A black meteor streaked across the horizon, trailing thick smoke before slamming into the direction of the Stormterror's Lair.
The mighty, imposing Stormterror didn't even survive a single "little" bomb from Alice—
and was cleanly knocked down like a perfect birdie on the first swing.
"Wow! Hole in one!"
Alice's voice was brimming with delight.
Inside the confinement room, Klee gazed longingly at the mushroom cloud in the distance and clapped excitedly.
"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy's the best! Mommy planted a big mushroom!"
Outside, the Knights guarding the confinement room were thrown off their feet by the explosion's shockwave.
When they heard Klee's cheers from inside, they looked at each other in disbelief.
Jean gripped the doorway, steadying herself as she looked toward the fiery red figure slowly descending from the sky with Lumine in her arms.
For a moment, Jean didn't know whether to be happy or to despair.
Good news: Stormterror had been blown away—so badly it wouldn't be able to rise again any time soon.
Mondstadt would enjoy a period of peace.
Bad news…
Mondstadt's greater disaster had returned.
The very woman who once blasted open the Stormterror's Lair and flipped the Mondstadt city gates had come back.
And she announced her return with an explosion that shook all of Mondstadt—
and by blowing one of Mondstadt's landmark windmills clean in half.
Barbatos, please have mercy… Mondstadt really can't catch a break.
Beside her, Lisa closed her eyes to sense the situation, then gave a wry smile and sighed.
"Jean, I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?"
"Uh… good news."
Jean forced herself to keep calm and smiled faintly.
"The good news is—the girl was rescued, Stormterror was driven off, and there were no further civilian casualties."
Jean's lips moved, but her voice turned somber.
"And the bad news?"
Lisa sighed again.
"Senior Alice has returned. Mondstadt's two demolition maniacs are now together again.
And… that big explosion just now didn't just blow apart a windmill—it damaged several major buildings and even cracked the main city bridge."
Jean shut her eyes in despair.
Lady Alice… it might have been better if you hadn't come back at all.
Lisa didn't know how to comfort her.
This Elder Witch of the Hexenzirkel was truly too unreliable—
and yet her power was godlike.
A calamity to Mondstadt in her own right.
From a distance, Venti gazed mournfully at Alice's descent, then at the Stormterror now sent flying back toward its lair.
After a long pause, he sighed.
"Well, Dvalin… perhaps this was a tribulation you were fated to face.
In any case, now you can calm down for a while."
A breeze swept past, and Venti vanished without a trace.
Lumine landed gently in the plaza, still cradled in Alice's arms.
Amber and Paimon rushed over.
"Lumine! Are you okay? Did you get hurt? Did you get scared silly?"
Paimon hovered anxiously at her side, patting her down as if to make sure she hadn't been frightened to death by Stormterror.
Though her words weren't exactly elegant, the warmth behind them made Lumine's heart feel cozy.
In this unfamiliar world, meeting someone who genuinely worried for her—like Paimon—was a blessing.
Alice, standing beside them, eyed Paimon thoughtfully. Something seemed to click in her mind, her eyes brightened, but she decided it wasn't her business and stayed quiet.
"I'm sorry, Lumine! I shouldn't have let you fly inside Mondstadt. I didn't know Stormterror was coming back—sorry!"
Amber's eyes were red as she bowed again and again.
Lumine scratched her cheek, not feeling particularly bothered.
Even without help, she was confident she could handle Stormterror—her battle experience as a Traveler wasn't going anywhere.
And being blown into the air? Please—she used to fly under her own power all the time.
"Don't worry, Amber, I'm fine."
Lumine grinned and patted her shoulder, proudly adding:
"This was nothing for me—and besides, this big sister here saved me!"
She looked at Alice with stars in her eyes.
Amber turned and bowed seriously to Alice.
"Thank you, Lady Alice. You not only saved Lumine but also Mondstadt. If it weren't for you, I really wouldn't have known what to do."
"Amber, long time no see. Still as mischievous as ever."
Alice smiled at her, then grew oddly serious.
"By the way, Amber—have you reconsidered my proposal?
If I modify your Baron Bunny, it could become a much stronger partner.
Or… I could add a couple of machine guns to your Wind Glider—Air Combat Unit Amber, just imagine how cool that would be."
If she'd heard this before, Amber would have shaken her head furiously.
But after experiencing how helpless she'd been just now, she hesitated.
Before she could decide, a slightly awkward voice cut in.
"Er… Miss Alice, I think we'll pass on that."
Kaeya walked over, dark-skinned from sun and travel, with his trademark eyepatch and pirate-like swagger.
"Mondstadt already has one little explosive prodigy in Klee—that's enough to keep Acting Grand Master Jean up at night.
If Amber also became a demolition expert, Mondstadt would never know peace again."
"Kaeya? Long time no see—you've gotten even darker."
Alice teased him cheerfully.
Kaeya sighed.
