12 Mind games are tiring. Can’t I just stick to throwing around wind blades?

Surprisingly, our conversation has been pretty mundane so far. None of her question were terribly intrusive, and most of them are something along the lines of:

"How have you found Mondstadt so far?"

"Have you visited Windrise yet? It's very beautiful, you know!"

"Isn't Good Hunter's food just the best?"

She said that last one while drooling at the sight of her Sticky Honey Roast. Meanwhile, I'm just sitting here taking a bite out of my Fisherman's Toast, confused out of my mind.

'I thought this conversation would be more like a 5D chess game: both of us trying to outsmart each other, with her trying to fish out more information about me while I try my best to subtly deflect any attempt she makes. Maybe I really am just overthinking things?'

"Are you really from Inazuma, Mr. Yuu?"

'Nevermind. Thanks for confirming my suspicion miss outrider. Though you could've been a lot more subtle about it. The knights really sent the wrong person for this. Not that I'm complaining.'

"Of course. Why do you ask?"

"Your vision seems to be different from the ones in Inazuma. From the book I've read in the library, shouldn't it be inlaid in a bow-like frame tied to a knot at the bottom, with three circles along the bow?"

"That's because I received my vision in Sumeru."

"Sumeru?"

"Yes. After I left Inazuma, I ended up ashore in Sumeru. Originally I was trying to sail to Mondstadt, but really, I'm just glad that I am still alive."

"I see."

She nodded, while stuffing her mouth with more Sticky Honey Roast.

"Why Mondstadt though? Wouldn't Liyue be a lot closer to Inazuma?"

"Well yes, but I've heard a lot about this place, you know? To me, who has lived in what basically amounted to a nation-sized prison, the allure of the City of Freedom is too much."

Finishing my toast, I reached into my bag and pulled out a flask of water.

"I can sympathize with that. I'm glad you made it out safely."

She said, as she gave me the brightest smile I've seen.

'God, I feel like such a piece of shit right now.'

"Thank you Ms. Amber. I appreciate it."

"Just call me Amber, no need to be so formal."

"Is that so? Then you can call me Yuu."

After that, there was a pause in our conversation. Amber's busy stuffing herself with her food while I occasionally sip my water, enjoying the quiet atmosphere.

"By the way, from how you told me your story so far, it sounds like you want to live in Mondstadt. But I heard that you were only temporarily staying and planned to travel some more. What changed your mind?"

'Well shit, I knew there was a hole somewhere in my story.'

Trying my best to not spit my drink in surprise, I gently closed my flask and put it back in my bag.

'Alright, think. How should I go about this?'

I gave my reason to the guards before "knowing" about Dvalin, so I can't use that as an excuse. Finding the "others" who escaped with me? I already told Margaret that I was the only one around when I woke up.

'Shit, have I backed myself into a corner?'

"Yuu? Are you okay? Was it something I said?"

'Yes it is you damned outrider. Why do you have to be so perceptive at a time like this?!'

"No, it's not. It's just… the reason is kind of embarrassing."

'Fuck it, time to bullshit my way through this conversation.'

"I guess you could say that, during my time in Sumeru, I had a lot of time to sit down and think. I've been traveling for a while at that point, and I found it to be a lot of fun. The thought of having to stay in a single place for a long time kept reminding me of my time in Inazuma.

"In the end, the reason why is because I enjoy traveling and seeing different sights and meeting new people. I still ended up going to Mondstadt though, just to see what kind of place it is. Though I certainly wasn't expecting a dragon."

'Thank god I'm wearing a mask, else my expression would've given me away.'

"Yeah… your timing is unfortunate. But don't worry! The Knights of Favonius will do their utmost to protect Mondstadt!"

"Then I shall put my faith in the Outrider of the Knights of Favonius."

Laughing at my overly serious demeanor, we continue to chat the day away. Thankfully, she doesn't ask any more difficult questions.

"I had a lot of fun today. Thanks for keeping me company, Yuu."

"Don't worry about it, I had a lot of fun as well. Hopefully, I didn't take away too much of your time. I imagine you must be on a strict schedule these days."

"Yeah, but no worries. Jean has practically ordered me to take a break today. Something about how I've been patrolling non-stop, but I can't help it! As the only Outrider in Mondstadt, I have to live up to my grandfather's legacy!"

Right, her grandfather's the one that created the Outrider branch of the knights. I think he suddenly went missing or something. And the Outriders slowly withered away, leaving only Amber as the sole member.

'Can't imagine how hard it must be for her.'

"Don't push yourself too hard."

"Don't worry, I won't!"

After bidding goodbye to Amber, I returned to the inn as soon as possible.

As soon as I entered my room, I made sure I locked it before taking off my mask and burying my face into the soft bed.

'Fucking hell that's too close for comfort. Hopefully I didn't fuck that up.'

Tonight, I'll drown myself in fluff in Cat's Tail and treat myself to some pizza.

'That should be enough to calm myself down.'

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It's only been a week after that little talk in Good Hunter and I'm convinced that the Knights of Favonius are actually trying to give me a heart attack.

Despite sticking to my schedule everyday, somehow I always ended up meeting with Amber, which ended up with her striking a conversation with me. And, being the paranoid person that I am, every conversation feels like an interrogation waiting to happen.

Going to Good Hunter to get breakfast? Amber is conveniently there talking with Sara. Doing commission out in the wild? Amber's patrol route just happens to pass by my location. Going to Cat's Tail? Boom, Amber.

