For several consecutive days, the Abyss launched no attacks. Leaving the Synthesizer behind to help Capitano with the defenses, Dottore flew straight back to Snezhnaya City.
"I'm finally back. Every single time I tried to cook at the camp, someone would try to steal my food—I was losing my mind."
"I wonder how the vegetables in the greenhouse are doing. I should go check on them before weeds grow and rob them of nutrients."
No sooner said than done. The moment he returned to his laboratory, he picked up a hoe from the corner. Hearing a knock at the door, he put the hoe down, opened the door, and saw Sandrone smiling brightly. "I'm here for the blueprints."
"Why did you come back so fast?"
Sandrone smiled smugly and pulled out a one-time teleportation device.
Dottore: ......
He had no choice but to lead her into the secret basement of his laboratory.
Sandrone was utterly shocked. You have to pass through seven blast doors just to get into the basement?!
What shocked Sandrone even more was that the basement was filled mostly with wine—all sorts of different wines.
You act like you're guarding against thieves, and it's just *wine*?! Then her eyes lit up upon spotting something, and she stealthily walked over to pocket an item.
Dottore came back with the blueprints and caught Sandrone sneaking around, trying to take something.
"What are you taking?"
Sandrone stopped what she was doing. "Nothing at all."
Though he found it strange, he still handed over the blueprints. "These are the blueprints for the Titan Synthesizer."
Sandrone snatched the blueprints and bolted out of the basement. "I was just taking a little sugar, Dessert Master. Oh wait, I should call you Brewmaster now."
Dottore: ......
Suppressing his rising fury, a thought suddenly struck him.
Wait a minute, what she took doesn't look like ordinary dessert... Heh, Sandrone, let's see if you dare to randomly take my things again. This time, she's going to make a fool of herself.
Feeling somewhat cheered up, Dottore picked up his hoe again and prepared to head outside, when suddenly the door knocked once more.
Old Dottore: ...... He put the hoe down again.
He opened the door to find Arlecchino. "You had better give me a reason not to dissect you right now." He was already in a bad mood, and now someone else was interrupting his farming—especially Arlecchino, whom he liked the least.
Arlecchino swallowed hard. She could feel Dottore's intense murderous intent. Putting on a calm facade, she said, "I came to ask when we're setting off for Fontaine so I can make preparations."
"Set off whenever you're ready, and get the hell out of my sight right now!!!" With that, he slammed the door shut in a rage.
The door knocked again. And again. This time it was Signora.
"What is it?"
"Rostam has woken up. I came specifically to express my gratitude."
"Don't thank me. It was Her Majesty and Columbina who brought Rostam's soul back; I didn't do a thing."
You didn't do a thing? Wasn't Rostam's body cloned by you? Even though you dug up his grave. So... it was all Barbatos's fault!
Barbatos: ......... He desperately wanted to refute this, but he really hadn't been able to protect his own believer.
"Alright, alright. Go keep your precious Rostam company, and figure out how to talk some sense into him while you're at it."
Signora nodded and left. Halfway down the corridor, she stopped. *Wait a minute, did the Doctor just say "my Rostam"?*
............
He picked up the hoe yet again, and the door was knocked upon yet *again*. He opened it, and this time it was Columbina. (He couldn't possibly direct his anger at her.)
"What are you doing here?"
"Sandrone brought some desserts over to share with us. We thought they tasted good, but after eating a few extra pieces, she passed out."
"Those were rum-chocolates. She ate too many and got drunk; she'll be fine after a nap. But how did she get over to your place so fast?"
"A one-time teleportation device."
Dottore: Sandrone, you've really outdone yourself. Using a one-time teleportation device just like that—just wait for the scolding you've got coming.
Afterward, Columbina left. Although he desperately wanted to watch Sandrone make a fool of herself, he decided against it. You can't yell at a little girl.
Then, an unexpected person appeared—Capitano.
"Dottore, I'd like to ask you to forge some powerful weapons." After listening with a deadpan expression for two and a half hours, Capitano left using a one-time teleportation device.
