He changed Tiwat

Indeed, both pine cones and fried potatoes have a savory and robust flavor, but when combined with the secret jam, they become as gentle as a breeze and as sweet as dew. No wonder the people of Mondstadt love these potato pancakes.

After breakfast, the group chatted about their experiences from the previous night.

After entering the city last night, Han Fulai parted ways with Yingmei and the others.

Ying took Mona to the Adventurers' Guild to register and also found her an unused magic laboratory in Mondstadt as a place to stay. It seemed to be a property under the Goethe Hotel, where Han Fulai had stayed the previous day. The rent was quite low, an expense that Mona could afford.

Han Fulai went to the city alone to look for Wendy. Following his memories from the game, he visited the Anemo statue in the cathedral and the "Gift of the Angels" tavern, but unfortunately, the drunkard seemed to have become a street hustler, and he couldn't find him anywhere.

Of course, this result was not unexpected for Han Fulai—this was Barbatos, the Barbatos who "you can see everywhere except Mondstadt".

He couldn't very well tell Yingmei and the others that he was the "successor of the Emperor" from Liyue and had come to see the Anemo Archon of Mondstadt on business, so he claimed that he was just a traveler who had casually looked around Mondstadt.

The good news is that he also knows Mona, the astrologer.

To thank him and Yingmei for taking care of her during their journey, Mona arranged to meet at the "Deer Hunter" today and offer to tell their fortune as payment.

Although she didn't gain any new occult knowledge, Mona couldn't divine the clues about the void or Han Fulai's fate, but divining other things—like where there was treasure or finding someone—shouldn't be a problem.

In addition, Mona didn't want to let go of Han Fulai, this "research topic," so she secretly still wanted to ask him for his contact information. However, the proud and reserved astrologer was unwilling to take the initiative to ask... Now that there was the "business contact" of divination, it would be much easier to ask.

After breakfast, Mona summoned her "water divination plate" and began to ask Ying and Han Fulai about the people she was divining for.

To everyone's surprise, Ying and Han Fulai wanted to have their fortunes told about the same person—a bard named Wendy.

Han Fu came because of the task Zhong Li gave him, and as for Ying, she was there for clues about her brother.

Venti said that they could find clues in Liyue. Luminosity originally thought that the clues would fall on Mona, the astrologer, and happily accompanied her to Mondstadt to "learn from her"... In the end, they didn't get the true secrets of occultism, but instead had to help Mona settle down in Mondstadt. Moreover, they were also annoyed by Yura on the way. Well, Luminosity had already complained to Jean last night about this.

In short, Ying needs to find Wendy again to ask where the clues to her brother are. This time, she needs to ask more clearly and also complain to Wendy. However, the street singer seems to know that she will soon come back to settle accounts with him, and has already slipped away.

Of course, her "clue," which was Han Fulai himself, didn't remember that he still had an "Intiwat" he found at the bottom of the Layered Rock Abyss in his storage space.

Regardless of what the two people were thinking, Mona was very curious about this "coincidence." For astrologers, there is no such thing as "coincidence" in this world, only "fate."

"Why are you two looking for that Wendy?" Mona asked.

"Uh... I heard he was Mondstadt's best bard when I was in Liyue, and my friend recommended that I come to Mondstadt to hear his stories."

Yes, Han Fulai was telling the truth.

Ying said she wanted to catch up with old friends, which is true.

Based on the information Mona had obtained about Wendy from them, she began to manipulate the water slab.

"Hmm... his name is Wendy, a bard who does nothing all day, likes to drink, usually wears green clothes, carries a lyre at his waist, and isn't even as tall as me... What interesting secrets could someone like that hold? Let me tell you..."

As Mona moved her finger, the water tray began to rotate.

"Hmm, it's very simple. Look, this image... it's very similar to what you described... um..."

The group stared expectantly at Mona's divination board. Because the information they provided was very detailed, the divination seemed to be going exceptionally smoothly.

Ever since she met those two, Mona's divinations have always gone wrong, but this time they finally worked!

But as Mona looked at the "Song Fairy Seat" on the water basin, she vaguely felt that something was wrong.

At this moment, the water basin suddenly shook.

Then, a strong wind blew up at the open-air teahouse.

