During his final few days in Snezhnaya, Neo began thinking about how to say goodbye to the people he knew.
He had wandered around Snezhnaya since he was eight, and at thirteen, he was recruited into the Fatui and trained because of his outstanding aptitude.
By now, Neo had quite a few acquaintances among the Fatui.
Among the new recruits who had joined around the same time as him, he also knew a young man named Ajax.
He was about a year older than Neo.
Although he had still been a young boy when they first met, Neo recognized who he was based on his personality.
However, compared to Neo, who was only a lieutenant at eighteen, Ajax had already risen to become a Harbinger and been given the title Childe [Tartaglia].
But as far as Neo knew, Childe had already left Snezhnaya to carry out a mission.
“I really am not suited to saying goodbye face-to-face… Forget it, I’ll just write everyone a farewell letter.”
After struggling with it for a long time, Neo finally made this decision.
He knew that once he left, he had no idea when he would see the people he knew in Snezhnaya again.
Even with Columbina, he would probably have to wait several years before seeing her again.
“Kindly opened by Lady Columbina…”
After that, Neo temporarily put aside his daily training and focused on writing farewell letters.
He planned to mail the letters for everyone else together, so by the time they received them, Neo would already have left.
The only exception was the one for Columbina.
Neo kept it for the time being, planning to give it to the Treasure Hoarder Weasel named Snowy to look after when he left, and have it deliver the letter to Columbina.
It was familiar with Columbina, and it could also roughly understand what Neo meant.
During the two days Neo was busy writing his farewell letters, his early retirement application was finally approved.
Along with it, he was issued a veteran’s certificate and a commemorative medal.
With that, Neo would be able to catch the merchant ship two days later.
Although Snezhnaya was not his homeland, the Fatui had accepted Neo as a wandering orphan, and that kindness was real.
A soldier like him should have devoted himself wholeheartedly to fighting for the Tsaritsa’s great ideals, but Neo had a reason he had no choice but to leave.
If he continued staying in Snezhnaya, as Columbina’s trusted subordinate, Neo would have no chance to come into contact with this world’s main storyline.
The Tsaritsa never gave Columbina any missions, and as a soldier, he had no right to act on his own.
It would be difficult for him to encounter any other “main storyline characters” outside the Snezhnaya faction.
If he could not come into contact with them, Neo could not take attacks meant for them, and he could not obtain rewards from the system.
If things continued like this, when Columbina eventually decided to leave the Fatui, Neo would not only lack the strength to protect her, he might even become a burden to her.
That was the reason Neo had no choice but to leave.
As for the Tsaritsa’s kindness, one day he would return to Snezhnaya by following the “main storyline,” and he could find another opportunity then.
If all else failed, he could also help protect some Fatui who were supposed to meet with disaster along the way.
‘What’s wrong with these children?’
‘Who are you?
Mind your own business.
They’re all being sent to the Doctor…
Huh?’
‘H-Harbinger, my lord…!’
‘I saved these children, so why are they all afraid of me?’
‘Hmm?
This child’s eyes…
It’s as if he has lost his soul…’
‘But he’s been looking at me this whole time…’
‘Don’t be afraid.
Come to me.
It’s all over now…’
On the night Neo received his certificate and commemorative medal, Columbina came to the courtyard of Neo’s residence again.
But this time, she did not sing and disturb Neo.
She simply held the white Treasure Hoarder Weasel and stood quietly in the moonlight, recalling something.
“Maybe if I had sent them to the House of the Hearth back then, he would have considered the House of the Hearth his home too, and wouldn’t have thought about returning home…”
“Mm… No, that was when the House of the Hearth was still being managed by Crucabena.”
Gently stroking the Treasure Hoarder Weasel’s head with one hand, Columbina walked around the courtyard, talking to herself.
When she reached the window, she slightly tilted her ear and listened.
All she could hear was Neo’s steady breathing.
“He’s asleep…”
Columbina leaned against the windowsill.
Through a gap where the curtains did not completely cover the window, she could vaguely see Neo on the bed.
“Good night, Neo.”
[Two Days Later, At Snezhnaya’s Port]
A light-footed girl wearing a Harbinger’s coat and keeping her eyes tightly closed appeared beside Neo, who was waiting for the ship to dock.
“Neo, if we have a chance to meet again in the future, accompany me on another date.”
Seeing that Neo had not noticed her, Columbina spoke softly to him from behind.
“Ho… holy crap!”
Neo, who was holding onto his suitcase, was startled.
“…There will be a chance, Lady Columbina.”, After turning around and realizing it was Columbina, Neo finally relaxed and answered her.
Columbina was the only one among his acquaintances who knew the exact time he would be leaving.
But Neo had not seen her while waiting for the ship and had thought she would not come.
He had not expected her to appear just as the ship was about to dock…
“Mm. Then next time we have a date, I’ll give you half of the deluxe hot dog instead of eating the whole thing myself.”, Columbina nodded lightly as she made her decision.
She had felt a little too full after eating it last time.
She had overestimated the capacity of her stomach.
“Uh, so, Lady Columbina, you have a pretty big misunderstanding about what a date is…”
Seeing that the merchant ship had docked, Neo was speechless for a moment, but he still picked up his suitcase.
“No, I don’t. Didn’t you tell me before?”
“A date is when two people go shopping together and eat delicious food…”
As Columbina recalled it, a smile appeared on her face.
“Hey, hey, Lady Columbina, don’t just remember the parts you want to remember. Is that really what I said…”
“Ah, the ship has stopped. Anyway, Lady Columbina, goodbye. Take care.”
“…Neo, why are you leaving Snezhnaya? Is someone bullying you?”, Seeing that Neo was about to leave Snezhnaya, Columbina could not help raising a hand to call him back.
“Hmm? No, Lady Columbina. I just hope that no one will bully you.”
“When we have a chance to meet again, I will definitely have the strength to protect you, Lady Columbina.”
Hearing her, Neo stopped walking and turned around to answer Columbina’s question, “…Why do you want to protect me?”
Columbina tilted her head in confusion.
As far as strength was concerned, she felt that she should still be somewhat stronger than Neo.
Hearing her question, Neo was dazed for a moment.
That had all happened eighteen years ago…
“Because I was born into this world to protect you.”, Neo answered seriously.
After saying that, he did not linger any longer.
He turned around, waved his hand, and walked toward the merchant ship with his luggage.
“To protect me…?”
Neo’s answer only made the confusion in Columbina’s heart grow deeper, and even left her somewhat at a loss.
The merchant ship did not remain docked for long.
After the cargo had been loaded and unloaded, Columbina heard the sound of the ship’s whistle as the merchant ship slowly sailed toward the open sea.
At the earliest, the merchant ship would arrive at Liyue Harbor seven days later.
If everything went smoothly…