Second entry of the story! And probably the last one? It will mostly depend on the length I get in this chapter, perhaps I'll create a third chapter for the most important climax and separate it from the rest, we'll see…
I want to clarify tho, that if things get slow and annoying, I get you really. I just feel like making an M-rated story without any kind of character interaction or development would feel empty…
Then again, I fear I may have not nailed the characters very much, so if any character here feels too OOC I apologize deeply and I will welcome any kind of criticism.
Enough intro, on with the chapter!
Part 2:
A week passed since Lisa recommended 'The Book' to Jean, a week the Acting Grand Master struggled to focus as she used to. She was already making good use of those enhanced coffee beans Lisa concocted due to how little sleep she had. Having passed the initial spur of reading, she managed to finish up the book by the third night. She then spent two next nights rereading it, trying to replicate how she felt the first time to no avail. And finally, she spent the rest of the nights simply 'enjoying' her alone time, letting her imagination run wild.
As Jean predicted, the story in itself was not that special in any way, being predictable from start to finish, saving the very obvious topic of discussion. It was the 'spice' that got her, as many other people, hooked. At some point she began to imagine herself in the situation, restrained and helpless at the mercy of another person, who could do whatever they wish to her, even if she was giving the other person all of her trust. Jean wrapped her head around the why was the very notion of it driving her crazy. She knew that sometimes Treasure Hoarders and the Fatui were not above kidnapping and ransom civilians for their own goals. She has seen those wicked people restraining and keeping innocent passerby hostage and tied up many times before, but she always believed such experiences to be annoying at best and traumatic at worst. The Acting Grand Master could have never imagined that anyone would ever feel excited about any of this.
She was currently sitting in her desk again, letting a long sigh in defeat and rubbing her temple gently. After a week of little sleep she could not deny it was all weighing at her at last. If only it was due to her never ending responsibility and not a sudden burst of hormonal activity of that of a teenager.
"My, guess the book did not work as intented, eh~?" A sultry voice came from her right. Once again, the librarian was back at Jean's office, shorting the large collection of books in the bookshelves. Lisa was looking at her boss with a knowing look.
"No, I guess not…" Jean responded with a defeated tone, her hand finally resting on her forehead.
"I take it that you liked it then?"
Jean took a few seconds to respond. "Yes, I did like it in fact…" Jean sighed one more time as she massaged her forehead, a little ashamed to admit it to her colleague and subordinate. "You were not lying when you said it made quite the ruckus, Lisa. I do have to ask, what is this genre anyway?"
"Oh, it is not a genre Jean". Lisa put the books away and regarded Jean with her entire body, her full attention now on the conversation. "Think of it… more as a trope! Like hand-holding, a near death love confession… They are all used in romance a lot, and this book is no exception~". Lisa stated as she crossed her arms.
"A trope? Never heard of this one before although". Now was Jean's turn to put her hand on her chin, deep in thought.
"It is called 'bondage', or more technically 'BDSM'~". Lisa clarified with yet another sultry tone. She must have noticed the confused look on Jean's face, as she elaborated. "It's an acronym, it means Bondage, Domination, Submission and Masochism, among other possible terms~. I'm sure you have already guessed, but it describes a wide variety of practices, like binding up, exerting power over another person, inflicting pain, and so on. All is agreed on and consented beforehand of course~. The core point of it is basically this: A person has the complete and absolute power and responsibility over another person, who willingly submits themselves to the aforementioned on everything they agreed on or are willing to go through. It's all about power and trust~".
Jean listened to Lisa as if she was a madwoman. Was this truly an actual practice people were doing out there willingly? Even if knowing there was an established consensus and therefore no one was being put in real danger, she still found it hard to believe. And yet, the concept, although foreign to her, was fascinating and scaring her equally. "W-Wha- H-How do you know all of this?!"
"Well, I may have tried that for a little while myself if I am being honest~". Lisa let out a mischievous giggle. "There are many different reasons for people to practice it in fact, stress relief, power fantasies, making dull marriages more exciting… For some it's just a means for boosting their self-esteem, while a big turn on for others~".
Jean felt herself blushing, and promptly covered her face in embarrassment.
"It's not that different or far from everyday activities if you think about it! Take your case for example, being the Acting Grand Master gives you power and makes you responsible for all of us in the Knights. So, in a way, you are our Mistress~". Lisa was now on the other side of the desk, whispering and looking down at the blonde knight as she teased her.
