Sparks of Innovation and Sisterly Secrets

The evening sky over Mondstadt deepened into a tapestry of indigo and silver, its stars winking through wisps of cloud as a cool breeze swept down from the cliffs, rustling the banners atop the Knights of Favonius headquarters. The grand stone gates loomed in the twilight, their carved sigils glowing faintly under lantern light, a testament to the order that guarded the city's heart. Porto and Ato stood sentinel, their armor gleaming with a polished sheen, their spears crossed in a stance of solemn duty. Their faces—etched with the weariness of long shifts—held firm, their eyes scanning the cobblestone path with a knight's vigilance, the weight of their role as the Order's facade a silent vow.

A figure emerged from the dusk, her blonde ponytail swaying with each purposeful step, her blue cape fluttering like a storm-tossed wave. Jean's presence cut through the evening's hush, her Anemo Vision glinting at her hip, her hand brushing the pouch where her clover pendants rested—a secret warmth against her knightly steel. "Grand Master!" Porto called, his voice sharp with respect as he snapped to attention, Ato echoing the salute with a crisp nod. Jean paused, her blue eyes softening as she offered a smile, her voice a gentle balm. "Evening, both of you—thank you for your diligence," she said, her tone warm with gratitude, her knightly poise tempered by a rare lightness.

The sentinels blinked, their stern facades cracking as they stammered, "N-Not at all—your work's the hard one, ma'am!" Porto's cheeks flushed beneath his helm, Ato's nod vigorous as they basked in her praise, their pride a quiet flame. Jean's smile widened, a flicker of amusement dancing in her gaze as she stepped past, the heavy oak doors groaning open to admit her into the headquarters' shadowed halls. The sentinels watched her go, their spears easing as Porto tilted his head, his voice a low murmur. "She's… chipper tonight, huh? Different vibe."

Ato shrugged, his armor clinking as he adjusted his grip. "Wind Dragon's down—whole city's breathing easier. She's probably just relieved," he said, his tone pragmatic, his mind tracing the chaos of Twalin's storms, the Knights' frantic days now fading into memory. Porto frowned, his brow creasing as he stared at the spot where Jean had vanished, his instincts prickling. "Maybe—but it's more than that. Something's off, in a good way," he muttered, his voice a puzzle unsolved, his knightly senses attuned to the subtlest shifts.

"Off? What, you think she's smitten or something?" Ato chuckled, his jest a spark in the dusk as he elbowed Porto, his grin wide beneath his helm. "Half of Mond'd weep if that's true—captain's got suitors from here to Liyue." Porto snorted, his own laugh escaping as he shook his head, the image of Jean moonstruck a fleeting whimsy against her ironclad duty. "Nah—just feels… lighter. Whatever it is, she's earned it," he said, his voice softening as they resumed their watch, the night's quiet settling around them like a cloak.

Inside, the headquarters hummed with a muted energy, its stone corridors lit by flickering sconces that cast dancing shadows across tapestries of Favonius lore—knights clashing with dragons, windswept heroes etched in faded gold. Jean's boots echoed against the polished floor as she climbed the spiral stair to her office, her cape trailing like a whisper of Anemo, her mind still buzzing with Galehaven's gift—the clover pendants, their promise a tender ache beneath her armor. She pushed the heavy door open, its hinges creaking, and stepped into a room bathed in the soft glow of a single lantern, its light spilling across her desk—papers neatly stacked, a quill resting beside an inkwell, a romance novel tucked discreetly beneath a ledger.

Lisa and Barbara huddled at the desk, their heads bent over a sleek device—a laptop, its screen glowing with lines of text and vivid images, a reward from Lisa's morning dive into Digimon. The librarian's dark hat tilted as she scrolled, her green eyes sharp with fascination, while Barbara clutched Xiaoxue—now Nyaromon, her fluffy form purring softly—her blonde curls bouncing as she giggled. Jean's arrival went unnoticed, their focus locked on the screen, and she stepped closer, her voice cutting through their reverie. "What's got you so engrossed?" she asked, her tone light with curiosity as she peered over their shoulders, the pendants' warmth a secret pulse in her pouch.

Lisa jolted, her hat tipping as she spun, a lazy grin curling her lips. "Oh—Jean, back already?" she drawled, her voice a velvet tease as she gestured at the laptop, its screen a kaleidoscope of Digimon data—Agumon's flames, Gabumon's fur, evolutionary tiers sprawling in vivid detail. "This beauty's a computer—my Digimon haul. Packed with info—stages, attributes, you name it," she said, her fingers brushing the keys with a scholar's reverence, her Electro Vision glinting at her side. Barbara beamed, hugging Nyaromon tighter as the kitten mewed, her blue eyes sparkling. "Found Xiaoxue's page—she's Nyaromon now, not Snowball! So cute!" she chirped, her voice a burst of glee as Nyaromon nuzzled her cheek, her fluffy tail flicking.

Jean's brows lifted, her knightly mind clicking into gear as she leaned closer, the screen's glow reflecting in her blue eyes. "A database—stages, strengths, weaknesses," she murmured, her voice sharpening with realization as she traced Agumon's fiery profile, her strategist's heart alight. "If more Knights read at Galehaven, we'll see Digimon—having this gives us an edge, control," she said, her tone firm as she pictured patrols bolstered by digital allies, Mondstadt's defenses enriched by comic-born might. Lisa nodded, her grin widening as she tapped the screen, her hat casting a shadow across her face. "Exactly—knowledge is power, darling."

