"This battle will be a swift victory—returning undefeated!"
It didn't need an elaborate speech; these eight words were enough to showcase their determination.
"No wonder Varka chose her as Acting Grand Master," murmured Venti, who was standing beside Lucas. "Jean and that woman are so alike."
"That woman?" Lucas caught the hint and asked, "Are you talking about Vennessa?"
"You actually know about her?" Venti looked surprised. "For an outsider, it seems you've studied Mondstadt's history quite well."
"I've learned a little," Lucas replied with an awkward chuckle.
A little? More like he had rewritten it.
In the simulator—or rather, in a parallel world—Vennessa had been killed by his own hand.
At the end of the procession, another knight wearing a helt like Venti's quietly fixed their gaze on Lucas's back, moving forward as the group marched.
"Finally, they've set off," a voice said from a nearby terrace.
The Doctor, calmly enjoying breakfast, observed the departing squad and smirked. "Let's hope they move quickly. I can hardly wait."
While most Mondstadt citizens dined on simple fare like bread and bacon for breakfast, the Doctor's table bore a large plate of steak, cooked to a rare degree. Each slice carved by her knife oozed faint traces of blood.
Beside her stood the "modified weapon" Ursa, wearing a mask over her mouth. Her sharp eyes were fixated on the steak.
"You want so, don't you?" The Doctor's voice was soft yet cold. "Sorry, not yet. Only by keeping you hungry can you achieve maximum combat effectiveness."
Her words were followed by a cruel smile as she gestured toward the squad in the distance. "See those Knights of Favonius? If you want to eat, go feast on them."
But beneath her mask, Ursa muttered faintly, her voice muffled and hesitant. "Human flesh... cannot be eaten..."
Hearing this, the Doctor's casual deanor instantly vanished, replaced by a chilling expression.
"You dare to have your own will?" the Doctor hissed "You are my property. My will is your will. I can modify you, and I can destroy you. Do you understand?"
Like a lifeless puppet, Ursa whispered, "I will always obey the orders of 'Master.'"
"That's better." The Doctor's face transford again, this ti into a sinister grin. Stroking Ursa's cheek gently, she cooed, "Don't waste the effort I've spent on you these past few years."
....
The Stormterror's Lair was not close to Mondstadt. A lone rider at full speed would need at least half a day to reach it, let alone a squad of hundreds.
According to their plan, the subjugation squad would camp midway for the night, regrouping to resu their march in the morning.
The journey had been uneventful. Although monsters frequently road the wilderness, the closer they were to the main roads, the fewer monsters appeared. And against such a well-equipped force, any monsters they encountered fled long before posing a threat.
Still, a few hapless Hilichurl bands crossed their path, attempting to rob the squad. They were swiftly dealt with, becoming practice dummies for the younger knights.
By nightfall, the squad had reached their designated campsite near a modest-sized lake.
Dinner was nothing fancy. Along with their rations, so of the knights had managed to catch fish to supplent the al.
At monts like these, many couldn't help but miss Klee. If she were here, at least the fish would be plentiful and cooked to perfection.
Interestingly, Dawn Winery, one of Mondstadt's most prestigious estates, was just a few kiloters away. Staying there would have spared them the trouble of setting up camp, allowing them to enjoy a hearty al and rest properly.
However, Kaeya's suggestion to do so had been vetoed by Jean. She didn't want to trouble their esteed predecessor, Diluc. Furthermore, given his tendency to avoid the Knights of Favonius, it was unlikely he would welco them.
Lucas stood by the lake, staring at the shimring water in a daze.
The uncertainty of the mission weighed heavily on him, and a sense of unease gnawed at his mind.
"Good evening."
Jean's voice startled him. She had approached silently, smiling warmly. "Why are you standing here all alone?"
"Captain Jean?" Lucas scratched his head awkwardly. "Maybe I'm just nervous about tomorrow's battle with the Stormterror."
"Actually..." Jean hesitated, her gaze faltering slightly. "You don't need to call 'Captain Jean.' Just call Jean, like you do with Eula."
"Like Eula?" Lucas pondered aloud. "But you and Eula are entirely different."
So, it's true, Jean thought to herself, lowering her head in slight disappointnt. In Lucas's eyes, she really wasn't the sa as Eula.
"Eula never hides her feelings. She's always straightforward, daring to love and hate openly," Lucas continued. "But you... you're always wearing a mask, constrained by your identity. You're the eldest daughter of the Gunnhildr clan, the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius... but never just Jean."
Lucas's words struck Jean deeply.
He was right. Her entire life had been shaped by expectations, molding her into the person she was "ant" to be, not the person she wanted to be. She was taught to be courteous, composed, and to embody the perfect "Acting Grand Master Jean."
Perhaps the only ti she felt like her true self was when she could chat with Lucas about her favorite romance novels.
"Lucas, can you promise one thing?" Jean mustered her courage, lifting her head to et his eyes. "When this mission is over, spend a day with —just one day—where I can be... truly myself."
"Of course!" Lucas replied with a laugh. "We can play music and sing in the square."
Jean nodded. "And get drunk at a tavern!"
Lucas added, "Or read as many romance novels as you like!"
Jean grinned. "Or take a nap on the grass!"
Getting into the spirit, Lucas exclaid, "Or go blow up fish with Klee!"
Jean smirked playfully. "Then I'll lock both you and Klee in solitary confinent."
Lucas froze, but Jean chuckled softly and said, "Just kidding."
"So you can joke after all?" Lucas said with a smile. "That's the real Jean. I like it."
You... like it?
