Chapter 26: My First Encounter with the Flame-Red Girl

"Mondstadt Arc," Episode Two: The Outlander Who Caught the Wind.

"Whew—great! We've finally reached the city of Mondstadt!"

Facing the brilliant, radiant sunrise of the morning, little Paimon looked like a cheerful bird. With her hands cupped over her eyes and standing on tiptoe, she gazed with joy at the city of Mondstadt in the distance, where windmills stood in perfect order, spinning gracefully in the breeze.

Chen wore a look of relief as well, his eyes fixed on the city that appeared like a tranquil painting from afar.

Although they had Paimon to lead the way, their journey from the desolate wilderness had taken a full half-month. Having slept in the open and braved the elements, the sight of a human settlement brought a wave of joy and relief so overwhelming that it was hard to put into words.

"Alright, let's go!" Chen called out to Paimon before taking the lead.

Even with his composed nature, the young man was eager to enter the city, find a place to rest, and shake off the exhaustion of the long journey.

"Yay!" Paimon clapped her hands in excitement and hurried to follow.

However, they had only taken a few steps when a shout from behind them made them stop in their tracks.

"Hey—you! Wait a second!"

Along with the shout came the sound of rapid footsteps.

As Chen turned around, he saw a fiery red figure flash like a crimson meteor from a nearby ridge, only to tumble onto the grass in front of him with a thud.

Instinctively, Chen reached out and grabbed the girl by the back of her collar, stopping her momentum just as she was about to face-plant into the ground.

"Oh, oh~"

The chestnut-haired girl stood on one leg, swaying twice before regaining her balance. Realizing she had been caught from behind, she turned around and found herself staring into a pair of dark, starry eyes.

The girl froze, stunned by the handsome youth before her. After a long moment, a flush like spring peach blossoms spread across her cheeks, burning hot. She scrambled to stand up, pulled away from his hand, and straightened her clothes, trying to cover her embarrassment.

"Ah, haha, th-thanks. But, actually, I could have stopped myself."

Amber regretted the words the moment they left her lips. *Amber, Amber, what are you saying? Someone kindly helped you, how could you be so rude?! That’s not very knightly at all!*

She looked nervously at the stranger, who was so handsome he seemed to have walked out of a painting, fearing he might be offended. Fortunately, the youth didn't seem to mind, merely smiling slightly and shaking his head, signaling with his eyes that it was nothing to worry about.

*Phew!*

Amber’s heart settled. She felt a surge of relief. If her slip of the tongue had left a bad impression and tarnished the reputation of Mondstadt, it would have been a grave dereliction of duty for an Outrider.

Taking a deep breath to compose herself, she performed a formal, standard knightly salute. With a solemn expression and clear, precise enunciation, she said, "May the Anemo Archon protect you, travelers! I am Amber, Outrider of the Knights of Favonius. Please state your identities and your purpose here."

"Hey! Wait, wait, we aren't suspicious people!" Paimon, startled by the official, interrogative tone, hurried to explain.

However, the diligent Outrider didn't show the little mascot any mercy.

"Suspicious people never admit they're suspicious."

Paimon: "Ugh—this, that..."

"Besides," Amber blinked, looking curiously at the floating Paimon, "are you... a mascot?"

"???" Paimon’s head filled with question marks. Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she stomped her feet in the air, indignant. "I am not! I'm Paimon, not some mascot!"

"Hmm, but you look just like a mascot?"

"I, I..." Paimon was left speechless, unable to retort.

Chen watched the two girls bickering with interest, in no rush to intervene. It had been over half a month, and it was rare to have such a lighthearted moment. Only when he saw Paimon’s face turn bright red and her chest heave with indignation did he calmly step into the conversation.

"Ahem, hello. I am Chen, and Paimon is my companion. We came from the vicinity of Starfell Lake." Chen explained their situation briefly.

"Starfell Lake?" Amber looked at their travel-worn appearance; they certainly looked like they had been camping in the wild for a long time. "So, you're adventurers?"

The area around Starfell Lake was sparsely populated. In Amber’s experience, only the adventurers from the Adventurers' Guild, who were keen on exploring dangerous places, frequented such regions.

"Yes." Chen readily agreed. He hadn't decided on the best identity to use when entering Mondstadt, so since this enthusiastic girl had provided one for him, he would go along with it for now.

"Are you heading to the city of Mondstadt now?"

"Yes," Chen confirmed again.

"Hmm, in that case, I will escort you into Mondstadt," Amber said after a moment of thought.

"Eh? Escort?" Paimon was surprised. Did they really need a knight to escort them into the city? This was quite the treatment!

"Yes, there have been dragon sightings around Mondstadt recently, so the Knights have stepped up patrols to ensure the safety of travelers."

Amber explained with a straight face, but she noticed Chen watching her with a knowing, half-amused smile. In an instant, her fair cheeks flushed red again. Feeling embarrassed that her true intentions had been seen through, she turned her head away.

Chen looked at her with interest and teased, "Haha, you are truly a diligent knight, Amber."

"Th-this is simply my duty as an Outrider..." she muttered under her breath.

It was clear that the fiery Outrider was still quite wary of strangers arriving in Mondstadt during these troubled times, which was why she had decided to "escort" them personally. It was for their safety, and for the safety of Mondstadt.

As for what would happen once they reached the city, there would be others to verify their identities, but that was beyond the scope of an Outrider's duties. She only needed to ensure they arrived at Mondstadt safely.