AN: No beta we die like my sanity when I do abyss.
"Everything is up to par, Mr. Huffman."
"Good. Wangshu Inn is a long way ahead. We don't want you going back because of an error in the package."
"I triple-checked. They are all accounted for."
"May I ask who this is for? I was told you would tell me." Noelle and Huffman pushed several crates onto a carriage.
Huffman nodded. "The package will be received by their staff named Yuhua. Supposedly she can be found at the lower levels of Wangshu Inn. Once delivered, you may partake in a meal while you're there, or you can head back home," he told her. "Just make sure to come back before nightfall, you hear?"
"I'm not a child. I can take care of myself." When she only got a chuckle in response, Noelle pouted.
"Wangshu Inn is farther than anywhere we've sent you," he shook his head. "If I had the choice, I'd wait and pick someone else. Unfortunately, we can't afford to have them waiting."
"I am not a child." she insisted.
Huffman sighed. "I know, I know. You're growing up every day. I still remember when you were younger-"
"Oh, would you look at the time? I'm afraid I have to go now," Noelle wasn't going to hear anything about her younger self. She quickly boarded the carriage and greeted the horses before she waved Huffman goodbye. "Goodbye now."
"I'm serious. Be careful, alright?"
Noelle paused before she turned toward him. She gave him a nod and a smile. And she was off.
Staying until the carriage was no longer in view, he sighed. Noelle was one of the strongest people he knew. But it didn't stop him from worrying.
He'd known her since she was a child after all.
"Here you are. One, two… eight crates. Delivered." Noelle bowed.
A woman clad in a dark waitress uniform with brown shoulder-length hair and a fair complexion met her bow with her own and smiled. "Thank you for coming all this way here. Usually, we would have our staff fetch these from Mondstadt, but they're all busy. And our chef can't wait to have his hands on these."
"Not a problem," she loaded the crates onto a trolley the waitress brought over. "I take it these are ingredients, then?"
"Oh, they didn't tell you? Yes. Herbs, seasonings, and spices native to Mondstadt."
Noelle nodded. "I see."
Then, the woman raised an eyebrow. "Do you mind if I ask a question?"
She shook her head. "As long as it is not intrusive or personal, please do."
"That's a… peculiar outfit." Clad in a maid outfit while adorning armor, Noelle couldn't blame her for being curious. She was no Mondstadt citizen after all.
"I am a maid of the Knights of Favonius. My attire is a representation of that. Though I do wish to become a Knight in the future."
"I see," the woman smiled as she took hold of the trolley. "Will you be staying for a meal, or are you in a rush?"
Noelle shook her head. "I'm not in a hurry, but I'm not hungry either. I think I'll wander around the ground level of the Inn for some time. Then I will head back home."
The waitress nodded once more. "Very well. If you ever find yourself nearby and need a place to sleep for the night, come by sometime. We'd love the patronage. And if we're busy, call for me and I'll bump you right to the top of the list," they shared a chuckle. She then brought her hand out. "I'm Yuhua."
Noelle shook her hand. "I'm Noelle. And please, you needn't do such a thing. The rest of the staff might cause trouble for you and I wouldn't want that."
Yuhua waved her concerns away. "Don't worry about it. The other staff are all friendly people and we know each other very well. We're like a big family. Besides, we gotta help each other out, you know?"
"I will keep it in mind, then." Noelle smiled. She was so kind. "Seems the staff makes the Inn even more unique than it already is."
Sat upon a large pillar of stone, a giant waterwheel to its side, and accommodations for rooms at high altitudes, she could imagine just how many people came to the inn or even came back for longer stays. Merchants especially as the Inn was along the road. Evident with the merchants and the others who set up stalls on the ground level.
"Unique? You couldn't be farther from the truth."
Noelle raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"
Yuhua boarded the elevator when it hit the ground along with the trolley of crates as she address the maid one more time. Yuhua smiled.
"Wangshu Inn is a perfectly standard Inn to be expected anywhere. Absolutely nothing suspicious here."
Deciding it was time to go, she made her way back to the carriage to go back home.
But at the corner of her eye, she could see a man next to a pond. Drawing closer due to curiosity, she watched as he saw the strange man reel in a fish. Her eyes widened with intrigue.
"Hey, you back there. Come over here, I don't bite."
