The Banquet

The hall had changed dramatically since the trial.

While used for worship, it was also the scene for Ximseong’s lavish banquets.

The tables from the trial were pushed aside, ready to be covered with food and drinks, while people talked and laughed in the centre.

There were artworks from all nations, so anyone could duck behind a sculpture or hedge and take a break from the crowd. There was even a temporary pond, filled with clear water and colourful fish.

Since the altar had been cleared away, panels of artwork had been put up. Each was a moment of history, their fading colours refreshed with vivid paint.

The Binding God, standing alone against the five Cataclysms.

Mondstadt’s Crimson Witch, blazing with fire. Inazuma’s Two-Faced Demon, wielding a sword; the Bleeding Heart of Sumeru, her hands empty of weapons. Liyue’s Stoneheart Demon, holding a spear, branchlike horns sprouted from his forehead. The Water Demon from Fontaine, watching in silence as the others fought.

The Binding God, ascending to Celestia. She fixed her home as humans did the same in Teyvat.

The Binding God, reaching down from the heavens. Her wrists bore golden cords, and her hand beckoned to the king of Eunmyeong. His hair shone like honey from her touch.

For 500 years, the nation prospered from the human kings’ rule. The divine leader, her hair black like obsidian, was the link between Teyvat and the Binding God.

The last panel was gone, an empty spot on the wall where it should have been. It was cut into smaller pieces, ready to be burned, but Mo Minji could still make out what it looked like.

In the middle of the street stood a child, the remnants of a demon scattered around him. A hand reached down from heaven, and a golden star appeared on his throat.

“Minji! Mo Minji!”

The older girl didn’t respond, still looking at the crate of cut-up art. It looked like they'd used the same gold foil for the king and the Chalk Prince.

Something poked her in the side, and Mo Minji looked up to see An Nabi.

“You're looking distracted. Did those new recruits make another one?”

While that wasn’t the subject on her mind, Mo Minji couldn’t hold back a sigh. “I had to confiscate it an incense time ago.”

“Ah, those brats… I knew they were up to something again.” An Nabi clapped her hands together. “What is it this time? Height? Looks?”

Mo Minji shook her head. “They might not keep any of this batch. Instead of getting on the female masters’ bad sides, they should try to suck up to them.”

“It’s not like many get to stay here anyways. So what was it, huh? Stop trying to dance around the subject.”

Mo Minji said darkly, “‘Size.’”

An Nabi considered this clue for several moments before coming to a conclusion. They’d already done hips and waists, so this time, it must be some other body part. She pushed up her own and asked Mo Minji, “Not bad, right? Where did I rank?”

Mo Minji lightly slapped her hand. “Don’t buy into that vulgarity. No nice man would be caught reading something like this.”

“Several ‘nice men’ wrote this. At least tell me I’m better than Master Daiyu. Her robes are modest, but they can’t hide something that doesn’t exist.”

“Don’t say something like that! Don’t you think you should have more respect for your betters?”

“If it weren't true, she wouldn’t be so obsessed with them. If I can rank better than a master, I’m satisfied with my life.”

She grabbed for the scroll, but Mo Minji held it out of reach. An Nabi was given a disappointed look.

“What happened to being satisfied with your life? Will you give up if I tell you Master Daiyu’s ranking?”

“Master Daiyu is only one out of three. What about Master Azzi, or the divine leader?”

“Are you so insecure that you’d care about this?”

“I’ll get your favourite foods made for a week.”

“…It’s not like the divine leader was even included.”

“Really? She doesn’t even do anything.”

“Nabi-yah!”

“It’s true! Once in a while, she becomes the ‘voice of the heavens’, uniting the nations in her divine leadership or whatever. But the rest of the time? Meditating. Mediating. Meditating.”

“She needs to meditate, to be the link between Teyvat and the heavens…”

“Any god can send messages, so long as they’re strong enough. That guy was more productive than her, even with all the fish he burnt to a crisp.”

Mo Minji sighed. “Their audacity had to have some limits. If she found out, it wouldn’t be just them and their families. She would dig up their ancestors and grind them all into paste.”

An Nabi made a non-committal sound, but it cut off abruptly as she realized something.  She cast a look around them before gesturing to Mo Minji to come closer. She hissed, “That only makes it more suspicious.”

Mo Minji asked quietly, “What do you mean?”

