(no subject)

[kurecchi]

 

4. Chapter 4

 

Words: 5980

Prompt: 004. Saudade: A deep emotional state of nostalgic or profound melancholic longing for an absent something or someone that one cares for.
Notes: Kaeya is starting to notice what's missing in his life and what's causing him to die. And the word "Saudade" inspired me a lot in writing this chapter

Almost a week had passed since Kaeya's departure from Mondstadt, and in those days he had beaten the three remaining Temples in the region in search of the Abyss Order.

While moving blindly and with no lead to follow, Kaeya had nevertheless found Abyss Mages linked to the Order, but unfortunately he hadn’t been able to extrapolate useful information to solve his situation. There were fewer members in the ranks of the Abyss Order, that was true, but on balance his mission had been a small fiasco.

That sort of defeat burned a lot, but never as much as the awareness of not having discovered anything about the curse that, in those days, had visibly worsened his health. Thankfully coughing fits hadn’t been frequent, but when they did occur they were almost always followed by blood and other blue petals.

His body felt more and more affected by those crises. Kaeya felt weak and exhausted, and more often than not, he also found eating painful due to both throat irritation and difficulty swallowing.

He would have liked to hide it, and perhaps take advantage of the last days of leave that Jean had given him to continue his search, but Kaeya was fully aware that he couldn’t go on like that. In the past he had repeatedly crossed the line between stubbornness and unconsciousness, but at that moment the instinct of self-preservation had prevailed, which had made him retrace his steps as far as Mondstadt.

He needed to rest in a real bed to be able to recover his strength, and given the absence of news he could only hope for Albedo and the branch he had left him. From that point of view, Kaeya knew he didn't have much choice and had to return to Mondstadt.

Of course, nothing seemed to have changed in the city during his absence. Daily life continued to flow quietly and peacefully, unaware of the dangers beyond those high protective walls. It was reassuring, but Kaeya wasn’t in the mood to enjoy the company of the Mondstadtians as he used to do, in fact he didn’t dwell on either the Good Hunter or his other acquaintances.

Albedo's laboratory would be his first stop. And although, in theory, he would have to go to Jean immediately, Kaeya was certain that the Acting Grand Master would turn a blind eye if she knew the facts. Which, on balance, would have been difficult to keep hidden any longer given his clearly weakened appearance. Details that were being confirmed by the looks that the people of Mondstadt were giving him.

He had tried to give himself a certain behavior, and even to smile to greet those he met, but in the eyes of those people he could read only amazement and sometimes concern.

On the one hand that interest was 'sweet', it made him understand that in a certain way the whole Mondstadt cared about him, but on the other Kaeya felt that he had disappointed the population of the city, because he wasn’t sure he was able to protect them as he had sworn to do.

That awareness, perhaps, was one of the worst things about that situation. Kaeya had voted his life in Mondstadt, and the feeling of not being able to be more useful left an unbridgeable void in his chest.

As much as he could be loved and respected, Kaeya felt that he didn't have much else to offer the city and its inhabitants. Apart from his title of Cavalry Captain and Quartermaster, he was nobody. He wasn’t a Mondstadtian and he was no longer part of any important and prominent family in the city.

If he couldn’t fight and defend that place, then his existence, the contacts and all the secrets he had collected in those years, became useless. Maybe it was a bit drastic, but Kaeya was really starting to see only negative sides to his whole situation - he couldn't even deny that that negativity could be caused by the influence of the curse.

He coughed a little, covering his mouth with his hand. Thankfully it wasn't a violent attack like the others, but he was still accompanied by the taste of blood on his tongue and further questions. In fact, Kaeya hadn’t yet been able to recognize a true pattern for his coughing fits.

He felt he was close to understanding, but his own thoughts sometimes seemed to elude him, leaving behind only blood and petals.

Kaeya had never felt such helplessness, and to dispel those thoughts he further increased his pace to finally reach the building that housed the Alchemists’ Laboratory.

He entered the main entrance and nearly bumped into Raymond, who was just leaving.

