Reports of a vigilante operating at night were very inconsistent. Some reported about the vigilante duking it out with the Abyss Mages. Some reported about the sabotage of Fatui operations, while others reported that the vigilante was actually a part of the Fatui, working with them and furthering their goals. The constant in the reports was that the vigilante was a man with a domino mask that covered the upper part of his face and a dark Cape with a hood covering their body and casting a shadow on their face. And that his name was Darknight Hero.
Kaeya was tired of the little information he and his people were able to gather. And now, because of this vigilante, he was forced to pull an all-nighter. The Acting Grand Master Jean had basically ordered him to figure out the vigilante and to deal with him accordingly.
The Captain sighed and leaned back in his chair. His reflection in the dark window followed his movements. The clock struck midnight. He might as well go out to clear his head. And maybe if he was lucky enough, he will stumble on that new "irritating factor" of his job.
Kaeya leisurely exited the Favonius Headquarters, one of the lower-ranked knights attaching themselves and following him. Kaeya held in the sigh that was threatening to escape him. The Acting Grand Master had implemented the buddy system! Jean had declared that while the nightly activities of the vigilante were on the rise, nobody was supposed to walk alone.
The nerve of that woman...
Kaeya didn't do well in prolonged contact with people and preferred to work alone. He really had to solve the vigilante question as soon as possible before it got so much worse.
Everything was quiet in the upper part of the city, but Kaeya was still feeling restless. Together with his shadow, he went into the lower part of Mondstadt. The Cat's Tail was already closing, and the drunk citizens were slowly pouring out of the bar, some of them going home to sleep off the alcohol but the rest slowly shuffling towards Angel's Share. Kaeya followed the group of drunks into the tavern, who quickly dispersed with new portions of wine and soon were continuing their nightly activities. The Captain slowly approached the bar. Usually, at this time Diluc would be manning the bar, but today it was Charles. Kaeya froze just before he opened his mouth to request a coffee. The Traveler was also behind the bar, in bartender uniform, and was slowly mixing a cocktail, following the instruction on the table.
"Charles, they are a child!" Kaeya whispered to Charles, whom he caught by the lapels of his vest and pulled over the bar stand.
"I am not a child!" came an indignant response from the Traveler.
"Hush now, Traveler. The adults are now talking," Kaeya hushed putting an index finger across his lips. He then turned towards the barman, his smile gaining that little edge, becoming more threatening than a joking smile.
"I am older than either of you!"
"I have them mixing non-alcoholic cocktails," Charles quickly calmed down the Cavalry Captain.
"My apologies then," Kaeya released the hold on the barman. Charles nodded in response, accepting the apology.
"Anything from the bar?" Charles asked after he put his collar in order.
"I'll have the pinecone caramel latte."
"One latte is coming up," Charles nodded before getting started on the drink.
"Charles," Kaeya's eyes were glued to Charles' hands as they were deftly preparing his drink. "Where is Master Diluc? I would have expected him to be behind the bar."
The Captain raised his gaze to watch Charles' face as he answered.
"Master Diluc is currently bringing some ingredients from the storage."
There was not a twitch when Charles answered him, but Kaeya knew he lied to him. And not because he knew Charles that well. The Traveler gave it away, twitching at Charles' answer. So, he had found his weak link.
"So, Traveler, how did you find yourself with mixing lessons?"
"I came to visit Master Diluc, but he had to leave for the storage. He had suggested the lessons with Charles to pass the time while waiting for him," came the reply. The Traveler didn't look at him as they shook the tumbler in the special pattern Charles had shown them before. Kaeya was preparing to continue his questioning when he was interrupted.
"Sir Kaeya," a knight had burst through the door. He was heavily breathing, and a thin shin of sweat covered his forehead. "The Darknight Hero was spotted outside the city walls under the Church. He was fighting the Abyss Mages."
"Charles, Traveler," Kaeya quickly nodded his farewell to the two behind the bar and left the tavern, the messenger knight on his heels. The Captain ordered some of his men to remain outside to watch the Tavern (he had a feeling that the vigilante will come back here after his fight) and then left to try and catch the fighters.
