The long afternoon passed slowly as the two savored their meal. Now full of energy, Bonanus had no intention of going back for a nap.
Mondstadt was still lively at noon. Merchants were still hawking their wares, drinkers were still enjoying their wine, and slackers were still slacking.
After finishing their food, the two young women strolled unhurriedly along the roads. Bonanus shopped while Noelle quietly followed behind.
Bonanus bought a lot—mostly moderately priced decorations or pretty stones.
At first, Noelle had wanted to help carry the goods, since Bonanus looked so slender that surely she couldn't lift much.
But when the items magically vanished from Bonanus's hands, Noelle's clever mind sprouted question marks.
What just happened? Where did all those goods go?
"Sister Fash... ahem, Sister, what kind of ability is that?" Curious, Noelle asked.
Hearing this, Bonanus didn't hide anything. She smiled and spun a yarn.
"I once encountered an adeptus in the wild who gifted me with a treasure. Think of it as an ability they bestowed—it can store goods and such."
Noelle wasn't from Liyue, so she knew little about Liyue's adepti. Combined with her trusting nature, she would surely believe this little story.
And sure enough, the innocent Noelle's expression lit up with sudden understanding. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Bonanus with admiration.
"As expected of Sister!"
"Even though I've never seen Liyue's adepti and don't know much about them..."
Noelle looked a bit regretful. She had never seen them and knew almost nothing about them. Though she had come across mentions once or twice while reading in the library, she hadn't paid much attention.
Liyue's guardians weren't Mondstadt's guardians, so why should she care? Besides, information about these guardians was scarce—hardly worth her time.
Even the Fatui, who operated worldwide, knew very little about the adepti, let alone a mere trainee knight like her.
But still, a nation's guardians must be incredibly powerful figures—old monsters who had fought in the wars of millenia past.
How enviable! Talking with them would surely broaden one's knowledge. Sister was so lucky!
"Hehe, don't make that face. If you have time, I wouldn't mind taking you to Liyue to see some adepti."
As she said this, a faint smile played on Bonanus's lips. Noelle simply thought Miss Fashui was being friendly.
"I'll count on you then." Noelle played along.
Bonanus nodded slightly. The truth was, Noelle had already met a real adeptus—her. But that could wait. For now, buying souvenirs was most important. Maybe she could also treat Noelle to a drink.
Life was so pleasant! No worries about money, buying whatever she saw, with a pretty girl by her side—something she never dared dream of in her previous life.
Sorry to her fellow loyal Genshin players, but only true lucky ones could transmigrate—it cost lifespan!
"Let's keep going!" Bonanus smiled warmly at Noelle.
"Okay." Noelle replied softly, staying close to Bonanus. The two looked like close friends who had known each other for years.
...
Half an hour later
The happy shopping spree finally ended. Once again, bountiful harvest!
Looking at the five childish necklaces in her hand, Bonanus grinned. These were for her family.
Who knew there were vendors selling such trinkets in Mondstadt? How nice!
The five necklaces each had different patterns and colors: a purple pig, a green sparrow, a blue fish, a dark brown rock, and a fiery red mouse.
The blue fish was for herself. The purple pig was for Brother Bosacius. The green sparrow was for Alatus (Xiao). The other two were for Menogias and Indarias, who had not yet returned.
Though they looked childish, the necklaces were adorable. Surely her family would love them—right?
Gripping the five necklaces tightly, Bonanus imagined her big brother wearing his pig necklace and couldn't help but laugh.
She couldn't wait!
Seeing Sister Fashui so happy, Noelle glanced over curiously, tilting her head with a sweet drink in her hand.
These five cute necklaces must hold great meaning for Sister. Perhaps she planned to give them to her family. How thoughtful.
Though she vaguely guessed the situation, Noelle didn't dwell on it.
"Sister, where are we going next?"
Noelle held her drink in front of her and smiled. Since shopping was done, it was time to move on to other things.
If she didn't know what to do, that was fine. Noelle knew many interesting places they could visit.
Hearing this, Bonanus snapped out of her thoughts. She stored four of the necklaces in her space, keeping the fish one for herself.
"I want to go to the Starfell Valley in Mondstadt. I'd like to take a look around there." Bonanus rubbed her chin with a knowing smile.
Come on—since she was in the starter nation of Mondstadt, of course she'd check out the valley!
She needed to confirm whether the golden-haired Traveler—the protagonist of this world—was there. Also, she wanted to see if the Traveler was a player character or an independent being.
If it was a player, that would be terrible. But if it was an independent consciousness, that would be wonderful.
According to the original story, after the golden-haired Traveler arrived in Teyvat searching for their sibling, they wandered around the Starfell Valley for months.
Fishing, foraging for food—who knew what the powerless protagonist was doing? The Traveler who woke up there must still be confused.
But she was just going to take a look, not interfere. They would meet naturally in due time—no need to rush.
"Ah? That place is patrolled by senior knights, but there are still many monsters. Are you sure you want to go?"
Noelle looked worried. Miss Fashui had already been attacked by monsters before coming to Mondstadt. If something happened again, her mental state might suffer.
"It's fine—I have Noelle!" Bonanus linked her arm through Noelle's, narrowing her eyes seriously.
Flustered by the arm-linking, Noelle blushed. Sister's words and expression made her feel like a strong, dependable knight.
How wonderful!
This was recognition. With that, she would fulfill her duty as a guard and protect Sister from any harm.
Yes! That was the plan!
"Okay, I understand. Leave it to me." Noelle felt a bit dizzy. Being relied upon was a great thing for her.
And this was guard duty—another great opportunity to gain experience!
"Hehe, then would you kindly lead the way, Knight Noelle?" Bonanus gently pinched Noelle's waist, speaking in a teasing tone.
"Please... don't say such embarrassing things!" Noelle covered her flushed face with both hands. At that moment, her affection for her new friend soared.
If Bonanus's system were some kind of affection system, she would have hit the jackpot. Unfortunately, it wasn't.
After a moment of shyness, Noelle quickly regained her composure. Next stop—Starfell Valley!