The screen flickered, its glow dimming as a warning flashed—[Low Power: Please Charge Soon!]—the battery icon pulsing red in the corner. Jean blinked, her head tilting as she studied it, her voice tinged with wonder. "It needs energy?" she asked, her knightly calm yielding to curiosity, her fingers brushing the desk as she leaned in. Lisa chuckled, her green eyes glinting as she pointed at the icon, its bars nearly drained. "Harlan warned me—runs on a battery. This one's toast after a few hours," she said, her tone casual but edged with intrigue, her memory flashing to Harlan's demo, his easy grin as he'd explained the device's quirks.

Barbara's eyes widened, her grip tightening on Nyaromon as she spun. "What?! We've gotta get to Harlan—if it dies, we're stuck!" she gasped, her voice trembling with panic, her healer's heart racing at the thought of losing their treasure. Lisa raised a hand, her grin softening as she waved off the alarm. "Easy, cutie—let me try something first," she said, her voice a soothing hum as she flexed her fingers, a spark of Electro dancing at her tips. "Harlan said we could charge it—just need control. Worst case, it's back to comics," she added, her tone breezy but her eyes sharp, her scholar's mind eager to test a theory.

Jean's brows furrowed, her knightly caution stirring as she watched Lisa's hand hover, a tiny arc of lightning crackling between her fingers—faint, precise, a whisper of her Vision's might. "Careful—too much could fry it," she warned, her voice low as she stepped closer, her cape rustling with her tension. Lisa winked, her grin unfazed as she murmured, "Small dose—should be fine," her eyes narrowing as she guided the spark to the laptop's port. A soft snap echoed, the screen flaring to life with a triumphant hum, the battery icon ticking upward as it drank the charge.

Barbara clapped, her curls bouncing as she leapt forward, Nyaromon purring in her arms. "Lisa—you're incredible!" she cried, her blue eyes shining with awe, her sisterly pride a radiant glow. Jean's lips quirked, her knightly reserve yielding to a smile as she nodded. "Impressive—mastering another world's tool so fast," she said, her voice warm with admiration, her mind marveling at Lisa's knack, a librarian's wit turned to lightning. Lisa waved a hand, her hat tilting as she leaned back, her grin a lazy curve. "No big deal—lucky guess," she drawled, though a flicker of surprise danced in her eyes, her success a quiet thrill beneath her nonchalance.

Her gaze drifted, her mind spinning as she tapped her chin, a new idea sparking. "If Electro works… what about Thunder Slimes? Endless juice, no wrist cramps," she mused, her voice a soft hum as she pictured the bouncing blobs—electricity incarnate, a natural battery for Galehaven's gifts. Jean's brows lifted, her strategist's mind catching the thread. "Practical—could power more rewards. We'd need containment, though," she said, her tone sharpening as she envisioned a slime pen, Mondstadt's tech enriched by slime-born sparks. Barbara giggled, hugging Nyaromon tighter. "Slime chargers—cute and zappy!" she chirped, her voice a burst of whimsy that lightened the room.

Lisa's eyes glinted, her grin widening as she leaned forward, her hat casting a shadow across the desk. "Needs muscle, though—I'd rather nap than wrangle slimes. Albedo'd love this—chief alchemist, mad for experiments," she said, her tone a mix of mischief and calculation, her fishing days too precious to trade for slime hunts. Jean nodded, her mind already drafting a note to the chalk-white scholar, his lab a perfect crucible for Lisa's scheme. "He'd jump at it—send him the specs tomorrow," she said, her voice firm as she filed the plan, her knightly duty weaving with Galehaven's chaos.

Barbara's gaze shifted, her blue eyes locking on Jean with a sudden spark. "Hey—what'd you get today? Evil King's Eye?" she asked, her voice bubbling with hope, her memory flashing to the golden glow of Harlan's shop, her faith in its might unshaken. Lisa perked up, her grin sharpening as she leaned closer, her curiosity a velvet blade. Jean's cheeks flushed, her hand brushing her pouch as she faltered, her knightly calm cracking. "No—it's just… Rikka's eye's a prop, gold film, no power," she said, her voice steadying as she shot Lisa a glare, her sister's earlier hype a thorn in her calm.

Lisa chuckled, her hat tipping as she raised her hands. "True—Fischl's spark's the real deal, not Rikka's," she admitted, her voice a teasing lilt as Barbara's jaw dropped, her dreams of a mighty eye crumbling. "What?! Fake? Then what did you get?" Barbara pressed, her blue eyes narrowing as she stepped closer, Nyaromon purring in her arms. Jean's flush deepened, her fingers tightening on her pouch as she stammered, "Just—a trinket, nothing big," her voice a forced calm that rang hollow, her clover secret a pulse against her chest.

Lisa's green eyes gleamed, her grin widening as she exchanged a glance with Barbara, their silent pact a spark in the air. "She's hiding it—something's up," Lisa murmured, her voice a conspiratorial hum as Barbara nodded, her curls bouncing. "Definitely weird—spill it, sis!" she chirped, her tone playful but insistent, her healer's heart sensing a mystery. Jean's gaze darted between them, her knightly mask slipping as she backed toward the door, her cape a shield against their scrutiny. "It's—nothing to fuss over. Duty calls," she said, her voice firm as she fled, her exit a flustered echo of her Galehaven dash, the pendants' promise a secret she'd guard—for now.

***

Support me on Patreon to read 50+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Nocturnal_Breeze