"Wow, Amber, you're so kind. I really like you."
"Cut it out. According to this letter, you deliberately bullied Timmy. A lot of people saw it."
"Would someone like me bully a kid? That brat was just upset because I killed some pigeons, and he slandered me out of spite!"
"Well... Timmy really likes pigeons, so it could be true. What about the last person?"
"Who? That little girl? She accused me of forcing a sale. Honestly, it's generous of her not to smear me further—she tried to sell me a Sweet Flower for 200 Mora! She's crazy!"
"What?"
Amber was shocked. "A Sweet Flower for 200? But on the market, they only cost 2 Mora each!"
"Exactly! I'm the real victim here. Don't listen to her nonsense."
"So that's how it was..."
Amber took Lumine's hand and said, "I almost misunderstood you. That was my mistake. I'm sorry—I apologize."
"It's fine. You were just looking out for the people of Mondstadt. I forgive you."
Watching Zephyr act all innocent, Paimon couldn't hold back anymore.
"Paimon can't take it anymore! Paimon have to complain!"
"Hold it in!"
Lumine was also struggling to stay calm, thinking to herself, _"Isn't this going a bit too far?"_
"What do you mean 'too far'? Aside from that reckless person, have I lied about anything? Everything I said is true!"
...
Amber said, "But there's still one thing that's been bothering me."
"Rumors—definitely just rumors."
Amber raised an eyebrow. "You haven't even heard what I was going to say. There's another letter. It says you were seen flying through the sky yesterday with a little girl who was throwing bombs everywhere..."
"Amber, ever heard the saying, 'A wise person stops rumors'?"
"Oh? Is that so? I forgot to mention—this letter was written personally by Acting Grand Master Jean. Are you saying _she_ spread a rumor?"
"..."
Zephyr was stunned. "Then what about Klee?"
"Klee was arrested by Jean last night."
"..."
Seeing Zephyr speechless, Amber gave a light snort. "As expected of a traveler, crossing worlds and causing a whole mess the moment you arrive in Mondstadt!"
"_Cough cough._"
Amber suddenly put on a very serious face, then burst into laughter. "Don't worry, I'm just teasing you. I won't turn you in—after all, we're partners~"
"Amber~ I'm so touched~~~~"
Paimon was shocked. "Amber, you can't do that! That's encouraging criminal behavior! You should throw the Traveler in jail to reflect on their actions!"
Zephyr rolled his eyes. "If anyone's getting arrested, it should be you. You ate the most of that roast bird yesterday. I only had one bite—the rest was all you. And you still have the nerve to talk."
"_Cough cough..._"
Paimon's little face flushed red for once.
She tried to explain, "W-Well, those pigeons were already dead. We couldn't just let the meat go to waste, right? Isn't there a saying that wasting food is a crime? Paimon was doing a good deed by eating them!"
Wow. Amazing!
Paimon's voice got faster and faster, and in the end, it sounded like she had completely convinced herself.
"Yes, yes, that's it! I'm the good one. I'm frugal! You're the bad guy! You're the pigeon slayer!"
"Shame on you."
"Tch."
Amber said, "Paimon, I never said the Traveler wouldn't be punished at all."
"Huh? There's still a punishment? What kind of punishment?"
"Let me think... From the day I gave you the Wind Glider, you haven't actually gotten your flight license yet, right? So your punishment is to pass the flight exam within today!"
Zephyr let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, that's it? Alright, I accept."
Paimon protested, "Paimon don't accept! That counts as punishment?!"
Amber replied, "Hmm, Paimon, think about it—what's the ultimate goal of arresting bad people?"
"Paimon don't know. What is it?"
"It's reform—to turn a bad person into a good one. Would you agree?"
"Mm-hmm."
"So, simply locking someone up doesn't mean much.
What's important is making them change and become a better person.
Of course, this kind of reform doesn't happen overnight. It takes time for someone to slowly become a good person."
"Uh, Amber, Paimon understand what you're saying, but what does that have to do with the Traveler?"
"It has _everything_ to do with her. Let me ask you—right now, the Traveler doesn't have a flight license, right?
And without one, that means she probably lacks proper flying skills, which could lead to accidentally injuring passersby while flying, wouldn't you say?"
"Uhh... that kind of makes sense."
"So if I ask her to pass the flight license exam now, the chances of her accidentally hurting someone while flying would decrease a lot, right?"
"Mhm!"
"So wouldn't that count as helping her turn over a new leaf and become a good person?"
"Uhh... something still feels off…"
Amber continued, "Of course, this is just a small matter on its own, but by accumulating small improvements like this over time, the Traveler can truly change for the better and become a genuinely good person! Don't you agree, Paimon?"
"Wow... Amber, what you said makes so much sense."
Paimon—_in danger._
"Wait a second, something still doesn't feel right... Are you siding with the Traveler and making up an excuse just to fool Paimon?"
"Of course not! I'm an Outrider of the Knights of Favonius—my sense of responsibility wouldn't allow me to do such a thing!"
Amber's voice was firm and righteous. Paimon believed her.
"Well, since Amber said it like that, Paimon believe you. But Paimon have a question—what if the Traveler fails the flight exam today?"
"If she fails, then there will naturally be even stricter and harsher punishments waiting afterward."
"O-Oh, Paimon see…"
Paimon's head was spinning, completely dazed. She couldn't tell right from wrong anymore—but since Amber said it, it must be right... right?
"But wait, flight license? What's that?"
Amber explained, "The flight license is exactly what it sounds like.
If you want to fly in Mondstadt, you need to have this license.
Just because you bought a Wind Glider doesn't mean you can fly whenever you want."
"Ah, but we've been flying for quite a while now, and we never heard of such a thing before."
"That's exactly why there were complaints about you. Normally, if you have a flight license, people don't complain.
And even if they do, the Knights will investigate, and if they find that you passed the flight test, you won't be punished.
Of course, if you caused any damage while flying, or entered restricted airspace, that's another matter."
Zephyr said, "So basically, it's just for appearances."
Amber shot back, "It's _not_ just for appearances. Anyone without a flight license is considered a beginner and prone to accidents while flying.
So today, I—Mondstadt's reigning flight champion—will personally teach you how to fly properly!
The Acting Grand Master Jean mentioned in her letter that she almost caught you yesterday. But as long as you follow me and learn properly today,
with Jean's desk-bound physique from always working in the office, even if she practiced for ten thousand years, she'd never catch you!"
//END
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