crescentview | jan event.

jan event.

summer has arrived

As the last of the sakura blossoms fall away and the leaves on the trees grow into ever more vibrant greens, the familiar buzz of cicadas begins to echo all throughout the isle. Summer is quickly approaching and bringing brighter days and blazing temperatures along with it.

Summer also signals the start of the wine production season. Grapes growing on trellises are a common sight on Crescentview during the summer and a notice on the town memo board from the local barkeep encourages farmers to consider growing some varietal grapes of their own.

Temperatures are rising, so put on a comfortable pair of shorts and head to the Town Plaza to see what’s cooking! While you’re at it, take a look at the calendar for Summer 1st through 15th.

This season’s crops are corn, onion, pumpkin, watermelon, and pineapple. Summer’s seasonal flowers are poppy, rose, sunflower, lily, and hydrangea. As for mushrooms, shimeji, trumpet, and common brown spores are available for the summer.

hot! ...or not

Posted prominently at the top of the Memo Board is a cartoonishly-written advertisement for the first annual Hot or Not hosted by the Goddess herself. Contestants will take to the stage while the audience votes on whether they are as hot as the blazing sun or cooler than a dead fish. Leave your egos at the door! ICly, this event takes place on Summer 8th.

task board

The task board is located in Town Square and changes from season to season. In real time, a season is one month long. The following tasks are available from January 1st to February 1st and more tasks may be added mid-month.

Certain rewards are only available through event participation, so please keep this in mind when planning your threads. Multiple tasks may be completed within a single thread, but when turning in, please link to the individual tags in which each task was completed.

Finally, rewards are per character, not per farm, so those with housemates may want to coordinate with one another with regard to what animals you’re bringing home to your farm.

---

This month’s tasks are centered around getting to know your fellow neighbors on a deeper level. As such, the Goddess has put together a small human scavenger hunt to encourage people to learn more about the people they are living with — and hopefully falling in love with.

Find someone who...

1. Was born in the summer
2. Pours milk into their bowl before the cereal
3. Plays a musical instrument
4. Has more than 3 siblings
5. Works out 5 times a week or more
6. Doesn’t like animals
7. Would like to date the Harvest Goddess
8. Has traveled around the world
9. Speaks two or more languages
10. Is wearing socks that aren’t black or white

Each submission will earn you two random bags of summer seeds. Specify whether you want crop, flower, or mushroom spores in your submission. This task can be completed a total of 10 times.

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Many ingredients used in wine production grow in the summer, but so do a variety of tea plants and grains. Grapes, tea shrubs and grains like wheat and barley can all be grown on your farm or in your greenhouse, if you have one.

Complete the following tasks to earn yourself some nice beverage-producing crops for the farm:

1. Take something from last month’s harvest and gift it to a neighbor. You can give it to them directly, cook it into a meal, etc. Alternatively, craft them a bouquet, flower crown, or another gift from the flowers you grew last season. Complete 3 times for a total of 6 grape starters.

2. Share a piece of hot gossip with a neighbor or exchange secrets with them. It doesn’t have to be your secret! Complete 3 times for a total of 6 tea starters.

3. Exercise with someone. Go on a run, swim in the ocean, help them stretch out! Complete 3 times for a total of 6 grain crops. You may choose from wheat, barley, rye, or rice.

---

Summer is the perfect time to hang out on the beach and splash around in the ocean. Participate in some summer fun at the beach and earn more animals for your barn and coop.

1. Swim in the ocean, build a sandcastle, or bury someone in the sand. Do any of the following for one of the following animals: cow, sheep, alpaca, or goat. This task can be completed once.

2. Participate in Hot or Not. It’s an annual tradition! Submit yourself or comment on someone else for a single chicken or rabbit. This task can be completed once.

local happenings

The Crescentview Times newspaper has chronicled the latest happenings around the island. A physical copy of the paper will arrive on your doorstep early in the morning on Summer 1st.

Recently, a group of townspeople have taken it upon themselves to check out the abandoned mine. They’ve made good headway on opening up the path in the hopes that would-be explorers will be able to take to the mines and find some of Crescentview’s fabled gems and minerals buried in its depths. They expect to be done by Summer 15th.

