To address the chaos in Mondstadt's ley lines, the plan was to tackle the issues at three ancient temples: the Temple of the Wolf (North Wind), the Temple of the Falcon (West Wind), and the Temple of the Lion (South Wind). Amber, Kaeya, and Lisa were each assigned to scout one of these locations, with Lumine ultimately handling the resolution.
As the others departed, the Grand Master's office was left with only Shao Yun and Acting Grand Master Jean. Shao Yun found himself with nothing to do, feeling somewhat idle.
"Mr. Shao Yun," Jean began, breaking the silence, "I've been informed of your efforts alongside Noelle in aiding the citizens of Mondstadt. Thank you for your help."
"It was the least I could do," Shao Yun replied modestly. "Though, I must say, Noelle's enthusiasm sometimes puts her in harm's way." He recounted the incident where Noelle had nearly been struck by a large piece of debris, leaving Jean visibly concerned.
"That girl… she really doesn't know how to protect herself," Jean murmured, more to herself than to Shao Yun. She understood Noelle's passion, but risking her safety was another matter entirely.
"Don't worry too much," Shao Yun added. "Kaeya assigned her some 'urgent task,' so she should be fine for now."
At this, Jean visibly relaxed. Kaeya had likely given Noelle some harmless, trivial task to keep her occupied. For the time being, there was no need to worry.
"With Kaya handling it, I can rest easy," Jean said with a small sigh.
Just then, Shao Yun's stomach let out an audible growl, breaking the quiet of the room. Jean heard it clearly.
"My apologies," she said, a hint of embarrassment in her voice. "I've been so focused on the dragon crisis that I neglected your needs. Let me get you something to eat."
Shao Yun found Jean's gesture oddly personal. Here was the Acting Grand Master of Mondstadt, preparing food for a near-stranger. It felt like a level of hospitality reserved for honored guests, not someone who had merely helped with minor tasks. He hadn't exactly demonstrated any extraordinary abilities, so why the special treatment? Surely, assigning a knight to escort him to the dining hall would have sufficed. Yet, Jean's warmth seemed genuine, if a bit excessive.
But then again, Jean wasn't the type to have ulterior motives. Her kindness was likely just that—kindness. Shao Yun decided not to overthink it.
"Thank you. I am a bit hungry," he said with a smile, accepting her offer.
Jean gestured for him to sit in a nearby chair before leaving the office. She returned shortly with a bowl of Radish Veggie Soup and a serving of Fisherman's Toast.
"I'm sorry it's not much," she said apologetically. "The knights' dining hall isn't serving meals at this hour, so I prepared these myself. I hope it's to your liking."
Shao Yun raised an eyebrow. The Acting Grand Master, personally cooking for him? Even for someone as approachable as Jean, this seemed a bit much. He took the food, noting the descriptions that appeared before him.
[Delicious Radish Veggie Soup: Significantly restores core health, stamina, and Dead Eye.]
[Delicious Fisherman's Toast: Moderately restores core health.]
Everything was labeled as "delicious." Jean had clearly gone out of her way to make this meal exceptional. Most people wouldn't notice the difference between "delicious" and "ordinary," but Jean's effort suggested she had something on her mind. Perhaps she had a request for him.
Well, whatever it was, he'd hear her out after eating. For now, he dug in, savoring the hearty soup and toast. In just a few bites, his core stats were fully restored.
"Thank you for the meal, Acting Grand Master," Shao Yun said, setting the empty bowl aside.
"You're welcome. It's the least I could do," Jean replied, her tone casual. But her subtle expressions betrayed her. She clearly had something to say.
"Jean," Shao Yun began, cutting to the chase, "if there's something you need, just say it."
Jean blinked, caught off guard. She opened her mouth to speak but hesitated, as if unsure how to proceed.
"I've told you before," Shao Yun continued, his voice calm but firm, "don't assume the worst of us. If you have a request, just ask."
Jean looked visibly flustered, her eyes darting around the room. It seemed she wasn't used to asking for help. She had spent so long being the one others relied on that she didn't know how to be the one in need. Earlier, she had assured Lumine that the Knights of Favonius would handle everything, putting on a brave face even as the weight of responsibility pressed down on her.
"Alright…" Jean finally said, as if steeling herself. "Mr. Shao Yun, have you heard of the Fatui?"
The Fatui? The diplomatic delegation from Snezhnaya, though in reality, they were more of a spy network and military force. They had eleven Harbingers, with the top three wielding power beyond human comprehension, all serving the Tsaritsa, the Cryo Archon.
Shao Yun was about to say he knew of them when a system prompt appeared.
["You are not supposed to know about the Fatui. Please answer 'no.'"]
Huh. Alright, then.
Shao Yun shook his head. "No, I haven't."
Jean proceeded to explain the Fatui, detailing how they had taken over the Goth Grand Hotel as their base of operations in Mondstadt. The current Harbinger stationed here was the Eighth, known as "La Signora," whom Jean had met before. She was, in Jean's words, a formidable opponent.
"Recently, the Fatui have been pressuring Mondstadt, claiming that the dragon crisis has caused significant losses to Snezhnaya's commercial interests," Jean explained, her voice tinged with frustration. It was true—the dragon's attacks had disrupted not only Mondstadt's economy but also foreign trade.
"Stormterror—no, Dvalin, the Dragon of the East—is one of the Four Winds, a protector of Mondstadt. We don't know why he's become like this, but we can't resort to drastic measures. If Dvalin were to be harmed by the Knights, it would break Lord Barbatos' heart."
Jean's voice wavered slightly, but she held back her tears, her strength unwavering.
"So, we're forced to take a conservative approach, minimizing the damage caused by the dragon crisis as much as possible."
It was a difficult position to be in—protecting the citizens while also ensuring Dvalin wasn't harmed. The pressure on Jean was immense.
"But the Fatui aren't satisfied with our approach. They've been relentless in their demands. Now that Stormterror has directly attacked the city, they'll likely use it as an excuse to pressure us further. So…"
Jean trailed off, her gaze dropping to the floor.
"So…?" Shao Yun prompted, confused by her hesitation.
Jean's brow furrowed, and she looked at Shao Yun with a mix of determination and vulnerability. "I don't mean to impose, but… I was hoping you could assist me in dealing with the Fatui. Your presence alone might be enough to… intimidate them."
(TL/N : What about kaeya? he scary enough to me duhh)
Ah, so she wanted him to be the enforcer, the one to keep the Fatui in line. It made sense. Jean, for all her competence and kindness, lacked the intimidating presence needed to stand up to an organization like the Fatui. She was a leader who inspired trust and loyalty, not fear.
But there was one thing Shao Yun didn't quite understand. Why did Jean think he could intimidate the Fatui? Was it because of the Red Dead Redemption persona he'd adopted? The system confirmed his suspicion.
["Due to the character template you've adopted, your demeanor is that of a hardened outlaw—a force to be reckoned with. Your presence alone exudes authority and danger."]
(TL/N : I see.. too soon to judge 💀)
At that moment, the system updated his quest.
[Current Quest Updated…]
[Objective: Accept Jean's request and intimidate the Fatui.]