"Ahem, you there, could you all hold on a moment? Just who are you planning to 'teach a lesson'?"
Huffman, the seasoned Knight of Favonius, could hardly believe his ears. The Honorary Knight and the Liyue adeptus were openly discussing something like retaliation right in public. This made things very awkward for him as a Knight of Favonius.
"I knew it, my luck and this tavern don't mix. Lumine, I'll head off first. You explain things to this Knight. I really don't want to end up in the confinement room again."
Su Bai waved at Lumine and Paimon and promptly made his escape. Of course, he didn't forget to leave a little 'insurance' on Huffman. If Huffman tried to arrest Lumine, then poor Huffman would just have to take an involuntary nap for a while.
Outside Angel's Share, a conflicted Huffman and a Lumine desperately trying to think of a suitable excuse to gloss things over exchanged a glance, tacitly agreeing not to mention what just happened.
"Haha, Honorary Knight, the wind was a bit strong just now. What were you all saying?"
"Mr. Huffman, we were just discussing what to drink later, that's all. Nothing major. Please, carry on with your duties."
Lumine and Huffman played dumb. Paimon, also not wanting to be confined, nodded along, providing cover for Lumine.
"Yeah, yeah! Lumine and I were just talking about what juice to drink later! We definitely weren't talking about any 'teaching a lesson' or 'beating someone up in a sack' stuff! Mr. Huffman must have misheard!"
Lumine's face stiffened. She facepalmed helplessly. 'This idiot Paimon! No one even asked, and she spilled everything! Why did she ever agree to let Paimon be her travel companion? It was nothing but worry!'
At this moment, Paimon hadn't realized she'd already revealed everything. She still wore that very guilty-looking smile. Huffman also had a headache. These two were favorites of Acting Grand Master Jean. If he locked them up, his days as a Knight were probably over. What could he do? He could only continue playing dumb.
"Oh, oh, my mistake then. Would you two like to come in for a drink? The wine at Angel's Share is among the best in Mondstadt. If I weren't on duty today, I'd definitely drink my fill."
Huffman pushed the door open to Angel's Share, not forgetting to give the tavern a little advertisement. After all, being ordered by Captain Kaeya to keep an eye on Master Diluc left him feeling guilty and uneasy. He hoped to ease his conscience this way.
Faced with Huffman's praise, Diluc responded with a cold snort. 'Could the Knights not even act properly anymore? How disappointing.'
Meanwhile, a certain Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius, still unaware he was being targeted, was taking a shortcut through a dark alley. There was a big show to watch tonight. It would be a shame to miss it by being late.
"Wait... Something's off. Why haven't I walked out of this alley after all this time?"
After walking for a while, Kaeya keenly sensed something strange. He often took this alley before. Why hadn't he reached the end today? It didn't make sense.
Realizing he might be in trouble, Kaeya drew his Favonius Sword and warily surveyed his surroundings. But there was nothing unusual at all. It looked exactly like the usual alley.
'This couldn't be the 'haunting maze' from Liyue legends, could it? No, I'm in Mondstadt. Can't encounter Liyue's haunting maze here. Must be someone playing tricks behind the scenes.'
Due to his... unique background, Kaeya had a decent understanding of the various legends and customs of all seven nations. His current situation was a perfect match for the "haunting maze" from Liyue folklore.
'I haven't been to any yin-heavy places recently. How could I run into a haunting maze?'
'Or... is this the Fatui's doing?'
Kaeya shielded himself with icicles, vigilantly observing his surroundings. As an intelligent man, Kaeya wouldn't just wait passively. In just a few minutes, he had thought of several ways to escape the alley.
Adhering to the idea that every extra minute meant more danger, Kaeya continuously gathered Cryo energy while maintaining the icicles around him.
Cryo energy spread from Kaeya's feet across the ground. Kaeya carefully observed its movement. Seeing the Cryo energy smoothly spread from the walls to the rooftops, a look of joy appeared on Kaeya's face.
'Truly, when heaven doesn't seal off all exits! If he couldn't walk through the alley, he could climb onto the roofs! From the rooftops, he'd have a high vantage point. Even if he couldn't get out from there, he could at least observe the outside situation.'
Unfortunately, Su Bai had already considered this potential loophole. He had directly used adeptal energy to create a semi-circular illusion barrier covering the alley. Kaeya had no chance of getting out.
After expending great effort finally climbing onto a roof, Kaeya's vision blurred. When he regained his senses, he was back inside the alley again. Kaeya's already dark face turned even darker.
---
The Next Day
Early the next morning, just as dawn broke, Kaeya, emerging from the alley, seemed like a changed man. His usual lively spirit was completely gone. Now, his cheeks were slightly sunken, his lips chapped, his steps unsteady, and his one visible eye stared vacantly at the road.
Some early rising Knights of Favonius on the street, seeing Kaeya in such a haggard state, couldn't help but gossip.
'Captain Kaeya was single, right? How did he end up looking so... drained? Very strange.'
'Could it be~ a new establishment offering... pleasures had opened in that alley?' Several Knights exchanged knowing glances. 'Seemed they had a place to visit tonight.'
Kaeya currently had no mind to care about these Knights' lewd thoughts. He only wanted to go to the Favonius Cathedral to pray, hoping Lord Barbatos would drive away the unclean spirits haunting him.
"Well, well, if it isn't our Cavalry Captain Kaeya. What's the matter? Haven't seen you for a few days, and you've fallen so low?"
"Kaeya, us youngsters shouldn't rely on our good health to be unrestrained. When I return to Liyue, I'll send you a few packs of kidney tonifying medicine. Our Liyue doctor, Baizhu, is exceptionally skilled."
Su Bai sat atop the statue of the Anemo Archon in Mondstadt's plaza. Having nowhere to go last night, Su Bai had immediately taken a liking to Barbatos's statue. Having endured wind and sun, it had become extremely smooth, and most importantly, it offered a perfect view of Kaeya in the alley. Truly an irreplaceable prime location.
"You jest, Mr. Su Bai. I just want to hurry to the Favonius Cathedral to pray. By the way, Mr. Su Bai, could you tell me about the 'haunting maze' from Liyue stories? I stayed up late reading last night and became quite curious about it."
Kaeya forced himself to appear spirited. He hadn't ruled out Su Bai as a suspect, but he simply couldn't think of a reason for Su Bai to mess with him like this. He was confident that even if he had tricked Su Bai, Su Bai definitely wouldn't have noticed.
Unfortunately, this time Kaeya miscalculated. As Kaeya's good 'older brother,' Diluc had absolutely zero psychological burden when it came to stabbing Kaeya in the back.