Chapter Text
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The first letter comes in the middle of the night, when Miss Lisa and him were caught up in the middle of a lesson.
It was dark out, raindrops pelting against the darkened windows of the Library, the warm silent glow of wax candles gently lighting the walls. It's stuffy, and not at all like the wilderness that Razor is used to, but he supposes it's better than getting drenched.
"You're getting closer," Lisa mused beside him, sipping her tea as she slumped back against her seat. "Try again."
Razor adjusted his grip on the feathered quill as he bit his lip, staring quizzically at the parchment scattered around the wooden table. Their lesson was stretching on longer than anticipated, nightfall having long already come as they kept the library warmly lit with Lisa's candles.
Originally, he only planned to visit the city for a few hours, hoping to buy a few sewn furs for the spring pups back in Wolvendum. Their fur was still too thin to fight off against the low temperatures of Mondstadt's winters, leaving them vulnerable. Even if they were still caught in the early winds of autumn, it was never too early to prepare. Just a simple in and out.
His plans were altered, however, when Miss Lisa had appeared out of thin air in front of him and plucked him off the cobblestone streets without much of a fuss, chatting about insisting on a 'delayed lesson' he had to make-up.
(He had panicked for a long second, having sworn he'd finished all their previous work. When he was about to voice his worries, he heard her push away piles of work and new assignments from guards with the excuse of 'teaching her student', with Lisa having sent him a silent wink.
Razor bit his tongue.)
Razor had entertained the idea of calling it quits a few times now; not because the material was too difficult to handle ( he's been getting better at his spelling nowadays ), but he feared he was breaching Lisa's sleep and peace by extending his stay. He's never had a problem with the unsightly heavy bags that hung under his eyes, but the thought of him being to blame for Lisa developing them? It left a sour taste in his mouth.
The Librarian had given him one of her amused smiles when he'd voiced his concern, like she knew something Razor didn't.
"Don't worry so much about something so small." Lisa grinned, "Do you really think I'm not capable enough to take care of myself?"
Razor flushed red, embarrassment clinging to him at his thoughtless comment. Lisa was definitely the strongest person he knew! He'd never think otherwise!! "That's-! No, I- I would never-!"
His helpless stammering was cut short by a proper huff of laughter from his teacher, mostly confusion flooding him as she carted a gentle hand through his wild grey hair.
"I'm joking, Razor. I know you're just worried about me," she clarified, straightening herself back up as she went back to her tea. "I've definitely stayed up longer than this. If you want to haggle someone to get some proper rest tonight, you're odds are better spent on Jean."
Razor huffed. Lisa, as smart and kind as she was, made him feel like a bit of a dummy sometimes.
Inked letters stare back at him, the word 'Onikobuta' loud and clear on his tongue yet shaky on his gloved hands. Did it have two Ns? An H? Some words had it, even though they didn't sound like it.
It was drizzling outside the library, specks of droplets streaming down the library windows. The wood in the room felt humid and heavily scented, but not overbearing enough to force Razor to escape. At least, not yet. He bounced his leg uneasily, hands twitching. 'Only four more words-'
Razor jumped a foot in the air when a knock rang out from the library door, Razor clattering his quill against the table with a yelp. Lisa blinked and cast a glance over her shoulder.
"Miss Lisa?" A muffled voice calls, sounding like one of the guards, "Are you in there? We received something here addressed to you."
Lisa sighs longingly, seeming to lament the call of her work. She sets her tea cup, scrapping her chair as she heaves herself to her feet. She pats his shoulder once before taking her leave, heels clacking against the wooden planks of the floor.
The man knocks again, voice louder, "Miss Lisa, it's Ronna from the new recruits, I- ah -"
She cuts off his words as she swings open the door, wood creaking as its hinges pull. She faces the man with a blinding smile, "Why hello dear." She hums, "Pray tell, what new assignment could be so urgent that you had to disturb me so late into the night? I thought it was protocol to save such things for actual work hours."
Her smile and disposition betrays nothing, but Razor can smell her lilac scent sour at the added workload after office hours. The once calming smell sits stiff and heavy in his lungs, making him shift in his seat uncomfortably.
"Ah-! A-Apologies, Miss Lisa! I never wished to cause you a disturbance so late in the might," The guard flushed, patting himself down before fishing something from his pocket, extending his hand with a parcel, "-However, this letter arrived at the Southern Gate, and it was addressed to you. I took it upon myself to deliver it as soon as possible, just in case it was an urgent matter."
Lisa's sour scent mellows at that, her displeasure melting as she sighed again. "I suppose it is protocol." She murmurs, her voice tired but appeased. She plucks the letter from his gloved hands, giving the address a once over as curiosity pricks in her scent.
As she turns over the letter, spotting something on its front, and immediately scoffs. Her scent plagues back into displeasure, almost annoyance. She sighs roughly, grasping at the door's golden doorknob.
"Thank you, Lieutenant. You're dismissed."
"Thank you, Miss Lisa. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for anym-"
She shuts the door before she allows him to finish, muttering under her breath, earlier relaxed mood clearly soured. Razor peeked at the Librarian, legs and knees tucked under him as she returned beside him. Lisa notices his gaze, and the pinched scowl on her face immediately loosens as she peers into his red eyes. Her scent lulls slightly, but her discontent was still tangible.
"Is something wrong, wolf cub?" She pries gently, striding beside him. Razor glances at the floorboards, avoiding his teacher's peering vermillion eyes. With how perceptive she always was, he was certain she could probably read his thoughts if she wanted to.
Razor fidgets with his hands, gaze peeled onto his hands. "You are upset." He says truthfully, lifting his head as he gazes back up. tilting his head, "Why? Did... man… say something bad to you?"
If the guard even said one mean thing to Lisa to her face, he'd be hearing from Razor personally. It wouldn't be much, seeing how skittish he is under any confrontations, but it was worth a try. Maybe he should ask the Captain to teach him curse words…
Lisa smiles gently, "No he didn't, Razor." She chuckles, weary and amused, "He just disturbed me with a letter I didn't want. He also interrupted our lesson, which was rude." she explains simply.
Razor nodded, understanding dawning on him. It makes sense Lisa would be upset. You should never interrupt someone when they're doing something, especially so late.
Maybe that's why those hunters have always tried shooting arrows at him when he interrupts their hunting. But if that was the punishment for it, then why didn't Lisa shoot the guard? Should Razor do it for her? No…Lisa could have definitely done it herself. She's much stronger than him.
Razor, in the middle of his confusion, turns his bewildered gaze towards the other. "How did… the letter annoy you?" She didn't even open it…
Lisa hums thoughtfully, returning to the seat beside him as she slides the letter towards him. He faces the parchment and gazes down at it with curious eyes; it's perfectly folded and yellowish in its tint, the scent of exotic floral nature brimming from it. A green wax seal frames the letters opening, royal looking designs printed across it.
Lisa leans forward, "That," she taps of the seal, indicating the elegant design pasted against it, "-is the symbol of the place I used to study in Sumeru."
