Morning.
The plaza in Mondstadt.
A Fatui envoy stood before Jean, chin lifted high, voice exaggeratedly calm:
"This is our position.
If the Knights cannot immediately suppress the so-called 'Stormterror',
then hand Mondstadt's city defenses over to the Fatui."
Jean — who hadn't slept all night — stared at him, exhausted and stunned.
Hand Mondstadt's defense… to the Fatui?
What difference would that have from selling the city outright?
The audacity was unbelievable.
Jean inhaled sharply, ready to shut him down — when a familiar figure entered her vision.
A violet silhouette, walking slowly from the street.
"Lisa!"
Jean instantly abandoned the envoy mid-sentence and hurried toward her friend.
The envoy blinked, dumbfounded.
"Wait— I wasn't finished? Why is everyone like this in this city—?"
Inside the Knights' Library
Lisa lounged by the sunny window, hair loose, posture relaxed — the picture of serene contentment.
Her mood today was very good.
The faint, unmistakable aura around her body had changed — fuller, clearer, more refined.
The lingering sensation of power flowing through her limbs was… pleasant.
Last night's encounter still echoed in memory — warm, dizzy, impossible to forget.
"…He really is impressive," Lisa murmured to herself.
"There was a moment it felt like my mind was going completely blank… as if I really might become an airheaded fool for good…"
She bit her lip, amused.
"And the poor dears like Barbara… mm. They absolutely couldn't handle him."
Bang!
The door slammed open.
Jean hurried in — and then froze.
Lisa felt… different.
More vibrant. More alive.
"You… last night—" Jean began, ears flushing.
Lisa waved a hand lightly.
"My personal matters are easy to resolve. But—"
Her tone shifted, seriousness returning.
She had brought up Mondstadt's crisis to Su Xuan last night.
Suggested they use the moment to secure Jean's cooperation.
But Su Xuan… simply patted her and went to sleep.
This morning, he still said nothing.
Lisa understood immediately: pressing the topic would backfire.
So she let it go.
And the answer was now obvious.
"Regarding Mondstadt…" Lisa sighed gently, folding her arms beneath her chest.
"It seems he has no intention of intervening."
Jean's breath stalled.
Her heart sank — fast.
Then suddenly—
"Then how did you succeed last night?" Jean asked in a whisper.
Lisa blinked, then laughed.
"What do you think two adults alone would do? I simply… invited him in."
"Li— Lisa—!" Jean's voice cracked, face burning to the tips of her ears.
She truly had no defense against this friend.
Seeing Jean thoroughly overwhelmed, Lisa's expression softened.
"Jean — do you remember the children the Fatui Doctor took from Mondstadt years ago?"
Jean froze.
And her expression turned bleak.
"I remember. None of them ever returned."
"Exactly." Lisa exhaled.
"When Mondstadt could not defeat Ursa the Drake, the Doctor took advantage — and in exchange for 'help,' we allowed him to recruit. Those children became test subjects."
Her amethyst gaze was steady and sharp.
"Compared to that?
The price I paid — and the return I received — is a bargain.
And besides—"
Her voice tilted into a sly purr.
"Su Xuan is handsome and well-built.
Honestly, I feel like he's the one who worked harder, and I was the one being spoiled."
Jean:
"…I understand. I don't like it, but… I understand."
Before she could say more—
The diary lit.
Jean and Lisa both looked down at once.
[Diary — Update]
[The winds of Mondstadt are indeed free.]
[Perhaps too free.]
[When trouble strikes, the people simply stare — waiting for someone else to decide what to do.]
[That person is always Jean.]
[Even trivial tasks are pushed onto her.]
[Now, she must face Stormterror and the Fatui's diplomatic pressure.]
[She cannot also rebuild the city. So the city simply stalls.]
[As for me — I am only here to travel. To observe. To enjoy.]
[I do admit, I like Lisa. We get along well.]
[But helping a whole nation… is another matter entirely.]
[Fortunately, the golden-haired traveler has returned.]
[Lumine is kind. Compassionate. She will not ignore Mondstadt's suffering.]
[I trust she will step forward to help resolve the dragon's corruption.]
[As for me… I think I'll enjoy a poetry reading today.]
Jean's eyes widened.
Lisa… slowly put her face in her hands.
"Lumine?" Jean whispered, hopeful.
Lisa's expression was deadpan.
"Jean, Su Xuan already wrote that Barbatos plans to sweet-talk her into helping."
"You tell me — will she still help now that she knows she's being used?"
Jean froze.
Outside the City Walls — Yesterday
Lumine stood in the forest, expression stiff.
"…He literally wrote that the Anemo Archon is going to manipulate me."
Paimon nodded vigorously, pointing back toward Mondstadt:
"Exactly! So why would we help him!? Are we stupid!?"
Lumine pressed her fingers to her temples.
"…We go back. But we're not doing this for the Archon."
Paimon blinked.
"Then for who?"
Lumine took a breath.
"For the dragon. Not for the poet. Not for Mondstadt.
Just the dragon."
Paimon stared.
"Lumine, that is the most reasonable thing you've said since we woke up in this world."