"Please, do not put it like that… I-It's embarrassing…" Jean stated a little weakly, making Lisa let out an amused giggle.
"Oh, I'm just teasing you Jean~. Ever since we met you have always been so composed and diligent, like nothing could ever get you flustered. Now that I finally see you like this you can't expect me not to enjoy it for a little bit~". Jean groaned, feeling a little humiliated, even if she knew Lisa meant no harm. "Besides, it's nothing to be ashamed of really. Most people have their own kinks and it's nothing that makes you any less of a person, as long as you respect everyone else". Lisa added, suddenly sounding wise even in a topic like this.
Jean looked away but smiled dearly. "W-Well, I thank you for that Lisa. But it's not that big of a deal anyway, I am still the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius so my time is spent taking charge of all of you". Jean stated as a matter of factly.
"Is it though? You are coming to work even more tired than before however…" Lisa rebutted, now with a worried expression. "Jean, I gave you that book so you could take some leisure time when you were not on the job, but it seems to me that I only made you more anxious than before…" Lisa took a few seconds before adding something else with a soft but suggestive tone. "Perhaps it would help if you actually do something about those anxieties of yours?"
Jean quickly waved her hand dismissively as she smiled, trying to dispel the librarian's worries "It's alright, this is surely a silly temporal obsession. I should be back to normal by the next week, you can rest assured Lisa".
It was now the librarian's turn to sigh and rub the bridge of her nose in defeat. Everyone knew that the Dandelion Knight was stubborn as a mule, Lisa couldn't hope to change Jean's mind through any conventional convincing… After a few seconds, Lisa simply relaxed her gaze, now looking at Jean with a subtle smile. "Very well, I'll let you do at your own pace then…" She picked up the few books she needed to return to the library and stopped just by the door. "Just know, I am very happy to help if you need Jean~".
Jean nodded and smiled at the librarian, failing to catch the shift in tone in her subordinate's voice. "Thank you Lisa, see you later". With that, Lisa closed the door to the office as Jean returned to her duties examining and signing different documents on her desk.
'I must remember I have patrol duties in an hour, perhaps I can stop by Angel's Share for a few minutes if there is nothing to report'. Jean thought to herself, a small tender smile escaping her lips.
A few moments past noon, it was time for Jean to begin her patrolling duties. She was already walking the busy and joyful streets of Mondstadt, looking in glee at the numerous clerks of the street. Some kids were running around the fountain, Margaret was trying to get people's attention to her goods, Sara was busy taking orders from a pair of clients, little Flora was carefully spraying some water on her flowers… The whole city was brimming with peace and happiness, which made Jean to let out a big smile and to be at ease, a nice break from the turmoil her mind has been for the past few days.
She was currently approaching the Angel's Share, one of the most, if not the most, popular bars in Mondstadt, an establishment associated with the biggest wine industry in the city, Dawn Winery. Jean was sure its owner would be here at this hour, or so she hoped, she was looking forward to speaking with him for some time to bring each other up to date.
She reached for the handle and opened the door to the lively atmosphere of the bar. Several people were spending some time inside, either by the tables at the back and upstairs, enjoying some lunch, or by the counter to enjoy some drinks. Jean explored the place with her eyes until she spotted a person with deep red hair at the other side of the bar: Diluc Ragnvindr.
The heir of the Dawn's Winery vineyard at the outskirts of Mondstadt, was currently cleaning up a glass with a cloth, looking sternly at the numerous clients in his bar. Jean looked at him with a nostalgic smile. She was always glad to see the man around town more often lately.
The two have known each other for several years. Diluc was once the Cavalry Captain at the Knights of Favonious, one of the most prestigious ranks among the Knights, but also, her superior and mentor. She was just a rookie when they first met, and the moment she was accepted into the organization, she has been assigned under his wing. Growing up as a Gunnhildr, Jean quickly fit into the role, trying to impress her captain, who also developed high expectations on the young knight. At some point, the two began to get closer, considering each other as very good friends when outside of their duties.
Jean could not deny that, during that time, she began to develop a crush on her captain. She even invited him to eat sometimes, especially during those times she wanted to impress him with her own pizza recipe. In turn, Diluc also grew fond of his fellow rookie, being impressed at her abilities as a swordswoman and footwork. Whereas he was wide and strong but slow on his strikes, she was weaker but faster and more precise. They even sparred from time to time and he was feeling proud to see that she struggled less and less to keep up with him. But no matter how much time they spent together, Jean was never able to assess whether her captain felt the same about her or not, nor she ever mustered the courage to tell him about her feelings.
