Thankfully, the afternoon sun was still up as the group neared the outer edge of Mondstadt. The towering stone walls stood firm, offering a quiet sense of safety.
"Welcome to Mondstadt," Lumine said, her voice carrying a gentle pride as they stepped onto the bridge that led to the city.
Kiana dashed a few steps ahead, her eyes lighting up as pigeons scattered into the sky. "Whoa! Look at those walls. They look tough to climb!"
Elysia chuckled from behind. "Kiana, please don't try scaling the walls again just because Teri-san's not around to stop you."
Noah gave Kiana a long-suffering look. She just stuck out her tongue playfully in response.
Lumine smiled faintly.
"Mondstadt is currently overseen by the Knights of Favonius, acting in place of Barbatos. While the Church of Favonius takes care of cultural events and religious rites in the city."
"Hoho, sounds like the young lady knows her stuff," a knight posted near the bridge called out, amused by her familiarity.
Lumine flinched slightly, her hand instinctively gripping Noah's sleeve. Elysia, mid-snapshot of the city, didn't miss the moment and quickly captured Lumine's surprised and endearing reaction. Kiana returned to the group, a curious smile playing on her lips as she eyed the knight.
"Ah, apologies. Didn't mean to startle you," the knight said politely. "I'm Rostam, one of the Knights of Favonius. May the Anemo Archon watch over you, travelers."
The group exchanged glances, momentarily caught off guard by the knight's kind and formal welcome.
"Ah, hello." Noah stepped forward and offered his hand to Rostam. "I'm Noah, and these are my companions, Lumine, Elysia, and Kiana."
Lumine gave a polite nod, while Elysia offered a cheerful wave. Kiana, ever the lively one, grinned.
"Hi, Mr. Knight! Hope we didn't interrupt your patrol or anything," Kiana said brightly.
Rostam chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "You're not interrupting at all. My shift just ended. I'm actually waiting for someone."
Just then at gates a woman with gentle features stepped out, holding a basket filled with fresh bread and herbs.
"Sorry for the wait, Rostam," she said warmly, noticing the group. "Hi there, hope I didn't interrupt anything important."
Noah gave her a wry smile, the timing and phrasing eerily similar to Kiana's earlier words.
"It's no problem. Sir Rostam was just greeting us. We're travelers new to the city."
"Oh, I see! I'm Rosalyn," she introduced herself with a bright smile. "Rostam's partner. It's lovely to meet you all."
"Hee, you're quite lucky, Mr. Knight, for landing such a wonderful lady~" Elysia teased with a playful grin.
"You're right about that," Rostam replied sincerely, nodding. "Even now, it still feels like a dream."
Rosalyn, cheeks tinged red, gave him a light pinch on the arm and a quick glare—the kind that barely masked her affection. Noah and the girls couldn't help but laugh at the sweet exchange.
"Hahaha! What an adorable couple!" Elysia laughed as she snapped a photo of them. She pulled out her compact printer, and moments later, handed the picture over with a flourish. "To celebrate our meeting and blooming friendship, this Elysia offers you a gift! Treasure it well!"
"Wow! That's us?" Rostam blinked in surprise, holding up the freshly printed photo of him and Rosalyn.
Rosalyn leaned in closer, eyes wide with wonder. "This is incredible. I've never seen anything like this before."
Elysia cleared her throat and proudly placed her hands on her hips. "Ahem. You're welcome."
Lumine tilted her head slightly, curious. Noah and Kiana exchanged a glance, clearly unimpressed by Elysia's smug expression.
"Ms. Elysia, could we have one more copy of this portrait?" Rosalyn asked, her voice soft with a hint of hope. Rostam glanced at her with a knowing smile.
"Of course!" Elysia replied, tilting her head slightly in curiosity but handing over another copy without hesitation.
Rosalyn's hopeful expression filled with joy. The change didn't escape the group's notice. Before they could ask, Rostam offered a explanation.
"Rosalyn will be leaving Mondstadt soon. She's heading to the Akademiya in Sumeru to continue her studies," he explained. "This may seem like a small gesture, but it means a lot to both of us. Thank you."
Rosalyn's eyes shimmered as she bowed her head. "Truly… thank you so much."
"No, no! It's really nothing! Just a little token of friendship!" Elysia waved her hands frantically, trying to stop the couple from bowing any further.
Kiana snorted at the sight and Noah quickly took snap picture with his phone, shaking his head in amusement. Lumine remained silent, but a smile curved at the corner of her lips.
