The storm over Mondstadt raged through the night without pause.
By the following afternoon, the sky remained leaden and oppressive, rain still pouring in sheets.
Yet amid the downpour, a massive convoy entered Mondstadt.
At its head was Anastasia, the Fatui's resident envoy in the city.
After receiving the weapons and ammunition shipped from Snezhnaya at Jueyun Port, she immediately hired dozens of carriages and rushed back to Mondstadt without rest.
Because she had operated in Mondstadt for years, the city guards recognized her at once and waved the convoy through.
The Fatui were known not only for espionage, but also for trade. Convoys like this were nothing unusual.
"Madam Envoy," a subordinate asked, "should we take the shipment straight to the Goethe Hotel, or somewhere else?"
"You want to store something this dangerous at our headquarters?" Anastasia snapped.
"This requires the Prince's approval first."
The subordinate shut up at once, but couldn't help muttering,
"What's this batch of weapons even for? I was hoping His Highness would order us to attack Mondstadt. This ancient city's defenses are laughable—one day would be enough to take it."
Anastasia's expression darkened.
"I told you already—this is His Highness's game. Ask fewer questions."
Even so, curiosity gnawed at her.
With this amount of firepower, taking Mondstadt would be effortless.
Two figures emerged from the curtain of rain ahead.
The Mirror Maiden held an umbrella, while Severin stood beneath it.
"Your Highness!"
Anastasia hurried forward and bowed deeply.
"You've worked hard," Severin said.
"To serve Her Majesty and Your Highness is my duty," Anastasia replied crisply.
This was no false modesty. Compared to Severin's achievements, her contribution was negligible.
To be a single cog in his plan was the greatest honor of her life.
"Deliver the shipment to the Lawrence Clan," Severin ordered.
"Then return and rest."
The Lawrence Clan?
That decayed noble house, despised and ostracized across Mondstadt—and these weapons were for them?
Truth be told, even the Fatui looked down on that family.
But an order was an order.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Also," Severin added, "inform Schubert Lawrence—everything proceeds according to plan."
"Understood!"
By afternoon, the rain finally began to ease.
A detachment from the Knights of Favonius rode straight for the Goethe Hotel.
Jean gripped the compensation agreement tightly in her hand, her steps almost cutting through the wind.
She urgently needed to confirm its validity—and to probe the Fatui's true intentions.
If the Fatui planned retaliation over the agreement, she would not hesitate to warn the Prince to his face.
Kaeya followed closely behind with an escort unit.
"Grand Master Jean and Captain Kaeya may enter," the Mirror Maiden said calmly.
"No one else."
Kaeya bristled, but Jean stopped him.
It wasn't worth provoking the Fatui over such a trivial matter.
As long as Mondstadt received the compensation, a small humiliation was acceptable.
Before departing on expedition, Varka had told her that leadership required knowing when to bend.
Inside the Goethe Hotel hall, Severin sat leisurely, sipping tea.
Standing at his side, pouring tea with careful deference, was Schubert Lawrence himself.
Kaeya scoffed openly.
"Seeing Lawrence Clan scum makes my skin crawl. Your Highness, aren't you worried about your reputation? In Mondstadt, they're nothing but rats—beggars on the street would spit on them."
"Kaeya," Jean said coolly, "mind your manners. The Prince has only just arrived and doesn't yet understand the Lawrence Clan's history. Once he does, he'll regret associating with Schubert."
She made no effort to hide her disgust.
As Acting Grand Master, standing against the old nobility was her duty.
"Jean," Severin said mildly, "you're just as forthright as you were two years ago."
Jean smiled thinly. "And Your Highness is as composed as ever."
"Hardly," Severin replied.
"Snezhnaya keeps me busy. Her Majesty pitied my exhaustion and sent me abroad to relax."
"Please, sit."
He gestured for both of them—and then added to Schubert, "You too."
Kaeya snapped, "I won't sit with Lawrence filth. Their blood is rotten."
"So," Severin asked quietly, setting down his teacup,
"you truly loathe the Lawrence Clan?"
This time Jean answered directly.
"Every generation of the Lawrence Clan must atone. Their blood is stained with sin. Letting them survive this long is already our mercy."
Severin nodded, continuing calmly.
"So Mondstadt forbids them from joining the military, holding office, or attending festivals. They aren't allowed to pray at the Cathedral."
"Their children suffer bullying at school with no intervention. In death, they can't be buried in public cemeteries—only in mass graves outside the city."
"They pay double taxes. Donate double sums…"
Jean stared at him in surprise.
"Schubert told you all this, didn't he? Prince, don't be deceived. His niece Eula Lawrence is a guerrilla captain of the Knights. Anyone who publicly breaks with the clan is treated fairly."
"I doubt that," Severin said, opening a document handed to him by the Mirror Maiden.
"This is a record of your internal council meeting when Miss Eula applied to join the Knights."
"At that meeting, there was fierce debate."
"In the end, the Cathedral elders proposed using Eula's enlistment to completely destroy the Lawrence Clan."
"You, then Vice Grand Master, did not support it—but you did not oppose it either. When it came to a vote, you abstained."
"So Miss Eula was nothing more than a tool. A dagger meant to be plunged into her own family's heart."
"Oh, and don't ask how I obtained this record," Severin added calmly.
"If you insist—know that the Fatui's intelligence network ranks first among the Seven Nations."
Jean's face turned deathly pale.
She couldn't refute a single word.
The record laid bare the Knights' hypocrisy.
Kaeya said stiffly,
"Our methods may be flawed, but everything we do is for Mondstadt. And don't think the Lawrence Clan can raise their heads just because they've latched onto you."
Jean followed,
"I came today for the compensation—not for tea or lectures. Of course, if you intend to pay, that's another matter."
She wanted this over quickly.
Every second spent near the Lawrence Clan made her skin crawl.
Years of habit—no, conditioning—had ingrained this revulsion.
In Mondstadt, hating the Lawrences was politically correct.
"I think you're mistaken," Severin said with a faint smile.
"The agreement states clearly—only the one who governs Mondstadt has the authority to demand payment."
"The Knights of Favonius are Mondstadt's rightful rulers," Jean replied sharply.
"As Grand Master, am I not qualified?"
Severin turned his gaze to Schubert.
"Lawrence—tell her."
Schubert stood up, exhilaration flickering in his eyes.
"My apologies, Grand Master Jean. Captain Kaeya."
"Just received word—the Knights' headquarters has already been taken."
"The Lawrence Clan now controls Mondstadt."
From now on, he declared, the Lawrence Clan would rule the nation once more.
"And I, Schubert Lawrence, as clan head and de facto ruler of Mondstadt, hereby declare—"
"This compensation agreement is void."
He tore the document in half and flung the pieces into the air.
Paper scattered like snow.
This was his pledge of allegiance to the Prince of Snezhnaya.
Years of resentment—discrimination, scorn, injustice—seemed to dissipate in that single act.
What remained was triumph.
A face alight with ambition, hardened into something cold and merciless.
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