Rosaria never hated Whopperflowers more than she did in this moment. The battle against the Cryo Regisvine had been going wonderfully, better than her and Diluc had hoped. When she summoned her Rites of Termination, she didn't expect it to pierce the Regisvine as well as it did, nor did she anticipate that it would practically explode when Diluc struck with his Pryo. Soon enough, Diluc just needed to break the plant's corolla shield and the Regisvine would be vulnerable to finish off.
Then that overgrown weed of a Whopperflower stepped in. She kicked herself for not noticing it sooner, only until it stabbed Diluc in the leg with its Cryo spikes. Looking back, Rosaria felt she should have retreated with Diluc the moment something went wrong, that they shouldn't have taken the risk. But they persisted with the fight. Rosaria engaged the Whopperflower alone so Diluc could focus on finishing the almost-dead Regisvine.
The Whopperflower kept burrowing and re-appearing farther away as Rosaria attacked it, so they were eventually outside of the circular, stone arena. The terrain around the arena was uneven, as if the plant purposely led her to where it would be harder to move around. But it didn't matter to Rosaria, as she only kept slashing and piercing the creature. She didn't know if Whopperflowers could breathe, but she certainly didn't give it the chance to. Under no circumstances could she allow the flower to swallow up one of its Cryo crystals, because if it formed an ice shield, she knew she wouldn't be able to stop the Whopperflower from charging up and firing a rapid-fire barrage of deadly Cryo bullets.
Rosaria also kept the Whopperflower away from the patches of golden sunlight that filtered from the openings in the ceiling. In part, she didn't want to potentially attract other Whopperflowers, but also, Rosaria didn't want to give it the honor of dying in the light. Instead, she finally cornered it in the shadows, pinning it against the rocks, and she near-silently slit its corolla. The bloodthirsty flower permanently fell limp and the Cryo crystals clattered to the ground, breaking as glass ornaments.
With one threat neutralized, she turned towards the other. Rosaria was vaguely aware of the fact that Diluc had managed to knock Regisvine down again while she killed the Whopperflower. But by the time she turned, the Regisvine had recovered and Diluc still stood very close to it. Then the Regisvine brought its head low and whipped around. The fleshy thwap snapped the air and Diluc was flung across the arena like he weighed nothing, only to land against the ice with a crack that made Rosaria flinch.
She didn't even realize she ran towards him until she was halfway there. Her relief at the sight of him getting up shriveled when the Regisvine crouched its head and pointed its charged corolla at Diluc.
"Diluc! Move!" Rosaria shouted, horrified that her words were going to reach him before her feet could.
She saw his sword ignite in fire in front of him, just before a roaring pillar of Cryo shot from the Regsvine. Rosaria couldn't see Diluc anymore, with the red and black swallowed by the geyser of ice shards and frost-wind. The Regisvine then rotated around to re-coat the arena in Cryo, and forced Rosaria to weave out of the way of the attack.
The Regisvine finally stopped spewing Cryo. It busily formed a protective layer of ice around its roots, and Rosaria stole a glance at where she last saw Diluc, dreading the sight of an icy corpse. He was in that same spot, though completely coated in frost and ice shards, contrasted by the red of his hair and the red from where he appeared to be bleeding. To her shock and immense relief, Diluc still moved and was trying to stand. Maybe it was his Pryo Vision, but she was certain anyone else would have ended up a frozen statue, at best.
With a leathery creak, the Regisvine shifted its stalk and raised its tendrils, building the Cryo in the gem spikes at the ends. It was going to fire more beams of ice at Diluc.
Her wrath came like lightning.
Rosaria never usually threw her spear, preferring to keep it close. But she didn't hesitate to launch the spear and it faintly whistled as it left her hand. She heard of archers praying to the Anemo Archon for the wind to guide their arrows, which Rosaria wouldn't have thought to do, especially in the depths of a cave. But throwing the spear still felt something like a prayer, leaving her hands, hoping that by some unseen hand that it would hit a good mark. The answer she received was the spear perfectly impaling into one of the Regisvine's deep wounds.
It was just low enough that she could leap up and latch onto the shaft. She twisted it as she tore it loose, ripping off a chunk of its plant-flesh. The Regisvine writhing and missing with its Cryo beams was immensely gratifying.
Then the glassy corolla turned to Rosaria, and the Regisvine's leaves rattled like a hiss. It rushed its head at her, forcing her to dart aside before it slammed the ground.
Her thoughts raced. This is bad. Rosaria could dodge the Regisvine without issue, but she couldn't evade it forever. She sliced at the stalk in-between its attacks, but it did little more than keep the Regisvine focused on her. There isn't an opening to flee with Diluc, and I can't beat this thing alone. The Cryo glowed dangerously at its roots. Rosaria's heart clawed in her chest like caged rat. I'm just waiting for things to get worse.
Fire flickered out of the corner of her eye. Somehow, not only was Diluc standing, he also drew on his Vision. But the flames waned on his sword, stuttering weakly. Worse yet, the Regisvine fully turned towards Diluc and pointed its Cryo tendrils towards him.
