[Genshin Impact] A world where only travelers are alone

"free!"

"free!"

Someone is shouting.

All around are ruins from the flames of war, all around are tornadoes that sweep away everything, all around are the steadfast and unyielding singers who sing songs of resistance.

Freedom, freedom...

Cecilia covered her chest and responded to their shouts in her heart.

She wanted to rush out and join them in contributing to the war, but the light blue figure stood in her way and built a high wall around her.

she says--

【It's too dangerous outside. You should stay here. 】

Freedom, freedom...

Cecilia heard her heart screaming, but when she met the woman's gentle and caring eyes, she died down like a flame extinguished by cold water.

The high walls suffocated her, but she had no thought of resisting and could only silently let herself be crowned with withered flowers.

[Cold and noble, not afraid of rage, strong and calm, not shaken. 】

The tower was full of such voices.

The wind gradually died down, and the sun shone through the thick clouds overhead - a new century was coming, but there would be no place for her in it.

She would die alone in the tower.

*
When Cecilia opened her eyes, tears slid down her cheeks and wet a small area of ​​the pillow.

She didn't care. After she came to her senses from the ambiguous dream, she got up and washed up. After all, she got up late today, and her etiquette teacher would arrive in only half an hour.

This was her best subject. The education she received since childhood was enough for her to maintain proper manners and an elegant smile at all times. Even someone as strict as Madame Desailins could not find any fault with her.

This has even become a habitual reflex.

Just like now, even though she had been distracted thinking about the next vocal lesson, her body still followed Madame Desailin's instructions and completed various etiquette tests one by one.

"Miss Cecilia," she said with satisfaction, "Your performance is as good as ever. I will report the situation to Master Lawrence truthfully. Let's stop here for today."

"Thank you for your teaching, ma'am." Cecilia leaned forward slightly and thanked her.

Madame Desaline's smile deepened, full of pride in her favorite disciple.

Cecilia laughed along with her, but her golden eyes were calm, like a pool of stagnant water.

Madame Desailins did not linger and quickly packed up and left because according to the schedule, the next class was a vocal lesson, which was not a time when she should be present.

Cecilia watched her leave, rested quietly for a while, and then took out the piano from the cabinet.

This is her worst subject.

Wendy's previous vocal teacher was fired because his teaching failed to give her father satisfactory results.

She was really not good at singing, and couldn't even make her voice fall into the tune clearly marked on the music score, but her father believed that a young lady from the Lawrence family could not have any shortcomings, and insisted that she continue to study.

Cecilia used to hate her father's stubbornness, but now she began to feel fortunate, otherwise she would never have met Wendy.

She was fascinated by the poems sung by the bard, and she couldn't help but want to join in.

However, she was very worried that her voice would disturb such a beautiful melody, so she held back and did not speak in every vocal class. Even when Wendy invited her to speak, she just shook her head.

Every time this happened, the bard would smile tolerantly and say, "Well, music comes from the heart. If you don't want to, forget it."

At first, Cecilia was worried that such behavior would make him angry, but the bard never changed his attitude and sang for her gently.

Cecilia looked at the piano in her hand - Wendy always chose it to play accompaniment.

She tried to pluck the strings of the harp according to her memory of the poet. The sweet tones that flowed from the harp were no different from those played by the poet, except that they were a little awkward.

Cecilia was a little surprised.

She looked at the clock. There was still a quarter of an hour before the vocal class started, and no one would come at this time.

But just in case, she still stuck her head out of the door to look, and after making sure that no one was passing by, she closed the door and sat back down next to the harp.

She played the piece the poet played most often, cleared her throat, and slowly uttered a few notes.

It seems that there is nothing wrong with singing?

Cecilia wasn't quite sure, because the piano sound almost drowned out her soft singing voice, but somehow she felt like she was singing correctly.

Although she didn't know whether this feeling was real or not, she felt much more at ease and was more confident when she spoke next.

The singing gradually became louder, and she closed her eyes, letting out the emotions in her chest. It was not until a long time later that she opened her eyes, but she suddenly looked straight into the figure leaning against the window in front of her and his emerald green eyes.

"Oh, you sing very well—" Wendy smiled, stood up and walked towards her.

Cecilia jumped up from her chair like a cat with its fur standing on end. Her first reaction was to look at the door behind her which was still tightly closed.

How on earth did he get in!?

Cecilia locked the door deliberately so that she could hear the sound in time when someone came and stop her current attempt, but she didn't expect that she still couldn't stop it, and even heard the one she least wanted to hear! "Teacher Wendy, you should knock on the door before coming in..."

