It almost never rains in Mondstadt. 

According to the city’s nuns, this is due to the protection of the Anemo Archon, Barbatos, ensuring that no disaster will ever ravage the city. 

The winds here never stop, the clear sky is without a single cloud, and even the stars seem to shine with a special kind of brilliance.

Collei, holding her change of clothes, walked out of the bathroom in slippers with a light patter. 

Although her injuries prevented her from taking a full bath, she still liked to wipe herself down.

“You’ve never bathed, have you?”

After carefully placing her clothes down, Collei looked toward Bai Luo, who stood by the window. 

In her memory, Bai Luo always wore a black trench coat. Even when camping outdoors, he would sleep in his clothes, as if… he was always on guard.

“I don’t need to bathe,” Bai Luo said calmly, without taking his eyes off the night sky.

Collei pouted, though her nose was covered by bandages. 

She quietly approached Bai Luo, twitching her nose, trying to catch some scent. But Bai Luo didn’t give her the chance. He swiftly reached out and pulled her onto his lap.

At first, Collei struggled, but her resistance weakened and eventually faded. She had been captivated by the stars above.

Ever since she woke up in that abandoned cabin, she had wandered across the Seven Nations, always preoccupied with survival, with no time to gaze at the stars. 

This was her first time realizing just how beautiful the sky of Teyvat could be.

“In astrology, it is said that everyone’s fate is engraved in the stars above. The countless stars are the fates of people,” Bai Luo explained.

“Does that include yours?” Collei asked in a daze.

“BK201 is the code for my star.”

“Is it that one?” Collei raised her bandaged arm, pointing to the brightest star. For some reason, she really hoped that the brightest one belonged to Bai Luo.

“That’s the moon.”

“…”

After releasing Collei, Bai Luo closed the window. The false night sky wasn’t worth any more attention.

Under Collei’s resentful gaze, Bai Luo yawned, walked over to the soft bed, and fell asleep. The window, now closed, was covered in a web of thin, sharp wires.

“Tch, cautious as always.”

Looking at the sharp wires, then at her own frail body, Collei also wrapped herself in a small blanket, laying it out on the soft carpet and crawling inside. 

Even though she knew her illness wouldn’t affect Bai Luo, she still preferred not to share the same bed with him.

After being humble for so long, she wanted to be a little willful, even if it was a luxury.

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

While the Fatui remained calm, the Knights of Favonius were in an uproar.

In the meeting room, Jean paced back and forth in front of the mechanical bird on the table. 

If the intel was accurate, these things were scattered throughout all the monster-infested areas around Mondstadt. This was not good news for the city.

“What does the Grand Master say?”

Lisa, now dressed formally, looked at Jean and asked.

“The Grand Master’s instructions are for me to take full responsibility.”

With the expedition imminent, the Grand Master had to entrust the Knights of Favonius to someone reliable, and Jean was that person. 

This situation also served as a test for her. 

If she could handle this issue successfully, it would reassure Grand Master Varka, and he would be more comfortable leaving the Knights of Favonius in her hands.

“The Windblume Festival is approaching, and we can’t let this kind of thing happen in Mondstadt. So… what do you think of the Ausbilder’s conditions?”

The documents Bai Luo provided only briefly mentioned the related plan but didn’t provide specific details, which made Jean quite anxious.

“When dealing with the Fatui, we must be cautious. We’ll make a decision only when we are 100% certain.”

Mondstadt had already suffered once at the hands of the Doctor. They couldn’t afford to fall into another trap, especially with the Ausbilder. 

Otherwise, Mondstadt would face another major crisis. 

Jean didn’t want to gamble on this and couldn’t afford to.

She was waiting for someone to bring back the evidence to prove that Bai Luo wasn’t lying before considering his offer. 

That person didn’t keep her waiting long.

“My people have confirmed that most of the monster camps near Mondstadt contain these strange devices. According to my analysis, these devices not only lure monsters but also cause them to become enraged. They’re extremely dangerous.”

Diluc and Kaeya walked into the meeting room together, placing a mechanical bird on the table.

“The Spindrift Knight’s men also confirmed it. Even the distant Hilichurl camps have these devices. They said it took five searches to find one hidden in a Hilichurl’s milk jug.”

Kaeya hadn’t come in with Diluc; he merely ran into his brother outside the Knights’ headquarters and decided to walk in with him. But the intelligence he brought was no less valuable than Diluc’s.

This meant that even if they deployed a large number of people to investigate, some devices would likely be missed. 

Perhaps this was why the Ausbilder dared to use this as leverage.

“Can the Knights handle these Hilichurls?” Diluc asked. 

If necessary, he would have to take action in the shadows. 

“We can handle them, but it’s pointless,” Jean said, her frown deepening as she reviewed the reports they brought. 

This was more than just a disaster for Mondstadt—it could be worse than the Ursa the Drake incident.

What a troublesome time.

“Exactly. Even if we can hold them off, what good will it do? If something like this happens during the Windblume Festival, it will ruin Mondstadt’s reputation among the tourists. The ever-opportunistic Fatui will undoubtedly use this to promote recruitment and their bid to establish a presence here,” Lisa explained.

This was one of the reasons why Lisa had sought out Jean late into the night. 

Although Bai Luo’s documents didn’t reveal the Fatui’s full plans, Lisa, being as astute as she was, couldn’t fail to sense the bigger picture.

“Lisa, about your mentor…” Jean looked at her somewhat embarrassed, asking for assistance. If they followed the Ausbilder’s terms, it would definitely require her to reach out to her contacts in Sumeru. And such connections were not something one could use lightly.

“I already sent a letter to my mentor before coming here. I believe reinforcements will arrive within a few days,” Lisa replied with a light laugh. 

She knew well how dangerous the Ausbilder could be, and Jean had little choice but to accept his terms. 

Besides… her mentor would surely be interested in the fate of a certain child as well.

“Alright. Please make the necessary arrangements. I’ll meet with the Ausbilder tomorrow.”

“Leave it to me.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep