A CRISIS IN SHNEZNAYA

(FALL OF THE FATUI)

As he leisurely strolled around the city of Fontaine along with his loyal companion, Paimon, the boy suddenly came across the sight of three familiar figures passing by the crowd, each one burdened with several seemingly heavy luggage in tow. Curious, the boy decided approaching so they could inquire, but also for the simple courtesy of greeting acquaintances.

Lynette, being the best hearer amongst them was the first to notice of his nearing presence, hence spinning herself to meet face-to-face with the famous yellow haired traveler.

"Oh, Aether."

With what her words were, the other two too did likewise.

"Good morning, Traveler. Already had breakfast yet?"

"Ah, why isn't it Aether. Come to see me? Let me guess, missing me already?"

Aether rolled his golden eyes, deciding it best to brush off the magician's teases. His irises zoned back at the number of bags they were carrying, and one of his brows began to raise.

"Good morning." He greeted. However, just prior to when he was about to inquire and satisfy his own puzzlement, his floating friend had hitherto beaten him to it (as always).

"Why are all of you guys bringing all those things with you? Ooh! Are you all going on a trip?! Let Paimon know where?"

"House hunting." With a monotonous tone and a steel expression, the quietest of the three bunch responded nonchalantly. But this of course only caused for more confusion to fell his and Paimon's faces.

Lyney cleared his throat in order to capture for all of their respective attentions.

*Exhale* "Let me explain."


Meanwhile, within a region of frost and snow, a palace stood, and housed inside it was a great hall which radiated with both eeriness and elegance. Abruptly its grand entrance swinged open, and a man sporting glass eyewear came dashing, stopping at nothing till he arrived near the throne. Seated upon said throne was a woman whose skin was fair.

"You're Majesty!" The man cried out. "You're Majesty!"

"What is it, Pantalone?" She inquired. Noticing the urgency within his commonly calm tone. "Has anything happened?"

"This is bad. This is really-really bad." He began to ramble as he panted, one of his palms placed to where his now fast-pacing heart was located.

"Deep breaths Pantalone." The Tsaritsa gently chastised. "I'm sure whatever it may be, we can easily-"

"You're Majesty." He then stood to face her. "We are now officially bankrupt."

A sound of something cracking emerged forth from a distance.

"What?"

"It's true." He reported while he still continued to struggle in taking in air. "And, I blame myself for not noticing it sooner. The decrease of our Mora supply was just so subtle that it could not have been seen until it was all too late."

"H-how did this happen?"

"The other nations?"

"The other nations? Strange, I have not heard of anyone sanctioning us?"

"They didn't" He clarified. "Not, formally, at least. That's why I told that I didn't notice. Because I didn't have anything to anticipate for. It was then did I realized-"

"What happened?" The Tsaritsa repeated her earlier inquiry. Her tone remaining (a bit) soft, though it took no genius to tell that she was already at the brink of panicking. And a panicking deity was the last thing the Harbinger wished to witness after such a frantic morning. He gulped, swallowing a lump in his throat. Preparing himself mentally for what he was about to reenact when he too had first heard of this news.

"Apparently having our agents acting so aggressive in the name of diplomacy wasn't really a good image to get by. And it also doesn't help that almost the entirety of Teyvat is aware of our atrocities on them."

"But don't we hide our evidences?"

"Y-Yes. We do. Our agents are very well trained in the arts of making excuses." He elaborated nervously. "But as said, they often act pretty aggressively. Hence, as a result, the common folk would tend to believe in any rumor of Fatui related crime they hear, even if official authorities doesn't recognize us as international criminals."

"Ah. I see." The divinity forced a smile. "So, your saying is that, because of all of this factors, people and businesses simply just don't wish to have anything to do with anything Fatui. Correct?"

"Yes. You're Majesty. You are precisely on point."

"But what about our merchants?" She then pointed out. "Don't people cast their gaze on them? Surely, they still make a fortune with what they sell on foreign territories. And our exports."

"Oh. They do! Yes. However, the behavior our merchants have been displaying…" Pantalone tried to think of the proper sentence to say. "Let me put it this way." He snatched a piece of paper from his pocket. "According to this old survey conducted in Liyue, they mention that from all the foreign merchants in their country. The ones from Shneznaya were the ones performing the poorest. Particularly because of their quote 'snubbish behavior and arrogant presence. As well as often practicing dishonesty towards their customers such as, lying about a rented hairpin."

