Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

The dinner ended in an atmosphere that appeared harmonious on the surface but was actually filled with hidden agendas.

The waiter cleared away the last of the cutlery and served a refreshing cup of tea.

Just then, the traveler picked up the warm teacup, but the warmth from her fingertips sent a shiver down her spine, and a chill crept up her spine.

Something is wrong!
Her grip on the teacup tightened slightly.

The traveler entered this door with utmost caution!
From the moment she stepped into the New Glazed Pavilion, she should have been like a taut bowstring, constantly on guard against every word and action of Pantalone.

But under the seemingly casual greetings, Paimon's witty remarks, and the barrage of delicious food, her vigilance melted away almost imperceptibly, like snow under the warm sun.

The travelers even briefly forgot the core purpose of their trip!
A feeling akin to being slowly boiled like a frog in lukewarm water instantly sobered the girl up, almost causing her to break out in a cold sweat.

The traveler abruptly raised his head, looking at the composed and elegant Pantalone in the main seat. He tried to keep his voice calm as he tentatively asked, "Mr. Pantalone, regarding that lantern worth seventy million Mora... shouldn't we get down to business?"

"You mentioned inviting us tonight precisely to admire that night lantern called 'Floating Shadows Return'."

Upon hearing this, Pantalone raised an eyebrow very slightly, as if he really needed to try to recall.

Immediately, the big banker's face showed his usual gentle but meaningless smile, even with a hint of frivolous realization.

"Oh—!" he drawled, his tone as light as if he had just remembered something trivial. "You mean that? I'm so sorry, I was so busy enjoying the food and the pleasant conversation."

Pantalone's smile remained, but a clear, undisguised, almost sarcastic mockery flashed in his eyes behind his glasses, as if he were mocking the traveler for only now remembering the main point, or as if he were mocking the so-called seventy million Mora itself.

"Oh dear, look at my memory."

Pantalone shrugged self-deprecatingly and stood up casually.

He strolled to the inconspicuous, sand-colored wooden cabinet in the corner of the private room, his movements devoid of any solemnity or caution, as if he were reaching for a box of tissues placed there.

He didn't even bother to look for it; he simply used his hand, adorned with several glittering rings, to casually swipe and press on the counter, and a cleverly designed hidden compartment popped open with a soft click.

Pantalone didn't even look at it. He reached in with one hand and, as if picking up an ordinary pastry box that he had just bought, casually pulled out a flat square box that was about two feet long and one foot wide.

The box was covered entirely in dark velvet, with understated dark gold corner trim, making it clear that it was very valuable.

However, in Pantalone's hands, it seemed to have lost all weight and meaning. The rich man simply carried that priceless box as if it were a bag of garbage, and swayed back to the table with ease.

"Well, that's it."

Pantalone casually placed the box on the table that had just been laden with delicacies. The heavy box collided with the hardwood table with a dull thud, and the velvet surface might even have been stained with a tiny, insignificant drop of oil or soup left over from the previous dishes, but he didn't even glance at it out of the corner of his eye.

The deliberate casualness, even tinged with a rude disdain, created a suffocatingly ironic contrast with the astronomical figure of seventy million Mora mentioned by the traveler.

Having done all this, Pantalone calmly sat back down, turning his gaze to the traveler whose pupils had constricted slightly because the box had been carelessly discarded. His smile deepened, carrying a hint of amusement and condescending scrutiny.

"Miss, please make yourself at home."

Pantalone's voice remained gentle and clear, as if he were discussing dessert after dinner. However, he showed no intention of opening the box himself, instead making a perfunctory gesture toward the box that was carelessly tossed on the table.

The traveler and Paimon were momentarily at a loss.

Pantalonina's dismissive attitude and words suddenly put the traveler on edge. Even Paimon could see the rich man's almost tangible contempt for the seventy million moras and even for the lantern itself.

why?
This question lingered in the traveler's mind.

Pantalone spent a fortune to acquire the "Return to the Floating Shadows," so why is he now discarding it like trash?

But now the die is cast; this lamp is the traveler's reason for coming here, and also her excuse to try to uncover Pantalone's intentions.

The girl took a deep breath, suppressing the complex emotions surging in her heart. Ignoring Pantalone's amused and scrutinizing gaze, she stepped forward and walked towards the velvet box that was casually placed on the table.

The traveler's actions contrasted sharply with those of Pantalone; the girl's fingers, with an unconscious solemnity, gently brushed across the dark velvet surface of the box, carefully opening the lid inlaid with dark gold corner protectors.

In an instant, a soft and dreamy halo of light flowed out from the box, dispelling some of the overly artificial warm yellow light in the private room.

Inside the box lies the magnificent lantern that once caused a sensation at the auction.

It looks exactly the same now as when it was displayed at Yujingtai, and even more exquisite because it is closer to the viewer.

The lampshade, as thin as a cicada's wing, is made of some mysterious material and has a semi-transparent glass-like texture. Fine gold, silver, and glass threads, as thin as hair, are used to outline patterns of Liyue's landscape and dreamy sea of ​​clouds. The lamp's structure is intricate and elegant, as if it were a creation of the gods.

However, what is most captivating is the light emanating from the wick.

It wasn't the warm, yellow glow of an ordinary candle or lamp oil burning, but a soft, pure, and seemingly timeless glimmer, presenting an indescribable, almost moonlit silver-white and pale gold hue.

The light was gentle and warm, with a strange sense of stability, without the slightest flicker or jump.

Even more strangely, there seemed to be extremely tiny, stardust-like particles of light slowly drifting and flickering within the wick, as if a miniature, flowing galaxy was sealed within it.

Paimon couldn't help but exclaim "Wow!" His eyes widened, and he covered his mouth tightly with his little hands. Even the thought of packing up the leftovers vanished instantly, leaving only pure shock:

"Wow, so beautiful! It looks like there are stars moving inside!"

The traveler gazed at the core of the light, her heart pounding slightly uncontrollably. She recalled the auctioneer's impassioned introduction and the legends hinted at by Pantalone.

The Demon God of Dust once infused it with a little divine power.

The strange radiance before my eyes, along with its extraordinary stability and inherent stardust, seemed to subtly confirm this statement. This light was indeed unlike anything that could be found in the mundane world; it naturally possessed a divine tranquility and a sense of eternity.

I don't know if it's true or not.

The thought suddenly popped into the traveler's mind. After Pantalone's dismissive attitude, the lantern and the legend were shrouded in a thick, hard-to-dispel cloud of doubt.

Even someone as wealthy as Pantalone wouldn't so easily discard an expensive lantern, would he? Or is the lantern itself, like the financial storm he meticulously planned, part of this sophisticated and cold-blooded deception? (End of Chapter)