“The divine leader. She’s been acting crazy for months. Her rooms were a complete mess since he ran off, but an hour before he showed up, she wanted them cleaned. The timing is too perfect, as if she knew what would happen. And an incense time ago, she completely lost her mind in the kitchen.”

Mo Minji chided, “Like we need someone else to lose their sanity. Don’t say that, or the gods will take it as a prayer.”

“It isn’t an exaggeration. Everything about ‘him’, she’s been throwing out. His garden, his rooms, they were all sealed up. She even threw out that little lantern on her desk – you know, the one I told you about. After what he did, I’m not surprised she hates his guts. I’m telling you; she really will snap one day.”

Mo Minji sighed, and An Nabi continued to speak.

“With that awful trial, and the way Master Seok ‘took initiative’… the banquet has to go perfectly. The sect will fall apart otherwise.”

“I’m meant to style his hair.”

“Master Seok?”

“No. His hair.”

An Nabi grimaced. “I doubt they need to do that.”

“The examinations aren’t over yet, and it’s all messy. They have to keep up appearances for that famous healer coming in.”

“Are they still trying to cure ghosts with his blood? Is that even going to work?”

“I don’t know. But they want to try other things too.”

An Nabi tsked. “Master Sucrose is losing it.”

“I guess so. And now Master Haru is going to keep harassing us. After all his efforts, they're going to keep experimenting on the body.”

They had both witnessed the incident firsthand. The name ‘Chalk Prince’ was comparable to the lords of hell, becoming a beloved new swear in the months after the incident.

If a drunkard tripped on a rock, he would say, ‘fuck that runaway dog’, rather than ‘fuck this rock and its ancestors’. Anything from messy roads to spoiled food could be blamed on him.

It allowed a release from the daily stresses, so even the masters had been subtly encouraging it. He might not be a demon, but he had become the face of the enemy. It was almost too perfect to end the conflict with his death.

But despite this happy ending, Mo Minji couldn’t help but feel doubt.

He was cold and emotionless, and spent mora like it was water. Who knew how many fish gave their lives for his cooking? But he hadn’t seemed all that bad before he lost his mind.

Being reduced to a curse was too abrupt, and the officials would say anything for their own gains. The king, the Council, the sect itself; it was difficult to trust what anyone said. 

An Nabi pulled a bundle from her sleeve and pressed it into Mo Minji’s hand. It was the size of her palm, and the scrap of cotton around it bulged slightly.

She said conspiratorially, “I thought that Master Azzi’s sister might have stolen something, so I followed after her. She was handing off a whole bunch of tests for that ‘linalool’. You’re working on his hair later, right? You can check his blood then.”

Mo Minji quickly hid the bundle from sight. She couldn’t believe that An Nabi would do something so risky, but it fit right in when she thought of her questionable past. She seemed innocent, but that pretty face hid a mind built for trouble.

“Even if I did use this, he drugged them, not the other way around. You should take this back and check that little girl.”

An Nabi grinned and showed Mo Minji a vial full of blood. “She kept running away, but she has short legs.”

“Nabi-yah…” She was incorrigible. Hadn’t that girl little gone through enough, without being chased down like that? “If the rumours are true, there’s no reason to take his blood. I don’t want to believe it either… but we’ll only risk both our positions.”

An Nabi shook her head. “They were feeding her all sorts of medicines since she woke up. Bowls and bowls of them, enough that a pinch of that drug would go unnoticed. It’s the least they could do to back up their story.”

“You think they framed him?”

“I think they needed someone to blame.”

Mo Minji would feel better if that was true, but An Nabi’s plan was too foolish to follow.

An Nabi clasped Mo Minji’s hand with both of her own. “Just do this for me, please? I’ll make the food for two weeks.”

If she was caught, she would eat rice and prison rats for the rest of her life.

"Make it three weeks," she said.

With all the talk of the certain body part, Mo Minji was reminded of something. She looked around before pulling An Nabi closer, slipping a vial into her palm.

“If you have nothing better to do, get this to Master Kaeya.”

An Nabi looked at the vial and her brows shot straight up. Covering it with her sleeve, she walked away without another word.

Mo Minji reached behind the crate. Her eyes landed on the painted figure, and they lingered for a moment before she retrieved her toolbox.

Hopefully, An Nabi could deliver the vial before anything else happened.

One hand checked her sleeve, making sure the testing kit was there. Unlocking the toolbox, she slipped it inside, causing it to land amongst several vials. Each had white petals floating within, as well as small markings on their corks.

