Disclaimer: Genshin Impact and its characters belong to Mi-Hoyo and Hoyoverse; I own nothing.
Cover art by: Reishichi
The deaconess stared up at the large, castle-like structure that served as the Knights of Favonius headquarters with a frown. She hadn't planned on coming here so soon, but her feet had led her to this place anyways the more she thought about her sister's actions.
The absolute nerve of her! Acting grandmaster she may be, but that didn't give Jean any reason to dictate how she lived her life!
Though their parents had parted ways, the bond she and Jean never faded even with the distance between them now. She was a deaconess of the Church; she was a member of the knights – they both respected each other to live peacefully with the fact they had roles to uphold.
But one mishap and suddenly it was like none of that mattered.
She was furious, not just at Jean but at Sister Victoria, Albert and frankly the situation as a whole. None of it was fair to her even if she could understand why things came to this.
But a sabbatical? Is that really how they want to exile me? They might as well just excommunicate me if that's how they feel!
She wasn't thinking straight about this, and she knew it. Her sorrow and reluctance to leave had since given way to outrage and fury at the parties involved.
She wanted to scream, to rage, to vent all her emotions at everyone and everything that had landed her in this situation but…
Just what would I say?
There was much she felt she could say, but it would either come across as immature and further cement their decision to send her away like this.
None of those outcomes was one she wished to invoke, but that still left her at a loss.
Because at the end of all her fury and her sadness, there was the unsettling feeling of betrayal by her own blood.
Why didn't she at least talk to me about it first? Why go behind my back like this? If she wanted to protect me, then she could've assigned more knights to the cathedral's security or maybe trained the sisters. Certainly, Sister Rosaria is strong in her own right, but this is too extreme.
This was to protect her, they said… but from what? Albert? Monsters?
None of it made sense!
"Um… Miss Barbara?"
"YES?" she growled out, unintentionally spooking the knight on guard. Her face warmed a bit, her frustration mounting even as she struggled to calm herself down. It wouldn't be right to let her frustrations loose on an innocent person like this. "Ahem. I'm sorry, that was terribly rude of me. Sir knight, would it be possible to have an audience with the acting grandmaster?"
If Jean wouldn't come see her, then she'd cut out the middleman and go see her instead.
Somehow the knight looked even more unsettled, rubbing the back of his head a bit as he responded, "That… might be a problem, seeing as how she has left on a mission."
It was all she could do not to let out her rage right then and there.
"Did she say when she would return?" she settled for asking, keeping her smile intact.
"She didn't," the knight answered, and her face fell. "I-I could leave a message for her if you'd like?"
Oh, she could, she very well could. Several unsavory, unflattering, and rather unladylike remarks came to mind, but she laid them to rest – not easily, of course. "No, that's fine. Just let her know that I stopped by to see her."
"Can do. Is there anything else I can assist you with?"
Barbara glanced back up at the building one last time before letting out a sigh. Seems she didn't have much of a choice after all. "No, I believe that will be all. Thank you for your patience, and my apologies for taking up too much of your time," she said, giving a deep bow as well.
"Not at all! It was really nice to finally meet the Mondstadt's idol in person!"
So long as he didn't start waxing poetically like a certain fan of hers, she'd even sign an autograph for him later on if he wished.
"Of course! Well then, I'll be going now!"
The knight waved goofily at her, unaware of the dark expression that crossed her face immediately after.
Sooner or later, big sister, we will have words. It may not be today, or tomorrow but we will.
From inside, two shadowy figures watched the young girl stomp away from the building until she was almost out of sight.
"Satisfied?"
"…"
"You really should just talk to her. Letting things fester like this won't help in the long run."
"…I had to, Lisa."
"Yes, yes, I know but why seclude yourself like this?"
"You know why."
The witch let out a weary sigh, cupping her cheek as she gazed out the window, watching blonde twin tails bounce agitatedly away from the building. "Well, what's your plan now?"
"I need to investigate something near the old city," Jean answered, rising from her desk.
"Oh? That wasn't some cover story then?"
Jean was silent, but the way her fists clenched up was plain enough for her to see.
"Then you'd best be off before she comes back, and then we might have a good old tower defense situation on our hands."
Despite herself, Jean chuckled. "And I suppose I'd be the evil dragon guarding the lair?"
"One that our dear Dvalin might rightfully be wary of," the witch giggled, watching the blonde out of her office with a half-hearted glare aimed at her. No by her lonesome, the young woman let out a wistful sigh. "It's a dreadful shame Cutie isn't here. Solving this type of predicament is his specialty, ufufu."
Word of what happened had spread quickly through town, it seemed.
Her first worry upon entering the city would've been the worried and sympathetic looks the townspeople would send her way, and while they were there, it wasn't her biggest issue. If anything, it was a minor inconvenience.
No. What was the crux of the matter was her fellow blond that had been hounding her ever since she made it past Glory's usual spot.
"I had no idea things would turn out like that, Barbara-sama!"
She just barely withheld a sigh, but it was so hard.
She liked Albert, she did. He seemed like a good boy who had a big heart, at least when she was around. There were others who said less than savory things about him, but she didn't hold much stock in them…
Not at first anyways. But now, having had to deal with him begging and pleading for her forgiveness as if he personally wronged her.
She had accepted his apology – that should've been the end of it.
"But you handled everything so elegantly! It was amazing!"
It wasn't. If anything, it was worse.
Because now he he'd gotten the belief that things were fine with them and he could start praising and worshipping her like he usually did. IT hadn't bothered her much before now, but given recent events, she was close to blowing her lid.
"Albert, listen, I'm happy you're ok but I really need to get going," she tried to disengage politely… but the boy wouldn't let her.
"Oh, wait for me Barbara-sama!"
I'd rather not!
As if a horde of hilichurls were at her heels, she took off in a dead run, cutting corners and nearly colliding with several other townsfolk. Albert's pleas for her to wait fell on deaf ears, the girl frantically searching for something – anything to get him off her tail.
"Barbara-sama slow down I – hey, watch where you're going!"
Her feet pounded across the pavement, catching the shocked and startled looks of many bystanders that tried to call out to her as well, but she ignored them all.
She had to get away! She had to-
Her thoughts careened to a screeching halt as she spotted a familiar mop of bleach blond hair standing in front of the Adventurer's Guild. It was a boy no older than she but one she was quite familiar with all the same, since it was he she usually had to tend to his wounds.
He was also her salvation.
"Bennett!"
The boy's head perked up at his name being called, turning towards her voice and offering her a smile as blinding as the sun. "Oh, hey Barbara!"
"Barbara-sama-!"
Albert was close to catching up to her, which left her with little options… save for one.
"Bennett! You came to accept a commission, right?!"
If the boy was taken aback by her frantic state, he hid it well behind a vigorous nod and grin. "Yup! I just need to-"
"Please let me come with you!"
Shorter chapter because I really just want to get on with the main plot, and get the party assembled.
Anyways, I'll fully admit this will not be a polished fic and it might make flying leaps of logic at times, straying into the cliché territory. But if you've read my works you'd know that I do this for fun, not to impress people. If you like it, that's great. If you don't, well, more's the pity. (I think that's how the saying goes...)
I'll be honest, I am still figuring out how expansive I want this story to be. The first half of it will obviously be centered in Mondstadt, but beyond? Still figuring that out. But I hope you'll join me for the ride.
Till then,
Take care!