Arlecchino sat behind the desk, her posture elegant.
She spoke softly, "You seem to be in high spirits. Did this trip bring you great satisfaction?"
"Of course!"
Tartaglia nodded without hesitation. Casually pulling out a chair to sit, he added, "Right now, I'm confident I could take your fourth seat. Wouldn't you say that's a significant gain?"
"Oh?"
Arlecchino raised an eyebrow in surprise.
The ranking of the Fatui Harbingers was determined by strength.
Tartaglia was young, immensely talented, and had honed his martial skills through countless battles in the Abyss, making him one of the strongest among the new generation.
Yet, despite his prowess, there had always been a gap between him and the fourth seat.
Now, that gap had been bridged—no, surpassed.
So quickly?
Even though Arlecchino had already held the card shop in high regard, it had once again shattered her expectations.
It truly defied all conventional reasoning.
"You've certainly grown enough to warrant a fresh appraisal," Arlecchino remarked.
"Ha, just a small leap forward."
Tartaglia wasn't actually serious about taking her seat. He knew that if she had a gold-tier card, her advancement would likely surpass his own—perhaps even reaching the level of the Tsaritsa herself.
The thought gave him pause.
"I've already arranged matters at the House of the Hearth. As for you, will you be staying here, or…?"
"Northland Bank, of course."
"Understood."
Arlecchino had expected as much, though she had still prepared a room for him.
Tartaglia didn't dislike people with their own ambitions—after all, he had joined the Fatui for the thrill of battle.
But he did dislike Arlecchino.
If betrayal served her interests, she wouldn't hesitate to draw her blade against even the Tsaritsa.
Still, personal distaste aside, he maintained a professional distance. For now, they were allies, and internal conflict was to be avoided at all costs.
The Tsaritsa's plans took precedence.
Before arriving in Fontaine, Tartaglia and Arlecchino had divided their responsibilities.
She would oversee the House of the Hearth and its operations, while Tartaglia, at Pantalone's request, would guard the Northland Bank.
Tartaglia knew nothing of finance, but his combat prowess was unmatched. In Pantalone's eyes, that made him perfect for debt collection.
"I'm off."
Tartaglia waved a hand, only now realizing something.
Before, she would have stood no chance against the Tsaritsa—but what if she obtained a card?
Whether she harbored rebellious intentions didn't matter. What mattered was her capability.
Had the Tsaritsa sent him here to keep Arlecchino in check?
Deep in thought, Tartaglia left.
Watching him go, Arlecchino chuckled softly.
She turned to Lynette beside her. "What do you think of Tartaglia's intellect?"
Lynette lowered her voice. "Father, it is not my place to judge another Harbinger."
Arlecchino shook her head in amusement.
Tartaglia was still young—his thoughts were plain on his face.
She could guess exactly what he was thinking.
If things were truly as he imagined… would the Tsaritsa have sent him?
Arlecchino's smile faded.
She couldn't deny that Tartaglia's concerns held some weight.
She knew full well that if the day came when she was forced to oppose the Tsaritsa, she would raise her blade without hesitation—the highest form of respect she could offer.
But that day was still far off.
"Prepare yourself. It's time for me to visit the shop."
Card Shop
"Wait a moment."
Lu Heng examined the second-tier item card in his hand.
The card depicted a three-tiered cake, exquisitely detailed.
He thought back.
Furina's favorite food was cake—she practically lived on sweets.
Yet for the past few days, she had been dragging him out to Fontaine-style meals at every opportunity. Not that he disliked local cuisine, but he knew she was deliberately avoiding her usual indulgence.
He looked up at the customer. "Would you be willing to part with this card?"
"Boss Lu, you don't even have to ask!"
The man grinned. "It's yours! It came from your shop anyway, and I already got the card I wanted. Consider it good luck!"
"Let's keep things fair."
Lu Heng smiled. "I'll trade you another card of the same tier and type."
"Ah, well…"
The customer was taken aback but ultimately agreed.
With the card now in his pocket, Lu Heng glanced at the wall clock.
It was almost time.
Right on cue, as mealtime approached, Furina appeared at the shop.
She weaved through the crowd, stopping just in front of him.
As she caught her breath, Lu Heng handed her a glass of water.
She took it without thinking, gulping down a few mouthfuls before setting it aside.
Tilting her head toward the door, she grinned. "Let's go?"
"Not today."
Lu Heng shook his head.
"Huh?"
Furina's smile faltered. "I spent ages at the Palais Mermonia planning this! What's wrong with the place I picked?"
"Because I thought…"
Under her puzzled gaze, he pulled out the card and handed it to her.
She took it, studying the image of the cake.
[Cake of Happiness]
[Tier]: Second-tier (White)
[Type]: [Consumable Item Card]
[Effect]: [Healing]
[Description]: A cake so delicious that a single bite fills you with bliss. Not only does it satiate hunger, but it also has restorative properties.
"You'd enjoy this more."
Lu Heng finished his earlier sentence with a smile. "So, how about lunch here instead?"
Furina blinked, then beamed.
"It's true, I haven't had cake in days! Let's eat this for lunch!"
Delighted, she hurried to a table, where the card vanished, replaced by an ornate three-tiered cake adorned with fresh fruit—exactly the kind Furina adored.
She sliced a piece and handed it to Lu Heng. "You first!"
He accepted without protest.
After serving herself, she took a bite and practically glowed. "Mmm! Sweet but not cloying, rich texture, and the fruit is perfectly ripe!"
She turned to him. "Did you prepare this just for me?"
Lu Heng shook his head. "Just a lucky coincidence."
Just a coincidence?
"A customer drew this card, and I remembered you mentioning your love for cake, so I traded for it."
"You remembered even an offhand comment?"
The warmth of being so carefully considered…
Furina took another bite.
Was it the cake that was sweet—or her heart?
Was this overwhelming happiness from within, or the card's effect?
She couldn't tell.
Nor did she want to.
All she knew was that her chest felt warm, and her heart was full.
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T/N:
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