"Truly, thank you so much, Ms. Elysia!" Rostam and Rosalyn said again, bowing even deeper.
"Mou~! Enough already! You're going to make me melt from embarrassment!" Elysia squeaked, flustered beyond help.
-------------
At the bustling square of Mondstadt, the group had finally settled down for a late lunch at the Good Hunter restaurant.
Their table overflowed with local specialties from Mushroom Pizza, Pile 'Em Up, Mondstadt Grilled Fish, Sweet Madame, Apple Roly Poly, and Sticky Honey Roast, each dish steaming and rich with scent.
Kiana devoured everything with unstoppable gusto, demolishing one plate after another with childlike delight. In contrast, Lumine and Noah took their time, savoring each bite slowly, appreciating the flavors. Elysia, meanwhile, sat with her posture uncharacteristically rigid.
"Hey, hey—don't look now, but isn't that the pink-haired girl?" a merchant apprentice whispered, nudging his friend with his elbow as they peeked from behind a cart of apples.
"Huh? The one who made Sir Rostam bow? That girl?"
"No joke, I saw it myself! He and Miss Rosalyn thanked her like she was a royal envoy or something!"
"For real? That Sir Rostam? The 'Wolf Cub' himself?" The second man whistled. "He doesn't bow for just anyone."!"
"Yeah, and get this—they say she gave them some kind of magic photo, like a memory caught in time. Even Miss Rosalyn looked like she was gonna cry!"
"That's amazing… What a classy lady. Beautiful and generous? Mondstadt's never seen someone like her before."
Elysia paused mid-bite into her pastry, her hand frozen as Apple Roly Poly hovered just in front of her lips. Her entire face was glowing red. Not just blushing but glowing.
Good job, Sir Rostam. Thank you, Miss Rosalyn. Noah couldn't help but smile at the memory as he watched Elysia flustered beyond words. He did feel a little bad, but seeing her so out of her element like this—it was honestly kind of adorable.
Before arriving at the restaurant, the couple's enthusiastic thanks had already drawn the attention of nearby townspeople. Curious onlookers caught a glimpse of the scene, and the story began to spread through the square.
Originally, Rostam and Rosalyn wanted to cancel their date entirely just to help the group settle into Mondstadt. Elysia, overwhelmed and flustered, had nearly burst into tears trying to stop them. She begged Noah to intervene.
Noah gently assured the couple they'd be fine and suggested they simply treat the group another time, since they planned to stay in Mondstadt for a while. After some back-and-forth, the couple reluctantly agreed.
"She's even got that saintly aura!" someone else added in the background, completely unaware their comments were destroying her will to chew.
"I heard she made the machine that printed the photo herself."
"She's probably a secret envoy of Lord Barbatos! Just look at that elegance!"
A faint squeak escaped Elysia's lips as she turned away, hands covering her glowing face.
No, I'm not! I'm more like… an envoy of Hon.. force of destruction!
So cute, Noah thought, taking another calm sip of tea.
Kiana taking a bite of the chicken led leaned over, whispering gleefully, "Should we tell them she also made the couple cry happy tears?"
"Don't you dare!" Elysia gasped, tears forming at the corner of her eyes. "I'm going to combust!"
"Truly a heroic lady," a nearby bard muttered, passing by with a dreamy expression. "I must compose a ballad…"
That was the final blow.
With a strangled sound, Elysia dramatically spun around jumps on Noah and buried her face against his back. "Noah, make it stop! I can't handle this much praise!"
Noah let out a small chuckle. As expected from someone with maxed-out attack and zero emotional defense… He glanced around at the cheerful square, still pouring with praise. Thank you Mondstadt for giving this chance to see such Elysia!
—-------
The next day, Noah and girls are in dining area of the hotel where they are staying for breakfast. The scent of fresh bread and stewed vegetables filled the dining room. The group sat at a round wooden table. Other guest filled other seats, murmuring over breakfast.
Kiana bit into her Fisherman's Toast . "Mmm! Delicious~ I could eat six of these."
"You already have," Elysia said, sipping her tea, finally looking more at ease than she did yesterday.
Noah stirred his Cream Stew absently, eyes drifting to the sleepy Lumine. She sat beside him, her fingers loosely wrapped around her spoon, but her plate was untouched.
"Here, Lumine. Try some breakfast tea. It might help you wake up," he said, gently sliding the cup toward her.
"...Um, thank you," she replied softly, taking the cup with both hands and sipping it without looking up.
As she settled slightly in her seat, shoulders easing, Noah felt a small warmth in his chest. Bit by bit, she was starting to trust them.
