A Breather and A Journey
"There you go, nice and easy, Hoshi," the tittering voice of my pretty guide led me through the streets of Sumeru City. I felt a bit bad, knowing I was holding her back, but I could appreciate the gesture of kindness for what it was. When I'd initially protested, she had said 'In Sumeru, a gift from a friend is accepted with thanks. To turn it down would be a grave insult to the gifter.' Then she'd given me this puppy-eyed stare that I just couldn't refuse. "Just let me know if I'm moving too fast, alright?"
"I'm stiff, not old, Nilou," I told her, only receiving a smile in return. I rolled my eyes at her response, chuckling under my breath. "How about this Grand Bazaar that you've been talking up? We haven't gone there, yet." The girl agreed, and we slowly made our way to one of the tunnels leading into Sumeru City's interior. I was met by... loud noise. People talking. Children shouting and running around. the smell of spices, incense, and torch flames filled the air as I saw the colorful market before me. Despite the noise and the overwhelming sensations... I felt my heart swell, and a smile spread across my lips.
"It's magical, isn't it?" Nilou asked from beside me, jostling me from my observations. "All of these people, coming together and helping each other in need. Even though business takes place here like usual, you can surely see the small things that connect everyone, can't you?" Yeah. Even though the stalls were ramshackle, and the torches were set up haphazardly, everyone here seemed to be enjoying themselves; talking amongst each other even while shopping. I saw as two families greeted each other like old friends; each set of parents with a trail of kids behind them, everyone holding crates of food and supplies. The kids all excitedly talked to one another as their parents caught up.
To another corner, I saw a girl dancing on a rug as she gathered a crowd of people around her. She had a crate beside her, and I watched as people tossed Mora into it; each coin met with a smile and what I assumed were words of thanks as she continued her dance. To another corner, there was a young man painting on a canvas a portrait of a couple, the girl sitting on her lover's lap. They talked and teased and laughed, which resulted in the painter screwing up some details. They didn't get mad, though. Instead, they laughed and continued as if they hadn't made a mistake.
"I can see why you love this place," I told her, noting as one of the branches overhead had a fracture. "Some of these places, though..."
"Yeah, I realize it's a bit unimpressive," Nilou admitted. "The Akademiya doesn't exactly appreciate our presence here, but besides some strict words, they don't stop us, either. It just means that we have to fund ourselves down here, so we can't exactly afford some of the luxuries that you saw in the rest of the city."
"So, this is what the City of Wisdom hides, then," I mumbled to myself. "This is the second nation that has some sort of issue of its own. At least this one isn't nearly as debilitating, though." I shook my head, turning back to Nilou. "Well, I'll be willing to help in any way I can. Think if it as thanks for taking care of me," I told her. "Though if I have to go back to that fortress, I think I'll go insane..."
"Oh, not to worry!" Nilou chirped happily. "I asked my parents, and they'd be more than happy to accept you into our family!"
"Into your-" I had to shake my head and clear it of any weird thoughts. "Uh, you mean stay with you guys, right? I think what you said has some other implications..."
"Does it?" she asked, her smile unchanging and hardly a dirty thought behind those eyes. Ah... Nilou... "If I gave you the wrong idea, I'm really sorry. You're right, though, you're always welcome to stay with my family and me."
"Well, I appreciate it," I told her sincerely. We walked in comfortable silence between us through the bazaar, gazing at wondrous items and listening to uplifting music. It was magical, in a sense, how connected everyone seemed, here. I could hardly believe what I was seeing and hearing. After spending most of my conscious hours in Mondstadt during a crisis, this was the first time I'd really seen any place so... alive. It was vibrant, and people openly smiled at one another. While there were mercenaries who patrolled the bazaar, the Corps of Thirty I think they were called, even they didn't seem very on edge.
