Although Victor Wang knew who the traitor in the Lawrence family was, catching someone required evidence. Even if he caught the person with a god's-eye view, being unable to explain it would only raise suspicion among others.
"Eula, I heard that the Lawrence family has always been at odds with the Knights of Favonius. But you joined them anyway. Are you sure it's not your personal problem that you don't know the location of the Holy Lyre?"
"Before I joined the Knights, I did complete the family training. Among the younger generation, I don't think there's anything I should know but don't. Unless it happened in the years after I left the family..."
Just as Eula said, Victor Wang knew she was one of the few in recent years who had passed the Lawrence family trials. The family's ultimate symbol of martial strength, the Glacial Seal, was in her hands. Eula was also the eldest daughter of the family—it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her the representative of the Lawrence youth.
It was precisely because of this that her decision to join the Knights caused such a violent backlash within the family. If it had been someone else, the Lawrences might not have even cared.
"You didn't have any friends among the younger members of the family? Someone reliable we could check with?"
"Mm..."
"You didn't seriously have no friends in your own family, did you?"
"Are you looking down on me? This—"
"This grudge I will remember."
"You!" Eula was certain he'd dug up this information somewhere just to tease her. "Hmph! Who said I don't have friends? I can find someone before lunch. Let's meet at Good Hunter at noon. Dismissed!"
"Alright, I'll be waiting for your good news."
The ice-blue-haired beauty sprinted off, while Victor Wang turned and returned to the Knights.
As the official institution responsible for issuing identification documents for newborns in Mondstadt—and a known rival of the Lawrence family—the Knights of Favonius naturally kept a detailed archive on the Lawrences. However, Victor Wang didn't have clearance to enter, so he had to ask Lisa for help.
"People from the recent generations of the Lawrence family, huh? That's going to be a lot to write down."
"Just the main figures from Eula's generation and the one before."
"Alright, hold on a moment."
Lisa pulled out a notebook and, per Victor Wang's request, jotted down a list of names from the Lawrence family.
"This one is Eula's father—the current head of the Lawrence family. He's the eldest among the siblings. These are his three younger brothers and two younger sisters—Eula's uncles and aunts."
Lisa marked each name with their relation to Eula, then tore the sheet from the notebook and handed it to Victor Wang. "As you requested, I only listed the main lineage."
From this, Victor Wang learned that Eula was the oldest among her generation in the family's main line. She had no direct siblings, but plenty of cousins. Of her three uncles, only the youngest was unmarried—and he was none other than Schubert, who appeared in the game.
After silently digesting the information, Victor Wang browsed a few books in the library. As the agreed time drew near, he headed to Good Hunter—only to find that Eula and her friend hadn't arrived yet.
"Miss Sara, what's your opinion on the Lawrence family?"
"Eh, me?"
Faced with the sudden question from a now-regular customer, Sara still answered honestly. "I used to think the Lawrences were horrible. A fallen noble family acting all high and mighty, still fantasizing about returning to the days of Old Mondstadt—bossing people around with arrogance."
"Isn't that exactly what we see?"
Sara shook her head, as if recalling something pleasant, and offered Victor Wang a smile. "That was all in the past. Back then, people wouldn't even sell things to the Lawrences—including me..."
At this, Sara looked a little guilty.
"But ever since that Lawrence joined the Knights, ever since she saved me, I realized not all Lawrences are stubborn and rotten. It's just... people's impressions of them are too deeply ingrained. Not everyone can see the truth in time."
"The one who joined the Knights—you're talking about Eula?"
"Yes."
"What about the other younger members of the Lawrences?"
"I don't know them that well, but ever since then, I've been paying attention. They're definitely better than their parents' generation."
"That's good to hear."
As they talked, Eula finally approached with a young girl with light blue hair.
"Eula, you're late. This grudge I will remember."
"Pfft~"
Hearing Victor Wang mimic Eula's catchphrase, both Sara and the girl with her couldn't help but laugh.
"Hmph, you dare mock me—this gr—" Eula instinctively began, but then forced herself to stop and glared hard at Victor Wang.
Sara looked between Victor Wang and Eula. "Ahh, so you two know each other?"
Eula turned her head aside with a touch of emotion. "We just met today. Not close."
You were my first C2 character, Eula... That hurts a bit.
"Come on, Eula, we're already old buddies, right? Order whatever you like—it's on me today."
The three treated it like Victor Wang was just being contrary.
"Then I won't hold back. Vera, order whatever you want—the big spender's paying."
"Hehe."
After choosing a few of the most expensive dishes from Good Hunter, the three took their seats.
"Hello, Mr. Payer. I'm Vera, Eula's cousin."
Vera Lawrence—third daughter of Robert Lawrence, the third son among Eula's father's siblings. Lisa hadn't listed her age, but Victor Wang guessed she was around fifteen or sixteen. A very pretty girl.
"Nice to meet you. I'm a journalist from The Steambird. I've long heard about the Lawrence family of Mondstadt and traveled a great distance to conduct interviews."
"Really?"
Before coming, Eula only said a friend wanted to have lunch. When asked what kind of friend, she just dodged the question. Vera had been curious what kind of person could make Eula—who hadn't been home in years—come to see her. Even if it was just to wait outside the manor...
She looked at Eula with a trace of suspicion, only to find Eula wide-eyed as well.
"It's true. I came to investigate the unfair treatment the Lawrences face in Mondstadt. I've heard you can't even buy from restaurants or general stores—forced to hunt or grow your own food."
"That does happen..."
"Then I'm here as a champion of justice, bringing public opinion to your aid."
Vera pursed her lips. Eula's friend sure is something...
When she glanced back at Eula, she found Eula had closed her eyes, sitting rigidly upright—completely disengaged.
"No, no, the problem isn't the world—it's the Lawrences. When Eula joined the Knights, I didn't understand. But later I realized—if the Lawrences refuse to lower themselves and integrate with the people, nothing will ever change."
Vera snuck another look at Eula, then went on, "The Lawrences and normal society are like parallel lines. It was Eula who created the first angle between them."
Eula opened her eyes in surprise. When she'd joined the Knights years ago, no one in the family had supported her—not even her parents. She moved into the dorms provided by the Knights and gradually became estranged from the family.
She never imagined that her cousin would see her this way. Now that she thought about it, the family's leadership had always been old men. Even if the younger generation had thoughts of their own, it didn't mean they could speak up. But this was enough. This small angle—with time—might just bring the Lawrences back on track.
Vera shyly lowered her head. "Honestly, it's embarrassing to say these things in front of Eula, but they're my true thoughts. And they're what many people my age think too. We've all suffered because of the Lawrence name. When our generation comes to power, we'll change things."
"So... you should be interviewing Eula, not us. She's the one who became a role model for the younger generation."
Seeing Vera's sincere gaze, Victor Wang felt a pang of guilt for deceiving her.
"Ahem, actually, I just said all that to test you—to see if you could become one of us."
"One of who?"
"Members of the Lawrence–Commoner Reconciliation Association."
"That's a thing?"
"It is. Eula is the president. I'm the vice-president. Right, Eula?"
As Victor Wang signaled with his eyes, he could see Eula's gaze clearly say: You made me lie. This grudge—I will remember!
Eula gave a small nod.
Vera looked delighted. "So, Eula came to recruit me?"
Victor Wang crossed his arms to appear more authoritative and replied on her behalf, "You'll have to prove your worth first."
"I don't have a Vision. If you ask me to fight monsters, I'll have to pass."
Victor Wang thought the little girl was quite clever. She'd blocked any chance of being sent to do hard labor with a single line. Unlike a certain Traveler and her flying companion who don't know how to say no...