Duty Unbound

Ye Ruo halted Noelle mid-step, his voice firm, "Hold on, little Noelle—what's this about?"

She'd spotted a resident fretting over a lost dog and was ready to dash off.

Her maid's instinct flared, a reflex to offer warm, relentless aid wherever it beckoned.

This time, though, Ye Ruo's hand caught her arm, anchoring her in place.

Noelle's face fell, a flicker of hurt shadowing her gentle eyes.

She turned to him, voice small, "Senior, I just wanted to help that person."

Her plea tugged at him, but Ye Ruo's resolve stayed ironclad.

"No," he said flatly, shaking his head with unwavering calm.

"You're living as a regular Mondstadter now—Knights' business isn't yours," he reminded her.

"Finding a dog? Any rookie knight can handle that—I've already reworked the task system," he added.

Noelle's hands clasped together, yielding to his authority with a meek nod.

"Alright," she murmured, trailing him while casting worried glances back.

Soon, a novice knight stepped up, easing her tension with a visible sigh.

Ye Ruo caught her relief and pressed his point, voice steady and clear.

"See? The Knights have plenty of hands—newbies need these small jobs to grow," he explained.

"Hovering over them only stunts their grit and leaves you stretched thin," he cautioned.

Fresh recruits often swaggered in, brash and eager to slay monsters for Mondstadt's glory.

Without seasoning, that fire could snuff them out—or doom their squad.

Tempering their edges took time, a lesson Noelle hadn't yet grasped.

As a civilian now, she had no call to meddle in Favonius affairs.

"Why do you think I pushed for reform?" Ye Ruo asked, tone sharpening.

"Without tiers, even Falga would've been chasing pets—breeding slackers all around," he said.

"Mondstadters would lean harder, turning the Knights into nursemaids," he warned.

The thought appalled him—a Grand Master scouring alleys for cats?

That'd be a Mondstadt jest, the order reduced to a farce.

He'd not stomach a legion of loafers or a city of helpless infants.

Jean aimed to mirror Vanessa, the first Grand Master's flawless ideal.

Yet Vanessa's path diverged—she'd never chased such extremes.

From slavery's chains, she'd rallied a coalition to forge the Knights.

Barbatos, the Gunnhildrs, Ragnvindrs, and shadows underground—all lifted her up.

She saw her people's shackled spirits and fought for their freedom.

Her vision soared, a beacon Jean couldn't yet match.

Vanessa's legend was collective, a tapestry of shared will.

She'd credit her comrades, not shoulder Mondstadt alone.

Jean, though, teetered on burnout, her kindness a creeping curse.

Perfection eluded her grasp—she hadn't learned its limits.

Ye Ruo stepped in, carving tasks into clear ranks for sanity's sake.

Pet hunts and daily trifles fell to C-tier, fodder for greenhorns.

Escorting caravans hit B-tier, scaled by risk and reach.

Field camps, monster sweeps—B-tier too, but meatier work.

Massive beast lairs, Abyss incursions, major assaults? A-tier, captain-led.

S-tier loomed for city-wide threats, rare and dire.

Knights earned honor points per job, trading them for gear or rank.

The system clicked—order reigned, chaos tamed.

Morale spiked, points fueling ambition and growth.

When Falga marched off with half the force, tasks had piled high.

Ye Ruo stepped up then, quelling Abyss stirrings and Fatui schemes.

His efforts steadied the Knights, restoring their upward climb.

Now, his absence barely rippled—the structure held firm.

No Grand Master would ever stoop to pet patrol again.

A dedicated crew handled the small stuff, clockwork smooth.

One outlier defied the mold—Noelle, the anomaly.

Her strength screamed captain, yet she lingered as a maid.

Without Jean's nudge, Ye Ruo would've sought her out anyway.

Wasting that power was a sin he couldn't abide.

Noelle listened, rapt, as they walked through Mondstadt's bustle.

They reached a cluster of homes, five tidy houses in a row.

She blinked, curious, "Senior, which one's yours?"

"All five—I sleep where I please, so pick one," Ye Ruo replied casually.

Noelle gawked, stunned by his nonchalant wealth.

The Wind Knight's record stood unbroken, his purse deep.

Mondstadt's housing stayed fair—any worker could buy in.

For Ye Ruo, it was pocket change, a perk of his storied name.

Noelle had bunked in the Knights' dorms, a spartan life.

Now, he'd shift her world, a fresh start in softer walls.

She decided fast, "I'll stay with you, Senior—next room over."

"As your maid, I'll tend to your days," she added earnestly.

"Fair enough," Ye Ruo agreed, sealing her new chapter.

Her training kicked off, a blend of maid's care and knight's growth.

Readers, meanwhile, cracked open Windhaven's latest volume.

At its end, Ye Ruo's note gleamed, a spark for their eager eyes.

The system hummed, fame swelling with each turned page.

He'd built a ladder—now he'd climb Mondstadt's myths.

Barbatos and Dvalin awaited, a saga to crown his quill.

***

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