"No, no!" Rosaria repeatedly stabbed the plant's side, trying to get it to look away from him.
The cold air then snapped in half, and fire shot up around Diluc. Reminded of what happened on the beach, Rosaria abandoned the Regisvine and dove onto the ground, as heat flooded the cave.
"I won't fall yet!" Diluc bellowed.
A storm of Pyro swirled around Diluc, and, when he swung his sword, a wave of fire launched forward, transforming into a massive, fiery bird. It seemed even larger than the one he cast on the beach. The crackling fires roared as a dozen lions, and the firebird sailed over Rosaria, straight to the Regisvine. It hurt to watch, but Rosaria could hardly look away. The bird hit the Regsvine, and its Cryo shield burst immediately like a glass bubble. Colliding with the Regisvine also barely slowed the firebird, which pushed forward, yanking the monstrous plant with it. The stone floor around the Regisvine crackled, as the fire wave started uprooting it, like bird would a mere worm.
When the firebird reached the ceiling, it finally broke apart and showered embers like snow. The Regsvine's once light blue body was largely a shriveled, burnt brown. It fell over and thunderously collapsed, still twitching its curled-in leaves, somehow still alive.
Rosaria lunged as a wolf to a wounded deer. The Regisvine was a few feet higher out of the ground than it normally was, further exposing its tangled clusters of pale blue roots. In this, the Hoarfrost Core, the heart of the Regisvine, was made vulnerable. Rosaria plunged her spear deep in the creature's roots, stabbing through the core while frozen air squealed free from every root she severed. The Regisvine jerked, shaking the floor as it contorted violently. Rosaria yanked the core out and the plant veins screamed ice mist at her. The Regisvine lurched forward and flopped down, its stalk limply bouncing against the floor. A frigid glaze oozed from the still-bodied plant.
Diluc. She rushed from the plant and to the red and black figure now collapsed on the floor. The ice and frost were completely gone from him, but this only revealed how torn to shreds he was from where hundreds of ice shards had struck him, and crimson blood dripped from him. Diluc mumbled deliriously and seemed to be trying to claw himself up from the ground. When Rosaria grabbed him and sat him up, he passed out, probably between the pain and blood loss. Rosaria patched up what was most severe but didn't want to linger. She half-carried, half-dragged him out of the arena.
Though his Pryo melted off all the frost, the lingering frostbite stubbornly clung. Diluc's limp body felt horribly cold. I need to get him to a fire.
Before Rosaria could drag Diluc back out of the cave, she realized there was an old, abandoned campfire on one of the rock ledges that overlooked the arena. There was even still an old iron pot set up over it. Rosaria wasted no time in starting a fire with flint. She retrieved their supplies and set to work on properly dressing Diluc's wounds.
After peeling off the tattered coat, Rosaria's stomach flipped at the army of lacerations across his body. They each gleamed stark red against his pale skin that was now all the paler, almost blue, and his weak breathing unsettled her deeply. There were also deep purple bruises from where the Regisvine struck him and when he hit the ground. Rosaria was extremely certain some of his bones were fractured, at least. She forced herself to focus on one injury at a time, first stopping the bleeding. She was only going to psych herself out if she dwelled too long. I don't know how Barbara deals with injured patients every day, she thought.
Rosaria did what she could to patch him up and stabilize him. Then she wrapped him in pretty much every blanket she could find and laid him safely by the fire so then he could better combat the Regisvine's poisonous frostbite. Being a Pyro wielder, Diluc was likely to overcome it quickly. Still, he looked so vulnerable and helpless. It reminded her too much of being huddled in a narrow cave with Kaeya as he bled through piles of bandages.
She decided to distract herself and remain productive by cooking. The abandoned pot was perfectly usable, and so Rosaria started cooking a sparse Radish Veggie soup, though she was lacking some vegetables for the actual recipe. Still, warm soup seemed best to stave off the cold.
Diluc still wasn't awake when Rosaria finished cooking, so she let the soup stew in the pot. She also had a nagging feeling that she was forgetting something. Rosaria had her and Diluc's bags set aside, everything accounted for. She tended to all her own wounds, though she honestly had barely a scratch compared to Diluc. What am I missing?
Rosaria scoffed once she realized.
The Shivada Jade.
She made sure that Diluc, the soup and the campfire were each secure before she stepped away. Rosaria swiftly edged back down to the Regisvine only several meters away. The cave was considerably warmer now. The blue crystals still glowed brightly, especially as reddish-orange sunset filtered through the openings in the cave, and Rosaria welcomed the growing shadows like an old friend. She was less pleased to return to the corpse of the Regisvine. It was still as massive as ever, but it withered considerably and its skin was dry and crackled like autumn leaves. That made it very easy for Rosaria to cut out the clumps of luminescent, icy blue gem rocks. The Shivada Jade brightened at her touch, resonating with her Cryo Vision. She gathered them quickly and returned to the campfire. Diluc still wasn't awake, though his breathing did even out.
