[Once Jean realized you were serious, her face flushed scarlet. Her eyes darted away, unable to meet yours.]
["... I'm sorry... Right now, the most important thing to me is Mondstadt and the Knights of Favonius... I can't consider anything else for the time being."]
[Being rejected by Jean was exactly what you expected.]
[Though you felt a pang of disappointment, you knew this wasn't enough to make you give up.]
[To Jean, you had always just been an ordinary Knight of Favonius.]
[But now that she knew your feelings, she'd start paying attention to you. At the very least, you'd leave a different impression on her.]
[And many relationships… start with simply noticing someone.]
[You and Jean headed back toward Mondstadt together. At the city gates, you spotted Eula Lawrence returning as well.]
[After saying goodbye to Jean, you quickly hurried after her.]
[Eula had been acting snarky and sharp-tongued toward you for quite a while now.]
[But since you still served under her command, you knew you needed to straighten this out.]
["Captain!" you called after the fuming Eula. "Wait up."]
[She spun around, her face full of fury. "What!"]
[Faced with her hostility, you felt a bit helpless. "Captain, what exactly are you so angry about lately?"]
["What business is it of yours? Don't you only care about Jean's opinion anyway?"]
[You thought back. Eula's strange behavior had started after that night Barbara confessed to you.]
[Could it be... she overheard your conversation with Barbara?]
[But still... even if she did, what did your feelings for Jean have to do with her?]
[Seeing the faint confusion on your face only made Eula angrier.]
["You already have someone you like, yet you peeped on me while I was bathing. That grudge…"]
["You're still holding onto that one, huh?" you cut her off. "I told you, it was an accident. And I only saw your back."]
[A blush spread across Eula's cheeks. "Only my back isn't enough? What else were you hoping to see, you pervert!"]
[She glared. "Anyway, you spied on me bathing! After doing that, you shouldn't be allowed to like anyone else!"]
[You blurted without thinking, "If I can't like anyone else, then who should I like? You?"]
[At your words, the blush on Eula's face deepened until her whole face was crimson.]
[Your heart skipped a beat. Wait… no way…]
[She bit back her shyness and put on a haughty front. "If you really insist on liking me… then I suppose it's not impossible."]
[Hearing Eula say this, your choices are…]
[1. Agree—you'll like her from now on.]
[2. Refuse.]
[3. Tell her that if she wants to be with you, she'll have to accept Barbara too, and you'll like both of them together.]
Kael stared at Option 3, utterly speechless.
If he actually dared say that to Eula, she'd definitely draw her greatsword and cleave him in half.
Even if she didn't kill him, her affection would plummet straight into the abyss.
What kind of scumbag declaration was that?
"I pick 2. Refuse."
He had already turned down Barbara before—if he agreed to Eula now, it'd be far too cruel to Barbara.
Besides, from the past simulations, Kael had noticed a pattern.
As long as a Genshin character liked him, even if he didn't end up with them, he'd still get points when their heartbreak moments hit.
So he figured, since he'd already rejected Barbara, he might as well see this through to the end.
Anything that could interfere with his pursuit of Jean had to be avoided.
[Hearing Eula's words, your expression grew awkward.]
[You tried to speak, searching for a way to reject her without hurting her pride.]
["Captain... I..."]
[But seeing your face, the proud mask Eula wore crumbled. In her eyes flickered hurt and disappointment.]
[She cut you off. "Enough, don't bother. I was only joking. Do you really think I'd ever like someone like you?"]
[With that, she turned away and left without looking back.]
[This time, she didn't even throw out her usual catchphrase about grudges.]
[You let out a sigh.]
Kael sighed too.
For Jean's sake, he'd already rejected two girls who showed him affection.
He'd invested too much to turn back now—no matter what, he had to win Jean in the end.
[Because of her family background, Eula rarely showed herself inside Mondstadt.]
[Ever since you turned down her veiled confession, you noticed she came into the city even less.]
[From other knights, you learned she'd taken on many missions, all outside Mondstadt, and wouldn't be returning to the city anytime soon.]
[A pang of guilt rose in your heart, but it quickly faded as other concerns took over.]
[With Eula absent for long stretches, you ended up shouldering most of the squad's paperwork.]
[Because of this, you had far more opportunities to spend time with Jean.]
[Nearly every day, you found a reason to report to her.]
[At first, Jean seemed uncomfortable seeing you, still remembering your confession that day.]
[But gradually, she grew used to your presence.]
[Beyond work reports, you'd sometimes bring her romance novels you thought she'd like.]
[The two of you began discussing the stories together, and you'd share funny little anecdotes from daily life.]
[Jean bore the trust of the Knights of Favonius and the expectations of all Mondstadt's citizens. For that, she constantly reminded herself never to slack off.]
[Her dependability often made people forget—she was still just a young woman, with a young woman's heart.]
[Thanks to your deliberate nudging, Jean began to enjoy the feeling of being around you.]
[Amid the crushing weight of her duties, only with you did she feel like she could finally relax.]
[Sometimes, she'd find herself staring absentmindedly at your handsome face.]
[She couldn't quite figure out what this feeling was.]
[Was it… love? Or simply trust...?]
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For every 50 PS, I'll drop an extra chapter.