"Because the entire city has been troubled by Stormterror lately…"
Amber sighed after hearing Paimon's question. She quickly regained her confidence, planted her hands on her hips, and said, "But with Acting Grand Master Jean here, everything will turn out fine!"
"Acting Grand Master Jean?" Paimon tilted her head. "Who's that?"
Amber explained, "She's the acting captain of our Knights of Favonius—Jean! She's also Mondstadt's protector! We believe that under Jean's leadership, even a terrifying enemy like Stormterror can be defeated."
"She sounds amazing…" Paimon looked at Amber with excitement, clearly eager to meet the legendary Acting Grand Master Jean.
"I'll take you to see Grand Master Jean," Amber said, "but before that, I have a gift for you. Come on—let's head to the high ground of Mondstadt."
"I'll pass. Give the gift to Lumine instead. I'll take a walk around Mondstadt and meet you later at the Knights of Favonius headquarters," Lora said. She already knew what Amber's gift was—Wind Wings that allowed one to glide through the air. As a deity, she had no need for them.
"Alright," Lumine nodded, not asking why Lora didn't need the gift.
"Lora, don't get lost!" Paimon reminded her anxiously. "We'll be heading to the Knights of Favonius headquarters soon! You absolutely have to be there!"
"Paimon, I'm not a child," Lora said helplessly.
After watching Lumine and Paimon follow Amber toward the Anemo Archon statue, Lora turned onto another street.
She took in Mondstadt's local atmosphere firsthand—the fragrance of flowers filled the air, and gentle winds brushed past every citizen.
As Lora passed by a bronze-skinned man, he suddenly stopped, turned around, and called out to her. "Excuse me, miss—please wait."
Lora stopped and looked back.
It was Kaeya.
"You called me?" she asked. "What is it?"
Kaeya walked over, his gaze sweeping over her attire.
"Judging by your appearance, you're not from Mondstadt, are you? Traveling, perhaps? With the recent dragon calamity, not many people are willing to visit Mondstadt these days."
Lora smiled at him.
"So this is how the Knights of Favonius treat their guests? Labeling every stranger who comes to Mondstadt as a suspicious individual with ulterior motives?"
"My apologies—I didn't mean it that way at all!"
Kaeya laughed. He wasn't surprised that Lora had recognized him as a member of the Knights of Favonius, but he still introduced himself.
"Hello. I'm Kaeya, Captain of the Cavalry for the Knights of Favonius."
"Lora Chaya."
Kaeya smiled at her. "Miss Lora, though I hate to admit it, Mondstadt has indeed been rather unstable lately. If you don't have pressing business, it's best not to wander around too much. You could run into danger."
"Thank you for the warning," Lora replied. "If there's nothing else, I'll be going."
Kaeya didn't stop her. He stood where he was, watching as Lora walked away.
As her figure receded, Kaeya's smile slowly faded. He sensed an unsettling depth emanating from her. His Khaenri'ah bloodline made him particularly sensitive to such things. Yet Lora wore no Vision and appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary person. Why, then, did she give him such a feeling?
He murmured to himself, "A stranger who arrives bearing secrets… just who are you?"
After parting ways with Kaeya, Lora didn't continue wandering. She asked for directions to "Angel's Share," and after receiving a clear answer, headed there without delay.
When Lora reached the entrance of "Angel's Share," she happened to see a certain self-proclaimed greatest bard in the mortal world, holding a lyre and singing poetry, surrounded by a lively crowd.
Was this truly worthy of the God of Freedom? He had only just awakened from his long slumber, yet he had already adapted effortlessly to life in the present. As for Mondstadt today—was it the same as the one in his memories? Perhaps some things had changed, or perhaps it had become unrecognizable.
Lora didn't interrupt Venti. She waited until he finished the song before approaching.
As the crowd dispersed, Venti spotted her from afar and waved cheerfully. "Hey! Lora—over here!"
When she came closer, Venti held out his hand and said with a grin, "I didn't expect you to get here so fast. Look—this is the mora I just earned. Come on, let's go! I'll treat you to a cup of apple cider!"
"You're treating?" Lora's eyes lit up as she followed Venti into "Angel's Share."
Behind the counter stood a tall young man with bright red hair. Lora immediately recognized him—Diluc, the master of Dawn Winery, and Kaeya's sworn brother.
"Master Diluc, two cups of apple cider," Venti said, laying out a string of Mora on the counter.
"Underage patrons are not allowed to drink alcohol," Diluc said, glancing at Venti, who barely reached over the counter.
Lora couldn't help laughing. She quickly composed herself and suppressed her smile.
Venti looked a little embarrassed. He glanced at her and asked, "You were laughing at me just now, weren't you?"
"No, you heard wrong," Lora replied seriously.
Diluc placed two drinks in front of them. Pointing to the one before Venti, he said, "This is non-alcoholic apple juice. You may drink it. The one in front of this young lady is our house apple cider. Please enjoy."
"Thank you."
Lora took a sip. The fresh fragrance of apples mingled with a hint of alcohol, blossoming across her taste buds with a sweet, mellow richness.
Though she rarely drank, as the Hydro Archon she could perceive far more layers of flavor than ordinary patrons. The sensations overlapped one after another, leaving an endlessly lingering aftertaste.
Venti watched her with envy and quickly asked, "Well? How is it?"
"It's delicious," Lora said.
"I knew the wine here would suit your taste," Venti said with a smile.
"These are all brewed using water from Cider Lake. The lake water is clear and sweet—perfect for you."
He had always remembered that Egeria, the Hydro Archon, favored pure, sweet water.
"Thank you for your kindness," Lora said with a smile.
Venti immediately added, "Then next time, you'll treat me to a drink, right?"