The simple exchange of the staff seemed to bridge the unseen gap between Jean and Barbara. At the very least, the stiff formality that usually accompanied the word "Sister" had melted away. For a brief moment, the heavy mantle of Acting Grand Master vanished, leaving only the warmth of their childhood days.
A soft light entered Jean's eyes as she reached out, gently smoothing the hair atop Barbara's head.
Barbara's breath hitched. Her eyes grew glassy, and she gave a quiet sniff, pressing her lips together to keep her composure. It had been years since she last felt that comforting touch.
"Oh my, to think a simple Advanced Healing Staff could bring our dear Barbara to tears," Lisa chuckled softly. "If it were a Master-level staff, you might just flood the entire room."
Lisa offered a teasing smile. Barbara's face erupted in color as she ducked behind Jean's back.
"Please leave Barbara be," Jean sighed, shaking her head. "Master-level staves are incredibly rare. Even I only wield an Advanced-level one."
"Ah, but I happen to possess a Master-level staff."
Lisa twirled the Scepter of Striking Lightning with a flick of her wrist. Arcs of volatile violet electricity danced dangerously across its tip, the contained energy causing several onlookers to take a cautious step back. The sheer pressure exuded by a Master-level weapon was suffocating, especially for newcomers like Barbara who were laying eyes on one for the first time.
"Right, Noelle," Jean said, turning her attention back to her inventory. She retrieved another staff and presented it to the maid. "This is an Advanced Earth Staff I acquired recently. It is on par with Barbara's. Please, take it."
"Acting Grand Master... this is far too precious..." Noelle stared at the polished wood and glowing gemstone, her fingers twitching with longing, yet her posture remained rigidly polite. Accepting such a valuable gift without earning it went against her very nature.
"It is perfectly fine. Entrusting it to you means it has found a worthy master," Jean reassured her. "This world may appear tranquil, but hidden dangers lurk in the shadows. A staff will provide you with an extra layer of safety. Please do not decline. It would merely gather dust in my inventory, and you are the only one among us who wields the Geo element."
Noelle pressed her lips together and bowed her head, accepting the weapon. The moment her skin made contact with the handle, a surge of Geo energy resonated through her veins, reinforcing her innate elemental power. Her eyes widened in pure awe as she studied the staff.
Off to the side, Kaeya leaned forward, fixing Jean with an intensely expectant gaze. Jean offered a polite, apologetic smile.
"My apologies. Magical staves are exceedingly rare, and my inventory is now empty. You might want to ask Diluc. He should have collected a few by now."
Kaeya pivoted instantly, transferring his eager, wide-eyed look to Diluc.
A heavy silence stretched out. Diluc kept his gaze firmly fixed ahead, completely ignoring the burning stare directed at the side of his face.
"My dear sworn brother, surely you have a welcome gift for me?" Kaeya prompted, his tone dripping with exaggerated sweetness.
Diluc scoffed internally. Sworn brother only when there was something to be gained. The rest of the time, he was just Diluc, the convenient target for unpaid tavern tabs and stolen wine.
He finally turned his head, his crimson eyes utterly deadpan. "I do. I will gift you a Slash Blade, the Wooden Doll variant. You can spend your time upgrading it yourself. Congratulations on entering this world."
Kaeya stared at the basic, unpolished wooden blade placed into his hands, the bright smile freezing on his face. If his intelligence reports were accurate, these basic weapons were practically handed out on street corners. Even the standard military recruits were equipped with upgraded versions of this exact blade. What kind of pathetic welcome gift was this?
The Cavalry Captain pressed a hand to his chest, contorting his features into a mask of profound betrayal. "I am your one and only brother! Your dear sworn sibling! Have you forgotten our youth? The times I braved life and limb, battling fearsome slimes just to bring you their condensate? Have you forgotten the exquisite antique vases I painstakingly hunted down just for you?"
Diluc crossed his arms, his expression unyielding. "My only memory is of a certain someone pilfering over a dozen bottles of premium wine worth tens of millions of Mora. A tab that remains entirely unpaid to this day." He extended an open palm toward Kaeya. "With the accrued interest, the total comes to roughly two hundred million Mora. When can I expect the payment?"
