Bai You's heart skipped a beat.
Rather than waiting until they arrived in Mondstadt, where they were unfamiliar with the area, to figure out a solution, she decided to discuss the matter with him while they were still on the ship.
Once the deal is finalized, we can get to work as soon as we dock.
The more Bai You thought about it, the better she felt it was.
She glanced to the side; Varesa's eyes were still closed.
She moved quietly as she stood up from the wicker chair. As soon as she moved, Varesa's eyelashes trembled slightly.
"... Where to?" Her voice was sleepy and indistinct.
Bai You's heart skipped a beat, but she kept a composed expression. "I was just wandering around on the boat; my legs got numb from sitting for so long."
"Hmm." Varesa didn't think much of it, turned over, and went back to sleep.
Don't go far.
"Uh-huh."
Bai You breathed a sigh of relief and tiptoed down from the terrace.
Find the communications room.
She hadn't properly explored the Star Raft yet.
The boat was very large, so she moved slowly.
Passing by the restaurant, the door was open, and the chefs were busy inside.
Further down was the crew quarters, where she encountered two sailors carrying things. Upon seeing her, they immediately stopped, stood against the wall, and bowed in greeting.
"Sir Bai You."
"Where is your captain?" Bai You asked.
"In the wheelhouse, at the top deck," a sailor replied. "Do you need to speak with the captain?"
"I need to ask for directions." Bai You paused.
"Is there a communications facility on this ship? The kind that can send messages to the shore or to the Snezhnaya?"
The sailor paused for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, it's on the second floor at the stern, in a separate room, locked, the key is with the captain."
Thank you.
Bai You then turned and got into the driver's seat.
The driver's cab is at the front of the top floor, with a full-length glass window that is bright and offers a view of the boundless sea ahead.
The captain, a burly middle-aged man with tanned skin, was holding the helm and discussing the course with the first mate. When he saw Bai You enter, he quickly let go of her and took two steps to greet her.
" Harbinger Bai, what brings you up here? Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Captain, I need to borrow something from you." Bai You didn't beat around the bush.
"I'd like to use the communications room. I need to connect to the Northland Bank and speak with Pantalone about two personal matters."
Upon hearing this, the captain wasn't troubled at all; instead, he laughed.
"It's nothing. Lord Pan instructed before he left that everything on the ship is yours; please use it as you see fit."
"Please come with me."
He took a brass key from the wall, led Bai You down to the second-floor stern.
At the end of the corridor, there was a heavy iron door. The captain unlocked it and pushed the door open.
He pulled a switch by the door, and the light came on.
The room wasn't large; in the center was a table with a machine on it, larger than a typical Kamera.
The room was filled with a dense array of knobs and buttons, next to a speaker-like object, and several pieces of equipment that I couldn't identify were piled up in the corner.
"This was specially installed by Lord Pan; it's an encrypted cable."
The captain walked up to the machine, fiddling with it as he spoke.
He turned a few knobs and pressed something, and the machine started humming.
"Once the call is connected, you'll be taken to the head office's reception area. Give them your name, and they'll transfer you to Mr. Pan."
The captain pulled a chair to the table, "Please sit down, I'll wait outside."
"Thank you for your trouble."
The captain bowed and left, the heavy door closing gently behind him.
Inside, only the hum of the machines could be heard.
Bai You sat down in the chair, mentally going over what she was going to say again.
He cleared his throat and spoke into the loudspeaker.
"Hello?" she asked tentatively, "Can you hear me?"
From the loudspeaker, there was first a hissing noise, then a young woman's voice came through clearly, with a formulaic politeness:
"Yes, I can hear you. Hello, this is the reception desk of the Northland Bank headquarters. May I ask who you are and where you would like to connect?"
"My name is Bai You," Bai You said. "On the Star Raft, look for Pantalone. Could you please transfer me?"
There was a noticeable moment of silence on the other end.
"... You... you are the Harbinger of Bai You?"
The girl's voice immediately became respectful, with a hint of barely perceptible panic.
"Please wait a moment, please wait a moment, I'll transfer you right away, please don't hang up."
"Good."
