Chapter 186: Chapter 186: Ambush and Attack

As the king of the Hilichurl tribes, it possessed an indestructible Geo-element armor, even more robust than Noelle's "Breastplate." Its massive body also boasted equally terrifying strength.

If they fought it head-on, the outcome would be like Noelle's earlier solo battle against a horde of Hilichurls—being trampled relentlessly. To avoid being captured and tossed around like a ragdoll, running away was their only option.

Where on earth did this trashy Pyro Abyssal Mage find such a strong Shieldwall Mitachurl? Nolan wondered helplessly.

"Roar!!!"

The Shieldwall Mitachurl, dissatisfied with the slow pace of the Anemo Slime balloon, let out a furious roar and leapt down from the high sky.

"Boom!"

Its gigantic body crashed onto the ground, creating cracks beneath its feet. With a flash of light under the bone mask fused with Geo elements, it charged toward the distant group like an unstoppable tank.

"Kekeke, that's right that's it! Go and retrieve the treasure for me!" The Pyro Abyss Mage followed slowly, floating in the air.

Nolan, seeing the situation, remained calm and, together with Noelle, ran into the Whispering Forest ahead. Utilizing the tall trees and low shrubs for cover, they easily evaded the pursuing Shieldwall Mitachurl.

They arrived at a higher terrain, hiding behind some low bushes.

"Phew, that was thrilling!" Nolan said, panting slightly, as he gently set Sucrose down.

Sucrose put on her round half-frame glasses again, her fair cheeks tinged with a slight blush. She pursed her lips and asked, "What should we do next? Should we sneak away?"

"Well, we can't defeat that big guy, so we might have to," Noelle said, adjusting her silver-gray hair.

"No, I have an idea."

Nolan glanced at Klee's backpack, which was undoubtedly filled with bombs. If they buried them here and lured the Shieldwall Mitachurl over, it would step on the alchemical bombs and "Boom!"—explode!

At that time, no matter how strong it was, it couldn't come out unscathed.

Nolan shared his plan. After a brief discussion, they confirmed its feasibility and decided to give it a try. Klee, in particular, was extremely excited about the plan.

"Alright then, you guys handle burying the bombs. As for me, I'll head back and deal with that Pyro Abyss Mage first!" Nolan said with a cunning smile.

The Pyro Abyss Mage was only level 43, but it had found a powerful Shieldwall Mitachurl by speaking the Hilichurl language, which made it so brazen.

Nolan noticed earlier during their retreat that the Pyro Abyss Mage had fallen far behind and wasn't following them closely.

With this in mind, he knew he could circle back and ambush it successfully.

Given the chance, he wouldn't easily let go of the one who put everyone in danger!

"Hehe, alright. Honorary Knight brother, come back quickly, or you'll miss the big fireworks!" Klee waved her hand with a smile.

"Of course, I'll be back soon," Nolan replied with a smile.

---

In the Whispering Forest.

A shadow moved swiftly among the trees, the incoming air currents causing Nolan's short black hair to flutter.

It didn't take long for him to spot the Pyro Abyss Mage, hovering slowly along the distant road with its elemental shield activated.

He quickly concealed himself within a nearby thicket.

It was uncertain if the Pyro Abyss Mage's fire elemental shield had fully regenerated, given how much he had depleted it earlier.

However, to avoid carelessness, it was better to assume that it had fully recovered.

Nolan drew his Adventurer's Hunter Bow and nocked three water-elemental arrows. This time, he chose not to use "Arrow of World's Descent," but instead opted for the recently learned "Divine Generation Archery" Technique.

Though its level was still not high enough to fully utilize its effects.

However, as an Arcane Level skill, it possessed extraordinary traits aside from its final form.

These included multi-shot capabilities and a certain degree of target tracking using environmental wind currents.

A moment later...

Nolan completed his aim, releasing his fingers from the bowstring.

Three water-elemental arrows streaked across the sky like meteors in broad daylight, tracing three splendid arcs towards the Pyro Abyss Mage floating lazily above the dirt road.

Compared to the silent and shadowless space shuttling speed of using "Arrow of World's Descent", this "Divine Generation Archery" was a little too slow, but of course, the extraordinary characteristics of the two had a different focus, not to say that one was superior to the other.

Despite its relative slowness, the speed of the three water-element arrows was sufficient to strike the Pyro Abyss Mage before it could react.

The Abyss Mage, drifting forward on the woodland path, was fantasizing about how the Mitachurl would help it secure the "Magical Backpack" and become the pinnacle monster in the Abyss Order.

Suddenly, it noticed three streaks of aqua light shooting out from the nearby grove, sealing off its escape routes from three directions.

Just as the Pyro Abyssal Mage was about to use his Teleportation to escape away, fatigue from previous actions delayed its response by a fraction of a second.

And with this delay, its spell-casting was directly interrupted by the impact of the water elemental arrows.

Upon impact, the first arrow depleted a portion of the fire elemental shield, followed immediately by the second and then the third, each contributing to its destabilization.

Though the elemental shield teetered on the brink of collapse, it managed to hold on precariously.

Just as the Pyro Abyss Mage was about to smirk triumphantly, a frosty chill permeated through the elemental shield, instantly chilling its core to the bone.

Its body and mind went numb, unable to process anything.

Under the assault of this cold aura, the fire elemental shield shattered outright, unleashing a backlash of magic.

"Argh!"

The Abyss Mage let out a cry of despair and fainted.

[Defeated A Powerful Enemy, Obtained 1923 Adventure EXP.]

Nolan, who was preparing to continue launching water-element arrows from the nearby grove, paused in surprise at the sudden defeat notification on his character panel.

His thoughts raced, and he quickly realized the reason behind it.

Unsurprisingly, it should be that the character specialty [North Wind], which had a small probability of the attack penetrating the shield, had come into play.

"Lucky break. Saved me a few water-element arrows," Nolan remarked with a smile on his face.

He took out his Dull Blade and swiftly ended the Abyss Mage's unconscious form. He then took the Dead Ley Line Leaves essence from its staff, an item likely worth a decent sum of Mora, before swiftly returning to where Sucrose and the others were waiting.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 187: Chapter 187: Like Thunder!

"Do-do-do!"

The ground, which should have been covered in grass, was now overturned, revealing soft soil. Three girls, two big and one small, continued to deepen the pit using wooden sticks they had found.

With each scoop of dirt she moved, Klee would cheer herself on with an adorable "Do-do-do!"

Before long, they had dug a wheel-sized pit, about fifteen centimeters deep—just enough to completely bury the alchemical bombs with a little room to spare.

"Yay, we did it!"

Klee tossed aside the stick in her hand and jumped up happily.

Sucrose removed her gloves and brushed her light green bangs from her forehead, wiping sweat off with the back of her pale hand. She smiled and said, "Yes, now we just need to bury the alchemical bombs."

Klee's alchemical bombs were designed to be triggered by impact, making them perfectly suitable for use as landmines.

Noelle's skirt fluttered gently in the breeze, brushing against her white armored high-heeled boots.

She parted her lips slightly, exhaling a warm breath, and nodded, "Let's not waste any time. Klee, bring out your alchemical bombs so we can place them, then cover them back with soil."

"Got it, no problem." Klee, looking like a little red badminton shuttlecock, nodded and reminded them, "Sister Noelle, Sister Sucrose, be careful not to touch the bombs too much."

The two older girls understood. They didn't want to be the ones who accidentally triggered an explosion and got themselves injured.

"Uh-huh, let's get all the bombs buried. That big guy chasing us is in for a surprise!" Klee exclaimed happily.

She placed her brown backpack on the ground and opened it, revealing a collection of dark alchemical bombs inside.

The three of them carefully lifted the bombs and gently placed them into the pit, the whole process marked by utmost caution.

Of course, Klee's alchemical bombs weren't so sensitive that they would explode from a light touch. They were quite safe, otherwise, she wouldn't be able to carry them around in her backpack.

The tension mainly stemmed from the potential for accidents. After all, they were handling Klee's freaking bombs.

Soon, all the alchemical bombs from the backpack were used up, but the pit was still not completely filled. With no other choice, Klee had to take out the remaining bombs stored in her Vision.

Her Vision couldn't hold much, but she hoped it would be enough.

It was only about twenty kilograms, which meant that Klee was actually only about level twenty.

After all, she's still a child and growing, so her physical fitness is indeed a bit lacking.

That's why she carries an extra backpack for bombs. Without it, given the bombs weigh about half a kilogram each, Klee's Vision couldn't handle many of them.

Even though Klee herself isn't very strong, it doesn't mean she lacks combat prowess.

Her most powerful attack method is the alchemical bombs she makes herself. Just throwing one out, nobody dares to take it head-on.

This is why the citizens call her the strongest combatant in Mondstadt, and it's not without reason, especially in terms of destructive power.

". Hmm.. Well, that's all."

Klee continued to take out alchemical bombs one by one from her Vision until she couldn't take out anymore. Finally, the entire pit was filled.

"All right, let's quickly cover up this soil, put some grass on top. That way, that Rock Shieldwall won't be able to tell it's here."

Sucrose's fair face revealed a satisfied smile.

Next,

The hole filled with numerous alchemical bombs was quickly covered up, and simply covered with grass as a disguise. If humans looked, they could probably see a trap in a single eye.

While a human might easily spot it as a trap, it would be challenging for a Hilichurl, given their limited intelligence. Even if they noticed something odd, they wouldn't suspect high-end alchemical bombs were hidden there.

At that moment, Nolan returned. Klee spotted him first and happily exclaimed, "Hehe, Honorary Knight Brother, we've finished burying the bombs!"

"Oh, that was quick. Klee, you're amazing!" Nolan responded with a thumbs-up and a smile.

"Now we can lure the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl over here. Adventurer, we'll leave this task to you," Sucrose said, her pale finger adjusting her glasses as her glowing eyes fixed on him, clearly eager about the ambush.

Nolan thought to himself how excited Sucrose seemed about this plan.

Oh, right, he recalled encountering a Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl in the Thousand Winds Temple not long ago.

At that time, he had only brought that mask back to Sucrose, and she was quite regretful that she didn't get a fresh bone with flesh and blood.

It seems this is the perfect opportunity, no wonder Sucrose is so excited.

"Alright, you guys retreat a few hundred meters. I'll lure the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl over," Nolan said, nodding to show he had no problem with the plan.

"Well, be careful."

Noelle said softly, her lips parting with concern.

After Noelle and the others had retreated a safe distance, Nolan easily found the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl still searching for them in the forest.

He didn't dare to get too close, but instead took out his bow and arrow to attach a fire element to the arrow, and shot an arrow from afar, not using the characteristic of space travel.

When he attracted its attention in his way, Nolan started charging back violently.

As expected, upon being struck by the fire elemental attack, the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl immediately flew into a rage. Spotting the human it had been chasing moments ago in the direction of the arrow, it felt its internal temperature rise.

Abandoning all reason, it charged recklessly towards the tiny creature that had dared provoke it.

Its massive body descended like a rolling boulder from a mountain, either knocking trees aside or snapping them in half without mercy.

Nolan, however, remained calm. He could easily outrun the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl even while carrying Sucrose and pulling Noelle along with him.

Now alone, he maintained a safe distance ahead, ensuring it stayed on his tail without losing interest.

Soon, they reached the hill where the alchemical bombs were hidden. Nolan dashed straight toward the trap of bombs.

With a graceful leap, he cleared the area without drawing attention from the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl following behind. Though it probably couldn't comprehend, it was wise to maintain respect and execute the plan flawlessly.

If, by chance, it suddenly became enlightened and sensed something was amiss, wouldn't all their efforts go to waste?

Within seconds, Nolan reached the spot where Sucrose and the others were hiding. Suddenly, a deafening blast echoed behind him.

It was like thunder on a clear day.

Immediately after, a powerful shockwave surged like a tsunami!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 188: Chapter 188: Sucrose's Little Wallet

Knights of Favonius Headquarters, Library

The sunlight streaming in from outside gently brushed the bookshelves, casting soft shadows on Lisa's symmetrically shaped legs clad in knee-high black stockings.

Lisa, holding a book and about to return it to its place, was suddenly distracted by a loud noise in the distance. Subconsciously, she looked out the window, only to be disappointed by the obstructing view of the surrounding buildings.

"It sounds like it's coming from Whispering Woods. Such a big explosion... could it be little Klee?"

Lisa wondered, clutching her ample bosom wrapped in white fabric, her gaze slightly lowered in thought.

Across from the library, in the Acting Grand Master's office, Jean was using a delicate quill pen to fill out various mundane reports.

Since the Stormterror event, she had been working intensely, resting only three to four hours a day, sometimes even skipping lunch.

Suddenly, Jean also heard the distant muffled sound. The quill in her fair fingers slipped, causing a line to stray across the document. She felt a wave of dizziness and heat emanating from her forehead under her golden bangs. Touching her forehead confirmed her rising temperature.

