Morning in Mondstadt
Everything was peaceful, just like any other day. People were heading to work, the streets were calm, and the city moved at its usual pace. Outside an inn, a young man stood, looking around.
"Where should I go?" he wondered.
He wandered through Mondstadt aimlessly, hands tucked in his pockets. The breeze carried the faint scent of baked bread and dandelions. The streets were lively, filled with merchants calling out prices and knights making their morning rounds. Yet, for all its charm, the city felt too familiar, too small.
He paused near the fountain, watching the water sparkle in the sunlight. "Nothing new," he murmured. "Same shops, same streets… Guess it's time to go see what's outside."
With that thought, he turned toward the city gate. The guards gave him a brief glance but said nothing as he passed through. Beyond the walls, the land stretched open—rolling hills, scattered trees, and the faint shimmer of Windrise in the distance. The air felt cleaner here, the noise of the city fading into soft wind and birdsong.
He walked for a while, following no path in particular. His boots brushed through grass and wildflowers until he reached a small rise overlooking the plains. That's when he noticed someone ahead—moving with precision, sword flashing in smooth arcs through the air.
A woman.
The morning sun caught the edge of her claymore, glinting off the silver. Her long, pale-blue hair flowed with each motion. Even at a glance, he could tell—she wasn't an amateur. A Knight of Favonius, maybe… or something higher.
He stopped a few meters away, unsure whether to speak.
The woman's final swing ended cleanly. She rested the blade on her shoulder, then turned toward him. Her eyes met his, cool and assessing.
"You've been standing there for a while," she said, her tone calm but filled with pride. "Enjoying the view, or were you planning to sneak up on me?"
He blinked. "Uh—neither, actually. Just passing through."
Her gaze dropped briefly to his clothes, unfamiliar to her. "You're not from Mondstadt," she said flatly. "Your attire's… unusual. Where are you from?"
He hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. "Far away," he said simply. "Just exploring. Didn't mean to interrupt your training."
She raised an eyebrow, unconvinced but not hostile. "Exploring, hm? Most travelers don't wander this close to Cryo slime nests without a weapon. Either you're brave… or foolish."
He smiled faintly. "Guess I'll take that as a compliment."
Her eyes narrowed. "You can, if you wish. I'm Eula Lawrence—Captain of the Knights of Favonius Reconnaissance Company." She spoke her title with a practiced calm, almost daring him to react.
"And you are?"
"Vale," he said. "Just… Vale."
Eula studied him for a moment longer. "Vale," she repeated, then gave a small nod. "If you're exploring, I suggest you keep your distance from this area. Monsters roam freely beyond the ridge."
He glanced past her at the open fields. "Thanks for the warning. But I think I'll take a look around anyway. Feels too early to head back."
Eula's eyes narrowed slightly. She took a slow step closer, her gaze sweeping over him from head to toe. "You do not carry a Vision," she said plainly. "Nor any proper weapon. You are a civilian."
Vale glanced down at himself, then back up at her. "Yeah. Guess that's true."
"Then you will not be going beyond this ridge," she said firmly. "The wilds are no place for unarmed travelers."
Her tone left little room for argument. But Vale's smile didn't fade. "You sound like every guard I've met who thought the world ends past the gate."
Her expression didn't change, but her eyes sharpened. "I am not every guard. I've seen what happens to people who underestimate Teyvat." She paused, tilting her head slightly. "You do not strike me as foolish, yet you insist on acting like it."
"I'm not looking for trouble," he said calmly. "Just some air. If I see a monster, I'll run. Promise."
"That's what people always say," Eula replied coolly. "And then they run straight into the next one."
He chuckled softly. "You sound like you've had to save a few of those people."
Her lips pressed into a faint line. "More than a few. And I have no intention of adding you to that list."
He met her gaze without flinching. "You don't even know me."
"That is precisely why I do not trust you to keep yourself alive." Her voice stayed even, but there was a trace of frustration beneath it—Eula's kind of frustration, quiet and precise. "If you were my subordinate, I would order you back to the city."
Vale tilted his head. "Lucky for me, I'm not."
That earned the smallest flicker of amusement in her eyes, though her tone stayed cold. "Defiant. How very… civilian of you."
He grinned. "Or maybe confident."
Eula crossed her arms, studying him again. He wasn't boasting, she realized. His tone was steady, not arrogant—just certain. "Confidence without strength is empty," she said. "A few well-placed slimes could prove that easily."
"Then maybe I'll get lucky," he said lightly.
She gave a short, humorless laugh. "Luck? You truly are from far away."
For a moment, silence hung between them—the kind that follows two people testing each other's boundaries. The wind brushed through the grass, and Eula's cape shifted slightly behind her.
Finally, she spoke again, her voice quieter. "If you insist on walking beyond the ridge, I will accompany you."
Vale blinked. "Thought you just said I wasn't allowed."
"I did," she said, turning slightly away from him. "But I cannot ignore someone walking to their own death, even if they are too stubborn to listen. Call it… professional duty."
He smirked. "Duty, huh? Not vengeance?"
Her head turned just enough for him to catch the faint curve of her lips. "Keep talking like that, and I might add you to my list."
Vale chuckled. "Guess I'll try to stay off it."
Eula sighed, shaking her head. "You certainly have a talent for testing patience." But there was no true annoyance in her tone now—only a reluctant curiosity.
She adjusted her grip on her claymore and nodded toward the trail. "Very well. Stay close. I will not slow down for you."
He smiled faintly, stepping in beside her. "Wouldn't dream of asking."
As they started walking together, Eula glanced sideways at him again—quietly, as if trying to read him.
Interesting, she thought. Foolish, yes—but interesting.