"Instructor..."
Gently clutching his right hand, on which rested a gem-like object, Diluc spoke softly.
Though it resembled a Vision, it was actually a counterfeit—a Delusion.
"Young master, sometimes knowing too much isn't a good thing."
Under the light, the mask on Bai Luo's face looked eerie.
With the mask on, he seemed like a completely different person. The friendly smile was gone, replaced by an aura that made him seem like the Grim Reaper in his black trench coat.
"You recognized me?!"
Diluc was shocked.
Even though Kaeya had warned him, Bai Luo's ability to instantly see through his disguise was hard to accept.
He thought he had concealed himself perfectly.
Bai Luo leaped down from the towering stack of wine barrels and, with the help of a wire, retrieved the dagger still embedded in Klober's corpse. As he walked toward Diluc, he said, "There are many wealthy people in Mondstadt, and many who have nothing better to do. But someone who is both wealthy, idle, and has red hair... well, that seems to be just you, Master Diluc."
Diluc froze, instinctively glancing at the red bangs hanging in front of his eyes.
He had thought that a slight change in hairstyle would be enough, but... he had still been careless.
"What is Il Dottore's goal? And why have you come to Mondstadt?"
Once his identity was exposed, Diluc simply removed the owl mask from his face and directly asked his questions.
He didn't think Bai Luo was bluffing. Otherwise, Bai Luo wouldn't have said those things to Kaeya.
If he could exchange his life for valuable information, it would be worth it.
"Il Dottore's goal is the Fatui's goal, and the Fatui's goal is the Tsaritsa's will. Her will is something you cannot fathom."
Walking slowly toward Diluc, Bai Luo glanced with interest at the Delusion on Diluc's hand.
"As for my purpose... I really am here for the Ludi Harpastum Festival. If possible, I'll also help Il Dottore with a small task. By the way, that Vision on your hand is quite interesting. I'm sure Il Dottore would be thrilled to know about it."
"Hmph!"
Seeing Bai Luo getting closer, the Delusion on Diluc's hand began to glow.
"Clang—"
As ripples formed in the air, crimson chains shot out, piercing through Bai Luo's chest and embedding themselves deep into the oak barrel behind him.
Expensive wine flowed from the cracks, quickly staining the ground blood-red.
"Did it work?"
Bai Luo hadn't dodged, which surprised Diluc.
But since his chest had been pierced, surely he wouldn't survive, right?
This was a power even the dragon Ursa feared.
"Young Master Diluc, you're quite mischievous. This power isn't meant to be used like this."
To Diluc's horror, Bai Luo, with a hole in his chest, seemed completely unharmed. No blood flowed from the wound, only faint blue particles.
Casually grabbing the chain that had pierced him, Bai Luo yanked hard.
Caught off guard, Diluc was pulled forward.
The expected pain didn't come. Instead, Bai Luo wrapped an arm around Diluc's neck like an old friend.
In that moment, Diluc didn't dare to breathe. He knew that if Bai Luo wanted to, he could snap his neck at any time.
"Let's end this little game. I suggest you use that thing less. I'm sure neither Kaeya nor Jean would want to see your tombstone in the cemetery behind the church. Let's hope that the next time we meet... it's still me, and not Il Dottore."
After this "friendly" reminder, Bai Luo simply vanished from Diluc's sight.
It was as if he had never been there, like an illusion.
If it weren't for the warmth of Bai Luo's breath when he spoke, Diluc might have thought it was all a hallucination.
Having fought Pyro Agents multiple times, Diluc was familiar with their ability to vanish.
But compared to them, Bai Luo's disappearance was more complete, without any warning, even more terrifying than the rumors suggested.
This made Diluc's expression grow even more serious.
After having his trusted aides clean up the wine cellar, Diluc changed back into his formal attire and returned to the banquet.
"How did it go?"
Kaeya, who had been waiting at the staircase, asked as Diluc descended, now dressed in his formal wear.
Though there might have been some tension between them, at a time like this, such trivial matters were unimportant.
"Did you manage to deal with the pests and vermin that ruined Father's treasures?"
In Kaeya's view, Klober wouldn't have been able to resist such temptation.
But seeing his sworn brother so troubled, Kaeya wasn't so sure.
"The pests and vermin have been dealt with, but the problem is..."
Looking at the Fatui members who had already left the banquet, Diluc lowered his voice.
"I suspect that the fish we caught was actually bait set by the other side. And... that most troublesome dragon isn't interested in wine."
"Hey, in the stories, dragons love beautiful women and treasure."
Kaeya wasn't surprised by his brother's words.
The more he tried to understand Bai Luo, the more terrifying he seemed.
No wonder he was one of the strongest among the Fatui's Twelve Harbingers.
"I'll report this to the Grand Master. While the Instructor is in Mondstadt, you'll need to keep a close eye on things."
Although he had fallen out with the Knights of Favonius over past events, this matter was too important to ignore. He had to report it personally.
"You really know how to put people to work."
A drop of cold sweat slid down Kaeya's temple as he couldn't help but complain.
If it were anyone else, he wouldn't have minded, as this was part of his job.
But this Instructor...
Remembering the feeling of being completely seen through during their earlier conversation, Kaeya felt another wave of goosebumps.
He had a feeling that Bai Luo already knew everything about his background.
It wasn't just a hunch—it was intuition.
"If you're not willing, I can send someone else."
Diluc didn't push him. He understood better than anyone how dangerous Bai Luo was.
"Come on, who else is more suited than me?"
Kaeya knew that if even he found this task daunting, how many others in Mondstadt could handle the Instructor? The so-called experts Diluc mentioned?
They'd just be walking into a trap, potentially leaking valuable information.
This was something he had to handle personally.
"Kaeya."
"Yeah?"
"What do you think... if I dyed my hair blue?"
After some hesitation, Diluc asked his question.
"...Should I borrow the Spindrift Knight's Song of Broken Pines for you to try?"