A Girl's Heart That Charges Ahead

She saw the boy in front of her instinctively lean back and almost crash headfirst into a big tree behind him.

"My friends and I came from another world and landed on this earth for some... special reason. During the landing, I got separated from them. She is in the city, I am outside the city, and there is another one whose whereabouts I don't know. So I want to ask you to help me find her."

"... You bastard, don't you know how to keep your mouth shut?!" The boy rubbed his head vigorously—the second time in a minute—he opened his mouth, perhaps intending to be serious, but his shoulders slumped lazily.

"... Alright, there have been precedents for outsiders like you on this continent. I won't concern myself with your abilities. As for finding someone... that's fine too. Although my abilities are at the bottom among those in the Ruler of the Mortal World, finding someone within Mondstadt shouldn't be a problem. What's her name? What does she look like?"

"Talulah Aterlias, um, this is a portrait." Miss Surtr used her sword as a brush and the dry ground as a canvas. With a few strokes, she created a half-length portrait of Talulah. "Her hair is SilverAsh, and her horns are black. She can control flames, but they should be different from ordinary fire elementals."

"Not bad." The Wind God youth examined the painting on the ground, a smile of approval on his face, reflecting his appreciation for art. "Is it the same as your flames?"

"I'm not sure. After all, I haven't been in this world for very long."

"Okay, I'll try my best... How should I find you?"

Miss Surtr raised an eyebrow. She didn't believe Barbatos couldn't locate himself after finding Talulah. So her intelligence, which only activated at times like this, worked at full power, and she read the unspoken meaning that even a mischievous but essentially good-natured guy like Barbatos wouldn't dare to say directly.

—As an outsider, you know too much and understand too much. Moreover, you possess a power that cannot be ignored.

Are you a friend or an enemy? Which do you want to be?

"You'll definitely find me," Miss Surtr replied. "Because I'm going to take my friends to tour the nearby manors and towns. I don't plan to do anything extra until I find Talulah."

"Oh, then I recommend you go to the nearby Dawn Winery ... well, it might not be exactly 'nearby.' But I can give you a ride. After all—" He glanced politely at the Little Deer curled up in the girl's arms. "This young lady seems to need a rest, and the area around Dawn Winery boasts some of the best inns, wines, and stunning scenery in all of Mondstadt."

He made an inviting gesture, and the wind formed colorless carriages and horses beside her.

"Two beautiful ladies, Wendy the bard, may I have the honor of driving this special express train for you?"

He uttered his name, his own name as a human being. And that signified a certain sincerity.

Miss Surtr then nodded.

"I am Surtr, and this is Alina." She gracefully boarded the wind chariot with her Little Deer and gave her thanks.

"It would be my great honor."

The next moment, the passage of wind surged, carrying the visitor to the place they were waiting for.

Wendy is gone.

After escorting Miss Surtr and Alina to a large winery and the surrounding town, the earthly deity, who called himself a bard, gave a slight bow to the two and then vanished into the wind.

He left, for he still had important matters to attend to—after all, no matter how unreliable he seemed. But at heart, he was still a responsible and kind-hearted god. After ensuring that Miss Surtr, this unexpected intruder, didn't intend to directly interfere in his important affairs, he departed to continue dealing with his dragon friend. And with Miss Surtr's sword strike as a prelude, the plot will likely progress much faster than in the original work.

Surtr had no intention of bothering him, nor did she intend to get involved in the original storyline—bringing people back to Terra certainly required causing trouble. But before causing trouble, gathering everyone she needed to bring back was the most important thing.

So--

Since the host has extended such a warm invitation, as a guest, one should at least show basic courtesy and respect. This incident involving the Stormterror, which resulted in no casualties, was likely entirely under the control of that seemingly unreliable Wind God. And Miss Surtr, who is always inclined to offer help in times of need, naturally wouldn't do something that would be considered ungrateful and disliked.

She turned her head to survey the town before her—even in the game, the area around Dawn Winery had many residences built as a result of economic development. And now that the fiction had become reality, this largest winemaking center in Mondstadt would naturally expand to a corresponding scale.

Barbatos is a god who cherishes freedom and never interferes with the administrative operations of Mondstadt.

Therefore, this land called Mondstadt, under his indulgence, became a free land where people wouldn't hide from shooting stars, but instead would run over to watch the spectacle.

