Life in Mondstadt had grown hard.
The region was never wealthy — it thrived on generous harvests, fertile land, and, most of all, the gentle favor of Barbatos. People could get by without grinding themselves to the bone. But the Knights of Favonius' recent expedition had drained both manpower and Mora. With monsters overrunning the wilderness outside the gates, reconstruction would require mountains of coin and more hands than the exhausted city possessed.
Borrowing Albedo to help with research and technology felt like a reasonable, even necessary, choice. Ningguang could front supplies and funding. Mondstadt's stores of Mora were low; Jean couldn't afford to be sentimental when the whole city needed rebuilding.
Jean understood that friendship and idealism were one thing — running a state (even a small, free one) was another. She was acting in Mondstadt's name, not her own. If Albedo could bring knowledge and practical aid, she would not hesitate to accept it.
Albedo accepted.
"I'll take your commission," he said quietly. "For a time. Provided the terms are clear."
Kael inclined his head. "Good. Work hard. As long as you contribute, your origins won't be an obstacle."
Albedo's face twisted, not from offense but from thought. Origins, Kael had said. The alchemist understood the implication: the past mattered in Teyvat. Some histories landed people in exile. Others put targets on their backs. Albedo kept his expression measured; he had reasons of his own to accept the offer.
Kael, however, had a different meaning in mind. To him, Albedo was a useful ally and a brilliant mind — nothing more, nothing less. If Albedo didn't stray down a ruinous path like certain notorious figures, Kael would protect his position where practical. But Kael's patience did not mean blind forgiveness. If Albedo ever matched the extremity of darker alchemists, Kael would oppose him — fiercely, if necessary.
When the formal talk ended, Jean shifted the topic. Her voice carried the weight of someone who had too many cares and too little time.
"Eula and I have discussed the Lawrence family problem," she said. "If the rumors about Schubert are true, we may have no choice but to act decisively."
Eula's jaw tightened. She had always tried to distance herself from the stain of the Lawrence name — to prove that the present generation was not the same as the past. Facing the possibility that a faction of her own family had betrayed Mondstadt to the Abyss Order filled her with a cold fury.
Jean continued, softer now, "We'll be careful. If the Abyss Order invades, we'll fight. But… if the enemy is beyond us, Kael, we will need your aid."
Kael listened, then nodded. "I don't do favors for free. But this is a threat that must be met. I'll help Mondstadt — provided it doesn't ask me to sacrifice the city itself for someone else's politics."
Jean's gratitude was immediate and earnest. "We're in your debt."
"Then pay me by making the city worth saving," Kael replied with a faint smile.
Eula's voice cut in, fierce as the claymore she wielded. "If I'm asked to help, I'll stand with Jean. Those who consort with the Abyss will answer for it."
Ying — the Traveler — leaned in from the side, teasing with an easy grin. "If he asks you two to pledge yourselves to him, will you do that too?"
Jean and Eula both colored, startled and embarrassed at the suggestion. The room erupted in awkward laughter and a few pointed glances at Ying.
Kael slapped a hand to his forehead. "Ying, enough. People will start thinking I'm a horrible person."
Ying's smile widened innocently. "You hear that, big tough hero? You scared of a little ceremony?"
"Plea bargain. No pledges today," Kael said, deadpan. He meant it only half-jokingly — there were political pitfalls in binding favors and allegiances too tightly.
Jean and Eula's faces fell back to seriousness quickly. Both women had always put Mondstadt first; both would choose the city over any individual without hesitation. The teasing moment passed, but its presence lingered like a dropped coin on the floor — quickly ignored, but not forgotten.
Kael took a breath and grew solemn. "Fighting the Abyss falls within my responsibilities now. But the last thing any of us should do is underestimate it. These recent events are only the beginning."
Lisa's eyes, bright with academic curiosity and long experience, sharpened. "Another calamity like the Cataclysm five hundred years ago… are we that close?"
Kael's jaw tightened. "I won't lie. The Abyss and Teyvat have always been entangled. The full truth is held by very few — hidden agencies, scholars bound by oaths, and those who have paid with blood. If this war escalates, it won't be limited to Mondstadt."
The weight of his words settled over the group. For a few moments, all they could hear was the soft drip of morning light through the window and distant gulls from the coast.
"When I traveled across worlds," Ying added, voice low, "I saw how some civilizations sank into darkness. When the Abyss reaches for a place, it eats at everything, not just people. Stay vigilant."
Lisa nodded. "We will. But we'll need the city — and Teyvat's nations — to coordinate. Isolation will be our undoing."
Klee, who had been bouncing at the edge of the conversation, froze in horror as Lisa mentioned Hilichurls and transformations. "I won't—Klee won't become a Hilichurl!" she cried, clutching her stuffed Jumpy Dumpty tighter.
Kael crouched beside her to pat her head gently. "No one's turning my little demolition expert into a monster. I promise."
Jean gave him a grateful look. Eula watched, thoughtful and resolute. Ying chewed on the edge of a plan in her mind, while Kael set out the next steps.
"For now," Kael said, addressing the assembled leaders and defenders, "we prepare. Jean: train your knights and coordinate with Diluc. Eula: keep an eye on the Lawrence estate. If Schubert moves, we must act swiftly but cleanly. Albedo and Ningguang will help with supply lines and tech — communications will make or break us. And Ying… if you can stand against the things beyond human strength, you'll be invaluable."
Ying met his gaze with steady determination. "If it helps me find my brother, I'll do what I must."
A murmur of support rippled through the room. No one pretended the road ahead would be easy. But for the first time in days, the plan felt cohesive — a combination of raw power, strategy, and the stubborn courage of people who had no intention of watching their home burn.
Jean rose, resolve set like armor. "Then let's begin. Mondstadt will be ready."
Outside, the wind moved as if listening. Someone somewhere hummed a tune and the city, small and fragile as it was, shuffled its shoulders and braced for the storm.
For more advanced chapters and regular updates visit our patreon.com/Roninz47