Genshin Impact: Mondstadt Alter

Act 1 Chapter 3:

Determination (Part 2)


It's almost 7 AM. The sunlight starts to irradiate the whole Mondstadt. It is getting crowded in the market district as people do their activities. Some people are preparing to work while shop vendors are opening their stores for business today. I've never gone out at this time before, so for someone who's not used to crowds seeing this view makes me dizzy. The atmosphere is calming despite being crowded and lively, but I don't hate it.

At this hour, I started to feel hungry. I rarely eat outside, and the only place I used to visit when I wanted to order a meal or snack is only at Good Hunter. Their foods are good, but I enjoy my cooking more. Obviously, I'm not in the mood to do that, so I stop at their shop to have breakfast.

When I'm about to arrive, I don't see many customers in the queue. Lucky me, I don't want to spend too much time waiting for food. With only a few in a line, I quickly lined up. After those in front of me had ordered what they wanted to eat, it's finally my turn to order.

"Welcome to Good Hunter. How can I help you?" The waitress offers.

"Umm... I want to order some food. Can I see today's menu?"

"Of course!" She beamed before handing me the menu, "Here you go."

I scan the menu as soon as I take it from her. The list of today's menu:

Adventurer's Breakfast Sandwich 1.750

Barbatos Ratatouille 3.000

Calla Lily Seafood Soup 3.250

Chicken-Mushroom Skewer 450

Crab, Ham & Veggie Bake 2.150

Fisherman's Toast 1.025

Flaming Red Bolognese 1.950

Mondstadt Grilled Fish 550

Mondstadt Hash Brown 3.400

Moon Pie 2.925

Mushroom Pizza 4.175

Satisfying Salad 875

Sticky Honey Roast 3.650

Sweet Madame 3.175

Tea Break Pancake 1.225

Tevyat Fried Egg 200

I look at the food list first, and most of the foods there I haven't tried before. From their name, I can pretty much guess what they're selling. They are relatively pricey, and I'm not planning to eat a lot. The problem is I don't know what to order, but I can't make her wait any longer. So I went on ordering one Adventurer's Breakfast Sandwich.

"Can I get one Adventurer's Breakfast Sandwich, please?"

"Sure. Would you like anything else?" She asked.

"That's all for now." I said as I passed her the menu back.

"That'll be 1.750 mora." I paid the bill with the exact amount.

"Your food will be ready soon. Please wait at your table."

As soon as I finished ordering, I walked away from the queue. There are still plenty of unoccupied tables, so I choose the closest table from the shop. Each table is enough for three people. It reminds me that you usually don't take breakfast alone. I look around at other customers. Each of them has a companion with them as they eat. Seeing those around me, all I could do was sigh deeply.

It didn't take any longer than I expected until my food arrived. When the waitress served my food, I asked her for a glass of water, and she complied. While waiting for my glass of water, I took a bite of the sandwich. Chewing it slowly, I savor the taste. Overall, I say this sandwich is pretty good. I pick up the glass of water and chug it down after eating. My meal was quite satisfying, and the portion size was just right. The only problem is my surroundings. The longer I stay here, the more uncomfortable I become. So I decided to leave as soon as I finished my meal.

"Morgan?"

Someone called out my name just as I was leaving my table. I look at the source of the voice. It was a middle-aged man, someone I'd never seen before. His attire looks like he's a member of KoF but slightly different from what I usually see around the city, and he has a sword attached to his right hip. Next to him is a young girl with long, dark brown hair and gold eyes. What catches my attention about her is her headband which resembles the shape of bunny ears.

Something about him is peculiar.

I observe him once more. Perhaps he's from another division in Kof? If so, that explains why he's different from those I've met, including his uniform. Maybe every division in KoF has its own uniform, distinct from one another. Mrs. Frederica and grandmaster Varka wore different outfits than him.

No, no, this is not what I meant. It's not about his appearance or anything visible. It's more like something I can feel from him, even without getting close to or touching him, but I can't figure out what it is. Ugh, forget it.

"Er... Yes, do you need something?" I can't help but feel a bit cautious.

"Sorry, I didn't mean anything. I was about to have breakfast with Amber, but I saw you and decided to greet you." He explained.

"I see, but how do you know me?"

