Chapter 27

"I see...It seems to be reacting with Visions..." Lisa snarled under her breath, "The impurities and the elemental energy we embody repel each other."

As she was grumbling, Jean looked up at Lumine, "It's strange though, it doesn't seem to be affecting the Traveler, despite her having an access to the elemental abilities."

"..."

Taken aback by Jean's words, Lumine wasn't entirely sure how to respond. In the end, the only thing she could manage was to awkwardly stay there in silence. Her whole ordeal and her backstory were a secret.

So far, only Paimon and Yomite knew about it, and she didn't plan on adding more people to that low count.

Yomite immediately knew why she was flipping out. It had to do with the fact that she was not from this world. Well, the same could be said about him, as for now, he didn't plan on telling this to anyone, although he was pretty sure that Lumine already knew about it to some point.

She was also currently in his party, so he will have to talk with her about it later on along the road. He was interested in her story a bit.

Lisa pulled the damaged glove from her hand and continued, "Anyway, the crystal would be better left in the hands of the Cutie. It will just be a pain if left with us. Both literally and metaphorically..."

Lumine's face went from frown to a look of determination before nodding, feeling lucky as the subject changed quick enough for her to escape.

"Okay. I will keep it. Wait...Cutie...?" She seemed to mishear what was just said to her.

"...Fascinating," Jean mumbled as she was thinking about how unique Lumine was. She then looked at Yomite, another unique individual who didn't appear to wear Vision on him, yet managed to defeat Stormterror.

She heard the report from Kaeya clearly, he was an enigma. They didn't know where he came from, nothing about his abilities, nor if he was an enemy or an ally, but seeing that Kaeya took him under his wing eased up a lot of her worries.

The Vision was special, in that it didn't work unless certain conditions were met.

First, worthy individuals had to possess it, then, the Vision had to be worn somewhere on your clothes or skin where it was visible for others.

Similarly, the Vision stopped working the moment the user took it off of themselves or handed it to someone else, losing its worth if anyone ever thought about stealing one.

And yet.

He didn't have one, yet possesed some unknown power.

'No, now is not the time...'

She dismissed the thought and glanced back at Lumine, "Do you know about anything that makes you special?"

Lumine lightly shook her head, her palms sweating. She didn't have a talent for lying but she could keep up her poker face for a while.

"Hah...I do not know what to make of it either..." Jean sighed.

"Well, then Wanderer Yomite, Director of the Funeral parlor Hu Tao, and Traveler Lumine...The Knights of Favonius have another favor to ask of you. For your services, please accept the titles of Honorary Knights...and the gratitude of me, the Acting Grand Master." Jean announced, her hand on her chest.

Hearing that, Paimon flew around in joy, "Honorary Knights of Favonius!? Wow! That's amazing! Paimon wants a title as well!"

"Then how about a Warm Bodypillow? Sounds pretty good I would say." Yomite asked, waiting for someone's confirmation.

Lumine shook her head and replied, "Emergency ratios, Emergency food. I am already getting hungry..." a string of saliva ran down her lips as she focused her fervent gaze on the flying chicken.

"Oh, that might actually be a nice nickname, good one." Yomite nodded.

Paimon stomped her small boots in the air and shouted, "Hey! That's not the way to talk to your friend!! Besides, that joke is getting old! Repetitive jokes aren't funny anymore! And what even is a Bodypillow?!"

"Ahahah...you are better off not knowing..."

Having already lost interest in the conversation, Hu Tao leaned forward in her normal careless manner, almost falling asleep as she objected, "I don't wish to have a title. I would like some reimbursement instead if you don't mind. The contract with the Adventurers' Guild I mentioned, for example..."

"It is already done. I let them know, and we've added quite a lot of the benefits. Still, don't go expecting our Adventurers to go and die...We want them to survive..."

"Yaay~!" Hu Tao cheered as that was the only thing she came into Mondstadt to do and she succeeded.

"We require your continued assistance in finding some answers. Stormterror's rage...and those strange crimson crystals...I know Mondstadt's peace hangs in the balance...I beg of you..." She bowed to them.

They needed every bit of assistance they could get. She knew the strongest Knights were currently on an expedition with the Grand Master Varka, so they lacked the manpower and these strangers were quite powerful in her eyes.

No, it would be quite rude to call them that. They were Honorary Knights now.

Lumine and Hu Tao looked at Yomite, as he was currently the party leader, and he didn't mind helping, of course for the appropriate price.

"Sure, let's do it then."

Hearing his answer, Jean relaxed and replied, "May the wind open our eyes to the truth...I refuse to believe Stormterror turned against mankind for no reason, despite protecting us for so long..." She sighed and continued with her speech, "Once you find something, come to me. Likewise, if we find out something we will let you know."

"""Alright."""

Jean stared at them as they walked away, slightly in a daze.

She was overworked. Rubbing her temples, she felt that another headache was coming her way.

Lisa noticed her pained expression and went to make her a herbal tea.

Being the Acting Grand Master meant she was overrun by too many responsibilities, jobs, missions, quests, and requests, that she simply couldn't handle all by herself if she didn't give it her all.

Every day, whole day without rest, without a day off.

That was the moto of the Gunnhildr family.

"Live for Mondstadt, die for Mondstadt."