"Clap, clap—"
"What a delightful performance. Your movements were as light as a startled swan, your figure as graceful as a swimming dragon."
Kamisato Satoru applauded with a smile, his voice filled with genuine admiration.
"I’ll remember this grudge."
Hearing such an eloquent compliment, Eula’s cheeks involuntarily reddened again.
Although she usually maintained an icy demeanor, such sophisticated praise still left her secretly delighted.
Ayaka stood silently to the side, but an unusual gleam flickered in her gray-blue eyes.
Her inner gossip instinct was already beginning to stir.
With Eula, who knew the area like the back of her hand, leading the way, it did not take long for the group to successfully leave Dragonspine behind.
"May the great Anemo Archon fool— Ahem, bless you, strangers... Huh?"
"Wait, isn’t that Eula?!"
"You finally decided to come back!"
Several days later, just as the group was approaching the outskirts of Mondstadt City, a fiery-red figure came charging toward them.
The young woman had long chestnut-brown hair, a conspicuous red bunny-ear headband atop her head, and a pair of goggles hanging around her neck. She looked like a lively little flame given human form.
Satoru stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Wasn’t this the famous "Torch-Lighting Puzzle Adeptus," Amber?
Or, as players commonly called her, the "Fire-Lighting Girl" responsible for solving every puzzle that needed something set on fire.
"I’m Amber, Outrider of the Knights of Favonius. Welcome to Mondstadt, the City of Freedom!"
Amber openly gave them a proper knightly salute.
Eula had already briefly explained the siblings’ identities to her.
Naturally, she had completely omitted the embarrassing little incident involving her bath by the lake.
As a result, Amber did not think too deeply about the matter, nor did she subject them to any strict inspection.
Something involving international diplomacy was better left for the perpetually overworked Acting Grand Master Jean to worry about.
"I’m Kamisato Ayaka."
"I’m Kamisato Satoru."
The siblings introduced themselves simultaneously.
"Eula, I still have to continue my regular patrol around this area, so I’ll leave getting them into the city to you!"
Amber grinned cheerfully.
"You dare order me around as a tour guide? I’ll remember this grudge too."
Despite her sharp words, Eula obediently accepted the task.
Amber giggled before disappearing into the nearby forest to search for traces of Hilichurls.
She knew Eula far too well.
"I’ll remember this grudge" had long since become something of an inside joke between the two of them. In truth, there were very few people Eula genuinely hated.
"Eula, I’ve suddenly realized that the title ’Spindrift Knight’ doesn’t really suit you."
Satoru stared at Eula with an extremely serious expression, looking more solemn than ever.
Eula looked utterly confused.
"???"
"Think about it. You’re constantly talking about remembering grudges. I think ’Vengeance Knight’ suits you much better."
"Pfft!"
"I’m terribly sorry!"
Before Eula could lose her temper, Ayaka failed to hold back and burst out laughing.
Realizing how impolite that was, she hurriedly covered her mouth and apologized.
When she had first heard Eula talking about vengeance, Ayaka had been somewhat concerned.
But after hearing it so many times, she instead found the contrast rather endearing.
"Vengeance Knight" really did seem perfectly suited to Eula’s stubborn, tsundere personality.
"Kamisato Satoru, you actually took the lead in making fun of me. I definitely won’t forget this offense."
Eula’s face turned bright red with anger. Even her translucent earlobes had become as crimson as ripe mulberries.
She certainly used that phrase all the time, but this was the first time anyone had openly teased her by calling her the "Vengeance Knight."
"Then make sure you remember it properly. I’m looking forward to seeing how you’ll take your revenge on me later."
The corner of Satoru’s mouth lifted into a mischievous smile.
Eula forcibly suppressed the urge to draw her sword and cut him down on the spot.
For the sake of maintaining the Knights of Favonius’ image, she could only keep her head down and lead the way toward the city gates.
"People from that shut-in god’s country have arrived... Wonder if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Ah, whatever. I’ll go have a couple of drinks first..."
Not far away, beneath the enormous tree at Windrise, a green-clad young man stood muttering to himself while gazing in the direction of Mondstadt’s gates.
Were those pigeons?
When the three reached the long bridge outside Mondstadt City, Satoru noticed a child crouching there, intently feeding a flock of pigeons.
At that moment, certain mysterious instincts buried deep within Satoru’s genes began going absolutely wild.
The urge to turn those pigeons into Fowl was almost impossible to suppress.
He was even tempted to fire off a Cursed Technique Reversal: Red and deal with all those flying ingredients at once.
However, after glancing at the little brat named Timmie, Satoru ultimately restrained himself.
They had only just arrived in Mondstadt, after all. It would be better to leave a good first impression.
If he accidentally blew up the city gates, it would probably be interpreted as an act of provocation from Inazuma.
And then that milk-tea-addicted little brother back home would probably worry himself into going completely gray.
As Timmie watched Satoru and the others approach, his instincts told him one thing.
That white-haired man definitely did not look like a good person.