A/N: Sorry for the late update. I've been having relationship communication issues for the past month now.
White ended up devouring the Sweet Madame within minutes. After he had done that, he started to order a variety of different dishes from the menu. And as time passed, plates had begun to stack up on both sides of his table.
People watched with rapt attention as he devoured meal after meal, stuffing it into his blackhole of a stomach. Even Amber and Eula were surprised by how much his stomach could hold.
But little did White know, that this was going to make a massive dent in the paycheck that he received today from doing commissions.
Well, not like he'd care in the first place. It was as easy as a walk in the park for him.
This day was also the day that White received the nickname "Devourer" due to the sheer amount of food he consumed in a single sitting. The current amount he had consumed was enough to feed a family of four for months, and he was still going!
"Hey, how big do you think his bill will be?" a bystander asked his friend.
"That's a tough one, but probably more expensive than Wagner's weapons..."
White, who heard what they were talking about, stopped eating and slowly placed down the bowl in his hand with a poker face.
Shit.
Is what he thought while wiping his mouth with a napkin.
Food is delicious, but expensive. Oh, the woes of a human.
Setting the napkin down and sorting the plates in such an order so they don't collapse while being taken away, White signaled for Sara to hand him the bill he owed.
With a bounce in her step, Sara handed White the bill of all the food he ate, and to say the least, White's poker face came in clutch once again at hiding his inner turmoil.
This is nearly ten times the amount I "paid" for Wagner's weapon. And considering that I'm not a renowned adventurer, or in the game's logic, high enough of an AR level, I don't get paid as much from completing commissions. Oh, boy, this is gonna take over half of what I earned today.
Sighing, White forked over the mora to a happy Sara, who thanked him for the business and wished for him to return again.
"Thank you for coming to Good Hunter! Please, come again!"
"Ah, yes, I'll be sure to return," White replied, remembering the savory flavors of the delectable meals he ate.
Standing up, he pushed his chair back in before leaving the restaurant.
He'll definitely make sure to return. Eating is something he decided that he'll do forever, besides upholding the Heavenly Principles.
Taking a look up at the sky, White saw that the sun was setting, and that the streets of Mondstadt were beginning to empty.
Everyone seems to be heading back home or towards pubs. And now that I think about it, I don't have anywhere to stay, do I?
Now having an objective of finding somewhere to crash at, White began to wander the empty streets of Mondstadt. He realized that he didn't know if an inn existed in Mondstadt in the game; but knowing how humans operate, there was definitely somewhere for him to pay and stay at.
His eyes traveled from building to building, looking for an advertisement sign.
Maybe I can check by Angel's Share.
White recalled the building design right beside Angel's Share. The architectural design basically screamed "inn." Plus, he thought it would be pretty self-explanatory for an inn to be right beside a pub in this kind of world.
Adventurers and those weird drinks.
He shook his head at that thought as he turned a corner and came face-to-face with the entry of Angel's Share. The noise from the inside was carrying out, it was definitely packed.
Ignoring the muffled sounds, White entered the building that sat in front of Angel's Share's front entry.
As he entered, he observed the inside and took notice of the people, mainly adventurers, seated at tables eating meals. Behind the counter appeared to be the lady who ran the place.
"Excuse me, is this place an inn?" White inquired as he approached the counter.
The lady's brown eyes shifted up to meet his.
"Indeed it is, young man. How may I be of service?"
White rubbed his chin in thought.
"I was wondering how much renting a room would cost per night."
"Per night will cost you 100 mora, double that if you had another person with you."
"So, essentially, it's 100 mora per person?" White mused.
"Yes, it is," the lady answered.
"I see, then I would like to rent a room," White said, placing 100 mora on the counter.
"How many nights?"
"I am unsure of how many nights I will be staying."
"Ah, I understand," the lady nodded, handing White the key to his room, "Your room number is 306, which is on the third floor."
"Thank you," White smiled.
"It's my pleasure. Please, feel free to ask for assistance whenever you need it."
Nodding at her, White trekked up the stairs to find his room.
As White made his way up the stairs, he realized that he didn't know the exact date of when Aether and Paimon would finally make their way to Mondstadt. For all he knew, it took a few months for them to get here since their journey started when Aether retold his story to Paimon.
What can I do in the next few months?
White was lost in his thoughts as he pondered on what he should do while waiting for the upcoming future. Should he pay the Sustainer a visit? After all, he doesn't wanna ruin any part of the future. He was just here to have a little bit of fun, and to do some work.
Oh, maybe he could hang around Noelle.
Ba-dump!
The instant he thought of her, his heart skipped a beat as his face started to heat up. White quickly shook his head to get rid of the weird, but oddly good, feeling.
What even is that feeling? Did she place a curse on me or something? No, there's no way.
Giving his cheeks a quick, but painful pinch, White frowned as he found his room and unlocked it.
