[You still wore that confident smile.]
[For some reason, your smile always carried a strange kind of persistence. You just couldn't let go of the thought of having her.]
[After Barbara poured her heart out, she grew embarrassed and darted off in a flash.]
[When you lifted your head, you caught sight of a blue-haired figure in the distance.]
[It was Eula!]
["Captain? You—" You started to greet her, but Eula suddenly whipped her head around and glared daggers at you.]
["I'll remember this grudge!"]
[…]
[You were completely speechless. What grudge now…?]
[Age 17: Recently, a Stormterror had appeared near Mondstadt, stirring up violent tempests that wreaked havoc on the orchards and disrupted the trade routes.]
[Whenever a storm broke out, people were often injured, and it required many knights to defend the city.]
[But not long ago, most of Mondstadt's combat forces had marched out with the expedition, leaving the Knights of Favonius desperately short-handed.]
[This gave the Hilichurl camps free rein to creep closer and closer toward Mondstadt.]
[Now, the Knights were forced to organize missions to clear them out.]
[As part of the guerrilla squads—one of the main strike forces against the Hilichurl camps—you often partnered up with Jean Gunnhildr.]
[For some reason though, every single time you were with Jean, Eula would glare at you with that vicious look in her eyes.]
["I'll remember this grudge."]
[You'd gotten used to Eula's random outbursts. At this point, you'd lost count of how many times you'd heard that line from her lately.]
[Honestly, with how many grudges she'd stacked up against you, you must be her sworn enemy number one in all of Mondstadt by now.]
[Today, you and Eula were once again accompanying Jean on another Hilichurl camp-clearing mission.]
[But this time things were much tougher than before—because in the middle of the fight, a storm whipped up by Stormterror itself came crashing down on you.]
[Torrents of violent gales, brimming with Anemo, came barreling your way.]
[Without a Vision, you were nearly blown off your feet—until Eula, quick as lightning, grabbed your hand and yanked you back.]
["Run! We need to find somewhere—anywhere—we can take cover!"]
[The three of you sprinted across the plains of Mondstadt, but no matter how far you went, there wasn't a single place that could shield you from the storm.]
[The winds were closing in fast!]
[Then suddenly, you saw Jean stop in her tracks and turn to face the raging storm head-on.]
[She raised the Dandelion Knight's sword.]
["Dandelion Breeze!"]
[Her Anemo burst tore into the tempest, scattering the storm that threatened to engulf you.]
[Her cape billowed wildly, snapping in the roaring winds.]
[Her eyes were sharp and unwavering, gleaming like the edge of a drawn blade.]
[From behind her, you stared at her back, completely entranced.]
[Suddenly, Anemo gathered around you.]
[A Vision, glowing with wind's element, appeared right before your eyes!]
[Congratulations, Host. You've obtained an item—Anemo Vision.]
[…]
This had to be the strangest way Kael had ever heard of someone getting a Vision.
Because he longed for Jean so desperately, so obsessively, that a god had actually noticed him???
That was a little too twisted, wasn't it?
[Everyone noticed what had just happened, and they rushed over to offer their congratulations.]
[Jean smiled warmly. "That's wonderful, Kael. The Knights of Favonius have gained another Vision wielder."]
[Seeing her smile, your heart swelled.]
[But amid all the sincere blessings, there was one person whose reaction was completely different.]
[Eula pressed her lips together, eyes misty, glaring at you with all her might.]
["I'll remember this grudge!"]
[…]
[Oh come on. Seriously?]
[You really felt Eula was acting stranger and stranger these days.]
[You decided you'd have to find a chance to sit her down and talk.]
[After gaining your Vision, your strength increased dramatically, and the Knights started assigning you heavier and heavier responsibilities.]
[Still, no matter how busy work got, you always found time to slip away to Cape Oath, hoping to catch a glimpse of Jean.]
[And at last, one twilight evening, your persistence paid off—you finally ran into her.]
[Her gaze was as steadfast as always, though a faint weariness lingered between her brows.]
[When she saw you, she smiled and greeted you.]
[You walked to her side, quietly admiring the view of Cape Oath together.]
["It really is beautiful here. No wonder Sachi confessed to Vera here."]
[You brought up a scene from The Melancholy of Maiden Vera.]
[At your words, Jean's eyes lit up. "You finished that book?"]
["Yeah. It was a pretty good story."]
["It really was." Talking about her favorite novel, the usually composed Jean suddenly let slip a girlish brightness.]
["It's just a shame I haven't read the ending yet. Sachi sacrificed an eye and his youth trying to bring Vera back to life. Do you think Vera ended up accepting him in the end? Or did she still choose the powerful Ike instead?"]
[At your question, Jean answered firmly: "She'd definitely choose Sachi. He gave up so much for her. Love that pure—it has to be rewarded."]
[Hearing her response filled you with encouragement, your heart stirring with warmth.]
["And what about you? If someone was willing to give up everything for you, loving you with all their heart… would you accept him?"]
["Mm… I'm not sure… maybe?" Jean thought it over, her tone hesitant.]
[Then she lifted her head and caught the look in your eyes, as if realizing something. "Kael… you—"]
[You picked up where she left off, pushing forward: "Then if that someone were me… would you accept me?"]
[Jean froze, staring at your face—handsome, resolute, and brimming with deep affection.]
---
PEAK