Jean rubbed her temples with her fingers, sighing with a mixture of headache and helplessness. "Klee must have gone out to play again and caused such a commotion, sigh~"

Her headache intensified, making her realize she needed to visit Barbara. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to continue working in her current state.

Whispering Woods

On a slightly elevated hill, the violent explosion had formed a mushroom-shaped cloud. The shockwave bent nearby trees, and even hundreds of meters away, Nolan and the others had to take cover behind a large tree as if facing a storm.

"Uwah, Klee's hat's going to fly off again!"

Little Klee and Sucrose crouched slightly, holding onto their hats, while Noelle quickly pressed down her skirt that had been lifted by the wind.

Her pantyhose, hugging her hips, briefly revealed her pure white triangle panties beneath the semi-sheer black fabric.

Soon, as the shockwave subsided, the forest returned to its usual tranquility.

Nolan and the others cast their gazes over to the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl's side, only to see the smoke and dust slowly dissipate, and a huge charred black figure stood straight up there.

Then it instantly collapsed in less than a second.

[Your Teammate Has Defeated A Powerful Enemy, Obtained 1011 Adventure EXP.]

With the notification on his character panel, Nolan could confirm that the creature was indeed dead. It was impossible to survive such a terrifying explosion, even with its thick Rock Element shield.

As for the possibility of it merely being knocked unconscious and losing its resistance, Nolan felt that there was no such possibility.

Because the Rock Element shield, apart from being consumed by its own Rock Element, also diminishes with physical attacks, and the shockwave from the explosion similarly inflicts physical damage.

The shield of the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl would easily shatter.

The subsequent flame-mixed shockwave would directly engulf it, and its defense would not become stronger without the shield.

Fortunately, its shield wasn't Fire Element; otherwise, it might have survived and not been injured.

A little regretful was that Nolan didn't deliver the final blow, so he didn't get all the Adventure EXP.

"It should have worked. Let's go check," Nolan said with a smile.

"Yes, yes!" Sucrose's fluffy light green beast ears twitched, and she nodded excitedly.

Today's luck was incredible. Not only did she find the Philanemo Mushroom, but she also obtained the Wind Chime Bird's egg, and now she was about to be able to obtain the bones of the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl for research!

With so many rare research materials, her level in "Bio-Alchemy" would surely advance significantly soon.

Sucrose, even more eager than little Klee, ran over quickly. Her over-knee black suspenders stockings revealed her snowy white thighs, reflecting delicate light in the sunshine.

They approached the charred, fallen Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl and found that the surrounding grass had been burned and blown away by the explosion's flames and shockwaves.

All that remained was a bare patch of scorched earth.

At Sucrose's request, Nolan used his Dull Blade to cut off the Shieldwall Mitachurl's arm, removing the muscle tissue to leave a bone, which he handed to her.

Sucrose carefully placed it in a paper bag, planning to study it thoroughly back in her lab.

With nothing else to do, Nolan and the others started heading back to Mondstadt. Today had been filled with unexpectedly thrilling events.

It was time to return and relax.

"Phew, thank you all so much today. Oh, Mr. Nolan, weren't you worried about Mora? Here's your commission fee," Sucrose said, her happiness evident as they walked along the forest path.

Then, as if remembering something, she took out her wallet from the Vision and handed it directly to Nolan.

Nolan accepted the zipper-style, teal, semi-circular wallet, noticing the stitched outline of Sucrose's simple drawing on its side. It felt full and somewhat heavy in his hand. He asked in confusion, "Uh, all of this for me?"

"Yes, it's just 50,000 Mora, not a lot, so don't mind it," Sucrose replied shyly, her face slightly reddened and her head lowered in embarrassment.

"50,000 Mora is already quite a lot. After all, I only escorted you a little," Nolan said with a smile.

If it weren't for encountering a few dangerous monsters, he would feel embarrassed to accept so much.

"Then, I'll take the Mora. But I'll return this cute little wallet to you," Nolan said, unzipping the teal wallet stitched with Sucrose's drawing, and transferring the Mora into his Delusion. He then handed the wallet back to Sucrose.

"Ah, no, no need. If you don't mind, you can keep it... as part of the commission fee," Sucrose said, her fair face blushing even more, barely visible under her lowered head and hair.

She realized she had unknowingly developed a deep affection for the adventurer, Mr. Nolan, and had become slightly more attentive towards him.

As an additional token of appreciation, she wanted to give this newly embroidered wallet as a small gift to the young adventurer before her.

"Oh? For me?" Nolan naturally wouldn't refuse the girl's heartfelt gesture.

He smiled and said, "Actually, I don't have a wallet. I just keep the Mora loose in my Delusion. Having a wallet will be much more convenient. Thank you, Sucrose."

"Oh, um, it's nothing. I'm glad you like it," Sucrose's heart swelled with uncontrollable joy, and her fair cheeks warmed slightly.

Thank goodness he didn't refuse. It would have been so awkward if her first attempt at giving a gift to a boy had failed. It would be too embarrassing.

[Sucrose Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 300 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv. 7 (6/600)]

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 189: Chapter 189: Little Favor

Mondstadt City, Fountain Square.

After returning here, Sucrose was eager to bid farewell and head back to the laboratory with her harvested research materials.

"Sister Sucrose, let's go fishing together next time!" Klee, dressed like a red shuttlecock, waved happily, saying.

"Fishing... um." Sucrose hesitated a bit, worried that if she agreed, she might end up confined by Acting Grand Master Jean too. Despite her concerns, she reluctantly nodded. "Uh, sure, let's talk about it next time."

"Goodbye, Sucrose. Thank you for the wallet, it's very cute," Nolan said with a smile on his face.

Hearing him call her cute again, Sucrose blushed once more. He said the wallet was cute, but it was as if he was saying she was cute.

Sucrose shook her furry ears, Ahh Sucrose stop overthinking.

He was just being polite. If she kept this up, she wouldn't be able to concentrate on her experiments in the future.

"I know, I know, bye!"

Sucrose quickly swung her legs clad in over-the-knee strap-on black stockings and hurried away. Her cape fluttered like a flag in the wind.

"She's gone, even faster than Klee when she goes fishing," Klee said, slightly surprised, spreading her hands.

"Well, Klee, shall we head back too? Otherwise, Acting Grand Master Jean might find out we went fishing..." Noelle said with a hint of concern.

"Okay, bye, Honorary Knight Brother!" Klee nodded to Nolan and said goodbye. Just as she was about to leave with Noelle, a soft, lazy voice came from the left.

"Oh my~ You've already been found out, Klee, Noelle," said Miss Lisa, who was as always dressed in a purple gown and wore a pointed witch's hat.

She slowly approached, her pale arms crossed beneath her soft chest, a smile playing on her lips.

"Ah, Au-Sister Lisa!" Klee almost blurted out a word that could lead to unforeseen consequences.

"Oh, Miss Lisa, how did you find your way here?" Noelle asked, feeling a bit embarrassed as she touched her silver-gray hair and lowered her head.

"Hehe, the sound of those bomb explosions spread throughout Mondstadt. You've really caused quite a stir! Come on, spill the beans. What exactly happened?" Lisa's gentle tone carried a hint of severity as she inquired.

"Um, it's like this," Noelle recounted the whole incident truthfully.

"Oh, so it was someone from the Abyss Order who took an interest in Klee's bombs." Lisa, upon understanding, also seemed somewhat surprised.

"Yeah, they're really annoying bad guys!" Klee recalled how the Pyro Abyss Mage tried to snatch her backpack and still felt a bit angry.

"Even so, sneaking out to fish blasting is a fact. Otherwise, you wouldn't have encountered the Abyss Mage at all, so there's no excuse," Lisa softened her expression considerably and continued, "You should go back now. Jean is waiting at the Knights of Favonius HQ. Whether there will be disciplinary action depends on your attitudes."

"Okay, understood." The two girls, one big and one small, left dispiritedly.

"Hehe." Lisa lightly chuckled behind her hand and then turned her emerald-like eyes towards Nolan, saying, "Little adventurer, it's your turn next~"

"Um, Miss Lisa, I didn't take Klee out to play. We just happened to meet on the road. It's really not my fault," Nolan said nervously.

He thought Lisa might also hold him accountable.

"Hmm~ I'm not here to discuss that. I have a little favor to ask of you," Lisa approached in her golden butterfly-patterned high heels, her feet clad in opaque black stockings revealing graceful contours.

"You have something to ask of me?" Nolan relaxed a bit but remained puzzled.

Lisa sighed softly and nodded, "Oh dear, you know, after the storm, Jean has been working intensively. Just now she showed signs of catching a cold."

"Although Barbara quickly cured her, we all think she should rest. But there's work that needs to be completed, and she won't rest until it's done. So, I was thinking, could you find some excuse to get her out of the office?

"As for the work she hasn't finished, I can help with that and she can review it later."

Nolan widened his eyes slightly, suspecting he had misheard. Getting Acting Grand Master Jean to step away from her work seemed more challenging than completing a lore quest.

"Um, Lisa, something even you and Barbara can't do... How could I possibly manage that?" Nolan said helplessly.

"You couldn't handle Acting Grand Master Jean, neither as her close friend nor as her younger sister. Why would you think I could accomplish such a daunting task?"

"I understand her. As an Honorary Knight appointed by Jean herself, if you ask her for a favor, she'll find a way to make time to help you."

"After all, if rumors spread that 'Acting Grand Master ignores requests from Honorary Knights,' it would tarnish the Knights of Favonius' reputation, and she wouldn't stand idly by."

"Isn't that 'moral kidnapping'? I couldn't possibly do something like that."

Nolan felt a bit uneasy after hearing Lisa's suggestion. It didn't quite align with his kind and upright nature.

"As long as you agree to help, I'll teach you techniques for developing Elemental Skills and Elemental Bursts," Lisa smiled, gently pursing her soft lips.

"..."

The so-called Elemental Skills and Elemental Bursts were just advanced applications of mastered elemental powers.

If his skill level in 'Anemo Manipulation' was a bit higher, he might be able to develop them on his own. However, having Lisa teach him could save him some time experimenting.

In any case, he just wanted to find a way to let Acting Grand Master Jean take a break. It didn't seem necessary to escalate it to the level of "moral kidnapping".

As he hesitated whether to agree or not, Nolan suddenly remembered something and asked, "Um, Miss Lisa, do you know any methods to enhance spiritual power?"

His current spiritual power was a bit weak, which resulted in the [Spiritual Threads] specialty not being able to play much of a role.

//Note: Changed Spiritual Tentacles/Tendrils to Spiritual Threads. (This Looks Better, I Think)//

He had considered asking Lisa, who was knowledgeable, about this earlier, and now seemed like a good opportunity.

"Spiritual power?"

Lisa showed a hint of surprise on her fair face. In Teyvat, elemental power was mainstream, and there was less research on matters like soul and spirit.

Furthermore, methods to enhance spiritual power and use it were even scarcer.

Of course, just because there was less research didn't mean that Vision holders, like Lisa, didn't have strong spiritual power.

It was simply a matter of lacking techniques to utilize that power.

It was akin to martial arts novels where one might have 'inner strength' but lacked corresponding 'techniques.'

However, if Nolan attempted to use his newly acquired 'Spiritual Threads' to attack Lisa's consciousness, it would likely be instinctively repelled by her stronger spiritual power.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 190: Chapter 190: Reserve

"Alas, I'm afraid I don't have any information on that," Lisa said, shaking her head.

She then lightly pressed her fist against her lips and thought for a moment. "Is there any particular reason you need it? As far as I know, the 'reclusive adeptis' in Liyue might possess related 'adeptal arts' or 'Mystic Arts' But meeting them requires 'adeptal fate.'"

The so-called "adeptal fate" refers to the luck required to encounter these adepts.

A few days ago, Nolan had discussed with Lumine that once she reached Liyue and located a 'teleport waypoint,' she would come to pick him up so they could go together.

The primary goal was not only to continue fostering Lumine's affection towards him but also to see if he could learn powerful adeptal arts from the Adeptis.

After all, like the Adeptus Madam Ping in the original story who created the Sub-Space, Serenitea Pot, also known as the teapot realm with her Adept powers and maybe some rare materials, Nolan was quite envious of such abilities.

"Actually, I recently discovered that I can project my spiritual power outside my body, but it's a bit weak and can't accomplish much. I wanted to strengthen it," Nolan explained openly.

"I see. That's quite an impressive ability. No more need for a ladder to put books on high shelves, haha," Lisa chuckled softly.

She brushed her chestnut hair behind her ear and continued, "I'll keep an eye out for you regarding that, although there probably won't be much result. Now, about Jean—have you thought it over?"

"Uh... Well, since Miss Lisa is so earnest in asking, I can't really refuse. I just hope Acting Grand Master Jean won't be too upset with me," Nolan said, scratching the back of his head helplessly.

