Somewhere outside Mondstadt, within a mountain ravine.
Eula stared blankly at the reborn version of herself on the light screen.
"She's… so beautiful."
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
She immediately spat three times in quick succession.
"Wait—what do you mean she is beautiful? That's obviously me."
Eula had always been cold on the outside and warm within—a proud, aloof knight at heart.
After becoming a Valkyrie, that overwhelming power seemed to further amplify her Cryo nature, pushing her entire presence through a complete transformation.
It wasn't just Eula herself.
Plenty of girls who cared about appearances were equally stunned by the change.
Yet no one dared voice such admiration in the chat.
Praise like that could easily be twisted into betrayal.
You want to become more beautiful too?
Then you must want to defect to the Fifth Descender's side.
Knights of Favonius Headquarters.
Jean lay slumped on the sofa.
Outside the windows, in Windrise Plaza, voices of discontent had already begun to rise.
"Damn that Lawrence traitor."
"Hmph! I said it long ago—Eula Lawrence is a filthy rat contaminating the Knights."
"The war hasn't even started and she's already defected. Disgusting."
"Didn't she do it for Amber?"
"You actually believe a Lawrence?"
"That's just an excuse to gain power. Once she has it, she'll take revenge on Mondstadt."
"Exactly. She's the type who never forgets a grudge."
"That bastard… Eula is nothing but Aerin's dog."
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Jean's light screen chimed relentlessly.
Message after message flooded in—
all from Mondstadt's citizens, unanimously demanding that the "traitor" be executed before she could betray them completely.
Jean felt her blood surge violently.
Her breath caught—she nearly blacked out.
"These idiots…"
"Can't they see the warning this future is screaming at them?"
It was precisely because of this mindset that Mondstadt had become the Fifth Descender's first target.
And even now, they could still say such things.
Jean ground her teeth, overwhelmed by disappointment—
in Mondstadt's people, and in her own helplessness.
As Acting Grand Master, she was bound to place the will of the people first.
No matter how much resentment churned inside her, she could never turn that anger on the citizens themselves.
The only thing she could do—
Was ignore the messages entirely.
She turned and looked toward Lisa, her eyes full of quiet desperation.
"Lisa… come look at these messages."
She pulled Lisa closer and showed her the flood of hatred, then asked anxiously,
"What should we do?"
"Should I warn Eula not to return to Mondstadt for now? Let her wait until things calm down—until there's a reversal—before coming back?"
Lisa spread her hands, then suddenly narrowed her eyes with a smile.
"Well… nearly eighty percent of Mondstadt's citizens still harbor deep resentment toward the Lawrence Clan."
"Jean, I honestly don't know how to handle this either."
Jean's face twisted bitterly.
"This is my fault. I wasn't capable enough… I couldn't change their prejudice against Eula."
Lisa nodded unexpectedly.
"You've already done more than enough."
"Don't forget—you're only nineteen. You've already grown into a full-fledged lady."
"If you keep worrying like this, you'll turn into an old matron before you even hit twenty."
Then she said something that stunned everyone present.
"Aerin wants to attack Mondstadt, doesn't he?"
"If he really comes… we'll just surrender."
"Hand Mondstadt's management rights over to him."
"Let him deal with these people."
Silence.
Jean froze.
Paimon's eyes went wide.
Lumine stared in shock.
No one had expected such an outrageous statement from the usually composed Lisa.
If Mondstadt's citizens heard this, they'd probably tie her up and burn her at the stake.
"Lisa… how can you say something like that?" Amber's eyes reddened in panic.
"I—I need to go find Eula."
Eula had drunk the Stigmata Serum to survive.
How could Amber hide away when her friend was in danger?
She left behind those words and bolted for the door.
"Lisa!" Jean snapped, glaring at her. "What are you even thinking?"
"Eula has already become Aerin's Valkyrie. What am I supposed to do?"
Lisa sighed helplessly.
"Jean, you're the person with the highest prestige in Mondstadt."
"If even you can't resolve a civil issue…"
"Then no one can."
This time, Lisa didn't voice the thoughts hidden in her heart.
The moment the Stigmata mark fully manifested, Eula's Vision shattered.
That image had reminded Lisa of another line from the light screen's opening revelation—
The Fifth Descender knows the past and the present.
Aerin couldn't foresee the future.
But someone who fully understood the past and present of Teyvat…
would naturally understand people just as deeply.
There was no need for tests or trials.
The Valkyries born of the Stigmata Serum were easy to understand.
He chose those with firm will, turning them into Valkyries—
building his own faction while simultaneously stripping resources from Celestia's authority.
One move. Two gains.
Why wouldn't he?
"Don't think too hard about it, Jean," Lisa said softly, patting her shoulder.
"Everything eventually finds a solution."
She then turned to Lumine and Paimon with a gentle smile.
"Traveler, Paimon—it's getting late."
"Are you hungry?"
"I'll treat you to a meal."
To read advanced Chapters, head over to p@treon:
patreon.com/nani_kaito