As Jean remembered their times together, her smile grew more melancholic. She remembered how joyful Diluc was, how passionate and radiant he always acted and did his own thing like a fire, honoring the Pyro vision he was given. It all changed that fateful night 4 years ago…
In an expedition mission, Diluc's father, Crepus, died under mysterious circumstances. Even to this day, she was still unsure about the details of the incident, as the former Grand Master Eroch made tremendous efforts into sweeping the incident under the rug and destroying any records of the event, and Kaeya was also adamant in keeping silent. She remembered how confused and upset she felt about it, more so knowing how her captain took the news…
The night following the incident, she never heard of Diluc ever again. He was nowhere to be seen and did not left any sign or note for anyone. She tried to go and ask the staff of his vineyard to know where he was and if he was fine, but the only answer she got was that he has gone off in a journey. No one knew where he went or for how long would he be away.
Even to this day, Jean remembers how she felt during that time bitterly. Perhaps that was the reason why she spent so much energy into working for the wellbeing of Mondstadt. The moment the Grand Master Varka designated her to be the leader of the Knights while he was away on a mission, she made a vow to never let herself commit the same mistakes of the past, so that no one else had to suffer the same way her missing captain did…
4 years later, word spread about the return of the Ragnvindr heir to Mondstadt. Jean felt anxious when the news reached her, she felt ecstatic to see Diluc again but at the same time she understood that a lot of time has passed, she feared the man would not be the same. Her fears were confirmed when she actually managed to go and speak to him many months ago, he was not the joyful gentleman he used to be. He was dressed mostly in black, he barely speaks up for idle chit-chat, and his lips seem to have forgotten how to smile. He acknowledges her with respect, that was a huge relief to the woman, but she also felt he was not the same man she once knew.
Jean found it hard to reconnect with him, but she also understood that her former captain was still grieving, especially when those who were supposed to help him betrayed his trust and decided to ignore his suffering. Thus, Jean simply let the man be on his own, letting him know that she would be there for him should he need it. Jean knew Diluc felt sour and unhappy with the Knights in the present day, but the respect he still had for his former young apprentice motivated Jean to try to reach out to him once again, despite the impertinent comments from Lisa and Kaeya every now and then.
Diluc shifted his gaze to the main door and blinked as he saw Jean standing by the entrance "Ah Jean, glad to see you here today". His sudden speech seemed to have attracted the attention of the men at the counter, as they watched behind them to meet the woman as well. They gasped and stood, giving a quick salute to the woman and heading to an empty table in the back.
Jean waved her hand to the retreating men and walked to the bar to speak with her old friend. She took a sit by the counter as Diluc put the glass away to regard the woman properly. "So, what brings the Acting Grand Master to my humble business?"
Jean giggled to herself. Diluc's wine industry was far from humble, being the biggest and the most profitable industry in Mondstadt, but it was just natural to the man to downplay everything. "It has been some time since we last saw each other, I thought about coming over to chat for a bit, Master Diluc."
The man put a hand up. "Jean, I already told you to refer to as 'Diluc' only. I am no longer your superior".
"Ah, right sorry! It's just that you've been my mentor for too many years. You know what they say, 'old habits die hard'" Jean answered with a lighthearted giggle, trying to humor the red haired man.
Diluc simply turned his back to Jean to retrieve a glass and a bottle. "You're on a break, I assume? It would be the only reasonable moment for the Acting Grand Master to come to a bar at this hour". As Diluc spoke, he served her a glass of Dandelion wine, a specialty the woman liked a lot.
Jean accepted the glass with a nod and a silent 'thank you' while she answered back "No, I am actually in my patrolling duties. Nothing particularly strange is happening so I allowed myself to come".
Diluc looked at her with a very subtle shift in his gaze, something Jean assumed was a sign of surprise. "Well, I shall thank you for the consideration of coming here then. It's not very becoming of you to make such a slip in your duties".
The blonde knight gave a sip of the wine, tasty as it ever was. Then she let out a timid but elegant giggle, she wanted to tease the redhead a little bit. "You think so? You are always saying how the Knights of Favonius are too incompetent to get anything done and should not be trusted. What happened to that?"