A strange “gurgling whisper” has been reported by some concerned townsfolk living in the mountains. The concerning sounds are coming from one of the lakes at the foot of the mountain. Supposedly, the voice is asking for offerings of... something. The townsfolk have yet to identify what exactly is being asked for.

A hurricane has been brewing off the southern coast of Crescentview. Meteorologists have yet to determine whether the hurricane will make landfall or not, so stay tuned for more updates.

mod notes

⬥ Welcome to our second event! We want to thank you all for participating in our game and contributing your efforts to it. Thank you for playing!
⬥ A second event post will go up in mid-Jan.
⬥ Please plot over at the Jan Plotting Post.
⬥ As a reminder, please keep all plotting on the OOC post as not everyone has Discord or Plurk.
⬥ Please submit your completed tasks at the top-level below.
⬥ Have fun!

navigation

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( Amber isn't all too sure that he recognises her at first. for starters, she isn't wearing her trademark ribbon headband, and her hair is tied into a high ponytail. when the outrider looks up to meet his eyes, there's an excited sparkle in her own with a special sort of competitive smile on her face. )

Are you kidding me? Running is the only thing I want to do right now.

( she straightens herself up after stretching, and smiles. )

It's good to see you, Master Diluc. I didn't think I'd bump into you like this.

Edited 2023-01-05 15:13 (UTC)

[...Ah. There's a face he hasn't seen in quite some time. He can't say Amber looks too dissimilar from the girl he remembers, but she seems to have come into her own over these last few years. He'll take that to mean she's doing well, but that said, he has no intention of going easy on a knight.]

It seems you've been keeping well, Amber. Do your best to keep up.

[Was that a jeer? Maybe, but there's no heat to Diluc's voice— he has no bone to pick with Amber specifically, but straightening up and getting into position, he makes it clear that he plans to put her through her paces.]

Let's see what a knight can do. On my mark.

[Exercise? No, this is a race now. Three, two, one... and they're off, Diluc breaking into a sprint across the sandy stretch. The beach offers plenty of resistance, but it's nothing he's not used to, but he's paying attention to Amber more than himself. Can she keep up?]

( oh, you bet she can keep up. while Amber lacks skills in certain areas of her life (never ever try her cooking), running is her forté. not to mention gliding - as she is always happy to remind people who the three-time gliding champion of Mondstadt is!

but she's not here to gloat (or glide), she's just excited to be able to enjoy a run. there are very few who can keep up with her high energy, but it seems that against Diluc, she's pretty well matched. even against the tall master's long legs, this rabbit has some speed on her! )

Not bad, huh? ( she pushes out between breaths, feeling a buzz of adrenaline rush through her. she may never be able to explain why she loves running so much, but she can't remember the last time she had fun like this. )

[Not bad at all. She may be small, but she's spry, keeping up with him easily. It's good to know not every knight is patently useless, but he isn't done testing her just yet. As they continue along the beach, Diluc has his eyes set on the town beyond.]

Don't rest on your laurels just yet. Speed is one thing, but endurance is another. Everyone has their limits.

[Care for a run from one end of the island to the other, Amber?]

( you bet your sweet pyro ass she is, Diluc. )

Endurance is essential for an Outrider.

( her job takes her far beyond Mondstadt on foot, if she had no stamina, she knows that she would've been Hilichurl food many times over. wherever and how long he plans to run, she'll be fixed to his side, listening only to the sound of their feet thundering against the ground alongside her own puffs of breath. )

[And Diluc is content to do just that, running in silence alongside Amber and finding himself surprised, perhaps even somewhat pleasantly, at the ease with which she keeps pace. It's heartening enough that he's willing to engage her in conversation, if just to light a fire under the feet of a knight and gather a little intel. Diluc doesn't have many hobbies.]

You've always been a standout amongst your fellow knights, at least as far as your stamina is considered. Assuming nothing's changed, I would bet none of them can outlast you in the field.

Oh! Thanks! I'm surprised to hear it since I know you keep yourself distant from the Knights. ( MMMMM, AND BOY DO SHE EVER KNOW WHY. ) Then again, I guess I'm always off out on foot, which sometimes takes me around where the Winery is.

