22 Short-Handed Knights

"I don't think so."

(A 'princess' who has just descended into this world—where would she find the time for love?)

Diluc’s expression remained indifferent, his tone tinged with displeasure. "The talk of an elopement is nothing more than groundless speculation. Do not speak of such things again, lest you damage her reputation."

He walked away with his glass in hand, leaving Charles looking increasingly troubled as he let out a long sigh.

"Sigh!"

"Boss, you really must not make a mistake you shouldn't be making..."

...

He knocked on the door and announced his name. The door opened quickly, revealing the lovely young woman standing inside.

Seeing her, Diluc could not help but pause, for her attire today was, quite simply, stunning.

From the very first moment he had seen her, Diluc knew she was a beautiful young woman. But today felt particularly different.

It was as if a foggy sky had finally cleared, or a dusty gem had been wiped clean. It was a radiant, heart-stirring brightness that seemed to light up the world around her.

She was vibrant and lively, a charming, artless brilliance entirely different from the cautious, delicate melancholy she had shown before.

She wore a one-piece, double-layered pleated dress. The back of the skirt featured a slight, irregular train, while the front stopped just at her knees, revealing her slender, well-proportioned calves, which looked like delicate flower stalks. White silk stockings clung to her lower legs, pressing into the skin to reveal a hint of soft flesh.

The outfit was divided into two layers: the inner layer was longer, white as fresh snow, with fine pleats like rippling waves. The outer layer was shorter, a bright emerald green, adorned with dark, intricate patterns that accentuated her figure. This contrast perfectly highlighted her fair, delicate skin. At the same time, the strong presence of the shorter green skirt suppressed the white one beneath, creating a more superior head-to-body ratio, making her waist appear slender and her legs exceptionally long.

Her hairstyle, which appeared casual, had clearly been styled with care. It was parted into two low ponytails that rested on her chest. The long, wavy curls were incredibly voluminous, thick and fluffy like a squirrel’s tail, further emphasizing her petite and graceful frame.

Such vivid, striking colors instantly captured one's gaze. Looking at her, Diluc felt as if he were seeing a cluster of fresh, lovely, and spirited dandelions in early spring. It made one want to both cup their palms around it with tenderness and blow on it lightly, watching it fly into the sky, light and spirited.

In short, she was beautiful to a near-inhuman degree.

(...Is she really this beautiful?)

(Perhaps.)

Diluc thought, feeling uncertain.

Perhaps it was because he had finally confirmed her safety and removed the "dangerous individual" filter, allowing him to finally appreciate her beauty.

...

Seeing him, Peinana was also a little surprised, her eyes curving into a smile instinctively. However, the young man’s brief moment of daze made her bristle instinctively. She quickly shed her "magnanimous" good-person aura and retreated behind the door, calling out as if to remind him, "Mr. Diluc!"

Only half of her pretty face was visible from behind the door, watching him with vigilance, like a timid yet fierce white rabbit.

The surprise and intimacy in her smile, seen at the moment the door opened, had vanished like a dream.

The radiant, room-brightening aura was gone, replaced once again by that gray, somber atmosphere.

Diluc regained his composure and placed the tray with peach juice in front of her. His refined, doll-like face was as calm as a frozen pond. "A return gift. Thank you for the handmade flowers; you’ve worked hard."

Miraculously, his business-like attitude caused the slightly stressed white rabbit to relax. She hurriedly took the tray, saying nervously, "No, I should be the one thanking you for forgiving me so easily."

Diluc nodded slightly and said, "In that case, let us not speak of this matter again. I have come to tell you one more thing. I will be heading home tonight and will not be staying at the hotel for the time being. If you need anything, you may have Hailey look for Charles."

Peinana let out a gasp, suddenly becoming tense. "Ah! Then... when will you be back?"

Diluc paused again, somewhat surprised, and replied, "Tomorrow or the day after."

Peinana relaxed, murmuring to herself, "That’s good then..." Realizing what she had said, she immediately blushed and stammered, "No! I... I meant, please don't worry, Mr. Diluc, I can take care of myself and I won't wander off! Also, I wish you a smooth time with your work and hope you can return soon!"

Diluc: "..."

Diluc: "Please rest assured, Miss. I will return as soon as possible."

Peinana: "O-okay!"

Though she spoke well, Peinana had previously enjoyed reading and looking at the scenery on the balcony. Once Diluc left, she didn't even go to the balcony; she even closed the shutters.

