A gentle breeze blew into the room through the window, causing the deep blue robe covering the slender legs of the lady to sway backward, revealing a glimpse of the thigh-high black stockings wrapping around her legs.

Nolan felt the cool breeze and continued to calmly read the contents of the diary:

[Finally, on the fifth day after joining the adventure team, Captain Sarah said my evaluations were all good and I could receive a Vision. She said we'd go to a secret base the team set up in the wilderness. Hehe. This isn't surprising. An ability to grant Visions is definitely better kept secret.]

The diary ended there. He must have gone to that "wilderness base" and hadn't returned yet.

"Miss Lisa, is it really possible to grant Visions like the diary says?" Although Nolan already knew the answer, he still curiously asked.

From Nolan's understanding, this so-called Vision granting was, unsurprisingly, likely a type of imitation - the Delusions created by the Fatui.

These were the "Vision-like objects" that the Fatui had developed and used at great cost.

Delusions could also harness elemental energy, but the average mass-produced Delusions were probably slightly inferior to original Visions in performance.

However, the Delusions used by high-ranking Fatui like the Eleven Harbingers were likely much better.

After all, in the original game, Fatui's 11th of the Harbingers "Childe" Tartaglia already had a Vision, yet also used a Delusion.

From the battles shown in the story between the Traveler and him at the Golden House, he normally only used his Vision in combat, only relying on the Delusion when faced with challenging opponents.

From Childe's choice to treat the Delusion as his trump card, it could be seen that the Delusion he used was likely more powerful than his own Vision.

It should be a "Harbinger Exclusive Edition" different from ordinary Delusions

While Delusions weren't a huge secret, people without dealings with the Fatui most likely wouldn't know about them.

Nolan's curiosity was in line with his identity; after all, he was just a slightly capable ordinary adventurer.

"Oh my~ Little adventurer, don't get ideas about those things! Using them too much... will kill you!"

Lisa said with a faint smile.

She raised her right hand, reaching toward Nolan's face. He didn't dare move as the black glove stroked his cheek.

The texture of the fabric brushing his skin made him feel a little itchy. Then came the sharp crackling of electricity right by his ear.

Lightning flashed behind him and agonized groans rang out, but they didn't come from him.

Nolan quickly moved closer to Lisa, his gaze shifting to the original location, where a Fatui's Debt Agent was kneeling halfway on the ground, wearing a hooded cloak.

He was still holding a sharp sacrificial knife. This guy had stealthily approached Nolan from behind without him noticing at all.

Although he also knew the "Stealth Assassination Technique", it didn't give him any extra awareness toward others using the skill.

It took him a while before sensing an odd feeling in his surroundings and guessing someone was stealthed behind him.

This Fatui agent was definitely much stronger than him in combat... Nolan thought with some lingering fear. Luckily the formidable Miss Lisa was here.

"Hmph~ Looks like we've caught the main culprit~" Lisa's soft lips curled slightly.

"Caught? That's a bit too arrogant!"

Despite the paralyzing and searing pain from the electro attacks, the debt-collector forced himself up, slashing with the sacrificial knife as if to split the space itself.

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But even though his strength was considerable, the paralysis in his body slowed down his movements significantly.

Nolan drew his sword, and the steel blade clashed with the sacrificial knife with a "ding" sound, then immediately bounced off each other.

The Debt Agent's strength seemed to be on par with Nolan's, even in the situation where his body was paralyzed by Lisa's electricity. It can only be said that he truly lived up to being a close combat elite.

Generally speaking, Nolan had the advantage in physical fitness during battles.

Because every time he leveled up, he could strengthen his body, a result that ordinary people could only achieve through lengthy training.

Of course, people in the Teyvat continent would also significantly enhance their bodies during ascensions.

Although Nolan's strengthening with each level-up wasn't as impactful as their single ascension effect, the cumulative strengthening from level one to twenty was much more powerful than what they achieved by reaching level twenty and then ascending once.

In summary, judging from this, the debt-collector's strength should be at the second ascension.

But most likely, he hadn't yet undergone the third ascension, otherwise, even if paralyzed by electricity, Nolan might not have been able to withstand that blow.

However, even if he managed to block it, it wouldn't matter much, as the debt agent's task didn't primarily rely on physical prowess.

After the debt agent's strike was blocked, the slightly purplish sacrificial knife suddenly burst into red flames, distorting the surrounding air.

Another slash came through the air!

Nolan, relying on his superb swordsmanship, mobilized the power of his entire body, using the sword as a pivot to gently divert the force coming from the debt agent's blade to the side.

"What?!" Heston, the Fatui's Debt Agent and Inspector General, was slightly surprised.

This slash, imbued with pyro elemental energy, was actually blocked by what seemed to be an ordinary young adventurer using regular swordsmanship?

A Chance!

Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, Nolan's three-foot-long dull blade, like a silver serpent, sliced toward the debt agent's neck.

In this disadvantaged situation, Nolan wouldn't show mercy just to interrogate him for information!

Heston looked at the glinting tip of the sword, his pupils slightly contracting under the black mask. His leg muscles tensed as he jerked his head back to dodge.

But due to the lingering paralysis from the electrocution, his body was still somewhat numb. He only felt a brief coolness on his neck before the wetness of the liquid.

Having dodged to the wall, Heston leaned back against it, panting. He touched his throat and saw his leather glove completely stained red with blood.

The skin of his throat had been cut, stinging slightly from the exposure to air.

Uncontrollable fury surged into Heston's mind. He, an Inspector of the Fatui, had actually been wounded by some brat!

...Phew, Heston took a deep breath to calm his emotions, it wasn't impulse that allowed him to sit in this position.

That was in addition to his loyalty to Her Majesty, it was also because he could maintain his composure and take rational action in a crisis!

Those lacking this quality were not far from being buried in a foreign land!

It wouldn't be hard for Heston to deal with the brat.

But there was also the librarian of the Knights of Favonius here who could easily detect him even stealthed and incapacitate him with a light electrocution!

Heston knew he had to find a way to retreat now, or he would likely perish here.

(End of Chapter)