Chapter 301: Mona

The mysterious young woman's witch's hat, adorned with golden star patterns, resembled a night sky full of stars. Beneath the wide-brimmed hat, her pale face was partly hidden, while her long, twin-tailed hair was sprinkled with small, star-like decorations.

She suddenly let out a yawn, stretching her long, stocking-clad legs. Her black tights transitioned into a deep, starlit blue around her left calf. With a swirl of water element, she vanished from the rock where she had been sitting.

Just as Nolan and Shenhe were puzzled, she reappeared directly in front of them.

"Hm? Wait, something's not right. Did my astrology fail? No, that's impossible," the mysterious girl murmured to herself, touching her chin with her gloved hand as she pondered.

"Who are you, and why are you stopping us?" Shenhe asked, frowning slightly. Thanks to the time she'd spent with Nolan and the others, she'd learned quite a bit about social norms, which had softened her usual bluntness.

So, rather than immediately drawing her weapon to chase off this strange girl, she decided to ask questions first.

The mysterious girl didn't respond directly. Instead, she summoned a magical circle in front of them, manipulating it for a moment. After dispersing the circle, she sighed, looked at Nolan, and said, "Ah, I see. Your fate is deeply intertwined with that of the blonde girl, which must be why my prediction went off course. I mistakenly assumed she would pass through here today."

"Oh? So, you were looking for Lumine?" Nolan asked, somewhat surprised.

"That's right. My name is Astrologist Mona Megistus, but you can call me Mona. I'm an astrologer heading to Mondstadt to retrieve a box for my master," Mona explained.

She elaborated on her purpose: she was looking to challenge a friend of her master's who currently held the box. However, that friend had left Mondstadt, and the box was now with the friend's successor.

Mona considered this successor a worthy rival, much like herself—both young prodigies who had surpassed their mentors. To gain an advantage in their showdown, Mona wanted to find an apprentice of her own, keeping her master's legacy alive and gaining a potential edge when meeting the successor.

"I see. But Lumine has already set sail for Inazuma, so it seems you're a bit late, Miss Mona," Nolan said with a smile.

So this was indeed the storyline from Mona's quest in the game. She'd meant to wait here for Lumine but had encountered him instead.

"Yes, that's how it is," Mona nodded. "But you and the blonde girl are both great heroes of Mondstadt, so you're a suitable candidate for me too. How about you pretend to be my apprentice? No need for it to be real; just a little act will suffice."

After a moment's thought, Nolan glanced at Shenhe beside him before turning back to Mona.

"Uh, Miss Mona, while your plan sounds intriguing, I do have other matters to attend to right now, so I can't help you at the moment."

"Oh, you're just escorting this elegant, silver-haired lady back, right? I could come with you, and then we could head to Mondstadt together afterward," Mona replied quickly, nodding enthusiastically at his willingness to consider her request.

"Oh? Did you predict this with your astrology too?" Nolan's eyes showed surprise; he hadn't realized astrology could be this powerful.

"Heh, this is nothing. After all, I am the great astrologer, Mona!" the girl declared, lifting her chin with a proud smile.

"In that case, Shenhe, what do you think?" Nolan asked, turning to Shenhe. Since Aozang Mountain was her master's domain, he wasn't sure how welcoming Cloud Retainer would be to unexpected visitors.

"It should be fine," Shenhe replied with a gentle nod.

"Heh, thank you both," Mona sighed in relief. "But before we go, I'd like to stop by that little inn outside Tianheng Mountain to say goodbye to the owner who let me stay there for the past few days."

[Mona Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 200 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.2 (100/200)]

She had long since run out of Mora and had only been getting by thanks to occasional handouts from the innkeeper, Boss Zhu. Still, it had been a whole day since her last meal, and she was on the verge of going "gurgle, gurgle" with hunger.

No, I have to hold it in! I can't embarrass myself in front of my new "apprentice" right after we've met!

Nolan couldn't quite figure out why Mona suddenly looked so conflicted, though he did remember that innkeeper.

Of course, he did—the man owned several jade mines and decided to open an inn for fun. Nolan had been envious of him back then; who wouldn't remember someone like that?

"Sure, it's not far anyway," Nolan agreed readily.

Perhaps due to slight changes from the original timeline, Boss Zhu hadn't yet lost his family heirloom—a jade ring. So they simply bid farewell, and soon the group took off toward Mt. Aozang.

With Nolan using wind-element powers to speed up their flight, they quickly arrived at Aozang Mountain. However, Cloud Retainer wasn't there on the mountaintop, likely visiting another adeptus or preoccupied with her own mechanisms in her realm.

"Well then, Shenhe, we'll be off. I'll come visit when I get the chance," Nolan said, landing on the mountaintop and preparing to leave.

With his "Interstellar Travel" ability, visiting Shenhe was no trouble at all.

"Thank you for bringing me back. Next time I come down the mountain, I'll come find you," Shenhe said, her usually cool, pale face softening with a rare smile.

[Shenhe Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 220 Affection Points. Current Affection level: Lv.6 (430/600)]

Leaving Mt. Aozang, Nolan and Mona flew toward Mondstadt. Suddenly, he heard a "gurgle, gurgle" sound beside him. Glancing over, he saw Mona looking fatigued, holding her stomach with her right hand.

It was clear the sound had come from her.

"D-don't get the wrong idea!" Mona stammered, her face flushing with embarrassment when she noticed his gaze. "I just rushed out this morning and forgot breakfast, that's all! It has nothing to do with not being able to afford it!"

"Ha, is that so? Well, now that you mention it, I'm feeling a bit hungry myself. How about we grab something to eat before heading to Mondstadt?" Nolan suggested with a smile, not calling out her obvious excuse.

—End of Chapter / Volume 4: Land of Thunder Starts!—

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