บท 29: 28. A Day for New Allies
A few days after the whole Temple of the Four Winds fiasco, we finally had some time to calm down.
To be completely honest, it's kind of odd how peaceful things are already. Considering how close we came to disaster with Stormterror, you'd think there'd still be some lingering chaos. But no, Mondstadt returned to its usual calm. It's almost... unsettling.
Not that I'm complaining. After getting hit by a dragon hard enough to send me flying into Mondstadt's walls, fighting an abyss herald, and a abyss powered ruin grader, I could use the break.
Though the free all-you-can-eat from Kaeya after the whole ordeal? That was something else. I'll never forget the look on his face when Paimon and I made him question if he could even pay the bill.
Right now, I'm walking through the streets of Mondstadt with none other than Aether and the Black Hol— I mean, his floating companion/guide, Paimon.
Jean had asked me to help Aether get acquainted with the city, especially now that he's officially registered with the Adventurers' Guild. Amber was busy with some errands, so I got the honor of playing tour guide today. Not that I minded.
I still remember when Amber had to help me apply for my adventuring license. Katheryne, Mondstadt's ever "cheerful receptionist" was as unsettling then as she is now. It's something about how she smiles like she knows something you don't. Kinda creepy, if you ask me.
"So, Aether, you wanna do some commissions now, or do you still feel like exploring?" I asked, noticing him taking in the sights of Mondstadt like he was committing every detail to memory.
Aether, who'd been busy admiring the city's scenery 'wow, did I look like that when I first got here?' turned to me. His golden eyes, usually so calm, flickered with thought.
"To be honest, I'd like to see more of Mondstadt, but I feel more at ease when I'm busy with something. Keeps the mind occupied, you know?"
Before I could reply, Paimon zipped into my face. Well, flew. But still.
"Don't forget the most important thing!" She twirled around Aether before perching on his head, hands on her hips. "Doing commissions means more Mora! And more Mora means... more food!"
I shot Paimon a judgmental stare. She didn't even flinch. Aether, ever the patient one, just grabbed her off his head, chuckling.
"Calm down, Paimon. The money we got from the Stormterror incident should keep us afloat for a while," Aether said.
The glint in Paimon's eyes didn't fade. "Well, you can never be too careful, right?"
Aether sighed, giving in. "All right, all right. 'You can never be too careful.'" He glanced at me, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "I've already picked up some commissions from the Guild."
He pulled out a piece of paper where he'd written down the tasks. His handwriting... was in a script I didn't recognize. Wait, what?
How was I even able to read and speak the language of Teyvat? Also what language is he writing in?
…
…
Well, that's probably a problem for another day.
I look at Aether and realised he had that thinking face "Uh, you need something?" like he was deciding whether to say something important.
"Tayden," he started, "if it's not too much to ask... would you like to form an adventuring party with me?"
That was unexpected. "Oh? Well, I don't mind, but why?"
"I heard you're relatively new here in Mondstadt too, and since you're going to be monitoring me anyway, I figured we might as well take on commissions together."
"Fair enough," I replied with a shrug. "Let's head to the Adventurers' Guild to officially form the party."
---
When we arrived at the Guild, we were met with quite the sight. A teenage girl, maybe sixteen or seventeen, was posing dramatically in front of Katheryne. By her side, a sleek raven perched on a nearby post, watching her with glowing eyes.
Her outfit was... unique. Definitely not something you'd see every day, even in Mondstadt. There was also the eyepatch, the obvious Electro vision, and the elaborate way she spoke... Amber had definitely mentioned someone like this before.
Wait. This must be Fischl.
I remember Amber telling me about a very eccentric adventurer who fit this description perfectly. Seeing her now, it all made sense. Meanwhile, poor Katheryne stood there with her usual calm, but I could tell she was struggling to keep up with whatever Fischl was saying.
Walking closer, I finally caught what she was saying.
"Verily, the advent of fate hath bestowed upon me the task of purging Mondstadt from its myriad dangers. Oz, we must take flight, for the stars beckon, and destiny calls!"
...
...
...
Okay. I understood none of that.
Aether looked just as confused as I felt. He raised an eyebrow, glancing between me and Fischl, as if hoping for some kind of explanation.
Paimon, ever blunt, was the first to speak. "Uh, is she okay? Paimon thinks she might have a few screws loose."
Aether flicked Paimon lightly on the head, though he was trying not to smile. "Paimon, that's rude. Don't make fun of people."
"Ow! But Paimon's not wrong!" She huffed, crossing her arms in annoyance.
The raven—Oz, I think—spoke up in a much clearer voice than I expected. "Apologies, mein Fraulein means to ask about today's commissions."
Katheryne, ever professional, simply nodded and handed Fischl a set of commission posters suited to her level.
"Gratitude, Katheryne! Come, Oz! The winds of fate are ever in our favor!" Fischl declared before dashing out of Mondstadt, her bird trailing behind her with a resigned flap of wings.
We all stood there for a moment, watching as Fischl disappeared from sight.
