Meanwhile... in Mondstadt, far from Snezhnaya.
The sound of the waves came first.
Ying was awakened by that voice.
She slowly opened her eyes.
My vision was initially blurry, then there was only a bright, blinding light.
She blinked, and her vision gradually cleared.
The sky was pale blue, with a few soft white clouds drifting by.
It has the salty taste of seawater, and a faint, indescribable freshness.
Ying lay on the beach, gazing at the sky for a long time.
Then, memories began to surface, little by little.
--She's not from here.
She and her brother travel from one world to another.
They have traveled to countless places and gazed at the starry sky countless times, never stopping their journey.
Until that day.
They came into this world, and just as they were about to leave, the sky suddenly darkened.
A strange, aloof figure appeared before them.
Long white hair, cold eyes, and dark red cubes floating behind her.
That was—an unfamiliar deity.
Wait a minute--
My brother's voice still echoes in my ears.
Then came the blinding light.
The power of the gods swept over her. She tried to rush forward, but she was trapped. Her body grew heavier and heavier, and her consciousness gradually faded away.
The last thing she saw was her brother being taken away, and his outstretched hand that couldn't touch her.
"... Brother."
Ying spoke softly, her voice a little hoarse.
She slowly sat up and looked down at her hands.
But my brother is gone.
She didn't know how long she had slept, nor did she know where she was.
All she knew was that she had to find him.
Then we continued our journey.
Ying, supporting herself on the sand, slowly stood up.
Her golden hair was gently lifted by the sea breeze, and her white skirt was covered with grains of sand.
She looked around.
An endless sea, stretching sandy beaches, and green hills in the distance.
She walked slowly along the beach, hoping to find some clues and something to eat.
Just then--
Her steps suddenly stopped.
In the shallow sea not far away, a small figure was splashing around, bobbing up and down in the water.
It's white, small, and looks... like what kind of animal?
Ying squinted and stood on the shore watching for a while.
The little thing was thrashing about in the water, sinking and then desperately trying to float back up.
It was making gurgling sounds coming from its mouth, as if it might drown at any moment.
Ying was silent for two seconds.
Although I don't know what it is, but...
It looks like it's edible?
Her gaze swept to the side and she saw a simple fishing rod stuck in the sand.
Ying walked over and picked up the fishing rod.
Let's fish it up and see.
She stood by the reef, baited the hook, aimed at the small figure still struggling in the water, and cast the line with force.
The fishhook landed right next to the little creature with a "plop."
The little figure was struggling energetically when it suddenly saw something in front of it and instinctively hugged it.
The next second--
The fishing rod in Ying's hand suddenly sank.
They've taken the bait.
She gripped the fishing rod with both hands and could clearly feel the little creature thrashing about on the other end of the hook with considerable force.
"Wait a minute--gurgling--what is that--"
A muffled shout, accompanied by the sound of choking, came from the water.
Ying simply steadied herself and slowly reeled in the line.
Little by little, pull that thing towards the shore.
The underwater figure is getting closer and closer.
It was white and small, clinging tightly to the hook, so frightened that it forgot to thrash around.
Ying gave it one last powerful flick--
"Splash!"
The little creature was pulled out of the water, traced an arc, and flew straight towards her.
Ying instinctively reached out and caught it.
It was warm and soft when I picked it up.
She lowered her head and looked at her arms.
Then, she froze.
That was a... little guy.
She looks like a tiny girl, not even as long as her arm.
He had white hair and wore a strange crown.
She was dressed in white, with a small cape draped over her back in a color reminiscent of the starry sky.
At this moment, the little guy was soaking wet and coughing, choking on water.
The little one flailed its arms, still clutching the fishhook tightly in its arms, and it took a long time for it to recover.
"Cough cough cough--That was terrifying!"
She finally raised her head and glared angrily at Ying.
Then, the two looked at each other.
"He was taken away by a strange deity..."
Paimon floated in mid-air, watching the fleeting look of disappointment in Ying's eyes, and felt a little sad too.
Although she is usually carefree, she knows that being separated from her only family member must be very painful.
"You must be very worried," she whispered.
Ying gave a soft "hmm" and didn't say anything more.
Paimon tilted his head, looking at Ying, and suddenly his eyes lit up as if he had thought of something.
"That's right!" she clapped her hands, "As a reward for you fishing me out of the water and saving me--"
She straightened her chest, struck a serious pose, and put her short hands on her hips.
"I'll reluctantly agree to be your guide!"
Ying paused for a moment, then looked up at her. "Guide?"
"Yes! Guide!" Paimon nodded, smugly shaking his head.
"Don't underestimate me! I've been on this continent for a long time. I know where the cities are, where the gods are, and where the best food is!"
"Didn't you want to find your brother? It's better for me to take you than for you to wander around alone!"
As she spoke, she floated to Ying's side, tilted her little face up, and looked up with bright, expectant eyes.
"So? Want to come with me?"
Ying looked at her.
This tiny, soft little thing, even though it wasn't very confident itself, still wanted to help.
A slight warmth touched her heart.
"Okay." She nodded slightly. "Then I'll leave it to you, Paimon."
"Yay!" Paimon immediately spun around happily.
"From today onwards, I'll be your personal guide Paimon!"
She cleared her throat, put on a serious expression, but she looked adorable no matter how you looked at her.
"Then, Traveler Ying—" she waved her short hand.
Our first stop is City of Mondstadt!
Mondstadt is the city protected by the wind god Barbatos.
" The Knights of Favonius are in the city, along with many other powerful individuals. They might be able to help you find clues about your brother!"
Ying looked in the direction she pointed.
Among the hills, several tall windmills can be vaguely seen, slowly turning in the wind.
That is -- City of Mondstadt.