With the last Abyss Mage collapsing, the area around Windrise finally returned to silence. Only then did Lumine arrive, weapon in hand.
"Whoa—so strong! Wait, she wouldn't be the maid Lord Diluc mentioned, right? Um… Rita! Yeah, Rita!"
Seeing the elegant figure ahead, Paimon suddenly recalled the name.
"It is Miss Rita. It looks so mysterious… ahem, that Mr. Diluc is your friend, then."
Hearing Paimon's voice, the girl put away her weapon, turned with a gentle smile, and addressed them.
"See? I was right!"
"And you're also looking for that thing, aren't you?"
Despite recognizing her from Diluc's description, Lumine didn't know whether the girl was friend or foe, so she kept her guard up.
"Before asking me that… shouldn't you introduce yourselves first? Since you already know who I am, it's only polite to exchange names, don't you think?"
Seeing Lumine tense, Su Mo didn't approach—he simply stayed where he was.
"Eh… should we tell her?"
Paimon hovered uncertainly.
"It's fine. Almost everyone in Mondstadt knows who we are now."
Lumine placed a hand over her chest and said,
"Traveler from another world. Honorary Knight of the Knights of Favonius—Lumine."
"Traveler from another world, Honorary Knight Lumine's… partner—Paimon!"
She imitated Lumine's gesture proudly.
Su Mo: "…"
Lumine: "…"
"In that case, let me introduce myself properly as well.
Rita Rossweisse, maid of 'Terminus'… battle-type maid."
She lifted her skirt slightly in a graceful curtsy.
"Ter… Terminus? That's such a weird name."
Paimon tilted her head.
"Heaven's mandate is fixed… but earth's mandate can change. We do not cling to immutable laws—rather, we seek rebirth through constant change. Only that way can we adapt to this world."
Seeing Paimon puzzled, Su Mo explained gently.
(And to be fair, Earthly Mandate was indeed a real term.)
"Then—"
"Oh, I nearly forgot. I still have something to handle, so I'll take my leave. But don't worry, I'll visit Mondstadt later. I know what you're searching for."
Without waiting for their reaction, Su Mo turned and departed.
"Honorary Knight, should we pursue her?"
A nearby Knight asked.
"No need. Let's keep searching."
Lumine knew they couldn't catch Rita even if they tried… and honestly, she looked forward to what Rita would bring next.
Dragonspine
Whoosh—
This place…
Flying toward the mountaintop, Venti couldn't help recalling the ancient nation buried beneath the snow.
"Hey, green hat kid—don't tell me you're here looking for that thing too?"
A crisp girl's voice echoed from above.
The one Diluc described…?
Venti looked up.
Standing at the peak was the grey-haired Liyue-looking girl Diluc had mentioned last night.
She stood with arms crossed, several defeated Abyss Mages at her feet.
"Hey? Why aren't you talking? Tch, boring guy. You look just like that annoying maid. That woman is always competing with me…"
She paused as if something occurred to her.
"Wait—did SHE send you? Don't think I don't know she's been poking around your Knights or whatever."
"So your goal is that leftover power?"
Now Venti understood the relationship between the two strange girls. But Rita contacting the Knights? That was new to him.
"What else? You think I'd waste it like that stupid maid? I'm not that dumb."
Her tone dripped with ridicule.
(Thankfully, the system hid Su Mo's identity as a Herrscher, or Venti would have panicked far more.)
"Anyway, there's nothing here. Boring place. Bye~ green hat kid."
A massive sword materialized beneath her feet.
Before Venti could react, she stepped onto it and streaked into the sky.
Entropy… huh. What kind of group is this? And Rita intends to destroy the power? Forget it—let me finish my search first…
Evening — Mondstadt Gates
"Looks like everyone's back. I wonder if they found anything."
Standing by the gate, Paimon swung her legs as she hovered.
After the earlier Abyss incident, they continued searching Windrise—still nothing.
"There they are. Let's go."
Lumine spotted Jean and the others returning.
"Seems our Honorary Knight didn't find anything either," Kaeya sighed.
"Nope! But—uh—someone showed up! Look, there she is! Rita! Miss Rita!"
Paimon pointed excitedly.
What?
Everyone turned.
The blue-and-white figure walked toward them with the same serene smile.
Stopping before the Knights, she bowed slightly and said—
"Looks like you really are the Knights of Favonius.
So—how about we cooperate?"
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
patreon.com/pikachu614