Chapter 9: Towards the City

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Orion was befuddled by Diluc's act of kindness. He had asked for a simple shirt, but the butler presented him with a complete outfit with a pair of leather boots.

"I'll be outside."

The butler left him in the small room stocked with only a bed and dressing table. It was a servant's quarter, that wasn't hard to understand.

'I'll pay him back.'

He had been a successful man in his previous life. He was sure he could attain success, one way or another, in this life as well. His new talent only boosted his already abundant pride.

He tossed his old clothes on the floor and wore the new ones. His first impression of the outfit was…

'Is this Kaeya's version of Diluc's clothes?'

His white shirt's collar had azure blue linings. The belt around the black tight-fitted trousers was also blue. Even his black knee-length boots had blue gems embedded on their sides. Over his shirt, he was given a long dark overcoat with silver trimming along the edges of the vest style front. Stylish dark fur covered a good chunk of the left shoulder, adding an extra flair to the already noble-themed suit.

Orion's fashion sense was probably in the negatives. His life, in the previous world, hadn't given him enough time to get into fashion. Even so, he was blown away by the intricate details of the outfit.

'I'll get more attraction now. Being handsome is such a sin.'

Joking to himself, he put on a calm smile. He had so much to do after entering the city.

He thanked the butler after exiting the room and returned to Diluc. The sight outside almost made him swear. Mona was talking to Diluc with her back against the door. He knew Mona had magnificent curves, but her ass… he only had one word to describe the wide hips sticking out of her purple and black leotard.

'Heavenly.'

Peeling his eyes away from her round, shapely ass, Orion noticed a deep blue gem pinned on the top of her cloak. An orb-shaped gem inlaid within a pair of tri-feathered wings with a diamond-shaped tail at the bottom and five spikes at the top.

'Hydro Vision.'

He remembered tidbits from the game. A Vision bestowed the ability to manipulate elemental energy. Orion, on the other hand, could replicate the effects of different elements and more through his talent. Being a god was a cheat skill in and of itself.

Makoto stared at Orion, tilting her head adorably. "Meow."

She jumped into his arms and rubbed her face in his comfy coat.

"Thank you for having me." Mona nodded to Diluc and turned around, freezing at the sight of Orion. A change of outfit completely overturned his outward impression. The exquisite coat brought the best out of his attractive features.

'That's a traveler from a distant world. What does he want to do in Teyvat? On a vacation with his pet? Could he be seeking the truth?'

Mona glanced at the cat and reeled back her curiosity.

'Curiosity killed the cat.'

Diluc gave a nod to Orion. "You can pass off as an aristocrat in any circle."

This was the greatest compliment Diluc had given to anyone in the past three years.

"Thanks for the compliment. We should depart."

Diluc turned to his head housemaid. "Adelinde, take care of the matter."

"Yes, Master Diluc."

The party of three sat into a classic carriage led by two horses. Diluc sat before Mona and Orion, his eyes closed. The dark hero of Mondstadt was sneaking a nap until the end of the ride.

Mona was immersed in writing astrologist notes with a pen. Orion had nothing to do so he rubbed Makoto's head while shamelessly peeking at her work. The letters didn't belong to any language from the Earth. Yet, he could understand every word clearly.

"Mona, your handwriting is…" he paused before he said something overly rude. "Okay, I guess."

Mona's happiness withered from his not-so-decent compliment. "It's hard to hold a pen in a moving carriage."

Mona shut her book before Orion wounded her sore spot. She even imported a pen from Fontaine to improve her handwriting. The gadget helped immensely but her work wasn't up to her standard yet.

Mona pointed at Diluc. "You know his Constellation is Noctua… a vigilant predator yearning for dawn in the darkness of night."

Orion was amazed how accurately those words described Diluc, the dark hero of Mondstadt.

'She isn't a fake astrologist.'

Mona's eyes widened. "Or it represents his wealth."

It was the most she could discern without the help of her scryglass.

"Not everything is about wealth." Orion shook his head, recalling the wealth that never made him happy. He peered out of the window, into the forest. "By the way, how far is Mondstadt?"

"One or two hours from the carriage," Mona answered, gazing at the cat in his arms.

Makoto silently opened her jaws, flashing her sharp fangs. Mona shrunk from the threat. Regaining her courage, she created a chain of bubbles and let them drift toward Makoto. The black cat flashed her claws and burst the bubbles before they could touch her.

Mona scowled and grumbled under her breath. "Bad kitty."

