[Item stored in System Space. The host may retrieve it at will.]
Bai You froze for a moment at the notification on the system panel, then hurriedly summoned the "System Space" in her mind.
Sure enough, two necklaces hovered quietly in the gray-white virtual interface.
The first necklace's chain gleamed a clear blue-green, and its pendant was a translucent blue-green gemstone.
Inside the gemstone, Varesa's lively, adorable little face, her hair, and the contours of her tail fin were intricately carved. Her entire form was depicted in full, shimmering with a deep blue, watery light.
The other necklace had a clear, pale blue-white gemstone pendant, carved with Bai You's likeness. Her small face and cascading hair were depicted in mermaid form as well, every detail lifelike. A soft, delicate light rippled across the pale blue-white chain.
[Bond Necklace: an exclusive pair of keepsakes. Each necklace is engraved with one of the two wearers' likenesses. Once worn, they allow the wearers to sense each other's current emotions and physical condition in real time.] [The wearers can teleport three times per day, instantly appearing at the other wearer's side. The intervals between teleportations can be freely chosen.]
Bai You's consciousness was still occupied with the system. For some reason, she had completely failed to notice Varesa's movements beside her, and continued asking questions in her mind.
System, one more thing. Is there a distance limit on this teleportation? Can it cross all of Snezhnaya? If I go to another country, can I still teleport over?
[To put it plainly, anything this system produces is guaranteed to be top quality. Honestly, even if you were still on Blue Star, you could teleport without any interval, let alone in little Teyvat. As long as you have it on, there's nowhere you can't teleport to.]
Bai You's eyes widened inwardly, her heart full of amazement. No way, it's that powerful? You're not lying to me, are you?
[I'm not bored enough to lie to you...]
System, you really were generous this time. I used to complain that your rewards were stingy, but this time I have to give you some proper praise.
[Hmph, of course. When has this system ever failed to deliver? That 1,000 Mora before was just me teasing you. I didn't expect you to take it so seriously.] [And don't be so superficial. That's not all this necklace can do. It can even cross time, though I don't think you'll have any use for that.]
The system's voice rang out in her mind with a proud, haughty tone. Bai You froze, and a storm of shock instantly surged through her heart.
Cross time? You're not joking, are you? This necklace can do something like that with time?
Bai You hurriedly pressed for an answer, her heart pounding. This went beyond teleporting across distances. This was time.
[Don't think so much about it. These things are beyond your reach. It has the ability, but whether you can make use of it is another matter.] [Besides, you can only teleport to the other person. To teleport across time, one of you has to be on a different timeline.]
Bai You: ...Then what was the point of saying all that, only to tell me I can't use such a powerful feature? Wasn't that a load of nonsense?
[Maybe you'll use it someday. Then you'll know to be grateful to me.]
The system was still acting as proud and haughty as ever.
A thought suddenly occurred to Bai You. Once she gave Varesa the necklace, what if a powerful villain easily snatched it away one day? Wouldn't this keepsake that belonged exclusively to the two of them...
"[Oh? Looks like you're pretty smart after all,]" the system said, its voice somewhat teasing.
[Oh, fine, fine. I'll add another effect.] [As long as the wearer is unwilling to take it off, no one else can forcibly remove it. Unless the wearer undoes it of their own accord, the necklace will remain on them.]
Looks like you're a pretty decent system after all. Not bad, not bad.
[Of course. This system is exceptionally wise, thoughtful and reliable, discerning, understanding, attentive, attuned to the host's thoughts, able to tell right from wrong, aware of the situation, clear-minded, imaginative, thorough, forward-thinking, witty and humorous, gentle and patient, fair and impartial, diligent and responsible, quick-witted, farsighted, clever and perceptive, generous, lavish, meticulous, insightful about people, deeply thoughtful, lively and sharp, helpful, reasonable, tolerant, one of a kind, one in ten thousand, unparalleled in the world, hard to find anywhere, exceedingly rare, a once-in-a-millennium find, irreplaceable, nearly perfect, and a top-notch, all-purpose good system!]
(Filled it out a little more, hehe.)
Faced with the system after it finished bragging, Bai You was speechless for a while. Unwilling to keep bickering with it, she prepared to return her consciousness to reality with a thought.
But just as her consciousness was about to leave, the system's voice rang out in her mind again, stopping her in time.
[Don't rush out yet. There's something I need to tell you. When you immerse your consciousness in a conversation with me for a long time, your perception of your surroundings and your own body will gradually be cut off, until you can barely feel anything happening in reality.] [But don't worry. To ensure the host's safety, you'll enter an invincible protective state while this happens. No external harm can affect you.]
Bai You paused inwardly and abandoned the thought of leaving. A little surprised, she asked, There's a setting like that too?
[The system really does care about its host, you know~~~]
Hearing the system suddenly say that in a cutesy tone left Bai You even more speechless.
What kind of system are you? An old thing like you acting young. Get lost. I've wasted so much time talking to you; Varesa must have been waiting for ages.
I'm ignoring you now. I'm going to give the necklace to the sweet-smelling, soft Miss Varesa.
[So I'm a third wheel, huh? I'm so heartbroken I can't sleep. Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo...]
Bai You couldn't be bothered to play along with the system's act. She chuckled softly to herself and stopped responding to its cries of feigned grievance.
With a thought, she slowly withdrew her mind from the space of her consciousness, reconnecting layer by layer with her body's senses.
Only then did she feel a soft weight on her shoulder.
She abruptly came to her senses and turned her head, only to see that Varesa had been leaning quietly against her shoulder for some time. She seemed to be asleep...
Her long eyelashes hung gently, like a delicate layer of pale turquoise feathers, trembling slightly with each steady, drawn-out breath.
Varesa's long teal hair spilled down, a few strands brushing lightly against Bai You's neck and making it tickle.
Bai You held her breath instinctively, not daring to shift for fear of disturbing Varesa as she slept.
She slowed her breathing, her gaze resting quietly on the girl's serene profile.
The watery light scattered through the cavern fell softly across Varesa's face. A few wisps of teal hair lay against her porcelain-white cheek, and her pale pink lips were lightly pressed together.
A faint red mark from resting against Bai You's shoulder was just visible on her cheek. Her hazy, languid appearance was so soft it made Bai You's heart tremble.
Little did Bai You know that Varesa, sensing the woman beside her seemingly return to her senses, had already made up her mind.