Flight-capable Paimon, who had been tugging furiously at Lumine’s hair a moment prior, fluttered over to her side.
“That scared the wits out of me!
I really thought we were going to get eaten,” Paimon said, patting her chest as lingering terror laced her voice.
“And what a total weirdo—talking to a dragon like that!”
“Is talking to dragons normally a thing in this world?” Lumine asked, blinking in quiet bewilderment.
“Of course it isn’t!” Eve shot back deadpan.
“Wait, look over there!
What is that?” Wiggling her malleable little body, Eve morphed into a tiny hand-like shape and pointed toward the spot where the colossal dragon had rested.
“Oh!
That thing’s glowing red,” Paimon said, pressing a hand against her forehead as she squinted in the direction Eve was pointing.
“Let’s go take a look,” Lumine said with a resolute nod.
They carefully picked their way across the jagged stone.
“Be super careful, you guys…
I’ve got a really, *really* bad feeling about it,” Paimon warned from the sidelines.
Lumine nodded slowly, creeping forward step by step.
Tucked safely inside Lumine’s arms, Eve kept her eyes locked on the crimson crystal resting upon the rock.
As they drew closer, she could clearly perceive the lingering waves of deep sorrow and furious anguish radiating from Dvalin within it.
It seemed the corruption of the demonic blood was exerting a staggering, profound toll on the dragon.
By now, Lumine and Paimon had reached the edge of the stone.
“Huh?
I’ve never seen such a weird stone before.
Can’t even tell what it is,” Paimon murmured, staring curiously at the floating crimson object.
“Though it definitely looks dangerous.”
“I’ve never seen one either,” Lumine muttered, examining it closely.
Then, she turned her full gaze downward.
“Say, Eve, do you happen to know what this is?”
“Ah…
I’m terribly sorry, but I haven’t the foggiest.
Never laid eyes on it before,” Eve replied after a brief pause, formulating her strategy with practiced ease.
*Lumine, my dear, if you push your curiosity any further, it starts crossing into impoliteness.*
“Oh…
alright,” Lumine sighed, sounding somewhat disappointed.
“Well, regardless, we should probably take it with us!
You never know when it might come in handy,” Eve suggested brightly.
“Mm, that makes sense,” Lumine pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement.
She reached out, grasped the teardrop-shaped red crystal, and tucked it safely into her pouch.
“Phew, let’s get out of here before anything else happens!” Paimon glanced nervously around their surroundings.
“Right.” Lumine nodded and resumed walking deeper into the Whispering Woods.
After a spell of travel, the group finally reached the outskirts of the forest.
“Look, Mondstadt is right up ahead!” Paimon cried out excitedly, hovering over a high overlook and pointing forward.
Lumine’s gaze followed the gesture.
In the distance, across the vast expanse of sparkling water, an epic city rose into view.
Within its walls, several colossal windmills spun lazily in the breeze, with the towering silhouette of the cathedral reigning as the highest peak of the cityscape.
Even from afar, the architecture was breathtakingly majestic, exuding a timeless, epic grandeur that took one’s breath away.
“Ah…
It’s so magnificent, so beautiful!” Lumine murmured, momentarily lost in the sight of Mondstadt.
“Mondstadt bears the titles of the ‘Crown of the North,’ the ‘City of Wind,’ and the ‘City of Ballads,'” Eve chimed in smoothly from Lumine’s arms.
“And right inside the city, in the square directly in front of the cathedral, stands a colossal statue of the Anemo Archon.”
“Eve, you know so much!” Lumine praised affectionately, gently patting the top of Eve’s head.
“N—it’s nothing much!
“Hey!
No fair, Lumine!
I want headpats too!” Paimon stamped her little feet in the air, protesting aloud.
“Oh?
And just what do *you* know, Paimon?” Eve asked with a triumphant smirk.
“I—well, I know…” Paimon stalled instantly, completely cornered.
“Wait!
I’ve got it!
I know there are lots and lots of delicious things in Mondstadt!”
Paimon darted a nervous, insecure glance at Lumine.
“H…
how’s that?”
“Alright, alright, Paimon is amazing too,” Lumine giggled sweetly, reaching out to stroke the top of Paimon’s head.
“Yay!” Paimon cheered, happily buzzing in circles around Lumine.
Lumine covered her mouth with one hand, amused by how delightfully adorable and comical the little sprite looked.
“Let’s keep moving!” Lumine said, trying to regain her composure, though the smile still lingered warmly on her face.
“Mm-hmm, hurry up!
Once we get to Mondstadt, Lumine, you’ve *got* to treat me to tons and tons of good food!” Paimon nodded eagerly before tossing her head back with a haughty sniff.
“Huh?
Why me?” Lumine tilted her head, amused.
“Because…
because poor little Paimon’s stomach is empty!” she wailed unashamedly.