The red haired man crossed his arms and let out a gentle grunt. "We are not talking about the Knights, we are talking about you, Jean. What I think of the Knights is not the same of what I think about you, and I know you are a very capable woman". Diluc said without missing a beat, as if he has been rehearsing the sentence to the letter. It left Jean speechless, she was already aware that Diluc still had some sort of soft spot for her, a token of trust he gave her after seeing how diligent she had become. However, hearing him saying it so bluntly and directly made her nervous. Thus, she simply gave another sip to her drink silently, blushing.
"S-So, how have you been…?" She decided to ask, in order to change the topic.
"Good, there is few to be told." He stated simply, the man surely was not that fond of idle chit-chat. Jean was aware that Diluc spent most of his time pursuing secret plans of Abyss agents and The Fatui and taking care of them were they to be hiding somewhere in the plains, it was just that he was not very keen on divulging his little escapades.
"Busy day today?" Jean added, as she gave a quick glance at the bar to elaborate wordlessly.
"Not really. Few have had the time to get actually drunk at noon, we will see how the evening develops. For now, it has been just peaceful families and friends who decided to have a friendly meal out". Diluc followed Jean's gaze as he explained, his eyes exploring each and every table, looking for any signs of an incoming quarrel or someone trying to leave without paying. "By the way, has there been any news about the Traveler?"
Jean perked up and looked at Diluc directly again. "Ah, the Honorary Knight? They have written in a letter recently that they arrived not too long ago at Inazuma. They are both still in the lookout for the Traveler's lost twin".
Diluc crossed his arms again and looked down. "I hope they find a clue soon at least, it must be hard not knowing where your family is or whether or not they are safe". Diluc trailed off his speech a little, which made Jean to look at him with mild worry, but he quickly shook his head and looked at Jean once again. "Nevermind that. How have you been by the way Jean?"
"Ah, just like you I suppose. Nothing really worth mentioning. For better or worse these last few weeks there has not been any suspicious reports that we should worry about". Jean answered, deliberately omitting a 'thanks to you probably' in her speech.
"That is good. Sometimes, having nothing to say means that things are going as they should" Diluc said while relaxing his arms and putting his hands over the counter. "Are you still reading I assume?"
"A-Ah, yes…!" Jean was caught in surprise by his question. She remembers she told him her hobby once but she was sure he had forgotten about it. "I just recently finished reading 'Vera's Melancholy' at last".
"I see, I suppose you have moved on then to another story, correct? Would you tell me more about it?" Diluc asked calmly. However, the question sent a rather cold chill down Jean's spine, suddenly remembering the very same thing that literally kept her awake at night.
"U-Um, w-well I-I… I-I'm reading…" Jean felt incredibly anxious, failing to find her words.
"Jean? Is everything okay?" She heard him asking, but her throat was betraying her, and the words did not want to come out. For some reason, she began to feel very conscious about the man in front of her, her heart began to beat faster and faster. The fact that he was standing while she was sitting made him look much taller than her than he already was, and his wide stance as he was resting his hands on the counter made him seem larger and more robust. Was Jean going mad?
In her embarrassment, she quickly looked down, away from him, focusing her attention on the half full glass of wine she was drinking. But even there was awaiting the reflection of the red haired man. Jean finally closed her eyes tight in frustration, trying to get a grip on the situation and not letting her imagination go wild, not right now.
Or so she tried, until she felt something touching her chin and dragging her face gently to look up once again. Diluc had grabbed her chin gently but firmly, making her look into his eyes. There was a strange glee in them, like he was assessing her, and Jean felt her fists clenching in anxiousness. She was blissfully unaware of how her cheeks were reddening even deeper.
"I made you a question". Was everything the man said, a sudden solemn and commanding tone in his voice. It made Jean gasp in surprise as her whole body tensed up. Jean knew the man was rather cold and distant nowadays, but he still behaved politely and like a gentleman, why was he being so brash and blunt all of a sudden…? But the better question Jean was asking herself was, why was her heart beating so fast despite feeling a little fearful?
"U-Um… Y-Yes, my apologies… I-I just… f-feel a little flus-".
"Speak clearly".
"I-I am currently reading 'Slime's Embrace' sir…!" Jean finally let out, feeling the growing impatience in his voice. "I-It's a book Lisa lent me recently… T-The story is about the… d-dominance-submission relationship between a maid… a-and a rich heir…" Jean's eyes shifted everywhere despite her face being fixed in place by his grip, feeling very overwhelmed by the piercing look on Diluc's eyes.
