On the dark red hair rested a crown of thorns, and a black headscarf draped over the back, revealing a hollowed-out area. Her skin was surprisingly pale, and her chest was wrapped in a high-collared halter-neck top.
Her legs were clad in black fishnet stockings, and she wore short boots of the same color. Overall, the outfit still maintained a nun-like style.
"You said these two are Honorary Knights of the Knights of Favonius?" Yelan remarked with slight surprise.
She had heard that Mondstadt had been attacked by the Stormterror not long ago, and that two Honorary Knights had played a significant role in defending the city. She hadn't expected them to be the ones she had captured.
"That's right. If the Ministry of Civil Affairs in Liyue wrongly detains them, the Knights of Favonius won't stand idly by," Rosaria said calmly, still with her arms crossed.
"Hehe, so you're indeed not suspicious individuals," Yelan said, nodding as she looked at Nolan and the others.
"Of course! We're kind and righteous people, not villains at all!" Paimon said with some annoyance.
"Right, it's all a misunderstanding. Actually, the situation is..." Nolan took the opportunity to explain that they were merely using the teleport waypoint to return to Mondstadt.
"Alright, it seems I've misunderstood you," Yelan admitted, her interrogation experience telling her they weren't lying. "But it's clear that these devices do serve a purpose. So, someone really can activate them?"
She retracted the "Lifeline" threads that had bound them, looking at them with a hint of curiosity.
"It's just a personal special ability," Lumine replied, shaking her slightly sore hands, not wanting to go into too much detail with this woman who had just restrained them.
"I see." Yelan smiled without prying further. "By the way, your ability seems quite convenient. Would you be interested in becoming my 'mission assistant'?"
Mission assistant? More like a spy assistant, Nolan thought to himself, considering Yelan's recruitment attempt. After all, she wasn't just a regular employee of the Ministry of Civil Affairs; it was merely one of her identities.
Yelan's true identity was a special intelligence officer directly under Ningguang, the "Tianquan." She's accustomed to carrying out missions in foreign lands and is even known to have ventured into the dangerous Abyss.
Given this, it made sense that Yelan would be interested in Lumine's teleportation ability. Being able to quickly escape dangerous situations and return to Liyue after acquiring necessary information would be invaluable for intelligence work.
Though Yelan was powerful, she wasn't proficient in magic and thus lacked the ability for long-distance teleportation.
"I'll think about it," Lumine replied, lowering her head in thought. She initially intended to refuse, but considering her current financial situation, working with an official like Yelan might provide a good source of Mora.
"It's possible, but I would like to work in a manner similar to the Adventurers' Guild—where you issue commissions and I accept them. I have my own matters to attend to as well," Lumine finally agreed with a nod.
"Hehe, that works too. I'll find you when I need you," Yelan said with a gentle smile on her pale face. "Alright, it's getting late. Since I'm here in Mondstadt, I might as well head to the famous Angel's Share tavern for a drink."
She clasped her hands together, lifting her ample chest slightly, and glanced at the nun beside her. With a slight parting of her red lips, she asked, "Is that alright, Miss Rosaria?"
As someone in intelligence work, Yelan could easily tell that Rosaria's job wasn't so different from hers.
"Of course, it's fine. I'm off duty anyway," Rosaria replied, giving Yelan a sidelong glance before heading in the direction of Angel's Share.
"Hehe, so cautious," Yelan remarked with a soft chuckle, waving goodbye to Nolan and the others before following Rosaria.
For a moment, the empty night streets were left with only Nolan, Lumine, and Paimon.
"Phew, she's finally gone. That dangerous woman—I really don't want to see her again!" Paimon vented her frustration, stomping her feet in the air as she recalled being tied up. But remembering how powerless she was against Yelan, she could only droop her shoulders helplessly.
"Alright, let's head back," Lumine said, turning towards the direction of Val Berry Street. Meeting someone with a seemingly high position in the Liyue government wasn't a total loss for the night.
