Flying in the Wind [Genshin Impact]

Chapter 43. A Concerned Citizen

Chapter 43
A Concerned Citizen

Sara wasn't actually too sure what she should do on her night off. She hadn't had one in a long time and definitely never in the middle of a festival. So, dressed in the elegant black kimono with a red rose print and not a sign of her Tenryou uniform or trusty bow, she decided to do what she would on a typical night of guard duty: walk around and check that everything was fine.

Mixed among the public, she began to walk with a calm step, scanning her golden eyes all around her, looking for some altercation, an argument, a drunk being too festive, or even some criminal trying to take advantage of the bustle of the festivities to profit. After half an hour of walking among the people and the stalls, she did not come across anything remotely similar. And although it shouldn't be the case, she actually (against all her instincts) began to wish that one of those things would happen. At least then, she would have an excuse so that her "night off" wasn't so off anymore.

She really wasn't good at that kind of thing...

"Lady Kujou, is that you?" She suddenly heard a voice nearby say above all the noise.

Sara stopped at that moment and turned to the side. Just to her right was a snack stand, primarily sweets, as she could see, attended by an older woman in fine-looking green clothes and two other younger boys supporting her. The woman looked at her with a broad smile of joy, which made it clear that the comment was for her. It wasn't like there were any other Lady Kujou around that night.

"Oh, hello," Sara greeted her, a little hesitant. The woman seemed familiar to her, but she couldn't immediately identify where she was from. But that wasn't so unusual; in her job, she had to meet a wide variety of people every day. "Good night, Madame. Everything's fine?"

"Pretty good, thank you," the woman replied, nodding. "You look very pretty in that outfit," she added, inspecting the black kimono up and down, and especially the rose pattern on it.

"I appreciate your words," Sara murmured, accompanied by a slight bow of gratitude.

"I don't think I've ever seen you without your uniform. Did you decide to enjoy the festival tonight?"

"Yes, well..." she mumbled slightly nervously, initially having trouble forming her thoughts. "I thought I'd look around here and see everything is in order."

"Everything is wonderful. But don't tell me you're working even tonight."

"No, not exactly. In theory, it's my night off, but it still doesn't hurt to be attentive."

"Always so responsible. But try to have some fun, okay? Here, taste one of my tricolor dangos," the woman suddenly proposed, taking one of the sweets she had on display: three sweet balls of glutinous rice, one pink, one white, and the last green, joined by a stick that went through them from end to end. She then extended the dango toward the tengu woman, offering them to her gently.

Sara became particularly nervous and uncomfortable at that moment, and even instinctively moved her body back when the three dango approached her.

"Ah, no..." Sara answered hesitantly, raising both hands in front of her. "I appreciate it, but..."

"Come on, here," the woman insisted, even at that moment taking the liberty of taking one of Sara's hands and placing the appetizer in it. Sara, by mere reflex, closed her fingers around the stick so that it wouldn't fall. "Courtesy of the house."