Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Farewell, Scaramouche

Beneath a crooked Otogi Tree, Bai Luo and the wandering samurai sat across from each other. But instead of wine, tea was laid out on the stone table between them.

Neither Bai Luo nor Scaramouche were fond of alcohol—especially now, when it was hardly the time for drinking.

“Not bad. This place is perfect for… all sorts of things,”

Scaramouche said as he glanced around, his straw hat still low over his head, never once removed.

“Yeah, I’m fond of this little fish pond myself. Great for raising fish, walking the dog… living a comfortable life,” Bai Luo replied casually.

As a Harbinger himself, Bai Luo knew better than anyone—when one of his colleagues started praising a place, it usually meant they were planning something there.

But Bai Luo wasn’t about to let someone else take over a spot he had already set his eyes on.

“So now that you’re back, why not head to Inazuma City? I’ve been covering your shifts, you know,” Scaramouche said, keeping his tone light.

Hardly anyone knew Bai Luo had returned.

Tartaglia was one of the few who did—but even his 39-page letter was still drifting somewhere over the ocean, uncertain if it would ever make it to Inazuma.

And even Tartaglia believed Bai Luo had gone to Ritou, not Watatsumi Island.

So even if the letter arrived, there was no guarantee Bai Luo would ever read it.

Honestly, if Igor hadn’t boldly requested money from the Inazuma embassy in the name of the “Regrator,” Scaramouche wouldn’t have even known Bai Luo had returned, much less guessed that the infamous “Battousai” was actually the Ausbilder.

Wait—how did Scaramouche figure out the money request was Bai Luo’s doing, even though it was supposedly from the “Regrator”?

As a fellow Harbinger, Scaramouche knew full well that the “Regrator” only gives money to his subordinates. He’d never allow them to go ask for it.

Especially not three hundred million Mora.

Three hundred million wasn’t an astronomical sum, but it was still enough to grab the Regrator’s attention.

And Igor? He didn’t have the guts to do that on his own. Someone had clearly been pulling strings behind the scenes.

So the real question was—who could possibly manipulate Igor into ignoring the Regrator’s wrath and blatantly request money from Inazuma?

That kind of bold tactic—using someone else’s name to get money—instantly reminded Scaramouche of Bai Luo.

The love-hate saga between Bai Luo and Tartaglia in Liyue had already made the rounds among the Harbingers.

Not just Scaramouche—even The Fair Lady had a Bai Luo & Tartaglia joint expense report sitting on her desk.

But she hadn’t paid it much mind.

It was just a dinner tab, after all. As long as he wasn’t doing something weird in her name, she had no reason to interfere.

“I originally thought the fleet was heading for Ritou. Didn’t expect them to veer off and come to Watatsumi Island instead.”

“After arriving… I sensed something was off here. Figured I’d wrap things up before heading to Inazuma.”

“Otherwise, everything we’ve set up in the city might end up compromised.”

“So basically… I still have to cover your shift?”

Scaramouche raised an eyebrow.

“Thank you for your service. I’ll treat you to a Sunsettia next time.”

What? I already set the bait, the line’s out, and now you’re telling me to pack up and go?

Dream on!

Even if it’s you, Scaramouche—or your mother, for that matter—I’m not leaving today!

That’s the unshakable resolve of a true fisherman!

“I’ve already had Igor send the money. Just don’t overdo it—I’ve got things of my own to handle. Can’t keep playing your stand-in forever,” Scaramouche said.

Bai Luo had expected to argue his point a little more, but to his surprise, Scaramouche was oddly agreeable.

Or maybe… he had his own reasons for staying in Inazuma.

That small motion of pressing his hat lower—as if to hide something—made Bai Luo curious.

“Relax. You know how I handle things.”

Bai Luo waved him off casually.

Confidence was one thing, but Bai Luo was never overconfident.

Even when the success rate was already at 99.9%, he would still give 100% of his effort for the remaining 0.1%.

Because perhaps it was that 0.1% of uncertainty that could change the entire outcome.

The dusk settled on the treetops, heralding the coming of starlight.

Scaramouche glanced at the setting sun, now dyed so red it even stained the water beneath it, then slowly rose to his feet—seemingly ready to leave.

“How’s the Delusion Factory?”

Bai Luo lifted his teacup. The soft purple leaves drifting in the tea were hard to tell apart—whether they came from the cup or had fallen from the canopy above.

It was a question asked casually, almost offhand, but it made Scaramouche pause in his steps.

“Not sure. Just like when I was in Inazuma City—I’m only covering someone else’s shift there.”

“If something happens, I show up and hold things down. If nothing’s going on, I don’t bother. I don’t even go there everyday.”

He wasn’t lying.

Technically, the factory was supposed to be Bai Luo’s responsibility.

But since Bai Luo was new to the role of Harbinger and unfamiliar with the work, Scaramouche had temporarily taken over.

What he didn’t expect was that the “temporary” cover extended beyond just the factory.

He ended up covering the entire Inazuma City workload too.

If he’d known it would turn out like this… he never would’ve come in the first place.

What a pain.

“This pond is beautiful. I really like it. So I’d prefer not to see it stained with any… ugly colors, you get what I mean?”

Bai Luo swirled his tea with one hand.

He had a habit of doing that—swirling tea like it was wine, as if he could draw a certain style or charisma from the motion.

Maybe he thought it looked cool.

But to those who knew him well, he wasn’t giving off “charming rogue” vibes—just “obnoxious show-off.”

Was it a warning?

Not exactly. After all, he and Scaramouche were equals in rank—and Scaramouche was technically his senior.

He had no authority to threaten him.

He was merely sending a message:

I’ve taken a liking to Watatsumi Island. If there’s no real need—don’t cause trouble here.

“I told you—I’m just covering your shift. I’ll try to pass your little sentiment along to that one… but whether he decides to break your precious little toy or not… that’s out of my hands.”

Scaramouche wasn’t interested in getting dragged into their petty games.

He had other plans, like annoying his mother.

Bathed in the last light of the sunset, he walked away from Watatsumi Island.

The blood-red glow painted him head to toe, sending a chill down anyone’s spine.

No one knew he had ever been to Watatsumi Island.

Just like no one would ever know that, under a seemingly ordinary Otogi Tree, two Harbingers had once shared a quiet conversation.

Other than a few Watatsumi soldiers at the bridge being killed by ’Shogunate spies’, the island had remained mostly undisturbed.

It was just… there was no sign of Kiyoko at the stone bridge anymore.

Not because Scaramouche had harmed her—he hadn’t.

Rather, Lingling feared more Shogunate agents would sneak into Watasumi, so she placed Kiyoko under house arrest.

Those affected by the lockdown also included Liyue’s The Crux merchant fleet.

Sangonomiya Kokomi knew very well this incident had nothing to do with Liyue’s people—and must not be linked to them.

But to maintain order among the troops, and after consulting Beidou, she placed all foreign merchants—Liyueans included—under lockdown.

The lockdown didn’t change much.

The merchants normally just wandered around Bourou Village anyway, they rarely went out.

As for Bai Luo, no one believed he was behind the incident.

In fact, many assumed the Shogunate had sent elite spies to investigate whether the rumored Battousai was really hiding on Watatsumi Island.

And… in a way, they weren’t wrong.

It’s just that those spies were a bit too high-level.

. . . . .

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