"Alright, let's go over today's plans," Noah began, setting his spoon aside.
"...Does that involve going outside?" Elysia asked, her smile strained, shoulders tensing just a bit.
She's still not over yesterday, Noah thought, watching her with a small amusement.
"I'm hoping we can find a way to earn some funds. We can't rely on Lumine's Mora forever," he explained.
"It's fine. I don'y any other use it anyway," Lumine replied as she sets her cup down.
"What should I do, Captain?! I'm the one who ordered the most!" Kiana paused mid-bite, realization dawning. "Lumi paid for everything I ate last night—and this morning too! I'll pay you back, or I'll treat you to the same amount I eat. Deal?"
"Like I said, it's fine, Kiana." Lumine smiled, a little amused.
"That's true, though," Elysia chimed in, smirking. "There's no way Lumi could eat half as much as you."
"Hey!" Kiana pouted, cheeks puffed.
Noah chuckled at the playful exchange between the two, and Lumine smiled beside him. Just then, a familiar voice called out from across the dining area.
"Ah, there they are!" Rostam said, his knight uniform catching the morning light as he pointed toward their table.
Rosalyn, who had been speaking with a nearby staff member, followed his gaze. Noticing Noah and Kiana waving at them, she quickly wrapped up the conversation and joined Rostam as they made their way over.
"Good morning, Sir Rostam, Miss Rosalyn," Noah greeted with a nod.
"Morning, you two!" Kiana added brightly, waving with her usual energy.
Elysia gave the couple a wave, though her smile was a little stiff. Lumine responded with a polite nod.
"Good morning to you four as well," Rostam greeted, flashing a lopsided grin.
"Morning, everyone," Rosalyn added with a gentle smile.
Noah motioned for them to sit with them, and the couple accepted the offer without hesitation.
"Want to join us for breakfast?" Kiana offered brightly.
"Ah, no need. We already ate before coming here," Rosalyn replied.
Rostam glanced toward Elysia. "Actually, we just came to check in—and to apologize to Miss Elysia." His expression turned sheepish. "It seems the story got around… and, well, people might've added their own flair to it."
"Ughh... I see... It's fine, really. I can handle it… yes, for my two new friends… I can endure it," Elysia said, trying to stay composed even as her expression twisted slightly and a few tears welled up. She refused to look away, determined to keep her dignity in front of the couple.
"We're really sorry, Miss Elysia," Rostam and Rosalyn apologized again, voices gentle.
Elysia gave them a shaky smile and waved them off. "I told you, it's okay."
"She might look fragile," Noah said with a chuckle, "but Ellie's surprisingly tough." He gave her a teasing wink. "And if it gets too much, I'll just pamper her~."
"Ohh~" Rostam and Rosalyn exchanged a surprised glance, clearly impressed.
"N-Noah?!" Elysia whipped around, face bright red, utterly stunned by his words.
Kiana and Lumine both turned sharply toward him, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Ahem—anyway, Rostam," Noah said, clearing his throat and shifting topics before their stares got any sharper, "do you happen to know a way for us to earn some money?"
Rostam, thankfully catching on, gave a knowing grin. "Well, if the four of you have been traveling on your own through everything going on lately, I'd say you're pretty strong."
"We may not look it, but we can handle ourselves in a fight or two," Noah said with a small shrug.
Rostam chuckled. "In that case, you might want to consider joining the Adventurers Guild."
Kiana blinked. "The what now?"
"Adventurers Guild, Miss Kiana." Rosalyn tells Kiana. "It's an organization that operates across Teyvat. It is a well respected organization acknownledge by the government of Seven Nations."
Rostam adds, "Adventurers take on commissions like monster hunting, escorting caravans, gathering rare ingredients. And even the governing bodies sometimes request help to them for nation defense."
"So... something like heroes for hire?" Elysia recovering from Noah's teasing tils her head.
Rostam nodded, chuckling. "More or less, yeah. And by joining, you'll gain access to resources, information, and regular updates. Which I think will be a great help your travelers like you."
Noah nodded. "Sounds good. We can earn our travel funds and at the same it will help us understand this worl-will keep us updated on the present situation."
Rostam and Rosalyn exchanged a glance, catching the slight change in Noah's phrasing. Though it was clear he'd almost said something else, but instead of doubting them, they choose to trust them.
Kiana beamed. "Yes! And if we're helping people too, then it's totally worth it!"
Her enthusiasm was infectious. Noah, Elysia, and Lumine all smiled, warmed by her sincerity.