Paimon and Nolan walked alongside her. As they walked, Nolan thought that since the two had developed a good rapport, he should take the initiative. He reached out to hold Lumine's hand.
"Ahem."
A slight blush appeared on Lumine's fair skin. She awkwardly coughed, folded her arms, and pushed Nolan's hand away, not giving him the chance.
"What's wrong?" Paimon asked, puzzled, looking at Lumine.
"Nothing."
---
*Morning*
Nolan yawned as he came downstairs. Last night, he noticed that little Amy wasn't home, likely having returned to her own place. He felt a bit disappointed, as he had hoped to spend more time bonding with her.
"Yo, good morning."
A familiar yet unfamiliar voice called out from the living room, causing Nolan to open his sleepy eyes wide. As expected, there she was.
A mature-looking lady with short neck-length hair, a fair face, and an elegant demeanor sat on the light blue sofa.
"Yelan, what are you doing here?" Nolan asked in surprise.
"Well, after drinking with Miss Rosaria last night, I realized I had nowhere to go. To return, I'd need Lumine's teleportation ability, so I stayed here overnight. You don't mind, do you?" Yelan crossed her black, tight-fitting high-heeled boots, speaking in a lazy tone.
For her, finding Nolan and the others' residence was a simple task.
"Uh, of course not," Nolan replied. If a stranger had silently infiltrated his home and stayed the night, it would have been terrifying. But with Yelan, it wasn't as alarming since she had no ulterior motives towards him.
"Great, thank you. Also, I'm a bit hungry. Could you prepare something to eat?" Yelan asked with a cheeky smile.
"..."
Nolan was silent for a moment, thinking, This is supposed to be my house, but why does it feel like you're the owner here?
"Alright, it's just adding an extra set of dishes," Nolan sighed, not bothering to complain.
"Hehe, what a considerate man," Yelan said with a soft smile, a look of appreciation in her eyes.
[Yelan Had Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 220 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.2 (120/200).]
Nolan glanced at the notification on the character panel, a bit surprised. That was a good amount of affection gained, even without the "Honorary Knight" title bonus.
Perhaps she likes considerate men who can help her with things. It makes sense, given that she seems to be a strong, capable woman.
After breakfast, they teleported back to Liyue Harbor. Their sudden appearance caught the attention of passersby, who glanced curiously at them, but they quickly moved on without giving anyone a chance to ask questions.
This made Nolan realize the importance of improving their stealth abilities.
With a few days left before the Rite of Descension, they decided to take on some commissions from the Adventurers' Guild, especially those involving clearing out monsters. It was a good way to earn Mora and gain experience.
Lumine agreed with this plan. After Yelan left, they immediately went to the Adventurers' Guild and accepted a task to clear out a Ruin Hunter at the Guili Plains Ruins.
Based on the investigator's description on the commission slip, Nolan estimated the Ruin Hunter to be around level 40, not too strong, so they should be able to handle it easily.
They took on several other nearby commissions with similar difficulty and set off. The following days followed the same routine: accept commissions in the morning, go out to complete them, return at night to submit their completed tasks, and then teleport back to rest.
Their rapid completion of commissions quickly made Nolan, Lumine, and their fairy companion quite famous at the Liyue Adventurers' Guild. They were even given a strange nickname: "The Black, White and Gold Trio."
Even Paimon was baffled by the name, wondering how anyone could come up with something so cheesy—she couldn't even think of anything that bad!
On the day of the Rite of Descension, as they made their way to the event location at Yujing Terrace, Nolan took a moment to reflect on their accomplishments over the past few days.
They had completed sixteen dangerous commissions involving monster extermination, earning around 3.2 million Mora.
The materials collected from the monsters were sold to the Adventurers' Guild for about 400,000 Mora, bringing their total earnings to 3.6 million Mora.
Splitting it evenly, each got 1.8 million Mora. This temporarily resolved their financial issues, but with money now in hand, it was time to enhance their abilities. Upgrading weapons and artifacts would require a significant amount of Mora.
