Insider her office, Jean sighed. The report in front of her had long since stopped making sense, but then again, it was one of his reports. "Captain Kaeya. If you have some information you're working with, then reveal it."
Riddled with holes as it was, she couldn't approve the request for shifting the focus of their intelligence department towards the two newcomers Eula had described. And no matter how many times Kaeya had tried to argue for it, 'me' was not a valid source of evidence.
That didn't stop the slippery man in front of her from trying, though.
"Nothing of the sort to suggest anything, Jean." Kaeya spread his hands, shrugging casually. But the wrinkles and ink stains in the normally pristine uniform told another story. He, too, had been awake for most of the night. "And isn't that quite the curious little thing? From what Eula suggests, they are acquainted with Lord Barbatos himself, yet made a sincere attempt to murder one of the Four Winds – not to mention they were involved in the destruction of the Statue. Though we can believe that the Anemo Archon would fight for the freedom of Mondstadt, the same cannot be said for the other two."
He flicked his favored cape overdramatically and smiled, but the grin in his eye had a sharpness to it that made her worry. "New allies, or a new storm. Is that not the question we should be asking?"
Jean leaned back on her chair, considering Kaeya's words.
The cold truth was that they simply did not have the personnel to run multiple operations at once. Grandmaster Varka had insisted on taking seven knights for every ten for his expedition, with an emphasis on vision bearers and their elites. With a mere skeleton crew left behind, the Knights of Favonius has suffered for the past year despite her best efforts: their daily patrol grounds had shrunk to their city, Springvale, and Starfell Lake, leading to trade and business slowing down with the routes becoming more dangerous.
And of course, Jean thought bitterly, the other nations had not stayed idle in their moment of weakness. One simply had to walk through the city's main gates to see that the Adventurer's Guild was taking the lion's share of what used to be the Knights' work, or visit the plaza to see the Fontaine's newspaper being sold where aspiring bards once sang. Young talents were far more interested in joining the Adventurer's Guild with the promises of steady work, daily commissions, and thrilling adventures, while the Knights scrambled even to organize their once-yearly initiation tests. People would rather read the newspapers in the comforts of their homes than take a few minutes to enjoy age-old traditions.
The recent attacks by their protector, one of the Four Winds, was a hard blow to Mondstadt's stability. And of course, there was the dwindling number of people of faith-
She nearly glanced to the side corner of her desk but steeled herself. Now was not the time for her thoughts to wander.
"…it's a relief to know that Lord Barbatos has not abandoned us," Jean allowed. "Still, the Abyss had never shown such ability beforehand, and it's difficult to believe that they could bring low mighty Dvalin, let alone control it. Should we not thank the people who had revealed such truths to us before viewing them with suspicion?"
Eula's report was a fresh breeze. It had been a cloying sentiment in her chest, wondering if the Anemo Archon had turned against them and was grinding Mondstadt into dust – slowly, deliberately, and painfully, to rebuild the city to his image once more. After all, what was the fate of a dandelion seed that could not rely on the wind?
Just the relief from her captain's word had allowed her to power through the night. Now, if only the good news came without the added weight of a Statue's destruction and the chilling implication that it was the Abyss behind 'Stormterror.'
She had spent the last few hours reviewing all the previous assaults and damages attributed to the Dragon of the East. Was the destruction of Dornman Port's lighthouse a convenient target in a mad rampage like they had previously believed or a surgical strike meant to cripple their ability to trade and call for foreign aid? Were the forests Dvalin had flattened and destroyed a precursor of an invasion, with the hilichurls setting up camp in the clearings not by opportunity but with deliberate strategy?
"The Anemo Archon only appears personally in times of great upheaval, and he'll either come and save us all from Stormterror or smite us down for our sins. Yes, yes. That's the only thing the bards had been singing about for the past month, the only thing being printed on the Steambird." Kaeya frowned, as did she – it irked her something fierce, knowing that one of Mondstadt's own people had outlined their overdramatized concerns to a foreign newsletter. "But now that we know the Abyss is behind it all, I believe it beneficial to shift my investigations towards the newcomers. Sure, we won't have as many people focusing on the Fatui and Lawrences, but we now know that their work is a symptom of the issue, not the root of it. I have no doubt that the newcomers will be vital in the oncoming storm, so to speak, and a closer eye on their motives will go a long way."