If she didn't come in, with the quality of the door carefully built by the Lawrence family, the door would be able to block her voice from being heard by anyone.

Even Cecilia's neck turned red, and she looked ripe.

Wendy was very worried that if she continued to tease him, she would faint from embarrassment. So she said, "It's time for class, but I've been knocking on your door for a long time and you haven't answered me. I was worried that something might happen to my students, so I had to climb in through the window."

Cecilia was not surprised that he could climb in through the window. After all, he was the owner of the Eye of God and even the one favored by the God of Wind. Naturally, there were many ways for him to get in, but -

"But it's too rude of you to do this!" Whether it's eavesdropping or climbing through the window!

Cecilia's hands grasped her skirt tightly, almost causing an ugly wrinkle in the gorgeous fabric.

Wendy chuckled: "In that case, why don't I climb out again and walk through the main entrance again? You can just pretend that you didn't see me just now!"

How could this be possible? Cecilia almost cried.

"Well...how about playing one of my new songs as an apology?" Wendy plucked the strings. "Come and sing with me, Cecilia."

His eyes were so piercing that Cecilia almost couldn't help but take a step back.

"I'm sorry, I still can't find the tune in the music score - I can't do it, Teacher Wendy, you should do it yourself..." She refused repeatedly.

Only this time, the poet did not agree to her request.

"What does it matter? Music begins with the heart." He repeated his usual view. "Since we can't sing according to the score, why not just throw it away? Isn't this the freedom we Monds have always pursued?"

Cecilia stared at him in amazement.

"what do you think?"

He held out his hand to her.

Freedom, freedom...

The voice in the dream came into reality, prompting Cecilia to put her hand in his palm and be pulled by him to sit on the windowsill.

This was really an abrupt action. If Madame Desailins had seen it, she would have scolded her severely and asked her to come down quickly.

But now, Cecilia doesn't want to worry about it anymore.

The poet raised his hand, and the wind outside the window was called in by him, blowing up her skirt and hair.

Cecilia hummed softly along with the piano, and although she was still a little restrained, this was already a great improvement. Even though she occasionally couldn't keep up with the poet's melody, she still sang firmly under Wendy's encouraging gaze.

As the minute hand crossed the hour, the vocal class came to an end.

Although Cecilia was a little reluctant, she could only say goodbye to him: "See you next week, Teacher Wendy."

Wendy pulled her down from the windowsill. Seeing that she was in a low mood, she thought for a moment and suggested, "Why don't I take you outside for your vocal lesson next week?"

He could see Cecilia's desire to be outside. Going out could not only give her some fresh air, but it might also inspire some inspiration and help him further improve his teaching results.

It has been more than two months now. When Mr. Lawrence hired him, he said that he would come to assess Cecilia's vocal level in three months, and would fire him directly if he failed.

Wendy didn't want this to happen. After all, the reward given by the Lawrence family was generous, enough for him to have several drinks in the pub.

What's more, he came here for another purpose...

Wendy stared at the pattern on the girl's skirt that symbolized the Lawrence family. Her emerald eyes flickered, as if she was planning something bad.

However, just when he had already thought about where to go next week, Cecilia unexpectedly shook her head.

"Huh?" He widened his eyes.

"My father was very strict with me. He hardly allowed me to go out. If he did, he would have many servants follow me."

Cecilia didn't want such an outing.

She would rather stay in this little room than be watched by so many eyes outside, including those of the servants who received orders or passers-by who were frightened by the scene.

Outside, she would only feel a deeper sense of restraint, as if a heavy yoke was put around her neck, almost suffocating her.

But Cecilia couldn't blame him.

Because the housekeeper once told her that her father was so cautious every time she went out because when she was a child, she was targeted by robbers who coveted the wealth of the Lawrence family. If it weren't for the help of the Leggenfind family who passed by, she would have almost died.

"In that case, how about sneaking out?" Wendy was not discouraged and suggested again, "Besides, I'm here. I'm very powerful and I guarantee that I can bring you back safely!"

The Eye of God on his waist flickered, as if agreeing with his words.

Cecilia was still hesitating.

She had never done anything so out of line and had never disobeyed her father's orders.

"Cecilia, Mondstadt is very lively these days. The badminton festival is coming soon, and there are many tourists from other places coming to watch! Haven't you always wanted to visit those places?" Having known each other for such a long time, Wendy knew her weaknesses very well, and everything she said made her heart beat.

Seeing the girl's expression becoming more and more shaken, he launched a final three-hit soul attack -

"Can I? Can I? Can I?"

(End of this chapter)