Thankfully, that ‘Aitana’ woman hadn’t figured out how to get to them. But Mo Minji would rather return them to their owner… and if she wasn’t around, her cousin would do just as well.

In the meantime,

‘Linalool…’

She would have to check to make sure.

Where the altar used to be, several tables had been arranged in a half-circle. They sagged under the weight as each bore a different kind of treasure. Chests of mora, precious herbs and fabrics, even a diamond-studded choker.

Any self-respecting socialite would cry out of jealousy, yet many were lining up to add to the pile.

Amira smiled at a neat woman who was cradling a qi extract in her arms.

“The Binding God thanks you for your contribution.”

“Not that I’m against the gods getting their taxes, but... if you are taking them now, will he receive my gift?”

"I'll see what I can do. Qi extracts like this can’t be easily divided, so it has a good chance of going straight to Master Kaeya.”

The woman gently passed the qi extract to a servant. “This is great… I’ll have to tell my dear to increase manufacturing right away. Sales up by a thousand percent!"

Amira laughed politely, and the servant carefully stacked the vial with the other herbs and extracts.

“I’ll have to ask the next gifts to wait… more tables will arrive in a moment.”

Amira turned away from the line, pretending to carefully consider table placement. She massaged her jaw while making a face. She felt like her lips were going to fall off from all the smiling.

“Master Azzi.”

'Line skipper...' thought Amira.

The man’s voice was deep and smooth. His appearance didn’t fall into the traps of being too trendy or stuck in the past, but was pulled together with an elegant eye. His dark-coloured clothing contrasted Amira’s, hers the verdant green of Sumeru’s jungles.

Similarly, their accessories clashed. Hers were a warm gold, a homage to her god. His were icy silver, glinting in reminders of his wealth and allegiance.

“The Tsaritsa sends her regards."

“The Binding God returns them.”

Amira bit her lip, trying to keep calm. The contrast between him and Childe was just too much to stomach. The latter was the Eleventh Harbinger, and he acted like any dumb tourist. If this man was the Ninth, she hoped she’d never meet those higher up.

She kept her tone steady, not loud enough to be overheard. “You said the cure would work.”

“Straight to business, are we? A few hours are hardly enough for a thorough examination.”

“Master Sucrose is very talented. If the cure isn’t guaranteed, I’m afraid our deal has no purpose. We may not be able to keep up with the collaboration.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say ‘idle hands make idle chatter’. But I’m sure you’re all doing your best to keep this place together.”

Amira's smile grew wider, hiding her deep irritation. “This linalool problem must be really straining the Fatui, if two Harbingers needed to be involved. Please, let us know if we can help. We wouldn’t want another trial so soon.”

Pantalone’s eye twitched slightly. “The Doctor’s followers are eclectic. Please do not associate him with our organization as a whole… I’m only here to get him a sample, and he will back off for a while. If anything, it’s this sect’s affairs you should worry about.”

“I’d hardly say there’s anything to worry about. We’re bouncing back already, and it’s only been a day since the conflict ended.”

Pantalone nodded. “If I hadn’t come here myself, I might have believed those awful rumours. How pitiful, they said… commoners starving, dying from attacks… the holy city just a pile of rubble. Not to mention those forgotten places like Yeongsan Village.”

Amira’s cheeks felt hot. “I’d hardly say forgotten.”

Pantalone smiled cheerily. “I’m glad to see it’s all under control. It was good to see you again, Ms. Amira. Please pass on my regards to Master Kaeya.”

He tossed a small bundle onto a table, and there was a creak of wood as its legs gave out.

Amira sent a vine to steady it, but it was too late to stop a small avalanche of items from pouring over the sides. A moment before a statuette shattered on the ground, a deft hand snatched it out of the air.

"The sect these days, and its shoddy tables..."

Amira repressed a sigh.

In a sheltered corner of the hall, Mika's expression was strangely peaceful. He looked at a large sculpture, which was twined together from vines and roses. It seemed to be the king from of the Hall's artworks. It was beautiful and delicate, and the statue somehow looked kind. He wondered if he could make details like that with his vision.

He leaned closer to inspect, but was knocked roughly off his feet. He nearly fell into the sculpture before a strong hand hauled him up.

His expression became nervous as he looked around. Some knights were walking past while carrying a large crate. They refused to look in his direction, melting quickly into the crowd.

“Don’t pay any attention to them. As soon as this matter is resolved, we will have our vengeance.”

