Genshin Impact: I Am a Slime

Pantalone had no idea when Famas appeared, nor was he sure if the boy had overheard his dangerous conversation with the traveler.

Faced with Famas's teasing, Pantalone remained calm and simply said:
"It's just awakening a lost traveler."

As soon as he finished speaking, Pantalone calmly took his seat in the lower seat where the traveler had just been sitting, but his gaze was quietly fixed on the faint red marks on Famas's neck.

The friendship between wind and fire, which has lasted for thousands of years, has been preserved in fragments all over the world. At this moment, it seems that the depth of this friendship is far beyond what people can imagine.

Famas paid no heed to Pantalone's probing gaze, or perhaps he already knew of Pantalone's ambitions.

Those words that could be considered blasphemous naturally entered his ears without missing a single one.

But so what?
The gods heard it, but they didn't care.

A tense silence fell over the private room. Pantalone's fingertips unconsciously rubbed the cold metal buckle on his cuff, his thoughts racing.

Why did FAMAS suddenly appear here?
In a flash, a possible answer was precisely located on the compass of his mind. Pantalone's tense brows quietly relaxed, and that calm smile of complete control, as if victory was assured, reappeared on his lips.

FAMAS's attention, however, was drawn as if by a magnet, firmly fixed on the object on the table that emitted a soft halo.

The night light, rumored to be worth 70 million Mora.

The boy casually extended his index finger, and a tiny, almost imperceptible flame silently rose from his fingertip, gently landing deep within the wick.

A moment later, a faint but exceptionally pure wisp of energy was precisely extracted, like a tamed firefly, flickering and dancing on Famas's fingertips. Famas sensed it briefly, then shook his head in disdain.

"Is this the divine power of Hargentus?"

Famas raised his eyes, his crimson pupils piercingly intense, and stared directly at the banker across the table, his tone resolute and certain.

"Too weak, patheticly fake."

This lamp may be made of expensive materials and be exquisitely crafted, but the meager power contained within its core is but a drop in the ocean compared to the divine might of the legendary Dust Demon God's return, and its power attributes are entirely different.

The glamorous story was nothing but an elaborate lie, and the businessman who wove the lie and manipulated the entire scam behind the scenes was sitting right in front of him.

Pantalone met Famas's gaze, and instead of the embarrassment of being exposed, she wore a smile that was almost frank, typical of a merchant.

He nodded slightly, his posture composed, his words clear and forceful, as if he were merely stating a universally applicable truth:

"Whether it is true or false is no longer important."

Pantalone tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, his gaze sweeping over the lantern before finally settling on Famas's face, his smile deepening.

"Regardless of whether or not it possesses the power of the finality, the value of this lamp at this moment is undoubtedly seventy million Mora."

"This is the value that the entire Liyue region has collectively bestowed upon it; it is the market, and it is also the rule that everyone recognizes."

Pantalone was relaxed, even with a hint of deliberate nonchalance, as if he were facing not an ancient god, but an ordinary business partner.

Seeing that Pantalone remained unmoved, Famas lost interest in beating around the bush, smacked his lips, and said:
"Ning Lan is dead."

"Given the intelligence capabilities of the Fools, you should have known about this long ago."

Across the table, the banker's expression remained completely calm, as if he were only concerned with the day's weather. His fingertips traced the rim of the teacup the traveler had once used, his movements as fluid as ever.

FAMAS's voice was steady, yet it possessed an undeniable penetrating power:

"According to your plan, Ningguang and Zhongli's attention has been diverted elsewhere. As for their current focus on you and your plan... that's a question of how clever your cover-up is."

Pantalone finally reacted, his eyebrow twitching very slightly, as if savoring a particular word, or perhaps merely a muscle twitch. The temperature in the room seemed to be gradually rising; Famas' patience had clearly reached its limit. He stopped beating around the bush, his goal clear:
“Before you die from Ningguang’s revenge, Pantalone…” the boy’s voice was low, carrying an almost tangible sense of oppression, “tell me the whereabouts of Akhta.”

Hearing Famas openly blame his concealment skills for the movements of Liyue's higher-ups, a slight ripple finally crossed Pantalone's eyes. He leaned forward slightly, his fingertips lightly tapping the expensive sandalwood table:
"Then, if I may ask, does setting fire to the lobby of my Liyue Northern Bank count as attracting attention?"

Pantalone's tone didn't reveal much anger; it was more like a cold mockery.

Famas didn't even bother to lift his eyelids, answering crisply and directly, with the characteristic directness of a deity:
"Tell me, has Ningguang's attention been captured?"

Pantalone stared at Famas for a moment. In the other’s crimson pupils, there was no regret, no intention to explain, only pure confirmation of the outcome.

A barely perceptible glint, as if calculating gains and losses, flashed behind Pantaloni's glasses. He then leaned back in his chair, his posture returning to its aloof and calm state.

"alright."

Pantalone stopped dwelling on the matter, and his voice regained the steady and precise tone characteristic of a banker, as if he were presenting an asset report.

"Then let's talk about Akhta."

“I don’t know much, Your Excellency Famas,” Pantalone said frankly, but this frankness was as fragile as a thin layer of ice. “Both Her Majesty the Queen and the Jester are tight-lipped about this matter. I only know that she is encased in the deepest, most tranquil ice of the Winter Palace.”

Pantalone paused, seemingly piecing together the few remaining pieces of information, but seeing Famas's incredibly serious expression, the big banker was still stunned for a moment.

He had almost never seen Famas show such an expression.

"What I can confirm is that Her Majesty the Queen gave an order half a month ago, which was personally carried out by the Clown, to secretly escort Miss Akhta, who was sealed in ice, to the depths of the Thousand Ravines and Sands of Mount Sumeru."

"A double-edged sword of ancient design was also sent to Mount Sumeru with her."

“I didn’t know who she was originally, but Piero mentioned during the handover that she was a high-ranking official of the ancient war-torn kingdom of Munata, named Akhta.”

Pantalone held nothing back, telling Famas everything she knew about Akhta, and even took out a delicate hand-drawn map from the inner pocket of her clothes and handed it to the frowning boy.

The label indicates the exact time and location when the goods, specifically Akhta, were delivered to Mount Sumeru.

Pantalone is indeed a talented individual.

It wasn't part of any executive's mission, so the buffoon certainly wouldn't have revealed the map and timeline to Pantalone on his own initiative. This map was clearly something the big banker had only caught a glimpse of during the handover, and then memorized and redrawn.

After all, any transaction involving funds must go through Pantalone.

Famas silently took the map and confirmed the exact location where Akhta had been delivered.

Although it is called the Thousand Ravines Sandy Land, it is actually closer to the sand-proof wall of the port of Sumeru Omos.

Famas tilted his head, his eyes swirling with confusion.

He couldn't understand why the Ice Queen would save his King's Hand from the ashes of Munata's collapse, and then, upon his return, abandon Akhta as if he were exiled to the Sumeru Desert, which was temporarily not governed by the gods.
"why?"

FAMAS's voice was deep, suppressing all the outward flames, leaving only a pure, cold voice seeking answers.

Why would she do such a thing?

Pantalone spread her hands, making a gesture of helplessness symbolizing the end of information:
“This is not something that an executive officer can meddle in, Your Excellency Famas.”

His gaze behind his glasses was calm and unwavering.

"Her Majesty the Queen's will is as solid as ice in eternal winter; not every one of her plans is discussed with us, her subordinates." (End of Chapter)