Just as Jean was about to question whether Lucas's use of the word "like" held deeper aning, an unusual disturbance rippled across the otherwise calm lake surface.
Always vigilant, Jean imdiately sensed sothing amiss. Her hand instinctively went to her sword hilt, preparing for any potential threat.
"Everyone, stay alert!" she called out. "The lake is behaving strangely!"
At her warning, the group quickly beca tense, hundreds of eyes focusing on the lake. Each mber of the subjugation team was a seasoned warrior; their heightened alertness reflected their expertise. Even if a terrifying beast lurked beneath the lake, it would find itself hard-pressed against such a well-prepared force.
However, as the ripples and mist cleared, the lake revealed not a monstrous creature, but an irregularly shaped, glowing water sphere gently floating above the surface.
"What is that?" Lucas asked, puzzled. "A Hydro Sli?"
Yet, even a Hydro Sli should have discernible facial features. This sphere, however, was featureless and amorphous.
Suddenly, Jean, who had been standing beside Lucas, seed to lose her composure. Her eyes dimd as though her soul had been drawn away. She began to walk toward the water sphere in a trance-like state, murmuring softly, "Father... Mother... are you reconciled? And Barbara... our family can finally be whole again..."
It wasn't just Jean. Other Knights of Favonius mbers were also entranced, dropping their weapons and moving toward the lake with dazed expressions, mumbling various desires aloud.
"Such a beautiful sword! With it, I could beco a great warrior..."
"Annina, I've loved you for so long. Please accept my proposal!"
"So much money... With this, I could retire early and open my fishing shop..."
Even Lumine and Paimon were not immune.
Lumine kept whispering "Brother..." repeatedly, while Paimon's mouth rattled off a litany of foods as though reciting a nu.
Strangely, Lucas alone seed unaffected.
"So that's it," said Venti, who no longer bothered to conceal his identity. His brow furrowed as he observed the scene. "It's a 'Hydro Mirage.'"
"What's that?" Lucas quickly asked.
"It's a type of illusion that uses Hydro elents to manifest the deepest desires or dreams of those ensnared," Venti explained. "To us, it appears as a simple water sphere. But to the victims, it might resemble a mountain of Mora, a breathtaking beauty, or even long-lost loved ones."
"What happens if the illusion isn't broken?" Lucas pressed further.
"The illusion will draw them in until they walk into the water and drown," Venti answered grimly, though he seed puzzled. "But such mirages are usually exclusive to the pure-water spirits of Fontaine. They're defensive rather than offensive and rarely attack other creatures."
Realizing the urgency, Lucas stepped forward and grabbed Jean's wrist, forcibly halting her steps. However, the other entranced mbers continued toward the water, so already waist-deep in the lake.
Though Lucas considered freezing the lake with Cryo elents, his lack of precise control over his abilities made it risky; he could inadvertently harm those already in the water.
"How can we break this illusion?" Lucas asked, a hint of panic creeping into his voice. "You must have a way!"
"There is a solution," Venti replied casually, a mischievous grin playing on his lips. "Strong stimulation can disrupt the illusion."
Strong stimulation?
Lucas, desperate to save Jean, acted without hesitation. He raised his hand and slapped Jean's cheek in an attempt to awaken her through pain. Yet, even as her cheek turned red, she remained unfazed, continuing her chanical march toward the lake.
Years of rigorous training had evidently dulled Jean's sensitivity to pain.
Then Lucas rembered sothing. In the simulator, Jean had a particularly sensitive spot—one that elicited a sharp reaction whenever touched...
Without hesitation, Lucas moved behind Jean and reached for that spot, grabbing her soft ass and giving it a light squeeze.
"Ah!!"
Jean, previously entranced by the Hydro Mirage, suddenly snapped back to her senses. Reflexively, she spun around and slapped Lucas across the face with a resounding "smack." A delicate red handprint appeared on his cheek.
Yet, Lucas didn't seem angry in the slightest. Instead, he sighed in relief and asked, "Jean, are you awake now?"
"What... happened?" Jean murmured, still disoriented. "I think... I saw my estranged parents reconciling..."
It seed this vision was a reflection of Jean's deepest yearning.
"Unfortunately, it was all just an illusion," Lucas quickly explained. "Everyone's been ensnared by a mirage. I had to... uh... take action to wake you up."
At his words, both Lucas and Jean turned red, clearly aware of what had just transpired.
"But..." Jean frowned as realization dawned. "Why weren't you affected by the illusion?"
"Good question. Why wasn't I...?" Lucas pondered, suddenly pulling out a small, ornate pouch from his chest. The faint, calming scent of Qingxin Grass wafted from it.
With his [dical Sage] talent, Lucas quickly pieced it together. The shredded Qingxin Grass inside the pouch not only cald the mind but also emitted a fragrance that could dispel specific types of illusions—including Hydro Mirages.
Whether it was coincidence or sothing more deliberate, Lucas wasn't sure.
"I've got a plan!" Lucas exclaid. He opened the pouch and poured the Qingxin Grass fragnts into his hand. "I'll scatter these, and you can use Anemo to disperse them across the area. That should break the illusion."
"Good idea!" Jean nodded. "I'm ready when you are."
Though it sounded simple, executing it was anything but. Precisely manipulating the tiny fragnts with Anemo required imnse control over elental energy. Miscalculations could lead to failure, leaving the others trapped in the mirage.
"We only have one shot!"
---
Author's Note: Extra chap :)
Next one at 400 p.s - only if we hit it today!
P.s ugh that garbage botter at top of ranking again
Reviews
All reviews (0)