The Abyss Order

"Dad, Mom, I'm heading out!"

After breakfast, Fischl said goodbye to her parents, then headed out in high spirits.

"That girl!"

Watching her daughter leave, Fischl's mother couldn't help smiling.

As her parents, they could clearly see how much their daughter had changed over the past few days.

Fischl had smiled before, too, but those smiles had been a mask. Beneath her smiles and grandiose fantasies lay a deep loneliness.

These past few days, however, the smile had never left Fischl's face, and even her theatrical proclamations had become far less frequent.

Her smiles came from the heart, and the loneliness she radiated had faded tremendously.

In her cheerful mood, she would even hum a tune now and then, with a spring in her step.

What parents wouldn't want to see their daughter happy? Fischl's transformation filled hers with joy.

Of course, they also understood the reason for that change: she had found a true friend.

"Ellin really is a good girl!" Fischl's father said.

Her mother nodded as well. "Yes, it's wonderful that our daughter met her."

They were truly grateful to Ellin. She was beautiful, mature and thoughtful, and exceptionally kindhearted.

The light she radiated always warmed those around her, yet she never asked for anything herself. Like the sun, she shone endlessly without ever demanding anything in return.

Since Ellin needed to train over the next two days, Fischl could only wander the streets with Oz.

"Oz, my familiar, my friend and I have known each other for many days. I wish to seek an item with which to seal our pact of friendship."

"You wish to find a suitable gift for Miss Ellin?"

Oz immediately understood what Fischl meant.

"In that case, why don't we visit With Wind Comes Glory? It's the largest souvenir and gift shop in Mondstadt City."

Before long, Oz and Fischl arrived at With Wind Comes Glory on Mondstadt City's main street.

"My lady, look at that!" Oz pointed a wing at an item inside a glass display case.

Fischl looked where he indicated, and her eyes lit up.

It was an aqua-blue gemstone pendant, but its design was quite unusual: it had been carved into the shape of a Large Cryo Slime.

The gemstone pendant had a lustrous, liquid sheen and looked exceptionally precious. Carved into the shape of a Large Cryo Slime, it combined elegance with character and charm.

The Large Cryo Slime was a round, blue-and-white Slime wearing an ice helmet with pointed spikes. It was adorable.

"Oh? If it isn't Miss Fischl and Mr. Oz! Is there anything you'd like to buy?"

Marjorie, the owner of With Wind Comes Glory, came over.

"Hello, Miss Marjorie. My lady wishes to purchase a gift for Miss Ellin."

Fischl nodded as well. "That Cryo Slime pendant-bring it here for this Prinzessin to inspect."

"Oh? You'd like to give this Cryo Slime pendant to Miss Ellin?"

Looking delighted, Marjorie took down the pendant and handed it to Fischl, then said,

"Miss Ellin came to my shop just yesterday to buy a gift for her mother."

"She's changed so much. She's become so caring toward her parents and so cheerful, and she's grown so beautiful, too."

"This Cryo Slime pendant would look wonderful with Miss Ellin's white hair and blue eyes. And her Vision happens to be Cryo, so this pendant is simply a perfect match for her."

"You have excellent taste, Miss Fischl!"

Fischl blushed. To be honest, Marjorie's thoughts matched hers exactly.

The moment she saw this Slime pendant, Fischl had felt that it was a perfect match for Ellin.

She could already picture how Ellin, with her white hair and blue eyes, would look wearing it.

"How much? This Prinzessin shall buy it!" Fischl declared without hesitation.

"Well... it isn't cheap."

"This pendant was carved by a veteran craftsman in Liyue from the finest noctilucous jade found there. The entire gemstone has a beautiful, liquid luster, and noctilucous jade this close to a Cryo Slime's color is very rare."

"This pendant originally cost two hundred thousand Mora, but I've decided to give you a discount and sell it to you for one hundred and thirty thousand!"

"Why knock seventy thousand off all at once?" Fischl was stunned.

"Hehe!" Marjorie chuckled. "Because Miss Ellin is just so adorable. I really want to see her wearing this Cryo Slime pendant."

"One hundred and thirty thousand Mora... that's a lot cheaper, but..."

Fischl bit her lip. Her total savings amounted to only a little over one hundred and twenty thousand Mora, and that was only because she had received substantial compensation after the incident in the Whispering Woods.

"Would one hundred and twenty thousand Mora do? That's all my savings!"

"I'm afraid not!" Marjorie shook her head. "I'm already taking a huge loss by reducing the price by seventy thousand."

"All right!" Fischl gritted her teeth.

"In that case, hold this Slime pendant for me. I'll definitely buy it before tomorrow!"

"Of course! I'll put it away for you!"

After leaving With Wind Comes Glory, Fischl immediately went to the Adventurers' Guild.

She accepted a commission to gather wolfhooks in Wolvendom. It had been posted by the Church of Favonius and offered a reward of over eight thousand Mora.

After completing this commission, Fischl would only need to scrape together a little more to reach one hundred and thirty thousand Mora and buy the Cryo Slime pendant.

It was noon, with the sun high overhead, by the time Fischl and Oz reached Wolvendom. Neither girl nor bird stopped to rest; they immediately began gathering.

Since wolfhooks grew among the bushes, Oz's aerial scouting was of no use. Fischl and Oz could only concentrate on searching through the undergrowth.

Before long, dead twigs and bits of leaves clung to Fischl's clothes and hair, and her beautiful raven-feather outfit had become filthy.

But neither she nor Oz minded, and they continued searching through the bushes.

Deep in the woods, it was difficult to keep one's bearings without making a conscious effort. Fischl and Oz were so focused on finding wolfhooks that they paid no attention to their direction.

After an unknown amount of time, Fischl suddenly heard the clanging sounds of digging.

She quickly looked over, and her expression changed!

Not far away, two small figures floating in the air were directing seven or eight Hilichurl Berserkers and over a dozen Hilichurls as they dug furiously around a Statue of the Seven.

"Abyss Mages! They're from the Abyss Order!!!"