“I didn’t expect that you aren’t just ordinary passersby with no combat ability after all.” Amber looked at Stelle, who was casually twirling a baseball bat, and stared for a moment in a slight daze.
Although she had no idea what that strange stick in Stelle’s hand was, the sight of her charging straight into a group of Hilichurls and mowing them down had been deeply imprinted in her mind.
Stelle didn’t have a Vision, nor had she used any elemental power just now.
She had simply relied on that bat to strike.
Even if these Hilichurls weren’t particularly strong, for an ordinary person like Stelle, that level of strength and courage was already worthy of praise.
Mm, I like it so much…
“?” Stelle tilted her head in confusion.
After saying a sentence, Amber had drifted off into her own thoughts again, and who knew what she was thinking about.
This didn’t seem to be the first or second time.
Earlier, when Stelle tried to talk to her, Amber had often been like this.
At first, Stelle suspected this girl might have some impure intentions, but now it seemed…
could it be that she just wasn’t very bright?
“By the way, why are Hilichurls appearing here?
Normally, creatures like them wouldn’t set up camps this close to a city, right?” Paimon suddenly asked.
“It’s probably because of the dragon storm.
Since the Stormterror keeps appearing, the Knights of Favonius have to divide their attention to defend the city, so these guys have been getting closer and closer,” Amber came back to her senses and explained.
“Dragon storm…” Stelle recalled the giant dragon she had seen this morning.
That must be what caused it.
Thinking back now, she could still feel a slight numbness in her palm.
That creature’s claw strike had been no joke.
A troublesome opponent.
“Speaking of which, Amber.” Stelle suddenly thought of something and looked at her.
“You said the things dropped by Hilichurls can be exchanged for money, right?” They had just cleared out a Hilichurl camp and obtained quite a bit of loot.
Mostly broken masks and arrowheads.
They didn’t look valuable, but Amber had carefully collected all of them.
“Mm.
Some of them can be used as materials for alchemy, so you can sell them…
though the price usually isn’t very high,” Amber nodded.
“I see…” Stelle rubbed her head.
She had already been thinking about money today.
After all, she had just arrived in this world and was completely penniless.
She couldn’t exactly wait until entering the city to start worrying about it.
“Miss Stelle, are you short on money?” Amber asked curiously.
In her view, since Stelle was a traveler wandering around, she should at least have some funds on her.
Otherwise, how had she sustained her journey?
“Just call me Stelle.
I mean, I have to think of ways to earn money,” Stelle scratched her head awkwardly.
Amber didn’t know that Stelle had only arrived in this world a couple of days ago.
Not only did she have no money, she didn’t even really know what the currency here looked like.
“A-actually, while you’re in Mondstadt, I can take care of you,” Amber said shyly.
“Huh?
Uh…
thanks…” Stelle felt that Amber’s expression and words were a bit strange.
Meanwhile, Lumine watched Amber with a thoughtful look.
“Ahem.
Anyway, come with me.
A responsible and upright knight will escort you into the city,” Amber said.
Mondstadt was surrounded on all sides by Cider Lake, with only a single stone bridge connecting it to the outside world.
What appeared before Stelle was a city wall like a natural barrier, towering into the clouds.
Two knights in uniform stood guard at the gate.
When they saw Amber, they greeted her.
Probably because of her, they didn’t question Lumine and Stelle too much.
After briefly asking about their origins, they simply said, “Welcome to Mondstadt, honorable travelers from afar.” “Allow me to formally introduce it.
This is the city of wind and dandelions, the free city—under the protection of the Knights of Favonius.
Travelers, welcome to Mondstadt!” “That’s great!
We finally don’t have to sleep in the wilderness!” Paimon exclaimed excitedly.
“Yeah, that’s wonderful,” Lumine nodded with deep feeling.
Unlike Stelle, the two of them had been surviving in the wild for quite some time.
If not for their unique circumstances, by the time Stelle met them, they might have already looked like a pair of wildlings.
“But everyone seems a bit down?” Stelle looked around and noticed that the passersby all carried traces of worry and distress.
“It’s also because of the dragon storm.
The lives of Mondstadt’s citizens have been greatly affected,” Amber sighed.
“So I’m sorry, we might not be able to properly entertain you.” “It’s alright.
Being able to enter the city is already more than enough,” Lumine said quickly.
“Mm.
Come with me later.
As compensation, I’ll give you both a gift,” Amber smiled as she looked at them—especially at Stelle, her tone filled with anticipation.
“You should like it.” “What about me?
Don’t I get anything?” Paimon hurriedly floated up in front of Amber and asked.
“Well…
Little Paimon probably can’t use it,” Amber looked her up and down before scratching her head.
“But I can treat you to Mondstadt’s specialty—Sweet Madame.” “Sweet Madame!” Paimon’s eyes lit up instantly.
Compared to other gifts, she clearly cared more about food.
“I’ll take you around Mondstadt first.
Then we’ll go somewhere high up, and I’ll give you your gift,” Amber suggested.
“Alright.” As newcomers to Mondstadt, the two naturally had no objections to her arrangement.
Walking along the city’s steps, they gradually made their way deeper inside.
But the further they went, the more they could feel how desolate Mondstadt was at the moment.
“Normally, Mondstadt is very lively.
But because of the dragon storm, both merchants and travelers have decreased a lot.
Even the locals have been affected, and many shops have temporarily closed,” Amber sighed helplessly.
“On the other hand, taverns—although somewhat affected—are among the few places that can still operate normally.” Amber stopped and pointed toward a street corner beside them.
“Look, that tavern over there is called the Cat’s Tail.
Its business has always been good, even now.
And most importantly, the bartender Diona is very cute!” “A bartender…
cute?” Stelle couldn’t quite associate that profession with cuteness.
“Hehe, you’ll understand when you see her in the future.”