Barbara’s Curiosity

Amber rushed forward as Lumine and Paimon touched down, her voice laced with worry. "Are you two okay after that?"

Paimon puffed out her chest, grinning wide. "We're fine—we sent Stormterror packing all by ourselves!"

Lumine planted her hands on her hips, shooting Paimon a wry look since she'd done the heavy lifting in the sky.

Amber's eyes sparkled with awe as she turned to Lumine. "You were incredible up there, summoning that massive cyan dragon!"

She'd watched the aerial clash from below, the memory of twin titans still vivid, disbelief lingering on her flushed face.

Lumine's wind powers, born from Harlan Flint's comics, had exceeded anything Amber imagined possible.

Controlling a dragon bigger than Stormterror—and driving it off—was a feat she couldn't fathom with her own Anemo skills.

"If I had that strength, I could do so much more for the Knights," Amber thought, a flicker of longing in her chest.

Lumine rubbed her neck, sheepish under the praise. "I couldn't have done it without the Wind-Wind Fruit from Harlan's shop."

She hadn't expected its might to shape such a beast, a stroke of luck she owed to that hidden alley's magic.

Soon, Kaeya arrived, his cool stride cutting through the square as he guided them to meet Jean and Lisa at headquarters.

The Knights listened, stunned, as Lumine recounted the comic shop's gifts—powers and tools pulled straight from its pages.

Their interest in Galehaven Comics flared, but Stormterror's threat loomed larger, demanding action first.

Jean's voice was firm as she tasked Lumine with resolving the dragon crisis, her trust in the traveler's newfound strength unshaken.

Lumine had planned to return to the shop that afternoon, but Harlan's one-comic-a-day rule dashed that hope.

She agreed to the mission, eyeing the Mora reward as a chance to fund more visits to those enchanted shelves.

The office fell silent after Lumine and Paimon departed, the weight of their tale settling over Jean and Lisa.

Lisa lounged against an armrest, her lazy drawl belying the curiosity in her eyes. "Rewards from comics—it's a marvel I've never read of."

As Mondstadt's librarian, she prided herself on vast knowledge, yet this shop defied every tome she'd studied.

Lumine's cyan dragon wasn't a trick—it had roared across the sky, a mystery begging to be unraveled in person.

Jean gazed out the window, the cleared sky a fragile peace. "If it's real, this could be Mondstadt's salvation."

With Grand Master Varka away, leading most of the Knights on expedition, their forces stretched thin against fools and dragons alike.

The pressure of leadership bore down on her daily, a quiet fear of failure shadowing her every choice.

This comic shop, if Lumine spoke true, offered a glimmer of hope—a chance to bolster Mondstadt she couldn't ignore.

Across the city, Barbara walked the bustling streets, her flaxen twin tails swaying beneath her priestly hat.

Stormterror's attack had sown panic, worsened by the dueling dragons that left Mondstadt's folk trembling.

Jean had sent her to soothe the chaos, leveraging her role as the church's prayer pastor and beloved idol.

Her presence worked like a charm—citizens lit up as she passed, their voices rising in a wave of relief.

"Miss Barbara's here!" a baker cried, his flour-dusted hands clasped as if Barbatos himself had blessed him.

"She smiled at me—oh, she's got me in her heart!" a merchant swooned, his wares forgotten in the glow of her charm.

"What was that second dragon up there?" a child piped up, tugging at her white dress with wide, wondering eyes.

Barbara bent down, her smile radiant and warm. "The Wind Demon Dragon caused trouble, but don't worry—we'll handle it, and I'll sing for you soon!"

She added, "That other dragon's a friend—someone brave drove the bad one away to keep us safe."

In her heart, Lumine's stand against Stormterror marked her as Mondstadt's ally, a hero cloaked in wind.

The crowd erupted in cheers, their fears melting under her gentle words and the promise of song.

"We trust the Knights—and Miss Barbara!" a seamstress called, her voice firm with renewed faith.

"I can't wait to hear her sing again!" a boy shouted, clapping as the street buzzed with life once more.

Barbara's chest swelled with joy, her spirit lifted by the smiles she'd restored to Mondstadt's shaken heart.

With the people calmed, she slipped away, her steps leading her to a shadowed alley she'd heard of only today.

"Is this the place?" she murmured, eyeing the Galehaven Comics sign glowing faintly above the door.

Lumine's tale of rewards from comics had sparked her curiosity, a itch she couldn't resist scratching.

She pushed the door open, her heart fluttering with anticipation as she stepped into the shop's quiet embrace.

***

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