Rosaria sat back in her rocky seat, which gave her a good vantage of everything, including the Regisvine and the cave entrance. While looking at Diluc's crumpled form, the Shivada Jade felt like gaudy pebbles in her pockets. This is what Diluc had risked his life for.
Happy birthday, Kaeya. I hope you like the Shivada Jade. It only cost your brother's life, Rosaria thought drily. She buried her face in her hands and sighed heavily.
She felt like such a fool. Rosaria knew fighting a Regisvine would be dangerous, but she almost ignored the warning signs and overconfidently assumed that she could prepare for the worst. Worst yet, she had dragged someone else into it. His wounds weighed on her heavily, each one a mistake that she should have prevented.
A shift of movement and a throaty grunt caught her attention. Rosaria snapped up her gaze, seeing Diluc stir awake. He jolted, likely from his injuries or from the fact he passed out in the middle of a fight and didn't know where he was. She moved to his side and urged, "Diluc. Don't move too much."
"Rosaria?" he slurred. His gaze moved around, becoming more aware as he took in the warm campfire and lack of imminent danger. Diluc furrowed his brow and asked, "The Regisvine, what happened?"
"The plant's dead. Your job's done," Rosaria answered. She carefully helped him sit up and prop his back against a large rock. She then went to the fire and poured a bowl of soup as she added, "You honestly burned it to a crisp right at the end."
"Hm. Good," Diluc responded, rubbing his eye as he tried to wake up. It was like Rosaria told him that his transport carts arrived on time.
She scoffed in amusement. Rosaria then gently forced the bowl of soup into his grasp. He thankfully had enough dexterity and control in his hands to be able to feed himself, though his grasp was understandably weaker than normal. However, he didn't start eating after he asked, "Are you hurt at all?"
"Just some scrapes," Rosaria answered briskly. Her heart constricted, and she muttered, "You got the worst of it."
Annoyingly, Diluc still didn't start eating, staring at the soup for a long moment. He suddenly said, "Thank you for not letting me go alone."
She looked at him in surprise, meeting his earnest red gaze.
Diluc continued, "If you hadn't, I might have actually died in that fight."
The thorny tangles in her chest loosened. Rosaria averted her eyes and poured herself a bowl, responding in almost a mumble, "Don't you have it backwards? I'm supposed to thank you. You didn't have to do any of this in the first place."
"But I wanted to. As I told you before, I had little reason to refuse your request." Diluc swallowed a spoonful of soup and paused. He seemed to be considering the taste, among other thoughts. There was a gratitude in his words, "And I'm glad that I accepted. This journey has helped me to…better understand my priorities."
It was a vague statement. She still didn't understand what exactly he got out of this, but Rosaria didn't feel the need to dig further. They fell into a comfortable silence of eating.
Once the soup was finished, Rosaria glanced at the bits of sky visible in stone openings. They were dark pools of night, dotted by stars. At night, she felt more refreshed and could have easily run back to Mondstadt under normal circumstances. But she was frankly tired, and Diluc certainly wasn't in any condition to try walking back. When Rosaria met his gaze, Diluc's expression indicated that he realized this as well.
The man winced as shifted his weight and said, "I suppose we're camping here tonight. But I'm not certain how healed up I'll be by tomorrow."
"We can detour to the Statue of the Seven," Rosaria answered. "I don't really bother with giving it offerings or worship, but those things do give off an energy that heals Vision holders. It's helped me out of a pinch."
Diluc rose his brow in interest, "Truly? That's useful."
"Teyvat has all sorts of secrets. Some helpful, many dangerous."
Diluc replied, with a sincerity in his voice, "You're certainly very knowledgeable and resourceful."
"I simply do what I need to survive," Rosaria answered dismissively, though with a hint of pride. Rosaria then summoned her spear and found a comfortable rock with a high enough vantage point that gave her a good view of the cave's entrances. She said, "Get some sleep. I'll take the first watch."
"Surely you need to rest? I can take first watch instead."
He's just as stubborn as Kaeya, Rosaria thought with a roll of her eyes. She responded, punctuating her words with her spear, "I didn't get headbutted by a Regisvine and take a direct blast of Cryo. Don't make me sedate you."
"You just happen to carry around sedatives?"
"Do you really wanna find out?" she challenged.
There was a pause. Diluc chose to lay back down and draw the blanket over himself. Rosaria had the ghost of a smile on her lips. She didn't actually have sedatives on her. Rosaria normally wouldn't have been able to get away with a bluff like that around Kaeya. But carrying sedatives actually did sound like a good idea and she made a mental note to start doing that.
The night ended up being very quiet, with no Whopperflower or Hilichurls. There was little more than the occasionally scuttle of a wayward crab. She also found comfort in the sound of Diluc's deep breathing nearby. It was a large improvement from his shallow breathing hours earlier, and it amazed her that he was comfortable enough around her to fall asleep. It felt nice to be trusted. Rosaria herself had no intention of going to sleep anytime soon, but since things were uneventful, she decided to look for something to help pass the time.
