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Mondstadt is the City of Wind, and its residents can spot a reference to their home from a mile away. While the novel "Detective of the Windy City" uses a fictional name, anyone living there immediately recognized it as a love letter to Mondstadt. A city favored by the Anemo Archon, forever brushed by a gentle breezeāit was unmistakable.
In the Wind and Bird Bookstore, the crowd was buzzing. Albert, eyes shining with excitement, turned to the people behind him in line. "I love this book! Protecting everything in the city, from a lost kitten to a missing childā¦ it shows Master Ye Ruo's deep tenderness for Mondstadt.
I'm certain the protagonist, Shotaro, is based on Master Ye Ruo himself. Even if the name sounds a bit Inazuman, his knightly vow to guard the city clearly draws from the legend of the Darknight Hero."
He lowered his voice, glancing around cautiously. "And that organization, the Museum? The one secretly selling products infused with the 'resentment of dead gods'? Master Ye Ruo didn't name them, but we all know who that's based on: the Fatui! Only they would pull something so twisted. Damn Fatui!"
Albert's caution was well-founded. The Fatui were a behemoth, a diplomatic and military force spanning all seven nations of Teyvat. While they operated under the guise of diplomacy, their reputation for shady, meddlesome behavior preceded them. They were powerful and terrifying, led by eleven Harbingers whose strength was legendary. With Grand Master Varka having led the majority of Mondstadt's elite knights on an expedition, the city's defense had weakened. Ordinary citizens like Albert knew better than to shout their grievances too loudly.
Still, "Detective of the Windy City" was becoming a local sensation, rivaling even the idol novel. While "To Save Mondstadt, Debut and Become an Idol!" had a dedicated fan base, the grit and mystery of the new detective story resonated deeply with those who loved the city.
The central conceit was especially captivating: a secret treasure containing the power of the Anemo Archon that could transform into various elemental abilities to combat enemies.
In a city that worshipped Barbatos, anything involving his power was considered a precious treasure. There was a legendary story of a man who once competed with the Fatui to obtain a sealed vial supposedly containing a ray of the Wind God's "breath."
He became so obsessed that he bought every similar vial he could find, eventually ending up with two thousand fakesājust to ensure the Fatui didn't get their hands on a real one. Master Ye Ruo had tapped into that cultural obsession perfectly.
Irene, intrigued by the discussion, leaned toward the woman next to her. "So, Sister Yuri, do you like the setting of the Wind God's treasure? A lot of people think such an item might actually exist."
Yuri shook her head, a playful smile on her face. "No, it's not the treasure for me. It's the relationship between Shotaro and Philip. Their chemistry is so exciting; it's like opening a door to a whole new world. It's just so interesting!"
Irene, Albert, and the freckled girl all fell silent, exchanging a look. That was a much heavier take than they were expecting.
The freckled girl was the first to find her voice, pointing out a "blind spot" in the theory. "If the prototype for one protagonist is the Wind Knight, what about the other one? Who is Philip supposed to be?"
Irene thought for a moment, her brow furrowing. "The Wind Knight is my idol. Back when he was active in the Knights, he usually cooperated with the famous Spindrift Knight, Eula. I remember her family name was Laurenā"
"Cough! Cough!" Albert and Yuri both coughed loudly, cutting her off.
Irene jumped, her eyes widening as she realized where she was. She looked at the crowded bookstore and clamped her mouth shut. Even the freckled girl understood immediately and changed the subject.
In Mondstadt, the name Lawrence was a heavy burden. They were the family that represented the tyranny and ignorance of the city's dark Aristocratic Era. They had oppressed the people with cruelty and arrogance until their rule was finally overthrown.
To this day, the citizens of Mondstadt loathed the Lawrence name. Eula lived in a constant state of social exile. Most people assumed Master Ye Ruo, being her comrade, had changed the character's gender to Philip in the novel to avoid causing a public outcry.
"Though," Irene whispered, thinking it over, "Philip is a bit feminine. Maybe our guess is right."
As the crowd continued to dissect the prototypes and plot points, a soft chuckle drifted from the second floor of the bookstore. A young man pushed open the window, letting the morning sun flood the room. He looked out over the city, taking in the vibrant colors and the slowly rotating windmills.
