Jean had finally come to terms with her feelings. She knew now—she had fallen for Kael.
But protecting Mondstadt was her lifelong conviction.
The citizens of Mondstadt, the knights of the Knights of Favonius—so many people trusted and depended on her.
She couldn't betray that trust.
Mondstadt… and Kael…
Between the two, she had made her choice.
Jean led the remaining knights out. When they reached the city gates, she saw Barbara kneeling beside the unconscious Eula, using her healing to treat her wounds.
"Sis… Captain Jean, are you going to save Kael?"
The moment Barbara spotted her, she froze mid-treatment and rushed to ask.
Jean remembered well—her very first meeting with Kael had been at Barbara's home. She knew Barbara and Kael were close friends. Of course Barbara must be terrified for him now.
A flash of pain crossed Jean's face.
"Springvale is under attack by Hilichurls. I'm heading there to reinforce them."
Barbara's eyes flew wide in disbelief. "You… you're going to Springvale?! What about Kael? Did you send anyone else to him?"
Jean shook her head. "A large group of Hilichurls is gathering, preparing to attack Mondstadt. We're short on manpower—"
Barbara cut her off furiously. "So what you mean is, you didn't send anyone to support Kael? You're just leaving him there to fend for himself?!"
"I'll deal with Springvale as quickly as possible, then head there—"
"That Hilichurl camp even Eula couldn't handle—do you honestly think Kael can hold out on his own that long?!"
Tears streamed down Barbara's face as her voice broke down. "He can't! There's no way he can last that long! He's going to die! He's going to die!!!"
Her words stabbed Jean's heart like knives, stealing her breath away.
The truth she'd been avoiding was ripped open before her eyes, and Jean was forced to face the cruel reality head-on.
She knew she wouldn't make it in time.
She knew Kael might very well die.
But she wasn't just Jean. She was Jean Gunnhildr.
That name meant she must defend Mondstadt with her life, never allowing harm to befall it.
The safety of Mondstadt, the duty of the Knights, outweighed everything.
Even her own life—she would sacrifice it without hesitation if it meant protecting Mondstadt.
Jean's eyes burned red, her hand gripping her sword trembling violently.
She bit down hard on the tip of her tongue, the sharp tang of blood spreading through her mouth.
The pain snapped her back to reason.
"Continue forward. Head to Springvale!" she barked to the knights behind her.
Ignoring Barbara's sobs and wails, Jean didn't so much as glance back as she strode out of Mondstadt.
Barbara collapsed to her knees on the ground, watching her sister's retreating figure vanish into the distance, and broke into a howl of despair.
"You don't deserve his love… someone like you doesn't deserve his love at all…"
How she hated herself in that moment.
Why couldn't she be strong like her sister, wielding overwhelming power?
No!
She would find a way. She had to.
She wasn't going to just sit here doing nothing, waiting for news of Kael's death.
"Mm… Kael…"
Barbara's head snapped around at the faint groan beside her. Eula had stirred, her eyes half-open.
That's right—Eula!
Barbara scrambled to her side on hands and knees, only to find Eula looking at her through the haze of pain.
The very first thing Eula asked as consciousness returned was about Kael.
"Kael… did anyone go to support him…"
Barbara's tears fell anew as she forced her elemental energy to surge, pouring it into Eula's body, trying to mend her wounds.
"No one went to save him… Mondstadt's under attack by Hilichurls. Everyone's gone to fight them. They've all forgotten Kael… Jean abandoned him…"
"What? Ngh—!"
At Barbara's words, Eula tried to sit up in alarm, but the motion tore at the deep gash across her abdomen, wrenching a cry of agony from her lips.
Barbara's once-rosy face had gone pale as paper, drained from overusing her Vision's power, but she kept her head bowed, stubbornly pressing her healing into Eula.
"Kael only has us left, Eula. You have to get better, fast. As long as you recover, there's still a chance… you have to save him… please… bring him back…"
Under Barbara's desperate healing, wound after wound on Eula's body sealed shut.
Though exhaustion weighed on her, she could finally move again.
Barbara's complexion was ghastly white, her strength utterly spent—yet she still forced a radiant smile onto her face.
"Thank the Archons… Eula, go. You have to bring Kael back…"
Eula gripped her greatsword and slowly rose to her feet. She cast Barbara a deep look, her voice steady with resolve.
"Don't worry. I'll bring him back."
Not just for you… but for myself as well. I won't let him slip away from us.