"Another one of those otherworldly meteors, was it?"

Coming home to what had seemed to just be another busy day for the winery tycoon, Diluc could only mutely wonder at the unique predicament that had reportedly befell Mondstadt, and its neighbouring nation, Liyue.

When the blonde Traveler and his companion gave him the news, he didn't quite know how to react. Fittingly so; he's a winery owner. Not some meteorologist who would be actively studying the subject matter in hand. He only had some matter of interest on the subject when Adelinde revealed that she had summoned his friends earlier to ask them for their assistance in regards to his own workers.

As much as he knew that meteors passing through the sky hadn't been that much of a rare occurrence in a cosmic scale, he couldn't quite understand why this particular set of space rocks had been any different from its identical counterparts.

"And you are sure that it hadn't just been any other meteor?"

The little fairy took it upon herself to answer first.

"Positive. Paimon and Aether saw what this one does to the people who comes close to it!"

"It's different, Diluc." Aether nodded in agreement. Thoughtful as he does so, "People without Visions who got too close to the fragments ended up falling into a coma, and they all look like they're stuck in a loop of nightmares."

"A coma… Now that explains the ruckus that the townspeople had created around it." Diluc hummed. Slowly comprehending the situation, "Such a troublesome meteor would definitely cause much more concern for those unexperienced in such enigmatic events."

Noticing that the redhead didn't even seem to think much of the situation, Paimon shot him an inquisitive gaze, "You don't seem too bothered by this, Master Diluc…" She floated closer to gauge his expressions better, "Paimon would've thought that you would be more curious."

Diluc merely crossed his arms, a disinterested scoff escaped his lips, "I, for one, do not have any particular interest in understanding the science behind an otherworldly phenomenon." Placing his cup of drink down, he pondered over the other side of the situation, "Of course, if any of those affected by the event seek my help; I wouldn't hesitate to provide the assistance that they need."

Nodding in understanding, Aether leaned further into the support of his arms on the table, "I don't doubt that part."

Though after he echoed his sentiments, Aether's tone grew serious. A tint of sound that Diluc had rarely gotten from the normally light-hearted blonde.

"But I think you'd be interested in investigating the people who had been prodding around the meteors."

Intrigued by Aether's confidence, Diluc's eyes lightly gleamed with curiosity, "Oh, and who might those people be?"

Pausing to take a sip of his drink, Aether promptly answered.

"The Fatui."

Diluc knew that Aether hadn't missed the slight twitch of his idle fingers.

"I see… So, that's your angle, huh?" He realized that it had been Aether's ploy all along, "For someone who introduces their selves as a mere Traveler, you do know how to play your cards well."

It was clear to Aether from the moment they began working together, that Diluc had somewhat of a history with the Snezhnayan organization. What exactly happened wasn't entirely something that Aether had particularly wanted to know about, but it was enough to let him know that the man wouldn't idly sit by if the Fatui were mucking around his nation.

Yet, Aether didn't make a big deal out of it, and simply shrugged; much to Paimon's confusion. "Just thought you should know…" He placed a finger on his chin, "Oh, and they've even got a harbinger that's personally investigating the meteorites."

Harbingers. Diluc had long waited for an opportunity to settle the score with that elite group of people. Though he wouldn't even know if the one Aether has said to be investigating had been one of the three that was sent to end him in a Fatui stronghold some couple of years ago, he'd take on any one of them if it meant a rematch.

Though of course, the presence of a harbinger also meant that the meteorites pose a great interest to the eyes of the organization. Which could mean a trove of information that Diluc could get access to in order to find out more about the people of the Tsaritsa.

"Alright, you'd made your point." He decided that there was no use in feigning ignorance any longer. "I'll see if there's anything I can find that might help you solve the issue."

The fairy beside Aether looped the air with joy, "Nice! With Master Diluc investigating the case, this should be solved in no time." Seeing that Aether had made the move to begin leaving, she headed for the door, "Paimon's sure that we'll get those people up and running in a flash."

Whilst she exited the premise, Aether watched on with amusement, "Honestly, I only really need your help with the 'figuring out the Fatui's plan' part. They've kind of made enough trouble here already." He then lightly fist-bumped the Ragnvindr's shoulder, "Leave figuring the actual meteorites to us. I've got a bunch of people coming in to help already, not to mention the knights that are making the rounds to tend to the ill."

"Oh, right. The knights." Diluc remarked with disdain, before clearing his throat off the acidic tone, "Speaking of which, did you get Jean's opinion on the matter? I would assume that she would be in contact with you if she were to find out that you were involved."

To be honest, he sort of assumed that she would be in contact with him as well.

Aether shook his head, "Nothing from my side. Pretty sure she's swamped as it is."

Alas, that is a valid reason, if there ever was one.

"That's a guarantee, I suppose." He muttered with disapproval, "With how thinly spread the knights are, it's a given that she would be the one to sacrifice more of herself to accommodate to the needs of the people."