( it's nice to talk to him so casually. even in Angel's Share, when Diluc is working the bar, he seems to never want to be disturbed. while she has no ulterior motives, she wants to offer Diluc some kindness with no strings attached, just while they have the chance. )

I'm really not much of a standout though. There's a lot of talent in Mond. ( so humble! ) I just work differently to the others since I'm an Outrider. Gotta keep my stamina sharp, or I'm doomed, basically.

[Keeping himself distant is an understatement, but he's still operating under the assumption that Amber doesn't know why he left the knights, only that he had with little precursor. There's no way she'd know, is there? Totally not.

Ah, but she's as humble and kindhearted as ever. Diluc does remember thinking as much back when he was a knight. It hardly matters now, least of all when they're stuck on this island, but he supposes it wouldn't hurt to let her in on a little tidbit of knowledge.]

There's no need to be modest. I'd intended to recruit you to work under me before I'd left the knights. It's heartening to know you've continued to move forward in the time I've been away.

[He has no intention of returning, but at least he can rest assured knowing not every knight is useless. Still—]

But your talents would be better put to use elsewhere.

( the talk of Diluc recruiting her is something that she would probably cast a light-hearted comment over, while knowing that her leaving the knights is a very unlikely prospect. but once he speaks of her talents being used elsewhere, something changes in Amber's demeanour.

she's rarely serious outside of her duties, but she can only shake her head while delivering her response with a much less playful tone than earlier. )

... With all due respect, Master Diluc ... ( she starts, keeping up her running pace as she speaks. ) The Outriders were my Grandfather's platoon. Ever since he went missing, they disbanded and fell apart. With no Outriders left, I'm the only one keeping my Grandfather's legacy alive.

( a beat. )

Even if there are some ... problems I have with the organisation, I'm doing this for my Grandfather. It's all I have left of him.

[Right, her grandfather. The very same man who vanished without a trace some years ago, yes? Diluc can't blame the man for abandoning his duties to do literally anything else but devote his efforts to an organization as ill-kept as the knights. Amber knows that, surely? If she truly has "problems" with this organization, then she must.

What Diluc doesn't do, however, is renege on his point, keeping pace right beside Amber while his eyes remain on the path ahead. They're approaching the mountains now, the incline gradually raising.]

Missing? [🙂] I seem to recall your grandfather leaving his coat of arms behind and never returning.

[Almost as if he'd left on purpose. Food for thought.]

( okay -- no. she's not going to tolerate this slander. despite the anger burning through her body, there is a well of compassion that she feels for Diluc after the tragic death of his father, followed by the knights trying to cover it up.

from what she experienced firsthand, others may not understand. but she does. and her heart is big enough to not let anger completely eclipse her view of Diluc, in spite of what he just said.

she sprints up the hill they're climbing, in order for her to take the (literal) high ground and halt him in his tracks, gazing down at him with a scowl. )

Don't you dare imply that my Grandfather abandoned me. I don't know who you think you are, but you know nothing about him. Or me. So don't even start. ( her words are punched out and laced with anger. it's definitely a repressed anxiety of Amber's - because he could've up and left her without a word. but she refuses to believe it, hence her prickly reaction to his words. )

I know you hate the Knights, and I know why you hate the Knights. But my Grandfather's disappearance is still a mystery. I don't want to hear any outlandish theories, even if I understand why you might make them.

Edited 2023-01-09 21:37 (UTC)

[As well she shouldn't. Had Amber taken what he said lying down, Diluc's scathing response would have burned all the hotter. Even if she may ultimately be proven wrong —
though who among them can say — that outburst doesn't lose her any respect on Diluc's end, but he does have the audacity to click his tongue at her when she rounds the path to halt him in his tracks.

The literal high ground won't do her much good here, his eyes boring into hers as if gazing at something deep within her. Amber is well aware of both possibilities here, else she wouldn't spit back with so much venom, but Diluc doesn't yield an inch— not until she lets go of a secret he'd never even known she'd held. It's Diluc's turn to get angry then, eyes narrowing the slightest degree.]

Oh? Do you know? By all means, Amber. Regale me.

