"..."
Kael sighed helplessly. In the end, he took the two brand-new stockings from her hand.
He sat on a nearby rock and gestured for Fischl to sit as well.
Then, he reached out and took hold of her calf.
After sliding off her boot, a shapely foot wrapped in the tattered garter stocking was revealed. He could see her ten toes curling anxiously inside the fabric.
Fischl froze completely.
The girl who had been so confident just seconds ago was now petrified.
Kael's palm was warm. The moment he grasped her ankle, her face flushed a deep, thorough crimson.
"Th-Thou... Thou...!"
She instinctively wanted to stand up, but with her leg firmly in Kael's grip, she couldn't move an inch.
She could only sit there, blushing furiously, biting her lip as her eyes darted around in panic. "Th-This is merely post-battle maintenance! The Prinzessin... The Prinzessin shall face this with... composure... Uuu..."
Oz: "..."
"My Lady means: She is about to pass out."
"..."
With a resigned expression, Kael peeled away the ruined garter stocking, revealing a leg that was slender, smooth, and beautifully shaped. Her skin was as pale and soft as a spring shoot. Held in his hand, her foot twitched slightly as if wanting to protest, but she had no strength to struggle. Instead, a faint pink flush spread across her skin, making the sight undeniably lovely.
This girl... she can act like the Chuunibyou Queen all day, but the moment things get real, she's shier than anyone else.
And this wasn't the first or second time, either.
Shaking his head, Kael helped her put on the new stockings.
The moment the fresh fabric was in place, Fischl leaped away like a released bird, putting a solid meter of distance between them.
"T-Thy conduct... I... I shall reluctantly approve of it..."
Oz: "My Lady means: She is so shy she wants to faint."
Kael stood up, brushing off his hands. Seeing her reaction, he couldn't help but chuckle. "That shy? A minute ago you were acting like it was the most natural thing in the world."
"S-Silence! Thou shalt not speak such nonsense!"
Fischl stamped her foot hard, waving her arms in embarrassment like a startled cat.
She spun around abruptly, pretending nothing had happened, and started walking stiffly. "Our mission is perfectly concluded! Let us return to Mondstadt with haste!"
Oz shook his head and sighed. "My Lady means: Let's go back, quickly."
Kael smiled. He decided not to tease her further and fell into step beside her.
The setting sun cast a warm golden glow over them, stretching their shadows long across the forest path of the Whispering Woods. A gentle breeze stirred the golden leaves on the ground, creating an atmosphere of quiet warmth.
Fischl walked with her arms crossed, the corners of her mouth twitching upward. Under the sunset, her golden eye shone with a trace of arrogant brilliance—that confident, high-handed chuunibyou aura was back.
"Hmph... It seems the script of destiny has indeed been written thus..."
She lifted her chin, brushing a lock of her golden hair back with a flourish. Her tone was filled with pride. "Thy existence is like a meteor across the night sky—tearing through the darkness to illuminate the path of the Prinzessin."
Oz: "She means: Are you free recently?"
"..."
Kael paused mid-step, raising an eyebrow as he looked sideways at the girl immersed in her fantasy.
Fischl didn't notice his look. She was drunk on her own words, her voice rising in pitch. "Thy power of Destruction is a rare force in this world, worthy of being the ultimate judgment of the Immernachtreich!"
"Therefore, I grant thee a supreme honor!"
"From this day forth, thou shalt accompany me to the battlefield! We shall cut through thorns and brambles, leveling the evil and injustice lurking in this land!"
Oz translated calmly: "She means: Do you have time in the next few days? Let's team up. She thinks your 'Destruction Power' is really useful."
Kael's mouth twitched.
Can this girl speak normal human language for even five minutes?
"You want me to team up with you?" Kael asked, his tone flat.
Fischl's lips curved up. Her eyes flickered, and she stubbornly persisted. "Hmph! Do not misunderstand! The power of the Prinzessin is sufficient to suppress all evils of this world alone! Thou art merely..."
She paused, stealing a quick glance at Kael. A flash of guilt crossed her golden pupil.
She cleared her throat, forcing herself back into her noble, cold persona. "...Thou art merely the existence permitted by this Prinzessin to share the battlefield!"
Oz: "She means: If you don't go, she will be very sad."
"..."
Kael was silent for a moment. Then, he felt a laugh bubbling up in his chest.
This girl... she spins these elaborate webs of words, but all she's saying is, "If you're free, please hang out with me."
And she has to go through an entire monologue to say it.
Truly... tsundere and cute.
Kael narrowed his eyes, a teasing smile playing on his lips.
"Oh? But didn't you just say you were strong enough to suppress all the world's evil alone? Then what do you need me for?"
Fischl stumbled. She froze, looking like someone whose inner thoughts had been laid bare. Her expression was hilariously complicated.
Her cheeks flushed. Her lips moved, trying to find a rebuttal, but nothing came out.
She could only stomp her foot again, lift her chin, and turn her head away in a huff. "Hmph! The Prinzessin is simply magnanimous! I am willing to let thee witness our great deeds, yet thou art so ungrateful!"
Oz continued his translation: "She means: If you keep teasing her, she's going to get angry out of embarrassment."
Kael laughed softly. This chuunibyou girl was genuinely interesting.
Just then, a virtual panel floated into his vision.
Lines of text scrolled across his retina.
[You accepted Seele's invitation. After spending the day gathering supplies, the sense of familiarity between you and Seele has been restored. Your long-lost connection has tightened.]
[Option Two Reward Acquired: Seele's Hunt Branch Skill — "Ripple".]
[Effect: When activated, increases the target's movement speed by 25%.]
The moment the text fully formed, a strange power surged into his body.
Kael jolted.
His blood seemed to boil for a split second. Muscles, bones, nerves—every cell felt as if it had been washed clean. A sensation of extreme lightness spread rapidly through his limbs.
It felt like being lifted by an invisible wind.
"!!!"
The next second, Kael tested the skill [Ripple] with a thought.
Instantly, he felt the burden of gravity lessen. His movements became fluid, natural.
He took a subconscious step forward.
Whoosh!
In that instant, his stride was faster than normal—visibly so.
He even kicked up a small current of air. It was as if an invisible force was pushing him, freeing him from the drag of inertia.
"...Interesting."
Kael murmured, a spark of surprise in his eyes.
This feeling was far more potent than a simple speed buff.
It wasn't just running faster. It was coordination. Lightness. Agility.
It felt as though his body had broken through a shackle, ready to move at high velocity at any moment.
"A 25% increase feels this significant? If it were 100%, would I just fly?"
Kael's mind raced, analyzing the combat value of this skill.
25% Movement Speed.
It sounds small on paper.
But in combat—dodging, escaping, chasing—it was a god-tier upgrade.
"And if I grant this power to others..."
Kael narrowed his eyes.
This meant that in a critical moment, he could give someone else this same surge of speed.
It was an incredibly powerful support skill.
Thinking of this, the corners of Kael's mouth turned up. The joy in his eyes deepened.
This reward was a massive win.
"This 25% speed buff... can I also apply it there...?"
Suddenly, Kael's expression turned a little strange.
It should be possible, right?