"Yes, I do see your point," Jean said, coming to a decision. Since Kaeya's investigation on the Lawrences and Fatui had shown up empty, then perhaps it was best to pursue a new avenue of information. She studied the document once more, making sure there were no unexpected caveats Kaeya had slipped in and stamped it with her seal. The sky-blue ink glistened in the candlelight. "May the winds flow in your favor-"
"And I also approve of the Honorary Knight plan. Keep your enemies closer and all – it'll make my investigations that much easier."
"How did you- right, you taught yourself to read upside down." Jean sighed, reorganizing her papers even as Kaeya collected his report while grinning. She shot a halfhearted glare at him. "Not even in my office I'm free from my treacherous, vengeful captains, am I?"
Kaeya waved her concern off, laughing. "What use is the freedom I guard if I'm not allowed to use it for my pleasure? I'm sure the Lord would raise a toast for me instead! Oh, and Jean…" He gestured to one of the stacks of paperwork on one side of her desk – all with the same, purple detailing on the edges. "You would do well to remember that not every outlander means well. The 'diplomats' from Snezhnaya should be reminding you daily – no, practically hourly – of this."
Jean sighed again but with a small smile this time. "And your insistence on guilty until proven innocent worries me, Kaeya. Amber's young friend was terrified of you until the very moment she left. I better not find the two travelers in the same state."
"Ha! Was I not right about little Collei, though?"
Before he left, she called out to him. "You aren't coming back for the meeting?"
He paused and turned. In the darkness of the night dimly lit by candlelight, her captain's four-pointed pupil gleamed while his eyepatch blended with the shadow. Kaeya shrugged nonchalantly. "I believe they might find me unnerving, as all outlanders tend to. I'll be at the stables tending to Adel if you need me."
With that and a lazy salute, he quietly slipped out of her office.
Jean rubbed her eyes and glanced at her clock. A thirty-minute nap to make up for her sleepless night, she decided, and then she would meet with the travelers. Besides, she was certain that her captain's favor would mean well for the two travelers-
Her eyes strayed to the picture frame on the corner of her desk, lying face down. Finally, she took the time to pick it up. Two sisters looked back at her: one in her knight's armor, one in her deaconess's cloth. Her little sister's vibrant smile and her own small yet genuine one.
Once, it had brought her the spirit and strength to continue. For the past month, with her troubled thoughts and their recent arguments, it only brought a stabbing pain in her heart when she had looked at it. But now, there was hope, mixed in with a little guilt and regret.
"For Mondstadt, as always."
With a whispered promise, Jean gently set it back down. She would have to make things right after all this.
-o-
The door slammed open. "You test my patience, traveler-!"
Aether jerked upwards, immediately banging his head on the bed's headboard. Blinking past the pain, he called for Dreamer, but it was strangely sluggish in responding. Quickly reconsidering, he tried to bring his sword arm up, but he instead managed to tangle himself with the bedsheets. As a final resort, he tried to jump onto his feet but failed to account for the fact he was on a bed. He bounced, and his balance shot all the way forward.
Aether had a moment to question his life's decisions before his face met the ground. At the very least, the blankets he was cocooned in would make the impact less painful-
Thud.
And of course, his trusty, trusty blade would choose to finish manifesting itself on top of him.
Thud.
He looked up and sideways to see Eula's surprised face.
"Good morning," Aether greeted her. Concern and guilt flickered on her face, before returning to her default scowl. "Or… afternoon?" he guessed. "I usually wake at sunrise. What time is it?"
It wasn't like he could peer out of a window right now to check the time, but he wouldn't put it past his tired self to oversleep-.
"An hour before dawn."
So, she genuinely thought he would be awake at… with an awkward shuffle, he inched his body towards the window, gently making sure his sword was still balanced on his back. Yep, still dark. He slowly turned back to meet her still defiant gaze.