"Hey, the water's on the plate... I can't see anything! Wow, wow, the wind's picked up, I can't even open my eyes! My hat! My clothes, my clothes are going to blow away! Stop! I quit! I quit!"

After the water droplets disappeared, the wind stopped.

Han Fulai, Ying, and Paimon all looked at Mona with sympathy—the wind was directional, blowing only on Mona.

Needless to say, this must be a trick played by Wendy.

They are, after all, a deity. You can't just let an astrologer spy on them like that; that would be too embarrassing.

Regardless, even a failed divination has its value. At least Han Fulai and Ying now know that Wendy is probably hiding nearby, but simply doesn't want to come out and meet them. Wendy certainly has her reasons for hiding.

Since he's there, there will always be a chance to see him; there's no need to rush.

Mona, her face disheveled by the wind and tears welling in her eyes, clutched her hat and said resentfully, "Why do strange things always happen after we got involved with you guys!"

Han Fulai and Yingdu started looking around at the scenery, pretending not to hear Mona's complaints. They only sent Meng Fei over to touch Mona's pointed hat to comfort her.

After the brief incident, the group headed to the Adventurers' Guild.

The breakfast we just had was also paid for by Han Fulai, that wealthy man, but the proud astrologer couldn't always be treated to handouts, so Mona had to go to the Adventurers' Guild to accept a commission, and Ying, as a senior adventurer, naturally had to accompany and guide her. As for Han Fulai, since he had nothing else to do, he simply accompanied them under the guise of broadening his horizons to see the daily life of adventurers.

However, today seems to be no ordinary day.

Catherine's face lit up with joy as soon as she saw Ying: "Traveler, you've come at the perfect time."

Paimon tilted his head: "Catherine, what happened?"

Catherine nodded: "Yes, something major has happened that requires the help of adventurers. I have a very urgent task to entrust to you, traveler."

Chapter 22 Convicting Princess Fischer

Everything was normal in Mondstadt yesterday afternoon, so how come something so terrible happened after I woke up?

Hearing Catherine say it was an "urgent mission" to gather adventurers, Han Fulai couldn't help but feel puzzled.

Ying was equally puzzled. The last time Catherine issued a quest so solemnly was during the Mondstadt "Dragon Plague".

But the poisonous blood in Dvalin's body has been purified by her, and Mondstadt's "East Wind Guardian" has been restored to its former glory. What else can compare to what happened to Dvalin?

Paimon immediately took several steps back, covering her mouth with both hands: "Waaah...that sounds serious..."

Catherine did not change her attitude because of Paimon's flamboyant performance, but nodded solemnly.

"To be honest, this is the first time we've encountered something like this. The association is extremely busy, and we need all the adventurers traveling abroad to work together."

In response, Ying straightened his back, placed his hand on his chest, and performed a somewhat unorthodox knightly salute: "It is my duty."

Although she was merely an "honorary knight" of the Knights of Favonius in Mondstadt—basically a nominal title without pay or official status—she was still considered a member of the order. More importantly, she had developed a deep bond with her friends in Mondstadt over the past few months, and even if she weren't an "honorary knight," Ying wouldn't stand idly by while her friends in Mondstadt suffered.

“Thank you very much, traveler.” Catherine smiled. With this traveler’s help, the Adventurers’ Guild could be said to have the strength of a hundred people.

At this moment, Mona spoke up: "If it's too troublesome... never mind, I'll go back first."

Today was her first time coming to the guild as an adventurer to receive a mission. She had originally planned to take on a small mission like driving away Hilichurls or eliminating Slimes to earn enough for a few days' worth of food, but she didn't expect to encounter something that seemed very serious right away.

She regretted not having consulted a fortune teller before leaving the house...

As an astrologer, she was essentially just a researcher, and registering as a member of the Adventurers' Guild was merely for the purpose of earning Mora. There were still many things to unpack in the newly moved-in magic laboratory, and she really didn't want to spend too much time on anything else.

Catherine's gaze shifted to Mona, recalling the novice adventurer who had registered at the Mondstadt branch yesterday: "Oh...you are, 'the great astrologer Mona,' right? This mission...is actually related to astrology, and we really need your help."

