Chapter 10: Guts and Blackpowder
"Listen to me!"
The instructor's voice rang across the training ground as he slowly circled the lines of children.
"From this moment onward, you are all children of Snezhnaya and servants of the Tsaritsa! Wherever you came from, whether it be the deserts of Sumeru, the islands of Inazuma, or the highest cliffs of Liyue, none of that matters anymore!"
He paced steadily in front of them, his steps heavy against the ground.
"Here, you are equal. Here, you are brothers and sisters, here, you are one family. The House of Hearth will shelter you, guide you, and forge you into something greater than what you were before."
Some of the children trembled in place. Others looked like they wanted to run back to their rooms. A few, somehow, already stood disciplined despite it being their first day.
"Give your hearts to the Hearth… and the Hearth shall become your home."
His voice lowered slightly, calmer, but colder.
"Abandon your second names. Forget the past you once clung to. Those lives are gone now."
He stopped in the center of the lines, turning slowly to face them all.
"From this day forward… You are reborn."
'Well… that's inspiring.'
Osha thought as he stood at the side of the lines.
"You! What is your name, boy?"
The instructor stopped in front of him, standing tall as he looked down at Osha like he was inspecting a rat.
"Osha… just Osha, sir."
Osha replied. Even though the man's presence was meant to be intimidating, it wasn't nearly as oppressive as Peruere's.
"From this day forward, you are Osha Snezhevich, son of snow. Be proud, boy. Be proud to serve the Tsaritsa."
The instructor declared before moving on to the other children.
One by one, their old second names were stripped away. The boys were given Snezhevich, and the girls Snezhevna.
'This place is huge… how the hell do they hide this place in the city?'
Osha looked around. The area resembled a massive underground arena. Torches along the walls seemed to ignite automatically. Banners of the Fatui hung high above, and behind the instructor stood several adults beside a large crate filled with sabres neatly sheathed in scabbards.
'I have a bad feeling about this…'
Osha thought, already guessing what was about to happen.
"Look to the sibling at your side! That will be your sparring partner."
The instructor's voice echoed across the arena.
Osha turned his head toward the child beside him. His supposed partner flinched slightly when their eyes met.
"Test your mettle! Overpower your opponent with whatever understanding of the sword you possess. And if you have none, let this be your first experience!"
The instructor paced slowly as he spoke.
"Remember this: your sparring partner is your opponent, not your enemy. If someone happens to kill their opponent during their match… You will remain here and be briefed later."
Though he didn't say it outright, the instructor didn't seem particularly concerned about the possibility. If anything, it almost sounded like the outcome would simply reveal who was more useful.
Shortly, the adults began handing each child a sabre. Some of the kids struggled just to lift the weapon, their arms shaking under the unfamiliar weight. Osha could at least hold it properly, though it still felt heavier than he expected.
Before long, ten pairs were selected to go first and were spread across the arena floor. Osha, of course, was among them. An adult stood nearby to watch each pair's spar.
Though Osha had never used a sword in his old life, he had observed how the ronins fought during his time with Hoshiguma. Most of their techniques were barbaric and brutal, styles meant more for raiding and pillaging than discipline. Hoshiguma, however, was once an ex-Yoriki in the Shogun's army, and unlike the others, he actually knew proper katana techniques.
'This isn't a katana but… I hope this works.'
Osha adjusted his grip and slowly took his stance.
His opponent was already trembling, clearly unfamiliar with even holding a sword.
Osha lowered his body slightly and shifted his right foot back. The sabre rested low behind his hip, the blade angled backward and partially hidden from his opponent's view. His left hand hovered forward, relaxed but ready, while his shoulders turned just enough to make his body a narrower target.
To someone inexperienced, it almost looked careless, as if Osha had lowered his guard. The blade was hidden behind him, his posture calm and unthreatening, practically inviting his opponent to strike first.
Osha gulped.
Even though his opponent was just another kid, the boy was still holding a sharp sabre. Getting slashed by that would obviously hurt badly. Or worse, die and maybe get reincarnated into Warhammer with nothing.