After all, disturbing Acting Grand Master Jean while she's working would naturally cause her some frustration.

"Don't worry. I'll be there to make sure she doesn't get mad at you," Lisa said, crossing her arms with a smile.

[Lisa Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 210 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.5 (280/500)]

After agreeing to Lisa's request, Nolan walked home, pondering what excuse he could use to approach Acting Grand Master Jean the next day.

He couldn't just say he wanted to ask her out for a meal or something—that would be ridiculous and would really owe him a beating.

Soon, he came up with an idea. He looked at the skill panel on his character panel, specifically at "Royal One-Handed Swordsmanship." It already had three extraordinary characteristics.

To evolve it into "Secret Art Level Swordsmanship," he would need to continue learning sword techniques and integrating extraordinary characteristics.

Coincidentally, Acting Grand Master Jean was also a skilled swordswoman. If he approached her to request some guidance on swordsmanship, it seemed like a reasonable request.

At present, he also had over 8,000 Adventure EXP, enough to max out a newly learned sword technique.

When the time came to fuse it with the "Royal One-Handed Swordsmanship", there would be four extraordinary characteristics, and the probability of it transforming into a secret level sword art would be a little bit higher.

Nolan walked and organized his thoughts, soon arriving back at his two-story home.

Pushing open the iron gate to the courtyard and entering the living room, he found Fischl lying on the soft sofa with her back to him, reading a book. Vague illustrations of characters could be seen on the pages, likely from a fantasy novel.

"Stupid attendant, you're back so early. Did your adventure not go smoothly?" Fischl turned her head halfway, resting the other half on the sofa armrest, and asked Nolan.

"Not particularly," Nolan replied, walking over to the sofa and patting the blonde girl's legs, prompting her to make space for him to sit.

Fischl slightly bent her legs, allowing Nolan to sit down before resting them on his lap. He didn't brush them off and began to briefly recount the day's events.

Fischl placed her storybook on her chest, partially covered by her loosely buttoned white shirt, exposing a patch of soft, fair skin.

She was surprised and remarked, "That sounds quite thrilling."

"It was alright. By the way, Your Highness, are you hungry? Should I prepare dinner?" Nolan asked, leaning slightly to place his hand on her abdomen, feeling the soft bounce through her clothes. Just as he was about to slip his hand through the gap between the buttons...

Fischl's fair face quickly flushed red. She grabbed his mischievous hand and pushed it away, then turned over and mumbled, "Go prepare dinner. This princess is hungry."

This guy always tries to take advantage of this princess all the time. Doesn't he know how to be gentle with girls? So annoying, hmph.

"Alright," Nolan nodded. It was already past five in the afternoon, and it would take about an hour to prepare everything, just in time for dinner.

Time flowed like water.

Soon, a fairly abundant meal was prepared. Due to their relationship being akin to the honeymoon phase, they stuck closely together during dinner.

After dinner, they rested for a while.

Fischl headed to the bathroom, preparing to take a bath. Just then, Nolan suddenly picked her up from behind.

"Ah!" she exclaimed.

Fischl's emerald eyes widened in surprise, and one of her slippers fell off.

Blushing slightly, she lightly tapped his chest with her loosely clenched fist, "Idiot, what are you trying to do?"

"Well, the bathtub is so big, and if we bathe together, we can save some water. Plus, it'll help us grow our relationship as well, don't you think?" Nolan replied with a soft smile.

As he walked, he bent down and gently pressed his lips against Fischl's soft ones. She didn't resist.

After all, they had kissed many times before. Her words of refusal were merely her tsundere nature and teenage girl's reserve at play.

Once he took the initiative, Fischl would surprisingly become very cooperative.

---

Early morning.

Sunlight tried to seep in from outside the window, but it was slightly blocked by the partially drawn curtains.

Nolan felt a bit uncomfortable being pressed down. Last night, Fischl was a bit tired and fell asleep lying on top of him.

He gently moved the still-asleep Fischl to the side, her golden hair brushing against his face, carrying a soft fragrance.

He then quickly got up, freshened up, and spent some time preparing breakfast.

Not long after, Fischl got up and came downstairs.

As a Vision holder, her physical condition was excellent. After a day of rest, she no longer felt uncomfortable.

Although they had shared a passionate night in the bed again last night, she recovered quickly. After a good night's sleep, there were no visible signs of fatigue.

After they finished eating, Fischl mentioned she needed to go to the Adventurers' Guild to complete some investigation tasks. Nolan naturally had no objections.

After all, she had her own work to do. However, he still extended an invitation to Fischl, suggesting she could come over after completing her tasks to spend time together and nurture their relationship or something like that.

She hesitated for a moment, a little shy, but didn't refuse.

After Fischl left, Nolan cleaned up the dishes and headed towards the Knights of Favonius headquarters.

(End of Chapter)

//Sidenote: Want lemon from the bathtub scene..? Join my Pa-tre-on!!//

Chapter 191: Chapter 191: Jean Forced to Rest

Mondstadt City, Knights of Favonius Headquarters.

Nolan greeted the two Knights stationed outside the door in passing, then entered the Knights' Hall without much hesitation. He proceeded to knock on the door of the Acting Grand Master's office.

As expected, Lisa had arrived early and was sitting at the square table on the right side, chatting with Acting Grand Master Jean while sipping tea.

This was part of their planned arrangement. Lisa would come to the Acting Grand Master's office for a chat between seven and eight in the morning, and Nolan would show up during this time to make it seem less deliberate.

"Ah, Honorary Knight, it's you. Is there something you need?" Jean took a sip of her tea and coughed lightly.

Although it was just a minor cold and fever, which Barbara had already treated yesterday, her body was still a bit weaker than usual.

"Uh—" Nolan had just intended to speak with the carefully prepared words from yesterday, but now facing Jean, he seemed to have forgotten his lines!

No, I need to stay calm, slowly recall it, don't rush!

Jean put down the teacup she was holding in her fair hand and looked at the stammering Nolan with a slight smile.

"We're all friends here, and you're the Honorary Knight of the Knights of Favonius. There's no need to hesitate if there's something you want to say."

She brushed back her golden hair, which was more radiant than sunlight, revealing her snow-white, delicate ears. The strands of hair gently rested on the back of her ear.

"Ahem, Master Jean, I have a small personal request."

Nolan cleared his throat, trying to ease his nervousness.

After all, he had an ulterior motive. It's natural to feel a bit tense; he wasn't a professionally trained spy.

Especially when it came to lying to friends, it indeed felt a bit awkward.

"Oh? Go ahead."

Jean looked at Nolan with a hint of curiosity. In her memory, the young adventurer rarely asked her for any favors.

He had never used his status as an Honorary Knight to gain any benefits from the Knights.

This made Jean think of Nolan as a humble, kind-hearted person who didn't seek petty gains, which was one of the things she liked about him.

Today, however, he had come with a specific request. Could it be something particularly important?

Jean wondered, her thoughts tinged with doubt.

Nolan relaxed his facial muscles, exhaled slightly, and smiled:

"Actually, it's nothing major. Recently, I've hit a bottleneck in my swordsmanship.

"So, I thought of seeking advice from Grand Master Jean, an expert swordswoman, and if possible, I'd like to learn a new sword technique to see if it can help me find a breakthrough."

"You want to learn my swordsmanship?"

Jean leaned back slightly in her chair and crossed her right leg, clad in white tight pants and long boots, over her left leg. She asked in confusion:

"But from what I've seen, your swordsmanship is already on par with mine. What could I possibly teach you?"

Even the proud guerrilla captain, Eula, had praised Nolan's swordsmanship, noting that he could derive extraordinary effects from ordinary sword techniques, elevating them to a secret art level.

This was something even Jean found difficult to achieve, and very few on the continent of Teyvat could do so.

However, perhaps it was precisely because of this that his understanding of ordinary sword techniques had reached its limit, and he was now seeking higher-level swordsmanship from her.

Jean pondered thoughtfully.

"Ahem, Grand Master Jean, I was thinking of learning the sword technique you used to slash out wind blades at Starsnatch Cliff."

Nolan said after some thought.

Although he could shape wind elements into wind blades himself, it differed slightly from Jean's technique, which involved weapon reinforcement and the use of sword skills.

In terms of game mechanics, it lacked the base attack power of the weapon and the skill multipliers, resulting in a significant difference in power.

Moreover, having brought up this request, even though it seemed sudden, he had to follow through; otherwise, the logic would fall apart, and Master Jean might become suspicious.

"You want to learn my Wind Pressure Sword?" Jean pressed her white index finger to her lower lip, a hint of surprise in her clear eyes.

Her Wind Pressure Sword was a secret-art-level sword technique that required mastery of the wind element to use. Without it, learning the technique would be merely ornamental.

However, she had heard that the Honorary Knight, aside from having Pyro Delusion given by Lisa, also possessed some knowledge of Wind Elements.

No need to worry about whether he meets the learning requirements; the problem is, she's been quite busy lately and can't find the time to teach swordsmanship.

"Um, um, is it okay, Master Jean?" Nolan looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"It's possible, but..." Jean's fair face showed a troubled expression. On one hand, she didn't want to refuse Nolan, but on the other hand, she had work to finish.

"But for the next two weeks, I won't be able to find any time. How about I come find you when I'm free?"

Ultimately, her sense of responsibility as the Acting Grand Master won over personal feelings, and Jean could only tactfully refuse Nolan's request.

"…"

So it's not possible after all.

Nolan wasn't too surprised. If it were that easy, Lisa wouldn't have needed to come along. Since Grand Master Jean had already said as much, if he continued to push, it might cause resentment. So, he nodded to show he understood.

Now it was up to Lisa. He'd done his best and hadn't revealed any flaws.

"Jean, don't you think you need a break? So why not take this opportunity to give yourself a holiday?"

Just as Nolan was about to leave, Lisa, wearing her purple witch hat with pointed tips, slightly parted her soft, moist lips and spoke.

"Lisa… but…" Jean understood her friend's intention, probably concerned about her illness last night.

"I know you're busy, but isn't responding to the Honorary Knight's request part of your job too?

"If the news spreads that the Acting Grand Master refused such a minor request from Mondstadt's hero, the Honorary Knight of the Knights of Favonius, people might look at our knight order with strange eyes, right?"

Lisa held her forehead, pretending to be troubled.

"…"

Indeed, Miss Lisa went with this approach, Nolan thought helplessly.

"Lisa!"

Jean's eyes widened slightly, not expecting Lisa to use her sense of duty to turn the situation around.

But she couldn't find any reason to refute, as she herself felt Lisa made a valid point.

"Hehe, how about just taking a day off? In the meantime, I can handle your work," Lisa said with a smile.

"So you two…"

Jean wasn't stupid; she quickly understood the main purpose of these two. No wonder Lisa didn't go back to sleep after getting up early to find her for tea.

"Sigh, fine."

She trusted Lisa's abilities, and she didn't want to disappoint the heartfelt effort these two had shown.

Happy Birthday Raiden Shogun!!

(End of Chapter)

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Wind Pressure Sword

At the rear training grounds of the Knights of Favonius headquarters.

Under the cunning "conspiracy" of Nolan and Lisa, Jean ultimately agreed to take a break and relax.

Of course, taking a break didn't mean idly wandering around or, like Lisa, returning to the knights' dormitories to catch up on sleep.

Instead, she came to the training grounds with Nolan, prepared to teach him her "Wind Pressure Sword" technique.

"--Grand Master Jean!"

Ellin, who had come early for her morning sword practice, excitedly shouted upon seeing her idol, Jean, walking towards them.

As for Nolan next to her, she automatically ignored him in her enthusiasm.

"Why did you come over here, Master Jean? Are you here to practice swordsmanship? Can I watch from the side?"

Ellin exclaimed, her excitement resembling fireworks. Based on Nolan's brief understanding from the game plot, she could even be considered Jean's number one superfan.

It seemed her admiration for Jean's charisma was what drew her to join the Knights of Favonius, aspiring to become a hero like Master Jean and eventually fight alongside her.

"I know you admire Master Jean a lot, but is it okay to just ignore me like this?" Nolan thought to himself, feeling somewhat speechless.

"Ellin, are you here so early for sword practice? You're very diligent."

Jean's fair face lit up with a smile. She found it a bit overwhelming to handle Ellin's enthusiasm, so she could only offer a simple compliment.

She nodded and continued, "I'm not here for sword practice myself. I'm here to teach our Honorary Knight a sword technique. You can join in, but since you haven't mastered wind elemental control, you may not be able to fully utilize its effects."

Jean didn't mind sharing her swordsmanship with others, especially with someone as dedicated as Ellin, who regularly trained at the Knight's headquarters regardless of the weather.

So think of it as a little encouragement for her persistence.

"Yes, thank you, Master Jean!"

Ellin jumped with joy. She didn't care whether she could fully unleash the power of the sword technique or not.

