Genshin Impact: Frostburn

Back to the theater

I woke up in Papa's hands. He was carrying me while holding Leon's hands and talking with Neuvillette. It looks like there's a delay in sending me back to my body. 

I rubbed my eyes and I felt something wet touch my hands. Tears. I was crying.

"It looks like you're awake, Leo. Huh? Did you have a nightmare? It's all fine now; Papa is here." Papa said as he wiped my tears and tapped my back in comfort. His gentle hands were comforting.

"Are you okay, Leo?" Leon asked. He looked extremely worried.

"I'm fine now, thank you."

Papa then put me down and pulled a piece of cloth; wiping my tears. "Monsieur Neuvillette, I'm afraid we have to go now. We also don't want to take more of your time."

Neuvillette replied in a friendly manner. "Then I'll go on my way. May you enjoy your stay here."

With that, he left along with his Melusine entourage. 

"Shall we get going?" Papa then led us out of the theater and to the aquabus where we rode until we reached the bustling market. 

There are a lot of people here not just Fontanians, but also different people from different nations. Some of them wore a long T-shaped, wrap-around robe with wide sleeves. I'm sure that's what Inazumans wear. Some people wear Western type of clothing and some wear Chinese type clothes. I don't know what to call them but it looks eastern enough with hints of Chinese influence; they're probably from Liyue. There are also some that I'm not familiar with, but from the vibe alone, I could guess that they're from Sumeru.

This is the most bustling and crowded place in Fontaine. There's also that one place where rich people go. We always eat there and the prices of goods and services are absurd. Who sells a stack of radish for 30,000 mora? He might as well rob his buyers. Even Papa didn't look amused with the prices.

"Alright, you two. I will have to do some research so I'll give you some guards and you can roam around all you want as long as they're with you," He then raised his hand and one of the guards took out a few pouches of mora and gave it to him.

"Since Leo already has his reward from me, you will get less," He handed me the smaller pouch and then Leon the other.

"This will be your money to spend, now, don't go buying anything...weird okay? Papa will meet you two at dusk so don't give your guards a headache." He then left and two of the guards followed behind him.

I forgot to bring the stack of jewels Papa gave me. Maybe I'll go back and take it then exchange it for mora? It's practically useless as of now.

"Leo! Let's split!" Leon exclaimed as he pulled the sleeves of my shirt.

"...why?"

"I just want to!"

This guy was such a headache. His impulses were getting stronger.

"But we have to stick together." I reasoned.

But Leon retorted. "Papa didn't say anything about that! We just said we can roam around, so that's what I'll do! Also following you around is boring, you'll just go to a bookstore and read all day. I'll go do some cool stuff and buy cool things!"

"...I guess Papa didn't say anything about that,"

His reason is... accurate to say. I planned to go around and buy anything that could give me a better worldview. Of course, that's not all I planned but still... It hurted how right he was.

Finally giving up, I said. "Fine, but let's meet before dusk."

"Deal! I'm off!" He ran off with half of the guards. I wonder why they're not saying anything considering it's their job protecting us.

'For now, I'll go back to the hotel and get the jewels.'

***

We arrived at the hotel and I asked my guards to wait outside while I go get the bag where the jewels are. 

I found it near a stack of papers on Papa's desk. He has been using it since we arrived and there are multiple stacks of papers on it. I wonder what those papers are? Should I go take a look?

I hesitated to look but curiosity got the best of me. I used a chair to elevate myself and reach the tabletop.

'Let's see what's in here.' I read some of the papers. Some of them are business arrangements and some are Fatui reports. None of them are very important, just some recruitment reports and plans to earn more mora. A pity, but it seems like I can't use this information.

As I was about to come down my eyes caught a glimpse of a sheet of paper inside the drawer. I opened the drawer and read the paper.

Inside, it contains important documents for a new branch of Northland Bank. There's even Neuvillette's signature on it. I kept reading and I saw many notes about potential places to build a branch and plans on how to acquire them. 

'I guess that's why Papa said he needs to do some research.'

I put it back inside and got down then I took the bag and was about to leave but a thought came to mind.

I remembered Focalors words. She said I can take in different sources of power. 

I reached inside the bag and searched for anything that had elemental energy. There should at least be one.

My hunch was right, inside I found a few elemental rocks.

If I remember correctly these crystals are connected to the ley lines. There should be some energy left in them.

I gripped it in anticipation, waiting for anything magical to happen but nothing came.

'Am I doing something wrong? '

I softened my grip on the crystal and looked at it in confusion.

'How did I absorb the Indemnitium? There should be a way. '

I once again gripped it tightly and closed my eyes and tried to remember the feeling, I should be able to do it.

Harder and harder, I gripped it. My mind was focusing on the feeling I felt inside Focalors Domain. The surging current when I got pulled, the Indemnitium entering my body, and Focalors extracting it inside my body.

Slowly, I could feel small amounts of ley line energy enter my body but unlike before, it wasn't just discomfort. This time around I felt immense pain and rejection. 

I instantly flung the crystal away. My body was full of sweat.

"Why?"

I felt immense pain as if the ley lines and the world itself were rejecting me.