The young Knight winced and snapped to attention to greet him, without however being able to hide a look between the curiosity and concern that Kaeya had already seen in the faces of the other inhabitants of the city.

Unlike the other people, however, Raymond couldn’t help himself, and with an apprehensive tone he asked him a simple question: «Captain Kaeya, are you okay?»

Kaeya had a good relationship with the Knights, even those who were part of the other companies. He also knew he was a serious and reliable Captain, but also a great drinking companion. Trust could only be earned that way, and he had always worked hard to find that sort of balance.

Precisely for that reason he didn’t give much weight to that sort of meddling.

«I'm just tired, Raymond,» he lied, managing to bring a calm tone to his voice. «I have just returned from my mission, and I look forward to reporting to the Acting Grand Master and retiring to my quarters,» he added so as not to look too cold.

Raymond smiled, the concern was still present in his eyes, but he also seemed quite convinced by Kaeya's simple answer - he was credible, on the other hand: a week of mission would have exhausted anyone.

«We are all happy that you are back from the mission,» declared the young man. «Try not to overdo it as usual though… and if you feel like it, maybe you could go to Cat's Tail, tonight everything will be put on our account!»

It was almost pleasant that interest and unconditional affection of the Knights towards him, and sometimes Kaeya couldn’t help but think how cruel it was of him to consider these young men only companions and, sometimes, even pawns. He was mean and insensitive, Kaeya was aware of it, but he didn't see it as a real problem: he wasn't interested in making real bonds.

«Thank you. Thank you. If I can, I'll join you for a drink,» he commented, and then took his leave with a gesture of the head.

Leaving Raymond behind him, Kaeya crept inside the structure to reach the staircase that would lead him to the laboratory, and the smell that greeted him once he crossed the threshold wasn’t as sweet and nauseating as that of his last visit. Rather, it reminded him of the burnt lizard tails - it was likely, he told himself, that Albedo was working on some new explosives for Klee.

He immediately found the young alchemist almost at the entrance to the laboratory and greeted him to attract his attention. Consciousness that he managed to obtain only after having joined Albedo. The alchemist seemed really focused on his work, but Kaeya didn't mind interrupting him at all, because it was time for answers and he was really hoping for some good news.

Fortunately, Albedo wasn’t particularly surprised by the unexpected visit nor annoyed by the interruption.

«Welcome back Captain,» in fact, he welcomed him with a neutral and calm tone, moving from his work table to a second counter, placed behind a row of shelves. «I guess you're here for the analysis results.»

Kaeya smiled, relieved that the young alchemist had gotten to the point right away without walking around for too long. That was another of the positive notes of collaborating with Albedo: there was often no room for useless mince words.

«Exactly. What did you find out?» he asked.

Albedo took some documents and recalled from the Dimensional Storage both the twig and the petal, which had been placed in a round vial with semi-transparent liquid - perhaps to keep it longer. He placed them both on the table.

«From the analyzes made, we concluded that the branch has now become unusable, with no more power. However, the structure from which it was taken has magical properties, so I can confidently say that even in being separated from its energy source, the branch may have retained some of those abilities. To paraphrase in simpler terms: it’s like a lizard's tail. which wiggles even after being separated from the main body,» explained Albedo in a serious tone. «However, to be able to say for sure how much power belonged to the Mage and how much to the Door of Resurrection, I would need another branch and further testing,» he added and then began to list other more technical details about the composition of the branch, things that Kaeya partly stopped listening to in order to concentrate on the previous statements.

The alchemist hadn’t discovered anything about the magic that had been cast and, obviously, he needed more data to carry out further analysis, but his words had inevitably led Kaeya to wonder about the intentions of the Abyss Mage.

The fact that the Mage had torn the twig to use it as a weapon implied some knowledge of the powers attached to that ancient structure. The Door of Resurrection on the other hand were present throughout Teyvat, and consequently... why had that Abyss Mage come this far? They could choose any Temple, from Inazuma to Snezhnaya.

Why Mondstadt?