Finally, nobody was going to interrupt his farming anymore!!! He picked up his hoe, opened the door, and crashed straight into a tall, half-masked figure.
Pierro: ......
"Dottore, the Electro Archon's puppet won't be far from awakening. You need to make preparations."
Dottore: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
"Arlecchino is establishing an orphanage in Fontaine. Pay attention; if you cross paths with the Hydro Dragon, fight if you can win, run if you can't."
Old Dottore: Got it, got it, got it.
"And lastly, plant a little less of that dirt of yours." With those words, Pierro turned and left.
Pierro: *I seriously don't know why Arlecchino ran off so fast, like she'd just seen a demon.*
*Calm down, calm down, calm down. This is the Director, you can't hit him, you can't hit him.* He suppressed the urge to plant Pierro directly into the dirt patch.
............
No sooner had he hoed the earth a few times than Pulcinella arrived as well. Dottore's face was covered in dark lines. "Spit it out, what do you want?"
"Our fund reserves are running low. The peak period for our previous commodities has passed. If everything goes as usual, we can still sustain ourselves, but now Arlecchino is going to Fontaine to start an orphanage, so..."
Casually, Dottore shoved a few blueprints into Pulcinella's hands and went right back to farming. Pulcinella accepted them with a beaming smile, failing to notice that he had stepped on several young seedlings.
Dottore: You stepped on my dirt?!?! Go to hell, you old fool!!
Pulcinella: Pierro! Her Majesty, please come save your humble servant!!!!!
Pierro rushed over in a hurry. He had just returned to his office when he received the Cryo Archon's decree to come effect a rescue.
By this time, Pulcinella had already been planted halfway into the ground by Dottore.
After pulling Pulcinella out, Pierro casually dropped a massive bump onto Dottore's head. That made him feel slightly better.
From then on, an unwritten rule established itself among the Fatui: Lord Dottore is very friendly, and if you need help you can go to him, but you *must* make sure not to step on Lord Dottore's dirt, otherwise you will end up planted in it.
............
The culprit, Dottore, was currently reading a self-reflection at the Harbingers' meeting: "Due to my impulsivity, I committed a unilateral act of violence against my colleague, the Fifth Harbinger: Pulcinella—the Rooster, even going so far as to plant him in the dirt. I deeply apologize for this, and I will never again commit acts of violence against my colleagues. ——The Second Harbinger of the Fatui: The Doctor—Dottore."
After the self-reflection concluded, Pierro asked, "Dottore, why is there nothing in your reflection about the soil matter?"
Dottore: *Lalalala, I hear nothing, talk to the hand. There's no way in hell you're stopping me from farming.*
Sighing, Pierro said, "Fine. Arlecchino is already prepared. Be careful when you go with her to Fontaine."
And so, having just finished his self-reflection, Dottore lost no time in hitting the road to Fontaine alongside Arlecchino.
Dottore: *While completing the mission, let's see if I can save the two of them as well.* (Anyone who has played Genshin Impact want to guess who these two are?)
............
Meanwhile, Sandrone and Columbina were tasting desserts at Pulcinella's place, but they felt the flavor was subpar. Sandrone left with a gloomy face, while Columbina maintained her habitual smile.
............
At that moment, Pierro was reviewing the reports (summarized by the author, who lacks such literary flair):
Signora: *My boyfriend woke up, I'm going to keep him company, hand over some cash.*
Arlecchino: *The Doctor is too terrifying. Next time, give me someone with a better temper to accompany me on a mission.*
Pulcinella: *Fund consumption is accelerating again.* Translation: *We're broke.*
Sandrone: *The Doctor has brewed a lot of wine in his basement; I wonder what he's up to.*
Columbina: *An application form.*
Columbina and Sandrone: *Want to eat desserts.*
Pierro: *I'm emotionally exhausted.*
The Cryo Archon, receiving all this information through her divine authority, fell into a heavy silence.
Can this really rebel against The Heavenly Principles?
Cryo Archon: *Emotional exhaustion +1.*