Hot indeed

Everyone felt surprised that Kenshin was in a close relationship with 2 Archons in which he could send them letters so easily.

And Arlecchino felt sure now that Kenshin was the mystery man, and she now had an intrigued look in her 'X' red eyes, wondering what that kind of secret that book held.

"Stop" commanded Ei standing up with a frown. "What is so important that you need to tell 2 Archons?".

"That is none of your business. I wrote a book that had some things I shouldn't have said, and I just learned that the Fatui learned about it" replied Kenshin, who had to stop when the door didn't open, as Ei was manipulating magnetism to not let it open. "If you are curious you can ask Yae or even better, the friendly neighbouring dragon. Oh, and ask for some food too".

Ei just narrowed her eyes, but let Kenshin go.

"I wonder what that book held" mused Arlecchino out loud, once Kenshin had left.

But a blur appeared through the door, and Kenshin was once again kneeling in front of her.

"My lady, that book contained everything I knew from souls and a few things that I will tell you about only if you insist. I will grant you your wishes even if I get scolded by the friendly dragon" Kenshin said in a serious voice with a flamboyant gesture.

While Arlecchino was too surprised by Kenshin's sudden 'dedication' to her wishes, Ei narrowed her eyes even more.

"Souls" she said with a frown. Even if she was not the legitimate Archon, she still had an idea of how dangerous that was.

"Yes, and let it be known that is only because of this that the curses in Inazuma have almost disappeared. So wait for a bit before killing me, because I'm still friends with Morax and Inazuma will be left without food. Also, I know Barbatos, but knowing that coward he will only watch how my body will get vaporized".

Ei didn't answer but sat down again, thinking that she would need to have a serious talk with Yae about this.

"We Fatui are normally thought of as criminal and ruthless people, but I don't know what to think about the subjects fearing that their own Archon could be the reason for their untimely deaths" Arlecchino commented off-handedly ignoring the still kneeling Kenshin.

Ei didn't answer, after thinking a bit, she realized that it was indeed a sad thing. She only wanted the best for her people, and yet she realized how much they feared her.

'Makoto, I still can't do anything without you' she thought with melancholy.

"Milady, please understand something. Our Archon only wants the best for Inazuma, even if it is reflected in some weird ways. I believe that the Shogun is genuinely thinking about us, and she may have her reason to be this decisive about cutting threats before they can sprout" argued Kenshin, making Ei look at him in surprise, but she nodded relieved that someone was able to understand how she felt.

"I don't know how my presence here affects that thought" replied Arlecchino glancing at Kenshin, a bit of admiration in her mind, but she quickly tried to erase it before Kenshin could decipher it.

"I don't think it's your presence here, but there have been a few bugs around for years, and with your dazzling and shining soul, they can't help but feel attracted to your radiance" Kenshin replied raising his head to look at the faint traces of soul he could see on her face with his eyes still closed. He couldn't see her face, but the faint features he could discern told him that Arlecchino was gorgeous.

'I need this woman to tell me what she knows about the book' grimly thought Kenshin. 'I don't believe such an important book was only read by the Tsaritsa. The Fatuis seem to be the criminal group of this world, I don't believe they have scruples to keep what they know a secret'.

"I see" Arlecchino nodded. "And I know you don't".

"Indeed my lady" Kenshin nodded.

"Kenshin, stop disgracing yourself and Inazuma in the process" Sara scolded him with clenched teeth.

"Dear Tengu, there is no need to do that. Milady here has already known the state of Inazuma since all this mess started, so she knows even better than you how disgraceful we are, no need to hide it" Kenshin argued looking at Sara with a disappointed face. "When did you start thinking the Fatui wouldn't know about this? They were the ones who proposed the Vision Hunt Decree after all".

"Why would you say that?" asked Arlecchino, thinking that maybe Kenshin was something more than only his ability.

"Visions have been around for 2 thousand years, and nobody had a problem with them. Why would these fools try to do something about them just when the Fatui are back after mysteriously leaving for a few years?" replied Kenshin in a casual voice.

"So you proposed your Decrees because the Fatui told you to do it?" asked Ayato with a glare. "Is that why my sister had to lose her Vision? For the money these criminals are giving you?"