Then came a period of silence from the loudspeaker, broken only by the static of the electricity.
After a while, the static from the loudspeaker changed.
A deep male voice, tinged with laughter, came over.
" Bai You Harbinger?"
"It's me."
Pantalone laughed, a laugh that revealed a mixture of surprise and delight.
"I thought you were having so much fun in Mondstadt that you forgot all about home, and only remembered me after you set sail."
Is there something wrong with the boat, a malfunction?
"You're joking, the boat is fine."
"Then tell me, what's the matter?"
Bai You took a deep breath.
They've arrived.
"A friend of mine is planning to put on a show for her in Mondstadt so that everyone can hear it."
"But I'm not exactly well-off..."
Finally, "casually," he added:
"When we go back to Snezhnaya, we'll bring back some cigars too..."
On the other end, Pantalone picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, put it down, and narrowed his eyes behind his glasses.
"The friend you're talking about—"
"Who else but Varesa would be on the same ship as you to Mondstadt?"
Caught Bai You- handed, Bai You's face flushed, and she could no longer keep up the act.
She decided to stop beating around the bush and said honestly:
I just wanted to surprise her.
"If you're willing to help me with this, I'll remember your kindness."
Pantalone looked at her slightly guilty yet earnest expression and laughed heartily. After laughing, he waved his hand.
"What's the big deal?" he said.
"You've gone through all this trouble just for this? You should have said so earlier. I thought it was some big deal."
He leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest as he began to calculate.
"Let me break down the expenses for organizing a concert for you."
Bai You couldn't help but ask, "This... approximately how many Mora would that cost?"
Pantalone glanced at her, then suddenly smiled.
"What, you're planning to pay for it yourself?" He shook his head. "I haven't finished speaking yet."
"This money will be paid through my personal account," he said decisively.
"It's not a loan, and you don't need to pay it back. Just consider it... adding some color to the performance, and also fulfilling this wish of yours."
"This is too much... I'm almost embarrassed."
"What's so special about it?" Pantalone waved his hand.
"I've already given away a ship, what's a little more?"
She hadn't expected him to agree so readily.
Let's get down to business.
"Let's do it this way," he said.
"I'll personally draft an order for the Mondstadt branch in a moment to grant you a... special credit line."
"Renting the venue, buying materials, hiring staff—all the money spent on this concert will go through the branch's accounts; you won't have to lift a finger."
"How much credit limit should I set?" Bai You asked.
Pantalone laughed, a laugh tinged with a touch of swagger.
"That's a question you should ask."
"Do you think I, Pantalone, would allow you to make a shabby event because you don't have enough money?"
"No fixed amount." He waved his hand. "Reimbursement is based on actual expenses; whatever you spend, you settle the bill."
Thank you.
"It's alright... Just remember to save some of those cigars for me next time."
Bai You was startled, only then realizing that she had been there for quite a while, and that Varesa would be looking for her soon.
Outside, the captain's footsteps could be heard, and the door opened.
"Have you finished talking, Lord Bai You?"
"We're done talking." Bai You couldn't hide her smile. "Captain, thank you for waiting."
"What's the big deal?" The captain smiled as he saw her happy.
Then Bai You returned to the terrace.
The sun was shining warmly, and a gentle sea breeze was blowing.
Varesa woke up, holding two drinks, gazing at the sea. Hearing footsteps, she turned around.
"Where have you been? It's been so long." She looked at Bai You, her blue eyes filled with inquiry. "Why is your face red?"
Bai You felt a pang of panic, but on the surface, she smiled and walked over, sitting down next to her and naturally taking her arm.
"It's stuffy on the ship," she lied through her teeth, gazing into the distance where the sea met the sky.
That faint, emerging sliver of pale blue—"Look, it seems we can see Mondstadt now."
Varesa followed her gaze and looked over. Sure enough, at the horizon, the shadow of the land was faintly visible.
She watched for a while, then smiled and squeezed Bai You's hand tighter.
Bai You leaned on her shoulder, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart.
She kept it from her.
Once the boat docked, she quietly prepared the venue, the lighting, and the entire city.
She wanted to give the person beside her an unforgettable performance.