Lydia walked ahead, chattering excitedly about the interesting happenings in Mondstadt City.
Lumine walked beside her, while Paimon floated between them.
The two responded to each of Lydia's stories, clearly curious about this unfamiliar nation.
Along the way, Lydia discovered that the Traveler wasn't a "silent protagonist" like in the game.
Sometimes, Lumine even talked more than Paimon.
This completely shattered Lydia's worldview.
Before long, a red figure descended from the sky nearby—it was Amber.
"Lydia!"
Amber ran over and immediately gave Lydia a big hug.
When she noticed Lumine and Paimon behind her, a hint of curiosity flickered in Amber's eyes.
"And who are these two?"
Lydia quickly made the introductions. "This is Lumine and Paimon. They're Travelers from afar who just arrived in Mondstadt. I'm taking them back to the city!"
Amber instantly adopted her official Favonius Knight Outrider demeanor.
Though her tone remained enthusiastic, it now carried a touch of seriousness.
She sized up Lumine and Paimon. They didn't look like bad people.
Then she glanced at Lydia... This girl was as gullible as ever, easily trusting anyone who said a few nice words.
After hesitating for no more than three seconds, Amber proceeded with the standard questioning.
"My name is Lumine, and she's my... Emergency Food!" Lumine flashed a mischievous grin.
"That's not right! No matter how you think about it, that's just wrong! I'm clearly the best partner and guide!" Paimon stomped her feet mid-air, fuming.
After a brief exchange, with a cry of:
"May the Anemo Archon protect you!"
Amber officially joined the party.
Because Lydia, a "non-combatant," was present, the original Hilichurl-fighting sequence was replaced with a slime-slaying mission. Lydia was a little surprised by this change, but she found it acceptable.
Having witnessed the Traveler's skills, the four of them headed toward Mondstadt City together. Amber chatted nonstop with Lydia along the way, sharing amusing stories from her patrol that day and warning her to be careful as the number of monsters in the area had increased again.
Occasionally, she would also strike up conversations with Lumine and Paimon, introducing them to the local customs and culture of Mondstadt.
Soon, the four had become fast friends.
When they reached the plaza in front of the Favonius Cathedral, the massive Statue of the Anemo Archon stood bathed in sunlight, looking utterly divine.
Lumine stared intently at the statue's face, her mind racing with speculation.
Amber stopped and turned to Lumine. "Traveler, as a token of my gratitude, this is the gift I want to give you!"
Before Lumine could react, Amber pulled out a Wind Glider.
"A Wind Glider! With this, you can soar through the skies of Mondstadt just like me!"
Amber patiently explained how to operate the Wind Glider.
Lumine nodded and, following Amber's instructions, soon soared through the skies of Mondstadt.
"Wow! She's flying!" Paimon cheered from below, while Lydia's eyes lit up as she watched.
Lumine was a natural. At first, she only glided at low altitudes, but soon she dared to use the wind currents to fly higher.
Lydia watched, her heart itching with envy. She tugged on Amber's sleeve, her voice as soft as cotton candy. "Amber~ Lumine's learning so fast... Can't you let me take the Flight Test again? Please~"
The moment Amber heard "Flight Test," the smile on her face froze.
Her gaze drifted unconsciously to a nearby house.
The crack in its window was still there—a souvenir from Lydia's last attempt.
She quickly waved her hands, her voice tinged with guilt. "N-No way, Lydia! The test slots are all full right now. Maybe next time, okay?"
"Huh? But that's what you said last time!"
Lydia pouted, her snow-white hair drooping.
Amber shuddered, recalling the "terrifying moments" from previous attempts.
There was the time Lydia suddenly lost her balance mid-flight and plummeted from a hundred meters up.
And the time she failed to control her direction while landing, crashing straight into someone's yard and terrifying the homeowners, who thought they were under attack by monsters.
"Uh... Lumine's still up there! Let's just watch her fly for now!"
"When we have time, we can go get some Sticky Honey Roast. My treat!"
Amber hastily changed the subject.
At the mention of "Sticky Honey Roast," Lydia's eyes instantly lit up.
Still, she couldn't help but pout. "Fine... but you can't trick me again! You have to include me in the next Flight Test!"
"Absolutely! I promise!" Amber nodded quickly, secretly sighing in relief.
Thank goodness food can distract her.
If that girl had started pouting and wheedling, I really wouldn't have known how to say no.
Lumine descended gracefully from the sky, her Wind Glider folding away with a gentle gust of wind.
She walked up to the trio with a smile. "Wind Gliders are so much fun! Thanks, Amber."
Amber smiled and nodded back. "You're welcome! Come on, let's head to Good Hunter! My treat—the best Sticky Honey Roast you've ever had!"
Lydia, who had been feeling a little down, instantly forgot all about the Flight Test.
Just as they were about to leave, a sudden gale swept across the plaza.
Stormterror's shadow fell over Mondstadt once more.
-
On Earth, in Lu Nanqing's live stream.
The screen showed Lydia, Amber, Lumine, and Paimon traveling together.
The bullet comments exploded, a dense flood of messages almost completely covering the screen:
"A white-haired girl from another world! I'm instantly hooked!"
