Body Horror Warning

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Chapter 5: Still Got A Few Things Left On My Mind

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"Careful, don't touch him!" Sucrose's yelp echoes as Albedo awakes in a tangle of limbs and cloth.

He's face down on the cart's wooden floor, his arms twisted behind him. There is a pressure on his back, as if someone is lying on top of him. Something foul rises to the back of his throat.

Albedo thrashes out of instinct but pauses when he realises he can feel his legs again, kicking against the wooden panel. His limbs feel heavy, as if he's moving through water, while his heart beats a mile a minute.

His heart. His…

Albedo has always been certain that the corruption would affect him as it had Durin, like a plague spreading through a city. But as he's told Sucrose, he expected it would need a jumpstart, a catalyst that reactivates it and lets it infect Albedo. So, he's been careful, limiting his Dragonspine expeditions close to his lab, careful not to linger too long near the dragon's remains, not letting that strange sword touch him or anything else…

But Albedo also assumed that his corruption would be something mindless, a runaway alchemical reaction with no purpose beyond its own eternal self-perpetuation. This of course was an educated guess as there were few texts on the Cataclysm five hundred years ago, and even fewer attempted explanations and its origins. From a terrible accident, to a curse of old forgotten gods, to an old machination of what is now the Abyss Order, to something falling out of the sky, the proposed explanations are as numerous as the stars.

But this is not a foreign, mindless corruption making him move, making him bend his knee and push himself to the side, throwing off whoever was on him. What has control of his limbs moves with purpose, its presence coiling around Albedo like a snake. It's the bejewelled dragon from his dream that nose-dived to catch him, and Albedo's heart is beating to the same tune his did centuries ago.

Durin.

Albedo tries to move on his own, tries to twitch a finger or let out a strangled grunt, but he stays still. His panic rises just as a wave of reassurance washes over him, but now at least Albedo knows there is another distinct presence within him and can disambiguate where he ends and Durin begins. His mind recognises the reassurance as foreign, as alien as that wave of playfulness that made him slaughter the Fatui, and this time he can discard it.

But he still can't move.

Noelle deftly moves from his side and to the exit on her knees, shielding Sucrose as she disembarks from the cart. The maid's arms are splayed out, ready to catch him if he lunges at her. One of her usually immaculate gauntlets has a small series of dents, like a bite mark.

The reassurance gives way to growing frustration as Albedo's limbs move on Durin's accord and he sits up facing Noelle. He exhales, the air catching on his throat and coming out as a growl.

Noelle stares at him, surrounded by a shimmering geo shield. She glances at the exit and slowly backs away as well, though her posture never falters.

She jumps back suddenly, before Albedo can take advantage of her retreat. The canvas briefly flutters but closes shut before he sees what awaits him outside.

Albedo stands up and rotates his shoulders. His back feels empty without his wings, like an exposed spot.

Whispers come from outside the cart, but Albedo doesn't pay them much heed. He marches to the back, throws the canvas open—

The setting sun bathes the plains before him in orange and yellows and how wonderful it had been to fly over verdant valleys—

"Albedo!" a voice calls out for him, but his mind is torn between dreams and reality and he doesn't recognise its owner.

"Don't move," another voice cuts the first one off, and its authoritative tone is enough to make him focus back into the world he'd been cut off from, where his travelling companions have formed a semi-circle around him, all armed.

"Noelle, are you sure you're ok?" Paimon calls out as she hovers between her and the Traveller, both of whom have their weapons out.

Noelle nods as she stares at Albedo, claymore by her side. "I got my shield up in time. My apologies for worrying you."

The Traveller nods at her with a glance before looking back at Albedo with a conflicted expression. Their sword is poised, catching the sun's dying rays, and isn't that just how he imagined things would end—?

Something ugly coils within him and Albedo wretches his gaze away—

Kaeya holds his sword casually by his side, but his expression is the one he reserved for Abyss mages and rogue beasts. Diluc's close by Kaeya, with his claymore out, and is watching him like a hawk. His face is scrunched up in a deep furrow, and Albedo can't help but remember the brother's conversation, and if they'll discard the purification plan in favour of—

The Harbinger catches his eye next, and there is a gleam in his usually dull eyes. He looks positively eager at the prospect of battle, just as he had in their first fight, and even if it was chalk, even if he healed it, even if Albedo didn't let it show back then, that'd hurt—!

And he sees Klee, hidden behind Sucrose's legs. Klee looks to him and to the rest, confused and scared.