This is Master Jean's sword technique! Just being able to receive personal guidance from her on even a single move would be a blessing!

Finally, she noticed the young adventurer standing beside Master Jean.

"Nolan! What are you doing here?"

"Uh, is Master Jean the only one you can see? Am I that easy to overlook?"

Nolan teased.

"Ehehe."

Ellin touched her orange hair and smiled softly, then looked at him with bright eyes.

"You really are something! You managed to get Captain Eula to teach you swordsmanship even before becoming an honorary knight, and now you've got the amazing Master Jean herself. It's so enviable!"

"Haha, it's nothing special. I was just lucky that Master Jean and Captain Eula were willing to give me some pointers."

Nolan replied with a smile.

Both times he sought instruction in swordsmanship, Ellin had coincidentally been present, and both Eula and Jean generously offered to teach her as well.

Thinking about it, her luck seemed better than his—she managed to learn from top experts without even trying.

Nolan felt a bit envious.

"Ahem, alright, come over here. I'll teach you the basic form of the 'Wind Pressure Sword.'"

Master Jean, wearing her long white sleeves crossed over her chest, accentuating her figure under the sleeveless top.

"Yes, Master Jean!" Ellin responded enthusiastically.

The basic form of the Wind Pressure Sword was similar to ordinary sword techniques and not particularly difficult. It focused on the "thrust" motion and timing the attack against the enemy.

When facing an opponent, you shouldn't attack recklessly but instead wait for the right moment.

When the enemy reveals an opening, you must attack with unwavering resolve, piercing through anything in your way.

The technique also incorporated some charging skills, allowing it to surpass many ordinary sword techniques, even if one couldn't harness the full power of the wind element.

After Ellin and Nolan had mastered the basic form of the Wind Pressure Sword, Master Jean began teaching Nolan how to use the wind element to unleash its true power.

By channeling the flow of wind around him, he could create intense wind pressure, drawing enemies into the air and immobilizing them.

He could even send them flying skyward.

While causing wind elemental damage, it can also utilize the force of gravity from falling to inflict physical damage.

Of course.

Moreover, after mastering the "Wind Pressure Sword" to a deeper level, it can also imbue the blade with wind elemental power, slashing out formidable Wind Blades, much like Master Jean.

Next, Nolan continued practicing the "Wind Pressure Sword" according to Master Jean's guidance.

Until almost noon.

Suddenly, Jean felt astonished as the honorary knight was about to grasp the basics of her "Wind Pressure Sword."

Indeed, he was truly exceptional in swordsmanship, quickly grasping new techniques under Jean's guidance.

"Ahem. Well done. It seems you've practiced enough. Let me see your progress."

Jean coughed weakly a couple of times, then curved her lips into a smile.

"Oh, is Master Jean going to duel with Nolan!"

Standing beside them, Ellin, who was also practicing swordplay, suddenly looked excitedly at Nolan.

"Hmph, Master Jean will surely defeat you decisively!"

Ellin exclaimed, thrilled to witness Master Jean's combat prowess up close. How fortunate!

Ellin was lost in her thoughts, her sword movements becoming unsteady.

"Though you're right, I believe Master Jean will go easy on me," Nolan replied with a smile.

"Ellin, when practicing swordplay, you need to clear your mind and focus on the sword. Ahem, well, after practicing for so long, you must be tired. Take a short break."

Jean noticed Ellin's condition and was about to reprimand her, but her mild cough interrupted her.

"Oh, Master Jean, I heard you coughing earlier. Are you catching a cold?"

Ellin asked with concern.

"No, it's nothing. I'm fine now," Jean replied, shaking her head.

Meanwhile, Nolan had already picked up a training wooden sword, ready to spar with Master Jean.

He had a feeling that after this real combat practice with the "Wind Pressure Sword," he would truly grasp its essence.

Jean borrowed Ellin's wooden sword, standing straight in front of Nolan. Her white tight pants outlined the gentle curves of her legs.

Though seemingly motionless and appearing somewhat pale and weak, Jean gave Nolan an impression of invincibility.

In simple terms, he didn't know how to make a move!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 193: Chapter 193: "Lady Venessa"

The training ground fell silent without notice.

Two invisible currents of battle intent clashed, leaving Ellin feeling slightly breathless.

It wasn't a physical oppression but rather a pure collision of aura between two seasoned warriors, something Ellin found difficult to cope with, having only recently experienced a wilderness adventure.

Helplessly, she could only step back to the edge of the training ground to feel more comfortable.

Nolan, not finding an opportunity, naturally didn't dare to initiate an attack against Master Jean.

His eyes gradually turned golden as he attempted to use the "Eye of Judgment" to discern Master Jean's weaknesses.

To Nolan's surprise, despite his level 40 combined with Fischl's level 38, totaling 78, he had expected his "Eye of Judgement" to see through Master Jean.

But the knight before him showed no apparent weaknesses.

Of course, there were no level indicators representing strength either.

This indicated that Master Jean's strength exceeded 78, likely surpassing level 79 and possibly breaking through level 80.

No wonder Ellin admired her so much, and she was revered by the citizens of Mondstadt City.

Not only was she adept at governing, but her personal strength was also remarkable—a truly perfect ruler, skilled in both governance and combat.

However, this wasn't too surprising.

On the continent of Teyvat, the leaders of each nation, apart from the gods, generally possessed considerable martial prowess.

"Ahem. Honorary Knight, please come at me. I'll only retaliate after you've executed your full set of 'Wind Pressure Sword.'"

A serious expression appeared on Jean's fair face. She never held back just because her opponent's strength was inferior; at most, she refrained from attacking back to train with the Honorary Knight.

This was her interpretation of the integrity and virtue of the Knights of Favonius.

"Alright."

Nolan nodded. He hadn't expected to defeat her anyway.

Starting with the basic form of the "Wind Pressure Sword," the tip of the wooden training sword lifted slightly. As Nolan gently tapped his toes and lunged forward, the sword pierced through the air towards Master Jean.

Though Nolan was fast, it wasn't enough to surprise Jean, even though she was feeling a bit weak.

Relying on her understanding of the "Wind Pressure Sword," she effortlessly pinpointed a slight flaw in Nolan's use of the technique.

The flaw lay in the coordination of body movements with swordsmanship. Due to his unfamiliarity with using "Wind Pressure Sword" in actual combat, the thrust of his sword was slightly too forceful.

By not leaving any room for himself, if he needed to fall back defensively, he might not make it in time.

Of course, except for those with far superior skills in swordsmanship or those beyond Nolan's level, most people wouldn't be able to exploit this flaw even if they noticed it, because Nolan would complete his attack faster.

His opponents would be too late to counterattack.

However, unfortunately for Nolan, both in her understanding of the "Wind Pressure Sword" and in strength, Jean far surpassed him.

So, she seized upon this flaw first, effortlessly deflecting Nolan's wooden sword and exposing a vulnerability in his defense.

If Jean had attacked then, she could have ended the fight immediately. However, they had agreed to wait until Nolan completed his entire set of sword techniques before she would strike back. So, she calmly withdrew her sword and stood quietly.

Nolan understood that Jean was helping to point out his mistakes, so he quickly launched the second sword technique.

Thus, the battle between them seemed to have its ups and downs, but it was actually Jean feeding him moves for correction.

However, this also left Ellin, who couldn't see the tricks, marveling in disbelief.

She hadn't expected Nolan to last so long against the Master Jean she admired!

Thankfully, Jean easily placed her final sword lightly against Nolan's neck, which made Ellin breathe a sigh of relief.

Indeed, Master Jean was the strongest. Take that, Honorary Knight!

Ellin smiled, her fluctuating emotions finally settling.

"You truly are an Honorary Knight. Your 'Wind Pressure Sword' has now entered the initial stage. With your talent and daily practice, you'll soon advance to the next level."

Jean lowered the wooden sword from Nolan's neck, genuinely surprised at his growth during their recent battle.

[ Skill Acquired: Wind Pressure Sword - Secret Arts Level Lv.1 (1/1000)]

As Jean's words fell, the notification of skill acquisition appeared on Nolan's character panel.

Phew. Not bad at all. Finally, he had made some progress.

Originally, Nolan just wanted to learn a basic skill, but he hadn't expected Jean to be so generous as to teach him the secret-level "Wind Pressure Sword" directly! Thinking of this, Nolan couldn't help but smile and say,

"Thank you, Master Jean!"

"You are not only an Honorary Knight but also my friend. There's no need for such formalities," Jean nodded. "Besides, I've been cooped up in the office for days. Some exercise will do me good."

She returned the wooden sword to the approaching Ellin, then crossed her arms and smiled, saying,

"Since you've completed the task I asked of you, let me ask something of you in return."

"Have lunch with me later and accompany me to the Stormbearer Mountains. It's rare to have leisure time to relax under the tranquil trees and read without distractions."

Upon hearing Jean's invitation, Nolan smiled and replied,

"It's not rare leisure time; you just give yourself too much work. You should delegate more tasks that don't require your personal attention to others. If you ever want someone to quietly read with you, I would gladly accept. After all, one cannot simply hold the title of Honorary Knight without purpose. It's my honor to assist Acting Grand Master Jean."

"Mm," Jean tucked a golden strand of hair behind her ear and nodded.

[Jean Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 180 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv. 5 (390/500)]

...

At Stormbearer Mountains, behind the Statue of the Seven stands a great tree symbolizing the heroic "Lady Vanessa."

"Whenever I feel lost, I come here," Jean looked up at the canopy of the great tree, "I have always followed in the footsteps of Lady Vanessa, striving my utmost to protect Mondstadt."

Lady Vanessa.

Nolan knew she was the great hero who overthrew the old aristocracy, founded the Knights of Favonius, and became their first Grand Master.

One could say that without her, Mondstadt wouldn't be what it is today.

Jean's admiration for this great hero feels similar to how Ellin admires her.

In a way, Jean and the Vanessa she admires are quite alike.

"But after this illness, I realize how far I am from Lady Vanessa's caliber. If I can't even handle this level of challenge, how can I protect Mondstadt?" Jean sighed, her fair palm pressing against her chest.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 194: Chapter 194: "Vera's Melancholy"

Sigh~ Why is she still so stubborn?

As Jean sighed, Nolan couldn't help but sigh inwardly as well.

Although he understood her desire to protect Mondstadt, Jean tended to shoulder everything, big or small, wanting to excel in everything. It seemed she was being too hard on herself.

But then again, personality traits are not easily changed in an instant, nor should they necessarily change.

Because protecting Mondstadt has always been Jean's belief.

Moreover, it was only because of the recent storm disaster and the insufficient manpower in the Knights of Favonius that Jean was so busy. Normally, the workload was within reasonable limits.

But it was precisely during these extraordinary times that the care from everyone was indispensable. Otherwise, Jean, who took on everything alone, would be too lonely.

"I understand the intentions of you, Lisa, and Barbara, but you all could just be more open about it, especially next time, don't listen to Lisa's bad ideas!"

Jean recalled how Lisa had used the special status of an Honorary Knight to coerce her, and she couldn't help but feel a bit angry and dissatisfied.

Lisa was a good friend, but sometimes she did things that troubled Jean.

Especially when patrolling the city with Lisa, seeing drunkards lying in the middle of the road, she would use lightning to wake them up.

She expected another complaint letter in her office by tomorrow morning.

"Alright, I'm sorry, Master Jean."

Facing her slightly flushed fair face with displeasure, Nolan found Jean unexpectedly cute and apologized obediently.

The two walked to the base of a large tree and sat on a massive exposed green root.

The tree's branches rustled in the wind.

Jean took out a book with a green cover and gently opened it with her fair fingers. She leaned her snow-white back against the tree trunk and began to savor the book.

After all, since she had decided to take a break and relax, reading was a good way to relax body and mind.

Nolan also leaned against the tree, he didn't have a book he wanted to read and looked rather bored, so he struck up a conversation with Jean and asked curiously:

"What book are you reading, Master Jean?"

He had glanced at the cover of the book in Jean's hand just now. It said "Vera's Melancholy" a book he had casually collected in the game.

But he hadn't opened it or known its contents.

People who love reading generally like to share the contents of their books with friends and recommend them to read, and Jean was no exception.

"It's called 'Vera's Melancholy'," she explained. "It tells the story of an ordinary girl named Vera and her companions' adventures across the Starry Sea realms. But in truth, it's a romance novel, um..."

Jean found herself revealing her secret enjoyment of romance novels as she spoke, then bashfully lowered her head to look away.

Of course, as an Honorary Knight, he might just be the right person to confide in.

Somehow, just being around him made her feel a bit more relaxed.

"..."

Nolan hadn't expected that Jean, who usually appeared serious and trustworthy, would also have such a girlish side—no, wait, it's normal.

What he usually saw was just a small part of Jean's demeanor at work.

She, too, was a girl who had passed through her teenage years, so liking romance novels was perfectly normal.

