I, Noelle, Persuade With Reason! [13]

Noelle crouched quietly in the bushes, eyes fixed upward, tracking the dragon's flight until Dvalin vanished into the clouds.

Finally. She had waited for this moment for over ten days.

Amber was busy observing the Hilichurl camp. Noticing Noelle’s distracted gaze, she also glanced upward and spotted a flock of birds circling anxiously above the Whispering Woods.

“Forget the Hilichurls for now. Something’s happening over there. Let’s head into the Whispering Woods,” Amber decided quickly.

Noelle nodded. Lumine should be coming out of there soon.

Sure enough, just as the trio left the bushes and approached the high ledge, they spotted two figures emerging from the forest, one taller, one smaller.

“Hey—you there, wait up!”

Amber jogged forward and jumped gracefully off the ledge, arms outstretched dramatically in a perfect imitation of Dio’s classic pose. She rolled lightly on landing and sprang immediately to her feet.

Oh no, my Dio DNA is awakening.

Noelle covered her eyes, desperately trying to erase the image of Dio from her mind.

The same pose, yet Dio and Amber executed it with vastly different effects—one dramatic, the other energetic. Clearly, being a cute girl is crucial.

Imagining Dio as a blonde beauty, or Amber with rabbit-eared Dio’s face, Noelle shuddered, feeling deeply disturbed.

To cleanse her mind, Noelle hurriedly hugged Klee tightly, planting a couple of kisses on her adorable cheeks.

“Phew, I'm saved,” she sighed in relief, purified again by her adorable little “sunshine.”

At that moment, she noticed Amber waving at her.

“Come on, let’s go take a look.” Standing up, Noelle took Klee’s hand and headed towards Amber and the newcomers.

Their eyes met. Hello, familiar stranger, Noelle greeted Lumine silently in her heart.

Up close, Noelle took a better look at Lumine. Her clothing was elegant, primarily gold and white with black accents—lively yet dignified. Though her outfit revealed shoulders, arms, and thighs, there was nothing immodest about it.

Perhaps her history had tempered her spirit; Lumine rarely smiled openly, yet her expression was neither severe nor solemn—simply calm and gentle.

Such temperament could be called “naïve,” but surely a beautiful girl deserved something softer. “Adorably clueless” was perhaps more fitting.

Compared to Lumine, Paimon, hovering beside her, practically had “cute” written on her face. Her fluffy, childlike clothing wrapped around her tiny body, little feet restlessly paddling in mid-air.

Noelle approached Lumine, realizing they were nearly the same height.

“Hello, stranger. I’m Noelle, and this is Klee, a very powerful knight,” she said warmly, gently stroking Klee’s head.

“A powerful knight? But she’s just a kid!” Before Lumine could respond, Paimon eagerly floated forward, crossing her arms and eyeing little Klee skeptically from above.

“She’s taller than you, you know. Hello, Noelle. I'm Lumine, a traveler. This is Paimon,” Lumine teased, the corners of her lips curving into a gentle smile.

She spoke!

No—she smiled!

Noelle found Lumine's smile absolutely charming, another little angel. No wonder she’d chosen Lumine instead of her brother.

“Anyway, forget about Abyss-boy—cough, I mean...Paimon? Are you emergency food?”

Noelle accidentally voiced her inner thoughts aloud, quickly changing the subject before Lumine could question her slip-up.

Lumine, Paimon, and Amber all stared at Noelle in shock.

“How did you know?” they chorused in unison.

“It was just a guess. I mean, Paimon looks so cute—she’d probably taste delicious.” Noelle grinned teasingly, inching closer to Paimon.

“I’m NOT emergency food! I'm a mascot! Wait, no—uh, I'm a traveling companion!”

Paimon stamped her little feet mid-air anxiously.

Quietly, Noelle placed a hand under Paimon’s tiny feet, holding her as though supporting a delicate cup.

Paimon stamped again, then suddenly felt something odd beneath her feet. The sensation threw her off-balance, interrupting her protest and nearly convincing herself she was indeed a mascot.

“You’re so light! Paimon, you need more meat on your bones. Big Sister here can cook really well.” Noelle noted, amazed at how little she weighed—no heavier than an infant.

“Meat?! Really? You can cook, Big Sister Noelle?!”

Instantly forgetting Noelle’s teasing, Paimon warmly called her “big sister,” as if reuniting with a long-lost friend.

“Good girl.” Noelle gently held Paimon in her palm, marveling at how toy-like she felt.

Lumine stared, dumbstruck that Paimon had been bribed so easily.

Amber finally stepped forward to speak with Lumine properly.

“So, mysterious travelers, mind telling me why you’re in Mondstadt? Maybe I can help.”

Lumine exchanged a glance with Paimon, deciding to trust her.

“I’m searching for my brother. We got separated during our journey,” she explained calmly.

In the two months since awakening, Lumine had traveled far, seen countless sights, and met many people. Gradually, she'd grown used to being without her brother, keeping her sadness and longing buried inside.

“Oh...trying to find family, huh? Well, after I finish my current mission, I can help you post notices around the city.” Amber's voice briefly dropped, hints of painful memories surfacing. But she quickly rallied, eager to help.

Noticing Amber’s subtle change, Lumine quickly responded, “Thank you. What’s your mission? Maybe I can lend a hand?”

“It’s nothing big, just clearing out a small Hilichurl camp up the road, just past that bend.” Amber accepted readily, curious about Lumine’s strength. Anyone able to travel Teyvat alone must be quite skilled.

“Hilichurls?” Lumine frowned uncertainly, prompting Paimon to eagerly explain.

Come to think of it, Paimon sure knows a lot. And her name relates to Solomon’s demons. I wonder who she really is? Noelle pondered quietly.

Ultimately, Lumine decided to help Amber. The two set off to clear out the camp.

Meanwhile, Noelle stayed behind with Klee, setting up by Adventurer Lynn’s pot to cook mushroom-chicken skewers.

Thanks to the Knights' care, Klee’s world was pure and innocent. To her, Slimes were round, Abyss Mages fluffy, and Hilichurls simply angry strangers. The concepts of good and evil were still beyond her grasp.

Initially, Noelle had disapproved of such overprotectiveness. After all, if not for Klee’s extraordinary strength, her innocence might have led her into danger.

Yet now, Noelle found herself making the same protective choice as the other Knights.

“Ah, my adorable daughter Klee, your smile and innocence—I’ll protect them.”

Klee’s cheerful innocence could melt even the hardest hearts. Anyone fond of Klee must surely be gentle and kind at heart.

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This is a fan translation of 我，诺艾尔，以理服人！ by 暗香浮动 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!