"Eh? So urgent? Our original plan was to practice wind element power in the forest," Paimon said.
"No time… Dvalin will soon… Wait." Amber suddenly calmed down.
Though impulsive, she wasn't foolish. Since the Traveler's original plan didn't involve immediately reaching Mondstadt, that meant there were still a few days before Dvalin's attack.
After all, if her sudden appearance hadn't disrupted the original plot, the Traveler wouldn't have known her at this point and would have proceeded with his own plan.
"Hmm, it seems we don't need to rush too much. Anyway, let's go to Mondstadt first. The forest ahead is huge, and I can lead the way for you," Amber said.
Lumine and Paimon nodded. Although Paimon claimed to be a guide, she actually didn't know how to get out of the forest ahead.
Ultimately, they still had to rely on Lumine's perception of the wind element.
Just then, Dvalin flew over their heads and entered the forest.
"Wow, it's a giant dragon!" Paimon was a bit scared.
"What should we do? Can we go around it?"
Amber shook her head. To bypass this area, they would either have to climb mountains or swim, neither of which were normal routes.
"It's okay, let's go take a look," Amber said.
She knew a green-clad young man would appease the giant dragon, and though it ultimately failed, as long as they didn't court death, there would be no risk.
What she didn't know was that without the Traveler's intervention, Venti might have resolved the Dragon Disaster then and there.
And when Venti was interrupted, he conveniently switched to another plan—a plan more conducive to slacking off.
Amber led the way into the forest, Lumine followed closely, while Paimon, somewhat frightened, hid half her body behind Lumine.
"How about we still go for a swim? I think it's more relaxed on the sea," Paimon said timidly.
"Paimon, you can fly, we can't," Lumine retorted.
With her current strength, she couldn't fly by harnessing wind element; at most, she could only levitate for short periods.
"You're right… Then you two must protect me well, okay? I'm not boasting, but I'm really weak," Paimon hid further behind Lumine.
"Don't worry, Little Paimon, we'll definitely protect you," Amber said with a smile.
"Yes, don't worry," Lumine also chimed in with a smile.
The few of them searched in the forest, but the forest was too large, and they didn't find Dvalin's location.
"How about we split up and look? But be careful with the distance, don't go out of each other's sight," Amber suggested.
Such dispersed searching could increase the search area without causing team members to get lost.
Lumine nodded.
After walking for a while longer, Lumine suddenly sensed a surge of wind element power.
Lumine's spirits lifted. The intensity of this element power was not something an ordinary person could achieve.
She quickly moved closer, and hiding behind a tree, Lumine saw a green-clad young man speaking to the giant dragon.
"Don't be afraid, Dvalin, I'm back, it's alright."
"He… he can actually talk to the giant dragon?" Paimon exclaimed.
Lumine was also greatly surprised, but due to her mute persona, she didn't speak.
Amber also noticed the commotion and came over, wanting to peek her head out to see who the green-clad young man was.
However, before she could get close enough to peek, Dvalin and Venti discovered their presence.
"Roar~!" A dragon's roar, spreading its wings and stirring up wind currents.
"Who's there?"
Venti's braids glowed, and when he saw the Traveler, he retracted his aura, dissipating like the wind.
"Waaah, help, the giant dragon is furious!"
Paimon, facing the wind, grabbed Lumine's hair and screamed with her eyes closed.
"Paimon… gently…" Lumine was in some pain from the grip.
"Oh no, I didn't see it!" Amber was a bit disappointed.
Dvalin and Venti had already left.
"Little Paimon, the giant dragon has left," Amber said, looking at Paimon with her eyes closed.
"Eh?" Paimon opened her eyes and, seeing that the giant dragon was indeed gone, finally let out a sigh of relief.
"You scared me to death. I felt like his mouth could swallow me whole."
"After all, you're emergency food, so it's normal to be easy to eat," Lumine said, rubbing the spot that hurt from being grabbed.
"I am not!" Paimon retorted.
Lumine and Paimon were cheerful, but Amber was somewhat worried.
Since the contents of the prophecy book had all come true, it seemed that Stormterror's attack on Mondstadt was inevitable.
"Let's go too," Amber said.
"Wait, look, what's that?"
Paimon noticed a red crystal left behind where Dvalin had been.
"It's a dragon egg!" Lumine stated with certainty.
"Dvalin is male…" Amber said.
"The color looks so ominous, should we keep it safe for now?" Paimon said.
If they left this thing here, who knew if it would harm ordinary people.
"I'll take it. Maybe it can hatch a little dragon."
Lumine collected the 'Dragon Tear'. Although she didn't have a Vision, she did have a small storage space.
"I told you it's not a dragon egg!"
On this side, the three walked towards Mondstadt, chatting and laughing. Meanwhile, in a tavern in Mondstadt, Lisa found Kaeya.
"Kaeya~."
Before Lisa could say what she wanted to do, Kaeya stood up and said, "I know, I know, time to go back to work, right?"
Kaeya left first, appearing very proactive.
"Wait." A voice sounded from behind Kaeya.
"Pay your tab first," Diluc's voice was cold.
"Blast it." Seeing that he couldn't bluff his way out, Kaeya had no choice but to walk back.
"198 Mora," Diluc said while wiping a glass.
"How boring," Kaeya silently pulled out his wallet.
Diluc's attention turned to Lisa.
"After letting the Dragon Disaster rage for so long, is the Knights of Favonius finally planning to deal with it?"
"How harsh."
Lisa smiled and didn't argue with Diluc, turning and leaving with Kaeya.
Diluc stopped wiping the glass and said to the bartender beside him, "Watch the place for me, I have to leave for a bit."
"Yes, Master Lu," the bartender nodded.
A prophecy book? Perhaps I should buy one first to understand the temples of the Four Winds.
Just after Diluc left, Venti quietly slipped in.
Seeing that Master Lu, who stubbornly refused to sell him wine, had left, he finally seized his chance.
"Bartender, wine!"
"We don't sell alcohol to minors."
"I'm an adult! I just look young!" Venti complained.
You can call him a minor, but you can't stop him from drinking.
"Really?" The bartender looked at Venti suspiciously. This young man looked like a minor no matter how you looked at him, didn't he?
"Really, really! I'm a Roving Bard, I know many stories. How could a minor know so many stories? Right, right?"
"Hmm… makes a bit of sense. What would you like to drink then?" The bartender was easily convinced.
"Hehehe, start with an Apple Cider."
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Character Voice Line · Diluc: About Myself in the Book
"Nothing to say. I am who I am."