Razor balks a little at that. A letter from Lisa's school? In Sumeru? He's never heard his teacher mention the country outside of their lessons, let alone her having visited it.
Confusion gnaws at him, his question remaining unanswered. "But… Why does it make you unhappy? Do they... want you to go back?" He knows others like Bennett, Fishl, and Klee hate school lessons with teachers like Lisa, even if Razor personally enjoys it a lot. Maybe Lisa hates school as well, just like his friends. It'd be weird if a teacher hated school though, but he supposes there have been stranger occurrences happen...
"Yes, in a way," Lisa admits, readjusting herself, "You see Razor, I used to attend a place in Sumeru called the Sumeru Akademiya. It's one of the highest prestige schools in Teyvat and is the origin place of some of the biggest inventors of out time."
'Wow ,' he thought, amazement sparkling in his eyes, 'Teacher probably knows everything in the world.'
"-It all probably sounds very prestigious," she hums, "but there are some… downsides."
"What are they?" Razor tilts his head, utterly confused as he frowns. School was hard, yes, but great. Why would Miss Lisa not like it?
Lisa smiles, but her faraway eyes look slightly annoyed. "Smart people can be very insufferable, Razor," she hums, "And most people from the Akademiya definitely fit that bill."
"B-But! You're not in-suff-er-a-ble, Miss Lisa!" He replies immediately, careful to properly pronounce the mouthful of a word. Nailed it.
Lisa laughs good-naturedly, "I didn’t think I was, but now that I'm thinking about it, maybe some people might see it that way." she shrugs, "-sometimes, people like you for no good reason Razor. It happens."
Razor pouts, gritting his teeth at her words. He tries to continue, "Teacher Lisa is kind. Kind to me, who is strange and not as smart." He says truthfully, the desire to fully present his real feelings shoving against his frustration at not finding the proper words. "Miss Lisa teaches me many things! And Razor is very happy because of it. Teacher not bad!" He stresses.
Lisa tries to hide an amused laugh, looking fondly as she tries to stifle her smile behind her porcelain cup. A small puff of frustration bubbles under his skin, sinking into his bones as he sees he's not exactly being taken seriously by the older lady. A pout tugs at his lips, but it and his tangled emotions disappear when he's suddenly encompassed in a warm hug. He goes rigid, not quite knowing what to do.
"Oh Razor, you're far too sweet." She fawns, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "Like I said, I don't truly think that of myself. It was just a joke."
Ah. A joke.
Razor flushes bright red down to his neck as he bows his head, lips pressed into a wobble as he grimaced. He's never been good at understanding them, let alone identifying them. Even after Miss Lisa said it was a joke, he still can't tell what was funny about it.
Lisa pats his head softly, murmuring a fond "We'll work on it wolf cub. Don't worry."
Razor nods and sniffs, eyes cast down to his shoes.
Lisa pats his back, nudging him away from the table, "how about you stay for the night, hm? I have an extra room down the hall just for these occasions. I know you're probably used to walking around in the dark, but probably not in the city," she bent slightly towards the table, neatly bunching his papers into a single pile, "-I wouldn't want you getting lost out there so late."
Razor worried his lip, shifting his weight against his feet. He'd hate to cause Lisa anymore trouble than he already had, keeping her up to this hour. He'd also love to get back to Wolvendom as soon as he could; as much as he'd grown to appreciate Mondstadt as a whole, the stuffy buildings and hundreds of scents were starting to overload his senses.
Lisa, like the mind reader she is, takes one look into his eyes and seems to pick up on his mood almost immediately. She crouched down slightly, expression open with an easy smile as she spoke softly. The scent of sweet apples enveloped him, and Razor felt his worried and tense muscles relax as he instinctively inclined his head towards her.
"How about this: You promise to stay the night, in a proper bed, and I'll make sure to get you those blankets you were asking about before you leave,” she grinned, tilting her head as her emerald eyes stared into his own. “I'll even see if I can get a hold of Bennett so he can escort you back himself. Now that sounds like a pretty great deal, right?"
Razor's head perked up at the mention of his friend, excitement bubbling up in him at the thought of seeing him again. It'd been a long while since they last met, too busy nowadays thanks to the responsibility saddled by the Adventurers Guild. He’d definitely stop by and visit him more often, if it wasn’t for a few of the members being less than pleased with his company.
Razor nodded, “Yes. I will stay then,” he said, solidifying his decision. Lisa didn’t seem to mind him overstaying his welcome for a few hours, so he was fine with it. Guessing by the broad white smile, Lisa must have felt the same way. “What are you… going to do with the letter?” he inquired.
Lisa hummed and inclined her head, glancing back at the letter where she’d left it. “I’ll probably read through it, just in case,” she sighed, “-Though if it’s just another insistence on me helping them with some ‘project’ I have no responsibility in, I’ll just throw it in the fire.” she reasoned with a shrug.
Razor nodded, pretending to understand her reaction.
—
The second letter arrives a week later, in the early afternoon hours of Jean's office.
Miss Lisa had situated herself on the Dandelion Knight's desk as she helped 'proofread' some of her paperwork (he suspects it’s just an attempt to get away from her own work again) while Razor busied himself in organizing the bookshelves in the office, a simple task but ne he enjoyed. Bright light pours in from the clear blue skies outside, and Razor laments the wasted sunny day spent inside.
Lisa must have made another one of her jokes, because halfway through their laughter they get cut off by a knock at the door.
"Excuse me, Master Jean? Have you seen-" a lady with brown hair walks in, clad in shiny iron armor, blinking in surprise as she spots the Librarian sitting on the edge of the desk, "-Ah! Miss Lisa! I've been looking for you!"
Lisa simply smiles politely, beckoning the young guard over, "Lieutenant Lucy, why hello there. To what do I owe you the pleasure of your visit?"
The guard struts towards her, barely glancing at Razor when she fishes out an envelope. "This came in addressed to you from the Southern Gate. It came in just a few hours ago."
Lisa's scent is just as unreadable as her face when she plucks the letter from the woman's hand. The guard takes a step away to take her leave, Lisa holds up a gloved hand in signal for the other to stop. Confusion taints the guard's scent, unsure of her higher up's desire to keep her there.
"Uh...Miss Lisa?" She questions, "I need to return to my station. Is there anything-"
"Just a minute," Lisa says simply, before snagging Jean's letter opener and releasing the folded parchment from the envelope. She unfolds the yellowish parchment with indecipherable eyes.
She scans the two pages folded neatly with a cheery, eyes glazing over the papers with focused eyes. When Lisa finishes reading, she folds the papers again and tucks them neatly back in the envelope. She reaches it back out to the guard with a pleasant smile.
"Burn it," she commands simply, smiling.
"M-Miss Lisa-!" The guard balks, absolutely bewildered at the command. "Are… are you certain?"
Lisa hums, fox-like smile stretched over her face, "Quite, actually. I'm sure I won't need to ask again, will I?"
