"Yes!"
The Knight of Favonius froze for a moment when she heard Acting Grand Master Jean's order.
She couldn't quite understand why Acting Grand Master Jean suddenly wanted information about an adventurer—about Kairo.
That name she knew well.
A genius, one she and her comrades had even discussed before—wondering when he might finally join the Knights of Favonius.
Could it be that Jean had finally taken a liking to him?
That shouldn't be the case.
Jean had already tried to recruit Kairo before, but he'd politely declined the invitation.
Was she going to try again?
Though puzzled, the knight quickly saluted and left to relay the command to her squad.
Only after the door closed did Jean withdraw her gaze.
Turning to Albedo, she spoke in a calm but steady tone:
"So, according to your speculation—he might be connected to the Abyss Order?"
Albedo didn't answer immediately. His golden eyes turned toward the night sky beyond the window, voice deep and thoughtful.
"I'm not certain yet…
But from the evidence we have so far, he's definitely not as simple as he appears."
He paused briefly, then added with quiet gravity:
"And if this destructive power truly is related to him, Jean… do you think there's a chance he's connected to the death of those Fatui elites last night?"
Jean's expression changed instantly. Her pupils contracted sharply, and a tremor ran through her heart.
She wanted to deny it on instinct—but images from last night's investigation flashed through her mind.
Those Fatui agents… completely annihilated, not a single survivor.
She had studied their wounds carefully—
They weren't caused by elemental bursts or wide-range explosions.
No—those wounds were far too clean.
It was like…
Swordsmanship.
That realization sent a mix of dread and confusion through Jean's chest.
If Kairo really had something to do with that attack on the Fatui—
then why?
Why would he suddenly strike against them?
It made no sense.
Was this adventurer an ally… or an enemy?
And what was his true goal?
Jean took a deep breath, calming herself, organizing her thoughts before speaking again.
"When the report arrives, we'll analyze it together. No matter what, we can't afford to ignore this man anymore."
Albedo nodded slightly, his eyes glimmering like distant starlight.
"It'll take until tomorrow to get all the information. I'll return around noon. In the meantime, I plan to study the energy residue on the Whopperflower's corpse. It should still retain traces of that Destructive Aura. The explosion itself left nothing analyzable—but the corpse might."
"Alright. Thank you, Albedo."
Jean nodded gently, and Albedo soon departed.
Left alone, she stared down at Kairo's file in deep thought.
The next morning.
Dawn broke over Mondstadt.
The first rays of sunlight bathed the cobblestone streets in warmth, and the air carried the scent of fresh bread and roasted meat.
Merchants opened their stalls, and the patrols of the Knights of Favonius moved methodically through the streets, maintaining order.
Outside the Adventurers' Guild, the morning crowd was already forming—voices lively, the day brimming with energy.
Kairo strolled down the street at an unhurried pace, heading toward the guild.
Unlike most adventurers, there was no tension in his steps—only a quiet ease.
Yesterday's work had gone well. Today, he planned to take on a few Collection Commissions… and maybe find a new target.
But just as he reached the guild steps, a familiar little red figure bounced into view.
"Brother Kairo!"
That cheerful, childish voice could only belong to one person.
Kairo blinked in surprise, looking down at the small red blur hopping toward him.
It was Klee—still dressed in her trademark red hooded coat, her round backpack bulging suspiciously as always.
Her amber eyes sparkled with joy, and her whole face lit up the moment she saw him.
"You're up this early?" Kairo asked, a little amused.
"Heehee! Klee woke up super early today!" she said proudly, puffing out her chest.
Kairo glanced at her bag and had a faint suspicion.
Did this little one stay up all night making bombs again?
Before he could comment, however, Klee's expression suddenly changed.
Her bright eyes wavered, and she fidgeted with her fingers, looking hesitant.
Then she looked up and said softly, "Um… Brother Kairo… I'm sorry."
"Huh?"
Kairo raised an eyebrow. What could Klee possibly have done that needed an apology?
"What's wrong?" he asked gently.
Klee kicked at the ground, her face full of guilt.
"Albedo asked me about you yesterday…" she admitted in a small voice, "and I told him about how you helped Klee make her bombs stronger…"
Kairo paused, then chuckled helplessly.
So that's it.
He thought it was something serious—but it turned out Albedo had simply learned about him through Klee.
That was inevitable.
He'd long expected Albedo to find out sooner or later.
Besides, it wasn't something he needed to hide.
He'd been too active in Mondstadt lately anyway—gathering resources, hunting Whopperflowers, improving explosives… There was no keeping that quiet.
Better to just admit it openly.
Still… Albedo talking to Klee last night?
Could it be… that Svarog was actually Albedo?
That thought made his expression go a bit strange.
It didn't sound entirely impossible.
After a brief moment lost in thought, Kairo smiled and reached out to ruffle Klee's soft golden hair.
"It's fine. I never told you to keep it secret anyway."
"Eh?" Klee blinked up, eyes wide in surprise.