"This might be the first time we met, but I was there when we, the Knight of Favonius, found you and brought you back to the city."

So he IS a member of KoF. I appreciate how he explained without any sensitive details, but maybe because his daughter is here too. He was one of those who helped me back then, and even if I didn't know what he did for me, I must express my gratitude no matter how small it was.

"Ah, thank you for rescuing me back then, sir." I bowed to him slightly.

"I appreciate your gratitude, but I couldn't do much for you back then. So you don't have to thank me." He paused, "Also, you don't have to be so formal. You can call me Hao, and she's Amber, my granddaughter." He introduced himself and the girl beside him.

Oh, I thought she was his daughter.

"Hello, I'm Amber!" Amber cheerfully greets me as she waves her hand.

"Hello, Amber. I'm Morgan." I wave back to her. She seems to be a lively type. "And nice to meet you, Mr. Hao. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Mr. Hao pondered for a second before speaking, "I know you just finished having breakfast, but do you mind if you join us? I can treat you while at it."

"Sure, I don't mind." Although I'm full, I accepted his invitation.

I have no reason to turn down his offer, and he would like to talk with me about something. With plenty of time on my hands, listening to what he says wouldn't hurt. Besides, I also want to ask him something, but it could be more noteworthy. Another reason why I decided to join them was because Amber was excited when she heard her grandpa invited me.

While they order some food, I look for an empty table. I didn't have to do it since there aren't many customers here yet, but I need to secure a table for us just in case. When Mr. Hao asked what I wanted, I replied I wanted juice. It wasn't necessary for him to treat me since I still have plenty of mora, but he insisted that it was only natural for him since he's the one who's invited me to join them. I didn't know that, but that made sense, so I went with it. Even though I said that, I wouldn't want to bother him by ordering something expensive.

A few minutes have passed, and the two are back from ordering. They surprisingly take some time to place their order, but I remain silent about it. Since it's a three-seat table, they sit next to me. Amber sits next to me on my right, while Mr. Hao sits on my left. I was planning to initiate a conversation with Mr. Hao but remembered that he was the one who wanted to talk to me, so I'll let him start whenever. Despite that, neither Mr. Hao nor I broke the silence.

"Grandpa, why can't I have the Sticky Honey Roast?" She said in a spoiled tone while resting her head on the table.

"Last time I bought that for you, you couldn't finish the whole thing yourself." Mr. Hao retorted.

"But I want to taste it once more."

"You shouldn't order food you can't finish just because you want to taste it. Then you'd probably say you're already full after a few bites. I'm not risking that."

"I promise I will this time. Please~" Amber adds the last part with puppy eyes.

"No, you won't have it even if you begged me. Better luck next time." Say Mr. Hao as he folds his arms.

"Eh~"

I assumed Mr. Hao was the kind of grandpa who likes to spoil their grandchild to the bone, but that appears to be incorrect. Grandparents are always treating their grandchildren very nicely. I mean, my grandfather was nice to me when he was still alive too. Doesn't that apply to everyone?

[Who am I kidding? For someone friendless, you sure have the gut to say that.]

'Eh? Is that not the case?'

[Obviously not. Keep in mind that not everyone goes through the same as you.]

'I-I see. I suppose your point is valid.'

He's right. I shouldn't judge people based on my knowledge, at least not the current me. Interacting with people isn't my strong suit, nor with evaluating their characters. I'd like to take this opportunity to learn more about people and improve my social proficiency, but I'm not really in the mood for that. First thing first, I have a priority. The rest can wait.

"I'm sorry, Morgan. I brought you here so we could chat, but instead, you had to listen to all that. Once again, sorry." Mr. Hao apologized to me.

"All good, sir." I shrugged it off.

I look at Amber, who is pouting now as she rests her head on the table. Her bunny ears headband seems to emulate her current emotion, as I can see them bent down like a sad bunny. Is the sticky honey roast taste good? From its name, I can imagine a meat dish bathing in honey and additional ingredients to enrich the flavor. Next time I have the chance, I'd like to try it.

On the other hand, Mr. Hao doesn't seem to care much about the fact Amber's pouting. I understand how he feels. When someone eats food without eating it until the last bite, they disrespect the food and the cook's efforts. As someone who cooks often, that's how I feel when people don't finish the meal I made for them. In a way, I guess it is also an acceptable way to teach her not to waste food. Though, I'll be lying if I say I don't feel bad for her.

