Genshin Impact: Marechaussee Hunter

The classroom buzzed with low whispers as students murmured among themselves, while at the front, the teacher continued with the lesson.

Alex exhaled through his nose. No way I'm sitting through this.

He slid his phone under the desk, turned on his VPN, and connected to the school Wi-Fi. A few taps later, Genshin Impact loaded, its music filling his earbuds. Finally, something to break the boredom.

Mondstadt's open fields stretched before him, the cathedral towering in the distance. His character sprinted toward a hilichurl camp, sword ready. Liyue could wait—grinding levels came first.

"Oh man, what game is that?"

Andrew's voice cut through Alex's focus, making him nearly fumble his attack combo. He glanced up to see his friend leaning over his desk, eyes locked onto the screen.

"Oh, hey, Andrew! It's this new game, Genshin Impact—pretty amazing so far."

Andrew squinted at the screen, watching as Alex's character sprinted across the open-world landscape. "Bro, that looks like a straight-up Breath of the Wild ripoff."

Alex shrugged, unfazed. "Yeah, well, every game takes inspiration from something."

Andrew suddenly jabbed a finger at the screen. "Goddamn, who's that anime girl?"

Alex smirked. "That, my friend, is Lisa."

Andrew raised an eyebrow. "You sure this isn't hentai?"

Alex groaned, rolling his eyes. "No, it's not."

Before Andrew could push further, a sharp voice cut through their conversation.

"Hey! Put your phone away in class!"

Alex winced, locking his screen as the substitute teacher glared at him from the front of the room.

"I'll be handing out a worksheet. Fill it out and turn it in by the end of class."

Alex barely listened. As soon as the paper hit his desk, he pulled out his phone, typed the questions into Google, and copied down the answers. A few minutes later—bang—he was done.

The bell rang, and he was out the door with his friends. Andrew had a car, so the four of them—Andrew, Diego, David, and Alex—piled in. Laughter filled the vehicle as they cracked jokes, the afternoon stretching ahead of them.

"Hey, we should hit the pool. Who's down?" Andrew asked, glancing at them in the rearview mirror.

"I'm in," Diego said.

"Yeah, let's go," David added.

Alex opened his mouth to answer—

Blinding headlights. A deafening roar. A truck barreling through a red light.

The impact was instant.

Metal crunched. Glass shattered.

Alex felt himself lift—weightless, airborne. Cold air rushed past him before everything came to a bone-crushing stop.

The pavement was the last thing he ever felt.

Shit.

Alex had his whole life ahead of him. Well, maybe not the whole life. He'd been planning on joining the military to fight for his country, do something meaningful. And now, here he was. Dead.

At least, he thought he was.

Where was he?

He looked around, but there was nothing. Just darkness. No cold. No heat. No sound. No feeling. It was as if his entire existence had been erased, swallowed whole by the void.

Then, a light.

A soft, white glow. It started small, barely visible, but slowly it grew, drawing closer, pulling him toward it.

He didn't resist. He couldn't.

And suddenly, he was no longer in the darkness.

He blinked, his eyes adjusting to the harsh light. He was… in a basket? He reached out—tiny hands, unfamiliar—and felt the soft fabric of what seemed like a blanket.

The realization hit him like a punch to the gut.

He was a baby.

He blinked as he saw a creature approaching.

It moved unnaturally, its distorted form covered by a strange mask. In its hands, it wielded a massive weapon, its steps heavy and relentless as it charged toward him.

Wait—he turned his head.

Beside him, a baby girl lay sleeping soundly, completely unaware of the impending danger.

Well… I guess this is it.

He shut his eyes, bracing himself for the inevitable.

…

The dense forest of Fontaine blurred around her as Petronilla sprinted forward, boots barely making a sound against the damp earth. The scent of moss and gunpowder lingered in the air, mingling with the acrid stench of burning flesh.

A Hilichurl Rogue bolted through the underbrush, its ragged breath sharp and panicked.

Not for long.

Petronilla closed the distance in a flash, her movements precise and relentless. With a swift motion, she drew her pistol, the polished barrel gleaming under the dappled moonlight. Her finger tightened on the trigger—a sharp crack split the air.

The bullet found its mark. The Hilichurl staggered, its momentum cut short as it collapsed into the dirt.

Before it could rise, flames ignited at her heels. Her Pyro Vision pulsed with power, embers trailing as she surged forward. Her sword danced in her hands, a blur of fire and steel. With a single, fluid strike, she cut through the creature, the scent of scorched flesh filling the night.

The battle ended as quickly as it began.

With a practiced flick of her wrist, she sheathed her blade, the embers fading into the cool night air. Her gaze swept the forest—silent once more, save for the distant rustling of leaves.

Alex's eyes snapped open.

A striking woman with blood-red hair stood before him, the fallen monster at her feet. Smoke curled from the barrel of the flintlock in her hand, while her other effortlessly guided a gleaming sword back into its sheath.

Her attire was a blend of elegance and military precision, the rich fabric tailored to both form and function. A black hat, adorned with a single feather, sat at a slight angle atop her head, adding to her commanding presence.

At her hip, a small gem pulsed with an intricate red symbol, its glow flickering like embers in the night.

His breath caught in his throat.

That… that's a Vision! A Vision from Genshin!

Before he could process it further, the woman turned toward them, her gaze locking onto him. As she knelt down, he noticed something striking—her eyes were the same color as her hair, a deep, blood-red hue.

She studied them for a moment before smiling softly.

"Oh? Infants, abandoned out here?" she murmured, her voice laced with curiosity.

She reached for the basket's handle, lifting it effortlessly. Alex tried to fight off the exhaustion creeping over him, but his body felt heavy. His vision blurred, and before he knew it, sleep overtook him.

…

As Petronilla carried them through the forest, her mind raced.

Who would leave two children to die like this? At the very least, they could have been taken to an orphanage.

By the time she reached her small cabin, the night air had grown colder. Stepping inside, she placed the basket carefully on the wooden table before taking a closer look at them.

They were similar in appearance, both with dark blue hair that almost shimmered with hints of purple under the candlelight. As she observed them, one of the babies stirred, her eyes slowly fluttering open—

Purple.

Petronilla narrowed her gaze.

"This one is definitely a girl," she mused.

With a firm but careful grip, she lifted the infant into the air, studying her intently.

"Mine, mine… What should I do with you two?" she muttered, setting the girl gently back onto the table.

A thought took root in her mind. She had never raised children before, nor had she ever considered it. But something about them felt… promising.

Yes—they would make fine Marechaussee Hunters.

Her decision was made.

A grin spread across her face as she looked down at the girl.

"I'll train you both to be hunters!" she declared, as if speaking a vow.

Then, she gestured toward the baby girl.

"I'll name you Clorinde."

Her gaze shifted to the sleeping boy, his tiny form peaceful and still.

"And as for you… Lucien."