===✧✦✧===
["Not this one—it's about a little bird learning to fly."]
Paimon realized sothing was wrong and forcefully rged the servers.
["Huh? Eh...?"]
Amber hurriedly took the book and flipped through it.
["Isn't this the storybook I loved most as a child?"]
["Sorry! I put it together with the Knights of Favonius Flight Manual yesterday. I must've grabbed the wrong one when I left."]
["These two books... could they really be mixed up?"] Paimon was speechless.
A flight manual and a storybook—clearly not the sa genre, right? How could anyone mix them up?
There weren't many things that could leave Paimon dumbfounded. Well, aside from that old man Zhongli, perhaps.
["It's a bit embarrassing to bring this up now."] Amber fidgeted awkwardly.
"You're so cute, Amber." Collei smiled, her eyes curving into crescent moons.
The Amber now was no different from the Amber she knew. That was truly wonderful.
["Maybe in my heart, this book was the real guide that taught how to fly."] Amber explained.
["What matters isn't the strong wind, but courage. It's what made you the world's first birds."]
["It was those words that gave the courage to fly!"]
"Ehe, did I really say sothing that nice?" Venti scratched his head.
Diluc glanced at Venti, thinking to himself that this guy wasn't even pretending anymore.
Venti really had no intention of keeping up the act.
Since everyone already knew, there was no point in continuing the charade. Ti to drop the act!
After finishing the book, he'd take everyone to Stormterror's Lair. Just you wait, Dvalin!
Most importantly, the ordinary citizens of Mondstadt hadn't seen the second act yet, so they didn't know Venti's identity.
anwhile, the higher-ups who had seen the second act could remain calm about it and continue interacting with him as usual.
So there really was no need to keep pretending in front of them.
===✧✦✧===
In the book, the Traveler began her exam.
It was just a matter of gliding through a few wind currents in the sky—nothing too difficult.
For soone like the Traveler, who used her glider recklessly every day, it was a breeze.
She passed the test effortlessly.
The outdoor flight exam was over. Next up was the flight test within Mondstadt City.
The three arrived in the city, where Amber had already marked out the route with wind currents.
All the Traveler had to do was complete a safe glide around the course to finish the exam.
But this ti, an unexpected interruption occurred halfway through—a knight stopped her.
["Please present your gliding license."]
["Gliding license..."]
The Traveler was stunned. I'm literally taking the gliding license exam right now!
Have you ever heard of a traffic cop stopping a driver during their road test to ask for their license?
When the Knight of Favonius saw the Traveler couldn't produce a license, he tried to escort her away.
Luckily, Amber arrived in ti to stop the knight, or this misunderstanding could've gotten out of hand.
After realizing the mistake, the knight didn't give the Traveler any further trouble.
He explained that a [Raptor] had been spotted recently, so they were being extra vigilant about people using gliders without licenses.
Amber, however, imdiately latched onto the keyword—[Raptor], and fast!
As Mondstadt's Gliding Champion, she wouldn't back down from any challenge involving flight.
Amber declared that soone skilled in flying like this was her responsibility to handle.
["What about my exam?"]
The Traveler was baffled. I'm here to take my road test, and suddenly you're asking to chase down a criminal?
If I catch them, does that an I pass or fail?
["Don't worry! After we catch the Raptor, I'll personally... go explain the situation to Acting Grand Master Jean."]
"..." Jean was speechless. In the end, it still fell on her shoulders.
Lisa covered her mouth, suppressing a laugh. Amber really did trust Jean a lot.
"..." Lumine was also speechless. So in the end, she'd still have to take the exam with Jean.
At least this book had shown her the future, saving her from unnecessary detours.
Might as well go straight to Jean for the exam.
===✧✦✧===
In the book, Amber and the Traveler searched for traces of the [Raptor].
True to her title as the Outrider, Amber quickly pieced together clues and tracked the [Raptor]'s movents.
The group followed the trail relentlessly.
Eventually, they encountered a rchant who had actually seen the [Raptor] and pointed out its escape route.
Continuing the chase, the [Raptor]'s accomplices tried to stall Amber and the Traveler.
They wanted to delay until the Anemo energy on the stolen artifacts faded, leaving the Knights with no way to track them.
Unfortunately for these small fries, they were no match for Amber and the Traveler.
The two swiftly knocked them out and tied them up.
They pursued the [Raptor] all the way to its hideout.
["How about making this the the for the Traveler's third exam?"]
["A special edition I customized just for the Traveler on the spot."]
["After all, an ordinary exam wouldn't be fitting for the hero who saved Mondstadt."]
Amber declared that the Traveler's final exam would be capturing the [Raptor].
For Lumine, this was no issue.
She'd already wanted to catch the [Raptor] anyway—the exam was just an added bonus.
The duo (plus one floating ergency food) chased the thief down, eventually cornering him at a dead end.
But between them and the [Raptor] lay a chasm—a gap so vast it seed insurmountable.
["Little girl, why don't you go back and fetch your Acting Grand Master? I'll surrender the mont she arrives."]
The [Raptor] taunted Amber from the other side of the cliff.
The gap was wide and deep.
Just one glance would make an ordinary person's legs tremble.
From his position across the abyss, he seed untouchable.
Mondstadt's people really couldn't go three sentences without ntioning Jean. Even criminals couldn't resist na-dropping her.
["Are you mocking the Knights of Favonius? Watch fly over there and arrest you right now!"]
Amber was furious, nearly charging forward in a reckless attempt to glide across.
Luckily, the Traveler stopped her, urging her to stay calm.
First, they needed to check if there was another way across.
After all, if the [Raptor] had made it over, there had to be a path.
The two discussed various possibilities, but one by one, they were all ruled out.
["See you later, little girl!"] The [Raptor] turned to flee.
["No more hesitation! The only way across this chasm is by 'flying.'"]
Amber was ready to glide over.
["Hey, Outrider, if you've got a death wish, jumping off the Anemo Archon's statue in Mondstadt without a glider would suit you better."]
The [Raptor] tried to dissuade her, almost as if he didn't want Amber to attempt the flight.
["Stop joking around and just go ho, little girl!"] The thief kept goading.
But Amber paid him no mind.
She rembered her 'flight manual'—the storybook that had taught her how to fly.
[The first birds knew nothing of flight. Flying was their reward for bravely leaping into the canyon.]
Now, the canyon lay before her. Could she be like those first birds?
Amber steadied her emotions, dispelling the fear hidden in her heart, her gaze resolute.
["The wind says—you can fly now!"]
With that, she leaped! Just like the first birds.
'Clumsily' spreading her 'wings,' the roaring wind rushed past her ears!
The powerful gusts lifted Amber, letting her soar freely through the sky.
[And so they joyfully told the Anemo Archon: So this is what we lacked—a strong wind.]
[But the Anemo Archon replied: What matters isn't the strong wind, but courage. It's what made you the world's first birds.]
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