And the instructor's words from earlier didn't exactly reassure him that anyone would rush in to treat him if the worst happened.
"Haaaah!"
The kid charged at Osha, screaming as he ran forward with the sabre raised. It was obvious he didn't want to be here…
Osha didn't move.
He took a deep breath and braced himself.
The boy rushed in, lifting his sabre high above his head before bringing it down like a hammer, clearly intending to slice Osha open like a cake.
'Didn't you listen to the instructor?!'
Osha thought.
But thanks to his cat-like instincts, time seemed to slow down. As the blade came down and the boy closed the distance, Osha smoothly stepped to the side, dodging the strike at the last moment.
'Sorry.'
Osha slipped behind him and kicked the boy square in the back. The impact sent him crashing to the ground. His sabre flew from his hands with a loud clang against the floor.
Before the boy could scramble for it, Osha quickly kicked the weapon farther away, out of his reach.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
The kid raised his shaking hands to shield himself.
Osha quietly slid the sabre back into its scabbard before walking over to him.
"Come on."
Osha said, offering his hand.
The kid's eyes widened for a moment before he cautiously took it. Osha pulled him back onto his feet.
"T-Thank you…"
The boy said gratefully, clearly relieved that his opponent hadn't done anything to him after that reckless attack.
"What are you doing? Are you finished?"
An adult stared at him, her face unreadable as she held a piece of paper and a pen, most likely taking notes on their spar.
"Uh, yeah? He can't fight anymore without his sword, can he?"
Osha replied.
Clearly, his answer wasn't well received, as he could've sworn he heard a disappointed 'tsk' from her.
"How dull. You may both sit down on the-"
"AHHHHHH!"
Osha turned sharply toward the scream, eyes widening at the sight before him.
A child stood there before shortly falling to his knees, his hand severed… blood pouring from the open wound as the sabre slipped from his grasp and hit the ground with a loud clink. His opponent simply stood there, staring for a moment before calmly sheathing his sword.
"Bring that one to the Doctor."
The adult overseeing that duel said flatly, writing something down on his paper without even glancing at the injured child.
'Oh my Archons…'
Instinctively, Osha's hands moved to cover his ears. His heart began to pound faster in his chest.
'This must be hell… disguised as a haven... I should've...fuck...'
---<>---
Nighttime, almost midnight, in fact. It was only Osha's second day, yet the weight of the workload was already pressing down on him.
He walked through the dim hallways, making his way back to his room.
That morning alone had shown him just how brutal this place truly was. After the sparring session, the arena floor had been stained with blood. When everything was over, Osha could have sworn fewer children were standing in the lines than before.
After that, the lessons continued without pause.
They were taught how to blend into a crowd, how to intimidate people without saying a word, and acrobatics, something Osha turned out to be surprisingly good at.
In the afternoon, the training shifted again. They were taught how to properly hold a knife and fork at the dining table when eating with guests, with children getting their hands slapped for even the smallest mistake, with Osha being one of them. Not long after that came close-quarters combat with fists only. Once again, Osha had been paired with another inexperienced child. Rather than striking back, he simply dodged every swing until the kid exhausted himself, earning yet another disappointed look from the adult overseeing them.
Finally, when night came, they were given cleaning duties to finish off the day.
This entire routine, this parade of harsh discipline and suffering, was repeatedly described by the instructors as normal.
But to Osha, it was clearly anything but normal.
'I'm so tired… I wish I'd been sold somewhere else instead of this hellhole… that kid, I never saw that kid again…'
Osha walked down the hallway, his face both tired and strangely stoic.
The image of the child from earlier, the one who had lost his hand, still lingered in his mind. That alone had been horrifying enough… but it hadn't been the worst of it.
There had been a child who actually died.
The screams from earlier still echoed in his head. The blood… and more blood… and more blood. His thoughts kept circling back to it, his head unable to think of anything else.
"Hmph!"
Suddenly, Osha dropped to his knees.
Both hands flew to his mouth as his eyes squeezed shut. His breathing hitched as the memories surged back.
The infirmary he had passed earlier was strangely empty.
So, where exactly had the children with grievous injuries been taken?
