Chapter 17

It was a warm morning in Mondstadt. Two Fatui members were patrolling the city, ears perked up to catch any rumors floating among the locals.

Suddenly, a brilliant light caught their attention. As they drew closer, they barely caught a glimpse of two figures in the morning glow before vanishing into thin air.

"What the hell was that?" one of them asked, rubbing his eyes.

"I don't know, looked like some teleportation stuff," the woman replied. "Whoever it was, they definitely activated that artifact. Let's hustle back and inform our superiors!"

They hurried back to their accommodations in Mondstadt, making their way to the impressive Goth Grand Hotel. Stepping through the doors, they were greeted by a pleasant warmth and the sight of people enjoying their morning.

Navigating through the crowd, they reached the door of an elegant suite and knocked hastily. A composed voice granted them permission to enter.

Inside, La Signora sat, leisurely sipping a glass of wine. With her legs crossed elegantly, she gazed out the window. Her piercing eyes turned sharply towards them.

"This better be important if you're interrupting my relaxation."

She was the woman Kaito often acknowledged when passing by the Goth Grand Hotel. The woman who looked at him as if she could burn his soul.

La Signora. Eighth of the Fatui Harbingers.

"Ma'am, we spotted something strange near the square," the man spoke, feeling intimidated. "Two figures vanished out of thin air. Looked like some teleportation thing."

"By the time we got there, they were gone. But we noticed that the ancient artifact, usually glowing red, had been activated. Now it's shining blue and floating a few inches above its pedestal."

Signora raised an eyebrow. Not much piqued her interest in the midst of a mission. She motioned for her subordinates to continue.

"We decided to come back and warn you right away. If someone has acquired that kind of power, they could pose a threat."

For a brief moment, the only sound was the clinking of ice against glass. Then, a crooked smile curved Signora's ruddy lips.

"Good job reporting this. Maybe we've stumbled upon something worth my time," she said, rising gracefully as her platinum hair fluttered. "Search the surrounding area. I'll take care of informing the others to guard the artifact."

That way, when those folks decided to return, they'd be caught like fish in a net.

The men nodded and left to carry out their orders. Signora scanned the city, imagining the kind of person who could activate an artifact that had remained unexplained until now.

"This is going to be fun. I was starting to get bored of this city. Until that bard shows up, I'll have some fun with you."

Power was the only way to satisfy the icy ambition of her soul.

×××

After Amber found out about my flying ability, she had been complaining nonstop about how unfair it was that I could do it without a glider.

"Come on, I already said I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep it from you," I said with a smile, trying to soothe her.

But she continued to pout, dramatically turning her back on me. I couldn't help but laugh at her expression. At that moment, an idea struck me.

"Hey, if I promise to let you teach me how to fly with your glider, will you stop being mad?"

Immediately, Amber turned around, her eyes gleaming with excitement, completely forgetting her anger.

"Will you really?!" She exclaimed, grabbing my hands eagerly. "Deal! Thanks, Kaito. I'll teach you the best aerial acrobatic techniques, you'll see!"

I nodded calmly, though inside I was also filled with anticipation. I had never flown with a Wind Glider before. Yesterday, I had only practiced flying briefly using my own elemental powers.

"Awesome!" Amber checked the square contraption in her hands, adjusting a few knobs. "I promise you'll love the sensation."

Once she was ready, she handed me the contraption and began giving instructions. As I pressed the button, wings made of a strange material gently vibrated into existence on my back. They were black in color and resembled the wings of a bird.

Beginner's wings. That's what Amber called it.

"When you fall from a great height, simply close them to descend, open them to ascend and glide. Move your body this way to turn," she explained, lightly touching my body.

I positioned myself and let myself fall off the hill. As I pressed the button, the wings unfurled behind my back. Immediately, I felt my body stabilize. The air gently brushed against my face as I started gliding forward.

"You're doing great!" Amber shouted from below. "Try a spin!"

I shifted my shoulders and turned to the left, letting out a surprised laugh. Flying felt so natural, as if I had been practicing for years.

Soon, I grew more confident and began maneuvering through the trees with greater speed, skillfully dodging branches and leaves. The glider responded to my every movement with precision. Nevertheless, my feet eventually touched the ground.

