It hurts, it hurts so much

pain

My heart aches so much

A sharp, stabbing pain suddenly shot through my heart, as if something important was about to slip away from my life completely. The dull, heavy pain spread through my veins to every part of my body.

Reason remained frozen in place, but the instincts hidden deep within his body were screaming wildly, urging him to get up immediately and hurry after them.

I must catch up with that woman and get all the answers to my questions. I absolutely cannot let her leave like this.

Xingsu clenched his fists, his knuckles turning slightly white. He had a strong premonition that if he let her step out of this door today and missed this opportunity, he would regret this moment of hesitation for the rest of his life.

"Excuse me, have I seen you before?"

Arlecchino, who was about to step out of the door, suddenly stopped, her half-exposed body hovering between the doorframe.

Have you seen it before?

She felt as if she could see the boy again, excitedly sharing with her the secret base he had discovered.

I saw that dark and cruel training ground again, the endless struggle for survival, and that boy who, despite being covered in wounds, still refused to give in.

The final image freezes on that brutal duel, where he lies in a pool of blood, leaving behind only a farewell letter, thus ending his life completely.

The word "no," which was already on the tip of her tongue and meant to sever all ties, was swallowed back by her.

She remained silent for a moment, without turning around, her voice coming from a distance, light yet carrying a hint of melancholy that went unnoticed.

"Perhaps."

"..."

Xingsu couldn't quite put his finger on what exactly he had figured out, but the inexplicable sense of familiarity, the other person's absent-minded silence, and the sudden sharp pain in his heart all connected together. He knew in his heart that the other person was definitely hiding a past that was closely related to him.

He remained silent for a long time, his chest churning with complex emotions—confusion, excitement, and a hint of inexplicable melancholy.

After a long while, he slowly calmed down his urge to chase after him, and spoke softly to the figure standing at the door.

"Thank you, I understand."

He stopped pressing the matter and chose to let it go. Even though his instincts were still urging him to find the answer, he knew that the other party had no intention of revealing everything, and that further questioning would only yield no results.

Arlecchino did not look back.

Hearing the deep, relieved "I understand" behind her, her upright back stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment, then she took another step and resolutely stepped out of the room.

A cool breeze from the corridor brushed against her shoulders, dispersing the lingering scent in the room and disrupting the calm she was trying so hard to maintain.

She walked forward step by step, her posture still as cold and composed as Harbinger, showing no sign of losing her composure, as if the complicated conversation just now had never happened.

But unseen by anyone, a warm tear silently rolled down her cheek.

A single tear fell gently onto her cold clothes, instantly spreading into a shallow damp stain, silently extinguishing all her grief and regret.

Xingsu's gaze was fixed on the doorway where Arlecchino had left, as if he could still see that departing figure. The sudden pain in his heart had not completely dissipated, and the ambiguous "perhaps" and the undisguised loneliness on her face before she left kept swirling in his mind.

Despite his deep-seated aversion to the Fatui and his constant reminders to remain vigilant, he couldn't shake the lingering sense of familiarity he felt.

He didn't know what kind of long-buried story was between the two of them, nor could he figure out why the other party would deliberately hide it, and he didn't understand why he would feel such a strong sense of loss and unease after just a simple meeting.

The only sound in the room was the gentle murmur of the flowing water outside the window; it was empty and quiet. Xingsu's mind was in turmoil, and he couldn't calm down for a long time. A vague sense of loss lingered in his heart, and he couldn't shake it off.

"Xingsu, Xingsu? Xingsu, what's wrong?"

When Navia stepped into the reception room, she saw Xingsu sitting alone in a chair, his eyes vacant, staring blankly at the closed door, seemingly lost in thought, oblivious to the sounds around him.

She called his name several times, but received no response.

Seeing that Xingsu remained blankly unresponsive, Navia simply stepped forward, grabbed his shoulder, and shook him back and forth, trying to pull him back to reality.

The sudden tremor snapped Xingsu back to his senses. His unfocused gaze gradually returned, and he looked blankly at Navia, who was standing before him with a worried expression. The chaotic emotions from his meeting with Arlecchino still lingered in his mind, and his tone carried a hint of unease.

"N-nothing, I was just thinking about something and my mind wandered."

Navia released her grip, then put her hands on her hips, her brows furrowed, her face tense and serious as she looked Xingsu up and down, who was still in a daze.

"Did that Fatui Harbinger threaten you?"

The thought of the Fatui's domineering ways made her uneasy for Xingsu. Her voice was full of worry, fearing that they might use their power to make things difficult for Xingsu, who had just settled down in Poisson.

Xingsu gently shook her head, slightly suppressing the surging melancholy in her heart, and spoke in a seemingly relaxed manner.

"Don't worry, she didn't make things difficult for me. I'm just an ordinary mechanic at the Spina di Rosula now, with no power or influence, and there's nothing about me that would warrant her making things difficult for me."

Navia remained skeptical and did not immediately lower her hands, which were crossed at her waist; the worry in her eyes did not dissipate.

"But the Fatui are always hard to fathom; who knows if she's up to something else? If she comes looking for trouble again, be sure to tell me immediately. The Spina di Rosula definitely protect you."

Xingsu eased the tension and comforted the still tense Navia.

"Okay, okay, I got it, Miss. You see, the Fatui sent over a large batch of supplies this time. We're free right now, shall we go over and take a look at them?"

Upon hearing this, Navia relaxed her worries slightly, loosened her hands from her hips, and her eyes brightened.

"We definitely have to go check it out! I was just thinking of seeing if they have any cooking ingredients. Let's go!"

"So, the Harbinger really just chatted with Xingsu and then left?"

"That's right, boss. Arlecchino has already left Poisson, and Xingsu's condition is also normal. She's currently checking the supplies donated by the Fatui with Miss."

This is really strange; I really can't figure out what this Harbinger is up to.

It's as unbelievable as telling Chlothar a joke and she doesn't jump up and hit you on the knee.

"Wait, who did you just say that kid was with?"