Chapter 51: Plato

In Mondstadt, there are noble families like the Gunnhildr family, the Ragnvindr family, and the notorious Lawrence family—once the scourge of the Age of Nobles. 

Compared to the other two, the Lawrence family is considered Mondstadt's traitors. 

However, when the Lawrence family's rule was overthrown, the Knights of Favonius did not completely eradicate their bloodline, allowing their descendants to survive to this day.

The proud old nobles of the Lawrence family could never accept their downfall and continued to assert their old authority, though this authority was now confined to their family alone. 

If they dared to act arrogantly within Mondstadt City, they would face the wrath of its citizens.

Traditionally, nobles would be invited to grand banquets like this one. 

The host, Diluc, is a member of the Ragnvindr family, and the invited guest, Jean—the Dandelion Knight—comes from the Gunnhildr family. 

As for the Lawrence family… being the descendants of traitors, they no longer had the right to step into the halls that symbolized freedom. 

There was only one exception: the Spindrift Knight, Eula Lawrence.

As the captain of the Knights of Favonius' Reconnaissance Company and the renowned Spindrift Knight, Eula had long patrolled the wilds, earning numerous accolades. 

The knights stationed in remote mountain passes were frequently targeted by monster ambushes, but Eula's swift interventions often neutralized these threats, preventing disaster. 

She also led proactive strikes, dismantling Abyss Order strongholds and stopping conspiracies before they could unfold.

Yet, Eula's background was particularly complex—she was the last scion of the Lawrence family, seen by the people of Mondstadt as the living embodiment of the sins of her ancestors. 

Years ago, however, she severed ties with her family and joined the Knights of Favonius.

Initially, Eula had been unwilling to join the Knights, for she had been raised on a steady diet of hatred and vengeance by her family. 

She knew well that the downfall of the Lawrence family was due to the Knights of Favonius. 

Had it not been for the teachings of the first Scout Knight, she might have been consumed by the whirlpool of revenge. 

However, Jean's warm kindness gave her an unprecedented feeling, and, with some hesitation, Eula accepted Jean's invitation to join the very order that had toppled her ancestors—the Knights of Favonius.

Eula's enlistment caused an uproar. 

Common citizens wrote petitions demanding the Knights retract their decision, and members of the Lawrence family protested outside the Knights' headquarters. 

Were it not for the firm support of Grand Master Varka and several knights, the conflict would have been much harder to quell.

Eula did not disappoint Varka or Jean. 

Within just a few years, through her own hard work, she rose to the rank of Captain of the 4th Company—the Reconnaissance Company. 

Yet even with her numerous accomplishments, she was never fully accepted by Mondstadt's citizens. 

Even those who had benefited from her actions only went so far as to change her label from "enemy" to "outsider." 

True acceptance eluded her.

This estrangement was especially apparent at the grand banquet. 

While the knights didn't shun her, most of the elite merchants ignored her, avoiding her presence. 

Eula, aware of this dynamic, chose to sit in the corner, drinking alone.

It wasn't that the knights intended to neglect her, but years of experience had caused her to build an invisible barrier around herself, making it difficult for ordinary people to reach the warm heart buried beneath her cold exterior.

"Miss, drinking alone? Want some company?"

To be honest, Bai Luo was probably the best person to approach Eula, as he was not a Mondstadter. 

He didn't share the Mondstadt citizens' deep-seated resentment toward the Lawrence family. 

To him, she was just an ordinary girl. 

"At a time like this, shouldn't you address me as a knight? Using such a soft term to refer to me… how detestable… I'll remember this grudge."

Eula set down her wine glass, her expression slightly dazed from the alcohol. 

Yet even in this state, her signature style remained unchanged.

"…"

Even though he was prepared for her reaction, Bai Luo was still taken aback by the sudden verbal jab. 

But because he understood her so well, he didn't take offense.

Though Eula was throwing out harsh words, her tone suggested that she was actually pleased someone had approached her. 

This seemed like the perfect opportunity to sweet-talk… or at least, to tease her a little.

"Uh… sorry! My friend tends to talk nonsense after drinking too much. Please don't take her words seriously," said a fiery-haired girl who suddenly appeared beside Eula.

"Ridiculous! Just a little bit of alcohol, and you think I'm drunk? Amber, you dare underestimate me? I'll remember this grudge and get even with you for both new and old wrongs!" Eula shot back.

"Alright, alright! If that's the case, how about tomorrow I make you something extra to eat as punishment?"

"No need for your suggestions," Eula said, indignant.

"Okay, okay, whatever makes you happy. I was just away for a little while, and you've already started drinking. Didn't I tell you to eat something first before you start drinking?"

"Amber…"

"What is it?"

"I need to go to the bathroom..."

"Then go by yourself!"

Watching their sweet interaction, Bai Luo didn't feel awkward at all. 

He simply raised his glass and downed the wine in one gulp, allowing its slightly sweet and herbal flavor to fill his mouth. 

Compared to the fiery Fire-Water of Snezhnaya, this Dandelion Wine felt as bland as drinking water.

It reminded him of something Alice, a renowned adventurer and senior member of the Hexenzirkel, had once said: "Everything comes with a price. You can get what you want from behind the door, but you must pay for it accordingly."

Becoming a Harbinger of the Fatui had given Bai Luo boundless glory and unimaginable authority. 

Yet what he had lost in return was the ability to be seen as a positive, approachable figure.

He'd already felt this in Inazuma. 

If he hadn't used certain means to manipulate how ordinary people perceived him, he might not have been able to walk in the sunlight for a long time.

Justice is not universal. 

Even if Snezhnayan believed the Fatui to be just, to outside nations, they were seen very differently. 

As someone aligned with a chaotic, evil faction, Bai Luo's reputation among the lawfully good would always start at -500.

Amber, with her fiery energy and natural warmth, looked at him with caution and suspicion. 

That, truly, was heartbreaking.

But despite his internal musings about heartbreak, Bai Luo's outward expression remained unchanged. 

After all, there was no need to show disappointment. 

And besides, if relationships started with a favorable 100 points right from the beginning, where would the challenge be? It would make the game boring, wouldn't it?

It's much more fun to play a game on nightmare difficulty.

Except in combat, of course.

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