Chapter 31 — Mondstadt Awaits the Storm
If it weren't already obvious that Kael's attention was focused entirely on Keqing, Ningguang might have already made her move.
Ningguang was never careless when it came to relationships — every partnership, every alliance, was chosen with precision. She valued power, intellect, and ambition above all else. And Kael… possessed all three.
If she hadn't already seen the way he looked at Keqing, she might've been tempted to test the waters herself.
But she wasn't blind. Keqing's reactions gave her everything she needed to know.
Heh. So even the Yuheng Star can't hide her heart forever.
Of course, Ningguang would never expose them. Watching from the sidelines — guiding Keqing while pretending to be oblivious — was far more entertaining.
Still, she had to admit: Kael intrigued her deeply.
He was an enigma — a man who moved with divine purpose, yet spoke like a mortal scholar. A being who could alter the very rules of the world but chose to build rather than conquer.
Ningguang could unravel most puzzles within a day.
But Kael? He was the first one she couldn't solve.
So she left that task to Keqing — not as manipulation, but as trust.
Because if anyone could reach Kael's heart, it was her.
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A Journey to Mondstadt
Unaware of Ningguang's and Keqing's quiet conversation in the Jade Chamber, Kael continued his journey northward.
If he wished, he could have monitored everything said by members of the chat group — even their private thoughts, their secrets. His authority as Celestia's successor allowed him that level of oversight.
But Kael refused to use it.
He wasn't a voyeur, nor a tyrant.
And besides — someone like Zhongli would undoubtedly notice if he tried.
Thanks to Venti's help, his journey to Mondstadt was smooth and swift. The winds themselves seemed to clear his path.
Within just five days, the City of Freedom appeared on the horizon — its windmills spinning gently against the golden dusk.
But what awaited him wasn't the lively city of song and laughter from the legends.
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A City Under Strain
Even before stepping through its gates, Kael could sense the unrest.
The ley lines were fractured, pulsing unevenly beneath the earth like veins clogged with poison. The miasma of corruption thickened with every step he took.
Mondstadt was far from peaceful.
Throughout his journey, Kael had seen too few Knights of Favonius patrols and far too many monsters prowling the wilds. Wolves tainted by abyssal energy, hilichurls emboldened by madness, and even abyss mages gathering near abandoned villages.
Whole settlements had been deserted — families fleeing toward Mondstadt's walls in search of safety.
It was a world barely holding together.
He understood, then, why even Venti hadn't simply eradicated the monsters himself.
The problem wasn't the beasts — it was the ley lines themselves.
Destroying monsters was only treating the symptoms, not the cause. The corruption would simply breed anew.
Barbatos knows this, Kael realized. He's waiting for the right moment — or perhaps the right ally.
And that realization steeled his resolve.
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The Gates of the City of Freedom
As Kael approached Mondstadt's main gate, the towering walls came into view — adorned with the symbol of the four winds. The city still bustled, but its laughter had dimmed.
Two guards in silver-blue armor stood watch. One of them, a young Knight named Lawrence, stepped forward and saluted.
"May the Anemo Archon watch over you, traveler. Forgive the caution, but due to recent incidents, we're verifying all entrants. May I see your identification?"
Kael smiled and retrieved a neatly sealed letter stamped with a golden sigil of the Tianquan.
"I am Kael, an envoy from Liyue. Tianquan Ningguang has sent me to meet with Acting Grand Master Jean of the Knights of Favonius. This should serve as proof."
Lawrence's eyes widened as he recognized the seal.
"A messenger from Lady Ningguang? I see… please forgive the suspicion. The Acting Grand Master will want to meet you at once. Follow me."
Kael nodded politely. "Much appreciated."
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The City Beneath the Wind
Passing through the gates, Kael stepped into the heart of Mondstadt.
The cobbled streets were alive with merchants and bards, but the air carried tension — a quiet unease that lingered like an invisible fog.
People spoke in hushed tones, glancing toward the skies as if fearing what might descend from them next.
The scent of freshly baked bread mixed with the sharp tang of steel polish. Windmills creaked above rooftops.
Freedom had not abandoned Mondstadt — but it was strained, weary, fragile.
Lawrence noticed Kael's gaze and offered an apologetic smile.
"My apologies for the state of things, sir. The city's been through much lately. Still, Acting Grand Master Jean keeps us together. If not for her…" He trailed off, shaking his head.
Kael nodded thoughtfully. "Leadership tested by crisis is the truest kind. It's not hard to see why people follow her."
Lawrence smiled faintly. "We owe her everything."
They walked in silence for a while, the wind carrying faint notes of a bard's song through the air — a melody of hope, sung for a city that refused to fall.
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The Weakened Knights
"The Knights seem short-staffed," Kael remarked.
"Yes," Lawrence admitted. "Half of our main force is away on an expedition. Acting Grand Master Jean stayed behind to hold the city together. Even now, she barely sleeps."
Kael's expression darkened. "Convenient timing. Almost too convenient."
The Knight hesitated but nodded. "Many think the same. Monsters multiply faster than we can cull them. Some whisper that the ley lines are… rebelling."
Kael didn't answer. His divine senses had already confirmed as much.
As they neared the Knights of Favonius Headquarters, Kael's thoughts drifted.
He'd read plenty about Mondstadt's heroes in the group archives — Jean, Diluc, Lisa, Eula, and Albedo.
All remarkable in their own ways.
Jean — the Dandelion Knight — carried the city on her shoulders.
Diluc — the Darknight Hero — fought for justice in the shadows.
Lisa, ever the scholar, wielded knowledge as deftly as her lightning.
And Albedo — the chalk prince — represented human potential at its peak.
A fragile balance of strength and heart.
Freedom and burden entwined.
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The Dandelion Knight
At last, they arrived at the grand doors of the Knights' headquarters.
The familiar sigil of Favonius gleamed in gold, though even it looked worn from overuse.
After a brief exchange at the entrance, Kael was ushered into the main hall — a wide chamber filled with the scent of parchment and steel.
And there, standing before the great banner of Mondstadt, was the woman who bore the city's hopes upon her shoulders.
Jean Gunnhildr, Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius.
Her blonde hair shone in the sunlight streaming through the stained-glass windows, and her expression carried both strength and fatigue.
Even at a glance, Kael could tell — this was a woman who had sacrificed rest, peace, and comfort for her people.
So this is the Dandelion Knight, he thought. No wonder Mondstadt still stands.
Jean looked up as he entered, her blue eyes sharp yet kind.
"You must be Kael, the envoy from Liyue," she said, her voice calm but resolute. "I've been expecting you."
Kael inclined his head. "Indeed. And it seems I've arrived just in time."
Outside, a gust of wind howled through the city —
as if heralding that the true storm was about to begin.
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End of Chapter 31 — Mondstadt Awaits the Storm
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