But as a Knight of Favonius and Acting Grand Master, she almost always prioritized Mondstadt and the Knights in everything she did, which made her less obvious about it.

Perhaps she secretly longed for the delicate and fragile emotions of romance.

Seeing Jean visibly embarrassed and complicated, Nolan tactfully didn't delve further into the topic of romance novels. Instead, he noted a particular term in her words:

"The Starry Sea Realms? Does Acting Grand Master Jean have any knowledge beyond the continent of Teyvat?"

Nolan's ultimate goal in becoming stronger on the continent of Teyvat was actually to find a way back home, after all, that planet still had family members he couldn't let go of.

Of course, before returning, he must grow to or master the ability to return to Teyvat at any time.

Because if nothing else, with his innate talent of "Entangling Affection", he would inevitably develop bonds and feelings with many girls on his way to becoming stronger.

Just like Little Amy now.

He admitted that he couldn't let her go, no matter what he did.

But she also had her own family and friends in Teyvat, so he had to master the skills to travel to Teyvat at any time before considering the next plan.

Nolan did not pursue the matter of romance novels, which relieved Jean slightly. She smiled and responded,

"I might not know as much about the stars outside of Teyvat as you do, being a visitor from another world."

"They say Teyvat is just a small planet in the Starry Sea Realms. The galaxy you see when you look up at night is composed of stars like these."

Nolan nodded slightly. He hadn't intended to ask much, since he didn't have the power to leave Teyvat himself.

Mainly, he wanted to ease the embarrassment Jean inadvertently felt after revealing her little secret.

Still, knowing that Teyvat was just another planet like Earth wasn't bad; it increased the chance of both existing in the same universe.

As for wanting to understand the "Starry Sea Realms" more deeply, he would probably have to ask Lumine.

Of course, that wasn't urgent. Without the strength to do so, asking would be pointless.

Just as Nolan was about to start a casual conversation with Jean, she suddenly stood up and sharply looked behind them.

"Come out!"

Nolan was slightly startled by her words. Was there an enemy appearing? And he didn't even sense anything!

"Kekeke, discovered already, huh?" An Abyss Mage with an ice elemental shield suddenly appeared in front of them. "Today is this mage's lucky day, encountering a weakened Acting Grand Master. Once I deal with you, Mondstadt will crumble!"

Damn, such malicious intent!

Nolan's eyes gradually turned golden as he activated his Eye of Judgement and looked at the Ice Abyss Mage.

[Level: 63]

Hiss... Level 60-something. Nolan was surprised by the Abyss Mage's strength, but did it really think it could take on Acting Grand Master Jean with just that?

"No, you're thinking too narrowly. Whether it's Mondstadt or the Knights, they can function without me."

Jean refuted the Abyss Mage's claim and continued,

"And besides, you might not be able to deal with me!"

An invisible breeze, tinged with cyan wind elemental energy, rustled the leaves of the tree, gently swirling around Jean, whose golden ponytail fluttered.

Like the beginning of a hurricane.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 195: Chapter 195: The Base

"Hmph, dealing with you will still cause chaos in Mondstadt for a while!"

The Ice Abyss Mage raised its staff, channeling the ice elemental energy.

Yesterday, that idiot Pyro Mage went out and returned to the base, taking their most powerful Hilichurl minion, the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl, and disappeared to who knows where.

As a result, their recent plan to command the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl to harass Mondstadt City was delayed again!

Today, the Ice Abyss Mage left the base to find the Pyro Mage and the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl. Instead, it encountered the seemingly weakened Acting Grand Master.

Kekeke, this is a rare opportunity to take her down!

Oh, and as a bonus, an Honorary Knight. Taking them out would have a greater impact than occasionally harassing Mondstadt and those villages with hilichurls!

The Ice Abyss Mage felt smug. It didn't believe the weakened Acting Grand Master could defeat it.

Large, irregular ice blocks were conjured, falling like meteors towards the pair, only to be easily shredded by the hurricane swirling around Jean.

"Honorary Knight, could you break its elemental shield?"

Jean could use her wind element to forcibly break the Abyss Mage's shield, but she wasn't in the best condition. Nolan, who could use fire elements, was perfect for the task.

Nolan nodded, summoning the Adventurer's Hunting Bow from his Delusion.

Fire elemental energy coated a normal arrow as he aimed at the Abyss Mage.

The Ice Abyss Mage noticed Nolan's actions but dismissed the weak human, thinking he couldn't cause any harm. Those slow arrows could be blocked easily with its staff.

Hmm, deflect with the staff.

Of course, even its elemental shield couldn't be broken, so it wasn't necessary for it to personally intervene.

It arrogantly glanced at Nolan, then continued to nonchalantly gather even larger ice blocks to hurl at the Acting Grand Master.

Though Nolan couldn't see the exact face under the Abyss Mage's mask, he sensed its contempt towards him.

He smiled nonchalantly. Let's show you what a frontal assault means!

Even though you know I'm about to attack, you won't be able to react in time.

Nolan loosened his fingers holding the bowstring slightly, and the fire elemental arrow instantly disappeared into space.

When the Ice Abyss Mage felt like it needed to dodge.

"Pff!"

A burst of flames suddenly exploded in front of it, less than twenty centimeters away, perfectly blocked by its elemental shield.

However, the ice elements of the elemental shield were rapidly depleting.

"Wha?"

The Ice Abyss Mage seemed genuinely surprised.

But Jean wouldn't miss this opportunity.

She raised her fair hand slightly, gathering the whirlwind around her into her palm, then unleashed it like a water cannon, shooting wind elements that collided with Nolan's fire elements.

With the spread of wind elements, the flames blossoming in front of the Abyss Mage instantly engulfed it.

As expected, level sixty-three might be a bit challenging for Nolan, but for Jean, it wasn't much.

The moment the wind elements spread the fire elements, the outcome was sealed.

The Ice Abyss Mage's elemental shield shattered quickly.

"Thud."

A charred figure fell to the ground, landing on the grass.

It should be over, Nolan thought.

The grass and dust stirred by the wind were still floating.

Nolan waited for a while but didn't hear the notification of gaining Adventure EXP for defeating an enemy from his character panel.

This shouldn't be the case. Even if Jean defeated it, he should still gain some Adventure EXP due to his "Honorary Knight" title!

Could it still be alive?!

Nolan could only think of this possibility. He vigilantly kept his eyes on the fallen figure. As the grass and dust gradually settled, his vision cleared.

What appeared before the two of them had the appearance of an Ice Abyss Mage, but its charred body was slowly leaking water underneath.

Just like ice melting under the sun.

Moreover, the arm of this "leaking" Ice Abyss Mage seemed to have fractured upon impact, and the broken edges on both sides were indeed the color of ice.

"Is this... an Ice Elemental Clone?" Nolan pondered for a long time before finally coming up with this name.

"Well, it seems it created a clone with magic just as its elemental shield was about to break, using it to distract us and make its escape," Jean mused with her arms crossed, her beautiful eyebrows slightly furrowed.

Her boots touched the grass, silently brushed by the wind, while the round and distinct lines of her knees, constrained by white tight pants, were visible in the sunlight.

"Ah, it looks like I underestimated it. It actually ran away as soon as it sensed danger!" Nolan's face showed a hint of helplessness.

These Abyss Mages with their teleportation skills were indeed adept at escaping. Right now, he had no means to counter it.

However, Nolan suddenly thought of his spiritual threads.

"If my spiritual power is strong enough, in the future, when encountering these Abyss Mages, could I silently knock them out without needing to break their shields first?"

Hmm... it seemed quite feasible. Looks like he needed to speed up finding ways to enhance his spiritual power.

He also wondered where Lumine and Paimon were now. They should still be some distance from Liyue Harbor since they hadn't been on the road for long.

"No worries, my wind element will leave a mark on it. It ran away at just the right moment. I'll also find their base and clear it out."

Jean didn't seem disappointed by this.

Instead, she slightly lifted the corners of her soft mouth and smiled.

"Oh, as expected of Grand Master Jean, you even had a backup plan!"

Nolan said, pleasantly surprised. It felt like a high-level player carrying a newbie through a dungeon.

"Wait a moment."

Jean closed her eyes gently, focusing on sensing the position of her wind element mark. It wasn't difficult for her.

She quickly reopened her eyes and said, "It's in the direction of Whispering Woods. We must act quickly. Honorary Knight, let's go."

"Understood." Nolan nodded.

Whispering Woods, so this is it.

Could it be that this Ice Abyss Mage and yesterday's Pyro Mage share the same base? Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence?

Nolan thought with some surprise.

Whispering Woods, eastern side.

The brilliant sunlight filtered through the branches and fell on the two figures walking slowly. The forest breeze lifted Jean's cape, revealing glimpses of her snow-white skin on her back.

"Let's head this way."

Following Jean's elemental mark, The two of them successfully found the place where the Ice Abyss Mage had ultimately stopped fleeing.

It was a shallow crack in the middle of a mountain wall, appearing completely inconspicuous at first glance.

"It wouldn't have burrowed into the ground, would it?"

Nolan asked with some confusion.

"No, I'm sure my perception isn't wrong. The wind elemental mark is inside."

Jean shook her head, then pressed her fair index finger against her lower lip in thought.

"It's probably an illusion. A casual elemental attack should break it, but it might alert the monsters inside."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Illusion Barrier

"So that's it, an illusion barrier, huh? Hmm, I think I can give it a try."

Nolan nodded, his eyes turning golden as he continued to examine the crack in the mountain wall.

His "Eye of Judgment" had the ability to see through illusions, but he hadn't encountered such a situation before, so he hadn't demonstrated it much.

Now was the perfect opportunity.

Sure enough, in his sight, the crack in the mountain wall slowly faded, dissipating like morning mist meeting sunlight.

In its place was a starry rift.

"Secret realm!"

Nolan exclaimed in surprise.

"A Secret realm... Hmm, it seems these Abyss Mages have hidden their base inside a domain. No wonder the patrol knights rarely encounter Abyss Order bases."

Jean mused thoughtfully.

"Is that so? Should we go in?" Nolan asked.

Entering a domain knowingly occupied by enemies was a risky move, as no one knew what lay inside.

Jean hesitated for a moment. Her wind elemental mark was well hidden, likely beyond detection by the Ice Abyss Mage's strength.

Since they wouldn't be detected, the likelihood of an ambush was low.

Moreover, as the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, she had confidence in her abilities. She should be able to handle an Abyss Order base.

"Honorary Knight, can you get us inside without breaking this illusion magic?" Jean asked, facing Nolan directly with her fair face and slightly parted lips.

This illusion concealing the Hidden Secret Realm Teleportation Portal wasn't just visual. If they couldn't see through the illusion, everything they encountered would only appear as the crack in the mountain wall before them, preventing entry into the Secret Realm Teleportation Gate.

"Yes, please give me your hand. There shouldn't be any problem," Nolan replied confidently.

Since Nolan wasn't affected by the illusion here, he could easily enter the Secret Realm Teleportation Gate's teleportation gate. Bringing someone along should be straightforward.

"Alright." Jean nodded, taking Nolan's outstretched right hand.

Nolan held the delicate hand of Acting Grand Master Jean, feeling its soft warmth. Together, they approached the teleportation gate within the crack in the mountain wall.

The space shifted, and the two of them simply appeared inside the secret realm as if they had pushed open a door in an ordinary manner.

The place looked like a cave, but the path ahead was unusually smooth, as if it had been artificially maintained.

They waited a few seconds, but there was no ambush in sight.

It seemed the Ice Abyss Mage indeed hadn't noticed the two of them secretly following it into the secret realm.

Now they could continue following Acting Grand Master Jean to find that Ice Abyss Mage. Its location was likely the Abyss Order's base within this secret realm.

"Um, Honorary Knight," Jean, with her golden single ponytail tied up, hesitated and called out to the young adventurer in front of her.

Nolan turned back, thinking Jean might have some instructions, and asked, "Ah, what is it?"

"Oh, um, could you please let go of my hand for now? Holding hands like this feels a bit strange," Jean lightly coughed, gently tugging twice to see if the Honorary Knight would release her hand, but since he didn't, she had to speak up.

Jean, who enjoyed reading romance novels, unexpectedly found herself thinking of scenes where the main characters held hands.

Well, perhaps the Honorary Knight would make a good romantic interest, but she had to prioritize her responsibilities.

These personal feelings had to be set aside for now.

Thinking inexplicably, Jean briefly felt the sensation of holding hands, which was almost a strange experience.

[Jean Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 200 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv. 6 (90/600)]

"Ah, sorry," Nolan apologized, feeling a bit embarrassed upon hearing Jean's comment and the notification from the character panel, slowly releasing her hand.

Mainly because Acting Grand Master Jean's hand was indeed very soft, and the warm temperature transferred through their palms gave him a feeling akin to being enveloped by a "hand warmer" in winter, making him reluctant to let go.

