With this, we've now caught up to the Spacebattles Thread, heh. Though I posted this chapter while I was uploading the older chapters here.
Crossposted A/N: Here's the Eula idea I mentioned in one of my replies earlier, reforged to fit the current version of the story.
Please ignore my half-baked attempt at rationalizing game mechanics, they will continue to only be used as setup for character building moments.
Big A/N at the end.
A Knight's Retirement
Chapter 11: Within Stone Walls
Eula Lawrence was someone who marched to the beat of her own drum. Inscrutable to most and eccentric to others, few chose to remain in her company for long even if they'd gotten past her family's rather horrid reputation as tyrants and despots. That suited her fine, for now. She had nothing to prove to those who couldn't look past the surface.
Still, there were those that knew the real her underneath that prickly exterior, those who could really throw her off of her rhythm.
Said individuals usually came from a handful of her fellow knights or the occasional citizen that saw past their prejudices, but the two on her mind the most these days were her dear friend Amber and the enigmatic knight Cyril.
Especially after Cyril spoke about his past. She'd never admit it out loud, but she'd spent quite some time reading everything he'd written about his homeland and its inhabitants. Part of it was her due diligence in being prepared for possible threats, but she also wished to understand the strange knight as well. Few individuals caught her interest in such a way.
To begin with, despite his usual polite tone of voice, he didn't actually seem to have an in-depth knowledge of noble etiquette.
She would know.
One could guess that the nobility of Lordran or Astora were simply different from those of Mondstadt, but she had the feeling that he just hadn't actually interacted with people of high station regularly. It was a curious quirk to Eula.
Then there was his story about how the Undead were treated where he came from. Though the circumstances were quite far apart, the results struck a chord with her. Ostracized, loathed, and rejected by their homelands…yes, one could say Eula felt a certain sense of kinship with Cyril. Things had improved for her considerably in recent years, but the wounds of the past are not so easily forgotten.
She felt that Cyril had similar thoughts. Despite the fact that he'd wholly embraced Teyvat after his arrival, his conduct upon revealing his past was one of wariness and expectation of the worst. Eula had to admit that she understood where his attitude had come from, but she was also inexplicably happy everyone who was there and heard the story were quick to disabuse him of those notions.
But would the common citizen be so understanding of what he really was? Privately, Eula hoped so. But it certainly wasn't the time for them to make an announcement or anything like that.
Her internal musing was interrupted when a lightning bolt incinerated a hilichurl that had been charging at her.
"I see you're throwing around those lightning bolts of yours again. I assume you've been practicing?" Eula commented as the two of them continued to dispatch a hilichurl ambush.
It was his first major excursion since he'd thrown himself into writing his "encyclopedia" on Lordran. The Adventurer's Guild and Knights of Favonius were still working together on sorting through the information and deciding how to best disseminate it without outing Cyril's past to too many people.
In the meantime, he'd begun taking missions once more.
"Yes, it'd be remiss of me to not cast such a miracle properly while I claim to be a member of the Warriors of Sunlight." Cyril answered, "Lady Lisa also gave her approval earlier."
"It really is quite an effective attack. Though I'll be asking you to take off your gauntlets after this." Eula replied, her tone brooking no argument.
"Such injuries do little to slow me down in the first place…" Cyril muttered to himself, earning a slight glare from the icy claymore user and making him add, "Though your concern is appreciated."
Eula gave a huff in response, playing off her concern as pragmatism, "It wouldn't do for you to impair yourself or reduce your effectiveness on a mere diversion."
The hilichurls proved to be no issue, and after Eula was satisfied at Cyril's lack of injury, the two of them continued on with their primary mission: there'd been some word of unusual Treasure Hoarder activity so Eula and Cyril were sent to investigate and observe.
Treasure Hoarders were hardly the most threatening force that the Knights of Favonius had to handle, but they were still opportunistic criminals that preyed upon vulnerable targets. As such, Eula had no qualms about performing her duties in such a mission, and it seemed that Cyril shared her sentiments.
Though she did wonder what the Treasure Hoarders were getting up to so close to Stormterror's Lair. Ever since the Traveler had pacified Dvalin, the area had become safer, but still quite inhospitable for human habitation.
