Chapter 9: Electro Cicin Mage Ksenia

Sparks from a lightning bolt ignited the wood beneath a pot, and soon steam began to rise from the boiling water.

"Sit, sit! I don't have much, but I do have some snacks and tea," said the eager Electro Cicin Mage as she brushed off the non-existent dust from a cushion, inviting Bai Luo to sit. It seemed she hadn't seen another Fatui member in a while, and her enthusiasm bordered on overzealous.

The Fatui had a fearsome reputation among outsiders, but within their ranks, there was a strong sense of colleagues and trust. When the Electro Mage, named Ksenia, learned that Bai Luo had gotten lost in the forest, she welcomed him without a second thought, despite his distinctly non-Snezhnayan appearance.

"Tea, milk, firewater—what'll it be? Or do you want to mix them all together?" Ksenia asked as she rummaged under her pillow, pulling out a tin and two bottles.

(Fire-Water (Russian: огненная вода ognennaya voda, "fiery water"), which Angel's Share bartender Charles deems the strongest wine he knows of, originates from Snezhnaya. It is a reference to the liquor vodka, a drink commonly associated with Russia.)

"Did you forget the most important rule from the Fatui advance team training manual? Absolutely no firewater or any firewater-related drinks during a mission," Bai Luo admonished.

Firewater, after all, was a kind of alcohol, much like how dandelion wine was the soul of Mondstadt, firewater was the lifeblood of Snezhnaya. During the Archon War, the Snezhnayans had developed a special disinfectant. Some had tried drinking it and found it enjoyable, leading to its widespread use as a spiritual sustenance.

"What's the harm? Out here in the wilds of Inazuma, I'm the boss!" Ksenia laughed, waving off his concern. To her, Bai Luo seemed like a new recruit, someone the advance team had picked up in Inazuma and who wasn't yet familiar with the unspoken rules.

She carefully retrieved her well-preserved tea set, scooped some boiling water from the pot, and meticulously cleaned the cups before brewing some black tea. Considering Bai Luo's youthful appearance, she added a bit of milk to his tea. Just before handing it over, she couldn't resist asking again, "Are you sure you don't want any firewater?"

"If we ever make it back to Snezhnaya, I'll treat you to the finest firewater. But for now... let's skip it," Bai Luo replied, accepting the milk tea from Ksenia and taking a sip. He had to admit, her tea-making skills were impressive. Despite attending countless tea parties in Snezhnaya, this was the first time he had tasted milk tea with such a unique flavor.

"Hehe, the tea was stolen from the Nobushi, and the milk fished out of a Hilichurl's pot. Tastes good, doesn't it?" Ksenia grinned.

"Pfft—"

Before Ksenia could finish her sentence, Bai Luo spat out the tea he had just swallowed. What had seemed like an elegantly flavored drink now felt far less appealing.

"Oh dear, young people nowadays are really not good at cherishing things."

Ksenia sighed, seemingly unbothered by his reaction. On certain missions, they didn't even have drinks of this level. In more dire situations, they had to rely on Hydro Slimes for drinking water. Though effective in emergencies, the high concentration of elemental energy in the slimes made it dangerous for human consumption. If not treated in time, it could lead to severe aftereffects. New recruits couldn't comprehend the hardships their predecessors had endured.

"How long have you been stationed here?" Bai Luo asked, shifting the conversation as he glanced at the worn canvas above them. He really didn't want to hear the origin story of the pot used for boiling water. Judging by his instincts, Ksenia had likely been here for quite some time.

"Hmm... I've lost track. Out here in the wilderness, there's no sense of time. All I do is mess with Hilichurls and rob the Nobushi. I was here even before the Sakoku Decree was issued," Ksenia replied, taking a sip of firewater. Even for someone from Snezhnaya, drinking like that left her cheeks slightly flushed. Normally, she wouldn't drink firewater in such a manner. Inazuma wasn't Snezhnaya, after all. Firewater was scarce, and each sip was precious. But when friends visited, it was different—firewater was meant to be shared.

"Listen, newbie," Ksenia said, her breath reeking of alcohol and patted Bai Luo heartily on the back. "Don't worry about what others think of us Fatui. We're here to do great things for the Tsaritsa! I might be struggling a bit now, but once we're done with this job in Inazuma City, I'll be at least a commander when I get back! And if anyone messes with you, just drop my name!"

It was clear that Ksenia was a bit tipsy. Her rough pats might not have been very strong, but they were vigorous enough that Bai Luo was glad she wasn't using her full strength—otherwise, she might have caused him some internal injuries.

"Oh, right," Ksenia suddenly remembered that they hadn't introduced themselves. "I'm Ksenia, by the way. What about you?"

"Bai Luo," he replied, momentarily taken aback by her name. Having lived in Snezhnaya for so long, Bai Luo had come to understand the culture there. For instance, the name "Ksenia" in Snezhnaya was synonymous with hospitality, and this woman certainly lived up to her name.

"Bai Luo?"

Hearing his name, Ksenia paused mid-drink. As a member of the Fatui advance team in Inazuma, she had picked up some of the local culture. But in her mind, Bai Luo didn't sound like a typical Inazuman name. If anything, it seemed more in line with the names found across the sea in Liyue. 

"Are you from Liyue?"

If Ksenia remembers correctly, it seems that recently, Snezhnaya and Liyue have had some strategic cooperation.

She doesn't know the specifics, but she knows that her good friend from the House of Hearth once mysteriously approached her, saying they were going to Liyue with their younger brother for something big.

Ah, lucky Katarina, she must be enjoying herself in the Moonchase Festival with her brother now, right?

How enviable.

"Yes, but now I'm settled in Snezhnaya. Because I saved a child from the frozen river in the winter, I was recognized by the rooster and given an exception to join the Fatui."

Speaking of this, Bai Luo also sighed.

He never imagined back then that his simple act of saving someone would lead to such a change.

When he resurfaced from the water, he was no longer on Earth but had arrived in Teyvat, appearing in Snezhnaya.

"Hey? Your experience is quite similar to someone I know. I heard that person has become an executive now. I wonder if we'll become executives too."

Ksenia had no idea that the young man sitting next to her, whom she had playfully fed strange milk tea, was actually the executive she mentioned.

It wasn't until many years later, when she saw that familiar figure standing next to the Queen, that she realized who she had met in Inazuma.