"I usually work at the Cat's Tail Tavern during the day, and then head back to Springvale after my shift, so I don't know too much firsthand. I only heard some things.
"They say about two months ago, Noelle suddenly changed. She started categorizing everything into four levels: Not Important & Not Urgent, Important but Not Urgent, Not Important but Urgent, and Important & Urgent.
The priority she gives them goes: Important & Urgent → Important but Not Urgent → Not Important but Urgent → Not Important & Not Urgent.
The order she handles them is: Important & Urgent → Not Important but Urgent → Important but Not Urgent → Not Important & Not Urgent.
So now it's no longer the case that anyone can just shout her name and she'll rush over to help with anything. Tasks people could do themselves, things within their own responsibility, or even outright time-wasters—all of that gets thrown into the 'Not Important & Not Urgent' category, and Noelle will reject them cleanly. And she'll even politely remind people that next time, before they bother her, they should figure out which category their request falls into.
I don't know her very well, but even I know Noelle's always been super kind!
And it's exactly because she used to do everything for free that now, once she refuses, it suddenly pissed off a lot of people. I even heard there's some kind of 'Anti-Noelle Alliance' now."
Diona ground her teeth in anger as she recalled these things.
"Give them rice today, tomorrow they'll curse you for not giving more… that's just how people are."
Noelle's flawless, childlike heart—finally, after that last lesson, it had brushed against darkness in the most roundabout way. And this backlash, from the very people she helped, would probably cut deeper than any external darkness ever could…
Once-smiling faces, after receiving endless kindness, turning around and lashing her with cruel words. Just the thought of it made Victor Wang feel suffocated with rage.
"People? You mean heartless bastards! Those who are strong enough but just lazy, those who whine about inconvenience, those who think their chores are beneath them—it was never her job to help them in the first place! Noelle has done nothing wrong at all!"
Diona's ears twitched with fury, her tail puffing up as she snatched up a stone and skipped it hard across the lake.
"You don't know how disgusting those guys are! I only found out after Eula mentioned it during this whole mess—that some drunkards at the Cat's Tail would always come at midnight and drink themselves senseless. When they puked, they'd call Noelle to clean it up! When their friends passed out, they made Noelle—Noelle, a young girl—haul them home!
Ugh! It makes me furious! That's the middle of the night—one, two in the morning! Does Noelle not need rest?! Those damn drunks!
And—and some even pretended to be drunk! They'd call Noelle over and then refuse to pay! Even though Eula would press them for money, Noelle always used to cover the bill herself. And when she saw them again, because they'd 'acted drunk and forgotten,' she wouldn't dare bring it up—so bit by bit, they scammed her out of so much money!"
Diona's little fangs flashed, her tail bristling with righteous anger.
"And that's just what happened at the Cat's Tail. Who knows how many useless freeloaders all over Mondstadt have taken advantage of her!"
"…."
The game's version of Mondstadt really had been too sanitized. With Noelle's personality, this was all too believable. And because it was so believable, Victor Wang felt even more furious. Such beautiful goodwill—why should it be drained away like this?
He conjured a Geo construct in his hand and hurled it far out into the lake. As soon as it sank, it detonated, throwing up a great plume of water.
"…And now? After she changed, did all of this stop happening?"
Diona drooped her ears and shook her head. "Since drunk people really can be risky, she… still can't let it go."
"Do you know when that group of drunks usually shows up?"
"Eula said they usually come around midnight, especially before and after rest days. Tomorrow's just before one… You're not planning to deal with them, are you? Honestly, as long as Noelle hardens her heart and refuses, it'd be fine. If you get physical, you'll definitely be in the wrong—especially since you're the Knights of Favonius' Honorary Knight."
"I only plan to have a little talk with them. Fighting shouldn't be necessary… at least, I won't be the one to start anything. An Honorary Knight protecting the Knights' maid—that's justified. An Honorary Knight acting in self-defense—that's also justified."
"Huh~ I suddenly feel like you've got a lot of sneaky tricks up your sleeve."
Victor Wang gazed past the lake, shaking his head silently. His thoughts drifted to the dragon's bones beneath Mondstadt, long since drained of power, bleached back to pale white.
After hesitating, Diona blurted out bluntly, "But if it's for a friend's sake, I don't mind. Actually, it makes me feel safer."
Victor Wang's hand rose unconsciously, before finally settling atop her head.
"What are you doing?"
When she didn't resist too strongly, he pushed his luck, patting her hat-covered head gently.