It turned out that Rosaria had completely forgotten to return Diluc's coat to him. Not that may have wanted it back; the coat was littered with holes and cuts. Still, it could be useable again if it was patched up. Rosaria had small sewing kit tucked away in her bag. As she kept watch, Rosaria steadily mended his coat and listened to the murmur of nighttime.
Rosaria woke with a start, a thin film of spit on her chin and her spear cradled in her arms. There was also a blanket draped over her shoulders that she didn't put on, and the smell of cooked Sunsettias filled her nose.
"Good morning," Diluc greeted from beside the campfire as he cooked.
"Mmph," Rosaria answered groggily. She adjusted her coif over her head and felt a tangle of annoyance that she fell asleep so deeply and suddenly. The blanket on her shoulders, though very warm, was a sign that she didn't wake up when he approached. Was he that quiet or was I that tired? Even though she trusted Diluc, Rosaria still prided herself on her vigilance.
It was then Diluc offered, "If you'd care to join, breakfast will be done momentarily. I've made plenty."
Rosaria hesitated, but the wonderful smell made it difficult to stay mad.
"…Sure," she finally answered.
Rosaria moved closer to the fire. She was soon handed cooked fruit skewers. As in, actual fruit skewers, not Kaeya's so-called Fruity Skewers that didn't actually have fruit. Diluc also made crispy Mondstadt hashbrowns with jam from the leftover fruit. Rosaria accepted the hashbrowns but vehemently refused the jam. It was a surprisingly pleasant breakfast. Rosaria also returned Diluc's mended coat to him. He was surprised, since he assumed it had to be thrown away, but he thanked her and donned it immediately.
The cave was still fairly cold, with large chunks of ice jutting from the walls, but it was far warmer now that the Regisvine was dead. The plant's body had significantly withered since yesterday and was twice as small. Rosaria supposed it would be gone completely within a few days and eventually a new Regisvine would replace it due to this area's high concentration of Ley Line energy. The cave also wasn't as dark as it was now that the night receded.
When they finished eating, they wasted no time in gathering their things. Tomorrow was Kaeya's birthday and Rosaria realized they needed to get back to Mondstadt before this evening so she could have time to prepare Kaeya's gift.
It became immediately apparent that Diluc was still hampered by his wounds. He could move and stand on his own, but he couldn't move faster than a walk. No matter how much of a hurry she was in, Rosaria wasn't going to leave him unaccompanied and so they were going to detour to the Statue of the Seven in Windrise.
Exiting the cave, the wind greeted them with the clean, sea salt air. The sand beneath their feet was still cool from the night and hadn't woken up yet. The early morning sun slowly rose and its honey-colored light bridged the way from the ocean horizon to the shore where they were. The water ebbed to their left while the smooth cliffs overlooked them on their right. The sun bounced off the cliffs and a particularly glistening patch of rock at the foot of the cliff caught Rosaria's attention and it pleasantly surprised her.
"Hey. Can we stop for a bit? I need to grab something," Rosaria said.
"Hm? What is it?"
She directed to the rocks, "There's iron ore over there. I could really use that."
Rosaria had completely overlooked it yesterday, what with everything else going on and the Regisvine taking priority. But gathering the iron here and now would save her a lot of time for making Kaeya's gift.
Diluc responded, "Allow me to gather it then."
Rosaria rose an eyebrow and questioned, "You're still injured. Besides, it won't take me long."
However, Diluc was unbothered and summoned his claymore in a flick of gold. He carefully held it and gave a light, experimental swing, as if testing his mobility. Diluc seemed satisfied. He said with complete confidence, "I can gather it faster."
Rosaria scoffed and rolled her eyes. She ended up allowing Diluc to go to the vein of iron and followed him there. The iron jutted from the wall like a black, glistening thorn. Diluc measured the ore against his sword, and he clearly had experience doing this. But how much time does he expect to save? She wondered. With several well-aimed cuts of her spear, it usually took Rosaria only five to ten minutes to extract ore.
Diluc rose his blade, the sun glinted off the metal, and he swung down with a resounding crack. Chunks of iron ore tumbled free with one hit in a matter of seconds.
Rosaria didn't realize she stared in shock until Diluc had split the ore into smaller pieces that could fit her bag better and held them out to her. He asked her, "Something the matter?"
Rosaria blinked. She shook her head and accepted the iron, replying, "Has anyone ever told you that you have freakish strength?"
Diluc made an amused noise and didn't further comment. They proceeded on, and the backtrack through Falcon Coast was very uneventful. Rosaria kicked aside a burnt piece of wood leftover from a destroyed Hilichurl structure. They talked along the way as they went through the cedar tree grove. Rosaria decided to elaborate that she specifically wanted to create an ornament for Kaeya's sword, and that she would give the materials to the best blacksmith in Mondstadt, which happened to be Wagner. Diluc attested to Wagner's skill, and he asked well-engaged questions. It led to them talking about weapons, which Diluc spoke passionately about. It occurred to Rosaria that she and Diluc hardly talked like this before.
