Sacrificing Myself: Nine Transmigrations (Genshin Impact)

One day earlier.

"Wait—don't leave, I'm back!" Elliot, dragging his exhausted body, called out loudly.

The boss, who had just been about to leave, instinctively turned back and looked over, his eyes flashing with surprise.

"You…"

"What happened to you?"

Seeing Elliot's state, he asked with visible confusion.

Elliot's clothes were torn and ragged, his body covered in wounds of all sizes. His back in particular was a mess of bruises and cuts.

"I went out to earn some Mora. Now I've got enough." As he spoke, Elliot handed over 35,000 Mora.

The boss stared at the stack in his hands, hesitating. He didn't take it right away.

Looking at the condition Elliot was in, he couldn't help but wonder if the old man had done something shady—robbery or worse...

Noticing the suspicion in the boss's eyes, Elliot let out a sigh.

"Relax, it's not dirty money. I got this Mora from slaying monsters."

Hearing that, the boss squinted at him again, scanning Elliot's aged figure, eyes full of doubt.

"It's not that I don't believe you, but at your age…"

"Killing monsters sounds a bit... unlikely."

He voiced his concerns directly.

Elliot responded by drawing the pitch-black Demonbane Sword. With just a few masterful moves, the air itself seemed to sharpen—the sheer pressure of his swordsmanship made the boss instinctively take a step back.

He immediately apologized, accepted the Mora, and handed over the high-grade refined mineral.

"Thank you," Elliot said with a slight nod. He was just about to turn and leave when he remembered the state he was in—walking home like this wasn't ideal.

So, with a cheerful grin, he turned back.

"Boss, would you happen to have a spare set of clothes I could borrow?"

"Not a problem. Follow me."

Elliot followed the boss to his nearby home. Once there, the boss dug up a set of clothes that barely fit him.

"No need to return these—just keep them and wear them."

Elliot thanked him repeatedly. After changing, the boss asked with some curiosity, "You worked that hard just to buy this mineral? Planning to give it to someone important?"

"Yes. For my student. She loves the sound of waves. I want to make it into a bone whistle for her."

Elliot gently ran his fingers over the small, exquisite mineral, visibly fond of it.

"I see… Normally it's students who give gifts to their teachers. You're doing things in reverse, huh?"

The boss seemed genuinely puzzled.

"Well, as the elder, giving a little something to the younger generation isn't so strange."

"Tch… That's a tiny little thing to get beat up over."

Shaking his head, the boss rummaged through a drawer, seemingly searching for something.

Elliot didn't reply, just smiled lightly.

"Well, I'll get going then," Elliot said as he prepared to leave.

"Wait," the boss called after him.

"What is it?"

"You're planning to make a bone whistle, right? Do you even have the tools?"

Hearing that, Elliot slapped his forehead.

Sure enough—getting old messes with your memory.

He'd completely forgotten that what he had was just raw material. To turn it into a bone whistle, he'd need tools to carve and shape it—none of which he had.

From Elliot's expression, the boss could tell he had nothing.

With a knowing smile, he pulled out a set of tools and said, "Here. These and that setup over there should do the trick."

"Thanks, Boss." Elliot accepted them and moved toward the workbench.

"Do you even know how to use them?" the boss asked again.

"Uh… kind of? I think you just hollow out the middle, drill a hole, and that's it."

Bone whistles weren't overly complicated. Elliot had seen them before—how hard could it be?

"Let me handle it. Just hearing you talk, I can tell you're a total amateur."

The boss chuckled, took everything back from Elliot, and sat down at the workbench.

"Usually, I'd charge extra for modifications, but I won't today. I just don't want to see you waste good material with shoddy work."

As he spoke, he secured the mineral and got to work.

Elliot had no idea how to express his gratitude. In the end, all he could say was a heartfelt, "Thank you."

"You said you wanted it to mimic the sound of ocean waves, right?" the boss asked while working.

"Yes. The sound of waves."

"Hmm... Ocean waves need a deep, mellow tone. That means thicker inner walls. No way an amateur would get it right."

He took the job seriously, carefully shaping the mineral.

It wasn't easy. Not until sunrise on the third day was the bone whistle finally completed—delicate and beautifully made.

...

"Grandpa! I'm home!"

A bright, energetic voice rang out from the doorway.

The door swung open, and Amber bounced in, beaming with excitement.

Elliot, who hadn't been asleep long, jolted upright from the shock—pain shooting through his still-healing wounds.

Eula, too, was startled and quickly stood up.

"Eh…?"

"Who are you? Why are you in my house?"

Seeing someone her own age standing there, Amber looked at her with curiosity.

"Hello, I'm Eula Lawrence," she introduced herself.

"Lawrence… I think I've heard people in Mondstadt mention that."

Upon hearing the name, Amber tilted her head and began to think.

Eula lowered her gaze. Of course she knew people in Mondstadt talked about it—they'd never stopped criticizing the old aristocracy.

Every time someone said the name "Lawrence," it felt like they were ripping open a wound that had never fully healed.

She hated the nobility too—the tedious formalities, the arrogant attitudes, the oppressive and twisted education.

But one can't choose their birth. She had no say in her origins. All she could do was accept them.

Here, with Elliot, she felt truly at ease—for the first time in her life.

She didn't live in fear, didn't have to brace for punishment over trivial things.

This house was far smaller than her family's estate, yet in this small space, she'd found a taste of freedom.

By contrast...

Her grand family home had always felt more like a prison.

...

"Little Amber, what brought you back so suddenly?" Elliot slowly got up, smiling warmly as he walked over.

"Because I missed Grandpa!" Amber replied playfully, bouncing to his side.

"Did you cause any trouble for your uncle and aunt while you were there?"

Elliot smiled, gently ruffling her hair.