Somewhere outside Mondstadt, within a mountain ravine.
Eula listened to everything revealed on the light screen, her head slowly drooping.
Tears fell one after another, splashing onto the ground.
Aerin's words cut straight to the heart.
Every sentence was cruel—yet impossible to refute.
Eula knew very well what her standing in Mondstadt truly was.
Before joining the Knights of Favonius, she had been the Lawrence Clan's "hope."
The clan poured resources into her relentlessly, suffocating her—but at least she never lacked food or shelter.
She had believed that once she joined the Knights, once she fought for Mondstadt, the citizens would finally change how they viewed the Lawrence name.
Reality proved far harsher.
Her clan branded her a traitor.
Mondstadt's people continued to whisper and point fingers.
Worse still—because she joined the Knights, the exclusion and hostility only intensified.
There wasn't a single shop in Mondstadt willing to sell her anything.
When hunger became unbearable, she could only leave the city to forage for fruit.
That was precisely why she joined the Reconnaissance Company—
a unit that spent most of its time outside the city.
No matter how exhausting or painful it became, even when her heart felt completely worn down—
Eula had never once regretted her choice.
Knights of Favonius Headquarters.
"…Ah."
Jean Gunnhildr let out a helpless sound and collapsed onto the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling.
As the Grand Master's successor, how could she not know how Mondstadt's people treated Eula?
Eula's admission into the Knights had been Jean's decision.
At the time, it had been met with fierce opposition from the citizens—
and only after Jean personally appealed to Grand Master Varka was the matter forced through.
Jean had hoped that by seeing Eula's dedication and sacrifice, Mondstadt's people would slowly change.
But human nature was never so simple.
She had believed Eula's achievements would earn praise and acceptance.
Instead—
The citizens thought the Knights would lose nothing without Eula,
and that her presence alone was a stain upon the Knights of Favonius.
Jean refused to accept Aerin's claim that Mondstadt's people always stood on moral high ground to condemn others and shirk responsibility.
But she couldn't deny his other point.
If Eula truly killed Aerin, Mondstadt's people would likely feel nothing at all.
But if she failed—
then when Aerin attacked Mondstadt, Eula would inevitably become the scapegoat.
Even Jean herself might not be able to stop the enraged citizens.
If Eula didn't die at Aerin's hands…
She might die at the hands of Mondstadt's people instead.
"What… what am I supposed to do…"
Jean's eyes reddened with desperation.
Of all people, it had to be Eula who encountered Aerin—
awakening his memories of Mondstadt's past and dragging its image even lower in his eyes.
It felt like there was no way out.
["Hiss—"]
[A tearing pain flared through her calves.]
Eula groggily opened her eyes, only to realize she was lying on a stone slab inside some ancient ruin.
["This place…"]
She looked around in confusion.
Not far away stood a gate that seemed to lead deeper within.
["Am I… dead?"]
The thought froze her.
Memories slowly returned.
She remembered being effortlessly defeated by Aerin.
After listening to his merciless words, everything went black.
He must have shot me in the head.
That would explain the missing memories.
["Breaking someone's heart before killing them… what a terrible person."]
Eula muttered bitterly, lips twitching.
She sighed.
["Whatever. I'm dead anyway. Who is there to blame?"]
["I just… feel sorry for Amber."]
["I promised her I'd make it back to Mondstadt."]
She sat quietly on the stone slab for a long time, staring at the distant gate.
["That must be the gate to the afterlife."]
She searched again for any other exits.
There were none.
When death arrives, all lingering attachments lose their meaning.
Eula wasn't the sentimental type.
She accepted it quickly.
Twisting her body, she slid her legs off the slab and stood up—
Only to hiss in pain as sharp agony shot through her calves.
["Pain?"]
She looked down instinctively.
Her legs—previously pierced by Aerin's shots—were healed.
Yet the pain remained.
["How can I still feel pain if I'm dead?"]
She stared in disbelief.
Aside from lingering pain when walking, the wounds were gone.
["That's… strange."]
For the first time, the usually cool and dignified knight let out a dazed, almost foolish smile.
["Well… no one ever said you can't feel pain after death."]
["After all, dying is everyone's first time."]
She laughed quietly at herself.
As she walked toward the gate, memories of her life surfaced one by one.
Perhaps once she passed through, she would forget them all.
Amber.
Jean.
At nearly twenty years old, Eula realized she hadn't laughed happily many times in her life.
Her childhood had been consumed by harsh noble etiquette and sword training.
Not a single day of carefree innocence.
Later, she inherited the Lawrence Clan's insignia— the Sigil of Severing Ice, burdened with restoring the clan's honor.
She chose the Knights of Favonius, believing service to Mondstadt could erase prejudice.
It hadn't worked.
Still—
Even if she was mocked for drinking alone, Eula had friends in Mondstadt.
Amber walked beside her without caring about others' stares, constantly speaking up for her achievements.
Jean had personally recommended her to Grand Master Varka.
Jean was endlessly busy—but with her standing behind Eula, no one in the Knights dared tamper with her record of merit.
Eula only needed to fight on.
Jean would believe in her—unconditionally.
["Amber… Jean…"]
She stopped before the gate.
["I'm sorry… I couldn't hold on long enough to change their minds."]
She glanced back, as if bidding farewell to her past.
["I hope you survive what's coming."]
["Don't ever come to a place like this."]
She waved once.
Then turned around—
And stepped through the gate without hesitation.
After descending a long staircase and passing through another door—
Eula froze.
Her eyes widened.
["Hilichurl… troops?"]
Rows upon rows of mutated Hilichurls stood in the vast chamber, unmoving like statues.
Mutated Hilichurls.
Mutated Hilichurl Berserkers.
Mutated Hilichurl Archers.
And towering behind them—
A line of mutated Hilichurl Kings, each over five meters tall.
["T-This…"]
Eula's mind went blank.
She had died—hadn't she?
So why was this place filled with such horrors?
Trembling like a startled bird, she forced herself forward.
Soon, another gate—glowing faintly—appeared before her.
The instant she stepped through—
Eula nearly fainted on the spot.
A colossal white dragon lay sprawled across the floor, motionless, as if asleep.
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