"Well, you know better than I do." Aether casually commented with a shrug, "All the more reason to lend a hand, right?"

Again, another valid reason. Though Diluc would rather not trudge the path of saying that reason out loud.

By the time he finally finished with his itinerary for the day, the sun had almost hid itself behind the hills of Mondstadt. Notifying Adelinde of what he had intended to do, he left any outstanding businesses to her and Elzer's hands before making his way to Springvale. The first of the locations that Aether had recommended him to check; whilst also being the location where most of the coma patients are receiving impromptu treatment.

The moment he stepped his foot within the vicinity of the village, he understood that the issue had been far more severe than what he had previously summed it up to be. Judging from what Aether had told him, he had criminally underestimated the number of people that the meteorite had now affected. The makeshift tents and support stations now pretty much overflowing with those who are shouting over one another in a desperate bid to get their loved ones the treatment that they needed.

Above all, he knew that it had been dire the moment he saw Barbara frantically tending to every nurse that had an extended issue with their patient. All while juggling around multiple patients on her lonesome. If a healer as talented as Barbara had looked so overwhelmed, then Diluc could only imagine how those regularly trained nurses were faring.

He had planned to skip all the commotion and focus on the task he had on hand, but the moment some of the village folk began to run out of patience and pushed up towards Barbara and the nurses, he felt the need to intervene.

Before one of the more aggressive males where able to force a hand onto deaconess' shoulder, he had grabbed the limb in a flash and pulled it back to a point of it on the verge of snapping. The man's yelp of pain all he focused on while Barbara looked at him with a surprised sense of relief.

"…Master Diluc?"

Clamping down on the man's arm, he promptly stared him down, "There's no need for senseless aggression here. They are trying their best to keep up with your demands." Shoving the man from a hostile distance, Diluc then crossed his arms, "Interrupting them during their job will only prolong the issue in hand; so stand back, and wait until they can properly attend to your needs."

Acknowledging both his own selfishness and Diluc's towering presence, the man simply mumbled a soft apology to the forgiving Barbara, and moved away without further question. Having seen a new figure of authority in the camp, the other men who had a similar idea began to timidly shuffle back to their waiting areas. Providing the space needed for the nurses to finally attend to the patient without the hounding pressure of impatient individuals.

Releasing a breath she didn't know to have held, Barbara turned towards Diluc, who still kept a sharp gaze on the crowd.

"Thank you for your help, Master Diluc. We were beginning to lose control over the crowd." She kept her eyes on him whilst her hands remain tending to the patients that she had been overseeing. "The meteorite's effects are starting to spread faster than we can allocate nurses and treatment. Some of them have waited for hours just to get in line."

It's understandable in his mind to see the restless crowd, but what he had expected to see more of had been the number of knights that were positioned to help maintain order in the tents. He didn't even need to use both hands to count out all the on-duty knights that he had managed to spot in a quick glance.

"It's inevitable considering the lack of authority in place. Are the Knights incapable of providing more people to help keep the townsfolk in check?"

After making sure that her patient had been stable, she finally turned to fully face him, "Je-, Uhm, I mean… Master Jean had stopped by earlier with additional Knights. But, the appearance of more and more meteoric shards forced her to leave the site." She motioned towards the guards who were barely able to catch their breath after the previous commotion, "There's only so much that the less experienced Knights can do to take control of the situation. Even more so since a lot of their superiors aren't currently even in Mondstadt."

Diluc clicked his tongue at the thought of what started the shortage of the Knights in the first place, "Right… Varka's expedition."

For his life he can respect the man. But, his decision to take a good chunk of the force to go on what he can describe as an inane 'grand' expedition is simply something that he couldn't quite grasp the purpose of.

"Since the Traveler and his friends discovered that the shards are the one causing these comas to happen, Captain Kaeya had rerouted his forces to focus on discovering the locations of the shards." Barbara continued explaining, "Captain Eula and her reconnaissance team had also been tasked with removing the ones that they can find."

With the topic of the shards in hand, he took the opportunity to further his mission, "Now that you mentioned it, do you happen to know the location of the nearest meteorite?" Thinking of an excuse that doesn't reveal his true point on investigation, "I've been meaning to take note of their locations in order to help my workers avoid the area."

"Oh, of course! The newly discovered shards were said to have just been south of the lake." The blonde answered in a flash.

Nodding in affirmation, Diluc flashed her a thin smile, "Thank you. If you ever need any assistance from the Dawn Winery, don't hesitate to contact Adelinde or Elzer. They'll know how to handle it from there."

After a quick thank you and goodbye from the deaconess, Diluc made his way to the hill that had overlooked the village. Passing by the lake to find an area that seemed to have been shut off with a simple notice by the side of a rock. A warning that a shard have been thought to be detected in the area, urging people to stave off exploring the vicinity until proper removal of the shard had been done.

Taking note of how poorly the sign had been both made and placed, he listed it off as one of the things he should tell the Knights to fix when he has the time. Wilfully ignoring the sign for now, just so that he can expend his focus on finding the supposed shard.

