10 Ah... We meet again

"What do you mean?!" Jean said in disbelief.

"It's just as you heard it, dear." Frederica replied while drinking a coffee.

Hearing this, the enraged expression on Jean's face deepened. "But how could the Knights do that? Covering up a death... It's nothing less than what Eroch did to Senior Diluc's father!".

Jean had known Diluc Ragnvindr for a long time now. At age fourteen, he had already received the title of Cavalry Captain and became the youngest-ever holder of any captaincy within the Order.

And because of that, she looked up to him. As her senior, she wanted to be like him. Someone talented enough to be recognized by everyone despite their age.

Yet... Because of the incident involving his father's death, Diluc drastically changed.

He left Dawn Winery and decided to go on a self-discovery journey.

But that was not all.

Because a few days after Diluc left, his adopted younger brother, Kaeya, received a Cryo Vision and replaced him as the new Cavalry Captain.

But of course, behind the miracle of a vision being bestowed unto him was a bloody fight between the two brothers that took away Kaeya's right eye.

"We must... Do something." Jean gripped her first tight.

"I know." Frederica sighed. "Varka is already on it."

"Huh?"

"Yes." Frederica nodded. "I talked to him this morning and decided on something."

Frederica then stood up. "You're very insistent on bringing justice to Master Crepus, yes?"

"Well, now you have the chance to do so." She said before taking out a paper and handing it to jean.

"This is...?" Jean said as she opened the folded paper.

"With Varka's permission, he gave you authority," Frederica said. "The authority to hunt down all those who threaten Mondstadt and maintain peace alongside him as the Dandelion Knight."

She then walked near her and grabbed her shoulders. "My child. You wish to bring justice and punish evil, yes?" Then why stop at one person."

She then looked outside the window and Jean followed. "When you can protect more?"

Frederica then let Jean go and made a gentle soft smile. "For Mondstadt, as always."

"For Mondstadt... as always." Jean mumbled.

After this, Frederica made a small nod and walked towards the door. "You may meet Varka later. He wishes to discuss it more with you."

"Yes... Mother." Jean replied in a state of trance.

She was looking outside the window, seeing the busy streets of Mondstadt.

Men, women, and children walked on the peaceful streets of Mondstadt. Occasionally, two patrolling Knights would pass by.

'Am I really worthy to protect this?' Jean questioned herself. 'The city of Mondstadt... My home...'

She then shook her head. 'No... It doesn't matter whether I'm worthy— what matters is what I do.'

She then looked at the sword scabbard on her waist and pulled it out.

Looking and the longsword in front of her, Jean brought the sword closer to her face upwards. 'Mother... Father... Barbara... Everyone...'

'For the sake of all these people, I must keep Mondstadt safe.' Jean thought before closing her eyes.

'Is this my will? Or the one my mother pushed to me?' She thought.

Ever since her parents got divorced, she had been staying with her mother. And since she was a child, her mother had always trained her to be a knight that can protect Mondstadt.

As such, she is questioning whether this will was her's or her mother's. 'But it doesn't matter. My desire to protect Mondstadt will not change.'

The room then turned silent.

However, above Jean, something happened.

Cyan-colored bits of light started appearing above Jean. The tiny bits of light then started to condense together, forming a circular item.

'Yes... This desire of mine to fight for Mondstadt is mine and will always be.' She thought as her ambition grew stronger.

The circular above Jean then revealed itself. It was an orb-shaped gem inlaid within a pair of tri-feathered wings, with a diamond-shaped tail on the bottom and five spikes at the top. On the back of the item, there were three wing-like decorations along the bottom on one side.

Wind then started covering Jean, slightly lifting her hair.

"For Mondstadt... As always." She softly muttered to her sword.

The wind then turned stronger and Jean opened her eyes. Her eyes glowed brightly, full of ambition and desire.

"I swear by my sword...!" She made an oath to herself.

