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This year's winter in Snezhnaya was not too bizzare. Usually the sky up there would be covered with snow clouds that somehow and someway blocked the reluctant sunlight from warming the land of Snezhnaya. But on this sunny day, Snezhnaya's snow was not so cold when touched with bare hands. In fact, the snow melts in the hands, leaving the children at the orphanage cared for by Arlecchino struggling to make snowballs.
The major, Pulcinella, seemed to be very busy with the adult residents of Snezhnaya who were trying to solve the problem of water reservoirs that were full due to the large amount of melting snow. Signora, who is rarely seen outside, decided to take a stroll in front of Zapolyarny palace today with Scaramouche who started complaining about archon electro.
Capitano had just returned from Natlan, bringing the new recruits who would become fatui while Sandrone helped him sort through the new recruits. The two stood side by side while occasionally chatting about the Grand Master of Mondstadt, Varka, out of curiosity about his powers. Capitano probably did most of the talking as Sandrone just listened and nodded in response when Capitano asked a question.
Not far away, Columbina was clinging to Tartaglia, or rather Tartaglia was carrying Columbina on his back like a koala and taking her away to Arlecchino. Well, Tartaglia must listen to the words of his senior on this one if he doesn't want rumors heard by Her Majesty Tsaritsa if he is flirting with Geo Archon.
They don't know where Pierro is. Maybe he was enjoying a cup of tea with Her Majesty Tsaritsa, or maybe he was holed up in his room plotting the next fatui movement, or maybe he wasn't even in Snezhnaya. Perhaps he was visiting the Land of Winds and seeing someone from afar. Who knows, no one knew what Pierro was doing.
And here Pantalone was, sitting in one of the open-air gardens of Zapolyarny palace and sipping imported tea from Liyue while proofreading documents from Northland Bank. Normally he would choose to work in his office, behind his desk, a heater and a mug of hot chocolate. But today's weather is different, although not as hot as the afternoon in Liyue, but now Pantalone can relax outdoors without having to wear layers of coats.
"Oh, what do we have here?" Tartaglia's shrill voice made Pantalone turn his attention from the document in his hand to the three people walking toward him.
"Tea and cake?" Pantalone raised his glass, offering the trio a seat at the same table.
Columbina was a little excited, she hurriedly sat down to Pantalone's left and picked up a mini macaron. Arlecchino took a seat next to the 3rd Harbingers and let her feed the colorful macarons to her. The remaining seat was taken by Tartaglia, to Pantalone's right. The youngest Harbingers called the nearest Fatui agent and asked him to bring more cutlery and hot chocolate.
For the new recruits, there was nothing wrong with this scene. But for more fatui senior, seeing the Harbingers in the same place without causing chaos was the most miraculous thing in their entire lives.
"Oh, by the way, didn't you get a new assignment to Liyue, Tartaglia?"
Tartaglia cleared his throat, glancing at Pantalone. "Well, there's a lab Dottore left behind in Liyue and I need to make sure there's nothing important he left there. Just so you know, I didn't ask for this assignment! Pierro told me to--"
"Well, it's because you said you wanted to take some time off in Liyue. So why not take care of a few things there," Columbina said in a teasing tone to Tartaglia. Then she turned to face the banker next to her. "Right, Regrator?"
Pantalone rolled his eyes, slightly irritated. They thought he didn't know that every time the name 'Dottore' was mentioned, the Harbingers were deliberately linking the conversation to him. As if they knew the secret buried deep in Pantalone's heart.
"Oh, long live! Hey, Doctor!"
Tartaglia waved at someone familiar. The doctor he called did not answer and only a pair of steps could be heard approaching. Pantalone tried not to look suspicious and tried to focus on reading the document in his hand even as the other three Harbingers with him began to steal glances at him.
"Fancy seeing you all here, relaxing without doing anything."
Sarcasm. Pantalone involuntarily held his breath as he sensed the doctor standing behind him. His forehead furrowed, he went back to reading every word in the file he was holding. The inflation in Fontaine due to Dottore's lack of energy and breathing was observed--AH FUCK!
"Want to relax for a while? We have tea and cakes," Columbina said, indicating the cakes she had taken from the tiered tray and feeding it to Arlecchino. "Oh, a chair? Yes, yes... Wait, I'll sit on Arle's lap~ you can sit in my chair, next to our dearest Regrator. I assure you there are no traces of poison or the like."
