Lisa's very generous enthusiasm was currently squishing against his arm.
Jensen also cleared his throat. "Lisa, stop joking around."
"Looks like ever since Stormterror started acting up and I have been visiting Good Hunter less often, Jensen's heart has already been stolen away by someone else."
Lisa spoke in a theatrically aggrieved tone, her eyes drifting, intentionally or not, toward Jean.
"Lisa, is it really appropriate to talk about slacking off in front of Amber and the others?"
Jean reminded her to mind the occasion. There were junior Knights present.
Lisa had gotten into the habit of running off to Good Hunter during afternoon tea. That, Jean had more or less accepted. But coming back and not even bringing takeout for her?
Even Jean could not help building up a little resentment over time.
"Actually everyone in the Knights already knows..."
Amber said awkwardly.
Lisa was famous in the Order for slacking whenever she could, and for happily ordering Amber around. Even so, anything to do with work was always handled flawlessly, not a single mistake to be found.
She was one of Amber's role models.
"This is not slacking. Proper rest is to replenish your spirit so you can work better afterward. It is a way to achieve twice the result with half the effort."
Lisa defended herself, then added in a lecturing tone, "If possible, I hope Jean can learn from that a little."
"Mhm."
Jensen nodded along with a very serious face.
Jean was speechless. "How did this suddenly turn into everyone ganging up on me?"
"Everyone's nerves have been wound tight lately," Lisa said with a smile. "Cracking a joke to relax a little is not such a bad thing."
She turned to Lumine. "But Lumine, coming to Mondstadt at this particular time is really not ideal."
"Ever since Stormterror woke up, it has been haunting the outskirts of the city and stirring up chaos. Especially after that big rampage just now, the elemental flows and ley lines around Mondstadt have become tangled like a ball of yarn a cat has been playing with."
"For a mage, this is the worst case scenario. It ruins both our skin and our mood."
By the time she finished, Lisa's eyes were already drifting to Jensen again, the hint obvious.
This woman wanted a beauty boosting iced drink.
"We are out of Qingxin flowers," Jensen said, palms raised.
Jean pressed her fingers to her forehead. She really could not do anything about those two. "In short, given the current situation, aside from helping to post missing person notices, there is not much more the Knights can do for you right now."
"You can stay in Mondstadt for the time being. Once we settle this crisis, we will do everything we can to help you search for clues."
She added that last part gently.
For Lumine and Paimon, who had helped protect Mondstadt and its people under Stormterror's threat, Jean felt genuinely guilty that she could not do more for them at the moment.
"Jensen?"
Lumine turned to him for his opinion.
"Then Lumine, why not help us too?" Jensen said.
Since he needed to level up, whether he went into the wild or into ruins, it was all the same.
"Exactly. We want to join in as well," Paimon chimed in. She had discovered that the Knights were very good about giving rewards.
Lumine nodded.
"So Jensen is willing to help too?" Kaeya asked.
"Good Hunter is right here in Mondstadt," Jensen said, as if it were only natural.
He did not even have to bring up the bigger picture. Just for now, the reputation of Mondstadt's people and the name of Good Hunter were directly tied to his Mora income. Of course he had to care.
"That is wonderful."
Kaeya felt the weight on his shoulders lighten a little. "In that case, let us make a battle plan."
Jean picked up the thread of the conversation. "This assault on Mondstadt by Stormterror has actually given us a chance to strike at the source of the disaster. With Lisa's magical detection, the origin of the hurricane around Mondstadt has been exposed."
"And the answer is?" Kaeya raised a brow.
"The abandoned Temples of the Four Winds," Lisa replied. "Stormterror was able to create a storm of this magnitude by borrowing their leftover power."
Jean nodded. "Our target is three of those four abandoned temples. As for why only three, I am sure you all understand."
"I do not understand."
Paimon raised a hand.
"It is probably some kind of jargon," Lumine whispered to her. "We can ask later."
Jean began laying out the details of their operation.
"Having Jensen and Lumine joining us is a huge help. We are really short handed right now."
The city still needed a certain number of Knights to stay behind and guard it.
After a dragon attack like that, there were after effects to deal with, but the main concern was keeping the Fatui diplomatic corps under control. They could not be allowed to take advantage of Mondstadt's weakened defenses.
"Amber, you are in charge of the closest temple. After you complete a preliminary investigation, you must wait for Jensen and Lumine before taking any action, understood?"
"Understood."
Amber nodded, fully aware what that meant.
The temple closest to Mondstadt was effectively the safest one. Jean was clearly taking her strength into consideration.
"As for the remaining two..."
"Let me and Kaeya handle them."
Lisa stepped forward on her own. "I did say I would help."
"I have no objections."
Kaeya sounded amused. "Those abandoned temples suddenly being put to use again, it really feels like someone is pulling strings from the shadows. I will find out who."
"In that case, let us not waste time. The storm is raging, and staying on the defensive will not help us. Before this dragon disaster spreads any further, we will move first and advance on the ruins of the abandoned temples."
Jean declared.