"During some of my spare time, I've taken the time to learn of your family's storied history, Lady Eula," Cyril commented as they traveled, his words making her freeze for a moment, "Truthfully, I never would've guessed that your relatives had such a reputation."
"...Is that so? What makes you say that?" Eula asked after a pregnant pause.
"I remember little of my family, but I feel that they must have had a considerable amount of influence on me during the formative years of my youth." Cyril furrowed his brow, his helmet tucked under his arm in that usual way he did whenever conversing casually, "I cannot imagine someone as accomplished and skilled as yourself hailing from a clan known for arrogance and decadence."
There was a brief silence.
It was rare that someone just…bulldozed their way into the issue of Eula's family. Amber came to mind, but even then the cheerful girl had never outright started a conversation like this before. She took a moment to wonder if he viewed this as just another conversational topic? He normally gave off an impression of polite tactfulness, but sometimes didn't seem to be on the same wavelength as others.
Regardless, she had to say something in return.
"It takes some confidence to insult someone's family right to their face," Eula shook her head, fighting down an amused smirk in order to maintain her flat expression, "Let alone make insinuations about another's upbringing."
Cyril's eyes widened, a sign of ignorance at the blunt manner he brought up the topic with, "My apologies. I remembered your statement about the Lawrence Clan and endeavored to learn more. I may have gotten carried away."
"It's just another grievance against you for me to remember," Eula shrugged, actually a bit happy at the compliments implicit within his earlier statement, "What made you bring up my rather estranged family all of a sudden?"
"Well, as I said before, I have little memory of my own family, so I admit to having a bit of a personal interest in the topic. I've also heard much about you from Amber, too." Cyril explained.
"That girl…" Eula sighed, before indulging his curiosity a bit, "Well, I like to think I had a good childhood, but after I realized I couldn't follow the path laid out for me, I left of my own accord. And it wasn't a pleasant parting."
Something in her manner seemed to tip off the Undead knight.
No matter what fundamental disagreements she had with her family, there was no changing that they were the ones that raised her. Even if she'd long since moved past their now hostile relationship, there was always a lingering hurt that remained.
"I didn't intend to bring up painful memories," Cyril inclined his head respectfully, "It takes a certain strength of character to forge one's own path and pursue one's own ideals. Doubly so when going against the wishes of your loved ones."
"..." Eula wasn't used to hearing such words. As such, she was caught off-guard by his perspective. Was it because he was an outsider looking in?
The average citizen of Mondstadt seemed to expect her to try to make up for her family's historical actions. Like it was a given for her to behave a certain way otherwise she'd invite the usual ridicule or disdain her family received. It wasn't malicious all the time, but there was always the underlying thought of "Ah, she's a good one," and the need to prove as such.
"It can't have been easy. I know from experience that when an idea is entrenched among the people…it'll be difficult to remove or change." Cyril continued with a grimace, likely remembering something he or other Undead had experienced.
"It…wasn't," Eula admitted honestly, much to her own surprise, "Like you guessed, my family's reputation has followed me for a long time. It still does…but that doesn't bother me much anymore."
There was a contentment in her voice that she didn't realize was present.
She'd never directly say it out loud to them, but with individuals like Amber and Jean or more recently Lumine around her, she was now happier than ever before. Having people that trusted her and that she could trust in return was a priceless gift that she was glad to have received.
Subconsciously, she hoped Cyril could find such strength from the people around him; perhaps even she herself could be one such person.
Cyril found Eula to still be somewhat enigmatic (unknowing that Eula's own thoughts towards him were similar) over the times they'd conversed, but going off of what Amber had told him and his own observations thus far, he was beginning to grasp her personality somewhat.
But nothing could've prepared him for the gentle smile that appeared on her face as she seemed to reminisce about something. It was…breathtaking, he had to admit.
"Joining the Knights of Favonius was likely the best choice I've made," Eula seemed to realize how sentimental she'd been acting, hastily adding, "Of course, being on the inside allows for many more opportunities to exact my revenge."
Cyril smothered a smile at that, finding her pride endearing rather than abrasive, "I see. I'm glad you continue to look forward, towards the future. I hope I'm able to do the same."