She supposed conversing during his shift at the tavern may have been difficult it was busy or if she was already talking with Kaeya. She especially recalled how much of a handful that odd bard Venti was to Diluc, constantly trying to barter songs for drinks. But there were times where Rosaria had been at the bar during a slow night. Being ones who rarely engage in chit-chat, they usually exchanged little more than him asking for her order and her requesting Dandelion Wine. They may have had more chances to talk when they ran into each other during their nighttime shifts, but they were usually too busy combing Mondstadt for threats to engage in casual conversation. But then, walking to Windrise and learning about each other…it was a nice change of pace.
When they reached Windrise, instead of going northwest towards Mondstadt city, they kept straight west to head for the massive tree. The wind soared freely through the green valley and it likely would have been a nice place to nap if not for all the slimes that shuffled through the grass. It still wasn't any trouble to cross, since Rosaria effortlessly froze and shattered any Hydro Slimes and Diluc reduced the Dendro Slimes to ashes with a snap of his fingers.
It wasn't long before they approached the Symbol of the Hero of Mondstadt. The immense tree cast a wide veil of cooling shade, while its thousands of leaves rustling rhythmically in the winds. At the thick foot of the tree, old stone stairs led to a small platform with a tall, almost chess piece-shaped statue made of white stone, gold and a mysterious, glowing blue glass. The Statue of the Seven was topped with a stone rendition of the Anemo Archon, made by anonymous hands. The whole statue had a faint blue pillar of light that extended from it and stretched to the sky.
"So how does this healing process work?" Diluc asked.
Rosaria answered, "I don't know about the exact mechanics, but, essentially, you just walk up to it."
It always seems too good to be true, Rosaria thought. As useful as it was, she didn't fully trust something so simple and mysterious.
"Sister Rosaria?" a woman called quizzically.
Rosaria turned with a startle.
It was Sister Jilliana from the church. That woman was surprisingly good at moving silently. The white-clad nun had appeared from behind the tree and held a wooden bucket full of fresh river water and cleaning rags.
Rosaria inwardly groaned, I forgot that Jilliana cleans the statues every month.
"Goodness gracious, Sister Victoria has been worried sick! You never came back yesterday," Sister Jilliana started worriedly.
Victoria will probably double my choir practice and make me do morning prayer for weeks, Rosaria thought dismally. She tried to come up with an excuse, "Well, I was going to but…uh, something else—"
"Oh!" Jilliana gasped when her eye fell on Diluc. She exclaimed, "You're wounded!"
Sister Jilliana seemed to forget Rosaria. The woman set down her bucket and immediately guided Diluc to a seat by the statue. Rosaria quietly sighed in relief.
The statues in Mondstadt were all the same, with the Anemo Archon wrapped in a hooded robe, feathery wings midway open as he held a glowing blue orb like an offering. When Diluc sat close to it, there was a dull chime and the statue illuminated for a moment, dispersing a cloud of gold specks like fireflies. They gathered to Diluc and soaked into his skin. He inhaled sharply, sounding like he plunged in cool water, but he exhaled slowly in a sudden peace. Diluc blinked as if waking up and looked over his missing injuries in surprise, flexing his fingers with renewed strength.
Getting healed by a statue for the first time is always weird, Rosaria thought. She peered at the statue and its luminescent orb with a wary look. Is just a tool that simply heals anyone with a Vision or is there actually a god behind it and granting a blessing?
"Sister Rosaria, you come as well," Jilliana called, snapping Rosaria out of her thoughts. The nun gestured her over. "Lord Barbatos would not want to see you hurting either."
Rosaria had almost forgotten of her injuries, as they were slight in comparison to Diluc's. Might as well, Rosaria thought as she stepped forward. Just as before, there was a dull chime and golden bloom. The specks clung to her as snowflakes. Her cuts and bruises were ghosts of memory. She used to instinctively shut her eyes at the bright light, as she would normally the morning sun, but Rosaria developed a habit of searching it, trying to find anything behind it. She hadn't seen anything yet, but it felt like something was there, as she felt the gentle touch of wind and heard Jilliana praying quietly, "Thank you for your healing hand, that you watch over each and every one of your children…"
Since he was healed completely, this meant Diluc could remove his assortment of bloodied bandages. Despite Diluc being capable of doing it himself, Sister Jilliana stepped in as she would for any other patient at the hospital ward in the cathedral. She checked over Diluc to make sure his wounds were sealed, cleaned up any dried blood and gathered up the bandages to discard on his behalf. Jilliana did the exact same thing to Rosaria, despite Rosaria having little to no bandages and even less reason to be checked over. Rosaria would have more strongly resisted, but Jilliana had an unrelenting, motherly fussiness that Rosaria didn't stand a chance against.
While Jilliana was in the process of checking Rosaria's arms and wrists, the nun asked, "Sister Rosaria, why is it that you didn't return yesterday?"