"I'm a morning person," Aether said. "But I wake up at sunrise."
Eula sighed and kneeled beside him. His sword was placed gently down on the ground, and Aether stilled when a strange ornamental dagger – did it have five blades? – flickered into her hand. He tensed, but she only cut away the blankets wrapped around him. An explosion of cotton and fluff erupted out of it along a sudden chill, but she merely pressed on. "Only slightly better than the rest of the common folk, then. How do you plan to protect your lady if you sleep for longer than her, let alone meet with the Acting Grandmaster?"
"Paimon? I'm sure she's safe within the halls of the Favonius Headquarters unless you're implying otherwise." Aether fought the urge to sneeze. A perfectly fine blanket gone to waste. "You know, I don't think falling onto the floor once means it's dirtied beyond repair."
With a final cut, she… didn't free him, but carefully teased out a piece of the blanket soaked in dark, oozing purple. She frowned as she studied it. "…surely you jest? That would be ridiculous, even by my dear uncle's standards. No, I wish to study the blood of the Four Winds."
She paused her studying for a moment, before meeting his eyes, closing hers, and bowing her head. What he guessed was a show of mourning barely lasted a moment before she went back to studying the cloth. "…I do not know how nor why, but your sword is ruined. Though I'm sure it pains you, acceptance is the first step to reconciling with the truth."
Aether frowned. Dreamer? He shrugged off the ruined blankets easily enough now, and his sword-
"…oh."
No, he couldn't even call it that. It was a half-melted slab of metal, its steel core exposed to the world. To add insult to injury, there were patches of a dark purplish liquid on what had once been its blade, still oozing that malevolent feeling Paimon had called the Abyss. It was all over his blanket as well, with a perfect square of it cut out and in Eula's hands.
Suddenly, he was glad that he'd been tangled up by the blankets. He would have felt unclean for days if he had touched… that.
Aether tapped where its grip once was, still relatively clean. A single droplet of starlight quivered in response. He sighed, and absorbed it back – and something within him crumbled to dust.
He could feel a sword-shaped hole in himself, and it wasn't just him being overly dramatic. Whatever Teyvatian magic that had once bonded them together was lost.
"How curious." He looked over to see Eula carefully take out a silk handkerchief and wrap it around the bloodied fabric. She stood up, an all too serious look on her face. "Now come, we have tarried for long enough. I ask you to leave your sword behind – I give you my word and honor that it shall remain here."
With one last forlorn glance at his previous sword, Aether turned to Eula. "Is the Acting Grandmaster awake at this hour? And do you know where Paimon is?"
"Yes. And the lady mentioned she wished to go get breakfast thirty minutes prior. I had assumed you would soon follow and had waited." Left unsaid was that he had Eula wait for him for thirty minutes outside his door.
Well, at least that explained the abrupt wake-up call. He was about to suggest they find Paimon when the door swung open again.
"Hey, good morning, sleepyhead! The mess hall was still opening but I managed to persuade the chief for some sandwiches-" Paimon stumbled as she entered. She took in the scene of what must have looked like a murder scene for blankets with wide eyes, though Aether noticed that she still had the presence of mind to balance the silver tray of food. "Okaaay Aether, what did the blanket ever do to you? …and why is it bleeding-? Oh by the stars it was haunted, right, we were sleeping with a ghost quick kill it burn it it's not dead enough-"
Eula sighed.
-o-
"Please, captain Eula. Show us our way and introduce us to the Acting Grandmaster," Paimon said. Looking at her overly dignified posture and sharp eyes, it was hard to imagine that she had been clutching at him and wailing about a haunted blanket not ten minutes ago.
Aether decided to ask. "You know, our 'cover' has been blown ages ago-"
And got a bop on his nose for his troubles. "Hush, my bodyguard, I know not what you're talking about. Formality and tradition must always be respected."
They were in front of the doors leading to the office. It looked to be the same with every other door – no placards, no special coat of arms, and no guards. The one thing Aether noted was that it was the closest room to the entrance.