It doesn't happen every day, but it happens often enough that it's not even funny anymore. Not to mention I felt myself being watched every time it happens.

'This has to be Kaeya's doing, that sly bastard. There's no way coincidence like this keeps happening.'

I wouldn't be surprised if the reason this keeps happening is simply because he gets a kick out of it. I am basically free entertainment for him!

'I swear to God you damned horseless cavalry captain, if this keeps going, you'll have to wear two eyepatches by the time I'm done with you.'

Thankfully, something good actually happened during this last week that balances all that bad luck I've been getting. Three days after my 5D chess match with Amber, Marjorie came up to me while I was getting my commissions.

***

"Please Marjorie. Please tell me you have something."

"As a matter of fact, I do. Here you go!"

What she thrusted to my face was a white mask, with a texture similar to a rock. The edges of the mask are rather jagged, and the holes where the eyes are supposed to be are instead a thin slit that glows blue, making it impossible to see through the other side.

"I just got it yesterday night, and, just like I promised, you're the first one to know about this."

"Thank you so much Marjorie. Any magical properties, or does it just glow like that?"

"Well, the only thing I found after testing it is that, despite the thin slits, you can clearly see as if you're not wearing it at all. And, you're gonna love this one, the mask is pretty much impossible to be removed by anyone or anything other than the one wearing it. Don't quote me on that though. I don't know what'll happen if it receives a direct attack from Stormterror or something similar."

This is as good as it can be, I guess.

"That is indeed very good. How much?"

"One million Mora."

"Fuck right off."

The audacity.

This is a scam! A scam, I say! How dare you rob me in broad daylight?! Me, the benevolent foreign adventurer, who has been single-handedly taking on the burden of clearing the hilichurl camps that never seem to disappear around Mondstadt?! Such ingrate you are, Marjorie! As a citizen of Mondstadt, the recipient of such benevolence, you should be giving it to me for free!

"Haha! Don't worry, I was just joking. Or was I?"

"I'm leaving."

"Wait wait wait! Five-hundred thousand Mora! Five-hundred thousand and it's yours!"

Not the free that this benevolent adventurer is looking for, but that'll do, citizen.

"Here."

Without giving her time to second guess herself, I snatched the mask out of her hand, and gave her the Mora she asked for.

"Pleasure doing business with you Marjorie."

"Tch, who would've thought that you could be so unscrupulous?"

"Why don't you take a good look at yourself in the mirror and say that again to my face?"

"Okay, okay, sheesh. In all seriousness though, I hope you find that mask useful, Yuu."

Giving up her silly act, she gave me a small smile.

"It is. Thanks Marjorie, for keeping your promise."

"Of course, Yuu. I still have integrity after all!"

"Right… keep telling yourself that."

***

Right now, after grinding Mora basically non-stop for 14 days, I've roughly accumulated a total of six million Mora, and that's after I paid for the mask. Shame that the urgent commissions are going to disappear at some point.

The other thing that happens during this week is that Dvalin seems to be attacking less than usual, but each time that it does, the attacks are a lot more devastating. The fact that none of the buildings are destroyed is a miracle. And thankfully, no one seems to have died because of the attacks.

The mood around Mondstadt is at an all-time low. Even the occasional Barbara concert fails to cheer people up. Except Albert, that die-hard simp.

'And that's all for today.'

After cleaning up yet another hilichurl camp, I started floating and made my way back to Mondstadt.

'Ugh, just looking at that giant tree makes me want to take a nap under it.'

The oak tree in Windrise is a lot more majestic than I remembered it being. Compared to the other locations I've visited in Mondstadt, the anemo elemental energy seems to be a bit denser there. I occasionally saw a group of anemo crystalflies flying around. Maybe that's the reason they gather there in the first place.

Approaching the bridge towards the city, I heard a certain outrider calling out to me.

"Hey Yuu! It's nice to see you!"

'Please, spare me. I just want to sleep right now.'

"Hello Amber. It's nice to see you too–"

Oh shit.

"Just came back from another commission?"

"Yeah, this time it's in Windrise."

No way.

"I see. The knights appreciate all the help that you've given us. But nevermind that! Let me introduce you to a traveler I met on my patrol today! Oh, and her companion as well."

It's finally happening.

Turning my sight towards the person behind her, I was met with a person wearing a white outfit ending with a coattail on her skirt. On her back are two wing-like protrusions on her clothes, swaying because of the wind. On both sides of her blonde hair is a pair of symmetrical tails, with two feathers near her left ear, and two flowers adorned on the right side of her hair.

It's none other than the Traveler herself, Lumine. Oh, and I guess Paimon is there too.

"This is Lumine. She's traveling to Mondstadt in order to find her missing brother."

Lumine, who was behind her, stepped forward after Amber's introduction.

"Hello, my name is Lumine. It's nice to meet you."

'Holy mother of God, she's pretty.'

If she wasn't the perfect sibling to portray the leader of the Abyss Order, I would've chosen her as my main character.

"It's nice to meet you, Ms. Lumine."

"Just Lumine is fine. And this one is–"

"Paimon's name is Paimon, the best guide in all of Teyvat!"

'The only thing you're good for is being the emergency food that you are.'

"I see. Oh, where are my manners? I haven't introduced myself."

After two weeks, the story is finally about to start.

"My name is Kamiyama Yuu, a Wanderer from Inazuma."

Giving them a slight tip of my hat, I continued.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both, Lumine, Paimon."