Rosaria sucked in a breath. Drat. I really hoped she forgot. She averted her gaze, vainly searching the Windwheel Asters for a good excuse.
Jilliana's hand lightly clapped over Rosaria's, and the older woman's hand was less slender and cold. Jilliana's expression was soft, with worry in her river blue eyes. She said, "All your sisters were worried, because no one knew if something terrible had happened. It's not a concern of what you were doing; it was a question of if you were going to come home safe."
Rosaria's guard gave slightly. Sister Jilliana was always very different from the other nuns. She may have occasionally chided Rosaria for smoking too close to the church, she never complained about Rosaria's behavior, not batting an eye when Rosaria slunk into the dark and treated her with a strangely bottomless patience. Jilliana seemed to understand her in a way that Rosaria didn't fully understand.
Perhaps this is what led Rosaria to quietly admit, "I…meant to come back last night. But there were setbacks. I guess I bit off more than I could chew. But he helped me," Rosaria flicked a thumb to Diluc. "And I didn't ask for time off because I wasn't sure I'd get it. I was," Rosaria's voice became even smaller, almost miniscule, "getting a gift for someone. The birthday's tomorrow."
Jilliana was quiet, which Rosaria thought was worse than her saying something. Rosaria's pulse fluttered in her chest in anticipation.
The other nun finally said, "You don't have to worry about your tasks at the cathedral today. I'll tell Sister Victoria that you've been taking care of important business and we'll make sure your work is covered."
Rosaria couldn't help the blossom of gratitude in her chest. Aloud, she scoffed, "You know I never worry about my church tasks."
Jilliana smiled warmly and patted Rosaria's hand before letting go.
Now that Diluc and Rosaria were healed up, it was time to move on. Jilliana was going to stay and clean the statue. Diluc regarded this with some concerned curiosity, "Sister Jilliana, will you be alright traveling alone?"
"The paths were clear when I came from Mondstadt, so no doubt they will be when it's time to return. Either way, I know Lord Barbatos will watch over my travels, as I pray that he does for you too," Jilliana answered with a smile.
Rosaria wasn't too concerned of Jilliana traveling alone. For some reason, Jilliana could make these long treks to the statues by herself and Rosaria had no idea how she managed to avoid monsters or Treasure Hoarders along the way. Rosaria had considered tailing Jilliana in the past out of curiosity but she didn't want to get roped into cleaning the statues. Besides, Jilliana always made it back safely, so Rosaria supposed that was a mystery worth solving another day.
As they two walked away from the statue, Rosaria looked to Diluc and asked, "Since the job's done, are you heading back to Dawn Winery?"
He thought it over and answered, "Actually, I was thinking of returning to Mondstadt to check on the tavern since it's closer. I don't suppose you'd mind if I continued traveling with you?"
"I suppose I wouldn't," Rosaria answered, secretly glad.
"It's still morning. We should be able to get back around noon," Diluc said as he peered at the city of windmills in the distance. He added, "I should be able to keep up with you now that I'm healed."
Rosaria made a scoff, "Healed or not, there's barely anyone who can keep up with me."
Diluc rose an eyebrow and asked, "Are you implying I wouldn't win in a race against you?"
"I'm not implying; I'm stating a fact."
Now he scoffed, "That remains to be seen."
Maybe there was something about being healed by the Anemo Statue that affected them, creating an unusual carefree feeling. Or maybe it was on account of the nice weather and their surprisingly good moods from surviving a near-death experience. Whatever it was, Rosaria found herself and Diluc Ragnvindr racing down a dirt path to see who could reach the old abandoned cart at the end of the road first. Rosaria would have been more surprised or embarrassed at the almost child-like behavior, but she was too distracted at the fact that he won.
"I move better at night," Rosaria muttered between breaths in a very unsporting way.
Diluc made a low, throaty noise that she realized was a chuckle. It wasn't a condensing one like she may heard from him at the tavern, but an actual expression of good humor. He's human like anyone else, able to laugh, cry and feel regret. Rosaria felt humbled by the thought, and it seemed a good reminder, to keep from losing herself to the dark that she fought. Those that become monsters were the ones who forgot their humanity.
The sun steadily rose above them, not quite at noon. They reached the three-way fork and took the path that led straight west. But before they passed Falcon Temple, they noticed something strange beside the path. The sun gleamed off a gold and white armored figure—the knight, Godwin. He walked circles around bushes and rocks, his eyes firmly glued to the ground. Rosaria and Diluc had wordlessly stopped to observe him. Rosaria didn't doubt that Diluc was just as suspicious if not more so of this knight. Godwin hadn't noticed them and occasionally stooped down, sifting through the rocks and plants.
Rosaria's mind immediately went to the thought that Godwin was searching for treasure, or maybe even mapping out places for potential traps to spring on passerby. Maybe he wasn't a Treasure Hoarder in disguise, but maybe instead he was a Knight on his way to being a Treasure Hoarder or just acting in his own interest. Whatever it was, Rosaria wasn't going to let this slide.
