6 An Idol?

Heading up one of the grassy cliffs of Mondstadt's wilds, Rei picked a variety of medical herbs and carefully stored them in the provided pack on his back. The church commissioned the guild to have their supplies restocked; it wasn't the most interesting job, but it gave him a chance to get more of a look at the region and its plant life. He needed to compare the plants with pictures in his handbook more the once to be sure he was retrieving the right one, so he kept it in hand.

Of course, his journeys beyond Mondstadt's walls were rarely uneventful.

"To the wind that guides me: When I'm exhausted, bless me with the strength to keep going forward." A gentle voice reached him. Up ahead, at the very tip of the cliff where grass didn't reach, a girl sat on the edge, dull blonde curled pig tails swayed by the winds. A wooden basket sat beside her. "When I'm uncertain, bless me with the wisdom to distinguish good from evil."

Was she praying? Rei stopped his slow approach, wondering if he should back off completely. Prayers were private thing for many, no matter who they were for.

"When I suffer from injustice, bless me with the courage to fight back." She continued.

A particularly strong breeze blew her basket downhill, the girl unable to catch it. Rei leaped, catching the thankfully lidded basket. He landed across from the now standing girl.

Her grayish-blue eyes widened as they met him, the shifting winds blowing between them. There was something familiar about her. Rei didn't know anyone from the Church of Mondstadt, the modest white dress she wore giving her away as on of their members, but for one reason or another, it felt as though he'd seen her before.

"It's you."

Apparently he wasn't the only one. "I don't meant to offend, but have we met before?" Rei asked, holding out the basket.

"N-No." The girl answered as she took it, opening the lid. It was full of flowers and herbs, all intact. A sigh left her and she smiled. It didn't compare in size to Amber's but he almost got the sense the girl could do no wrong. "I'm sorry for the trouble."

"It was no problem." Rei said. The dark blue gem of a hydro vision was around a small book she kept at her hip via leather straps. Wild animals and hilichurls were unlikely to be a threat to her. "I'll be on my way."

"Please, wait a moment." She called as he turned around. "That's an adventurer's handbook isn't it? Are you out on a commission?" He nodded. "I would like to join you as a way to say thanks. I am not much of a fighter, but I can use my vision to heal you if we run into any trouble."

Rei toyed with the handle of his katana.

He was fairly certain the girl knew him. The how was lost on him.

He had a bit of reputation as the foreigner turned adventurer and he'd been running all over Mondstadt, completing jobs that most adventurers his rank skipped out on. Delivering food, collecting supplies, and other daily issues allowed him to experience the day to day lives of normal citizens.

He admired how earnest people could be about a job or hobby that'd be horribly dull to others.

Point was, she could've seen him running around the city. Maybe this was her way of getting a free escort without paying for a commission? It wasn't unheard of for vision bearers to struggle with combat. Or maybe she was just so nice that she wanted to aid a fellow traveler.

Whatever her reasons, he'd let her tag along. It couldn't hurt to have a healer that doubled as a native. Some of these herbs and plants were alluding him.

x-X-x

"Look! It's Barbara!"

"He's right! Barbara over here!"

"Barbara!"

Rei instinctively stepped away from the group of people swarming forth as he entered Mondstadt. His temporary companion wasn't so lucky. People of kinds surrounded the blonde girl, children and adults alike vying for her attention. She braved it all with a kind smile, trying to respond to every person despite their chaotic approach.

There could be no doubt that she was beloved by the citizens of Mondstadt.

"Welcome back." Katheryne said as he navigated the excited masses and approached the reception desk. "Have you managed to acquire the plants the church requested?"

"I just need to deliver them." He said, looking back towards the crowd around the city's entrance. "Is she someone important in Mondstadt?"

"Do you mean miss Barbara? She is the Deaconess of the Favonius Church and the city's idol."

"Idol? Did she do something amazing?"

"Not idol in the traditional sense." Katheryne said. "Miss Barbara is well known for her singing. She often holds performances and has become something of a celebrity due to them. I am unsure of the origin myself but the people of Mondstadt have taken to using the word idol to refer to her."

How strange. Idol was a term typically reserved for religion and significant deeds that affected the lives of many. Who came up with the idea to coin the word for something like singing?

"Has Outrider Amber not introduced the two of you? Miss Barbara and the rest of the church play a critical role in the Knights of Favonius' medical needs. Your quick recovery after arriving in Mondstadt can likely be attributed to the abilities granted by her vision."

The missing factor that explained her knowledge of him.

Rei watched as she dealt with the growing crowd with nothing but kind words and a smile. He'd have to find a way to repay her in addition to Amber if what Katheryne said was true.

Always pay back your debts. Another rule drilled into his skull.

x-X-x

The next few chapters will vary in size but veer on the shorter side since they're more or less the intro phase and serve to establish both the MC's views and relationships with people from Mond before we timeskip into the main story. Didn't want to inflate word count with unneeded action or forced scenes. The main story also starts at chapter 9 so there won't be too long of a wait.

If you're enjoying the story check out my patreon if you want to help me write full time. I'll be offering advance chapters for this story starting today as well. At the moment there are only 3 advance chapters but that'll be changing pretty quickly since I'm sure I'll be writing for it to help me with my other stories. You also get access to advance chapters for Skyrim story as well as any other start in the future. There are also all my drafts and ideas for those who join the community for free.

See ya soon, and remember, make strides towards your dreams. It won't just come to you.