"It will be my pleasure to formally introduce you both," Eula said, nodding approvingly. She was smiling ever so slightly, but he already knew that it was Paimon's equivalent of dancing around the room in glee. Did practicing her ceremonies really bring that much pleasure for her?
If so, Aether withdrew his complaint. The more goodwill Paimon gathered, the better.
The captain noticed him studying her and coughed, gathering herself. The slightest of all blushes was immediately murdered by her murder glare just begging for him to comment.
"…" Nothing. His instincts told him to not move a muscle, and that's what Aether did.
"…well then, without further ado." With a flourish of her cape, Eula threw open the door and entered the room, Paimon following along. Aether breathed out, and in, and entered.
"Acting Grandmaster Jean!" the captain said, saluting. "I bring to your office Paimon, a student of the stars, and Aether, her bodyguard. Though the brewing tempest darkens the skies, may this meeting bring forth a gentle dawn."
And as she rose from her seat to meet them, Aether finally had the chance to see Mondstadt's Acting Grandmaster.
His first impression was one of a tired office worker rather than the head figure of a government. He noted the gauntlets she had even in her office, the stacks of letters and papers neatly organized on her desk, and the tight, if genuine, smile she was giving – but it was the bags underneath her eyes that left the harshest impact.
"Welcome back, Captain Eula. I greet and welcome you both, Paimon and Aether, to the fair city of Mondstadt. Please, feel free to call me Jean," she said. "Captain Eula had much to say about your honor and bravery. Mondstadt thanks you for your service. Now, what can Mondstadt do for two wandering gods?"
Though, to stand in front of them without flinching, greeting them as if they were equals? Even Eula had her etiquette when they first met. Aether was impressed with her boldness if nothing else. Or- wait, was that normal in this world?
Paimon hummed in response. Aether glanced at her, but she shook her head slightly.
"You know, the word god can imply a lot of things: archons, illuminated beasts, spirits, and even someone simply powerful enough to reshape the world to their vision. But in the end, our identities shouldn't matter, and it will be for the best to stay that way," she said deceptively mildly. There was an undertone of warning in her voice – which disappeared as soon as she smiled and did a curtsy. "Though, it's refreshing that you don't care about that! I am Paimon, and this is Aether. We wish to help with Dvalin's situation."
Well. When in Teyvat, do as the Teyvatians do, he supposed. He eased up on the tension-
"Forgive me for asking, but did Lord Barbatos send you-?"
-and dived forward just in time to prevent Paimon from leaping towards the Acting Grandmaster, murder in her eyes. She jerked back, but that didn't do anything to deter her words.
"Nope, no, me under that little drunkard's orders? Absolutely not. It's an alliance, of sorts, and he's definitely in no position to tell me to do something. Maybe if he begs on his knees, I'll consider gifting him with a moment of consideration just to raise his hopes before saying no-"
Aether held back Paimon continued her tirade, who wasn't even aware she was trying to stomp forward aggressively. So much for formality and tradition, he thought, insulting the god the entire city presumably worshipped. "I apologize, my companion doesn't have the best of relationships with him right now. It might be best to avoid that subject for a bit. But yes, we plan to help him regardless."
And that was how long it took for Eula to erupt in her typically glacial manner, complete with a glare that could freeze water directed towards her superior. "Once I can overlook, but twice? I wish to retain the comfortable relationship between me and you, Firstborn of Gunnhildr, which is the only reason why I'm giving you a warning before you err thrice. Lady Paimon knows the noble's etiquette, and it's so very clear to me that it's your blatant disrespect that caused her to become like this."
She spun towards Aether, finger pointed accusingly. "And you! How dare you mmf-"
"I apologize," Jean said, covering her captain's mouth. Her blank eyes contrasted rather well with Eula's murderous gaze. "My captain is rather sensitive to matters regarding etiquette and tradition. Please rest assured that her words are far more frigid than her true feelings."
So, you too have an interesting companion, her carefully controlled face said as Eula ripped herself out of her hold and continued, the captain's anger smoothly redirected to herself. I'll overlook her transgressions if you understand that my captains are equally, if not more, interesting.
