Chapter Text
Renu was almost asleep, but ominous sounds came in from the forest and she found herself batting off the will to close her eyes again. The sun had set hours ago, but the weary traveler could not yet find peace. Every time a noise was made, she had to convince herself it was just a slime. Or the wind. She felt like she was being taunted…
She had almost reached a doze, until the unmistakable sound of footsteps approached.
Renu sat up instantly, summoning her spear and getting into a crouch, careful not to make a sound. As remote as her camp was, the odds of getting mugged by a team of treasure hoarders was never zero. Her breath stilled, and she awaited on their approach to begin her surprise attack.
“Come on, now. There’s no need for that. I’d like to talk with you.”
Renu didn’t bother to hide her surprise, as her location was still concealed. Carefully, she stepped out of the tent, leveling her weapon at the man standing a respectable distance away. “Who are you? State your business.”
“I’m a traveler, same as you,” he said nonchalantly, not even acknowledging the blade facing him. “You can call me Aether.” His eyes were the color of liquid gold in the light of the full moon, but they shone as cool as steel. He didn’t have a weapon drawn, but she knew someone with a face like that was simply concealing it- and probably very proficient with it as well. She racked her brain trying to identify the culture where his clothes were from, but she didn’t know many places, anyways. “I have a request.”
“I’ve never heard of you before. How did you find me?”
Aether smirked just slightly. “I know Teyvat like the back of my hand, while it seems that you’re barely getting to know the world outside of your hometown. Tell me, are you basking in the freedom outside of the clutches of your precious Academia?”
Renu flinched, but didn’t break her glare. She held the polearm a little bit higher, urging him to get to the point.
“Ah, that’s right. You’re not entirely off the hook just yet. Which is why, I presume, you’re all this way in the middle of nowhere training to become an herbalist. And this is the reason why there’s a merchant from a village about three day’s journey away who’s caught in a death drought, unable to wake up with the aid of his friends-”
“So you’re here to turn me in,” she accused, angry but accepting.
“Oh, no, you’re far too precious to lose to the Milileth. Besides, I think the poor fool got what he deserved, for trying to lay hands on you…” He was saying all of the right words to make her blood boil. She knew she was being targeted by that sly look in his eye… “You should have gone all the way.”
“I would never kill him! The poison will wear off in a few weeks.”
“And then he’ll go back to his usual twisted self, hunting after vulnerable girls such as yourself for his own pleasure. If I could give you one piece of advice, Renu, it is to always finish the job. And that is exactly what I need your help with.”
She drew back her weapon and stabbed the spear point into the ground. “I already told you. It was never my intention to kill a man.”
“So that means you intend for that slime ball to walk free without any fear of consequences, no?”
“No! I-”
“I wouldn’t be asking for your assistance without good reason, my dear Renu. But before that, you need to understand that we live in a world with consequences. People save lives, as often as others take them. And, for your concern, I am in the business of saving lives.”
“Like hell I’m about to trust you,” she seethed, brandishing her weapon again. “If you need someone killed, I recommend just doing it yourself. You don’t seem to be appalled by the notion. Why go out of your way to recruit a struggling grad student?”
Aether let out a delighted laugh. The fact that she was attempting to process his logic had already let him know that he had won. “The person I’m hunting is too dangerous to be faced one on one. Battle after battle, he keeps hurting my men. I’ve lost enough to know that his life isn’t worth the risk of theirs. A cup of unsuspecting tea, however, would be just right to get the job done. But before we settle any agreements, I need to clear this up. I’m not asking you to trust me. And I’m not asking you to kill him.”
“Do it yourself,” she hmphed, walking back to her tent. She was stopped by a starry puddle beneath her feet. She fell into it and appeared right in front of him.
“As tedious as that sounds, I have other things to keep track of at the moment. I can, however, make this worth your time. I can get you to your target instantly, and sponsor your research. How does that sound?”
“Sounds like you’ve got a personal agenda.” She closed her eyes and crossed her arms, waiting for him to disappear, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to run or fight. Inside, the was wondering about the portal. Was this person a hydro user? Was that a skill hydro could even perform?
“Oh, I absolutely do. But it’s not too different from yours. I know you haven’t had a real meal in days. Tell me, how much longer are you going to be able to live off of mints and sweet flowers? Especially since those pesky Treasure Hoarders took the rest of your money.”
“Don’t be ridiculous! Mint and sweet flowers are perfectly sustainable-”
This tore another amused chuckle from the golden haired man. “Only adepti can live off of herbs and elemental energy alone, and you are no adeptus. We’re getting off track, Miss Renu. My point is, if you accept my proposition, you won’t have to kill anyone, and you’ll never go hungry again. You’ll finish your research, be certified by the Academia and your family, and you can leave to whatever path you’d prefer without looking back. Does this seem like a fair trade?”
She held his melted gold gaze for a minute, not thinking about the fairness, but how much she’d be getting in return. Vaguely she remembered that devils only extended contracts when they knew their victims couldn’t refuse, but she was instead pondering the her life outside of research, when she was a world renowned herbalist and finally done with answering to others. “What exactly did you need me to do?”