Chapter 58: Into Mondstadt

(Thank goodness I could salvage it.)

Curiosity got the better of him and Ray quickly flew toward Dawn Winery. By the time he arrived, the battle had already happened and the drake was already attacking the caravan.

As soon as he landed, the battle was already over and the drake left toward the north. He looked at a father and son. The father seems to have died while his son held his father in his hand, mourning for his father's death.

Ray sprung into action and took out the self-multiplying throwing knife. He levitated it with his Telekinesis and accelerated the knife into supersonic speed and pierced the drake's eyes, causing it to roar in pain.

The roar caught the attention of the caravan people, thinking the drake was returning to finish its job. The red haired and blue haired boys took up their sword in preparation but the drake never came to them.

A knife turns into two and continues to assault the drake's weak points. Each second passed, the knives multiplied until their number became hundreds.

Although the knives couldn't pierce the drake's tough skin, it managed to create thousands of shallow graze and wounds that bleed continuously until the monster collapses in its own pool of blood.

A man soon walked over to the corpse and cut it open with a regal looking black sword but also felt very wrong, as if the sword's existence was defying the law of nature.

From the carcass of the drake, the man takes the beating heart out and leaves before they could stop the man.

The stupefied brothers and their subordinates were shocked beyond words that the creature that terrorized the land of Mondstadt was vanquished that easily.

Meanwhile, Ray ran away with the heart of this draconic creature and hid in a nearby hill before taking out the heart.

"Indeed as I thought. It's divinity although very little. Perhaps because it was still young?" Ray questioned while absorbing the divinity fragment inside the heart.

After absorbing, he stores the heart away. It contains a lot of vitality that is useful as Alchemy material.

"Now, toward Mondstadt." Ray said before starting walking along the path according to the memory he gained from the Fatui Agent that previously operated in the Mondstadt region.

———

"The drake was killed?"

"Yes, Lord Il Dottore."

"Hmn, I wonder if the culprit is related to the two murdered Fatui Pyro Agents."

"Anyway, send them to my lab."

"Wait! Lord Harbinger! Please give me a chance!"

———

'Ray, I didn't know you were such an irredeemable pervert.' Tanya shakes her head with disappointment.

'Indeed, Master. To think Master have such a depraved interest in younger girls… I am ashamed, Master.' Salter couldn't help but wanted to dig a hole and hide her head in it.

"Hey! I didn't allow you to watch those parts of my memories!" Ray scolds those freeloaders messing around in his mindscape.

"Besides, she is a thousand years old vampire. She isn't exactly a young girl."

'Explain that in the interrogation room.' Tanya said and opened the section of my memories I thought I hid well.

"Huh? Numbers?" Charlotte was confused when it was just row upon row of six digit numbers rolling on the screen like the end credit of a movie.

Before they could say anything, Ray tore apart the mindscape and left them floating in a black void as punishment for snooping around. Thankfully he only shows the section of memories prior to his reincarnation.

Ray could imagine them interrogating him. "The number, Ray! What do they mean?" While he is tied to a chair and being electrocuted. "What is 9 plus 10?"

Remembering it made a chill down his spine.

Anyway, he can see the Cider Lake and the City of Mondstadt surrounded by the lake.

"We are getting near." Ray said but received no reply and noticed a group of red and purple slimes minding their business in an old ruin nearby.

He walks over there and observes the slimes bouncing aimlessly and playing with each other… he thinks.

"Yeah, I remember this world's power revolves mainly around elemental power." Ray squatted in the bush and continued to observe the slimes before he thought of something.

Ray conjures a big blob of water and drops it on the purple slime that he guess is Electro element slime. The water also splashed the Pyro slime but too little to extinguish its flame. Then, the Electro Slime releases electric power around its body and the electric power spreads through the water and electrocutes the Pyro Slime.

*kBoom!*

An explosion set off with the power of a few dynamites.

"This is… interesting…" Ray observed and thought about what would happen if he could weaponize these cute elemental blobs.

'Those Electro slimes can be used as a pollution free and infinite source of energy.' Tanya shares her analysis of the smile which Ray agrees wholeheartedly.

"Yes. It's a shame they didn't have the technology to make use of them."

Ray went and captured before sealing one of each slime into a crystal he usually used to sealing things before moving on.

'By the way, Master. What is our objective once we reach Mondstadt?' Salter asked about his plan but Ray only shrugged.

"Dunno. I don't have much of a plan but only have goals in mind."

(I change to FPP instead of TPP)

My plan is to first, know about the land and then secure a base of operation somewhere to create a stable gate to my castle back at Einzbern's territory.

Definitely a lot of dealing with the authorities or the government. But, I must stay out of their eyes for now to conceal my true intentions. Lest they thwart it before it could even be put into motion.

Saber seems to be satisfied with my answer and resumes her silent observation.

Tanya volunteers herself to take care of the matter of dealing with the local government. Not really surprising as Tanya is usually the first to take on any administration task available as the mind of the team while Charlotte prefers the combative task.

The city is becoming bigger as we are getting closer to it. In the distance, it looks small. But, looks can be deceiving because, by the time 'we' got near the bridge, it looked very big.