Although he was facing toward the pond, he still managed to discern her presence behind him. Finding no reason to refuse or remain in hiding. She audibly walked over next to the man in front of the pond.
The man glanced at her for a split second, before ultimately focusing on his fishing. "You're from Mondstadt, aren't you? Quite the way from home, eh? Come to visit the Inn?"
She shook her head. "I came here for business purposes. I had to deliver something."
"I see," he nodded. "Now what's a girl like you doing spying on an old fart like me?"
"I-I wasn't spying!" she immediately denied. "I-I was just curious."
"Curious?" he looked around him, before staring at his fishing rod. "You mean fishing?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"Never fished before? Mondstadt has an ocean around it, doesn't it?"
"It does. However, I rarely find the opportunity to," She gazed at the water. So clear she could see the fish swimming in it.
"Do you know how to fish?"
"I… theoretically I know how."
"Hah. Yeah, and I know how to use a vision. Theoretically, anyway." he jested as he rummaged around his bag. Strange. She didn't see his eyes glance at her vision. "That uniform, and a vision, are you a Knight of Favonius with a strange preference in clothing?"
Noelle grew red. "W-What?! No this is an attire worn by the maids of the knights of Favonius!" she exclaimed, seemingly offended. "And it is considered an honor to wear it!"
"Whatever you say, little missy, here," Thanks to her reflexes, she managed to catch something the man had thrown at her. Upon closer inspection, her eyes widened to find he had thrown her a fishing rod.
The sound of an object hitting the ground beside her broke her out of her thoughts. He'd placed a bucket next to her. For a moment, Noelle stood still, simply looking at him in confusion.
"Well? What are you waiting for?" he tilted his head toward the sea. "Show me what you got."
"I-Yes!" Noelle shook her head to dispel her doubts. She was being asked to fish, and fish she will!. She was passed some bait right after. She gave her thanks, put it on her rod, and cast her line.
It didn't take her long. As soon as she felt a tug on her line, she immediately pulled on it with all her strength. All of which she learned from reading, and the many stories told to her by the knights.
The only difference was that Noelle's strength was far, far more than the Knights. When she pulled with all her strength, she pulled with all her strength. When the fish was out of the water, and because it was still on the line, it flew up higher than Noelle intended.
As it reached the apex of its ascent, the line snapped and the fish flew behind her. She looked at the flying fish, eyes wide. She hoped no one was hurt-
**CRASH** "MY CABBAGES!"
'Oops.'
The pair quickly relocated their fishing spot to avoid suspicion. Turns out, The Cabbages were a natural phenomenon here at the Inn. It happened so often that the merchant who sold them would shout, but would seemingly be back to normal after no longer than ten minutes.
Including the stall and the cabbages.
Still doubtful and feeling responsible, she quickly headed back to the Inn to discover that the fisherman was right! The cabbages were there, safe, proper, without any sign of damage whatsoever!
Even the fish was gone!
As she went back, the fisherman only nodded. He could see the shock and confusion on her face. He could hear the gears turning in her head.
In response, he gave her another fishing rod, led her near the water, and cast his line.
"There are many unexplainable things in this word, little missy. Visions, that blond-haired boy's floating companion, the location of Wangshu Inn's rooms, and The Cabbages," Noelle could swear she heard the capitalizations of that word. "Oh, and I'm adding a new one. That strength of yours."
"My… strength?"
He nodded. "Yeah. I got a question if you don't mind me asking."
"Sure. I don't mind."
"Alright. That strength of yours, did you get it after you received your vision?"
She shook her head. This was a common question for those that didn't know her. "No. I've always had this strength," she said. "Actually, let me reiterate. This strength of mine was from practice and training. My vision blessed me with the power of geo, but as far as I know, it has nothing to do with my physical prowess."
The man nodded. "I thought as much. Visions and their powers come in many different forms, but I've never heard of them manifesting in brute strength."
The maid raised an eyebrow. The way he spoke of visions, it seemed like he owned one as well. "Do you have a vision as well, Mister?"
He shook his head. "Doesn't matter. I put that life behind me long ago," he told her. "And you're a maid?"
Although she noticed his way of changing the subject, she let it slide. It was not her place to push the subject. "That is correct," she bowed. "My name is Noelle. A maid of the Knights of Favonius. I plan on becoming a certified Knight in the future." she proudly proclaimed.
