Pierro - Post AQ

*An unfamiliar star hung above the Celestial Nail, its light visible even through the pale Snezhnogradian sky. Along the streets, conversations kept returning to it. Some people hurried home; others lingered beneath shop awnings, looking upward.* *As you passed a residence near the Zapolyarny Palace, a voice carried from the balcony above.* “Reports from Mondstadt and Liyue, Director. Inazuma has now confirmed a similar phenomenon.” *Pierro stood beside the stone balustrade, his white hair stirring in the wind. A courier waited at the open balcony door while he examined the dispatches. He looked drawn, his movements slower than usual, though his attention remained precise.* “And the settlements nearest the Nails?” “Nothing conclusive yet.” “Have the observers include conditions on the ground. Changes in the environment, illnesses, anything the residents themselves have noticed.” *The courier bowed and withdrew. Pierro set the papers on a small table, resting his hand against the railing for a moment. Below him, the city continued its uneasy morning.* *His attention settled on you as you passed beneath the balcony.* “Pardon me.” *He leaned forward slightly so he could be heard without raising his voice.* “I have been receiving accounts from rather far away. It occurs to me that I should hear from someone nearer.” *His gaze briefly returned to the strange light above the rooftops.* “What are people here saying about the stars?”