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Chapter 12: Su Han's Ambition
Knights of Favonius Headquarters.
The pendulum ticked steadily, each second slipping by like grains of sand.
At this moment, the acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius—Jean Gunnhildr—looked unusually restless. She paced back and forth so anxiously that she disrupted the quiet of the library, much to the librarian Lisa's annoyance.
Lisa gently closed her book. "Jean, aren't you getting a bit impatient? Didn't we agree to meet them here?"
Jean's violet-gray eyes were sharp and serious. "According to the latest intelligence, the Windblume Dragon has also been active outside the city. Once we meet them, I want to… handle things as quickly as possible."
Lisa rested her chin on her hand, leaning lazily against the railing, her elegant figure on full display. "No need to rush. I'll be going to help out soon enough."
Creak—
The door opened, and Kaeya was the first to step in, leading Su Han and his group.
Kaeya gave a casual greeting. "Acting Grand Master, your guests have arrived—"
Jean's eyes brightened as she spoke in a measured tone. "Mondstadt welcomes you, travelers carried by the wind. I am Jean, acting Grand Master."
"And this is Lisa, our library's custodian."
Lisa let out a small sigh of relief, glad that Jean had finally stopped pacing.
"Ah, is it that kind-hearted child here is helping because we're short-handed?"
The brown-haired beauty blinked elegantly, a teasing smile tugging at her lips.
This was the scene Su Han first encountered. The warm, older-sister type seemed to take an immediate liking to him.
"Yes, Miss Lisa," Su Han said solemnly, "we are here to lend our assistance."
"Of course, we also hope for fair compensation. For example, the girl beside me, Lumine, has been searching for her long-lost brother."
Lumine cast him a gentle glance, deciding to restrain her strength a little later, treating it as a minor punishment.
Paimon: "Whoa… since when did this guy get so serious?"
Lisa chuckled softly. "Hehe… how cute. Mr. Su Han, you… aren't from this world either, are you?"
Everyone around her froze for a moment. Paimon's jaw nearly hit the floor. "Eh? So you really aren't from this world?"
Su Han hadn't expected Lisa to see through his origins at first glance. Seeing that she held no ill will, he nodded. "Indeed. By a stroke of fate, I ended up in Teyvat. Unlike Lumine, I go wherever life takes me, hoping to find a place to settle in Mondstadt and build my own enterprise."
Kaeya subtly studied him, thinking: an interworld traveler, huh…
Lisa smiled softly and nodded, then let out a sigh. "The timing is… less than ideal. Ever since the Windblume Dragon's revival, it has been active around the city, causing chaos. The elemental flows and ley lines of Mondstadt are tangled like a ball of yarn clawed by a cat. For mages, this is the worst-case scenario… it affects both your mood and your skin."
Jean took over. "Without these disturbances, the Knights of Favonius would have methods far superior to mere search notices to assist you. For now, stay in Mondstadt while we handle the situation."
Lumine pressed her hand to her chest. "As Mr. Su Han said, we'll help too."
Paimon chimed in: "Paimon will help too—"
Kaeya: "Then let's settle on an operation plan."
Jean smiled faintly. "The Windblume Dragon's attack gives us the chance to strike at the source of the disaster. Thanks to Lisa's magical reconnaissance, the storm covering Mondstadt has revealed its origin."
Kaeya, seeming to have expected this, asked, "Oh? So the answer is…"
Lisa: "The abandoned Four Winds Temples. The Windblume Dragon's ability to summon storms of this scale comes from the residual energy there."
Jean: "Our target is three of the four abandoned temples. The reason we choose only three… I'm sure everyone can guess."
Paimon tilted her head. "I don't get it."
Lumine: "Perhaps it's a local custom. We'll ask later…"
Su Han: "Because the Windblume Dragon is one of the Four Winds, right?"
Amber laughed. "Smart…"
Jean: "No time to waste. The storm rages on, and passive defense is useless. Before the dragon disaster escalates, we'll take the initiative and advance to the abandoned temples."
"Amber and Mr. Su Han will handle the Temple of the West Wind Eagle; Kaeya takes the Temple of the North Wind Wolf; Lisa and Lumine cover the Temple of the South Wind Lion. How does that sound?"
Kaeya chuckled. "Am I the only lone wolf here? Haha, but that's fine—I'm used to it."
"Sorry, Kaeya. I should have gone with you, but I have more pressing matters." Jean's tone was apologetic. As Mondstadt's guardian, she had to personally calm the panicked citizens and negotiate with the envoy from Dragonspine. In some ways, her responsibilities were far from light.
"Don't worry, I was just joking…" Kaeya waved off her concern. Jean's serious nature often kept him from enjoying even a small joke.
—
Amber stopped and gestured toward Su Han. "Here it is, one of the abandoned Four Winds Temples. It's been deserted for years, and the citizens of Mondstadt never come here. It's possible wild beasts have made it their nest—or even Hilichurls have set up camp. Even the Windblume Dragon abandoned its own temple."
Su Han gently tapped Amber's bunny-eared accessory. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."
Amber blushed, changing the subject. "Let's not think about that. Can you feel it? The wind here… it's strange. Let's go inside, but be careful—the dragon's power is affecting this place. Although the two of us are capable of handling this abandoned temple, if… something unexpected happens, I want you to prioritize your own safety. I am Mondstadt's scouting knight, not one of those bards who only drink and sing."
"Don't worry. If anything happens, he'll run faster than anyone else," Su Han thought, smiling inwardly.
As they spoke, a small head suddenly popped out of Su Han's chest. The sight was shockingly eerie, making both of them jump.
"Pa… Paimon? How did you get inside me? Ugh, I mean… why not go to Lumine?" Su Han stammered, still startled. How had Paimon followed him unnoticed and then emerged halfway out of his chest?
"Hehe, it's Paimon's special ability. Scary, isn't it?"
"Definitely spooky," Amber said, relieved.
"The Traveler asked Paimon to follow you. She worried you'd sneak away, so Paimon is supervising."
"So… what was your original plan? You're going to slip away after helping Amber clean up this temple?" Paimon asked.
"Hmph. A man born under heaven should not remain idle beneath others," Su Han said frankly, revealing his true intentions.
"Speak normally!" Paimon jabbed him in the chest.
"I feel embarrassed always relying on Lumine, so I plan to start my own business in Mondstadt, while fulfilling a previous promise."
"Oh? What kind of business?"
Amber, curious, followed him inside.
As they walked, Su Han replied, "I plan… to earn some money and start a newspaper in Mondstadt."
Amber blinked. "A newspaper?"
Su Han: "Yes. It will be called the Teyvat Gazette. Each week, we'll write about current events, oddities, celebrity news, and more. The price will be low to attract ordinary citizens. Anyone who buys it can see the missing-person notices I register—far more effective than asking every corner of the Seven Nations in person. Once it gains fame, I can expand advertising space, helping clients and earning a lot of Mora."
Paimon's eyes sparkled as she clapped her hands. "Wow, Su Han, you're so clever! Paimon's going to stick with you from now on!"
Amber scratched her cheek, feeling that Su Han's last statement was the most telling of all.