Albedo takes a step towards Sucrose and Klee. There's movement around him, weapons converging on him—

Sucrose holds out her hand. "No, wait!" A gust of wind emerges from her other palm, powerful enough to push him back but too purposefully harmless to hurt him.

"Mr Albedo!" Sucrose calls out. "Whatever it is, you must fight it, please!" Her face is flushed, and her ears are pressed flat. "For everyone here, for Klee, for me, for yourself!"

He pauses, even if Durin urges him on. Sucrose's words stir a warmth within him and for a moment Albedo almost feels like himself again—

And then he sees that bard.

He's as tiny and fragile-looking as he was when he and the small dragon reached him, and Durin had merely wanted to play, but then they bit his throat and it hurt, and he'd fallen…

He's standing behind the Liyue consultant, his expression as unreadable as the rest, and with a harp by his side, like that harp that that split at the sides, its string taut with arrows—

Except he also knows he's Venti, a seemingly harmless bard and incognito Archon of Mondstadt still honouring his pledge to give up his rule of the region so it lives up to its ideal of freedom—

"Albedo…?" a distant voice calls out but he can't respond. His head feels like it's about to split.

Then the bard takes a step forward, the harp still by his side and he is overcome with a wave of fear, anger and indignation. Albedo rushes at him as the wind picks up, reaching out to push the man away and grab the bard—

A spear manifests in Zhongli's hand and he deflects Albedo's grab, throwing him off balance. Zhongli then uses his momentum to pull him in, spin him around and plant him face-first into the dirt.

Albedo plants his hands on the ground to pick himself up, but the ball-like blunt end of Zhongli's spear hits him at the side of the neck. Though the blow is quick and not that strong, Albedo suddenly feels light-headed. Seconds later, his vision tunnels and darkens and he is moments away from fainting. His heart slows.

"Mr Albedo!"

"He's not hurt," Zhongli reassures them, his voice coming from somewhere above Albedo. "This was a light strike that will temporarily incapacitate him so he doesn't hurt himself or anyone else."

Albedo can barely move his head and he sees Sucrose clutching her tome like a lifeline.

Noelle has dived back into the cart and emerges with the side expanse of cloth. "Hold him, steady please, I'll—"

Sucrose is pushed back by a small red blur that rushes in his direction. "No, Klee, wait—!"

Kaeya is quicker to react, and he dives in time to grab Klee and pick her up by the back of her dress, struggling to keep her writhing form in his hold. "Don't—It's dangerous."

"I don't care!" Klee petulantly says as she struggles to get out of Kaeya's hold which ends up in her perilously dangling upside-down—for all his charisma Kaeya was always awkward when holding Klee or other children, what with them getting tangled up with his ornaments and occasionally pulling at his hair—

"You said you'd get better!" Klee protests, and though she's crying, she gives Albedo a weak glare. "I wanna have our picnic!"

"Klee…" His voice comes out low, but it's his, and it must be because of Zhongli's blow. It's causing his heart to still and his mind to get foggy, but it also dims Durin's influence enough that he can twitch his fingers of his own accord and try to regain control, like waking up in the middle of a dream.

Durin protests, though his presence is less overwhelming now. They hurt him, so he will hurt them back and then go flying again—

"Get out of my head!" Albedo cries out, summoning the last of his strength. And though his cry is the equivalent of the death throes of a dying animal, Durin stills.

Retreats.

And Albedo is left with a feeling of deep exhaustion. But he can't go to sleep, not if Durin is what awaits him. That's how he woke up the other day, didn't he? With a dream he can't remember, but with odd feelings and thoughts, simultaneously his own yet distinctly not his. Except this time, Durin wanted to 'hurt' instead of 'play', even if the latter was a cruel parody of the concept. If he slept again and awoke with Durin, would his thoughts shift to their natural conclusion, 'kill'?

"… Albedo?"

He misses the first few times they call his name, but eventually gives them an affirmative grunt and hopes it's interpreted correctly.

He's turned over to his back, and he spends a few moments with his eyes closed, gathering his strength. When he opens them he sees everyone gathered around him, Klee still haphazardly held by Kaeya.

"Childe!" Paimon whispers, "put that away!"

The Fatui, who is still holding his bow in one hand, ignores her and stares at Zhongli. Zhongli, however, ignores him as he dismisses his spear and folds his hands behind his back. Childe copies him with a sigh.

"It's me," Albedo lets out, and he hears audible sighs.

Albedo tries to join them, but that vileness in the back of his throat rises like phlegm. He chokes then coughs, and with Noelle's help he sits upright and hacks his lungs out.

He nearly doubles in on himself when the thick globule dislodges from the back of his throat. Albedo coughs again, and something dark and vile sputters out from him, with the consistency of tar.

