Klee, the daughter of Alice, a wielder of Pyro Vision, and the master of explosives. She once single-handedly altered the terrain of Windrise forever—
Shen Qin had known from the start that Klee was impressive, but reading such a dry description pales in comparison to witnessing her abilities firsthand.
After receiving his "request for help," she seemed to fully unleash her true nature, dragging him across the Starfell Valley. Explosions echoes in the distance, spreading toward Mondstadt.
By Shen Qin's rough estimation, along the way, they (Klee) have destroyed three Hilichurl camps, snapped six large trees in half, and if he hadn't stopped her in time, she would have gone after a Mitachurl for a one-on-one fight.
"Boing, Boing, Boom! Hey-ya!"
Klee hurled a bouncing bomb larger than her own head down on a small hill. Bouncing three times on the ground, each impact caused a massive explosion, before splitting into dozens of mines that reduced the Geo Slimes below them to a dazed, starry-eyed mess.
"Big Brother Traveler, Klee will wait for you down here!"
Klee waves at Shen Qin, adjusted the straps of her backpack, ran forward a few steps, before leaping down the hill.
With a loud "whoosh," a pair of Wind Gliders unfurled behind her, the flowing Anemo energy supporting her small body as she landed gracefully on the ground.
"Hmm?" She tilted her head and noticed one Geo Slime still conscious. Locking eyes with it, she reached into her bag for another small bomb.
The Geo Slime, visibly panicked, glanced around its environment before rolling its eyes and pretending to faint. Satisfied, Klee tucked the bomb back into her bag and energetically waved at Shen Qin on the hill.
'Wind Gliders were so convenient! No matter how high the jump, they guaranteed a safe landing.'
As for Shen Qin, who was currently penniless, such luxury was out of reach for him.
Carefully making his way down the slope, he approached Klee who looked, at her expectant gaze, he smiled and praised, "Klee is so dependable! You really deserve the title of Spark Knight!"
"Heehee~" Klee beamed, darting ahead. She looked back while running and called out, "We're almost at Mondstadt! Big Brother Traveler, hurry up!"
Shen Qin sighed helplessly and jogged to catch up.
When they rounded the last hill, Mondstadt's main gate finally appeared before him.
A wide stone bridge stretched across an endless expanse of lake, that connects the enormous island to the shore. The city of Mondstadt, occupying the entire island, stood quietly amidst this serene setting.
Beyond its tall walls, even taller windmills reached skyward, their massive blades turning gently in the breeze.
In the higher parts of the city, the Mondstadt Cathedral shimmered under the sunlight, draped in its golden glow. For a moment, even Shen Qin, who had never believed in gods, felt a spark of reverence.
As one of the Seven Nations under the Archons' rule, this magnificent ancient city before Shen Qin might truly be what Mondstadt was meant to look like. The game was far too modest in its portrayal.
This was a city with over two thousand years of rich history. Yet, perhaps due to the influence of a certain bard, Shen Qin couldn't shake the overwhelming sense of freedom that greeted him upon entering Mondstadt.
"Amber! Why are you here? Are you here to pick up Klee?"
Klee's cheerful shout pulled Shen Qin back to reality. He followed her voice and saw her stopping before a red-clad girl.
The girl wore sleek leather armor, a quiver on her waist, and a bow slung across her back. A butterfly-shaped ribbon resembling bunny ears adorned her head.
Shen Qin recognized her instantly.
'Well, well, would you look at that. Wasn't this Amber, the Mondstadt's Pyro bow-user and one of the first characters every Genshin Impact player meets?'
"Klee! There you are! The Acting Grand Master Jean had people searching the city for you all day, and it turns out you snuck out to play!"
Amber sniffed the air, then asked, "Wait, is that the smell of gunpowder from you? And… grilled fish? Klee, were you blowing up those fish at the Cider Lake again? Be careful, or Acting Grand Master Jean will lock you in the solitary confinement!"
"Heehee, Amber will keep Klee's secret, right?" Klee spoke, hugging Amber's arm before pleading, "But Klee wasn't naughty today! Look! She even helped this Big Brother Traveler drive away those bad Hilichurls!"
"Oh?" Amber looked up and noticed Shen Qin approaching. She straightened up and introduced herself, "Hello, I'm Amber, Outrider of the Knights of Favonius. Are you... from Liyue?"
