Chapter 60 — The Lawrence Family's Plan
The air inside Good Hunter still carried tension, like the lingering echo of thunder after a storm. The crowd had scattered, but whispers of what had just happened spread through the streets of Mondstadt faster than the wind itself.
Barbara's small hands tugged nervously at Kael's sleeve. "M-Mr. Kael! Please don't get angry… people didn't mean what they said, they just—"
Kael gave a quiet laugh, though there was no warmth in it. "Relax, Barbara. I'm not going on a rampage. But Mondstadt's people have grown complacent. They hide behind their walls, expect the Knights of Favonius to do everything for them, and when danger strikes, they blame others instead of themselves."
He looked toward the petrified remains of the loudest agitators—now silent stone figures, frozen in mid-yell.
> "If they think they're so brave," Kael said softly, "they should step outside those walls and fight the monsters themselves."
Ying and Jean exchanged uneasy glances. Barbara only lowered her gaze.
Kael leaned back, his tone calm but sharp as a blade. "They expect others to protect their peace, yet they spit venom at the ones who bleed for it. Perhaps a year of silence will teach them more than a lifetime of empty words."
Inside, he sighed. Teyvat never changes.
He'd seen this pattern repeat across worlds: heroes scorned, cowards loud, truth ignored. Perhaps this time, he'd be more ruthless.
Maybe he'd even pay La Signora another visit—tighten her seal a little more. She'd earned another month of torment.
---
Jean turned to Eula, her expression filled with guilt. "Eula, I'm… sorry. For all of this. None of this is your fault."
Eula's cold blue eyes flickered, though her tone remained sharp. "Are you pitying me? I'll remember this grudge."
Despite the words, she didn't move to leave.
In truth, she was curious. The man before her—Kael—was unlike anyone she had met before. His presence was calm yet suffocating, and even Jean seemed uneasy around him.
Kael sipped his tea leisurely. "The Lawrence family is the Lawrence family. You are not them. Your ancestors' sins don't define you. But," he said, voice darkening, "the more you let them trample over you, the more they'll use you as their scapegoat."
He turned his gaze toward Jean. "Why not tell the people about Eula's achievements? Her victories? How many times she's saved their lives?"
Jean sighed. "When Eula was promoted to Captain of the Reconnaissance Company, the opposition was overwhelming. Her achievements were undeniable, but the moment her family name was mentioned, everyone claimed it was a plot—some grand Lawrence scheme to infiltrate the Knights."
Kael's jaw tightened. "So she bleeds for them, and they call it treason. Typical."
Outside, the wind howled faintly—Barbatos listening, perhaps ashamed.
Eula raised her glass, swirling the liquid inside before taking a slow sip. "You're right," she admitted quietly. "But people always cling to what they want to believe."
Kael smirked. "Exactly. Mondstadt praises 'freedom,' but its laws are too lenient. In Liyue, defamation against public officials is a serious offense—unless one has proof. Freedom without order is just chaos in disguise."
Jean's eyes lit with sudden clarity. "Then… perhaps it's time to refine Mondstadt's laws. The Knights will support it."
She nodded to herself, determination setting in. "Freedom doesn't mean impunity. People must learn that their words carry weight—and consequences."
Eula blinked, slightly taken aback by Jean's conviction. "Don't think this will make me grateful to you," she muttered.
Jean smiled faintly. "I wouldn't dream of it."
For a moment, even Kael smiled. This—this resolve—was what separated leaders from dreamers.
Mondstadt needed that.
---
Kael turned his attention toward Sara, who had been silently trembling behind the counter. "Miss Sara," he said gently, "don't worry. None of this will fall on you. Someone will handle the cleanup soon."
Then he reached into his coat and produced a pouch of Mora, heavy enough to make the table creak when he set it down. "Consider this compensation for the disturbance."
Sara's eyes widened. "This is—no, I can't accept this! It's my duty to maintain peace here!"
Eula looked away, her expression unreadable. Sara was one of the few people in Mondstadt who treated her like a human being rather than a curse. Seeing her caught in this mess stirred something deep within Eula's chest.
Kael pushed the pouch closer. "Take it. You've lost enough business tonight. Consider it… hazard pay."
Sara hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. "Thank you… Mr. Kael."
Paimon peeked over the table and huffed. "Huh. Guess you're not always scary. Sometimes you're almost reasonable."
Kael chuckled. "Reason is for the reasonable. But you can't reason with fools. They mistake kindness for weakness—until they learn the difference."
He leaned back, his voice low. "And when they realize they're weaker, that's when they start preaching about rules and fairness."
Eula crossed her arms. "Watching you turn people into statues isn't going to make your life easier, Kael. Jean's going to face enough trouble just dealing with the aftermath."
Jean nodded reluctantly. "I know. But it had to be done. Their behavior already damaged Mondstadt's reputation—and strained our relations with Liyue."
Eula sighed. "What a mess." But something about Jean's tone—firmer, more resolute—made her glance at her with new respect. Maybe the Acting Grand Master wasn't as fragile as people believed.
Hmph. Don't think this means you've earned my respect, she told herself. I'll remember this grudge.
---
Dinner resumed with less tension.
Kael ate quietly while the others discussed the Four Winds and the worsening corruption spreading across the wilderness. Jean suggested that Eula officially join the campaign to restore the Four Temples. After a moment's thought—and several sips of wine—Eula agreed, though she pretended it was purely out of "duty," not cooperation.
When the meal ended, she rose from her seat. "I'll see you on the battlefield. Try not to slow me down."
Kael watched her leave, faintly smiling. "She'll be fine," he said softly. "Eula doesn't need saving—just a fair chance to stand."
But deep down, something else stirred within him.
The Lawrence family… they weren't finished.
He'd seen the signs. Their "reform" was just a mask. Underneath, something darker was brewing.
As Kael stepped out into the cool Mondstadt night, the wind whispered faintly in his ear—Wendy's voice, light and distant.
> "Kael… the Lawrences are moving again. They're plotting something dangerous."
Kael's smile vanished. His golden eyes burned faintly with divine light.
> "Then it's time I reminded Mondstadt," he murmured, "that even freedom has a price."
---
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