Chapter 328: Lisa's Unexpected Discovery (2-in-1 Chapter)

The dormitory for female knights of the Knights of Favonius.

In one of the double-occupancy rooms of the five-story gray-bricked building, the space was considered quite spacious. It had a living room, two bedrooms, a study, a kitchen, and a bathroom.

After all, being the dormitory for the knights, a certain level of comfort was guaranteed.

Lisa, sitting on the couch in the living room, picked up a glass from the table and sipped the warm water. Leaning back against the soft cushion of the couch, she yawned and muttered as she looked up at the ceiling:

"Why is Jean working overtime so late again? Why isn't she back yet?"

Lisa shook her head and got up, slipping on her indoor shoes as she walked out onto the balcony. She wanted to see if Jean was coming back and enjoy the night breeze at the same time.

The street lamps were still lit.

Even from a higher floor, the road was clearly visible, and what Lisa saw next was enough to astonish her.

Downstairs, two figures were walking hand in hand along the street, appearing just like a couple on a stroll.

If it were ordinary people, she wouldn't have been surprised, but she couldn't mistake what she saw—it was Jean and the young adventurer holding hands!

"When did those two get together? Jean, that clueless girl, actually has a day when she figures things out?"

Lisa, with her chestnut hair swaying in the night breeze, without her signature purple hat, felt it was almost unbelievable.

A sudden urge surged within her to immediately find out what was going on, banishing any trace of her earlier drowsiness.

…

"Honorary Knight, you're holding my hand too tightly…"

Jean's voice was soft and gentle as she spoke, a stark contrast to her usual strong demeanor as the Acting Grand Master. In that moment, she was unexpectedly tender and adorable.

Seeing her like this stirred something deep within Nolan's heart, as if someone was tickling him with a feather.

Upon hearing her words, instead of letting go, he tightened his grip even more.

He raised his free hand, and a golden orb of light appeared in his palm.

Nolan briefly explained the "Interstellar Travel" ability to Jean and said with a smile:

"With this, if Mondstadt ever faces another attack from a dragon or something similar, I'll be able to return and help at any time."

Given his strength, he certainly had the right to make such statements, and a little confidence in front of a girl never hurt.

Confidence was key to making others feel safe.

"Thank you. How do I use it?" Jean, intrigued by the gift, took a moment to calm herself before asking.

After all, she was skilled in swordsmanship but wasn't adept at magic like Lisa. The ability to teleport across space was beyond her expertise, so the "Interstellar Travel" gift was undoubtedly valuable to her.

"Ah, it's simple to use. Just let it merge with your body. Step closer and face me, and I'll help."

Nolan kept a composed expression, though a mischievous glint sparked in his mind as he looked at Jean's fair and slightly confused face.

Jean blinked her bright eyes, feeling a bit puzzled but followed his instructions.

She adjusted her stance in her white high-heeled boots, turning to face him directly while gazing down at the golden light in his palm with curiosity.

What would he do next?

With a smile, Nolan pressed the "waymark" gently into Jean's abdomen. While she was processing the sudden influx of information in her mind, his left hand slid from her soft abdomen to her back, pulling her into an embrace.

Jean staggered slightly and nearly fell forward, colliding into Nolan.

Her chest, snug within the uniform of the Knights of Favonius, pressed against his, and her fair face moved as if to meet his.

By the time Jean finished processing the new information and realized something unusual was happening, it was a bit too late.

Or rather, Nolan had timed everything perfectly.

Looking into Jean's slightly wide, bewildered eyes, he tilted his head just enough so that her soft, moist lips pressed onto his own.

Without a sound, warmth flowed between them through their lips.

Nolan could clearly feel the girl in his arms tensing up, momentarily stunned.

Jean had no experience with kissing; this was a completely new sensation for her.

For such a thing to happen so suddenly today left even the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius momentarily unsure of how to react.

Her mind blanked out, and her thoughts stalled.

Although Jean didn't know how to respond, her heart instinctively beat faster, sending blood racing through her veins at an accelerated pace.

The result was a rise in her body temperature and her cheeks turning a deep shade of red.

At this moment, she had none of the commanding aura of the Acting Grand Master, appearing instead as an innocent girl unaccustomed to such things.