Mika hoped she was right, but he sincerely doubted it. At least he wasn’t the only one to feel uneasy.

Captain Eula folded her arms, her expression stormy and distant. She had been like that since they got there, giving stiff, one-worded responses to anyone who approached them.

While she must have spent a lot of time learning etiquette and going to parties, she had long since left the Lawrence Clan. She wasn’t exactly popular, and there was so much going on in the Banquet Hall that it was overwhelming. The constant looks and whispers weren’t helping. Mika thought it was unfair, since it was his first time leaving his nation. They looked just as foreign as he must to them.

He nearly jumped out of his skin as a hand came down on his shoulder. Eula shot a tense look his way, but relaxed once she saw the newcomer.

“Hey, little bro.”

Mika couldn’t help but frown. “Don’t sneak up on me like that.”

Huffman smiled apologetically. His hair was perfectly groomed, and he had changed into a suit for the banquet. But even if he was better dressed than Mika, he had to question his tastes.

“You know who the honour of guest is… with the way he was acting, is it really alright to wear that?”

Huffman looked down at himself and couldn’t hold back a sigh. “I didn’t even realize. I brought all my suits, but I’ve gone through them quickly. This is the only one I haven’t worn in Ximseong yet.”

Eula said coolly, “You made the right move. Mondstadt’s reputation is low enough; we need to be on our best behaviour tonight.”

“Captain Eula.” Huffman snapped a salute as if seeing her for the first time. “I would hardly call myself a diplomat. But since Master Alice’s child has woken up, it seems the mission has succeeded.”

Eula nodded. “I have no doubt you performed well.”

“About our… other mission…”

Eula said shortly, “There’s no need to question my commitment. If anything, my dedication to vengeance was only strengthened. I will approach the target myself once the opportunity arises.”

“You don’t have to say it like that, Captain… we’re not trying to kill him, just find out some information.” Huffman brightened and gestured to the entrance of the Hall. A small crowd had gathered there to welcome the newcomer. “There he is now. Maybe once the attention has died down, you could go speak to him.”

He looked back to Eula and saw a small bug hovering by her ear. “Mika, get out your vision. There’s an insect bothering the Captain.”

Eula’s expression froze as if in panic. She said slowly, “Don’t do that. I’m sure it will go away on its own.”

Mika looked at Huffman questioningly, but he didn’t have an answer. The captain had been acting strangely all week. She had never liked insects much, but maybe she was nostalgic for home. It did look like a firefly, a blue light coming from its tiny body. After a few moments it flew into the sculpture and disappeared.

Mika said quietly, “He’s gone into the crowd. If you want to speak to him, it might be better to find somewhere private. There are too many listening ears.”

“Are you feeling alright, Mika?”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

Huffman put his hand on Mika’s shoulder.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. I know you’re trying your best, and you’ve come so far even this month.”

Mika shrugged him off. “What do you know? I’m an awful person. And I told you not to touch me. Stop pretending like everything’s fine.”

Huffman stared at him in shock. Mika looked away, his shoulders hunching, “It doesn’t matter what happened. Now that the Eroch name is at stake, I’m the first one on the chopping block.”

Huffman searched for something to say, but Eula’s attention had already shifted away. Her hand went to her claymore, but she had put it away for the banquet. She settled for folding her arms, her face a mask of emotionlessness.

It seemed Samael had recovered from the trial. Once it was over, it became clear that no one really blamed him. He looked confident again, an irritating smirk plastered on his face.

Huffman glanced at Mika, who looked even worse at Samael’s arrival. He sighed inwardly over his little brother’s state.

“Are you here to stare in silence, or do you have something to say?” Eula’s demeanour was calmer than anything, but Huffman knew she wanted to whale into Samael with a chair. Remembering the things Kaeya said at the trial, Huffman felt that he understood that feeling.

The adopted Ragnvindr had always been polite and softspoken, sticking to Diluc’s side as much as he could. They were all around the same age, but Huffman couldn’t help but put him in the ‘little brother’ category. He could never imagine Mika changing like he had, or going through such awful things at his young age.

Huffman stepped in front of his brother, doing his best to look intimidating. “Mika doesn’t have anything to say. Just leave him alone, alright? He’s already traumatized from what happened.”

Mika gave him a hurt look, but he didn’t care. Revealing some weakness was alright if it prevented further psychological scarring. Huffman didn’t trust Samael one bit. If he wasn’t here to be cruel, he was surely trying to involve them in his awful plans.

