26 A New Start

"By what you have told, his talent should be about having a high comprehension or directly a copying ability to swords style?" Pantalone analyzed based on Alina's report.

"It seemed to be more inclined to copying" Alina answered "He wasn't really prepared and was a complete amateur and with a simple combat was able to perfectly copy the enemy's style. If he were to polish and use at full his talent, his combat power would exponentially increase at a tremendous speed."

"He is actually very lacking only having learn two moves, but we should start cultivating his talent" Alina stated "There are not many swordmasters at Snezhnaya, but we should be able to contract some of them or even bring outsiders to teach him."

"Copying, eh?" Pantalone reclined over his chair, intertwining his finger thoughtfully "It can become a double-edge sword, we must be wary of it."

"What do you mean?" Alina asked.

"Supposing that he is able to copy any type of style just seeing them, he would copy good and bad styles, copying even the bad gestures and openings" Pantalone explained "Also, there's a need to carefully teach him styles compatible between each other, needing a very definite regimen."

"I have some combat experience but" Alina made a difficult face "I'm not an expert at spears, even less, with swords. I don't think that I am capable of preparing the best for him."

"Don't take it hard" Pantalone swung his hand "We are merchants, not fighters. While it's important to know how to protect ourselves, it finishes there, we don't go further. I'll need to prepare, it seems that Allen's dream would become true and he won't become a merchant under me."

"Do you mean...?"

"Yes. He won't longer work with us. I'll need to talk with her Majesty as Allen would need a change of guardianship."

...

Over the Zapolyarny Palace, Pantalone was walking over the throne room while wearing his white coat. Suddenly, he stopped finding a woman in front of him.

"Tch!" The woman clicked her tongue "What an unpleasant meeting? What are you doing here?"

"It's always lovely meeting you Arlecchino" Pantalone answered with a business smile "Could I know why you are here?"

"I just came from Natlan. I was reporting my last mission to the Tsaritsa. Unlike others..." She glanced at him contemptuously "I need to leave the motherland's protection to complete important works."

"Yes, others only need to work here to finance those works" Pantalone smiled contemptibly.

"Tch!" Arlecchino clicked again "So, what? You didn't answer. Why did you come?"

"I came to talk about young Allen" Pantalone answered.

"Have you already broken him?" Arlecchino glared at him "You should never be in charge of children. Even better. You should never be in charge of anyone."

"Nothing could be further from the truth." Pantalone "I came to ask for a transfer."

"You? Letting someone go from your hands? Is he so worthless?" Arlecchino asked trying to read his intentions.

"You can come if you desire" Pantalone offered as he continued walking. Arlecchino clicked her tongue once again before following him.

"Greetings, your Majesty" Reaching the throne room, Pantalone bowed towards the Tsaritsa that today was alone, while being followed by Arlecchino who also lightly bowed.

"It is strange for you to come at this time of the year" The Tsaritsa talked "It is about Allen?"

"As always your knowledge knows no bound" Pantalone answered "Yes, it is about Allen. Allen had showed a great talent with swords, even recognized by sir Pierro."

"By that Fool? In that case, it should be quite strong then." The Tsaritsa said inexpressive.

"Yes." Pantalone nodded "I don't see myself good enough to train him that is why I would like to request a transfer from my guardianship to a more according one."

"I could take care of him myself" Arlecchino stepped over "I taught multiple children, I'm sure that it won't be a problem. I will do far better than Pantalone."

"I appreciate the offer, Arlecchino. But I already have someone in mind, him being quite the expert and being at the best environment."

"Are you really talking about him?" Arlecchino asked shocked "While his capabilities are up to, you know how unruly he is, mostly ignoring every order. What makes you think that he would accept?"

"I know him and I can assure you that while he would negate at first, he would finish saying yes." Pantalone explained.

"It is a peculiar and yet interesting offer, Pantalone" The Tsaritsa said "I will approve the transfer, prepare the move."

"Thanks, your Majesty" Pantalone bowed one las time and left the room, being followed by Arlecchino.

"What are you thinking?!" Arlecchino asked grunty "You have always complained at his work and now you want to give your new toy to him."

"Everyone has its own uses, without exemption. And him would be perfect for this." Pantalone answer.

"Tell the truth. What do you gain from all of this?" Arlecchino inquired truthfully.

Pantalone smile "Would you trust me if I say I'm doing the best for Allen?

"No" Arlecchino bluntly answered.

"A pity, because you won't receive any other answer" Pantalone said leaving away.

"Tch!" Arlecchino was pissed "I'll need to investigate on my own."

...

Over the throne room, the Tsaritsa stood up and walked over the back of the throne. There stood an ice coffin with a little blue-haired girl in it.

"Your brother seems to be trying hard for you" she said caressing the ice coffin "not knowing that it would only push him nearer to pain. Would he be able to reach you or would he fall into oblivion?" She turned to one side where a table with a chess board stood.

Over the board, the white pieces were neatly arranged while the black ones were dispersed over the board with the black queen already dead and one pawn shining brightly with a blue light "Would he become a piece of this dammit board?"

...

"So you are telling me that I would be transferred?" Over his place, Allen asked Alina.

"Yes." Alina nodded "Lord Pantalone wants you to exploit your talent at maximum and he doesn't find himself capable enough to do it.

"It makes sense" Allen deduced. In the end, all his tests had been more about showing his character and learning how to deal with people. The last one, being a little extreme one where they send useless people, perfectly knowing that they will be killed, making him learn how bad can be your partners and that you should discipline them.