The guard lets out a small 'eep!', letting out a strangled " No Miss !" before grabbing the extended letter, doing a panicked salute, and quite literally bolting it out of the room. Razor watched with raised brows, equally bewildered as he was surprised. Guards usually never run off like that. Was she scared of something?
"Hey," Jean murmurs sternly beside the Librarian, raising an eyebrow as she sets her quilled pen down, "Don't you think that was a little harsh?"
Lisa let's out a long sigh, the bitterness in her scent melting off her as the intensity of her smile waned, "Probably," she murmurs, closing her eyes as if to regain her peace, "I'm sure she'll be alright though. Lieutenants should come to expect a slight upset when their superior's decisions are questioned. And besides…" Lisa's eyebrows pinch, resting her hand on her head, "-at some point or another, that Akademiya has to get the memo at some point. They just can't take a no can they…"
—
Razor isn’t around when the third letter is delivered, but based off the things he's heard, he’s glad he wasn’t.
He hears it from Bennett, who seems to have a surprising penmanship towards gossip. They’re both out in a forest clearing, free of thorns and bushes as light filter’s from the tree’s overhang.
They’re tasked with skinning the boar they’d caught earlier for themselves and his Lupical. Unfortunately, hairless meat is a luxury only saved for humans with thumbs, so Razor makes sure to thoroughly scrape off the pig’s short brown fur with his crude dagger.
Two old and large female wolves loiter around them, idly sunbathing beside them while one of their litter of pups play around them. They were probably here with the intent supervise their impromptu get together-seeing as Bennet’s visits had the tendency in ending in flames-but it seemed like their idle chatter and work led them to ultimately deciding the situation was harmless.
“Oh man, you should have seen the look on her face!” Bennett declared, paying no mind to the small gray pups attempting to scale his back as he moved his arms in an animated fashion, “I mean, I wasn’t there either- but! Devin described it in enough detail that it almost felt like I was there! Apparently she looked at the letter the same way Master Diluc looks at Captain Kaeya when he's really drunk, which is definitely saying something. She practically chewed him out int the middle of the whole unit!”
Razor hums, not taking his eyes off of the thin strip of skinned fur in front of him. “Miss Lisa has… much upset with letters.” he confirms, softly swatting at a pup who tried taking a bite out of the severed tendon he was working on. It sneezes, changing its attention to chew on the leather of his gloves, which he allows without complaint. It pricks a bit, but they're teething so it's expected.
“I’ll say. She sounded upset.” Bennett chattered, digging back in with his pocket knife, “Apparently she didn’t even bother reading it. She was all like, “ You give me another one of these again, and I'll fry all of your nerves in your brain! ” Like, who knew she could be so scary!” he shivered, huffing, “Glad I’m not on her bad side, at least. It must be scary having her as a teacher”
“Hn- no, it’s-” Razor furrowed his brows at that. It sounded like a bit of an ‘oh-ver-ex-a-dur-a-tion’ to Razor, but he knows Miss Lisa could be terrifying if angered, so maybe it wasn't. It mostly only happens when she’s going over a list of people who borrowed books and never returned them, her overpowering floral scent invading his senses with such an all-encompassing intensity it makes him gag.
He wouldn’t judge anyone for being scared of her if they got on her bad side.
“Lisa is very kind. Patient and… loving. Never threatened Razor to… remove nerves, even when I make mistakes,” he clarifies, because it kinda feels like he has to defend her honor here against his friend's claims. Miss Lisa probably has her cons, but she’s definitely not a bad person. He thinks he wouldn’t prefer any other mentor over her.
Bennett hums thoughtfully, clutching his chin with a contemplative look on his face, before smiling broadly, “That’s good to hear then! I’m glad she treats you right! I was worried I’d have to give her a piece of my mind if that wasn’t the case-”
His words are cut off by a distant thrum of thunder, startling the pups into crying as they run back to their mothers.
The sky was perfectly blue and clear, not a single cloud in sight.
Their eyes met again, his burgundy red ones crinkling into a half grin as he let out a sheepish laugh. “O-on second thought, I think I'll just take your word for it,” he chuckles half-heartedly, tone slightly nervous.
Razor chooses to remain silent.
—
The fourth letter, strangely enough, is received by him.
A group of knights had spotted him taking a stroll around the headquarters, taking in the dandelion scented breezes passing through the trees. His sensitive ears picked up the distant sounds of hasty words- almost like a panicked argument.
“-Nono- you don’t understand- I can’t deliver this-! S-she’ll fire me!”
“-Well I did it last time! If I do it again, she’ll start associating my face with them!”
“-Why don’t we just cut our losses and throw the damn thing away? She won’t read it anyways-”
“-You idiot! That’s not how it works; if we’re even suspected of tampering or destroying personal mail, we’ll be fired!”
“-Fired if we do, fired if we don’t… I’m too young to die though…-”
He approached the group of three-two men and one woman-with the full intention of moving along in silence. It wasn’t his business to get involved in other’s affairs, even if he wanted to help. Plus, adults had the tendency to not take too kindly whenever he did offer. It was an unfortunate result of his wild reputation, but he could live with it.
That’s why it was so strange to be called out.
“Hey kid!” one of the male voices called, “Hey- wait- are you Lisa’s student?”
Razor swiveled his head up, almost tripping over his own feet as he suddenly stopped. “Oh-” he mumbled, forcing his voice to be louder, “Yes. I-i am... her student.”
Had that been correct? He hadn’t said anything wrong, right? He’s not as bumbling over his words as he once was, but it’d still be quite shameful to embarrass himself to new people.
Razor tensed up as the group seemed to teleport in front of him, swarming around him too suddenly. Their smiles attempted to appear genuine and kind, but he could smell the extent of their frantic nervousness wafting from them in waves.
“Oh, thank Barbatos- I mean! We were just looking for you!!” The man beamed as he laughed sheepishly, before suddenly shoving a pristine envelope onto his hands, “-This came into the mail for your teacher. We were going to deliver it to her, but we just couldn’t find her. Give it to her for us, will you?” he asked with a sweet tone, edging on pleading.
“I- uh-” he stuttered awkwardly, feeling cornered between the guards' pleading scents and impatient eyes. Should he say yes? It doesn’t really feel like he has a choice though, and their overpowering emotionally-fueled scents were starting to make him feel woozy.
Apparently, he didn't even have to give a proper answer. The brunette man ruffled his hair playfully, his nervous scent suddenly spiking into an easier smoother smell of relief.
“Atta boy. Thanks a ton.” he said genuinely. Just as suddenly as they appeared, the trio of guards seemed to disappear.
Razor was left alone, standing in the middle of the walkway at a loss of what to do. They had left him as suddenly as they met him. Did they even know his name? He certainly can't remember theirs.
He feels... bad, but he can’t really pinpoint why. A strange emotion encircles him, his throat closing painfully as he gulped. Eventually, his legs carry him back to the Library, where Lisa was restocking the oil in the lamps. She looks focused, lips thinned as she worked the stained copper in her hands.