Of course, there was also the reason he had been observing the interior environment since they entered the secret realm.

"Well, let's continue forward," Jean adjusted the strands of golden hair on the side of her face, her expression unchanged as if she didn't pay too much attention to the matter.

The two walked ahead along the smooth path. By Nolan's side, Jean's white high-heeled boots made a slightly muffled sound as they stepped on the ground.

He suddenly realized that he was perhaps a tiny bit shorter than Jean, by about two or three centimeters.

However, he didn't pay much attention to height differences; as long as it didn't make him feel conspicuously short, it was fine.

They passed through a long corridor resembling a cave and arrived at a pool where several water slimes, both large and small, were present.

They ranged approximately between level 35 to 40.

"Let me handle this, Acting Grand Master Jean. You can take a break," Nolan said enthusiastically.

With his current strength, slimes of this level posed no threat to him anymore, just a source of Adventure EXP.

"Alright, Honorary Knight, I'll leave it to you," Jean nodded, crossing her arms.

Nolan took out his Adventurer's Hunter's Bow, infused arrows with fire elements from his Delusion, and shot them, using Vaporize reactions effectively to clear out the slimes quickly.

[Defeated Powerful Enemies *6, Obtained 2231 Adventure EXP.]

With the slimes cleared, Nolan and Jean continued towards the location marked by the wind element, keeping an eye out for any enemies that might appear at any moment.

Perhaps this secret realm had been occupied by the Abyss Order for a long time, as Nolan didn't see a single treasure chest. They were likely already taken by them.

Soon, Nolan and Jean arrived at a fork in the path. Without much consideration, they continued directly towards the direction marked by the wind element.

Not long after, Nolan and Jean encountered obstacles again.

This time, it was a group of Hilichurls of various sizes, mostly around level 30, much weaker than Nolan.

"I'll handle this," Nolan smiled and said.

It seemed like Acting Grand Master Jean didn't need to intervene at all. If this secret realm was of this level, given some time, he could clear it "solo."

[Defeated Powerful Enemies *11, Obtained 3679 Adventure EXP.]

After attaching the fire element to his arrow six times when he defeated the Slime earlier, the fire element reserve in his Delusion was already half gone.

So this time, he used the water element arrows made from water elemental ore together with the arrows attached to the wind element alternately, creating Swirl reactions to deal with the enemies.

Nolan didn't waste time collecting drops from the monsters.

After all, the most important thing was to find and eliminate the Ice Abyss Mage in this secret realm, to prevent them from escaping due to delay in time.

Of course, he planned to collect them on the way back; these items were worth a lot of Mora.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 197: Chapter 197: The Chronic Death Plan of Surface Civilizations

Deep within the Secret Realm of the Abyss Order's base,

The Ice Abyss Mage floated back leisurely towards the base, its elemental shield cracked and crumbling.

Suddenly, a mocking voice echoed from the side, "Tsk tsk, isn't this the Ice Mage? How did a little outing leave you in such a sorry state?"

It was a Water Abyss Mage speaking, reclining in the air with one hand supporting its head, similarly shielded by an elemental shield.

"Hmph, I encountered the Acting Grand Master of the Knights, almost didn't make it back," the Ice Abyss Mage snorted, making no mention of initiating the conflict themselves.

"Oh, no wonder!" The Water Abyss Mage didn't seem surprised either, knowing that even the Abyss Herald of the Order couldn't guarantee victory against the Acting Grand Master. "What about the Pyro Mage, then? What's its status?"

It continued to ask.

According to the Abyss Order's plan, their base in the Whispering Woods needed to exploit Mondstadt's exhaustion after dealing with the recent Stormterror's disaster. This would allow them to launch an attack and invade.

The Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl and its tribe of Hilichurls were the main force of this attack, or one could say, they were the cannon fodder.

In reality, there was no intention of truly capturing Mondstadt.

All this was merely preparation for the Abyss Order's future all-out attack on Mondstadt, aimed at gradually depleting the forces of the Knights of Favonius.

When the final assault came, it would be more successful.

This strategy was part of the Abyss Order's primary method to eradicate surface civilizations. Direct confrontation was out of the question.

Instead, they relied on periodic Hilichurl attacks to harass and create chaos in these nations.

They acted like venomous snakes lurking in the shadows, waiting for the day when a nation showed significant weakness.

Then, the Abyss Order would launch a full-scale assault and annihilate that nation!

This strategy was internally referred to as the "Chronic Death Plan of Surface Civilizations," explaining why Abyss Mages appeared in all corners of Teyvat Continent.

After all, without the Abyss Order organizing and supplying them from behind the scenes, these Hilichurls would be doing little more than raiding passing merchant caravans.

All of this required the Abyss Order to lead from behind the scenes.

"I don't know, haven't find them."

The Ice Abyss Mage shook its head.

Without the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl, which served as their recent primary annoyance to Mondstadt, the plan would be impossible to implement.

They couldn't just let them do it on their own, as these cunning Abyss Mages knew better than to engage in such suicidal actions!

In reality, it was mainly because the sounds from the outside world couldn't be heard within the Secret Realm. Otherwise, the loud explosion of the alchemical bomb yesterday would have certainly caught their attention.

And the Whispering Woods is also very vast, so it's normal that the Ice Abyss Mage hadn't yet discovered their bodies.

"Hmph, if they can't be found, something must have happened to them. Didn't you say you encountered the Acting Grand Master of the Knights? Perhaps the two of them were sent back to the Abyss's embrace by her."

The Water Abyss Mage, still reclining in the air, said with a hint of resignation.

"So what do we do? If we don't harass Mondstadt in the next couple of days, the Herald will surely blame us."

The Ice Abyss Mage looked troubled.

"Hmm, that is a problem," the Water Abyss Mage said, tapping its fingers in the air thoughtfully. After a few seconds, it continued, "We'll just send the Hilichurls from the base to attack Mondstadt City and expend them. When the Herald asks, we can simply say we've completed our mission. Heh."

It felt smug about its plan.

The Ice Abyss Mage's eyes gleamed behind its mask at this suggestion. It was indeed a good idea.

"Too bad, you no longer have the chance!"

Just as the two Abyss Mages were about to summon the Hilichurls to attack Mondstadt, a stern voice rang out from outside.

Guided by the wind elemental mark, Nolan and Acting Grand Master Jean had been nearby for some time.

They had overheard the conversation and learned of the Abyss Order's plot.

Naturally, they aimed to nip this crisis in the bud.

As Jean spoke, a cyan whirlwind silently gathered around them and instantly struck the Ice Abyss Mage's elemental shield, causing the ice elements to scatter widely.

In the distance, the Water Abyss Mage, reclining lazily in the void, hadn't properly held onto its staff, and was completely unable to dodge the spreading ice elements. It was directly frozen.

This was a clear case of one teammate sabotaging another, purely out of carelessness.

Nolan also shot arrows with wind elemental attachments at the Ice Abyss Mage's elemental shield, maintaining the spread of ice elements.

During this process, the elemental shields of both Abyss Mages continued to deplete.

The only Ice Abyss Mage still capable of movement sensed trouble. Just as it was about to flee, a fire elemental arrow suddenly emerged from space, shattering its already precarious ice elemental shield.

Subsequently, magical backlash followed as expected, causing the Ice Abyss Mage to fall into a dazed state, then being knocked away by Jean's Hurricane.

[Defeated A Powerful Enemy, Obtained 3890 Adventure EXP.]

Since the final blow to break the shield was delivered by Nolan, he received all the Adventure EXP for defeating the level sixty-plus Abyss Mage.

As the Ice Abyss Mage fell unconscious, unable to continue spreading ice elements without its shield, the nearby Water Abyss Mage slowly thawed from its frozen state.

Its elemental shield had become extremely weak, on the verge of breaking.

"Damn humans, how did you find this place!"

The Water Abyss Mage immediately teleported away from its original position, reappearing further back with an angry tone.

"Of course, it's because your Pyro Mage companion has already joined our Knights of Favonius and spilled everything," Nolan teased with amusement.

"Bastard, that's impossible!"

The Water Abyss Mage didn't believe this human's words. As Abyss monsters, they were naturally enemies of humans and couldn't possibly join them.

However, it was infuriated by Nolan's remarks.

With a weak and small hand holding the staff, it waved, and endless water elements surged forth, forming a tsunami-like wave crashing towards Nolan and Jean.

In response, Jean extended her right hand, revealing fair skin, and lightly pressed in the void.

A swiftly rotating cyclone enveloped the two, acting as a barrier.

"Whoosh!" The mini-tsunami clashed with the cyclone, then spun away like a gyroscope, flinging water elements.

If the Water Mage were powerful enough, these waters might continuously consume the cyclone's energy and eventually submerge it.

Unfortunately, being roughly on par with the Ice Abyss Mage in strength, it still fell short compared to Acting Grand Master Jean.

At this moment, both sides couldn't see each other due to the water obstruction. Nolan vaguely remembered the direction where the Water Abyss Mage was.

Therefore, he attached fire elemental to his arrows again and shot another arrow in that direction.

The arrow entered space, ignoring the obstacles of the whirlwind and tsunami, appeared directly in front of the Water Abyss Mage.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Elemental Skill and Brust (2-in-1 Chapter)

"Smack!"

The Water Abyss Mage never expected to be suddenly hit by flames.

But it was too late to teleport away. The last bit of water in its elemental shield was instantly evaporated.

As the elemental shield shattered and under the backlash of magic, it fell into a daze. The surging tsunami slowly subsided until it disappeared.

[Defeated A Powerful Enemy, Obtained 3,722 Adventure EXP.]

"Cough."

Dispelling the wind elements,

Jean, weakly coughed as she touched her snow-white chest. It seemed that using wind elements at such high intensity had some impact on her, after all, she is still recovering from illness affects.

"Master Jean, are you alright?" Nolan showed a concerned expression."We were supposed to be resting, but here we are, dealing with the Abyss Order's base."

He teased.

He teased lightly.

"Of course, I'm fine. Eliminating a threat to Mondstadt is enough to lift my spirits."

Jean smiled on her fair face, devoid of the faint confusion caused by her recent illness.

"Well, that's good to hear." Nolan sighed in relief. "Since that's settled, let's check this Secret Realm for any other Abyss Order's monsters and head back early."

"Yeah, thanks to you today, Honorary Knight. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to clear this base so easily."

Jean nodded slightly, her soft, rosy lips slightly parted.

[Jean Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 210 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv. 6 (300/600)]

Next, Nolan and Jean explored every accessible corner of this secret realm. After confirming there were no other Abyss Order creatures, they left the secret realm.

During this period, Nolan also collected the materials dropped by the monsters that were killed before, combined with what he had obtained earlier in the adventure, it should fetch a good sum of Mora.

After coming out of the secret realm,

the two found that the illusion blocking the mountain crack had disappeared, and the secreat realm's teleportation gate was fully exposed.

"How should we handle this?" Nolan asked with some confusion.

A Secret Realm this large couldn't just be left unattended, even if there weren't any treasures inside.

"...Hmm, I'll arrange for the Knights of Favonius to take over later. The space inside the secret realm is quite large, and we'll need to discuss how best to utilize it."

Jean crossed her arms, the soft fabric wrapping around her chest gently resting on her arms. She thought for a moment before speaking.

Generally, after exploring a secret realm, it's not entirely useless. It could be transformed into a hidden laboratory, weapon storage, or granary.

In any case,

with such an excellent geographical location and easy security, it couldn't just be left alone for the monsters to reclaim.

A gentle breeze rustled through the forest, and the golden rays of the setting sun bathed the two in a soft glow.

Back at Mondstadt, at the Knights of Favonius Headquarters,

Nolan and Jean pushed open the door to the Acting Grand Master's office and walked in. Lisa, who was handling paperwork for Jean, raised her head slightly to look at them.

"Oh, you're back so soon. How was your vacation?"

Under the wide brim of her pointed witch's hat, Lisa's fair face smiled, though there was a hint of fatigue in her expression.

I wonder if it's because she took over Jean's duties and hasn't stopped since then.

"Well, it's alright," Jean nodded.

"Actually, we ran into a bit of trouble," Nolan briefly recounted the encounter with the Abyss Mage.

"Oh dear, that's really something."

Lisa sighed, resting her forehead in exasperation. She hadn't expected Jean to encounter such unexpected events during what was supposed to be a relaxing break.

"It's okay. Doing something for Mondstadt instead of just resting helps me stay focused," Jean said with a smile, sunlight streaming onto her snow-white chest through the window.

"Oh, you," Lisa sighed again.

She suddenly seemed tired and slumped over her desk, causing her back to arch slightly.

Maybe it was just a small, common discomfort for girls.

Even trying to rest by lying down wasn't very comfortable.

"Alright, Lisa, there's no need for you to worry. I'm not that fragile. Come on, let's all go to the cafeteria for dinner," Jean said with a smile.