He looked to his queen, watching as she was now massaging her own forehead. "A hairpin?"

"Yes, that's right."

She sighed out of exasperation. Refusing to believe that something as insignificant as a hairpin could even bring her nation to ruins.

"The Adventure's Guild." She then asked with the last ounce of hope she could grabble.

"Actually you're majesty. The Adventure's Guild is more of a none profit organization."

"Oh come—seriously? Is there truly nothing left? What about the Northland Bank?"

"People have gradually withdrawn all their accounts your Highness. We only have a few foreign patriots left."

Once more, the deity slumped her back to the head of her throne. Her shoulders now rising. Inside her head, she was attempting to seek if there was any way they could heal from this. Repudiating to admit defeat to something as relatively small as that of money. After all the enemies and rivals they have gained, it would certainly be a humiliation that the infamous Fatui fell not due to the hands of the other archons, Celestia, the dragons, or the Abyss. Not even by the actions of the famous star-borne traveler. But from bankruptcy.

"Attempt to find a way for us to recover." She ordered. "Meanwhile, we shall use all the spare Mora that we have left in order to continue on our operations. The Fatui shall forfeit from our objectives just yet."

"Uh. Well…about that…"

Once more, the sounds of shattering ice were heard from somewhere unknown.

She didn't want to listen to whatever the Harbinger has to say. However, she knew that she had to.

"We might have only have a 'few' left. You're Majesty."

"What?!" She asked, flabbergasted. "How 'few'? Aren't we not well known as the second riches of all the seven nations?"

"Oh. Indeed, we are. Or, how should I put it. We, were."

Stunned, she sat motionless for around a minute prior to her regaining composure.

"How?"

"Well," He snatched another piece of paper from his pockets. "From our mass productions of Delusions back at Inazuma, Childe, something to do with coconuts, funding Dottore's various experiments, the 'New God' project, something from the House of the Hearth, and…I believe that I shouldn't need to read through all the rest."

Pantalone had always known that he would eventually witness for a god to tremble before his very sight once joining the Fatui as a Harbinger, he simply just never expected for that god to be his own. Usually calm and quite collected, he now saw as his deity was rendered absolutely lost for words.

But then, from out of nowhere, a new voice rang forth. Erupting itself from the emptiness of the hall so to draw attention unto its source. A ginger-haired young man arrived gliding rather gleefully. Blissfully unaware of the turmoil that they had just discussed about.

"Morning there Pantalone. You're Highness." He made sure to respectfully bow once he greeted the latter. Only then had he noticed since his entry of the 'frozen' state his archon was in.

"What happened here?"

He was afterwards informed.

"How could this have happened? How could I let this occur? Our plans. Our war to defy Celestia. Foiled. What do I do now? I stole their gnosis, I sown despair to their homes, and now I have brought us into such a devastating economic depression. And all with nothing to show for. I-I can never show my face anywhere again."

She covered her face with her palms, feeling too ashamed to dare look at her court members in the eyes. She was even starting to hyperventilate.

"C-calm down you're Highness." Childe tried to ease her. "We wouldn't have gone this far without your grace and excellence. So you didn't consider the financial part of things, nothing that we can't recover, right? In fact, take it from someone who has acquainted himself with various archons around the world. It's perfectly normal for gods to unintentionally ignore anything regarding money. Probably something to do with the whole 'not actually needing food and shelter' thing. Its fine. You have nothing to feel embarrassed for."

"R-really?" She said as she wept.

"You." Ajax craned his head at his fellow Fatuus, then stealing the sheet of paper that was in his hands. "Give me that. Now, whatever amounts we lost, I'm confide-" He whistled. It took him a couple of seconds to recompose himself. But, in due course he recovered and pretended to cough.

*Cough* *Cough* "Uhh…look at the bright side you're Majesty. You are at least less broke compared to the Geo archon, Morax."

"Hm?" Pantalone tilted his head. "But didn't you say that he did that on purpose though?"

*CRACK*

"Shushh!"


Author's Note:

Is it stupid? Yes. Do I regret writing this? Probably. But do I stand by it? Yes.

Just a little light hearted fic for fun. Nothing serious or worth thinking too much about. Hope you all enjoyed.

Genshin Impact is a property that belongs to Hoyoverse. I own nothing but this story.