Her focused eyes brightened as she noticed his presence, turning to face him. “Back so soon, Razor? Did you forget something- oh.” she must have seen something swimming in his eyes, striding towards him and kneeling on the floor slowly to look him in the eyes, “-Oh dear, are you alright? What’s wrong sweetheart?”
Razor sniffed, suddenly feeling far too foreign in his own skin and clothes. His hands shook with sudden tremors, teeth grinding together in an attempt to not cry. What was even happening to him? Nothing had even happened, and yet he couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach, as if something had invaded all his senses and sent them into alarm. Lightning Fang stirs inside him, the wolf spirit roused alongside the upheaval of his emotions. He hears himself distantly whimper.
She took off her oil stained gloves and grazed her fingernails along his cheek, as if uncertain she could touch him right now.
She was giving him an out, in case the contact was too much.
He raised a shaky hand and wrapped it around her outstretched wrist, placing it against his cheek fully. Razor’s misty eyes closed as he leaned into her touch, his expression etching itself into a pained grimace. He sniffs loudly as he shivers, but besides that, doesn't make a sound.
‘Her knees must have hurt from kneeling of wood ’, his brain points out. It’s supposed to invoke a sense of guilt, he guesses, but the sentiment barely changes anything in his foggy mind.
“It’s alright.” Lisa whispered, stroking her thumb as she caught a silent tear. “-it’s alright honey. Just let it all out, nice and easy.” She idly combed her other hand through his loose bangs, leaning over and pressing a kiss on his forehead as she heard him sniffle wetly. He kept his hand clutched against hers, squeezing it rhythmically as his emotions got the better of him.
Same as her teaching, her comfort was gentle yet equally effective. He has to wonder how many others Lisa must have comforted in their lowest for her to be so good at it. Aside from Jean and maybe Mister Kaeya, Lisa always seemed all alone.
As minutes passed, his silent sniffles and tremors eased to a slow stop, leaving his bones and muscles exhausted and his eyes half-lidded and red. When he meets Lisa’s eyes again, her lips ease into a smile in spite of her pinched brows.
“Are you feeling better, wolf cub?” she inquired softly, her sweet lilac scent blanketing him. He lets go of her wrist slowly and nods shakily, not trusting his voice to not crack like porcelain.
She smiled comfortingly, removing her left hand from patting and moving her right to sit on his shoulder. “Do you mind telling me what happened? I promise I won’t judge, okay?”
He wondered how much of a sad sight he must have looked to her, a teenage boy crying because of something he doesn't even know.
Nothing at all-no bruise, no wound, not even an insult-had been thrown his way. There was no good reason for this reaction, and Razor feels nothing but shame at his display. He wants to tear his reddened eyes away from her and never dare look at her again, to save her from the annoying burden he must be.
“I-” he tries, voice strained and stretched into an ugly sound. He swallows, his throat dry and raw, “n-nothing really h-happened” he admits, eyes downcasted as his voice wavers, “I-i’m sorry.” What will she think of him, to know his tears were cried over nothing? To know her comfort was wasted?
Will she think he’s hysterical? It’s not like Lisa to make such a harsh judgment, so he hopes she doesn’t. He doesn’t want Lisa to think that about him.
“Alright,” Lisa hums contemplative, smiling kindly while her eyes are unreadable. “Now, I will always trust that your words Razor, but I hope you don’t fault me for finding that hard to believe.” she says softly, and Razor melts into himself. What was he supposed to say? Does she not believe him?
When he doesn’t respond, the Librarian shifts in place, seeming to take another approach. “Did something happen when you left?”
He only managed to let out a strangled gargle, nose flaring.
She tried again. “Did someone talk to you after you left?”
He blinked owlishly for a moment, turning his gaze down towards the wooden floor. He nodded.
Lisa hummed, a frown dawning her face while her posture stayed the same as she contemplated her answer. The only change present was the hitch in brewing anger in Lisa’s scent, lilacs smelling a hint too intense for it to be normal.
“Who was it, Razor? Anyone I know?” Even though her questions were light and easy-going, he could hear the hidden threat in her tone. It didn’t seem directed to him, her eyes looking off, as if stuck in some morbid contemplation. A wave of uneasiness drenched over him, and he shivered.
Razor pressed his lips together, unsure if he should really be saying something, “Guards.”
Lisa’s brows furrowed, confusion filtering through her contemplation and anger. “Guards? As in someone from the Knights?” confusion is swapped with visible anger, the rare kind she doesn’t bother to mask from him as she frowns, “Razor, this is serious. If someone’s said something to you again, they need to be-”
Razor, finding his throat too constricted and tight to let words out, suddenly remembers what’s still tucked into his pocket. He fishes it out with shaky fingers, and raises it for Lisa to see. Her eyes spark with recognition, tilting her head as she takes the letter from his hand.
“A letter? How did you even get…” her words trail off, eyes looking off as a sudden understanding seems to dawn on her. She thins out her lips and makes no visible facial change, moving to calmly tilt the letter in her hands, but Razor can smell the white hot anger that courses through her. He panics.
“They wanted me to give you the letter,” he tries, attempting to explain it away, “They were not mean at all. Nothing bad happened, Razor just… just reacted. For some reason.” he prays that it’s enough for Lisa to understand, to know no one had hurt him on purpose. It was no one but himself who was to blame.
Lisa doesn’t respond though, darkened eyes flipping over the letter in her hands as she seems to ponder something. “Well, you didn't seem all that happy to have it, were you?" she hums, "-Did you say yes to taking it? Or did they pressure you into it?”
“I-” he strangles out, voice caught. He never said yes in the first place, actually. But that didn’t mean they pressured him into it, did it? No, that can’t be it. They just asked him for a favor, is all.
Despite his own rationalizations, he finds himself unable to voice them, shifting his feet uncomfortably as he chokes on his words. His lack of an answer seems to be enough of one for Lisa.
She hums, scary face vanishing as she smiled broadly, patting his head. “Well, that's unfortunate. You wouldn’t have happened to catch their names, did you? Don’t worry if you didn’t, I have other means at my disposal.” she says simply, and the implications of her words definitely don't sit right on his shoulders.
“No, I uh-” Razor shakes his head,” You’re not… going to do anything, right?”
Lisa smiles, amused, “You’re saying it like I’m going to hurt someone. Do you really think I’m that callous?” at the rapid shake of his head, Lisa hums.
She laughs then, the sound scarier than any mitachurl roar he’s heard, “To think they’d start harping an unwilling child into doing their job because they were too scared to face me.” she grins, “I suppose it is my fault, in part. My previous reactions must have scared them. Poor angels,” she murmurs, sounding not too entirely genuine. Hope flashes through him, nonetheless.
“Nothing will happen to them, right? It is not their fault,” Razor insists, because she has to know that. It was a simple mistake, he makes those all the time. But Lisa just closes her eyes and smiles.