Kaeya crossed his arms over his chest, placing his index finger to his lips in an unconscious position he always assumed to concentrate. Perhaps he was seeing the situation from the wrong point of view, and he needed to see the movements and choices made by the Abyss Order more broadly.

«Albedo,» he began, interrupting the young alchemist. «Why would you come here to experiment on something you can find anywhere?»

Albedo didn’t hesitate to answer, perhaps he had reached those same conclusions for some time. Jean had often said that the word 'genius' seemed to have been created to describe this boy, and Kaeya didn't blame her.

«I wouldn't just come here. I would send my team to analyze as many elements as possible, wondering if the Door of Resurrection are all connected and if they work the same way.»

«Exactly,» agreed Kaeya, feeling a shiver run down his spine. It was therefore possible that, hidden in the depths of other Temples scattered around Teyvat, there were other Abyss Mages struggling with real experiments on the Door of Resurrection.

Kaeya was used to living on hypotheses and scenarios in order to always be one step ahead of everyone, and that conjecture seemed quite consistent with reality. When he had faced the Mage, the latter hadn’t seemed worried or disturbed by his presence, on the contrary: they had moved with the arrogance of someone prepared to use the tools available to them.

The concept of ‘lab rat’ came back to his mind again. In that instant it appeared to him as a real risk that he had escaped, and probably other people weren't so lucky. These were assumptions that risked becoming real.

«I'm afraid I have to ask, Captain,» resumed Albedo, breaking the silence and taking a serious look. «Is there anything you omitted when you handed me the branch and petal?»

Kaeya, brought back to the present by the young alchemist's question, hesitated a little. Given the assumptions he had just made, he knew how imperative it was now to update Jean to get her to contact the other regions of Teyvat to alert them. And, last but not least, Kaeya doubted he could seriously hide the effects of that curse on his body.

«I had to,» he finally admitted. «But I still need more information, such as about the petal,» added, hoping to get at least more material before having to reveal the truth about his condition which, surely, hadn’t escaped Albedo's inquiring gaze.

Everyone had realized that he looked sicker and more tired, and the young alchemist was a good observer when it came to doing his job.

«The blood we both know who it belongs to,» began Albedo, taking the ampoule in hand as if to further study the petal. «In any case, this object itself has no magical powers and comes from a native plant of the Mondstadt region: a Small Lamp Grass.»

Kaeya couldn't help but be surprised to hear the name of that flower he knew all too well. Not only did he see those seedlings every day, but for much of his childhood and adolescence the Small Lamp Grass had played an important role in his life. In fact he couldn’t stop his thoughts from flying towards the past with the usual bitter nostalgia.

As a child he remembered having often collected those flowers to build handcrafted lanterns, which were then used to illuminate the streets around the Dawn Winery during his nocturnal escapes in the company of Diluc.

He remembered everything about those moments of lightheartedness and freedom, from the explorations that took him around all of Windwail Highland, to the midnight baths in the lake near the estate. And those flowers, with their light, had always been there to guide him along with Diluc's constant presence.

In a way, Kaeya often linked them to him, because Small Lamp Grass were Diluc's favorite flowers. As a child he always liked that shade of blue and the fact that they shone at night, but above all how that flower was delicate and 'shy' despite their peculiarity.

«It seems they don't want to draw attention to themselves,» he had told him once, and Kaeya couldn't help but think of those little details every time he saw those flowers scattered around the Mondstadt region... as well as invariably rethinking the fact that, from time to time, he used to pick them up to leave them right on Diluc's bed in a kind of gift.

Growing up Kaeya realized how much his gifts could be interpreted as a kind of courtship, but in those days they were both too young and innocent, unaware of the implications of all the gestures of affection they used to exchange with their naivety.

In another situation, Kaeya would have almost laughed at himself as he used to, but a new and violent coughing fit took his breath away. He totally forgot that he was standing in front of Albedo, and was forced to lean on the table to keep himself from collapsing to the ground as he tried to expel what he now knew was the petal of a Small Lamp Grass.

