<h4>Chapter 150: Viin Simtor, Ch 149</h4>


    "Also, you can take a bath."


    Lumine nodded. "Finally, a hot bath."


    For some reason, Lucas felt as if he was being calcted against.


    ...


    Late at night.


    "Creak..."


    With a faint sound, Signora gently pushed open the wardrobe door. Having stood inside for so long, her legs were somewhat numb.


    She looked at the anonymous letter in her hand. Due to the urgency earlier, she hadn''t had the chance to put it down.


    Tiptoeing, she moved to the bedside, intending to ce the letter on the nightstand. However, worried Lucas might not notice it, she deliberated for a moment before deciding to ce it directly on his chest.


    Gazing at his sleeping face, Signora felt a mixture of emotions.


    "This will truly be thest time I see you." The usually cold and ruthless eighth Harbinger gently brushed Lucas''s cheek with her fingertips. Who would have thought that her face could show such tender affection? "Goodbye... no, let''s not meet again."


    The window was right next to the bed. To minimize noise, Signora had to crouch her tall frame, moving like a sleek panther as she climbed onto the bed toward the window.


    Fortunately, Lucas had the habit of sleeping with the window open; otherwise, someone as perceptive as him would definitely have woken up to the noise at such close range.


    The window wasn''t a side-hinged one but a vertical sliding type, with a noticeable frictional sound when being opened.


    Signora ced her hands on the windowsill and leaned her upper body out. However, at that moment, arge figure blocked her way.


    It was none other than the plump orange cat Lucas had fed earlier.


    This cat seemed rather loyal, apparently patrolling in gratitude for being fed. Spotting a stranger sneaking out of its benefactor''s home, the cat immediately hissed at Signora.


    "Get lost..."


    Signora hissed in a low tone. Her usual killing intent would have made any ordinary animal instinctively back off. However, the orange cat was unfazed. With a powerful leap, it jumped onto the windowsill and nudged the windowtch closed with its weight.


    With a "thud," the window mmed shut, trapping Signora''s slender waist between the frame.


    Signora winced in pain but dared not make a sound, quickly covering her mouth with her hand.


    To make matters worse, her body was now half inside and half outside, stuck in the window frame.


    The orange cat, meanwhile, gave Signora a disdainful nce, flicked its thick tail, and sauntered off leisurely.


    "Damn you, fat cat..." Signora gritted her teeth. "Don''t let me catch you, or... huh?"


    Suddenly, Signora felt something pressing against her waist.


    She quickly turned her head and saw Lucas kneeling behind her. Through the dusty ss of the window, she could make out that his eyes were still closed.


    Was he sleepwalking?


    Or was he doing this on purpose?


    Uncertain of the truth, Signora didn''t dare to make a sound. Despite thete hour, there were still a few scattered passersby visible on the street.


    If she were seen in this position, her reputation as a Harbinger would bepletely ruined.


    In fact, Lucas wasn''t sleepwalking, nor was he fully awake. He was in a half-dreaming state.


    Someone of his level of ability often developed a form of self-defense mechanism, where even in unconscious sleep, they reacted to changes in their surroundings.


    Of course, the response depended on the situation. If an enemy approached, Lucas would instinctively enterbat mode to defend himself.


    But if it was...


    A Lady stuck in the window?


    The oue was self-evident. In his semi-conscious state, Lucas was experiencing a vivid dream where he was back in the simtor, engaged in a Harbinger sparring session with Signora.


    The actions in his dream and reality were strangely synchronized.


    As for Signora, she could only cover her mouth with one hand and hold onto the windowsill with the other, desperately maintaining her bnce.


    Damn it, you''d better really be sleepwalking, or else...


    I swear... I won''t let you off!


    "Ugh..."


    At that moment, a groggy Lumine stumbled out of the room, rubbing her sleepy eyes and mumbling, "Bathroom..."


    However, upon witnessing the scene in front of her, Lumine''s eyes widened. After a brief three-second pause, she silently turned around and returned to her room.


    Then, she got back into bed, pulled the nket over her head, and muttered to herself, "It''s just a dream, just a dream..."


