The dandelions were blown by the night breeze, floating past Yu Xie and Eula.
"I'm glad to meet you, Eula," Yu Xie said with a smile, facing Eula.
"Mm." Eula didn't quite know how to respond to Yu Xie's words, so she just murmured in reply.
In truth, she couldn't help but feel a little happy inside.
As a member of the Lawrence family, she had always been surrounded by prejudice. The vast majority of Mondstadt's people kept their distance from her.
But today, someone actually took the initiative to talk to her, and even said, "I'm glad to meet you," knowing full well she was from the Lawrence family.
"By the way, are you a Knights of Favonius now?" Yu Xie asked.
This question left Eula somewhat incredulous.
How could someone from the Lawrence family possibly join and become a Knights of Favonius? That was absurd.
"You probably don't quite understand how deep the resentment Mondstadt people have toward the Lawrence family," Eula's gaze darkened slightly. "Someone like me can never become a Knights of Favonius."
"Don't say that," Yu Xie said. "As long as you want it and work for it, becoming a knight is definitely not impossible!"
"... " Eula fell silent.
Become a Knights of Favonius?
She had never thought about that because it seemed utterly absurd.
The founder of the Knights of Favonius was Vennessa, who had overthrown the cruel rule of the Lawrence family. Now, someone from the Lawrence family wanted to join the Knights?
It sounded impossible.
But... what if it could come true?
If it did, then she could become a Knights of Favonius and do many things she couldn't do now.
She wasn't expecting that it would change how everyone saw her, but if she really became a knight, perhaps she could change a lot of things?
But... in the end, it still seemed impossible.
Some things were decided from birth, difficult to change.
"Don't underestimate yourself," Yu Xie said, gazing at the dim light in Eula's eyes. "You can definitely become a knight, and many people will acknowledge you, even if your surname is Lawrence."
Eula's eyes slightly trembled.
No one had ever said such things to her before.
This boy, whom she had just met today and was around the same age as her, seemed different from the others.
"Thank you for your encouragement," Eula said with a smile after a long pause. "By the way, you must not be from Mondstadt, right? How long have you been living here?"
"Actually, today is my first day in Mondstadt," Yu Xie replied.
"Your first day in Mondstadt?" Eula was a bit surprised.
"Yeah, is that strange?"
He had only just arrived in Mondstadt, yet he seemed to know quite a bit about the history of the Lawrence family. Had the story of the Lawrence family spread so far, even to other nations?
"Where are you from?" Eula asked.
"…Liyue," Yu Xie could only reply.
"You seem to be about my age. How is it that you came to Mondstadt all by yourself? Don't your family worry about you?"
"Actually... I don't have any family anymore," Yu Xie smiled faintly.
Eula was momentarily taken aback.
"Sorry, I didn't know..."
"It's fine," Yu Xie said with a small smile.
Eula looked at Yu Xie's smile, and she felt a mixture of emotions inside.
Everyone had their own struggles and issues, not just her.
"Can I ask you a question?" Eula thought for a long time before speaking.
"Go ahead, no secrets," Yu Xie replied.
"What do you think of the surname Lawrence?" Eula blurted out, her heart suddenly tense.
She had never asked anyone this question before, but today she felt a strong urge to know what this boy thought about the surname "Lawrence."
"Undoubtedly, the Lawrence family has done many unforgivable things to Mondstadt in the past," Yu Xie said.
Upon hearing this, Eula's expectations for the answer lessened a bit.
Yes, the Lawrence family were criminals, and everyone with the surname Lawrence was born with the stain of original sin. They had committed unforgivable acts against Mondstadt, and the Lawrence family should have been expelled.
That was perfectly logical, both emotionally and rationally. No one could argue with that.
"But we, the people living now, are not in a position to forgive what the past generations of the Lawrence family have done. However, personally, I think the surname Lawrence also represents a kind of responsibility," Yu Xie continued.
Eula was stunned for a moment.
Responsibility?
This was the first time she had ever heard someone say that.
"Before its fall, the Lawrence family was also a guardian of Mondstadt. Since the mistakes of the past can never be undone, we should focus on the present and do what we can," Yu Xie said further.
"I believe that you, unlike those stubborn nobles, will still become a protector of Mondstadt, even with the name Lawrence. Even if no one understands you, you will continue moving forward, not caring about rumors."
Eula was even more stunned now.
Indeed, this boy in front of her was unlike anyone else.
"Even though we just met, why do you trust me so much?" Eula asked, her voice slightly trembling.
"Eyes speak louder than words. Your eyes told me everything," Yu Xie smiled.
"Really?" Eula felt a warmth rise in her heart. "You make it sound like you're some kind of expert at reading people."
"Well... I'm okay, I guess," Yu Xie responded with a modest grin.
"Did you find a place to stay in Mondstadt?"
When Eula said this, Yu Xie realized he hadn't found a place to stay yet.
"I completely forgot! Looks like I'll have to sleep on the streets tonight…"
"Come with me," Eula stood up. "My elders probably won't accept an outsider into our home, but there's another place where you can stay for a while."
Outside the Whispering Woods.
Eula led Yu Xie here, walking along a small path through the forest.
Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, just enough to faintly illuminate the path ahead.
"Is this really okay? You mentioned that place was your secret base. Since it's a secret base, it should be something you don't want others to know about, right?" Yu Xie said.
"It's fine. You have no place to stay, right? Before you find somewhere else, staying there for a few nights isn't a problem. Though, it doesn't have many amenities. I hope you won't mind."
"Of course I won't mind. I'm really grateful just to have a place to stay."
After walking down the forest path for a while, they finally reached their destination.
A small cabin appeared in front of them.
The cabin wasn't big, probably only around ten square meters in size.
Reaching the door, Eula took out a key, unlocked the door, and stepped inside to light a candle.
The cabin was clean. Apart from a bed covered with a straw mat, there was only a table.
"When I'm alone and have nothing to do, I come here to stay. When I'm here, I feel at peace," Eula said. "You can stay here for now."
"Eula, thank you. I'll find a place as soon as possible and move out. I don't want to trouble you." Yu Xie said.
"You haven't troubled me at all." Eula smiled and shook her head. "In fact, I should be thanking you. Your words today helped me realize a few things."
End of chapter
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