Sneaking up to someone felt like breathing to her. She was behind him in an instant, and Godwin was none the wiser as he knelt over the dirt.
Her spear in hand, Rosaria hissed in his ear, "So this is your reconnaissance?"
Godwin choked a cry in surprise. He half-leapt up and turned at the same time, but Rosaria caught his foot with the butt-end of her spear. This caught him off-balance as he twisted around, so he instead fell back onto the seat of his pants, facing Rosaria.
She pointed the spear blade at him, leaving only an inch between it and his throat. Rosaria stood over him as a darkened cloud with leering eyes. Her voice was icy, "Confess. What are you scheming?"
"Wh-what? Nothing! I'm not doing anything wrong!"
A fiery voice rumbled from beside Rosaria, "You lied about your assignment. There is no explorative reconnaissance division, and neither the Grand Master nor Acting Grand Master would squander an elite knight's talents by assigning him to the middle of nowhere. Tell us what you're doing, now."
Rosaria was too busy staring down Godwin to look at Diluc but, based off Godwin's wide-eyed and bloodless expression, Diluc had given him a positively terrifying look.
"W-wait, wait! Look, I—I'm sorry. I was technically assigned somewhere else, but I-I made a mistake, and now I'm here."
Rosaria pressed the blade against his skin, not cutting it, but still allowing the cold of the metal to be felt. She questioned, "When mistakes are made, someone has to pay for them. Did you abandon your post? Defect from the Knights?"
"No! No, the truth is I," Godwin's voice dropped to a murmur, "lost my expedition party. I don't know where they went."
Rosaria furrowed her brow, "You…lost them? How?"
Godwin averted his gaze in embarrassment, practically forgetting the blade at this throat, "Well, as Grand Master Varka's expedition was getting ready to leave, I lost this keepsake that Glory gave me—you know, my girlfriend that you prayed for yesterday? I was trying to find it and, well, then the expedition left and now I don't know where they are either."
It was the most ridiculous thing that she ever heard. And what's worse is, she realized. I think he's being completely honest.
"And you," Diluc asked, seeming at a loss for words, "You're telling the truth?"
"Y-yes," Godwin answered, very embarrassed.
Diluc pinched the bridge of his nose, and Rosaria heard him mutter, "How is it even the most elite of knights are so incompetent?"
Rosaria took that as her cue to finally move the blade away from Godwin's neck. The man sighed in relief and rubbed his throat gratefully.
"And just how long have you been milling about like this?" Diluc asked.
Godwin scratched the back of his head and answered, "Well, um. How long has Grand Master Varka been gone?"
Diluc made a noise of umbrage and disbelief.
"Why don't you just go back to Mondstadt?" Rosaria asked, finally putting away her spear.
Godwin gave her a look like she just suggested hopping into an open fire. He answered feverishly, "Definitely not! I'm supposed to be on a perilous journey in a faraway land! I can't possibly come back like this."
"So…what? Are you just going to wait around until the expedition comes back?" Rosaria wondered.
"Yes. Wait, no. Well, maybe?" Godwin exhaled and held his head, answering "I don't know. But I can't anywhere until I find Glory's keepsake. I certainly won't go back home without it. She'd be so ashamed of me already for getting lost, I can't imagine how mad she'd be if I was empty-handed too. She'd never forgive me! It's better if I stay away for now."
An odd expression flashed over Diluc's face. He asked, "Are you certain?"
"Pardon?"
"Are you certain that she won't forgive you if you return and apologize to her?" Diluc repeated. He spoke very seriously and deliberately, "If she cares for you as much as you do her, then can you trust her enough to be honest with her?"
Diluc spoke with such a sudden and odd seriousness. Rosaria wasn't sure why he was so invested. But Diluc's words did seem to strike a chord in Godwin, whose shame melted away to deep thought.
Godwin glanced at a dandelion with soft eyes and answered, "There's not a day that goes by where I don't think about her. Someone as wonderful as her may forgive even a guy like me." He exhaled quietly, "But I don't think I'm ready to go back. Not yet."
There was a cooling breeze that stirred the dandelion. Godwin straightened his posture and spoke more assuredly, "For now, I'll keep doing what I can to keep the roads clear and keep the city safe. I still have a duty to uphold after all."
Seeing a job through. I can respect that, Rosaria thought. And it can be strange…what someone does for someone they care about.
She couldn't tell what exactly Diluc thought of Godwin's response. What could be said for certain was that the knight wasn't a foreseeable threat, so they meant they could move on. When the pair left Godwin, Diluc lacked his usual hostility as he said, "Good day to you, Sir Godwin."
As they left Windrise behind them and approached Cider Lake, the conversation still lingered in Rosaria's mind.
Rosaria had almost forgotten that Varka and so many of the knights were missing because they were out on an expedition. They were on an expedition when they found me and brought me here, weren't they? A storm of mixed feelings, mostly painful and blood-soaked memories stirred in her chest as she thought of her old families, her old lives. She looked ahead, where the city of Mondstadt sat with its lazily spinning windmills. Walking towards the city was a familiar feeling. Every time I finish I job, no matter how far I go, I always come back here.