    ...


    The next morning.


    "Time to wake up!"


    Lucas stretchedzily but was bewildered to find himself waking up leaning against the windowsill.


    Didn''t I fall asleep properly in bed?


    Since when did my sleeping posture get this bad?


    "Strange, why is the window closed?" Lucas reached to lift the window for some fresh air but noticed a strip of deep red silk stuck beneath it, fluttering lightly in the morning breeze.


    ---


    "What is this...?"


    Lucas rubbed the silk between his fingers, finding it smooth and luxurious, clearly made from high-quality fabric. He had no idea how it ended up here.


    Maybe it was blown in by the wind, or perhaps that fat orange cat brought it.


    Thinking no more of it, he casually tucked the silk away. What he didn''t notice was that a letter, bearing faint marks from being crushed and rubbed, had slipped into the gap in his bedframe.


    "Lumine, Paimon, wake up." Lucas knocked lightly on the door of the inner room. "It''s almost time to meet up."


    About half a minuteter, the door opened slightly, revealing Lumine''s face. For some reason, she looked utterly drained, with pronounced dark circles under her eyes.


    "Are... you okay?" Lucas asked in confusion. "Didn''t sleep well?"


    "It''s... nothing..." Lumine replied with a somewhat ambiguous gaze, mumbling, "Just had a really strange dream I haven''t recovered from yet."


    In contrast, Paimon appeared full of energy, cing her hands on her hips as she asked, "What kind of dream was it?"


    "It was..." Lumine nced at Lucas, her mind involuntarily reying the scene fromst night. Shaking her head, she said, "Two Hilichurls wrestling."


    She still couldn''t tell whetherst night''s events were real or a dream. All she knew for sure was that it was... unforgettable.


    "Two Hilichurls wrestling? That''s definitely odd." Lucas chuckled awkwardly. "Don''t dwell on strange dreams. Let''s have breakfast and then head out. My treat today."


    "Yay!" Paimon cheered, throwing up her hands. "From now on, you''re officially Paimon''s second-bestpanion!"


    "Paimon..." Lumine''s heart warmed at thisment.


    It seemed this little glutton did have a conscience after all. She wasn''t pampering her in vain.


    "Sweet Madame and Mondstadt Specialty Meat Pies are tied for 1st ce!" Paimon added smugly.


    "Give me back my sentimentality!" Lumine pressed her thumbs into Paimon''s temples and gave them a sharp twist.


    "Help... help me!"


    Paimon''s cries became part of Mondstadt''s morning symphony.


    Apart from the still-drowsy Lumine, Signora who had recently "escaped" the scene, and the fearless fat orange cat, perhaps no one would ever know how intensest night''s "battle" had been.


    At Mondstadt''s city gate, the dragon subjugation squad had assembled.


    The group was small; against an enemy like the Stormterror, sheer numbers were meaningless. Ordinary Knights of Favonius couldn''t even pierce its tough scales. The primary fighters remained the elite Vision bearers.


    Acting Grand Master Jean, Vanguard Captain E, and Cavalry Captain Kaeya were the main forces from the Knights of Favonius. Klee, though eager to join, was firmly turned down by both Lucas and Jean.


    Another potent fighter, Chief Alchemist Albedo, was unfortunately absent from Mondstadt and thus unable to participate.


    As for external support, aside from Lucas and Lumine, the team also included a handful of volunteer adventurers. While some civilians had expressed a willingness to help, Jean''s conscientious nature and sense of duty made it impossible for her to allow nobatants to risk their lives.


    Even with this lineup, it was clear that Mondstadt''s forces were stretched thin.


    If a simr event urred in Liyue, there wouldn''t even be a need for a subjugation squad. Someone like Ganyu could probably handle it solo and still make it back in time for lunch.


    Of course, no nation would easily request foreign aid unless absolutely necessary. Despite its rtively weaker military, Mondstadt needed to maintain its dignity. Thest time they had sought assistance from the Fatui to deal with the dragon Ursa, Mondstadt''s diplomacy with Snezhnaya suffered greatly. Jean was determined not to let history repeat itself.