The man was visibly impressed. "With strength like that, and they still haven't made you a Knight?" he stared at the water, waiting for the fish to bite. "Your Grandmaster better have a good reason."
Noelle wisely chose not to say anything regarding the subject.
The man chuckled. "You got skills, Little Missy. But I reckon you can do better," he caught a fish and put it in the bucket beside him in one stroke. Noelle was impressed. No visible sign of struggle and the fish was left in the air for no more than a full second as he immediately submerged it in the water of the bucket. "You got the time? I can teach you how to fish more effectively. Could be something to teach your pals back home too."
Noelle almost agreed, but she bit her tongue. She almost forgot about what some of the knights told her. "And what might you be acquiring in return?"
Again, the man was visibly impressed. He chuckled. "Smart girl. Good. Never assume anything is free," he shook his head to clear his thoughts. "What I'm getting in return?" he put a hand on his beard as he pondered.
"Tell me, have you ever heard of the Serpent of the Sea."
'The what?' "I'm afraid I have not."
"I don't blame you. It is a local legend. The Serpent of the Sea is a massive creature of the sea. Has the weight that comes with the size too. Legends say that it terrorizes the seas near Wangshu Inn by the west side of the Inn. It rarely appears. But when it does, it speaks terror into the unfortunate souls still at the sea in its vicinity," he told her. "The punchline? It exists. I've seen it. I've hooked it, even. Though even with my strength, I failed to bring it in."
Noelle's eyes were wide as she listened to the story. "Such a creature exists?"
"I guarantee. And that's where you come in. I need your strength to help me bring it in," he turned to face her and offered a rod in her hand, but not moving an inch toward her. "I'm asking you to help me. You can decline. But if you accept, I will teach you everything you need to know about fishing."
Noelle gulped. It was as if the fishing rod offered to her was a sacred item. "You really think I can be of assistance to you?"
"If that strength of yours earlier was any indication. I wholeheartedly believe you can," for the first time since they spoke, the man smiled. "Believe this old man who believes in you, Noelle."
The lack of her nickname meant he was serious about this. Noelle thought about her decision and quickly realized there wasn't much to think about at all. The only thing she had left to do was take action…
And took the fishing rod into her own hands.
A choir of soft voices suddenly blasted around her, pigeons flapping their wings could be heard as they flew circles around her, and the fish were jumping wildly from the ocean.
That was wrong, she quickly realized. No, not around her. She lifted her head to see the man, arms wide, a wide grin on his face, and a blinding brightness coming from behind him. All of seemed to be coming from him.
"Yorokobe, Young Noelle. You who seek the path of the rod shall find enlightenment and knowledge," he proclaimed. The light behind him shone even brighter.
"I, Jiangxue, shall be your teacher. And by my word, before nightfall, we shall catch the Serpent of the Seas!"
The disciple smiled as she put a closed fist over her heart and bowed.
"Yes, teacher!"
"To catch a fish, you must first place bait on the hook. But not any bait will suffice for every fish."
"I see. Do I need different bait for every fish?"
"Yes, and a no. Different fish like different things, but fish of the same type yet differing in certain qualities will still like the same thing."
"Interesting."
-x-
"Once you've placed your bait, the next step is to cast the line! Now, my student, where do you cast your line should you wish to catch a fish?"
Noelle scratched her cheek. "Into the water?"
Jiangxue tsk. "Correct, but also wrong. In the land of Teyvat, you must cast your line to be near a fish. But not too near."
"Not too near?"
"Correct! Casting your line too near a fish will scare it away. You should cast your line not too near a fish, but not too far that it can't see the bait. Understood?"
"Yes, teacher!"
-x-
"After that, once you have the fish at the hook, what do you do now?"
"Reel it in?"
"Are you asking me or telling me."
"...Telling you?"
Her teacher gave her a stare, an eyebrow raised.
"Telling you."
"Correct. Not many people know how to properly reel in a fish. To reel one in, you need three things. Patience, endurance, and strength." he suddenly pulled out a whiteboard with a three-circled Venn diagram on it with the three aforementioned qualities.
"You must have the patience to wait for the fish to tire. You must have the endurance to keep pulling to fish to shore whenever it tires of swimming. You must have the strength to pull the fish in no matter how strong it resists!" he exclaimed. "These are the things you need to fish! Do you have what it takes, student?!"