However, it still wasn't enough. According to the Adventurers' Guild's statistics, upgrading a four-star artifact to its maximum potential would cost around 4 million Mora for enhancement materials alone.
Weapons were even more expensive, with various materials and "Mystic Enhancement Ore" costing at least five times as much Mora as the same-level artifact enhancements.
Sigh. It's rare to have a set of four-star artifacts and a four-star "Moonlight Greatsword," but it's a bit disappointing not being able to level them up to their full potential and unleash their true power.
In a couple of days, Old Zhang should have a prototype of the "bicycle" ready. Once it's tested and proven functional, I'll take it to see "Tianquan" Ningguang. However, it's somewhat difficult for ordinary people to meet her, and I vaguely recall that she's the one presiding over this year's Rite of Descension.
I wonder if there will be a chance to speak with Ningguang later.
Nolan thought, reminiscing as he raised his head.
"So lively, is everyone here to watch the Rite of Descension?" Paimon hovered above Lumine's head, looking around at the people on the streets.
"I wonder what Lord Rex Lapis will say this year. You know, the seventeen decrees he issued two years ago caused quite a stir in the market," said a middle-aged man wearing a top hat, who looked like a businessman, as he walked past Nolan with his business partner.
"Hehe, the Qixing's Rite of Descension is arguably the most important day for merchants. As the largest economy on the continent of Teyvat, any policy change in Liyue can affect the entire continent's market."
"Yes, any successful merchant immediately starts analyzing what business opportunities might arise from the decrees, just like 'Tianquan' herself. It's said that she rose from humble beginnings to become one of the Qixing, wielding immense power."
"To elevate the status of a merchant to such a height is an honor for all of us!"
As they got closer to Yujing Terrace, where the Rite of Descension was being held, more people gathered, and their conversations inevitably reached Nolan's ears.
"So ordinary people can also reach the level of the Liyue Qixing? Lumine, why don't you try to become one? Then we'd be the richest people in the world!" Paimon said excitedly.
"That's not how it works. Even if I became one of the Liyue Qixing, it wouldn't mean I could freely control Mora. Besides, I'm not from Liyue. They probably wouldn't choose a foreigner as one of their rulers," Lumine replied, looking at Paimon as if she were a fool.
Nolan chuckled. With some time left before reaching Yujing Terrace, he glanced at the character panel that only he could see.
[Adventure EXP: 36,753]
Over the past few days, aside from earning Mora from commissions, He had also gained a lot of Adventure EXP, mostly from clearing out monsters.
In addition to the monsters that needed to be cleared as part of their commissions, they also encountered some along the way.
Occasionally, while exploring the wilderness, they stumbled upon a treasure chest or two. One particularly exquisite chest unexpectedly contained three Primogems.
After absorbing them, the total Adventure EXP accumulated reached over 30,000.
He considered using these EXP to upgrade the "Concealment Form" skill, but realized it wasn't quite enough to max it out. So, he decided to use them to increase his character level instead.
Adventure EXP - 34,800
Lv.40 (0/4000) > Lv.48 (0/4800)
He gained eight levels in one go, feeling a powerful warm current surge through his body. It spread like a gentle breeze, reaching every cell.
He felt stronger, lighter on his feet, and more invigorated both physically and mentally. His mind was clearer than ever, and even his psychic power had increased significantly.
If he could only bend an iron spoon with his "Spiritual Threads" before, he could now bend two. The range had extended to about five meters, making it more effective for disrupting enemies.
After completing the upgrades, Nolan exhaled slightly. He glanced at the character panel again, noting that he had less than 2,000 Adventure EXP left. They were spent quickly.
When he had enough Mora, he planned to put up a commission at the Adventurers' Guild for collecting Primogems, offering a price two or three times higher than the market rate, hoping someone would be willing to sell.
As Nolan dreamed about a bright future, the surrounding pedestrians gradually slowed to a stop.
They had arrived at Yujing Terrace.
(End of Chapter)
T/N: I will not write (2-in-1 Chapter) in the title from now on. If you feel the chapter has ~2k words its 2-in-1 Chapter.
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