“Oh, they most certainly will,” Lisa responds easily, “Even if their act wasn’t malicious, it’s a serious misconduct to ask a civilian to handle private paperwork. Leaks of private information are very serious, especially to something like the Knights of Favonius. People could get hurt.”
Razor bit his tongue, glancing away. Miss Lisa’s words rang true in his ears as his panic settled into something close to disappointment. Even if he wanted to defend the guards, he can see how something like that would cause issues. He still feels bad though, for putting them in that position in the first place.
“And besides-” Lisa hummed, “I don’t take too kindly to people who are willing to take advantage of a child, especially if they are my student.”
She passes a hand through his silver hair, and he blinks in surprise when Lisa suddenly pulls him into a hug. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that Razor. You deserve better than that,” she murmurs gently, sounding much more genuine now, "If anything like that happens again, please tell me Wolfie. You know I hate seeing you cry."
Even if her words make him feel shaky and vulnerable, it brings him an odd sense of warm comfort. He burrows his face in her neckline, wrapping a small hand against her upper back. Tension eases away from his shoulders as he sighs into her warmth. He feels better, at least.
—
The final letter arrives a week later.
Razor grinds his foot against the training grounds asphalt, electro sparks flinging from the grip on his claymore. Bennett coats the training dummy in pyro with a long slash of his sword, ducking and rolling away in a heap of dust.
"Now, Razor!" Bennett calls.
He grits his teeth and launches himself forward, the scent of ozone filling the air as he calls upon Lightning Fang's power reserve. The wolf spirit sparks under his skin, adrenaline rushing through him as the spirit hears his call.
An electro claw materializes in his hand, slashing the Pyro infused dummy. A small explosion occurs when the Overload is triggered, sending him back flying on his feet as the dummy disintegrates. The smell of burning ash and ozone reek in the air as their victory prevails.
He hears Bennett hollar excitedly, grinning as he comes up beside him. "That was awesome!! Just a few more times and I bet we’ll be able to use it on a real hilitchurl camp!” he grinned, “Think Lightning would be up for a go now?”
Razor shared a tentative smile, the boy's excitement rubbing off on him. He brought a hand up to his chest, feeling the wolf spirit stir with anticipation and happiness. Just when he was about to nod in response, a small blur bounded up to them.
“Bennett! Razor!” he heard a high-pitch voice call out, before suddenly feeling a force crash against his leg. Razor barely caught himself before he fell, a bright and wide-eyed Klee not seeming to notice, “ -Was that explosion made by you guys?! How did you make it so big? Did you use your own Dodoco?” she gasped, eyes sparkling, “You guys neeeeed to tell Klee how you made your bombs! You just have to! Brother Albedo always says it’s best to learn from your elders.”
Bennett laughed awkwardly, scratching his head, “I think Master Albedo would actually kill us.” he murmured sheepishly.
Klee waved off his concerns, “Yeah, maybe, but it’s whatever! Plus- I think Miss Lisa wouldn’t let Razor get hurt so he’s fine. Sorry Bennett.”
“We did not use explosions,” Razor clarifies, feeling a panic bubble at the pair’s words. “Only visions. Fire and lightning alone are strong, but together, stronger.”
Klee blinks up at him, tilting her head curiously, “Fire and lighting…?”
Bennett smiles smugly, “Yup! We didn’t actually use any explosions.” he grinned, placing his elbow against Razor’s shoulder, “It was all just some top-notch Pyro-and-Electro business!! Me and Razor here are just practicing our combos we can use.”
Klee’s eyes sparkle with understanding, “Ohhh! I see! So you just mixed electro and pyro to get a big ‘Blam!’ instead of just a ‘puff! ’- that makes sense!” she suddenly snatches Razor’s gloved hand, eyes sparkling mischievously, “Hey wolfie! Next time I make a batch of bombs, can you help me with them pleeeasseee?”
Razor balks slightly, shifting himself back at the sudden proposition, “I- uh-”
Bennett luckily steps up however, pouting as he wraps an arm around Razor’s free one and pressing himself against him, “Hey! Razor’s my Electro partner-in-crime!” he states resolutely, frowning expressively, “Plus, you’ll just get him in trouble for roping him into your schemes.”
Razor’s eyes widen at the statement, completely forgetting about just what Klee does with her bombs aside from fish-blasting. Plus- facing the wrath of Master Jean or Albedo of all people? He’d still like to live long enough to finish his lesson on Enkayonomia.
By some miracle-a blessing from the Anemo Archon himself-a new voice suits in the two Pyro user’s bickering.
“Ah- hello? Sorry to interrupt you all- ah! My deepest apologies.”
A head of purplish gray hair-not too dissimilar to his own-approaches the group from one of the Headquarters large wooden doors. Noelle smiles kindly, yet sheepishly pinches her brows in apology as she stops short in front of them.
Apparently, thanks to the previous incident, Noelle is stationed to handle Lisa's correspondence personally now. The maid had passed her selection trials a few weeks ago, officiating her place in the Knights. Her first assignment would be small for the sake of easing her into her duties, so it makes sense for the delivery of correspondence to be one of her tasks. He’s seen her come and go a few times now.
Bennett’s expression lightens, unraveling his hold from the other as his attention turns to their new acquaintance. “Oh, hey Noelle! How have you been?” he asks, sunlight beaming off him. Noelle smiles kindly.
“I’ve been well, thank you.” she bows slightly, “I was wondering if you’d do me another favor, Bennett.”
“A favor?” Klee echos, turning to stare at the white haired boy with a raised brow. Even Razor tilts his head, curiosity picking his interest at just what the other meant. Bennett’s pasture green eyes flash with understanding, “Ah! Another one so soon?”
She reaches into a satchel attached to her bag, fishing for something, “-Yes, I’m afraid they're as persistent as ever.” She eventually hauls out a familiar beige envelope, a green wax emblem stamped across it; A letter from the Akademiya.
“I’m still hesitant on throwing them in the Knight’s fireplaces, so I apologize for asking you of this again.” She extends her armored hand forward, “-But would you do me the honor of burning this?”
Bennett grins, flashing a thumbs up as he reaches for the sword on his belt, “Sure thing Noelle! If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s setting stuff on fire!”
Just as his sword was sheathed, pyro infusing it as he aimed back, his fiery slash barely missed the small gloved fingers that snatched the letter at the last second. “Hey-! What are you-!” Klee rolls a few meters, stopping short as she stands back up with the letter in her hands.
“Got it!” Klee cheers, carefully blowing on the burning corner of the envelope. The small fire flickers and dies, a slight waft of burning cabbage invading his senses before leaving a simple charred stain on its edge. Her relieved expression turns into a pout as she faces them again.
“ What is wrong with you two! ” she huffs, “You’re not supposed to burn Knight mail! It’s verryyy important paperstuff! Klee always gets put on timeout whenever she burns mail by accident,” She closes her eyes and puffs her chest with pride, “ I just saved your butts. ”
The trio exchange awkward glances, Noelle taking prerogative as she steps forward, “Um, Klee? Even though you are very right with that assertion, I’m afraid Miss Lisa asked to have this letter burned.”
