"Yunqin... descendant of a god..." The words coiled around Tartaglia's chest, making it feel tight.
He knew Snezhnaya's plan all too well; awakening Osial, Overlord of the Vortex, was a crucial step.
But once the seal was broken, what would happen to Yunqin, a descendant of Osial?
Would she be controlled by her bloodline, reduced to a puppet for destroying Liyue?
Or would she be torn between her own "Yunqin" self and the instincts of a "Vortex Descendant," ultimately collapsing completely?
He didn't dare to dwell on it, finally letting out a long, deep sigh.
As the Eleventh Harbinger of Snezhnaya, he should have prioritized only the Gnosis and national interests.
But facing the girl who would be happy for half a day over a piece of Almond Tofu, who secretly made wishes to a Rex Lapis clay figurine, he hesitated for the first time over the words "duty" and "allegiance."
Must such a vibrant person be sacrificed for the sake of a mission?
"Tartaglia~ What are you doing?"
Just then, a clear, sweet voice suddenly came from behind him, like a piece of candy shattering the heavy silence in the office.
Tartaglia turned around and saw Yunqin standing at the office doorway, waving her small hand. Her eyes were filled with a mischievous smile, like a little fox that had snuck into a room to surprise its master.
Tartaglia was startled at first, subconsciously glancing at the door.
According to Northland Bank's rules, visitors must be announced in advance. But then he remembered the girl's unpredictable nature; she had probably wheedled and coaxed the guards at the door into keeping it a secret, just to give him a surprise.
His tense shoulders gradually relaxed, and his lips curved into his familiar, slightly arrogant smile. "What brings you here today? Are you itching for a good, hearty fight?"
"What are you talking about!" Yunqin walked over, puffing her cheeks, and lightly tapped his arm. The force was so gentle it felt like a tickle. "I came all this way to hang out with you, and all you can think about is fighting. No wonder you've never been in a relationship!"
Tartaglia chuckled, looking down at the girl's face, puffed up like a steamed bun. He gently poked her forehead, his tone teasing. "Before you say that, take a look at yourself—as if you've ever been in a relationship?"
"That's true..." Yunqin touched the tip of her nose, a flicker of longing in her eyes, as if hiding two little stars. "But if I ever get the chance, I'd love to experience sweet romance just once."
"Just like in the storybooks: watching the sunset at Liyue Harbor with someone I like, eating delicious food, and doing lots and lots of fun things together."
Seeing the sparkling light in the girl's eyes, Tartaglia's heart softened inexplicably.
"That day will come," he said, dropping his teasing tone.
Yunqin smiled and shook her head, seemingly unwilling to dwell on such a distant topic.
She tugged on Tartaglia's sleeve, her fingertips gently clutching the fabric of his cuff. "Alright, alright, let's not talk about this!"
"I want you to take me around Liyue Harbor. Every time we meet, we're either fighting or I'm avoiding you. We've never really talked properly, or enjoyed the scenery of Liyue together."
Tartaglia looked down at the sleeve the girl was holding.
After a moment's hesitation, he called out to the door, "Ekaterina, watch the bank. I'm heading out."
Ekaterina's respectful reply came from outside. He turned back to Yunqin with a smile. "Let's go. I'll show you around properly today."
-
The two walked side by side on the bluestone paths of Liyue Harbor, morning light filtering through the vermilion shop banners to weave mottled patterns of light and shadow on the ground.
Yunqin was like a little bird freed from its cage, tugging on Tartaglia's sleeve, her steps so light she seemed to be walking on air.
As they passed a street stall, the master lifted the lid of a steamer, and a wave of hot steam carrying the aroma of meat buns washed over them.
"Tartaglia, I want to eat this!" Yunqin stopped in her tracks.
Tartaglia watched her clutching his sleeve, standing on tiptoe to peer into the steamer. The sharpness in his eyes softened unconsciously as he nodded with a smile, "Alright, whatever you want today."
As they approached, the master greeted them with a smile.
"Miss Yunqin, it's been a while! The usual?"
Yunqin nodded vigorously, adding, "And another portion for this gentleman!"
When the meat buns arrived, Yunqin eagerly took a bite. The piping hot filling melted on her tongue, the savory broth nearly scalding her.
"You have to try it, it's really delicious!" Yunqin's eyes curved into crescents as she smiled.
Tartaglia picked up a meat bun. The savory aroma that filled his mouth made him pause.
He had feasted on Snezhnaya's lavish banquets and tasted fine wines and meats from all over, yet he had never experienced a flavor so full of worldly warmth, so comforting it seemed to soothe his very soul.
After the meal, Yunqin pulled Tartaglia to a sugar painting stall at the harbor.
The old master scooped up molten sugar syrup and, with a few strokes on a stone slab, drew a little rabbit.
Yunqin held the sugar painting and carefully licked it. The sweet flavor spread across her tongue, and she couldn't help but squint her eyes like a contented kitten.
Tartaglia noticed the sugar frosting on the corner of her mouth and instinctively reached out to wipe it away.
The moment his fingertips touched the warmth of her cheek, both of them froze.
Yunqin's cheeks instantly flushed crimson. She quickly lowered her head, pretending to look at the sugar painting, and fled as if escaping.
Seeing the girl so flustered, Tartaglia shook his head helplessly, paid for the treat, and chased after her.
They walked in tacit silence until they passed a shop selling trinkets, where Yunqin's gaze was drawn to a Rex Lapis clay figurine on the counter.
The figurine was a size smaller than the one she kept at Mt. Aocang, but it was exquisitely carved.
She picked up the figurine, her fingers gently stroking its face, her eyes filled with tenderness. "I used to dust my Rex Lapis figurine every day. I believed Rex Lapis would see my devotion."
Watching her earnest expression, Tartaglia quietly asked the shopkeeper to wrap the figurine and send it to the Northland Bank.
If he gave this figurine to her the next time they met, she would surely be overjoyed, wouldn't she?
The shopkeeper, tactfully choosing not to comment, beamed as he directed a clerk to help pack the figurine, then watched the two customers depart.
They wandered to a stone carving stall in Liyue Harbor, where the owner enthusiastically handed them two smooth bluestones. "Would you two like to try? Carve a little trinket, make a souvenir?"
Tartaglia took the bluestone and pondered it for a long time.
He was skilled with weapons in combat, not stone carving.
The final result was a crooked, twisted shape with a tail leaning to one side, barely recognizable as a whale.
Yunqin looked at the "whale" and laughed so hard she couldn't stand straight, one hand bracing herself on the stall's table and the other clutching her stomach. "Tartaglia, is that a whale or a loach you've carved? It's so ugly! The tail is completely crooked!"
Tartaglia shrugged helplessly and set the "whale" aside. "I'm good at fighting, not carving. It's a miracle I managed to carve a shape at all."