"The Grand Master's on expedition, the Dvalin's Crisis hit, monsters are everywhere, and the Knights are short on supplies.
Jean's been sending me mining constantly.
Getting darker is only natural."
Alice waved dismissively.
"You always have an excuse. Anyway—where's my little treasure? Mommy's back—how can she not come running to give Mommy a big hug?"
Kaeya looked a little guilty.
"Klee snuck out two days ago to go fish-blasting… Jean locked her in confinement."
"Locked up again?!"
Alice planted her fists on her hips and glared at him.
"She only blew up a few fish! Big deal! Back in my day, I blew open Mondstadt's city gates, and even Falga didn't lock me up!"
Kaeya chuckled dryly, thinking but not saying:
Lock you up? The next second you'd probably blow the Knights Headquarters sky-high. Falga wouldn't dare.
"Anyway, Miss Alice—are you here to take Klee out to play?"
"What, can't wait for me to leave already?"
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
Kaeya just pointed at the damaged windmill.
"Honestly, Miss Alice—Stormterror's rampage for half a year didn't cause as much destruction as your one visit."
Alice pursed her lips—she knew she'd gotten a bit too excited this time.
Admit she was wrong? Not a chance.
She puffed out her chest.
"Never mind that. I'm here to take Klee to learn cultivation—no, why am I even telling you? You wouldn't understand!
Anyway, take me to Jean. I need to give her a piece of my mind for locking up such an adorable daughter."
Kaeya exhaled in relief, nodding before turning to Amber and Lumine.
"Amber, you taught the Traveler to use a Wind Glider inside the city without permission and nearly caused disaster. Your punishment will be severe."
Amber lowered her head in shame.
"Yes, Captain Kaeya."
"And you are…?"
Kaeya looked at Lumine.
She straightened up proudly, just like Alice.
"I'm Lumine, a Traveler from beyond this world!"
"And I'm Paimon—Traveler's best partner!"
The three—Alice, Lumine, and Paimon—stood side by side, all with chins held high.
Anyone who didn't know better might think they were sisters.
"A Descender?"
Alice tilted her head at Lumine, her eyes gleaming in realization before she laughed happily.
"Well, isn't this interesting—another world-hopping traveler! What a day."
"'Another'?"
Lumine blinked curiously.
Kaeya explained with a shrug:
"Miss Alice is an Elder of the Hexenzirkel, stationed at Teyvat's borders. She's also a great adventurer and often travels to other worlds.
You two might have a lot in common."
At that, Lumine's eyes lit up.
She still hadn't found the Anemo Archon—but meeting another Traveler like herself?
Maybe Alice knew where Aether was.
"Anyway, this isn't the place to talk. Please, follow me to the Knights Headquarters—Master Jean has been waiting."
Kaeya started leading the way.
"And go get Klee out of confinement—it's been ages since I've seen her. How can she be locked up when her mommy's back?"
Kaeya sighed and nodded. When the mother herself said so, confinement was… temporarily canceled.
Mondstadt wasn't large—at least compared to other capitals—so it didn't take long to reach the Headquarters.
Kaeya felt a wave of relief. The trip had been nerve-wracking—Alice was a walking disaster, ready to blow up any barricade she saw, and to make things worse, Lumine actually got along with her.
Great. Don't tell me she's a demolition maniac too.
"I'll leave you here. I'll go fetch Klee and assess the damage for reconstruction. Miss Alice, you've really put me in a tough spot this time."
"You just want a drink. No need to beat around the bush."
Alice tossed him a bottle.
"Brought this back from a neighboring world—Shenzhou Maotai. Strong stuff, drink slowly."
Kaeya's eyes lit up, and he grinned.
"Understood. Much obliged, Miss Alice."
He hurried off toward the confinement room.
Lumine muttered the name Maotai under her breath—it sounded oddly familiar.
"Come on, let's go in. It's been too long since I've seen Jean."
Alice pushed open the office door and waved.
"Long time no see, Jean, Lisa—your beautiful Lady Alice is back!"
Lisa dipped her head respectfully.
"It's been a while, Lady Alice."
Jean sighed.
"Miss Alice, must you always cause such a commotion every time you return?"
"Tch—don't be so uptight, Jean. Besides, I haven't even complained about you locking up Klee, so let's not nitpick over a little commotion."
Alice flopped onto the sofa and took a sip of coffee, looking perfectly at ease.
Jean glanced at the shattered office window and thought: Little commotion, huh?
She put Alice's matter aside for now.
"Amber, you'll accept your punishment later."
Amber nodded weakly.
Jean then turned to Lumine and Paimon, giving a formal Knight's salute.
"Welcome, outlander. I'm sorry your journey in Mondstadt involved such danger. On behalf of the Knights, I sincerely apologize. If there's any compensation you need, please say so."
Lumine scratched her head, then grinned.
"No need to apologize—it was actually kind of thrilling, don't you think?"
To read 150+ future chapters, head over to Patreon:
patreon.com/WhiteDevil7554