On cue, the man's fingers relaxed their grip and slowly teased and rubbed Jean's jawline until he cupped her cheek, slowly rubbing her ear with his middle finger. Jean felt herself gasping and biting her lower lip gently. She did not know what was happening, nor why Diluc, of all people, would be doing this at all. In other circumstances, she would slap away these kind of inappropriate advances. She was not unfamiliar with it, she has fought off bandits and Treasure Hoarders that did not waste a minute on commenting on her body and what could they do to her. It never upset or disturb her too much.
That being said, she felt frustrated and afraid at the fact that her lower belly was beginning to feel warm. It had to be that damned book's fault, right? Or was it perhaps a rekindled crush on the man currently teasing her? But why the sudden change in attitude?
"Good girl". She heard him say, which only made the shivers she was already feeling in her body to sharpen. "Next time you will answer without hesitance. Good girls do as they are told, right?" Jean had mixed feelings about his sentence. It felt so out of character for him yet the way he was speaking to her made her feel meek, like she actually wanted to obey him.
"Y-Yes sir… I-I will do better Dil-".
"Master Diluc, Jean". He corrected even before she could finish. Jean would have noticed now that something was afoot, but she was already trapped in his web.
"Y-Yes… I-I am very sorry… M-Master Diluc…" Jean's voice was soft and meek, no trace of the strength a woman in her position carries in her voice.
Diluc then left her cheek alone and stood right beside her… wait, what? Where did the counter go?
"Stand up". Jean's sudden confusion was cut off by his voice again, returning very swiftly to a meek persona. Thus, she obeyed and stood up, looking down and fidgeting nervously. She felt how Diluc was slowly caressing and gripping her arms, feeling like he was sending small waves of heat through his finger.
"Turn around". Jean gasped, this was developing too similarly to a particular scene in the book, and Jean's feelings were beginning to go crazy, an impossible mix between fear and excitement. She promptly turned around and bit her lips, allowing Diluc to tease and rub her arms further below. She suddenly felt how he was dragging her arms to her back, grabbing both of her wrists together in a tight grip with one of his hands. Jean let out an involuntary and soft moan, feeling once again fearful and excited at how he had her subdued so easily. Normally, her own instincts would make her summon her trusty sword and use the powers bestowed by her Anemo vision to fight back. Now however, she was merely a helpless girl moaning and squirming.
She suddenly felt how Diluc pulled her blue jacket down slightly, the heavy fabric rubbing her now bare shoulders gently. He teased her neck with her nose and gave her a small peck. "Very good, you are very obedient Jean. Obedient girls deserve a reward". His low voice reverberated into her ear, making the shivers much more intense.
"R-Reward…?" Jean asked innocently as she panted.
Diluc grabbed the woman's chin again, still keeping a tight grip on her wrists, and made her look to the side so she could look at him from behind her shoulder. The sight of him like this made her tummy feel warmer and warmer. Jean was feeling horny.
"I have many plans for you, my dear Jean. Now that we are finally together I will make sure I never let you go again…" Diluc got near Jean's ear, whispering something that made every hair on her body stand on end.
"You are mine".
"Y-Yes… M-Master Diluc…" Jean answered unconsciously, already too deep into the spell. She felt how Diluc was shifting her face to make her meet his own, slowly getting closer.
"Jean…" She noticed him licking his lips.
"Jean…" In turn, the Acting Grand Master licked her own lips and pursed them out.
"Jean…" She slowly closed her eyes, excited and expecting him to passionately…-.
"JEAN!"
The Acting Grand Master gasped and snapped out to find that she was still sitting on her stool, the glass of wine still awaiting in front of her, and Diluc slightly bent down over the counter with a mildly confused look in his eyes. She blinked a few times, she could feel her cheeks were very warm and her fingers fidgeted nervously. She realized, she just caught herself fantasizing about Diluc and her in a rather inappropriate scenario… and right in the middle of a bar in the middle of the day! What was she thinking?!
"Are you okay? You seemed out of it for a moment there". Diluc's calm and collected voice got her attention back, and although she tried to come up with a suitable answer as she used to, the fantasy threw her off too spectacularly.
