บท 133: Expedition
After returning to his male self and again reminding Endora to not tell anyone, Allen returned to Mondstadt with Endora and was faced with the problems that could be expected when bringing and unknown little girl, and the questions that followed.
As it was impossible to discern Endora as nothing more than a little human girl, at least for the normal people as Allen was sure that someone like Alice will be able to see through her, Allen decided to keep her true identity as a Lochfolk hidden. Lochfolk weren't exactly categorized as enemies or monsters, being known as intelligent beings with some of them cooperating with humans, but it was not the first time that they caused some problems, even if they were thought more like fairies.
To hide her natural elemental powers, Allen gave her one fake Hydro Vision, masking her abilities with it. Luckily, Allen had a fake one, one being specially commissioned at Snezhnaya that was difficult to tell the difference between it and a real one, even Elemental Sigh being unable to discern. The reason behind it? It was just in case of someone trying to rob his Vision, that's why Allen always held one fake Hydro Vision to replace his Delusion and a fake Cryo Vision.
So Allen explained to the guards and the Adventurers' Guild that while he was investigating the bitter water, she found Endora being attacked by monsters and saved her. Due to the shock or some unknown reason, Endora seemed to not remember anything so Allen put a request to the Guild to circulate her image to find some who knew her, not that there would be any.
Listening to Endora's false story, everyone took great pity on her and decided for her to stay with the Favonius Knights until her family was found. However, with Endora's attachment to Allen, she negated being with anyone other than him, even unleashing her elemental powers to show her rejection. So in the end, it was decided for Endora to be in Allen's charge who seemed the only one that Endora trusted and was capable of calming her.
Wanting to be always together with Allen, Endora was even made an adventurer. She was considered a little young for the work, but it was not the first case of some Vision's users. So after showing some part of her strength, all of course, without summoning mimics, she was quickly accepted by the delight of Cyrus to have some with so much potential as a new adventurer.
In the end, it wasn't even about her potential, that it was great. As Endora was now, she was far stronger than the average adventurer. If they were in a place with water around, Allen was sure that he would be unable to win against her without using his Delusion.
As for the quest for the bitter water, Allen left it abandoned, having decided to help Endora before continuing his investigation and as in the end, the water turned normal shortly, it was left as a temporal and isolated phenomenon for which its cause wasn't found.
...
Some time passed and the Reconnaissance Company returned to Mondstadt informing about their findings. Thanks to Fischl telling him, Allen was able to learn about it the fastest.
Investigating the nearest area where a Pillar appeared, they had found an entrance to the Abyss, causing worry and shock. The entrance was wide enough for any type of monster to cross it and was continuously spitting out monsters, damaging the near areas.
If left alone, it would become quite the problem, destroying all the surrounding areas, and desolating them.
Luckily, it seemed that that pillar was one exemption, having investigated other near ones and finding nothing at all, the areas around being completely unaffected. But the problem was still there, if left alone, it would become quite the problem in the future, destroying all the surrounding areas.
The solution that they found was quite the evident one, they will investigate the new opening of the Abyss, entering and cleaning it of monsters, not letting them leave the place and separate.
That solution was the one used by Snezhnaya for their opening, sending people to regularly clean it up.
Snezhnaya's opening had quite the problems in its history. At first, the entrance was simply blocked and guarded, only killing the monster that left. However, it was quickly found that left alone, the number of monsters will increase exponentially thanks to the opening that it's said to absorb the energy from outside, so if nothing was done, a monster stampede would occur, causing great damage.
It was exactly a stampede that destroyed the area around the opening of Snezhnaya, making it a completely barren land. It has been quite the deal at that time but thanks to it, people had learned to combat it.
The first cleaning was the most complicated, needing to enter the Abyss to clean the nearest monsters, but after that it would be far easier, only requiring little force to regularly clean it. And while the Abyss was quite the dangerous place, being able to corrupt people just by staying in there, it was more about the inner layers, the outer ones next to an opening not being so powerful. But anyway, a long stay in it wasn't recommended.
In the end, Varka was forced to create an expedition to investigate the area and clean the opening, preparing most of the Favonius Knight's force to participate.
...
'Aether did a good job' Allen was quite happy with the results. The creation of an entrance to the Abyss forced Mondstadt to move and leave as in the game, plus being in the north, almost touching with Snezhnaya borders, let the Fatui an excuse to act if they wanted and give help for more compensation.
'But really, why I've been requested at the Knight's headquarters?' A month had passed since the Reconnaissance Company returned and reported their findings and the preparations for the expedition were almost done, leaving Mondstadt the next week. In this busy and strange time, Allen was summoned.
'Have they found anything about me? I doubt that I left any trace, especially these days...' Allen went to the headquarters while followed by Endora. If something dangerous happened, it will be good to have someone like her.
Entering the headquarters, Allen was directly guided to Varka's office where Varka and another man in his late fifties were there discussing with some maps over.
