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Familiarity wasn’t something Rosaria had truly experienced since they’d arrived in Inazuma. The land was different, the air was different, tinged with an electricity that felt almost heavy to her after the ever-clear skies of Mondstat. Beyond the landscape, the architecture, the clothing styles, the food, the customs… Yes, it was all different.
This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Actually, it wasn’t a bad thing at all, but it was something she acknowledged.
Certain aspects of it did set her on edge though. While Rosaria relished her freedom, she also took comfort in familiarity. Knowing the landscape, the attitudes and practices of the people around her, that made her job easier. It made her life easier.
Why had she let herself be talked into this job…? Someone like Kaeya would have been far better suited for it. Or possibly even Diluc, though she supposed it might be odd for the owner of a winery to be working as over-glorified security.
Though perhaps her unique perspective that differed from so many in Mondstat was why Jean had insisted she accompany her and Lisa on this trip. After all, Inazuma had been closed off for so long. Even if the Shogun had relinquished many of her decrees, they couldn’t be sure how welcomed they would truly be.
But relations with Inazuma would be beneficial, regarding trade and potential military alliances. Well, Jean and Lisa insisted it was mostly for trade, but Rosaria had done her due diligence. From her research, the Inazuman military was a force to be reckoned with, even after the country’s civil war. Once the unrest had finished calming and the country was back on its feet, she was sure the military’s forces would only bolster more.
But that wasn’t anything to do with her. Not really. She just liked to be informed about what she was getting into.
It seemed she shouldn’t have been concerned, though. Because she, Jean, and Lisa had all been welcomed with open arms. All their meetings with various merchants and government officials went smoothly, and the lines of communication between Mondstat and Inazuma would be thoroughly opened up soon enough.
It also helped that she wasn’t exactly required to speak during these meetings. That was all up to Jean and Lisa. All Rosaria had to do was sit in the back and let her resting bitch face do the work.
She just wished it was as easy to sneak off during these meetings as it was to get out of church.
So the first opportunity she was given to slip away, of course she took it.
It helped that the Grand Narukami Shrine reminded her of the Cathedral. For the first time since arriving in Inazuma, it was like a little taste of home.
While Jean and Lisa met with the head of the shrine, and politely engaged with Inazuma’s religious beliefs, Rosaria intended to sneak off for a well earned smoke break.
One thing she would give the Grand Narukami Shrine was that it was much prettier than the cathedral. Much more natural. Rosaria supposed the architecture of the cathedral could be breathtaking in its own way and maybe she’d grown too used to it. Or maybe she just hated being stuck in that damn church and expected to do shit like participate in prayers and hymns. But she thought she preferred the much more open arrangement of the shrine. She could feel the breeze, smell the foliage on the breeze. Up on the peak of this mountain, the electricity in the air was even stronger, but somehow… it felt less smothering up here.
Jean and Lisa were caught up in some conversation with a shrine maiden that Rosaria had deemed unimportant, so she stepped away. It was easy enough to drop down behind the red buildings and find a quiet, secluded place near the base of the Sacred Sakura. She had maybe ten or twenty minutes, a half hour if she was lucky, before Jean or Lisa cared enough to comment on her absence.
It was such a small amount of time, but she’d take what she could get.
She’d just gotten her cigarette lit when she felt eyes on her.
She whirled around, cigarette dropped and polearm at the ready and aimed at whoever dared to creep up behind her.
“Oh, my, my!” A pink haired woman clicked her tongue. “Is everyone from Mondstat so quick to resort to violence?”
Rosaria’s gaze flicked over the woman’s body. She was dressed differently from all the other shrine maidens, but her outfit held some similarities. Perhaps she was higher up in the hierarchy? Had she come to scold Rosaria for going wherever she liked within their shrine? While she supposed that would be fair enough—she likely would have tailed anyone from Inazuma sneaking off in the cathedral—she couldn’t help but be irritated by her precious little alone time being interrupted.
With a sigh, she pulled her polearm back, and stooped to fetch her dropped cigarette. Like hell she was wasting it.
“You’re a quiet one, aren’t you?” the woman asked as she crossed her arms. “You’re their security detail. Do you think it wise to leave your charges alone in an unfamiliar place?”
Rosaria huffed and rolled her eyes. Jean and Lisa were more than capable of defending themselves, especially as she hadn’t deemed anyone in this shrine a major threat. “What do you actually want?”
“My girls are having fun entertaining your grandmaster and librarian. I wouldn’t be a very good host if I neglected our third visitor,” she said as she stepped closer to Rosaria.
Rosaria’s eyes narrowed, and for one of the first times since arriving in Inazuma, felt genuinely on edge. Only very, very few of the people they’d met had managed that. “You’re the head of the shrine,” she realized, resisting the urge to reach for her polearm once more. It didn’t matter that her instincts warned something was off about this woman, they were meant to be building good relationships with everyone in Inazuma. And pissing off the head of their main shrine would do them no favors with the country.
The woman chuckled, and she bowed ever so slightly. “Guilty as charged. I’m Yae Miko.”
“Aren’t you who Jean and Lisa are supposed to be meeting with?” Rosaria asked. Why her? Why did she get stuck with this shit?