There are gasps and whispers around him, but Albedo ignores them as he focuses on the black blotch now spread across the grass. It was like what he threw up in the river, but worse.

Chalk. Blackened, coagulated chalk. Corrupted, judging from the faint purple lines that hold it in one piece.

Albedo looks at the exposed skin of his arm, where the purple-red veins of corruption are more prominent, as if they're tattoos. He sits more upright to look at his reattached legs, seeing a prominent line of corruption where they connect, like pieces of a statue glued together.

His chest feels hollow. His shirt is wet and hangs strangely concave off his chest. He looks up to see more spots of blackened grass from where he stumbled out of the cart.

"… Do you want some water…?" Albedo hears Sucrose ask and looks up as she approaches him with a flask.

Albedo lifts a weak hand and points at the dead grass. "You should burn these patches," he says, swallowing down more black chalk that rises to his throat. "Just in case."

He can't remember if what he threw up in the river carried the corruption with it, but hopes the water dilutes it enough to be ineffective. During his research he found out that the Grand Master of the Favonius Knights at the time contained the spread of the corruption by falling back behind rivers and burned strips of the forest so it wouldn't have any organism to infect and spread further.

"That'll be taken care of," Diluc says. His pose is casual, but he still has his claymore on his back and as he stares at Albedo's exposed arm, with the occasional glance at the Fatui.

The others are looking back at the patches of grass as well, and Albedo takes this opportunity to grab his shirt's collar and take a peek inside.

Black. Black and purple and red with gleams of gold, sticking to the fabric like melted candy—

Albedo quickly lets it go, drawing in a sharp breath that he chokes on halfway. His airway must be completely clogged by now.

Sucrose comes by him and offers him her flask again, but Albedo shakes his head. His stomach can't be any better than his lungs. "What happened?"

Sucrose bites her lip. "You… you suddenly started thrashing in your sleep and… growling." she whispers. "And your legs they… It was too late when I noticed it, but they… connected with the rest of you. Noelle pinned you down and you… bit her as she did so, but woke up right after. We got off the cart seconds later…"

And she rehearses what Albedo remembers from when he woke up. Good, so his memories haven't been tampered with. And it seems he woke up roughly the same time Durin did, which means there wasn't any point where the corrupted dragon had complete control of his body. Though the meagre resistance Albedo had put up before Zhongli immobilised him, that made little difference… Hopefully that's a side effect of the corruption and his weakened state. He doesn't want to entertain the notion that he will blindly follow orders he wholeheartedly opposes, even if they came from his master.

"Harbinger," Albedo calls out, his voice loud enough to catch Childe's attention. "When we fought…" he pauses, not being able to take a deep enough breath to speak more than a few words, "did I act the same… as here?"

Childe crosses his arms and frowns. "No. You were more giggly."

So, Durin's mood definitely changed since he last awoke, becoming more outright violent. If that happens again…

It's not too late, Albedo thinks, to try and reassure himself. He still has his mind. He just needs his body to last long enough. The corruption has made short work of his chest, of course, but he hopes his body's remaining chalk will keep slowing down its progress…

"Speaking of, what exactly is going on here?" Childe continues. "I understand there's a lot of comradeship and trust to go around with the Knights, but if one of my men starts going into fits and tries to kill people, I'd like to know a bit more than 'they're sick'."

"I hate to agree with the Fatui, but I feel the same way too," Diluc adds. Despite that, he keeps glaring at Childe. "However, I also understand any reasons you may have for wanting to keep such matters private, considering our… escort."

Childe gives Diluc a bright smile, but Albedo sees him play with a ball of hydro along with his fingers. Diluc's hand moves back to grip his claymore's handle.

"I can't talk much now." Albedo speaks up, breaking up the death stare contest between the two men. "Apologies. Sucrose can tell you more." The girl in question has her eyes go wide as she looks helplessly at the rest of the group. "The chalk?"

"We have it all," Paimon says. "We travelled outside the city and we were talking with Zhongli about an ideal spot for the ritual."

Albedo nods. They definitely can't risk doing this close to settlement.

"I was about to suggest Mingyun village," Zhongli adds. "It's close by, easily traversable and long abandoned."

Albedo has heard of that village. It borders Dragonspine on Liyue's side. He isn't sure if this was a coincidence or if Zhongli knows more than he lets on.

But he can't think much on the mystery of the Liyue consultant, as he feels another wave of lightheadedness wash over him.

"As soon as possible," he mutters before looking back at Sucrose, "You have the plans?"