Mona's full name, registered in the association's register, is "Astrologist Mona Megistus," which in Mongolian is written as "Astrologist Mona Megistus," which translates directly to "Great Astrologer Mona."

Catherine simply read Mona's registered name verbatim.

But Mona was clearly very pleased, raising her chin and striking a pose of superiority: "Oh? You have good eyesight, actually knowing that I, Mona, am a genius astrologer who appears only once in a hundred years on the continent! Tell me, what difficulties have you encountered? I will decide whether to take action based on your answer."

Ying, Paimon, and Han Fulai all looked at Mona in unison, their eyes filled with warmth and kindness, like seeing a child who had taken on an errand after being praised by their parents.

Mona blushed slightly and quickly tried to cover it up: "Astrology is a very ancient and mysterious discipline! So... if it's just a small matter, there's no need to bother me. The things that bother me are big matters that I can't handle without my intervention, right?"

Her eyes were clearly conveying a message to Catherine—"Say 'yes' quickly."

Catherine nodded and said, "Yes, this is a very serious matter. Regarding this mission... please wait a moment. For safety reasons, the Association has also contacted Mondstadt's best intelligence personnel..."

Before the words were finished, a loud and clear voice rang out from behind the group: "Catherine! People of the Pure Land of Dark Night, is it you who are devoutly proclaiming the name of this princess?"

The voice was like an aria sung by an actor in the Mondstadt theater, with variations in tone and rhythm between each word—however, the owner of the voice was clearly still a minor, so the girlishness in the voice could not be concealed at all, and it sounded like a child imitating an adult speaking in a pretentious manner.

Han Fu turned around and saw a blonde girl with twin ponytails wearing a purple-black gothic Lolita outfit and a single eye patch.

Yes, this is Fischl, the famous chuunibyou girl from Mondstadt. Today he finally met her in person.

"Ah, here it comes."

Catherine clapped her hands lightly, and now she had gathered all the people she wanted to recruit.

The night raven flying beside Fischl landed on the Adventurers' Guild counter and gave Catherine and the others a bow with its wings, similar to that of a court eunuch: "It's nice to meet you again, Ms. Catherine. And everyone else, it's a pleasure to meet you."

The Night Raven's voice was quite magnetic, sounding both gentlemanly and profound, easily reminiscent of the young lady's old butler.

"Ah! This raven can talk?!" Paimon exclaimed in surprise again.

The crow laughed heartily: "Haha, why be surprised by such a trivial matter, my friend?"

"Actually, I was quite startled when I discovered that the emergency food I fished out could talk, so now I'm not surprised by anything that can talk," Yingmei muttered to Paimon from behind.

Han Fulai muttered to himself behind her back, "We in Liyue also have talking stags and cranes. I'll show you sometime."

Fischl raised an arm to Catherine, like a high-ranking royal awaiting a subject to kiss the back of her hand: "My loyal subject, seeing your worried face, it must be that those wicked and evil people are once again trying to plunder the peace of Mondstadt."

Catherine completely ignored Fischl's actions and turned to the crowd, saying, "Traveler, and everyone else, please allow me to introduce you. This is Fischl, a senior member of the Mondstadt Adventurers' Guild."

Then she said to Fischl, “Fischl, Oz, this is the traveler I mentioned.”

Fischl raised her hand to cover one eye—the eye with the eyepatch—and used her remaining turquoise eye to look Yingmei up and down.

The princess delivered her verdict: "Oh? It's you? Hmph... good eye."

Ying blinked—she was just looking at Fischl with the eyes one would use to look at an opera singer…

Oz bowed again to Luminous: "Honorary Knight of the Knights of Favonius and his companion Paimon. It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Fischl kept one hand covering her eyes, while pointing the other at Yingmei: "I am the Princess of Judgment, my true name is Fischl. I have come here by the call of destiny—if you also wish to fight against that boundless and abyssal crystal of darkness, I, the princess, will grant you permission to accompany me."

Han Fulai noticed that her arm was wrapped in a bandage. Hmm, Fischl's chuunibyou outfit was complete.

The bandage seemed a little damp—in the summer, when it's hot, wearing a bandage is basically like sweating.

Speaking of which, the bandage wrapped around her thigh was also soaking wet... Han Fulai really wanted to tell her, "Young lady, don't push yourself in this heat."

