Chen Xiyao continued advancing through the game, controlling the Traveler.
As she reached a high vantage point, a panoramic view of Starfell Lake, nestled in the outskirts of Mondstadt, suddenly unfolded before her, the vista expanding in breathtaking clarity.
Chen Xiyao's jaw dropped slightly. Though she had praised the game's graphics countless times since starting, she couldn't help but marvel again.
It's so beautiful!
Can this game really be experienced for free?!
The viewers in the live stream were equally stunned by the scene, and the chat flooded with comments:
[The developers are so generous! The game looks exactly like the promotional trailers—absolutely no downgrade!]
[This is the fantasy world I've always dreamed of!]
[Lumine is so pretty!]
Following the tutorial, Chen Xiyao completed the early story quests.
She lit up the map at the Statue of the Anemo Archon, gained the Power of Anemo, and practiced controlling the protagonist's Anemo Element abilities.
Then, they witnessed a massive dragon soar overhead and ventured into the Whispering Woods to investigate.
During their exploration, they stumbled upon a bard conversing with the dragon, inadvertently disrupting his plan.
With a thunderous roar, the dragon flew away, and the bard vanished along with it.
The Traveler and Paimon discovered a red crystal at the scene. Just as they pocketed it, hurried footsteps approached from the surrounding forest.
The Traveler immediately went on alert.
-
Teyvat.
Rola and Noelle hurried toward the source of the commotion. As soon as they arrived, Rola's eyes lit up.
It was Lumine!
And the super cute little Paimon!
Rola strode forward, pressed a hand lightly to her chest, and executed a perfect knight's salute.
"Greetings, travelers from afar. We are auxiliary members of the Knights of Favonius. I am Rola, and this is Noelle, who also serves as a maid for the Knight Order. We heard an unusual disturbance and came to investigate. Could you tell us what's happening here?"
Rola's demeanor was impeccable—she had diligently studied the Knight Order's manual! Though neither had been formally knighted, they held themselves to the standards of full-fledged knights.
Noelle also greeted Lumine and Paimon, but she offered an elegant maid's curtsy.
The live stream viewers erupted with excitement at the sudden appearance of the two new characters.
[It's Noelle! The Noelle from the promotional trailer! Ahhh, my beloved Noelle!]
[The other one is gorgeous too! I'm unilaterally declaring her my new waifu!]
[Meeting three beautiful girls right at the start? How am I supposed to resist! I can't even imagine how much fun it would be to play as the male protagonist!]
[Fun? They're not even being that friendly.]
Chen Xiyao's eyes lit up the moment she saw Noelle and Rola.
"Chat, I really love these two!"
[Didn't you just say you liked the protagonist the most?]
[Heh, turns out we all have great taste.]
Chen Xiyao glanced at the comments briefly, then refocused entirely on the game screen.
-
Seeing Rola and Noelle's serious expressions, Paimon floated forward to explain, "Hi! I'm Paimon, and this is Lumine. We just arrived in Mondstadt today."
Paimon wiggled her tiny fingers and continued, "We saw a huge dragon here earlier! The rumbling you heard must have been from it. But it's flown away now."
Rola and Noelle exchanged a glance, their years of partnership allowing them to instantly understand each other's thoughts.
"Are you two Travelers? Normally, we'd be delighted to show you around Mondstadt. But with the Stormterror crisis causing widespread panic, the wilderness is simply too dangerous right now!"
"Stormterror?" Lumine asked, taking the initiative this time. "Is that the dragon we just saw?"
Rola nodded, her single ponytail swaying gently behind her.
After a brief exchange, Rola and Noelle seamlessly joined Lumine and Paimon's party. With Rola leading the way, the group set off toward Mondstadt.
Along the way, Lumine explained their purpose in coming to Mondstadt, carefully omitting any mention of investigating the Anemo Archon's identity.
Throughout the journey, Lumine had heard jokes like "The Anemo Archon is just messing with you" several times. Keeping a healthy level of caution before things were clarified was never a bad idea.
Rola also noticed that Lumine wasn't as reserved as she had initially thought. The group quickly grew familiar with each other, and their conversations became relaxed and enjoyable.
After walking for a while, a familiar voice called out from nearby.
"Hey—you folks up ahead, please wait a moment!"
A spirited young woman with red rabbit-ear hair ornaments gracefully leaped down from the cliffside.
The eyes of all four travelers followed Amber's agile descent, their faces etched with surprise.
In the live stream, Chen Xiyao immediately began taking rapid screenshots.
Upon landing, Amber performed a perfect Knight Order salute before introducing herself. "May the Anemo Archon protect you, strangers. I'm Amber, the Outrider of the Knights of Favonius."
"Seeing you with Rola and Noelle, I assume you've already met. But since you two don't seem to be from Mondstadt, please allow me to confirm your identities again."
If other Knights of Favonius had been accompanying Lumine and Paimon, Amber might not have pressed further. But with Rola and Noelle... Amber felt it necessary to confirm their identities again.
After all...
These two girls were far too naive and easily deceived!
Lumine stepped forward to explain, "We just arrived in Mondstadt today. We're here to find my brother. I'm Lumine, and she's... my best companion!"
Paimon happily covered her small mouth. "Even though we haven't known each other long, I'll definitely try my best to be the best guide ever!"
"In any case, you're the Travelers, right? There's a dragon roaming near Mondstadt, so you should get into the city as soon as possible."
Rola and Noelle also stepped forward to greet them.
"Amber!"
As another renowned energetic girl from Mondstadt, Amber and Rola were close friends. Amber had personally taught Rola her Wind Glider techniques.
Seeing Amber, Rola gave her a joyful hug.
Though Amber's flight license was often suspended, her flying skills were undeniably impeccable!
She truly deserved her title as Mondstadt's flying champion.
Amber was equally delighted. "Rola, Noelle! What are you doing here?"
Rola explained their mission to clear out nearby monsters. After hearing their account, Amber decided to join them in returning to Mondstadt.
Paimon asked curiously, "Have you finished your business outside the city?"
"It's fine. My reconnaissance mission is mostly done. Besides, it's been ages since I last saw Rola and Noelle."
And so, the four-person team expanded to five.
As they walked, they chatted amicably, creating a warm atmosphere that even Noelle joined in on. Rola, who knew Mondstadt like the back of her hand, eagerly introduced Lumine to the city's culinary delights and must-see attractions, her descriptions making Paimon's eyes sparkle and her mouth water.
"Paimon, we don't have much money," Lumine reminded her, instantly dampening Paimon's enthusiasm.
Suddenly, Amber noticed several wandering Hilichurls in the distance.
Rola's eyes widened—she distinctly remembered clearing this area earlier!
"It's Stormterror's influence. These monsters have been appearing more frequently around the city outskirts. Leave it to me!" Amber explained as she drew her beloved bow, Rust.
Seeing this, Lumine also drew her signature weapon, the Dull Blade.
Rola held back, knowing the few Hilichurls wouldn't even require more than a few arrows from Amber.
Lumine charged forward and swiftly dispatched two of the creatures.
-
Live Stream
In contrast to the events unfolding in Teyvat, Chen Xiyao's Amber missed several consecutive shots, while her character's health was being steadily depleted by the Hilichurls.
She quickly switched to the Traveler and swiftly dispatched the remaining Hilichurls with the Dull Blade.
Ignoring the "hahaha" spam filling the chat, Chen Xiyao was inwardly wondering: When will Rola be added to the gacha pool?
I'm dying to know what weapon she uses...