Agreed, he nodded, jerking his head towards Paimon – which was a mistake, since her flailing arms nearly poked his eye out. I met her a few days ago and I owe her a lot. It's just that she comes with a few quirks.
A raised eyebrow. But I wouldn't trade my captains for the world.
A casual shrug. And nor will I ever abandon Paimon.
Their eyes met, grey-blue with fiery yellow. As one, they nodded.
Aether changed his mind. The Acting Grandmaster – no, Jean, was worthy of his respect.
That day, an unbreakable bond was forged.
-o-
"So, this is what we know so far," Paimon said, her constellations doing a remarkable job of projecting an image of a dragon. She prodded at the miniature stars, and three spikes drew themselves into existence on the dragon's back. "There seem to be strange spikes coming out from Dvalin's back, hidden from sight through more Abyssal magic. A similar spell which hides their writing, I think – invisible to all but the denizens of the dark unless we focus on the emptiness of the space. Aether's strike revealed two more: one on the middle of his back, and one between his frontal wings. Break these, and the Abyss's hold will falter."
"Would brute force suffice?" Eula wondered out loud. "There are few in Mondstadt that can match the strength of my strikes. Every magic in its core has seams that could be torn apart – and besides, what is hidden from view is still within existence."
"Possibly," Paimon allowed. She glanced at Aether before nodding. "We have a plan that relies on one of Aether's abilities. Still, I agree – it would be best if we have multiple options in case Aether is taken out. We have to assume that the Abyss now knows of him and will react accordingly. Oh, yeah, Aether - it's still yet to be confirmed, but the current theory is that those of the abyss are reformed somewhere in the world, memories and all. It won't be the last time we see those mages."
They were all continuing on with their meeting as if nothing had happened. Aether told himself to ignore the surrealness of it all and nodded along. Peace once disturbed could be disturbed again anytime.
Judging by Jean's careful nodding, she was doing the same.
"I bring proof, then, of the Abyss's hold over the dragon. I collected this before this meeting from Aether's late sword," Eula said, withdrawing her silk pouch. Carefully, she opened it and placed it on Jean's desk to reveal the fabric matted with sickly purple blood. Little patches of it seemed to have solidified, forming dark crystals that scratched at Aether's senses. "We can give these to the librarian afterward – and if she dares to complain about work again, Jean, I truly believe she isn't fit for the position."
"From what I can tell," she continued, "The Abyss had seeped into Stormterror's very blood. Its stings are worse than the bitter cold of Dragonspine, so be wary while handling it. Especially so if you use your vision – the slightest of elemental application aggravates it, perhaps because of the swirling nature of anemo."
Jean carefully picked one of the larger crystals, frowning. "Lisa knows when to be lazy and when to not, Eula. Though it's unfortunate Albedo is away, as are most of his students. Knowing how to break this will be the key to free Dvalin's mind, then." Her gauntlets suddenly glowed with anemo, only for her to wince and nearly drop it. It seemed to glow angrily in response: a deep, red hue mixed into the black. "…how will we disperse it, indeed."
"…unbelievable, I just warned you of its potential for harm-"
"I can purify it," Aether stepped forward, interrupting Eula's tirade with a silent apology. She scowled but nodded at him. "Though I would like to keep my own skills secret, I understand that this information is vital if we are to succeed."
Volunteering information before being asked always looked nice, after all. And in no way or form was he being influenced by his instincts since his first idea was to burn the crystals away from existence. None at all.
Aether approached the pile of crystals, drawing starlight to his fingertips. Whatever method Paimon had used with her scarf had worked – but he'd learned his lesson, and drew only the slightest bit to match the same crystal Jean had grasped. He carefully grabbed it with his thumb and pointer finger. There was no pain, only the gentle warmth of starlight, and so he brought it to his eye level.
Then, he slowly, carefully pushed drops of starlight into the corrupted blood clot within his fingers. His fingertips glowed gold. He heard someone gasp, but couldn't tell who, as focused as he was.
