Shen Qin won the championship, and his victory left all the spectators highly satisfied.
Stanley took second place, and Nikola third, but neither of them seemed a bit upset.
Stanley gave a thumbs-up. "Shen Qin, my friend, I underestimated you before the competition. You're truly impressive."
Nikola added, "You're really strong. I hope we can race again next time, using those hoverboards!"
"Congratulations, Mr. Shen Qin." Barbara personally placed the championship medal around his neck. "This victory is well-deserved! If you're ever free, you can... uhm, you can come to the Mondstadt Cathedral and listen to me sing!"
She blushed furiously and ran off after speaking.
'Miss Barbara, please don't say things like that—I'm worried Captain Jean might misunderstand!' Shen Qin thought nervously.
"The champion of the 46th Mondstadt Gliding Competition has been decided. Let's all congratulate today's champion, Shen— Qin! At the same time, let's extend our gratitude to the Knights of Favonius for their strong support of this competition. Today, we witnessed a legendary adventurer who defies age, young talents who shine brightly, and the spirit of justice, friendliness, and fairness that surpasses competition itself. We also witnessed the debut of an innovative flying tool—the hoverboard. This was a truly special event, one that we will all remember! And now, I declare the gliding competition officially concluded. See you next year!"
Jean stepped onto the stage. Once the cheers from the crowd subsided, she spoke, her voice resonating across the city. "Citizens of Mondstadt and travelers from afar, I am Jean, Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius. I would like to take this opportunity to announce an important matter on behalf of the Knights."
"It's Captain Jean!"
"What could be so important that Captain Jean is announcing it herself?"
Jean continued, "Many of you may already be familiar with the flying skateboard or what we called the hoverboard, a new flying tool capable of flight. Its inventor is none other than today's champion, Mr. Shen Qin! Mr. Shen has partnered with the Knights of Favonius and the Dawn Winery to make these hoverboards available for purchase in the market!"
"Wow! The hoverboards will really be available for sale? When I saw the champion flying, I thought how great it would be if I had one too!"
"Hurry up and put those flying skateboards on the shelves! I can't wait!"
Some who weren't present at the event began to wonder what's this hoverboard was.
Jean added, "Additionally, the Knights will immediately issue flight regulations for the hoverboard. Using them within Mondstadt will require a flight license and adherence to these regulations. However, there's no need to worry about the difficulty of obtaining a license. After testing, the Knights have determined that with simple training, even ordinary people can easily master the use of a flying skateboard. In fact, Mr. Shen beside me doesn't have a Vision, yet he only trained for less than ten days to win the championship!"
"Ordinary people can learn to fly so well in just a few days? It really seems easy to use!"
"Yeah, it's faster than Wind Gliders and not restricted by wind currents!"
"I practiced with Wind Gliders for two months and still didn't qualify for the competition, but he used the skateboard to win the championship so easily?"
"The Knights hope that the hoverboard will bring more convenience to everyone's lives. That's our goal in launching it! Now, let's hear from Mr. Diluc of Dawn Winery, who will oversee the production and sale of flying skateboards."
Jean gestured for Diluc to take the stage.
He kept his words brief. "...For the next three days, Dawn Winery will host hoverboard trial sessions at the starting point of the flying competition. After the trial period, everyone can bring their new flight license to purchase a hoverboard at the Mondstadt Flight Store. As a special promotion, the first ten customers will enjoy a 50% discount."
As soon as he finished speaking, a large crowd surged forward. Dawn Winery staff stepped in to answer questions and organized the queue for trial flights.
"With these hoverboards, ordinary people like us can finally experience the joy of flying!"
"Exactly! The Knights said it's easier to operate than the Wind Gliders. I failed the Wind Glider license test three times; I'm sure I can pass with the skateboard!"
The people of Mondstadt buzzed with excitement, and some had already gone to inquire about the licensing process. Meanwhile, travelers from outside Mondstadt wondered if the hoverboard would eventually be sold in other nations, as they didn't have the time to stay in Mondstadt for licensing.
Sensing the growing chaos, Shen Qin slipped away to the backstage area, where he met the Knights.
"Well done, bro! But you scared me when you went to save Amber—I was worried you'd fail to save her and end up putting yourself in danger," Kaeya said, draping an arm over Shen Qin's shoulder. However, he accidentally touched Shen Qin's injury, making him wince. Kaeya quickly stepped back, raising his hands apologetically. "Sorry, sorry, I forgot you're still hurt."
"This was outstanding," Diluc said, uncharacteristically generous with his praise. "According to our plan, you only needed to capture the fugitive and secure the championship. But saving Amber and winning while carrying an extra passenger exceeded all expectations. The publicity is far beyond what we anticipated."
Indeed, the fugitive's "escape" was part of their plan. Kaeya had even found a treasure hoarder with exceptional flying skills to stage the act with Shen Qin. If the hoarder had genuinely escaped, the Knights would have accepted it, but if he was caught, he'd earn a reduced sentence as a reward. Naturally, the man agreed.
"Next time, make sure to prioritize your safety when doing something this dangerous!" Jean said earnestly, and Shen Qin nodded instinctively in response.
"Brother Shen, let's play!" Klee burst into the backstage area energetically. "Oh, Captain Jean, Brother Kaeya, and Master Diluc—you're all here too!"
Sucrose, who had followed behind, greeted everyone shyly, "Hello, everyone."
"Klee was amazed! You caught the bad guy, saved Amber, and flew the fastest!" Klee exclaimed, looking up at Shen Qin with excitement.
"Yes, and it's all thanks to the hat and glasses you gave me!" Shen Qin said, patting her head with a smile. He pulled the hoverboard out of his bag and handed it to her. "The competition is officially over, so this Dodoco hoverboard is now rightfully yours."
"Yay! My dodoco hoverboard!" Klee cheered, immediately activating it and hopping on.
Sucrose stared wistfully at the flying skateboard before timidly approaching Shen Qin. "Hello, I'm Sucrose, an alchemist with the Knights of Favonius…"
Her voice grew softer until only she could hear it. She had planned to ask him about the hoverboard, but her nerves got the better of her. She lowered her head, unsure of what to do.
"Miss Sucrose, was it? I've heard about you," Shen Qin said, breaking the silence. "I've heard you've made remarkable achievements in alchemy. If you're free, feel free to visit my alchemy workshop. We can exchange ideas."
"Really?" Sucrose said excitedly. Anything related to alchemy instantly piqued her interest.
"Of course. I believe your knowledge and skills will greatly contribute to the development of new alchemical products."