“Rude as ever, huh? Varka wasn’t messing around by sending you all here. If you try a bit harder, I’m sure we’ll be permanently banned from the nation.”

Eula responded, “I see you’re as disrespectful as ever. It can’t be helped; the Church works to improve education, but there’s always those who will slip through the cracks. Entering a commoner’s clan hasn’t done you any favours.”

Out of context, Huffman might feel offended as he himself was a commoner. Wasn’t this a textbook example of Lawrence superiority? But knowing the target of the insults, he couldn’t bring it himself to care. He would gladly make fun of himself if it could hurt Samael’s feelings.

Samael laughed out loud, but it was clear he was irritated. Despite his high position as the Inspector, the elder Eroch’s humble beginnings were known to all of Mondstadt. He had done all sorts of things just to rise above his station, and he would do just as much to stay there. As his only heir, Samael felt all that pressure and more.

“I’m sure a disowned Lawrence wouldn’t have anything to say. Your Clan stood for the opposite of freedom, so it isn’t surprising how you’ve ended up today.”

‘Like you’re one to talk!’ Huffman wanted to shout, but one look at Eula made him shut his mouth.

Samael continued, “You'd think an outcast would have some empathy. The poor Kriegers; their daughter dying, their family line being severed. And her closest friend takes her killer's side."

Huffman frowned. “You can't throw out accusations like this when you have no evidence.”

Samael’s curly-haired friend muttered, “Won't be long. The investigation will open up any day now.”

“I wouldn’t be so confident in condemning others,” said Huffman. “I’m surprised you had the guts to show your face in public. You’re not going to be forgiven so easily after what you did to Master Kaeya.”

“As if anyone would trust that foreigner. He might be popular here, but he won't be so smug if he shows his face in my city.”

Huffman scoffed, “What exactly do you think will happen?”

Samael sneered. “Isn't it obvious? The grandmaster may be biased to his kind, but he can’t deny his crimes. You might as well ask what he didn't do. Murdering Crepus, disgracing the Knights, lying in an official investigation. If he dares show his face, he'll have the cell next to this pathetic rabbit."

Mika glowered at him. Although his voice started out shaky, it became more and more indignant. “Master Kaeya didn’t do anything wrong. If I’m sent to prison, he won’t come with me. You're the one who'll rot.”

Samael gave Huffman a suspicious look. "Why are you smiling like that?"

"You just sound sort of stupid. I thought your father would have told you by now."

Samael's attitude faltered at the mention of his father. "Told me what?"

When there was no immediate response, his defences went back up. "This is the problem with you people. You pretend like you're Mondstadters, but you go against the principles of freedom."

Huffman felt that he'd wasted too much time talking to Samael. The 'bad news' would be broken anyways, so he didn't see why he had to deliver it.

He wanted to steer Mika away, but he didn't know what to do after what happened earlier. His little brother was curled in on himself, his head ducked as if staring at the floor.

"Mika..."

How was he supposed to deal with this?

"If Barbatos could see the state of his nation..."

Samael was raising his voice, but Huffman couldn't care less about his bravado.

"Mika... let's go outside. Some fresh air will be good for you."

Mika's head snapped up, and Huffman saw blood staining his lips. "What's wrong with you! What the hell is fresh air supposed to do?!"

Huffman couldn't help but be defensive. "What's wrong with you?! You said you'd stop chewing your lips!"

Huffman felt annoyed, and then felt bad for feeling annoyed. He was supposed to be supportive for Mika, but it seemed like everything he did was met with hostility.

Mika wasn't going to say anything, so Huffman ran a hand through his hair, trying to figure out how to break the silence.

Thankfully, he was saved from the awkwardness by a resounding slap. Mika's own hostility took a pause, his angry expression melting away as he watched the drama.

"Hey... are you alright?" The curly-haired friend tried to support Samael, but he was shoved away.

There was a bright red mark on Samael's cheek. Only a few feet away, Eula was still standing there with her hand raised. She slowly put it down as onlookers started to stare at her.

Samael's other friend murmured, "Stay calm. Your reputation is bad enough without hitting a woman."

Huffman thought that was pretty unfair for Samael. Eula was the first person he'd met who carried a claymore everywhere.

"You are a disgrace to the Knights," spat Samael, but he had the sense to leave it at that.

It wasn't like the 'conversation' would continue anyways. There was a pitterpatter of feet, and Huffman looked back to see that Mika had disappeared.