The darkness within it quivered, trying to consume the light and overwhelm it. But it shrunk, slowly and visibly, until it disappeared completely. The light died off, and Aether held it against the morning sun through the window, peering at the sky-blue crystal while he inspected for any abnormalities. Finding nothing, he nodded and placed it on Jean's hand, finding a quiet satisfaction with the visible awe within her face.
"…the blood of the Dragon of the East," Jean murmured once she shook off her awe. She tried channeling anemo again, and the only reaction was a gentle wind that still held the comforting warmth of his starlight. "Suddenly, I'm all too glad that the head alchemist isn't here. There would be no stopping him or his apprentices, and experimenting with this would be several degrees of desecration, I believe."
She turned to him. "…I won't pry about you or Lady Paimon's powers. Your lack of a vision is all the proof I need that you are exceptional beings."
"Thank you for understanding," Aether nodded. As expected of the leader of Mondstadt-
"However, I will be blunt with my worries." Jean's gaze suddenly turned harsh, almost frowning at him reproachfully. "Aether, it seems you have a pivotal role in freeing Dvalin. You will be putting yourself in danger, and it's all too likely that the Abyss will mark you down for interfering with their operations – as a being of interest at best, or as a target for elimination. So, why would Paimon and you agree to help us?"
Eula frowned – presumably not by her words, but by how they were delivered – while Paimon bristled defensively. "Well, Acting Grandmaster, it could be none of your business-"
"Paimon, it's okay," Aether cut in. She looked at him with concern, but he shook his head and turned to meet Jean's eyes. "If I'm to ask, it's best to be upfront about it. In exchange for my help, I wish for a favor. I'm looking for my sister, Lumine, but I don't have the correct connections to do so. As the Acting Grandmaster, you do."
He was expecting them to doubt him, to question him – what was family to mortals, after all, when the time they spent together was so short? – but to his surprise, Eula's frown disappeared, while Jean sank into a thoughtful silence. "…looking for your sister? If she's missing, we would have helped you regardless if you faced down Dvalin or not, and I would have personally assisted in-"
"Ahem," Eula coughed with a pointed look on her face.
"-searching for her by delegating one of my captains," she quickly amended. "That is unless you wished to contact the other nation's leaders about her as well. Since Mondstadt's port is still recovering from Dvalin's attack, we're cut off to all our allies but Liyue – which I would have nevertheless freely requested-"
"Ahem."
"-for a small price, since my captains worry so much about me working myself into an early grave," Jean sighed. Her eyes never left his, searching for that little something. For a moment, her eyes were just as fierce as a lion, as unyielding as the winter's wind. "Aether, I say this not to disparage your noble goal. If I am to work with you, I need to be able to trust you just as much as I trust my captains. Convince me that my worries are unfounded."
Aether thought to himself for a moment. It didn't take long for the words in his mind to clear, though. "You said you would have helped me regardless if I helped with Dvalin or not."
When she nodded without hesitation as he knew she would, he continued. "And I would have done the same, even if you refused to help me. If you refuse and kick me out now, then I still would have looked for a way to help Mondstadt. As simple as that."
And he meant every word of it too.
Even if he hadn't felt guilty about hurting Dvalin, even if Venti hadn't begged him for his help, and even if he knew for sure that no help would come from visiting Mondstadt – he would have thrown himself headfirst into waging a battle against the Abyss.
He wasn't sure if that was who he was, or if that was who he believed him to be. But what he knew for certain was that this was who he wanted himself to be, and that was enough for him.
For a moment, Jean stared at him. Then-
"Hahahaha-!"
Then she laughed. Her laughter rang throughout the room, echoing off the walls.
The only reason he didn't cut her down was because of the sheer joy within it. And- oh, because Dreamer was currently out of commission.
"See, Eula? Though nobility is gone, chivalry still exists!" Jean's laughter finally faded, but the smile on her lips didn't. "Forgive me, forgive me – I meant no offense, and I apologize if I sounded so doubtful. But my captains are all too fond to remind me of my shortcomings – that I trust too easily, that I choose to be hopelessly optimistic, that I try to do too much work by myself. Perhaps they are right to be concerned since Mondstadt's future depends on my decisions, but I find that a wish for a better future can drive one to perform miracles."