She seemed to have a bit of pink on her cheeks as she turned away, her whisper just barely audible, "It's not like me to slip up like that…"
Cyril wisely decided to pretend he didn't hear anything.
Some time later, the two of them arrived at what appeared to be a recently abandoned campsite. Cyril kept an eye out for any signs of trouble while Eula investigated the site.
"This is probably their camp, considering one of them forgot their insignia…" Eula held up a circular badge that denoted membership within the Treasure Hoarders, "Judging from the embers they probably left camp about an hour ago, maybe a bit more."
"Any indication as to their destination?" Cyril asked.
"They don't seem to be interested in heading into Stormterror's Lair itself, their tracks indicate they likely went into some of the caves nearby. Though aside from gathering iron ore, I don't see any reason they'd be up here…" Eula said with a frown.
"They may be looking for a secluded location to store their spoils. Perhaps we should see for ourselves?" Cyril suggested.
"That's a possibility. Treasure Hoarders are always looking for new places to hide their stolen goods." Eula nodded, remembering how difficult it could be to retrieve stolen goods even after apprehending the criminals themselves.
Cyril followed Eula's lead as she tracked the Treasure Hoarders. As they traveled further and further, a certain unsettling feeling overcame the Undead knight.
"...The air seems stagnant. And there's no sign of wildlife in the area…" Eula seemed to sense it as well.
"This…feels both familiar and unfamiliar. I must urge caution." Cyril quickly fastened his helmet, the tension apparent in his movements.
"Is it something from Lordran?" Eula turned to him, eyes wide.
"I'm unsure." Cyril shook his head, eyes narrowed as he scanned his surroundings for anything out of the ordinary, "But if another item or individual has crossed into Teyvat, I fear the Treasure Hoarders may have stumbled into something grave…"
On higher alert, the two of them began searching the rocky cliffs that bordered Stormterror's Lair. The entire time, there was a distinct lack of noise and activity that set them on edge. After a series of empty, uninhabited caves, they ran into something quite literally out of this world.
"This…" Eula stared at the mass of fog that obstructed the entrance of the cave in front of them.
"A gate of fog…" Cyril hummed, sounding rather irritated, "It seems another guest has arrived in Teyvat…"
"I saw no reference to something like this in your writings, care to explain?" Eula asked, still eyeing the writhing mist warily.
"I have heard many theories from travelers and scholars…" Cyril relaxed a bit, "The commonly accepted one is that due to the collapse of both time and space in Lordran, conflicts between places and individuals with…weight, so to speak, cause these walls of mist to appear."
"Conflicts? And the collapse of time and space?" Eula looked rather alarmed at his words.
"It is complicated. Have you read Sir Albedo's and my observations on white soapstones?" Cyril asked, continuing after receiving a tentative nod in response, "I once summoned an ally to fight against an animated golem of sorts. He seemed perfectly healthy when summoned, but only a little later I discovered his corpse, quite long dead I might add. Though whether he remained dead is questionable, as with all Undead. In short, time is strange in Lordran."
"..." Eula was speechless for a moment, "What…does that have to do with this wall of fog?"
"Well the theory is that places or individuals with powerful influence on the world around them are sometimes frozen in time, so to speak, such that when others of considerable strength like myself encounter them, the world will force us into contact." Cyril shook his head, "It's quite confusing for me as well. But a concrete example I know of is that I slew a demon that guarded one of the only passages through Lordran, but also encountered many other Undead that had arrived on the other side of that passage long before I had. They had to have slain the demon themselves, yet it was alive and well when I fought it. And it was hidden behind one of these gates of fog…"
"...I must say, Lordran sounds like a terrible place to live." Eula shook her head in disbelief.
"You are not the first person to say that to me…" Cyril smiled wryly.
"So, what does a fog gate being here mean for us right now?" Eula asked, returning to the business at hand.
"Optimistically, we can hope that a chunk of some long lost place has made its way to Teyvat, and that it is empty and harmless. Pessimistically, there is something strong and likely hostile on the other side of that gate." Cyril shrugged.
"Great." Eula sighed, "And the treasure hoarders' tracks lead right up to it…why would they choose to cross such an ominous-looking thing?"
"It is likely that this gate didn't manifest until I was close by," Cyril theorized, "Given the relative stability of Teyvat, there wouldn't have been any 'conflict' for a fog gate to form until another being or object from Lordran with a strong presence came into the vicinity."
