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With his Legendary Prestige growing, Ye Ruo could finally begin to use the Novel Lottery System. The system interface displayed a list of treasure chests that looked identical to the ones from the game he remembered from his previous life. The chests were categorized by rarity and the cost in Prestige required to open them:
[Common Treasure Chest]: Costs 160 Prestige. Contains random white-grade items like basic weapons, ingredients, Mora, and ores.
[Exquisite Treasure Chest]: Costs 500 Prestige. Contains blue-grade items, with a chance to pull objects from other worlds .
[Precious Treasure Chest]: Costs 5,000 Prestige. Contains purple-grade treasures from Teyvat or beyond.
[Luxurious Golden Treasure Chest]: Costs 200,000 Prestige. Contains legendary gold-tier treasures from across the multiverse.
Ye Ruo noted the massive jump in cost between the Exquisite and Precious tiersāthe Prestige required multiplied by ten. To unlock the higher-tier chests, he had to perform a set number of pulls on the lower tiers; for instance, 100 pulls from Common chests were needed to unlock the Exquisite ones.
Establishing the Wind and Bird Bookstore had been a successful investment. His first two novels, "To Save Mondstadt, Debut and Become an Idol!" and "Detective of the Windy City," had provided a strong initial stream of Prestige. Using his reputation as the "Wind Knight" gave him a significant head start.
Sitting at his desk, Ye Ruo began drafting the next volumes of "Detective of the Windy City". He tailored the stories to Mondstadt's culture, even though the protagonist Liyue and Mona would appear later.
He decided that in the new volume, the villainous organization, the Museum, would sell items infused with the remains of a dead Serpent God. These items were smuggled from a remote, thunderstorm-shrouded island nationāclearly referencing Inazuma and the remnants of Orobashi.
"Using these evil objects allows one to transform into a giant snake and wreak havoc," Ye Ruo whispered to himself. "But the more you use it, the more it erodes your soul and drives you toward destruction".
He smiled at his ability to adapt concepts like the Gaia Memories from Kamen Rider W into the lore of Teyvat. To the well-informed, the connection to the Fatui's Delusions would be undeniable.
However, Ye Ruo had no intention of admitting to any hidden political commentary. To him, it was purely a work of fiction.
Checking his status, he saw his [Legendary Prestige: 1605]. The value was climbing steadily as his books spread through the city.
While ordinary citizens provided only 0.1 Prestige, Vision holders contributed significantly more, sometimes up to 10 or 20 points. With Mondstadt's population numbering in the hundreds of thousands, there was plenty of "wool" to gather .
"Everything is difficult at the beginning, but it's snowballing nicely now," Ye Ruo thought, stretching lazily as he looked out at the peaceful windmills of Mondstadt.
He found the city to be the friendliest place for a traveler like himselfāfar more inclusive than the stormy, restrictive Inazuma or the cutthroat, complex political landscape of Liyue.
With enough Prestige for ten pulls, Ye Ruo gave the command in his mind: "System, ten pulls from the Common Treasure Chest".
[Deducting 1600 Prestige. Starting lottery.]
Ten chests materialized and burst open with light.
[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 was mostly pleased with the haul. Common chests provided essential materials for daily life, and getting Inazuman resources like Naku Weed while in Mondstadt was a valuable bonus . He checked the Naku Weed's descriptionāit vibrated with the faint sound of thunder even in still air. He'd have to find a pot for it later.
He appreciated that items stacked in the system space, allowing him to store vast quantities of resources without taking up extra slots.
However, he still wished he could store his own equipment there, rather than just the items drawn from the system. Perhaps a higher-tier pull would grant him a sub-space treasure like Madame Ping's Serenitea Pot .
Then, his gaze landed on the final item, and his expression soured.
"A pair of Eula's underwear? System, you've got to be kidding me. I'm not some creep!"
If Eula ever discovered he had this, he would have to find a hole in the ground and never come out. He vowed to leave that specific item in the system space forever.
Ye Ruo gathered his manuscripts and handed them to his staff. He left the bookstore through a side door, greeting the enthusiastic citizens who called out to him as "Master Ye Ruo" or "Wind Knight" .
He could hear the local girls whispering about whether they preferred him or Diluc, but he just shook his head and kept walking.
He headed toward Good Hunter, where a silver-haired girl in a maid's outfit was waiting . This was Noelle, the "Undecorated Flower" of the Knights. As soon as she saw him, she stood up with a respectful, almost flustered expression.
"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 formal" .
Noelle sat back down, though she still seemed nervous. "I heard you would be guiding my training. I was so excited I couldn't sleep. I'm so sorry someone as important as you has to spend time on me".
"It's fine. Jean asked me as a favor," he replied. He ordered breakfast and then asked, "So, Noelle, how has your training been going?"
Noelle's eyes shone 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 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 sighed, rubbing his temples. "Stop right there. Baron Bunny requires Amber's Vision, Kaeya is just being lazy and dumping his chores on you, and as for learning from Kleeāwell, you've seen the results".
In his eyes, Noelle was a maid-knight who had gone to a dangerous extreme. She was everywhere, trying to solve every problem for everyone, even if it meant doing the job of a gate guard who didn't want to stand at his post .
Jean had even added a rule forbidding knights from exploiting Noelle, but the girl still ran herself into the ground .
This was why she had failed the knight selection seven times. It wasn't a lack of strengthāshe possessed a Geo Vision and was so physically powerful she had broken a dozen longswords before Wagner finally forged her a custom greatsword that could withstand her swings. The problem was her mindset; she didn't know how to say "no" or prioritize .
"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 must not be working hard enough. I have to be more serious!"
"Wrong!" Ye Ruo said firmly. "I don't run around chasing every single cat and dog. I wait for things to pile up, then I handle them all at once in the most efficient way possible. If you chase every commission as it happens, you'll be exhausted before the day is over. You can't maintain a whole city by yourself, 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 with a strange expression. "He said it to Kaeya, too, and you see how much time that guy spends 'paddling' at the tavern. 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. To be a knight, you must learn to be a leader, not just a pair of hands" .
Noelle blinked, processing his 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 nodded, privately pleased that he had just landed himself an incredibly capable assistant. He was confident that with the right guidance, Noelle would eventually pass the assessment and become a pillar of the Knights .
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. Writing about Master Jean and the others becoming idols was like a bomb went off in the headquarters".
Ye Ruo chuckled. "I just want a stable life, Noelle. Writing is a good way to earn a living. And I'm already planning my third book".
"Another one?"
"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 origins of the Wind God".
"That sounds amazing!" Noelle said.
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.
Ye Ruo's eyes lit up. The boy in white silk? Is that him?
He gestured for Noelle to follow as he began to trail the bard. He had a new story to tell, and it would be the most ambitious one yetāthe legend of the Wind God and the King of the Gale.