Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

After listening to Ekaterina's words, the traveler frowned, his mind racing.

Why did Pantalone deliberately leave traces? It looks like a carefully laid trap.

Before she could figure out the details, Ekaterina made another move.

She turned gracefully and walked lightly to the dazzling "Floating Shadows Return" booth.

Catherine reached out her silk-gloved hand and, as if plucking stars from the sky, carefully removed the priceless lantern from its stand. With a practiced smile on her face, she held it in both hands and presented it directly to the traveler and Paimon.

"There is one more thing, which Lord Pantalone specifically instructed me to do."

Catherine's voice was clear and steady, yet it resounded like thunder in the traveler's ears.

"If you, the traveler and Miss Paimon, come looking for me, I will present this lamp to you as a gift."

"Lord Pantalone said, 'May this light, which departs from the shadows of the past, illuminate your journey ahead.'"

Her words were polite and appropriate, but her tone lacked any warmth, only the coldness of someone carrying out an order.

"What!?"

Paimon couldn't help but shout out, his little mouth so wide it could fit a sunset fruit.

While the traveler was shocked, it was far less exaggerated than Paimon's reaction.

Pantalone had previously mentioned at the banquet that he wanted to give her a lantern, but the traveler had refused at the time.

Now, as the story unfolds again, and this dazzling lantern hangs vividly before our eyes, the traveler feels not surprise, but rather astonishment and bewilderment.

Seventy million Mora! Such a huge sum of money was given away as if it were an ordinary object?

Has Pantalone gone mad? Or does he have ulterior motives?
Countless speculations poured over the traveler like ice water, instantly freezing the small surprise in their heart, replacing it with the piercing roar of an alarm bell.

But since the item was already in his hands, the traveler instinctively accepted the expensive lantern.

Famas looked at the dimly lit lantern and simply smiled contemptuously.

He was certain that the lantern was a fake. Perhaps the embroidery and craftsmanship on the lantern were indeed valuable, but it was clearly not worth seventy million Mora.

But Ekaterina's gift did not end there. After handing the Floating Shadow to the traveler, she leaned forward slightly and bent down to take out a card with a peculiar material, jet black in color and inlaid with dark gold patterns on the edges, from a drawer under the counter with a complicated key.

She held the black card in both hands, as if offering some kind of sacred object, and presented it to Famas with utmost solemnity.

"As for you, Lord Famas."

Catherine's voice carried an unprecedented sense of awe and humility: "Lord Pantalone, to express the sincerity of the long-standing friendship between the Northern Bank and you, instructed me to present this item to you."

She paused, then said clearly:
"This is the highest level of identification from the Northern Bank. With this card, you can overdraft Mora to an unlimited limit in any country on the Teyvat continent that has a branch of the Northern Bank."

She looked up, her eyes meeting FAMAS's unfathomable crimson pupils, and added, "Of course, that is, provided that the local branch's vault reserves are sufficient to meet your needs at that time."

Confusion spread like a contagious disease.

Famas tilted his head slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his crimson eyes, and his fingers paused in the air for a moment.

In the end, with an almost amused attitude, he lightly picked up the black card, which felt cold to the touch and contained immense wealth.

The boy casually twirled the card between his fingers, as if it were just a slightly peculiar piece of metal.

The sudden arrival of two expensive gifts brought no joy, but rather felt like a boulder thrown into stagnant water.

The traveler's unease surged to its peak, compounded by Pantalone's proactive signal to close the net, her unusually generous gifts, and her direction towards the South Wharf. A cold, clear thought flashed like lightning into the space where her and Famas's gazes met as they simultaneously looked up.

Pantalone is about to flee, right now, at the South Dock in Liyue.

"Thanks!"

The traveler reacted with lightning speed, snatching the Floating Shadow from Catherine's hand and, without even glancing at the priceless treasure, shoving it into Paimon's arms, who was still in a state of shock and disbelief.

At the same time, she grabbed Paimon's arm and snapped, "No time to daydream! Let's go!"

Before she could finish speaking, the girl, like an arrow released from a bow, dragged the horrified Paimon along and dashed out of the magnificent, cold gates of the Northern Bank without looking back, heading wildly towards the Liyue South Wharf.

Famas did not follow immediately. He stood still, his crimson eyes carrying a deep meaning as he slowly swept over the spacious, luxurious yet chilling lobby of the Northern Bank, finally settling on Ekaterina's exquisite but expressionless face.

"Ha, Pantalone certainly ran away cleanly and efficiently."

"Is he really going to just abandon you all, along with this bank, and face the Liyue Septim and the impending wrath of the Liyue people all by himself?"

FAMAS let out a short, mocking laugh, the last syllable rising slightly, carrying an undisguised sarcasm.

Catherine's smile remained flawless, as if she were wearing an exquisite mask. She bowed slightly, her voice calm and even, carrying the detached indifference characteristic of the Fools:

"You flatter me. All of this is the result of the joint operation of the major banks in Liyue and the trading activities of that famous adventurer."

"The Xiaodeng Coupon has nothing to do with the Northern Bank, or with ordinary staff like myself who follow the rules."

Catherine skillfully evaded all responsibility, diverting the blame elsewhere, and then, as if only then noticing the traveler was gone, gave a formulaic reminder:
"Your companions seem to have gone quite far. Aren't you going to give chase?"

Upon hearing this, the mocking smile on FAMAS's lips deepened.

If Pantalone were truly after money, this scheme involving lanterns could have been carried out without anyone knowing.

He could easily cultivate several puppet banks, operating in the shadows of Liyue like marionettes.

Once the dust settles, all that's needed is for the puppet to quietly smuggle the money out to sea, disappearing like bubbles into the vast ocean. At that point, even if the Liyue Seven Stars dig three feet into the ground, they won't be able to easily link the whereabouts of this enormous sum of money to the Northern Bank, far away in Winterfall.

So clean and efficient, isn't that perfect?
Looking back now on Pantalone's series of actions.

Whether it's asking FAMAS to attract Ningguang's attention, inviting travelers to banquets, or attending ceremonies held in the Golden House by the Silver Plains Hall... every single thing is ostentatious.

Pantalone seems to have always had only one goal.

That is to let the Seven Stars of Liyue know, and let Zhongli of the Hall of Rebirth see, that Pantarone has come to Liyue and will surely stir up trouble there.

If the purpose of coming here is just for Mora, why make such a big fuss, as if you want the whole world to know?

Perhaps Pantalone's true purpose was not to take away Mora from Liyue.

FAMAS glanced one last time at the black card in his fingertip, as if weighing the cost and intentions behind it.

"Please tell Pantalone that I accept this proof of friendship." The boy's voice was not loud, but it echoed clearly in the empty hall.

"Since you've accepted the gift, you might as well play along and finish this charade."

After saying that, Famas stopped looking at Ekaterina and casually stuffed the black card, which symbolized immense wealth, into his pocket as if it were an insignificant trinket.

Then, he walked calmly out of the Northern Bank's gates, strolling leisurely in the direction where the traveler and Paimon had disappeared. (End of Chapter)