"Are there... other people in Mondstadt like that?" Aether asked, sounding unsure.
I paused, thinking. "No... well, okay, maybe one or two."
Aether didn't seem convinced. "Really?"
"Okay, there's Albedo, the chief alchemist. He's... unique, but trustworthy. And then there's Klee. I've only heard about her, but Lisa mentioned something about putting her in timeout for blowing something up? Not really sure of the details."
Paimon, now thoroughly bored with our conversation, physically pushed us toward the Adventurers' Guild. "Enough chitchat! Let's go make some Mora!"
Aether glanced at me apologetically, but I just smiled and went with the flow. As energetic as Paimon was, she was good company.
---
We approached Katheryne. She greeted us with her usual, cheerful professionalism. "Ad astra abyssosque! Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild."
"Hi, Katheryne. We'd like to form an adventuring party," I explained.
"Certainly! Please provide the necessary details for registration." Katheryne's voice was polite, as always, but there was something about that ever-present smile of hers that made my skin crawl a little.
Aether filled in the paperwork, while I glanced around the Guild. We'd only just started working together, but I couldn't help feeling like this was the start of something bigger. As much as I teased Paimon, this might actually be... fun.
---
After the encounter with Fischl and her… unique way of speaking, we finally got everything sorted out at the Adventurers' Guild. Aether and I officially registered as a party, and Paimon was practically buzzing with excitement.
Katheryne handed over our first commission slip for the day. "Your next commission," she said in her usual monotone. "A group of hydro slimes has been spotted causing disturbances near Dawn Winery. The client has requested them to be cleared out before they affect the nearby crops."
I glanced at the paper, noting the familiar details. Hydro slimes, huh? Shouldn't be too difficult. I looked over at Aether and Paimon, who were huddled over the map.
"Dawn Winery, huh?" I said, scratching my head. "Heard of the place, but never been there myself."
"Dawn Winery? What's that?" Aether asked, glancing up from the map, curiosity written all over his face.
I blinked, realizing how little Aether must know about the area. "Oh, right. It's a big estate just outside the city. A vineyard, actually. They make some of the best wine in Teyvat." I paused, then added, "I guess I forgot—you've only been here a few days, huh?"
I think I saw Aether suddenly flinch for some reason. Nah, must be my imagination.
Aether nodded. "Yeah, still getting used to everything in Mondstadt. Guess I've got a lot to learn. Haha, yknow getting used to city life"
He said that with a very weird smile. Wonder what's that all about.
Before I could respond, Paimon suddenly zoomed in between us, hands on her hips, as usual. "Forget the wine and fancy vineyards! The most important thing is that we take care of these slimes fast! Paimon doesn't want them ruining all the grapes. No grapes means no food!"
I raised an eyebrow, amused. "I'm pretty sure it's not the grapes you're worried about, Paimon."
*I didn't see Aether breath a sigh of relief while looking at Paimon with gratitude for changing the subject*
"Well," she puffed up her cheeks, "if they're growing grapes, they're probably growing other yummy things too!"
Aether sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright, alright. Let's get this over with before the slimes do too much damage." He tucked the map away and started walking toward the gate. Paimon, still buzzing with energy, zipped around his head, no doubt imagining all the food that awaited her at the winery.
"Let's just hope we can keep Paimon out of trouble," I muttered under my breath, following them out of Mondstadt.
---
The trip to Dawn Winery was a peaceful one. The path wound through rolling hills and vineyards, the sun casting a warm glow over the land as it started to dip toward the horizon. Birds chirped in the trees, and the fresh air made the whole scene feel almost... relaxing.
"Not bad, huh?" I said, glancing over at Aether. "You don't get views like this back in the city."
"Yeah, it's beautiful," Aether replied, his eyes scanning the scenery. "It's nice to see this side of Mondstadt."
Paimon swooped down next to him, her excitement undiminished. "And when we're done, Paimon's going to find something yummy to eat! Ooh, maybe they'll give us some fresh juice as a reward!"
I chuckled. "You've really got your priorities straight, huh?"
We soon arrived near the outskirts of the winery, where the slimes were supposed to be. Sure enough, I could hear the faint bubbling and splashing of the hydro slimes bouncing around near the vineyard's irrigation system. They were causing quite the mess, spraying water everywhere and flooding the nearby fields.
"There they are," Aether said, unsheathing his sword. "Let's make this quick."
We approached the slimes cautiously, but they didn't seem to notice us yet, too busy bouncing around in the puddles they'd created. Aether and I exchanged a glance before charging forward.
Aether's sword glowed with Anemo energy as he sliced through the first wave of slimes. Wind spiraled around his blade, scattering water droplets as the slimes burst apart. Not wanting to be outdone, I drew my own sword—a recent addition to my collection—Harbinger of Dawn.
A pretty sleek blade. Polished white metal with a golden hilt, it felt light in my hands yet solid enough to do some real damage.
I swirled it in a wide arc, testing its balance before charging forward to meet the next wave of slimes. The hydro slimes bubbled and hissed as they sloshed toward us, but as much as I was tempted to use my fire powers to clear them out quickly, I hesitated.