It is obvious that the free land under God's watchful eye cannot thrive on the plantation model.

Therefore, surrounding this vast winery estate are large areas of towns and markets that have been established due to economic activities.

There were many people, and the streets were quite lively. Alina remained curled up in her arms, pretending to be asleep, so the scene of this beautiful Princess embracing another beautiful girl naturally attracted a little attention.

Of course, Miss Surtr didn't care—she never cared about such trivial matters. Holding Elafia in her arms, she found a rather elegant-looking inn and booked a room—naturally, she had no money. So she sold the exquisite one-handed sword that had come with the second body's resurrection to the innkeeper to cover a week's stay; after that, she'd probably have to work as a laborer for a while.

She figured the Stormterror incident wouldn't drag on for more than a week, and if Venti worked diligently, with the power of the Wind God, he could probably find Talulah in Mondstadt in less than a day. Considering his tendency to slack off, she'd give him three days to search. If there was still no sign of Talulah after three days, it would mean two things—either Talulah wasn't in Mondstadt, or the trust between them had broken down.

Miss Surtr sincerely hoped the second thing wouldn't happen, because that would mean a significant increase in her workload. After all, she really didn't want to make drastic, destructive changes outside the main storyline to Genshin Impact, a world she knew nothing about in her previous life.

—Hopefully this slacker will be more reliable.

The girl thought to herself. She carried the Little Deer to her room—for safety, she had booked a double room with a large bed. As she closed the door and placed Alina on the bed, she clearly observed a blush creeping onto the Little Deer's neck, and its ears twitching slightly.

All right.

The easier tasks have been dealt with; now it's time to tackle the more serious issue—what's coming will eventually come. After getting rid of Wendy, it's finally time to face Alina's long list of 'confessions before her death'.

"Alina, Alina, what should we... what should we do?"

She sat down beside the Little Deer, her fingertips dangling as she gently stroked Alina's hair—as Pure Love God of War, she would never stray from someone else's partner. But the other woman had made the first move... that was troublesome.

"I don't think this is right," she said softly. "You and Talulah are the right couple. After all, you've spent so much time together over the years. You have a deep bond, while I'm just a sudden intruder. You may have seen too much glamour in me. But in reality, dazzling lights are just blinding, while the familiar warmth around us is more worthy of our long-term commitment."

She knew Alina was awake, always awake.

And she intends to reject Alina —just as Persephone had guessed on the rooftop.

"Just consider it a mistake. Alina, forget it. As if it never existed, I can completely erase that memory from my mind without leaving a trace. And if you wish, I can also—"

She got stuck.

Because Alina had already opened her eyes. And then—

— He bit her hand hard.

Chapter 91: A Girl's Heart Forges Ahead

A dozen hours ago, in Terra.

As Surtr walked out of the clinic carrying Talulah's bag, Persephone added a few words on the rooftop before Alina left to take up her post at Peterheim Middle School.

"Your competitiveness is very low. Although I wouldn't mind having another companion, as things stand, you have virtually no chance of making it to the end independently." The Maiden Doctor from Rhodes Island spoke calmly and indifferently.

"Your bond with Talulah is both your weakness and your strength. But apart from that, you have no other way to interact with her. Because you are neither good at combat nor at academic research. The only thing you can do is to impart knowledge as a teacher. And that is by no means a unique feature."

"You should know what kind of person Surtr really is. Putting aside her one-sided 'womanizing' nature, it would be hard to find another individual on this land as beautiful, wealthy, powerful, and glorious as her. The secrets and vows she carries are heavier than the highest mountain in Terra. And whether in the past or present, in the Yan standing is an enduring topic."

"Are you trying to persuade me to give up, Miss Persephone?" The Little Deer smoothed her hair, her eyes brighter than ever. "But I am educated. In this world, many great heroes, whose names are etched in history, have sought their final haven, but it is often not a noble Princess or a wise sorcerer—"

—Those heroes with names and lineages. They often choose the nameless wildflowers by the roadside rather than dazzling jewels. Because they are already accustomed to glory, ordinariness holds a greater attraction for them.

She gently pressed her hand against her chest.

"I'm not saying this to imply that I'm confident of victory, nor that Surtr will be content with mediocrity. I just want to tell you—even if I'm just an insignificant roadside wildflower compared to the dazzling jewels around her, I will do my best to bloom until her gaze leaves me forever."