Noelle's Lesson

Early the next morning, Ellin arrived at the Training Ground she knew so well from her memories.

Although she was already thoroughly familiar with this place in her memories, actually coming here still left Ellin marveling.

"Hermann really is... a dad who spoils his daughter rotten. Renting a corner of Mondstadt City just for his daughter to train in isn't something money alone can accomplish."

Ellin smiled, once again feeling the unconditional love of Hermann and his wife.

"Dad might be a bit of a goof, but his love for his daughter is absolutely genuine. I'd better do more for him from now on."

Ellin wasn't just saying that. The day before yesterday, she had suddenly discovered that she had become a wealthy woman overnight.

As for why, it all started when she opened her system inventory that day.

When she opened it, she found a Serenitea Pot tab alongside the weapon and Artifact Inventory tabs.

The Serenitea Pot tab contained not only the Serenitea Pot itself, but also a huge collection of furniture she had built back in the game.

Besides that, she also found a string of digits in the bottom-left corner of the system: 11451400.

That number represented Teyvat's universal currency: Mora!

Ellin had originally saved that Mora for Hu Tao back in the game. She hadn't expected it to follow her to Teyvat.

In other words, without even realizing it, Ellin had become a wealthy woman with assets worth over ten million and an enormous, portable mansion in a Sub-Space Creation!

"I'll buy a few bottles of good wine for him tonight! And some flowers and clothes for Mom."

Ellin smiled. Her main reason for coming here today was to train her elemental control and develop new ways to use Elemental Energy.

After her last battle in the Whispering Woods, Ellin had realized that relying on a bow alone wasn't enough. She needed to learn more ways to fight and grow stronger!

With that thought, Ellin took a deep breath, sank it into her lower abdomen, then tilted her head back and shouted at the sky!

"NO-ELLE!!"

The girl's voice echoed through the air.

A few dozen seconds later, a dark figure leaped down from the high city wall and landed heavily on the ground with a dull thud.

It was a girl wearing maid-style armor, with short gray hair reaching her shoulders. She held a broom in each hand and another between her teeth, striking a three-sword-style pose.

Ellin took one look. Wasn't this Noelle, the adorable maid from the game?

"Good morning, Ellin! Were you the one calling me just now?"

Ellin and Noelle were around the same age, and both were working toward joining the Knights of Favonius as full-fledged knights. They were already close friends and often exchanged tips in private.

Of course, since the original Ellin had deeply admired Acting Grand Master Jean, and Noelle admired her just as much, the two often talked about her as well.

"Yes, I called you."

Ellin stepped forward without any hesitation, took Noelle's hand, and spoke with a bright smile.

"Here's the thing, Noelle. You know how I got my Vision a few days ago? I'd like to ask you how to use Elemental Energy."

"Could you teach me how to make shields with Elemental Energy and use it in combat?"

"Of course! I'm really happy I can help you!"

Noelle was a kind, warmhearted girl who worked tirelessly without complaint and never turned down anyone's requests.

At Ellin's request, she nodded with a smile, took a greatsword from the nearby weapon rack, and walked onto the Training Ground.

"Ellin, I divide my use of elemental power into two parts: defense and offense."

"First, defense. Imagine the shield's shape, size, and the area you want it to protect. Then activate your Vision to draw out Elemental Energy and shape it into the shield!"

As she spoke, Noelle willed it into being. A hum rang through the air, and a shield of Geo formed out of thin air, enclosing her securely.

"The shield's strength depends on how much Elemental Energy you use. The more Elemental Energy you put into forming it, the stronger it becomes, and vice versa."

"A shield isn't just for defense. It can also deal damage!"

As she spoke, Noelle walked up to a wooden dummy. Her shield shattered, and the resulting blast broke the dummy into several pieces and sent them flying.

"Detonating your shield at the right moment can produce some unexpected results! But this move takes plenty of practice, or the blast might hit you too!"

"I call this move Breastplate."

"Next is offense. I usually gather a large amount of Elemental Energy around my sword, forming an even bigger blade for wide, sweeping attacks."

"This move requires you to rapidly draw on a large amount of Elemental Energy to form an elemental greatsword. You also have to keep feeding it Elemental Energy to make up for what it consumes."

"So it tests not only how quickly you can channel Elemental Energy, but also your endurance!"

As she spoke, Noelle willed her power into motion. Her maid's skirt fluttered without a breeze as a vast amount of Geo gathered around the greatsword in her hands.

Clad in armor, she looked like a divine warrior as she swung the enormous elemental greatsword in broad arcs across the Training Ground. In just two or three seconds, she reduced more than a dozen wooden dummies to piles of mangled wood.

"This move increases your attack range and keeps enemies from getting close. It's very useful in battle!"

While teaching, Noelle was solemn and focused, like a steadfast knight. Once the lesson ended, however, she returned to her usual adorable self.

"But my Vision is Geo, while yours is Cryo, Ellin. Different elements have different effects, so... I hope this helps."

She was a very warmhearted girl, but precisely because she cared so much, she often worried that she hadn't been helpful. She would also feel guilty and blame herself if she thought she hadn't done well enough.

So after finishing her lesson, she cautiously turned to look at Ellin, hoping to see an expression that said, "Master, I've got it!"

But at that sight, Noelle's eyes widened, and both hands instinctively flew to her mouth.

Ellin had already walked up to a wooden dummy. A thick ice shield enveloped her, leaving Noelle able to make out only a blurred silhouette through the ice.

With a thought from Ellin, the shield shattered. Fist-sized chunks of ice burst outward in every direction amid a surge of freezing air.

Under that impact, the wooden dummy instantly broke into seven or eight pieces, which flew seven or eight meters away. By the time they tumbled onto the ground, their surfaces were even coated in a thin layer of frost.

Before Noelle could cry out in surprise, something even more astonishing happened.

Standing at the center of the freezing blast, Ellin beckoned with one hand. A dull-edged greatsword glowing an earthy yellow appeared in her grasp out of thin air.

She furrowed her brow, and the lingering freezing air surged back toward her like a waterfall flowing in reverse, forming an ice greatsword nearly eight meters long in her hand!