Chapter 044: A Conversation with Noelle

Noelle's concerned gaze fell on Shao Yun, who was sitting on the ground resting. She then looked at the remaining unscrubbed path ahead and decided to finish it herself.

"Mr. Shao Yun, you've worked just as hard as I have, and you were the one who carried all the water. You must be exhausted. Please rest. I can finish the rest of the path on my own."

With that, she picked up her brush and continued working.

Watching Noelle bent over, meticulously scrubbing the path, sweat dripping down her cheeks and dampening her bangs, Shao Yun couldn't help but feel a mix of admiration and frustration.

She effortlessly cleaned over a meter of the path in just a few strokes.

Why won't this kid listen to reason?!

Shao Yun, feeling the strain on his body, slowly stood up.

Noelle's relentless work ethic, if left unchecked, would likely push her to the point of collapse.

"Noelle, take a break," Shao Yun said softly, his voice firm despite its gentleness.

"I'm fine," Noelle tried to refuse, but Shao Yun reached out and gently pulled her by the arm, guiding her to sit against the wall.

"Enough. It's lunchtime. For the sake of the Anemo Archon's statue in the distance, take a break!"

Noelle chuckled helplessly at Shao Yun's words but still didn't want to stop.

"But there's still so much left to clean," Noelle said with concern.

"Things take time," Shao Yun said, gently patting Noelle's shoulder. "If you finish everything today, Kaeya might have you tiling the walls tomorrow!"

Hearing Shao Yun's joke, Noelle actually considered it seriously. "That's true. Tiles would make the walls look more beautiful and probably attract more tourists to Mondstadt."

She seemed to envision the scene, her face lighting up with excitement, as if she wanted to suggest it to Kaeya.

Shao Yun was stunned by Noelle's earnestness. Don't take jokes so seriously! If you tile the walls tomorrow, he'll have you decorating them with silver and gold the day after!

"I was just joking. Don't take it seriously. Just rest for now."

Noelle, brought back to reality by Shao Yun's words, nodded obediently and leaned against the wall to rest.

However, Noelle wasn't one to sit still for long. Within a minute, she was about to get up.

"Mr. Shao Yun, let me get you some water."

Shao Yun immediately stopped her. "I don't need you to wait on me. Sit down and rest!" He pulled her back again.

"Why won't you listen to reason?!" Shao Yun's voice carried a hint of reproach.

He then pulled a Sunsettia from his Eastern Legend backpack and handed it to Noelle. "Here, make do with this. It's all I have."

Noelle took the Sunsettia, admiring its vibrant color and tempting sheen. She took a bite, and the sweet juice immediately filled her mouth.

"Wow, Mr. Shao Yun, this Sunsettia is really sweet!"

Shao Yun didn't respond. He also took out a Sunsettia and a bottle of Guarma Rum to replenish his core stats.

Noelle quickly finished her Sunsettia, patted her skirt, and was about to get back to work.

She hadn't even rested for a full minute. She couldn't treat herself like a plow horse!

"Come back here!"

Shao Yun pulled Noelle back again, thinking to himself that if only Venti and Noelle could balance each other out—one too relaxed, the other too driven!

Noelle stubbornly looked at Shao Yun and said, "Mr. Shao Yun, I'm really rested now. I'm not tired anymore."

(TL/N: if only I have those stamina :")

Shao Yun was almost infuriated by Noelle's stubbornness. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his tone calm.

"When you feel tired, it means you've reached your limit. You're only fifteen, still a kid. You're already more accomplished than most people your age! You need proper rest, proper nutrition, and some leisure time. If you wear yourself out now, what will you do in the future?"

At the mention of rest and leisure, Noelle bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

"But I feel like I don't have time to rest. Everyone else is so outstanding," she said, her voice tinged with urgency and anxiety, as if rest and leisure were luxuries she couldn't afford.

Shao Yun looked at her tense, determined face and sighed softly.