Culturally speaking, Shen Qin indeed belonged to Liyue. Following her lead, he nodded and replied, "Yes, I'm a traveler from Liyue. On the way here, I was surrounded by the Hilichurls. Luckily, Klee came to my rescue and even escorted me all the way here."
"Oh, a visitor from afar!" Amber's eyes lit up with excitement. "Are you here for the Mondstadt Gliding Championship?"
The Mondstadt Gliding Championship? That sounded familiar.
Before Shen Qin could respond, Klee answered for him, "Nope! Big Brother Traveler doesn't have a Wind Glider yet."
"I see," Amber said, slightly disappointed, but quickly perked up. "In any case, welcome to Mondstadt! If you don't have a place to stay, I can take you to the Knights for assistance."
"Amber, are you going back to the Knights with Klee?"
"Well, I was planning to practice my gliding skills on Windrise. The Gliding Championship is coming up, and this time, I'm determined to win first place!"
Amber crossed her arms confidently, her expression brimming with determination.
Klee mimicked her pose and added, "Yes, yes! Amber-sis is so amazing, she'll definitely win the championship!"
'Now I remember — Amber is the Mondstadt Gliding Championship winner, however her glider license was revoked fifteen times for violating Mondstadt's flight regulations…'
As this thought crossed Shen Qin's mind, his gaze toward Amber became a bit… odd.
Amber, realizing that Shen Qin was still present, seemed a little embarrassed. She cleared her throat and said, "Uh… well, since I've bumped into you two, I guess I'll cancel my practice for today and escort you to the Knights of Favonius myself."
"No, no, Amber, go ahead and handle your own things! Today, Klee will bring the Big Brother Traveler to the Knights of Favonius!" Klee planted her hands on her hips proudly. "Today, I'm Klee the Responsible Spark Knight!"
"Well… alright then. I suppose giving up on gliding practice is just too much for me…" Amber sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. She then turned to Klee with a serious expression. "Klee, I'll leave this distinguished guest in your capable hands."
"Just leave it to Klee!" Klee patted her chest confidently.
"Traveler, we'll part ways here. If you need help in Mondstadt later, feel free to find me!"
After saying goodbye to the energetic Amber, Klee watched her retreating figure with a hint of envy. She mumbled, "The Gliding Championship must be so fun… but Master Jean won't let Klee participate…"
Shen Qin couldn't help but feel envious, too—not of the championship itself, but of Amber's masterful gliding skills.
The two of them, one big and one small, walked along the stone bridge in a slightly dejected mood. Their steps startled a flock of pigeons, which scattered into the sky, drawing an angry glare from Timmy, who was standing on the bridge.
Once they entered Mondstadt, however, Shen Qin's disappointment changed to excitement. The familiar yet subtly different cityscape made him eager to explore and seek out the NPCs he remembered from the game.
But the real Mondstadt was much larger than its in-game counterpart, and the city's layout had been altered in ways he hadn't expected. By the time they reached the Knights of Favonius headquarters, Shen Qin had yet to spot a single familiar NPC.
Klee went ahead to meet Jean, while Shen Qin was politely asked to wait in the lobby. After all, as Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, Jean wasn't someone anyone could just meet on a whim.
To Shen Qin's surprise, however, Jean appeared before him with Klee in tow.
"Hello, traveler from Liyue. I'm Jean, Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius."
The Dandelion Knight extended her hand toward him, her expression calm and professional, with a faint smile on her face.
"Hello, I'm Shen Qin," he replied, somewhat nervously, shaking her hand. Jean's commanding presence, honed through years of leadership, made him instinctively tense.
Jean's smile widened slightly, and the intensity of her aura diminished a bit.
"Klee has already told me everything. Thank you for taking care of her along the way."
"I should be the one thanking her," Shen Qin replied earnestly. "Without her help, I wouldn't have made it to Mondstadt safely."
Jean's expression was unreadable, but she chose not to dwell on the topic. "Klee mentioned that you currently don't have a place to stay in Mondstadt. If you're willing, I can offer you an old alchemy workshop that Klee's mother once used. It's been abandoned for some time, but I can have the Knights clear out the alchemy equipment to make it suitable for living. How does that sound?"
Shen Qin's eyes lit up. "That's perfect! —I mean, I really appreciated it. But… if possible, could the alchemy equipment stay in the room? You know… I'm something of an alchemist myself."