"So, how have you been, Morgan? The last time I saw you, you were suffering severe injuries. I honestly thought we were too late to save you." Mr. Hao inquires with a slightly dark expression.

Recalling what happened to me sure only dampens our current mood. But the topic is inevitable for those who know me and want to interact with me, and at this point, I'm used to it. It's not like people have a better topic to discuss when talking to me, especially when becoming acquainted. I suppose it's only natural knowing I always stay inside, barely getting in touch with strangers.

"Did something happen to you, Big bro Morgan?" Amber asks while facing me. She seems to have no idea about the event, so she- Wait, what?

"Big bro?"

"Yup! You're older than me, so I'm calling you big brother. You don't like it?"

That caught me off guard, but I managed to keep my composure. I'm not sure if I like it, but it came out of nowhere! This might be the first time we met, though I'm more surprised at how bold she is. We barely know each other, but her character gave the impression of being frank. Even so, I'm sure she doesn't actually mind how she addresses me. It's not necessarily bad, but being referred to as "big brother" is not something I am used to, so I'm going to turn her down. Not to mention our age gap isn't even that far, and I can let trivial matters like this slide.

"Ju- just call me Morgan, Amber." I stutter a bit saying it.

"Oh, okay then." For a moment, she seemed disappointed but then quickly returned to her question. "So what happened?"

Sorry, Amber. I'm not against you calling me big brother, but maybe this isn't the time.

Amber tried to hide her disappointment, but I could still see it in her facial texture. Mr. Hao was about to answer her question, but I interjected.

"A group of treasure hoarders ambushed me, leaving me wounded terribly. I'm fine now, though."

She was shocked to hear my answer, her face filled with horror. An expected reaction from her, I say. My response was brief and superficial without going into too many details since I thought that answer was best for her and me.

"There, there. Morgan says that he's fine, doesn't he?" Mr. Hao patted Amber's head as he comforted her before continuing, "I'm glad you're doing fine, Morgan. So what's your plan for today?"

Hmm, a tricky question. If I say I'm going to roam around the city, I reckon he will get worried like everybody else. I don't want to make more people concerned about my situation. While it might not be a bad thing, I want to try to pick myself up without any lending hands. Nonetheless, I will not lie about something like this either.

"Walking around the city to change my mood. I decided to touch some grass because I had been inside the church for too long."

"Oh, no wonder why I've never seen you before..." Amber mumbles. You sure recover fast.

"Amber, that's rude." Mr. Hao scolds her. She quickly covers her mouth with both hands.

"It's alright." I can't help but chuckle a bit. "But why do you ask?"

Mr. Hao seems at adversity. The same thing happened to some people when they chatted with me when I shut myself in the church. They restrained themselves from saying something or saying too much to me. I also get used to something like this, but it still irritates me. Even at the same time, those people might be just being considerate of me. Though this time, the situation is different.

However, before Mr. Hao could answer my question, a waitress came to our table carrying a tray. She places the tray on the table and gives Mr. Hao and Amber their food while I receive my juice. Judging by the smell and color, I got myself an apple juice. The apple juice smells a bit sour and appears slightly murky, indicating it's good. Even though it's not what I wanted, beggars can't be choosers.

Looking at Mr. Hao's order, he bought a bowl of soup. Crabs soaked in a bowl with herbs, and even though I'm not close, I can smell the fresh aroma of the food. On the other hand, Amber got a plate with smoked chicken paired with vegetables. Somehow I can tell the taste of Amber's meal is palatable, but I'm not sure about Mr. Hao's. The waitress leaves after telling us to enjoy our food. And that's when Mr. Hao spoke,

"Probably you didn't know, but I have talked with your father several times. He once mentioned that you wanted to join the Knights of Favonius and wanted me to help you if you need something regarding the exam entry. So I thought I would talk with you about it, but that is if you don't mind and still wish to join."

"Oh! You want to become a knight too, Morgan? That's cool!" Amber showed her excitement.

"If you want to, we can still talk while I'm eating." Mr. Hao said as he took the spoon, ready to take the first bite of his food.

"..." I remain speechless.

