Chapter 19
I bought a new phone and I can play Genshin Impact again :)
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"Wait, I want to check something."
Before leaving, I felt the need to check something important. I asked Amber to slow down for a moment. Then I activated my "Elemental Sight," which allowed me to see elemental traces invisible to the naked eye. The world around me was tinted with a grayish hue, except for the entities interacting with the environment.
Among the debris of the enemy camp, my eyes detected a cyan flash. I couldn't help but get excited and call out, "Hey, Amber, look at that!"
Amber peered over my shoulder, craning her neck to get a better view.
"I can't make out what it is," she said as she tilted her head, surrounded by question marks. "Wait... your ability, it can locate hidden objects, right?"
I was taken aback by her acuity in deducing that, but nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, exactly. Right now I'm looking at an ornate looking chest, it must be an Exquisite Chest."
In front of us was a chest of larger than normal dimensions. Its lid was made of polished and finely crafted wood. When I looked at it closely, I recognized the engravings and metal ornaments that only Exquisite Chests had.
In the game, these chests usually presented more difficult challenges than the Common Chests. They were usually protected by security mechanisms that required certain conditions to be met, such as defeating nearby enemies or solving environmental puzzles.
Given the layout of the camp, I assumed that this particular chest had been protected by the Hilichurls who had previously occupied the site. Presumably, once we had eliminated any threat, the security mechanism had been deactivated.
Amber let out a startled sigh and gave me a bright smile. "I knew you had a useful skill, but I didn't expect it to be Elemental Sight!"
"Huh? Do you know this skill?"
"Of course! Elemental Sight, that's what it's called, the skill to locate hidden objects or elemental traces thanks to superior elemental affinity!" She exclaimed, striking a heroic pose. "I can use it too."
"Wow. I had no idea."
From what Amber explained to me, there seemed to be different ranges when it came to Elemental Sight. For example, she could only see the elemental traces of Common Chests.
Apparently, it all depended on each person's elemental affinity. That is, the higher the affinity, the more things could be detected.
"Still, it's surprising that you have so much elemental affinity," Amber commented. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised, coming from someone who flies."
I made a gesture of modestly, though I was pleased inside. She, on the other hand, pouted.
"Hey, that's not fair. While I only find common chests, you discover Exquisite ones at a glance." She complained dramatically. "You're a cheater, Kaito!"
I held up my hands innocently. "Blame the goddess for giving me this ability. But if you want, I can teach you some tricks."
We walked on to the hidden chest, and when we opened it, we got a pleasant surprise: it contained 5 primogems, a spear, enhancement crystals, and other useful items.
"Look, an Iron Point!" Amber pointed out. "Even though it's a two-star, it's one of the most used among adventurers. Try it."
Without hesitation, I replaced my old 1-star spear with the new one.
The spear, as its name suggested, was sharp and pointed at one end. Its design was more balanced, and the material seemed stronger. I was sure that it would improve my fighting ability.
We diligently explored the area in search of more treasures, but unfortunately, our efforts were in vain. Undeterred, we continued to lead the group we'd rescued along the path we'd traced through the trees.
Amber walked ahead, chatting animatedly and helping the little girl avoid the roots and rocks that were in her way.
Meanwhile, I remained silent, keeping a watchful eye on the area in case we were attacked again. Although I didn't like the job of bodyguard, I had to admit that it felt good to help others.
As she helped the little girl climb onto a large boulder, Amber scratched her head awkwardly. "By the way, where is your village?"
The woman we were accompanying took a moment to think before answering, "Our village is in Whispering Wood. I doubt you have heard of it, as it is actually quite small. But don't worry, we'll show you the way."
Starfell Valley was known as a diverse and vibrant region in the land of Mondstadt. It stretched from the tip of Stormbearer Point to the edge of Whispering Woods. It was filled with abundant lakes and a variety of trees that created a beautiful atmosphere.
And Whispering Woods was one of the eight sub-areas of Starfell Valley.
Unlike in the game, however, the distance between the two points was considerable, so it took us about an hour to reach Whispering Woods from where we were.
A small winding road snaked through the lush, dark forest. And another detail caught my attention...
"Hey, listen, Kaito!" Amber exclaimed with a bright smile as she approached me. "Do you want to know more about this place? It has quite a strange history!"
"Mmm, sure."
Although the name was familiar from my dives into the game, I had yet to discover its true history. So Amber, knowing that I was a foreigner who knew nothing about the place, became a sort of impromptu guide.
"As you may have noticed, that sound? The sound of leaves swaying in the wind in this place was often misinterpreted by travelers as a murmur. That's why they started calling it Whispering Woods."
As Amber had mentioned, among the leafy treetops towering above us, eerie sounds could be heard that seemed to fly through the air. Even I could feel those whispers echoing as if they were human voices.
"Ah, I see... No doubt, the wind here is strong and invigorating."
It was understandable that the wide leaves of the trees made those hypnotic sounds in response to the strong wind.
Anyway, after another half hour of walking, we finally arrived at a village that was not large, but rather small. There were maybe thirty houses in all. It seemed that all the inhabitants knew each other and were bored of seeing the same faces, for they came out to greet us with enthusiasm, as if the course of their lives had been changed by our arrival.
"Jaime, my boy!" exclaimed a plump lady with joy as she recognized her son. "You had us so worried, we thought something had happened to you."
"Don't worry, we're safe thanks to these two heroes," the man replied, pointing in our direction. "He is Kaito, an adventurer, and she is Amber, a Favonius Knight."
We told them of the events that had brought us together with Jaime and the dangers we had faced. The villagers were unstinting in their praise of our bravery.
However, I could sense the traces of not-so-good memories in their eyes.
"These days, the monsters have become more and more rampant," the village chief commented with a tired expression. "We deeply appreciate your help. It is a relief to know that we have brave adventurers like you nearby."
"Haha, no need to mention it," Amber replied humbly, laughing softly. "After all, it is a knight's duty to help those in need."
"Still, your intervention today saved our lives," the woman we saved insisted. Her name was Valerie. "Please stay and rest. As a token of our gratitude, we ask that you accept this small offering."
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