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Chapter 17: Windy Adoption

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There is indeed something worthy of shame in leaving solo for this first week I intended to spend in Mondstadt. The first of many, but also the first of many necessary ones.

After all, sticking to Inazuma may sound a little bit sore on many people, and I have to admit that I was curious as we were getting around the time a certain traveler was bound to arrive in Mondstadt.

Between Arbad and the Traveler, I think I have many questions, but the latter had the most ideal amount of answers she could provide compared to a slightly amnesiac Arbad.

After all, I was very curious on what the Traveler had been up to for a long time, same for Paimon. In fact, out of the classic duo, Paimon was the one deserving so much interrogation - the lovable emergency meal had to explain where she came from and how did she know stuff.

I was a curious man, and I was also a petty one when people left me to stew in some life-changing dilemmas.

Now, while the trip itself was not meant to find the Traveler, I still was looking forward to it because...

Well, I had an Anemo Vision. It made sense that I would myself at ease in the Land of the Free that wasn't the USA!

Ah, oh yes, that was bound to be a thing to stress out a lot. Especially since Mondstadt was more of an Anarcho-Libertarian society at best. After all, who was the real government? The Knights of Favonius? The Church? Or... the FATUI!

...

Nah, the Fatui could technically take over economically, a flex to prove that being a possibility was how Pantalone took all the rooms in Goth Hotel and didn't cause an economic issue in that regard. Speaking of which, I couldn't exactly live in town considering that the only hotel was all packed up.

So yes, I had to first stop and buy myself some camping kits and all of that, and pretty much go around Liyue as much as possible without getting detected while crossing the border. It was pretty fucked up I have to say, especially since the Millelith can do their job very fine, so they can move fast in catching troublemakers.

Luckily for me, I had fast feet and an Anemo Vision.

So yes, I crossed the border, very illegally, and made it to the land of free. Is this cultural appropriation? I felt like I was doing something wrong here, even thinking about it.

...Ugh.

Now, back to Mondstadt. Let's talk about Mondstadt a little bit.

I think it's the Developers' fault, but compared to other regions Mondstadt does look less impressive. Sure, the point is that little urban stuff is good in a 'free land', but boy for a single pseudo-Teutonic Order society to be seen as the pseudo-government it feel underwhelming.

I couldn't blame Venti. He was doing his own thing that feminine wine-hoarding lil' god, he literally had little hand on current politics.

So yes, the first day in Mondstadt is accepting the underwhelming nature of this society. I just felt upset I could so easily set up a smuggling business on the spot and go around all the guards without getting noticed with my 'sketchy affairs'. Wine was good, especially when I could pretty much play on price manipulation on some foreign merchants that don't know better.

And in a form of government with a surprising lack of insight upon some advanced financial businesses... well, not many could pick up on the fact the scam on prices was not a legit thing and I deserved jail. But you know what they say: it ain't illegal if you don't get caught doing it.

Well, that was true in regard to the Knights. Not as much for a certain orphan.

Actually, I would say this is my fault.

I was wandering in the forests near the bridge leading up to Mondstadt, another good deal done to smuggle aplenty of 'fruity' booze to the aching Inazuma and booming Liyue, when I found a small figure leaning on a tree. It was about late afternoon and early evening, so that was a worrisome sight... if not for the fact the little one was shuddering, breathing erratically and looking fairly feverish.

As I approached the little one, I saw her tense up, and then she snapped around, turning as she revealed her identity and I actually held back a gasp.

"W-Who is there!?" The green-haired violet-eyed girl exclaimed, looking in my direction and I recognized the babiest of the babies.

COLLEI~!

"Just a friendly smuggler passing by," I smiled as I said that. She tensed up, and I facepalmed at the misunderstanding. "Of items, not people. Unless you are made of wine."

She frowned, clearly unwilling to accept the joke. Then again, she was at the stage of having just evaded her captors and she was being a bit jumpy. How do I fix tha- Oh right.

"Say, I can sense a great illness in you. Eleazar, mayhaps?"

Violet eyes sparked with surprise. "W-What?"

"You know, the illness that sickens the body until you are unable to fully endure simple chores and then perish."

She slumped a bit at that.

"Oh, don't be so upset. See, I am a non-scamming smuggler and I have a magic touch to myself. And I so happen to need a 'local helper' in recent times."

...

"I don't-"

I already put the mask. I can't exactly claim ask for consent to a minor for a medical fixing of the divine kind so... Elation do your work!

A bright flash erupted from Collei, the girl tense and vigilant as a furious look flashed on her face.

"What did you do to me!?"

"Removing Eleazar. And other nasty stuff the fatui asshole put in you. You know, bad drugs and all of that mojo."

Collei opened her mouth, ready to speak back at this claim when she paused and looked at her arms, she looked all over her bandaged body, an incredulous look manifesting fully as she realized I hadn't lied.

"Y-You actually- how?! How did- did you do this?"

"I have friends above the Archons. But let us keep it 'quiet' for the time being. Don't want to get kicked out of this region too," I replied jovially, then I bowed a bit. "By the way, my name is Sampo Koski. May I ask yours?"

She blinked, bowing her head nervously as if to mimic my gesture. "Collei. My- My name is Collei."

"Nice to meet you, little Collei. But I wanna know, would you like to work for me? I guarantee educations, three meals a day, some amusing criminality on the side to make a quick Mora, and perhaps a trip or two into Inazuma and beyond."

...

"I c-can choose, right?"

I shrugged, knowing she didn't like getting 'forced' into things. "Yep. You have power on what to do next. I gave you a chance at picking your own path so-"

"Yes, then!"

Well, that's convenient.

"Then welcome aboard the business of smuggling booze and more across Teyvat. So... oh, you are fainting."

She indeed was, and I picked her before she could hit the ground. This was indeed a most fascinating way to determine how close to 'canon start' I was: the manga plot. The plot that happened right a year before the beginning of the game. So this meant that... yeah, a Fatui plot involving Dottore was unfolding.

And I was around to play with that...

Heh, I guess I can give a bit of a fright to the Fatui considering the little thing I did with Columbina back in Inazuma.

AN

First week in Mondstadt and-

Collei happens! And now Sampo is a Dad. Again.

Sampo: Perry you may be the Father, but I am the Daddy to fix the Issues!