After temporarily parting ways with the group, a new problem arose for Shao Yun: where exactly was Goth? He vaguely remembered that Goth was somewhere near the Adventurers' Guild building. But as he looked around, he realized that Mondstadt wasn't the small, compact town he knew from the game. It was a sprawling city with endless rows of buildings, and aside from a few landmarks, everything else felt unfamiliar.
Just as Shao Yun was starting to feel frustrated, a sudden realization hit him.
"Ah, how could I forget?" he muttered, slapping his forehead. "The Adventurers' Guild! They handle everything from fighting gods to finding lost cats. They're bound to have information on where to stay."
With that, he turned on his heel and headed straight for Katheryne.
"Towards the stars and the abyss, welcome to the Adventurers' Guild," Katheryne greeted him with her usual warm smile.
"Hello, I'd like to ask for some information," Shao Yun said, studying Katheryne closely. Is she really a mechanical puppet? The craftsmanship is incredible. Snezhnaya's technology is truly advanced.
"Are you here for the first time?" Katheryne asked, her smile perfectly polished.
"Well, yes and no," Shao Yun replied, scratching his head. "I'm not exactly an adventurer, but I've done my fair share of odd jobs. This is my first time at the Adventurers' Guild, though."
Katheryne's eyes lit up at the mention of his experience. "The Adventurers' Guild is here to help new adventurers get started—"
Shao Yun quickly interrupted her before she could launch into a full sales pitch. "Uh, sorry to cut you off, but I'm not really looking to become an adventurer right now."
"But becoming a registered adventurer has many benefits—" Katheryne persisted, clearly not ready to give up.
"I know, but I'm here for something else," Shao Yun said, waving his hand in a vague circle. "You know, like a commission."
Katheryne blinked, then cleared her throat. "Ah, I see. You're here to post a commission."
Finally, we're getting somewhere, Shao Yun thought. *Is she low on adventurers or something? Why is she so eager to recruit me?*
"I'm here with my companions, and we're looking for a place to stay in Mondstadt," Shao Yun explained.
"I see. Are you looking to rent a place or stay at a hotel?" Katheryne asked, her professional demeanor returning.
"Could you recommend something?" Shao Yun asked. In the world of Red Dead Redemption, he could get a room for a dollar and a bath for a quarter. But Teyvat was a whole new ballgame.
Katheryne explained the current housing situation in Mondstadt. "Recently, the Snezhnayan delegation has rented out the Goth Grand Hotel. I'd recommend looking for a rental property instead."
"Got it," Shao Yun said, nodding. That lined up with the game's storyline.
Katheryne pulled out a few commission forms from her drawer and handed them to Shao Yun. "Here are some rental listings. Take a look."
"Thanks," Shao Yun said, scanning the forms.
"There are also many other properties available in Mondstadt that aren't listed with the guild. If you don't find anything suitable here, you can always explore the city," Katheryne added.
"Could it be because of the dragon crisis? Are some Mondstadt residents too scared to stay?" Shao Yun asked, a sly grin tugging at the corner of his lips.
"That might be part of it," Katheryne admitted.
As Shao Yun was flipping through the listings, a sweet, energetic voice called out from behind him.
"Miss Katheryne, I've delivered everything!"
Katheryne's face lit up with relief as she turned to greet the newcomer. "Thank you, Noelle. You've been a great help to the Adventurers' Guild."
Shao Yun turned to see a petite girl with silver hair, dressed in a maid's outfit adorned with knightly armor and a rose hairpin, running toward them.
So this is Noelle, Shao Yun thought. She looks so small and delicate. If I hadn't played through her story, I'd never guess she's ridiculously strong.
Noelle noticed Shao Yun and hesitated for a moment, her steps slowing as she studied the unfamiliar face.
"This is Miss Noelle from the Knights of Favonius," Katheryne introduced, breaking the awkward silence. "And this is Mr. Shao Yun."
"Hello, I'm Shao Yun," he said, handing the commission forms back to Katheryne and extending his hand.
Noelle tentatively reached out, her hand trembling slightly like a kitten testing the water. But she eventually shook his hand and introduced herself. "Hello, I'm Noelle... You're not from Mondstadt, are you? You look like a traveler."
"That's right. My companions and I are looking for a place to stay, but—"
As soon as he made contact with Noelle, a notification popped up in his mind.
Quest Update: Follow Noelle.
Wait, wasn't I supposed to find a place to stay? What's this about following Noelle?
"Do you need help finding a place to stay?" Noelle immediately offered, her eyes shining with enthusiasm.
Of course, this is so in character for Noelle—always eager to help, even if it means overworking herself.
Since the system wanted him to follow Noelle, Shao Yun decided to play along. "I could really use your help. I'm not familiar with Mondstadt at all," he said, feigning a bit of helplessness.
"I can take you to Goth. He's the one to talk to about housing," Noelle said cheerfully.
*Goth again. The man's practically the landlord of Mondstadt. I wouldn't be surprised if he owned a company called "Goth Real Estate."
Shao Yun pretended to think it over before nodding. "That would be great. Thank you."
As they walked side by side, Shao Yun felt the need to break the silence. "Thank you, Knight Noelle. I'd probably still be stuck at the Adventurers' Guild without your help."
Noelle's face turned bright red at the title. "Oh, no, no! I'm not a knight. I'm just a maid for the Knights of Favonius."
Shao Yun raised an eyebrow, pretending to be surprised. "A maid? I noticed the outfit, but I thought it was just your personal style. You carry yourself like a knight—helpful, passionate, and—"
He went on to praise her, knowing full well that Noelle thrived on encouragement. But as he spoke, Noelle's expression grew somber.
"You're too kind. I'm actually trying to pass the Knights' qualification exam," she admitted, her voice tinged with disappointment. "But I haven't succeeded yet."
"Wait, what? Are the standards so high that you need to slay a dragon or single-handedly defeat an army of monsters to join?" Shao Yun joked, his exaggerated tone making Noelle laugh.
"Maybe it's because I'm not strong enough. I don't have Acting Grand Master Jean's leadership, Cavalry Captain Kaeya's wisdom, Lisa's alchemical talents, or Amber's agility..." Noelle listed off the strengths of her peers, her voice growing quieter with each comparison.
"If you had all those qualities combined, you wouldn't just join the Knights—you'd be running the whole organization," Shao Yun said with a chuckle. "You have your own strengths, Noelle. Don't sell yourself short."
Noelle smiled faintly. "I just want to become a real knight, like Jean. I'm not aiming to be the Grand Master or anything."
"You'll get there," Shao Yun said encouragingly. "You're already working hard as a maid and training. It's only a matter of time."
As they walked, Shao Yun couldn't help but notice how young Noelle seemed. He decided to ask, "If you don't mind me asking, how old are you, Noelle?"
Noelle paused, tilting her head in thought. "I'm... 15 years old."
Fifteen? Shao Yun's eyes widened as everything clicked into place. That explains it. She's not even old enough to officially join the Knights. They're probably waiting until she's 16.
"Ah, I see," Shao Yun said, nodding to himself. "That makes sense."
Noelle looked confused. "What makes sense?"
"Nothing, nothing," Shao Yun said quickly, not wanting to dampen her spirits. "Just thinking out loud."
As they continued toward Goth's location, Shao Yun couldn't help but wonder if Noelle's age was the real reason she hadn't been accepted into the Knights yet. After all, Amber was 16 and already a scout. And then there was Klee, but she was a different case altogether.
"Noelle," Shao Yun began, "have you ever considered that maybe the reason you haven't been accepted yet isn't because of your abilities, but because... well, you're still a bit young?"