Kaeya's faux heartbreak vanished, replaced by genuine indignation. "How can you be so utterly stingy! You do not even possess a Cryo Vision! Wielding a Cryo staff is a tragic waste of potential. Such a divine artifact should be entrusted to the one who can truly draw out its latent power! And I believe I am the perfect candidate to unlock its true capabilities."
With deliberate slowness, Diluc withdrew a Cryo staff from his inventory. One glance was all it took for Kaeya to covet the Frostbringer. The air around the staff plummeted in temperature. Pure, condensed Cryo energy swirled around its pale core, carrying a sharp, almost sacred chill. The frost seemed to whisper to Kaeya, begging him to wrap his hands around its hilt.
Kaeya lunged forward to snatch it, but Diluc casually sidestepped, letting his sworn brother grasp only empty air.
Diluc inspected the frost-tipped wood, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "With this staff in my off-hand, I can effortlessly trigger Melt reactions on my own. How could that possibly be a waste? Furthermore, I still possess a Cryo Delusion. This weapon holds significant value for my arsenal. As for you..." Diluc leveled a flat, unsympathetic look at the Cavalry Captain. "Learn to be self-reliant."
Kaeya lowered his hand, grumbling under his breath. "Absolutely stingy."
Diluc rolled his eyes. "Do you honestly believe these weapons are easy to acquire? Crafting magic from scratch currently only yields Novice-level staves. A Novice staff must be meticulously upgraded to the Apprentice level. From there, it requires even more refinement to reach the Advanced tier. The sheer volume of materials and time required for that process is astronomical. If you wish to obtain an Advanced-level staff directly, your only option is to test your luck in the Twilight Forest."
He gripped the Frostbringer tightly. "That dimension is significantly more dangerous than the Overworld. Venturing inside alone carries a remarkably high mortality rate. This artifact is the spoils of my own hard-fought battles. If you want one, you must earn it yourself. It is not as if you are some fragile maiden who needs protecting."
Kaeya scowled, his eye drifting over to where Noelle was happily polishing her new weapon. "And Noelle is fragile? She could uproot a structural beam and crush someone with it! Her brute strength is more terrifying than half the monsters out there!"
The joyful smile melted off Noelle's face. She shot Kaeya a deeply unamused look, her grip on the staff tightening defensively.
"Comparing yourself to Noelle only makes me pity you more," Diluc stated flatly, securing the Frostbringer back into his inventory and putting a firm end to the discussion.
Kaeya exhaled a long breath, crossing his arms. "Fine. Just inform me the next time an expedition heads into the Twilight Forest. I am coming along."
"That ultimately depends on Ryen's schedule. However, it is unlikely our core team will return there anytime soon. The systematic exploration of the Twilight Forest has been officially handed over to the military. You can check with the dispatch officers once the Lantern Rite concludes and attach yourself to the next platoon."
Recognizing a lost cause, Kaeya pivoted, dropping his playful demeanor to inquire about Mondstadt's ongoing urban planning within the Minecraft world. He had spent the earlier part of the day touring the new settlement taking shape on the plains. Aesthetically, it was nearly a perfect replica of their home in Teyvat. However, to effectively integrate himself into the administrative workflow, he needed a comprehensive breakdown of their long-term logistical goals.
Across the room, Kamisato Ayato seized a quiet moment to approach Makoto and deliver a formal report regarding Inazuma's integration.
"The deployment of the three thousand new recruits from the Shogunate forces is complete. While the logistics took slightly longer than anticipated, the overall transition was smooth. They have been transferred to Liyue's Base Number One for basic instruction. Within seven days, they should be adequately trained to relieve the frontline units and assume responsibility for standard resource gathering. This influx of personnel will significantly alleviate our current labor shortages."
