Xiao had brought all the exchange books.
That afternoon, Xia Zhi delivered them to the Favonius Library.
Lisa accepted them with a smile. For any librarian, trading old duplicates for a fresh trove of volumes was a blessing.
That night, Amber snuck up and knocked on Xia Zhi's door like a thief.
Amused, he opened it.
She looked at him with bright, expectant eyes. "Mr. Xia, um… about that…"
Xia Zhi pulled out a red headband identical to the one she always wore. "It's done. Put this on."
Amber bobbed her head like a pecking chick. "Okay, right away!"
She tied it on, then looked up. "Mr. Xia, how do I transform?"
"Close your eyes. Focus. Try to sense the headband you just put on."
Amber shut her eyes and obeyed.
"Well?"
"I think… I sort of feel something?"
"Not enough. Keep trying."
"…Nothing…"
"You're a bit like Noelle in this regard."
"Because of… faith?"
"Yes. Try praying to me. Visualize me in your heart."
"Okay."
Amber began whispering a prayer.
With each word, Xia Zhi's figure surfaced clearer in her mind.
Tiny motes of Faith Power flickered around her—more than Noelle had managed.
Xia Zhi lifted a finger, lightly weaving the sparks together into a fine thread, linking Amber to the headband.
"Now. Do you feel it?"
"Yes."
"Then try transforming."
Transform.
The thought barely formed before a surge of pure Anemo burst from the headband, enveloping Amber in a sphere of wind.
The power swelled, cocooning her whole body into a great azure windball.
And the instant it wrapped around her, Xia Zhi felt a familiar intimacy stir within.
After all, it was his own divine Anemo.
At the same time, the system's voice rang in his mind.
"Detected prayer from ordinary believer.
Respond?"
Just like Noelle—Amber was only a common believer.
Which meant only the nurturing path.
"Yes."
He gave his response.
A system panel unfolded before him, a character interface blooming across it.
Xia Zhi navigated with ease.
The silhouette on the screen was Amber, clear as day.
But she was unclothed, awaiting him to design every aspect of her transformed appearance.
In the top-left corner of the panel, a number was displayed:
[Available Points]: 100.
First came the basics—underwear.
Then a fire-red fitted tank top and hot shorts.
Next, the signature accessories of a Xia-series Magical Girl:
a fire-red necklace,
a fire-red headband,
a fire-red leg band.
For her weapon: a fire-red bow, modeled after Fischl's transformation.
Perfect.
Xia Zhi closed the panel.
The turquoise wind-sphere enveloping Amber instantly dissipated, revealing the lively young girl within.
She stood in her fiery red outfit, radiant like a blossom in full bloom—vital, energetic, brimming with power.
Amber opened her eyes.
To her, only an instant had passed.
She had prayed, transformed at lightning speed, and now a force unlike anything she'd ever felt coursed through her.
"This is… the power of wind."
Amber marveled at the flood of Anemo incantations surfacing in her mind.
A whole new system she had never studied before.
Yet some mysterious force let her master it instantly, from Tier I to Tier IV spells, no training required.
Xia Zhi nodded. "Exactly. You're an Outrider—your style is mobility and speed. So I gave you wind. But since you originally wielded Pyro, and your nature burns as bright as fire, I designed your outfit in red. If you don't like it, I can adjust your form."
Amber grinned. "No need, Mr. Xia. I love it."
"Then go have fun."
"Huh? That's it?"
"That's it. Transformation's that simple. Just remember to recharge afterward."
"Okay!"
Amber raised a hand and cast [Levitation].
Transparent wind-wings unfurled at her back. A thought—and she was airborne.
Compared to the standard Wind Glider, this was on a whole other level.
Amber soared through the night sky, thrilled.
No longer did she need to fight with wind currents or tilt her glider just right to maximize speed.
Because now, she herself was the wind.
If she'd had this last night, she would've caught that [Raptor] easily, instead of chasing it for miles.
Even an explosion wouldn't scare her now. With a Wind Barrier wrapped around her, nothing could touch her.
After flying to her heart's content, Amber remembered the Darknight Hero—and angled toward the [Angel's Share].
She perched on a nearby rooftop, watching the tavern.
When the night deepened, a masked man slipped out the back door, merging into the shadows.
Found him!
Amber lifted off, trailing him from a distance, curious as she watched the Darknight Hero prowl the streets, helping those in danger.
His swordplay wasn't Favonius style, but the longer she looked, the more his movements screamed Master Diluc.
It had to be him.
But with his strength, he didn't need her protection.
So Amber turned and flew toward Noelle's house.
She landed on the balcony, peeking in curiously.
Through the window, she saw Noelle kneeling on her bed, gripping the hilt of her sword in prayer.
Amber rapped softly on the glass.
Noelle opened her eyes, stood, and checked the window.
"Miss Amber!"
"Noelle, good evening~"
"You're…"
"I'm a Magical Girl now too!"
"Congratulations."
"Want to go out together tonight?"
"No… my hilt isn't fully charged yet."
"I see."
"Noelle asked quietly, "Miss Amber, when you transformed, did you run into any problems?"
"Yeah. Mr. Xia said my faith wasn't pure enough. But after I prayed to him properly for a bit, it worked."
"…Did you speak Mr. Xia's true name?"
"His true name? Isn't it Xia Zhi?"
Amber spoke the Liyue-language version.
Noelle, however, had heard his original-world name.
Both pointed to him, but the latter carried far more mystery and power.
Noelle's heart sank. Her case was the odd one out—only she needed to invoke his true name just to maintain that mystical bond. (Poor Noelle)
Which meant her faith in him… was the weakest.
Softly, she asked, "Miss Amber, are you devout toward Lord Barbatos?"
Amber thought. "The Anemo Archon? I guess I'm pretty devout?"
"'Guess'?"
"Well, my grandfather was from Liyue. When I was little, he told me lots of Liyue legends. So maybe… I kind of have faith in the Geo Archon too?"
No wonder…
They chatted a bit more, then Amber took off.
Noelle returned to her bed, clutching her hilt in prayer.
On an unseen plane, faint motes of Faith Power rose from her, drawn into the hilt.