Right on cue, a loud, echoing *rumble* betrayed her stomach.
Hearing the sound, Lumine burst into a sweet, fond laugh.
“Alright, alright, dinner’s on me!”
“Woohoo!” Paimon zipped into the air in sheer delight.
“Me too, me too!” Eve chimed in from Lumine’s arms.
Granted, as a divine entity, Eve didn’t strictly *need* to eat—she certainly wasn’t going to starve to death.
But indulging the pleasures of the palate every now and then was practically a mandatory luxury.
What, did you expect Eve to buy her own food?
As if!
As the Dendro Archon, where on earth was she supposed to find any Mora?
“Don’t worry, Eve gets a share too,” Lumine reassured her, giving Eve’s head another affectionate pat.
Just as she spoke, a sudden rustle broke the quiet behind them.
“Hey…
you there!
Hold it right there!”
Lumine and Paimon immediately whipped around, Eve turning right along with them.
Yet, try as they might to scan the treeline, they couldn’t spot a soul.
“Over here,” the feminine voice rang out again.
In the next instant, a girl clad in vibrant red with matching rabbit-ear hair clips burst from the underbrush, executing a flawless mid-air backflip to land squarely in front of them.
Lumine and Paimon stared in wide-eyed shock, while Eve remained entirely unfazed.
Landing firmly on her feet, the red-robed maiden spun around and addressed Lumine directly:
“May the Anemo Archon protect you, stranger!
I am Amber, Outrider for the Knights of Favonius.
Hello, nice to meet you!” Amber gave them a crisp, practiced military salute.
“Ah…
hello…” Lumine stammered, clearly taken aback by the sudden, acrobatic entrance.
“You aren’t citizens of Mondstadt, are you?
State your business here!” Amber continued, sticking strictly to official Knights protocol.
We’re not suspicious people!” Paimon stammered in a panic, thoroughly intimidated by the title of ‘Knights of Favonius Outrider.’
“That’s exactly what suspicious people say,” Amber replied coldly, unyielding.
“Especially someone traveling with a slime.”
Her gaze shifted instantly down to Eve in Lumine’s arms.
It was the kind of sharp, clinical scrutiny usually reserved for hardened criminals—thoroughly unpleasant.
Eve immediately shot a glare right back.
*What are you staring at?
Never seen a goddess before?!*
Still, she couldn’t entirely blame Amber.
After all, what sane person walked around keeping a monster as a pet?
“My name is Lumine,” Lumine hastily introduced herself.
“Hmph.
Doesn’t sound like a local name.” Amber eyed them further.
“Now explain—what’s the deal with the slime in your arms?
And what about…
this flying mascot over here?” Her eyes flicked toward Paimon, hovering anxiously in the air.
“This is…
emergency food,” Lumine glanced at Paimon and answered without skipping a beat.
“Hey!
Not even close!
That’s way worse than a mascot!” Paimon shrieked, stamping her feet in indignation.
“Fine.
Then what about this grass slime—the whitish one?” Amber’s eyes locked back onto Eve, her guard still fully up as befitted a professional scout.
“She’s not an ordinary grass slime!
She can talk, and she’s completely gentle and safe,” Lumine rushed to explain.
“Is that so…” Amber narrowed her eyes skeptically.
Seeing that Amber wasn’t convinced, Eve decided to speak up herself.
“Hello there!
First time meeting, I’m Eve.” She forced the most charming, innocent smile she could muster.
“What?!” Amber’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief as the slime in Lumine’s arms actually spoke.
She honestly hadn’t believed it—she’d assumed Lumine was just spinning a tall tale to brush her off.
“S—sorry!
I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions!” Amber immediately flushed and apologized to Lumine.
“Don’t worry about it,” Lumine waved a hand dismissively.
“But…
are you *really* sure she’s not dangerous?” Amber poked Eve experimentally.
“Hey!
Don’t just go poking people’s bodies, hmph…” Eve grumbled, visibly displeased.
“Of course she’s safe!
Eve is the best.
Besides, what kind of threat could such a tiny, weak little slime possibly pose?” Lumine reasoned.
“Exactly, exactly!
Look at my little frame—a strong gust of wind could blow me away.
I’m just so weak, helpless, and utterly pitiful,” Eve chimed in immediately, playing the part to perfection.
“Um…
alright then!” Amber conceded after a moment of heavy thought.
She figured Lumine had a point; what kind of threat could a pathetic little slime be?
Could it possibly be more dangerous than Stormterror?
“Anyway, you two are travelers, right?” Amber asked, dusting off her hands.
“There’s a dragon prowling around Mondstadt lately, so you should head into the city as soon as possible.”
“Since we’re not far from the city gates, allow me—as an Outrider of the Knights of Favonius—to escort you the rest of the way.”