Klee’s pride ebbs away into confusion, turning over the letter to gaze at it like a puzzle. “Miss Lisa… asked to burn it?” she gawks slightly, burning curiosity suddenly beaming in her eyes. “Is it dangerous?” she pondered.
“Just a letter Klee,” Noelle explains, hoping to sate the girl’s wonder. “Their invitations from Miss Lisa’s old school, I think. They’ve been trying to contact her for awhile, but at some point she’s just requested to burn all correspondence.”
“Really?” If anything, the reply brightens her curiosity, She runs a hand along the wax emblem. “Do you know what it says?”
The maid shakes her head, slightly stumped, “Um- well, no one is privy to that information as far as I’m aware. Correspondence isn’t allowed to be seen by staff.” She glances towards Bennett, who just shrugs. When they glance at Razor, he blinks and shakes his head.
“Then-” Klee drawls, balancing herself on the balls of her feet, “- can we read it? Please? ”
Noelle goes ghostly pale, her soul leaving her body at the mere suggestion, “What?! Klee- that’s- No, most definitely not!! ” she blurted out.
Klee’s mischievous and pleading gaze melts into a pout, hugging the letter towards her chest, “But you were going to burn it anyway! Why does it matter?”
“It’s for the sake of confidentiality, Klee,” Noelle says, exasperated, “Even if we’re about to destroy it, the correspondence between the higher ranks of the Knights is sacred and mustn’t be viewed by anyone else’s eyes.”
“Um.” Klee said, “What’s ‘con-fi-den-tial-li-ty’? ”
Noelle sighs and places her hands over her face, clearly distressed at the situation she’s been put in. He thinks he hears her pray to Barbatos.
Razor leans towards Bennett's side and, in a hushed whisper, asks the boy a curt, “ What does that word mean? ” The boy lets out an unfounded snort.
Klee pouts again, before extending her arms out with an excited manner, as if showing off the letter, “Besides- aren’t you guys curious? Miss Lisa isn’t usually mean and grumpy like Master Jean, so it must have been bad if she wanted to go so far as to burn someone’s letter.”
Despite Klee’s childish tone, as if she were trying to convince them into stealing candy, some of her words do ring true. Razor’s thought about it a few times, thinking of what the Akademiya could possibly be asking for for Miss Lisa to get so agitated.
He likes to think he knows Lisa pretty well. Being her official student of more than a full year now, there's a certain threshold Lisa has to the things that could anger her. It’s a small and short list, but apparently the Akademiya has made itself snug and cozy by now.
“Y’know, maybe we should let her,” Bennett suggests, arms hooked over the back of his head, “I mean, what is Klee of all people gonna do with the information? Plus, we’re gonna burn the letter anyhow. If we make her pinky swear, it should be alright, right?”
“Bennett-!”
Noelle doesn’t get to finish, cut off by Klee, reading out the letters' contents. The unsealed envelope sits discarded at her feet.
‘Dearest High Sorceress of Sumeru Akademiya,’ Klee starts, voice loud and projecting.
‘We hope this letter finds you well, and we hope you can stop discarding them after this one; our continued insistence lay fruitful in only a dent in our paper supply. Nevertheless, we continue our efforts in hopes of a change of heart; this is a tes- tes…’ -oh, Klee doesn’t know this word.” she mumbles to herself.
She approaches Razor, tugging on his pant leg while extending the letter. Razor takes it and bores his eyes at the cursive.
“Uh…” he strangles, squinting his eyes on the page. Razor glances at the page, it’s small cursive words looking completely illegible to him.
Silence stretches along through the air before Razor, with a ducked head, shamefully passes the letter on to its next recipient. Bennett takes the page, patting him once on the back, before clearing his throat.
“-This is a testament to how important our goal is.’ he continues, ‘The Akademiya has been preparing for a crucial project that is set to start in less than a few years, time constraints finally easing now that more material has been aquired.
The results of such a project could lead to world changing results, and change the way of all forms of life in Teyvat for the better. Sadly, sharing such result goals and further information is strictly prohibited from being written in correspondence. We will have to ask you for a physical meeting for a proper exchange to occur. Nevertheless, for this project, the Sages require the highest minds available in Teyvat to achieve this goal.
Your contribution is essential for the success of this project, Highest Sorceress. We recognized your status within retirement and will respect your quota. However, we-once again-ask you to make an exception for this event. Details, once again, shall be given once a physical meeting is scheduled. Should you accept this request from us, we…’
Bennett trails off suddenly, a look of concern and confusion coating his expression as he continues to read on his own. “This is…” he mumbles, eyes widened as his brows furrowed. Razor, Klee, and even Noelle huddle around the boy, trying to take a peak at the paper. Klee grabs the edge of his shirt, shaking it as she yells, “ what does it say?! ”
Bennett gets his bearings again, continuing in a lower voice, ‘ ...Should you accept this request from us, we at the Akademiya promise to investigate a possible cure to your fatal curse. ’
Silence rings upon the group.
“Fatal… curse?” Razor’s voice is silent and plunged in quiet horror. He's read about those things, a solemn utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment. The letter’s words make no sense at all though; Lisa’s never said or mentioned anything about having a curse. If she had been cursed, wouldn't it be obvious. He knows off of his own friend's horrified expressions that it certainly wasn't common knowledge to them.
There's just no way, no possible logical way. She’s powerful and strong and smart and normal , how could she be cursed?!
Is… is Miss Lisa going to die?
“You okay there?” he hears Bennett ask, a warm hand placed against his shoulder. Razor doesn’t know.
“This is… rather serious.” Noelle assesses a grim look in her eyes as she looks over the letter, “I can only assume this is the very reason she wanted the letters burned instead of simply thrown away; to prevent anyone from learning of this… weakness.”
“Which means Miss Lisa definitely has to go!” Klee suddenly springs up, hands animated as she asserts. “No- she has to go! Not only does her school need her for a super-duper important project, but if she does, then she won't be cursed anymore! Problem solved!”
“Maybe…” Bennett ponders, hand on his chin, “But it’s probably not that simple, is it? There’s a reason Miss Lisa hasn’t taken up this offer, and it has to have been a good one, y’know? They were so insistent in sending so many letters; if Miss Lisa thought they could help, she would have agreed already.”
Silence permits the group, a solemn unsureness on what to do. There’s a persistent ache in his lungs now, his throat tightened so hard he’d thought he’d choke.
He thinks of Miss Lisa, and the very first night he’d encountered her. He had snuck into the city, soaked to the absolute bone in search of food in the midst of human’s over-hunting boars. When she found him scrounging around abandoned stalls, she had scared him half to death when she tried to approach further.
She must have figured out what he wanted though, because she came back with a sack full of skinned meat. He remembers it so clearly, the awe and the confusion, because all humans had ever done to him was shoot and throw things at him. Never… never anything like this .