He stayed like that for a few more moments, his hands slowly moving to cover his drooping furry ears. His tail hung limp behind him, dragging weakly across the floor.
'They're children… Children!'
Osha thought.
This was the cruel truth of the House of the Hearth… back when Arlecchino wasn't the one in charge.
"I want to go home…"
He whispered it so quietly that no one else could possibly hear.
After the sparring session earlier, Osha had spent the rest of the day wearing the same stoic expression, a mask to hide the disgust and turmoil churning inside him.
But tonight, that mask finally cracked.
Every Genshin fan dreamed about being reborn in Teyvat, having overpowered abilities, some kind of system guiding them, maybe even building a harem, living an adventure they'd never want to leave behind.
But Osha got none of that.
No incredible powers. No system. No heroic destiny.
Just some traits of a cat, a pair of cat ears and tail… and a strange ability that made horses listen to him.
For the first time since coming here, Osha found himself wishing he could go back to his old world.
"Osha? Hey, Osha!"
The voice sounded hazy at first, like it was coming from far away.
Slowly, Osha opened his eyes. As his vision cleared, he saw Clervie crouched beside him.
"Clervie…? Your face…"
Osha murmured quietly, noticing the large red mark on her right cheek. It looked like someone had slapped her really hard.
"It's nothing, really. Happens all the time, hehe. Anyways, Osha… I'm so sorry…"
Clervie gave a small chuckle, clearly trying to brush it off as she quickly changed the topic.
"Sorry…? What for?"
Osha asked, still confused about what she was apologizing for.
"I didn't exactly tell you what kind of place this was, did I? I just told you to be careful and to call out my name if you got into a sticky situation… I'm sorry. Osha… you didn't-"
"No, I didn't, I promise… I can't do that to another person, especially when they're not supposed to be here in the first place…"
Osha replied.
Clervie let out a small sigh of relief before suddenly pulling Osha into a hug.
"That's good to know… again, I'm sorry…"
She said softly, slightly tightening her hug.
After a moment, Osha returned the hug, resting his head against her shoulder.
'Smells like flowers…'
He thought.
He didn't want to admit it, but the warmth from another person was exactly what he needed to quiet the turmoil inside him.
"Osha, you should get some rest…"
Clervie finally let go of him.
"Mm. Clervie?"
"Mm?"
She tilted her head slightly when Osha spoke again, as if sensing he was about to ask something important.
"You and Peruere are so much stronger together… so don't face everything alone. Do it together… Good night."
With that, Osha stood up and walked past her down the hallway.
Clervie remained where she was for a moment, blinking in confusion.
Just what exactly was Osha referring to…? She wondered.
'A part of me just wants to get out of here… but I want to change the future. Clervie… she's such a saint. I just can't let her die like that…'
Osha thought. Better to suffer now than to suffer for eternity after.
Just as he was about to reach his room, he spotted Dony and Greedo wearing cloaks, talking with one of the adults in the hallway. The adult finished saying something and quickly walked away, leaving Greedo sighing.
"Hey."
"Wah!"
Dony flinched as Osha suddenly appeared beside them.
"Osha! You're okay, desuwa!"
Greedo said, his eyes widening as he turned toward him.
"Did you… ki-"
"No. Never. Let's not talk about that, okay?"
Osha cut him off. It was written plainly on his face that he didn't want to talk about it, or even think about it. Greedo quietly nodded.
"What was that all about?"
Osha asked, nodding toward the direction the adult had gone.
"Obviously, he gave us his jo-"
"Hey, Osha! Wanna come with us?!"
Dony suddenly interrupted, waving her hands excitedly.
"The city is, like, reaaally pretty at night, kashira!"
She stretched her arms wide, as if trying to paint a picture of Fontaine's night scenery in the air.
''Don't interrupt me! Plus, Osha needs to rest… It's written all over his face.''
Greedo shot her an annoyed look before turning back to Osha.
"We're just going to collect some debts from a shopkeeper who hasn't paid for a while. That's all, desuwa."
Greedo looked at him more closely. The dark circles under Osha's eyes were impossible to miss.