"You will be notified of your new destination shortly," Alina informed.

"Alina, can I ask you something?" Allen asked.

"You can ask, but I can assure my answer."

Allen sighed already expecting an answer like that "Pantalone had been "good" for me so far. Helping me with my sister and my arrangements. It's a fact that I wouldn't be here and have this opportunity without him, even possibly being dead. However, I can't help to not trust him. Why do you trust him so much?"

"You really are a good merchant material. Distrusting even your allies is a must to be" Alina smiled "The truth is that I was saved by Lord Pantalone."

"I was from a middle-class family, my family consisting of my parents and my little sister. My father was the owner of a little show that gained enough to maintain the family while my mother stayed home and take care of us."

"We weren't very rich, but we were happy. However, once I reached 13, my father fell ill and he wasn't able to continue operating the shop. Knowing that my mother was also unable, I stepped forward trying to take care of all my family."

"I had some ideas and even tried to improve the business, gaining more money for them, but that was a bad idea."

"It started great, gaining more money but it quickly went down. I was tricked and ripped of, starting to lose money, not being able to pay for my father medicines while the loans and interests only grew bigger. In the end, I was about to lose it all, the shop, the house, even my life that I'll need to sell away."

"At that time, lord Pantalone was the one to help me. He saw over my talent, saying that I have a great future ahead so in exchange of working under him, he paid for all my debts. He also taught me how to confront people and to never let myself get tricked again."

"Working with him, it only took me half a year to repay my debts and I could go away to my shop. But I decided to stay with him. He gave me so much that I wanted to repay him. In the end, I've become his personal aide and successor, my hard work paying off." Alina explained.

"You had it hard" Allen said having listened the story.

"Life has many twists." Alina smiled a little sad "I was about to lose my life for an amount of money that now I am able to gain over a day."

"Tock! Tock!" Someone knocked the outside door.

"It might be your next destination, I go and take it" Alina said leaving the room.

Finding alone, Allen thought about Alina and Pantalone and his eyes went unconsciously towards the desk, Aleksei's words resounding in his mind 'Alina is a monster' and the letter prepared for him.

Allen went to the desk and took out Aleksei's letter that promised to explain Alina's true past "Would her story be true or is her trick?" Allen thought "Anyway, should I trust Aleksei's words?"

Full of curiosity, Allen opened the letter only to find multiple blank pages with only the front one being written in it.

"Hahaha! I knew that you won't endure it and open it. Hahaha!"

"This idiot..." Allen sighed 'Did I really expect something from that psico?' But Allen quickly discovered a note at the footpage.

"PD: If you truly had asked Alina before opening it, go to page 36."

Allen quickly skipped over the blank pages, finding that the 36 was glued between the others, being difficult to see in a quick view. Allen peeled off the page revealing a new note.

"Are you an idiot? Like hell, I would tell about Alina. She would kill me for that. :) Have a good day and I hope that you have been entertained by this note. Firmed Aleksei, future Pantalone."

"That son of a bitch" Allen gritted his teeth, destroying the paper in his hands.

"Allen, what were you doing?" Alina appeared at his back, surprising him a little and asked curiously.

"Nothing." Allen answered "Wasting my time thanks to Aleksei."

"I understand" Alina nodded "It must be one of his tasteless jokes. Never take him seriously, he always does those things" Alina clearly recognized it.

"I know for the next time" Allen sighed "What was in the end?" He asked about the one at the door.

"Yes, it was your new destination" Alina said showing up the letter.

"Allen, I will miss you" Alina said with a sad smile while giving him the letter.

"I will also miss you, Alina" Allen said giving Alina a hug "You will be the only one that I will miss" He said truthfully. Taking out Ellen who he couldn't even see, Alina was the only attachment that he had over Snezhnaya, she becoming like his older sister.

"There's no need to be sad!" Alina said cheerfully breaking the hug "This is for your own good and you will become much stronger. Moreover, a merchant travels a lot so nothing stops me from visiting you, having some business over another region."

"Yes" Allen nodded before focusing on the new letter, opening Allen read it attentively.

"It seems that visiting me would be difficult" Allen said as he learned his new place, a place that brought him a lot of memories of his last days in his previous life.

"Don't tell me that is..."

"Inazuma" Allen answered incredibly shocked. Inazuma is one of the regions of Teyvat and under the reign of the Electro Archon, the Raiden Shogun.

Merchants moved all over Teyvat, but unluckily, Inazuma was kind of peculiar, being secluded islands of the far east with a lot of restrictions to come there, controlling who enter and left, the Fatui having been banned from it.

But the next information was the one that truly shocked him "I will work under the 10th Harbinger, Tartaglia."

...

In an island from Inazuma, a man stood on the top of a high cliff. He had unruly blond hair tied into a ponytail and wore a blue scarf and a red and black hakama. He had a sword's hilt tied on the left of his hip and a purple jewel stone hanging over the right.

While looking at the sea, strong wisp of cold wind crossed over him, fluttering his scarf "Cold air from the north" The man smiled brightly caressing the cat inside his robed "Something interesting is about to come!"

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4th and final chapter of the week! If I reach the top 100 in the fanfic ranking (I most surely not), I will post a new.

And end! Who would be that Tartaglia? (I'm sure that you all know who he is)

With this the [volume 2: Pantalone, the Merchant's Way] finishes, starting the [Volume 3: Tartaglia, the Sword Eater].

Thanks for the support and continue reading. And sorry about having stayed so much time in hiatus, I will try to write more from now own (except for the first week of August that I'll be away).

Cheers!