[You finally had a legitimate excuse to return to Snezhnaya.]
[You and Hu Tao requested leave from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to prepare for your trip.]
[At first, Hu Tao clung to your hand, whining nonstop, doing everything she could to stop you from leaving. But once she remembered you were going back to find your sister, she reluctantly agreed… though her sulking didn't fade one bit.]
[Her eyes suddenly lit up with a mischievous gleam.]
["So we're a couple now, right? Then give me a kiss. You can only leave after you kiss me."]
["When did we become a couple? Didn't we agree you'd have to grow a little more first?"]
[Her pestering left you helpless, but in the end, you leaned forward and kissed her forehead.]
[When you drew back, you ruffled her hair gently.]
["Be good. Wait for me to come back."]
[Hu Tao felt the warmth in that brief kiss. Her face flushed a vivid red in an instant.]
[Her eyes shimmered as if a thin layer of dew coated them. She looked everywhere except at you.]
["…Then hurry back."]
[Hu Tao had always been the one chasing after you, always the one blurting out her feelings without hesitation. Ever since she turned fourteen and first tasted the confusion of young love, she had confessed to you more times than you could count.]
[But this was the first time you'd ever seen her shy.]
[The sight was so rare you found yourself studying her expression, savoring this moment.]
[She grew embarrassed under your gaze and finally reached for the Staff of Homa in irritation. Only then did you laugh and look away.]
[You boarded a merchant ship and safely returned to Snezhnaya.]
[The first thing you did upon arriving was visit your direct superior, The Knave.]
[You placed the Sigil of Permission before her with the utmost respect.]
["My lady, I failed to notice that Yanshang Teahouse had drawn the Tianquan's attention. The Fatui suffered losses because of me. This sin is unforgivable."]
["However, I found something valuable in Liyue that might compensate for the damage."]
[The Knave picked up the sigil, examining the inscription.]
["The Sigil of Permission? It's just a single sheet of paper. What use could it possibly have?"]
[You explained its history and origin.]
[The Knave nodded and summoned a Fatui soldier.]
["Take this to The Doctor. See if he can extract anything useful from it."]
[She turned back to you, a kind smile softening her otherwise sharp expression.]
["Kael, even without this sigil, I wouldn't have punished you for the matter of Yanshang Teahouse. You're my most capable subordinate."]
["The Fatui's progress in Liyue is largely thanks to your efforts."]
["Since you rarely get the chance to return to Snezhnaya, rest here for a few days."]
[Her reaction was exactly what you had expected.]
[You bowed deeply].
["My lady, may I visit Chenxi?"]
["Of course."]
[You still had value to the Fatui. The Knave intended to draw you further into her fold, so there was no reason for her to refuse such a small request.]
[She gave you Chenxi's address.]
[After leaving her office, you returned to the home you once lived in.]
[If Katarina hadn't been there, you never would have wanted to step foot in that place again.]
[It was where you lost your parents. Where your once warm family shattered into pieces. Where you shed the innocence of childhood and fell into darkness.
The only thing tying you to that home was Katarina.]
[You stepped into the cold, dark house.
The moment you opened the door, you saw the girl you had missed for so long.]
[She was sitting on the floor, hugging her knees, staring blankly at the entrance.]
[The last time you left this home, Katarina looked about your age, just a child like you. But now that you had grown, seeing her again made you realize how tiny she truly was.]
[You couldn't hold back your surprise.]
["Katarina! I'm back!"]
[She didn't react at all.]
[Thinking she didn't recognize your grown appearance, you spoke again.]
["It's me! I'm Kael!"]
[Still nothing.]
[Katarina continued sitting on the floor, gazing toward the door with longing in her eyes.]
[She didn't respond. Not even a flicker of acknowledgement.]
["I…"]
[You were about to speak when something suddenly struck you.]
[The energy around Katarina didn't feel like a normal spirit. After years at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, you had encountered countless ghosts, seen every kind of form they took.]
[Her presence was different.]
[Faint. Too faint.]
[So faint it was barely there at all.]
[Pain ripped through your chest, so sharp your vision blurred with tears.]
[You were too late.]
[Katarina was already gone.]
[This was only her Memory Remnant.]