"A-Ah, y-yeah…! I-It's just that… I-I'm not…" In her stuttering mess, she failed to notice the man has just taken out a glove of his own and was putting his hand gently over her forehead.
"You are too red Jean, are you not feeling well? You are not overexerting yourself again, are you?" Jean looked at the man wide eyed in utter embarrassment. Despite the coldness and stillness in his tone, Jean could feel perfectly the warmth and concern his words were hiding. She knew him well, he was that attentive even after all his time grieving. She felt she could not hold it for much longer if he kept staring at her. "You already know I am always willing to help you. If there is any task you need to relegate I can-".
"I-I should go". She blurted out as she jerked her face backwards from his hand, standing up in a flash. "I am late, I-I should get back to the office at once…"
"B-But Jean". Diluc was a little taken aback by the sudden hurry of the Acting Grand Master, who gave her drink a big single last gulp and fished in her pocket rather anxiously and threw a pair of Mora over the counter ungracefully.
"K-Keep the change… S-See you soon Ma- Diluc". Jean blurted out again in hurry, already walking to the door, not letting the man to speak up to stop her.
"R-Right, come back anytime". The red haired man answered, his eyebrows a little frown at the sudden unusual behavior of the woman. He knew she was not one to get so flustered and evasive all of a sudden. He simply sighed and returned to his usual tasks in the bar. Meanwhile, Jean was outside, almost sprinting to the Knights headquarters, berating herself very harshly in her mind as she walked.
What are you doing what are you doing what are you doing?! Snap out of it Jean! This is not like you. This is not like you!
Jean repeated to herself in her mind once she was back in her office, sitting alone on her desk. Her hands were over her forehead while her fingers rubbed her scalp furiously.
You did not just have a fetishist fantasy with Diluc back there right in his face… You just didn't! You can't think like this! This is not appropriate! You must not allow any of this ever again Jean!
A cup of tea was sitting on her desk along with the many reports she had to fill, her legs were shifting relentlessly under the desk. When she returned to her office, she simply tried not to think about any of what happened, act as if it did not happen whatsoever, hoping she would eventually forget and speak with Diluc more calmly next time. It worked for the first minutes, but her mind betrayed her as it kept repeating the scene unavoidably over and over. How she was imagining such perverse but exciting scenario with the one who once was her superior and mentor, and the immense embarrassment and shame she felt when the spell was broken and he looked at her with confusion.
Jean had to take a moment to stand up and look out her window. The sun was still gleaming bright over the city.
Oh Lord Barbatos… What is wrong with me…? She berated to herself once again. Then, she put her hand over the glass panel with a sigh and rested her forehead over it, closing her eyes in pray.
"Oh Lady Vanessa… Please guide me through this trying times…" It became like a mantra to her. Vanessa was the founder and first grand master of the Knights of Favonius, and the ideal Jean had always hoped to achieve.
"Why so gloomy? Did your date with your boyfriend not end well~?" A soft but mocking voice came from behind as Jean heard it along with the sound of her office's door opening. She knew too well who the voice belonged to.
"Good afternoon to you too, Kaeya…" The woman turned around with a sigh to regard the current Cavalry Captain, Kaeya. "Please, do not refer to Diluc as my partner… H-He is an old friend I like to speak to sometimes…" Even if Jean was managing to look and sound composed as she spoke, she could not deny that the sudden teasing of Kaeya was not helping her mental state.
"Is that so? The incredible Acting Grand Master Jean, who never misses one of her shifts or falters on her duties, decided to make a quick escapade on her patrol to visit 'an old friend'~?" Kaeya asked with a mischievously questioning tone. "You may be an honest woman Jean, but I think that is very unlikely".
Jean sighed and took a sit on her desk again, she was not in the mood to argue about this particular topic, much less with Kaeya of all people, who was an expert on drawing out any information on his victims without them noticing. "Is there anything I can help you with Kaeya?"
The Cavalry Captain let out a smirk, looks like Jean has her guard up for now unfortunately. "Lisa has asked me to deliver these documents to you. They are the income statements of all Mondstadt's businesses. I'm sure you'll be delighted to read through these~". Jean knew Kaeya was saying this with sarcasm. Reviewing income statements was always a pain. She had to keep track of everything the businesses stated and corroborate it with other official statements and documents. Sure, most businesses were honest and helped to make her workload lighter, but sometimes some people were either too greedy or a little careless. Any mistake could entail an important chaos that could last weeks or months to fix.