"Who's 'everyone'? Jean, Amber, Lisa, Kaeya, and who else? How many people are in the Knights? You're already the best among your peers!"

Noelle frowned, seemingly trying to process this new perspective.

"I..."

She opened her mouth to say something but looked lost, as if she hadn't fully understood Shao Yun's point.

Shao Yun, seeing this, felt a pang of helplessness. He hadn't expected to become a therapist—usually, it was the priests or nuns who guided him.

He took a deep breath, trying to keep his tone calm.

"Noelle, I'm not telling you to become complacent. On the contrary, I just want you to understand that you're already doing incredibly well. You're only fifteen, but your achievements surpass many full-fledged Knights. It's okay to relax a little!"

Noelle seemed touched by Shao Yun's words. She lowered her head and muttered to herself with a hint of sadness.

"I still feel like I'm not working hard enough. If I were as outstanding as you say, why haven't I become a Knight yet?"

Afraid that Shao Yun might misunderstand her as vain, she quickly added, "No, I mean, I'm not working this hard just to join the Knights. I want to serve the people of Mondstadt better. I want to be worthy of that armor that symbolizes honor!"

"You want recognition?"

Noelle, hearing Shao Yun hit the nail on the head, froze for a few seconds, biting her lower lip.

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean! I want to be recognized, to prove that I'm good enough to become a real Knight."

She had finally spoken her heart, but Shao Yun wasn't exactly experienced in giving advice.

What would Pastor Swanson or that nun at the station say?

After some thought, Shao Yun looked at Noelle and said seriously, "A true Knight needs more than just a heart to help others and the strength to overcome anything. Do you know what else is needed?"

Noelle frowned, seemingly pondering Shao Yun's question. She shook her head, indicating she didn't know the answer.

"Would you like to hear my advice?"

Noelle, unable to figure it out herself, nodded. "Go ahead."

Shao Yun spoke gently, "I heard that you once risked your life to save someone trapped on Dragonspine. You ended up with a high fever and fell unconscious. Am I right?"

Noelle considered this just a routine mission and didn't find it unusual. She nodded indifferently and said, "Yes, so what?"

Shao Yun had found the crux of the issue.

"That's what you're missing. You need to learn to protect yourself!" Shao Yun said, his tone caring to avoid hurting Noelle's feelings.

"What I mean is, if the snowstorm had been worse, or if you hadn't found that person, what would you have done alone? You need to learn to protect yourself so you can better protect others! Unless it's a life-or-death situation, don't..."

Noelle immediately countered, "But what about you, Mr. Shao Yun? When you were chasing the Strange Bird, didn't you leave us briefly and then return with him? Didn't you consider your own safety?"

Her voice was filled with confusion and a hint of reproach, her bright eyes fixed on Shao Yun, waiting for an answer.

Shao Yun opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words.

Leaving aside whether he knew the plot or not, without the nun's elemental mark, Amber's reminder, and the foolish Treasure Hoarders, catching the Strange Bird wouldn't have been easy.

Even with all that, there was one crucial point.

Shao Yun had been a desperado in the past and had captured many ruthless outlaws. His experience in reading people was miles ahead of Noelle's.

Even if Noelle had all the information, could she have seen through the Strange Bird's disguise? Would she have been tricked by a few words and let him escape?

You're the kind and compassionate Noelle, while I'm the ruthless "Living Yama" of the West. How can we compare?

But Shao Yun couldn't say that. To protect her self-esteem, he had to downplay his own abilities and exaggerate the help he'd received.

"Because the Raptor's glider broke, he fell from the sky and was injured. He couldn't run fast, so I caught up to him on horseback."

"Besides, I wasn't alone. Without the nun's elemental mark, Amber's reminder, and the guidance of others, I never could have caught him!"

"And, to be blunt, how can you be sure you wouldn't be fooled by the Raptor's disguise? You're so kind that even a slightly disguised enemy could deceive you. Am I wrong?"