He only managed to take a few steps nearing a small crevice, before he heard a tone of voice that he had an uncanny degree of familiarity with.

It was the voices of some Fatui skirmishers.

Immediately lowering his self out of vision, he crept through the foliage. Peeking over the slight undulation of the hill edges to see a couple of skirmishers arguing amongst one another whilst one of them kept a close eye on a…

…A kid.

Wait, a kid?

Though he was about to see if he could recognize the child that seems to be held hostage by them, he didn't quite have the time to think about it, when he got within earshot of their conversation.

"So, this is what that Harbinger asked us to bring in?" The cryogunner knelt beside the glowing crystal on the ground, "Seems kind of harmless to me."

Seeing that his partner was about to reach out to the crystal, the pyroslinger beside him roughly pulled the man back, "Hey, are you stupid! Touch it and you'll fall unconscious just like the idiots in Springvale." Scoffing in disdain, he pointed towards the child who just sat to the side, "Besides that, what are we going to do with the kid? The Harbinger specifically told us not to leave any witnesses in the retrieval process!"

"I don't know, just throw em' in a sack and tell them to zip it or else?" The crygunner answered without much of a thought, "Besides, you were the one that the kid spotted first. So, why don't you figure out what to do?"

"Why, you…"

Whilst the Fatui locked horns in another bout, Diluc decided that he wasn't going to waste any more time.

Brandishing his claymore, he flew out of his bush and jumped down towards the two Fatuis. Swimming his blade by the surface to knock both of the men away, and far from the kid.

Recovering from the shock, the cryoslinger immediately prepped his gun as they took a battling stance, "Hey, what do you think you're doing!?"

"I could ask the same to you." Diluc calmly retorted. His blade twirling under the coming moonlight, "I would say that this is a new low for you Fatuis. But, considering the extent of rotten deeds you all have committed in the past; I suppose this is just about what I expected from the likes of cowards such as yourselves."

The cryogunner just about flared his nose like a raging bull, ready to pounce on the redhead before his partner stopped him in his tracks.

"Disengage, you buffoon." He thrusted his chin towards the man opposing them, "Don't you know who that is?"

Taking nothing but a second of a look, the cryogunner simply shrugged, "Don't know, don't care. I just wanna teach him a lesson."

"You should know, and you should care. That's the owner of the Dawn Winery." The man furiously chided, "He's amongst the top on the list of people we shouldn't engage."

Still unwavering, the bigger Fatui still felt the urge to demolish the man, "Who cares!? Shouldn't we get rewarded for taking out a primary target for the Harbingers?"

"We engage him, then we will be dead twice!" This time the pyroslinger made sure to push the cryogunner back, creating more distance between them, "That's the guy that survived against three Harbingers; he's going to make minced meats out of the both of us!"

Finally, that daunting fact seemed to have shaken the stubborn skirmisher. Scoffing before finally turning tail to the other direction, bellowing towards Diluc, "You got lucky this time! If our Harbinger finds out that you've been meddling in our business, you'll be dead meat!"

"Whichever one you send, tell them that I'll be waiting." He called back. The only response that he got in return being the sound of the two of them scurrying away in a hurry.

After making sure that they have actually left the scene, he sighed his tension away and stored away his claymore. Adjusting his clothes and dusting off his coat before a surprisingly cheery voice sound out from behind him.

"That was so cool, Master Diluc!"

Turning towards the kid, he was met with a sense of surprise when the child in front of him sported a huge grin. As if she wasn't at all perturbed by the fact that she was just about held hostage by a bunch of Fatuis not a few minutes ago.

But it was only when Diluc finally got a good look at the brightly dressed child did he realize who she was.

"You're… Klee, aren't you?" He huffed after checking that she wasn't in any ways injured, "Miss Alice's daughter… Why aren't you with Jean?"

Klee tittered excitedly, her ears bouncing with her jubilant jumping, "Oh, the weird grown-up knows mommy too? Then maybe you aren't so weird after all."

…The weird grown up?

Confused at the lack of panic in her voice, he asked, "Are you alright? I'm not sure if you were aware, but those people were not exactly good folks."

Still wearing her bright smile, she nodded enthusiastically, "Don't worry, Klee knows! Klee was about to throw some jumpty dumpties and blow them off the hill before Master Diluc came to bonk their heads away."

As Klee juggled her supposed 'jumpty dumpties' in her hands, Diluc's mind snapped in place and remembered what Klee's uncanny specialty had been.

Considering how destructive her mother was, it's somewhat of a given.

"Oh, but Master Jean told Klee not to go near any of those crystals. She said that bad things will happen if Klee gets close to it. But Klee was just curious! Klee didn't want to blow up those mean people, even if they were mean…" She timidly shuffled her feet. Eyes now avoiding Diluc's gaze, "Please don't tell Master Jean that Klee told Master Diluc that Klee was ready to bomb them out of the hill."

Diluc blankly stared at the child, an amused smile on his lips, "That's what you are worried about?"

