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This is far from the first birthday Mona’s spent hungry.
“There is no material value that can be attributed to your skills. Remember that, when you have fools begging to pay you for your readings.”
Yeah right, Mona thinks, her master’s words ringing uselessly in her mind. I bet that hag has never known a day of hardship.
The thoughts are spiteful and fueled by her rumbling stomach. Truthfully, Mona was just as adamant about this principle as her master. She would not be a product to be bought and bartered over.
…though it would be nice sometimes to have more money around.
She gets paid for her column in the Steambird at the beginning of each month, so she supposes even the placement of her birthday must have been foretold to keep her humble.
So no, this year is not any different than other years of her life. In fact, she prefers not to celebrate her birthday at all for this reason. However…
Ever since she began living in Mondstadt, despite never informing a single soul of her birthday, Mona’s never spent the day hungry or alone.
The people in this City of Freedom have been so kind since she took up residence, from her landlord’s leniency to the free meals her friends continue to provide her with at the end of each month. They do this every birthday, even with no knowledge as to the significance of the date.
But this month, Fischl had taken an important reconnaissance mission from the Adventurer’s Guild. The other girl had looked remorseful when informing Mona of this, but the astrologer simply waved her off. She could manage without her friend for a little bit.
Mona’s stomach growls, and she almost regrets how she spent her money earlier in the month. Almost, because the book detailing obscure reflections of the moon in running water was a once in a lifetime find, and worth every last mora.
If only knowledge could be as free as she makes her talents.
Another grumble sounds from Mona’s stomach. Sighing, she pushes herself away from the book before her. Maybe she has enough mora to buy ingredients for a salad.
With that thought, the astrologist makes her way out of her home and into the morning-bright streets of Mondstadt.
Mona wants to cry when Blanche says, “I’m sorry, Mona, but we didn’t get a delivery of produce today. There was an issue on the road, and the transport balloon was destroyed.”
For a brief moment, she fully understands that poor unlucky fellow that Fischl likes in the Guild. How is it that she actually manages to scrounge up enough mora to feed herself, only to be unable to purchase anything in the end?
Suddenly, a familiar soft voice sounds behind her. “Miss Mona? Are you okay?” She wheels around on her heel to see Klee looking up at her with concerned eyes. “You look sad.”
And nope. Mona does not want pity from a child. “Oh, no need to worry Klee,” she says, reaching out to pat the girl’s striking red hat. “I’m perfectly f-“
Klee grabs her outstretched hand, pulling Mona with surprising strength. “Can we play together today? Mister Albedo is busy in the snowy place, and he said I couldn’t come since he would be busy. But I wanna make a Snowdodoco! So please won’t you come play with me?”
Mona prides herself on her intelligence, for all the ways it has and will continue to help her in life. However, when Klee employs the saddest puppy eyes Mona’s ever seen, she can practically feel any logical reasoning skills leech from her brain.
With a sigh, she stops fighting against the child’s grasp. “Okay Klee, I’ll accompany you to Dragonspine.”
Klee cheers, face brightening with an unadulterated joy that Mona cannot help but envy. “Yay! Oh, let’s go let’s go!”
As the pair makes their way out the city gates, Mona mourns her usual birthday tradition of spending the day with Fischl, her parents, and their delicious cold cut platter. At least she is no longer destined to spend the day alone as she had thought.
It’s noon when they finally reach Albedo’s camp, the pair munching on some apples they’d been lucky to find along the way.
“Mister Albedo~!” Klee calls out, barreling ahead of Mona into the alchemist’s space where he is hunched over a series of flasks.
His eyes widen when the Spark Knight reaches him. “Klee? I thought I told you to stay in Mondstadt. I can’t watch you today.”
Klee seems unfazed by Albedo's disapproving tone. “I know. That’s why I’m here with Miss Mona instead!”
Albedo looks up from the girl to lock eyes with Mona, who gives an awkward smile. “I had nothing else to do, so I figured I would indulge little Klee.”
His brows furrow, as if faced with a particular puzzling concept. “Are you sure you don’t mind? Isn’t today your birthday?”
Mona winces at his words, eyes wide. “Wait, you know-“
“It’s your birthday?” Klee interrupts excitedly, practically leaping back to Mona. “Yay! Happy birthday!”
