When the Tsaritsa announced a new Harbinger would be joining their ranks, Arlecchino hadn't thought much of it.
So long as it didn't threaten her House of the Hearth, she didn't care whether there was one more seat filled.
But when she learned that Su Ran was, like the Doctor, a researcher— a scientist— a flicker of wariness arose.
Dottore's experiments required test subjects.
He had once tried to lay hands on the children of the House.
From that day, Arlecchino had harbored the intent to kill him.
But there were too many of his clones.
And the Tsaritsa still needed his talents.
Their power gap made the thought impossible.
That was why she despised anyone who pursued dangerous experiments.
Except Sandrone, the Marionette— she concerned herself only with machines.
But Su Ran?
What kind of researcher was he?
Did he dabble in life and death, like Dottore?
Or focus solely on mechanics?
Whether or not he posed a threat to her children would decide how she treated him.
She hadn't expected their second meeting to be like this.
Watching the eight floating cannons hover at his side, she involuntarily stepped back.
"All this… you made this yourself, Mister Genius?"
Her gaze drifted to the vast crater, and she swallowed hard.
"Eh… just gathering data for a new invention. Overall, not bad."
Not bad?
That kind of destructive power— even the Tsaritsa herself wouldn't escape unscathed.
This newcomer was terrifying.
"It's good that Mister Genius has new inventions. But could you not have chosen a better time and place to test them?"
Had it been daylight, she wouldn't have had to rush here in such a panic.
But in the middle of the night?
It felt like an enemy assault.
"Hm? Does Snezhnaya have rules like… curfew?"
Su Ran rubbed his chin.
If so, surely Harbingers were exempt?
If not, what was the point of being a Harbinger?
He might as well move to Liyue.
"There's no curfew. But it's late—the children were sleeping. Because of the noise you made, they've all woken up."
Arlecchino's tone was edged with exasperation.
The House of the Hearth's children—some were only toddlers.
One blast, and the caretakers' efforts to put them to bed were wasted.
The whole place was in chaos now.
Su Ran bit his finger, a little embarrassed.
Yes, this one was on him.
"…Alright, tomorrow I'll bring them gifts, apologize in person."
He understood well how much she valued the House.
Though called "Father," she was more tender than many true parents.
Even when betrayed by her children, she never chose death— at most, she erased their memories.
Su Ran had no intention of poking her reverse scale.
"Then I'll thank Mister Genius on behalf of the children."
Sincere or not, at least so far Su Ran had shown no interest in them.
For Arlecchino, that was good enough.
A thief you can catch.
But a thief who covets? That was the true danger.
If Su Ran truly had no designs on them, then it was a relief.
After all, he had taken Dottore's seat— and that meant his strength was still greater.
If things came to a head, even she might not be able to keep the children safe.
"What happened here?"
Childe arrived at the scene, footsteps of Fatui soldiers pounding close behind.
"Just a little experiment. Nothing serious," Su Ran said casually.
"Nothing serious?"
Childe stared at the smoking crater behind him.
The ground still glowed with scorched heat.
Even standing at a distance, he could feel the wave of warmth.
This was "nothing serious"?
And he had chosen to test it right outside the capital?
"Su Ran, what did you create this time, to have such power?"
"Here~"
Eight floating cannons instantly shifted, encircling Childe, their barrels aimed straight at him.
Arlecchino instinctively put some distance between herself and Childe.
That crater was proof enough— these weapons packed the punch of an Archon's full strike.
"Whoa, whoa! Pointing something that dangerous at a comrade? Not exactly polite!"
Every muscle in Childe's body tensed.
If they fired now, he'd be lucky to leave behind a corpse.
"Just a greeting~"
Su Ran waved a hand, and the drones obediently floated back to hover at his side.
"I heard battle junkies like you prefer to say hello through fighting. Thought you'd like me to greet you with a weapon."
"…"
Childe had no rebuttal.
Because—he wasn't wrong.
For someone like him, battle was the best greeting.
Still… blades, spears, even fists would be fine.
But this?
"…Well, if you truly think I'm worthy of a match, I'd prefer fists and blades over… that."
Childe craved combat with the strong.
Yet he wasn't blind to the gap between himself and the new Second Harbinger.
Especially this man, who had killed the former Second with ease.
Su Ran's strength was obvious.
Childe had no hope of winning.
But—fighting would still feel good.
"Executors, are you unharmed?"
Fatui soldiers arrived in scattered groups.
"All fine. Return to your posts. Just a misunderstanding."
Childe waved them away.
Once the troops had dispersed, he glanced back—"…Experiment or not, do you two plan on holding hands forever?"
He pointed at Su Ran and Columbina, their fingers still firmly interlaced.