"It's only natural Albedo would find out eventually," Kairo said lightly. "It's not some dark secret, after all."
"Really… it's okay?" she asked cautiously.
"Of course."
Hearing that, Klee let out a huge sigh of relief, her smile blooming again.
She bounced happily in place, waving her small fists in delight.
"Yay! Brother Kairo's not mad!"
Kairo couldn't help but laugh. "Why would I be mad at you?"
Klee giggled, clearly not feeling even a little guilty anymore.
"So where are we going today, Brother Kairo?" she asked eagerly.
Kairo thought for a moment, then smiled. "Same as yesterday—Whispering Woods. We'll gather more resources there."
It was a simple plan—but effective. Plenty of Mora, plenty of materials, and plenty of discoveries with his scanning device.
Klee's eyes lit up. "Then Klee brought lots of bombs today! I can help blow open the ground for you!"
Kairo: "…"
He had a feeling today's 'gathering trip' might turn into another 'bombing expedition.'
"We'll head deeper into the forest this time," he said.
"Okay!" Klee cheered, throwing her little fist into the air.
And then, from behind them, a dramatic, over-the-top voice rang out—
"The decree of destiny has descended! The wanderers of the Umbral Realm, our fates intertwine once more!"
Kairo's mouth twitched.
No need to look. He already knew who it was.
—Fischl.
And so, under the curious gazes of the other adventurers, the trio set off once again.
Noon, the next day.
Headquarters of the Knights of Favonius.
Jean's office.
Sunlight streamed through the window, spilling across the polished desk in a soft golden hue.
Jean sat straight-backed, carefully reading through a thick dossier, brows faintly furrowed.
A knock sounded.
"Come in."
The door opened, and in stepped Albedo—composed as ever, golden eyes calm and analytical.
"Acting Grand Master Jean, have we gathered the information?"
Jean handed him the document, her tone quiet but heavy. "Read this. You'll understand my doubts soon enough."
Albedo took it and began to read carefully.
As the pages turned, a thoughtful expression crept across his face.
According to the Knights' investigation—
Kairo had grown up in Mondstadt, an ordinary citizen by all accounts.
Exceptionally talented, gifted in swordsmanship since childhood.
The Lawrence Clan had even tried to recruit him through marriage, but he'd refused—choosing instead to become an independent adventurer.
A rare case of a commoner mastering the blade better than noble tutors themselves.
But nowhere in his records was there mention of supernatural abilities.
Only swordsmanship.
The file also noted that the Fatui had approached him multiple times, but every time he refused their offers.
Which meant—he had no connection to them.
At least, not on the surface.
Albedo's eyes narrowed slightly.
A man like that—raised in Mondstadt, untouched by corruption, refusing both nobles and Fatui—was too clean.
But then his gaze froze on a new page, his pupils tightening sharply.
Jean tapped her finger on the desk. "That's exactly what concerns me."
In only a few days, Kairo's activity had skyrocketed.
The first day—tens of thousands of Mora earned.
The second—he and Fischl brought back four full sacks of materials from Whispering Woods, worth over sixty thousand Mora.
The third—he returned with Klee as well, six sacks of loot and even a complete Whopperflower corpse.
All of this in less than a week.
Jean flipped a page, voice calm but serious.
"Before this, he'd never demonstrated any ability to collect resources this efficiently. In fact, his previous records show him as fairly average."
Albedo closed the file, deep in thought. "Which means he's either gained a new power… or obtained something."
He paused, then said, "I can understand his swordsmanship accounting for his combat ability—but what about his accuracy in finding resources?"
Jean nodded slowly. "That's why I've outlined three possible explanations."
Her finger tapped the desk lightly with each point.
"First possibility—Kairo possesses a unique ability, perhaps a treasure-hunting talent that lets him precisely locate resources.
Second—he's backed by an unknown organization that provides him with intelligence, materials, or even power.
Third—he's discovered a renewable domain in the wild. There are countless hidden ruins and secret realms across Teyvat. Some lucky adventurers stumble upon one—and never have to worry about Mora again."
Albedo met her gaze thoughtfully. "The problem is, we've found no evidence he's in contact with anyone."
Indeed, that was the strangest part.
If he truly served some hidden faction, then the Knights, the Fatui, even the Cathedral of Favonius would've caught wind of it.
But there was nothing.
Kairo appeared to be entirely independent—
yet his efficiency, strength, and results were far beyond that of any normal adventurer.
"Exactly."
Jean sighed, pressing a hand to her temple. "I once thought he was just another gifted young man… but now I'm not so sure."
She recalled Kaeya's report from Starfell Lake—
the remnants of the explosion there still radiated that same Destructive Aura.
Could it really be coincidence?
She looked up, meeting Albedo's eyes.
A silent understanding passed between them.
Albedo exhaled softly, setting the file aside.
"It seems… we'll have to look deeper into him."
Jean nodded. "Yes. Because there's still one last possibility—"
(to be continued)
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