[He has the feeling he knows, but for once, he'd rather be wrong. He'd rather not have yet one more reason to despise the knights for their utter incompetence.]

( even without words, his anger is one that she can detect. there's a brightness in her eyes that matches his due to the intensity of how important this matter is to her, and how seriously she is taking this entire exchange. for all she knows, he could have worst reaction possible - which is one of the many outcomes she imagined if she decided to approach Diluc about this. it's a regret that she has been carrying within her for years. and now, this feels like the worst possible time to tell him.

Amber calms herself with a steady intake of breath, before delivering a simple confession to him. )

That day ... when you quit the Knights. I was there in the room when it happened.

( a breath, a beat. )

I wasn't supposed to be there. My Grandfather ... his duties as an Outrider kept him so busy that he hardly had time for me. I was hiding from him in the headquarters closet, waiting to jump out and scare him. At that point, I would do anything to get him to notice me.

But to my surprise, the room was occupied with those in your Father's squad, and you as well. And I heard everything. I only left when everything fell quiet, and no one remained. But my Grandfather, he ... he never arrived that day. To this day, he's still missing.

( her voice pushes out softly, almost as a whisper. ) I wanted to tell you for years. You aren't the only one who lost faith that day.

[It's fine, Amber. Diluc is used to having bad news delivered to him at the worst possible time. This is nothing new.

In fact, rather than stew in his anger... Diluc laughs. It's not what you'd call pleasant either, having worked his way through anger, disbelief, confusion and back again. At this point, laughing is all he can do.]

Is that so? Incredible.

[Just incredible, but even that amusement doesn't last, and what could be mistaken for a smile is quickly ironed out into nothing at all. How is he supposed to feel? Angry? Upset? A child's attempt to surprise her grandfather ended in her seeing something she never should have. In that respect, Diluc regrets her being there, having waited for a man who would never return for her. No one could've known, not unless they cared to check, but why would they?

Diluc shakes his head, finding it easier to stare at the ground rather than meet her gaze. Thinking back on that day is gutting no matter how much time has passed since.]

Bad news seems to find me when it will hurt the most. Frankly, I struggle not to think less of you for remaining with the knights knowing full well the lengths they'd go to hide their incompetence. Nothing in this world would have me betray my father's memory. Nothing.

[...]

But that's your reason, isn't it? No matter what sins the Knights commit, your duty is to your grandfather and the legacy he left behind. Nothing could possibly take that from you, could it?

( his reaction is a lot calmer than she expected. but then again, he could be a volcano simmering lava beneath the surface, awaiting eruption in a time or place she may not see. she's dealt with her own fair share of grief over the matter, but Diluc's way of handling things is a mystery to her. even still, the wants to honour his anger (and her own) with the truth and transparency about the situation. about both of their situations.

a breeze picks up to animate her long brown strands of hair while she fixes her gaze on him. )

That's exactly it.

The Outriders fell apart when my Grandfather disappeared. The Knights slandered him, as a matter of fact. The perils that you went through dirtied my view on them, but for them to talk badly of my lost Grandfather ... that really rubbed me the wrong way too. And yet, his place in the Knights was the only thing I had left of him. I could've struck out on my own, or kept his last legacy alive - a legacy he poured everything he had into. If there was ever a chance my Grandfather returned, I would want him to see everything that he worked tirelessly for still set aflame. Even if those around the platoon are ungrateful of it. But I don't do it for them. I do it for Mond.

I figured ... if I could become a great Outrider and help the people of Mondstadt as much as possible, then I can allow some good to come out a dreadful situation. I've taken on every mission I can shoulder. I wanted change to start from within. To spread sanctuary, safety, protection and reliability from a place where these values were tarnished. When Collei appeared bandaged and suffering the dreadful effects of the Archon residue injected in her by the Fatui, I wanted to extend an arm of compassion to her when no one else would.

That's my Grandfather's legacy. And ... he's gone. And I miss him. And it hurts like nothing else. The pain sometimes keeps me awake at night, and even years on, there are no signs as to what has happened to him. ( she punches out a heavy sigh - but a cathartic one. )

Our experiences may not align piece by piece ... but I know how you feel, Diluc. I've wanted to reach out to you for so long. Even if you're mad me for eavesdropping, I understand. But please know I'm here. Just in case you ever need someone who gets it ... and if you need to hear the words, "it wasn't your fault." Your anger is justified.