Noelle sat quietly, Shao Yun's words weighing heavily on her heart. Her gaze was downcast, her hands clenched tightly. The air was thick with tension, and even breathing felt cautious.

Shao Yun, seeing Noelle's reaction, felt a pang of guilt.

He realized he might have been too harsh, but he also felt it was a necessary reminder. He took a deep breath, trying to soften his tone.

"Noelle, I'm not trying to crush your confidence," Shao Yun said, though he still felt a bit guilty.

"But... when a problem is beyond your capabilities, you need to learn to ask for help instead of pushing yourself. And you need to learn to protect yourself. That's what I'm trying to tell you. Understand?"

He had done his best. If this didn't work, he'd have to change the subject and get back to work.

"Thank you, Mr. Shao Yun," Noelle said, exhaling deeply and smiling. "I'll remember what you said today."

Shao Yun, seeing Noelle's renewed spirit, felt relieved. He had raised the issue and offered a solution. If he had only raised the issue without solving it, he would have been stirring the pot, not offering guidance!

As Noelle's mood improved, her face gradually regained its usual brightness. She seemed eager for more advice and asked expectantly, "Is there more?"

Facing Noelle's expectant gaze, Shao Yun chuckled inwardly. There was indeed more, though the next topic was much lighter.

He teased, "Of course. Let me ask you another question. How old are you?"

Noelle was puzzled. Hadn't she told him before? But she answered anyway, "I'm fifteen."

Shao Yun nodded, satisfied, and asked, "What about Outrider Amber?"

Noelle thought for a moment, then answered with less confidence, "I think Amber is a year older than me..."

Shao Yun provided the exact answer. "Amber is sixteen, and you're fifteen. Do you see the problem?"

Even with the hint, Noelle was still confused. She tilted her head in bewilderment.

"What problem?"

Shao Yun, seeing Noelle's puzzled expression, shook his head and laughed. "You're not old enough!"

(TL/N: Even better!)

"Huh?" Noelle's eyes widened in shock and confusion.

Her lips parted slightly as if she wanted to say something, but the sudden realization left her speechless.

She tried to process Shao Yun's words, but her mind went blank.

Shao Yun, seeing Noelle's stunned expression, couldn't help but laugh. He shook his head and asked with a smile, "All these years, haven't you ever looked into the Knights' minimum age requirement?"

Noelle, brought back to reality by Shao Yun's voice, looked up at him.

Her eyes were filled with confusion as she murmured, "But what about the Spark Knight?"

Shao Yun understood immediately. She was referring to Klee.

He sighed softly and explained, "You mean Klee, right? She's an elf. She can live for thousands, even tens of thousands of years. How can you compare to her?"

He couldn't resist adding a playful jab. "Honestly, you and Klee are equally naive!"

Noelle, realizing she had misunderstood the Knights' age requirement all this time, buried her face in her knees, too embarrassed to look at Shao Yun. She berated herself inwardly for being so foolish.

Seeing Noelle hiding her face, Shao Yun added, "Will you be sixteen by the next assessment?"

Noelle lifted her head, her bright eyes meeting Shao Yun's, and whispered, "No..."

Shao Yun, seeing Noelle's pitiful expression, quickly comforted her. "Don't be disheartened. I probably should've told you this later. Sorry for crushing your confidence."

Noelle pouted, thought for a moment, then wiped her face and regained her composure.

Her eyes shone with determination, dispelling the earlier gloom. She took a deep breath and said, "I do feel a little sad, but if I let a few words discourage me, I wouldn't be Noelle."

Shao Yun, seeing the determination in her eyes, raised his fist in encouragement.

"Yahoo! That's the Noelle I know—never giving up!"

Noelle continued, "I'll still take the Knights' assessment. Even if my age disqualifies me, I won't miss any opportunity."

"At the same time, I'll try to change. I'll learn how to protect myself. Thank you for your guidance."