"Hello, Allen. Sorry for having summoned you with so little notice. It had been a long time since I wanted to meet you and seeing that if it's not done now, the opportunity will be lost for quite a long time, I hurried it." Varka's laughed "As you may know am Varka, the Grand Master of Knights of Favonius, and he is Ethan Imunlaukr, the captain of the 4th company, the Reconnaissance Company. Nice to meet you!"
"Nice to meet you, I am Niwa Allen is an honor" Allen bowed his head.
"Don't be so formal. You will make me feel bad" Varka laughed.
Allen was a little taken aback by Varka's carefree and light attitude, and immense contrast when he met him as Columbina. At that time, Varka seemed like a hunter pressuring her constantly to find some weakness to make her his prey. On the other hand, he now seemed a cheerful uncle, uncaring for all.
"We have summoned you for an important matter" Ethan coughed gaining the attention. Unlike Varka, he seemed to be quite a serious character but maybe he was forced into that role seeing how Varka usually was.
"I have read your reports as an adventurer and I must say that I am quite delighted about them, your descriptions and explanations are highly accurate and your completion rate is one of the highest, being able to familiarize with Mondstadt in a level that people born here will never do." Ethan explained "What would you say in joining the Knights of Favonius as part of the Reconnaissance Company?"
"Are trying to recruit me?" They nodded "It's for the expedition, you want me to participate there?" 'Of course, I will negate. I won't leave Mondstadt now at the most important time.'
"It's related to the expedition, but we are not searching for you to participate." Ethan explained "Most of our forces will go to the Expedition, leaving Mondstadt quite weaken with it."
"That's the reason that we have been recruiting these last week." Varka explained "But the new recruits are too young and inexperienced to be taken with us so they are to stay at Mondstadt and protect it. We already had planned the new distribution, with new captains and Jean Gunnhildr as the acting Grand Master. They are the best and we were sure that they will become the future of the Knights. It simply came a little too early. We want you to be part of them."
"I don't think I would fit well with the Knights" Allen excused.
"Eula Lawrence will be the new Reconnaissance Captain. She is far more than capable and the best for the position, but as you might know she is despised and hated for her origins, even when she had shown uncountable times her different mindset." Ethan said "I'm afraid that she will have some difficult time taking charge due to it, so I will like to have you near here. I am aware of how much she trusts you and about your relationship."
"Yes, your resemblance is quite clear. I don't understand why none has discovered you both being siblings before" Varka laughed it off.
"It will be great to have someone at her side to support her." Ethan finished saying "Would you join as a Knight?"
"It's an honor" Allen thought about it before answering "But I'm sorry to say that I won't join."
"Can we know the reason?" Ethan asked.
"I have stayed for almost two years at Mondstadt and I can say that I love the city, but I won't stop here. In the future, I'll leave it, so I don't think that I could do my duty as a knight. That's precisely why I became an adventurer, for the freedom of it." Allen said "But during my time here, I would help in anything. Eula would always have my support."
"It's a pity, but I understand. Thanks for it" Ethan nodded "I would have been glad to have someone normal like you at the Reconnaissance Company with all the oddballs. My company is usually away from Mondstadt and that attract all sort of strange characters that really don't fit society in it. Eula being one of the most normal ones."
"Yes, that's why I said that the little princess, Fischl, will fit very well in it" Varka laughed "A pity that she also negate it. "*Verily, this Prinzessin cannot be bound by the mere shackles of titles. My duty has already been foreordained, to govern all with my command!*" Varka mimicked Fischl.
"She has been an incredible help in this last travel. I have great esteem for her abilities and talents and I know her character is good, but somewhat I am glad that she negated." Ethan sighed. "I don't know if I will be able to deal with her regularly."
"I can really understand it" Allen nodded "Not everyone is able to stand her majesty."
"Yes" Varka laughed before turning serious "Allen, protect Mondstadt"
"Yes" Allen nodded and left the room.
"Quite the pity" Varka sighed "It will be great to have more help. It will take some years before we are able to return and that's considering that everything goes well."
"Yes, everything is so sudden and one opening of the Abyss appearing only at Mondstadt. It really smells fishy. It could be a complot. The question is of whom?"
"Fatui, Abyss Order or both, who knows," Varka said, the image of Colombina passing his mind.
"Should really all the captains leave in the expedition? Me alone might be enoug-"
"I trust our youngster" Varka interrupted "And I can't really send them to the Abyss to lose themselves. If someone is to be lost, better be us old men. I only hope that the trap is in the Abyss and not in Mondstadt."
...
A week passed and it was finally time for the Expedition, rounds of knights leaving Mondstadt with a parade with all the people at Mondstadt saying goodbye and giving their luck, all while leaving behind the young generation in charge.
'They had finally left' Allen thought seeing them leave the gates 'Now it's the time to make my move. Let's awaken Stormterror.'
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