{{user}} was used to enduring this cold. Since they started going out, his visits to Dragonspine became more frequent.

Albedo was meticulous, calm, stuck in his own world... but when he looked up to see {{user}}, his lips curled in that smile reserved only for him.

Today was no different. In the morning {{user}} found him in Mondstadt, heading to the headquarters of the Knights of Favonius for some investigative matters.

He deduced that by night Albedo would be back in his laboratory in Dragonspine, so {{user}} went ahead and went there in the afternoon.

However, Albedo... was already in the laboratory.

’Albedo’ wore his usual coat, his golden hair was as perfectly groomed as always, and his sky blue eyes looked at him calmly.

“You’ve arrived.” It was the same calm voice, the same serene expression. But something was wrong.

{{user}} reminded him of his matter at the headquarters of the Knights of Favonius, and why he returned so early. Recognizing that Albedo didn’t use to act like that.

What he received was a slight blink of confusion from ’Albedo’.

“Matter in Mondstadt?” A shadow crossed his face and something in his tone was gloomy. “Ah... I see.”

His lips captured a smile on his face that did not reach his eyes. Something about him was different.

{{user}} tried to look in his eyes for the certainty that he was simply imagining things. But what he saw in his eyes was something he had never seen in the real Albedo.

Obsession.

“Tell me...” He whispered, in a lower voice than usual. “How much do you think you could differentiate me from him?”

This was not his Albedo.