"I'll go. I'm curious to see the city at night."
Osha replied.
He had only seen Fontaine during the day. Maybe seeing the city at night would help clear some of the thoughts still swirling in his head.
"Are you sure? Alright then, desuwa…"
Greedo replied. He couldn't exactly stop Osha, it was his choice after all. Besides, having another person watching your back wasn't a bad thing.
"Let me just go wash my face…"
"Mm. Take your time, also wear a cloak, desuwa."
Greedo said.
Shortly after, Osha returned to their room. He took a deep breath. His bed looked incredibly tempting right now, far more comfortable than it had any right to be after a day like this.
But he didn't go near it.
Instead, he picked up the small box Shuri had given him. Taking the knife and the flintlock from inside, he quietly headed to the bathroom.
He splashed cold water onto his face and looked up at the mirror.
For a long moment, he just stared at his reflection.
Then he slowly shook his head.
Reaching into the box again, he took out the flintlock. Following the steps Greedo had shown earlier, he loaded it.
'I'm being paranoid…'
Osha thought to himself as he concealed both the knife and the flintlock beneath his clothes. After that, he placed the small box back under his pillow on the bed. Before leaving, he grabbed a cloak from the closet like Greedo said.
"Let's go."
"Then let's go. We'll take the Fleuve Cendre route, desuwa."
Greedo said.
Shortly after, the trio moved out. They went down a set of stairs Osha had never seen before. As they descended, the corridors slowly stopped looking elegant. The polished walls and decorations disappeared, replaced with unfinished concrete and storage rooms filled with unwanted junk.
The lighting was dim, and the air felt colder.
"Just how big is this place?"
Osha asked, the same question about how they managed to hide something this massive in the city, returning to his mind.
"Pretty big, that's for sure. I've been here for two years now, and I still haven't explored all of it. Well… It's more like we're not allowed to explore all of it, desuwa."
Greedo replied as he grabbed a torch hanging from the wall and lit their way forward, the corridor ahead growing darker.
For a moment, the three of them walked in silence.
But Osha couldn't stop the question from forming in his mind. He had to know… had these two gone through the same thing he had? Did they… kill someone?
"Say… did you two also do that… sparring thing when you first came here?"
Osha asked, curious, and maybe hoping for the answer he wanted to hear.
"We did. And just to be clear, we didn't kill anyone. In fact, I almost got killed, desuwa!"
Greedo said quickly.
"I think I was pretty good with the sword! I managed to disarm her, but I nicked her hand, though, kashira."
Dony added, recalling her own experience.
Everyone seemed to have a different story about their first days here.
Hearing their answers, Osha quietly felt relieved. At least his companions weren't like those other kids, the ones who tried to impress the instructors by spilling blood.
Finally reaching the end of the long corridor, they were met with nothing but a wall. Off to the side, however, a kid sat on a chair, fast asleep on the job.
"Hey, Flourne, wake up, desuwa."
Greedo called out to the sleeping boy, Flourne, but he didn't respond.
Greedo sighed.
"Dony, do the thing, desuwa."
"Aye aye! Kashira!"
Dony stepped behind Flourne's chair, a mischievous smirk spreading across her face.
"WAKEY WAKEY, IT'S TIME FOR SCHOOL, KASHIRA!"
She grabbed the chair and shook it rapidly, still smiling.
"H-hah?!"
Flourne immediately jumped to his feet and snapped into a salute.
"I wasn't sleeping! Flourne, reporting for duty!"
He shouted loudly.
Greedo covered his mouth, chuckling quietly.
"Aha! Looks like someone was sleeping on the job, kashira!"
Dony laughed, pointing a finger accusingly at Flourne.
"Y-You two again?! Augh! Just leave already!"
Flourne grumbled as he reached down and pulled a lever beside him. Shortly after, the stone wall in front of them began to rumble and slowly rise.
"Uh-huh. We'll be back in an hour or two. And if we catch you sleeping again, I'm reporting you to an adult, desuwa."
"Gek! Alright, alright, relax! Just say the code and I'll open it up, geez."
