Arkz nodded and said, "I could tell."
From the moment the two started chatting until now, Arkz's pace had not slowed down. Although for Arkz, this speed was merely equivalent to a stroll in the park, it wasn't easy for an ordinary person to keep up.
Ellin was not only able to keep pace with him but also chat leisurely, clearly indicating she still had energy to spare.
It could be seen that Ellin's stamina was exceptionally abundant, and her foundation was very solid.
Arkz estimated that despite Ellin looking small and thin, she could definitely handle a one-on-one fight against a Hilichurl while wielding a weapon.
Don't underestimate this point; the Hilichurls living in the wilderness, even the most common Wooden Stick Hilichurl, could utilize Elemental Power. An untrained adult male from Teyvat could only flee when facing a Hilichurl.
Arkz carefully observed the package Ellin carried on her back. He noticed that although the package didn't look large, its wrapping was quite ornate.
At Ellin's waist hung a Sword, which appeared to be an ordinary one-star weapon, but it was sufficient for self-defense and dealing with Hilichurls.
Unlike Arkz, who found the scenery along the road to Star-Picking Cliff utterly fresh, Ellin, having grown up in Mondstadt, was already tired of the roadside views. Encountering someone like Arkz with whom she could converse, she naturally wanted to chat thoroughly.
Anyway, she didn't think Arkz was a bad person since he looked like he couldn't even manage to lie well. It was a good opportunity to chat and pass the boring time on the road.
Ellin said, "Hey! Uncle, I've been doing all the talking for a long time. It's your turn to tell a story, isn't it?"
Arkz looked surprised. "Uncle! Do I look that old?"
Ellin carefully looked at Arkz and nodded her small head vigorously. The ponytail hairstyle behind her head swayed. "Oh—I get it. Whether it's a man or a woman, nobody likes being called old!"
"My mom taught me that. For men, you call them Brother; for women, you call them Sister."
Arkz quickly explained, "It's not that exaggerated. I'm only twenty years old this year. Just a few days ago, I could still enjoy half-price discounts on carriage tickets like a child, but today I'm being treated like an Uncle."
"I'm not quite used to it yet; my feelings are a bit complicated."
Ellin gently patted Arkz's shoulder and comforted him, "I understand what you mean."
"It's like how I still have to be managed by my parents now, needing to be home before 9 PM every night, yet my friends my age are already married and having children. It's a bit hard to accept."
Arkz asked, "Married and having children? How old are you?"
Ellin replied, "Sixteen this year."
Arkz said, "I remember that although the legal age for adulthood differs by country, isn't the age of adulthood in Mondstadt eighteen? Aren't marriages prohibited before eighteen?"
Ellin shrugged helplessly, "What can be done? If the couple is devoted to each other, they can just go to the Knights of Favonius to get a marriage certificate later, and the Knights of Favonius can't do anything about it."
"In Mondstadt, the more remote the place, the earlier people tend to get married."
"It's a good thing my parents and I don't want me to marry this early."
Arkz sighed, then quickly composed himself and asked, "At your age, girls should be in the bloom of youth. There should be quite a few boys your age, haven't you found anyone you like?"
Ellin replied, "My idol is Acting Grand Master Jean. To catch up to Acting Grand Master Jean's footsteps, I don't even have enough time to train every day, so how could I have the mood to care about such boring matters?"
Ellin continued, "I'd rather spend that time training more."
Ellin then said, "I've talked for so long, Uncle... uh... Brother, what about your story?"
Arkz said, "Use whichever title feels more natural to you."
"My story isn't that interesting, but since you're so curious, I'll tell you a bit about it."
"I should be from Liyue (based on the background information the system gave me), but I wandered around various countries with my parents since childhood. I only settled down in Sumeru when I passed the Sumeru Akademiya exam at the age of twelve."
"After that, I studied as a Scholar at the Sumeru Akademiya until recently, when I discovered that I didn't actually have the Talent for being a Scholar, so I dropped out of the Sumeru Akademiya."
Ellin nodded, suddenly realizing, "No wonder I always felt you were a bit like Sister Lisa from the Knights of Favonius; you both have a bookish aura about you."
Arkz replied, "Miss Lisa is a genius Scholar from the Sumeru Akademiya. I, who couldn't even get a graduation certificate, am nowhere near comparable."
Ellin sighed, "Uncle, you're quite pitiful. You studied for so many years, yet you weren't recognized. Don't worry, when we encounter Hilichurls later, I, Ellin, will protect you."
Seeing Ellin patting her chest with a look of great righteousness, Arkz smiled and said:
"Alright, if we run into monsters later, I'll have to rely on Ellin to protect me."
Ellin replied, "No problem, no problem! I'm a reserve member of the Knights of Favonius. A tiny Hilichurl is no match for me!"
The reserve members of the Knights of Favonius were actually the Knights of Favonius's way of recruiting new members. They would search for promising newcomers throughout Mondstadt, and the Knights of Favonius would fund their training and development.
Unlike those who passed the official recruitment assessment of the Knights of Favonius, these individuals coming out of the reserve program were newcomers whose character was well-known. Coupled with the professional training from the Knights of Favonius, their strength was considerable. Therefore, after passing the assessment, they usually became the backbone of the Knights of Favonius.
Ellin and Noelle were both members of these reserve trainees of the Knights of Favonius.
For Mondstadt families with exceptionally talented children but lacking sufficient funds to train them, sending their children to the reserve training camp of the Knights of Favonius was undoubtedly the best option.
For instance, although Ellin's father was an Adventurer, he stopped taking on high-Reward but dangerous commissions to take care of his family. While his salary was more than enough to support the family, it was far from enough to properly train Ellin.
There is an old saying in Liyue—'Poverty suits literary pursuits; wealth suits martial arts.'
This meant that poor families were not suited to train their children in the martial path because the initial investment in learning martial arts was too high. For example, daily training required rich meat and medicinal baths, and instruction needed guidance from famous masters to prevent self-injury from practicing incorrectly.
If one did not possess considerable family wealth, it was best not to train one's children in martial arts.
Take Eula, for example. Although the Lawrence Clan had a poor reputation in Mondstadt, the Lawrence Clan was, after all, one of the three great noble families of Mondstadt, and they would not be stingy with training funds for a talented clanswoman like Eula.
Eula not only received guidance from various famous masters since childhood but also apprenticed herself to Amber's grandfather at a young age. Eula's current immense strength owed a great deal to the solid foundation laid during her childhood.