Before Klee could reply, a familiar voice called out to them from up above.

"Klee, there you are!"

The pair looked up to see one Acting Grand Master Jean jumping down from the heights above. Landing right between them and immediately checking up on Klee. Gently kneeling down to check if she was alright, before calling out back to where she had come from.

"Albedo, we're down here!"

Not a second later, two other figures jumped down from the same cliff edges. Both still having their expressions filled with concern, before turning into a sigh of relief at the sight of Klee fully unharmed.

"Big brother Albedo! Big sister Mona!"

The former didn't waste any time expressing his concerns, all while the astrologer beside him simply placed her hands on her knees. Trying her best to catch her breath.

"Klee, I thought I made it clear that you shouldn't leave my lab for the time being." His ever-gentle voice meandering to the pyrotechnician's ears as he motioned towards Mona, "You made me and Mona worry excessively!"

Gasping through bated breath, Mona barely managed to choke out her words, "I'm glad to see that nothing unbecoming had happened to you…" Another sharp inhale emphasized her physical struggle, "But dear me, keeping up with the frantic pace of those two is no easy task by any means."

While Albedo gave her another look over, she bashfully responded, "Sorry… Klee didn't mean to make everyone worry." Before she lit up and pointed towards the man that they had blissfully ignored during their panic, "But it was all okay, because the not so weird grown-up was here to accompany Klee!"

All three newly arrived adults froze in place, with only Jean managing to conjure a response.

"The not so weird grown up?" Her eyes trailed the direction Klee had been pointing towards, before finding Diluc's own crimson orbs, "Ma-Master Diluc? What are you doing here?"

Now that Albedo and Mona had also recognized his presence, he took the time to explain, "I was merely taking note of the meteorite shard locations, and had wanted to make sure that my workers can avoid certain routes in the coming days." He crossed his arms, eyes closed as he leant on a nearby tree, "It seems that the kid decided to follow me out of interest. So, it's my mistake for not paying attention."

If he had been looking, then he would've spotted the gleeful look that Klee had been giving him.

"Please, there's nothing here that can be considered to be your fault." Albedo spoke, bowing his chest ever so slightly, "Klee wasn't supposed to be out in the first place. I just want to make sure… She didn't cause any trouble for you or anyone in the vicinity during her excursion?"

He paused for a miniscule moment. But it was enough for him to spot the pleading eyes that the Spark Knight had given to him. The final bit of reasoning he needed to just keep things on the down low between the two of them.

"No, not at all." He motioned towards Klee, feigning a professionally acted gaze of approval, "She kept distance from the shards because she knew that she wasn't allowed to be anywhere near it. She was very well behaved even when I eventually spotted her."

With his stoic confidence on full display, he knew very well that he had left no room for them to doubt his words. At least, for the alchemist and the astrologist. She might have thought that he hadn't seen the slight change in her gaze, but he knew that the Acting Grand Master hadn't fully believed his testimony.

Despite the evidence of doubt, she didn't prod much further. "Well, that's good to hear then." She then averted her attention towards Albedo, "Albedo, I can take care of the shards from here. Why don't you and Mona take Klee back to the city?"

Albedo responded, "Very well. Come, Klee. Let's head back."

Mona's groan sounded out through the woods, "We're walking again? My knees haven't recovered from our previous exercise…"

Before the two could fully lead Klee out of the cliff edges, the bubbly kid turned towards Diluc once more. Waving back with bounding steps.

"See you, Master Diluc!"

He hadn't missed the small 'thank you' that she had silently mouthed after the fact. He replied with a small wave in kind. A remnant of his amusement going through the motion of his hand.

Keeping his eyes on the trio as they disappeared from the vicinity, he only turned away once Jean's voice came by his side.

"She was very well behaved, huh?" Jean playfully questioned as she sidled up to his side, "That would explain the scuffed grass and signs of struggle by the edges over there."

Diluc scoffed, brushing past her while he eyed the glowing meteoric shard on the ground, "She was well behaved." He knelt down to observe the rock, taking in the enigmatic aura it had been emitting, "What other unaccounted variables decided to do in the meantime, wasn't exactly within the scope of things that I would want to indulge in with people who aren't in the need to know."

"So, what were the unaccounted variables?"

Shooting her a questioning look, she merely shot back with a sharp gaze.

"We had a deal. I'm very much someone who's within that need-to-know list of yours."

Well, she did have a point. He knew that making that deal to ensure both of their cooperation had its grievances.

Then again, he saw no reason to hide the truth from her anyways.

"If you must know…" He began saying, his tone growing dimmer, "It was a couple of Fatuis."

Jean's voice turned into a fierce whisper, "The Fatui? What sort business do they have with a child?"

"Less with the kid, but more with what she'd caught them doing." Diluc kept a pointed gaze at the shard as he brought it closer to his face, "It looks like the Harbingers are taking extra measures to make sure that no one is aware of their investigations of the meteor."

"And is that why you were scouting around the shard's locations?" Jean questioned with a sense of realization.

