After settling most of the matters in Liyue, Luya pondered for a moment.
He still hadn't hired any employees yet, and those factories couldn't start operating for the time being. Thus, Luya decided to take a trip to another nation.
Since coming to Teyvat, he had spent nearly all his time in Liyue. So, after some thought, he decided to head to Mondstadt to feel the breeze.
Mondstadt, located in the northeast of Teyvat, was a nation renowned for its freedom. Mountains and vast plains spread across its land; the free wind carried the scent of dandelions over Cider Lake, bestowing the city on the island at its heart with the blessings of Barbatos, the Anemo Archon.
Mondstadt was a mountainous country, its terrain defined by ridges and valleys. Dragonspine stood as the highest point in all of Teyvat. Only regions such as Windrise, Starsnatch Cliff, Stormterror's Lair, and Dawn Winery featured partial plains.
Cider Lake was Teyvat's largest lake, and Mondstadt City sat upon a large southern island at its center.
After deciding what to do, Luya pulled out his Teleportation Card with his left hand and focused his consciousness on Windrise.
In the blink of an eye, Luya's body appeared there!
Windrise was a valley embraced by countless gusts, with a massive oak tree standing proudly at its heart. The shade of that tree sheltered the Statue of The Seven below it from wind and rain, just as Vanessa once sheltered Mondstadt itself.
Windrise was the only great plain in Mondstadt. Some scholars theorized that when Barbatos dispersed the blizzards, he began from this very spot, reshaping Mondstadt's terrain.
Luya looked around Windrise, feeling the breeze upon his face. It was an incredibly pleasant sensation.
Windwheel Asters swayed gently in the breeze, their petals spinning like tiny windmills. Several Wind Crystalfly flitted before Luya, their wings shimmering as they danced through the air.
Wind Crystalfly were pure elemental lifeforms formed by condensed Anemo particles drifting in the air. They resembled butterflies, fluttering freely through the wind—creatures of Anemo, born of rising elemental currents and sustained by omnipresent Anemo energy. It was said that their wings possessed the power to stir up storms.
...
Luya stood atop a large rock, his gaze firm as he looked toward Mondstadt City. Not far away, a red-haired girl caught his attention. She carried a bow and moved with agile grace, vigilantly patrolling the area.
This girl was Amber—her presence shone like a new star, dazzling within the Knights of Favonius. Her enthusiasm burned as bright as fire, never dimming, forever devoted to justice.
Amber was an Outrider of the Knights of Favonius. Since childhood, she had brimmed with boundless energy and spirit. Every day, her fiery vigor drove her forward like the wind, bravely overcoming every obstacle in her path.
However, at times, that same surplus of energy made her an unintentional source of trouble.
As a child, Amber often got herself into mischief—whether it was knocking bird nests down onto her grandfather's bald head while collecting eggs or setting fire to a Dendro Slime's leaves and sending them bouncing everywhere. The little troubles she caused always became headaches for the camp hunters.
Yet Amber, ever nimble and quick, could escape before anyone caught her—so fast that even seasoned Outriders couldn't keep up. In the end, her grandfather always cleaned up the messes she left behind, keeping the consequences to a minimum.
His silent care was, to Amber, the warmest wind in all of Mondstadt—a wind that gently wrapped around her. His patience and loving sense of responsibility became something Amber understood deeply.
Only when her grandfather retired from the Knights did she truly grasp the weight of the responsibility he bore...
Amber's long chestnut hair was smooth and glossy, and the red rabbit-ear bow she wore on her head was not only her trademark but also added to her charm and liveliness. Her outfit, primarily red with white and brown accents, gave her a striking appearance.
A pair of goggles hung around her collar, which she donned while gliding, adding a touch of coolness. Two utility pouches hung from her belt, and tied to the left pouch was her Vision—the symbol of her power and courage.
Though the Outrider rank had declined, Amber alone still held fast to her duty. For new travelers, it took less than three days to befriend this warm and spirited girl.
Whether in front of the Good Hunter restaurant sign, atop Windrise's great oak, or along Cider Lake's shore, traces of this red-clad knight could be found all across Mondstadt.
Any suspicious person caught under Amber's sharp gaze would never escape her questioning.
And so, Amber set her sights on Luya.
...
"Hmm, you don't seem to be from Mondstadt, right?" Amber asked curiously, studying Luya. As the Knights of Favonius' Outrider, it was her duty never to overlook anyone who might pose a threat to Mondstadt's safety.
"You're... the Happy Little Torch?" Luya said with a smile.
"Hahaha! I didn't think you'd know my name from Genius Invokation TCG!" Amber laughed brightly.
"Happy Little Torch" was Amber's in-game title in Genius Invokation TCG—a tabletop card game developed by Sumeru's Akademiya scholars, Gawatt and Gulab, that had taken Teyvat by storm.
Mondstadt didn't have Yu-Gi-Oh! as an entertainment activity. Most people spent their leisure time at the Cat's Tail tavern playing Genius Invokation TCG. Amber, of course, was no exception.
The Cat's Tail was a tavern in Mondstadt, owned by Margaret and tended by Diona Kätzlein. Hearing Luya mention her title, Amber proudly puffed her chest up.
"So, how about a thrilling match of Genius Invokation?"
...
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