"Okay."

Lisa stood up, smoothing her skirt, her emerald green eyes looking at Nolan as she said:

"Hmm~ Little adventurer, it must have been tough keeping Jean company all day. Starting tomorrow, if you have time in the morning, come to the library to find me. I promised to teach you about Elemental Burst, remember~"

[Lisa Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 190 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv. 5 (470/500)]

"Of course, Miss Lisa. I'm looking forward to it," Nolan replied with a happy expression.

Night fell, and the stars appeared as expected.

Back at Eula's rented courtyard on Val Berry Street, Nolan returned when he could already hear the chirping of insects in the yard.

Two fireflies emitting faint light flew before his eyes.

After dinner at the Knights of Favonius cafeteria, Miss Lisa took out her pocket watch to check the time and found it was still early. She then pulled him aside to explain the development of Elemental Battle Techniques and Elemental Bursts.

This saved him the time he would have spent learning about them tomorrow.

Both of these could actually be figured out as his control over elemental power increased. Lisa's guidance only accelerated the process.

Overall, Nolan had benefited greatly and was somewhat looking forward to the upcoming lessons.

Just as Nolan was about to use his key to open the door,

"Snap!"

The brown wooden door was pulled open from the inside, revealing a girl with silky golden hair behind it—it was Little Amy.

She slightly raised her fair chin and said haughtily, "Hmph, why is my stupid attendant coming back so late?"

"I was at the Knights of Favonius asking Miss Lisa some questions, so I came back a bit late. It seems that Her Highness has also successfully completed her mission today. But aren't you going home?"

Nolan asked with a hint of confusion. Fischl hadn't been home for two or three days now. Weren't her parents worried?

"They are both adventurers and often travel to faraway places. Even if I go home, I would be by myself. So, this Princess thought it better to come and keep you company, stupid attendant," Fischl said, crossing her black-sleeved hands over her stomach with a look that said, "Be grateful."

"I see," Nolan nodded understandingly, then chuckled lightly and took two steps closer to Fischl, so close that they could feel each other's breath.

Fischl looked slightly pleased, a faint blush appearing on her fair face. She glanced silently to the side, not backing away but seeming to wait for something.

Naturally, Nolan understood. He reached out and wrapped his arms around Fischl's back, pulling her close. He touched her nose with his, then kissed her lips, which shimmered like water.

Fischl slowly closed her eyes and responded actively.

For some reason, when she was investigating the monster nest near Starsnatch Cliff today, she suddenly felt a bit lonely without the stupid attendant by her side. Even though she usually had Oz with her, being alone wasn't a problem for her.

Could this be how it feels after becoming lovers? She couldn't quite understand it. Of course, she didn't need to. After all, he was right here, and if she wanted to see him, she could just come over.

Nolan was somewhat surprised by Fischl's newfound initiative.

He closed the wooden door behind him with his foot, then slid his right hand down her spine, cupping her bottom through her purple-black dress, and lifted her up.

Fischl's legs, encased in sheer black tights, opened slightly to support her weight, her soft calves crossing and wrapping around him. The warmth of her body seeped through the thin fabric to Nolan's waist.

After a while, Nolan carried Fischl into the living room and gently laid her on the light blue sofa.

Their bodies sank into the soft cushions, like falling into a pile of cotton.

***

As the morning mist dispersed, sunlight pierced through the clouds.

The next morning, after breakfast, Nolan checked the time and went to the library to learn about Elemental Burst from Miss Lisa.

Fischl also went out to the Adventurers' Guild to complete today's investigation tasks.

For the next half month, their daily routine was almost the same: spending intimate moments together at night and working during the day.

During this time, besides spending the hours of 8 to 9 in the morning learning Elemental Battle Skill and Elemental Burst development skills with Lisa, Nolan took on commissions from the Adventurers' Guild.

Considering that Little Amy would usually return home at night, Nolan rarely accepted missions that required him to travel far and risk not returning by evening.

Sometimes he took local commissions in Mondstadt, such as finding items, temporary labor, temporary guarding, or assisting in experiments.

Due to not facing monsters and the lower danger, this resulted in him earning money at a slightly slower rate.

Similarly, without monster battles, his Adventure EXP acquisition was also slower.

Of course, Nolan didn't think he was becoming lazy; after all, being with Fischl was equally important.

Mm... About ten days passed like this.

He sold the monster materials he had collected earlier, as well as unused but valuable items like the crossbow he had obtained from the Treasure Hoarders.

He barely managed to earn 1.5 million Mora.

Adding this to Nolan's original savings of 1.25 million Mora, his total funds now amounted to 2.75 million Mora.

The cost for crafting a 4-star weapon at the blacksmith's shop was 2 million mora, so he had enough now.

Originally, he planned to visit Wagner to see if his "Moonlight Greatsword" had been forged and to pick it up if it was ready.

However, he was informed that it would still take a few more days.

Although Nolan was somewhat disappointed, he understood the difficulty in forging 4-star weapons; it was reasonable for it to take a bit longer.

Moreover, even with a forging blueprint, achieving this speed required the masterful skills of Wagner, who had delved deeply into the art of forging.

If there were no blueprint, starting from designing the blueprint itself and researching the properties of various materials would take even longer.

In conclusion, if no one helped, even Wagner would need over ten years of research to come up with a new forging blueprint for a 4-star weapon.

Wagner mentioned that every blacksmith's greatest dream was to create a completely original 4-star forging blueprint and pass it down.

If someone achieved great feats with a 4-star weapon forged from their blueprint, that blacksmith would become a legendary figure in the forging world.

This was a reputation similar to that of Legendary Adventurers, and achieving it made one the ideal role model for future generations.

As for the legendary 5-star weapons, those were not something humans could research. Even attempting to forge them according to blueprints would be incredibly unthinkable.

If news of this spread, it would cause a stir throughout the entire Tevyat Forging Community.

That day, Nolan listened to Wagner boast about many legendary stories among their blacksmiths. When he left, he was still a bit dazed and unsure whether they were true or not.

In the five days after leaving the blacksmith's shop, Nolan finally mastered Elemental Battle Skill and Elemental Burst under Lisa's guidance.

The Elemental Battle Skill he developed referenced the Abyss Mage's Elemental Shield, forming a continuously rotating wind elemental shield around himself when activated. It could deflect some less powerful attacks and had enough "shielding capacity" itself.

During the development of this elemental shield, Lisa, who had a deep understanding of elemental powers, was of great help to him.

Moreover, to achieve the desired effect, Lisa occasionally brought in Master Jean, who possesses the Anemo Vision, to assist with research.

Eventually, Nolan felt that the performance of this elemental skill had surpassed that of the same-level Abyss Mage's elemental shield!

Subsequently, under Jean's suggestion, Nolan's Elemental Burst was designed based on hers.

It created a wind elemental domain around himself, capable of dealing wind elemental damage to enemies while also healing injuries to allies.

This compensated for Nolan's lack of healing abilities.

To help Nolan grasp the healing properties of the wind element, Jean would activate her Elemental Burst every couple of days, allowing him to study it carefully.

He was very grateful for this.

After finally mastering both the Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst, it was naturally time to give them names.

In terms of naming, he thought it best to keep it simple.

So, he named his elemental skill "Dandelion Shield," and his Elemental Burst "Windwheel Aster Barrier."

Both names were related to wind-related plants.

Lisa and Jean found his naming choices to be quite tasteful.

Their own Elemental Burst names were "Rose Lightning" and "Dandelion Breeze", respectively.

Flower names were also incorporated.

Hehe, after all, they were girls; it was normal for them to like pretty flowers and plants.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Paimon is Back!! (2-in-1 Chapter)

And so,

Half a month later, today.

Nolan calculated that Wagner would have nearly finished forging his own weapon by now, so he returned to the blacksmith's shop once again.

"Hey, Mr. Wagner, is my 'Moonlight Greatsword' ready?" he asked the burly man who was guiding Schultz in forging a single-handed sword.

Wagner lifted his head slightly, looking at the young adventurer before him, and then smiled, "Ah, it's you, kid. I'll fetch your 'Moonlight Greatsword' right away."

Seeing it was a valued customer, the burly man welcomed him with a smile and turned to retrieve the sword from the back.

"His expression changed so quickly."

Schultz paused his actions, lowered his head, and muttered under his breath.

Earlier, Wagner had scolded him harshly for hammering too hard and slightly bending the blade. Schultz couldn't help but grumble internally—after all, it was him who secured this big order. ah, asshole master.

Although Nolan couldn't hear Schultz's complaints, he could tell from his expression that he wasn't happy. Nolan smiled and asked, "What's wrong? Did your master not reward you for getting him such a big project?"

"Ugh, don't mention it."

Schultz sighed and said,

"to encourage me, Master Wagner decided to spend a day after completing your forging work teaching me how to create a perfect sword embryo.

"And I've already been hammering this sword embryo back and forth since morning and haven't earned Master's recognition!"

"Humph, that's because the quality of the sword embryo you forged is far from enough!"

Wagner, holding a large and long wooden box, slammed it down in front of Nolan with a "Bang", and continued:

"Kid, this is the 'Moonlight Greatsword' I crafted with all my heart. Open it and take a look."

Seeing Wagner's apparent satisfaction with his work, Nolan's anticipation grew slightly.

He placed both hands on the long wooden box and slowly lifted the lid.

There wasn't any glittering gold inside, just the afternoon sun that flooded into the box and lit up the space within.

A sword as dim as moonlight, appearing quite heavy, lay before Nolan, with a silver-white hilt inset with a deep blue crescent moon.

Although the appearance didn't completely match Nolan's aesthetic preferences, it was still acceptable.

What mattered most was its performance.

Nolan grasped the hilt of the "Moonlight Greatsword" and lifted it. It felt very heavy, probably weighing over a hundred kilograms.

"So, Mr. Wagner, can you explain the extraordinary features of this sword?"

Nolan swung the greatsword a few times with his swordsmanship, confirming that he could wield it perfectly, and then asked Wagner.

"Alright, let me tell you about it."

Wagner nodded:

"The 'Moonlight Greatsword' is quite powerful in terms of attack power. You should have heard from Schultz. Now let me tell you about its effect.

"Its weapon effect is called 'Heavy Strike.' When you attack with it, practically every swing can deliver additional power boost.

"Hmph, for those small Hilichurls, a mere touch would be enough to take them down.

"Even against a Hilichurl with a rock shield, it only takes two swings to break their shield. How about that? Pretty good, right?"

Hearing Wagner's words, Nolan's eyes lit up. If it truly had such an effect, it would indeed be impressive.

"Mm-hmm, very good."

He nodded in satisfaction, then he took out 200,0000 Mora from the Delusion and handed them to Wagner:

"This is the agreed-upon craftsmanship fee. Please count it."

"Haha, no problem. Come again next time. If there are any quality issues with this 'Moonlight Greatsword,' feel free to come back and find me!"

Wagner took the Mora, laughing heartily.

Leaving the blacksmith's shop, he returned to the streets of Val Berry Street.

The "Moonlight Greatsword," weighing over a hundred kilograms, couldn't fit into the Pyro Delusion, so Nolan had to carry it on his back.

Having mastered Elemental Burst and Elemental Skill, and with this four-star greatsword in hand, Nolan felt a profound transformation in his strength.

Even the Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl he encountered last time seemed like an opponent he could now face alone.

Half a month had passed, and although Nolan hadn't fought many monsters, he had gained considerable Adventure EXP from his adventures with Jean in the Secret Realm. His Adventure EXP points on his character panel had exceeded 20,000.

It was time to further level up his abilities.

Initially, he had planned to save his Adventure EXP to learn a basic sword technique and then upgrade it to the maximum level, integrating it into his "Royal Single-Handed Sword Technique" to see if it could evolve into a secret-arts technique.

Unexpectedly, he had directly learned a Secret Art-level skill, "Wind Pressure Sword," from Jean.

With this change, he could now use his Adventure EXP differently.

Firstly, Elemental Burst and Elemental Skill were just learned, so their shield quantity, attack power, and healing capability were relatively low.

The most important thing was that their duration was only ten seconds, the same amount of time it took to master "Anemo Manipulation" to attach to an element.

This wasn't a game, and ten seconds was indeed too short; its limited utility would be demonstrated.

Of course, this meant that its Teyvat was real.

So, no "cooldown time" was needed, and If he wanted to forcibly maintain these abilities beyond ten seconds, it was possible but would exponentially increase the strain on his physical and mental energy.

For now, ten seconds was the optimal duration for Nolan to use his Elemental skill and burst without excessive consumption.

To extend this optimal duration, leveling up these abilities was crucial.

Given his physical resilience and the racial specialty [Abundant Life], he could easily recover and quickly reuse these abilities without much delay.

Having made his decision, he began investing Adventure EXP into his Elemental Skill and Burst.