This was Ye Ruo, the Wind Knight. He was tall and elegant, dressed in a sharp white-and-black suit with a vest. His hair fell slightly over his forehead, and his deep eyes reflected the morning light like a painting. It was easy to see why he was so popular with the women of Mondstadt.
But Ye Ruo had a secret: he was a traveler who had lived in this world for over ten years. His journey had been a rough one. In his previous life, he had died from overworkākilled by a truck on his way homeāand was reincarnated into Teyvat. It wasn't until he was six or seven, as his brain fully developed, that his memories of Earth returned.
By then, he was already an orphan. He had almost been taken to the House of the Hearth, an orphanage run by the Fatui Harbinger known as "The Knave," Arlecchino. If that had happened, his fate would have been to become a brainwashed soldier for the Tsaritsa. Fortunately, a mysterious system had appeared at the last moment, granting him the power to control the wind before falling into a long, deep sleep.
Ye Ruo had run away, choosing freedom over a life of servitude. His strong will and longing for liberty eventually manifested as an Anemo Vision when he was seven. For Ye Ruo, who could already control the wind, the Vision was simply the icing on the cake. He eventually smuggled himself from Snezhnaya to Mondstadt's Petrichor Port. It was there, dirty and alone, that he met Varka.
The Grand Master was a boisterous, carefree man who took Ye Ruo in and helped cover up his past. Ye Ruo joined the Knights of Favonius and quickly proved himself a genius. Whether it was Favonius Bladework or other martial skills, he mastered them with frightening speed.
Favonius swordsmanship emphasized lightness and precision; Ye Ruo refined it until he could slice individual raindrops without using his Vision. The sheer air pressure from his sword swings could split trees.
He didn't just master the old ways; he brought forth the new. He managed to restore a lost style of swordsmanship once used by Arundolyn, the Lion of Light and a former Grand Master.
It was a dual-wielding style involving both a longsword and a greatswordāa dance of blades that bloomed with devastating power. Varka had been overjoyed, claiming he had found a true treasure for the Knights.
Ye Ruo's status in the order was high, and he had earned the respect of the veterans. His dual mastery of the wind made him significantly stronger than a typical Vision holder. He viewed elemental power as something fluid, like the Devil Fruits from his old world's stories, developing new skills based on his own imagination.
"Face the wind," he muttered with a smile, thinking of his move-set. The wind element really was the most "fun" one to play with.
In his eyes, he was now one of the top knights in Favonius, second only to the Grand Master. While he sometimes wished he had a Hydro Visionāremembering how versatile characters like Yelan or Mona were with their healing, invisibility, and teleportationāhe couldn't complain. Plus, Hydro users always seemed to be rich, unlike him, who had to work hard for every Mora.
However, his life wasn't without its shadows. For years, he had been locked in a secret confrontation with "The Doctor," Dottore. The Fatui Harbinger had appeared in Mondstadt as part of his own dark schemes.
Ye Ruo had suffered in their early encounters; Dottore was incredibly powerful, utilizing prosthetic "segments" of himself from different ages. Even the segments that weren't at their peak strength were terrifying. Dottore had once told Diluc that his power was insignificant, but the Doctor looked at Ye Ruo with a greedy, dissecting gaze, as if he were a specimen.
The man was a lunatic who loved human experimentation. But through their battles, Ye Ruo's strength had risen rapidly. He had learned how to fight back, eventually making the Doctor suffer several losses. Currently, the Doctor's segment had returned to Snezhnaya for other business, but Ye Ruo knew the lunatic would be back. He was like a persistent stain that couldn't be scrubbed away.
But Ye Ruo wasn't worried. He was no longer the child who had run away from the orphanage. He was a man with the bearing of a master, and even Varka trusted him completely.
He had temporarily left the Knights to focus on his own projectsāwriting novels. His free-spirited nature was well-known, and while his departure felt like an extended vacation, his comrades knew he would always appear when the city was in danger. Besides, with Jean, Amber, and Kaeya handling things, he felt the Knights were in good hands.
Most importantly, his system had finally woken up.
It had been ten years since it granted him the wind power and went silent. Every ounce of his current strength had been earned through his own hard work and sweat. Now, it was time for the "cheat" to pull its weight.
He recalled the day it happened. He had been tracking monsters in the wild when a ding sounded in his head.
