"Ryan! Acting Grand Master Jean has allowed you to learn Favonius Bladework!" Amber's forehead was still beaded with sweat, her red and white long socks were dusty, her chestnut hair was slightly disheveled by the wind, and her brown clothes had minor tears.
Acting Grand Master Jean's recommendation letter landed in Ryan's hand.
He didn't focus on this hard-won opportunity; Amber had clearly put in a lot of effort.
"Mondstadt's Flying Champion, go take a bath!" The debt of gratitude was so immense, that was all he could say.
"Wait, tell me about the capture process!"
"Okay! Okay!" Amber sniffed the three-day travel sweat on herself, pulled off the rabbit ear knot from her head, took off her long boots, and, barefoot, rushed into the bathroom.
She also pulled Baron Bunny, who wanted to guard the door, into the bath with her.
The sound of rushing water left Ryan unsettled.
He sat in the chair, waiting.
What did Amber need? How could he repay this favor?
"I'm done!" Amber wrapped her wet hair in a towel, her Vision glowed, and the Fire Element gradually dried her hair.
Amber began to recount her three-day experience.
"Just as you said, after I chased the 'Strange Bird' out of the city, they sent people to intercept and block the Knights of Favonius."
"However, with your intelligence, Senior Kaeya prepared in advance, ambushing cavalry outside the city, and catching all the Treasure Hoarders who were secretly waiting to intercept along the 'Strange Bird's' flight path."
"I followed the traces of Wind Elemental on the artifact and caught up with the 'Strange Bird'. As you said, he truly is a master of flight!"
"He had two Wind Gliders!"
"After I used Fire Element arrowheads to destroy the ordinary Wind Glider he used to confuse people, he unfolded a pair of raven wings in mid-air as he fell."
"This is a four-star Alchemy item, a Wind Glider as precious as an artifact, and it can be absorbed into a Soul core."
"Each one has a unique legend and decorative appearance."
Amber paused.
"I shot two more arrows; one was blocked by the Wind Glider's power, and only the second arrow, condensed with all my strength, broke through the light and struck his abdomen."
"The power of the Fire Element raged within him, causing immense pain that blurred his will, which made him, who controlled the Wind Glider, fall unsteadily."
"He accidentally entered a Hilichurl camp and was attacked by a Mitachurl."
"Then I, who was close behind, successfully captured him!"
Ryan clapped at the opportune moment: "Amber, you are the best in the world!"
Amber, flattered, continued.
"Do you remember the graduation gift I wanted to give you? I originally wanted to give you the four-star Wings of Initial Flight, which embody people's dreams of flying. These are the wings my grandfather left for the Outrider team, very special wings, and also the wings I used before I became Mondstadt's Flying Champion."
"The Wings of Initial Flight are the most common among four-star wings, with no other effects."
"Now, there's a better choice. With my merit of capturing the 'Strange Bird' alone, according to the Knights of Favonius' rules, I can ask the Knights of Favonius for a reward, or take an item from the prisoner."
"I chose the four-star Wind Glider from the 'Strange Bird'."
"Once the Knights of Favonius sentence him and strip him of the artifact and Wind Glider integrated into his body, I will bring it to you."
"A Wind Glider, and a four-star rare edition!" An excited Ryan almost hugged and kissed Amber.
But he was afraid of being hit.
Afraid of being presumptuous with the Damselette.
He stood up, turned a circle, and sat down again.
He mourned for the 'Strange Bird' for one minute.
As far as he knew, items integrated into the body, unless actively extracted by the host, could only be dropped upon death.
If the "Strange Bird" didn't want to die, he could only choose to surrender the item in exchange for peace during his imprisonment.
Amber understood Ryan's excitement, just like her own anticipation the night she first obtained a Wind Glider.
Flight is the dream of all living beings on the ground.
"I can't explain it clearly now, but once you get the Wind Glider, you'll feel its magic."
"Before, when I used ordinary Wind Gliders, plus my action style was relatively... relatively special!" Amber scratched her head, awkwardly skipping over the topic.
...I've always been 'very hard on wings,' and I've probably used ten or so Wind Gliders until the end of their lifespan."
"But then I got the four-star Wings of Initial Flight, and also the four-star Wings of Champion after winning the Mondstadt 'Flying Champion' title for three consecutive years."
"I no longer worried about wing damage, or wing maintenance, or pre-flight checks before going out..."
"When you get your Wind Glider, I'll give you special training for a period. We'll go take the flying license test together."
Amber suddenly let slip.
Her flying license, suspended the day she met Ryan when she was rampaging around Mondstadt, hadn't been renewed yet!
"Amber, your flying license?" Ryan asked, puzzled.
He had thought Amber would be in charge of his test, but he didn't expect them to take it together.
"It's nothing, really? I often get my license suspended, it's happened over ten times! I can pass the re-test in one try..." Amber's eyes drifted.
"Here, this recommendation letter is what you deserve." She quickly changed the subject, "In a couple of days, I'll take you to the Knights of Favonius recruitment area to sign up for training."
"Senior Kaeya is the one in charge of recruitment. Although Senior Kaeya is mischievous and likes to cause trouble and wilt the dandelions in the flowerbeds, he also has a reliable side."
"The Treasure Hoarders incident isn't over yet. A message from a carrier pigeon says that some Treasure Hoarders, seeing the unfavorable situation, hid in a Secret Realm near Springvale and closed the gate."
"Senior Kaeya, who is in charge of the pursuit, will leave people to monitor and return to continue overseeing recruitment."
"He will investigate applicants' names, ages, addresses, families, friends... and past experiences."
"You're from another world, so for now, write my house as your address, and don't worry about the rest!"
Amber arranged everything for Ryan.
Two days later, hearing that Kaeya had returned.
Ryan temporarily requested leave from Good Hunter and followed Amber to the Knights of Favonius recruitment area to sign up.
The cold wind rustled the leaves.
The place was deserted.
This particularly desolate scene made both Ryan and Amber pause!
A banner displayed a slogan.
A wooden sign listed the benefits.
Two wooden tables, with a bored woman and man sitting at them.
The woman was proud and aloof!
Dressed in knight's attire, exuding aristocratic elegance.
Her blue short hair curled slightly to her shoulders, with an icy sheen at the tips, and a black lace headband tied around her head.
From her bellflower-like sleeves extended her jade hands, gloved in dark blue, holding a heavy, ornate greatsword.
"Amber?" Eula said in surprise.
She stood up to greet them.
Her thigh-high black high-heeled boots clacked.
The fair skin of her absolute Domain was cinched by a black leather belt, showing a slightly plump curvaceousness.
The silver spurs on her boot heels gleamed coldly, sharp and heroic.
Beside her, the man let out a teasing sound, also greeting Amber and Ryan.
"Oh, oh, who do we have here?"
"It's the righteous Knight and the despicable outsider! You've been staying at a girl's house for a long time, haven't you? Have you been doing anything bad?"
Kaeya's half-closed left eye was deep and cold.
His gray-blue four-pointed star pupils made observers involuntarily feel fear.
His Ice Element Vision, hanging on his brown belt, glowed faintly.
His hands, adorned with pointed bracelets and fingerless gloves, plucked leaves from a nearby bush, tearing them bit by bit and dropping them.
Beside him, the ground was a mess of scattered flower petals, broken leaves, withered branches, and snapped buds.
Displaying a destructiveness no less than a child's.