After leaving Jean's office, Shao Yun informed Lumine and Paimon about Amber's place.
"Sorry about this. The Stormterror attack delayed our search for lodging, so we'll have to stay at Amber's for now," Shao Yun explained, a hint of apology in his voice.
"It's fine, Shao Yun. You did your best," Paimon chimed in, floating beside Lumine. "With Stormterror attacking, it's no surprise finding a place got pushed aside."
Shao Yun suggested they head to Amber's place to rest. After all, the storm had subsided, and it was time to recharge—take a shower, grab a meal, change clothes, and prepare for the next steps.
"How about we rest at Amber's for a bit? A little downtime can boost productivity, you know."
Lumine thought for a moment but shook her head. "Let's save that for tonight. There are still things I need to look into while it's daylight."
Paimon caught on immediately. "Oh, you mean that green figure we saw with Stormterror?"
"Exactly," Lumine nodded. "I want to investigate on my own. Someone who can communicate with a dragon... they're not ordinary. It's better not to involve the Knights in this kind of unknown risk."
Since Lumine was set on her plan, Shao Yun decided to go along with it. Whether they advanced the plot now or later, it didn't make much difference.
"Alright, I agree." Truth be told, meeting Venti wouldn't be a bad idea. The real question was, where to find him?
"So, where do we start looking?" Mondstadt wasn't exactly small. Beyond the key landmarks, the city had expanded significantly.
Lumine's solution was straightforward.
"Let's split up and search the city. We'll cover more ground that way."
It was the best plan they had, given the circumstances. Without triggering any specific plot points or spoilers, this was their only option. Plus, it gave Shao Yun a chance to swing by Amber's place and change his clothes.
"Good idea. Let's divide and conquer."
Lumine and Paimon were inseparable, so they formed one group, searching the eastern part of the city. Shao Yun took the west. If neither group found anything, they'd regroup at Amber's place that evening.
With the plan set, Lumine and Paimon headed off, leaving the Knights of Favonius headquarters.
Shao Yun, however, wasn't in a hurry. He knew Venti would eventually show up at the Anemo Archon statue near the cathedral. He could use this time to head to Amber's place and change into something more presentable.
As he pondered what to wear, the system suddenly updated with a new task.
[Task Update: Head to the Knights of Favonius Library.]
Huh? The library? Why there? If the system had said to look for Venti, that would make sense. But the library? That's Lisa's domain. Was he supposed to ask Lisa for help in finding Venti? Or was he supposed to tell her about their encounter with the bard?
Even if that were the case, shouldn't Lumine be the one to share that information? It felt like betraying a friend to go behind her back.
Despite his confusion, Shao Yun trusted the system's tasks always had a purpose. Going to the library couldn't hurt.
Thankfully, they'd already split up to search for Venti, so he didn't have to explain why he was doubling back to see Lisa.
"What could I possibly need to talk to Lisa about?" Shao Yun muttered to himself as he turned back toward the Knights of Favonius headquarters. He entered the building, made a right, and found himself standing in front of the library door, wondering what to say.
Should he go with, "Oh, Lisa, you're like a celestial being descended to earth. You're the most unique woman I've ever met. Care to join me for afternoon tea?"
He hesitated at the door, but inside the library, Lisa was in no state to notice his arrival. She sat at her desk, her head buried in her arms.
Her face was pale, beads of sweat dripping down her forehead and onto the desk. Her back was soaked, her clothes clinging to her skin. Her lips trembled as she fought back groans of pain. Her hands clutched the edge of her desk, her breathing labored.
The finger that had touched the corrupted crystal felt like it was being stabbed by a thousand needles. The pain radiated from her fingertip, up her arm, and through her entire body, leaving her trembling.
The reaction between the tainted crystal and her elemental energy was severe. She'd managed to hold herself together in Jean's office, but back in the library, she couldn't hide it anymore.
Lisa was relying solely on her willpower to endure the excruciating pain. Her awareness of her surroundings had dulled, so she didn't notice Shao Yun entering the library until he was almost right in front of her.
Shao Yun, still trying to come up with a conversation starter, froze when he saw Lisa trembling at her desk.
"Lisa? Lisa!" He rushed over, gently shaking her shoulder.