"Is this some kind of illusion?" I wondered with fascination how a big city like this could look very small in such a distance that isn't considered far by any means.

Considering in this world, their gods or the locals called Archons lived amongst men, I didn't doubt for a second that I might meet the Archon of Mondstadt if I entered the city.

No, wait. Didn't I have the ability for such an occasion?

"What is the possibility for me to encounter the Archon of Wind in the city of Mondstadt?"

[75%]

A 3 out of 4 possibility. Quite high for my liking. What if he could detect me and immediately attack me like the unknown god from earlier?

Wait, let me check again.

"What is the possibility of me defeating the Archon of Wind in an all out battle?"

[32.61%]

"That low?" Ray was shocked that his chance of victory was actually that low.

"Direct confrontation must be avoided." I remind myself.

'Master. Don't forget about me.' Salter felt offended Ray didn't even think of including her.

'I am now YOUR knight. My duty is to serve as a sword for my chosen master. I would appreciate it if you don't forget about that fact, Master.'

Ray mentally rises both hands in defeat, not understanding why Salter is very defensive of her occupation.

Not that a person who lacks empathy like him will ever understand for someone like Salter, depriving her of her duty that she wholeheartedly took is an act of trampling upon her conviction and pride as a knight.

"I'm sorry. I will try to remember." Ray agreed before moving on with his thoughts.

Without noticing, I already crossed the bridge and stood before the front gate guarded by a pair of knights.

"Halt!" Both raised their spear and crossed it to prevent my entry.

The knights eying me suspiciously because of Tanya's and Charlotte's wrapped and hanging on his back.

Mainly Tanya's because it looks too big.

Salter's sword however, wasn't because he forgot to wrap it back after using it last time. Hanging on the belt at the side of my belt.

"Show us your identification paper." One of the knights said.

I took the pouch on the right and took out an adventurer card before handing it to the guard.

They took it and looked at it a few times before whispering to each other.

"Your adventurer card is valid… welcome to Mondstadt." The guard handed back the card but spoke hesitantly before lowering their spear, allowing me to enter.

"Thank you." I give them a nod, trying to act respectful to avoid unwanted suspicion since I decided to act as an adventurer.

I wonder if there are people that recognise the owner of this body… That would make it complicated.

As soon as I entered, I saw a busy city filled with people and vendors. Occasionally, I spot the Favonius Knights patrolling the street.

I quickly went towards the main district where there are plenty of shops that offer various types of merchandise but the one I am heading to is an inn near a restaurant named Good Hunter.

Upon entering, the inn owner greeted me and pointed at the board that stated the price for renting a room.

1000 Mora a night

2500 Mora for three nights

5000 Mora for a week

I first took a look at my pouch and counted around 50,000 Mora inside.

"I will take a room for a week." I said before taking out 5000 Mora and put it on the countertop.

"Here you go. Room number 9. Second floor, last door on the left." The innkeeper gave me the key which I took and immediately went to my room.

———

"Haah. Finally a place to rest." I drop on the bed which is decent.

Not fluffy like the one in Einzbern castle or hard that it's uncomfortable.

Then I release everyone from their sword. Tanya landed on top of me, Charlotte on the side and Salter on the ground.

Tanya seems to be eager to get down to business but I raise my hand to stop her.

"Let me rest for a bit. After everything that happened today. I felt mentally exhausted even though my body isn't." Then I hug her and bring her down to the bed.

Somehow, I felt like I wanted to sleep and immediately dozed off while hugging Tanya.

———

"That's odd. He really does fall asleep." Tanya said after looking at Ray's genuine sleeping face.

"He usually abstains from sleeping and always says it's a waste of time that he can use to research." Charlotte added while curiously poking his cheek.

Salter ignores the trio and looks around the room, making sure it's really safe before releasing her guard a little.

"So, do we have to wait until Master wakes up before we can do anything?" Salter asked.

"Yes. If we exit this room. Some will get suspicious since none of us physically entered this room before." Tanya explained.

Salter and Charlotte look at each other before looking at Tanya who felt weird with how they suddenly act.

"I can become invisible and Salter can just dematerialize." Charlotte points out their ability to deal with the issue Tanya just said.

Tanya gave them a flat stare before grumbling about it.

"Fine, you two can go explore if you want. I'll stay here and look after him." She chases them away and lays back with Ray and observes his sleeping face.

Rarely did she get to see his vulnerable side like this. She admitted that Ray has too much deficiency himself despite wielding great power. However, never had he become drunk of his power and instead remained wary of them for unknown reasons.

She might not get the chance to explore the city, but she gets to monopolize Ray for herself.

"You have great power but you don't have a definitive goal to achieve." Tanya mumbled. "You said that you want revenge but your actions contradict your words."

"I wonder what your true wish is, Ray." She asked but didn't really expect an answer from the sleeping person.

Tanya then closes her eyes and pushes her head against his chest and snuggle closer before closing her eyes to join him in his sleep.

She wants to take this rare chance to get close to Ray while Charlotte is being lured away by the food outside the inn.

—————

(I wanna take this chance for Ray and Tanya to get closer as they should be. Also, Saber never left. Just in spiritual form to protect Ray better.)