"Uh, yes, but just the ones we made on our way here. I haven't had the chance to go over them yet, but I can double-check on the way…"

Albedo nods. That'll do. His schematics should work, as they are one of the many contingency plans he's been working on for so long. But it always helps to have a second pair of eyes, and he hopes Sucrose catches any mistakes he may have made.

Another cough rises up to Albedo's throat, and he feels his whole chest bubble with every jerk.

"Need to move now," is all he can manage. There are so many more things he wants to say. "Tired. Sorry."

Slowly and carefully, Albedo is escorted back into the cart. Before he gets up with Noelle's help, Albedo's gaze lands on Lo- Venti, who has stayed back, staring off in the distance with a blank look. Albedo wonders why he's been so passive with so much at stake, but just then, Venti catches him looking and his expression shifts into a carefree smile.

Albedo does not feel reassured. If this is the attitude of the Anemo Archon, it is no wonder he has a Geo Vision.

"Klee wait—!"

A red blur tumbles into the cart and plops right by Albedo's side. "I'm not going anywhere! You said this is safe, so I'm staying right here and if you say no I'll use my treasure!" To emphasise her point, Klee headbutt's Albedo's side with a pout.

Sucrose gives a worried look. "But—"

"It's fine," Albedo says. "Just be careful."

Klee's pout hardens. Yet, even if she still refuses to look at him, he sees her clenched lower jaw tremble. "You'd better get better," she grumbles.

And in that moment, as Albedo wishes he could reach out and pat her head, he starts to understand Kaeya's actions at Dragonspine.

"I will."

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Lisa languidly walks out of the library after she shuts it down for the night. The Knight's headquarters is empty as it is most days, but tonight the building is too quiet. There is no Klee running through the corridors, no Sucrose visiting the library for a few referencing materials before hurrying back to her work, no Kaeya to join her for an after-hours drink.

Lisa stops by the alchemy lab, devoid of the usual tinkering and occasional strange smells. She remembers her brief stint as an alchemist when she first joined the Knights, when she was rotated across different roles before finding her true calling as a librarian. The door is slightly ajar, and she debates whether she should go in. She isn't supposed—or allowed thanks to the Knight's safety standards—to enter the lab unattended, but she should make sure there are no volatile chemicals left about. When Klee came to them in tears they all bolted out the building in search of Albedo. The lab is awfully close to the library too, and the last thing Lisa wants is an alchemical fire burning down a wing of the library. Plus, she hasn't seen in a while and wonders how much it's changed.

Her nostalgia and curiosity win out, and Lisa steps into the lab. It still has the old wooden benches and various shelves from her time, but otherwise she might as well have entered an entirely new room. It's got a new coat of paint, and much of the floor is taken up by new equipment, such as a large plant growth chamber by a corner. There are a series of potted plants by the windowsill, next to a corkboard of various safety leaflets and one of Albedo's sketches of the outside view.

Two of the benches seem to be heavily used, with various implements, papers and instruments set about for a day's experiments. One bench has an abandoned set of half-full vials, probably Sucrose's.

Lisa walks closer to inspect the liquids and make sure they won't spontaneously combust, when she sees all the little notes Sucrose has left across her desk. Some are quick observations to be noted down in her thick and bookmark-heavy lab book, others are simple tricks and reminders, and one note at the corner simply has a smiley face with the phrase 'You can do it!' written on it.

Lisa can't help but smile. How harmlessly sweet.

She moves on to the other occupied bench. Judging by its neatly arranged instruments and pile of papers to the side with a sketchbook on top of them, this must be Albedo's bench. As is typical of him, everything is well-organised and up to code.

That's until Lisa looks up to the top shelf of the bench where Albedo has stashed a small collection of books, all pertaining to alchemical theory. There is a lab book protruding between two heavy tomes, looking as if it's about to fall.

Lisa reaches up to push it back in, but the moment she touches it, the booklet slips through and practically falls in her lap.

'CONTINGENCY: READ IN CASE OF EMERGENCY,' its title reads, in all caps and in Albedo's writing.

Lisa opens it, reads the first page, and her eyebrows rise in intrigue.

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Jean sat at her desk, her head buried in her hands and her shoulders sagging from exhaustion. She has finished up the paperwork for tonight, has dealt with some minor issues that popped up daily and were mostly matters of routine, but she hasn't yet received news about what's been eating her all day.

She wonders if it really was a good decision for her to stay behind in Mondstadt while Albedo and the others set out for Liyue. Albedo is their Chief Alchemist, and it is the Grandmaster's duty to look after the Knights, more so in case of emergency. But she also has the duty of not leaving Mondstadt undefended, especially with Master Varka temporarily out of the city.