The nod of his head confirmed her theory, "Aether had informed me of Fatui involvement when he was asked by the guild to investigate the phenomenon." He showed the shard to Jean, "I'm not sure what their motives are, but whatever it is, it must be connected with the fact that the meteorites had been nothing but trouble to the people who came in contact with it."

"I see… I suppose you have a lead that you're following up on after this?"

Jean knew, to a certain extent, that Diluc had far more connections that even his already vast network as a winery tycoon had provided for him. It was no surprise to her if he were to gain intel far before she even had the slightest of clue about it.

"An old abyss hideout just past Dadaupa Gorge. Lately, there's been a pattern where newly sent Fatuis seem to occupy those derelict domains." He stood up after storing the shard away, "If they haven't changed anything from the way they operated before, then I expect to see some form of activity there."

Nodding in affirmation, Jean waved him forward, "Alright. Let's get going then."

Diluc simply paused and remained where he was, confusion marring his expression. "And what exactly are you trying to get me to do here?"

"I'm coming with. I might as well see first-hand if the Fatui have something in mind for the shards." She gave him another questioning stare, "Or did you really think that I'm about to let you go investigate an enemy headquarter all alone?"

"I did have an inkling. Hence my hesitation to tell you what actually happened here." His reply had an inch of exasperation, a hand grabbing at his scalp, "Working alone suits me best. Besides, this wasn't part of our actual deal."

Playfully tapping his shoulder, she walked past him with a loose smile, "Well, it is now." She whipped her head towards the wilderness, "Come on, it's been quite a long while since we've partnered up for a mission without others. I'm sure it's going to be fun."

As much as he had wanted to reply, she had pretty much gone out of earshot by the time he was about to say his piece. Leaving his thoughts to entertain itself.

He couldn't win then; how could he win now?

Masking his chuckle, he shook his head in amusement. Wordlessly joining her as they make their way towards the direction of the Gorge.

The moment they stepped foot into the abandoned abyss hideout, Diluc knew that there certainly had been activity within it. An observation that Jean didn't miss all the same.

"These embers look fairly fresh." She walked up to a nearby torch, crushing the bits of cinders that hadn't completely died out.

Diluc nodded. Summoning his claymore to his side, "Some of the supplies left behind had also completely shifted." He laxed his shoulders, voice turning low, "Be on the lookout. It's likely that they're still somewhere within the vicinity."

Her sword immediately by her side, Jean postured up next to him.

"Yes, Sir."

From a swift judgement of her tone and the lack of expression from her features, he chalked up her use of honorifics to pure reflex. But, it didn't stop him from shooting a quick look of slight disapproval to her direction.

When she noticed his gaze, she grinned sheepishly.

"Apologies. Force of habit."

Rolling his eyes away from her vision, he began walking ahead. Checking for any potential traps that the new occupants of the domain might have set up. All while Jean quickly fell in line to check his six.

A slight pang in his heart reminded him of how things use to be during the early days of their time within the Knights of Favonius.

Due to how quickly they were progressing in their respective training, they were often paired as a duo to go on reconnaissance missions. The fact of the matter is, their cavalry captains loathe dealing with the extra paperwork that comes with a disrupted operation, whether it be due to an outside factor or personnel incompetence. With the two of them being paired together, there was rarely ever a time where a job isn't done as to how the procedures had written it off to be executed.

It didn't take a while before they began developing somewhat of a telepathic tendency when it comes to working with one another.

With how the first minutes of their domain expedition has been going, it's clear enough to Diluc that the inherent habits that they've developed all those years ago hadn't been forgotten by neither parties.

Even if he had been the one to shoot here a questioning look when she suddenly addressed him with his old honorific, it was a reflex that he had come to understand the moment he raised his hand to give her a signal that came straight out of the old Knights of Favonius guideline. A signal that meant to tell the party behind to cease movements and begin scouting the perimeter ahead.

But, since Jean had followed his signals without question, he decided not to dwell on that habit any further.

Keeping their bodies low, they inched towards a clearing on destroyed wall. Voice that bear similarities to the ones he had heard before began pouring out of the opening. He only needed one peek to see that it had indeed been the same Fatuis that he had encounter earlier. This time, surrounded by more of his contemporaries just lounging around what seems to be their base of operations.

Noticing that Jean is still watching their behind, he lightly tapped her shoulder. Once he knew that her attention was on him, he gestured a series of signals with his fingers. All of which she understood without further explanation.

Nine people, three groups of three. All distanced away from one another.

From then on, the battle plan was obvious.

She shifted to the other side of the opening. Taking note of the fact that barely any of their foes have their weapons properly equipped on their selves. Meaning that the element of surprise is still very much within their disposal.

"Ready?"

Catching his whisper, she nodded at the ready.

With a flick of his claymore, they jumped out of the cover and charged towards the unsuspecting group of Fatuis. Their rapid footsteps the only thing their leader heard before they crashed their camp.

"Intruders! Get into battle-, augh!"

