"...everything will become clear. "
Lin Mo nodded with a hint of confusion. " Alright, take me to her.
As long as I can see her... I believe everything will naturally... "
" Please follow me, sir. I will lead you up the mountain.
"
Huahua nodded her flower-crowned head. " Because Durin has caused several avalanches, the mountain path is quite different from before.
Father... "
And so, the group followed Huahua towards the summit of the mountain.
Meanwhile, at the peak of Dragonspine.
The silver-white dragon, Durin, lay coiled atop the pinnacle of Vindagnyr.
Nearby, Rhinedottir was busy working before a Ruin Grader, a colossal machine known as " Goliath. "
Under Rhinedottir's repairs, the mechanical core of the Goliath once again erupted with a blinding light.
" Hmm... All done!
"
Rhinedottir clapped her hands together, her eyes filled with satisfaction.
The Ruin Grader was one of her most proud creations from back in the day.
Although its structure was largely similar to that of a Ruin Guard, its combat power was more than double.
At that moment, Rhinedottir was sitting on the massive palm of the Ruin Grader, being slowly lifted into the air by the giant.
Her hair was disheveled, her once-white robes now stained and grimy.
It was clear that Rhinedottir was not someone who paid much attention to her personal appearance.
Even so, from her high-bridged nose and delicate, oval face, one could tell she was a stunning beauty.
Currently, Rhinedottir seemed slightly weary from her focused work on repairing the ancient construct, a hint of fatigue dulling her eyes.
Yet, this gave her a unique aura.
Beneath her beautiful eyes, thankfully, there were no dark circles from nights spent researching bio-alchemy. Instead, as if blessed by the heavens, she possessed a lovely pair of "moth-eye" pouches.
But...
Perhaps due to overexertion these past few days, Rhinedottir had developed faint shadows under her eyes.
By sheer coincidence, these shadows were perfectly placed, giving her eyes the appearance of beautiful eyeshadow.
Only a top-tier makeup artist could have so perfectly accentuated Rhinedottir's blend of world-weary and beautiful aura.
In the parlance of Blue Star, what was this called?
This was the 'melancholic' makeup style!
" Mother... Father is about to arrive,"
Durin's voice rumbled, breaking the silence.
" Hmm, I know. "
Rhinedottir paid it no mind, instead gently stroking the cold iron surface of the Goliath. She seemed to grow more and more satisfied with her creation.
" Aren't... you going to wash your face? "
Durin couldn't help but remind her again. " Father... seems to have a particular fondness for beautiful women.
"
" Hmph~! Are you saying I'm not pretty~?
" A trace of annoyance tinged Rhinedottir's voice.
" No... I mean, Mother would probably be even more beautiful if you freshened up?
After all... this is your first reunion with Father in five hundred years. If you could leave a good impression... "
" Unnecessary! "
Rhinedottir cut Durin off abruptly.
Simultaneously, she cast her gaze down the mountainside. " He has so many beauties by his side.
Even if I dolled myself up, I probably wouldn't become the most beautiful among that sea of flowers. "
Durin fell silent.
It was true...
Lin Mo's female companions were each peerless beauties.
Although Rhinedottir wasn't lacking, she... lacked a certain feminine charm compared to the others.
No wonder Lin Mo hadn't been moved by her back then.
In Lin Mo's view, if a woman liked someone, she would surely try to present her most beautiful self before the person she admired.
In Lin Mo's eyes, Rhinedottir was just a woman whose head was full of bio-alchemy research, someone who paid no heed to her appearance.
Fancy her? Forget it!
But precisely , Rhinedottir was just such an exception.
" They're here! "
Durin's voice suddenly rumbled in reminder.
And Rhinedottir, watching Lin Mo ascend step by step towards the peak, felt the hand resting on the Goliath tremble slightly.
Lin Mo looked up, squinting against the glaring sunlight, towards Rhinedottir who stood on the Goliath's hand, looking down at him.
That messy,fluffy hair.
That grease-stained robe.
Wasn't this exactly the " Gold" Rhinedottir who used to enjoy ordering him around?
" Rhinedottir... long time no see... "
Lin Mo's voice sounded somewhat weak.
Because the moment he saw her, he remembered the alchemy notes she had left behind, the ones Albedo had shown him.
Notes filled with poured out affection, even a somewhat pathological love...
Even now, Lin Mo wasn't sure he could fully accept it.
At that moment, Rhinedottir did not respond.
Instead, she slowly raised her pale right hand.
*Snap~!*
In the silent mountains, the sound of her snap was piercingly clear.
At first, Lin Mo was puzzled.
But the next moment...
*RUMBLE!!!*
The mountain began to tremble slightly.
Snow, shaken loose by the quaking earth, started to slide and crumble.
It was then the group realized.
Hundreds of Ruin Guards were slowly rising from the snow.
In an instant, Lin Mo and his companions were surrounded by an army of Ruin Guards.
Hundreds of these steel giants.
The oppressive feeling they brought was imagineable.
" S-so scary... "
Paimon immediately clutched Lin Mo's hair tightly in fear. " Foreign envoy... aren't... aren't you two married?
Why... is she commanding Ruin Guards to surround us~? "
The dangerous aura snapped Eula to full alertness.
She immediately stepped in front of Lin Mo, holding her " Echoes of the Pine" sword at the ready.
Yae Miko didn't say a word, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Eula.
Havria's usually gentle eyes gradually grew cold at this moment.
To protect her people, she was willing to expend all her strength.
To protect Lin Mo, she would similarly charge forward without hesitation.
The atmosphere was tense, swords drawn and bows bent.
A fight seemed ready to erupt at any moment.
But Lin Mo walked nonchalantly to the front of the group and said calmly, " Don't be nervous. She's just trying to scare me.
" Hahahahaha, damn it! "
" Lin Mo, you heartless scoundrel! "
" You say... I'm just trying to scare you!?
Rhinedottir's voice held a trace of hysterical madness.
Lin Mo vaguely saw that from the moment she laid eyes on him, a web of red veins had begun to appear in her eyes.
Oh no...
This woman... she seems to be serious!
Could she be a yandere!?
Lin Mo clearly remembered a saying he'd heard before coming to Teyvat: " You can like a yandere, but you must never let a yandere like you! "
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T/N:
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