Edited 2023-01-14 02:37 (UTC)

[Diluc is eternally a volcano ready to go off, rest assured. He can't help that this conversation is terribly sobering, but that flame within him will never be extinguished. Regardless, this is hardly Amber's fault even if her timing in delivering this news leaves much to be desired.

Shaking his head, Diluc's eyes remain downcast.]

I'd be no better than the likes of the knights if I insisted that your grandfather simply ran away. I apologize for suggesting as much.

[Diluc is well aware that his dislike of the knights paints his judgment, but at the same time, he isn't a monolith. He's willing to listen and he hears what Amber is saying, but will it take time for his mind to change? Naturally. Even so, his willingness should speak for itself— Amber is well aware of what a stubborn man he is. This is incremental progress, but it's progress nonetheless.]

It's the knights who are at fault for not realizing you were there. You've nothing to apologize for. To be honest, I had no idea how much in common we share... even if our ideals to have their differences.

[He's never considered Amber to be like the other knights, but it comes as something of a relief to know they both see the organization for what it is: one full of cowards and rife with corruption. Just as he grudgingly accepts Kaeya's intention to remain with the knights for his own purposes, he can extend that much to Amber too.]

( she listens to him intently, more than a little relieved at his response. Amber feels herself calm with his apology - it means more to her than Diluc may ever know, especially after hearing the Knights speak with little regard for her grandfather. but she knows Diluc is an independent man who makes his own choices regarding that. in this instance, he's chosen to exercise compassion, and she's grateful. )

Don't worry about it. I forgive you. In a position like yours, I understand why you might have held that point of view. And I'm honestly glad I could share with you how much I understand it ... and my own as well.

( Amber does hold a great amount of guilt for not coming forward sooner. maybe they could've been friends, but ... is it ever too late to offer? she doesn't think so. )

I'm so sorry, Diluc. For everything you endured. ( she's dropped the 'master' here in order to take things towards a more casual exchange, it seems. )

I won't crowd you, but if you ever need a friend, just know I'm here for you. I know how it feels to suffer in silence.

Right.

[It's an unsatisfactory answer and he knows it, but there's little Diluc can say when every word feels like it has to be carefully extracted and forced out past his lips. They've reached a point of understanding, but he still feels that discomfiting hollowness in his chest, years old pain kicked up again with no cure for it but to let it settle again on its own time.

Nevertheless, he takes some comfort in Amber's thoughtfulness. On top of being strong and resilient, he'd once wanted her under his command because she boasted a rare brand of compassion that didn't stop at those she was obligated to serve by duty. No matter where Amber goes or what she does, Diluc is confident she'd be no less considerate of those around her.]

Genuine people like you are few and far in between. Even if you'd meant to callously insult and offend me, I wouldn't think any less of you. It was evident to me what kind of person you were back when we'd first met, so if anything, you can rest assured that my mind won't change any time soon.

[But that said... well, it's clear to them both that he isn't in particularly high spirits, isn't it? Ending things on a sour note is unfortunate, but Diluc does need some time away. A concession, then.]

If it's all the same to you, I wouldn't mind aiding you in your endeavors on the farm. Whether that's assisting you in the field or fulfilling bingo tasks, know that you can count on my help.

( that discomforting hollowness in his chest is something that she feels as well. in fact, Amber is confident that once this exchange is over and they part ways, she'll head straight back to her room on the farm in order to cry. hopefully mishka won't be home.

swallowing her grief, she manages a small smile, even though though her chest feels crushed with pain. there's just something about sharing in Diluc's own pain about what he went through that makes her own all the more intense when she reflects on it. maybe once she's had her cathartic cry, she'll be able to process how she feels more clearly. healing isn't linear, after all. )

Thank you so much. I'll never stop trying to do right by people. You have that promise from me, too.