She had sat there for several days, and people in the city had long taken note of the stunning beauty. From time to time, people would pretend to pass by just to catch a glimpse, and the business on the street below her window had even improved, though now those coming for the view could only sigh in disappointment.

...

The next afternoon, Charles was on duty at the tavern when an unexpected guest entered.

He was tall, with dark skin and dark hair, wearing an eyepatch. His shirt was unbuttoned low, revealing his muscular chest, and a large fur-collared mantle draped over one shoulder.

He flicked a Mora coin between his fingers, watching the shiny gold piece spin into the air before snapping it into his palm with a 'clap'. "Give me a Death After Noon!"

His entire demeanor exuded a sense of carefree, unrestrained spirit.

"Captain Kaeya??" Charles was surprised to see him. He instinctively glanced out the window, hesitating as he asked, "Why are you here at this hour?"

This man was the Cavalry Captain and Acting Grand Master’s assistant of the Knights of Favonius, the governing body of Mondstadt. He was a truly busy man. While he sometimes came to Angel’s Share to drink and listen to music, he almost always had time only in the evenings.

It was barely two or three in the afternoon; hardly the time for a Cavalry Captain to be off duty.

"Haha! Stealing a moment of leisure from a busy schedule, of course!" the carefree, dark-skinned young man laughed heartily, sitting at the bar. "It’s not easy to sneak a drink during work hours—hurry, hurry, serve the drink!"

Charles didn't waste time, immediately grabbing the bottles to mix the Death After Noon that Captain Kaeya had ordered. While mixing, he chatted casually: "The Knights must be quite busy lately, right? I feel like I haven't seen you, Captain Kaeya, in a few days."

"Don't remind me!" Captain Kaeya slumped over the counter, appearing like a miserable office worker drained of all vitality at the mere mention of work. Seeing that there were few customers around, he poured out his grievances to Charles. "Most of the Knights’ manpower went on the expedition with Grand Master Varka. Less than half remain, and most of those are rookies or interns. We were already short-staffed, and now it feels like every person is being split in two just to get by.

"Take me, for instance. A perfectly good Cavalry Captain, a combat role without a doubt, and I’m forced to double as an assistant administrator! An administrator! Every trivial task counts as administration! With so many people in Mondstadt and so many things happening every day, can you imagine how busy I am? I feel like my brain is filled with these tasks when I try to sleep—buzzing, buzzing, buzzing!

"And on top of that, the Dragon of the East had to go and cause trouble.

"Thankfully, it’s finally resolved. But the injured need to be tallied, right? The ruined crops need to be accounted for, right? The roads destroyed by the storm need clearing, right? The houses blown down need rebuilding, right? The merchant caravans lost along the way need searching for, right? Partners from various regions need to be notified and reassured, right? The public’s morale needs stabilizing, right? And the Dragon of the East’s temple needs to be reconstructed, right? And the monsters we didn't have time to deal with before need clearing, right?

"—These! Are! All! Tasks!

"Whew—"

He wanted to die.

One Kaeya had lost his dreams.

Ever since the God of Wind, Barbatos, blew away the frost and carved through the mountains to establish the new Mondstadt, the city had lived for thousands of years in a gentle, temperate environment, lacking the sense of crisis or experience to deal with large-scale natural disasters.

Who would have thought that as the nation favored by the God of Wind, they would one day encounter a massive storm? It hadn't happened in thousands of years; who would have the spare time to prepare for it? Consequently, the damage to farmland and houses was exceptionally severe.

Moreover, thanks to the favorable weather and fertile soil, Mondstadt had always been a major exporter of food and agricultural products in Teyvat. After the storm, a large portion of crops were destroyed—what was to be done about the export quotas already signed? Would other nations allow their own citizens to go hungry just to sympathize with a disaster in another country? The negotiations with foreign powers were primarily handled by Acting Grand Master Jean, but how to remedy the situation fell under "internal affairs."

And most of these were handled by him, the administrator. If not for his naturally dark skin, the dark circles under his eyes during this period would have made people suspect he’d been beaten up.

The drink he ordered was ready. Charles placed it before him with a look of pity. Captain Kaeya took it, took a large gulp, and said with a sense of relief, "It’s a good thing Miss Amber is such an energetic young lady. I’ve handed off all the field search and rescue and road condition investigation work to her. Well, scouting is what Outriders are supposed to do anyway."

After downing more than half the glass in one go, Captain Kaeya let out a long sigh, as if he had finally come back to life, and laughed with his usual flair. "Alright, enough about me. Tell me about you—I saw you looking troubled and sighing when I walked in. Is something the matter?"

Charles: "..."