Life returned to its usual rhythm, but in her interactions with her friends, something was indeed different.
A sunny afternoon.
Lovia threaded her way carefully through the crowd, her white Hood enveloping her as always, but the brim didn't seem to be pulled as low as before. Occasionally, a breeze would blow, quietly lifting a corner to reveal a few strands of smooth hair.
Liyue Harbor's market was as bustling and noisy as ever.
Her mood today was good—very good.
She had just been fed by Xiangling at Wanmin Restaurant; now, she planned to go to the toy stall to buy some interesting trinkets.
Carrying her manuscript fees, Lovia moved between the stalls with a joyful heart.
She stopped in front of a stall selling various curious trinkets, which displayed bamboo dragonflies that spun on their own, colorful windmills, and small ornaments made of glazed glass and shells.
Lovia's gaze was drawn to a charmingly naive Round Sparrow; the bird was carved from wood and looked lifelike.
So cute!
The corners of her mouth beneath the Hood couldn't help but curve upward, and even the little tail carefully hidden under her cloak wagged gently with joy.
Just as she was about to ask the price, a hearty voice suddenly rang out above her head: "Do you like this?"
The voice came out of nowhere and was very close.
Lovia's body stiffened slightly, and her hand holding the box tightened. She instinctively pulled her Hood down a bit and gave a soft "Mm" in response, hoping the other person was just asking casually and would then leave.
However, instead of leaving, the person crouched down to look her in the eye.
What met her eyes was a handsome and friendly face, with bright orange short hair that looked a bit messy, and eyes as clear as blue ice yet filled with a smile—clear, yet with a hint of sharpness.
Lovia's heart skipped a beat.
This face... she knew it! Although she had seen it countless times in the game, seeing it up close in reality brought a completely different impact!
It's Character! A Fatui Harbinger! Snezhnaya's best toy salesman!
Why was he here? And why was he talking to her?!
Her brain immediately sounded an alarm; the identity of "Fatui Harbinger" was enough to make her feel wary and uneasy.
Moreover, she didn't want to have anything to do with the Fatui.
Run? No, that would be too abrupt and would instead arouse suspicion. Besides, with this battle maniac's skills, she probably wouldn't be able to escape even if she wanted to.
Uh... this was the bustling market of Liyue Harbor; under the watchful eyes of the public, he couldn't possibly do anything to a child, right? Besides... he seemed to just be interested in a kid crouching in front of a toy stall.
"Nice taste, little one," Tartaglia said, looking at her with a smile. He then pointed to another imposing wooden One-Eyed Little Guy on the stall. "But I think that one is cooler. Don't boys all like this kind of thing?"
He had clearly mistaken the petite Lovia under the Hood for an ordinary human boy.
Lovia: "..."
She shook her head in silence, still staring intently at the cute Round Sparrow, calculating in her mind how to end this conversation naturally and without drawing attention.
"Oh? You don't like it?" Tartaglia seemed to find it interesting. He rubbed his chin, looking at Lovia's hand tightly clutching her small coin purse and her posture of almost trying to hide herself completely in the shadows. His tone became even softer. "Don't be nervous, little one. I just saw you were alone and wanted to chat. Want to be friends? My name is Ajax, I'm from Snezhnaya, and I'm a... well, a toy salesman."
He automatically omitted certain titles that were inconvenient to disclose, smiling with an air of complete harmlessness.
Lovia complained wildly in her mind: Do you think I haven't played the game? I know you're one of Snezhnaya's most dangerous "toy salesmen"!
Lovia forced herself to calm down. Her social anxiety instincts made her want to lower her head and curl into a ball, but reason told her she had to respond.
After hesitating for a long time, she said softly, "...Lovia."
"Lovia? That's a very pretty name. So you're a girl." Tartaglia readily complimented her and then naturally asked the price for her. "Shopkeeper, how much for this little Round Sparrow?"
The stall owner gave a price, and Tartaglia directly took out some Mora to pay, then picked up the wooden Round Sparrow and tucked it into Lovia's hand.
"Here, a meeting gift." He smiled brightly, as if this were just a perfectly ordinary little matter.
Lovia was stunned. Holding the wooden Round Sparrow, which still carried the warmth of his palm, she didn't know how to react for a moment.
This... this development wasn't right! Why was he just buying toys for a random child?
"I... I have money." She tried to give the Mora back to Tartaglia.
"Haha, it's just a small token, don't be polite." Tartaglia waved his hand and stood up, his tall figure casting a shadow over Lovia. "You don't seem to talk much. Are you shy? Liyue Harbor is very interesting; it's good to come out and walk around more."
His attitude was natural and enthusiastic, completely like a kind older brother from next door who happened to meet a shy child and decided to look after them. But Lovia didn't dare relax her guard in the slightest.
She'll never believe a Fatui Harbinger would have so much misplaced kindness.
"Thank you, big brother..." she thanked him in a small voice, clutching the wooden Round Sparrow tightly in her hand, deciding to leave first no matter what. "I—I should go back now."
"Oh? Leaving already? Do you live nearby?" Tartaglia asked seemingly at random, his blue eyes still carrying a smile, but his gaze seemed to inadvertently sweep over her whole body, lingering for a moment on the Hood and cloak that covered almost everything.
This little one... gave off a somewhat special feeling.
Not like an ordinary child.
A Vision holder? Or... something else?
Tartaglia's sharp intuition gave him a sense of curiosity about this overly quiet little one whose aura was also subtly different.
"Mm," Lovia responded vaguely. Saying nothing more, she turned and tried to slip into the crowd.
"Alright then, goodbye, little Lovia." Tartaglia didn't stop her, just smiling and waving at her. "Next time there's a chance, I can tell you stories about Snezhnaya, or... we could even spar a bit? I see your footsteps are very light; maybe you have some Talents."
Who wants to spar with you! I'd definitely be insta-killed by you! Lovia screamed internally, her pace quickening as she practically fled, the hem of her white cloak fluttering slightly from her hurried movements.
Watching the small figure that vanished into the crowd almost instantly, the smile on Tartaglia's face slowly faded, becoming somewhat playful and thoughtful.
"Interesting..." he murmured to himself.
He made an extremely subtle gesture to the air.
In the crowd, a seemingly ordinary passerby nodded slightly, his gaze quietly locking onto the direction Lovia had left, and followed her discreetly.
[Progress Bar: 99%]
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"