Making sure to close the door behind him, White got a good look at his room. It was a single bed room with a small table in the corner and a lamp that sat next to the bedside.
He noticed how there was even a restroom to use.
When's the last time I used the restroom?
White pondered for a bit.
Right, never.
Plopping himself down onto the bed, White stared up at the ceiling of his room. He realized that the true fun is yet to start, and he was slightly disappointed. Also, he wasn't gonna lie, he was, in fact, starting to get a little bored.
He's just not sure what he wants to do during these dull times when he's all alone.
Sure, he could make a name for himself as an adventurer, but that was no fun to do. He wanted to watch Aether struggle, he wanted to watch him progress through his journey.
He wanted to crush him at the end of his journey.
And just maybe, just maybe he could watch him rise once more.
The perseverance that he has is nothing to scoff at.
White could feel a grin forming on his face.
I can't wait, Aether! The journey of reuniting with your lost sibling truly is an exciting one!
And...
He then placed his hand over his heart, "And these strange feelings, too. I wanna know all about them, Noelle."
Ba-dump!
For White, dawn couldn't have came any slower.
Not having the need to sleep simply made the night all the more sufferable as he tossed and turned while occasionally getting lost in thought. Normally, he'd be able to withstand the slow passage of time, but being in a new environment made the wait unbearable.
And, to be honest, it was also because he didn't have the company of the Sustainer.
He wished she were here so he could at least pinch her cheeks, and stretch out that emotionless face of hers.
When they weren't spending all day training, he had learned the meaning of "messing around" and started to do it to her by doing things that humans would normally find annoying.
He'd play around with her cheeks as if she were a hamster, and he'd even take her clothes.
But he'd forget that she could simply summon them out of thin air so that never worked out well in the end.
Even so, she never showed any genuine reaction to him doing these things. It was just the plain old emotionless face as her eyes locked onto his as if he were a target. Sometimes, he truly wondered if she really was just a machine.
Reminiscing aside, White noticed that the first rays of dawn started to peek through the blinds. Getting up from his bed, he threw the blinds aside and gazed in the direction of the rising sun.
Another day has begun. I guess I'll start making it a routine to head to the guild and pick up some commissions.
Walking away from his window and exiting the room, White made his way downstairs.
Since it was still extremely early in the morning, the downstairs of the inn was completely empty. Even the lady who ran the place wasn't awake yet. The silence for some would be comforting, and for others it could put them on guard.
When he exited the inn, the cool morning air kissed his face as he was met with the sight of a couple people passed out, completely wasted, outside of Angel's Share. Taking note of the eccentrics of humans, White went on with his day without batting an eye towards the unpleasant sight of drunkards.
Moving his feet, he decided to take his time on heading to the Adventurers' Guild since he wanted to do a bit of exploration around this version of Mondstadt. And due to the time of day, the streets weren't as bustling yet so he could get a glimpse of Mondstadt in all of its glory.
His first destination would be the Favonius Cathedral.
The Favonius Cathedral, compared to the game, was obviously a lot bigger. Its size was most likely more than double of its game-variant. From where White stood, the cathedral gave off the imposing image of a guardian protecting the Anemo Archon. The imposing size that towered over the statue screamed divine.
It was also a reminder that Mondstadt was the City of Freedom.
Perfectly functional without the supervision of their local Archon. Oh, if only they knew how he truly was like.
White pinched the bridge of his nose at that thought, wondering how in the hell Barbatos managed to snag the position of Archon.
I can probably ask him in person if needed. He did flip an entire mountain after all so that's one reason.
He thought as he moved his feet towards the Favonius Cathedral.
Anyone is free to enter the cathedral, right?
White stared at the entry of the cathedral as Otto, a Knight of Favonius stationed to stand guard outside the massive doors, stared at him with a curious look on his face.
"Is it your first time here in Mondstadt?" Otto struck up a conversation with White, not bothering to mask his curiosity.
"Yeah, it is. How can you tell?" White answered back with a question of his own.
Otto could only chuckle, "Well, a lot of newcomers tend to do certain things that they're not aware of such as standing in front of the cathedral doors and staring at it for fifteen minutes."
"Huh, well that's a mistake on my part then."
"Oh, no worries. I can probably guess what you're thinking," Otto started, "You're wondering if anyone is free to enter the cathedral, right?"
White nodded his head.
"Well, don't be afraid to do so. In fact, I encourage you to enter and check it out. The cathedral is one of the places I highly recommend to visit if it's your first time here in Mondstadt," Otto explained.
Rubbing his chin in thought at Otto's explanation, White nodded his head once more.
"I see. Thank you for the information."
"You're welcome, traveler. Just be sure to stay out of trouble, and may the Anemo Archon protect you," Otto rehearsed, ending the conversation with a salute.
In return, White gave a wave before entering the cathedral.
The inside of the cathedral looked the same as he remembered.