Diluc's claymore had sufficiently cut off his words with a solid knock on his face. Flinging the pyroslinger across the room and knocking the lights out of the poor soul.

The overall tactic had been simple. Take out their commanding officer and the rest of the camp tends to fall into disarray. Though they might try to brute force their way through the battle, it is no match for the combined coordination that two of Mondstadt's greatest protectors had built between one another.

With the knowledge that the groups had been separated from one another, Jean used her anemo powers to drag them together into a messy and clumsy clump. Using her vortex to further discombobulate them, it allows for Diluc to spare his efforts towards the few who had gone wayward from her control, or to simply deal a massive blow with his signature Dawn.

A tried and true method that they've perfected over countless missions against countless enemies over their years of partnership.

Though it was clear to Jean that he had been taking extra care in making sure that the frontline bearing stays within his grasp.

If he thought that she'd miss him purposely taking a few shots on her behalf, then he'd be sorely mistaken. Though she knew that her healing had been one of Mondstadt's best, it was still no excuse to recklessly take hits from their foes. Let alone people who's had their physicality amplified by a delusion.

Had he been fighting this way, all by himself?

She threw that thought to the back of her mind, focusing her strength to finish the battle then and there.

Blasting the last conscious cryogunner towards the path of his claymore, he delivered the final blow to finally knock the Fatui out of commission. His body spun around in a daze before finally hitting the floor with a satisfying thud.

All that was heard soon after where the cacophony of groans from the Fatuis who's had their souls half-beaten out of their physical being.

Though true to his Darknight methods, he had left that tiny bit of consciousness remain in the eyes of their leader. Who was silently struggling to sneak out of the domain before Diluc caught him by the collar, and threw him back towards the centre of the room. His groan of pain permeating the room when the redhead roughly locked him into an armbar.

"Alright, talk." Diluc practically commanded. His foot jamming at the back of the prisoner, "Who's the Harbinger interested in investigating those meteorites, and what do you want with it?"

"Go to hell!" The pryoslinger practically sneered at him.

Feeling the pressure of his locked arm increasing, the man lashed out in pain.

"You bastard!" Try as he might to wiggle out from beneath the raging Ragnvindr, it was all but for naught, "If you think that pain is enough for me to crack, do your worst!"

It was Diluc's turn to sneer viciously at the hapless man, "Oh? If you think that this is pain enough, then I'm afraid your organization's intel on me has been rather outdated."

Even with a mask on, Jean could sense the growing fear within the man.

"Wait, what do you-,"

His words were cut off by his own scream of anguish as Diluc channelled his Searing Hands through the pyroslinger's body. Though the Fatui had been enhanced by a delusion himself, it meant nothing against the flames of a man who had trained the fire of his Vision for years.

"You-, You're burning me!"

Unabashed, Diluc raised a sarcastic eyebrow, "Really? I haven't noticed." Further increasing the tightness of his hold on him, Diluc's voice grew menacingly low, "If you talk, then maybe I can keep it down from a point where I would begin to notice the heat."

The man shrieked in terror, "You wouldn't!"

Another scream of pain bellowed out of him as Diluc channelled another fiery spout of his Searing Hands. Increasing the strength in increments only he can notice.

"Trust me." He pulled the man's hand further back, hunching down to growl in his ear, "I wouldn't hesitate."

He's missed the look of concern that Jean had shot him.

"Fi-, Fine. I'll talk!" The pyroslinger finally gave in, "Just-, keep your stupid flames away from me!"

"Depends on what you know." Diluc shot back, "Now, which Harbinger?"

"The sixth! All I know is that he's in cahoots with the third to research this meteor." The Fatui began talking, desperation marring his every word, "They like to investigate this sort of shenanigans. Usually, the third will be behind the scene while the sixth does all the fieldwork."

Thinking back to his time of destroying Fatui strongholds, Diluc hummed, "The sixth… A foe I've yet to meet." His voice filled with venom at the recollection of his past, "But the third… What would Dottore want to do with those meteors?"

Taking advantage of the pause, Jean approached the man apprehended on the ground, "Are they planning anything against Mondstadt?" She crossed her arms authoritatively, "What were your orders when you were dispatched to our nation?"

"The Tsaritsa shares her plans with no one except the highest-ranking members of the Harbingers." He replied with a tone of disdain, "Our orders were only to observe and retrieve when needed."

"And what of the list of people you shouldn't engage?" Diluc questioned with a push of his foot.

After a short grunt of pain, the man probably would've spat on them if he had a choice, "You two were the top of the list, I bid you my congratulations." He laughed maniacally, "It's just my rotten luck that I had to encounter the annoying imbecile protecting the city from the dark and the goody two shoes slag that's now running the count-,"

Diluc shot another string of fire through the man's body. Shoving his face further into the ground whilst Jean gasped at the sudden flare of flames.

"Diluc?"

Completely ignoring her call, the redhead's crimson orbs practically burned as bright as his Vision.