[System sleep period concluded. Loading interface. Please check usage information.]
Information had flooded his vision. The system was mechanical and centered entirely on himāpure and simple. It was, effectively, a Novel Lottery System. By publishing novels and gaining readers, he would earn "Legendary Prestige"āa measure of his influence, much like the songs of the bards.
He could then use that prestige to pull for treasure chests.
[Common Treasure Chest] - Cost: 160 Prestige. Contains random white-grade items (weapons, ingredients, Mora, ores).
[Exquisite Treasure Chest] - Cost: 500 Prestige. Contains random blue-grade items; chance for items from other worlds.
[Precious Treasure Chest] - Cost: 5,000 Prestige. Contains random purple-grade treasures from Teyvat or other worlds.
[Luxurious Golden Treasure Chest] - Cost: 200,000 Prestige. Contains golden treasures from across the multiverse.
Ye Ruo had been speechless. The chests looked exactly like the ones in the game. It seemed he was destined to be a "treasure hunter" even in this life. The gap between the Exquisite and Precious chests was massive, both in cost and the descriptionāmoving from "items" to "treasures."
To unlock the higher tiers, he had to pull the lower tiers a certain number of times. For example, he needed 100 pulls from Common chests to unlock Exquisite ones.
He had used his personal savings to establish the Wind and Bird Bookstore and released his first two novels. They had provided a solid stream of Prestige, and with the "Wind Knight" name as a starting point, his influence was snowballing.
Ye Ruo sat at his desk and began writing the fourth and fifth volumes of "Detective of the Windy City." He had adapted the stories specifically for Mondstadters, grounding them in the local culture.
"For the next volume," he muttered, "the Museum will sell items made from the remains of the Serpent God, smuggled from a distant, stormy island nation. Using that evil object allows one to transform into a giant snake, but the more you use it, the more it erodes your soul."
Being a traveler-creator was a great advantage. He could adapt themes like the Gaia Memories from Kamen Rider W into the "Dead Demon God's Resentment."
In Teyvat, this bore a striking resemblance to the Fatui's "Delusions"āitems that granted power but backlashed against the user. To the well-informed, the connection was obvious, but Ye Ruo would never admit it. To him, it was just a novel.
He checked his status. [Legendary Prestige: 1605].
The value was rising steadily. Ordinary citizens provided about 0.1 Prestige, while Vision holders provided integers like 10 or 20. Mondstadt was a city of hundreds of thousands; as his books spread, the "wool" he could gather would be substantial. It was a smooth start.
"System," he called out in his mind. "Ten pulls from the Common Treasure Chest."
[Deducting 1600 Prestige. Starting lottery.]
Ten chests fell from the imaginary sky, bursting with light as they opened.
[Congratulations! You have received: Hilichurl's Large Wooden Club x1, 5,000 Mora, Crystal Ore x3, Dragonspine Pine Wood x100, Bamboo Shoots x20, Cor Lapis x1, Iron Ore x10, Naku Weed x3, Enhanced Hilichurl Training Stake x1, andā¦ a pair of Eula's underwear x1.]
Ye Ruo nodded, mostly satisfied. White chests weren't just trash; they provided useful resources for daily life. Getting Inazuman resources like Naku Weed while in Mondstadt was a nice bonus. He checked the description of the weedāit vibrated with the sound of thunder even in still air. He'd have to find a pot for it.
The best part was that items didn't take up individual slots; they stacked. He could store Mora and wood in the system space, though he wished he could store his own equipment there too. Perhaps a higher-tier pull would grant him a Sub-Space item like Madame Ping's Serenitea Pot.
Then, his eyes snagged on the last item. His face went black.
"A pair of Eula's underwear? System, you've got to be kidding me. I'm not some creep!"
If Eula ever found out, she would probably kill himāor at least never look him in the eye again. He vowed to keep that item buried deep in the system space and never, ever take it out.
He gathered his manuscripts, handed them to his staff, and headed out the side door toward Good Hunter. He had a junior waiting for him.
"Good morning, Wind Knight!"
"Master Ye Ruo!"
"Brother Ruo, looking sharp!"
Ye Ruo greeted them all with a smile that felt like a spring breeze. As he walked away, he could hear the girls whispering behind him about how he was the "best romantic partner" or how they were torn between him and Master Diluc. He just shook his head.