    "Kind sir, would you like to buy a charm? It will bless your journey with safety."


    Just as the squad was preparing to depart, an elderly woman with a hunched figure unexpectedly approached Lucas. In her gnarled hands was a bamboo basket filled with exquisitely crafted charms.


    Given Lucas''s current level of power, it was nearly impossible for someone to approach him unnoticed. Yet, this old woman seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.


    "Thank you for your blessings," Lucas said with a smile, not overthinking it. "I''ll buy one."


    "Take this one." The old woman handed him a charm, her raspy voice soft. "It contains Qingxin flowers. Wearing it will clear your mind and brighten your vision. It''s just 500 Mora."


    Lucas caught a glimpse of her arm as she handed over the charm. Strangely, the exposed part of her arm appeared smooth and pale, inconsistent with her weathered hands and wrinkled face.


    When he snapped out of his thoughts, however, the old woman was already walking away.


    "Don''t stare; it''s just a disguise," said a short Knight of Favonius standing beside Lucas. The voice was familiar, and when the knight lifted their visor, a pair of mischievous green eyes met Lucas''s.


    "Venti?" Lucas was taken aback. "What''s with the outfit?"


    "Shh!" Venti hastily lowered the visor again, whispering, "A few nights ago, I got mistaken for a lyre thief and ended up locked up by that little girl from the Lawrence family. I had to use some tricks to escape."


    Although Venti didn''t borate, Lucas could easily guess what kind of tricks he meant.


    "So, I''m keeping a low profile," Venti added. "This time, I''m joining you to the ruins of the Stormterror''s Lair. If possible, I want to make onest attempt to awaken Dvalin''s consciousness."


    Stormterror Dvalin had once been apanion of the Anemo Archon. Clearly, Venti wasn''t ready to give up on him.


    "Understood..." Lucas sighed. "I''ll cover for you, but don''t blow your cover."


    "Thank you, my dear friend!" Venti said gratefully. "I''ll be sure to repay you someday!"


    With what?


    Given how he and Morax, two gods, together couldn''t scrape up a single Mora, Lucas wasn''t holding his breath.


    "No time for chatting! Get ready to move!" E approached, casting a suspicious nce at Venti. "Who are you? I don''t think I''ve seen you before."


    Due to her background, E wasn''t particrly close to other members of the Knights of Favonius. Aside from her reconnaissance squad, she didn''t know many others. But given the rigorous recruitment standards of the Knights, the sight of this scrawny, ill-fitting "knight" made her naturally suspicious.


    "Hey." E''s wariness grew as Venti remained silent. "Take off your helmet. Let me see your face."


    If E recognized Venti, not only would he fail to help with the mission, but he''d probably end up back in custody.


    In the nick of time, Lucas threw an arm around Venti''s shoulders andughed. "You forgot? This is Dewin, a new recruit. He was the one who helped me find my way when I visited the headquarters the other day."


    Venti immediately nodded fervently, ying along.


    E stroked her chin thoughtfully before frowning. "Stand straighter and puff out your chest. Remember, all eyes will be on us during this expedition."


    Apart from the citizens of Mondstadt, it was almost certain that the Fatui would be watching from the shadows.


    "E!" Lucas called out, stopping her as she was about to leave. Patting her shoulder, he smiled. "Do your best this time. If you can help end the dragon crisis, people will change their opinion of you."


    E''s cheeks turned slightly pink, but she quickly masked her reaction with feigned indifference. "Hmph, I don''t care what others think of me!"


    With that, she turned to leave, muttering under her breath, "As long as you keep watching me, that''s enough."


    With the sound of a horn, the city gates creaked open. The dragon subjugation squad began their march.


    At the front, Jean, d in her dashing riding outfit, raised her voice with conviction: "We shall win this battle! Victory or nothing!"


    ---


    Author''s note: Well since the reset so... lets go with 200 p.s for extra Chapter today!


    Also join my discord server if you want... Discord.gg/NiaXD


    tho its pretty dead most of the time I drop spoilers and stuff from time to time. Ik you wouldn''t want to remember some random discord code so I got vanity :D