Chapter 8: Powering Up Mondstadt

It was early morning, and Mondstadt was still slowly waking up, with merchants beginning to set up their stalls in the plaza, children chasing each other, and the smell of freshly baked bread wafting from the Good Hunter's kitchen. Satoshi, however, had already been up for hours. Today was a big day for him—he was ready to start laying the groundwork for Mondstadt's very first power grid.

With the reward he received from completing the road mission, Satoshi had unlocked an "Electrical Generator" and a "Beginner's Electrical Engineering Kit." The moment he got his hands on those rewards, his mind had gone into overdrive, thinking about how to introduce electricity to this fantasy world. He had an ambitious idea—one that would light up the city, quite literally.

As he was getting ready, there was a sudden knock at the door of his small office. Satoshi opened it to find Amber standing there, looking unusually excited, and beside her was a very sleepy-looking Bennett, rubbing his eyes.

"Good morning, Satoshi!" Amber chirped, her enthusiasm evident even in the early hours. "Guess who I brought to help us today?"

Satoshi looked at Bennett, who gave a sheepish smile. "Hi, Satoshi. Amber said there was some cool stuff happening and, well, I figured I'd help out if I can."

Satoshi nodded, smiling. He knew about Bennett's rather notorious bad luck, but he also knew that Bennett had a kind heart and a willingness to help others. "Thanks, Bennett. I could use all the help I can get."

Amber patted Bennett on the back. "See? I told you it'd be great! So, what's the plan for today, Satoshi? You mentioned something about… electricity?"

Satoshi's eyes lit up. "Yep! We're going to try and set up the first electrical generator in Mondstadt. It'll be small at first—just enough to power a few lights. But if we can get it working, it'll be the first step towards making Mondstadt an electrified city."

Bennett's eyes widened. "Whoa, that sounds awesome! I've never heard of anything like that before. What do we need to do?"

"First, we need to figure out where to set up the generator," Satoshi said, rolling out a map of Mondstadt on his desk. "It needs to be somewhere central, but also out of the way—we don't want anyone accidentally messing with it."

Amber leaned over the map, her finger hovering over different spots. "How about near the Knights of Favonius headquarters? There's a small courtyard behind the building that doesn't get much foot traffic. Plus, the Knights can keep an eye on it."

Satoshi nodded thoughtfully. "That could work. And it's close enough to the main square that we can run some cables to set up lights there."

Bennett grinned, looking eager. "Alright, let's do it! I'll help carry whatever we need."

Satoshi gave him a thumbs-up. "Great! Let's head over and take a look."

---

The courtyard behind the Knights of Favonius headquarters was exactly what Satoshi needed—secluded, spacious, and close to the heart of the city. As they arrived, they found Lisa lounging nearby, her usual lazy smile in place as she sipped from a cup of tea.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Lisa drawled, raising an eyebrow. "Amber, Bennett, and our resident inventor… and what's that you've got there, Satoshi?"

"Hey, Lisa," Satoshi greeted her, setting down the generator, which looked like a strange mix of gears and metal coils. "This is an electrical generator. I'm hoping to set it up to power some lights around Mondstadt—you know, to make things a bit brighter at night."

Lisa's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Electricity, hmm? My, my, you certainly know how to dream big. I suppose you're going to need a little help with setting that up?"

Satoshi smiled. "If you're willing to help, I won't say no. I could use some alchemical expertise to make sure everything's stable."

Lisa took another sip of her tea, then set the cup down and stood up, stretching languidly. "Alright, you've convinced me. Let's see what kind of magic we can make today."

With Lisa's help, they set up the generator in the courtyard, making sure it was secure and stable. Satoshi used the knowledge he'd gained from the Beginner's Electrical Engineering Kit to connect the various parts, while Lisa helped to enhance some of the components using alchemy, reinforcing the metal to make it more durable.

Bennett, meanwhile, was busy running cables from the generator to the main square, his excitement making the work go by quickly. Amber helped to guide the cables, making sure they were properly secured along the way.

"Alright, moment of truth," Satoshi said, wiping sweat from his brow as they finally finished setting everything up. He stood by the generator, his hand on the switch. "If this works, we should have light in the main square."

Amber and Bennett watched with anticipation, and even Lisa looked interested as she leaned against the wall, her eyes fixed on the generator.

"Here goes nothing," Satoshi muttered, flipping the switch.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a hum, the generator came to life, and a faint glow began to spread across the square. The lights flickered for a moment before they steadied, casting a soft, warm light over the area.

Amber gasped, her eyes wide. "It's working! Satoshi, you did it!"

Bennett whooped, punching the air. "This is so cool! Look at that—we've got lights!"

Lisa gave a slow clap, her smile turning approving. "I must say, I'm impressed, Satoshi. You've brought a bit of the future to Mondstadt."

Satoshi felt a wave of relief and pride wash over him as he looked at the glowing lights in the square. It was just the beginning, but it was a step forward—a sign that his plans for modernization were possible, even in this world.

"Thanks, everyone," Satoshi said, grinning. "This is just the start. If we can keep this going, soon enough, Mondstadt will have electricity everywhere—lights, heaters, maybe even electric kitchens."

Amber's eyes sparkled. "I can't wait! Imagine what we could do with all of that. It'll make things so much easier for everyone."

Bennett nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! And maybe we could use it to help with adventuring too—like, I don't know, electric lanterns or something?"

"Exactly," Satoshi said. "There's so much potential here, and I want to explore all of it. But for now… let's just enjoy the lights."

---

As evening fell, the people of Mondstadt gathered in the main square, murmuring curiously about the new lights. The soft glow lit up the area, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere that seemed to draw people in.

Jean arrived, her eyes widening slightly as she looked around. She made her way over to Satoshi, who was standing by the generator, making a few final adjustments.

"Satoshi," Jean said, her voice filled with amazement. "This is incredible. You've really done something wonderful here."

Satoshi looked up, smiling. "Thanks, Jean. It's just a small step, but I think it'll make a difference. People can stay out a bit later, enjoy the square without worrying about it getting too dark."

Jean nodded, her gaze softening. "You're right. This will make a big difference for the people of Mondstadt. You're doing something truly remarkable, Satoshi."

Satoshi felt his face flush slightly at the praise. "I'm just doing what I can. There's still a long way to go—but I'm not giving up."

Jean smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder. "And we'll be here to support you every step of the way."

As the people of Mondstadt began to gather around, marveling at the lights, Klee ran up to Satoshi, her face glowing with excitement.

"Mister Satoshi! The lights are so pretty! It's like magic, but different!" she said, her eyes wide.

Satoshi knelt down, ruffling Klee's hair. "I'm glad you like it, Klee. It's called electricity. And soon, we'll have it all over Mondstadt—just imagine how bright everything will be."

Klee giggled, bouncing on her feet. "Can we use it to make Jumpy Dumpties glow too?"

Satoshi laughed. "Maybe, Klee. We'll see what we can do."

As the crowd gathered, chatting and marveling at the lights, Satoshi stood back, watching the scene with a smile. This was what he had wanted—to make life better for the people here, to bring a little bit of his world into this one.

"Alright, Mondstadt," he thought to himself, looking out at the glowing square. "This is just the beginning. Let's keep moving forward, step by step… and light up the future together."