Kael stayed with Barbara inside the quiet cathedral as they finished the spicy fish jerky together.
The savory heat brought a sheen of sweat to the tip of her nose, and her pale cheeks flushed pink.
"Kael, your cooking is amazing. I've never tasted anything like this."
Barbara looked at him with bright, earnest eyes.
[Corruption -0.1]
So food really did have a healing effect.
Though decreasing only zero point one barely seemed worth a System notification.
Kael smiled. "If you like it, I'll make it for you again."
Barbara gathered her courage. "For a whole lifetime?"
She didn't want to fall behind her sister anymore. Not this time. This time, she wanted to stand in front of Jean—just once—and have Kael choose her.
When he didn't answer right away, a pleading look slipped onto her face.
"I only want a place by your side. Isn't that okay? Since you're here with me tonight, doesn't that mean the others don't mind my presence?"
Her sudden boldness caught Kael off guard.
Was Barbara always like this?
Was it Jean's situation earlier today, or the influence of her corruption value, pushing her to act so strongly?
Thinking of the corruption still hanging over her, Kael didn't hesitate anymore.
"Alright."
Barbara blinked. "Huh…?"
Kael gently cupped her cheek. "I'm agreeing. There will always be a place for you beside me."
Her eyes shimmered with tears. "Forever?"
"Yes. Forever."
Barbara threw herself into his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
Happiness surged through her like a wave she couldn't hold back. It felt like finally obtaining a treasure she'd prayed for her entire life.
Finally…
This time, Kael chose her.
Finally…
For once in her life, she had stepped ahead of her sister.
[Corruption -20. Current Corruption: 19.9.
Pain -30. Current Pain: 70.]
Kael hadn't expected Barbara to be so easy to satisfy.
A simple promise was enough to break through her defenses.
And he'd been right—Barbara's corruption truly was tied to Jean.
The pain of never being chosen had weighed on her for years.
No wonder even a single sentence could release so much of her burden.
He pulled her close and whispered into her ear, "I'll take good care of you from now on."
Barbara cried in his arms for a long time before embarrassment finally made her pull away. Her eyes were swollen as she wiped her cheeks.
"Sorry… I just… got too happy…"
Kael stroked her silky golden hair. "It's fine."
"It's late. Let me walk you home, alright?"
Barbara's house wasn't far from the cathedral. Under the quiet night sky, it didn't take long to arrive.
Kael kissed her forehead at the door. "Sleep well."
He turned to leave, but a pair of slender, trembling hands clutched the hem of his coat.
Barbara held on tightly, gripping so hard the fabric had wrinkled beneath her fingers. Her long, golden lashes quivered with shy nerves, like delicate butterfly wings trembling under moonlight.
Her cheeks burned red, and she couldn't look him in the eye.
"Can I stay with you tonight?"
The line sounded strangely familiar.
Then he remembered.
In the life simulation, on the night before the expedition party left, Barbara had asked him the exact same question.
Back then, he refused her.
But this time…
He leaned down with a faint smile and kissed the soft pink of her lips.
In that brief touch, he whispered his answer.
"Okay."
---
Mona lay in bed upstairs, listening.
It was already late, and she still hadn't heard Kael return.
Hmph.
So he really wasn't coming back tonight.
She bit into her blanket, seething with resentment.
Even without reading the stars, she already knew he was spending the night with the little fish jerky girl.
He cooked for Amber.
He cooked for Barbara.
But did he ever ask her what she liked to eat?
Did he ever make a dish just for her?!
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.
She'd known Kael longer than most of them, yet somehow she felt like she was falling behind at every turn.
If things continued like this, what was the point of her showing up early in his life?
Even if she eventually won his heart, what advantage would she have left?
And considering how often Kael ordered her around… if he really ended up surrounded by women, would she just be stuck doing chores for all of them?
The mental image of Kael lying comfortably between beautiful girls while she worked off to the side made Mona's blood boil.
Her eyes burned with determination.
If other people could act, then she could too.
No.
She had to take action.
---
The night passed quietly.
Frost gathered softly on the window.
Even the morning wind slipped away gently, unwilling to disturb the lovers.
Marks left on pure white paper were always the most vivid.
And Kael had always preferred to paint on white.
One bright stroke at a time, he had left countless colors last night.
Early the next morning, Barbara stood before the mirror.
The brush marks on her skin made her blush spread from her cheeks to her neck, turning her whole body a warm shade of red.
She glanced shyly at the sleeping figure in the bed, then used her healing ability to erase the traces.
But she only healed the skin that would show beneath her clothes.
She didn't touch the rest.
She had figured out his preferences from last night's reactions.
So she left those places as they were.
They would linger for a long time… and she looked forward to his reaction next time.
Next time…
Realizing what she was thinking, her blue eyes grew even wetter with embarrassment.
"You're heading out already?"
Kael rubbed his eyes and looked at her in the mirror, already dressed neatly.
"Mm… I can't miss the morning prayer…"
"Then make sure you heal yourself first. I don't want you getting hurt."
Barbara's voice came out small as a mosquito. "I already healed… I… I'm heading out…"
She gathered herself and slipped back into the role of Mondstadt's pure, holy deaconess.
Before leaving, she turned toward Kael. Her gaze was sincere.
"Kael… I'm really happy."
Then she stepped out into the morning light.