As my mind considered that, though, I came to a realization. Somehow this felt familiar; as if I'd experienced such things, before. I knew I recognized it, just not from where. That implied I'd been to someplace similar in the past, right? "Nilou," I spoke up, earning the girl's attention. "You wouldn't have happened to recognize me from someplace, did you?" She looked confused for a moment, before realization dawned across her face.
"I'm sorry, Ho- um, Traveler," she spoke with slowly. "I've never seen you around, before. B-But, we can ask some other people if they recognize you!" I gave it some thought, but ultimately shook my head.
"No, I'm sure someone would have recognized me by now if I'd been here in the past," I told her. "Better we not waste our time with something that seems obviously a waste of time." Still, Nilou seemed concerned about me.
"Are you sure?" she pressed. "I'm certain it wouldn't be any trouble at all!"
"I'm sure," I insisted. "Come on, let's not spoil our time here. In fact, is there any place looking for employment? I don't know how long I'll be in Sumeru, so being able to earn some money would be helpful."
"Ahh, about that," a sheepish expression spread across her face. "It's not that nobody here is looking for employees, it's just..." I saw her eyes dart to the various bits and bobs falling apart within the bazaar. Ah, I see. I guess it would be hard to pay for extra hands if you can barely even keep the place from falling apart.
"Well, there's nothing saying I have to work someplace here," I told her, sparing her the secondary humiliation. "Oh, that reminds me. There was an Adventurer's Guild in Mondstadt that took commissions. Is there one here, as well?"
"Yes, there is!" Nilou perked up at my suggestion, and gently changed the direction of our stroll. "It's right this way, not too far from the Grand Bazaar. Come, follow-"
"Hey, it's Nilou!" I heard a young man's voice cry out from the crowd, and saw as a group of guys began pushing their way through other people in order to get to us. Or rather, get to Nilou. "Nilou! Hey, long time, no see! Where've you been, recently? Oh, and, uh, who's this?" His tone immediately changed upon seeing me, with the dancer's arms wrapped around my right arm. While in actuality she was making sure I didn't fall due to my weakened state, I'm sure it looked very different to these guys.
"Oh, hey Ahsfad, Uhts, Malik," Nilou greeted them all with a smile on her face. "It's great to see you again! Is your sister feeling better, Uhts?" There was a visible bashfulness on Uhts' face when Nilou spoke to him, and Malik had to slap his back to knock him out of it.
"Oh! Uh, yeah, she's doing great, now!" the young man told her. Nilou might not have caught it, but I had the distinct feeling that Uhts wasn't being completely honest about something. "It's all thanks to you, Nilou! I had no idea that Sumeru Roses could be used for medicines!"
"Oh, it's just an old family remedy that my mom taught me," the girl replied. It seemed like they were going to be conversing for a while, so I decided to wander off towards one of the nearby stalls. The man was selling rugs. While I didn't really have any interest in them, I could at least pretend that I did. I didn't even have a home to place it, even if I did buy a rug. Maybe it would make a good thank-you gift for Nilou's parents, for letting me stay with them...? Yes, that would be-
"So, who're you?" a rather disgruntled voice asked me from behind. I turned to face a very unhappy looking young man. Malik, I think? "I've never seen you around here before. What's your business with Nilou?" Ah, yes, jealousy. I had a feeling, before, but now I was certain that this is what it was. Well, if he's gonna be such an asshole about it...
"Ah, Nilou?" I began. "Why, I'll be staying with her and her family. She and I have become quite close friends over the last few days, you see. I guess some might say inseparable." I gave him a smile that felt like it should have been much wider, given his increasingly frustrated scowl. "She's been helping with my recovery, you see. I got into a pretty big fight, recently, and broke my spine as a result. Luckily, I have this to help me." I flashed my Vision into view, and I noticed his expression falter into worry and concern. Right, Vision Bearers are practically demigods. I wondered if that Gnosis inside of me made me a god of some sort...
"R-Really? That it, huh?" Malik asked, still trying to put up a tough front, but obviously intimidated. "You must be pretty tough, then?"