A part of her wondered if the members of the expedition were thinking of Mondstadt, thinking of home. As much as she dreaded Varka's never-ending talking, she still wondered what stories he would bring back.
"I wonder when the expedition will return…" Rosaria murmured. Realizing she didn't mean to say that aloud, she added in a more off-handed tone, "Considering the Grand Master, he'll probably set off again the moment he returns."
Diluc made an amused scoff. He answered, "He certainly would." There was a distinct nostalgia in his voice. Diluc turned his head towards the lake, where Rosaira couldn't quite see his expression as he added, "No doubt he'd return again. Mondstadt is a hard place to leave for good."
They finally reached the stone bridge that connected to the island of Mondstadt City. Rosaria felt off-put by walking across the bridge in broad daylight. She was used to either slinking under it at night, or gliding off the top cathedral spires to bypass it entirely. Walking across like a normal pedestrian just felt weird.
A light flutter of wings caught her ear. Standing by the bridge railing was a little boy cradling a pigeon in his arms. The boy saw Rosaria and Diluc and more protectively held the pigeon and narrowed his eyes.
Oh great, it's the uppity brat that Sister Grace takes care of, Rosaria thought. Considering how much that Rosaria enjoyed a well-cooked Sweet Madame made of the freshest fowl, any cordiality between her and Timmie was doomed from the start. Rosaria generally managed to avoid him because he didn't stay out after dark, so they only passed each other if he visited the cathedral.
Timmie gave her a surprisingly venomous look for a little kid, but he didn't say anything to her. Instead, he turned his attention to Diluc and asked, "Mister Diluc, you haven't been feeding your falcon any pigeons, have you?"
"I assure you, her diet has strictly consisted of mice and squirrels," Diluc answered as they walked past. Once out of earshot, Diluc cleared his throat in a way that sounded a lot like the word 'occasionally.' It amused Rosaria immensely.
It wasn't long before they passed through the tall gates into Mondstadt. Not before they received some polite but perplexed looks from the gate sentries. Rosaria supposed it looked a bit odd, seeing a nun and a winery tycoon traveling together. Not that it mattered too much, since they had finally reached the end of their journey, almost exactly at noon. From the gates, Angel's Share was on their right and Schulz's Blacksmith was to the left.
Diluc said, "I suppose this is where we part ways."
"Hold on," Rosaria spoke up. "The job may be done, but we're not finished. We never discussed your compensation."
"Compensation? Is that really necessary?"
Rosaria, however, wouldn't budge on this. She stated, "I refuse to accept this as charity work. You can't just complete a job and get nothing for it. Especially with what you went through."
You almost died, for crying out loud.
Diluc exhaled drily, "I commend your diligence, but…what is there to offer to me? I have nothing that I need."
"Not even mora or that kind of stuff?"
He rose his eyebrow and retorted, "I of all people am in no short supply of that."
Rosaria rolled her eyes, "Obviously. I'm just spit-balling." Thinking it over more carefully, she offered, "Need any dirty work done?"
This piqued his interest. He cupped his chin, and his eyes searched a mental log as he murmured, "Actually, that could work. There's been some Treasure Hoarders at Stone Gate I haven't had the chance to track down yet…"
"Sounds like my kind of job," Rosaria said. "Once I drop off my order with Wagner, I can discuss details."
"Come by Angel's Share when you're finished then."
Just like that, the deal was made. Rosaria actually looked forward to the task. Treasure Hoarders would be a nice change from Whopperflowers. She started to turn to leave but paused. Rosaria looked over her shoulder and said, "Thank you."
With a hint of a smile, Diluc politely dipped his head and said, "If you have anything else you need done, just let me know."
He then turned and walked off to Angel's Share.
Rosaria glanced up at the sky, seeing the sun at its apex. She moved quickly to the blacksmith's and slipped her hand into the pocket holding the Shivada Jade. The cold of the gemstone clung to her fingertips, and she thought of Kaeya. She hoped that the gift would be completed in time.
CatCrescent: It's a few minutes before midnight as I'm typing this, so that counts as on-time, right?
Sorry for the wait and thank you for your patience. This chapter took longer to complete than I expected. It's possible this might delay the last two chapters an extra day, but I will try to catch up!
I had a lot of fun with this chapter and all the different character interactions. I imagine that Rosaria would actually get along quite well with Sister Jilliana, but be completely unaware of Jilliana's past. Rosaria's relationship with Varka as a potential father figure is something I desperately want to see more of. I also think Timmie gets along with only a select few people, and that it wouldn't include Rosaria, since she doesn't seem above committing pigeon murder for a good meal.
Despite Diluc and Rosaria being back in Mondstadt, they're not quite done yet! In the next chapter, Rosaria will run into an unexpected complication regarding the gift. If all goes well, this chapter should be up before the end of tomorrow. Stay tuned!