At noon, the blazing sun hung high in the sky, scorching the earth like a furnace. Only the cool breeze brought by Hiroshi provided some relief.
Windrise, Mondstadt's granary, was a vast and fertile plain blessed with abundant water resources, and only a few low-risk monsters roamed the area. Its proximity to Mondstadt City made it an ideal place for people to thrive. Numerous villages dotted the region, with countless Mondstadt residents born and raised there, living their lives under the protection of the wind.
Yesterday, a group of Pyro Slimes suddenly appeared on the main road not far from Padd Village. If it were just the weakest, ordinary Slimes, the villagers could have handled them with a few buckets of water and some cooperation. However, this group consisted of a large Slime leading several smaller ones, which was beyond what the villagers could handle. Therefore, the village chief instructed the strongest young man in the village to take a detour and head to the Adventurers' Guild in Mondstadt City to request assistance.
Now, in the afternoon of the following day, the anxious village chief, Paddy, finally saw the arrival of the adventurers. Oh, and by the way, the village chief's surname is always "Pa," as each newly elected chief takes on the name in honor of the first chief who established the village.
"Woo-hoo!" Klee happily ran ahead, full of energy like a small sun, always shining bright. In a flash, she sprinted to the signpost for Padd Village, where a middle-aged man stood. Coming to a sudden stop, she raised her hands and shouted, "Klee is first!"
Following closely behind, with the wind swirling around her, Hinata reached the destination and raised her hand, announcing, "Hinata is second!"
Luo Xiaobai, holding a butterfly, arrived a moment later. Seeing the other two shout, he raised his right hand with the butterfly and opened his mouth to yell, but seeing the man staring at them in bewilderment, his face flushed, and his voice weakened.
"Hey! Xiaobai, you can't just chicken out and not shout!" Hinata pointed at Luo Xiaobai, whose face was flushed, and laughed, catching sight of the bewildered man nearby.
Klee, meanwhile, was staring curiously at the village sign, with green branches growing from it. "Why is this sign different from the ones I've seen before? It's so amazing!"
Paddy, in shock, rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was dreaming. Three children, no older than his own daughter, ran over as fast as the wind. The Slimes blocking the road were sent flying by their rush, and the wind that followed smacked his face painfully.
Patting his cheeks, Paddy shook his head as if trying to clear the illusion. It had to have been a dream.
Squatting down, Paddy showed a warm smile to the three children, using the gentle tone he usually reserved for his daughter, "Are you three lost? Do you know where your home is?"
"Huh?" Klee, who was looking at the sign, turned and saw the kindly smiling man. She took off her backpack, pulled out a commission slip, and handed it to Paddy with a big smile, "Uncle, we are here to complete this mission. Is this Padd Village?"
Taking the commission slip, Paddy stared at it for a long time. He had to admit, it was indeed the request from his village. He quickly said, "No way, you're just children. How can you go after monsters? I'll go to Mondstadt and sort this out with the Adventurers' Guild myself. They can't send such young children for such a dangerous task!"
Seeing Klee tilt her head, her big eyes staring at him, Paddy's anger at the guild only grew. How could they send such a sweet little angel to do something so dangerous?
Waving to the children, Paddy stood up, "Alright, it's already midday. You must be hungry after coming all the way from Mondstadt. Let me take you for lunch and then send you back to the city. Judging by your looks, you must be living in Mondstadt, right? Especially these two children—they look like guests from another country."
Placing his heavy hands on Luo Xiaobai's and Hinata's heads, Paddy laughed heartily, "Welcome to Mondstadt! May the wind bless you and your families. But don't take on such dangerous tasks again, alright?"
"Thank you, uncle!" Hinata shook her head and pointed at Hiroshi and the others approaching, "But we are here to deal with the monsters. You can leave it to us."
Klee smiled, posing like a strongman, "Thank you, Uncle! But we are really strong. Don't worry!"
Seeing Hiroshi and his companions approaching, Paddy sighed in relief and asked Hiroshi, "Are you the guardian of these children?"
Looking at the middle-aged man, who had weathered skin but clear eyes, Hiroshi smiled, picking up Klee as she ran over, "Yes, we are their guardians."
Paddy, seeing Hiroshi—clearly an outsider—relaxed. He looked at the children seriously and said to Hiroshi, "As an adult, you shouldn't let these kids run around like this. What if they get hurt?"
Hiroshi nodded quickly, replying sincerely, "Thank you for your advice. I'll definitely pay more attention in the future." Pointing to Ruri Gokou and Infinity, Hiroshi added, "We're here as adventurers to deal with the monsters. Could you tell us where they are?"
Seeing Hiroshi's earnest attitude, Paddy sighed in relief. If these children had careless guardians, it would have broken his heart. He smiled, pointing to the distant road, "The monsters are over there—a large Slime and four smaller ones. Please be careful."
"You really are a kind person," Hiroshi said, looking at the now-empty road. "But don't worry, Klee and the others are really strong. Slimes are no problem."
Smiling, Hiroshi gave Paddy a thumbs-up, "And I'll make sure they stay safe. You can trust me, Uncle."
Paddy looked at the path that had once been blocked by monsters and was now empty. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief and asked Hiroshi, "When did you deal with the monsters?"
Pointing to Klee in his arms, Hiroshi grinned, "You saw it just now."
"So that wasn't my imagination?!" Paddy held his head, trying to calm himself down. Looking at Klee, who was flexing her little arms at him, he couldn't help but smile. A strong child who could protect herself was a blessing, after all. Patting Klee's head, Paddy said, "I'm sorry for underestimating you earlier. Thank you for helping us drive the monsters away. But still, don't do dangerous things, okay? Your brother will worry."
"Got it! Thank you, Uncle!" Klee nodded obediently.
"Thank you!" Paddy also reminded Hinata and Luo Xiaobai with a warm smile.
A while later, Paddy waved goodbye as the group left. Watching the three children waving back at him, Paddy thought of his own daughter and smiled as he turned back.
Behind him, a white light encircled the village, forming a protective barrier before vanishing.
Hiroshi nodded in satisfaction, retracting his hand, and looked back at the peaceful village. "He really is a good man."
"Yes, indeed," Ruri Gokou agreed, looking curiously at Hiroshi. "What was that just now?"
"That?" Hiroshi scratched his head, and a wisp of spiritual energy appeared in his hand, seeming to absorb elemental energy from its surroundings.
"Well, when I got Venti's power, I had a bit of an epiphany. The thing I did just now was a self-sustaining protection barrier."
"Oh," Ruri Gokou replied nonchalantly, clearly not understanding. She then pointed at Klee, "Who taught Klee those poses? I don't think I've seen anyone here doing those strange moves."
"Of course, she learned them from me!" Hiroshi said proudly, looking at Klee, who was running and playing ahead.
"Stop teaching her weird stuff!"
"Hey, Ruri, you're one to talk!"