Ayato gestured gracefully toward the two individuals waiting respectfully a few paces away. "Furthermore, Yoimiya and Kaedehara Kazuha have also crossed over. Recognizing that Inazuma currently lacks sufficient high-tier combatants within this realm, I took the initiative to authorize their entry. Miss Yoimiya intends to collaborate with Lady Keqing regarding the festival fireworks. Kazuha is here seeking an audience with Captain Beidou. Their presence will undoubtedly bolster our exploration efforts. Does this meet with your approval, Shogun?"
Makoto's gaze softened as she looked over the pyrotechnician and the wandering samurai. She offered a warm, welcoming nod. "You handled this perfectly, Ayato. While our new recruits missed the opportunity to participate in the Lantern Rite Bedwars tournament, they will be perfectly positioned to assist in our long-term expansions once the festival concludes. As for Yoimiya and Kazuha, you are both more than welcome to stay. We can never have too many capable hands."
Both Yoimiya and Kazuha dipped their heads in gratitude, genuine excitement visible in their posture. They had only caught glimpses of the Bedwars matches so far, but the sheer, reality-bending nature of this blocky universe had utterly captivated their imaginations. Securing permanent authorization to remain was an incredible privilege.
"The Lantern Rite will conclude in exactly seven days," Makoto continued, addressing Ayato once more. "Following the festival, Ryen intends to initiate an expedition to explore the newly generated continent. This initial vanguard will not include standard military units. We must assess the threat levels and environmental hazards before committing large-scale forces."
She tapped a finger thoughtfully against her palm. "The core team will likely be away for an extended period. Therefore, we must establish rigorous operational protocols for all stationed troops prior to our departure. Furthermore, our urban development initiatives must be accelerated. By next year, Inazuma is scheduled to complete a primary capital alongside several interconnected satellite settlements. Ensure a delegation is sent to shadow Liyue's architectural teams. We need to absorb their construction techniques. When accounting for this educational exchange, our current manpower is stretched quite thin. Send word to Gorou. He needs to accelerate the recruitment and training pipelines back home."
Ayato nodded sharply, his pen gliding rapidly across his notepad as he committed the orders to paper. Makoto proceeded to outline a series of minor logistical details, refining their approach for the coming weeks.
Outside of the grand Bedwars exhibition, the day was largely devoid of heavy responsibilities. The vast industrial machinery of the Minecraft world had temporarily ground to a halt. In fact, strict mandates were in place for the duration of the Lantern Rite: all non-essential labor was suspended in favor of pure recreation. In Ryen's own words: 'It is the New Year. Anyone caught doing paperwork will be thrown into the void.'
As the blocky moon climbed to its zenith and the nocturnal silence claimed the plains, the hum of conversation finally died down. Ryen checked the sky, noting the hour. He clapped his hands together, drawing everyone's attention.
"Let us call it a night. Return to your quarters and get some proper rest. And please, refrain from staying up until dawn obsessing over Bedwars strategies. We have weeks of internal matches ahead of us. You will all have ample time to master the mechanics on the field. We will reconvene here tomorrow morning."
He gestured toward the massive portal humming in the distance. "Furthermore, you are not prisoners to this dimension. The heart of the Lantern Rite remains in Liyue Harbor. I highly encourage you all to step through the portal and enjoy the festivities in Teyvat."
Lumine stepped forward, a sly smirk gracing her lips. "Is this your subtle way of pushing us to stimulate Liyue's economy? Trying to pad Lady Ningguang's pockets with a little extra Mora?"
Ryen arched a brow, wholly unbothered by the accusation. "Since when did our esteemed Traveler become such a cynical conspiracy theorist?"
"It is not a conspiracy, it is basic deduction!" Lumine lifted her chin triumphantly. She cast a sidelong glance toward her brother, her voice dropping into a sharp, pointed register. "Much like my flawless deduction that Aether has spent his entire time in the Abyss up to absolutely no good."
Catching a stray insult out of nowhere, Aether's expression violently darkened. He released a heavy scoff, spinning on his heel and marching straight toward the portal, his Khaenri'ahn retinue trailing silently behind him. Enduring even one more second of Lumine's presence was a surefire recipe for an aneurysm.