( it's a shame that he isn't as small as Collei, because she has this urge to pat his head and hug him, while telling him everything will be okay. )

Sure. Of course that goes the same way back to you. But you don't need to see me just to help out. If you ever just want to have some grape juice and some company, then that's just fine with me as well. ( she knows how much you love grape juice, Diluc! )

And ... heh, I'm not sure if you're the hugging type, but that's also on the table. The entire time I spent dealing with all this on my own, all I wanted was for someone to hug me tightly. I'm not sure if you ever felt the same, but ... well, the offer's there.

[Ah... Grape juice, eh? At least someone is aware of his preferences, though it does flatter him to know that Amber has kept his in mind. Her thoughtfulness is another one of her strong suits.

As for hugs? Well. He'd normally decline (politely, of course), but after the conversation they've had and the upset he's caused? There's no polite way to decline. More importantly... some small part of him, a part that will never be lent a voice, would like that.

...........Plus, Amber's hinting, isn't she? Yeah. Totally. Diluc can blame this all on her, stepping forward to wrap her up in his arms.]

I suppose you may remember this, but I used to be far more touchy than I am these days. Hugging people feels almost foreign.

( while Amber appreciates how playful and kind his remark is, she feels a sudden tightness in her throat as if she has forgotten how to speak. the natural flow would be for her to exchange his lighthearted comment for one of her own, but she falls silent once his arms circle around her smaller frame. what she said to Diluc is the truth: that for years, all she has wanted was a hug. just to be seen - to be felt, heard, to have her pain soothed in some way rather than her running off directly into action in order to save the Outriders from the brink of collapse.

without a sound, she returns the gesture by circling her arms tightly around his body, nestling her face against his chest. for a moment, she wonders if he spent just as many nights as she did pining for his father, as she did for her grandfather - held awake in the dead of night with nothing but a pillow to cry into.

her lower lashes swell with tears, and the sniff she makes exposes that she's started to cry. when she blinks, tears roll down her cheeks, and if she isn't careful, she'll end up staining his coat. Amber brings up a hand to dry her eyes, her soft voice travelling out of her in a tremble as she speaks. )

Sorry- ( she apologises briefly, before wiping her eyes again. Amber feels a strong feeling of conflict overwhelm her - guilt over crying like a fool in front of Diluc, along with undeniable cathartic feeling of how good it is to let these emotions rise. )

Edited 2023-01-17 02:44 (UTC)

["Oh dear, oh dear. Gorgeous." —Gordon J. Ramsay

It's true, you know? He hasn't felt the warm embrace of another's arms in years, convincing himself that he didn't need it, didn't miss it, that it simply wasn't for him anymore. Being here has taught Diluc what a fool he is on too many levels, feeling how warm and slight and comforting Amber's presence is when she's here in his arms.

His hug serves as a very potent reminder of his loneliness, and yes, he's spent too many nights waking to the bitter realization that he's been left alone, his father gone, with an ever-dwindling number of people he can trust... but his own feelings take a back seat to those of the woman in his arms.

Diluc is quick to catch on. When Amber pulls back just enough to avoid wetting his coat, Diluc gently guides her back into his hold. How long has it been since Amber has cried? How long has she needed to? It's instinctual, the way his hand rises to stroke through her hair, remembering how Adelaide and his father would handle him as a emotional boy prone to the occasional bout of tears. Diluc always did crave affection through physical touch, but he isn't the boy he used to be, is he? No, perhaps he still is somewhere deep down.]

You have nothing to apologize for. Let yourself feel what you're going to feel, Amber. I doubt you get many opportunities.

[Not with the Knights being what they are, not with Amber being the sort to put everything before her own feelings.]

( he's completely right - she doesn't get many opportunities to think, feel, or cry. perhaps this suited her once when she was fiercely determined to take her grandfather's place to save the Outriders, but now that she's able to process things, there are many injustices coming to light. not just the ones brought upon Diluc, but the ones that she experienced firsthand too.

the regret she felt over not telling him sooner began to melt away, with her feeling sudden relief that it happened now of all times. with all of this experience under her belt, confronting it feels so appropriate that it's like exhaling a breath that she didn't know she was holding.

and just like Diluc, she's also a touch-starved individual, far too focused on work and her duties in order to find enough time to receive tender love and care. the comforting embrace of her grandfather and encouraging sound of his voice are two things that are no longer with her, and without any hesitation at all, she leans into his touch and places her hand over his.

it seems that her breathing is stable enough now, even though there are still tears rolling down her wet cheeks. )

... Thank you.

