SURVIVAL GUIDE, genshin impact

────── 01.

RULE NUMBER 1 : DON'T REFUSE TARTAGLIA'S HELP.

The click of your boot heels on the tiled floor echoed with a snap in the silent hallway. In the Zapolyarny palace, there was no sound : everything was cold and silent, as if frozen in ice. Although accustomed to the gloomy silence, you still found it disturbing, even though you had worked here for some time now.

You shivered as you tightened your arms around the heavy bundle of papers you held to your chest ; the fur coat you wore over your dress couldn't stop the freezing cold that reigned everywhere in Snezhnaya , and the anemo vision hanging on your belt couldn't help you warm up. A pyro vision would have helped you much more, you often regretted, but the divine will cannot be changed. Your vision was more a mere decoration than something that helped you on a daily basis (why would you need to fight? You spent most, if not all your time at the Zapolyarny palace) but you were still attached to it - it was, for you, the proof that your ambitions were noble.

Putting your thoughts aside, you quickened your pace. Lord Pantalone was not known for his patience, and you had to deliver these documents to him as soon as possible. It was the expense statement of each of the harbingers, confidential documents that only high-ranking people could have access to. In other words, that meant only you and the harbringers could access it - of course, there was no need to specify that the Tsarita (glory be upon her) could too, her power being absolute as the ruler of this nation.

You winced as you felt your arms tense painfully under the weight of the bundle of paper - one more reminder for you to hurry and deliver these documents.

"Hey girlie! Need help?"

You stiffened and abruptly halted, before turning around to face the owner of the voice.

"Sir." You bowed respectfully. Tartaglia was the youngest of the harbingers, and so you had known him for less time than the others. He was even younger than Sandrone and Columbia despite appearing to be of the same age physically - however, looks are deceiving and you knew it very well, especially when it comes to the harbingers who are mostly not even fully human, if not human at all.

But you guessed that you weren't normal either ; a normal person wouldn't be the harbingers secretary.

The ginger who was leaning against one of the many marble columns in the hallway ( it was almost funny, how you didn't even notice him - how long had he been standing, hiding in the darkness, staring at you like a predator watching its prey? ) straightened up and approached you with a charming smile, which could have been attractive if you did not know the true face of its wearer.

"It looks heavy." He said pointing to the bundle of documents you were still holding in your arms. "A lady like you shouldn't be carrying something like this. Let me help you, Y/n."

He was right. It was heavy, too heavy - for you, at least. But honestly, you'd rather have the pain in your arms than accept Tartaglia's help because accepting his help meant going all the way with him, and you preferred to spend as little time as possible with him.
Unfortunately, he always seemed to take every opportunity to spend time with you.

Your legs itched with the urge to run away, far from Tartaglia, far from his oppressive aura, far from his empty eyes that frightened you so much.

Gathering your courage, you cleared your throat nervously. "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Tartaglia," You replied, trying to keep your voice as neutral as possible, "however, I can carry these documents alone - a harbinger like you shouldn't bother with such trivial things, and I would not want to waste your time."

An icy silence greeted your words, and temperature seemed to drop a few degrees.
The tension in the air grew so strong, so oppressive that you felt like you were struggling to breathe.
Childe's piercing eyes bore into yours, blue puddles of abyss meeting e/c eyes, and you felt like you were going to drown inside them.

"P-please pardon my stupidity, Lord Tartaglia. I am very grateful for your offer of help, and I accept it with pleasure."
The moment those words left your lips, the tension in the air miraculously vanished, as if it never existed. The charming smile returned to the lips of the harbinger ; a terribly fake smile, but so much better than his real face.

"I knew you needed my help! Come on, give me that, I'll go with you!" He said, taking the package from your arms carefree, as if it weighed nothing - for him, it probably weighed nothing.

"Besides, I already told you multiple times that you can just call me Childe, Y/n."

"I would never dare, Lord Tartaglia."

"Ah ha, I know ! But at least I tried!"

Tartaglia's friendly demeanor had fully returned but you'll never forget that moment , and the lesson it taught you.

For your good sake, do not refuse Tartaglia's help.