"I at least knocked before entering. Unlike someone climbing through windows, I don't think you're in any position to lecture me."
Dainsleif's eyes deliberately met Kaeya's, while Kaeya squinted his single eye and raised his brow at Victor Wang.
"Don't mind how I came in. At the very least, I got the room owner's permission, didn't I?"
Victor Wang nodded in cooperation. "That's right."
"A stranger with blond hair, dressed oddly and wearing an eyepatch, wandering around Mondstadt… looks plenty suspicious to me. He even went out of his way to shake off Lawrence. Sure, he figured with Acting Grand Master Jean around, one suspicious-looking guy won't threaten Mondstadt. But I don't see it that way. Once I heard the report, I decided to check it out myself. And just as I thought—you slipped up."
"You've been following me?"
"This time you didn't notice? Seems I'm the better one at this."
"The Knights of Favonius… I've no intention of becoming your enemy. For the sake of Mondstadt's safety, it's you who should be helping me capture this man." Dainsleif's gaze locked firmly on Victor Wang.
Kaeya shrugged, stepping up beside Victor Wang. "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. He's our Honorary Knight. If he ever does something wrong, the Knights will handle it ourselves. But so far, he's a partner we trust."
"Honorary Knight? Hmph… hahahahaha! Since when did the lands of the gods allow an outsider to hold such a title?"
One sharp remark insulted both of them, but neither Victor Wang nor Kaeya responded with expression or word.
Noticing the awkward silence, Dainsleif carried on by himself. "Is it because of 'freedom'? I suppose only in this so-called land of freedom would such a thing happen. Or… is it that you simply failed to realize what he is? He's dangerous. A claw of the Abyss."
Again, no reaction from either Victor Wang or Kaeya.
"So, it seems… you know, and yet still chose to accept him. Even so, I must warn you—he's far more dangerous than you can imagine. I hope there won't be a second Abyss Order leader."
Every subtle reaction was caught in his eyes. Still, with silence from the other two, Dainsleif added slowly, "And I hope there won't be a second… Prince of Khaenri'ah."
Victor Wang's heart lurched. He didn't completely betray his shock, but neither did he cover it up too much. Kaeya curved his lips into just the right questioning smile.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Good. Seems you haven't shared everything between you. You too… you're from Khaenri'ah, aren't you? If I'm not mistaken… the Alberich line."
"One mention of Khaenri'ah after another. Do you still hold prejudice against a nation that's been dead for five hundred years?"
"Your disguise is clumsy in my eyes."
Dainsleif tapped the mask on his face, hinting at Kaeya's eyepatch.
"All right, all right. I am. So what? You going to attack me just for being who I am?"
Kaeya sighed, then admitted openly, his tone careless—at least outwardly.
"I don't hold such hatred toward my kin… as long as they haven't joined the Abyss." Dainsleif's eyes sharpened back on Victor Wang. "That question just now shouldn't have been for me—it should have been for your Honorary Knight. He carries the stench of that one."
That stench again…
God's Descent had left Victor Wang with nothing but negative side effects, a grievance he could hardly stomach. "What you call a stench is proof of merit. I was injured nearly to death fighting to stop the Abyss Order from stealing the remains of the Overlord of the Vortex. And for that, I'm misunderstood?"
Kaeya's single eye flickered in surprise. "The Overlord of the Vortex? The Abyss Order was involved in that attack on Liyue Harbor?"
"They moved only after the Overlord of the Vortex had been sealed again. Sneaking around outside the seal. But I paid the price. Mid-battle, they cursed me somehow—I lost consciousness on the spot. When I woke again, my mind was fractured. If not for the Adepti of Mt. Aozang, I wouldn't be alive.
"And then, the strange part came. I was called 'Prince' by a human-shaped Abyss Lector named Diergis, and now, here you are."
Victor Wang's gaze was firm as he met Dainsleif's. "You oppose the Abyss. So, do I. We're on the same side. You shouldn't be hostile to me."