He remembers their first lesson, and how disastrously it had gone. Razor had never held a pen before, and he ended up knocking over the inkwell all over Captain Kaeya’s dress shirt. He had been so ashamed, covering his hands over his face, all the while Miss Lisa had howled with laughter as she tried to sooth and reassure him that ‘it’s fine Razor, come here-’ .
He remembers how easily she took up soothing him out of his episodes, how careful she has been on not invading his space without his explicit permission.
He knows the ingrained lilac smell that follows her everywhere, the scent known to him almost as closely as his own Lupicals. It never fails to relax him, and it makes him wonder just why his heart feels so full whenever she gazes at him with pride and fondness. He always wants to be the best, to do some good with his ‘potential’, even if it’s just for her sake. All for Lisa.
He thinks of Lisa, bruised and bloodied and unmoving, the same exact way his Lupical had looked that rainy day, the day the world surged with lightning all around him. The thought terrifies him more than any human words could explain.
He can’t… he can’t let that happen. He can’t…lose anyone else.
He thinks of Miss Lisa, and everything she’s ever done for him, and comes to a decision. He urges himself forward and extends his hand towards Noelle.
“Letter,” he says simply, emotions heavy in his tongue. “Give it. I will… ask Miss Lisa to… reconsider.”
“Oh,” Noelle breathes, oddly stumped. She stares down at the letter, before giving it to him without a fuss. “Good luck,” is all she says, and Razor nods. He doesn’t stay any longer than that.
Razor finds the Librarian in her sanctuary, reclined on a chair as she peacefully reads a thick book. She turned towards him at the sound of the door opening, eyes crinkling in fondness as she realized who he was.
“Hello Razor,” she grinned, the image of her bright and warm smile strikes his heart “-I thought you were out with Bennett today. Did he hurt himself again?” she shook her head, exasperated as she stood and closed her book, “-that boy is going to get himself in trouble one of these days. He’s very lucky to have a friend looking out for him. Here, I’ll go contact Barbara-”
“Is it true?” he asks, and he can hear the emotion weigh in his voice. Lisa pauses suddenly, fixing him a proper and unreadable stare.
“What’s true, wolf cub?” she asks in a hushed voice, eyebrows drawing together. She stands fully, holding out a hand towards him, “Razor, what’s wrong?”
“Are you… really cursed?” he asks, voice small. He doesn’t want to believe it, he doesn’t want to be true. He’s heard of what happens to cursed people from books and rumors, how they cost people their lives and sanity. Lisa is poised and kind and normal, so why-
Lisa’s eyes widen a fraction, and even though she schools her expression almost immediately, he can smell the scent of panic wafting from her. It’s enough of an answer for him.
“...Who told you that?” she asks gently, voice normal and natural. She tilts her head, faux amusement masked over her expression, “-was it Bennett? He must have caught some rumor from the Adventurer’s Guild is all; you know how they are.” It's true, the Guild has always had a local crowd. Maybe he would have believed her, if the evidence didn't sit heavy in his hands.
Razor doesn’t really know why, but he just feels so tired . The bags under his eyes hang heavy and his body feels like it’s had a few of its strings plucked, hanging haphazardly as exhaustion pulls at him. He doesn’t remember the days feeling so tiring.
He lets out a long sigh, raising the letter to look at it again. He focuses, the black splotches of letters and loops forming barely coherent words. “-the Akademiya… promise to inv…investigate a …possible cure” he swallows roughly, hand shaking slightly, “to your fatal curse.”
Silence permits through the air, and Razor drops his arm back to his side, crinkling the paper as his lips pull up into a wobbly frown. He manages to meet his teacher’s forest-green eyes, and her grimace isn't too dissimilar to a kid who got caught with her hands in a cookie jar. Her expression cracks when she sees his watery eyes.
“Are…” he manages, voice breaking, “Are you going to die, Miss Lisa?”
Something weird dances across Lisa's face, but it looks ugly and wrong wrongwrong on her-
“Oh Razor,” she breathes between a sad sigh, “Oh sweetheart, I’m so sorry.”
Before he can really realize it, he’s tumbled into the Librarian’s hold, winding tight arms around the taller’s middle as he tucks himself against her. The sadness that grapples him now is so unlike anything he’s felt before; it’s all-encompassing and almost viscous, managing to alert Lightning Fang into whining alongside himself. He's sure if he were alone right now, the wolf spirit would be more than willing to materialize beside him and comfort him.
The sudden grief wracks him in waves, heavy tears straining from his eyes. He’s usually a silent crier, having learned to keep quiet back when he was living out in the wild, but perhaps Lisa’s influence has worked a little too well, because now his sobs are loud and uncontrolled. It’s muffled against the older's clothing, but his bawling makes his body tremor like a wet dog. He feels so pathetic.
“Shhh, it’s okay,” Lisa says, still managing to try to comfort him, even when she knows she’s going to die. The word ‘fatal’ echoes in his head like a church bell. “It’s alright now, it’s okay.”
Eventually, after what feels like forever, his cries taper off into whimpers and whines, his frame still shaking and glued against the other. He basks in the scent of lilac, having to grapple with the new possibility of one day waking without it. She peels himself from him but keeps her hands on his arms and shoulder, before kneeling in front of him with a sheepish look in her eyes.
“Feel better?” she attempts, softly. Razor sniffs, before shakily nodding. He hates crying, how vulnerable it makes him feel, but the only good thing about them is that he usually feels better afterwards.
“I want you to listen to me Razor, and I want you to listen well." she says softly, brushing loose hair from his face, "-we're born, we live, and then we die.” she says simply. “There's really no changing that; some of us live longer than others and that's okay." she insists comfortingly, but he only feels more saddened. "It's up to us to make sure we live as much of a fulfilling life as we can."
"B-but-! I don't want you to die!" Razor cries, globs of tears streaking his face, "You're not… you can't. They- the letter said they would help. C-can't they do something?"
“Razor-” she sounds exasperated and sad, like she’s about to tell him that horrible ‘that’s just not how things are’ phrase she loves to use so much, when reality feels so unescapable. He feels his heart jump to his throat, suddenly feeling panicked and desperate.
"Please… please go. Let them help." he sniffs, the words tumbling out of him like an unclogged waterfall, "Please- I- I-"
"-I can’t lose you too Miss Lisa." He begs, tightening his hold over the other’s outstretched hands. He must look ad bad as he feels, because Lisa's expression looks all but shattered at his pain.
"Oh wolf cub…" She sighs, leaning forward to press her lips against the crown of his head. The action is soft and gentle, and Razor feels himself crack all over again. She cards a hand through the lockes of his hair, staying beside him as he cried for a few minutes.
Silence stretches out as time passes, only the sound of Razor’s sniffling and small cries accompanying them. The sunset’s light filters through the Library’s windows, illuminating both of them like a stage light. Lisa's face is pensive as she looks down at the crumpled form of her student, lost in thought.
Eventually, after a minute or so, Lisa lets out a very long sigh and pats him on the head.