"Well, the fight was against Mondstadt's dragon," I told him honestly. "I hear that it was defeated, so that must have been after it swatted me out of the sky. You ever been grounded by a dragon, before? Ah, that's a stupid question." I shrugged, turning back to the rugs before me. "Either way, I'm considering this a vacation of sorts. Once I'm back to one-hundred percent, I'll probably head back to Mondstadt. In the meantime, though, I'll be staying with Nilou and her family."
"A-Ah, got it," Malik seemed to be at a loss for words, but he definitely understood my hidden message. I'm too strong for you, you can't stop me from being with Nilou, back off. "H-Hey, nice meeting you, alright? It was just a friendly talk, so I hope you make it back to Mondstadt, soon!"
"We'll see," I told him. "Looks like your buddies are done harassing Nilou. Stay out of trouble, alright? I'd hate to see that sweet girl inconvenienced in any way."
"Uh, yes, sir!" the young man took a step back, grabbing his friend, Ahsfad, was it? Whatever. I approached Nilou as Malik dragged his buddies away, hushed whispers spoken between them.
"You have quite the fan club," I remarked, earning a smile from the dancer. "It seems like they're quite smitten, too. Not that I can blame them. Make it a habit of seducing poor, innocent fellows?" I give her a smile to make it obvious I'm teasing her, but her face paints itself red with embarrassment, regardless.
"Oh, no, not at all!" she protests, waving her hands as if doing so would prove her innocence. "I'm just good friends with them! You see, Uhts' sister was sick with a fever, so-"
"I'm joking, Nilou," I calm the girl before she can lose herself in her words. "It's fine, nothing to worry about. Anyway, the Adventurer's Guild is this way, right?"
"O-Oh! Yes, yes, it is," she quickly reorients herself, an easy smile returning to her face. "This tunnel leads up to the other side of Sumeru City, and leads to a road that overlooks the port for the city. It's a very beautiful place, and it's one of my favorite places to go when I'd like some peace and quiet. Right at the end of the road is Lambad's Tavern, a local hotspot for all sorts of people, locals and travelers alike!"
"I suppose that means the food is good, there?" I asked, despite knowing what her answer would be.
"Of course!" Nilou seemed shocked that I would even ask such a question. "Their fish rolls and their ajilenakh cakes are simply amazing! You have to try them! Let's go right now, I'll even cover the costs of your food!"
"Ah, hey, Adventurer's Guild first, alright?" To her credit, Nilou hid her embarrassment well when I reminded her of where I wanted to go. "We can grab something to eat afterwards, alright?"
"Right, right, I nearly forgot!" the girl laughed away her slip up. "Yes, the Guild building is right over here." I followed her to the easily recognizable forward desk of the Adventurer's Guild, with... "Katheryne! I've brought a potential new member!" Was that really her? I vaguely remembered a woman with a similar look named Katheryne in Mondstadt, too.
"Wait, are you the same Katheryne from Mondstadt?" I asked her, unable to contain my confusion.
"Ad astra abyssosque! Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild," the woman behind the counter greeted us. "Miss Nilou, and Mister Honorary Knight! It's a pleasure to see you both in good health." So she knew me! "To answer your question, Mister Honorary Knight, I am Katheryne, and to answer your question, you have probably seen the same me before. To meet the demands of the adventurers from all over the world, I use a special tool to teleport myself and work in multiple places simultaneously."
"Wait, so you can teleport?"
"Oh dear, you actually believed that?" Katheryne smiled demurely, resting her cheek in the palm of her hand as she closed her eyes with amusement at my expense. "Sorry, that was a joke. Please don't take it to heart." She then turned back to Nilou. "In any case, it's wonderful that you've brought us a new member interested in joining the Adventurer's Guild! And one so well-known in Mondstadt, at that! I'm sure that Acting Grand Master Jean will be comforted knowing about his survival." Wait, she didn't answer me at all!