“I’ll have plenty of time for them as well,” Yae assured her. “But when I noticed you sneaking off all on your own, I do have to admit I was curious.”
Rosaria hummed, and turned her attention back to her cigarette. Maybe if she didn’t indulge her, Yae would grow bored and leave her alone.
But she merely sidled up closer, her pink fox ears perking up slightly.
Maybe that was why she set Rosaria on edge. Non-humans had never gotten to her like that before, but she didn’t know what Yae was. Perhaps that was where the issue lied.
“I heard you’re something called a clergywoman,” Yae said.
“Technically speaking,” Rosaria answered before taking a drag from her cigarette. The view from this mountain really was incredible. A shame she couldn’t enjoy it quietly.
“Is it common for clergywomen in Mondstat to be trained in combat?” she asked with a tilt of her head. “Or to work as security detail for city officials?”
“No,” Rosaria said, planning to offer no elaboration.
“Makes sense,” Yae said. “I can’t say I expect my shrine maidens to do those sorts of things. It would be rather counterproductive to the welcoming atmosphere here, no?”
Rosaria sighed.
“You’re a rather closed off woman,” Yae said as she leaned closer. “Nothing like the other two. They’re all smiles.”
“That’s their area of expertise,” Rosaria said with a wave of her hand.
Yae nodded thoughtfully. “And yours is hiding away and smoking.”
Rosaria took another drag from her cigarette. “And I excel at it.”
Yae held a hand over her mouth and giggled. “I’ll give you that. I don’t think a single person noticed you slipping away other than myself.”
“Did anyone notice you slipping away either?” Rosaria asked before she fully processed she’d even opened her mouth. And hm. That was odd. Normally she did everything she could to avoid conversation. Why had she said something to encourage this one?
“Oh, they never do,” Yae said. “Dare I say, I’m probably even better at it than you. Then again… I’ve probably had much more practice under even more watchful eyes.”
Rosaria raised an eyebrow. “And who is telling the head of the shrine what to do?”
Yae huffed out a small laugh and smirked, but didn’t answer. She turned her attention to the amazing view. The open skies and buzzing electricity and forest down below.
They stood in silence for a few moments, a surprisingly easy one. Despite still being unsure of what exactly Yae was or what she wanted, the tension began to melt away. Her true intentions might be hidden, but Rosaria didn’t sense that they were malicious.
And well… if Yae was going to stand here with her…
Rosaria pulled out another cigarette, and held it out to the woman. “Want one?”
Yae blinked, her perfectly pristine expression cracking for the first time to reveal surprise, before she quickly schooled it back into submission. “Why not?” With delicate fingers, she took the cigarette, and lifted it to her mouth.
Not feeling like fishing out her lighter again, Rosaria leaned in to light Yae’s cigarette with the smoldering end of her own.
Yae’s lips curled up as Rosaria did so, something pleased twinkling in her eyes.
The cigarette lit, and Rosaria pulled back.
She couldn’t decide if she was surprised or not when Yae took a long, slow drag from the cigarette, easily exhaling the smoke like she’d done this a hundred times before.
Rosaria was not so foolish as to believe that Yae just wanted a break of her own. She’d definitely followed her for a reason, but she got the sense that was relishing in the moment a bit too much to be after something all that serious.
I wonder…
Rosaria was not a foolish woman, and Yae had not exactly been subtle with her roving gaze and where it settled itself on her body. Was it truly something so petty and personal?
For the first time in a long while, Rosaria did not bother trying to tamper down her grin.
“Oh, is that a smile?” Yae said as she leaned closer. “I feel like I’ve just beheld a very rare sight.”
“So rare no one would believe you,” Rosaria confirmed.
“And what is it that’s made you smile?” Yae held a hand to her chest. “Surely it couldn’t be me?”
“That kind of flirting isn’t going to work on me,” Rosaria said.
“That’s a bold assumption of my intentions.”
She shrugged. “I’m not fond of pointless conversations.”
Clearly, Yae was a tease. She likely got flustered reactions out of damn near everyone. She probably liked getting those reactions out of everyone.
It wasn’t that Rosaria was stubborn for the sake of stubbornness, or cared about denying Yae what she normally got so easily.
It just simply wasn’t going to work on her, and she wasn’t going to pretend otherwise.
“Well!” Yae put out the cigarette. “We’ll see if I can change your mind by the time your trip here in Inazuma ends. Enjoy the view, Rosaria.”
At no point had Rosaria shared her name, but she wasn’t surprised Yae had learned it somewhere at some point.
She turned to watch Yae walk away. “I certainly will.”
Yae looked over her shoulder, the proud smirk never changing. “Do join us for the meeting, though.”
Rosaria turned back to the gorgeous view, and the mists settling over the forests. Perhaps, this once, she would not mind sitting through one of these meetings.
Watching Yae and Lisa try to toy with each other might actually be entertaining.
Even if it wasn’t… watching Yae herself would be enticing enough. It might even be worth listening to her attempts at teasing that were just never going to get the reaction she wanted.
Well, Rosaria might as well let her try.