Eleutheromania (Various Genshin x Reader)

Pardoned -24-

"You guys are back! The Honorary Knights returns triumphant!" A ecstatic voice rang throughout the air as a sudden weight collapsed against you. You yelped a bit in surprise but ultimately lightly returned the hug with a small pat to the beaming girl's back. "Oh, hey, Amber." You greeted.

Paimon chuckled proudly with a smirk. "Yup, we're back from tussling with Dvalin!" She said as if she actually did something to help. Amber pulled herself away from you, the smile never once leaving her face. "You just returned, right? Jean got back first, and she told us all about your heroic deeds," she sighed woefully, "I wonder if I'll ever get an opportunity like that..."

Aether sweat dropped. "Trust me, it's not an opportunity you'd want too often..." He mumbled while awkwardly scratching his cheek. Amber pursed her lips and crossed her arms. "You're right, actually. Peace is hard-won, and we shouldn't take it for granted. And this time, you're the one we should all be grateful to."

You sent the Outrider a kind smile. "It's really all thanks to your referral and allowing us to even enter the city in the first place." Amber blew a raspberry and waved a hand in dismissal to your claim. "That doesn't come into it. You guys deserve all the credit for how you resolved this crisis. When I brought you into the city that day, I was just doing my duty as an Outrider."

The floating pixie giggled and swayed a bit in the air. "You're welcome! ...But, have you been waiting for us here this whole time?" She asked, "Y/N insisted we go feed the birds after the battle with Dvalin." Paimon said with a side eye directed at you. "We just fought a dragon," you argued, "I needed to distress. I told you guys that you could go back but Aether insisted on coming."

Aether flushed. "W-Well, we're a team! We stick together." He exclaimed. Amber laughed at exchange of words before going back to Paimon's previous question. "Of course not! Just because I'm not out on the front line doesn't mean I don't have work to do... In fact, I'm dealing with the aftermath of the crisis as we speak."

Paimon tilted her head curiously. "Aftermath? Here? What happened in Mondstadt?" She asked innocently. "While Master Jean was away, the monsters lurking nearby made a coordinated attack on the city," Amber explained with a frown, "Fortunately, we weren't completely taken by surprise. I detected the hilichurls were moving closer to the city a while back."

"Oh yeah! Paimon remembers. When we first met, you were clearing out one of their camps..." The floating pixie exclaimed in realization. The Outrider winked. "Exactly. And if we hadn't started making preparations back then, Mondstadt would be in much greater danger by now."

Aether smiled politely to the girl. "Glad you held them off." He said. "Me too," Amber said in agreement, "But I have a strange feeling that we're not out of the woods yet... Hilichurls aren't usually capable of coordinating like this..."

You nodded. "It is pretty strange. Hilichurls have been getting more rowdy and organized as of late. Probably the Abyss Order." Amber hummed. "That was our guess." She confirmed.

The floating pixie's eyes widened in surprise. "They've taken over the hilichurls? Hmm... Good thing we saved Dvalin, or they might've taken him, too..." The girl said softly with an undertone of fear of what could've been.

"That's right. And since I'm the Outrider, it's up to me to keep eyes on the Abyss Order from now on," the brunette declared with a thumb pointed at her chest. She suddenly cringed, "Ugh, I'm sorry. You should be celebrating your victory, not listening to all this somber talk! Hmm... I promised to take you out for some Sticky Honey Roast, didn't I? Before everyone got caught up in the Stormterror crisis. There's no time like the present, right? You guys hungry?"

You and Aether opened your mouths to respond only for a baby hand to push your faces aside so the tiny body could fit in between them. "You bet!" Paimon exclaimed with stars in her eyes, "You may have forgotten till just now, but it's been on Paimon's mind this whole time!" You and Aether just sweat dropped.