"So for the Knights, is it really acceptable to strip away the meaning of a person's life just for the sake of so-called honor?" Diluc glared at Eroch with burning anger.
"Captain, as a member of the Knights of Favonius, you should not be so swayed by personal emotions. You must consider the whole of the Knights, for the greater good," Eroch said, his expression serious.
"The greater good of the Knights?" Diluc's body was filled with a heavy, oppressive aura, but Eroch didn't seem to notice.
"Exactly. I deeply regret the circumstances of Mr. Crepus, but for the honor of the Knights, and to prevent any tarnish on the Knights' reputation in the eyes of the public, this must be done."
"Inspector, isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?" Kaeya finally spoke up. "Crepus gave his life to protect everyone, and he killed the Abyss Dragon, but now you're going to claim it was a tragic accident?"
Eroch turned his head and gave Kaeya a cold glance.
"Kaeya, I understand that you were Mr. Crepus's adopted son. I know this is a painful loss for you, and I deeply regret it. But this is necessary. We must protect the Knights' reputation and image!" Eroch said firmly.
"This is how the Knights operate?" Diluc spoke again, his eyes cold. "I think I understand now."
"You understand? That's good," Eroch responded.
"If this is the way the Knights operate, then, Inspector, from today on, I am no longer the Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius," Diluc said coldly. He held back his rage, knowing that no matter what he did now, it wouldn't bring his father back.
Even if he grabbed this bastard Inspector by the collar and beat him senseless, it wouldn't change anything.
Hearing Diluc's words, some people around him wanted to stop him.
But Diluc's tone was resolute, and the weight in his eyes made it clear that his decision was not driven by the anger of the moment.
Kaeya wanted to say something but didn't know where to begin.
As an adopted son, he should have saved his adoptive father, but he had arrived too late. As a sworn brother, he should have shared Diluc's pain, yet his first thought was a strange, conflicting feeling.
Complicated emotions spread in Kaeya's heart, like a knot that could not be untied.
At this moment, Yuxie finally arrived at the scene.
The sight before him made him realize that he had arrived too late.
"Diluc…"
Hearing Yuxie's voice, Diluc slowly turned to face him.
"It's you. I had hoped you would join the Knights, but now… just forget everything I said before. It seems the Knights are completely different from what I imagined. An knight order like this isn't worth joining."
"The Knights have always been here to serve the people of Mondstadt, and that has never changed," Eroch said. "Captain, please watch your words!"
Diluc ignored Eroch.
"Captain, as the Inspector of the Knights, I can't simply pretend I didn't hear what you said. Even if you are grieving the loss of your father, you cannot speak to the Knights in such a disrespectful manner. I demand that you take back your words immediately!" Eroch said with a stern tone.
"Shut up." Yuxie spoke the words calmly, but the pressure in his voice was overwhelming. Everyone present, including Eroch, was instantly stunned into silence, unable to speak, even forgetting to breathe for a moment.
Diluc slowly moved to place Crepus's body into the carriage as rain began to fall from the sky.
The rain soon grew heavier, washing away the bloodstains on the ground.
Yuxie watched Diluc's figure, the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat.
Like Kaeya, he had arrived too late.
"Too late." These three words felt like a summary of fate itself.
...
That night, Mondstadt was hit by a long-unseen downpour. The sky seemed to have torn open, and the rain poured down in torrents, as if mourning the passing of Mr. Crepus.
Kaeya arrived at Dawn Winery.
He stood in the rain, letting the water batter his face, his thoughts in turmoil.
He was a child of Khaenri'ah, abandoned by his biological father and left in Mondstadt. At that time, it was Crepus and Diluc who opened their hearts to him.
As time passed, he found it increasingly difficult to make a decision.
Which side should he stand on?
After all this time, this dilemma had followed him. Loyalty and happiness seemed like two incompatible things — he could not have both.
Guilt gradually filled his heart. He walked through the winery gates and knocked on Diluc's door.
The sky rumbled with thunder.
The heavy rain continued to wash over the earth, washing away lies. That night, Kaeya would lay his secrets bare before Diluc.
Diluc's anger was expected, and the brothers' swords were drawn against each other.
After that night, an invisible barrier grew between them.
The next day, the skies cleared.
Yuxie arrived at Dawn Winery, but saw Hughes standing outside, seemingly wanting to enter, but hesitating to take a step.
"Hughes?" Yuxie walked over and said.
"Senior!" Hughes was surprised.
"What are you doing here?"
"I..." Hughes hesitated for a moment. "Yesterday, I heard about Mr. Crepus's death. I think my older brother was wrong in what he did, so I wanted to come and apologize to Mr. Diluc on his behalf…"
"Wait, your older brother?" Yuxie was a bit surprised.
"Yeah, Eroch is my older brother," Hughes nodded. "Although we're not blood relatives, I grew up with him. I was an orphan for a long time, and it was my current father, Eroch biological father, who adopted me."
"I see…"
"Senior, could you take me to see Mr. Diluc? I really need to apologize to him in person!"
"The one who needs to apologize isn't you, it's Eroch."
"…I know. I tried talking to my older brother last night, but he seems to think he did nothing wrong," Hughes said with a helpless expression.
At that moment, the door of the winery opened, and Diluc walked out.
Yuxie noticed that the Vision that was once hanging at Diluc's waist was now gone.
Seeing this, Hughes took a deep breath, bowed, and then raised his voice:
"Mr. Diluc, I'm truly sorry! Your father was a hero, and his achievements shouldn't be taken away. I will explain things clearly to my older brother, Eroch… I'm really sorry!"
"You don't need to apologize, and neither does Eroch. But you'd better tell him to stay out of my sight from now on," Diluc said. "Yuxie, let's talk for a moment."
Yuxie hesitated for a moment before following Diluc to the other side of the winery.
"Once my father's funeral is over, I will leave Mondstadt," Diluc said. "The next time we meet, I don't know when that will be."
"…" Yuxie was silent, thinking for a long time, not knowing what to say. Finally, he slowly spoke, "I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?" Diluc asked, confused.
"If I had gotten there earlier yesterday, maybe Mr. Crepus wouldn't have…"
"This isn't something you could have changed," Diluc interrupted. "And ultimately, you're not obligated to save anyone. It's not your fault. There's no need for you to apologize."
"No, I have to apologize," Yuxie's gaze grew heavy. "If I had come sooner…"
Yuxie might have been the only one who could have changed what happened yesterday, but he arrived too late. In the end, the inevitable outcome played out like a script, with cold rain falling.
"…" Diluc also fell into a brief silence. "My father respected you a lot. Be sure to see him off on his final journey."
"After the funeral, will you really leave?" Yuxie asked.
"There are some things that can't be answered in Mondstadt," Diluc replied.
"...I understand," Yuxie said softly.
There was no need for more words. Yuxie understood that his concerns were unnecessary. A man like Diluc was never fragile.
End of chapter
I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to those who support me on this journey. Your contributions make a real difference!
As a Patron, you unlock:
Exclusive access : Get 270+ advanced chapters ahead of everyone else
Exclusive shout-out : Receive a special shout-out every chapter as a thank you for your support!
Your support not only fuels my creativity but also helps me grow on this community. If you're not a paetron yet, consider joining us.
Join now : patreon*com/DeCakraWnloverz