Flourne muttered, scratching his head.
After giving the code, the trio stepped through the hidden passage. Behind them, the stone wall slowly lowered back into place with a heavy thud.
The first thing Osha noticed was the smell.
Fleuve Cendre was the sewers, after all. The air down here was thick and unpleasant, making it a little difficult to breathe.
"The smell, right? You'll get used to it. Also, put on your hood, Osha. There are people here called the Spina di Rosula, and we're not exactly on good terms with them. And this place is a den of thieves, desuwa."
Greedo said.
Osha nodded and pulled the hood of his cloak over his head.
'Right… the Spina di Rosula also operates in this place. But I doubt I'll see Navia here again.'
Osha thought as the trio walked carefully through the dim passages, keeping their heads down to avoid drawing attention.
Since it was almost midnight, the place felt half-abandoned. The buildings looked unfinished, stacked awkwardly on top of one another. Water dripped constantly from above, echoing softly through the narrow alleys.
Some people were sleeping outside beside makeshift beds. A little further away, Osha spotted a man being mugged in a corner while a pair of drunkards stumbled down the street, arguing loudly with one another.
Fleuve Cendre truly lived up to its reputation.
'Instead of catacombs, we have the poor man's district…'
Osha thought as he watched the dirty water slowly flowing through the channels around them.
"So, what's the code?"
Osha asked, remembering what Flourne had mentioned earlier.
"It's a code for the secret door, duh, kashira!"
Dony said, glancing at him like it was obvious.
"What Dony said. Basically, there are plenty of secret passageways around the city that lead back to the Hearth. The code for this one is: 'Praise thee the frozen Tsaritsa, for she watches her children with warm eyes.' So, Osha, you'd better remember that if you plan on using this passageway, desuwa."
Greedo explained.
'The Tsaritsa… there's so little information about her. Not to mention Natlan… I wonder what it's like there?'
Osha thought.
Back in the game, there had barely been any information about the Tsaritsa since she hadn't been revealed yet. And Natlan… unfortunately, Osha had died in his old world before he ever got the chance to play through that region or learn its lore.
"Osha, wanna go first? Desuwa."
Greedo said as they finally reached a ladder that led up to a manhole, most likely opening into the city above.
"Sure, why not?"
Osha accepted the offer and began climbing the ladder first.
"Uh… this is heavy. Hold on, I got an idea."
He muttered as he tried pushing the manhole cover from below.
Then a clever idea crossed his mind.
Osha shifted his body, gripping the ladder tightly with both hands. He let his feet slip off the rungs, hanging for a moment before lifting his entire frame upward, using the strength of both legs to push against the cover.
*CLANG!*
The manhole lid popped open.
"Hey, Osha! Don't make too much noise, desuwa!"
Greedo whispered sharply from below.
But Dony just stared upward, her mouth wide open.
"Hehe! Smoooooth, kashira!"
"Sorry!"
Osha whispered back as he reached down, offering his hand to help Greedo and Dony climb up.
"Greedo, you're heavy."
"I am not! Desuwa!"
Greedo shot back immediately. Osha couldn't help teasing him a little, a small smile finally forming on his face.
Once the three of them were out, Osha took a moment to look around.
The Court of Fontaine at night felt completely different from the lively city he had seen yesterday. Most of the shops were closed, and most of the people still around are on their way home. The bright bustle of the daytime streets had faded into a quiet calm.
Tall lampposts cast soft golden light across the roads. In the distance, a few Clockwork Mekas patrolled the streets, their metal frames softly whirring in the silence.
Even at night, the Court of Fontaine was a scene to behold.
"Brrr, so cold, kashira."
Dony shivered, blowing warm air onto her hands as she rubbed them together. The night air in Fontaine carried a sharp chill.
"Let's make this quick. I want to go to bed, desuwa."
Greedo muttered.
Shortly after, the trio continued on their task. As they walked, Osha quietly admired the sleeping city around them.
"Hey… have you two ever tried running away…?"
Osha suddenly asked.
"Running away, huh?"
Greedo let out a quiet sigh.