At least she has sent as many people as she can spare. Kaeya might as well be her right hand at this point. Sucrose is the most knowledgeable among them besides Albedo himself about alchemy. Klee is one of their strongest fighters despite her age. They also have Diluc and the Traveller with them. 'Venti' too…

A soft knock breaks her train of thought and Jean sits up, brushing down any loose strands of hair. "Come in."

Lisa quietly enters and Jean's posture relaxes. "Done for the night?"

Jean nods and lets herself relax back into the chair, stretching her back.

"I've got the latest gossip then," Lisa says with a smile as she puts down a book on her desk and pushes it to her.

Jean frowns as she looks from Lisa to the book. It's not from the library, and its plain hard cover emblazoned with the symbol of the Knights of Favonius indicates it's something from their records…

Then she recognises Albedo's handwriting on its title: 'CONTINGENCY: READ IN CASE OF EMERGENCY'.

"Albedo's lab book?"

Lisa hums. "I passed by the lab to make sure nothing would explode, and I found this, though it was practically sticking out like a sore thumb for anyone who would enter and who is not Sucrose." Her smile widens. "And with everything that's going on, its title caught my interest."

Jean leans closer to the book, her hand brushing over the cover. "Have you read it?"

"Skimmed it."

Ah, so knowing Lisa, she has fully read it. Jean chooses to take her lack of panic as a positive sign, even though her stomach turns as she reads:

'If you are reading this, then I, Albedo, the author of this document, must be incapacitated to some significant degree.

This is bad news.

Your first step should be to hand this document to someone of authority within Mondstadt, or someone who can pass it on to the appropriate person. Ranked from most suitable, the ideal final recipient should be:'

What follows is a list of the command line of the Knights of Favonius. Master Varka's name is at the top, followed by Jean's, then down a complete list of other posts, including Kaeya, Lisa, even Sucrose near the bottom.

"I'm glad to see someone pays attention to the organisational chart I worked so hard on making," Lisa says, but Jean ignores her and keeps reading with a rising dread.

'If you are one of these recipients, that is good! Please keep reading.'

Jean turns the page and does so.

'This manual is a set of contingency plans for what happens if I ever come to pose a threat to Mondstadt.'

"What?" Jean says out loud and looks up to Lisa. "What's that supposed to mean?" Albedo has never shown any sign of dissatisfaction, let alone ill will. Even Kaeya, who would occasionally let her know which Knights took advantage of their positions or went against the code, has never spoken a bad word about him. To add to that, why would someone who would want to harm Mondstadt write down something like this?

"Oh, keep reading," Lisa said.

'I understand that in light of this revelation, this document must seem nonsensical, or even a misdirection. Unfortunately, I have no means to assure you it is not, but I urge you to continue reading nonetheless.

To begin with, we need to establish a key fact that will shed light on the situation.

I, Albedo, am a homunculus.'

Jean pauses again. "What's a homunculus?" She heard this word before, but doesn't recall its meaning. Did it refer to a region or heritage, perhaps similar to the people with non-human blood like Sucrose? Albedo's origins are a mystery, but he was recommended by Alice herself…

"A homunculus is an artificial being resembling a human, created from alchemy." Lisa smoothly recites as if reading from a textbook. "Or at least, that's the official definition the Sumeru Academy uses."

Jean's brow furrows in confusion. "Artificial? From alchemy?"

"Yes. You've seen all those cute but tragically short-lived anemo hypostasis our sweet little Sucrose likes to play around with?" Lisa twists a lazy finger through a lock of her hair, staring at a corner of the room. "Imagine that, but someone went and made a human being."

Jean's mind reels as she tries to process this. A human created from alchemy? She knows alchemy is capable of incredible feats, both for the better and for the worse. But creating an actual person? And Albedo is that person… "Is that even possible?"

"Apparently so, since we've been employing one for several years." Lisa sighs. "Then again, as any learned scholar would know, homunculi are a purely theoretical field of research, more of a thought experiment made to sell pulpy novels."

"… What?" Jean asks, at a loss at what else to say.

"Oh yes, there's quite a few of them around. Some are hailed as great philosophical texts about what it means to be human, but I find most of them shallow, derivative and worst of all awfully boring. There's only so many stories one can read of a tragically naive girl homunculus being rescued from her tyrannical creator and falling in love with a cardboard cut-out male protagonist." Her expression turns wistful. "Oh yes, a 'chalk prince' toiling away at a remote snowy lab makes for a much more romantic—"

"Lisa," Jean interrupts her, her voice strained. "Please. Focus." For Jean's own sake, if anything… "Who would do this? You said it's purely theoretical, but if what Albedo says is true, then someone has… Was it Alice…?"

