Undercover in Snezhnaya, My Teyvat Spy Life [60]

A brother missing for four years suddenly appearing here—

For the first time, Artem felt like he was out of brain cells to process it.

From what Heinrich was saying, it sounded like Coulson had deliberately arranged for him to open this inn.

What was the old man planning?

He’d set up his disciple’s disappearance so far in advance—how had the Knights not noticed a thing?

No, it wasn’t just Heinrich.

Artem suddenly recalled that, four years ago, within the span of a year, seven of Coulson’s disciples had vanished under various pretexts. All, like Heinrich, were reported “killed in action.”

What had the old man discovered?

Had he hidden all these people away, right under the noses of the Church and the Knights, as a way to prepare for the future?

Or was there some other reason?

And another thing—

The “Pig-Farming Cardinal”?

Wasn’t the old man supposed to have been sent to Inazuma for two years?

He’d supposedly been infected by a corrupted god’s aura there, then returned to Mondstadt and received treatment until the end.

Artem thought back carefully.

That was the information the Church had sent at the time, along with Coulson’s own will.

He’d even double-checked, confirming the letter really was in Coulson’s handwriting, before agreeing to keep working for Mondstadt.

So why was Heinrich saying the old man had spent those two years raising wild boars here?

Your deeds will never be forgotten.

Thinking of those words on the tombstone, Artem felt a sudden surge of anger.

So my old man’s great deeds were pig-farming? The famous Pig-Farming Cardinal?

Eula, listening to the exchange, hadn’t quite processed what was happening yet.

Why was this innkeeper suddenly so familiar with Artem?

And wasn’t Coulson the Cardinal of Dawn? How did that become “Pig-Farming Cardinal”?

Eula felt like her poor brain was on overload—there had just been too much to take in these past two days.

“What really happened to him?” Artem asked, his voice low.

Coulson’s death had always seemed straightforward—until now. Now, a fog of suspicion had settled over everything.

Luckily, Heinrich, set up by Coulson four years ago, clearly knew at least some of the truth.

Heinrich didn’t answer immediately. He just jerked his chin at Eula.

Artem caught on and replied concisely, “She’s trustworthy.”

“Alright.” With Eula’s status confirmed, Heinrich began to speak:

“Before you left, Teacher was stripped of all duties by Bishop Pegg and sent here to raise wild boars.”

“The Knights kept him under tight surveillance, forbidding any contact with outsiders. So he was here, isolated, for two full years—most villagers didn’t even know a Cardinal was living among them.”

“But honestly, the Knights really underestimated him.”

“Teacher was head instructor of the covert division—half of Mondstadt’s agents were trained by him. The Knights’ childish attempts at surveillance were a joke to him. His access to intel was just as good as ever.”

“But then, a year ago, he suddenly fell ill—started going mad, his mind becoming unstable. For treatment, the Knights brought him back to Mondstadt.”

“Before leaving, Teacher gave me a message for you.”

“He said: ‘Someone wants me dead. But what you see with your own eyes isn’t always the truth. If you have a grudge, take revenge. If you have a grievance, speak up. But don’t harm the innocent.’”

Artem frowned, puzzled. “What does that mean? Who wanted him dead? Seamus Pegg?”

“You’re asking me? I wanted to ask him myself!”

Heinrich swept all the mora into his pocket, then, with a flourish, walked out from behind the counter. “That’s it—my final mission’s over.”

“Time to let everyone know. We’re free!”

“Brother Albert—farewell!”

He gave Artem a jaunty wave and left, laughing loudly as he pushed open the door.

If you have a grudge, take revenge. If you have a grievance, speak up. But don’t harm the innocent.

After Heinrich left, Artem kept repeating the words to himself.

The meaning was easy enough to grasp.

But if he shouldn’t harm the innocent—where was he supposed to find the real culprits to avenge his father?

Who wanted him dead? Seamus Pegg?

What you see with your own eyes isn’t always the truth—so the real culprit was someone else? Or did even Coulson not know?

And from what Heinrich had just said—

The old man had never gone to Inazuma at all. He’d spent those two years under strict surveillance, right here, raising wild boars!

This is how Mondstadt treats its own heroes?

A chill crept up Artem’s spine.

If I’d stayed loyal to Mondstadt, would this have been my fate too?

Absurd.

Pathetic!

“Seamus! Seamus!!”

Artem ground his teeth, fists clenching as he spat the bishop’s name.

His old man had spent a lifetime as Mondstadt’s secret blade—and this was his reward.

Dying, not even knowing who had orchestrated it.

“Good job.”

“You did a very good job!”

“Look at all the good you’ve done!!”

Veins stood out on Artem’s brow, his temples throbbing. He looked every bit like a furious beast.

Eula had never seen Artem so enraged.

She quickly grabbed his hand, patting his shoulder to soothe him. “Calm down. Please—there might be more to this than we know. Don’t jump to conclusions, think it through.”

Piecing together what Heinrich had said with Artem’s stories about Coulson, Eula began to understand.

Coulson, the so-called Cardinal of Dawn, had supposedly been sent to Inazuma on a mission, but was actually exiled to this village to raise wild boars.

Then he was poisoned, infected with the taint of a corrupted god, and brought back to Mondstadt, where he died after two months of treatment.

Bishop Pegg had played a major role—he’d exiled a decorated instructor here.

That much was chilling enough.

And considering the timing, it was right before Artem was sent to Snezhnaya—on that “Inazuma mission.”

It seemed likely that Coulson had been sent away to remove any obstacles to sending Artem off.

As for Coulson’s death—maybe it wasn’t Seamus’s doing. If it was ever exposed, Artem might go mad with revenge. The risk simply wasn’t worth it.

All things considered—

While it was cruel to treat a loyal covert instructor this way, they had tried their best to save Coulson in the end.

Maybe it wasn’t quite enough to warrant “take revenge, air your grievance” just yet…

After Eula finished her reasoning, Artem only sneered. “My old man never went to Inazuma. Unless someone handed him something tainted by a corrupted god, how could he have been infected in Mondstadt?”

“Hmph. The Church of Favonius…”

“Those underhanded tricks—the covert division uses them all the time.”

“No need to think further. It had to be them!”

“Let’s go. We’re going back to Mondstadt.”

“There are things I need to ask Seamus Pegg to his face.”

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T/N: SOBBING

This is a fan translation of 提瓦特之我在至冬做臥底 by 曉風殘月聽荷 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!