Realizing that Jean wasn't resisting at all and seemed to be going limp, Nolan grew bolder. He lifted his left hand from her waist and gently pressed against the back of her head, under her golden ponytail, attempting to deepen the kiss.

Jean finally regained her senses and instinctively wanted to defend herself, but she was once again a step too late. All she managed was a muffled protest:

"Mm!"

She tried to push Nolan away, but her left hand was still entwined with his fingers, leaving her unable to move it. Her right hand on his shoulder felt weak, more like a playful push than a serious attempt.

As Jean's mind descended into chaos, Nolan's "Harmony" specialty activated.

A warm flow of energy began to spread throughout Jean's body, gradually strengthening each of her cells and spirit while establishing a "negative balance" damage-sharing connection.

At the same time, Jean started to calm down, no longer feeling as flustered as before.

However, since Nolan still held her tightly, there was no way for them to part. With no other choice, Jean awkwardly tried to respond to him.

After a while, Jean went from not knowing how to react to gradually learning to cooperate, until she eventually felt exhausted.

Yet, the man in front of her seemed unwilling to stop, still engrossed in the kiss.

Seeing this, Jean grew slightly annoyed and pinched the soft flesh at Nolan's waist to signal him to release her.

But Nolan, seemingly unaffected, continued to kiss her.

Left with no choice, Jean decided she couldn't indulge him any longer. Her pristine teeth came together and bit down gently.

"Hiss!"

Nolan took a sharp breath as a jolt of pain shot to his brain, like the sensation of accidentally biting one's tongue while eating. Except this time, it wasn't his own doing but Jean's deliberate action.

Left with no alternative, Nolan had to end the kiss and release her.

He hadn't expected Jean to bite him.

"Hmph, serves you right for being so unrestrained!"

Jean showed no remorse for biting him; instead, she spoke angrily.

"Cough." Nolan awkwardly rubbed his cheek, admitting to himself that he had indeed gone too far. After some thought, he chose to apologize. "Sorry, I got carried away."

He'd always had little resistance to charming girls, and Jean had managed to stir his heart profoundly.

So yes, he had acted impulsively.

Of course, changing this part of himself was out of the question. His approach was to sincerely apologize after the fact... and then likely do it again next time.

The main reason he wasn't worried was that their bond was strong enough. He was confident Jean wouldn't resent him for this.

He knew how to tread the line.

"…"

With what had just happened, Jean couldn't stay angry at this infuriating man. After regaining some composure, she sighed and said:

"Hah, about our relationship—I'd prefer if we don't display it publicly in front of the citizens for now.

"While it wouldn't be a big deal for people to find out, I am the Acting Grand Master. I don't want anyone to think I'm so caught up in romance that I'm neglecting my duties."

"Of course, no problem at all."

Nolan agreed without hesitation. In fact, it fit perfectly with his own wishes, considering he didn't have just one romantic partner.

Jean's esteemed position would undoubtedly attract attention if people knew about their relationship while he continued to court others. They'd both become the subject of endless gossip.

Nolan, who was sensitive to public perception, wanted to avoid that as much as possible.

He usually restrained himself around others, limiting displays of affection to simple hand-holding at most. Only in moments like this, when no one was around, would he be more daring.

As a result, neither Mondstadt nor Liyue Harbor had any rumors circulating about him.

"It's quite late now, so... I'll head back first."

Jean planned to return to her dormitory. Otherwise, she feared that a few more words with Nolan would lead to him trying to kiss her again, and tonight's events had happened so suddenly.

She needed time alone to process everything.

"Alright, see you tomorrow then."

Nolan, able to guess what she was thinking, nodded understandingly and waved goodbye.

He then activated "Interstellar Travel" and teleported back to Fischl's side.

Watching him disappear, Jean felt an inexplicable hint of disappointment. Shaking her head to dispel the feeling, she turned and walked upstairs.

Having read plenty of romance novels, she knew that this must be what falling in love felt like.

As she walked, Jean's cheeks felt warm at the thought.

After parting with Nolan, the memory of their kiss involuntarily replayed in Jean's mind, giving her an unreal feeling.

As someone who had always focused solely on work and the responsibilities of her family and role as Acting Grand Master, it felt unbelievable that today she had experienced romance. And her partner was none other than the outstanding Honorary Knight!