Lisa lets out a short laugh. "Now, this is not an insult to her, Alice is a brilliant mind and a once in a lifetime adventurer, but if she is the one who created Albedo, I will eat my hat."

That mental image is funny enough to relieve some tension off Jean's shoulders. "But still could she have…?"

Lisa looks about to speak up, but Jean goes back to reading through Albedo's notes.

'The details of my creator and how I was created are irrelevant.'

Damn it, Albedo!

'The main takeaway from this is that the normal means to stop a troublesome human may not work on me.'

"There's an interesting tidbit of information about Sumeru's research on homunculi," Lisa speaks up, her tone airy but with an air of bitterness behind it. "Even if their creation still is within the realm of fantasy, overeager 'researchers' have already decided on three laws that a homunculus should obey above all."

Jean frowns. "Like a set of rules? How would they know a… homunculus would obey them in the first place?"

"Ah, that's again from a common 'understanding' that a homunculus would be a blank slate, totally loyal to its master and bound by their orders."

Jean holds back a shiver. That seems very unfair for the homunculus. Is this why Albedo came to Mondstadt, to the city of freedom?

Lisa puts up one finger. "So, rule number one; A homunculus may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm."

Jean nods. That.. doesn't seem that bad of a law. Quite the opposite. Ideally this is how humans should operate as well. The Knights' code of ethics follows a similar thinking.

"Rule number two: A homunculus must obey the orders given by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law."

That law doesn't sit right by Jean, but she understands the thinking behind it, especially if it is about a completely theoretical being. Creating new life, new thinking life, could be dangerous for everyone involved, so safeguards need to be implemented. But to have that safeguard be complete obedience, especially if by a human, even one created by alchemy…

"And the final rule: A homunculus must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law."

That law also seems sensible until Jean thinks more about the second clause. Protect their own existence, but not if that leads to harm or would disobey an order…

Jean stares at Albedo's writing. "Do you think these apply to Albedo?"

Lisa shrugs. "Why, the one who made such rules has their head in the clouds and hasn't even created a fly from their research." She sighs and looks away again. "I'll bet good money that whoever created Albedo is not from Teyvat."

Jean didn't know how to respond to Lisa's last statement. If not from Teyvat, then where could they have come from? Celestia? The Abyss? That also meant that Albedo could be following any set of rules… Or none at all, like human beings did… Right?

"You mentioned a homunculus is loyal to their master," Jean asks. "How… absolute would that loyalty be?"

Lisa shrugs again, this time with a laugh. "Again, anything I've read on the matter is purely theoretical. If anyone would know, it would be Albedo himself. But it shows the thinking behind the creation of a homunculus, no? After all, there are easier and more fun ways of creating people."

Jean chooses not to respond to Lisa's innuendo, but she appreciates her effort into making the mood lighter.

Though it does still raise the question… Why would someone use alchemy to create a person? Just because they can? For some specific purpose…? Albedo is dedicated to his research, but so is Sucrose and every other alchemist Jean met.

With a sigh, Jean goes back to reading Albedo's notes.

'As I have written this in the past, I do not know what events have transpired that lead to me being a danger of Mondstadt. Thus, I have compiled a series of plans that should be used to subdue me, ordered by ease of performance, but please reorder them based on how the situation develops as you read this document.'

Albedo's writing ends, and the rest of the lab book comprises small groups of loosely attached pages.

The first bundle has a diagram of a human body… Or something close to it. Their back has a series of geometrical patterns on it, much like what she sees on alchemical tables. The diagram's chest and head are circled.

'Because of chalk's increased endurance when compared to the average human body, the best weapon would be a claymore or any geo-infused attack and the most effective area to target would be my head and/or heart—'

Jean looks away with a flinch and flips to the next bundle. It lacks a diagram but has a series of complex calculations and formulas, all centred on… "Acid?"

"Chalk is a base," Lisa says. "Mix it with enough acid and it dissolves like sugar in water."

Jean feels sick and flips over to Albedo's next 'plan'. This one outlines the freeze effect when combining hydro and cryo elements, and showcases a few ideas for their constant application over an extended period of time.

Jean keeps reading, as this one seems less macabre than the rest. Knowing how to immobilise someone was important, and Albedo writes that freezing will only slow his movements as he is not at risk of frostbite or gangrene.

The next paragraph brings up shatter, and Jean flips through to the next plan with a silent curse, unable to back a heavy sigh.

