"Of course, I'll handle it," Shaoyun agreed without hesitation. There was nothing wrong with the request. He had long been annoyed by the Fatui's antics in the early stages of the story. Even if they asked him to raid the Goth Grand Hotel and eliminate every Fatui agent inside, he wouldn't bat an eye.
When Shaoyun agreed, Acting Grand Master Jean let out a sigh of relief. She had half-expected him to back down after learning about the Fatui's strength.
"Acting Grand Master Jean, can I share my personal opinion?" Shaoyun asked, noticing how Jean seemed to have let go of a heavy burden.
"Of course, go ahead," Jean replied.
Shaoyun cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and began. "When you need help, just ask. There's no need to shoulder everything alone. Your friends are here to support you. You're not alone."
Jean blinked, her gaze drifting to the side. She nodded but remained silent. It was unclear whether she took his words to heart, but Shaoyun hoped they would have some effect. There was a good chance she'd still try to tough it out on her own, but maybe, just maybe, his words would make a difference.
Just as the conversation was about to turn awkward, there was a knock on the office door.
"Come in," Jean called out.
A knight entered and reported, "Acting Grand Master, a Fatui envoy has arrived and requests an audience."
The word "envoy" made Jean visibly uncomfortable. The Fatui were here again, and she'd have to deal with them.
"What's the envoy's name?" Jean asked, secretly hoping it wasn't the notorious Harbinger, La Signora. That woman was a nightmare to deal with.
"It's Anastasia," the knight replied.
Anastasia was a low-ranking Fatui agent, but even so, she was no pushover. If she pressed the issue of the Knights of Favonius' handling of Stormterror, it could spell trouble.
"I see. Where should we hold the meeting?" Jean pondered, debating whether to receive the envoy in her office or the Knights' conference room.
However, the knight looked uneasy. "Acting Grand Master, the Fatui envoy has requested that you meet her outside the Knights' headquarters. She said it's urgent and that she won't be coming in. She wants you to…"
Jean didn't need to hear the rest. The envoy was demanding that she come out to meet her. Considering the dragon crisis had indeed affected Snezhnaya's interests…
"Alright, I'll go," Jean decided.
As Jean prepared to leave, Shaoyun stepped in front of her, blocking her path. "Wait, hold on. What's going on? You're actually going out to meet her?" He pointed outside, his eyes locked on Jean.
Jean was taken aback. After a few seconds, she processed his words and nodded. "Yes, the envoy said it's urgent…"
Shaoyun almost laughed in disbelief. "So, the Fatui's time is urgent, but yours isn't?" he retorted, then launched into a critique of Jean's approach. "This nobody from the Fatui is making you come out to meet her? If it were La Signora, would you kneel before her?"
"You can be approachable and down-to-earth with your friends and allies, but this is the Fatui we're talking about. They're here to cause trouble!"
Jean still had reservations. After all, as a representative of Mondstadt, she had to maintain diplomatic decorum.
"But the Knights' basic etiquette requires us to extend proper diplomatic courtesies to foreign envoys," Jean argued.
Shaoyun wasn't having it. "That whole hotel is full of 'foreign envoys,' huh? Technically, only La Signora qualifies as a foreign envoy. The rest are just Snezhnaya's lackeys—spies, to put it bluntly."
He didn't mince words, pointing out the true nature of the Fatui agents stationed at the Goth Grand Hotel. While Mondstadt was well aware of this, they lacked concrete evidence to act on it.
"And even if we're talking about etiquette, you're the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius…"
Jean raised a finger to correct him. "Acting Grand Master."
Shaoyun quickly amended his statement. "Right, Acting Grand Master. You're essentially the highest authority in Mondstadt. If every random bird can summon you outside, doesn't that just let the Fatui trample all over Mondstadt? Is that what you call etiquette?"
His words struck a chord with Jean. She gently pinched her chin, deep in thought. What he said made sense.
"So…" Jean looked at Shaoyun, seeking his advice.
Shaoyun's lips curled into a confident smile, his eyes sharp. "Let me handle this Fatui 'friend.' I'll teach her a thing or two about respect."
He paused, then pointed to a spot in front of Jean's desk. "Then we'll have a proper meeting here. How does that sound?"
Jean considered his proposal. If Shaoyun could intimidate the Fatui and assert Mondstadt's stance, it might be time to show Snezhnaya that Mondstadt wasn't to be trifled with.
"Just don't go overboard…"
"Don't worry, I know my limits."
With Jean's approval, Shaoyun left the office, ready to confront the Fatui envoy.
As he stepped out, the system prompted him to wear a mask to conceal his identity. Am I robbing someone now? he thought, but he complied. The system explained that the mask would hide his face, protect against wind and sand, and provide some warmth.
When Shaoyun opened the Knights' headquarters door, he saw a masked Fatui agent standing outside, looking smug and insufferable.
Seeing Shaoyun's masked face, the Fatui envoy, Anastasia, sneered. "What's this? Is the Knights of Favonius too ashamed to show their faces?"
"If you want someone with a face to receive you, you'd better have one yourself. But since you don't, I, a faceless man, am here to greet you, another faceless creature," Shaoyun shot back.
Anastasia was taken aback, her mask doing little to hide her irritation. She quickly changed the subject. "I'm an envoy from Snezhnaya. I demand to see Acting Grand Master Jean. Where is she?"
Shaoyun stepped aside and gestured toward the door. "Please, follow me."
Anastasia narrowed her eyes behind her mask, her tone dripping with disdain. "I don't have time for this. Tell Jean to come out."
Shaoyun stood his ground, his voice firm and unyielding. "Acting Grand Master Jean has been waiting for you in her office. Please."
He emphasized the word "please."
"I said, I'm in a hurry," Anastasia snapped.
Shaoyun slowly descended the steps, his tone casual but laced with authority. "If you were truly in a hurry, you'd have left a diplomatic letter instead of waiting here. Now, I'm inviting you to meet Acting Grand Master Jean in her office."
When he reached her level, Anastasia hesitated. Shaoyun's imposing figure and the aura of someone who could crush her with his bare hands made her uneasy.
Shaoyun placed his right hand on her left shoulder, and Anastasia felt an overwhelming pressure, as if her chest might collapse. It was clear he wasn't even using his full strength—if he had, her arm would've been shattered.
Shaoyun's voice was calm but carried an undeniable weight. "Acting Grand Master Jean has been working tirelessly to resolve the Stormterror crisis. Out of respect, she has invited you, a mere foot soldier of the Fatui, to her office. This is an honor you don't deserve."
He pointed at her mask, his tone turning threatening. "If you continue to insist on her coming out to meet you, I'll personally throw you back to the Goth Grand Hotel and have Jean expel all of you from Mondstadt. When La Signora asks why, I'll tell her it was because of your unreasonable demands. How do you think she'll react?"
Shaoyun leaned in, his voice a low, menacing whisper. "You're acting like you're more important than a Harbinger. Even if you try to explain yourself, do you think La Signora will believe you? And even if she does, by then, you'll already have been expelled, and the blame will fall squarely on you."
"How many heads do you have to spare, huh?" he growled, his final words making Anastasia's composure crack.
If Shaoyun had threatened to kill her, she wouldn't have been afraid. In fact, it would've given the Fatui leverage over the Knights. But the idea of being expelled and blamed for the fallout terrified her. Combined with Shaoyun's overwhelming presence, she had no doubt he'd follow through.
Seeing her fear, Shaoyun softened his tone, offering her a way out. He removed his hand from her shoulder and smiled. "Now, shall we?"
Anastasia, thoroughly intimidated, had no choice but to follow him into the Knights' headquarters.