Several days passed.
At last, Luo Qing saw the outline of Mondstadt City.
The grand city on the lake, with its towering Cathedral of Favonius and the Statue of the Anemo Archon, exuded a mix of solemnity and serenity.
Unlike the bustling prosperity of Liyue or the oppressive atmosphere of Inazuma, Mondstadt radiated a sense of freedom and ease.
As the starting nation of the game, Mondstadt carried a sense of familiarity for Luo Qing, almost as if he had been here before.
"Well, this is where we part ways," Luo Qing said, his tone casual as he gave Eula a once-over.
"Thanks for guiding me these past few days. You can go reunite with your little squad now."
Eula glanced at the distant silhouette of Mondstadt and muttered, "Why are you going to Mondstadt?"
"I've already told you—I got lost and need a place to stay," Luo Qing replied, tapping her forehead with his finger.
"You make it sound like I'm some big bad villain. Stop being so hostile toward people all the time, will you?"
"..."
Eula stayed silent for a long moment before muttering, "I told you not to poke my head..."
Throughout their journey, she'd felt like Luo Qing was constantly treating her like an idiot, poking her head as if she were a clueless child.
And with her hands cuffed, unable to use elemental power, she couldn't fight back...
"I'm going to Mondstadt too," Eula said softly.
"Why? To get the Knights of Favonius to come after me?" Luo Qing smirked and poked her forehead again.
"Careful now—try it, and you'll regret it~"
"..."
Eula bit her lip, saying nothing.
Truthfully, she had planned to report Luo Qing's presence to the Knights.
"If you're going back, you're on your own. I don't have time to slow down for you," Luo Qing said, his golden eyes beginning to glow as he prepared to activate his Temporal Zero ability to hasten his journey.
From where they stood, Mondstadt was only faintly visible in the distance. It would take at least another day of walking to reach the city.
Luo Qing had only brought Eula along to guide him. Now that they were almost there, he needed to set up his teleportation device in the safe house as soon as possible—no point wasting time traveling with her.
Just as he was about to leave, Eula suddenly called out in a panic.
"Wait!"
"What now?" Luo Qing turned back, puzzled, to see Eula fidgeting awkwardly.
"At least unlock the cuffs before you go..."
"Oh, right. Forgot about that. My bad," Luo Qing said, scratching his head.
Remembering that he'd kept her hands cuffed the entire journey to prevent her from escaping or causing trouble, he stepped behind her and pulled her hands forward.
As he worked on unlocking the cuffs, his gaze unintentionally lingered on her back and the curves accentuated by her leather pants and tight-fitting clothes.
Combined with her unique fragrance, the view was... distracting.
Eula turned her head to glance back at him. "Aren't you done yet?"
"Ahem... almost, almost," Luo Qing coughed, focusing back on the task.
Finally, with a soft click, the cuffs came off.
Eula flexed her fingers, feeling the flow of Cryo elemental energy return to her.
"Alright. Bye now—"
"Wait!"
"Huh?" Luo Qing paused, his expression one of mild exasperation.
Why can't she say everything at once?
"If you claim you mean no harm to Mondstadt..." Eula hesitated, her voice barely audible. "...then give me back my sword."
The deep blue greatsword, intricately engraved, was her most prized possession. She never went on a mission without it, taking care to polish and maintain it regularly.
But a few days ago, during her defeat, Luo Qing had claimed it as a trophy, and she hadn't seen it since.
Although asking for it back was humiliating, she had no choice.
She simply wasn't strong enough to take it back by force.
To her surprise, Luo Qing suddenly laughed, leaning in close so their eyes met at the same level.
He poked her forehead again and said with a smirk, "I think you misunderstood something."
"Misunderstood... what?"
"I really don't bear any malice toward Mondstadt," he said lightly.
"Then give me—"
"But I bear you plenty of malice~" Luo Qing interrupted, golden light flashing in his eyes as he vanished from sight.
"..."
"My sword..."
[+1 Frustration Value from Eula.]
Eula slumped to the ground, her expression a mix of despair and fury, tears threatening to spill over.
That sword was her most treasured weapon!
Without it, could she even call herself a knight anymore?
After sitting in a daze for a while, she suddenly realized Luo Qing must have gone to Mondstadt.
Scrambling to her feet, she began running toward the city.
"Luo Qing, give me back my sword!"
---
Meanwhile...
Using Temporal Zero, Luo Qing reached Mondstadt's gates in under an hour.
With the Stormterror crisis resolved, the city had regained its usual laid-back atmosphere. Merchants bustled in and out of the city, and the bridge was crowded with travelers.
Mondstadt and Liyue had always been on good terms. As someone with Liyue blood, Luo Qing easily entered the city without facing any questioning, especially after swapping his Fatui uniform for Liyue attire.
Following the main road for a short distance, he soon spotted the adventurer's guild counter and its ever-polite receptionist, Katheryne.
"Ad astra abyssosque! Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild," Katheryne greeted him warmly.
"Find me a safe house," Luo Qing said, flashing the insignia of a Fatui Harbinger from his pocket before quickly tucking it away.
"Understood. Please wait a moment."
Katheryne's tone shifted as she began typing commands into her terminal. Moments later, she handed Luo Qing a set of keys.
"Your room is ready."
"Is it discreet?" Luo Qing asked, examining the keys and the attached note that listed the address.
Snezhnaya maintained a network of agents and safe houses across the Seven Nations for contingencies like this.
"No one will disturb you," Katheryne assured him.
"Good. Get back to your usual work," Luo Qing said, pocketing the keys as he set off toward the address.
---
Late at night...
After a grueling day of running, Eula finally reached Mondstadt.
Completely drained, she dragged herself to the headquarters of the Knights of Favonius, barely managing to stand.
"Eula, what happened to you?" Jean asked, looking up from her desk.
Eula had burst into her office in tattered clothes, her jacket missing entirely. The sight left Jean momentarily stunned.
"There's... there's trouble..." Eula panted, collapsing into a chair and pouring herself a large cup of tea, which she downed in one gulp.
After catching her breath, she continued.
"A Fatui Harbinger has infiltrated Mondstadt... and he stole my sword!"
"What...?!"
---
If you notice anything that feels off, just let me know—I don't mind fixing things up.
Oh, and don't forget to sit up, grab some water, and take it easy while you're here. No rush, right?
If you're into this, consider checking out [patreon.com/WiseTL].
Your support helps me keep going, and I'm grateful for every bit of it.