"Watch your words, you worthless vermin."

Realizing that he'd touched a nerve, the captive man practically jeered at him.

"Oh, screw you!" He basically shouted, "If you and that harlot of an Acting Grand Master-,"

His screams of pure torment echoed throughout the domain. The crackling sound of Diluc's flaming torture accompanying its every whim as he spared no mercy for the man who had ran his mouth through his raging flame.

"Diluc." Jean initially called out with restrain.

She got nothing in reply other than the sound of his angered grunts, fuelling the heat that enveloped the screaming Fatui.

"Diluc!"

An increase in volume still did nothing to shake the man off of his rage.

"Diluc, that's enough!"

Finally, she decided to shake him out of his stupor. The fiery gaze in his eyes slowly dimming down to its usual crimson when he looked at her with an inquisitive gaze instead.

"What?"

"That's enough…" Jean ordered through bated breath, motioning towards the man limp in his hold, "He passed out."

Finally taking a good look at the man who has now gone unresponsive, Diluc simply muttered dismissively, "Oh." Before letting the man fall onto the ground unceremoniously as he stood away from the circle of Fatuis that they've knocked unconscious, "So much for withstanding all sorts of pain."

Jean stood disapprovingly ahead of him, "I can't entirely blame him. You were torching him alive, Diluc." She jabbed a finger towards his chest, "Is this how you've been operating all this time? Charging into enemy territory all by yourself, and then senselessly beating information out of them?"

"It's worked wonders in my solo excursions. Which is why I said that I prefer to work alone." He blankly admitted, his glare still directed towards the clumps of bodies in the middle of the room, "If the Knights were anywhere near as effective, then there wouldn't be any need for me to partake in any of this in the first place."

"That's an absurd suggestion. The Knights would never stoop so low as to use such underhanded methods." Jean countered with no hesitation, "If we stoop to their level, then what difference does it make between us and them?"

He didn't answer straightaway.

"More importantly-,"

She pulled his tie to make him face her.

"What difference does it make between you and them?"

Though his eyes had been full of intent, he gently took her hand off his tie.

"I do this for the sake of protecting the people I once swore to watch over. They do it for a cause that they don't even know a thing about." He said as he kept his gaze straight at her, "All while they blindly follow orders that bring harm to the innocent. I consider this upholding my side of justice."

He thought of his words to be enough, but Jean simply sighed, her hand finding its way to his cheek.

"But what's the use of it all, if it's going to end up with you straying further from who you are?" She reasoned, eyes now glazed with concern, "This is far from how you were before. Deep down, the only thing driving you is vengeance. Vengeance that can drive you down a darker path."

Carefully, he removed her hand from his cheek and held it within his own, "I've changed plenty from the naïve boy I was four years ago." He tightened his grasp, "But I will never change to the point where I would be betraying everything that I stood for."

"Sure, but how can you guarantee that? Human emotions are fragile." A different kind of pain suddenly filled her voice, "Time never cares about what you promise not to break now, and what you end up breaking in the future."

It was then did he realize that she had been talking through experience.

Of course, out of everyone in her life; he would be the one to know how the separation of her parents had taken a toll on her. The promise made by two people who you would've thought to have always be there, willingly broken by both parties.

"You do this all by yourself, Diluc. You trudge through experiences that can cause a lifetime of trauma for those who had tasted it once." She leaned closer, frustration leaking through her curled fist, "And all that's left to greet you is a mansion filled with loneliness. It's hardly a place that someone of your state of mind should be coming home to."

He felt all the fight he had within him leave his body.

"I'm deathly worried for you…"

At this point, she had basically leant all of her being into his chest. He merely stood there, uncomprehending of what exactly should he do in this scenario.

An inkling within him had urged him to hold her. Assure her that things will never go as far as she had rightfully worried about.

Yet, his moment of hesitation had been interrupted by the sound of clinking footsteps coming from the forefront of the domain, a voice calling out their identification. A sound that also jolted Jean back into focus, prompting her to push herself off of his chest and wipe the stray liquid away from her eyes.

"That must be a patrol who heard the commotion here." She cleared her throat, and ushered him to the far side of the domain, "There must be another exit around here. I'll distract them while you make your way out."

Diluc nodded awkwardly, caught off guard by the sudden change of the dynamic, "Ri-, right…"

After a few awkward shuffling, she grabbed hold of his hand. Her gaze confident as she peered into his soul.

"I'll stop by after this." She whispered, hearing the sound of the patrol's footstep growing louder, "I better find you in your mansion, or else…"

He patted her hand with understanding, "Don't worry, I'll be there."

"I'll worry regardless." She said with a soft smile, "Now go."

With a final nod of his head, he swiftly made his way to another exit from the domain. Just in time to avoid being in sight of the arriving patrol.

However, only one thought plagued his mind in the midst of his escape.

She has a point…

The moon finally reached the centre of the sky. Diluc remained sat on the front yard of his manor. His night workers occasionally passing him by with their own greetings while he simply replied in kind. Some of them with an extra bit of wonder over why their boss is still sat out so late during the night.