"Fight against...what darkness?" Paimon was completely bewildered by Fischl's words.

Oz then elegantly translated for his master: "She means, 'Hello, it's nice to meet you. Are you also here to deal with those meteorites?'"

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Star That Never Returned

“'Meteorite'...?” Mona was clearly taken aback when she heard this term.

No wonder Catherine just said that this matter is also related to astrology and requires the power of her as an astrologer.

On the continent of Teyvat, "meteorite" has a completely different meaning than on Earth.

Meteorites that appear on Earth are nothing more than solid fragments of objects such as comets, asteroids, or meteoroids, which are remnants that burn up completely after entering the Earth's atmosphere due to friction and high temperatures.

However, at least after the Seven Reigns, "meteorites" in the sense of "celestial bodies" no longer exist on the continent of Teyvat. As Mona said, each star represents a person's destiny. "Meteorites" are no longer simply celestial bodies from outer space.

Catherine began to explain to everyone: "Last night, a large-scale 'meteorite shower' was observed in the skies above Mondstadt, and the Adventurers' Guild urgently dispatched many investigators. According to the information we have now, meteorite debris exists on the surface of most areas of Mondstadt, including parts of Liyue, and along with the meteorites, there are also unusual symptoms among the local residents—'sleeping disorder'. This is what I would like to ask you all to investigate."

“‘Sleeping sickness’, no, it shouldn’t be just as simple as being asleep…” Mona clearly had some understanding of this.

Catherine nodded: "The investigators reported that the residents who fell into a coma could not be awakened by any means."

Mona frowned, muttering to herself, "The meteor shower could cause such severe consequences..."

"Liyue has also been affected?" Han Fulai asked anxiously.

Why did a meteor shower suddenly occur?

He just opened up the Cengyan Abyss and then withstood the Bishui River—how come he has so many rugged and bumpy roads!

Can't people even enjoy a proper trip?

Although there is no Emperor in Liyue now, Han Fulai's actual status is very close to that of the new Emperor of Liyue.

According to ancient times, if a meteorite falls from the sky when a new emperor ascends the throne, it means that the emperor has lost his virtue and it is a warning from heaven. Usually, one would go to the Temple of Heaven to pray and issue an "edict of self-reproach" or something like that... Han Fulai thought that he hadn't done anything too outrageous. If there was anything out of line for him as a transmigrator compared to when he was on Earth, it would be that his love life was a little more exciting, right?

Well, in the end, the old emperor Zhongli is still around, and Venti is still here in Mondstadt. The meteor warning should be directed at the two of them, right?

At this point, Oz chimed in: "Sir, you're from Liyue, right? As far as I know, the Stonegate area of ​​Liyue has also been affected, and it's speculated that Qingce Village and Mingyun Town will also be impacted. We'll probably have to wait for news from the Liyue branch in the next few days for more details on the casualties."

The locations Oz mentioned reminded Han Fulai of some distant memories.

Speaking of the meteor shower in Mondstadt that also affected Qingce Village and Mingyun Town in Liyue, he did recall an event quest called "The Unreturned Extinct Star," an old quest from the launch version. At the time, Han Fulai was a corporate slave preparing for the national civil service exam while working overtime, and he missed the event quest because he didn't have time to follow it. Now, he only has some vague memories of it.

Catherine then took out a power of attorney from the counter.

“The more detailed mission instructions are already written here. I’m registering the mission personnel now… According to the association’s regulations, such a major investigation mission requires at least four adventurers to form a temporary adventure team. I had also invited Mr. Bennett from the ‘Benny Adventure Team’ to help… but he… may have encountered some trouble on the way,” Catherine said.

Ying and Paimon both wore expressions that were both funny and exasperated.

Bennett's bad luck is almost like a "causality". Every time Ying sees Bennett, he is injured, and the adventures they go on together are always full of accidents and failures. Although Bennett is a very warm and kind person, Ying will not complain about Bennett's bad luck. But such important missions really do need a little bit of good luck, right?

Given Bennett's physique... it wouldn't be surprising if he were hit by a meteorite while walking down the street, so there's no need to expect him to make it in time.

Paimon flew around in front of Catherine and counted on his fingers, "Luminous, Mona, Fischl, and me, that makes four people already."