The moment his fingers touched her clothes, he felt the dampness.
"How much has she been sweating?!"
He glanced around and spotted a nearby lounge chair. Without hesitation, he helped Lisa to her feet. She was practically limp, her body unresponsive even as he supported her.
Unable to walk, Lisa leaned heavily on Shao Yun as he carried her to the chair and laid her down.
Lisa's eyes fluttered open, and she managed a weak smile. "Oh... it's you. Tall and... handsome..."
Her voice was strained, and she coughed between words. The sight of her struggling stirred something in Shao Yun—a sense of déjà vu, a flicker of empathy.
"Don't talk. Just rest. Should I get Jean? Or someone else...?"
Shao Yun was at a loss. Should he fetch Jean? Or maybe Albedo, the genius alchemist? But he wasn't even sure if Albedo was in the city yet. Would he have to trek to Dragonspine on a whim?
"No... no need to trouble Jean. She has enough on her plate... I'll be fine... just need a moment," Lisa whispered, her eyes closing again. Her breathing was shallow, and she clearly hadn't expected the cursed crystal to affect her so severely.
"You don't look like you'll be fine anytime soon. You need treatment, or... something."
But what could he do? This was the Abyss's curse—the same curse that had turned Dvalin, the Dragon of the East, into Stormterror. Could Barbara at the cathedral help? He wasn't sure.
Just as he was racking his brain, an idea struck him. He smacked his forehead. "Of course! How could I forget?"
He rummaged through his Eastern Legend backpack, searching for something.
Lisa opened her eyes weakly, watching him. "It's... unnecessary. If potions could help, I would've taken one already."
But the potion Shao Yun was looking for wasn't ordinary. It was a miracle cure—a healing elixir worth tens of thousands of Mora. Maybe it could alleviate Lisa's condition.
(TL/N : where the hell he get that?)
"Won't know until we try," Shao Yun said, still digging through his bag.
Seeing his determination, Lisa closed her eyes again, feeling a warmth in her heart. Even if it was just a gesture, having someone care for her during her weakest moment was comforting. She began to think of ways to thank him once she recovered.
(TL/N : Seggs?)
Meanwhile, Shao Yun was struggling to find the potion in his seemingly bottomless backpack. Just as he was about to give up, his fingers brushed against a glass bottle. He pulled it out triumphantly.
Even if it wasn't the healing potion, maybe it was alcohol. He remembered using whiskey to treat wounds before—like when someone got bitten by a wolf or caught in a bear trap.
At that moment, the system finally decided to offer a helpful tip.
[Backpack Usage Tip: Focus on the item you need in your mind, then reach into the backpack to retrieve it.]
Shao Yun stared at the notification, his expression a mix of exasperation and disbelief. "Could've mentioned that earlier," he muttered.
As he prepared to search again, he glanced at the bottle in his hand. The item's properties appeared before his eyes.
[Special Miracle Tonic: Fully restores health, stamina, and Dead Eye. Provides a moderate boost to all three. Effects: Secondary enhancement of all stats, purifies blood, reduces anxiety, and restores focus.]
Wait, wasn't this the stuff needed for the Herbalist Challenge 7? He vaguely remembered how much effort it took to gather the ingredients—traveling from Saint Denis to Butcher Creek, then to the Heartlands, and finally to the riverside near Horseshoe Overlook...
Just thinking about it made him sigh.
"Here, drink this. It might help," Shao Yun said, crouching beside Lisa and holding the tonic to her lips.
He wasn't sure if it would work, but it was made from herbs, so it couldn't hurt. And if it did help, all the better.
Lisa eyed the old, green glass bottle with its worn cork stopper. It looked like something that could either cure her or kill her. Even if it was a fake, would it at least not give her stomach trouble?
But in her current state, she had no strength to resist. She let Shao Yun pour the tonic into her mouth.
The taste was bitter—unbearably so. It was the kind of bitterness that lingered for days, tainting even the water she drank afterward.
But almost immediately, she felt relief. The pain vanished within seconds, and her energy returned as if she'd just woken from a refreshing nap.
Lisa sat up, stunned. Shao Yun snapped his fingers in front of her face.
"Lisa? Feeling better?"