He arrived at Good Hunter to find a silver-haired girl in a maid's outfit waiting for him. She wore light armor over her dress and a red rose in her hair. She stood up instantly, looking both respectful and flustered.
"SeāSenior! You're here!"
"Relax, Noelle," Ye Ruo said, gesturing for her to sit. "Talk to me normally. You don't need to be so restrained."
Noelle sat, though her posture remained stiff. "I heard you would be guiding my training. I was so excited I couldn't sleep. I'm so sorry a knight of your stature has to spend time on me."
"It's fine. Jean asked me as a favor. Now, tell me about your training."
Noelle's eyes lit up with determination. "I've been asking everyone for advice! I learned how to make Baron Bunny from Amber, I've been helping Kaeya with his 'small' tasks, and I even asked Klee for tipsā¦ though Master Jean locked us both in the solitary confinement room for two days after that."
Ye Ruo rubbed his temples. "First off, stop that. Baron Bunny requires Amber's Pyro Vision, Kaeya is just being lazy and dumping work on you, and Kleeā¦ well, you've seen the result. You aren't learning what you actually need to learn."
In Ye Ruo's eyes, Noelle was a maid-knight who had gone to an extreme. She was everywhere, doing everything for everyone. She would even stand guard at the gate if a lazy knight asked her to. Jean had eventually been forced to pass a rule forbidding knights from "using" Noelle, but the girl still ran herself ragged.
This was why she had failed the knight selection seven times. It wasn't a lack of strengthāshe had a Geo Vision and enough raw power to break a dozen longswords before Wagner finally forged her a custom greatsword. The problem was her mindset.
She was so "helpful" she was dangerous to herself, once nearly dying of exhaustion after a solo rescue mission in Dragonspine.
"Noelle," Ye Ruo asked, "how do you think I handle my commissions for the Knights?"
"You're incredible, Senior! You solve mountains of tasks so quickly. I want to be just like you, so I must not be working hard enough. I have to be more serious!"
"Wrong!" Ye Ruo smiled. "I don't run around chasing every single cat and dog. I wait for things to pile up, then I integrate them. I find the most efficient, time-saving way to handle them all at once.
If you chase every commission as it happens, you'll be exhausted before the day is half over. You can't maintain a whole city alone, Noelle. The Knights are a team."
Noelle looked stunned. "Butā¦ the Grand Master told me that if I stay in Mondstadt, he has nothing to worry about. He thinks so highly of me!"
"He says that to everyone, Noelle," Ye Ruo said gently. "He said it to Kaeya, too, and you see how much time that guy spends 'paddling' at the tavern.Ā The point is efficiency and teamwork. I want you to put down your duties for a while.
You're going to act as my personal maid and live the life of a normal Mondstadter. We're going to practice saying 'no' and analyzing priorities. You want to be a knight? Then you have to learn to be a leader, not just a pair of hands."
Noelle blinked, processing the words. "As expected of a Seniorā¦ there must be a deep meaning to this. I understand! Please, let me help you by your side!"
Ye Ruo smirked. He had just landed himself a very capable junior.
As they left the restaurant, Noelle's curiosity got the better of her. "Senior, why did you start writing novels? The Knights were so shocked. Everyone says your behavior is unpredictable. You even wrote about Master Jean and the others becoming idols! It was like a bomb went off in the headquarters."
Ye Ruo chuckled. "I just want a stable life, Noelle. Writing novels is a good way to earn a living. And I'm already planning my third book."
"Another one? You're writing three at once?"
"This one will be about Old Mondstadt," Ye Ruo said, his eyes scanning the crowd. "It will focus on Decarabian, the Lord of the Tower, and the Wind God. A story of the ancient era."
"That sounds amazing! Most people don't know anything about that time."
As they walked, Ye Ruo's gaze snagged on a figure in the distanceāa young boy in green robes with white stockings, looking every bit the vibrant bard.
A boy in white silk? Ye Ruo's eyes lit up. Is that the one?
He gestured for Noelle to follow as he began to trail the bard.
Elsewhere in the city, Diluc sat at the counter of Angel's Share, a copy of "Detective of the Windy City" in his hand. His expression shifted from serious to complicated.