Just after she said this, the circular item hovering above her glowed and released elemental energy.

The surrounding area around her was then covered by a thick wind which pushed away everything from it.

And on the center, an Anemo symbol was present.

The circular object above Jean then slowly landed on her.

She saw it and caught it with her hand.

Looking at the Anemo Vision on her hand, a small smile appeared on her face.

A brief of disbelief appeared for a mere moment before it turned to hope.

She then tightened her grasp on the vision. "With this... I will be able to achieve more."

After saying this, she made an oath to herself. 'Yes... I shall protect this city...'

'And to make that happen, I first need to find that person.' She remembered what her mother told her. 'An assassin...'

Ever since last night's ruckus, the Knights of Favonius had tightened border control.

Everyone who wishes to leave the region of Mondstadt shall be thoroughly inspected by the knights.

Meaning, the chances of the Assassin still staying in Mondstadt is high.

"No matter what. I shall find you." She said with fierce eyes.

* * *

In an undisclosed location with no lights and only a single light bulb shining down on a person.

This person is none other than Albert. Currently, he was tied to a chair. His hands and feet were locked with a rope.

Albert's eyes then slowly opened, revealing his purple eyes.

"Err..." Albert slightly groaned. 'Am I in the Knights of Favonius?'

Although he was just woken up, Albert almost instantaneously speculated his situation. 'I passed out in a random alleyway... The chances of the Knights finding me are high.'

Thinking of this, he looked around to see anything. Unfortunately, it was too dark to see anything.

He then looked at himself and found that he still had his robes on. His hood was even taken down.

'Good thing I have my disguise on...' He sighed. 'If not, my real face would have been exposed.'

Yes, with the [Mask of Illusions], he could disguise himself with any template character he wants.

And right now... He has the face of the young Ezio from Assassin's Creed 2.

He then tried to feel his arms. His eyes then widened. 'Yes!'

'My hidden blades are still there...'

Just then, the door leading to the dark room opened.

Hearing the door open, Albert thought that he will see the big figure of Varka entering.

However, contrary to his expectations, someone else appeared.

Who appeared was a tall adult female with ghostly pale grey skin.

She has choppy wine-colored hair cut short in the back, with some strands of her bangs colored a darker red.

She has pale magenta eyes with cat-like light pink irises and noticeable bags under her eyes.

Right now, she was looking at Albert with a serious expression on her face.

'Ah... Of course.' Albert internally sighed. 'She's been searching every night, searching for someone...'

'Of course she'll find me.'

Yes, it was none other than Rosaria.

"To think that this is the second time we'll meet... Truly, such an unfitting situation, no?" He started speaking.

"...So you're the one, huh?" Rosaria said while crossing her arms. "You made quite a lot of trouble above. The knights said it was a traitor that took out an inspector from the inside."

"But we both know that isn't the case, right?" She looked at the man tied in front of her.

'Above? We must be underground...' He thought.

Hearing her, a soft chuckle escaped Albert's mouth. "You mean that? It was nothing. What interests me is how you found me?"

"Or perhaps... Were you always looking for me since we last met?" He said with a flirtatious tone. Truly, he was adapting the personality of young Ezio.

Hearing this, Rosaria scoffed. "Don't make me laugh. The only reason you're alive right now is because I have some questions."

Hearing this, a smirk appeared on Albert's face. "Is that so, Amore Mio?"

"Yes, you better tell the truth." She said before getting near him. "Remember. You're stuck here with me."

"Oh? Is that right?" Albert replied with a smirk. "But there's something you're wrong about."

"I'm not stuck here with you." He said with his head low. "You're stuck here with me."

Hearing this, Rosaria suddenly felt something wrong and jumped back. She then saw something unbelievable.

The man... Who was highly tied to the chair had his arms wide open in front of her with a smug look.

"Now then, milady." Albert said after he removed the remaining ropes from his feet. "Would you like to have a talk with me?"

The situation has now turned around.