After all, he really didn't want Klee to find out that it was her bombs that had turned his alchemy workshop into the wreck it was now.
Come to think of it, if his memory served him right, every time Lisa invited Klee over, she'd make sure to distract her with sweets—and never let her anywhere near a workshop.
"Klee, try not to play with bombs for a while, okay?"
Thinking of the current state of Mondstadt, Albedo paused, then said softly, "Things have been a little unsettled lately. If you come across anything unusual, report it to me or Acting Grand Master Jean immediately."
"Mm-hmm!"
Klee nodded earnestly. "Klee knows! Klee won't trouble Albedo anymore. I'll go play somewhere far away—like Windrise!"
Albedo: "..."
Yeah. Getting Klee to stop playing with bombs was easier said than done.
"Oh, right."
Just as Klee was about to scamper off, Albedo suddenly remembered something. "Have you made any new friends lately? I saw you talking to someone just now—you two seemed to get along quite well."
"Eh?"
Klee blinked in surprise. "Albedo saw that?"
She tilted her head, eyes blinking as if deep in thought. Then, her face suddenly lit up with a bright grin. Hands clasped behind her back, she declared proudly, "It's Brother Kairo! I just met him yesterday!"
"Kairo?" Albedo's brow arched slightly, a flicker of curiosity in his amber eyes.
"Mhm!"
Klee nodded eagerly, her small face glowing with excitement.
"Brother Kairo is an amazing adventurer! And—"
She lowered her voice conspiratorially, her little hand forming a tiny fist as she leaned close to Albedo's ear. "His swordsmanship is super awesome!"
Albedo's eyes shifted subtly, gazing thoughtfully at the excited little girl before him.
An adventurer… whose swordsmanship was impressive?
Those words triggered several thoughts at once.
He mentally reviewed his memory for anyone named "Kairo."
A talented swordsman from Mondstadt, perhaps?
A moment later, realization flickered across his expression—his amber eyes narrowing slightly.
"Kairo…"
He murmured the name, ripples of intrigue stirring in his heart. He knew that name.
Not long ago, a young, gifted swordsman by that very name had appeared in the Adventurers' Guild of Mondstadt.
They said his blade was Electro-fast, his movements sharp and fluid—able to complete a string of high-difficulty commissions alone, with efficiency that outshone even seasoned adventurers.
For a time, "Kairo" had become something of a legend among the Guild's ranks.
Many believed he was destined to join the Knights of Favonius sooner or later. The Knights had even extended an invitation to him.
But surprisingly, he declined.
Instead, he chose to remain a free adventurer, continuing his work in Mondstadt.
After that, news of him grew scarce. Albedo had assumed the young swordsman had either left the city or retired from adventuring altogether.
Yet now…
He was still in Mondstadt—and close friends with Klee?
That was unexpected. Klee rarely befriended strangers so quickly. Normally, she only clung to familiar faces—Jean, Lisa, perhaps a few trusted knights.
Albedo tapped a finger against his arm, lost in thought.
If this was Kairo, he should keep an eye on him.
And more importantly—what exactly did Klee mean by "super awesome"?
He knew her well. This little girl had met plenty of skilled fighters—Jean, Eula, Kaeya… even members of the Knights whose prowess was well-known.
But rarely had she looked up to anyone quite like this, not in just a single day.
That could only mean one thing.
There was something special about Kairo.
Albedo's amber gaze flickered faintly, contemplating that possibility.
Klee's words had definitely piqued his curiosity.
A genius swordsman—without a Vision, no less…
Before Albedo could think further, Klee was already skipping away, humming a cheerful tune. "Albedo! I'm going to make bombs now~!"
Albedo blinked, snapping back to reality. His brow twitched. "Alright, but… be careful."
"Klee knows!"
Waving happily, she hopped off down the street, her red cloak fluttering in the evening breeze.
As her small figure disappeared, Albedo slowly withdrew his gaze, thoughtful light glimmering in his eyes.
"Perhaps I should find a chance to meet this Kairo myself…"
Then his gaze shifted to the still half-repaired ruins of his workshop. He sighed, shaking his head.
"First things first—this alchemy workshop needs rebuilding."
Even as a Geo Vision bearer, it would take more than one night to restore everything properly.
And with half his tools destroyed in the blast, he'd have to start from scratch.
He rubbed his temples.
Busy days ahead.
Meanwhile, under the shroud of night, in a tall, secluded building somewhere in Mondstadt…
A heavy silence hung in a lavishly decorated chamber. Golden candlelight flickered across crimson drapes and dark mahogany furniture, illuminating a long ebony table lined with ornate silver goblets.
Yet the air was thick—not with the comfort of wine and laughter, but with tension.
At the table sat Fatui's Debt Collector, lowering his wineglass slowly. The amber liquid inside trembled slightly, untouched.
His cold gaze swept across the three elite agents before him.
"Only three of you? Where are the others?"
His tone was calm—too calm. The kind of calm that froze blood in one's veins.
The three agents stiffened instantly. A ripple of unease passed among them as they exchanged nervous glances.
"Sir... we don't know," one stammered cautiously. "Last night, everyone was still accounted for. But this morning—they were just... gone."
