Albedo nodded. "They've already set the departure for tomorrow morning. It seemed you weren't informed."
"I really wasn't."
Jean set her quill down and fell silent for a moment. Her eyes flickered with a trace of regret.
"The Traveler wants to find her brother — that's something she must do, so I can understand her leaving Mondstadt. But Kairo… he's leaving for Liyue too."
She sighed softly.
"If he stayed in Mondstadt, even without joining the Knights of Favonius, things would be much easier for us. His abilities are… perfectly suited for dealing with monsters outside the city."
Every time she thought of the strange buffs Kairo could give people — the way he could make an entire team stronger, faster, more efficient — Jean couldn't help but feel a little sorry it was ending. If Kairo had chosen to stay, the Knights could have cleared Mondstadt's surroundings in half the usual time.
But Kairo wasn't staying.
It was his journey.
Jean shook off the stray emotions and smiled faintly. "In that case, I'll go see them off tomorrow morning."
While she was saying that…
Night had already settled over Mondstadt.
The bell of the Cathedral rang slow and clear, drifting across the rooftops. A night breeze slipped through the city, carrying the fragrance of flowers and blessing the streets with that peaceful, holy glow that only Mondstadt had.
On one side of the Cathedral…
Barbara had just finished her day's work.
Her healing, her prayers, all the people she'd helped — done. She finally had a little time to herself.
She was holding a small, carefully wrapped gift box.
Inside: a letter she wrote very seriously, a small bottle of windflower essential oil she'd blended herself, and a tiny protective charm.
All of it was for Kairo.
She wanted to hand it to him personally.
Because when she'd heard at Good Hunter during the day that Kairo would be leaving for Liyue the next morning… her heart had trembled.
These past half-months — eating together, coming back from commissions together, watching him walk through the gate with bulging bags of loot — that was a kind of happiness she almost never got as the Deaconess of the Church.
But now it was ending.
She didn't want it to end quietly.
So, after changing out of her work mood, Barbara walked quickly through the night streets toward Kairo's house. She'd asked around in the afternoon — she knew exactly where he lived.
Kairo's house stood quietly at the corner, warm yellow light spilling from the window.
Barbara stopped in front of the door.
She straightened her skirt, took a breath, raised her hand to knock.
And then —
Her hand froze in midair.
From inside came a voice she was very, very familiar with.
"Hey, just help your princess wash up, won't you?"
…That was Fischl.
Barbara blinked.
Why was Fischl's voice coming from inside Kairo's house?
And… "wash up"?
Wash what?
Barbara was a Hydro Vision holder. Her body had been tempered by Hydro power for years. Her hearing was far better than ordinary people's.
If it had been any normal citizen walking by, they probably wouldn't have heard a thing.
But she heard everything.
Another voice came right after — Kairo's, sounding half-annoyed, half-amused.
"Wash yourself. If you don't, you're sleeping on the floor."
Barbara's mind went blank.
Fischl.
Was.
Sleeping.
In Kairo's.
Room.
Her face reddened instantly, the color rushing up to her ears. The gift box nearly slipped from her hands.
She wasn't a child — of course she understood what it might mean.
But she really, truly, absolutely had not expected…
That Fischl and Kairo…
In his room…
Tonight…
Barbara's thoughts tangled into a huge knot.
"No, no, no…"
She took two panicked steps back, face burning like she'd been put in an oven.
"I didn't hear anything… I didn't hear anything… I didn't hear anything…"
She muttered it in her heart, over and over, trying to erase the scene her imagination had already supplied.
She had come to talk about staying in touch.
To thank him.
To maybe, just maybe, tell him a little of how she felt.
To give him the charm and the oil and the letter.
But now?
How was she supposed to knock?
Fischl was inside.
Barbara clutched the gift to her chest, heart beating out of control. Her eyes were a little wet and her lips were pressed tight.
"…Stupid Kairo."
"…And stupid Fischl, too."
She whispered it, aggrieved, then turned and hurried away, not daring to look back.
She didn't see that on the roof not far away, Oz — perched there on guard — tilted his head.
"Hm? That was Deaconess Barbara."
He watched her leave, then closed his eyes again.
He'd already told Fischl's parents she wasn't going home tonight.
Their princess needed time alone with Kairo.
Kairo was leaving tomorrow.
Of course she'd cling.
For Oz, none of this was strange. He'd known for a long time that Kairo was planning to go to Liyue.
So he kept watch.
…
The night passed.
Morning came.
Sunlight poured through the window and fluttered the curtains. Mondstadt's fresh air drifted in.
Kairo woke up feeling light.
There was warmth in his arms.
Fischl was still clinging to his neck like a cat, refusing to let go even in her sleep. Her pale arms were looped around him, face pressed to his chest, voice muffled and soft.
"Kairo… can't you really stay?"
She already knew he wouldn't. But she still wanted to ask again. Even if the answer wouldn't change.
Kairo chuckled and pinched her nose. "I'll come back when I can. Don't worry."
