After saying all that, Jean slowly backed out of the room.
She trusted that Farmas understood what she meant—and that he would stay.
After all… what self-respecting l**sp wouldn't like a girl's bedroom?
That was Farmas' thought, of course.
Jean herself had no idea.
Her mind was overflowing with all the internal affairs of Mondstadt that had been delayed because of the Stormterror crisis—mountains of paperwork piling up.
Just thinking about it made her head throb again.
After she placed the room key on the tea table and closed the door, Farmas finally relaxed and collapsed onto the sofa, sinking into its soft surface.
Breathing in the familiar scent, he began contemplating his next move.
"My strength is still not enough. If I go to Liyue now, Morax will flatten me with one hand."
He shook his head.
Absorbing the power in those two Visions had only restored him a little—enough to barely maintain a human form.
But defeating Morax? Impossible.
Even suppressing Dvalin would be a struggle.
"I need a new power source."
He fell into deep thought.
"Klee's and Bennett's Visions are still untouched… and Liyue's wandering chef Xiangling…"
His gaze drifted through the wall of Vanessa's living room—toward where Klee was likely locked in the confinement room.
"Oh right! Klee is probably still locked up.
I can't just rob her Vision… but if I bring her to Starfell Lake to blow up fish a few times, then borrow her Vision afterward—easy!"
Farmas' eyes lit with excitement.
"Restore my strength first. Then visit Klee."
With the decision made, he immediately began channeling ley-line energy, drawing fire element into himself.
Meanwhile, poor Jean remained completely unaware—busy handling the disaster reports caused by Dvalin and Farmas' earlier battle:
"Ley-line eruption at Starsnatch Cliff killed the whole orchard,"
"Sudden forest fire at Starsnatch Cliff,"
"Possible meteor impact at Starsnatch Cliff,"
…all technically true, all caused by them.
By the time Farmas finished replenishing his power and opened his eyes, dusk had arrived.
He quietly opened his door and slid down the stairs.
The headquarters hall was brightly lit.
Just as he passed Jean's office, he heard her angry voice:
"Klee! Hand over all your bombs!"
The fire-red little girl—looking deceptively harmless—began surrendering the explosives hidden all over her body, one by one.
Under Captain Kaeya's gleeful supervision, she tearfully shuffled toward the confinement room.
This scene repeated once or twice every week.
"Yo, Mr. Farmas. Settling into the Knights just fine?"
Kaeya greeted him with a playful smile.
Jean had already told him everything—Farmas' identity as the Flame Archon, that he used to be a fire slime, and the overwhelming power he now held.
"Good evening, Kaeya."
Farmas nodded to him before looking down at the sobbing Klee.
"G-good evening… big brother…"
Kaeya nudged the red-eyed girl, encouraging her to greet him.
Farmas bent down.
A tiny, adorable elf-like girl looked up at him.
Golden curls.
Long pointy ears.
A fluffy white scarf.
Bright red dress and an overstuffed little backpack.
Everything about her was dangerously cute.
"I'm dead."
Farmas declared with a perfectly straight face.
"Huh? Mr. Farmas, what happened?!"
Kaeya blinked, startled.
"No, Kaeya. I've revived."
Farmas exhaled slowly—resisting the urge to scoop Klee up and rub her like a plush toy.
He instead gently placed a hand on her head.
"Klee, sweetheart. Why are you crying so much?"
As he stroked her hair, he couldn't resist pinching one of her soft elfin ears.
"T-the city went boom… so confinement room… bombs hurt people… Acting Grand Master came… and I burned the mountains… and now Klee is doomed…"
Feeling the warm hand on her head made her even more pitiful.
She looked up with watery crimson eyes.
"Uu… Klee blew up fish in Starfell Lake… so Acting Grand Master Jean is sending me to confinement…"
She threw herself into Farmas' chest, rubbing tears and snot all over his red coat.
"Big brother smells really warm… like Mommy…"
After sniffing him repeatedly, she clung tightly to him—the familiar scent of fire element comforting her.
"Klee, sweetie, don't wipe your snot on big brother's clothes."
Kaeya sighed helplessly.
"Come along to the confinement room. I'll speak to Acting Grand Master for you, so maybe you can get out sooner, alright?"
"…Mm… okay…"
Reluctantly, Klee peeled herself off Farmas and looked back at him with big, shiny eyes.
"Big brother… your name is Farmas?"
"Yes. I just arrived at the Knights today.
So be good and listen to Kaeya.
When you get out… big brother will take you to blow up fish, okay?"
As he stroked her soft hair, Farmas felt his heart melt completely.
Even crying, Klee radiated pure sunshine.
"Really?! It's a deal! You can't break your promise!"
The moment she heard "blow up fish," her tears vanished—replaced by pure excitement.
The red-and-blue duo escorted her into the confinement room.
After the iron door shut behind her, Kaeya exhaled deeply.
"You aren't seriously taking Klee to blow up fish… are you?"
"Ahem… of course I was joking."
Farmas coughed lightly.
But Kaeya stared at his earnest expression.
…He did not think Farmas was joking.
~~---------------------------
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