"Thank you Kaeya, you can leave them here, I will read them in due time". Jean responded not missing a beat, she was not letting the pressure to get the best of her regardless of the situation! Mondstadt needs her at the top of her game at all times after all.
"Ah, see, I have been having some time pressuring people to complete the forms. It took longer than it should so…" Kaeya was beating around the bush, Jean could tell. She knew that she was not going to like what he had to say next. "Well, let's say the date for these to be ready is sooner than it should be, so it'd be best if you prioritize it". Jean let out a sigh. Of course things turned out to be like this.
"Hey, remember that everyone is here to give you some helping hands should you need. Want me to take care of half of them?" Kaeya offered kindly, but Jean simply gave him a tired smile and a dismissive gesture of the hand.
"It's alright, I can manage it. I will contact you if there is anything I need okay?" Jean failed to see a mischievous smirk on Kaeya's lips as he made a light bow.
"As you wish, Jean. I hope you have a… wonderful evening~". Then, the Cavalry Captain walked out of the office, closing the door in his way. Jean raised her eyebrow in confusion at his word choice. Sure, she did not mind working but to call it 'wonderful'? She simply shrugged the thought and reached to pick up the stack of papers.
Just as Kaeya said, every tax return of all the shops and businesses in Mondstadt was neatly organized in each paper. Jean began to check every piece of information with her record, signing and putting aside every document that was correctly submitted.
It was not long until she came across the income statement of Dawn's Winery. She found herself contemplating the file tenderly, although still troubled by her exchange with its owner. Diluc's handwriting was impeccable and precise, she did recognize, and she spent a few seconds reading the words slowly with a tiny smile, imagining how elegant he'd look as he wrot-
Jean shook her head lightly. Focus! You're at work now!
After the little hiccup, she reached out for her record to check and compare the information. But suddenly, she felt a small item falling from between her fingers and landing silently on her desk. When she looked up to see what it was, she found a small folded beige colored note. Her heart skipped a beat, did Diluc leave a note among his documents for her to read? Was it because of their little exchange hours ago? But he couldn't have the time to go back to his vineyard to submit these files and slip a note in, right?!
Jean took a deep breath. It was no use in questioning any of this, the note was picking her interest more. It could may as well be another secret ploy of the Abyss Order he needed help with, and maybe he did not want to discuss it in public. With that alternative thought and much more relaxed, Jean put down the rest of the documents and took the note in her hands, unfolding it carefully. The message reads:
Meet me at Cape Oath at sunset. Come alone. Don't be late.
Diluc.
It was simple and straightforward. Jean's heart began to beat rapidly. This surely had to be a note for a secret strategy meeting, although the chosen place was a rather strange one… But on the other hand, her most juvenile and romantic side, which seemed to have been more active lately, wanted to believe this was a… different type of meeting.
With that sudden spur of excitement, she folded the note again and put it in her pocket, keeping her posture and facial expression in check. This is just a business meeting, Jean. Diluc needs some help to deal with a threat that he believes you can help him with. Nothing else. Do not disappoint him now.
With that reminder to herself, she returned to her duties diligently, the excitement of the sudden turn of events giving her an extra push of motivation. It was still a few hours until sunset, but she could not wait for the time to come. She only hoped she could be done by that time.
After a couple of hours of working non-stop, Jean finally finds herself walking alone along the path south-east from Mondstadt, heading to the meeting point Diluc left on the note. Jean was actually surprised, her recent over-imaginative mind seemed to have given her some slack, as she was focused only on reviewing the stack of income statements. She failed to finish about 5 or 6 of them, but she figured she could finish them off by tomorrow, so she did not feel too bothered by that.
Furthermore, the small walk across the landscape of Mondstadt under the orange sky seemed to do wonders to her emotional state. She felt at peace. It has been long since Jean allowed herself to simply take a walk outside of the city walls, away from the noise and her responsibilities.
Before her laid a small area of wooden constructions destroyed and small piles of ashes here and there. She has just finished dispatching a small camp of Hilichurls and Samachurls that was dangerously close to one of the main roads to the city. As she walked away from the fight, she threw her sword up, which vanished in an instant, and gave a quick deep breathe.
"I love the gentle breeze of the evening. The smell of the Windwheel Asters is delightful". Jean whispered blissfully as she kept walking.
