A few months had passed since Etoma's heartfelt talk with Eula. It had also been a few days since her brother Diluc's 18th birthday.
Currently, Diluc and Kaeya were on an expedition with their father, Crepus Ragnvindr, returning to Dawn Winery. They had invited Etoma to join them, but she refused, saying she had a job to do at the Adventurers' Guild.
They wouldn't be gone for long, so they simply sighed and let her be.
Etoma had met Crepus before. He was a wealthy man with an ambition to join the Knights of Favonius—probably the wealthiest man Etoma had ever met.
After meeting Etoma and learning she had formed a sibling-like bond with his beloved son, Crepus couldn't stop spoiling her rotten. Almost every day, she received gifts. She had no idea how expensive they were so for her sanity, she just thought they were just random trinkets and stones.
But after a meaningful talk—and persuasion from Diluc and Kaeya—Crepus agreed to reduce the gifts to once a month.
Somehow, the gifts became even bigger.
Even though Etoma still thought it was too much, she simply sighed and let him do as he pleased.
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Forest near Dadaupa Gorge
"Hm…"
Etoma sat in the forest, scribbling notes. She was on a scouting mission from the Adventurers' Guild.
Hilichurl activity in the area had increased drastically, so the Guild sent someone high-ranking to investigate—something Etoma happily accepted.
For those unfamiliar with her appearance: Etoma had short white hair that reached her shoulders and bright blue eyes. She wore a cropped red hoodie that stopped above her stomach, decorated with large buttons and oversized cat-like ears. Underneath, she wore a white garment with silvery patterns.
She never buttoned her hoodie—she didn't think it looked "cool."
She also wore a red miniskirt and white stockings that covered her legs. The dominant red color came from her favorite brother's hair, while the white reflected her own.
At the moment, she was recording the number of hilichurls she had encountered since arriving.
"This is weird…" She frowned. The number was close to three digits—and that was just the nearby forest.
After a moment of thought, she dashed deeper inside.
Moments later, she saw something she never thought she would witness in her entire life. She immediately leapt behind a tree, hiding herself from the abomination.
"Huff… huff…" Sweat poured down her face as she struggled to control her breathing, desperately trying to hide her small frame.
"I need to get back and report this as soon as possible!"
Without hesitation, she dashed away.
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Adventurers' Guild
"A black dragon?!" Cyrus, the branch master of Mondstadt's Adventurers' Guild, shouted.
"No way… Is it the evil dragon Ursa?! Etoma, describe it!"
"Y-yes! It has two black horns, with glowing purple-white tips! There are black horns near its mouth too. Its eyes are yellow, and its wings glow purple!"
Cyrus fell into deep thought, sweat forming across his face. Gritted his teeth, he ordered.
"Report this to the Knights of Favonius immediately! Tell them that the evil dragon Ursa the Drake has returned and is near Mondstadt!"
""Yes, sir!""
"Etoma, you did well. I'm sorry, but your reward will be delayed. This is a large-scale matter—I'll be busy for a while."
"Nono—it's okay! Take your time. Um… is there anything I can help with?"
Cyrus who was about to head out glanced back at her small figure.
"No. Unfortunately, with your current strength, you wouldn't be able to help in this matter."
"I see…" she said, slightly dejected.
"Don't worry. Reporting this was already a great contribution. You'll be rewarded later." He patted her head.
"I see… hehe~"
"I need to go now."
"Okay! Take care, Master Cyrus!"
Cyrus quickly left the guild.
.
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Wilderness
It had been a day since Etoma's report. Inside a wagon, Diluc sat beside Kaeya, while their father, Crepus, sat in front of them. Their wagon was escorted by handful Knight of Favonius.
"It's only been a day, and you already miss her that much? A bit of a sis-con, aren't you, Diluc?" Kaeya teased with a hint of amusement.
"Shut up, Kaeya." Sitting beside him, Diluc was annoyed at his antic.
"Hehe. I actually miss my cute daughter too. What gift should I send her next, I wonder…"
Both boys' expressions soured.
"Father, you're troubling Etoma."
"What do you mean?! This is a father's love! How can I resist her cuteness? Can you? Could you?!"
Both of them looked away, blushing slightly.
"Maybe you're right… I don't think anyone could resist her cuteness. Don't you think so, Diluc-nii~?" Kaeya smirked.
Diluc reddened further, gritting his teeth—about to respond—
But suddenly...
ROAR!
All three froze. They immediately stepped out of the wagon. A massive creature landed before them.
"What… is that…" Diluc muttered, fear creeping into his voice.
"PREPARE YOUR FORMATION!" Crepus shouted, his hand instinctively reaching into his pocket.
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Etoma's Home
It had been three days since Etoma returned from the Guild. Seeing how busy things had become, she decided to rest at home. Wait until everything is settled.
In her bedroom, she walked to the window and opened it. The sky had painted red, signaling the darkness of night soon engulfing the world.
Sitting on a stool, she rested her cheek on her hand.
"I wonder if Brother Diluc has reached his destination…"
Her cheeks slowly turned red.
"Diluc-nii… please come back soon… I miss you…"
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