"Liar…"
Her voice was small and stuffy, violet eyes dim with reluctance.
Kairo smoothed her hair. "You have the pass. You can come find me any time."
Fischl blinked awake a little at that.
"…But it takes too long to charge!"
"Then get help. Ask other Vision holders, or feed elemental energy into it directly. It'll charge faster."
"That works?"
Her eyes shone. In an instant, her mood flipped.
If she could make it charge faster… then she didn't have to just wait for him!
"Fufu… as expected, this princess's wisdom saw through the key point at once!"
She hopped off the bed, barefoot on the carpet, stretched, then started rifling through his clothes.
"Come. For today, this princess shall personally arrange your attire. Consider it… a royal favor."
Despite the haughty words, her movements were careful. She straightened his collar, fixed his belt, shook out his coat to smooth the folds.
Kairo watched her, smiling faintly.
In moments like this, Fischl didn't look like an eccentric chūni girl.
She looked… very much like a careful, earnest, shy little wife.
When he was done, she nodded with satisfaction. "Perfect."
"And you?"
"Hmph, my attire is always flawless."
She said that…
Then turned around and actually started getting dressed properly — stockings, gothic dress, golden hair over her shoulders.
"Let's go!"
She took his arm and dragged him out the door.
Outside, Mondstadt was already awake. Bread smell, street vendors calling, adventurers heading out. Another peaceful morning.
Fischl didn't let go.
Even if she knew he was leaving — she wanted to walk this last bit of Mondstadt's road with him.
The wind lifted her gold hair.
She tilted her head toward him, eyes bright and proud. "Remember this, Kairo. If you dare forget me, I shall bring down divine judgment."
Kairo laughed. "Then I'll wait for it."
They smiled at each other.
Before long they reached the city gate.
A lot of people were already there.
"Who's the Acting Grand Master waiting for?"
"I don't know — even Amber's here… and Captain Kaeya."
"Wait, that's the Honorary Knight too… are they all seeing someone off?"
"Hey — isn't that Kairo?"
As whispers spread, Kairo saw them clearly:
Jean.
Kaeya.
Amber.
Lumine.
Paimon.
Even a few Knights who'd followed them on missions before.
Paimon was the first to wave like crazy. "Kairo! Over here!"
"Morning," Lumine said with a small smile.
Amber planted fists on hips. "Next time you're back, we're patrolling together!"
Jean stepped forward, smiling. "I heard you were leaving for Liyue. I wanted to send you off on behalf of the Knights of Favonius."
Kairo smiled. "You didn't have to be this formal."
"It's what we should do." Jean's gaze was steady. "You did too much for Mondstadt. I won't make a long speech. I'll just say this — Mondstadt's gates will always be open to you. Whenever you return, the Knights will have a place for you."
As she said that…
A familiar golden system panel slid across Kairo's vision.
Lines of text formed one by one.
[Belobog's Supreme Guardian, Bronya, has received word that you will leave Belobog and board the Astral Express as a Nameless. She has chosen to see you off in person.]
[She understands your choice. Although she very much hopes you could stay in Belobog to assist her and Seele in rebuilding the city, she also longs to see people from Belobog walk out into the wider universe. She decides to maintain goodwill and friendship with you.]
[Before you leave, Bronya solemnly declares in the name of the Supreme Guardian: whenever you return, Belobog's gates will always be open to you.]
[Faced with Bronya's goodwill, you choose…]
[Option 1: Follow the kind path. The stars are dazzling, but Belobog is your home. You are moved by Bronya's sincerity and give up becoming a full Nameless, choosing instead to remain and assist her in governing Belobog, making this once-frozen city truly stable. (Reward: Amber Bastion — an ancient war-shield adorned with meteor amber. When raised, it forms an invisible bulwark. Arrows wreathed in flame, even claws like mountains, cannot break through. Said to be the relic of a primordial war where bronze-shielded heroes charged alongside blazing spears.)]
[Option 2: Leave without looking back. You have had enough of that frozen land. Belobog's fate has nothing to do with you. You state clearly that you will not return; everything in the past will remain in the past. You will throw yourself fully into the starry seas. (Reward: Iron Guard Remnant Set – Silvermane Uniform. A Silvermane Guard uniform reinforced by the Path of Preservation. Damage taken –8%.)]
[Option 3: Starrail diplomatic route. You accept Bronya's goodwill, but do not give up the Astral Express. You promise to maintain a permanent relay with Belobog, to pass them information, tech, and aid when needed, and to allow Belobog's people to occasionally board the Express. You become the bridge between a city buried in snow and the galaxy. (Reward: Belobog Transit Beacon. Can be anchored in any world. When the beacon is active, you and Belobog's envoys can use it to meet within the same star system, ignoring normal transit delays.)]
Kairo narrowed his eyes slightly.
Stay forever and be Belobog's hero?
Cut ties and never go back?
…Or keep walking the galaxy while leaving a door open for a snowy city that once trusted him?
He already knew which one fit his path.
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