"Amber is such a ray of sunshine, so energetic! Three beauties in one frame—my eyes are pregnant!"
"Paimon: I'm not a beauty, but I'm adorable! You can't ignore me!"
"OMG, Lydia pouting is so cute! Why didn't the leakers mention her?!"
"Maybe the leaker was too busy enjoying her to remember to leak anything."
"Amber must be thinking, 'Lydia, you airhead, chatting and laughing with a total stranger!'"
"The comment above nailed it! Amber's expression is giving me major 'my prize cabbage brought home a pig' vibes!"
"..."
Lu Nanqing laughed out loud at the comments, clicking her mouse on the screen.
"Seriously, the character models in this game are so detailed. Mihoyo really poured their hearts into this."
She controlled Lumine, following behind Lydia as she watched the scene in the plaza unfold on her monitor.
She couldn't help but exclaim, "This scene looks so real! It's like I'm actually walking through Teyvat!"
The praise in the bullet comments kept pouring in:
"Qing-bao is right! These graphics are absolutely crushing everything else out there right now!"
"I was worried the open world would feel empty, but every NPC in Mondstadt has their own little details. It's incredible!"
"Lydia's Vision on her hip looks so cool! But why is it extinguished?"
"As a closed beta veteran, I'm just sitting here having a Mandela Effect moment... Where did this Lydia character even come from?!"
"My wallet's feeling a little too full... When is Lydia becoming a playable character?"
"Hey, you up there! You'd better be talking about your wallet!"
Lu Nanqing laughed and bantered with the chat.
After half an hour of the Flight Test and countless retries, she finally suppressed the overwhelming urge to smash her keyboard.
Seeing the chat filled with a chorus of "Hahaha," Lu Nanqing rolled up her sleeves, ready to defend herself.
Just then, the screen went black, and the game transitioned into a cutscene.
The gears of the story began to turn.
-
The wind in the plaza suddenly turned violent, whipping up sand and grit that stung her face.
Lydia instinctively raised a hand to shield her eyes. Her snow-white hair whipped wildly in the gale, making it hard for her to even stay on her feet.
She tried to call out to Lumine and Amber, but the wind was too loud. The moment she opened her mouth, it was filled with a gust of air.
Just then, a hand suddenly wrapped around her waist.
Before Lydia could react, her body was lifted into the air.
When she opened her eyes again, she found herself standing in the main hall of the Favonius Cathedral.
Facing her was Grace's stern expression. Barbara stood beside her, arms crossed, her brow slightly furrowed.
I'm doomed.
This was Lydia's only thought.
"Kaeya!"
Lydia wrenched herself free from his grasp and stomped her foot, puffing out her cheeks in frustration.
Of all the places he could have taken her for shelter, he had to bring her to the one place she wanted to avoid most.
Kaeya raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over the nuns and Barbara. He then glanced at the dust clinging to Lydia's skirt and instantly understood.
Looks like this little troublemaker was up to no good again this morning.
He quickly took two steps back, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender.
"My, my, the wind outside was so strong! I was worried our little Lydia might get blown away, so I had to bring you back here first."
"Ladies, I have some very important matters to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave!"
The words had barely left his mouth before he bolted from the cathedral as if his soles were greased.
Lydia watched his retreating back, her cheeks puffing out in anger.
That jerk! He was just scared I'd complain!
And he used such a grand excuse to run away!
"Lydia," Sister Grace spoke first. Her tone was gentle, yet carried an undeniable seriousness. "Feeling restless again, are we?"
Barbara nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with exasperation. "Lydia, didn't I tell you? Skipping breakfast will give you a stomachache."
If I'd known she'd be this disobedient, I never should have let her slip away.
Several other nuns gathered around, clearly already aware of her escape during morning prayers.
Lydia's head drooped lower and lower, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her clothes.
"I know I was wrong... I was just so bored after being in the confinement room for so long, I wanted to have some fun..." Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz.
She peeked up and saw the worry in Barbara's eyes, which only made her feel guiltier.
"Next time, I promise I'll wait until prayers are over before going out. I won't sneak away again."
Seeing her sincere apology, Sister Grace sighed. Even though she knew the girl was likely just putting on a show, she reached out and patted her head.
"As long as you know you were wrong. Be more careful next time."
"Hurry and fix your skirt. You don't want to be a laughingstock."
Lydia nodded quickly and ran toward her room.
But as she passed a window, she couldn't help but stop.
In the sky outside, Lumine was flying, propelled by the power of Anemo. Stormterror's roar echoed from the distance, quickly drowned out by a booming gust of Anemo—clearly, Lumine and Venti had joined forces to drive it away.
Before long, Kaeya appeared in the plaza below, talking to Lumine.
Lydia stared at them, an inexplicable unease stirring in her heart. She touched the Vision at her waist, the icy chill spreading through her fingertips.
If only I were as strong as Lumine... then I could protect Mondstadt with them.
"Lydia, what are you daydreaming about?" Barbara's voice called from behind her.
Lydia quickly responded and turned away from the window.
But the scene she had just witnessed kept replaying in her mind.