When they arrived at the location the fight was already over, but the combatants were not ready to part. The Vigilante was completely wet, holding a hydro Abyss Mage by the lapels, furiously shaking them in his hold. Another Abyss Mage was trying to crawl from under the Vigilante's foot, periodically freezing the foot that was stepping on him.
"Hey!" and with a shout, the power balance had shifted. The cryo Abyss Mage had managed to freeze the other leg and the Vigilante who was turning around slipped on the frozen leg and fell down. The impact with the earth forced him to release the hydro Mage in his hands and the pair quickly absconded laughing maniacally. The Vigilante tried to follow them, but it proved to be a mistake as he fell once again slipping on the ice.
"You…" the Vigilante growled at the approaching Captain.
"Well, well, well… What have we here?" Kaeya crooned at the fallen man. From this close, he could easily confirm some of the reports. Especially the descriptions of the Vigilante. The man on the ground tried to stand up but he was quickly dissuaded by a sword in his face courtesy of Kaeya. The rest of his subordinates surrounded the pair, cutting off the rest of the retreat pathways.
"Hello, Darknight… Hero," Kaeya greeted the man who was now keeping quiet. A few red hair tufts could be guessed in moonlight escaping from under the hood. A familiar glint in the eyes from the moonshine.
Well, no time to lose. Maybe he will be able to close the case after all.
"Help him to his feet," Kaeya ordered and soon the whole group was slowly marching back to the city. The speed was such because the moment the vigilante was on his feet it was clear that the man had twisted his leg on the Abyss Mage's ice.
The group was almost at the city, but their path was blocked by another group of Hilichurls. They had several pyro Hilichurls Berserkers and two rock Shieldwall Mitachurls.
"Watch the Vigilante," Kaeya ordered to a pair of knights before throwing himself into the fight with the rest of the knights. The fight was easy, but the group of hilichurls had a backup. When they had finally finished, and Kaeya went to check on the knights guarding the Vigilante he saw the knights all knocked out.
Kaeya couldn't help but curse. They had the vigilante in their hands! He still had that lead in the Tavern, so as soon as he helped his knights to bring the wounded to the Headquarters, to get treatment from Albedo, Kaeya left to get back to Angel's Share.
When Kaeya entered the well-lit Tavern, he saw his adopted brother standing behind the bar stand, mixing some drinks with the Traveler following all his movements. Charles was working with some boxes that were not here before.
"Oh, Master Diluc!" Kaeya greeted the man as he sat at the bar. Diluc raised his head to look at the Cavalry Captain. Kaya took in his adopted brother's appearance. The dark circles under his eyes seemed just a bit more pronounced than usual and his hair even more tousled than usual.
"Sir Kaeya," Diluc returned the greeting before glancing back at the Traveler. "Now Traveler, that previous attempt was good enough, but try repeating the recipe with the pointers I gave you.
The Traveler nodded before sliding to the corner where were the instruments he was using. When both the men were sure that the Traveler was completely immersed in their task Diluc turned to Kaeya.
"So, what will it be, Sir Kaeya?"
"I still didn't get my pinecone caramel latte," the Captain climbed into one of the chairs. "But I don't think that I am actually going to stay awake that long now that I have the assignment cracked."
"Death after Noon it is then," Diluc nodded before quickly fixing the drink. Kaeya mumbled his thanks when he got his hands on the drink and both enjoyed the muted buzz of the tavern late at night. Kaeya was the first to break the silence between them after he finished his drink.
"The least you could do after resigning is not force me to pull all-nighters to fill in your paperwork for your nightly excursions, dear Master Diluc," grumbled Kaeya as Diluc poured him another glass.
"Oh? And pray to tell, Sir Kaeya, how is it that I force you?" Diluc picked up a clean glass and gently started polishing it. He was working fast and methodically, quickly working his way through the glasses and setting them in the rack.
"We both know well enough about your… extracurricular… activities."
Diluc noncommittedly hummed as he set the glass to the side. He then grinned.
"You still have to explain to Jean though."
Kaeya looked at his adopted brother in horror.
That bastard.