"Lost consciousness? You mean to say you don't remember anything?"
"That's the truth."
"Hm? Sounds like an argument in there. Things are getting lively."
At the moment of deadlock, a voice came from the hallway. The door was ajar, the window wide open—none of the three men inside dared make a sound. But tap, tap—the sound of a girl's boots drew closer until it stopped outside the door.
"Dainsleif, Kaeya… and Victor?"
Paimon and Lumine peeked in cautiously, realizing the heated voices belonged to familiar faces.
"Why's everyone suddenly quiet? Oh—I get it! This must be a 'man's secret'!" Paimon's face lit up in sudden realization.
"A man's… secret?"
"In some romance school novels, if a group of men is chatting away and suddenly stop the moment a woman approaches, what they're discussing is called a 'man's secret'!"
"…This atmosphere doesn't seem like that sort of thing."
"It's not?"
Completely oblivious, Paimon floated into Victor Wang's room, inspecting each man like a detective. Then her eyes widened. "Wait—don't tell me you're holding some kind of masked party or club? Look! Victor's wearing a mask, Dainsleif too, and Kaeya… well, an eyepatch counts as a mask, right?"
"Victor, is it? I'll investigate what you've said myself." Dainsleif's face didn't shift an inch as he dropped the words, then turned toward his own room.
"Dainsleif, is it?" Kaeya called after him. "At least in Mondstadt, don't let me catch you breaking the law."
"Huh? They exchanged names… could this be a reunion of fellow countrymen?"
Lumine's feelings, compared to a stranger like Dainsleif, leaned naturally toward Victor and Kaeya. Those words earlier left her uneasy. She shook her head at Paimon. "There's no way…"
Kaeya chuckled, waving the two off. "Or maybe Paimon really is a genius. What we're talking about is a 'man's secret.' So, I'll trouble the two ladies to excuse us."
Bolstered by Kaeya's words, Paimon straightened proudly. "Hmph! See? I told you so! Don't worry, our room's right across the hall. I'll shut your door and make sure Lumine doesn't eavesdrop. There! You can chat at ease!"
The door closed, leaving only Victor Wang and Kaeya inside.
Naturally, Kaeya had lingered because he still had questions. "This 'stench' Dainsleif mentioned—what is it really?"
"It's from a god. The god of Khaenri'ah."
"You've actually met Him?!"
"During that fight against the Abyss Order… you know about my Hilichurl identity. I was under a joint kill command from three Abyss Mages, my mind enslaved."
As he spoke, Victor Wang untied the red string around his neck. Instantly, a killing intent washed over the room so fierce even Kaeya stiffened.
"Like this red string—I used to wear five of them. A gift from the Adepti of Mt. Aozang. That day, I was consumed by murderous will. I could only feel some strange power reinforcing me… and then blacked out. That's all I remember."
"I believe you. But Dainsleif has leverage now—against both of us. Some identities… friends may not care, but the public will. Public opinion can easily destroy a man."
Kaeya thought briefly of his and Diluc's father. He exhaled deeply before continuing. "Dainsleif is a lone wolf. I can't truly press him. In Mondstadt, it's manageable. Elsewhere… you'll have to guard yourself."
"The upright don't fear shadows. I'm not allied with the Abyss, so I've no reason to be afraid. If he can't prove anything, I'll be the one laughing at him."
"Well said. Then… until next time?"
"Wait. Since we've run into each other, let me confirm something too. Do you know where Khaenri'ah's outpost in the former nation of a Thousand Winds was?"
"Former Nation of a Thousand Winds? That's ancient history. Likely somewhere within Mondstadt. But the underground is long gone. Useless knowledge was never passed down. That's all I know."
With that, Kaeya vaulted out the window.
"Oh, right. After seeing you take second place in Teyvat's First Bubble-Blowing Contest, I was certain—the bubblegum inventor really was you. Quite the amusing creation!"
He gave a thumbs-up, and didn't forget to shut the window behind him.