Pantalone

Bai You took a deep breath, turned around, and went up the steps.

A waiter immediately came forward, bowed, and smiled:

" La Signora, what kind of service do you need? If it's a remittance withdrawal, I'll escort you to the counter right away—"

"We do not offer counter services."

Bai You stopped and said seriously:

"I'm seeking Lord Pantalone." The Water Nymph, Bai You, has come on His Majesty's orders.

The waiter's formulaic smile froze.

He was taken aback at first, his gaze quickly sweeping over Bai You's face—young, unfamiliar, and looking like nothing more than a well-dressed girl.

By the way, it seems a new Harbinger took office not long ago, and I heard he's quite young.

The waiter reacted instantly, a thin layer of sweat breaking out on his back, and he bent over even lower.

"... Yes, it's Harbinger, Sir! I was blind and ignorant, please forgive me!"

The waiters' voices were strained:

"Please wait a moment, sir, I will go and inform them immediately!"

"My lord, please follow me directly. You instructed me this morning that if anyone from the palace comes, lead them directly upstairs!"

She dared not ask another question, and led the way with her body slightly turned to the side, her steps quick and light.

Upon entering the bank lobby, behind the tall counters, the accountants were working with their heads down.

As the waiter led the two through the hall, several accountants nearby looked up and glanced at them casually.

Upon hearing the waiter utter the words " Harbinger " in a low voice, the pen in their hands stopped abruptly, and they quickly stood up to bow, their breathing becoming heavier.

Bai You felt a little embarrassed and followed the waiter around the counter to the office deep inside.

The second-floor corridor was very quiet, ending at a carved ebony door.

The waiter almost ran to the door, but just as he was about to knock, the door opened from the inside first.

Pantalone stood behind the door.

He had clearly received the message—his dark uniform was impeccable, his collar was neatly buttoned, and his gaze behind his glasses held a perfectly timed smile.

This " Pantalone " who was in charge of the Snezhnaya purse had a gentle and refined appearance.

She always has a smile on her face that no one can fault, but those in the know understand.

When his eyes sweep over you, he's not assessing you as a person, but rather your price.

His gaze fell on Bai You, and he first nodded slightly as a courtesy, then his smile deepened.

" Harbinger Bai You." He stepped aside to let the door open, his voice low but with the smooth, mellow tones characteristic of a businessman.

"His Majesty had previously sent word that you were going on a long journey and asked me to prepare things."

"I thought you would be a little later, I didn't expect you to come so soon-please come in."

"Then I'm sorry to bother you."

"Not at all. It's an honor for my bank for the Harbinger to come to our door."

Pantalone's gaze swept across her face.

A hint of barely perceptible inquiry crept into his smile. "Please."

The office was extremely spacious, with one wall consisting of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves piled high with volumes; on the other wall hung a map of the trade routes throughout the entire region Snezhnaya.

"Sit." Pantalone led Bai You to sit in the soft chair in front of the table.

She then personally poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to him, her movements very composed. "It's cold, warm yourself up first."

Bai You accepted the gift with both hands and thanked them.

Pantalone sat down behind the table, watching her with a smile.

" Mondstadt is a long way off, and the sea journey will take several days. His Majesty instructed his subordinate Danika to specifically tell me to ensure that you travel there in style and without suffering any financial hardship."

He paused, his eyes behind his glasses narrowing slightly, as if asking casually:

"Speaking of which, Bai You is a relatively new Harbinger, and we haven't had a proper chat until today. Meeting you today..."

He slowed his speech a bit, "Your bargaining chips are much heavier than the rumors suggest."

Bai You's heart stirred slightly.

He stopped probing, got up, walked to the cabinet behind him, and took out a dark purple velvet money pouch.

He took another voucher with a gold-rimmed edge, turned around and placed it on the table, then gently pushed it forward with his fingertips.

"I dare not neglect His Majesty's orders," he said slowly and deliberately.

"Here's one million Mora, for travel expenses."

"This is a sight draft issued by the Northland Bank Mondstadt Branch. Upon arrival in Mondstadt, it can be used to withdraw an additional one million."

"If that's still not enough—" His eyes behind his glasses curved into a smile.

"If I mention your name, ' Water Nymph,' the branch staff will be lenient. As for the debt, I'm sorry, it's naturally on your end."

Bai You looked at the money bag and receipts on the table, barely suppressing her excitement:

"Thank you for your trouble."

Pantalone paused for a moment, then waved his hand.

He then took a thin withdrawal slip from the drawer.

"You only need to sign your name on this withdrawal slip to prove that the item has been handed over to you, so I can report back to His Majesty."

Bai You took the order and glanced at it.

The terms were clean, containing only the withdrawal amount and her signature field, without a single superfluous word.

She picked up her pen and wrote " Bai You " at the end, handed the form back, and then carefully put away the money bag and the receipt.

The purse felt heavy in her hands, and she put both hands inside her pockets.

The official business should have ended here.

But Pantalone did not get up to see the guest off as usual.

He leaned back in his chair, took off his glasses, and slowly wiped them with a soft cloth.

The smile that usually graced a businessman's expression vanished from his eyes behind his glasses, replaced by a rare seriousness.

" Harbinger Bai You, have you finished with the official business?" He put his glasses back on.

"What I'm about to say doesn't represent the Northland Bank, nor His Majesty—it only represents me Pantalone, personally."

Bai You raised her head, a vague guess forming in her mind.

" Dottore is a friend of mine who has been with me for many years."

There was a moment of silence in the office after those words were spoken.

"I only found out about your attack and injuries afterward."

Pantalone looked at her and spoke slowly, word by word.

"I won't defend him. It's not my place to cover up what he's done."

"But there's one thing I must make clear to you in person—"

"I was unaware of that matter beforehand, and I was not involved in it at all."

He tapped the table lightly with his fingertip:

"Among Harbinger, perhaps due to differing stances, Coco might plot against a colleague..."

He paused, his tone unreadable, yet clearly defined. "Not within the rules of Pantalone."

Bai You looked at him but didn't reply immediately.

She was weighing the situation; the man before her was the most shrewd businessman of Snezhnaya, and every word he spoke must have its price.

But he said these words in a straightforward way—he made no promises, and didn't even ask for her forgiveness. He simply distanced himself from the matter and laid himself bare before her.

She finally spoke, "You and the Doctor are good friends, while I have an old grudge against him. You could have easily pretended not to know."

Pretending not to know is the cheapest approach.

Pantalone smiled faintly.

"But cheap things are often the most expensive. You're a newly appointed Harbinger today, but tomorrow you might be sitting across from me discussing business."

"If I owe you an explanation, I will never be able to repay this debt, with interest."

As he spoke, he opened the small, always-locked drawer on his right, took out a plain-colored purse, placed it on the table, and pushed it towards him.

This money bag had no insignia, was bulging, and much heavier than the previous one.

"This is just a small token of my appreciation," Pantalone said, withdrawing his hand.

"It's not recorded in the Snezhnaya Palace's accounts, no documents need to be signed, and it doesn't go through bank accounts."

"He's my friend. He hurt you, and as his friend, I'm making amends on his behalf."

Bai You's gaze remained fixed on the money pouch, without moving.

She said slowly:

"Aren't you afraid that even after I took your money, I'll still hold a grudge against the Doctor?"

"Holding a grudge is between you and him; I don't have that kind of money."

Pantalone laughed, a frank laugh, "There are only two things I can do:..."

"Clear yourself of any wrongdoing, and lay your apology on the table. Whether you accept it or not is up to you."