"...I'm going to make sure you talk to Lisa and Albedo about this. We'll need to investigate this matter thoroughly." Eula stated flatly, "If it turns out having you around can contain unwanted guests with these gates, we may be able to lessen the danger surrounding these arrivals.
"Understandable. I'm no scholar but I'll do my utmost to support their efforts," Cyril nodded in acquiescence, "There are other cases in which fog gates may form, so I will be thorough in adding a new chapter to my writings."
"Good," Eula nodded in satisfaction, before giving the fog another once over, "So what do you propose we do now?"
"I can cross the gate. If it's a simple location, the gate should dissipate and we should be free to explore. If it's another being, I'll have to make contact with it first, as the gate will reform. If it's hostile…well, then I'll probably have to kill it before the gate can dissipate permanently." Cyril went over the possibilities in his head.
"I'm going with you." Eula said immediately.
"...I understand that I mentioned in my threat assessments that Vision users, especially skilled ones such as yourself, can likely handle anything except the most dangerous of foes from Lordran…But in cases where fog gates form, we will likely run into one of those 'most dangerous' foes…You must remember, I cannot be permanently killed.' Cyril advised with a frown.
Eula gave him a flat look, "I'm going with you, or we go back and submit a report and bring reinforcements. I'm not letting you get yourself killed, permanently or not."
"If there's a being on the other side, it may choose to cross over to this side of its own volition." Cyril argued, "It would be best if I investigated it now."
"Then I'm going with you." Eula repeated.
Cyril tried to think of a way to convince her it was too risky. Barring that, there was always the possibility of-
"And if you trick me and cross the gate yourself, I will, quite literally, never forgive you." Eula squinted at him suspiciously.
He stopped that line of thought immediately, his intentions having been seen through. Honestly, he felt a mixture of frustration and admiration at the show of stubbornness Eula was putting on. And also a bit of warmth at the obvious concern she was displaying.
"Very well," Cyril gave in, "But I sincerely hope you will prioritize your own safety."
"...Fine," Eula folded her arms crossly, before turning her glare towards the entrance, "Shall we go through?"
"Yes. Follow immediately behind me and you should be able to cross the fog gate as well," Cyril drew his sword and readied his shield. After a moment, he felt Eula's hand grip his shoulder tightly in preparation, "Then, here we go."
Cyril raised his hand to the fog and began walking. He felt the familiar, slight sensation of pressing against a thin barrier, before the fog seemed to give way and dissipate around him. A second later, he was through. Luckily, nothing was standing in front of him ready to cut him down, and a quick glance behind him confirmed that the fog gate did not reform.
"Hah…" Cyril breathed a sigh of relief, "I must admit I am glad it is not the fog gate of an adversary."
Eula relaxed as well when she saw the tension leave Cyril's shoulders, "So it's a place that arrived here then…do you recognize it?"
They both took a moment to observe their surroundings. It was strange, like a building had suddenly been smashed into the cave and buried, with both rocks and stone jutting unnaturally at times. A variety of smashed furniture and other assorted interior objects were scattered across the ground. An inexperienced adventurer may assume they've discovered a buried ruin, but any seasoned adventurer or archeologist would be able to tell that the formations present could not be formed by natural causes.
"It's almost like…a domain…" Eula frowned, also noticing the unnatural construction of the cave, "I don't recognize the architecture though. But that makes sense, if it's from Lordran."
"The architecture here is decidedly human. But not of a construction I recognize." Cyril eyed the stone walls, "It's more likely this is a place dragged from another one of the many fallen kingdoms. I do not know which."
"That's a good thing, right? Most of the dangerous creatures you wrote of were only found in Lordran if I recall correctly," Eula said curiously.
"Perhaps. I'd still be loath to run into things hailing from the Great Swamp," Cyril shook his head, "We should press deeper. We'll likely find our answers there."
Eula nodded her agreement. As they pressed deeper, the environment grew more bizarre, the stone caves of Mondstadt gave away more and more until they felt they'd entered a ruined keep, in a long hall surrounded by foreign walls.
"This is disorienting," Eula narrowed her eyes at a hanging tapestry, "The caves here shouldn't run this deep."
