"You are... breathtaking," Amber whispered unconsciously, her voice filled with pure shock. As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized what she had said, and a faint, imperceptible blush instantly rose to her cheeks. She immediately looked away in a panic, not daring to look directly at his overly exquisite face again, yet she couldn't help but steal glances at him from the corner of her eye.
Although Lu Hongze couldn't understand the specific words, he captured the undisguised amazement in her tone, as well as her sudden avoidance of his gaze and her reddened cheeks.
It worked.
This realization was like a faint electric current, piercing through his heart that had been frozen by despair.
In a desperate situation where language was completely useless, this body and this face of his seemed to have become the only medium through which he could influence the outside world.
He immediately lowered his eyelids, his thick eyelashes like two small fans casting faint shadows on his fair skin, perfectly concealing any hint of calculation that might leak from his eyes. He slightly turned his face, revealing a slender and fragile neck line, which, combined with his slightly hunched shoulders, magnified that sense of 'fragility' to the extreme. He even lightly bit his pale lower lip, leaving a faint tooth mark.
Seeing him look so uneasy and shy as if from being watched, the protective instinct in Amber's heart instantly soared to its peak. She immediately put away all the scrutiny that might make him uncomfortable and shook her head vigorously. A sunny and reassuring smile bloomed on her face once more, only this time, there was an extra touch of caution in that smile that even she hadn't noticed.
"I'm right here. Don't be afraid!" Then she pointed in the direction of Mondstadt.
"The city of Mondstadt is perfectly safe. Here, I'll take you there."
Then, she reached out her hand to him again. This time, her movements were gentler, carrying a kind of caution as if she were handling precious porcelain.
Lu Hongze looked at the hand reaching out to him, the hand of a powerful protector. He knew he had no choice and had to seize this opportunity. He slowly lifted his hand, which was still cold but much cleaner than before. With a slight, perfectly timed tremble in his fingertips, he gently and almost tentatively placed it in Amber's warm and slightly calloused palm.
Amber carefully tightened her grip on his hand, as if afraid she would crush him with even a little force. She pulled him up and gestured again that he could lean on her.
Leaning against Amber's side, Lu Hongze kept his head lowered, letting a few strands of slightly messy black hair cover part of his cheek. He still looked submissive and fragile, like a lost soul in need of careful guidance and protection.
However, deep within his lowered eyes, a very faint, cold light quietly flickered.
Language is a wall, but expressions and posture might just be the key.
Amber supported Lu Hongze as they walked slowly toward Mondstadt. Most of his weight rested on her, his steps unsteady, each one appearing difficult. This wasn't entirely an act; his physical weakness was real, but he consciously displayed that weakness to its fullest extent.
He panted slightly, fine beads of cold sweat seeping from his forehead and glistening in the sunlight. Whenever Amber turned her head to check on him out of concern, he would opportunely raise those moist eyes, giving her a look that mixed gratitude, dependence, and suppressed discomfort, before quickly lowering his head again as if he didn't want to cause her too much trouble.
Amber's heart was struck by such looks time and time again. She slowed her pace, her support becoming more stable, and from time to time, she spoke comforting words in a gentle tone that he couldn't understand, like "We're almost there," or "Hang on."
Although Lu Hongze couldn't understand the words, he could feel the kindness. He nodded submissively, occasionally letting out a faint breathy sound from his throat as a response, like a whimpering little animal that had been injured.
This stretch of the road became an excellent opportunity for him to observe and learn.
He noticed that Amber was highly alert; her gaze constantly scanned the surroundings, especially when passing the edges of forests or high ground. He took note of the places where she paused and scrutinized—these were likely potential patrol points or dangerous areas.
He noticed that most of those working in the distant fields were physically strong women, their postures as they swung farm tools full of power. Occasionally, men could be seen, but most were engaged in auxiliary work or following behind the women.
He found it a bit strange, but he simply kept it to himself.
He noticed a uniquely shaped badge hanging at Amber's waist, engraved with an eagle pattern and a shield-like symbol—this was probably a sign of some status.
As well as a silver badge.
These fragmented observations were like puzzle pieces, silently stored in his mind.