At the end of the day, it was still a glider, and once the momentum faded, landing was inevitable.

Impressed by my newfound expertise, Amber wanted to join in on the fun. She summoned her own glider, and soon we were both surrounded by gentle winds that lifted us up.

As we soared above the trees, I couldn't help but notice Amber's expert handling of her glider. She performed turns, loops, and aerobatics with the grace of someone who had been practicing for years.

I thought I did pretty well for my first time, but in comparison to her....

"I have to say, Amber, you fly amazingly," I sincerely praised her. "I've never seen anyone maneuver a glider so smoothly."

Well, in the game, there were indeed limitations, so what I said was true.

She blushed slightly at the compliment. "Well, I've had a lot of practice. Actually, there's something I haven't told you..."

At that moment, she gracefully landed her glider on a high branch and gestured for me to do the same. We sat side by side, enjoying the view of the forest filled with butterflies and a few birds.

"You know, ever since I was a little girl, I've always had a deep passion for flying. So when I turned 12, I decided to participate in my first Flying Championship in Mondstadt," Amber continued, a nostalgic smile on her face. "Even though I was just a beginner, with the support of my grandfather, I gave it my all."

"You must have placed really high, I'm sure."

"Well, I didn't just place... I won the championship that year!" She proudly puffed out her chest. "The feeling of crossing the finish line ahead of everyone else was incredible."

"Oh, that's amazing."

"And it didn't stop there." She raised her fingers in the air and leaned closer to me. "The following year, I won again. And the year after that, I became the champion once more. To this day, I'm the only one who has won the tournament three times in a row."

"You're quite the legend, aren't you?" Smiling, I reached out and gently ruffled her hair. "Now I understand why you fly like an expert."

She laughed, clearly enjoying boasting about her achievements.

"Maybe you should consider participating again this year. With your skills, I'm sure you'd dominate once more."

Although I knew she was no longer a novice, the passion she displayed when talking about the championship made me believe that she truly missed the thrill of competing.

"To be honest, I had considered retiring," she sighed. "I've been winning for so many years that I think it's only fair to give new talent a chance."

"I understand the importance of making way for others, but you should also do what you truly enjoy," I calmly expressed my opinion. "Based on what you've shared and the smile that lights up your face when you talk about the thrill of flying at top speed, it seems like you miss it and want to win."

Amber looked at me with sparkling eyes and then broke into a broad smile.

"You're right, Kaito. I think I will participate again this year. And I'm aiming for my fourth consecutive victory," she raised her finger in the air. "Even if you decide to join, I'll still win! Oh, and no cheating with your Anemo powers!"

I smiled back at her. "Even though I won't compete, I'll be in the audience cheering you on. Good luck, my champion bunny."

"Ch-champion bunny? Y-you..." she started to scold me, but before she could, I swiftly took off in a random direction.

She chased after me, keeping up the pursuit. If it weren't for my occasional use of Anemo element to fly higher, she would have caught me. As noon approached, Amber and I continued to fly leisurely until she grew tired. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks on a hill, wearing a pensive expression.

"You know, even though I'm usually good at following rules, there's one thing I'm always terrible at," she suddenly said, laughing. "My flying license."

"Huh? What do you mean? If you're such a champion, you must-"

"Hey, I'm serious!" she protested, pouting. "Sometimes, I just get a little carried away with adrenaline..."

"Uh huh, spill the beans." I was amused by her embarrassed reaction and encouraged her to continue.

"Well... I may have pulled off a few forbidden stunts in my recent tournaments," she admitted, scratching the back of her head. "That's why my license has been revoked several times..."

"Pffft- Wow, Amber, who knew! The three-time champion is also an unlicensed rebel."

I couldn't help but burst out laughing heartily at her confession.

"Shut up already!" she advanced, embarrassed, and playfully punched me in the arm. "It's just that flying at top speed feels too good..."

"Yeah, yeah, I get the allure of breaking the rules. But be careful, or you'll end up being known as the sky pirate."

"Kaito!" she shouted, throwing an apple at me.

×××

Give me some power stones so the story can move up in the rankings and get more people to read it! I would also really appreciate it if you could leave some comments to improve the story or a review to increase my motivation <3< p>

Join my Patreon to read advanced chapters.

Patreon.com/OlwinMoriarty