"Hey, are you trying to pick a fight, lady?" I grumbled, but was promptly ignored once more as Katheryne reached under her desk to pull out some paperwork. She set the papers down on the counter in front of me, giving me an innocent smile as she handed me a pen.
"Please fill out this paperwork as completely and truthfully as possible," she told me, completely ignoring my words from earlier. I stared at her as she held the pen out to me, narrowing my eyes. Her smile, gentle and earnest, never twitched or faded. "Tch, you're lucky you're cute," I told her, snatching the pen from her grip and going to work on the papers in front of me.
"I'm afraid that, while flattered, I'm currently married to my job and can't accept your advances," she told me in response. I gripped the pen harder as Nilou did her best not to outright laugh at me, if the strangled noise in her throat meant anything. "However, I'm certain that there's someone special for you-"
"It was a joke!" I shouted at the woman, trying my best to beat down the flush in my cheeks. She gave me a shocked expression in return, her hand resting over her mouth before her eyes seemed to droop.
"Oh, dear, does that mean you don't find me physically attractive at all?" she asked with a shaky voice. "I-I had hoped that I would at least be pretty enough to provide a pretty face to all of our tired, hard-working-"
"Oh my gods, please just kill me," I snarled, slamming my face against the wooden countertop to the melodic laughter of the two women present. I let out a tired breath and a groan as I felt a hand reach over and gently pat the back of my head. Glancing up, I saw it was Katheryne.
"That was the most entertainment I've had all day," she told me. "Thank you for that. I believe I'll be able to perform my duties with twenty percent more efficiency as a result for the rest of the day."
"Yeah, pleasure to be of service," I grumbled with a flat tone, letting myself decompress for a few moments before returning back to the guild's paperwork. I offhandedly listened to Katheryne talk with Nilou during that time, as well as Katheryne hard at work when any Adventurers came up to the desk. As much of a weird sadist as she was, she was definitely dedicated to her job. I could respect that, at least. "Here. Everything look good?" I handed Katheryne back the papers when she had a free moment, and she seemed to skip through them before straightening them out and placing them somewhere under her desk.
"Perfect! Thank you very much for signing your registration forms," she said, grabbing something else from under her desk. "This," she said as she slapped a large, leather-cover book onto the counter in front of me, "is an Adventurer's Handbook. It's a helpful item which has been enchanted to automatically update you with relevant information that might assist you out in Teyvat. As a member of the Adventurer's Guild, this is yours, free of charge!" I accepted the item, noting idly that it seemed far lighter than its size would suggest when I picked it up. "Additionally, your beginning Adventurer's Rank starts at D rank. Despite being the Honorary Knight of Mondstadt, I'm afraid I can't award you a higher rank without completing a few commissions, first. Please work hard, and I'm sure you'll climb the ranks in no time, Mister Hoshi!"
"Right..." I glanced at the woman, who was motioning to a board beside her with all the guild's adventurer ranks. From D, all the way up to S. What a pain... "Well, I guess we should grab some food, first," I told Nilou as I turned to face her. "After that, I can work on my first job and earn my keep."
"That sounds good!" the dancer replied with a smile on her face. "Let's celebrate with some lunch!"
M*O*S
Lunch was a simple affair, and thankfully, Nilou paid for my meal this time. Of course, I'd have to work hard to repay her kindness, and the kindness of her family. Nilou had opted to return home for the time being and set up a room for me, so for now I was on my own. As I approached the desk of the Adventurer's Guild, however, there was a gentle frown on Katheryne's face as she looked at what appeared to be a letter in her hands. "Ah, Mister Hoshi," she greeted me as I drew close, and her attention turned towards me. "Ad astra abyssosque! I apologize for the lack of decorum, but I have an important question for you."
"What's up, Katheryne?" I asked, resting my arms on the guild's counter. She looked me over, as if studying me.