I close my eyes. I can feel my head heating up, and my breath becomes rigid. My hands and feet clench firmly to the point I can feel them trembling a little. Without making a sound, I cover my face with my still shaking hands while grinding my teeth.

"M-Morgan, are you okay?!" Mr. Hao voices in panic as he taps my shoulder.

"Grandpa, he might be hungry!"

[Is she for real?]

"That's clearly not the case, Amber."

That is an unforeseen subject. He accidentally triggers my abnormal condition.

I don't blame him for this, as no one knows about it except me. Taking a deep breath and holding my temple helps me calm myself before it gets out of control. Thankfully, I've experienced it a few times before, and this method works very well every time. I look at Mr. Hao and Amber after my mind feels much better.

"I'm okay. It was just a sudden headache."

Both Amber and Mr. Hao seemed relieved when they heard my response. Those two stopped eating their food because they were worried about me.

"Did I say something wrong?" Mr. Hao voices his concern.

"No!" I panicked before continuing, "It was really just a headache. You don't have to worry about me, Mr. Hao."

My gaze fell to the ground as I couldn't decide how to face him. I can't tell him anything since I don't know much about it either. It would only make them feel worried if I told them the truth.

"Was it happening often?" Amber asked.

"Not really. It only happens sometimes." I replied before facing Mr. Hao and asking, "Were you close with my father, Mr. Hao?"

Mr. Hao looked doubtful to answer me, though he spokes after a while, "I guess so?"

Hearing his reply, I raise my eyebrow. What's with that vague answer?

"As I said, we only spoke a few times before. We chat in the tavern most of the time, but we also do that when we pass each other."

Ah, so Mr. Hao was also one of dad's drinking buddies, huh? Dad often stops by the tavern, so I know he had many friends to drink with, but I wasn't expecting Mr. Hao to be one of them.

"I see. I would love to talk about it, but I've lost interest in joining the KoF. Thank you, I appreciate your kindness."

"Heh?!"

Amber shrieks after knowing I don't aim to become a knight anymore. I'm not sure if I should say she's overreacting. But Mr. Hao surprisingly didn't react much. I guess that's because he expected my answer.

"Why?! Why do you not want to become a knight, Morgan?! Being a knight is amazing, you know?" She bombards me with questions in a high-pitched voice. Her voice attracts nearby people's attention, and now they are looking at us.

"Amber, calm down."

Mr. Hao tries to stop her before she does anything that can draw more attention. Afterward, he apologizes to other customers disturbed by his granddaughter's behavior. He glared at Amber after that, and Amber let out a squeak as she put her hands together, apologizing to him. Mr. Hao can only sigh.

"Morgan. I have nothing to say if that's what you want. But if I may, can you tell me your reason?"

"I just don't have a reason to join them." I straightforwardly answer before sipping my juice.

"That's it?" Amber doesn't seem to believe my reasoning.

I nodded.

Mr. Hao and Amber look at each other. Maybe they thought my reason for not wanting to join the KoF was something more plausible, but my answer baffles them. What I said was how I genuinely felt toward the KoF and the best way I put it into words. I wouldn't be so bold to say that joining the KoF is pointless to them, especially when Mr. Hao is a member himself. Judging how Amber reacts to my take, there's a high possibility she also regards KoF highly.

The two start eating their food. Mr. Hao and Amber slip a small talk while eating, and I remain silent, finishing my drink. Only having my drink, I finish it first and wait until Mr. Hao dismisses us. It did not take long for Mr. Hao to empty his bowl, and Amber followed.

"It's time. I have to go." Mr. Hao declares as he stands up.

"Are you going to work?"

"Yeah, it's almost time for Outrider assembly. Thank you for sharing your time with us, Morgan." Mr. Hao extends his right hand.

"Pleasure is all mine, sir." I shake his hand.

"Let's hang out again next time, Morgan!"

"Sure."

"Then I'll be going, Amber. Be a good girl while I'm gone, okay?" Mr. Hao pats Amber's head. And Amber hummed cheerfully.

Amber and I watch Mr. Hao's figure disappear from our sight. I was about to walk away, but I remembered something and turned toward Amber and asked,

"Amber, what are you going to do?"

She was still standing there when I turned.

"I'm going to play with my friends. Why do you ask?"

