"Sir… Sir, why aren't you saying anything?"
Noelle looked at Lin Mo standing there in a daze, confusion surfacing in her tear-filled eyes.
Lin Mo's lips curved into a gentle smile as he slowly stepped toward her—
just like the very first time they had met by Cider Lake.
He lightly rested his right hand on Noelle's shoulder and said warmly,
"Noelle, being able to see you again after waking from the dream… it's wonderful."
"Wuu… wuu…"
Noelle could no longer hold back her tears.
But unlike before, when they were filled with anxiety,
these tears carried relief, gratitude—
and above all, joy that the power of her wish had truly worked, that Lin Mo remembered her.
"Why are you crying again?"
Lin Mo chuckled helplessly, ruffling her hair. "Don't forget, you're known in Liyue as the 'Geo Archon Princess' now. How are you still like that little kid who never grew up?"
"Sniff… it's all… all thanks to Sir's guidance…"
The little maid kept wiping her tears, a sight so pitiful it tugged painfully at Lin Mo's heart.
Unable to bear it any longer, he changed the subject.
"We can catch up on the road later. Right now, your teacher has something important that needs your help."
The moment Noelle heard that, her tears stopped at once.
"Sir, please tell me! I—I'll do my very best to help!"
"Well then," Lin Mo said with a smile, "do you know where Acting Grand Master Jean and a traveler named Lumine are?"
"Huh? Sir is looking for them?"
Noelle looked surprised. "But… they left the Knights of Favonius late last night. I think… I think they said they were going to purify Stormterror and resolve the dragon crisis."
"They left last night…"
Lin Mo's expression darkened.
If nothing unexpected had happened, they should be heading to Starsnatch Cliff to use the Lyre of the Heavens to summon Stormterror, Dvalin.
Mondstadt wasn't big, but it wasn't small either.
After an entire night and half a day of travel, they should have already arrived.
"How many people went in total?" Lin Mo asked.
"How many… um… let me think."
"Acting Grand Master Jean… Miss Eula… Klee… Sister Lisa…"
"The Traveler and Paimon…"
"The bard Venti, and former Cavalry Captain Diluc."
"Mm! That should be eight people in total!"
…
Eight people.
Lin Mo nodded silently.
That was a few more than in the original storyline.
He didn't know whether this change in numbers would affect how events unfolded.
Logically speaking, this part of the story was just about meeting Stormterror and uncovering the Abyss Order's plot—there shouldn't be much room for deviation.
But one thing was certain.
Even if he set out from Mondstadt right now,
even if he pushed his Anemo power to its limit,
he still wouldn't make it to Starsnatch Cliff in time to take part.
If that was the case…
Why not go straight to where the next part of the story would begin?
The next stage—
the decisive battle against the corrupted Stormterror.
The location: Stormterror's Lair.
There, Dvalin's curse would finally be purified.
The title "Stormterror" would become history,
and the East Wind Dragon Dvalin would once again protect the land of Mondstadt.
After everyone returned, Signora would extract Barbatos's Gnosis straight from his heart.
And with that, Lumine's journey in Mondstadt would come to an end.
"Alright. Your teacher has something to take care of—I'll be heading to Stormterror's Lair."
Lin Mo had already made up his mind.
"Stormterror's Lair? That's really far…"
Noelle covered her mouth, then added, "Let Noelle come with you, Sir! I can prepare food along the way to help you keep up your strength."
"You, huh…" Lin Mo smiled. "If you want to come, then come. Let's go."
He knew how attached the little maid was.
Stormterror's Lair was indeed far—right on the edge of Mondstadt's territory.
At midday, even if they hurried with all their strength, they probably wouldn't arrive until nightfall.
After briefly informing the Knights on duty of their destination,
Lin Mo left Mondstadt through the main gate with Noelle, heading toward Stormterror's Lair.
…
...
Not long after Lin Mo and Noelle left Mondstadt—
On the thirteenth level of the Abyss.
Aether sat upon his throne, eyes closed, deep in thought about the Abyss Order's next move.
Just a few hours earlier,
he had received news that the Knights of Favonius intended to purify Dvalin at Starsnatch Cliff.
An ominous feeling had taken root in his heart.
Even if Dvalin wasn't purified this time,
it was only a matter of time before that man—the humanoid monster who had defeated him, Lin Mo—found out.
At that moment—
A flash of icy crystal light shimmered in the great hall.
An Abyss Mage of ice appeared instantly, speaking in urgent panic.
"My lord! The diplomatic envoy you told us to monitor closely has left Mondstadt!"
"Judging by his direction—he's heading toward Stormterror's Lair!!"
…
"Just as I feared…"
Aether's gaze grew heavy.
Lin Mo going to Stormterror's Lair meant only one thing—
he intended to resolve the dragon crisis.
Aether truly did not want a plan he had laid out over so long to be ruined.
He clenched his teeth hard, as if making a painful decision, and issued his command:
"Mobilize all Abyss forces currently stationed in Mondstadt and Liyue."
"Stop Mod Ganqing from reaching Stormterror's Lair."
"Remember—your objective is to hinder and restrain him.
Do not attempt to kill him!"
…
Meanwhile, Lin Mo and Noelle walked side by side through the outskirts of Mondstadt.
They had just passed Springvale and were nearing Dawn Winery.
Suddenly, a thought crossed Lin Mo's mind.
"Wait… Diluc probably has memories of his invitation quests too, doesn't he?"
"Being honest with him about the dream memories wouldn't really cause any problems."
"After all, Diluc and I are just close friends. It's not like with Eula—I wouldn't have to take responsibility for what happened in the dream."
"But Lisa…"
"…Sigh."
Lin Mo couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
When it came to Lisa, he truly had no idea what to do.
All he could do was silently pray that this woman—
who had always held the upper hand in their interactions—
would never awaken the memories from that dream.
--------
T/N:
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