To be fair, she was feeling a little anxious to meet Diluc so soon after… whatever it was that got the best of her earlier. But she had to make up for it by keeping herself professional and focused. Then again, she could not deny the anxiousness she was feeling due to the irony of the situation.
Cape Oath, along with the large tree at Windrise and Starsnatch Cliff, was one of the most popular places were people would bring their partners to give them an anniversary gift or to confess their feelings. There even has been cases were couples asked each other for marriage in those places… Even if Jean tried to keep herself down to earth and practical, the fact that her long time crush has asked her to meet at such a romantic spot, both all alone… There was a nagging whisper of her more frolic side in her mind.
Soon, she found herself in the furthest spot of the plain, surrounded by a small field of dandelions. Jean stood there, watching the sun setting over the vast ocean. She sighed.
"If only he appeared just know… wrapping his arms around me, telling me how important I am to him… just as the sun goes down… Wouldn't that be just delightful?" She let herself speak her mind freely. Just for today, she think she deserved to be not the Acting Grand Master Jean, but just Jean, a woman with her own dreams and desires…
Alas, time passed and the sun slowly began to disappear under the horizon, the sky getting slowly darker. Jean sighed at the lost opportunity, but then began to genuinely wonder where the man was. He asked for her not to be late, no?
But wait, was it really the case…? Now that Jean thinks about it, she did not recognize his handwriting on the note, and she remembers she was carrying the whole stack of papers the note fell from… What if the note was not mixed with his own income statement? What if it was slipped in from another document? The note itself specifically asked her to 'come alone', but knowing Diluc, if he approached her so secretly he would have omitted something like that because he'd knew Jean would be smart enough to pick up on the required discretion. But if the note was not written by Diluc… does that mean that someone was trying to lure her here?!
The thought made Jean go on edge. All giddy or… troublesome thoughts were pushed aside as her mind went full on alert mode. Whoever it was that set this trap either wanted Jean alone in this very spot to ambush her, or wanted her as far from her post in Mondstadt as possible, and seeing how much time she's been here without any mishap made her lean more on the latter.
With extreme worry of her friends at the Knights quarters and the citizens, she began to dash back to the city of Freedom, until she heard a rustling on some nearby bushes. She quickly drew her sword and called forth the power of her Anemo Vision to imbue the blade with wind. "Who's there?!" She gallantly screamed.
She was thrown off after finding out the rustling and sounds were beginning to sound from different spots each time, yet was unable to see anyone moving. She feared then that she could be easily outnumbered if this was an ambush. "You asked of me to meet you here, so here I am!" Despite everything, she will fight through anything for her honor as a knight and protector of her nation. "Show yourself!"
Suddenly, the sounds began to get more frantic, a ploy to distract her so she'd lose focus of any upcoming attack. Thus, she tried her best to switch her eyes on every spot of every tree and bush. They already lost the element of surprise, but she needed to stay on guard if she was to fight on her own. A sudden noise got her attention and noticed how a small rock of ice was quickly approaching her from her right.
She quickly deflected the projectile with a quick slash of her sword, but she failed to notice that she has just left her back unguarded…! In that moment, she felt a sharp pain on the back of her neck. Someone had efficiently knocked her down with a single blow, and was quickly losing consciousness.
She felt her legs failing her as she felt through the ground. A distant clatter of metal could be heard, surely being of her weapon falling to the floor right by her side. In the last seconds of consciousness she had, she felt utterly humiliated and frustrated that she could be bested like this so easily…
She tried to look up to see who her assailant or assailants were, but her eyes were blurry and tired so she could not recognize anything under the dark sunset. She could hear the voice of her assailant, a man, but his tone and words seemed distant and unclear. After a few more seconds of uselessly trying to get up… Jean finally succumbed and fell unconscious…
To be continued…
Oh boy! This has proved to be much longer than expected… And we have not arrived at the crux of the story… I hope it is to your liking however, I'll have to make it intense to compensate its shortness… probably!
Again, I am sorry if things seem slow. I like to give my characters a background or an excuse for what is happening, and sometimes I have to make use of story elements players are already aware of… I have to confess that I fear the characters have very little dialog here, do you think it's alright?
I will try to give them more dialog in the next final chapter, it will not be hard because that's where all the juicy content is so no worries!
Once again, if you liked it, consider writing a review! I always love to read your opinions and suggestions about what I write so please, be my guest!
Hope you have a wonderful day and see you in the final chapter! ;)