Pantalone felt the urge to glare and shoot laser beams from his eyes to annihilate Columbina's existence right then and there. There were only four chairs at the round table, but Dottore could have taken a chair from somewhere else or told anyone to bring a chair for him.
But before Pantalone could protest, Columbina had moved to sit on Arlecchino's lap and Dottore casually sat next to Pantalone. Making the black-haired man frown even more even though he still maintained his smile.
"By the way, I heard that there is Doctor's project in Sumeru. Is Regrator coming too? Since there's no Northland Bank in Sumeru," said Tartaglia as he flashed a suspicious smile at Pantalone.
'Watch your mouth Tartaglia, if you don't want your funds cut off!'
Il Dottore called one of the nearby Fatui agents and asked him to bring him a cup of coffee. It looked like he planned to sit with them a little longer. "You've been very attentive lately. The project is still in the proposal stage. Besides, how do you know that, eleventh?"
Tartaglia stuttered when questioned back. Columbina and Arlecchino chuckled. Either because they were teasing Tartaglia or because they saw the expression on Pantalone's face that was difficult to explain. What was wrong with Pantalone?
"Regrator, you seem to be thinking very deeply. Is your report so difficult to understand?"
"Huh?" Pantalone replied with a smile, then adjusted his slightly slumped glasses. "No, I was just thinking a bit about what Tartaglia said. Of course I'm going to open the Northland Bank there. It will be a good opportunity if we turn the Akademiya's funds into our own."
How could Pantalone be honest if he had been trying to focus on the sounds Dottore was making from behind his mask. Whether it was a comment about his cake being too sweet or a random growl. Perhaps because his words were a bit dubious, Arlecchino joined in on teasing Pantalone.
"When did you guys start getting close? To the point of planning to go together even though you have different missions. I think out of all the Harbingers, you two are the only ones who are rarely seen together."
Arlecchino's comment made Pantalone choke on his tea. The dottore next to him held out a handkerchief to him which made him feel even worse. His heart was beating ten times faster than it had been since the doctor's arrival and was already beating as fast as the inflation at Fontaine. Pantalone opened his eyelids slightly and peeked out, seeing Tartaglia who was trying to hold back his laughter and Columbina who was chuckling amusedly.
Was it looking so clear that the feeling that was contained in Pantalone's face that Arlecchino, who didn't even care about the romance of the other Harbingers, revealed what she was thinking?
"Arlecchino, you--"
"Well, come to think of it, I am. We had an appointment to inspect the place to open the Northland Bank in Sumeru..." Dottore cut off his own words, leaving his comrades confused. "We'd better go now, Regrator."
Oh. Pantalone finally remembered. He and Dottore had made a promise to go to Sumeru together and the doctor was the guide in exchange for the funds for the experiment. At first he asked Dottore as a joke. But how surprised Pantalone was to hear Dottore agree to travel with him.
The Banker was silent for a moment when Dottore stood up from his chair and reached out to him. Something stirred within him, it was another strange feeling that Pantalone did not know when it started. Every time Dottore said 'we' wherever it included himself, Pantalone could feel his face burning.
"Where are you two going?" Tartaglia asked
"We're going to Sumeru."
"Now? What for?" Beside him, Arlecchino asked again.
"We still haven't decided yet. Either for a mission or to commit arson. We'll decide on the way there. Right, Pantalone?"
'Damn, please fuck me so hard.'
.
.
.
It had been half an hour since Dottore and Pantalone had left their little tea party. Columbina was still enjoying Arlecchino's lap and flirting with her. Tartaglia felt like want to leaving too, but before standing up from his seat, the young ginger heard Columbina's words.
"Do you think he'll notice?"
Tartaglia tilted his head in confusion. "Who realized what?"
Arlecchino rolled his eyeballs, apparently there were many people around him who were insensitive. "About Dottore, duh! You think Dottore mispronounced Regrator's nickname?"
"Oh... --OHHHHH!"
It took a few seconds for Tartaglia to understand what Arlecchino meant. In retrospect, it was probably only Dottore who often took turns calling Pantalone by his name and nickname. The youngest Harbinger nodded in understanding with a satisfied look on his face, then looked at Columbina as if expecting another gossip from his senior.
"Now who's dense as fuck?"