Barbara was just about to rush out in a flurry of motion when Jiang Yan didn't step aside.
"J–Jiang Yan…"
Thump! Her forehead bumped straight into his chest. She hurriedly took a step back, flustered.
Blushing furiously, she reached out and tugged lightly at the corner of his clothes, wordlessly asking him to let her pass.
Instead, Jiang Yan simply raised a hand and gently rubbed her head.
"I just spoke with Jean and asked the Church to let you come with me."
"L–let me come with you?"
Already overwhelmed with embarrassment, Barbara's pale green eyes turned restless. She lowered her head and asked in a small voice,
"Jiang Yan… what do you want me to do?"
The tips of her little dress shoes lifted and lowered against the floor as she fidgeted.
Somewhere deep inside her heart, a faint, dangerous expectation quietly surfaced.
"We're going on an expedition," Jiang Yan said calmly.
"And the team happens to be missing a healer—a deacon like you who can treat wounds."
"…That's all?"
Barbara couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.
"Hm?"
Jiang Yan paused, finally noticing that something about her mood seemed off today.
After thinking for a moment, he smiled gently.
"Also, if I get to see Barbara every day, my mood improves a lot."
"Mmm…!"
Only then did Barbara's lips curl into a happy smile. She nodded vigorously, her flaxen twin-tails bouncing with the motion, utterly adorable.
"And," Jiang Yan continued, "since you obtained your Vision, you haven't really trained much, have you?"
Barbara nodded honestly.
"I only received my Vision after becoming a deacon. I rarely leave Mondstadt, so there hasn't been much chance."
To her, the Vision itself wasn't that important.
As long as she could sing to heal people and bring smiles to their faces, that was enough.
"This time, I'm taking you out to train together," Jiang Yan said.
"You wouldn't want to end up so exhausted again that you pass out, right?"
Barbara hadn't actively absorbed ley line energy before. Still, living beside Cider Lake and bathing daily in such a rich Hydro environment had naturally strengthened her—enough to reach Lv.5.
But beyond that, it was almost impossible without deliberate training.
"I see…"
"Thank you, Jiang Yan."
Barbara smiled brightly.
Just then—
Grrr—
Her stomach betrayed her with a loud growl.
Her face instantly flushed crimson. She grabbed Jiang Yan's hand, whispering,
"Jiang Yan… food…"
"I'll have Sara prepare something for you," Jiang Yan said.
"I still need to head out and look for someone. Oh—by the way, you'll be traveling with Lumine, Paimon, and Noelle."
"Lumine and Paimon… those two?"
Barbara nodded. She had seen yesterday's battle against the dragon; much of Mondstadt had.
After Jiang Yan introduced everyone to each other, he left the Good Hunter.
Taking a shortcut through a few narrow alleys, he arrived—clearly familiar with the route—at a certain tavern.
Angel's Share
"Welcome!"
"Oh—Boss Jiang! Are you here to see Master Diluc?"
At the entrance stood Barton, the burly man responsible for greeting customers.
Jiang Yan was a rare guest at Angel's Share. Barton couldn't imagine any reason for him to come other than Diluc.
As expected, Jiang Yan nodded.
"Yes. Is he here?"
Rumor had it Barton once shattered a bottle of the tavern's treasured vintage and ended up working here to repay the debt. Since then, he'd developed an exceptional sense of tact.
"Master Diluc isn't at the tavern today," Barton replied, shaking his head.
"Let him know I'm here. I'll wait."
Jiang Yan stepped inside, ordered a glass of apple cider from Charles, and took a seat on the second floor by the railing—perfectly positioned to see the front door.
Apple cider was non-alcoholic, fresh and crisp.
Taverns were always the best places to gather information. Sitting there for a short while, Jiang Yan heard at least five separate conversations about the new Traveler and her appointment as an Honorary Knight of the Knights of Favonius.
Diluc arrived later than Jiang Yan expected.
More than an hour passed before that refined, imposing figure entered from outside. He glanced up at the second floor.
Their eyes met. A silent nod.
Diluc took the key, unlocked the third floor, and spoke as he ascended the spiral stairs,
"Boss Jiang rarely visits Angel's Share. Is apple cider enough to satisfy you?"
"Aren't I waiting for one of your private reserves?" Jiang Yan replied casually, locking the door behind them.
Down on the second floor, several patrons cast envious looks upward.
Only Boss Jiang could receive such treatment from Master Diluc, right?
The truly fine vintages must all be hidden away on the third floor… how wonderful it would be to taste even a drop.
The truth, however, was that neither of them touched the alcohol.
Those words were just a smokescreen for the guests below.
Seated across from each other on the sofas, Diluc crossed his legs and said,
"The Abyss Order has a new figure—someone they call 'the Prince.'"
"Recent movements by the Abyss Order all seem to revolve around him."
This was intelligence Diluc had extracted through an all-night interrogation of the Abyss Mage.
"Unfortunately, I couldn't pry out his true objective."
Diluc assumed Jiang Yan had come seeking information about the Abyss Order, given their joint involvement the night before.
"I see…"
Jiang Yan fell silent for a moment. As expected—no deviation from what he already knew. It was connected to Aether.
Then he smiled faintly.
"But that's not why I came to see you."
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