"Sir yes sir!"
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
"SIR, YES I DO, SIR!"
"Now that's what I like to hear," he glanced at her bucket full of fish she had been catching.
Noelle wasn't simply sitting around, taking down notes, and listening to him while he was teaching her. She was catching fish as she applied everything she had learned to best remember it.
Jiangxue looked at her first student with pride. He wasn't going to deny that he had initially decided to teach her how to fish just because he was bored.
But now, he couldn't help but feel proud of her.
"Noelle, you are ready," he picked up the buckets and nodded.
"Come, we shall give our greetings to the Serpent of the Sea."
"Keep your eyes peeled, Noelle," he surveyed the water's surface. "Look out for signs of a blue fin, and a visibly large body of the same color."
"Affirmative." she kept her eyes peeled.
Not much to go by, but that was better than nothing. Her teacher was counting on her. She was only thought the basics of fishing for the last two hours, but the basics were enough.
They searched and waited for the legendary fish. The longer they waited, the more disappointed Noelle became. They've been waiting for about an hour now for the fish, and yet she still hasn't seen any sign of it. And by his silence, Jiangxue didn't see anything either.
Just as she was about to give up, she saw it.
"There! The blue fin!"
Jiangxue spun around so fast that she was surprised she wasn't hearing jet engines. "I see it too!" he pointed at the fin where it was last sighted as it had just dived back down.
Not wasting any time, Noelle made use of her knowledge.
'First prepare the bait, for a fish this size, I must use more than usual. Then cast the line just near enough that I don't scare the fish off, yet it can still smell and reach the bait.'
For a few minutes, they watched the line stay steady as it floated along the surface. They had confirmed its presence, all that was left was to wait for it to bite.
They didn't have to wait long.
"Teacher! Teacher! I think I have it!" Noelle was surprised at the strength of the beast. Guess it wasn't regaled for nothing.
"Don't let go of it! It'll hide back into the ocean, never to resurface for months!"
"Yes sir!" she dug her heels into the ground and matched the fish's strength with her own.
"Calm down, Noelle! This is no normal fish. It is a beast that can probably match your strength for as long as it is in water. If you try to match its strength with your own, the line won't be able to keep up," Jiangxue pointed towards the moving line swaying left and right as Noelle tried to follow its movements the best she could. "Remember what you've been taught, Noelle."
She breathed in and out. 'I must wait for it to become exhausted before I reel it in. Until that happens, simply follow the fish's movements to lessen the strain on the line."
Noelle was in an endurance battle with this beast. Both sides trying to tire out the other. Their goal? Was to catch the other.
And Noelle was winning. The beast did not expect this kind of strength from anyone that wasn't the strange bearded man. It had underestimated the little girl, and it had been its downfall.
With the help of her monstrous strength, Noelle had difficulty slowly reeling the fish in, but thanks to her knowledge she managed to prevent the line from snapping.
That is until the fish activated its survival mode and began thrashing wildly.
"T-Teacher! I-It's moving around too much! I can't tell where it's going!"
Noelle bit her lip and winced. Any more and she could feel that the line was going to snap. Was this going to be it? All her knowledge, the effort her teacher had given her, and the hopes passed onto her, were they all going to waste?
Was she not enough after all-?
"You are not alone."
A voice beside her spoke. Her teacher put both hands on the fishing rod. He was helping her.
"Perhaps your strength isn't enough." The fishing rod suddenly glowed gold. It was pulsing as if filled with energy just waiting to come out. "As your teacher, it is my duty to see you succeed. I suppose this is enough reason to show my strength. Just this once.."
Noelle quickly closed her open jaw, nodded, and focused on the task at hand. "Right!"
The wilder phase of the beast was very tricky. But with their strength, they kept it steady. The combined strength of Noelle and Jianxue was too much for the serpent. But it never gave up. It kept thrashing in the water, planning to snap the line.
"This is the final stretch! On my mark, pull as hard as you can!"
"But teacher! Won't that snap the line?"
He shook his head, the gold pulsed from the rod and through the line. "Not this time."
"Understood!"
Noelle had many questions. And it seemed that she was right about him being a vision wielder. At least, at one point in time. But those were questions suited for other times. Now, she had to focus.
