GI Chapter 18: The Defacto Ruler of Mondstadt

Noelle gracefully came down the slope with refined steps, looking even lovelier than she did in the game.

She possessed olive green eyes filled with all the purity in the world. She had short, neck-length lavender hair with straight bangs and lopsided locks framing her cute face.

Her outfit was far from a typical housemaid with many personal touches such as a priestess hat, a gilded white armor plating on her chest, a pauldron protecting her left shoulder, a crimson skirt, and many crimson pink roses strewn throughout her outfit.

She looked like an armored maid ready to judge the sinners with her greatsword in hand.

“He is the one…” Noelle put her hand on her mouth, her eyes staring at Orion in surprise. Orion’s black and blue themed outfit was easily recognizable even from far away. She hastened her steps and approached the party of three in a few moments.

Mona intercepted the maid’s path. “You sure have powerful hands to swing that giant sword around for so long and still stand strong.”

It seemed as though her energy was endless. Could there be a secret her eyes weren’t privy to? Mona’s exhausted mind was even more curious than her usual energetic self.

“I’m nothing special,” Noelle said and looked toward Orion. “Thank you for saving me and everyone today. Ursa almost…” Noelle shook her head as though shaking off the tragic possibilities brewing in her mind and revealed a sweet smile full of innocence. “If you need anything, never hesitate to call my name… I’ll be there as fast as the wind!”

Orion took a sigh of relief. Finally, a normal person appeared from the crowd of eccentric personalities. A pure-hearted maid, with a knack for battle, was here to cleanse everyone’s sins with her smile. “You told me to say your name in need of help without introducing yourself.”

“Ah!” Noelle blushed. “Sorry. I’m Noelle, head maid of the Knights of Favonius.”

“You need not say such superfluous words, my dear retinue,” Fischl slipped her arm around Noelle’s shoulder and guided her towards Windrise. “Come, let us glimpse at the convergence of the nine realms, where the amorphous sun and crimson moon banish the divine.”

“Miss Fischl? I’m sorry…but, I don’t understand a word you’re saying.”

“Mein Fräulein wants to explore the surroundings with you.” Oz oversimplified Fischl’s words, as usual.

Noelle forced Fischl to stop. “I’m sorry, I can’t do that at the moment. There is so much to do in the village… then I have to help the victims of the meteorite. I’m really sorry. I-I’ll take a few hours off after this is resolved.”

The enthusiasm on Fischl’s face withered. She forced a weak smile, almost going out of character. “I shan’t keep you here since fate decreed so.”

Noelle's heart was at unease even though she apologized twice. Bringing smiles to people’s faces and protecting them was the meaning of her very existence. She failed her creed today, twice even. The intensity of her emotions briefly twisted her face into one of melancholy.

Being the one with extreme empathy and perception, Orion felt the surge of different emotions from within Noelle’s person.

‘I didn’t feel anything when the village was being attacked. Despair and desperation were everywhere and I felt nothing. Could it be that the talent only works on people I have a good impression of?’

He shot down his theory almost immediately. He had no impression of the thing lurking in the underground world, yet he could feel its presence, albeit extremely faint, even now.

“Fischl, don’t forget about my reward,” Orion brought up another topic to ease the gloomy atmosphere converging among them.

His method worked wonders as Fischl regained her usual vigor and peculiar persona.

“Worry not, Noble Adventurer. The royals are bound by the words they say. Betide the day the world is torn asunder, the Prinzessin pursues sanctuary for her precious subjects.”

“No need for translation, Oz, my friend.” Orion stopped Oz and smiled at Fischl. “Put this favor on a tab. I might cash it later. Who knows?”

Fischl was struggling not to smile. Only a few people understood her ‘quirk.’ Alas, her control over her expressions was not as proficient as her way with words. Her cheeks loosened gradually, and a radiant smile blossomed on her face.

“Now, that’s the smile that fits your age,” Orion said. Fischl looked no older than seventeen or eighteen, yet she was risking her life as an adventurer. Noelle appeared the same age or even younger than Fischl.

‘They would be attending high school if it was Earth.’

Playing the game and living in the world were entirely different concepts. Aside from the dragon attack, he had yet to see the darker aspects of Teyvat. The destruction of Khaenri’ah 500 years ago was enough proof of Celestia’s cruel intentions towards Teyvat and this world as a whole.

Fischl put her hands on her hips. “Hmph! The Prinzessin is eternally bound to her oath irrespective of their significance.”

“Yes, you are,” Mona said, tugging at Orion’s shirt. “Can we go to a room? I need to close my eyes for a bit…” Mona said with a long yawn and droopy eyes full of sleep. “Or I might fall here.”

“Sure.”

As Orion stepped toward Springvale, a piercing gaze targeted his back. A horse-driven carriage trod the dirt road. A tanned man was waving his hands while peeking through the carriage window.

Noelle’s face became pale with worry. “S-Sir Kaeya.”

She was tasked by Kaeya to clean up duty at the Knights of Favonius headquarters before he and the other knights headed out to help the victims of the meteorites. Being the worrywart she was, she had finished her duties in less than an hour and rushed to the nearest point of the meteorite site— Springvale.

Kaeya made a flawless jump out of the carriage and landed before the party. The cavalry captain immediately scrutinized Orion with his left eye since the right side of his face was covered in navy-blue bangs and a plain black eyepatch. Likewise, his unusual diamond-shaped pupil narrowed.

