Putting the purchased groceries into his backpack, Arkz walked unhurriedly toward the Adventurers Guild.
While walking, Arkz carefully calculated that one whole wild boar, two big fat fish, plus the vegetables bought today, would be enough to make a huge feast.
Combined with his cooking skills, it was guaranteed to let Ellin and her parents come with joy and leave completely satisfied.
In order to leave a better impression on Ellin's parents, making them feel at ease about letting Ellin train, Arkz deliberately arrived at the Adventurers Guild a bit early. Unexpectedly, Ellin's family was already waiting there.
Seeing Arkz's figure from afar, Ellin happily waved her hand: "Uncle, over here!"
Looking at Arkz's figure, Herman pursed his lips and reluctantly offered a compliment: "He's reasonably punctual."
Just then, Herman noticed something was wrong and asked, "Wait, Ellin, what did you call that kid?"
Ellin replied, confused, "Uncle, what's wrong?"
Herman's eyes widened, and he asked, "So you two are really just friends? And he's really just trying to help you pass the Knights of Favonius assessment?!"
Ellin huffed angrily, "What else would it be? You didn't listen when I explained it so many times yesterday."
"So, have you figured it out now?"
Herman immediately beamed, no longer wearing the distressed look of a father whose daughter was being snatched away.
"Uncle, that title is good."
In Herman's view, that title implied that Arkz and Ellin acknowledged a generational gap between them, making it very difficult for feelings to develop between them. Thus, Herman was instantly relieved.
Arkz walked slowly to Ellin's side, looked at the two people behind her, and asked, "Ellin, who are these two?"
Arkz saw that Herman showed no signs of guilt. He wasn't planning on running off with Ellin, so naturally, he wasn't nervous or guilty like a son-in-law meeting his future in-laws.
Herman stepped forward to greet him: "This must be Brother Lu Ming, right? You truly are talented. Thank you for taking care of my Ellin, Brother Lu Ming."
As he spoke, Herman enthusiastically shook Arkz's hand, completely overlooking the aversion he had felt toward Arkz back at home.
Seeing the drastic change in attitude from her father, Herman, Ellin felt a bit helpless. Her calling Arkz 'Uncle' before was more of a teasing gesture; in reality, Ellin still treated Arkz as someone of her own generation.
She was very polite towards elders.
It was a pity that because of Herman's actions, Arkz had genuinely become someone of her uncle's generation, which made Ellin feel strange. It was like her usual friend suddenly becoming an elder who kowtows and gives her red envelopes during the New Year.
After Herman's enthusiastic greeting, Arkz turned to look at the beautiful, mature woman standing next to Herman. She looked very much like Ellin, suggesting Ellin had the potential to become a great beauty in the future.
"Is this Sister Ellin's mother? You are so young, you look like Ellin's older sister."
"Mr. Lu Ming is joking, hahaha."
Seeing Arkz chatting animatedly with her parents like a long-lost friend, Ellin suddenly felt a pang of sadness and helplessness. She felt like her friend had been snatched away by her parents, leaving her behind.
Ellin thought to herself, "Sigh! I shouldn't have introduced Arkz to my parents."
The three people chatting on the other side were unaware of Ellin's thoughts; they were enjoying their conversation immensely.
Herman, as an explorer, had traveled to many countries in his youth and was a well-traveled individual. To have won the heart of Ellin's mother, a great beauty who valued appearance, his own looks were naturally not bad. Although he was older now, with some careful grooming, he was still a handsome uncle.
In his conversation with Herman, Arkz learned a lot of novel knowledge and interesting stories, feeling greatly enriched.
As for Herman, without the prejudiced filter of a bad boy about to snatch his precious daughter, he found Arkz to be a truly outstanding young man—kind and polite, sincere in his dealings, and impeccable in character. At such a young age, he already owned his own business and was a top student from the Sumeru Akademiya. In terms of combat strength, he heard from Ellin that Arkz could easily deal with a Ruin Guard.
Most importantly, Arkz shared the same hobby as him—fishing. How could a Fishing Enthusiast be a bad person!
As for Ellin's mother, she was even more satisfied. This young man was more handsome than Herman when he was young, and so accomplished. If she were a dozen years younger, Ellin wouldn't even be in the picture.
Seeing the three of them getting more engrossed in their conversation and herself becoming a minor background figure, Ellin decisively inserted herself between them, interrupting their talk.
Ellin: "Dad, Mom, and Arkz, didn't we agree to visit Arkz's farm today?"
"It's getting late, and there's still a long way to walk from here to Springvale. Let's get going! Otherwise, we might miss lunch."
Herman looked up at the sun and nodded. Having been to Springvale a few times, he knew roughly how long the journey would take. "It is indeed getting late. We should set off sooner."
Arkz spotted a carriage soliciting passengers at the city gate. After thinking for a moment, he went over and communicated with the driver for a while.
A moment later, Arkz returned, driving the carriage toward the trio.
Herman and Ellin were both seasoned warriors, so the distance was nothing to the father and daughter. However, it was quite long for Ellin's mother.
Ellin's mother had not undergone much training, and her stamina was only at an ordinary person's level. Furthermore, today she was dressed up with makeup and wearing high heels, adopting the demeanor of meeting a future son-in-law. Traveling like that would cost her half her life.
Seeing the carriage Arkz brought, Herman said, "The distance from here to Springvale is so short, why take a carriage? That price can't be cheap!"
Ellin and her mother gave Herman speechless, exasperated looks. The man had no sense of propriety.
Ellin tugged at Herman's sleeve and whispered softly, "Dad, Mom is wearing high heels today. Walking that far, Mom won't be able to handle it."
Herman suddenly realized his mistake and repeatedly apologized to Ellin's mother, finally earning her forgiveness.
As a carriage specifically for transporting guests, the compartment was very spacious—it could fit ten people, let alone four. Moreover, to attract return customers, the driver had decorated the interior beautifully, making it very comfortable to ride in.
Furthermore, as an expert driver of decades, the carriage moved very smoothly without any jarring bumps, making everyone feel it was well worth the money.
Sitting in the carriage, the group chatted happily, not feeling bored at all.
On the Teyvat continent, all sorts of animals existed, so it naturally wouldn't lack creatures like horses. In fact, horses were not just present in Mondstadt, but very numerous.
It was just that the Knights of Favonius were extremely strict in selecting mounts that could serve as partners for their knights. Most horses in Mondstadt did not meet the requirements.
After all, the opponents the knights faced were ferocious monsters and cunning Fatui. Against these enemies who controlled the element, if one's mount and partner lacked control over Elemental Power, they would become a weakness in battle.
Over the years, the Knights of Favonius had naturally accumulated a batch of horses capable of controlling Elemental Power. However, most of them were taken away when the Grand Master went on an expedition. The remainder was insufficient to maintain the required establishment, leading to the awkward situation where Kaeya, as the Cavalry Captain, had no mount.