"That topic never really leaves my mind, Osha, believe me. But where exactly would we go? You might not notice it, but I feel like we're always being watched."
He kicked a small pebble on the road as they walked.
"Running is the easy part. But after that? Where do you go? We're kids, no money, no parents, nothing… Maybe when we're older, we can actually start planning something, desuwa."
"Then! Let's make a promise, the three of us! Kashira!"
Dony suddenly said with a bright smile.
Both Greedo and Osha stopped walking and looked at her.
"When we're older, let's get out of here! I actually want to go back to Mondstadt. Maybe one day I can become a Knight of Favonius! What about you two? Where do you both want to go? Kashira."
Dony asked.
"Well… I don't exactly want to go back to Inazuma…"
Greedo scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"I-I'll stick around with you for a while since you literally can't do anything without me! Desuwa…"
A faint blush appeared on his cheeks as he quickly looked away.
Dony's face also turned red, her mouth twitching like she was about to say something, but in the end, she stayed quiet.
'Ah… feels like I'm being a third wheel.'
Osha thought.
"W-what about you, Osha? Going anywhere? Desuwa."
Greedo asked, breaking the silence.
Osha thought about Greedo's question for a while. Where did he want to go?
Meeting Furina was still one of the goals he had in mind. But starting an adventure from Mondstadt… that didn't sound bad either.
"I'll tag along if you'll let me. I want to see Mondstadt too."
Osha said with a slight smile.
"Mm! Then! When we're older, let's get out of here, the three of us! It's a promise, kashira!"
Dony said brightly, placing her hand forward and waiting for the others to stack theirs on top.
"Mm. It's a promise, desuwa."
"It's a long journey… but a promise."
Greedo and Osha placed their hands on top of Dony's.
"It's a promise! Kashira!"
Dony said cheerfully.
---<>---
"It's locked."
Osha said as he tried the door handle. Earlier, they had knocked to see if the owner was still awake so they could inform him about his debts, but no one had answered.
"Let me try, desuwa."
Greedo stepped forward, pulling a small lockpick from his pocket before crouching down to tinker with the doorknob.
A few seconds passed.
"Jackpot."
The lock gave way with a soft click.
"Hey, don't look at me like that, Osha. They give these out to you, you know? Desuwa."
Greedo said, noticing the suspicious look Osha had been giving him.
The three of them slipped inside the shop quietly.
Flowers were everywhere, shelves filled with vases, dried bouquets hanging from the ceiling, and pots lining the walls. But many of them had already begun to wither, their petals drooping sadly.
The place was dim, lit only by a single lamp on a small counter.
"This place is giving me the creeps, kashira."
Dony muttered as she glanced around the dark room.
"Let's make this quick. Hello? Monsieur Gaspard, are you home? I'm sorry to inform you, but the Hearth is asking you to pay up, desuwa."
Greedo called out.
But there was no reply.
Greedo sighed.
"Let's go up those stairs, wake him up gently, and just get this over with, desuwa."
Greedo said.
He went first, climbing the stairs slowly and cautiously. One hand rested near the knife strapped to his thigh, ready in case something went wrong. Dony followed close behind him, with Osha bringing up the rear.
"Monsieur Gaspard, are yo-"
*BANG!*
The deafening blast shattered the silence.
A cloud of thick smoke burst from the top of the stairs. Everything happened too fast.
One moment, Greedo was there, standing in front of them, tense but ready for whatever waited upstairs.
The next moment-
A hail of buckshot tore into him.
The impact slammed into his small frame with horrifying force. The pellets ripped through cloth, flesh, and bone in an instant. Greedo didn't even have time to react.
Blood sprayed across the narrow stairway, splattering the walls, the railing, even the steps beneath their feet.
His small body collapsed immediately, crumpling forward. Where he had been standing just a second ago was now a mangled form, his clothes shredded, his chest torn open, blood pooling rapidly beneath him.
For a brief moment, the only sound was the ringing echo of the gunshot… and the slow drip of blood running down the wooden stairs.
One second ago, Greedo had been there.
The next-
There was only blood and his disfigured corpse.
"Greedo...?"