“ Alright ,” she whispers, voice accepting and tired, “Alright, I’ll go.”
Razor turns his head up, sniffing as he peers into her drained eyes. “Really?” she sounds… unhappy with the admittance, but logically this is the best outcome for Lisa. Her school won’t let anything else happen to her now that she’s agreed to work with them, right? She can finally get the help she needs...
Should he still apologize? It feels like he twisted her arm in this, and it makes him feel boneless yet uncomfortable
Lisa, ever the mind-reader, stifles his worries with a pat on the head. “Yes, I believe I will. It’s about time I stop hiding my head in the sand with these matters- the Akademiya clearly requires my expertise and won’t stop bothering me until they get it. And with a place so full of old and spoiled geezers, they probably won’t give up bothering me until they do so. An endless supply of letters, can you imagine that?” she grins, seemingly amused with her own words as she revitalized a little.
He nods, because that would be silly, wouldn't it? Despite the worst of his worries abating slightly, Razor still can’t help but feel a grimace tug at him, “Are you sure? I don’t want to make you go-”
Lisa smiles then, smirking slyly, “And who says you’re making me? Are you saying I can’t make these types of decisions on my own?”
Like a splash of cold water, Razor straightens himself immediately and stutters out a quick, “N-no mam’!” the instinctual urge to be polite crushing any lingering doubts immediately. Lisa smiles brightly, looking all too pleased with his change in demeanor.
“That’s good to hear then.” she nods, satisfied. “Anyhow, I’ll be sure to pen my response to the Akademiya by tonight so it can be delivered as soon as next morning. Be sure to pack your belongings by the end of the week. If we’re lucky, Master Jean can have a few guards escort us to Stone Gate.”
“Huh-!” Razor gapes, wondering if he’s misheard something, “-we?!”
Lisa flashes him an easy smile, “Of course wolf cub; did you really think I was about to travel all the way to Sumeru without taking my prized and honorable student? It would be such a waste of a lesson.” she laments, before brightening as she contemplated out loud. “We can cover Sumeru’s expansive botany and ecosystems, have you sample some of the local cuisine- ah! I can show you all the old spots I used to hang out in back when I was still a student! A walk down memory lane- maybe I can even get you to meet some of my old classmates- archons they’d adore you-”
Razor doesn’t know whether he wants to feel beet-red embarrassment at the overzealous honorifics, or vaguely ill at the thought of Lisa telling all her old classmates using such a description in front of him. It’s intimidating but very exciting- Lisa’s past has always been such a mystery, and now he gets the chance to relive it himself?
Sumeru.
Lisa wants him to go to Sumeru with him. Razor never thought he’d leave Mondstadt’s forests, let alone the country as a whole.
It’s… exciting. Very exciting. And even though they’re really only going for Lisa’s sake, it’s a big comfort to know she’ll be getting help by the end of all this.
—
Lisa waves her student off not too long after, watching with a smile as she sees him bound off the Favonious property, no doubt on his way to Wolvendom for the night.
As soon as the Headquarters doors close shut, Lisa turns and presses her back against it, hiding her face in between her gloved hands as she lets out a long and tired sigh. She feels utterly drained, her exhaustion surfacing in full now that her student is gone and she doesn't have to pretend in front of him.
“Today was not supposed to go like this,” she laments to herself, closing her eyes briefly. She wishes she were in bed now, in her night clothes, with an unfinished book in one hand and her herbal tea in the other. That was how she was supposed to be spending her retirement.
Lisa brings the letter Razor had given her back to her eye-level, gazing at it numbly. Useless pleasantries and saccharine-coated pleas stare back at her in their full glory. Razor idly noted it smelled strange when his friend attempted to burn it, per her instructions. She wonders if they’d really stoop that low…
Small electro sparks dance across her fingertips, burning the edge of the letter in a small graze. The smell of pungent rot immediately invades her nostrils, and she has to cover her nose with one hand while stomping out the flamed letter.
Methyl mercaptans. A toxic substance but harmless in small quantities. Yet, it remains extremely flammable, known to trigger an extremely foul smell once burned.
It dawns on her that they must have realized what she was doing, burning her correspondence as to leave no trace. How they know she’s been doing this, she has no idea. Maybe they psycho-analyzed her? But the documentation on her must be years old at this point…
It’s not that they’ve hurt her, per say, but they’re subtly dragging in a threat against her: she has to pay attention to them and she will.
It greatly unnerves her, which is exactly what they must have wanted.
Archons, she needs some tea.
She ultimately hauls herself up against the door, making her way back to her office among deserted corridors. The sunset’s prime has long passed, painting the sky a trail of purples and pinks in its wake.
At least they’ll stop sending those pesky letters now.
Such a mess.
It just goes to show, she guesses, just how inescapable the Akademiya's clutch truly is.
It’s a low blow, for them to use her curse as a bargaining chip. Perhaps it’s not the worst thing they could have exploited; those old geezers must have been getting impatient with her lack of reply and sought out to twist her arms into submission. To think Razor thought he was pressuring her into going back…
Gods, Razor . What would they do if they knew about him?
To know that Lisa Minci- High Sorceress of Sumeru Akademiya and proven ‘Brightest Mind’ the school has housed -has taken on a new pupil?
They’ll use whatever loophole or moronic fine-print rule to assure he’ll be in their attendance. They’ll look at him not as his own, wonderful self, but as Lisa’s fabled protégé; their next long-awaited academic messiah.
She thinks about Razor- unique and extraordinary the way he is -and just what the Akademiya's ruthless environment would do to him.
She swallows thickly, feeling ill.
No matter what she does, she can’t let something like that happen to Razor.
She has to be careful about this.
Lisa grits her teeth, clearing overdue library payments off her desk with a huff. ‘She’ll get to them later’ she thinks idly, setting out a fresh inkwell and parchment. She sits herself down on her seat, her oil lamp’s light shining off her quill. She hovers a hand over a blank page.
‘Good Evening Highest Sages,’
Lisa blots the cursive words down, the gesture practiced and easy.
She stares at it, mind humming yet far too quiet. Her quill hovers over the paper, unmoving.
After three long minutes pass, she sets her quill down with a frustrated sigh. The paper remains blank.
Archons, she doesn’t want to do this. She's unsure how to make her first move; she’s let the sages play on her chessboard for far too long and now she doesn’t know what strategy to take. She’s rusty now from inaction, and now she has to pay the price.
Just then, a thought passes through her mind. She blinks slightly, eyes widening as an idea dawned upon her.
Just because she has to contact the Akademiya doesn’t mean she has to wrangle the sages, does she? There were no explicit return instructions provided on this copy of the letter, and there is no verifiable proof that she'd read the previously mailed letters. It’s her words against theirs.
She crumbles the paper in front of her, uncaringly throwing it aside. If she successfully dodges this bullet, she dodges the whole entire fight.
She grabs a new and blank page, sporting a small grin as the pen dances across the page.
‘ Dearest General Mahamatra, leader of the Matra,’
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