Genshin Impact Simulation: Starting with Melsin's Friend

Chapter 403 An Uneasy Premonition

"Crack."

The wind-blown leaves suddenly struck the church's stained glass windows, making a crisp sound.

Barbara, who was somewhat absent-minded in the room, was startled. The sharp metal hairpin accidentally cut her fingertip, causing the girl to let out a small gasp.

The hairpin slipped from his hand and fell to the ground with another thud.

"what……"

Barbara then snapped out of her daze, took out a handkerchief, and simply wiped away the beads of blood seeping from her fingertips.

Fortunately, the wound was not deep, and the bleeding stopped quickly.

This can be considered a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.

The girl sighed softly and bent down to pick up the hair clip.

For some reason, she had been feeling uneasy and restless since this morning.

Her heart was pounding so hard that even her upcoming first public performance couldn't force her to concentrate.

Barbara gently placed her hand on her chest, feeling the throbbing in her heart, her bright, light blue eyes filled with worry.

Lord Barbatos, what on earth is going on?

She walked to the window, pushed it open a crack, hoping the cool breeze blowing in from outside would help her clear her head.

The square outside the window was still bustling with activity, and the bard's music drifted from afar, just like any other day.

However, Barbara's mood did not improve as a result.

The gentle chirping of the magpie and the creaking of the windmill frame—these usually docile notes, today seemed like a raging slime, completely losing their proper rhythm.

No... Barbara, calm down, hurry...

However, at that moment, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"...Barbara? Is it convenient for me to come in now?"

The girl was caught off guard by her older sister Qin's voice coming from outside the room. She quickly adjusted her expression, put on a smile, and then ran to open the door.

"Ah... Sister, of course, I'll be right there."

The door was opened when the handle was pressed from both the inside and outside. Qin was standing in the corridor carrying a small bamboo basket.

"I had the butler bring over some fresh fruit. If you're tired, would you like to rest for a bit?"

Qin lifted the fruit basket in her hand, and could faintly hear the rolling sound of sunset berries and fallen berries colliding with each other.

"Oh, thank you so much... no, no, I mean... anyway, sister, come in quickly."

Barbara's thoughts were still a bit jumbled, so much so that she seemed somewhat incoherent when greeting her older sister.

This naturally caught Qin's attention, as she was very grateful for such formal and distant words, which were not commonly used between them.

"Barbara? What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Qin was a little worried about her sister's unusual behavior, but Barbara just shook her head slightly, took a deep breath, and forced a smile.

"It's okay, sister, I just didn't sleep well."

"Come on, I've made some coffee, let's have afternoon tea together."

She told a little lie, after all, her sister was very busy, and it wouldn't be good to make her sister worry about something so trivial.

Upon hearing this, Qin opened her mouth, hesitated for a moment, sighed helplessly, and ultimately said nothing.

She knew her younger sister well; forcing her wouldn't be effective if the girl wasn't willing to talk.

But Barbara's preoccupied appearance still made Jean uneasy, so she decisively postponed her scheduled document review work until tomorrow and sat down at the table.

"Well, speaking of which, it's been a long time since we had afternoon tea together. It seems like today is a good opportunity."

After saying that, Qin picked up the steaming coffee pot next to her, poured herself a cup, and accepted the invitation to the tea party.

Barbara seemed a little surprised, but being able to enjoy afternoon tea with her sister was clearly a rare and pleasant experience, which allowed the girl to temporarily put aside her unease on Sky Island.

"Oh...right, hasn't my brother come back yet?"

……

Meanwhile, in Mondstadt, a sea of ​​jubilation reigned.

The atmosphere of the Wind and Flower Festival reached its peak in the afternoon, with a gentle breeze blowing through ribbons and balloons. Chrysanthemums, dandelions, lotus flowers, and Cecilia flowers adorned the entire city with a riot of color.

The bard's music drifted through the streets and alleys, bottles clinked, and the clear wine was splashed amidst laughter and song.

"Thank you, Miss Noelle, Happy Flower Festival."

"...Ah, you're welcome. Happy Flower Festival."

The silver-haired maid paused for a moment before snapping out of her daze and bowed slightly to the young man who was thanking her.

The Flower Festival is always the most troublesome time for the all-around maid, because it means many times more requests than usual.

However, the good thing is that if there were a lucky star who received the most blessings, the little maid Noelle would definitely be on the list.

However, the girl seemed to be in low spirits today because the blessing she most hoped for had not yet arrived.

The agreed time has passed, but my senior hasn't shown up... Did something happen to him?

In just half an hour, Noelle had involuntarily looked toward the agreed-upon location eighty-three times, hoping that the familiar figure would appear in the crowd as promised.

A hint of anxiety flickered in the girl's emerald green eyes, and the Cecilia flower hidden behind her back was slightly deformed from being squeezed.

She finally mustered up the courage to buy this when she passed by the flower shop earlier.

The florist gave her a meaningful look, and the shy maid almost covered her face and ran away.

However, the flower eventually ended up in Noelle's hands, as she didn't want to miss any opportunity to be alone with her senior.

But the little maid's heart would skip a beat whenever she thought of the "date" she blurted out last time. After all, her senior wasn't angry, which meant she wasn't completely without a chance, right?

A hazy flutter of excitement, like freshly brewed cider.

Refreshing, slightly sour, with a delicate aftertaste.

For this "long-planned" date, Noelle dressed up very carefully last night, which is quite rare for her.

If it were just a maid's job, a simple outfit would naturally be more practical, but today is different.

Senior...would you like it?

This is a small expectation from the deepest part of a girl's heart.

However, she was ultimately disappointed. The sky gradually darkened, just like her heart gradually sinking to the bottom.

The atmosphere of the Wind Flower Festival did not subside as darkness fell; on the contrary, it grew even more intense. Bright lights illuminated the long streets, and the aroma of wine permeated the dark alleys, but Noelle had long since lost all interest in the festival.

The girl still hadn't given away the flowers, and her anxiety reached its peak at that moment.

She trusted her senior completely; since he had promised to accompany her to the Flower Festival, he would never break his promise without a reason.

If that's the case, then there's only one possibility.

Something went wrong with the mission on the senior's side.

This terrifying thought startled Noelle. Although she subconsciously tried to deny the possibility, it still clung to her like a venomous snake, becoming increasingly entrenched.

Concern can cloud judgment, and at that moment she couldn't care less about anything else.

She carefully tucked the bouquet close to her body, then rushed to the knights' training ground. When she came out, the girl had changed into light armor and was carrying a heavy sword.

It would be best if nothing happened; she would rather it was just that her senior had temporarily forgotten their promise.

But if... please, please make sure it's in time.

Noel's emerald eyes were filled with worry as she hurried anxiously headed out of the city, against the flow of the jubilant crowd.

……