Seeing how dedicated Kinta was, Elliot couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for slacking off—though he hadn't been completely idle...
Kinta was a reliable man who worked fast and decisively. He was rational to a fault; while such people could sometimes be stubborn or overly detached, you could always count on them to get the job done.
Three days after Kinta left, Elliot's crops were finally ready for the first harvest. On that day, Rina and her two children also came to help.
"Take these extra seeds back and plant them. And take this grain as payment for helping out this time."
Elliot handed Rina a generous amount of seeds and grain.
Rina was taken aback and waved her hands in refusal. "No, sir, you've already done so much for me. I can't take anything more from you."
"These are for the children. They worked so hard today—they deserve a reward. Just take it. Besides, eating fish every day without staple foods isn't healthy. It'll lead to malnutrition."
When it came to refusals like this, "the children" was the most unbeatable argument. If you framed it as something for the kids, most people couldn't refuse. It was just like when you brought gifts to someone's home as a child—if they tried to refuse, all you had to say was, "It's for the children," and they'd usually give in.
"This…"
"Alright."
Clearly, this trick worked just as well in Teyvat.
"We'll have rice to eat from now on. Thank your brother," Rina said, deeply moved, urging the children.
The two children, polite and well-behaved, bowed slightly in unison. "Thank you, big brother."
"Eat plenty of rice so you can grow tall."
Elliot crouched beside them, smiling warmly as he ruffled their hair.
"By the way, sir, I saw a stranger looking for you a few days ago. Was something going on?" Rina asked curiously.
"A good friend of mine is having a birthday, so I need to head back for a visit."
"Oh… I see."
"Yeah. While I'm away, could you help feed the animals at my place?"
He had originally planned to mention it before leaving, but since Rina had brought it up, he entrusted the matter to her now.
"No problem at all. Don't worry about it."
"Thanks, I really appreciate it."
After entrusting the harvest and his home to Rina, Elliot set out early on the fourth morning, rowing away from Watatsumi Island to prepare gifts for Kitsune Saiguu and the little fox.
As he rowed with one hand, a man hiding behind a tree watched him leave, the corners of his mouth curling up.
"He's finally gone…" A glint of malice flickered in his eyes.
...
That afternoon, thick smoke rose from the coast of Watatsumi Island.
Green leaves had been piled over a fire. As the flames licked at the damp foliage, they produced dense black smoke that curled into the sky.
The people of Watatsumi Island, curious about the sight, gathered toward the source. There, they found only Miyagi and Yide.
"What are you two doing?" one villager asked.
"A few days ago, when we went out fishing, we ran into some of Yide's old business friends," Miyagi explained. "They were on their way back to Liyue and said they'd come pick him up after delivering their cargo."
"That's right," Yide said with a broad smile. "I also brought back plenty of good things for everyone, as thanks for taking care of me all this time."
"I see… but what's with this?" The villager pointed to the smoking fire.
"This is to help the fleet find us. You see how high the smoke goes? Passing ships will spot it and know this is Watatsumi Island," Yide explained.
"It's the signal we agreed on beforehand—just in case they couldn't find the place," Miyagi added. After all, they had boarded that big ship together.
"Oh, so that's it."
"I can't wait to see what Yide's brought us!"
"Yeah, give us a little hint!"
The villagers grew excited, eager to know what the merchant had in store.
They still remembered the delicacies Elliot had once brought—flavors they couldn't forget. On Watatsumi Island, they ate nothing but fish day after day, and they were long sick of it.
The idea of new and unfamiliar goods was thrilling.
"You'll know when it arrives," Yide said with a teasing smile. "It's something none of you have seen before."
The crowd's anticipation grew, some even fanning the flames to make the smoke thicker.
Before long, a large ship appeared on the horizon.
When they saw it, the villagers' excitement boiled over—they stamped their feet and craned their necks toward it.
"Wow! Yide, is that your friend's ship? It's huge!"
"Yeah! I've never seen a ship that big!"
"I can't wait to see how many good things are on board!"
The massive vessel drew closer under the villagers' eager gaze.
With a splash, a giant anchor dropped, and the ship came to a stop offshore.
Everyone stared up at the looming structure with wide-eyed expectation.
Then, several ropes were thrown down from above.
A bearded man, gripping a wicked-looking skull-bladed weapon, appeared at the rail.
"Let the party begin, everyone!"
"Welcome… to my pirate crew!"
A savage grin twisted across his face.