"I would like for you to take that back. We are here as friends who are willing to give you the things you lack right now, I expect a modicum of respect" replied Arlecchino with a serene voice looking at Ayato, who was too busy glaring at the leaders of the Kujou and Hiirage clans.

"I'm sure you would, and yet you won't get any respect from me. I have reports on my house of the extortions your subordinates are subjecting our people to. If you want to be respected, act like a decent human first" replied the moody Ayato.

"Of course, that only refers to the rest of the Fatui, milady has not done anything wrong, not at all!" Kenshin exclaimed. "You will have all my respect, and then some more".

'Fucking Ayato, your sis-con tendencies will force us to eat our toenails' Kenshin was going to send a letter to Ayaka in which he would narrate how Ayato had shared some steamy nights with Thoma.

Sara could only clench her teeth, feeling indignant by this. She had worked for years as hard as she could to earn Kenshin's respect and appreciation, and now this woman was hearing what she had been wanting to hear for years so easily.

"Dear tengu, don't be jealous, I didn't say it to you because I thought you would already know it, I prefer to show it with my actions. But milady here doesn't know me yet, so I need to be more vocal about it" Kenshin said with a pacifying smile, one that made Sara look to the ground in embarrassment at being exposed like this, but also happy knowing that Kenshin respected her too. Wait, why was she happy about it when his respect was so cheap?

"I think I should leave now, today's meeting wasn't productive at all" Arlecchino said while standing up.

"Lie" said Kenshin before putting a hand in his mouth. "Of course milady, that is not to say that what you said isn't true, just that veracity couldn't be found in your statement. I wouldn't dare to doubt your word".

Arlecchino felt her cold mask twitch for the first time in a while.

"Please be assured" she told to Ei, who was looking at the scene with her usual straight face, and Arlecchino felt that if she stayed here for longer this boy would make her reveal something she didn't want to. "Snezhnaya will help Inazuma in their moments of need. We will bring more food and supplies.

Now that she knew Kenshin was here, and actively working for Inazuma, she could mobilize more funds.

"I will escort you" said Kenshin happily, standing up and opening the door for her, making Arlecchino release a sigh.

She left the hall, thinking about the day and the revelations it brought. She would need to tread carefully, but probably she should focus more on Kenshin than in the Gnosis. The Tsaritsa said that Kenshin was as, if not more, important than a single Gnosis, but the difference was that the Gnosis stayed with their Archon, while Kenshin was a free person who would leave if they allowed him to do so.

"May I ask why are you following me?" asked Arlecchino in a level voice to the person following her.

"You said that you would let me have a bit of your time if you left the room in a happy mood, and you should be, you left that place alive after all" Kenshin replied with a smile, studying Alrecchino's soul with great interest.

The more he studied it, the more he felt something was weird, but he focused on the red glow it had. Arlecchino's soul was like a red marble, even though it was small from too much 'compressing', it was extremely beautiful.

Flames were being emitted from the red orb, but they were not wildly moving all around like Signora's. They were concentrated near the soul, calm and waiting for a chance.

Kenshin desired to see how they would erupt when the opportunity arose. What kind of marvellous spectacle would such an amazing soul be when it shone with all its splendour?

What kind of hardships did Arlecchino endure? How did she overcome them? What changes did those challenges make in her?

Those were the questions Kenshin was wondering about while looking at the mesmerizing soul in a trance.

"Why did you cover for me?" asked Arlecchino without looking back at Kenshin, who was walking a few steps behind her.

"I didn't want such a beautiful soul to die, and saying that you were after Ei's possessions looked like a great way to do it" replied absent-mindedly Kenshin. "Also, you have food".

"I guess Ei is the Archon's name. How did you know I was looking for something she owned?" asked Arlecchino with interest.

"Signora told me. I would tell her about her soul and she would tell me about her purpose in Mondstadt" replied Kenshin, wondering how could he touch that shiny red marble.

'That bitch, giving away our purpose before even starting the plan' fumed Arlecchino, but her cold mask was unchanging.

"Please don't get angry, your soul is not as beautiful when you are not calm" Kenshin immediately said, seeing that the red marble was shaking and it got a darker tonality.

"How much would it cost me to know what my soul looks like?" asked Arlecchino while walking toward the hotel she was spending her nights in.

"For you? Maybe a bit of time for ourselves, I know a great place" replied Kenshin with a nod seeing Arlecchino's soul not being clouded by anger anymore.