"How well do you think you would be for long-term travel and potential combat?" she asked, and something in her tone made me consider her seriously. Well, more seriously than I normally would be. I gave it some thought, and let out a sigh.
"I should be fine to fight in a few days, though obviously not as well as I'd like," I told her honestly. "As for travel, I can get around so long as the roads aren't too rough. I'll just have to pump more Anemo into my body to make it happen. IF I could get some transport, then it'd make it all the easier." Katheryne nodded after a moment of thought, her expression serious.
"I have an urgent commission here," she told me, lifting the letter to my attention. "It just arrived moments ago. The commissioner is a Mondstadt merchant who is currently in Aaru Village. According to him, his associate and the Sumpter Beasts they leased out to an Akademiya researcher have been missing in the desert for a while now..."
"What's a sumpter beast?" I asked her. She motioned behind me, pointing to a large creature with brown fur, a stocky body, and a flat face with eyes hidden by its shaggy fur. It seemed to be all too happy eating away at some veggies that had been set aside for it, and even had a kind of barding on it. "Ah, got it."
"Continuing on," Katheryne spoke once more. "He's hoping that a highly experienced adventurer can take this commission and confirm the status of his associate and the Sumpter Beasts. Unfortunately, all of the more experienced adventurers in the area are out on their own commissions, and likely won't return for some time. If you feel able, I'd like to assign this commission to you, Mister Hoshi. While officially you don't have the correct rank to accept this mission, you are also the Honorary Knight of Mondstadt, which I believe more than qualifies you for this."
"So this is just a search and rescue?" I asked, earning a hesitant nod from Katheryne.
"Presumably," she clarified. "However, the wildlife in Sumeru is extremely dangerous, and one must be experienced in combat in order to travel with the utmost safety. Unfortunately, I cannot afford to send anyone with you on this commission."
"How about a volunteer?" I heard a voice speak up from beside me as a young woman with tan skin walked up to the counter. She wore what seemed to be pretty functional clothing, with her brown hair pulled back into a ponytail and a relaxed gait to her stride. I noticed that she had some sort of green device on her left ear; same as Nilou and Katheryne and pretty much everyone else around here, now that I thought about it. Weird. "Good to see you, Katheryne."
"Ad astra abyssosque, hello Miss Asilah," Katheryne greeted the new arrival easily enough. "Is that right? Are you willing to volunteer as an escort and companion to Mister Hoshi?" I winced at my name being so casually thrown around by the receptionist. Sure, I was fine with her using it, but I'd put it down as my name on the papers I signed. "If you are, that would be most helpful!"
"Yes, I'd be happy to help," the woman beside me answered, giving me a friendly smile and offering my hand. "My name is Asilah, and I'm an Eremite Mercenary. It's nice to meet you. I've actually been watching you for a while, now."
"That so?" I asked, suddenly a bit more on edge. The woman nodded, as if nothing were strange with what she just said. I took her hand and shook it, at least for the sake of appearances.
"Yes," she replied easily enough. "I've heard much about you, and wanted to see for myself what you were like. If I had to put it into words, you're like a warm rain shower passing overhead, revitalizing the forest with new life and discoveries."
"Sure..." I trailed off, not sure how to handle this woman and her odd eccentricates. "Well, I hope we work well, together?"
"Indubitably," Asilah replied, looking pleased with herself for some reason. I turned back to Katheryne, who seemed to have noticed absolutely nothing strange with the new arrival.
"Alright, so how do I accept the commission?" I asked, and the receptionist shook her head.
"I've already filed the necessary information away," she told me. "Remember; you will be heading to Aaru Village, and your contact's name is Bonifaz. He can provide you more details. Safe travels, you two."
"Thank you," both Asilah and I echoed in response. I turned to the Eremite, still a bit wary. "Well, you're the local. Mind showing me the way?"
"With pleasure," she replied, a skip in her step as we headed west.