The next morning
The morning sunlight crept through the window of his second-floor room in Angel's Share. Kaito slowly opened his eyes, feeling a gentle warmth on his skin. For a moment, he lay still, listening to the sounds of the city waking up—footsteps on the cobblestone street, the sound of vendors opening their stalls, and the distinctive Mondstadt breeze carrying the scent of grass and Cecilia flowers from afar.
He got out of bed, straightened his clothes, and made sure his equipment was in its place. After ensuring everything was ready, Kaito went downstairs. Angel's Share was still relatively quiet; only a few chairs had been neatly arranged, and Diluc was nowhere to be seen. Without further ado, Kaito stepped outside.
As soon as he stepped onto the main street, a gentle breeze greeted him. The clear blue sky stretched wide, and the sun was just barely rising above the eastern horizon. Mondstadt in the morning had a different charm—calmer, more honest. There was no tension, only a sense of freedom with every breath.
His first goal was simple: breakfast.
It didn't take long for him to arrive at Good Hunter. The aroma of warm food immediately whetted his appetite. Behind the counter, Sara—the owner and chef—was busy preparing orders.
"Good morning," Kaito greeted with a light smile. "One fisherman's toast and a glass of milk, please."
"A good way to start the day," Sara replied pleasantly.
"Just a moment."
Kaito sat on a bench outside, enjoying the atmosphere. Several adventurers milled about, some still yawning, others fully armed. Soon, his order arrived: toast with perfectly grilled fish, served warm, accompanied by a glass of fresh milk.
Kaito ate his breakfast leisurely. It was simple, yet filling—enough to refuel before a long day. After paying, he got up and
walked back through town.
Next destination: the Adventurer's Guild.
The guild building had been bustling since morning. Several adventurers gathered around the commission board, discussing or debating their upcoming assignments. As Kaito entered, a distinctive voice greeted him from behind the reception desk.
"Ad astra abyssosque. Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild."
Katheryne stood up straight with her professional smile. "Good morning, Mr. Kaito. Would you like to take today's commission?"
"Morning, Katheryne," Kaito replied. "Yes. Please show me the currently available commissions."
"Of course."
Katheryne took out several sheets of paper and handed them over. Kaito accepted the stack and stood to the side, carefully reading each one. There were missions for gathering materials, delivering goods, helping villagers, and clearing small monsters around the Mondstadt region.
Most of them seemed fairly standard—suitable for beginner adventurers. However, one commission caught his eye.
Clearing three Hilichurl encampments around Windrise.
Reward: 50,000 Mora.
Commission Giver: Knights of Favonius.
It wasn't the reward or the difficulty that caught Kaito's attention, but the name of the commissioner itself.
Knights of Favonius.
Mondstadt's guardian knight order, founded by Vennessa with the help of Barbatos a thousand years ago, was a law enforcer, a protector of the people, and a symbol of freedom guarded by discipline. Logically, tasks like clearing out hilichurl encampments should have fallen under their purview.
But Kaito knew the situation.
Grand Master Varka was currently leading an expedition away from Mondstadt, bringing with him most of the Knights of Favonius' core forces. In his absence, Jean—the Vice Grand Master—was acting as Acting Grand Master. The shortage of personnel meant that many field duties had to be delegated to independent adventurers.
"Makes sense," Kaito murmured softly.
Windrise wasn't unfamiliar territory to him—he knew it held strong symbolic value and was a frequent hilichurl nest due to its strategic location. Three encampments meant a considerable number of enemies, but also not beyond his capabilities.
Without hesitation, Kaito returned to the reception desk.
"Katheryne," he said, handing over the commission sheet, "I will take this assignment."
Katheryne stared at the paper, then looked up. A hint of doubt flashed in her eyes. "Are you sure, Mr. Kaito? This is a fairly large-scale monster-clearing mission. It might be safer if you take on an easier mission first."
Kaito smiled faintly. "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
His tone was calm, but there was a strong conviction behind it—not arrogance, but certainty. Katheryne was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"Very well," he said finally. "Please be careful. May your journey be safe. Ad astra abyssosque."
"Thank you, Katheryne."
Kaito turned and stepped outside. Once outside, he took a deep breath. The Mondstadt breeze greeted him again, a truly pleasant one.
Windrise awaited him.
With steady steps, Kaito began walking toward the city gate, his thoughts already focused on the Hilichurl encampment he was about to encounter.