"..." Cyril didn't seem to hear her, staring intently at the same tapestry, before gasping in recognition, "Balder…this a keep from the Kingdom of Balder…"
"Balder? That wasn't one of the ones you listed before…" Eula pointed out.
"Balder fell long before the Kingdoms I know of. By the time I was first born as a regular human, it had already fallen to the curse of the Undead." Cyril explained, "They were some of the first to mount expeditions to Lordran, the failures of said expeditions were plentiful and honestly quite tedious to handle."
"I see…hollows, then? The ones you encountered during your travels?" Eula asked.
"That's correct," He nodded in return, "Balder Knights are plentiful if not especially noteworthy. Still, underestimate them and you may find yourself cut down in no time at all."
"Hm…an old keep from a fallen kingdom. Every treasure hunter's dream, even if they aren't aware of this place's origins." Eula huffed, "We better find them before they trigger a trap or something that causes this whole place to collapse."
"I doubt we have to worry about collapse, though your comment about traps is rather prudent," Cyril shuddered, remembering Sen's Fortress quite clearly, "I wish to prioritize finding the brigands, but this place should be noted down for further investigation."
"Of course," Eula agreed, "I'll have my unit perform a more thorough scouting later, then we can bring some investigators in."
The scope of the keep they found themselves in made itself clear as halls began to branch in various directions. Luckily, Eula could still follow the Treasure Hoarders' tracks.
"They're likely nervous about exploring this place," Eula commented, "They haven't split up into smaller groups, fortunately for us. I think it's likely a group of 8-10 of them."
"I do not like how quiet this place is. A keep is more likely than not to be filled with hollows or any straggling Undead." Cyril gave a suspicious glance behind him, "Unless this was a keep for those untouched by the curse. But in that case, there should be bodies…"
"Perhaps they simply evacuated due to some extenuating circumstances?" Eula suggested.
"That's possible. I know little of the state of Balder's homeland after their fall. This could be an abandoned keep…" Cyril trailed off as they arrived at the doorway to what was likely the audience chamber of the keep.
It was blocked off…by yet another fog gate.
"Or, something disagreeable has taken up residence here." Cyril finished.
"Another one…I don't suppose it'll lead to another location, will it?" Eula grimaced.
"Most likely not…" Cyril sighed, "Their tracks lead right up to here?"
"They do," Eula confirmed.
"Very well. I'm now glad that we did not tire ourselves with needless combat beforehand. Shall we proceed?" Cyril asked, readying himself to step through yet another gate. After he felt Eula grip his shoulder again, he stepped through-
And immediately tackled Eula to the side as a volley of projectiles came flying at the two of them.
The audience chamber was a grisly sight, in similar disrepair to the rest of the keep. A dilapidated throne sat at the head of the room.
But most noticeable were the bodies scattered around the room: the treasure hoarders. Around them stood familiar-looking knights: hollowed soldiers of the Kingdom of Balder. There were about 12 of them, 4 crossbowmen and 8 swordsmen with shields. But standing by the throne was a hollow with quite ornate armor, likely a noble or perhaps even royalty.
"Wha-" Eula froze as she took in the scene. Her eyes widened at the bodies, but she quickly refocused on the immediate threats.
"I will take them head on." Cyril said, "Please flank them and take care of the archers. I do not know who their leader is, but be wary of magic or enchanted weapons."
"Got it." Eula summoned her claymore and readied herself for combat.
All at once, the room exploded into motion. The hollowed swordsmen charged the pair while the crossbowmen loaded their next volley. The leader stood motionless, which only worried Cyril more as he moved to engage his adversaries.
He had plenty of experience fighting Balder swordsmen, their long blades and fighting style quite familiar to him. But eight of them at once would require his full attention and no small amount of skill. As he parried their blows and cut at their weak points, out of the corner of his eye he saw Eula cutting into the crossbowmen with ease.
As expected of a Knight Captain, she gave them no opportunity to fire and soon she was finished and ready to aid him against the swordsmen. But before she had the opportunity, the leader drew his own blade: an ornate rapier and charged at her.