There was too much greenery around here—fields, vineyards, all kinds of delicate plant life. One stray burst of flame and I could set the whole place ablaze. Yeah, that definitely wouldn't go over well with anyone. Plus, the amount of money i would have to pay.
"Better keep this clean," I muttered to myself.
Instead of using my blood flame, I decided to rely on good old-fashioned brute strength. I tightened my grip on the sword for a moment, but then sheathed it back behind my shoulder. I stepped forward, cracking my knuckles as I prepared to go hand-to-hand with the bouncing puddles of water.
"Alright, no fancy moves this time. Let's see how tough you really are," I said under my breath, then lunged at the nearest slime.
With one swift motion, I brought my leg down in a heavy stomp, sending the first hydro slime splattering into a harmless puddle. The water sloshed around my boots, but I quickly stepped back, careful not to get sucked into the puddle myself. Another slime jiggled toward me, but I spun and delivered a quick punch, sending it flying into the rocks.
"Going all out with the kicks, huh?" Aether called over his shoulder, dodging a bouncing slime as his sword sliced clean through another.
"Fire's a bad idea here," I called back, sweeping another slime aside with a low kick. "Don't want to burn down Dawn Winery before I even get a chance to try their wine."
Aether chuckled but didn't take his eyes off the slimes. "Good point."
I leaped forward, swinging my arm in a wide arc and smashing a slime into the ground with a solid thud. Each hit felt like squishing a giant sturdy water balloon—satisfying but kinda messy.
They didn't stand much of a chance once I got close enough, but I had to admit, the hydro slimes were pretty slippery. More than once, I found myself having to readjust my footing when the ground got too slick.
Meanwhile, Aether was darting between slimes with practiced precision. His sword cut cleanly through the air, leaving shimmering trails of Anemo energy that scattered the slimes into harmless bursts of water.
"Hey, you're making it look too easy," I called out, dodging a stray slime that tried to jump onto my back. I turned around quickly, delivering a swift elbow strike that sent it bouncing away, dissolving into a small puddle near the edge of the field.
"Practice makes perfect," Aether replied with a grin, sidestepping another incoming slime.
Paimon floated just above us, giving her usual running commentary. "Take that, you slimy puddles! Paimon knew we could handle them!"
I was about to respond when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something that made me stop in my tracks. One of the smaller slimes had managed to sneak up behind Paimon.
Before I could warn her, it launched itself at her, bouncing right over her head and—slurp!—swallowed her whole.
"Paimon!" Aether shouted, his eyes widening in shock.
Paimon's muffled voice rang out from inside the slime, panicked and indignant. "W-What?! Paimon is stuck in here! Help! Help!"
I couldn't help it—I burst out laughing. The sight of Paimon's tiny face squished up against the inside of the slime was too much.
Her arms flailed uselessly against the jelly-like walls as the slime slowly started bouncing away with her still trapped inside.
"Oh, this is too good," I laughed, doubling over as I watched the slime wobble off, dragging Paimon along with it. "Aether, do we even want to help her, or should we just let this play out?"
Aether, though exasperated, couldn't hold back a smile as he shook his head. "Tayden, come on, we can't just leave her in there."
"Sure we can," I said, still chuckling. "Look, it's taking her for a nice little stroll."
"TAYDEN! This is not funny!" Paimon yelled, her voice even more muffled now that the slime had bounced further away. "Get me out of here!"
Aether sighed but dashed after the slime, shaking his head at me as he went. "Alright, I'm coming, Paimon!"
Still laughing, I followed at a more leisurely pace. Aether quickly caught up to the slime and grabbed it with both hands. "Hold still, Paimon. This won't take long."
With one swift motion, he raised his sword and sliced through the slime's jelly-like body, causing it to burst into a harmless spray of water. Paimon tumbled out, landing on the ground in a soggy, indignant heap.
She sputtered, pushing herself up and trying to wring out her clothes. "P-Paimon was almost slime food! That was terrifying!"
I walked over, still grinning. "You know, for someone who claims to be the best guide in all of Teyvat, you're not very good at avoiding trouble."
"Not funny!" she huffed, glaring up at me as she wiped slime off her clothes. "Paimon could've drowned! Paimon wil give you a ugly nickname if you keep talking!"
Aether knelt beside her, offering a hand to help her up. "You're alright now. Let's just make sure that doesn't happen again."
Paimon, still grumbling, floated back up into the air, her hands on her hips. "Paimon's not going anywhere near hydro slimes again! Ever!"
I chuckled, shaking my head as I surveyed the area. "Well, that's all of them. Looks like we managed to clear out the slimes without setting the whole place on fire."
Aether sheathed his sword, still amused by the whole situation. "Yeah, we handled that pretty well."
With the commission complete and no further slime-related incidents. Paimon floated behind us, still sulking a little, but light up when I mentioned we would go get some food.
"On to the next commission, then?" I asked, glancing over at Aether.
He nodded, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Yeah. lets finish everything up quickly."
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