Planning

"Here is the training ground" Varka guided Allen over to the headquarters, showing her the training ground in the under level.

*Clank* There were quite a number of soldiers training. Some were swinging to the air, others were hitting scarecrows and others were sparring between them.

Seeing their entrance, all the soldiers stopped what they were doing, and bowed in unison showing their respect to Varka "Sir!"

"You can continue" Varka swung his hand and the soldiers returned to their training, but some of them still looked over them, their gazes fixed on Allen, some with wonder and curiosity, others with distrust and others with small blushes.

"Hum!" Varka coughed and everyone returned to their training "Sorry for it."

"There is no need to worry" Allen smiled "I like seeing people learning. They should be learning the famous Favonius Swordsmanship, no?"

"Exactly" Varka nodded "They are mostly inexperienced, but they are learning based on our traditions."

"It's interesting seeing the people just learning it. Unlike, people with experience that had made the style their own, if you were to see through the errors of newbies, you will be able to see the truth behind the style, the foundation of it." Allen said looking attentively at everyone training.

"If you desire, I could prepare an instructor for you" Varka suggested "It will take some time, but he could teach you the foundations if you are curious."

"I am thankful for your proposition, but I doubt it will be necessary" Allen purred "On the other hand, could you prepare a sparring partner? I will love to experience the actual swordsmanship."

"As you wish" Varka nodded "Wait for a moment" Varka left and quickly returned with a young woman with her blond hair tied into a ponytail.

"Even at her young age, she had shown great talent and potential, becoming the actual youngest captain of Cavalry."

"I am Jean Gunnhildr. It's an honor" Jean said with quite a serious face.

"Do not be so tensed, Jean." 'So this is the future Acting Grand Master. Let's see how strong she is. It will be a good comparison with the game' "Take it as a spar between friends, nothing serious"

Both took out wooden swords and lifted them.

"Prepare!" Varka commanded.

Jean lowered her body into the basic stance of the Favonius Swordsmanship while Allen stayed immobile.

"I can see why you choose her, sir Varka" Allen said looking at Jean "A sword to protect. She is the perfect example."

Listening to Allen, only make him more sure that Allen was quite the strong swordmaster, having seen the essence of the Favonius Swordsmanship, based on defense. Showing the desire to protect Mondstadt passed over generations.

"Go!" 'Let's see how good you are, Columbina' Varka looked attentively at Allen as Jean charged at her, waiting to see her reaction, however, when he actually saw, he couldn't help to open his eyes in shock.

Just as Jean was about to reach her, Allen put her stance, one almost identical to Jean.

*Clank* *Clank* Allen perfectly blocked Jean's strikes.

'That's the Favonius Swordsmanship!' Varka quickly discovered the truth behind Allen's movements as she blocked every one of Jean's attacks while not leaving a single opening. Varka was sure, if there had been someone behind Columbina, she would have been able to perfectly protect it.

"Attacking, you will be unable to show your true worth. So let's switch" Allen stepped forward, swinging downward.

*Clank* *Clank* Jean was only able to last 6 attacks before her posture was broken, Allen's erratic movements perfectly targeting her openings while showing none.

Jean tried to recover but before she was able, Allen's sword was already there.

*CLA!* Allen struck her sword, forcing it out of her hands, throwing it to the ground.

"It is my win. Thanks for the teaching" Allen smiled as she lifted her sword while looking around with a thoughtful face 'She is quite strong, but not on my level, especially when fighting with pure swordsmanship. Even as Allen I would be able to easily win in pure swordsmanship.' "Who shall I challenge now?" Allen finally stopped over Varka, smiling at him, causing his face to darken a little.

Even as a spar, two leaders of different regions fighting with each other wasn't a good thing. If something happened it could be quite the deal. Moreover, Varka really did not want to face Allen over everything.

"I was just joking" Allen giggled at his reaction "You had a library, no? I change of air will be good."

"Of course, miss" Varka commanded some guard, Allen leaving the training ground guided by him.

"What do you think of her, Jean?" Varka asked Jean.

"She is an extraordinary swordswoman. I was not her rival at all. I felt as if I was fighting a wall."

"You were fighting something worst than a wall" Varka said seriously "That was the Favonius Swordsmanship."

"So she had lied to us as she had already learned it" Jean discovered "But even so, she was very strong with it."

"It's not that Jean." Varka shook his head "She had mastered it and made it her own, but when she faced you, she changed it a little, becoming the perfect counter of your style while keeping the essence of it. So, either her style casually counters you or..." Varka's eyes become sharp "she is a Sword Eater. In any way, try to not fight against her..."

"Grandmaster?" Jean asked worriedly seeing his unusual seriousness.

"...ever!"

...

Over the Favonius Knights' library, Allen sat with her legs crossed, one book in her hand while using the other to drink tea. Allen had over 20 books on the table in front of her while she was reading her actual book.

By looking at her face and poise, she seemed to leisurely spend her time, but looking at the immense speed that she passed through each page, showed her capacity of quick reading or bullshitting her way without actually reading, that seeing the robes covering her eyes, it seemed the most likely truth.