( she's showing Diluc a side of her that, frankly, she hasn't shown to anyone before. perhaps those who witnessed her past unfolding as an in-progress girl with nothing to her name caught a glimpse of it, but these are the true vulnerabilities of the Crimson Knight. Amber is so resourceful, outgoing and kind - but she carries a heavy burden from her climb to the top of her post. one that the Knights could've done more for her with. younger and naïve, how could she have known any better? )

I thought that the struggles I faced were to be expected of a traumatised young girl who lost her family. But looking back ... I had guidance, but I also had no protection from the harsh slander I received from the other Knights. I used this slander to motivate myself to be better - the best Outrider that the Knights could ever wish for. But no matter how hard I tried, I ... couldn't change every person's mind. Who on earth would look at a girl with no family who is trying so hard to save her courageous Grandfather's squad and think that it's appropriate to berate her? When my Grandfather disappeared, it's as though they forgot everything that he brought to the Knights overnight. Like ... he didn't matter any more.

It took me so long to get them to take me seriously. The ones who showed me the most kindness were the senior Knights, but ... many in the other ranks weren't so hospitable. Because of this, I never let them see me cry. I thought that if I don't show them any weakness, they'll take me seriously.

They still don't. Not fully. But like I said, I don't do this for the Knights. I do it for my Grandfather, and for Mondstadt. He threw everything he had into protecting his homeland. And now throughout Mond I'm known as The "Crimson Knight", credited to the Knights of Favonius.

But I know that deep in my heart, it was myself and my Grandfather that got me here. Not them.

[...Of course the knights would slander her. Of course they'd see Amber trying her best despite her nigh-insurmountable struggles and would choose not to extend compassion to her, but to judge instead. Diluc exhales harshly through his nose, but the ones he points his judgment at aren't here, can't feel his scornful gaze bore into theirs. To that end, there's no point in stewing in frustration.

All he can control is the here and now, though Diluc thinks his options for doing anything meaningful on this island are effectively none... rather, he had. Gazing down at Amber, he realizes there may be something worthwhile he can do during his time here after all, lifting his hand to bite off his glove and thumb away her tears. His hands are heavily scarred and calloused, but so it goes when you heft around a Big Damn Sword.]

And they may never show you the respect you are owed, but you're the stronger person for rising above their taunts and jeers. Unfortunately, the Ordo Favonious has a ways to go before the roots of corruption have been unearthed and cut away, but it's people like you who stand the best chance of ushering in reform.

[Which is to say he doesn't blame her for staying. What's more, he believes people like Amber are necessary to bring pride and honor back to the Knights.]

...Amber, let's continue our conversation elsewhere. My home is a much more comfortable venue for conversation than the mountains.

( Amber can only blink while pleasantly surprised when she feels his ungloved hand reach her eyes to gently wipe her tears away. when was the last time someone comforted her while she was crying? her grandfather would've dried her eyes when she cried after getting in trouble or hurting herself, but in her incredibly lonely years of womanhood, she's had no other choice but to swallow her sadness and try again another day. this became her routine, her normalcy. but this ... feels amazing. it not only soothes her emotionally, but it warms her heart from the inside out. to be listened to, acknowledged, and heard.

although she is a little bit embarrassed about crying in front of him like this, she cannot deny how utterly cathartic it is. it's as though she has given herself permission to be vulnerable at long last, especially when most of her time is spent being so strong for other people without most knowing the hardships she's faced. her heart dances with warmth in her chest, and a small smile forms on her lips while some of that familiar brightness returns to her eyes. )

Thank you, Master Diluc ... ( she sniffs, freeing another tear. ) Thank you for everything. I'd love to see your home.

( her heart feels so full, and she's glad that he wants to spend more time with her. if she went back to her cottage alone, she imagines that she would've just cried herself to sleep, but having company from someone who understands her on such a profound level will undoubtedly lift her mood. when he starts to lead the way, she'll gladly follow. )

running!

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