La Signora [1/4]

'System, does telling a story gain me points?' Igarashi asked the system.

Truth to be told, him inviting La Signora was an impulsive decision. He naturally knew her and what her capabilities are, which is why he fears her.

Excluding Childe, who is under a contract with him, he fears the rest of the Fatui Harbingers.

So when La Signora suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of his shop, he spotted an opportunity.

Fatui System Credits.

When Childe was reading his manga back in Liyue, he obtained an additional five points.

So when another Fatui Harbinger appeared, how could he let such an opportunity slip? As such, Igarashi went for it and invited her to read.

[No.] The system replied rather quickly.

'...Really?' Igarashi asked with worry.

Looking at the lady sitting across him who was looking impatient, he silently gulped.

'Hey... In case she attacks me, you can protect me, right...?' Igarashi has naturally read some business-style system novels in the past.

And in all of them, the host is always protected by the system's self-defense mechanism.

[Yes.] A simple reply, yet quite vague.

'That so...' Igarashi silently sighed in relief.

Sitting straight, he then spoke. "Now then, would you like to hear the story?"

"..." La Signora observed the man in front of her with annoyance. She was wasting too much time in Mondstadt, and it was starting to irritate her.

Clicking her tongue, she decided to just get to the point. "Enough of this nonsense. What I offer you is a position in the Fatui serving directly under me."

"Think about it. You will have a high position and most of all, have my backing." She tried to tempt him with mortal desires. "Money and fame... In the Fatui, as long as you have enough contributions, it shall naturally come to you."

"I want you to think about that, thoroughly." She said

"Daga Koto— Erm, I mean, I refuse." Igarashi refused once more.

Heading this, something finally snapped inside Signora's mind. "You dare?!"

Standing up, she went to Igarashi and grabbed his collars.

"He— Hey!" Igarashi tried to resist but was overpowered by her strength.

'I have B-rank strength! How am I still so weak?!' He seriously questioned the system.

However, just like last time, a strange have of sensation went through La Signora's body as she touched him.

"Urk?!" She... groaned? She then dropped him down to the couch.

Slowly backing away, she looked at him with a complex expression. "Tell me... What is it you possess... That can neutralize pain?!"

'Huh? What's she talking about?' Igarashi thought with a puzzled expression.

However, the system's window soon appeared in front of him.

[Answer. It is part of the system's new features when it upgraded to level 3]

'Wait, really?' Igarashi thought with surprise. 'Isn't that... Too coincidental with this situation?'

[Answer. The system has sensed a customer in the past with a similar situation.]

[As such, the system has decided to add a feature to ease the customers]

[Any customers suffering from some kind of pain shall be temporarily relieved when they are near you or the shop]

'Wow, you really did that? You're one good system, huh?' Igarashi thought as he was glad he got this system.

However, the system did not respond further.

'Ah, of course. Stay silent.' Igarashi thought with a deadpan expression.

Looking at Signora, he instantly knew the situation. 'I see.'

Straightening himself on the couch, he cleared his voice. "I can... Answer that. However, there's one condition."

"And that is?" She asked

"You buy some books and read them." Igarashi said with a smile.

"...Fine." La Signora soon gave in.

'Yes!' Igarashi happily thought. 'While she's reading a manga, I'll make the manga regarding Rosalyne.'

Standing up, he went to one of the shelves and picked four books.

Returning to his seat, he slid the Mangas onto the glass table and showed them to her.

"Pick one, or better yet, all of them." Igarashi said

"..." Looking at the strange four books in front of her, La Signora's patience went down more. 'I just need to read one... That's all.'

'However, if he still insists on delaying further, then I am left with no choice.' She made a final decision. 'I shall forcefully drag him to Snezhnaya if I need to.'

"This one." She pointed at a manga that had a cover of eight people under a red sky.

Hearing this, a wide grin appeared on Igarashi's face. He adjusted his Monocle and gave the manga to her. "Thank you. This one currently only has one chapter so it is quite short."

"Hmph, it does not matter. After I finish reading this and the others, you better give me the answer I want."

"Yes~ Yes~" Igarashi said as she handed the book to her.

La Signora opened the manga and started reading.

Seeing this, Igarashi wasted no more time and went to his office upstairs, leaving Sasori alone with La Signora.

Sparing no time, he started drawing a short comic of La Signora's life that he once saw online in his past life.

It was a fan-made comic, but the art looked like it was made by the game artists themselves.

Clearly remembering the details, Igarashi drew the short 13-page comic. It depicted her life as Rosalyne in the first two pages, then it depicted her life as the Crimson Witch of Flames in the next six pages, and it then depicted her being accepted in the Fatui in the last five pages.

A rather short but very informative story.

Meanwhile, while all of these were happening, Sasori kept a keen eye on La Signora.

He was reading a novel from Liyue while occasionally eyeing La Signora.

"Boy." La Signora said while reading the manga.

Sasori, who was startled by her, quickly replied, "What?"

"You remind me of someone." She said a rather throwaway comment. "A very annoying colleague."

"I-I See..." Sasori replied before reading the novel on his hand again.

A rather awkward atmosphere then surrounded the room.

While all of these were happening, Igarashi finally finished drawing the 13-page comic. He then started coloring it, giving it a rather unique color scheme.

After spending less than half an hour doing this, he finally finished the comic. 'Finally!'

Thanks to his stats, drawing mangas has never been easier. It was as if his hands draw the exact same image he has in mind, thus replicating the panels in his head in under a short time.

Wasting no time, he started attaching each page, creating a thin comic. However, even if it was thin, it had its own front cover and back cover.

Right now, it was the only copy. And Igarashi was intending to stay it that way.

If a story of one of the Fatui Harbingers were to be released, he would no doubt only garner the attention of the dangerous Fatui.

That's why this small comic was for La Signora and La Signora only.

Coming down back, he saw that the shop was still okay and there was no raging flame lady destroying everything. 'Phew, looks like she's still calm.'

Walking calmly toward her, he placed down the comic on the glass table.

La Signora, who was engrossed in reading "Akame Ga Kill", heard the book hitting the glass table and look at the source of the sound.

She saw Igarashi calmly looking at her. "Here's the final book. After you read this VERY short story, I shall answer your questions. That's a promise."

"...Alright." Surprisingly, La Signora agreed.

[+15 System Points]

[+15 System Points]

Seeing the system notifications and La Signora's behavior, a small grin appeared on Igarashi's face. 'All according to Keikaku.'

La Signora... Has now fallen into the manga rabbit hole.

* * *

A/N: A super typhoon hit my country, and as such, school is suspended tomorrow.

Meaning... I still have time for my project!