"Their numbers… are too great."
Jean stood atop the city wall of Mondstadt.
The Lionfang Knight's face had gone pale as she gazed down at the black mass of monsters charging toward the city.
She knew there was no way to avoid what was coming, but still—
"I swear upon my sword… that I shall protect Mondstadt forever."
Jean whispered the oath of her family.
She had no intention of fleeing.
For this was Mondstadt — the city the Gunnhildr family had protected for generations, the city entrusted to her by the one she loved.
Though Jean was usually calm and composed, her pride and resolve should never be underestimated by anyone.
She closed her eyes for a few seconds, then opened them again — determination burning within.
She was prepared to fight to her very last breath.
Even so, Jean looked into the distance and murmured softly.
"Barbara… you must live well."
Earlier, she had asked Barbara to go seek reinforcements — but in truth, that was only an excuse to keep her away from danger.
Barbara's healing magic would undoubtedly save countless lives in the battle to come, but the risk to her own life would be far too great.
This was Jean's selfishness — her way of protecting her younger sister, as an elder sister should.
"Run, and find Prince Leon," Jean had said. "Barbara, you must live happily with him. I'll fight for your sake."
All the Knights of Favonius understood her intent.
But none of them told Barbara the truth.
They all knew too well that many in Mondstadt would die in this battle.
Under the assault of tens of thousands of monsters, the city could be destroyed — hundreds of lives lost.
And in that case…
Let the kindest, most gentle girl in Mondstadt live on — as the continuation of the city's life itself.
"How goes the evacuation of the citizens?"
"Less than half complete."
"All Knights of Favonius, prepare for battle! No matter what happens, we must hold until everyone is safely evacuated!" Jean drew her sword and spoke loudly.
"Yes, ma'am!" ×N
The Knights of Favonius gripped their weapons and responded in unison.
However—
Just as they steeled themselves to fight to the bitter end—
"All right, that's enough. Leave everything to me."
"That voice…!" Jean's eyes widened in disbelief as she turned.
At some point, Leon had appeared atop the city wall — and with him stood her sister, Barbara, who should have been out searching for help.
"Prince Leon… and Barbara…" she whispered in shock.
"It's all right, Jean. I'm here." Leon raised a hand and gently patted Jean's head.
"Prince Leon…"
The girl who had stood so strong moments ago now had tears glimmering in her eyes.
At the same time, the Knights of Favonius along the wall noticed Leon's arrival and cried out.
"Prince Leon is here!!"
"Mondstadt can be saved!!"
Those who had been sinking into despair now had light in their eyes once more.
In an instant, morale surged, and the heavy air of tragic sacrifice began to fade.
For when a person performs countless miracles — when someone achieves the impossible time and again —
then no matter how dire the situation, as long as he appears, people will believe in him.
They will follow him, convinced that he will bring victory.
At that moment, every Knight of Favonius truly believed:
If it's Leon… he'll bring a miracle to save this city.
"Haha, looks like I'm pretty popular," Leon said with a grin, waving at the knights.
Jean gazed at him with affection, yet as a woman devoted to her prince, she still spoke with concern.
"Please… don't push yourself," she said softly.
"Jean, you should be the one who has the most faith in me." Leon replied, eyes fixed on the horizon.
As he looked toward the countless monsters that had already crossed the stone bridge and were moments away from breaching the gate, a cruel smile curved his lips.
"Haha… Anis will be thrilled to have so much raw material delivered straight to her doorstep."
Dealing with this horde would be easy.
These monsters had been driven here by Leon's Dragon Power — terrified of his aura, they had fled straight to Mondstadt.
So, if he simply used that power again, he could easily scare them off.
But…
(Even if that would affect the nearby ecosystem… now that they're here, they won't be leaving.)
Leon decided to annihilate every single one of the tens of thousands of monsters himself.
"Your Highness, I am ready to fight by your side," Jean offered.
She was loyal to him.
Before being the Acting Grand Master of Mondstadt, she was Leon's knight.
If the lord she served wished to fight personally, she would stand as his shield.
However, Leon shook his head.
Even in the face of the overwhelming horde, not a trace of fear appeared in his eyes.
Instead, his gaze was filled with contempt.
"They're just a pack of worthless worms. Why would I need help dealing with them? Perfect, actually — I can test my latest combat method on these pests."
"Your Highness… what do you plan to do?"
"I'm going to try out my new summoning chant!"
Before Jean could even ask what he meant, Leon leapt from the city wall.
Yet he didn't fall — he hovered in midair, raising one hand high.
"O proud Wolf King of the North Wind! Wield for me the chill of the frozen realm — come forth! Andrius, Wolf of the North Wind!"
At Leon's call, a massive, majestic wolf with blue and white fur leapt from a spatial portal that opened in midair.
The monsters charging across the bridge froze in terror. Instinctively, they felt the overwhelming power of the North Wind's ruler.
And then—
A freezing wind swept across the land.
"Awooooooooooooooooooo!!!"
The North Wind Wolf King threw back his head and howled to the heavens.
With that single cry, frost and snow began to blanket the entire battlefield.
All enemies within the storm's reach were corroded by the cold — trapped beneath layers of ice and snow.
"This way, none of you will escape."
He sealed them in place before the massacre even began — to ensure not a single one slipped away.
"Now then… once more! Guardian of the primal oasis, master of all verdant life — rain down your thorns upon this land! Come forth! Grass Dragon King, Apep!"
Leon opened another spatial gate.
"ROAAAAAR!!"
The Dragon King, who slumbered deep within the Wind Dragon's ruins, opened her eyes and roared — conjuring a storm of thorny rain just as Leon commanded.
With just those two summons, countless monsters were obliterated.
Originally, there had been hundreds of thousands.
Now, only four thousand remained.
"It's over," Leon murmured, eyes narrowing as he opened another rift in space.
"King of the skies — heavenly dragon who divides the firmament! Drive out my enemies with your gale! East Wind Dragon, Dvalin!!"
"ROAAAAAAR!!"
Accompanied by a thunderous roar that shook the heavens, a massive blue dragon soared out of the spatial gate.
---
(End of Chapter)