When they finally stepped onto the massive stone bridge spanning the river, Lu Hongze's footsteps paused subconsciously. At the end of the bridge was that grand city built against the mountain, with slowly turning windmills. The towering city walls and the bustling crowds all announced that he was about to enter a completely foreign society.
An irrepressible flash of panic flickered in the depths of his eyes.
Amber immediately noticed his stiffness. Thinking he was afraid of the crowds, she stopped and stepped slightly in front of him, blocking part of the view from the city gate. She gave him an encouraging smile, pointed at the gate, patted her chest, and nodded vigorously, using gestures to signal, "Follow me in, it's okay."
Looking at the determined and sunny face of the girl before him, Lu Hongze's cold calculations clashed violently with the warm kindness in reality. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, there was only total trust and a faint, almost imperceptible resolve to face the unknown.
He nodded gently and moved closer to Amber, almost as if trying to hide in her shadow.
This small gesture of dependence made Amber's sense of responsibility explode. She took a deep breath, straightened her back like a true knight guarding her important person, and supported him as they stepped onto the stone bridge leading to the gates of Mondstadt.
The pigeons on the bridge fluttered their wings and took flight as the two approached.
Hiding in Amber's shadow, Lu Hongze sized up the two knights standing guard at the city gate.
The one on the left had a more casual stance, wearing brown fingerless combat gloves. One hand rested casually on the hilt of the sword at her waist, while the fingers of the other hand impatiently tapped the armored skirt covering her thigh, making a faint "click, click" sound. Her chin was slightly raised, exuding a sharp, youthful vigor. Her gaze scanned the flow of people coming and going like a hawk, carrying an unquestionable scrutiny. When her gaze swept past Amber and landed on him, Lu Hongze could clearly feel the probing and suspicion in that look, like a cold needle pricking him.
The one on the right appeared much more composed. She wore full metal bracers and dark leather gloves that extended to her forearms, her hands folded in front of her. Her stance was upright but not tense. Though her gaze was equally sharp, it was more of calm observation than aggressive scrutiny. The corners of her mouth naturally curved slightly downward, giving her a serious and stern appearance. When her gaze briefly met Lu Hongze's hastily raised eyes, he immediately looked down, but he caught it—that serious gaze lingered for a moment on his overly exquisite face, then fell to his bare, scarred feet and tattered clothes. Her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and in that expression, besides scrutiny, there seemed to be a hint of... very faint, hard-to-detect pity?
Amber was clearly familiar with them and greeted them in a light tone, presumably explaining the situation.
After listening, the young knight on the left crossed her plate-armored arms, her gaze falling unabashedly on Lu Hongze. She said something to Amber in a somewhat questioning tone, while tilting her chin toward Lu Hongze, her fingerless-gloved fingers tapping impatiently in the air.
Amber immediately stepped to the side, more completely shielding Lu Hongze behind her, her tone becoming somewhat firm, as if she were arguing back.
Just then, Lu Hongze felt the older knight on the right look at him again. He opportunely trembled slightly—not out of acting, but from genuine nervousness. He lifted his eyelids and looked timidly at the older knight. Those eyes, moist with fear, were full of helplessness and pleading. After only a moment of eye contact, as if unable to bear the gaze, he quickly buried his face in the crook of Amber's shoulder, leaving only a slightly trembling, thin, and fragile back.
He heard Amber say a few more things, her tone carrying an unquestionable persistence.
After a brief silence, there was a low and brief response from the older knight. Her leather-gloved hand rose, making a gesture to let them through. At the same time, she seemed to say something to her companion. The young knight on the left curled her lip, and her armored body reluctantly stepped aside, clearing the path.
Amber breathed a sigh of relief and gently patted Lu Hongze's back, signaling him to continue forward.
Lu Hongze kept his head lowered, clinging closely to Amber like a young animal completely dependent on its protector, as she submissively led him through the massive city gate.
The moment they stepped into the shadow of the city gate, the corner of his eye caught one last quick glimpse of the two knights.
The younger one's fingers under the fingerless glove had already pressed back onto the sword hilt, her gaze still full of dissatisfaction and scrutiny; while the older one's hands, in their full bracers and gloves, were folded once more. Her gaze remained serious, but it seemed... to have lost a few degrees of that initial suspicion.