A quick look around the Hall, and Huffman saw Mika running for the exit.

'Now he wants fresh air..?'

"Excuse me, Captain Eula... I have to make sure Mika is alright."

A hand clamped onto his shoulder.

"I'm coming with you."

Eula's face was a stony mask. Even though she was a fellow knight, he couldn't help but feel intimidated. Why was she even coming outside? She was just as famous as Kaeya, and could make all sorts of connections here. Did she just want to beat him up for being a bad brother? He tried to push aside his doubts, forcing a smile onto his face.

"Captain Eula... you're crushing my shoulder."

She let go of him, her expression not changing one bit. Huffman hadn't thought of anything to say before she started walking quickly towards the exit.

People were staring even more now that she'd slapped someone.

"I heard she left her Clan out of guilt."

"Why did she slap him so suddenly?"

"How brutal... I heard that hitting people is like, a thing there."

Despite their curious whispers and questions, Eula didn't slow down one bit. Her expression was the same as ever.

"How scary..."

People parted in her wake. As he followed behind, only Huffman was close enough to hear her mutter under her breath.

"My stomach hurts..."

As they left, they passed Amira and Tani Haru. They had begun arguing in front of everybody.

“I will not let Eike be forgotten instead of him.”

Amira hissed, “You’ll need someone to hire you, now that you’ve left the sect. Don’t make a scene in front of these honoured guests.”

“Honoured guests, my ass… except for the Council, who important came here? Just socialites and rich people.”

Amira shook her head in disbelief. “You’re making a fool of yourself.”

“I asked Liu Daiyu, and she said she would take care of the body.”

“If she wants to be a vigilante, I’ll let you know! But you left us. You’re on your own now.”

“Cold as always,” said Tani Haru.

“Arrogant as always,” snapped Amira.

The Hall’s doors burst open, a harassed-looking guard leading two groups inside.

“They just showed up by the array wall,” he said. “That’s all I know.”

He walked quickly out again, leaving the mess for the people inside.

The onlookers’ attention span swung like a hinge. Left forgotten by the crowd, Amira and Tani Haru accidentally made eye contact. They looked quickly away from each other and hurried to join the crowd.

It was difficult to see a thing over all people. Long robes brushed against each other, and the air was stuffy with perfume. Countless boots and heels clicked against the floor, joined by the hiss of a mob-like whisper.

“They used teleportation arrays?”

“This must be important…”

There were shouts, and a chatter erupted, growing so loud that Amira couldn’t reason her way through. She looked to Tani Haru, and he began to push his way through the crowd, clearing her a path to the front.

There seemed to be two groups – one wearing thick robes and covered in snow, and the other soaked in water, with seaweed hanging from their hair and clothing.

The first group was mainly adventurers, as well as a few solo cultivators. They were sent earlier that day to deliver supplies to Yeongsan Village.

A young woman was supported by two of them, her face pale and her hair dishevelled. She had a plum-coloured birthmark covering most of her cheek. An adventurer had lent her a cloak, and blood dripped slowly through it onto the ground.

“I said this would happen, but no one listened!” A young adventurer shouted, shoving his teammate into a table. "If he’d never come, those people would still be alive!”

Although they wore the same uniforms, the one being yelled at was significantly scruffier. He had tanned skin and dandelion-white hair, as well as a bandage on his nose. He ducked his head, not making eye contact with anyone as he got up.

Another adventurer rolled her eyes, her arms crossed in front of her. “Come on, cut it out already. Picking a fight won’t help anyone.”

The hothead drew his sword, drawing gasps from the audience. He pointed it at the scruffy one and demanded, “Take responsibility!”

The scruffy one, alarmed, also drew his weapon. But before they could start fighting, Tani Haru stepped between them.

He gave them stern looks, causing Scruffy to sheepishly lower his sword. “Is the Council present?”

Neither adventurer was from Eunmyeong, so the diplomatically-neutral Council would be best for solving the dispute.

Amira shook her head. They had returned to their respective nations, except for Liyue and Fontaine’s Councillors. While they were still in Ximseong, they had gone out a while ago to see the city.

She said firmly, “Two fighting children aren’t the biggest priority right now. Please refrain from stabbing each other for a few minutes.”

She called out for Wu Jing, who jogged out of the crowd with a pleasant smile. It seemed Tobias had shown up too, although Amira wasn't sure why. He was following nervously behind Wu Jing while hiding his face with one of his hands.