‘Where have I seen that coat before?’

Kaeya was sure he had seen it somewhere, or on someone. He put his suspicions aside for now and gave a charming smile, perfect enough to disarm any stranger. “Noelle dear, are you forgetting to introduce me to your new friends? Could they be adventurers who became the heroes of Springvale?” His voice was rather playful as if he wasn’t a knight but a charming prince from the fairy tales.

Kaeya maintained eye contact with Orion, for he felt like the silver-haired adventurer gave him a familiar feeling of sorts.

“Sir Kaeya, you are correct,” Noelle said with a polite nod that surprisingly did not affect her priestess hat. “Also… I’ll take any punishment for stepping out of my bounds today.”

“Noelle.” An elegant and dignified voice full of authority, yet undertoning a sense of gentleness, came from the carriage before its owner made an appearance.

A tall, athletic woman with blonde hair tied back in a ponytail with a black bow. Her gray-blue eyes were sharp and dignified, one of many indicators of her high status. She wore a white strapless shirt with a corset constructed with blue, red, gold, and black. White tights, adorned with golden diamond-dot patterns, were wrapped around her long legs.

Orion took no time in realizing the swordswoman’s identity, for she was Jean Gunnhildr, the Acting Grandmaster of the Knights of Favonius, and the five-star character Orion tried but was never able to obtain. She was also the reason he left the gacha hell in the first place, for he was not able to handle the grief and frustration of not being able to obtain her.

‘Damn she’s gorgeous.’

“Y-Yes, Master Jean,” Noelle timidly replied with her hands behind her back and her gaze counting the strands of grass on the ground. “I’m sorry…”

Disappointing Jean was the last thing Noelle wanted in the world. Even that was done today. Suicide, seemed like a blissful thought for her at the moment.

With her gauntlet-protected hand, Jean tucked strands of blonde hair behind her ear as her short blue and gold cloak fluttered behind her. “We’ll talk about it later. First, rest up. You must be drained after the battle. The same goes for you, brave adventurers.” Jean looked at Mona before giving an elegant smile to Orion. “We have a lot to talk about.”

“Thanks for taking my sleepy comrade into consideration,” Orion said. “We also need a favor from the Knights of Favonius.”

Mona, whose eyes threatened to close at any moment, grasped Orion’s hand for support. “Yes… Orion, thanks for remembering that.”

Jean gave a determined nod as though she wasn’t backing down from any favor. “If it’s something the Knights can do, I’ll be happy to assist you.”

Noelle sighed. “Miss Mona, I’ll lend you a hand.”

“It’s fine. I can walk—”

“Should I give you a princess carry?” Orion joked with a smirk.

“Princess carry? What’s that?” Mona tilted her head innocently. “Does that have something to do with Fischl?”

“...”

Orion realized his companion’s head was denser than the vibranium metal. Even Cap’s shield will crack in half if thrown at her head. How could one be so innocent? He simply couldn’t comprehend.

“Sir averted the crisis of a dragon…” The raven whispered. “But fails against a naive heart. The tragedy of every young hero.”

Kaeya chuckled out loud at Oz’s playful quip. “Talk about a bad matchup. My bro sure has it rough, heh.”

Kaeya had also noticed Mona’s exhausted state, but he kept his silence. Pushing people when they were in their worst condition was yet another amusement for the famous or rather infamous Cavalry Captain of the Knights.

Fischl, well, was shaking her head in disapproval for some reason.

Even Jean was giving him a bitter look of sympathy.

Why was everyone acting like they saw some tragedy unfold before their eyes?

Orion suppressed his dangerous urges to blast everyone away. Makoto licked his cheeks before the cat slid down and became a bundle of black fur in his arms. “Meow.” The cat declared Orion’s arms as her property to the world.

As the watched the party of four headed into the village, Kaeya waved his right hand that was covered in fingerless gloves with spikes and a diamond-shaped mark, similar to his pupils, on the back of his hand.

‘To possess the power to go against a dragon… are they allies or a… new storm? More work for me and Vile.’

This kind of work was right up Kaeya’s ally.

Seeing Jean with a thoughtful look on her face, Kaeya grinned. “Now, now, Jean. I know you are thinking of Noelle’s punishment. Won’t we be the bad guys if we punish Noelle for slapping Ursa the Drake in the face with the Knights of Favonius greatsword?”

Grandmaster Varka left Noelle’s protection to Kaeya before he departed on the expedition. It was finally time to be the big brother.

“I wasn’t going to punish Noelle,” Jean said with a light frown. “We have to contain her enthusiasm… or she will take bigger risks next time.” Jean watched a falcon take flight in the direction of Windrise. “I shouldn’t be saying this as the Acting Grandmaster.”

Kaeya chuckled. “Let’s get this report finished. I have a meeting with the Milelith’s Captain about the meteorites.”

Mondstadt wasn’t alone affected by the meteor shower. Liyue’s countryside also fell victim to the mysterious power of the stars.

“I’ll trust you with that, Kaeya. Take the carriage. I’ll finish the report and return to Mondstadt.”

Jean felt like Kaeya’s task was more important at the moment, so she chose to fill in on his duty. If by any chance, Ursa came for revenge, she would be here to protect Springvale Village and the City of Mondstadt.

“Always playing the big man, heh.” Kaeya shook his head. “As you order, Master Jean.”