probably just overthinking things and locking herself away somewhere.
She had already been showing signs of it before he left. After he was gone, things likely worsened.
"When Ei comes out again, I'll make sure she chops you to pieces first," Yae Miko said through gritted teeth.
"There's no such thing as a retainer commanding their own god…"
Richard wasn't scared in the slightest, though his pants were a bit loose, so he squeezed his legs together.
"Alright, we've caught up enough. Take care of Fontaine's research team for me. Just make sure they don't come into contact with any remains of deities. If they go mad, become disabled, or die, that won't be a good look for anyone," Richard reminded her.
"Careful, or the Fontaine authorities might drag you in for trial."
Yae Miko raised an eyebrow. "So you've noticed something's off about Fontaine, too?"
"When someone's pushed to the edge, they go extreme. That goes for nations, too. Fontaine right now is like a powder keg. If Furina weren't there to mediate, it probably would've already exploded." Richard didn't hide his views.
If outsiders heard this, they'd probably report him to the Maison Gardiennage for a reward.
Seeing Yae Miko looking like she was watching a show, he didn't go easy on her either: "Inazuma's no better. Even from this far away, I can smell the rot. I'm really curious what you people have done these past years—to make the Nation of Thunder smell like spoiled milk."
"Don't tell me after I left, you and Ei started learning how to cook?"
Yae Miko's smile froze. Her lovely expression turned cold, and she couldn't even refute him.
What Richard said was true; the situation in Inazuma was a mess. No way to deny it.
She knew that if she tried to argue, he'd only double down. So the best move now was to shut him up.
"Come here," Yae Miko beckoned with a finger.
Richard eyed her suspiciously. "What? Gentlemen use words, not fists. You can't solve everything with violence just because I hit a nerve. Besides, I'm not the same as before; you'd lose in a fight."
"I'm not going to hit you," she said gently.
Still doubtful, Richard leaned his head toward her, and Yae Miko moved in as well.
And then… she missed.
She opened her eyes to see Richard looking at her playfully, muttering things like "What has the world come to?", "Men these days really need to protect themselves outside", and "If someone took a photo of this, it'd be trouble"—each word more infuriating than the last.
Before Yae Miko could get angry, though, she suddenly felt something warm and wet on her lips. The light around them seemed to dim, her heartbeat sped up uncontrollably, and her hand resting on her thigh involuntarily clutched at her kimono.
After a long moment, the lighting returned to normal. Richard was back in his seat, calm and composed, as if nothing had happened.
Across from him, Yae Miko bit her lip, her cheeks flushed red. After a pause, she clenched her teeth and asked:
"Why are you so skilled at this?!"