“The both of you, please take this young woman to the infirmary.”

Wu Jing tried to take her from the adventurers, but she was throwing out kicks and slaps left and right.

She shouted, “I said anywhere but here!”

In the commotion, an adventurer’s elbow knocked into her ribs. She coughed up a mouthful of blood, and Wu Jing caught her before she fell to the ground. He took advantage of her weakness to throw her over his shoulder.

Although she was rapidly losing blood, she didn’t stop squirming as Wu Jing ran out, Tobias sprinting to keep up with him.

If the woman doubted their healers, she was mistaken. This was one of Teyvat's best sects, and Yeongsan's temple worshipped the same god as them. It was a given that they would take care of her, so she must be delirious from her wounds or something.

Amira assured herself of this, trying to forget the uneasiness that had come over her. There was a demon to be dealt with, after all. She remembered seeing the commission – ‘supplies for Yeongsan Village’ - but she had crumpled it into a tiny ball before throwing it away. Although the members were picked seemingly by random, they were strong enough. Amira could recognize a solo cultivator from Inazuma, as well as the twins from her own sect.

“What threat could be enough to overwhelm you?” She cleared her throat, willing her voice to stay steady. “The rest of the villagers… what did they tell you?”

The solo cultivator shook his head. “By the time we arrived, there was only that girl.”

Amira took several wobbly steps back. She shook her head at Tani Haru’s outstretched hand, mumbling, “I’m fine.”

It must have been something awful, to wipe out an entire village.

And after the trouble this group went through, bringing supplies all the way up the mountain…

The floor slowly stopped spinning around her, Amira’s shoes rooting her to the ground. She looked at them but couldn't make out any details. With her head ducked, no one could see the tiny smile on her face.

“We signed a treaty today,” said a man with a furrowed brow. “If the demons have broken it, we need to know.”

The solo cultivator shook his head. “There was nothing there but vines. They had thorns bigger than my finger, and they moved by themselves. They might have been alive.”

“Or controlled by something,” spat a finely dressed noble. “Who heard of violent plants? Those demons will do anything to get the better of us.”

A low murmur rose from the crowd, and Amira shook her head.

“There’s no evidence of that. Before he was detained, the Chalk Prince was completing an array… it’s likely the leylines were disturbed, and caused the vines to behave like that.”

“This has nothing to do with him,” snapped Hothead. He deflated slightly as Tani Haru gave him a scathing look. “I’m sorry, Master Azzi. But my ancestors value responsibility above all else, so I can’t let him get away with doing this.”

“You don’t even have anything to accuse me of!” protested Scruffy. “How can you try to fight me over nothing?”

“You...!" Hothead forgot his respectfulness to point an enraged finger at him. “Everyone knows what you are - a bad luck magnet, a curse! How many times have you ruined an expedition? If you had any respect for people’s lives, you would give up adventuring! But instead, you insist on screwing everything up!”

The adventurer who had defended Scruffy now had a hesitant expression. “I don’t like spreading rumours. But the moment he showed up, things really did go south. The wagon broke twice, and we were attacked multiple times. I’ve gone up there before, and there have never been as many attacks.”

Since someone took his side, Hothead was able to calm down. He said quietly, “It’s because of those delays that we arrived so late. If we’d only got there a bit sooner…”

He raised his sword at Bennett again. “This group was only put together for one commission, but I am still a member of it. I am also responsible for what happened. But out of everyone, you have the most blood on your hands. I’ll pay the price for my mistakes by making you pay yours.”

“Amira. Are you really going to let this happen?”

With the divine leader gone, Amira had the most authority within the Hall. Tani Haru’s brow was furrowed as he appealed to her.

“This isn’t the time or place for something like this.”

Boos came from the crowd.

“Why not? There was a trial here, like, five hours ago!”

“He can’t be allowed to hurt more people!”

Amira's face gave nothing away as she spoke. “Ignorance is no excuse. If he caused those people’s deaths, he might as well be a demon.”

There were many gasps from the crowd. Despite the harshness of her words, they were very much true. No one felt right speaking up against them.

But with that said, it wasn’t like the blame was solely on Scruffy. Yeongsan Village had its own temple - if they wanted to be saved, they should have prayed to the gods. There was a reason they hadn’t made it out alive.

There was never too much justice, and the same went for distraction. The city needed a break from the conflict.

Scruffy's expression became determined. “If this is what it takes, I'll fight to clear my name."