To be honest, I don't particularly have a reason other than curiosity. When I was about her age, I never spent my time playing with anyone. I had my own entertainment, but hearing she would be playing with someone didn't surprise me either. It's only natural for her to spend most of her time playing. However, I'm curious about what she plays with her peers.

"I see. What are you going to play today?"

Amber hums before answering, "I don't know. We will decide when we gather. You want to come along, Morgan?"

I was dubious about accepting her invitation. One hand, I don't have the leisure time to play with her. On the other hand, my gut's telling me it will benefit me if I join her. Then again, it's not like I'm in haste to find motivation because I know it won't be effortless. I also felt my head hurting lately, maybe because I'm too stressed.

I hope this is a good decision.

"Sure, I suppose I've got time."

"Yay! Then let's go! I'll introduce you to my friends." Amber pulls my arm enthusiastically.

I let her lead me as she held my hand, and it didn't take long until she stopped. Three kids gather in front of a house as they talk about something. They stopped as soon as Amber and I got close to them. They seem younger than me, but that makes sense since they're Amber's friends.

"Hey guys! Did I make you wait long?" Amber waves her hand toward them as we approach.

"Oh, Amber. You finally came! I thought you overslept again."

Amber is embarrassed while they laugh at the joke.

"I didn't!" Although she tries to deny it, her friends continue laughing for a while before stopping.

"Sorry, sorry. It was just a joke, Amber." One of them said as she wiped her tear. Besides me, Amber is pouting.

The group in front of me consists of two boys and a girl. Although I don't know them, I have seen them once or twice. I'm not sure I can say the same for them, maybe even the fact they never saw me before. Not like it matters either they or I will introduce ourselves to each other.

"By the way, Amber. Who is that beside you?" The only boy in the group decides to ask.

They finally notice my presence. They and I were staring at each other until Amber opened her mouth. It might be the lengthiest one second for me. It felt awkward, and they looked at me like I was an oddball.

"Ah, right." Amber gasped and reverted to her usual. "Let me introduce him to you all! His name is Morgan. We met at Good Hunter this morning, and he's my new friend. Though he's a bit older than us."

That was not the kind of introduction I had in mind, but that'll do. Also, did she call me a friend even though we met an hour ago? I wouldn't say she's not my friend, but I didn't know you could make a friend out of people that easily. Whatever, I guess having a friend is a good thing.

"Nice to meet you. I hope we can get along well."

"Nice to meet you too, Morgan. My name is Luna."

"I'm Kent. I also hope we can get along well."

"And I'm Clara. Nice to meet you."

"Hehe~ Now we're done with the introduction. What are we going to do today?" Amber quickly shifted the topic.

"Oh, I'm thinking we could play hide and seek today!" The boy named Kent raises his voice.

"Hide and seek, huh?"

"Sure, it's been a while since we played that! What do you think, Amber?" Asked the girl named Luna to Amber.

"Count me in." Amber then turned to me, "How about you, Morgan? Will you join us?"

It's a bit late for that, isn't it? Asking me to join them now is pointless, but she still decides to ask anyway. I should join their game after all introduction. Besides, we're just playing hide and seek. Having no concrete plan, playing along with them to kill some time doesn't sound like a bad idea.

"Okay."

"Alright! Then it settles." Kent pumps his fist before continuing, "Now, who will be the seeker?"

"Let's decide that with rock-paper-scissors." Clara proposes her idea.

None of them raises their voice against the idea. Then we all form a circle preparing to do rock-paper-scissors. In the first round, Amber and Luna won. The remaining went to the second round, and Clara was safe for being a seeker. Since it was only between Kent and me, this round will decide who becomes the first seeker. At this point, I don't really care whether I become the seeker or the one who hides. But I have a feeling that the one who will lose is-

"Oh, how coincidence. You are the seeker now, Morgan."

Me. Shit.

"Phew, that was close." Kent wipes the nonexistent sweat on his forehead.

"Haha, you're lucky that Morgan joins us."

"Now, Morgan. Close your eyes and count to twenty. We will hide before you finish counting."

"Understood."

I close my eyes and turn my back against them and start counting. I heard their footsteps getting farther from me in many directions. I have no intention of cheating in kid's games, so I keep covering my eyes and counting until twenty.