Said captain huffed and crossed her arms. "Mocking me, while I'm in the same room, no less. Rest assured; I will have my vengeance later. And three apples in a crate of sunsettias is of no surprise, is it?"
Jean shot her an amused glance, before focusing on him. Far from the turbulent and troubled look from before, she had a shine within her eyes and looked so much younger than before. "So, I will ask this once, and only once. In exchange for helping Mondstadt free our eternal protector from the clutches of the Abyss, we will spread the word of your missing sister to the four corners of Teyvat. I swear on the undying winds and in Lord Barbatos's name to honor the spirit of our words. Will you do the same?"
Without hesitation, Aether nodded. It was always nice to see someone reasonable in charge, mutual suffering aside – made it all the more pleasant to work with them. He saluted, bringing a hand to his chest before extending it straight out. "I swear on the ever-watching stars, in Paimon's name and my own, to honor the spirit of our words."
With a smile, Jean saluted back to him. "Very well. Let us work together, then. Bless the wind that brought us to meet, and may it lead us forevermore."
"A ceremony of the roses to put our minds to ease, perhaps?" Eula suggested, already reaching for Jean's desk-
"Is there truly a need for it, Eula?" questioned Jean reproachingly, but there was a teasing smile on her face. Eula froze, nevertheless. "Due to our alchemists' hard work, this office would be the single most secure room in Mondstadt. I believe you said that ceremony for ceremony's sake would soon lose its meaning."
The captain withdrew her hand. "…hmph. So soon with your vengeance. I'll strive to do the same when the time comes, Acting Grandmaster."
When Eula huffed and looked away, Jean turned to him and Paimon. "Now, I apologize for the abruptness, but several delegations require my attention throughout this morning. We should meet at a later time to discuss how to put what we have planned into action."
Paimon thought for a moment, before shrugging. The dragon constellation faded from view. "Might as well, since we don't have… Barbatos… with us. We plan to meet tomorrow night at Angel's Share, and you should be there as well. The Eighth won't mind."
"Meet… with Lord Barbatos himself? I…" she hesitated, before straightening herself. "Yes, I would very much like to meet with Lord Barbatos. My apologies, I'm unaccustomed to the societal customs for archons – does he require a tribute or a gift, of sorts?"
"No, no, nothing of the sort!" Paimon was quick to reassure her, an angelic smile on her face. "He's a bit on the overly respectful side, though, so you'll have to be careful with your words around him. If he offers you a drink, for example, you have to deny him, and then rebuke him for drinking during a serious meeting. Nothing will make him happier; I promise."
What? Venti was nothing like that- oh. Aether sighed. Paimon really was wicked when she was in a vengeful mood.
"I understand," Jean nodded along seriously. "I'll strive to be the picture definition of respect and elegance in front of him."
Well, it was far too late for him to say anything now.
And with pleasantries and well-wishing, the fruitful first meeting drew to a close.
-o-
For a moment, Aether stared at the closed doors, going through everything that had happened within the office in his mind. Then he shrugged. "I wasn't imagining it when it seemed like they were a bit too keen for our help, right – um, Paimon?"
When he turned around, she was checking around the halls, peeking around corners, and listening for footsteps. She even peeked out the grand doors leading outside, letting out a sigh of relief while closing them.
Paimon then pointed towards the door opposite of them and yelled in a faux whisper. "Coast is clear, come on, let's go!"
"I'm right here, you know-" she grabbed him and pulled. "Okay, okay, I got it! What are we doing, and why did you do the world's most suspicious security sweep beforehand?"
Even as she essentially shoved him through the door, she was whispering to him excitedly. "I wasn't just wandering around aimlessly for breakfast this morning, you know! The Mondstadt Library should be open by now. Quick, let me introduce you to the Seventy-First!"
Huh. So gods did live beside humans in this world.
"You're referring to them with their number again," Aether noted. "So, one of the original and pretty long-lived, smart enough to make it until now, or you're not in the best relationship with them. Maybe all three of them?"