Albedo stays silent, obviously waiting for a response as Klee shaking Mona’s arms. “I-“ she stutters out, not used to this sort of attention. In an attempt to calm down, she clears her throat. “I am not occupied today. Any respectable astrologist pays no mind to their birthday outside of its implications in their work.”
Klee’s face falls. “You don’t celebrate it? That’s so sad.”
The answer seems to satisfy Albedo, who walks over to ruffle Klee’s hair through her hat. “Not everyone does, Klee. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, if that’s what Mona chooses to do. Now, why did you want to come to the mountain?”
“Oh! I wanted to make a Snowdodoco.” Klee easily jumps at the conversation change, and Mona feels so grateful for Albedo’s redirection. Klee turns back to Mona. “Miss Mona, can you help me find a really good place to make my Snowdodoco?”
She huffs out a laugh. “Of course. Such a task is, as they say, a piece of cake for someone of my talents.” Maybe she can even collect a pure snow sample to use for scrying when she returns to Mondstadt.
As she leaves the cave, she hears Klee’s soft voice say to Albedo, “Miss Mona looked really sad this morning. Do you think it’s because she was alone today?”
Mona sighs, leaving earshot of the cave. The last thing she needs is a child’s pity. Really, it’s her own fault if she can’t celebrate. If anything, the tools and books she buys for herself are a better gift than any celebration ever would be.
A few moments later, Klee joins her out in the snow, smiling as if the worries she’d shared with Albedo were forever ago. “Did you find a good spot?”
Mona points to where the path dips slightly, the falling snow already filling it up. “The snow there is the freshest around here, so any creation you make is bound to be beautiful.”
Klee bounds forward, her red hues contrasting starkly against the dazzling white of Dragonspine. Mona helps her sculpt the snow to her liking, all the while expecting another comment about her birthday. But the child seems fully interested in her task, so Mona lets out a breath and relaxes.
Klee is putting the finishing touches on the Snowdodoco when Mona’s stomach rumbles loudly again, much to the astrologist’s horror. Klee looks over with wide eyes at the sheer volume, and Mona clears her throat. “Let’s return to Albedo’s camp for now,” she says, resolutely ignoring how warm her cheeks feel. Klee looks back at her Snowdodoco once more, adjusts one of the many sticks in the sculpture, and nods as though she is satisfied with her work.
An incredibly pleasant smell greets Mona when they approach the small cave’s entrance once more, and she feels her mouth water. At the fire, Albedo is finishing up with a surprisingly large meal, full of-
Mona stops short. Albedo has managed to make most of her favorite dishes from dinners with Fischl. A cold tendril of suspicion sinks down her spine as Albedo looks up with a smile.
“You’ve returned. I made dinner for all three of us.”
Squinting, Mona can’t help but ask, “What inspired the menu?”
Klee fidgets, looking guilty, but Albedo gives a wry smile. “Nothing in particular, why do you ask?” His voice is too innocent, but Mona has no idea how he’d found out her favorite dishes in the first place so she lets the matter drop to dig in.
Dinner is a quiet affair. Klee, obviously tired out from a long day of traveling and activities, seems to droop into sleep halfway through the meal, so Albedo sets up a makeshift bed for her.
Now just the two of them, Mona finally asks the question that has been burning in her mind for hours. “How did you know today was my birthday?”
Albedo takes his time to chew, letting the silence stretch for a moment before answering, “It was your friend, Fischl, who told me a week ago. She wanted me to invite you over for dinner, but I knew I’d be working so I couldn’t. It seems she also told Klee to seek you out though.”
“That- How on earth did that girl manage to figure it out?” Mona exclaims, somehow even more confused.
Albedo laughs. “I’m afraid I don’t have that answer. However, I think I speak for all your friend when I say we would love to have the opportunity to celebrate you, if you gave it to us.”
Mona refuses to be flustered by the words. She’s a gifted astrologist, she has no need for external validation.
And yet, as she busies herself with the rest of her meal, she can’t help the gentle glow of warmth in her chest at the alchemist’s words.
Maybe next year, she should host her own party. She’ll even invite the traveler, if they’re in town.