T/N: Midterm's over. Except for the gruesome data analysis, the probability of me passing other subjects is 80% Ⴚტ⊙▂⊙ტჂ. Anyway, might as well drop 2 chapters for both novel today. I'll try to make advanced chapters and put it on patreon (on some other days). As always, thank you for your time ( ๑‾̀◡‾́)σ"
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"Sucrose, hurry up! The race is about to start!" Klee exclaimed, her voice lively as ever. She had a lollipop in her mouth and a small windmill in hand, her tiny legs moving at lightning speed.
"W-Wait, Klee, slow down…" Sucrose panted, her legs feeling like they no longer belonged to her as it continues to tremble.
Despite possessing a Vision and often venturing into the wild, most of her time was spent in her alchemy lab. She couldn't possibly match the boundless energy of a child like Klee. Truly, a child's stamina was a mystery.
With the Knights of Favonius busy organizing the gliding competition and Shen Qin preparing to participate, no one was available to accompany Klee around the bustling Mondstadt. In the end, the Acting Grand Master Jean had entrusted Sucrose with looking after Klee.
From morning until now, Sucrose had been dragged all over Mondstadt by Klee, diving into any lively place they could find. Several thousand Mora had already been spent in the process.
They now stood at the main viewing area for the flying competition, which also served as the starting and finishing line. This spot offered a clear view of about 90% of the racecourse.
Apart from the main viewing area, the Knights of Favonius and the Adventurers' Guild had set up nine other viewing points across Mondstadt. Although these were smaller in scale and covered only 70–80% of the course, they were still packed with spectators.
Surrounding each viewing point were countless vendors who had already secured their spots. Despite sweating profusely from the workload, smiles were plastered across their faces. A week of business here could bring in a month's worth of Mora.
After a few minutes, Sucrose finally managed to squeeze through the crowd to join Klee, who had secured a prime spot at the front. Right before them was the flying competition's stage.
"Sucrose, after the competition, I'll introduce you to Big Brother Shen! He's an amazing alchemist, you know!" Klee said gleefully, licking her lollipop.
"Uh… sure…" Sucrose hesitated. Her shy nature made her wary of meeting new people, but she couldn't bring herself to refuse Klee. She decided to play along for now, planning to slip away later if necessary.
"Did you know, Brother Shen invented a magical flying skateboard that flies higher and faster than Wind Gliders! He's going to use it in the race today and win first place!" Klee announced proudly.
"Really? A flying tool better than Wind Gliders? What kind of device is it?" Sucrose asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Hmm, I'm not sure either! It's something you stand on, and it makes you fly. Shen Qin even painted Dodoco and pretty pictures on it! He said he'd give it to me after the competition," Klee explained, beaming with excitement.
Her expression then turned glum. "But Master Jean won't let me compete, or else Klee could be flying together with Brother Shen today…"
As Sucrose pondered the mystery of the flying skateboard, someone nearby interrupted, "Little girl, is it true someone will be using this flying skateboard in today's race?"
Klee turned to the man and confidently placed her hands on her hips. "Of course it's true! Klee never lies… probably?" Her voice wavered as she recalled lying to Jean to save Shen Qin, making her feel a bit guilty.
The man pressed on, "Where did you hear about this? I've heard rumors about a new flying device developed by the Knights, but no one has confirmed it."
"Klee didn't just hear about it! Brother Shen made it, and I've even used it myself!" Klee declared.
"Little girl, you shouldn't lie…" the man began but was interrupted by his companion, who tugged at his sleeve and gestured toward Klee's outfit.
"A red outfit… flying without a Wind Glider… doesn't that remind you of something?" the companion whispered.
"R-Red Demon?"
"Shh! Keep your voice down!"
Klee tilted her head, confused by their strange conversation. However, she caught a term that intrigued her. "Uncles, do you know about the Red Demon? Can you tell Klee its story?"
Meanwhile, Sucrose, lost in thought, muttered to herself, "What is this 'hoverboard'? It sounds like a slippery board that can somehow fly without a Wind Glider… Ah, I wish I could meet this Shen Qin and ask him about its alchemical principles!"
――――
In a high room of the Knights' headquarters, Jean stood by a window, gazing at the bustling city below while a knight reports to her from behind.
"Thanks to the Favonius Knights' subtle promotion, our preliminary statistics show that 60% of Mondstadt's population is aware of the new flying tool. Among those closely following the competition, the majority know it will appear in the race."
"Excellent," Jean said, turning to face him. "Once the competition ends, launch a large-scale campaign to promote the hoverboard and Mr. Shen."
"Understood!"
"How are the security measures?"
"By coordinating with the Adventurers' Guild, we've hired adventurers to manage security for the competition. The Knights are stationed at key points throughout the city to ensure no external threats disrupt the event."
"Mr. Shen's safety is the top priority. If anyone targets him, suspend the competition if necessary to protect him."
"Understood!"
―――――
On the other side at the Angel's Share, Diluc also stood by a window, listening to his staff report.
"Lord Diluc, the first batch of over 1,000 hoverboard has been tested. Eight hundred and thirty-one passed, 123 boards need adjustments, and 46 were scrapped. The alchemists are now working overtime to expand production lines. Within a week, we estimate a daily output of 500 units."
Diluc nodded slightly. "The first two batches can pass. But starting with the third, no more than 50 adjustments and 10 scraps in a thousand units. Replace whoever doesn't meet the standards, Dawn Winery's products shouldn't fail that easily."
""Understood!""
Afterall, Shen Qin had already provided Diluc with blueprints for the improved hoverboards. Mass production wasn't difficult once the design was finalized. Shen Qin even suggested an assembly line model, allowing each alchemist to focus on one specific step, greatly improving efficiency.
Apart from the smart systems provided by Shen Qin, the Dawn Winery factories handled the rest of the skateboard production. Civilian skateboards were made near the winery, mid-tier ones near the Knights' headquarters, and high-end models exclusively for the Knights were manufactured internally.
"From today on, let the world hear Mondstadt's voice," Diluc murmured, a faint smile tugging at his lips.