"I have… an arrangement." He'd shortly say. Giving them no room to further question his answer.

Finally, Adelinde gave the rest of the staff a short notice of his plans. Causing the questions to cease and for him to be left fully on his own device.

Though it didn't last for long.

"Oh, and here I thought that I'd be finding you in some other place."

He looked up from the contemplative gaze he had stuck on the table. Finding Jean's searching blue eyes whilst she stood beside the table, a hand leaning on the surface.

"I did say that I'll be here." He answered with a shrug.

"That you did." Softly giggling, she tilted her head to the side, "Were you waiting long?"

Shaking his head, he made sure to flash a soft smile, "Not at all. I just went out to check on a few arrangements."

She knew he had lied. Ever the gentleman tendencies that the Ragnvindr men had been trained for all their lives.

But the setting around had been somewhat public in nature, and for a winery of its stature, there are plenty of workers to be found still toiling around to get their jobs finished for the day.

"Can we go somewhere more… private?"

Her voice had been shy, but the night light made her blush all the more easier to hide ahead of Diluc's questioning gaze.

On the other hand, Diluc had thought nothing of the request. "Sure." He stood up to join her, a hand motioning towards the doors of his mansion, "Follow me."

With a silent nod, she fell in line with his footsteps. Passing through the doors that he had opened for her before proceeding to follow him through the expanse of his domicile. Stopping by Elzer's station for a quick greeting.

"Ah, Master Jean. A pleasure to see you. It's quite rare to see such a familiar face these days." The older butler greeted with a bow, "I hope everything has been well and healthy in your life."

Jean smiled with a warm sense of familiarity, "It's great to see you too, Elzer."

Briefly smiling at their interaction, Diluc nodded towards Elzer, "We'll be in my study. Please inform the other's to not interrupt unless it's an emergency."

"Understood." The man replied with ease, "Adelinde should have already procured some refreshments. So, we shall leave you in private."

Waving a quick goodbye, Diluc lightly ducked his head, "Tell her that I say thank you."

"Will do." Elzer bowed once more towards the leaving pair, "Have a good night, Master Diluc. And to you too, Master Jean."

"Good night, Elzer." Jean waved as she went by him. Following Diluc up to his study.

Passing through another set of doors that he had opened for her, she took the pause within their conversation to get a quick look of the room around her. Though the room itself had evaded the path of her memories, she found relief in the fact that she could still identify what few trinkets had left behind from the time his father had still been alive. A tea set that had pretty much been around for as long as she could remember, an astrolabe that had been a gift from Alice, specific books that she remembered having borrowed during her sporadic stays within the house.

It all brought along memories of how things used to be between them. Her longing look traced his back while he made his way to his desk, placing a few wayward documents aside give it a cleaner look.

"I hope this is private enough." He said before he turned to lean on the desk, "What did you want to talk-,"

His words faded in his throat when she suddenly surged forward and embraced him. Her arms linked around his neck while she laid a hand at the back of his head, softly stroking it as if he had been a fragile piece of glass. Ready to break at any given point.

A part of him couldn't exactly compute the next set of actions for him to go through. But the warmth of he had felt inside compelled him to hold her all the same. Her body fully relaxing when she realized that he had not minded the sudden physical touch, and tucked his head firmly to rest on her shoulder.

Tenderly, she asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fi-,"

"Honest answer, please."

A slight pause filled the space.

"…I wouldn't exactly refuse a hug like this."

Satisfied, she smiled gleefully, "Then… take your time."

And take his time he did. Truth be told, it has been a long while since he had come home to a person waiting to give him the time to reconcile his thoughts. The more he sunk into her hold, the more he wished that it had been something that he had considered finding a whole while ago.

That being said, it was more because there was a lack of availability of an individual who would be there to provide him with the hold that he needed.

Just as he thought of it, she began whispering softly.

"Whenever, and I say whenever…" The caressing hand on his the back of his head grew gentle, "…You need a person to help you recuperate. Please, don't hesitate to find me. I'll drop everything in an instant."

Diluc mumbled through the confines of her shoulder, "I can't possibly-,"

"Anytime, Diluc." She strengthened her hold, "Please, if you're not going to do it for yourself, do it for me."

Her determination, her hold, the feeling of her breath swaying between the creases of his ear. All working to break down his walls.

"I'm not sure if I can bear the thought of knowing that you have to lose yourself the way you did back in the domain, only to come home to a place of equal sorrow."

If he couldn't win then; how could he win now?

"Please, I couldn't be here for you then…" She almost pleaded, her grasp growing with desperation, "…Please, let me be here for you now."

In the end, he surrendered completely.

"Alright…"

Feeling his acceptance, she held him closer, and so did he. Her heart wondered if she could finally help heal the heart of someone who had ignored the cries of their own wounds for far too long.

They stayed that way until time is lost to their consciousness. The night life becoming their faithful companion as one soul relishes the reconnection of their bond.