Chapter 18: Meeting Acting Grand Master Jean

"Dvalin!"

The dormant power of the Anemo Archon surged as Venti tried to block the fatal attack aimed at Dvalin, but he was too late.

"Roar!" In an instant, the projectile shattered the poison blood on Dvalin's back. The bone-chilling cold made Dvalin feel as if his soul was trembling.

Without even daring to look at who had injured him, Dvalin flapped his three pairs of wings and fled in disgrace, wishing he had more wings to escape faster.

"Dvalin..." Seeing Stormterror flee, Venti let out a sigh of relief. He had been terrified that Dvalin might perish here, which would have haunted him for the rest of his life.

He turned his gaze back to Yun Fan, a hint of wariness in his eyes. This man had arrived in Mondstadt a year ago, but Venti hadn't paid much attention to him. Now, however, he couldn't afford to ignore him.

He seemed to be a merchant from Liyue. Maybe I should ask the old man about him? Perhaps he knows something. Venti thought for a moment and decided to reluctantly part with a few bottles of fine wine he had hidden under the tree in Windrise and make a trip to Liyue.

Yun Fan retracted Eden's Star · Anti-Entropy and smoothed his wind-tousled hair. The Stormterror issue was temporarily resolved. The rest could be left to the hardworking Traveler.

Lumine descended from the sky, retracting her Wind Glider. She touched her neck, which was drenched in cold sweat. She had been in a state of high tension while battling Stormterror in the sky. The sudden cannon shot, though not aimed at her, had scared her half to death.

That suffocating feeling was something she never wanted to experience again.

"Lumine, are you okay?" As Lumine landed, Paimon flew over, circling her and checking for any injuries. After confirming that Lumine was unharmed, Paimon let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm fine," Lumine said, but her gaze remained fixed on Yun Fan.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Hearing the sound of applause, Lumine turned her head.

A dark-skinned young man with an eyepatch over his right eye walked toward them, clapping his hands.

"To possess the ability to battle a dragon—are you our guest, or a new storm?" Kaeya's smile was enigmatic, making people uncomfortable.

"And Mr. Yun Fan, I never expected a merchant to have such skills." Over the past year, Kaeya had tried to investigate Yun Fan, but he found almost no useful information. All he knew was that Yun Fan had arrived in Mondstadt with Ivan's caravan.

As for his background in Liyue, the Knights of Favonius didn't have the reach to dig that deep.

"Haha, if I didn't have some skills, how could I be a merchant, right? Kaeya." Yun Fan emphasized the last two syllables, warning Kaeya not to cause trouble for him.

Otherwise, the fact that Kaeya was a spy from Khaenri'ah would spread throughout Mondstadt by the next day. Even if he wasn't a spy, the fact that he was from Khaenri'ah was undeniable.

The citizens of Mondstadt, though usually useless, were experts at causing a scene. If word got out, Kaeya might not only lose his position as Cavalry Captain but also be forced to leave Mondstadt altogether.

"Kaeya, as knights, we shouldn't be so rude," Amber glared at him disapprovingly. How could he treat the two heroes who had just driven off Stormterror like this?

"Haha, my apologies," Kaeya's expression shifted several times, but he forced a smile. To Yun Fan, however, the smile looked twisted.

Watching Kaeya's reaction, Yun Fan felt a deep sense of satisfaction. He loved seeing that look of frustration on someone who couldn't do anything about him.

"By the way, Kaeya, why are you here?" Amber adjusted the hair ornament on her head and asked Kaeya. Shouldn't the Cavalry Captain be busy assessing the damage and assisting with post-disaster recovery?

"It's Acting Grand Master Jean. She wants to see you."

Knights of Favonius Headquarters

Jean paced back and forth, occasionally glancing at the clock on the wall.

"Jean, calm down. Didn't we agree to meet them at the headquarters? You're making me dizzy," Lisa said, somewhat exasperated, as she watched Jean pace in front of her.

"I know, but..."

"Acting Grand Master Jean, we're here," Amber pushed the door open and led Yun Fan, Lumine, and Paimon inside.

This was Yun Fan's first time in Jean's office. He glanced around briefly. The setup wasn't much different from the game, so he quickly lost interest and turned his attention to Jean.

Tsk, she's wearing the modified outfit from the game. Disappointing.

"Traveler, welcome to Mondstadt. May the Anemo Archon bless you. Thank you for your help in protecting Mondstadt," Jean greeted Lumine politely.

"And Mr. Yun Fan, thank you so much for helping Mondstadt through this crisis. On behalf of the Knights of Favonius, I extend our deepest gratitude to both of you."

"Acting Grand Master Jean, why did you call us here?" Before Yun Fan and Lumine could respond, Paimon, the ever-talkative mascot, spoke up.

"That's right," Jean's expression turned serious as she performed a knight's salute.

"On behalf of the Knights of Favonius, I would like to offer you both the title of Honorary Knight."

"Honorary Knight?" X2

Paimon and Lumine spoke in unison.

"That's great, Lumine! Let's accept the title!" Paimon stomped her feet in excitement. If they became Honorary Knights, maybe they could eat for free in Mondstadt!

"Will you help me find my brother?" Lumine asked.

"Your brother?" Jean was taken aback.

"That's right..." Amber explained Lumine's story to Jean, who nodded in understanding.

"Miss Lumine, as Honorary Knights, we will mobilize the Knights of Favonius to help you find your brother. I promise this as the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius."

"Alright, I accept," Lumine finally agreed to the title.

"And you, Mr. Yun Fan?" Jean asked tentatively.

Yun Fan wasn't particularly interested in becoming an Honorary Knight, but he still posed a question.

"Acting Grand Master Jean, perhaps this is a bit impolite, but I have to ask—why do you want us to become Honorary Knights?"

"Well... it's a form of compensation," Jean thought for a moment and gave a reasonable explanation, though her eyes seemed to avoid direct contact.

"If it's because the Knights of Favonius failed to drive off Stormterror and we stepped in, and you feel indebted to us, then I appreciate the gesture," Yun Fan shook his head. Compensation was one thing.

"But..." Jean tried to interject, but Yun Fan cut her off.

"But if it's because 'only the Knights of Favonius can be the ones to drive off Stormterror,' then I must decline. Such reasoning feels a bit hypocritical, don't you think?" Yun Fan's voice was soft, but his words struck deep into everyone's hearts.

Silence fell over the room.