At this thought, a subtle smile formed at the corner of Jean's lips.

[Jean Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 620 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.9 (20/900)]

Back at home, Nolan was immediately tackled onto the bed by Fischl, who had discovered his recent flirtatious escapades and wanted to give him a firm punishment.

Just as Nolan was about to reverse their positions and pin Fischl down, he received a notification from his character panel. Seeing that Jean's affection had increased by over 600 points, he was overjoyed.

However, his momentary distraction allowed Fischl to take the upper hand.

...

"Well, well, isn't that our dear Acting Grand Master Jean? You seem quite cheerful—did something good happen?"

Lisa's figure sank into the couch, her fair left hand brushing her chestnut hair behind her ear as she looked up with a playful smile at Jean, who had just pushed open the door to the living room.

"Lisa? You're still awake?"

Jean asked curiously, noting that Lisa had already bathed and her hair was dry.

"I was planning to go to bed, but seeing that someone hadn't returned home so late, I decided to step out onto the balcony for some fresh air and to check if they were nearby.

"I never expected to witness a full thirty-minute romantic drama. It seems there was even a golden keepsake exchanged. Such a rare show—it was so exciting that I couldn't sleep."

Lisa spoke openly, without the slightest hint of concealment.

"Ahem, I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm going to take a bath."

Jean's face flushed red at the realization that Lisa had caught her and Nolan in their moment. She quickly cleared her throat and used the excuse of a bath to dodge her friend's probing questions.

It was too embarrassing!

"Hehe." Lisa chuckled softly as she watched Jean rush to the bathroom, forgetting even to grab a change of clothes. "Oh my, that little adventurer really has a knack for it, managing to win over even Jean, the usually uptight one.

"It's nice to see Jean so happy—he's done well."

[Lisa Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 330 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.6 (300/600)]

Lisa had started to feel some affection for Nolan.

Meanwhile, Nolan was surprised to see that Lisa's affection had increased out of nowhere. Did Jean mention him in a positive light when she got back to her dormitory?

In any case, gaining affection points was always a good thing. Nolan nodded to himself, satisfied.

Taking advantage of the fact that Fischl was still busy punishing him and he didn't need to move, Nolan shifted his attention to the Adventure EXP on his character panel.

[Adventure EXP: 131,520]

With 130,000 EXP, it was enough to level up once, with some to spare.

Without hesitation, he invested the Adventure EXP into his level.

Adventure EXP - 83,000

Lv.83 (0/83,000) → Lv.84 (0/84,000)

A surge of energy coursed through his body, making him feel as if he were soaking in a hot spring, enveloped in intense warmth that gradually strengthened him.

Reaching level 84 had made him significantly stronger again.

He had also recently learned "Sharpshooter Archery" from Amber and "Wavecrest Sword Technique" from Eula, both of which had excellent unique traits.

After a moment's thought, Nolan decided to integrate them into his "Lumine's Sword God" skill.

His own skills were sufficient for his needs.

Still, he wondered if continually integrating extraordinary traits into "Lumine's Sword God" might one day make "her" surpass even the gods.

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Name: Nolan Walker

Level: Lv.84 (0/84,000)

Race: Human

Titles: Honorary Knight, Distinguished Citizen of Liyue, Outstanding Adventurer

Innate Talent: Entangling Affection

Skills: 

- Lumine's Sword God · Arcane Level (Sharp Intent)

- Concealment Form · Secret Art Level Lv.10 (Domain)

- Anemo Manipulation Lv.10 (Max Level)

- Martial Arts Lv.10 (Subtle Mastery)

Specialties: 

- [Descender]

- [Maiden Savior]

- [Monster Slayer]

- [Abundant Life]

- [The Gospel of the Sky]

- [North Wind]

- [Harmony]

- [Spiritual Threads]

- [Millennium Body]

- [Blue Vortex]

- [Battery Body]

- [Elemental Immunity]

Adventure EXP: 48,520

❇❇❇

Nolan noted the 48,000+ Adventure EXP left, which he set aside for now as there wasn't an immediate use for them.

He planned to learn more skills from Jean and Eula the following day.

(End of Chapter)

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