"Actually, there's nothing much, just a request to return the 'Holy Lyre der Himmel' to the cathedral," Amber said with a smile, her white thighs exposed under her brown leather shorts.
"The 'Holy Lyre der Himmel'? Hasn't Venti returned it yet? Alright, we'll go find him," Nolan replied after a moment's thought.
That unreliable bard is probably passed out drunk somewhere, having completely forgotten about it.
"Uh-huh, please take care of that. I have to get back to work," Amber said, nodding with her hands on her hips. She turned on her heel, her legs elegantly wrapped in over-the-knee white boots, and headed out the door.
"By the way, have you had breakfast? Would you like to join us?" Nolan asked Eula.
"Since you're so insistent, I'll reluctantly accept your invitation," Eula replied, raising her fair chin in a haughty manner.
The two of them walked from the front yard into the living room. Lumine, dressed in a sleeveless tank top that revealed her pale arms, and Paimon were sitting at the dining table, sipping porridge.
"Huh, who are you?" Paimon asked, licking a grain of rice from the corner of her mouth as she eyed the tall, curvaceous woman following Nolan with some confusion.
Lumine, her cheeks puffed out as she drank her porridge, also looked curiously at the newcomer with her amber eyes.
"This is Eula, the captain of the reconnaissance squad I mentioned before, and the true owner of this house," Nolan explained with a smile.
"Wow, you're the wealthy landlord!" Paimon's starry eyes seemed to sparkle as she flew up to Eula.
"Ahem... Amber mentioned you two. The Traveler who drove away Stormterror and her good companion," Eula said, slightly uncomfortable under Paimon's intense gaze, lightly coughing into her fist and averting her eyes.
"Hehe, that's us! I'll get you some porridge," Paimon said eagerly, causing Lumine to facepalm in exasperation.
...
After finishing breakfast, Eula led Nolan to the backyard for a swordsmanship lesson.
Lumine, the blonde girl, sat on the veranda with her pale arms wrapped around her knees, watching curiously as a spectator.
Paimon, meanwhile, hovered above her head.
A gentle breeze rustled Eula's single-shoulder cape that draped over her white back. She pulled out two wooden training swords from her Vision, tossing one to Nolan with a smile.
"Come on, show me what you've got!" she challenged.
Nolan caught the spinning wooden sword by the hilt with one hand and faced Eula.
"Eula-sensei, here I come!" he declared, lowering his center of gravity. The wooden sword aligned with his shoulder, his toes digging into the ground. In an instant, he closed the distance between them, the surrounding scenery blurring in his peripheral vision.
The wooden sword sliced through the air, aiming for Eula's abdomen, where she had deliberately left an opening. Nolan could tell she was confident, and he wouldn't hold back either.
"Oh? Such speed! You've improved a lot since last time!"
Eula's fair face showed a hint of surprise. She twisted her wrist, meeting his strike with the tip of her own wooden sword.
"Thud!"
The two wooden swords clashed with a dull sound. Eula seized the brief moment of impact to lift her sword, sweeping the blade towards Nolan's face.
Eula wasn't pulling any punches. Even though they were using wooden swords, a hit from this strike would make his teeth ache for days.
Nolan leaned back to dodge the tip of her sword, then swiftly countered with an upward strike aimed at her waist, tightly encased in her form-fitting outfit.
"Not bad!" Eula remarked with a light laugh. She stepped forward, her waist brushing against his arm.
With a quick, fluid motion, she spun, her body following the curve of his elbow like a dancer twirling under her partner's arm.
The soft sensation against his arm made Nolan hesitate for a split second. Before he could react, he found his face pressed into the soft fabric of her abdomen, his nose just touching her navel.
The sheer black material over it blocked his nostrils, making it hard to breathe.
As he tried to slide down to escape, he felt a hand press against the back of his head, pushing him deeper into her midriff.
At the same time...
Eula circled behind Nolan, placing the wooden training sword against the right side of his neck. She smiled, her lips parting slightly in surprise.
"Incredible," she said. "Your swordsmanship is nearly on par with mine. If it weren't for my superior strength and physical abilities, I wouldn't have been able to overpower you!"
"...Ugh." Nolan conceded, lowering his wooden sword and tapping the side of her white thigh encased in black over-the-knee boots, signaling her to release him.
"My apologies." Eula retracted the sword and let go, laughing lightly.
"Well, as expected of the guerrilla captain," Nolan remarked, standing up and stretching his slightly sore neck.
"I didn't expect you to be taken down so quickly. I was hoping to see an exciting duel," Paimon said from the veranda, spreading her hands in disappointment.
"Exactly," Lumine agreed, nodding emphatically.
"You two, if you're so disappointed, why don't you give it a try?" Nolan suggested, looking at them helplessly.
"Hmm, Traveler, how about sparring with me for a bit?" Eula extended a hand to Lumine.
"Bring it on, we won't lose!" Paimon said with her hands on her hips, full of fighting spirit. She then looked at Lumine, "Right, Traveler?"
Lumine thought for a moment before nodding. "Okay, I want to see how far I am from Eula's level."
Lumine, being stronger than Nolan, held her ground against Eula for a while but was ultimately defeated. This outcome was expected, as Lumine had lost most of her power and was currently only at level forty. Losing to Eula was understandable.
However, Lumine's rapid growth meant that surpassing Eula was only a matter of time.
"Eula, do you have time later?" Nolan asked, watching Eula as she took a short break.
"Hmm? I'm free all morning. Why do you ask?"
Eula responded, crossing her arms and slightly lifting her chest encased in the semi-sheer black fabric, a puzzled expression on her fair face.
Nolan explained their need to return the "Holy Lyre der Himmel" to Mondstadt Cathedral, expressing his concern about the Fatui causing trouble again. He wanted Eula's support.
In the game's storyline, Venti was attacked by "La Signora" right after returning the "Holy Lyre der Himmel."
Though uncertain if the same event would occur, the Fatui's goal was the "Gnosis," and they would inevitably target Venti. Nolan wanted a strong ally to ensure they could resist any potential threat.
"I see. Since you've been diligent in practicing your swordsmanship, I'll accompany you," Eula said, raising her fair face slightly, her tone a bit haughty.
[Eula Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 300 Affection Points, Current Affection Level Lv.4 (25/400).]
(End of Chapter)
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