"Before Stormterror attacked Mondstadt, over there on the bridge, Timmy's pigeons were scared off by the chaos. He told me they were just like his father—not coming back. And when he said it, he looked at me with such hopeful eyes—like he wanted me to say I'd bring the pigeons back.
But all I could answer was that the pigeons were scared off by Stormterror, and once the Knights healed him, they'd return. Then he told me I was so knowledgeable, so amazing—but even as he said it, the light in his eyes dimmed halfway.
I had to admit honestly: I'm just an ordinary person who's good at little tricks. Even now, though I've grown stronger, in the eyes of many, I'm still just ordinary… The comfort I can offer is limited. But in this world, all I have are my friends… only my friends. So, I'll give all the comfort I can to them."
"Wow!" Diona's eyes sparkled. "The way you say that, you beat Mr. 'Calvary Captain' Kaeya by a hundred miles in making people feel safe!"
"I still need to settle accounts with that guy. He was supposed to be secretly looking out for Noelle, and yet he let such things happen."
"Kaeya, huh… Maybe it's because it all happened late at night, and since Noelle never told anyone, he didn't know? Anyway, enough about him. You're really going through with this tonight, right? Then I'm coming too!"
"That'll be past midnight. If you don't go home, your dad will be worried sick."
Diona waved dismissively, counting on her fingers. "You promised to spend the rest of the day with me! Lunch together, circus in the afternoon, I'll go home for dinner and tell Dad, then come back at night—he won't worry at all!"
"…Quite the schedule. Do you know where Timmy is now? Let's bring him along too."
"Huh? Why bring him?"
"He's your little brother, isn't he? Shouldn't siblings share good things together? Anyway…" Anyway, one kid or two—it makes no difference.
Diona pouted. "I think he's at the training yard by the Knights of Favonius' HQ, practicing his sword."
"The Headquarters? Perfect. I need to check on something there."
…
"Lisa, do you have a recipe for a sobering potion? And maybe… one that makes people see terrifying hallucinations?"
"I actually just finished developing a strong sobering potion. As for hallucinations—I recommend my Illusion Draught. It temporarily warps a person's vision into grotesque illusions, but with no toxic side effects. The others are… less safe."
"That one sounds perfect! Thanks, Lisa!"
"Such a sweet tongue~ Also, the new The Merchant of Fontaine novel goes on sale tomorrow."
"Thank you, Lisa!"
"Hehe~."
…
Late night, Cat's Tail Tavern.
"Your dad really let you come?"
"I told him I was with you—he trusts you!"
"…And where are you sleeping tonight?"
"Either in the tavern's lounge, or with the boss lady. She's a bit clingy, but I can endure it for a night."
"…That's fine then."
Sure enough, at the far end of the tavern, two tables of drunkards were already shouting loudly, slamming down drinks, venting about their petty frustrations. Soon enough, the topic shifted to Noelle.
"Hmph! That girl actually dared refuse me? In my opinion, even if she has no merit, she's got plenty of sweat equity—but now? She'll never be a real knight in her life!"
"Exactly! I just asked her to move two crates today, just two! And she said, 'Please save your request for someone more in need of help.' What kind of nonsense is that?!" a burly man roared, slapping the table.
"Same here! I asked her to model for me—it'd be an honor for her! I'm going to be a great painter one day, and she wouldn't even spare me an hour!"
"Tonight, like always, we'll make her pay the bill! Once she's drunk, she'll just swallow it again. Honestly, I can't wait to see that prim little face twisted in unwillingness and helplessness, eh-heh-heh!"
"Pathetic. This time I'll fake being drunk so she has to walk me home. Then, on the way… I'll cop a feel! Don't you wonder what that pure, saintly little body feels like?"
"Hsss—! Are you serious? She's a Knight, with superhuman strength and a Vision…"
The one cold-eyed youth—who nearly drove Diona to burst out from hiding—smirked viciously, scanning his cronies with a venomous gaze, foul breath reeking of malice:
"I've got a hunch. If Noelle keeps changing, one day we'll lose even this chance! But if I'm drunk, I don't know anything. If she dares lay a hand on me—heh—I'll blackmail her for life!"
The others didn't respond. Whether drunk for real or just twisted at heart, their eyes glittered with darker and darker intent.
"…Looks like the sobering potion won't be needed. But an Honorary Knight cracking down on drunken thugs? That's perfectly reasonable."
Victor Wang's gaze was just as wild as theirs—but he still waited. Waited for the moment they drank the next round, the one spiked with Illusion Draught…