"What? No no no, we're pretty chill!" Paimon protested as she closed the door behind them, tracing a pattern on the keyhole. A small constellation glimmered into existence in front of it, presumably locking it. "It's just that their body changes every once in a while, to become whatever they're most comfortable with at the time. Comes with their title, the Thousand Faces. I just haven't met them in a while. Oh!" She whirled back to face him, a thoughtful look on her face. "Um, they're a bit shy, so it might be best if I take it slow so they don't get startled and erase this library from existence-"
"Ara? Are you lost, cuties? The library doesn't open till much later, despite what the sign says. Until I've had my breakfast, at the very least."
An elegant voice trilled behind them. Aether cursed and spun around.
Purple and white dress, curious green eyes, and light-brown hair adorned with a purple rose complete with a short top hat. The young lady smiled pleasantly behind them, but there was no way she didn't hear Paimon's stray comment about destroying the library.
Just how had she snuck behind without alerting them?
Paimon narrowed her eyes at her. "…are you the Keeper of the Books?"
She narrowed her eyes in return, but her smile only grew wider. "Why, yes, I am~! Paimon, I'm hurt, don't you recognize me?"
"Dantalion, you sneaky little devil, you nearly gave me a heart attack! It's been ages, not going to lie, I almost didn't realize it was you!" Paimon cheered. She stepped forward, shaking her hand. "Looking lovely this time of the century, I fully approve. I really like the electro motif to it. And an eagle's, possibly falcon's feather – ooh, a reference to the Thunderbird? Or is it a tribute to the Lionfang Knight, maybe?"
She, in turn, seemed to be amused by Paimon's exuberance. "Why not both at the same time? You know me so well. But what are you doing here, if I may ask? Do tell me more, I haven't stepped outside for so long."
"Yep, sounds about right," Paimon laughed. "Okay, so Aether here just crash-landed on my fishing nets, and he's an actual alien! A Starwalker, or someone who walks the path between stars. We're looking for his sister, Lumine, I'm hoping that you know something about her. Aether, say hi- Aether, what are you doing?"
He hadn't relaxed his defensive position, even as Paimon and her 'friend' turned to him, curious. He really looked her over, and something caught his eye.
"Paimon," Aether stepped forward, belatedly realizing he had no weapon on him. He really had to get a new sword, he felt naked without one. "Look at her left pocket."
Paimon followed his gaze and stilled. As if hastily stuffed in, there was a gleaming orb of purple dangling on a golden necklace.
Your lack of a vision is all the proof I need that you are exceptional beings.
The lady pouted. "Caught me so soon, hmm? My, what sharp eyes you have, darling!"
"You aren't Dantalion," Paimon breathed.
"No, I am not. Lisa Minci, the Librarian of the Knights at your service. Eula introduced the both of you about, oh, four or five hours ago. I hadn't been all too pleased with her when she interrupted my sleep, but now, I'll have to thank her later," she purred. Her grip on Paimon's hand visibly tightened, and her eyes roved across his body a bit too hungrily to his liking. Behind them, a purplish seal flickered into existence over the door. "Now, can we please continue our pleasant discussion, cuties? It's not often I get the chance to speak with an archon, let alone two. Perhaps we can start by expanding on the basic principles of visions, and continue with just who my predecessor was. Over some Sumeru rose tea, perhaps?"
Paimon took a deep breath. "Fu-"
I return! It really has been too long, with real life being so busy, rewriting this chapter two or three times, and going for more than double(!) the length of what I usually write. I'm pretty happy with the length, though – I feel like I actually progressed the story now while keeping to my original plan to explore each character more deeply. I might keep posting around this length – hopefully, it wouldn't take as long to do so in the future.
The plot changed a lot within the rewrites. The first draft had Jean refuse their offer to help, actually – but it felt too forced, too dramatic just for conflict's sake. At this point, I should stick a note on my wall reminding me to keep things lighthearted lol.
What do you all think? Did I do Kaeya, Jean, Eula, and Lisa justice? I can only learn from reviews, so please write what you think!
Oh, and Lisa's manga hat is too cute to not exist. Make more (free) skins available, darn it!
