Mr. Zhongli, we can't slack off anymore!

The servants of Dawn Winery held torches, and the red flames formed a line in the mist, guiding Diluc and the traveler back to the winery.

The game is being conservative; the number of servants I actually saw was far greater than in the game. If you didn't know better, you'd think he was about to attack Mondstadt.

The winery was filled with lights, their glow appearing as golden clusters in the mist.

Such a grand gesture only revealed the vague outline of the manor, as the thick fog obscured everything.

Travelers walk through rows of grapevines, bathed in the aroma of wine.

Perhaps I walked too much today, and after smelling the wine a few times, I felt dizzy.

Only when the maids pushed open the mansion's gates was the "veil" lifted from the traveler's eyes.

A strong sense of old-money style is immediately apparent; the interior decoration is heavy and rustic, with no exaggerated decorations, and is very understated.

It is vastly different from the palace in Zhongli Cave Heaven that was built using Mora as the raw material.

Diluc possesses the greatest wealth in Mondstadt, and judging from the decorations in his house, he dislikes ostentation.

This mansion is far larger than what is shown in the game.

That's understandable, since art modeling is very expensive.

“I have other matters to attend to. Adeline will take you to your guest room. She will be in charge of your daily needs at the manor. If you need anything, just let her know. Goodnight, Miss Lu.” Diluc then disappeared down the hallway.

The head maid, Adeline, spoke with great elegance: "Miss Lu, please come with me."

*

The traveler's accommodation is a guest room on the second floor.

The guest room is neither too big nor too small; it's a separate one-bedroom apartment with a small living room and a bathroom.

"Miss Lü, please rest first. Dinner will be delivered in an hour."

"Okay." The traveler nodded.

Adeline bowed, left, and closed the door in the corridor.

The traveler stretched and slumped onto the sofa, intending to take a nap, but he fell asleep right there.

*

I want to be your friend.

White hair, white dress, and a pair of bright blue eyes.

A little girl who looked about thirteen or fourteen timidly extended an invitation to the traveler.

In a dream?

Even in the traveler's dreams, there is a thick fog.

"who are you?"

“I…I don’t know…” she lowered her head.

Why do you want to be my friend?

"Because we are afraid of you. If you were my friend, you wouldn't hurt us."

"That's not necessarily true. Sometimes friends are the ones who hurt you the most," the traveler said casually.

The logic in my dream was very chaotic.

"Please don't hurt us."

"Why would I hurt you? Who are you?" These are the two questions the traveler is more concerned with.

If she can't answer herself, then she can't answer her question either.

"we are……"

Her figure and voice suddenly became blurry.

"Miss Lü Ren? Miss Lü Ren?" The head maid's voice was extremely grating.

The girl's figure was hidden in the mist.

"Wait!" The traveler tried to chase after them, but a sharp pain in his arms brought him back to his senses.

*

"Huh?" The traveler stood blankly on the window frame.

Head Maid Adeline and two other maids held onto her arms tightly.

Before her eyes was a vast expanse of white mist.

The traveler, regaining his senses, quickly climbed down from the window.

Holy crap, I almost jumped off a building!

Am I still sleepwalking?

“Miss Lu Ren?” Adeline looked at her with concern.

"Oh... I think I was sleepwalking." The traveler scratched his head.

*

The traveler got up very early.

With a maid keeping watch nearby, she stopped sleepwalking.

After a hearty breakfast, I planned to say goodbye to Diluc and set off for Mondstadt.

The hall was bustling with activity, filled not only with the winery's servants but also with members of the Knights of the Order.

One of the figures stood out.

"Then I'll trouble you. Hehe, if you could also fill a few bottles with the best cider, I would be extremely grateful." Kaeya grinned as he asked Diluc for a drink.

"Don't go too far." Diluc crossed his arms, his face indifferent.

"I've been so busy lately, I can only dream about having a sip of sweet cider. Oh dear..."

"One bottle, no more than that." Diluc finally gave in.

"Okay, okay, thank you very much."

Seeing that their conversation was about to end, the traveler took the opportunity to speak to Diluc: "I'm sorry to have bothered you so much tonight, thank you for taking me in."

"You're welcome." Diluc didn't want to say more.

“She’s a lady I’ve never seen before. Aren’t you going to introduce her?” Kaeya’s eyes turned to Diluc.

"Ms. Lu Ren, a merchant from Liyue," Diluc briefly summarized the traveler's background.

"Hello. I am Lü Ren, the deputy head of the Hall of Rebirth." The traveler provided more details about himself.

Kaeya is a shrewd person; his eyes seemed to see right through the traveler when they first met.

"I see, nice to meet you." Kaya greeted the traveler. "Hmm? Aren't you going to introduce me?"

“Oh, he’s Kaeya,” Diluc introduced Kaeya more briefly.

"Well, it's better to rely on yourself than others. I'll do it myself. I am Kaeya, the cavalry captain of the Mondstadt Knights."

“Okay, I’ve got it.” The traveler nodded.

“Miss Lu, it’s quite courageous of you to come to Mondstadt to do business at this time.” Kaeya’s eyes were smiling, but the traveler became even more wary.

He wasn't a bad person, but the traveler didn't want to be tricked into revealing information.

"I heard that housing prices are very cheap right now. And Liyue has just gone through a crisis, so I think everything will be fine."

“Perfect timing. Our knightly order is also heading back to Mondstadt. Miss traveler, why don’t you join us? It’ll be good to have someone to look after you on the way.”

"Thank you very much. This is my first time in Mondstadt, and I'm completely unfamiliar with the place. I hope Captain Kaeya will take good care of me."

"Captain Kaeya sounds awkward, so just call me Kaeya."

"Yes. Kaya."

"Now that everyone is here, let's get going."

*

A large troop of people walked through the fog.

Several horse-drawn carriages were loaded with supplies, and the carriages were connected by ropes to prevent them from falling behind.

The traveler speculated that the fog in Mondstadt was affecting people's normal lives, so the Knights of Favonius were responsible for transporting supplies to maintain the normal lives of the residents in Mondstadt.

"Mr. Diluc, are you also going to Mondstadt?" the traveler asked.

“Hmm,” Diluc replied.

He doesn't talk much to people he doesn't know well. The traveler could clearly sense that he was avoiding conversation.

They were probably worried that Kaiya might encounter some danger on the road alone... or maybe they wanted to keep an eye on me.

It's always good to be careful when you're out and about.

"Haha, actually, I begged him to come with me. You know Mondstadt isn't peaceful right now, and as the cavalry captain of the Knights of Favonius, I naturally have to ensure the safety of the supplies. Having another Eye of God as a companion is only beneficial." Kaeya chimed in when the two couldn't continue their conversation.

The traveler realized that when he said "another Eye of God," he wasn't referring to Diluc, but to himself. That must be why he invited him to join him on his journey.

Hundreds of red lights appeared in the mist.

As the footsteps grew clearer, the knights drew their longswords in preparation.

"It's a Hilichurl!"

The traveler had found it strange that the fog not only impaired vision but also hearing.

“These Hilichurls are different from before. Lu Ren, be careful. If you’re scared, feel free to hide behind me.” Kaeya drew his sword and turned back to give him a word of advice.

"Haha, okay." The traveler was amused by his words.

So far, they've done a pretty good job of concealing their strength.

She had a feeling that she would soon be exposed.