"We sent people to search," another added. "But there wasn't even a trace left."
"Right. It's like they vanished into thin air! We thought perhaps you'd reassigned them, sir."
That last line made the room's air grow even heavier, like a dark shadow pressing down from above.
"I did no such thing," the Debt Collector said coldly, fingers tapping the tabletop. After a brief silence, his expression darkened.
"...Truly useless. One batch after another."
Disdain laced his voice as he swept an icy glare over them.
"The Fatui in Mondstadt are becoming pathetic. Can't even keep track of their own men? Or perhaps those missing rats decided to pocket their earnings and run—on the very day of the Stormterror attack?"
He gave a quiet, mocking chuckle.
Then he rose, the sharpness in his eyes glinting like a blade. "Maybe it's time I reassigned personnel here."
The color drained from the agents' faces. They knew exactly what that meant.
The Mondstadt post was considered prime within the Fatui's ranks.
Officially, they were "diplomatic envoys" from Snezhnaya—free to walk the city, shielded by immunity.
Unofficially, they controlled black market trade, collected "protection fees," and siphoned profits from local merchants.
To be removed from Mondstadt meant losing all of that.
Worse—it meant reassignment to the brutal battlefronts of Snezhnaya's frozen borders.
Their backs went cold. Sweat trickled down their necks.
They quickly dropped to their knees. "Please, sir, calm your anger! We'll uncover the cause and retrieve our missing comrades at once!"
"Yes, sir! After all, Mondstadt is protected by the Anemo Archon—some unpredictable things can happen here. But rest assured, we'll get to the bottom of it!"
The Debt Collector's cold expression softened only slightly. A faint, mocking smile tugged at his lips.
"You'd better."
He sat back down, swirling his glass lazily. His voice turned soft—but colder still.
"If you delay the Lady's plans, you know what will happen."
The mere mention of Fatui Harbinger turned their faces pale.
They all knew her cruelty—how one careless word could turn a man into ash.
With that, the three quickly bowed and hurried out to begin their investigation.
Dawn broke.
Sunlight bathed the cobbled streets of Mondstadt, brushing away the mist of night.
Vendors set up their stalls, the aroma of fresh bread wafted from the bakeries, and early travelers filled the taverns with quiet chatter.
Everything seemed peaceful, as though nothing had ever been amiss.
Kairo stretched lazily as he stepped out into the fresh morning air.
He didn't head straight for the Adventurers' Guild. First—breakfast.
A short walk later, he ducked into a familiar tavern, ordered some simple fare—bread, stew, fruit, and a cup of warm milk—and listened idly to the hum of morning gossip around him.
When he was done, he brushed off his coat and strolled toward the Guild.
But as he passed Albedo's alchemy workshop, his brows lifted.
The entire building—rebuilt. Overnight.
Yesterday, it had been nothing but rubble. Now it stood tall and pristine, its stone walls gleaming, structure firm and elegant.
Citizens crowded around, murmuring in awe.
"Unbelievable! It was wrecked just yesterday—how's it already fixed?"
"Well, it's Albedo, you know—the Knights of Favonius' Chief Alchemist! And he's got a Geo Vision. Rebuilding something like that's nothing for him."
"True! Must be nice having the power of Geo—just mold the rocks back into place!"
"Not just that—the Knights helped out too. Otherwise, it wouldn't be finished this fast."
Kairo listened, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
That was some ridiculous efficiency.
This wasn't mere patchwork—it was full reconstruction, with even the finishing details already done.
He had to admit, Geo users really did have an edge when it came to building things.
Still…
Considering why the workshop had been blown up in the first place, Kairo could only rub his temples and sigh.
Shaking his head, he didn't linger. He continued toward the Adventurers' Guild.
And just as he stepped through the plaza—
A small red blur leapt out from nowhere, eyes bright with excitement.
"Brother Kairo!"
The cheerful voice rang out, brimming with joy. Klee waved her tiny hands enthusiastically, her face lit up like a little sun.
She'd clearly been waiting for him for a while. Her backpack bulged, crammed full of what he could only assume were "adventure supplies."
Kairo couldn't help but chuckle. "You're up early."
Klee nodded eagerly. "Klee's ready! We can set off anytime!"
She patted her backpack proudly—thud, thud—and Kairo felt his eyelid twitch.
That sound… she'd definitely packed a lot of bombs.
"…Right."
He sighed softly, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "Don't be in such a rush—we're still waiting for someone."
Klee blinked, tilting her head. "Eh? Someone else is coming?"
Her curious eyes sparkled even brighter at the thought.
"Hey, hey, hey! Morning, everyone!"
A bright, energetic voice suddenly rang out, bursting with enthusiasm—like a beam of sunlight on a clear day.
Kairo froze for half a second. That voice…
Looking up, he saw a silver-haired boy striding down the street, waving and greeting everyone in sight.
It was Bennett.
And then—
A familiar blue panel shimmered before Kairo's eyes. His expression twitched violently.
[You encounter the sneaky Sampo in Rivet Town.
He's enthusiastically greeting everyone around him,
but you—having dealt with Sampo before—know all too well that the wider his smile, the deeper his schemes.
What do you choose to do...?]
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