However, the actual truth is that Allen was actually attentively reading all the content of each book, although, reading won't be the best word to describe it. Using her Delusion, she could send a pulse of elemental energy over the page, granting elemental power over the traces of liquid, this liquid being the ink. Then it was as simple as seeing it with an elemental sight.

When she touched a book for the first time as Columbina, this method had become quite natural for Allen and while at first, it took him too much time, now it was like second nature for him, becoming more than 20 times faster than her usual reading speed.

*Clap* Allen closed her book, letting it on the table with others 'This body is truly high spec.' Allen thought as she looked over the pile of books that she read in a few hours.

'To think that before I couldn't even use Elemental Sight.' Allen sighed internally and finished her tea.

"Thanks for all, miss Minci" Allen said turning to the tall brunette librarian.

"Are you not leaving early today, miss Colleen?" Lisa stated putting her hand over her cheek.

"After this week, I have finally finished reading what I was interested" Allen explained "Your help has been invaluable. It would have taken me only a week to find what I wanted. You have my thanks."

"I hope that you find it enjoyable," Lisa said "It is rare to find someone so young so interested in books."

Over the last week, Allen had spent most of her time here, barely only returning to her hotel to sleep. With all this time here, she had of course talked quite a bit with Lisa who spent most of her time in the library.

Lisa helped her to collect and organize the books that interested Allen and while Allen knew that Lisa was probably quite wary of her and Lisa's work should be more like spying on her and her tastes. Allen did not find it annoying as in the end, she was aware that if in the library there were truly some dark and forbidden secrets that they want to hide from the Fatui, they would have already hidden them before her arrival.

"But really, only reading books about the history and legends of Mondstadt." Lisa shook her head "Most of them are even repeating the same. There are more interesting books, miss. I could recommend them."

"That is what I am interested in, in my own present and the past of others." Allen said before reaching the door "The best part of this week has been our tea sessions, thanks" Allen smiled brightly and left.

...

"Miss Columbina, good morning!" Just as Allen left the headquarters somewhat saluted her with a big smile on her face.

"Good morning, Elling. The training is going well?" Allen smiled radiantly. Ellin was a young girl about Allen's age whose dream was to become a Favonius Knight in the future.

After seeing the combat, between Allen and Jean, she seemed to have fallen in love with Columbina, using all her courage to ask for her teachings. As it wouldn't take much time, Allen taught the minimum, correcting her posture and preparing her future training.

It wasn't much difficult to Allen as she usually detected the errors and thought about improvements in an automode, but for Ellin had been very special, Columbina becoming her aspiration in the future, having her devotion.

"Yes! Your tips had been incredibly thankful. I'm improving every day!" Ellin cheered, her eyes shining with adoration looking at Allen.

"Continue working hard" Allen said goodbye.

...

'As expected, it really wasn't very useful in the end' Allen thought as she returned to her hotel 'I learned more about Mondstadt, complementing and verifying the knowledge of the game, needing most of it to base in legends that are not very clear.'

'One thing is clear, in this world with creatures that can lives over thousand of years, they are not very biased in writing their knowledge' Allen sighed 'at least not openly.'

'It's tiring to always need to pretend' Allen reached her room and jumped on the bed, taking the clothes off her eyes.

'Mondstadt the region of freedom and the region without god' Allen sighed again 'They really gave me the most irritating mission.'

All the other regions had their own respecting Archon governing or at least moderately active in the region. Archons were incredibly strong and obtaining a Gnosis from them was directly facing against them, being dangerous and demanding.

On the other hand, Mondstadt's Archon, Barbatos, was also called the weakest Archon. 'But it does not matter how weak he is if he is not here.'

'It's also said that Barbatos is the best one at running away. Even the other Archons not being able to stop his escape.' Allen remembered the knowledge given by Pantalone that told that even the Tsaritsa would have difficulties with him.

That meant that the main problem was not fighting the archon, but finding him and stopping his escape. A low danger mission but a tedious one.

'Luckily thanks to history, I know how to make him appear and thanks to the game I know how he is, so I should be able to find him as he appears' Allen planned 'Barbatos only appeared at Mondstadt when this one or his friends were in serious problems.

'His first appearance with the old god, tyrant of Mondstadt, Decarabian, the revolution of Venessa against the corrupt nobles and the Cataclysm 500 years ago and the fight against Durin.'

'So to make him appear, Mondstadt must be in danger, but a long enough danger for him to discover it.' Allen thought 'In the game, Barbatos returned due to Stormterror's attacks, wanting to save his friend and the city.'

'I could try the same, but I'll need to find a way to awaken him early and...' Allen made a thoughtful face 'with Varka and the others, the actual Mondstadt is far stronger than in the game where 80% of their members were in an expedition. Would Stormterror be a big serious problem for the actual Mondstadt?'

'I have learned enough about the past of Mondstadt.' Allen decided 'Now I need to learn more about its present.'

...

It was a beautiful sunny day like any other at Mondstadt. The guards at the door in duty were inspecting the caravans entering the city, making sure that everything was in order when a hooded person wearing a long cloak that hid him completely.

Seeing the so suspicious person, the guards quickly acted, stopping him from entering and forcing him to reveal himself and his identity.

The hooded person took out his hood, revealing his purple eyes and short blue hair "I'm Niwa Allen. A traveler."