"The Museum selling evil objects made from demon god remainsā¦ it's the Fatui and their Delusions," Diluc muttered sarcastically. He knew the cost of those "ominous things" better than anyone; his father, Crepus, had died in his arms because of one.
He sighed, looking at the book. "You really have the nerve to turn this into a story, Ye Ruo. The Fatui will be furious, but they can't touch you. We've fought them too many times for them to try anything now."
He paused, looking at the "duo" in the book. The masters of the protagonist were dead, and they fought as masked heroes. It felt too close to his own life as the Darknight Hero. But the partnershipā¦ he looked at the description of Philip and shuddered, his face darkening.
If that's supposed to be the guy with the eyepatchā¦ impossible. It can't be him.
Diluc set the book down and called for his bartender. "Charles, send a batch of our best wine to Ye Ruo. Tell him we'll bundle it with his new release. It'll help the sales."
Out in the wilds of Mondstadt, Eula, the Spindrift Knight, sat on a high ridge overlooking the valley. She held a copy of "Detective of the Windy City," a rare smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"Hmph. Unexpected that he'd take up writing," she whispered. She read a passage about two partners becoming one to fight. "Two people becoming oneā¦ that's justā¦"
Her face suddenly flushed crimson. "What am I thinking?! Why would I imagine that with him? Damn you, Ye Ruo! This is a grudge! I'm adding it to the list!"
She flipped a page and her eyes narrowed. "And the idol book? You wrote me as a tsundere who joins an idol group? Hateful! I'll remember this grudge too!"
While the Spindrift Knight fumed, a bard named Venti was finishing a performance in a small tavern. He patted his hat, pleased to see it filled with Mora.
"Mr. Bartender!" Venti chirped, running to the counter. "A plate of beans and two bottles of your best wine!"
The bartender frowned. "Wait a minute. You look like you're still a kid. No alcohol for minors. I'll give you two glasses of juiceāon the house."
Venti's jaw dropped. "But I've been an adult for ages! You've got it all wrong!"
No matter how he pleaded, the bartender was firm. Venti sighed, lamenting that this rule hadn't existed the last time he visited the city.
"Mr. Bartender," a clear, elegant voice spoke from the corner. "Give the bard his wine. He's an adult. I can guarantee it."
The bartender looked up, saw the speaker, and immediately nodded with respect, placing two bottles on the counter. Venti turned to see Ye Ruo smiling at him.
"Thank you, little brother!" Venti narrowed his eyes happily, hugging the bottles. "You're a lifesaver. Who are you?"
"Me?" Ye Ruo shook his head. "Just an ordinary person passing by. Don't mind me."
Venti watched him leave, a thoughtful expression on his face. He noticed the Anemo Vision on the man's waist and the incredible elemental resonance coming from him.
"So that's the Wind Knight," Venti whispered to the bartender.
"Yeah. Since the Grand Master left, having Master Ye Ruo and Master Jean around makes everyone feel safe. Mondstadt is still the same free, beautiful city."
The bartender paused, then looked at Venti suspiciously. "But Master Ye Ruo or not, you're only getting these two bottles. No more!"
"Youā!" Venti's indignation was cut short as he watched Ye Ruo disappear into the crowd.
Ye Ruo, meanwhile, had spotted two Fatui diplomats, Mikhail and Lyudmila, whispering on a street corner. As he walked past, the man, Mikhail, went pale and snapped his mouth shut. Only after Ye Ruo was well away did they breathe a sigh of relief.
"Why are we stationed in this city?" Mikhail wiped sweat from his brow. "If that God of Killing is in a bad mood, we're dead in a second."
"Don't be dramatic," Lyudmila said, though she looked shaken. "We have diplomatic immunity. He won't act rashly."
"You didn't see him take down the Doctor's elite team. They all died, Lyudmila. He destroyed several bases. He's a killer who looks like a gentleman."
"I just hope the next Harbinger who comes is someone lessā¦ antagonistic toward him," she sighed. "Following the Doctor is a death sentence if you're caught in the crossfire."
Ye Ruo ignored them. He had more important things to doālike teaching Noelle and preparing his next work. The foundations were laid. Now, it was time to give Mondstadt its own legend. The story of the Wind God and the King of the Gale was coming.