"Hah!" Eula deflected his first thrust but was forced on the defensive by his quick attacks. Her opponent was quite skilled, forcing her to use her Vision to begin applying ice to her swings. She likely hoped to slow him down enough so that she could prepare a stronger attack that would overwhelm him.
Cyril grunted as one of the knight's blades found a weak point in his armor while he was distracted, opening a gash under his arm. The blade likely deflected off of his ribs, a mere flesh wound. With renewed fury, Cyril cut down several more knights, leaving only 3 facing him. They displayed some semblance of wariness, backing off and watching him carefully.
But that was a mistake, as he readied a firebomb (one of the few he still had…perhaps he should approach the alchemists about producing more) and quickly set the remaining three alight.
"Are you alri-" He quickly turned back towards Eula's fight, only to find her cleanly decapitating her foe, his body encased in a coffin of ice.
"Troublesome foe." Eula commented, before giving the treasure hoarders a remorseful look, "They may have been thieves, but something like this is…they didn't deserve that."
"True enough…" Cyril nodded in agreement, before kicking at one of the fallen knights around him, "We are fortunate these were simple hollows. A cut above the average mindless husk, but still trivial in the end. I'm curious as to how another fog gate formed, but that nobly-dressed one might be someone important politically, rather than the much more common martial strength that would cause a gate to form."
Eula moved closer and looked over their fallen foes, shuddering slightly, "I know you mentioned the hollows usually had a ghastly or ghoulish appearance, but it's something else to see in person."
"Hm," Cyril grunted, checking his wound and downing some estus.
"You were hurt?" Eula focused on him instantly.
"Just a cut. Nothing some estus won't cure." Cyril reassured her, "I have learned my lesson about downplaying my injuries, I promise."
"Good," Eula nodded, returning to examining their bodies, "I can see why they would be called Undead…what causes them to look like this?"
Cyril fell silent at that for a moment, "They way I was told, when killed, an Undead's soul fractures, losing a part of their humanity. Distinct from souls as a form of currency or energy, humanity was also a common tool of barter in Lordran. To become whole again, one must consume a fragment of humanity to replace their lost one. Hollows simply don't have the mental faculty to perform such an act any longer."
"Wait, that happens to all Undead…?" Eula's eyes widened and she turned and stared at him.
"Yes, I'm told I'm somewhat better looking than the average hollow when in that form," Cyril joked lightly to hide a sudden surge of apprehension, "I also have quite the surplus of humanity from across my travels, so I won't need to take that form often with any luck."
"D-Does it hurt?" Eula asked tentatively.
"It does, but no more than the death that would cause it…" Cyril replied, "You can see, though, why even fully cognizant Undead were also reviled as well. Many of us were eager to become whole again, and what better source for humanity than uncursed humans? Out of fear of both real and potential…actions by the Undead, the uncursed's hate only grew stronger."
"..." Eula had a saddened, troubled expression on her face, "You've been through a lot…I knew that…but…"
"It is simply how things were in my lands." Cyril stated with resignation.
"It shouldn't have been that way." Eula suddenly said, with some fire in her eyes. She approached him, taking one of his hands in both of hers, "Judging someone for the sins of others…it just isn't right. "
Cyril blinked in surprise at both her words and the sudden contact.
"How many of you were driven to extreme actions by others? How many could've been saved if they'd been more accommodating? An injustice was committed against you and the others marked by the Darksign. And I promise you, I won't let anything like that happen here." Eula said passionately.
Caught off guard at first, Cyril soon realized how close to home the Undead plight might've hit the Reconnaissance Captain. She was someone who was also judged for the actions of others, so perhaps that was the reason she had warmed up to him so quickly. She did have a reputation for being rather standoffish towards others, after all.
"You…you're not disgusted? Some scholars say that that feeble, hollowed form is the true form of the Undead, after all…" He managed to ask through his surprise.
She seemed to take offense to that, "Regardless of what you look like outside, that doesn't change who you are on the inside, Cyril. Remember that. I won't turn against you just because you can get a little bit dehydrated."
Was that a joke? From Lady Eula?
He stared at her for a moment, eyes wide beneath his helmet.
"...Ha, hahaha!" Cyril broke out into cheerful laughter, something he very rarely did, "The people of Teyvat continue to surprise me, no matter how much time passes. Every one of you, at that…Thank you very much, Lady Eula."
