When Arundolyn had marched out, he had taken all of Mondstadt's elite knights with him to guard against the monster threat. Now, the city's remaining knights were few, and most were inexperienced recruits. Their combat effectiveness was a concern.
Under these circumstances, Rostam not only had to handle a mountain of paperwork but also find ways to recruit more knights and train them into true fighting forces. So he personally taught the Favonius Bladework, personally prepared enough weapons, and personally secured enough provisions for sustained operations. All these troubles piled up before him, making his head spin. He didn't even have time to think about Rosalyne.
Just then, a knight entered. "Deputy Grand Master, a young lady claiming to be Miss Rosalyne insists on seeing you. Shall I let her in?"
Buried in work, Rostam answered without thinking, "I'll see no one."
The knight replied, "Understood—I'll send her away."
But the moment the knight stepped out, Rostam, busy as he was, suddenly realized: what? Rosalyne? She had come?
He was both surprised and delighted. He meant to call the knight back, but he was already gone. So Rostam went out himself to welcome her.
Five minutes later, with his furrowed brows smoothed, he saw Rosalyne again and smiled. "Rosalyne, what brings you here?"
Her expression was far from pleased. "You won't go sightseeing with me, won't go fishing at Cider Lake, and won't even have a drink with me. That's not what we promised before the Anemo Archon. Hmph—have you already forgotten me?"
Though Rosalyne was of noble birth, in all of Mondstadt, only the Grand Master, the Deputy Grand Master, and a few captains knew about the Khaenri'ah situation. Even the departing knights had not been told who their enemy might be. Rosalyne, naturally, had no idea that disaster was looming.
Faced with her questioning, Rostam looked awkward. He hadn't expected that, just after pledging to spend their lives together, the Khaenri'ah crisis would strike. To avoid further misunderstanding, he invited her into his office and explained that Khaenri'ah was likely to fall and that disaster could come at any moment.
Hearing this, Rosalyne was shocked. "Khaenri'ah's fall? A tide of monsters and mechanical creatures sweeping across all of Teyvat?"
During her time at the Sumeru Akademiya, she had heard about Khaenri'ah's instability and its potential impact on the continent. But she had never imagined that the ancient nation, with its vast alchemical knowledge, could actually collapse.
She could not imagine the devastation that hordes of monsters would bring.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, she understood at once. "So Grand Master Arundolyn's expedition—was it to prepare for this disaster?"
Indeed, without the Anemo Archon to protect them, preparing for every eventuality was the only way to safeguard the nation and its citizens.
Now Rosalyne understood. Rostam had refused all her invitations not out of neglect, but because he was fulfilling his duty to protect the country. It was she who had been unreasonable.
Rostam nodded. "That's right. Arundolyn marched out to build the strongest possible defenses at Mondstadt's borders before the monsters arrive—to prevent them from setting foot in the city."
Rosalyne bowed her head in shame. "I'm sorry—I was too selfish. I didn't realize Mondstadt was facing such a crisis. I studied many things in Sumeru. Please—let me help."
She looked at Rostam with hopeful eyes, seeing the responsibility and determination of a true knight in his face.
Hearing her offer, Rostam was more than willing. "Look at these papers—just trivial matters of Mondstadt's administration. Do you think you could handle them?"
To be honest, the city's affairs were not difficult individually, but together they were a headache—precisely the kind of work Rostam disliked most.
Rosalyne picked up a document, glanced at it, and said, "These are the so‑called official duties?"
Rostam sighed. "Yes. Simple, but they take up so much time. Such a nuisance."
Rosalyne smiled. "A nuisance? Leave them all to me."
Rostam blinked. "But there are so many. It would take you at least several days alone."
Rosalyne said confidently, "At the Akademiya, I studied not only elemental power but also many other complex subjects. These little matters are nothing to me."
Overjoyed, Rostam said, "I'll be counting on you."
With the administrative chores handed over to Rosalyne, Rostam finally had time for other tasks: recruiting knights, training them, stockpiling weapons and provisions, running drills, and building fortifications.
Thus, Rostam handled military affairs while Rosalyne managed the city's internal matters. They worked together, complementing each other, and in the absence of many knights and their Grand Master, they kept Mondstadt and the Knights of Favonius running smoothly.
Rostam could not help but remark, "Compared to Arundolyn and me, you would make a far better Grand Master."
Rosalyne laughed. "If Grand Master Arundolyn heard that, he'd be furious."
During this busy period, their relationship deepened quickly. Their hearts grew closer, and their trust in each other grew stronger.
On the city walls at sunset, hand in hand, they silently resolved that once this crisis had passed, they would walk down the aisle and hold a grand wedding before the statue of Barbatos, asking for the Anemo Archon's blessing.
But just as they were envisioning their bright future, something unexpected happened. It was not the calamity of Khaenri'ah. It was Rosalyne's inherent Pyro power, which suddenly flared out of control.