Facing the Abyss Prince's question, one of the Abyssal Chanters kneeling before him said in a comforting tone, "Yes, my lord. But please, do not grieve too deeply. The brave and loyal Kariya did not die in vain."
He knew that the prince was in pain, but with their great cause still unfinished, there was no time to mourn. They had to use every moment to destroy the thrones of the Seven Gods.
Aether nodded slightly at the words of comfort, yet his concern over Kariya's death remained. "Then tell me," he asked coldly, "who killed Kariya? Was it that man, Dainsleif, again?"
"Uh…" The Abyss Apostle lifted his head, hesitation flickering in his eyes before he finally said, "The cause has not yet been confirmed. We only know that there was a massive explosion at the site. But according to current intelligence, that traitor of Khaenri'ah is active in Mondstadt and seems to be disrupting our operations."
"Continue investigating. I will not allow a brave warrior to die without clarity."
"Yes, my lord."
Seeing that the prince would not pursue the matter further, the three Abyss Apostles conjured portals and departed one by one.
Once they were far from the royal city, the Frost Apostle turned toward his companions and demanded, "Kerrla, why didn't you tell him the truth? During our investigation, we clearly found traces of golden light. Although that power was slightly different from what we've seen before, it was definitely that same energy."
"The truth?" The Abyssal Flame Chanter named Kerrla sneered. "Does the truth matter that much? Don't forget our mission. Several of our outposts are already advancing across that continent. Is the so-called truth more important than our great cause? Don't forget what those gods did to us!"
Seeing Kerrla's anger, the other two fell silent.
Unlike the loyal Kariya, they cared more about the Abyss's ongoing corrosion of the surface world. As for that so-called golden light, it was a long-dead power. Rather than distract the prince with it, they preferred to conceal the truth and investigate quietly on their own.
Seeing his companions argue, the Thunder Chanter quickly intervened. "Enough! Stop fighting. For now, our focus should be Mondstadt. If we can successfully use that dragon that has lost its sanity, the God of Wind's nation will surely fall."
"Hmph, I was merely stating facts. But since Kariya has perished, I'll take over the Mondstadt region myself."
Kerrla's tone dripped with arrogance. Since the Apostle responsible for Mondstadt was dead, he would personally assume the role.
In terms of power, he was far stronger anyway.
The other two Apostles exchanged a glance and said nothing further. Let him have his way if it pleased him.
...
Mondstadt.
Inside the Knights of Favonius headquarters.
Jean sat with a stern expression, speaking seriously to those gathered. "What do you all think of this new evaluation system? From now on, the Knights of Favonius will conduct performance assessments. Those who meet the standards will remain; the outstanding will be promoted; and those who idle away their duties will be monitored. If they still refuse to change, they will be expelled."
"I object!"
As soon as Jean finished, a veteran knight lazily raised his hand. His clothes were disheveled, and the stench of alcohol clung to him so strongly that no one nearby wanted to sit close.
Kaeya's face darkened. "Sir Robert, what do you mean by that?"
"Hmph, what do I mean?" Robert sneered, looking at Jean and Kaeya with disdain. "You're trying to seize absolute control! Since when does a free nation need so many rules and regulations? I've never heard of knights having to clock in for work! At least when the Grand Master was here, nothing like this existed."
Seeing someone speak up, several other idle knights quickly joined in to voice their support.
"That's right! Jean, you're just the Acting Grand Master, you have no authority to dismiss other knights. I suspect you're trying to monopolize power in the Knights of Favonius."
"Agreed! We cannot allow anyone to suppress our freedom."
"The Acting Grand Master has no right to change the entire order's regulations!"
In the past, Jean might have been flustered to the point of tears at such open defiance and might have even given up.
But that was before she awakened to a new understanding. Ever since reading Su Han's letter, Jean had realized a simple truth: Mercy cannot lead soldiers, and righteousness cannot manage wealth.
To command respect, one must have the resolve to be firm.
And the reason Mondstadt had become so lax was precisely because the previous Grand Master had been too lenient.
As more and more knights rallied behind Robert, he grew even more arrogant. He cast a mocking look at the young Acting Grand Master, as if to say, I'm rebelling, what can you do about it?
Jean stood slowly. Everyone thought she would back down, but instead they heard her say, "Robert has openly disrupted this meeting, constantly gathers other knights to drink and gamble, and has repeatedly fled from battle, disgracing the honor of the Knights of Favonius. For these crimes combined, guards, take him into custody."
"Arrest me? On what grounds? I'm a true knight!"
Robert roared in outrage, but the others had no intention of letting him off.
Three young knights, who had long been standing by, swiftly restrained him. Even as he was held down, he continued cursing the Acting Grand Master.
Jean then stepped forward and threw a stack of documents onto the floor before him. "Those earlier accusations were minor. These are your real crimes. Robert of the Feathered Blossom Knights, you secretly handed the city's defense map to foreign spies and repeatedly incited rebellion within the order. The evidence is irrefutable. What do you have to say now?"
The room fell silent.
Everyone looked at the papers scattered across the floor. As they picked them up and began to read, their expressions turned pale with shock.
Robert had not only encouraged his followers to join the Fatui but was also behind the wave of rumors spreading through the city in recent days. His betrayal was beyond outrageous.
"How could he do this? Isn't he a knight?"
"Hmph, looks like he wanted to seize the deputy position after the city defenses changed hands. See this, there's even a letter from the Fatui promising him that title once they controlled Mondstadt's defenses."
Now that the truth was out, Robert was left speechless.
The knights who had just supported him were deathly pale.
They had only wanted to avoid work, never imagining Robert was a traitor.
Watching the desperate, sweat-soaked man before her, Jean raised her hand. "His earlier punishment was for negligence of duty. But for espionage and treason, the penalty is death. Kaeya, he's yours.
This will also serve as an explanation to the citizens of Mondstadt."
"With pleasure." Kaeya nodded slightly, then looked at the trembling Robert. "That man was right, this kind of careful elimination truly catches the big fish. Farewell, traitor. From today on, you'll serve as a warning to every knight who betrays our order."
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