They left the stone bridge of Mondstadt.
The moment they stepped off the bridge, they turned left, heading north. The path ahead had some rough patches. It wasn't the safest route, but with a strong bodyguard by her side, Bonanus knew danger was just a paper tiger.
The road was easy to follow. It ran close to Cider Lake, which surrounded Mondstadt, and there were no mountains blocking the way.
Knights of Favonius patrolled the area regularly. This was still close to Mondstadt, and they weren't about to let their guard down.
The Abyss Order kept causing trouble, leaving threatening letters and disturbing the peace. It was exhausting.
Then there were the Fatui. No one knew what they were plotting in the shadows. They had hideouts both in plain sight and hidden away. A real headache.
On top of all that, Stormterror had been causing panic. Things had been a little quieter lately. The dragon hadn't been seen as often.
Still, the people of Mondstadt were terrified. The Knights had been racking their brains over this.
Everyone knew Stormterror had once been one of the Four Winds of Mondstadt. Because of that, the Knights wanted to find a better way to resolve the situation.
But certain diplomatic groups disagreed. They kept chanting slogans about protecting Mondstadt's people or eliminating Stormterror. They also made things difficult for the Knights whenever they could. A real nuisance.
Why would one of the Four Winds attack Mondstadt? There were many theories. Some said Stormterror had betrayed the Anemo Archon. Others said he was being controlled by an evil spirit.
Some stories were pure fabrication, spreading rumors and fear. Others got half the truth right. But what was really going on? Only time would tell.
Anyone could talk. In this world, everyone had the power to make up stories. You had to see things for yourself to know the truth.
But keep in mind, what you see isn't always real either. Sometimes your eyes can lie to you.
---
Walking along this steady path
Bonanus was heading to Stormbearer Point in Starfell Valley to find the Traveler. In the game, that was where the main character first appeared.
Getting to Stormbearer Point wasn't easy. Bonanus and Noelle were traveling on foot. Starfell Valley had many different areas and landmarks.
First, they had to head north, passing through Whispering Woods. Then they would turn toward Cider Lake, where a statue of the Anemo Archon stood. It hadn't been cleaned in a long time.
From there, they would head west. The road was long, but the scenery was beautiful. They could even see Starsnatch Cliff in the distance.
"Noelle, smell this Sweet Flower. I think it smells better than the others."
Bonanus held up a Sweet Flower she had just picked and put it right under Noelle's nose. Good things had to be shared with your sister.
Noelle played along and took a sniff. To her, it smelled just like any other Sweet Flower. She didn't understand why her sister thought it was special.
She didn't say that, though. She touched her cheek and nodded in agreement.
"You're right. This must be a top quality Sweet Flower. It would probably make delicious food."
"Hehe, let's find some meat tonight and cook something!" Bonanus couldn't help swallowing just thinking about the camping meal.
"Can you cook, Sister?" Noelle asked curiously. She meant nothing by it.
Bonanus froze. Cook... cook? Ah... cooking!
Just thinking about cooking brought back bad memories from her previous life. Let her give a few examples.
Once, she forgot to add water when boiling noodles and got distracted watching videos. By the time she remembered, the noodles had fused into a solid lump.
A burned, stuck-together brick that sauce couldn't even soak into. Terrible. Other times, the meat was raw, or the rice turned into porridge.
Then there was the unforgettable time she tried to fry eggs in a pan and accidentally set the pan on fire. Hot oil splattered everywhere.
Yes, you heard that right. Too much oil, and the flames just caught.
Dark memories indeed.
For someone as careless as her, using a gas stove for so long without burning the house down was probably just luck.
Takeout was the true hero.
---
"A little. I'm okay, I guess."
Bonanus rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed. In the months since coming to Teyvat, she had never learned to cook local food.
"Really? Can I try it sometime?" Noelle's eyes sparkled. She really wanted to taste her sister's cooking.
It must be Liyue cuisine. She heard Liyue dishes were expensive. As a successful merchant, her sister must have tried many amazing foods.
Just thinking about it made her hungry.
"No. Not happening. Forget it." Bonanus shut it down immediately. She wasn't about to subject Noelle to her terrible cooking.
Afraid that Noelle might misunderstand, she added:
"None of my dishes ever turn out right. I can eat, but if I try to cook, I usually mess it up."
"So that's how it is!"
Noelle covered her mouth and laughed. Her new sister was so interesting. Being with her always felt lively and fun.
What a rare chance to relax, Noelle thought.
"Don't worry. As a maid who can do everything, I'm also good at cooking. If you don't mind, I can do the cooking." Noelle struck a confident pose.
"I'm counting on you..." Bonanus smiled awkwardly. She didn't know why, but she felt embarrassed.
And so they walked through the wilderness, chatting about one thing after another. Girls had endless topics.
They ran into merchants and patrolling Knights now and then. Everyone greeted them warmly.
But they never ran into Amber. What a shame. Bonanus really wanted to meet that enthusiastic, angelic girl.
No need to worry, though. She was in Mondstadt. Their paths would cross eventually.
---
Near Whispering Woods
"Sister Fashui, this area is called Whispering Woods. The terrain is a little rough with rocks and fallen trees, but it's not very big."
"Wild boars and squirrels live here. Sometimes monsters or Treasure Hoarders hide here too. We need to be careful."
Noelle started giving a tour the moment they arrived. She was an excellent guide. Compared to a certain emergency food, she was a hundred times better.
"I see. This place would be good for hiding." Bonanus rubbed her chin and looked around.
There were plenty of trees, bushes, and small hills to hide behind. Perfect for criminals.
But if they thought they could hide from the Knights here, they were naive. This area was too close to Mondstadt. It wasn't that easy.
They could hide temporarily, but if they stayed too long, they would end up in jail.
Certain Outriders also came here regularly to check for dangers that might threaten Mondstadt's citizens.
Treasure Hoarders: This sucks!
"I'm not good at fighting. If anything happens, I'm counting on you." Bonanus put on a weak act, whispering to Noelle.
A woman who could tear an enemy in half is saying she can't fight. Ridiculous.
"Leave it to me. I'll do my best."
Noelle spoke seriously. If they ran into something she couldn't handle, she would fight to the end, buying Sister Fashui enough time to escape.
"Noelle, you're so reliable." Bonanus linked her arm through Noelle's and rubbed her face against her shoulder. Cuddling with your sister felt great.
Just as they were enjoying themselves, two Hydro Slimes bounced across the path in front of them. They looked at the two girls, then at each other.
Prey spotted.