Eula was shocked at the sudden burst of laughter from the normally soft-spoken knight. But what shocked her even more was the smile on his face when he lifted his faceplate to wipe at his eyes. It was different from the content one he commonly sported while walking around Mondstadt, instead filled with a certain sense of…camaraderie. It was a smile that showed true appreciation aimed towards her, making her feel a bit self-conscious.
And she had to admit, his laugh was…pleasant to listen to.
Once she'd recovered, she hastily responded, "Just Eula is fine. It'll be strange if you call Amber and Jean without a title, but continue to use one for me."
"I see," Cyril's smile didn't wane even a bit this time, "Then…thank you, Eula."
He gave her hand an affectionate squeeze, making her flush and let go quickly. It was likely he just meant it as a gesture of friendliness, but Eula didn't often engage in physical contact.
"Ahem," She cleared her throat, some pink dusting her cheeks, "We should return and inform Jean and the others of these developments."
"Of course," Cyril nodded jovially.
They left behind the scene of carnage, heading back the way they came. They walked in silence, but it was a comfortable one, with Cyril's good mood nearly tangible in the air. Eula, for her part, was reviewing her behavior throughout the day with no small amount of consternation.
She'd let her guard down, having expected Cyril's friendly nature to manifest in a more muted manner than Amber's, but still along the same vein. Instead, his attitude was one of tempered positivity rather than the archer's radiant optimism. Still looking forward, but with full knowledge of reality.
His words and behavior resonated with her, and it had made her act more frankly around him than she ever expected to.
Though…was that really such a bad thing?
She'd have to think more about that.
But at the very least, she now had someone else she was fully willing to call a friend, along with Amber.
And that, she decided, was a very good thing.
Crossposted A/N (from SpaceBattles):
Big A/N incoming.
This Eula idea was the last thing I put down when I first started this idea back in 2021. Before I revisited it and began turning it into a proper story in 2023/2024-ish. So now I kinda wanna talk about how it's going.
At this point, we've hit on almost all my original major ideas for Mondstadt. It occurred to me when I was putting down drabbles and snippets those years ago that this idea was quickly becoming rather episodic, which was admittedly in line with my goal of writing character episodes. However, I also felt like I was steadily heading into Genshin Impact's pitfall. Or at least what I consider a pitfall for most gacha games:
The character stories tend to be great at fleshing out a character, but there's no actual progress (most of the time). And then we just forget about that character unless the devs decide to make a new version to milk some more money out of the playerbase, or maybe a writer/director has a soft spot for them and does an event or something. It becomes more unmanageable the larger a cast gets, which is true of most gacha games, but it's especially noticeable with Hoyoverse. And it's the reason I think games like Limbus Company actually have the best character writing due to the set cast size.
But I digress.
I got hung up on the idea of progress, and how I would keep moving forward with Cyril's relationships. Even with no major overarching plot or villain, there still has to be some sense of moving forward. Especially with hints of romance (mah boi deserves to be happy). I think it's going well in the current state of the story, but thinking of adding more and more characters, especially once Cyril starts traveling, is a pretty daunting prospect.
And I'll admit, giving Cyril friends is easy (relatively), but it was the idea of romance that was bothering me. My buddies and a few proofreaders jokingly told me just to go the harem route (a la Azur Lane or Girls' Frontline), but I'm apprehensive of that as it's hard to do well without reducing the characters' depth. It's one thing to have good character stories like what GFL2 is doing and what Azur Lane attempts to do with its memory events, but in those examples they just kinda handwave the Protagonist having a shit ton of partners away as being natural for that world. Which is...pretty much a no-go for me in this case. If only I could be as awesome as the 100 Kanojo mangaka, though that story admittedly works well by blending crack comedy with character development.
Anyways, I also considered doing alternate routes, since I'm a huge Visual Novel player (if my Majikoi comment from the last chapter didn't give it away), but that also has its own issues. Namely, coming up with more unique branching storylines. I never really reached a solution, but eh.
I'm just glad I worked up the courage to post this story somewhere. I'll keep brainstorming in the meantime.
In the end, I dunno what I'm actually writing this note for, just putting some of my thoughts and history out there as the writer haha.