Arlecchino stopped hearing that, it would be a lie to say she wasn't curious. Souls were a taboo thing in some echelons of power, and she belonged to one in which information was extremely restricted. They only needed to know the plan and their targets, anything else was irrelevant.

Maybe if she was stronger, or better said more important, she would have access to more things, but as the person in charge of collecting information and eliminating 'undesirable' people, it was hard for her to gain importance among the Harbingers.

"Hmm, I see your curiosity and determination. I will tell you then" replied Kenshin happily. "Your soul is like a very dense red marble".

Arlecchino fell silent, not expecting something as important to her as her soul was to look that insignificant.

"Don't get fooled by my simple description, it's an impressive soul. I don't know if you are fully human, but it's the most beautiful soul I've seen that doesn't belong to a thousand years old beings. It shows how much tragedy you have endured in your past, and how you were able to overcome every single one of them. I find your soul very beautiful" Kenshin quickly explained sensing Arlecchino's disappointment.

"I don't-"

"Yes, you don't know what to think of me being able to get that much information with a single look, I know. But I won't tell anyone about your soul, just like I won't tell you about Signora's or even the Shogun's, but I will tell you that you have absolutely no chance of beating her" Kenshin interrupted the most usual comment to people knowing everything he could do.

"That a relief then. And I already know that I have no chance, that's why I said that I only want to make a deal, and I have no hostile intentions" Arlecchino said, and gestured to Kenshin to start walking to the place he knew. She took the deal after all.

Kenshin felt her gesture and started walking towards the cliff behind the Shrine. He could walk alone for now as they were in the city, but he would need to ask Arlecchino for help later.

"Lie" Kenshin said with a smile.

"What did I lie in?" asked Arlecchino with a confused face.

"That's sad. You don't even know you are lying" said Kenshin shaking his head. "No, you know you lied, but your curiosity was also genuine, so maybe.....I think you are trying to fool yourself into thinking in a certain way, so your act is not noticed by anyone else. Please put your hand on my shoulder and guide me, we will go to the Shrine for now" Kenshin replied looking at the general direction they would be going in, so he missed Arlecchino's brief pause, followed by an eerily blank face.

Arlecchino put her hand on Kenshin's shoulder and moved the other to her waist.

"Ups, did I touch something sensitive?" asked Kenshin without worry in his face. "Don't worry, I knew it from a while ago and still kept silent. As I said, I want to help such a beautiful soul".

"What do you know" questioned Arlecchino with a voice devoid of emotions.

"What you are trying to hide" replied casually Kenshin, not minding Arlecchino's hand painfully digging into his shoulder. "That you indeed have some hostility in you. You already know what I can do, did you think I would miss that anger you feel every time you mention the Fatui? You are probably planning something like a betrayal or rebellion of some kind against the Tsaritsa, or at least one person in the same sphere you are".

Arlecchino's face turned murderous hearing that. She turned Kenshin around so that their eyes were in front of each other, her 'X' shaped red pupils staring directly at Kenshin's closed eyes, her hand grabbing Kenshin's shoulder while the other held a knife to his throat.

"Tell me why shouldn't I kill you now. There is nobody around us, and if you decide to tell somebody about this, death will be my less important worry" she said in a frigid voice.

"Come on, if you get that close to me I will blush" said Kenshin while squirming bashfully, not minding Arlecchino's knife starting to apply more pressure in his throat, drawing blood that disappeared in the neck of his hakama. "You won't kill me because I already proved to you that I'm on your side, I covered for you after all, and you could have died. Turn right now, I can see the marks I left here".

Arlecchino stopped holding her knife against Kenshin's throat, but her other hand was still holding his shoulder. She still hasn't decided to keep Kenshin alive, but she will hear him for now, even despite thinking that she will have to kill him. She couldn't think of anything Kenshin could give her to be worth the risk of keeping him alive.

She knew that if Kenshin appeared dead, she would be the first suspect, but there was no way they could prove it. And being the only one who could bring food into Inazuma, they wouldn't be able to incriminate her without some very revealing proof.

And she had the one controlling the police in her pocket.

They stood silent for a while, only the occasional sounds of Kenshin's instructions broke the tense atmosphere, at least from Arlecchino's side.

"Here we are".