Mondstadt buzzed with life, a city Ye Ruo cherished for its easy charm and open skies.
His fame had swelled to 1,605, enough for ten pulls from the system's treasure chest lottery.
"System, launch ten draws for normal chests," he commanded silently, anticipation flickering in his chest.
A mechanical chime rang out, "Ding, deducting 1,600 fame—initiating lottery now."
Ten wooden chests materialized in his mind's eye, tumbling from an unseen height before him.
At his thought, they cracked open one by one, radiant light spilling forth like dawn breaking.
The haul unfurled: a Qiuqiu club, 5,000 Mora, three crystal chunks, 100 Snowpeak pines, and more.
Twenty bamboo shoots, a stone cypress, ten Inazuma blades, three thundergrass sprigs followed.
An upgraded Qiuqiu stake joined the pile, and then—Eula's underwear, a rogue outlier.
Ye Ruo surveyed the loot with a nod, pleased by the bounty's practical heft.
He'd braced for junk from white-tier chests, but these were treasures for daily life.
Wood for crafting, food for cooking, ores for forging—Mora sweetened the deal.
Inazuma's blades and thundergrass surprised him, rare finds without crossing borders.
He inspected the thundergrass, imagining its faint hum under Mondstadt's gentle sun.
Healthy and vibrant, it might thrive in a pot, a small experiment for later.
The system's genius lay in its math—quantity didn't hog slots, a single item could stack.
A hundred pines counted as one prize, not a hundred, a windfall if luck favored him.
White chests weren't just trinkets; they were life's backbone, resources to hoard or trade.
Ye Ruo marveled at the system's craft, a quiet gift that kept on giving.
Each item slotted into a system space, a pocket dimension for his winnings alone.
He sighed, wishing it could hold his sword or armor, not just these draws.
A Chenge Pot from Liyue's Grandma Ping danced in his dreams, a home in a teapot.
For now, he'd hope for a spatial relic from a chest, a future fix for his clutter.
Then his gaze snagged on Eula's underwear, and his face darkened with mortification.
What twisted glitch spat out a knight's unmentionables in his sacred loot pool?
"System, you're sabotaging me—I'm no creep sniffing around women's clothes!"
If Eula ever learned of this, he'd dig a hole and bury himself in shame.
He vowed to entomb it in the system space, a secret never to see daylight.
The bamboo shoots, though, sparked a plan—fried pork for dinner sounded divine.
With the system alive, his days shimmered with new possibilities, a quiet thrill.
He rose, passing the new Windhaven volumes to his staff, then slipped out a side door.
Mondstadt's streets greeted him, voices rising in warmth as he passed.
"Wind Knight!" a merchant called, waving from his stall with a grin.
"Master Ye Ruo, looking sharp!" a baker shouted, flour dusting her apron.
"Brother Ruo, morning!" a child chirped, darting past with a giggle.
Ye Ruo returned each greeting, his smile a breeze that softened the morning air.
He strode toward the Deer Hunter restaurant, a junior awaiting him there.
Behind him, chatter bloomed, his name a spark igniting fond whispers.
"Lord Ye Ruo's a dream—handsome, strong, young, the perfect catch!" a woman swooned.
"I see him in my sleep, but it ends too soon—I wake up flustered," another giggled.
A third sighed, "I'm torn between him, Diluc, and the Darknight Hero—tough choice."
Her friend snorted, "Keep dreaming, it's all peach fuzz and fantasy for you!"
Laughter rippled through the group, a playful chorus in the morning light.
Ye Ruo reached the Deer Hunter, its tables alive with early diners and savory scents.
The restaurant thrived, a Mondstadt staple with fresh fare from Qingquan Town.
Seven-percent steaks and crisp salads drew crowds, their quality unmatched.
Ye Ruo craved the honey-carrot stir-fry, a sweet comfort among hearty options.
Potato cakes, stuffed chicken, and shrimp cups tempted him too, a feast in waiting.
He settled at a reserved spot, facing a silver-haired maid already there.
"Noelle, you beat me here—I thought I'd be the early one," he said warmly.
She wore a maid's garb, accented with light armor and red blooms at her ears.
Her serious grace and floral delicacy stirred a protective urge in onlookers.
Noelle, the Knights' Flower Unadorned, was Mondstadt's ever-present helper.
She stood swiftly, flustered yet respectful, her voice a soft rush.
"Senior Ye Ruo, you've arrived—I didn't mean to keep you waiting."
Her silver hair caught the sun, a quiet beauty amid the bustle.
Ye Ruo waved her down, his tone easy, "Relax, we're both early—sit."
Noelle obeyed, settling with a maid's poise, her eyes wide with admiration.
She'd idolized him since her novice days, his legend a beacon in her duties.
He leaned back, the system's hum a faint pulse beneath the morning's calm.
Ten draws had shifted his world, a mix of bounty and bewildering oddities.
Mondstadt sprawled beyond, its windmills turning in a dance he'd joined.
His quill had replaced his sword, yet fame pulled him toward uncharted heights.
He'd fled the Fatui's grasp as a boy, chasing freedom—now, it chased him.
Noelle's presence grounded him, a reminder of the Knights he'd left behind.
The Deer Hunter's aroma wrapped them, a promise of respite amid his rise.
Ye Ruo smiled, hiding the underwear fiasco, ready to face whatever came next.
***
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