Confused and hopeful, I took the crystal and attempted to absorb its energy again.

The result was the same, Immense pain greeted me and I screamed internally. I tried to suppress the urge to scream. It would attract the attention of the guards and I refuse to be a Guinea pig to get experimented on.

I was sweating buckets and decided to not try again and put back the crystal in the bag. 

I changed my clothes and then went on my way to the market.

*** 

Arriving back on the market, I searched for a jewelry shop that would buy these gems. But my mind is still stuck on what happened earlier.

Why didn't it work? Am I doing it wrong? No stop thinking about it. For now, focus on selling these gems. We'll figure it out later.

I slapped my cheeks and shook my head. The guards following me raised their hands in confusion. I reassured them that nothing was wrong and it was just a mosquito. They seemed to believe me.

"Hair boutique, Foreign goods shop, Smithy, Restaurant..." I searched for half an hour and didn't find any jewelry shops. Why are they so scarce? The market doesn't seem to have any Jewelry shops. Maybe in that place, there's some.

I decided to go to the part of the city where rich people go but my legs started to hurt.

"Um, mister can you carry me...please," I asked one of the guards. They didn't seem to mind and carried me on their shoulders.

We arrived and I started to look for a jewelry shop. There! There's one!

"Mister, there" I pointed at it and we entered the shop.

Inside are some necklaces, rings, and many different accessories. The sheer price would even rob even the rich! The cheapest ring costs 800,000 mora! How absurd!

"Hello customers, would you like me to recommend some accessories that would suit you?" A store clerk of the place came and started to offer us some rings and necklaces. He's not offering me anything. He's offering my guards.

"Ehem, we are not your customer, but the young master here." The guards said as he pointed at me.

"Oh..." 

I didn't like the look on his face. He looks like he's about to rob me.

"Then young master, this right here would suit you quite well." He then offered me the most expensive ring in this shop. It's just 2,000,000 mora!

"I'm not here to buy anything." I said while shaking my head.

"Oh, then you may leave, we don't accept anyone loitering around the shop." He said, his face turning into an uninterested one.

'The instant shift in tone! This guy is shameless!' Despite all that, I really wanted to sell these minerals and gems so I showed him the bag of jewels. "I want to sell this,"

"As I said, we don't like anyone playing around so... I see I'll call the owner here, please wait dear customers." He then left and entered the back.

'Shameless.'

A few moments later a man in his forties greeted us. "Welcome, Monsieur, I heard you want to sell some Jewels?"

"Yes, here they are." I showed him the bag.

He looked inside and inspected them one by one. "You have quite several gems here, but I'm afraid to tell you that some of them can't be sold here," He picked two of the gems; the magical crystal chunk and the electro crystal. "These two, can't be used as it is. Especially this crystal chunk, only a few blacksmiths can process them, and the electro crystals can't be used unprocessed."

He then took out a pen and paper from the counter and wrote the price of he was willing to pay. "But, you're in luck, I know a blacksmith that can process them so I'll buy them too."

He handed me the paper and I can't help but feel shocked.

He was offering 140,000 mora for all the gems! It was nothing but shamelessness. Papa told me the exact price of the jewels in the bag. It's supposed to be 200,000 mora

'They're robbing me! The store clerk and the owner are both shameless!'

****************

In the market.

Leon roamed around buying anything that he found cool and interesting. He had already forgotten what Pantalone told them.

"What's this?!" He asked as he pointed at a toy gun.

"You have quite the eye young man, this here is a special device used to splash and scare evil monsters. You just put water in this container and then point at them, then you pull the trigger and it will scare them." The store clerk explained.

"Wow! How much?!"

"I'll give to you cheaply. 10,000 mora." the store clerk said as he puts up both his hands and showed all 10 fingers.

The faces of the guards behind him distorted. They can't help but feel bad for Leon. He has been scammed by different shops and now all he has is 20,000 mora; far from what Pantalone gave him earlier.

If not for their orders to let the twins do what they want and not interfere unless it's an emergency, they would have already beat up these robbers.

"I'll buy it!" Leon excalimed as he handed the mora.

"Thank you for your patronage! Monsieur!" The shop owner exclaimed happily.

They left the shop and once again strolled the bustling streets. Leon led the charge while his guards courageously followed behind; carrying his spoils of war.

"Where to next, hmmm? What's that?" Leon spotted a shop in one of the dark alleys. The place was full of grime and dirt, far from the pristine look of the city.

He entered the alley and approached the shop. His steps echoed around the place. An eerie blanket covered the space around and the hustle and bustle of the market could not be heard anymore.

"Young master, we should go back. We don't have a good feeling about this." A guard warned. All of them were on alert.

"Y-yeah..." Leon felt the weariness of his entourage and agreed. But before they could leave an odd-looking woman emerged from the shop.

She wore a witch hat and a long dress that drags on the floor, both of which have stars engraved. 

"Who are you!" A guard questioned.

"Welcome, I am the astrologist Barbeloth Megistus. You have seen my shop, no? Then I shall divine your fate."

Suddenly, they find themselves sitting inside the so-called shop.