"You've only just arrived in Mondstadt, so don't go back so soon. Take some time to stroll around the city."
Durandal had no interest in staying in the tavern with Venti. After drinking a few glasses of Milk, she left. She had originally planned to leave directly but, after some thought, decided to explore Mondstadt a bit.
She had already visited some places, but Mondstadt City, this city on the lake, was larger than she imagined. There were still many places she hadn't seen.
In front of the commercial street was a fountain, where one could see various restaurants and general stores selling goods.
Durandal found many seasonings in the general store. Coincidentally, the seasonings she had obtained from the merchant were almost used up, so she restocked her supplies here.
After putting away the purchased seasonings, Durandal was about to go look elsewhere when she noticed a girl in front of the fountain. Her hands were clasped together, seemingly praying for something.
Durandal walked over and asked, "What are you doing?"
"Eh? That, cough cough! I... I'm making a wish."
The Damselette seemed surprised that someone would greet her and explained, slightly startled.
"Make a wish?"
"Mm, like this, you toss a coin into the pool and then silently make your wish. It's said... that if you're sincere and make a wish every day, the spring spirit will hear you. Cough! Cough! I'm sorry, I've been coughing since just now."
The Damselette's body seemed very weak. After only a few sentences, she was constantly coughing, her face becoming even paler.
"Your body..."
"My body has always been unwell. I came to make a wish, hoping the spring spirit would bless me to get better quickly, so I won't trouble my parents and Anthony anymore."
"A disease?"
After a brief observation, there was indeed a Virus slowly corroding this Damselette's body. Fortunately, the corrosion was very slow, and the body's functions were also fighting against the corrosion of this Virus, so the Damselette currently had no major problems.
However, the body's functions would also have a day of decline. If her body wasn't quickly healed, she might eventually not only have trouble speaking but perhaps even be unable to walk.
"Can you put your hands in front of you like this?"
Durandal demonstrated the motion, like holding a basketball with both hands. Although the Damselette didn't understand Durandal's purpose in asking her to do this, she obediently cooperated and placed her hands in front of her.
After she positioned her hands, Durandal placed her hand on the back of the Damselette's hand. This sudden movement puzzled the Damselette, but seeing that Durandal was a girl, she didn't struggle.
Suddenly, she felt something slowly being drawn out from within her body. She noticed faint purple lines appearing on the skin of her arm, and these lines slowly transferred from her body to her palm.
Immediately after, a very tiny energy orb appeared in her palm. This energy orb was initially only the size of a grain of rice, but as time passed, it gradually grew, becoming the size of an Apple.
"Anna? What are you doing?"
At this moment, a man walked towards Durandal and the Damselette. He looked at their actions in confusion, wanting to ask, but realizing they might be doing something important, he could only suppress his doubts and watch from the side.
It wasn't until this energy orb expanded to the size of an Apple that there were no longer any factors on the Damselette's body to make it grow.
Durandal took the energy orb from the Damselette's hand and, in her stunned gaze, said, "This... is the Virus that has been corroding your body. Now it has been removed."
"Corroding my body? This... is the cause of the illness?"
The Damselette had never seen such a method. Not only her, but the curious onlookers had also never seen such a thing, and for a moment, they couldn't believe it.
The residents of Mondstadt City knew each other, and they were not unfamiliar with this Damselette's situation, especially since she would come here every day to toss coins and make wishes, and the surrounding merchants had gradually become familiar with her.
Now, an unfamiliar girl suddenly made some gestures for a few minutes, then told the Damselette that her illness was cured?
How could such a thing be convincing? If it were truly that easy to recover, she wouldn't have been troubled by this illness for so many years.
"Virus in Anna's body? Anna, how do you feel now?"
The man looked at the energy orb in Durandal's hand. Although he didn't quite believe Durandal's words, he was very happy to see his sister's body recover.
He was forced to confirm the Damselette's physical condition; no matter the final outcome, only Anna herself could reveal the mystery.
"I... I'm not very sure either, I just feel very light, without that uncomfortable feeling I used to have."
This was the first time she had felt so good. Before, she easily felt tired, and even speaking was difficult, but now she no longer felt that discomfort when speaking. Could it be... her illness was truly cured?
