In the following days, Lumine and Paimon were either farming or taking on commissions—these two didn't turn anything down. Escorting transport balloons, helping people find their cats, delivering food—you name it.
Put nicely, they were the enthusiastic Honorary Knight and her faithful guide; put bluntly, they were a blonde buffoon and her pitiful little sidekick.
Shao Yun couldn't stand it anymore. Today, he snatched the slimiest, lowest-paying commission—slime cleanup—from Lumine's hands and did it for her.
Clearing out slimes was truly dull: too much work, too little pay. It was the kind of thing you just did on the side while gathering plants or scavenging in the wild.
After finishing the slime-cleaning job, Shao Yun wandered over to the Adventurers' Guild counter, bored out of his mind.
The first thing he saw was the always-smiling Katheryne.
She wore a neat uniform, and her sleek short black hair shimmered under the sunlight.
Her kind expression always brought a strange comfort to adventurers.
When she saw Shao Yun, her smile grew even brighter. She dipped her head slightly and gave an elegant wave.
"You're here, Mr. Tacitus."
Shao Yun gave a slight nod, stepped up to the counter, and handed her the completed commission form.
He wore a look of mild exasperation and self-mockery. "I don't think we should be called adventurers. More like Mr. and Miss Fix-It."
He started ticking off the typical duties of a Mondstadt adventurer on his fingers.
"Finding cats, walking dogs, delivering takeout and cargo—no wonder Mondstadt's always recruiting adventurers. This stuff isn't what real adventurers should be doing."
Katheryne took the form and processed it with practiced ease while smiling warmly.
"Well, with the Stormterror crisis resolved, peace and stability are the new norm here. There just aren't many dangers needing adventurers these days."
Shao Yun tapped the counter impatiently, still hoping. "No Treasure Hoarder camps I could hit? Robbing's still more fun than slime duty."
Katheryne shook her head. "Unfortunately, ever since the Mondstadt leader of the Treasure Hoarders, 'Stormterror Bandit,' was captured, they've been quiet. Mondstadt's practically crime-free now."
Shao Yun sighed, disappointed but not deterred. "What about hilichurl camps? There's gotta be a few, right?"
Again, Katheryne shook her head apologetically. "Oddly enough, their numbers have dropped too. Only place with a noticeable concentration is Dadaupa Gorge, but it's too dangerous—we don't recommend going there alone."
Shao Yun was speechless. He let out a long sigh and muttered, "Am I gonna end up building someone's house or their damn ranch?"
Katheryne blinked, then her eyes lit up. "Speaking of houses—I just remembered! Goth Grand Hotel's undergoing renovations, and Mr. Goth posted several commissions this morning. Let me see where I put those..."
She began rummaging through her drawers.
Shao Yun remembered how he'd wiped out the Fatui agents inside the hotel and wondered how bad the damage was. He had Amber pass a message to Mr. Goth about compensation—maybe now was the time to follow up.
While he pondered, Katheryne pulled out a fresh commission sheet and placed it before him, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Found it! Mr. Goth says he needs some timber."
She lowered her voice slightly, her tone sincere. "It's all here—he's asking for high-quality wood to repair the hotel. Would you be willing to help?"
Shao Yun raised an eyebrow, glanced at the commission, then looked back at her with a mischievous glint.
"Do I look like a lumberjack with an axe?"
A smirk played on his lips.
Katheryne waved her hands quickly. "No no, you misunderstood! He just needs someone to transport the timber, not chop it down!"
Shao Yun chuckled and examined the paper more closely.
The job? Haul lumber from Windrise to Mondstadt. Just another transport balloon delivery.
After reading through, he shook his head again. "Give this to a rookie. That balloon's slower than I am on foot."
He handed the commission back. "Got anything a little more exciting?"
Katheryne sighed in mild disappointment, then started digging again through her drawers.
Eventually, she pulled out a freshly inked commission form and held it up.
"How about this one? It's from Miss Glory—she needs three dandelions. That's gotta be more your speed, right?"
Shao Yun blinked. Glory… the blind girl? What does she need dandelions for?
His mind immediately jumped to brewing. Maybe Angel's Share dandelion wine is too pricey, so she's making her own?
Homemade booze isn't safe—too much and it could blind you. Wait, is that how she lost her sight?
He accepted the form and raised a brow. "If it's for brewing, three dandelions doesn't seem like much."
Katheryne quickly turned serious, clearly worried he might get the wrong idea.
"You can't make wine with just three, and brewing at home is illegal in Mondstadt. The Knights would arrest you for that."
Then she elaborated.
"Miss Glory requests dandelions daily, but we don't know what she uses them for. Could be something unique. As long as it's within protocol, we've no reason to reject such a small request."
So, it wasn't for brewing. Shao Yun nodded.
He remembered meeting her during the Stormterror crisis. She left a decent impression, so he decided to take it on.
"Alright, I'll deliver them when I head over to talk to Mr. Goth."
He tucked the commission into his pack and left the bustling Adventurers' Guild, heading through Mondstadt's lively marketplace.
…
Miss Glory sat quietly on her usual bench, blending into the peaceful surroundings.
She turned her head slightly at the sound of familiar footsteps, her voice tinged with surprise and delight.
"Ah? Is that… Mr. Shao Yun? Thank you for saving me the other day."
Shao Yun paused, impressed she'd identified him just by sound. He smiled.
"Wow, you've got sharp ears. I hadn't even said anything yet."
A gentle smile spread across Glory's face. Her voice was soft and calm.
"It's nothing. Ever since I lost my sight, my hearing's gotten more sensitive. And your steps are… heavy. Very distinctive."
So, it's not congenital, Shao Yun thought. He stepped forward and looked at the white cloth over her eyes, a faint feeling stirring within him.
"I thought you were born…"
She shook her head gently, used to the assumption.
"Oh no, my eyes were injured. But my vision could return someday."
That confirmed it. With damaged sight, the other senses sharpen—especially hearing. Lose clairvoyance, gain clairaudience.
Shao Yun shook the thoughts away, not wanting to dwell on such topics.
He pulled three dandelions from his pack and handed them to her.
"Here, your dandelions. Three, as requested."
Glory seemed surprised he'd completed the task so quickly. She reached out and carefully accepted them, a joyful smile lighting her face.
"Ah! Thank you. Please place them in my hand."
Shao Yun placed them gently and warned playfully, "Hold on tight. That's all I brought."
She brought the dandelions close, whispering something to them softly.
With the commission complete, Shao Yun turned to leave—time to deal with Goth and the hotel.
But Glory called out to him.
"Wait, Mr. Shao Yun… could you help me with one more thing?"