Mondstadt's midday sun blazed overhead, bright enough to bleach the cobblestones—yet the city felt strangely muted, as if the wind itself had decided to whisper.
Beneath the Cathedral's looming silhouette, banners stirred in a lazy flutter. A handful of Knights of Favonius made their rounds like always, but their eyes kept drifting past the city walls, scanning the open sky.
Because lately, the wind had been… wrong.
Not Mondstadt's usual carefree breeze—
but something restless. Tense. Waiting.
And in the middle of that uneasy calm, Good Hunter stayed open—warm, savory aromas rolling out into the street…
…with almost no one left to enjoy them.
[Genshin Cultivation System]
Host: Kaito
Level: Lv.9 (Initial)
Elemental Affinity:Anemo, Geo
Skills:
Wind Surge Slash Lv.1
Wind King's Barrier Lv.1
Stone Wall Lv.1
Geo Dragon Vein Lv.1
Current Assets: Good Hunter Restaurant
Active Target: Fischl Lv.20
Cultivation Progress: None
(Condition unmet: Assist Fischl in completing her first breakthrough)
Level-Up Rule:
Each breakthrough achieved by a target increases the host's level by +1.
The second-floor loft above Good Hunter lay soaked in sunlit quiet.
Ever since the restaurant's previous owner had handed most of the business over to him, the upstairs had been remodeled into Kaito's living space—simple, clean, and conveniently close to the kitchen.
Kaito—nineteen.
And, in his own completely unbiased opinion, handsome.
"Well," he mumbled as he stretched, "I was pretty popular back in school."
He yawned, shook off the last of his sleep, and headed downstairs.
Good Hunter followed Mondstadt's open-kitchen style—stoves set up where customers could watch everything. Most people preferred eating outside at the street tables, leaving the indoor area quieter.
But at lunchtime?
It shouldn't have been this quiet.
The dining hall was empty.
"Not a single customer…" Kaito muttered. "Stormterror's been getting worse."
There was the faintest edge of anticipation in his voice.
"The Traveler should be arriving soon… the one from another world."
A voice replied from behind him—casual, amused, and way too close for comfort.
"Arriving? Brother Kaito… aren't you also from another world?"
"…Huh?"
He turned.
A girl in a pristine white deaconess dress sat on a bench by one of the tables, rubbing at her calves like she'd been on her feet all morning. Pale-blonde twin-tails tucked neatly under her little cleric's hat, she looked up with clear blue eyes—bright, earnest, and very much Barbara.
Kaito blinked. Any lingering drowsiness disappeared on the spot.
"Barbara? When did you get here?"
"Just now~" she said, still massaging her legs. "Sleeping this late isn't good for you, you know. That's lazy."
"That's a little harsh for an ordinary citizen."
Barbara straightened, suddenly serious. "You're recognized by the Knights of Favonius and the people of Mondstadt. You should set a good example."
"Yes, yes." Kaito lifted both hands in surrender. "I'll be busy soon anyway."
"Because of Stormterror?" Barbara's eyes lit with hope. "Did you find a way to solve it?"
"That's not something I get to decide," he said, shaking his head.
Stormterror's growing aggression meant the Abyss Order would start moving more openly.
Which also meant the missing twin—the Prince… or the Princess—couldn't be far behind.
The other sibling.
The piece that made everything finally move.
Kaito had been in Mondstadt for a full year.
Getting tossed into another world wasn't a choice. Arriving early hadn't come with any prize, either.
Some days, it was just exhausting.
If not for familiar faces—Barbara, Jean, Kaeya, Diluc—he wasn't sure how he would've endured it.
He pivoted before the topic could sink its teeth in.
"By the way," he said lightly, "aren't you worried Sister Rosaria will scold you for sneaking out at noon?"
Barbara froze. "Ah—please don't tell her!"
"So you are taking the risk."
She fidgeted, cheeks warming. "Well… the church lunch today was… kind of light."
Her gaze drifted—very deliberately—toward the private stove set up for the upstairs space.
Kaito chuckled and gave her head a gentle pat. "Alright. What do you want?"
"I won't grow taller if you do that…" Barbara grumbled.
Then, without missing a beat—
"Mapo Tofu!"
"And your payment?" Kaito asked, amused.
Barbara hesitated like she was about to confess a crime, then reluctantly produced a tiny stack of Mora.
"Ten Mora," she said, as if bracing for judgment.
Kaito laughed. "Barbara, that won't even cover the ingredients."
"That's all I have on me!" she protested, face going red. "I-I'll treat you at the church next time!"
"Deal." He accepted it anyway.
He turned to the kitchen and called out, "Sara—could you send up some tofu?"
"Yes, Boss!" Sara answered immediately.
A moment later she hurried in with a crate, then sighed as she set it down. "Business has been rough. Fewer merchants, fewer travelers… fewer everything."
Good Hunter lived on outsiders. Locals came by, sure—but not like the steady stream of visitors Mondstadt usually enjoyed.
"Can't blame them," Kaito said, calm as he rolled up his sleeves. "With Stormterror circling nearby, no one wants to risk the roads."
He began chopping Jueyun Chili with practiced speed. The sharp heat hit the air almost instantly, spicy enough to make the room feel warmer.
Barbara's nose twitched. Her eyes brightened. She edged closer to watch, hands clasped behind her back as she rose onto her toes.
She hummed softly—an airy little tune that made the kitchen feel calmer than the city deserved.
Kaito let the sound settle in as the wok heated.
For a moment, it almost felt like the world outside wasn't inching toward disaster.
Almost.
Because somewhere beyond Mondstadt's walls—
the wind changed.
Not a playful gust. Not a gentle breeze.
A heavy current that rattled the window frame, stole the rhythm from Barbara's humming, and made Kaito pause mid-cut.
He lifted his gaze toward the open sky.
In the distance, above Mondstadt's rooftops, a shadow knifed through the clouds—huge, winged, and flying far too low.
Kaito's pulse tightened.
"…So it's finally starting."
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