After parting ways with Lumiere, Coppelia and Columbina wasted no time, heading straight for the base of the "Sparrowhawk Path" entrance inside Mondstadt.
They found a secluded corner and removed the gray robes and cloaks they had used as a disguise.
Then, relying on memory, they found the house from which they had "borrowed" the clothes. Under the cover of the quiet night, they carefully returned the garments to their original place without disturbing the owner.
Once that was done, the two returned to the bottom of the cliff.
Columbina stretched out her hands, and an invisible force gathered, lifting them both as they slowly floated upward.
At the same time, Coppelia exerted her power, forming a Geo elemental barrier similar in color to the cliff face to conceal their figures.
Under the dual cover of the night and the barrier, they ascended slowly along the steep cliff, once again setting foot on the entrance to the "Sparrowhawk Path."
The pair did not linger, following the small path outward. Near the exit, they found a hidden crevice in the rock and spent the remainder of the night there.
Early the next morning, as soon as the sky began to lighten, the two set off again. Relying on their memories from the journey in and the methods Lupus had taught them, they avoided the wolf packs roaming the wilderness and proceeded eastward.
...
After some time trekking, they arrived at the edge of the refugee settlement. A vast body of water stretched out before them, its surface unfrozen, gleaming with a cold light under the gray-white sky.
Coppelia saw a group of people gathered by the shore, fiddling with fishing nets and long poles; a few of them were dressed in faded knightly attire.
"What a headache... How are we supposed to solve this..." a young knight said irritably, kicking an empty wooden barrel at his feet.
Coppelia and Columbina approached.
"What are you doing?" Coppelia asked.
Gunnhildr, who was crouching on the ground inspecting a net, heard the voice and stood up, recognizing the newcomers. She said to the others, "These two foreign guests have visited me before."
"Hello, my name is Coppelia, and this is Columbina," Coppelia introduced themselves again.
"It seems you two have already made a trip to Mondstadt," Gunnhildr said, clapping the water from her hands. "How are things? Has anything of note happened there recently?"
"Yesterday, the masses held a large-scale petition," Coppelia replied.
A hoarse voice came from the crowd: "Let me guess, how did Decarabian respond? With silence? Or with gales?"
"Decarabian thought the people were afraid of Andrius, but the King of the North Wind wasn't even mentioned in the petition," Coppelia continued. "He also unleashed a fierce gale, claiming it was to 'soothe' their hearts."
"I knew it!" another voice roared. "That tyrant is as self-righteous as ever!"
Coppelia looked at the idle fishing gear and empty barrels. "You all seem troubled," she asked. "Have you run into a problem?"
Gunnhildr pointed toward the dark center of the lake. "The schools of fish have all retreated to the deep water, and our nets can't reach them." She turned to her two visitors. "You are both worldly. I wonder if you have any solution?"
Coppelia crossed her arms and thought, but couldn't come up with a viable plan.
Just then, Columbina took a step forward. "Do you need help?"
Everyone's gaze focused on the young girl whose eyes were covered by a strange ornament.
An old fisherman couldn't help but speak up. "Help? Even our strongest fishermen are helpless, and you..."
Gunnhildr raised a hand to silence the fisherman, her gaze on Columbina filled with inquiry.
Coppelia nodded to Columbina. "Then give it a try."
"Mm."
Columbina walked towards the lake, her steps not stopping at the shore but carrying her directly onto the rippling surface of the water.
As the soles of her feet touched the lake, ripples spread outward in concentric circles.
A few people subconsciously thought she was going to fall in and wanted to cry out a warning, but seeing Gunnhildr watching quietly without reacting, they swallowed their words.
To everyone's astonishment, Columbina did not fall. She walked steadily on the water's surface, moving step by step until she stopped above the deep water.
She lowered her head slightly, facing the water below. The ginger-red highlights at the tips of her hair began to glow faintly.
Soon, countless silver fish lost their weight, floating up one by one from the depths, leaving the water and rising into the air.
The school of fish formed a slowly rotating silver ring around Columbina, who stood motionless on the water.
The fish swished their tail fins in the air, and the droplets of water they flicked off also hung suspended around them, twinkling like stars.
When the droplets drifted a certain distance away from her, they regained their weight and fell back to the lake, creating tiny splashes.
The people on the shore stared wide-eyed, letting out suppressed gasps of amazement.
"So that's how it's done?" The young knight who had been irritable at the beginning covered his mouth. "That's incredible!"
Even the ever-composed Gunnhildr found her lips parting slightly in surprise.
Columbina maintained this state for a moment, then turned and walked back to the shore, the silver ring of fresh fish moving with her.
When her feet touched the ground, she gave a light wave of her hand. The fish came crashing down onto the snow in a great shower, piling up into small mounds, still flopping about.
The fishermen and knights looked at the haul, their faces breaking into overjoyed smiles. They all grabbed their crates and baskets, gathering the large enough fish and throwing the smaller ones back into the water.
Coppelia also crouched down to help them.
With a major problem solved, Gunnhildr felt a sense of relief. She then looked towards the hero of the hour, Columbina, only to see her gently clutching her stomach with her left hand.
"Are you unwell?" Gunnhildr asked with concern.
"I'm hungry..."
...
On the way back to the settlement, the people carried the heavy catch, long-absent smiles on their faces, their conversations much louder and livelier than usual.
Some of the knights marveled at Columbina's magical power.
The fishermen, meanwhile, discussed how to prepare a luxurious all-fish feast for Miss Columbina.
Gunnhildr walked at the head of the group, her expression still calm, a stark contrast to the cheerful atmosphere around her.
Coppelia quickened her pace to walk beside her.
"Lady Gunnhildr," Coppelia began, "I'm rather curious. Given the size of this lake, there should be plenty of fish in the shallows. Could they have been fished out so quickly?"
Gunnhildr looked straight ahead, her voice steady. "We are preparing for an important operation and need to stockpile a large amount of food."
Coppelia tilted her head to look at her. "It wouldn't be for a counter-attack on Mondstadt, would it?"
"That is something beyond our means right now," Gunnhildr shook her head. "In truth, we have sent out several groups to search for more suitable lands in the distance. Recently, some of the brave pathfinders have returned."
She paused for a moment before continuing, "According to the intelligence they brought back, in the east, the Lawrence Clan, who went into exile years ago, has cultivated a new land. It's said the environment there isn't as harsh as it is here, and they have found a new faith, called..."
"'The Master of Time'."
___
🔥 New stories are available now! 🔥
We're handing out that '25% bonus' that makes your wallet smile. 😄
✅ Access up to 40 advanced chapters of ALL stories!
✅ Receive exclusive content and updates!
Help us hit our community goals:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters of ALL STORIES!
👻 P - Walnutchan