The carriage proceeded at a deliberate pace, boring Orion, who was used to the blazing speeds of cars and trains.

'Traveling around is gonna be a pain. If only I could activate the teleport waypoints… Grimoire of Divine Wisdom should have an answer.'

Grimoire of Wisdom was an appropriate name for the book given by a goddess. Mona's presence killed off any chances of using the book. He had a feeling the astrologist wasn't going to leave him alone even in Mondstadt.

Orion shook off the thoughts and enjoyed the green scenery outside the carriage. The trails and roads were brimming with flourishing flora, like Lamp Grass and Sweet Flowers. Behind this captivating sight of nature, the animals were unusually calm, silently whispering a prelude to the approaching storm.

'Are we gonna get attacked?'

It wouldn't be another world if that didn't happen. The carriage came into a path surrounded by cliffs.

"Master Diluc, the path is blocked by a tree!"

Orion sighed and looked at his fist. 'Should I help?'

He couldn't leach off Diluc, not after the man prepared such a nice suit for him.

Diluc opened his eyes and donned a serious expression. "Miss Mona, can you?"

"Leave these hilichurls to me!"

A water dome enveloped Mona, and just like that, the astrologist was gone from the carriage.

Diluc looked at Orion. "Miss Mona offered to protect the carriage. We are short on exemplary combatants, so we accepted."

Diluc couldn't use his 'Delusion' in broad daylight, forcing him to rely on others. Mora was grinning ear to ear when Diluc added a bag of Mora for her help.

"I'll go see if she needs any help." Orion hopped off the carriage without hesitation.

Mona was facing a group of thin black-skinned hunched creatures with dirty hair surrounding their faces. A white mask with two curved horns, which was completely unrequired, covered their faces. They carried wooden clubs straight out of a tree.

"Usha, beru nya!"

"Kasha!"

They apparently had a language of their own. Orion could learn their language through the Ley Lines. But that time was better spent doing something more productive.

"Hilichurls," Orion muttered the name of the first mob players fought in their journey. "The primitive wandering dwellers of Teyvat's wildernesses."

"You sure know a lot for a Traveler," Mona said, impressed. "Now, step back and let Mona Megistus do her job."

Orion just shrugged his shoulders. "You'd be a disappointment to your impressive name if you needed help with some hillbillies."

Mona thrust her hand sidewards, and a Grimoire appeared out of nowhere. The pages flipped on their own, settling on a page filled with archaic writings. "Hah! Let me decide your fate."

A starry sky manifested with Mona as the center. A glowing star appeared between her hands, nestled within the bronze rings. As she touched the glowing star, massive ripples surged underneath her.

"Stellaris Phantasm!"

Strange lines resembling constellations in the sky lifted the hilichurls off their feet. The constellation grew brighter and brighter. Mona smugly watched as the line exploded with a burst of hydro elemental energy and eliminated the hilichurls. The mobs, who got one-shotted by the 'broke' magician, left broken and intact masks as though reminding the world of their poor existence.

Orion clapped his hands, making Mona's smile even wider. "So much energy wasted on these weaklings."

"I saved us some precious time…" Mona wasn't convinced of her own words after hearing her stomach growl. "I used too much energy, though."

Diluc stepped out of the caravan, a faint smile on his face. "Even with all the energy and resources, the knights fail to kill these weaklings…"

Orion sighed. "I have never been to Mondstadt, and I already have a bad impression of them."

"Same," Mona said and collected the hilichurl masks. "Let's go fast! Orion, we'll dine in Mondstadt. My treat!"

These masks could be sold to the alchemists. Diluc was also going to give her twenty thousand Mora. By gods, she was brimming with Mora! Her bag couldn't hold this amount.

"Save that money for an inn." Orion shot down her dreams of enjoying a nice meal. "Assuming you will stay there."

Mona paused at the fair concern raised by Orion. "I might stay there for a week."

She had to duel the disciple of her Master's rival and collect a book from them. The said disciple was a member of the Knights of Favonius. Since she had no connections in the organization, she would be forced to go through tedious processes.

"There is a sealed room in Mondstadt," Diluc said. "It's fairly cheap considering the normal rate of an inn… Miss Mona might be able to unlock the seal." Diluc helped out the astrologer in a pinch.

Orion patted Mona's shoulder. "Your treat."

Orion walked toward the caravan, leaving behind a speechless Mona, who wondered if all her Mora would be spent today.

Makoto stared up at Mona with her golden eyes and stepped on her shoe.