There is a hand on her shoulder and Jean looks up to see Lisa has walked by her side. "Worryingly self destructive, aren't they?"

Jean leafs through the few remaining bundles. "Are they all like that?"

"No. I think you just read the last one, actually."

Jean gives her a wary look but starts reading on the next plan. This one is thicker than the rest, and Jean soon finds out because it brings up chalk, its purifying qualities and enough alchemist jargon that has her head spinning. The next page is a diagram of an alchemical circle, and the rest of the pages are 'proofs' of some sort, full of equations and terms she doesn't understand.

"That's what we're trying to do, right?" Jean asks as she flips between pages.

Lisa nods.

"But why isn't that the first choice when it's one of the possible… solutions?" Jean hesitates on the last word as she doesn't want to call Albedo's first plans that. "No sane being wants to die."

"Perhaps he's hesitant on whether it would work. A lack of self-preservation changes how much importance you place on yourself to achieve your goal and the risks you're willing to take on either side."

The third law. "Or maybe that's what any good person would do."

Lisa doesn't respond, so Jean puts the book down and sits back in thought. If she had to make a similar choice… The protection of Mondstadt and its citizens would come first. She would want the plan with the highest rate of success to be used first. That Albedo thinks so as well only makes her admire him more, even as her worry for him grows.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Lisa asks.

Jean takes a deep breath and rubs the bridge of her nose. "Is there anything else I should know about homunculi?"

"Hm? I'm not sure if it would be useful for our situation… Again, the current understanding is that they would be loyal to their creators."

"Like a parent?"

"If you stayed emotionally eight forever and never went through a teenage rebellion phase, yes," Lisa wryly says before she lets out a sigh. "Then again, I might be getting ahead of myself. The novels always have the rugged main character kill the evil creator, though a few of the more 'subversive' ones have the homunculus tragically die because she took the hit instead or couldn't live without them."

And as Lisa keeps rambling about novels, Lisa takes hold of the plan at the very back of Albedo's pile. It is a single page with few words. It mentions the Traveller which catches Jean's eye, then something about purification.

'Work in progress' is written at the bottom.

The rest of the pages are blank or missing, but the very last pages have a few words written on it. Closing remarks most likely, and the writing is messy, as if it's been erased and rewritten many times.

'Again, I cannot know what led to you reading this, but if my guess is correct, I've been affected by the same corruption that befell Teyvat five hundred years ago. I wish I could tell you more about how or why this happened, but I know very little myself. What I know, however, is that I don't want to bring destruction to Mondstadt.

I don't want to be another Durin.

Please apologise to Miss Alice on my behalf and take good care of Klee until she returns. I have attached a letter for her.'

Tucked away in the inner folder on the back cover is a small unsealed letter addressed to Klee in Albedo's handwriting. Jean takes it out and debates whether she should read it. It must be very personal, and Jean doesn't want to pry anymore than she already has. But, if Albedo's letter mentions anything more about his situation, then she has a duty as the Acting Grand Master to know.

Making a mental note to apologise to Albedo, Jean takes out the letter, feeling Lisa's stare burn a hole in the back of her neck. Albedo's handwriting is different, his usual cursive elegant script replaced by a much simpler and more textbook-like script, each letter written separately to make reading easier.

'Hi Klee,

You might be feeling very sad right now. Maybe confused. You may have heard that someone from the Knights has hurt me. Please don't be mad at them. I started it so I'm the one at fault here.

You might be missing me terribly. I do so too. But, know that I have returned to earth, from where all living beings come from, and that I'm sure Lord Barbatos is taking good care of my soul.

No matter what, don't lose your smile. Keep working on the Jumpy Dumpties, but be more careful when testing them. The poor HQ won't be able to handle another big explosion from the labs.

(Also please listen to Jean more.)

Love,

Your big brother, Albedo'

Jean's eyes water. She puts the letter down, falls back into her chair and takes a deep steadying breath. It's already nightfall, and she hasn't received news from Kaeya or Diluc or anyone else. Have they made it to Liyue safely? Have they encountered trouble? Should she head out right now and try to find them, give them these notes, try to reassure Albedo that they will not let him die—?

"My, it seems as if he knew something like this would happen," Lisa says after a few moments, her tone lacking her usual languid humour.

"Feared something like this would happen," Jean corrects her.

Lisa gives a question look and Jean closes her eyes in recollection.

"Remember when we interviewed him for the Chief Alchemist position? You said he spoke overly formal, trying to answer our question objectively even when we made it clear we wanted his opinion."

"Ah yes," Lisa says, and her lips twist in a fond smile. "I found it rather adorable."