Adventure EXP -19998

Elemental Skill: Dandelion Shield Lv.1 (1/1000) > Elemental Skill: Dandelion Shield Lv.5 (0/5000).

Elemental Burst: Windwheel Aster Barrier Lv.1 (1/1000) > Elemental Burst: Windwheel Aster Barrier Lv.5 (0/5000).

After upgrading both skills to level five, their duration extended to fifteen minutes.

This level of ability is already sufficient for his current stage of use.

With just over 1,800 Adventure EXP left, Nolan decided to invest 1,000 EXP into the "Wind Pressure Sword" he learned from Master Jean.

Adventure EXP - 999

Wind Pressure Sword · Secret Art Technique Lv.1 (1/1000) → Wind Pressure Sword · Secret Art Technique Lv.2 (0/2000)

Upon reaching level two, its range of attraction increased to two meters, and its strength also improved, allowing it to pull small-sized monsters.

At level one, it could only pull very light objects, like books, which wasn't very useful.

After upgrading these three skills, Nolan's Adventure EXP were almost depleted.

His character panel showed significant changes:

Name: Nolan Walker

Level: Lv.40 (0/4000)

Race: Human

Title: Honorary Knight

Innate Talent: Entangling Affection

Skills: Divine Gen Archery - Arcane Level Technique Lv.1 (1/5000), Elemental Skill - Dandelion Shield Lv.5 (0/5000), Elemental Burst - Windmill Aster Barrier Lv.5 (0/5000)…

Anemo Manipulation Lv.3 (1/3000), Wind Pressure Sword - Secret Art Technique Lv.2 (0/2000), Concealment Form - Secret Art Technique Lv.1 (0/1000), Arrow of World's Descent - Secret Art Technique Lv.1 (1/1000)...

Royal One-Handed Sword Technique Lv.10 (Flickering Candlelight, Boundary of Windstill, Charge), Martial Arts Lv.2 (0/200).

Specialties: [Descender][Maiden Savior][Monster Slayer][Abundant Life][Gospel of the Sky][North Wind][Spiritual Threads]

Adventure EXP: 880

Although still at level forty, he now felt confident enough to face level sixty monsters without necessarily losing!

Around three in the afternoon, Nolan returned home.

With his significantly enhanced abilities, he decided not to take on any commissions for now. He needed time to adapt, especially to his new four-star greatsword.

He needed to practice using it properly. Transitioning from the lightweight Dull Blade to a heavy weapon over a hundred kilograms without practice could lead to mistakes at crucial moments.

Unfortunately, Fischl had gone out to work in the morning, so he couldn't share his excitement about his increased strength with her.

After two hours of practice, Nolan felt his swordsmanship was sufficiently smooth with the "Moonlight Greatsword."

He adapted from using a single-handed sword to a double-handed one since the first swordsmanship he learned, Favonius Swordsmanship, could be used with either one or two hands.

Even after integrating it into a new sword technique, this characteristic remained.

If needed, Nolan could wield the greatsword single-handedly without any issues.

A mere hundred kilograms wasn't particularly heavy for him now.

Just then, he heard the sound of the iron gate of the small courtyard being pushed open. Nolan turned his head in surprise. Could it be that Fischl had returned so quickly today?

The first to barge in was a small, fluffy creature that could fly!

"Nolan, the Traveler and I are back! Did you miss us?" exclaimed Paimon, wearing a metal crown on her head.

Followed by a girl with short blonde hair wearing a dress—Lumine.

"Lumine, Paimon, it's you two!" Nolan said, slightly surprised. "It's only been half a month. Did you already reach Liyue Harbor and find a 'Teleport Waypoint'?"

"Hey, is that the first thing you ask when we just got back?

"Do you know how tough it was for us, camping out in the wild for over ten days? Quickly, prepare a feast! I can't wait to eat a good meal!"

Paimon said, hands on her hips, hovering in mid-air.

"Yes, Paimon is right. These days we've been sleeping poorly and eating poorly. During our journey, we not only encountered monsters but also treasure hoarders who tried to rob us and even the Fatui with their unknown schemes.

"Basically, we had to fight off these guys almost every day, which really wore me out."

Lumine walked in, her legs clad in over-the-knee white high-heeled boots, sighing as she spoke.

"Uh-haha, you really had a tough time."

Nolan sympathized with their experiences. His adventures in the wild were much the same.

He walked into the living room with Lumine and Paimon, then leaned his greatsword against the wall and poured two cups of tea to welcome them.

"Leave the dinner preparations to me. You two can rest here for a while!"

Nolan felt he should make them a nice meal, especially since they probably only had dry food on the road.

A day or two of that is fine, but ten days is tough.

If they were lucky enough to catch wild boars or other edible animals, they could make some barbecue, adding a bit of salt for flavor.

However, judging by Lumine and Paimon's appearance, they had been rushing and not focusing much on their meals.

"Okay, hurry and buy the ingredients. Paimon tell you about our adventures during dinner."

Paimon smiled and nodded, then she and Lumine collapsed onto the light blue sofa in the living room, seemingly exhausted.

Nolan went to the market to buy meat and vegetables, returning within about half an hour.

When he pushed open the wooden door and entered the living room again, he saw Lumine had taken off her boots, displaying her over-the-knee white stockings, and was lying on the sofa with Paimon in her arms, both asleep.

Her eyes were closed, and her lips parted slightly as she exhaled softly.

Nolan chuckled quietly.

As he prepared dinner, he tried to minimize noise to avoid waking them.

About an hour later, with the meal nearly ready, he brought the dishes to the dining table.

The aroma of the food made sleeping Paimon instinctively sniff the air.

It even caused her to drool, a droplet finally falling on Lumine's fair arm.

It was clear she was dreaming of delicious food.

Just as Nolan was about to wake them up, there was a sound of the door opening outside the house, and a figure with golden hair appeared.

"You stupid attendant, this Princess is back! You've already prepared dinner so quickly?"

Fischl asked, walking in with her arms crossed and wearing black short boots, looking somewhat puzzled.

"Oh? Perfect timing, we're about to eat.

"Lumine and Paimon have returned, so I made something special."

Nolan smiled at Fischl, explaining.

Seeing Lumine and Paimon on the sofa, Fischl nodded and said, "I see, didn't they go to Liyue? How did they get back so quickly?"

Though she had never been to Liyue, she knew the distance from Mondstadt was not short.

Their conversation gradually woke Lumine and Paimon.

They rubbed their eyes, yawned, and stretched.

Lumine's stretching revealed her fair underarms.

At the same time, her dress accentuated her rounded, full figure, slightly widening the gap between the soft, elastic skin of her chest, making it even more appealing.

Suddenly.

Lumine felt something odd on her left arm and noticed some moisture on her fair skin.

She quickly realized what it was and looked at Paimon with a disdainful glance:

"You little rascal, did you mistake my arm for food in your dream?"

"Haha... probably not..."

Paimon slowly flew up, avoiding eye contact awkwardly, wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth with her small hand, and uncertainly defended herself.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 200: Chapter 200: Return and Departure

After washing their faces, Lumine and Paimon sat down at the dining table with Nolan and began to eat.

"So, are you two a couple now?" Paimon, with a mouth full of oil stains, looked puzzled as she glanced at Nolan and Fischl sitting close together, seeming intimate, and asked suspiciously.

"N-no, we're not, Fischl blushed and turned away, denying with pale and feeble words.

"Um..."

Both Lumine and Paimon were speechless. What was so hard about admitting it?

However, they also knew that despite Fischl constantly claiming to be the Princess of the Evernight Kingdom and maintaining a dignified appearance, there were times when she unexpectedly became shy, just like now.

So they didn't press her further, instead casting curious glances at Nolan.

"Well, sort of. We got together a few days ago," Nolan didn't hide it either, briefly recounting the incident when he subconsciously kissed Fischl outside the Adventurers' Guild on the street.

"Is that so? Paimon thought there would be a more romantic process. Didn't expect you, buddy, to sneakily kiss her when Fischl wasn't paying attention," Paimon said, spreading out her hands covered in oil stains, looking at him with some disdain.

Lumine thought the same. If this guy had kissed her secretly, she would definitely have beaten him up in public. There was no way she'd let him off so easily.

Wait, why am I imagining this? Lumine shook her head to get rid of the image that shouldn't have appeared in her mind.

"Haha. Anyway, tell us about your journey. Where are you now? Did you find a teleport waypoint in the wild to come back?" Nolan tried to change the topic awkwardly.

"Well, it wasn't exactly the wild. Paimon and I had already entered Liyue's territory and reached a place called 'Stone Gate,'" Lumine said after eating a piece of soy-sauce-fried meat, then slightly sticking out her pink tongue to lick her lips.

"'Stone Gate' is a must-pass route between Mondstadt and Liyue... That's what this Princess read in a book," Fischl said, blinking her right eye that wasn't covered by a black eyepatch.

Nolan also had some impression of Stone Gate.

After passing through Stone Gate, it seemed that they would reach Dihua Marsh, then possibly Wangshu Inn, and finally, after crossing Guili Plains, you reach Liyue Harbor.

"Sounds like you're almost there," Nolan nodded.

"Not at all. There's still about half a month's journey," Paimon shook her head.

"Luckily, we found a very conspicuous teleport waypoint on the street over there and quickly teleported back. After camping out for so long, we really wanted a good night's sleep," Lumine said, seeming a bit tired of the outdoor life.

Although she had lived alone in the wild for a long time after she first woke up, she didn't want to return to that kind of life after having a good place to stay in Mondstadt.

"I see, so you want to rest for a day or two before setting off again?" Nolan understood.

"Yes, that's about it. And we also need to replenish some supplies," Paimon nodded lightly, then continued, "Would you like to join us this time? Since we're already in Liyue's territory, it would be nice to see the sights along the way."

Upon hearing Paimon's suggestion, Nolan thought for a moment. He realized that there wasn't anything urgent for him in Mondstadt, so embarking on a new journey to Liyue seemed like a good idea.

"By the way, Your Highness, would you like to come to Liyue with us?" Nolan decided to go to Liyue and turned to Fischl beside him.

The two were still in the honeymoon phase, and Nolan didn't want to neglect Fischl by leaving without inviting her.

"Hmph, if you want to go, just go. This princess is an investigator for the Adventurers' Guild and is usually very busy," Fischl raised her pale chin slightly and huffed.

Due to her outstanding investigative abilities, she effortlessly handled many investigative tasks at the guild, especially those dangerous missions concerning the movements of monsters, which were usually prioritized for those with excellent investigative skills. Therefore, Fischl was quite willing to take on these tasks as they were easy for her and paid well.

Of course, she also knew that with Lumine around, it would be relatively easy for Nolan to return, so there would be no long periods without seeing each other, making her disinclined to take leave to accompany him to Liyue.

"Alright then," Nolan wasn't too disappointed. After all, Liyue Harbor had teleport waypoints, making it easy to return.

At that moment, their thoughts were highly aligned, showing their strong connection as a couple.

"Okay, let's rest tomorrow and buy supplies, then set off the day after," Lumine suggested after some thought.

After dinner, everyone chatted for a while before taking a bath and going to sleep.

...

Morning came.

After breakfast, Nolan went out with Lumine and the others to replenish some supplies, especially things he needed personally, like water and food. Other items such as tents were already prepared.

By the time they finished shopping, it was already noon. They had lunch outside and continued to leisurely stroll around until they returned home around three or four in the afternoon.

Coincidentally, Fischl returned around the same time. They all made some snacks together and had an afternoon tea party.

Soon, the afternoon passed, the sky dimmed, and evening arrived. They went through the usual routine of dinner, bathing, and going to sleep, completely enjoying their day off and relaxation.

Another new morning dawned.

Aside from carrying the "Moonlight Greatsword" sword on his back, Nolan stored everything else he needed in the storage space of the Pyro Delusion.

After bidding farewell to Fischl and saying goodbye, he and Lumine headed to the Knights of Favonius headquarters.

They also informed Lisa, the Acting Grand Master of the Knights, about their intention to travel to Liyue for a while. They arrived at the teleport waypoint beneath the tower of the Knights of Favonius headquarters.

Hand in hand, Lumine activated the teleport waypoint. Suddenly, they felt themselves engulfed in darkness for a moment before scenes started to reappear in their vision after a few seconds.

Before them was a teleport waypoint emitting a blue glow, located on a wooden platform at a street corner, overlooking a cliff with a significant high drop.

Passersby on the street were slightly startled by their sudden appearance.

In a fantastical world like Teyvat, anything could happen, so a few people appearing out of nowhere wasn't too surprising.

Or rather, it shouldn't be surprising!

Nevertheless, even in Teyvat, such a conspicuous arrival method was indeed quite ostentatious.

Uncomfortable with being stared at, Nolan and the others quickly moved away to avoid attracting too much attention.

(End of Chapter/Volume 2: The Great Adventure)