Hothead seemed happy with that, so the crowd drew away to give them space.

But before they could start fighting, the solo cultivator stepped forwards. “As the most experienced, I was the one who was first given this commission. I knew his reputation but gave him a chance anyways. It's my responsibility to make up for this.”

He said quietly to Hothead, “A young person like you shouldn’t have blood on his hands.”

Hothead gave him a wide-eyed look. Not knowing what to say, he instead joined the other adventurers as the solo cultivator drew his sword.

The matchup didn’t seem exactly fair, but the cursed adventurer would need to face justice anyways. Maybe it was better this way, to save his family the shame of a trial.

Swords had begun to clash as Amira moved on to the other group.

“Awful… just awful…”

The youngest cultivators were huddled on the ground, crying and holding each other. A puddle of seawater had formed beneath them, joined by pieces of seaweed and driftwood. The older ones were just as bedraggled, and not much older in age. However, they were at least able to remain upright. They were being comforted by their respective seniors – it seemed that they had been sent from several sects, as well as a few clans.

They explained that after Kaeya left the beach, they’d been gathered to investigate it more thoroughly.

“It was awful,” said one of the recruits. She stared blankly into space, pulling at her twin braids. “It came out of the water like a person, on legs the size of trees. Fish aren’t supposed to walk.”

Fish weren’t supposed to be the size of buildings, either. From what they said, it didn’t seem to be a very intelligent demon - probably in the same group as slimes or hillichurls. But it would be big enough to pose a threat, especially to the citizens who lived nearby.

“We’ve sent some reinforcements already,” said an older man. “But our gods are humble, and this is a day of peace. Help would be greatly appreciated.”

The crowd began to murmur, and those who were fighters made their way to the front. However, they froze in place as the young girl’s shout burst through the air.

“The demon! It’s because of him!”

A fellow recruit tried to calm her down, but she was entirely ignored.

“It ate one finger, and grew that big – if it eats the rest of him – the body has to be burned-!”

She was cut off as one of the recruits clamped a hand over her mouth. The murmurs were louder, almost deafening, and some of the volunteers shrank back into the crowd.

Amira shot a glare at Tani Haru before he could open his mouth. To everyone else, she said, “There is no proof that this was the cause.”

The onlookers weren't listening to her anymore.

“There were never demons like that before. And that fish didn’t come from nothing.”

“That’s right… there had to be a source of energy.”

“And it showed up there, at the same beach where they couldn’t find that finger...”

There was a small yelp. For a moment distracted, Amira looked to the duel – a space had cleared out for them, and Scruffy had been slashed in the ribs. He staggered back but raised his sword again.

Amira looked away, raising her voice to cut through the noise.

“Rumours are the weapon of the enemy. And while we’re talking, people are struggling for their lives. If a tip of a finger is enough to do this, I will burn the corpse myself. But that's about as truthful as demons living in harmony with us. We must take care of this threat before making up new ones.”

Tani Haru summoned his polearm. “I will fight the fish.” His voice was brittle, and he didn’t look at Amira as he spoke. “Anyone who will help, come with me.”

He skirted around Scruffy and the solo cultivator, and the volunteers followed behind him. They would make up for lost time with a teleportation array.

While the solo cultivator had been wounded once or twice, Scruffy had not been so lucky. He dripped blood with every movement, not given the grace to patch himself up. He pushed himself anyways, sheer stubbornness driving his every movement.

It was only with a bad strike to his arm that he could no longer fight. His sword was sent clattering out of reach. He called for someone to kick it over, but nobody did. The solo cultivator advanced on him, causing him to back up step by step until he hit the wall.

He looked to the adventurers, but they avoided his gaze. The crowd met it, but they were impassive, some turning away from the spectacle. He looked finally to Amira, his green eyes filled with confusion.

“Isn’t anyone going to help me?”

The solo cultivator raised his sword, and Amira turned away.

There was a sharp inhale – drowned out by a swishing wind, following closely with a deep, metallic growl – and the clash of one blade against another.

Several quiet conversations were going on in the Hall. However, for the people still paying attention, there was only stunned silence.

“A flying sword?” gasped Scruffy. His face had paled, and he patted himself down as if checking for hallucination-causing injuries.

The sword wobbled away from them, and the solo cultivator turned to watch it go. A new person stood at the entrance of the Hall. The sword fell to the floor by their black leather boots, its runes losing all light.