The beautiful architectural designs gave it a holy atmosphere while rows of benches were lined up facing towards the stage, and also at the same time, the entrance to the basement of the cathedral. Due to the time of day, the cathedral was quite empty. Maybe only one or two nuns were currently present, and they were praying.
His footsteps echoed loudly throughout the cathedral, but that did not disturb the nuns' prayers one bit.
White's eyes took in every single detail of the cathedral.
Truly a magnificent piece of art. I'll be back here for the lyre.
His eyes moved to the entry of the basement.
The main show will begin soon. But the time cannot come any slower.
He sighed.
Anyways, I think that's enough sightseeing for today. Time to head to the guild.
It hadn't been that long at all since he entered the cathedral. It's just as empty as it was in the game so the only thing he could do was compare the differences, which the only difference was the size of the building.
And to say the least, when he exited the cathedral not long after entering, he was met with the sight of a wide-eyed Otto.
The rest of the day, White spent planning a routine for himself while dining at Good Hunter after he had finished his daily commissions.
To start the day off, he'll head to the guild to pick up his daily commissions because he needed the easy money to pay for the food at Good Hunter. Plus, the guild wouldn't be as packed at that time. Then, after he finishes his daily commissions, he'll head out of Mondstadt and enjoy the scenery of the region.
Hell, he'll probably head over to Liyue for a bit.
After that, he'll come back to Mondstadt and book a table at Good Hunter. And finally, once he's done eating at Good Hunter. He can choose to check-in for the day or go back to wandering around.
This is the routine that he planned out for himself until the time Aether and Paimon arrive to Mondstadt comes. Once they arrive, he'll throw the entire routine away and focus on keeping track of their journey. If he's a renowned adventurer by the time they come around, he'll gladly fall off the radar. And by falling off the radar, he means by neglecting to do his daily commissions.
White thought about using the time to get to know the important characters a bit more, but to be honest, he felt like meeting them under more dramatic terms would be best.
Humans love their fair share of drama after all, right?
The only exception to this would be Noelle. He's already met and spoken to her.
Ba-dump!
Dammit...
White grit his teeth.
This feeling every time I think of her... just what is it?
"Oh! Hello, White!"
Ba-dump!
Looking up, White was met with the sight of Noelle holding a tray of food that he had ordered.
What is this timing?
Not voicing his thoughts, White spoke, "Hello, Noelle. I'm sorry if I sound a bit abrupt, but why are you holding the tray of food I ordered?"
She smiled, "Ah, you see, Sara asked me if I could help out today since she couldn't make it."
White felt his face slowly start to heat up, "Mhm, I see. That's understandable, I do recall someone else being at the front today instead of her."
"Yes, she said she had some serious business to attend to," Noelle explained, her smile slightly faltering as she thought about it while also serving White his food.
Ba-dump!
Seeing her smile falter a bit, White couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat once more; a new strange desire welling up inside of him again, but he managed to suppress it for now.
"Serious business, huh? I hope she'll be okay," he responded, his face starting to turn a visible hue of red.
"I know she will for sure!" Noelle's smile returned with full power as she hugged the tray close to her chest that lacked any form of armor.
White's poker face almost shattered as he took notice of Noelle's current outfit.
She had changed out of her combat maid attire, and was now wearing the maid uniform of Good Hunter. Seeing her in a regular uniform without armor made her beauty stand out much more than usual. So much so that she seemed to glow even amidst the evening rays.
So beautiful...
White's eyes widened.
What? Beautiful?
Ba-dump! Ba-dump!
His face felt hotter than it ever has before, and his heart felt like it was going to bounce out of his chest at any second. The only person that he could see clearly was her, and the longer he looked, the more entranced he became.
Please. Please make this feeling stop. What the hell is this? What emotion is this?
Managing to break eye contact, White rested his forehead into the palm of his hand.
"Noelle," he started.
"Yes?" she replied, tilting her head slightly and taking notice of how red his face had become.
I'll need to confront her about what I'm feeling right now. But I can't do it with everyone here, lest it be considered an extreme weakness.
White sighed.
If only the Sustainer were here with me.
"Do you know how much longer you'll need to help out for?" White inquired, making sure to avoid eye contact with her.
Noelle hummed in thought.
"Hmm, I'll be here until it's closing time," she answered.
"I see," White started, "Then, after closing, can we talk in private? I need help with something quite complex."
Noelle didn't hesitate to answer.
"Of course! I'll be glad to provide help!" she exclaimed with a smile.
"Thank you," White smiled, "I'll be waiting for you at Windrise underneath the tree."
Noelle nodded, "I'll be sure to head there right away after closing time!"
White only continued to smile as he picked up a fork to start munching on his meal.
"Oh, also, your face is red again. Are you sure it isn't a fever?"
"Guh..."
A/N: Hi hi, thank you for reading. I hope you guys enjoyed it. :) I'm hoping to move the plot more forwards in the next few chapters.
And for those who did Noelle's hangouts and paid attention, I'm sure you can predict the future.