"Ready or not, here I come!" I announce before turning my back.

I look around, but I don't see any of them hiding in plain sight. A few people passed the pathway, and many places around here seemed to be good hiding spots. I also don't know how far the playground is. Mondstadt is a big city, so I don't think any of them would think of hiding somewhere far. It seems that this hide-and-seek won't be easy.

Heh. Poor things.

They don't know that I have this ability where I can tell who and where someone is at a certain distance. Right before I finish counting, I know where each of them is hiding. I can just bust them one by one right now, but after giving that idea a second thought, I don't think that's a good idea. First, I'm sure they'll think I'm cheating if I do that. Yes, I can tell this ability to them yet, because I can't explain how it works. Second, I feel like cheating if I use this in this game. I don't want to spoil the fun by using it. The problem is that I don't know how to deactivate this ability as much as I want to.

Since there's no other way around it, I've come up with a solution in mind. Pretending to look and catch at least one or maybe two, but not all of them. The nearest one who hides from me is Luna. I guess I can start with her.

With that in mind, I casually walk in her direction while pretending to watch my surrounding. She's hiding behind barrels next to a house that is only a house away from my starting point. When I turn to the corner of the house, I see a couple of barrels with a pot on top and behind the second barrel is where Luna is hiding. Closing into her, I say,

"Found you."

"Wha-!" I caught her by surprise, "That was quick!" She stands up after I tag her and comment on how fast I find her.

"I could see your head poking out a little from that corner. That's how I find you."

"Hmm~ Really?" She voices her suspicion.

"Come on. You're not going to say I'm cheating or some sort, are you?"

"What? No, no, of course not. I'm just impressed and thought you might have a talent for this."

"Oh, thanks. I guess?"

"Hm hm~" She smiles while humming and nodding her head. "It's too early to celebrate. You need to find the rest to win this." She said while pushing my back.

And so, the game resume until I decide to give up. After a few rounds, we settle to take a break and have a chat. Because they didn't know anything about me, we talked about me as a starter, but my turn ended soon. It was my turn to know better about them.

There isn't much I said to them about myself, and they were pretty thoughtful by not asking me too many questions. However, when it was their turn to tell me about them, I felt strange. It is not a sickness but rather an unfamiliar sensation. I can remember very little about them, notwithstanding they told me a lot about themselves. Like my head is rejecting whatever information they gave to me. I'm not sure what it is, but it concerns me.

Without realizing it, lunchtime has come. Everyone bids goodbye, leaving only me and Amber once again. Amber was about to go too, but I told her I wanted to treat her again to lunch at Good Hunter if she didn't mind. She refused at first but quickly accepted my invitation when I said she could have the Sticky Honey Roast. We went to Good Hunter once more for the day for lunch.

Arriving at the Good Hunter, Amber and I order our desired food. Amber orders her Sticky Honey Roast while I choose something else from my first meal. There weren't many customers, so our food came quite early. Taking the first bite, I can see her face sparkling with contentment. She's really into that, huh? It was my way of repaying her kindness, but I wouldn't tell her that. After finishing our food, we both said goodbye to each other. Amber didn't forget to express her gratitude before she left, either.

Now then, where should I head next?


A/N: Another chapter's part has come! I can't believe I didn't update this Fic for about a quarter year T.T

Anyway, in this chapter, I'm introducing Hao, which is the name I gave to Amber's grandfather. His name and character might be a bit OC since there isn't much info about him. Writing younger Amber's character is pretty fun tbh, unlike her gameplay *cough*. And those three kids are just extras, you can ignore them. This part is not the end of the chapter yet, the last part would be coming then another chapter will come out.

And as always, thank you for reading!

Extra:

Morgan's Profile:

Full Name : Morgan Friedrich

Nickname : Morgan

Birthday : 28/10

Age : 12 Years Old

Gender : Male

Weapon : -

Vision : Anemo

Constellation : Vesanus Aquilae

Affiliation : None

Traits : Morgan has pale skin, straight black hair, a round face with a pointy nose, thin eyebrows, and brown eyes. He wears a black shirt, white knee-long pants with black lines pattern, and black boots. His only accessories are three different color bracelets made of thread on his left hand. Keeping his Vision out of sight, he puts it on the back of his pants under his shirt.

Summary : You read, you know.