To the unknown Future

Chapter 18:

"Uriel!" Xingqui and Zhongli shouted her name in worry and run towards her way. Uriel saw their recklessness and was a second late warning the two from the attack that the Ruin Guard was ready to unleash. 

"T-The attack-"

"Solidify!" Zhongli cast his shield in time and they took no damage from the attack. Xingqui was angry at the Ruin guard for attacking his Older cousin but a hand stopped him from doing anything reckless. 

"Don't, let us handle it," Uriel stood up from the sand, and half of her hanfu was wet from the seawater. 

"B-But Uriel you-" Xingqui wanted to argue but he cut himself off when the Ruin Guard started to attack with Missles,

"Xingqui!" Uriel pulled him to her embrace and used her Anemo vision to create a shield. 

"I'll take care of it, you two, move back!" Zhongli shouted at the two when he saw blood dripping from the hand she used to create the shield. Xingqui wasted no time doing that and pulled Uriel away from the battlefield.

Uriel looked back to the Ruin Guard, and something shiny caught her eyes. It wheezed down in the direction of the back of the Ruin Guard's core, and just seeing its afterimage, she knew that it was enforced with Anemo Vision, but who? Who did that?

After the arrow hit the core, the Ruin Guard exploded and fall down the sand in pieces. Uriel stopped Xingqui from moving away and went back to the Ruin guard's chunks. 

"An elemental reaction?" She was surprised and saw the broken bow and her broken sword. The core was shattered because of two times the Anemo reaction?

"Uriel jiejie, we have to heal your wounds first!" Xingqui said worriedly and held her wrist. Uriel turned to him and smiled, 

"Hey, you're too worried, I'm fine now," Uriel said but Xingqui brushed it off.

"Oh be quiet, it only last after a few minutes of combat and then you get back to your gloomy self. Say no more, we will go to Mondstadt tomorrow before sunrise. Come quickly! We need to head back to Liyue harbor and fast!" Xingqui said and the three of them headed back to Liyue City. 

-

the next day, before dawn, Three carriages set off from the Liyue Harbor to Mondstadt. It was a carriage for Zhongli, Uriel, and Xingqui, another carriage for Uriel's parents, and the last carriage were some ores that Xingqui wanted to sell in Mondstadt.

Uriel was a bit exhausted and drowsy because of the potent medicine that Baizhu concocted for her wound and to numb her for a while to not get hurt from the pain. 

It was around noon when they arrived at the gates of Mondstadt City and Zhongli guided to an inn to have a rest and eat first before setting out. Uriel wanted to head already but without an escort, she cannot move accordingly due to the effect of the medicine. 

"I feel drunk," Uriel said honestly to Xingqui which raises a question from the young heir.

"Wait what? Did you drink while you are here, Uriel jiejie?" And of course, she didn't admit that while in the presence of her family who was strict with her diet. 

"It must be from her lightheaded feeling. Don't worry, Uriel, it will pass after two more hours," Her adopted mother said and she could only nod. After they eat lunch, they went to the knights of Favonius Headquarters to sign for a space for opening a stall in the city. It took some time and a few knights recognized Uriel and greeted her and wishes for her safe recovery. Her adopted parents, Xingqui, Zhongli were a bit intrigued with her prestige in Mondstadt but since she's in a state that made her lightheaded, she cannot answer them much, or maybe she just doesn't want to answer at all.

"Here are the papers you need to sign and please look at the terms of the Knights of Favonius before signing," A person with pale blonde hair went towards them and gave the papers they need to open the stall, it was Albedo. 

Uriel's eyes and his met for a brief moment, but no words were spoken between the two of them. After the papers were signed the location of the stall they could open was given and they left. 

Albedo went back inside the headmaster's room and put the papers down the desk, Lisa who was inside the room, immediately asked him about Uriel's state.

"...She seemed to look overdosed or something, I have no idea, but there was light in her eyes, unlike the past description that Venti gave us the last month," Albedo said and looked at the person sitting on the Headmaster's chair. 

"Well, are you not going to talk? Uriel's back Venti, and she seemed healthy now, why are you still frowning? Dissatisfied with something?" Lisa who was observing the other person in the room asked with a raised brow and a teasing tone.

"Please don't start, Lisa. There's time for this, and time for that. For now, we have to work first," Venti said in a serious manner. Lisa laughed softly before saluting at him. 

"...Be sure to do the papers this time, before frolicking, Lord Barbatos," Albedo said before going out to inspect outside. Venti who was left inside the room put the papers down the desk and the quill back to its holder, leaning back to his chair. 

"... She's back... Thank goodness," There was a relieved smile on his lips as he closed his eyes. It was just his whim to go to Liyue and see if she was doing better when he saw the scene where the Ruin Guard throwing her to the side on the beach of Liyue. He felt a spark that suddenly ignited and wanted him to obliterate that piece of scrap metal and even want it to disintegrate after the explosion harmed her hand. 

"I'm glad she's back," Venti smiled and calmed himself first before putting his focus on the documents at hand. Since he's the Grandmaster for the next few years, he needs to do a good job for Mondstatdt.