Chapter 32 — Jean: "My Lord Barbatos!"
Jean Gunnhildr wasn't much older than Keqing, yet when it came to poise, leadership, and growth, she stood a few steps ahead.
It wasn't a matter of talent — Keqing was brilliant in her own right — but Jean possessed something different.
She was the kind of woman who carried both the warmth of youth and the dignity of command.
To the people of Mondstadt, she was both the city's gentle breeze and its unyielding storm.
Kael found himself studying her in quiet fascination.
How does she balance it so naturally?
How could someone feel both like a young woman and a seasoned leader — fragile and unbreakable all at once?
It was almost… divine.
---
A Formal Greeting
"Traveler from afar, may the Anemo Archon watch over your journey," Jean said, rising from her seat as Kael entered her office. Her salute was graceful yet disciplined — the very image of the Dandelion Knight.
Kael inclined his head with equal grace. "Greetings, Acting Grand Master Jean. I come bearing a letter from Lady Ningguang of Liyue."
Jean accepted the sealed parchment, gesturing toward the sofa. "Please, have a seat. I imagine the road from Liyue was long."
Her assistant, Lawrence, sensing the tone of the meeting, bowed and quietly exited, leaving them in privacy.
The moment the door closed, silence settled — calm, but charged.
Jean broke the seal and skimmed through Ningguang's message. Her expression shifted subtly with each line — a flicker of surprise, curiosity, and finally, calculation.
But Kael noticed something else.
Every few moments, her eyes darted toward him, as though trying to make sense of something she couldn't name.
There was confusion there — and unease.
---
The Weight of the Wind
Jean prided herself on composure, yet the aura radiating from Kael unsettled her.
He didn't move like a warrior or speak like a noble, yet the air itself seemed to bend around him — lighter, purer, alive.
To someone attuned to the wind, it was unmistakable.
His very presence sang with Anemo.
Not even most Vision holders felt like this.
There was only one other existence she had ever sensed with such resonance — Barbatos, the Wind Archon himself.
For the briefest moment, a wild thought crossed her mind.
Could he be…?
No. Impossible.
He was from Liyue. She'd seen the seal. And yet…
Why did the wind rejoice around him?
---
A Mysterious Traveler
Jean's curiosity finally overcame her restraint.
"Forgive me for asking," she began carefully, "but are you… perhaps an adeptus of Liyue?"
Kael blinked, caught off guard. "An adeptus? No, I'm not."
Then, with a faint smile: "I'm simply a traveler. From another world."
Jean froze. "Another… world?"
The words struck a faint chord of memory.
Alice — Klee's eccentric mother — had once rambled in her letters about "foreign souls who step between worlds." The very idea was mythic, absurd… yet here one sat before her, speaking calmly as if it were mundane truth.
Which meant this man — Kael — was far from ordinary.
---
The Shadow Over Mondstadt
"The situation in Mondstadt is worse than expected," Kael said, his tone turning grave. "The ley lines are in complete disarray. I've seen more monsters in five days than I did in two months of travel through Liyue."
Jean's hands tightened around the letter. "You've noticed it too…"
Her voice softened. "We've sent multiple investigation teams, but none have returned with clear results. The dragon attacks, the surge of Abyssal corruption… it's as if the wind itself is rebelling."
Kael leaned forward, his golden eyes gleaming faintly.
"I also encountered the creature responsible for the chaos. A dragon of wind — corrupted, but powerful. If I'm not mistaken, it's Dvalin, guardian of the East Wind."
Jean's expression froze. "That's… impossible."
But even as she said it, disbelief faltered in her tone.
"If it is Dvalin," she whispered, "then why would he turn against Mondstadt? He's our protector — Lord Barbatos' own companion!"
Kael exhaled softly.
"Then you've already forgotten."
Jean looked up sharply. "Forgotten… what?"
Kael's gaze darkened.
"In my world, there's an old truth: those who forget their past are doomed to repeat it."
He rose from his seat, his voice carrying the calm authority of one who spoke not as a guest — but as judgment itself.
"Dvalin did protect Mondstadt. He gave centuries of his life to shield this land. But what did Mondstadt give in return? Songs? Statues? Hollow prayers?"
His words struck like windblades.
"The Knights of Favonius no longer remember his sacrifice. The people have abandoned the temples built to honor him. You let the winds of faith die out — and now you face the storm you sowed."
---
A Knight's Burden
Jean's face paled. "No… that can't be true," she whispered, her voice trembling. "We could never forget Dvalin."
But even as she said it, her conviction faltered.
The Temples of the Four Winds — once places of worship — now lay in ruins, long ignored by both the Church and the Knights.
And the ley lines…
Her breath caught.
Could their neglect truly have weakened Mondstadt's balance?
"I see it now," Jean murmured, more to herself than to him. "The Temples weren't just sacred—they stabilized our ley lines. We've allowed the foundations of Mondstadt to rot."
She clenched her fist over her heart. "I've failed my people."
Kael's tone softened, just slightly. "Then learn from it. A leader's worth isn't in never making mistakes, Jean—it's in correcting them before it's too late."
Her blue eyes flickered with renewed resolve. "You're right. We will rebuild the Temples. The Knights of Favonius will no longer turn away from our history. Thank you, Kael. Without you, we might never have realized the truth in time."
---
The Alchemist of Mondstadt
Jean exhaled slowly, then straightened, her composure restored. "There's another matter Ningguang mentioned — one regarding Albedo, Mondstadt's Chief Alchemist."
Kael nodded. "Yes. Liyue wishes to invite him for collaboration. His insight could help our research into ley lines and internal cultivation."
"The Knights have no objections," Jean replied. "However, Albedo's loyalty lies with Mondstadt. If he refuses to leave, we cannot compel him."
"That's fair," Kael said. "But I'd still like to speak with him personally."
Jean smiled faintly. "Of course. And should he decline, we'll send Sucrose instead. She's his assistant — young, but brilliant in her own right."
Kael tilted his head, amused. "The one who studies bio-alchemy, correct?"
Jean nodded proudly. "That's her. She's shy, but her potential rivals Albedo's."
Kael's expression softened. "Then Mondstadt's future is in capable hands."
---
A Knight's Hospitality
"You must be exhausted after such a journey," Jean said, her tone gentler now. "Have you found a place to stay?"
Kael chuckled. "Given the current state of things, I didn't expect to find many vacant inns."
Jean's lips curved slightly. "Indeed. Most citizens have taken in refugees from the outskirts. But if you're willing, the Knights can arrange accommodations here within headquarters."
Kael raised a brow. "That's quite generous, Acting Grand Master."
Jean shook her head. "It's the least we can do. You've helped us already — and I suspect your arrival will help even more."
He smiled faintly. "Then I'll graciously accept."
As they left the office, Jean led him through the grand hallway of the Knights' headquarters. Sunlight streamed through stained-glass windows, painting the floor in hues of emerald and gold.
The wind carried faint notes of the cathedral's choir in the distance — a hymn to freedom that barely masked the tension beneath.
Kael's gaze lingered on Jean, her posture steady despite the burden she bore.
She truly embodies the spirit of Mondstadt, he thought. Duty before self, even when the weight threatens to break her.
And for the first time, a thought crossed his mind — bold and dangerous.
What if he invested in Mondstadt itself?
Not through Mora or politics… but through faith, through power.
If he could purify Dvalin and stabilize the ley lines, Mondstadt could become the beacon of a new age — one of balance between gods and mortals.
He smiled faintly to himself.
But before that… let's see what Jean will say when I make my offer.
---
End of Chapter 32 — Jean: "My Lord Barbatos!"