Deep within the forests of Mondstadt, Severin was stopped by a figure who descended from the sky on wind gliders.
She had chestnut-brown hair, a bright red bow shaped like rabbit ears tied atop her head, and a pair of goggles hanging loosely at her collar. Red thigh-high stockings were held in place by brown leather straps, emphasizing her long, agile legs.
"Nice to meet you! Outrider Amber, reporting for duty! If you need any help at all, just say the word!"
Amber always seemed to radiate boundless energy and cheer.
But Severin knew better.
She was the only Outrider of the Knights of Favonius, with an exceptionally sharp sense of smell—keen enough to distinguish subtle traces in the air.
For her to appear here meant one thing: his identity had already been exposed.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have introduced herself without even asking his name.
"Three-time consecutive 'Flying Champion,' Mondstadt's best scout," Severin said casually.
"You joined the Knights to honor your grandfather's wishes, and now you work tirelessly for Acting Grand Master Jean."
Amber froze.
"W–Wow… Snezhnaya's intelligence really is terrifying," she said with a nervous laugh.
"Prince of Snezhnaya, leaving your delegation and wandering alone in the wilderness is extremely dangerous. If something were to happen to you, Mondstadt couldn't bear the responsibility of triggering a war between nations. Please understand how serious this is—and come back with me immediately."
"Miss Amber," Severin asked instead, "do you know where Stormterror's Lair is?"
Only after truly arriving in Teyvat did one realize just how vast the world was. The terrain shown in games was a simplification—it could never capture the sheer scale of the real land.
On top of that, Mondstadt's ley lines were chaotic. Severin couldn't properly sense direction, and after wandering through mountains, forests, and rivers for half a day, he still hadn't found Stormterror's Lair.
Instead, he'd gotten himself lost.
"…So you didn't listen to a single word of my warning, did you?"
Amber puffed out her cheeks in frustration.
Jean had instructed her clearly: once the Prince of Snezhnaya was located, she was to escort him back to the city immediately.
But now that he insisted on going to Stormterror's Lair, persuasion clearly wasn't going to work.
"If you're worried about my safety," Severin said lightly, "why not accompany me? I happen to be lacking a guide. Once I'm done, we'll return to Mondstadt together."
Amber hesitated, then sighed.
"…Alright. I'll take you there."
After all, this was the Prince of Snezhnaya—someone of immeasurable status. She couldn't very well point a bow at him and force him back to the city.
Before long, they arrived at Stormterror's Lair.
From the outside, several raging tornadoes churned within the ruins, howling ominously.
"Uh… Prince Severin," Amber asked, her voice trembling slightly,
"we're… going in there?"
"Of course. If you're scared, you can wait here."
"I–I'm not scared!" she protested instantly.
"I'm Outrider Amber! Prince, please follow behind me."
Summoning her courage, she rushed ahead.
Her duty was to ensure Severin's safe return to Mondstadt. No matter what, she couldn't allow him to face danger alone.
"As you command," Severin replied calmly.
Watching her brave back, he felt a twinge of guilt.
He had used her to find Stormterror's Lair—and now she was protecting him instead.
She might not be the sharpest tactician, but her sense of responsibility was admirable.
Severin liked working with people like that.
"ROOOAAR—!"
The moment they stepped into the ruins, a deafening dragon's roar shook the air.
Amber had no idea Dvalin was hiding here. Hearing the roar, she thought it was some man-eating monster. Her legs nearly gave out, her face turning pale.
A dragon's roar carried not only sound, but mental pressure—an instinctive domination of higher life over lower.
Another roar echoed.
Amber dove behind Severin, covering her ears as her body trembled uncontrollably.
A terrifying thought slipped out before she could stop herself.
"P–Prince… are you here to slay a dragon?"
The slender Prince of Snezhnaya remained utterly calm in the face of such overwhelming pressure—clearly no ordinary man.
"The Tsaritsa keeps several elemental dragon hybrids," Severin said evenly.
"They bare their fangs at anyone they meet, yet act affectionate toward me—because I am the Prince of Snezhnaya."
"Dragons are intelligent. Their wisdom rivals that of humans. If my purpose here were to kill, Dvalin would have fled long ago."
"…Y–You mean… the Wind Dragon, Dvalin?!"
Amber was completely stunned.
Dvalin was one of Mondstadt's Four Winds. In recent years, he had caused repeated wind disasters, and she had been deeply worried about him.
At that moment, fully armed Fatui elites converged from all directions within the ruins.
Misunderstanding Severin's intent, Amber pleaded desperately:
"Dvalin's roar sounds so painful… so angry. Prince Severin, please—don't hurt him!"
So this is how Snezhnaya looks to the world…
There were no absolute villains. No absolute saints.
Even gods couldn't fully grasp the complexity of human nature.
The world saw Snezhnaya as an enemy, yet the Tsaritsa was the most clear-minded of the Seven—willing to bear curses and misunderstanding to awaken the world.
From different standpoints came different conclusions.
Amber's fear was understandable.
But one day, she would realize—
The man before her was the one truly working for the salvation of all people, paving peace for generations to come.
Severin ignored her pleas and turned his gaze to the Fatui adviser kneeling before him.
"Pay your respects to the Prince."
"Anastasia," Severin said calmly, recognizing her from the Zapolyarny Palace.
"How is the plan progressing?"
"Dvalin alternates between clarity and madness," Anastasia replied shakily.
"We tried every method, but couldn't capture him. We failed to complete the mission on time—p-please forgive us, Your Highness."
Severin closed his eyes, sensing the turbulent elemental currents in the wind.
When he opened them again, his conclusion was firm.
"The power of a curse has robbed him of reason. Your failure is understandable. In this state, Dvalin is beyond your ability to handle."
His gaze hardened.
He would intervene personally.
Cryo energy gathered around him—interwoven with surging Electro.
Behind him, Amber stared, dumbfounded.
Ice and lightning… two elements, coexisting within a single person.
How could something so unnatural exist?
Then—
Dvalin's massive form rose from the heart of the ruins, drawn by the power emanating from Severin.
"Who," the dragon thundered, blood-red fury blazing in his eyes,
"disturbed my slumber?"
His wings beat the air as he hovered opposite Severin.
"Dvalin," Severin said calmly,
"in remembrance of your deeds five hundred years ago—when you slew Durin during the Khaenri'ah calamity to protect the people—I will cleanse the curse within you today."
Amber's heart shook.
The Prince could purify curses.
The intelligence claiming he "was not skilled in combat" was utter nonsense.
This man's power… was terrifying beyond measure.
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