[Kaeya Alberich — Cavalry Captain.]
[As a member of the investigation team, Albedo was still in Dragonspine.]
[Meanwhile, Eula, captain of the Reconnaissance Company, was traveling across Mondstadt's territories, eliminating hidden threats in advance.]
[The incident happened too suddenly.]
[As Acting Grand Master, Jean had only managed to pass on information about the mutated Hilichurls to the two of them.]
[Even if they had wings, there was no way they could return in time.]
[Amber had followed Jean to intercept the Hilichurl march on the front line.]
[With so few captains left in Mondstadt, Kaeya voluntarily took charge of patrol duty within the city.]
[After circling Mondstadt and preparing to return, Kaeya suddenly heard a thunderous explosion.]
[Moments later, sounds of battle and terrified screams erupted throughout the city.]
["…You've got to be kidding me."]
[Kaeya froze for a split second before spinning around and sprinting toward the city gate.]
[They didn't seriously make it into Mondstadt, did they?]
[Amber only spotted around twenty Hilichurls.]
[Jean had already led the knights to block their route.]
[Even if they were mutated—]
[Could they really break into Mondstadt City?]
[And where were the gate guards?]
[Why wasn't a single warning sounded?]
[Kaeya ran while desperately convincing himself that things couldn't possibly be that bad.]
[But the moment he reached the city gate—]
[He saw Mondstadt's massive gate shattered into pieces, as if struck by overwhelming force.]
[Then—]
[A flash of crimson light.]
[A red-haired man wearing a mask swung a flaming greatsword, cleaving into a white Hilichurl Brute.]
["…Brother?"]
[Kaeya immediately recognized Mondstadt's Darknight Hero—his adoptive brother, Diluc.]
[As one of the Knights of Favonius' finest former captains, Diluc's strength was never in question.]
[However—]
[After that earth-shaking strike landed on the Hilichurl Brute—]
[It had absolutely no effect.]
[Diluc's eyes trembled beneath his mask.]
[For the first time, he froze in place.]
Angel's Share.
The moment the light-screen appeared, Kaeya was already inside Diluc's tavern.
Diluc stood behind the bar, discussing the future with him.
"To take a full-force strike from you and remain completely unmoved…"
"What kind of monster is that supposed to be?"
Kaeya rubbed his forehead in frustration.
He wasn't even sure Mondstadt could last long enough to see more future projections—
At this rate, the Fifth Descender's attack would arrive first.
"Seriously, why did this Fifth Descender pick us first?"
"Is it because Grand Master Varka took away four-fifths of our forces?"
"Tch. Some 'Descender.' Just a cowardly sneak."
Diluc remained silent.
Normally a man of few words, he had even less to say now.
His full-powered strike being ignored—
That alone was an unbearable humiliation.
[Scaramouche]: "Is this really Mondstadt's strength? Can't even deal with Hilichurls—pathetic."
[Dottore]: "Hehehe… I find these Hilichurls quite fascinating. I'd love to capture one for research."
[Arlecchino]: "Scaramouche, that tone is unnecessary. Mondstadt isn't facing ordinary enemies—they're facing the Fifth Descender."
[Rosalyne]: "Strange Hilichurls aside, Mondstadt's defenses are questionable."
[Rosalyne]: "The city gate was smashed, yet no alarm was raised?"
[Rosalyne]: "Did Mondstadt's guards fall asleep?"
[Jean]: "Impossible. Our knights would never sleep at such a critical moment."
[Jean]: "Lady Rosalyne, stop spreading baseless accusations."
[Rosalyne]: "Acting Grand Master Jean, I understand your urgency."
[Rosalyne]: "But as Snezhnaya's envoy, I have some grasp of the situation."
[Rosalyne]: "If soldiers could fall behind even during Grand Master Varka's expedition—"
[Rosalyne]: "One can imagine the state of those left behind."
Jean didn't know whether Rosalyne was telling the truth.
She chose to ignore the infuriating Fatui Harbinger entirely.
Mondstadt was the City of Freedom.
And precisely because of that, some degree of laxity was inevitable.
But Jean firmly believed—
When true danger arrived, Mondstadt's people would stand together.
[Kaeya stood frozen, completely stunned.]
[He couldn't understand how Diluc's full-powered strike had failed to injure the Hilichurl Brute at all.]
[What baffled him even more—]
[Was the Hilichurls' behavior.]
[After entering Mondstadt, they didn't linger to fight the knights.]
[Instead, they fired Pyro arrows while collectively sprinting toward the Knights of Favonius Headquarters.]
["Fire control—now!"]
[Kaeya shouted as flames erupted ahead.]
[He grabbed a nearby knight.]
["How did they breach the gate?"]
["Why didn't the guards sound the alarm?"]
[The knight stammered, face full of guilt.]
[Kaeya immediately understood—and stared at him in disbelief.]
["…You fell asleep?"]
["I'm very sorry, Captain…"]
["We thought it was only twenty Hilichurls."]
["Even if the Abyss Order enhanced them, how strong could they really be?"]
["We believed Acting Grand Master Jean would intercept them halfway, so we—"]
Kaeya was so furious he couldn't even speak.
He shoved the knight aside.
Wait—
If these Hilichurls were already here—
Then Acting Grand Master Jean and the others—
"…No."
As Jean's right-hand man, Kaeya was known as the Knights' strategist.
But right now, his mind was in complete chaos.
He abandoned all thought and sprinted toward the Knights of Favonius Headquarters.
By the time he arrived—
Several Pyro arrows had already slammed into the office building.
"Bastards!"
Kaeya lost all rationality and charged sword-first toward the Hilichurls.
And then—
Something even more bizarre happened.
Before he could reach them—
The leading Hilichurl Brute raised its middle finger at him.
Then—
All the Hilichurls slowly sank into the ground.
And vanished.
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