Jean smiles back. "I noticed how differently he spoke afterwards and asked him about the change." Her smile falls. "He told me he spoke like that because he was nervous." She gestures to his notes. "He wrote this in the same way."

"… Oh." Lisa eventually says.

"Then there's Alice," Jean continues.

Lisa looks up from her own thoughts.

"For all her destructiveness, Alice cares a lot about Klee. If she has entrusted Albedo with her care, then she deeply trusts him."

"Enough to lie by omission to the Knights," Lisa says, but with a more thoughtful than accusatory tone.

"But she trusts him," Jean concludes.

Lisa doesn't respond, but Jean doesn't mind taking this opportunity to think. What should they do with this information now? She has no news of the expedition, so all she can do is wait…

On cue, a series of light taps come from the window. Jean sits up and looks back to see a small avian shape tapping on the glass.

She turns back at Lisa, but the librarian is already by the exit. "Well, I suppose this is all I came here for. I'll leave you with your thoughts." And before Jean can answer, Lisa gives her a knowing smile and closes the door behind her.

Jean is left alone in her office, Albedo's notes heavy on her desk.

Another series of taps come from her window. Jean takes a deep breath, gets up and opens her window.

A falcon jumps in and lands on her desk. It holds out a leg impatiently, where a parchment is tied around it.

Jean quickly goes and gently removes the message, unfurling the parchment to see Diluc's uneven penmanship. The falcon gives her a low caw and flies over to the head of the armchair, somehow landing gently enough so that its talons don't rip through the fabric. She has no idea how Diluc can train them to be so well-behaved, but right now she thanks the Archons for small miracles.

She sits down on her desk and reads Diluc's letter, its sections hastily written at different time-points.

'Jean,

Arrived in Liyue and got the chalk. Don't worry about the bill.

Albedo had another incident. Tried to attack Noelle, but no one was injured. Worse than the first though. Don't think they'll get better.

Was told Sucrose apparently knows more about the situation but she's being very vague. Told us Albedo's affliction was like the corruption seen half a millennium ago, but did not elaborate on the many other questions we have, which I'm sure you share too. Like why he doesn't seem to have muscle or blood underneath his skin, if that's what he has.

Will use an abandoned village for the ritual, away from populated centres. Will happen around midnight. Everyone is in a hurry to get this done ASAP.

Don't like this. Too many unknowns. Would appreciate any intel.

Diluc'

Jean reads the letter again and again, making sure she doesn't miss a word. They seem to have things handled despite a few obstacles. She's not sure if Sucrose knows that Albedo is a homunculus, but she's not surprised she wants to keep it a secret, based on what Lisa told her and with the Fatui in their midst. Still, Diluc has every right to be curious, and Albedo's notes have made his wishes clear.

Jean takes out a quill, some blank paper, and pens her reply:

'To Lord Diluc Ragnvindr, Head of the Ragnvindr family,

I'm glad to hear you're handing things. You're making good progress, and you're right in that you should see this matter resolved as soon as possible.

Unless you think Albedo's mind is gone, trust him on what he says you should do. He has put a lot of thought into this, and he wants to put the safety of Mondstadt and Teyvat first. Sucrose is right that his condition is related to the Cataclysm, as Lisa and I have found some documents he wrote addressed to the Knights in case something like this happened. I have them attached in confidence. Please only share them with Kaeya and Sucrose.

Good luck and may Lord Barbatos watch over you.

Jean Gunnhildr,

Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius'

As Jean waits for her ink to dry, she gathers some of Albedo's notes. She can't have the falcon transport the entire lab book, so she tears out the first few pages as well as Albedo's plans for the chalk ritual and the purification and rolls them up along with her dried letter.

The falcon perches its head up at her gesture and sticks out its foot in anticipation.

Jean is about to attach her message when she pauses. The rest of Albedo's plans sit on her desk, all of them considered just as important by their author.

Jean hesitates, but her duty as Acting Grand Master must come first. So she takes the top plan, Albedo's first choice. But before she attaches it with the rest, she writes on the very top in all capitals:

'LAST RESORT. IF YOU DO THIS HIS BLOOD WILL BE ON ALL OUR HANDS.'

After all, her duty is to all of Mondstadt and its citizens, not a vague notion of them.

The falcon lets out an annoyed protest at the small bundle of papers it will have to carry, but nonetheless dutifully unfurls its wings and departs. Jean watches it disappear into the night with an iron grip on the windowsill, her nails digging into the wood.

\*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*/

Albedo may be made of chalk but he still has a vagus nerve for Plot Convenience purposes, don't question it