"On three."
"Ready!"
Her hands gripped the fishing rod tighter. The wood that usually would've bent or broken when she held them at full strength, was still intact and sturdier than ever.
"One… Two…"
"Three!"
With no small amount of difficulty and strength on their end, they both pulled with all their might. The fish still thrashing in the sea relentlessly. But its body could be seen slowly making its way out of the water, being pulled by the pair by its head.
Until…
SPLASH
A giant fish several times larger than Noelle, with an overall body of a scaly fish with sharp teeth and thin skeletal legs of an arthropod, with 16 legs on the left and right side of its belly was seen pulled out of the sea. Its appearance was available for all there to see.
They caught it.
Noelle slowly smiled wide. Her eyes shone with glee. Even Jiangxue cracked a small smile. His relief was visible in his eyes and body language.
They had caught it!
The maid couldn't contain her excitement any longer. She gazed at the gigantic fish and pumped a fist up into the air.
"WE CAUGHT IT!"
"Are you sure you don't want to bring some of this with you?" Jiangxue asked his apprentice.
Noelle shook her head. "No thank you. I am satisfied with my own catch." she gestured to her own bucket filled with the smaller fish she had caught earlier.
"You caught this too you know? I think you should have a cut of it too."
"And if I recall correctly, so did you. If fact, you brought up the idea and taught me how to fish," she smiled. "I have already received everything I should, Mr. Jiangxue."
He stared at her for a moment, before he sighed and chuckled as he shook his head. "Alright. You win."
He turned back to see the gigantic fish being hauled into the Inn by several staff members. 'Man, Yanxiao's gonna have a lot of fun with that.'
"But I'm not about to leave you without anything aside from that fish," he told Noelle, who raised an eye. "You've got real potential. Want to join the fishing club?"
The maid smiled but ultimately shook her head in refusal. "I'm afraid I cannot make time for a Fishing Club. I rarely have days where I don't have an abundance of work."
"Don't worry. We don't hold meetings or anything like that," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small circular object. It had the simple design of a gray fishing hook amidst a back and white background.
It was a badge.
"All you have to do is wear this badge, and I'll consider you a member. Nothing else," he offered it to her. But just like before with the fishing rod, he kept still in place. Leaving the decision to the maid. "Really. That's it. No meetings, no activities."
"I see," Noelle nodded. She took the badge from his hand and observed it. "Do fishermen usually have these?"
He chuckled. "Who said I was a fisherman?"
Noelle raised an eyebrow. "But I thought-"
"You'd do well not to assume things from the get-go, Noelle. Not everything is as it seems," he smiled at her. But she could see something in his eyes. He was tired. But of what, she didn't know. "Now. Go along then. The sun will be setting soon."
Noelle's eyes widened. Her earlier questions to Jiangxue suddenly didn't seem so important anymore.
"Oh dear, where did the time go? I must hurry home," she quickly boarded her carriage and placed her bucket behind her, which she put a lid onto to keep it from spilling the contents. Before she rode, she addressed her teacher.
"Thank you for today, Teacher. I had a lot of fun." she smiled.
"Wait, before you go. Take this." he offered her a fishing rod.
But it wasn't just any rod, it was the one they had used to catch the Serpent of the Sea.
Noelle immediately shook her head. "I cannot take this-"
"Take it," he pushed it into her hands. "I insist."
Albeit still having mixed feelings regarding the subject, she accepted. He insisted after all. He only waved her goodbye as she left his sight and went back home.
Jiangxue didn't know what it was. But being around the maid, and being given such a warm smile, he couldn't help but smile back.
'I know I don't deserve it. Not after everything I've done. But for a few hours… I forgot all about that.'
'I enjoyed myself.'
His eyes widened in realization, then he sighed.
He would be atoning for his past actions for all of the present and the future. But that didn't mean he couldn't watch out for the younger generation. Especially when there were children like Noelle. So innocent, so kind, and untainted by the world's many evils.
He packed up his equipment and started walking back into the Inn. He glanced at the road Noelle had taken. 'The kid was aiming to become a Knight of Favonius, wasn't she?'
He suspected her grandmaster had a decent reason for not making her one, and it wasn't his business to meddle with those kinds of affairs. But he did know one thing.
'You're gonna go far, kiddo.'