Anna now believed Durandal had truly cured her illness. She excitedly spoke to Anthony; she, who used to struggle to speak fluently, could now effortlessly express everything she wanted to say, without any discomfort.
Seeing Anna's appearance, Anthony also realized Anna's illness was indeed cured. Tears of excitement nearly fell as he excitedly hugged Anna.
To cure Anna's illness, he worked several jobs every day. To earn extra money, he would even secretly pick up coins thrown into the fountain during the day, late at night when everyone was asleep.
Although the amount wasn't much, every little bit helped. He knew it wasn't right, but for Anna to get better quickly, he was willing to do anything.
Watching the two overwhelmed with joy, Durandal absorbed the energy ball in her hand into her body, making it part of the millions of Viruses she controlled.
She turned to leave, but Anna noticed Durandal's intention to depart and immediately called out to her.
"Thank you for your help, Miss... if it weren't for you, I'm afraid it would take me a long time to recover my health. Thank you very much."
"It's just a small matter, nothing to worry about."
"It's a small matter to you, but it's a huge deal to our family. Thank you so much, you saved my sister's life."
Anna and Anthony spoke gratefully, but among their words, what Durandal cared about most was Anthony's phrase: "You saved my sister's life." She saved someone's life? Saved others through her own abilities?
Could her abilities, besides creating tragedies like the Village of Pain, also save the lives of others?
For a moment, Durandal was somewhat excited, a strange interest stirring within her.
She didn't know what to say. The onlookers, seeing this scene, some wanted to come forward and ask Durandal if she could also help with their own problems.
Seeing those people about to surround her, Durandal turned and walked towards the alley behind her.
Anna, Anthony, and other residents followed. When they reached the alley, however, they couldn't find any trace of Durandal.
This was a dead end; there was no other exit besides this. Where did she go?
"She might have a Vision, so she probably ran off from above."
Anna pointed to the rooftop and said, "She probably doesn't like being surrounded by people, so she left when she saw so many people coming."
"Hmm, that must be it. What a pity, I originally wanted to repay her properly. It seems I'll have to wait until I see her next time."
"Mm! Next time we meet, we'll invite her to our home. I'll personally prepare a sumptuous meal to entertain her. I haven't cooked in a long time."
Anna smiled happily. Seeing his sister's long-awaited smile, Anthony, as her older brother, gently stroked her head and nodded, grateful for Durandal's help.
On the walls of Mondstadt, a puff of black smoke gathered, and Durandal gradually formed within it.
She sat on the wall, the recent events replaying in her mind. She looked at her hands; she had just saved someone, saved her through her own abilities.
Her abilities no longer just took lives; she could also help others, treating their illnesses.
She recalled what Barbatos and the Geo Archon she had once seen told her: here now was not Durandal, the black plague, but Durandal, the God of Poison.
Although the difference between the two was not significant, the former's abilities were uncontrolled, while the latter could control her abilities, avoiding severe destruction.
She used to not understand the meaning of their words, but now she understood: this power, besides harming others, could also help them.
This... this was something she dared not even imagine before. She used to only be able to revive people as non-human monsters, but now she could treat diseases.
Recalling the looks in Anna and Anthony's eyes, wasn't this what she had always longed for?
"This feeling... it's really good."
Although reluctant, she had to thank Venti for her invitation. If she hadn't brought her to Mondstadt City, this wouldn't have happened.
"Hmm? A sneaky, shifty fellow. I didn't expect there to be one even on the city walls."
Although there was nothing around, Durandal could clearly sense someone slowly approaching her, only about a dozen meters away.
She jumped down from the city wall, made a gun shape with her right hand, and her index finger shot a drop of poisonous liquid, hitting the invisible unit.
As the liquid struck, that person realized they were exposed and simply stopped hiding, revealing themselves directly in front of Durandal.
"A Fatui member? What are you looking for me for?"
"You're the one who poisoned the Goethe Grand Hotel, aren't you?"
The Agent said in a hoarse voice, "You're the one who bought laxatives in Springvale and then went to the Goethe Grand Hotel to poison it, right? A very good plan, but we still found out."
"You will pay for your actions."