With difficulty he managed to spit it on his hand, stained with blood like his lips. He swallowed, trying to ignore the pain caused by that simple gesture and also the ferrous taste that had invaded his mouth.

Kaeya kept his eyes closed to recover, sighing as that sudden silence was broken by Albedo's calm voice.

«I had my doubts regarding the origin of that petal, but this is... singular,» commented the young alchemist with a vaguely interested tone.

Kaeya didn’t answer, however he let himself be guided by the other on a chair, on which he sat with no little relief for his trembling legs. Albedo immediately took the petal from his hand to place it in another cruet. Then, unable to sit still, the alchemist moved to a shelf from which he took a semi-transparent bottle, with a red label attached just below the neck.

«Is this a curse?» asked Albedo, and Kaeya, aware that he could no longer hide his condition, tried to answer.

«I have reason to believe that this is the case,» he murmured.

«I guess it was launched by the Abyss Mage Dendro» noted the alchemist, pouring the contents of the bottle just taken into a glass. It was a dark red liquid that seemed to immediately release a faint fruity odor.

«Exactly. During the mission to the Temple of the Wolf, the Abyss Mage hit me with a spell using the branch of the Door of Resurrection. They also recited some kind of poem, or nursery rhyme. But I doubt that is the curse, because it was familiar to me in some way, and I'm sure I know no anathemas.»

Albedo nodded and handed him the glass, murmuring a: «It’s a supplement.»

Kaeya accepted the offer, starting to sip that drink without thinking twice. It had an aftertaste of Sunsettia, perhaps that fragrance had been added to make it more pleasant. His throat stung a little as he swallowed, but Kaeya braced himself and swallowed the entire contents of the glass.

In the meantime, the alchemist had picked up the ampoule again in which he had placed the petal that Kaeya had popped up a little earlier, resuming speaking with a pensive and gloomy tone.

«If what you are saying is right, then the curse was in the intentions and not in the words. However, I cannot exclude that they aren’t connected, even words often have their weight and power. Could you repeat them?»

«Yes,», agreed Kaeya, then attempting to translate the words of the Abyss Mage into the current Mondstadt language.

He still couldn't recall where he had heard them, but he assumed it was Khaenri'ah as they had been recited in that language. The memories of his childhood in that land were divided between moments of lucidity and other more vague ones, and he connected those words to those memories shrouded in smoke.

Kaeya was sure he had never learned any curse, on the other hand he had left Khaenri'ah at a very young age, but poems? Or infantile nursery rhymes? There weren't many children in this sinful land, and there wasn't much to have fun or time to play as he remembered, but Kaeya felt he couldn't completely rule out that option.

He could have heard that nursery rhyme by chance, and it had remained inside him until that moment: locked up in his mind waiting for the right key.

«I have to do some research on this topic,» resumed Albedo, after transcribing the words of the poem on one of his parchments. «And I have to outline a more complete clinical picture to be able to move and do further analysis on your case,» he added and then asked him other questions, to which Kaeya answered as exhaustively as possible.

It no longer made sense to hide or hesitate, because by now his conditions had been revealed, and if there was anyone who could really help him it was Albedo. Kaeya then spoke of the coughing attacks he had had, where they had occurred, of Edmund and Barbara's visit, and also of how he had spent that last week.

He tried with all of himself to be as sincere and precise as possible, hoping that the young alchemist could be able to find a thread in those attacks where he had failed.

There had to be a pattern, because even though Kaeya had taken into consideration the fact that they could be seizures totally disconnected from each other, he couldn’t completely ignore his instinct of telling him that it wasn't like that. There had to be a bond.

Albedo took note of everything, adding step by step even his considerations, which sometimes went to throw new light on Kaeya's reflections. In fact, they talked at length about the implications of that curse, speculating on how the Order could use it on a large scale.

Because it wasn’t a curse with immediate effects, but from what could be inferred from Kaeya's case it seemed almost to crawl into the body of the 'unfortunate', slowly depriving him of all strength.

They still didn’t have enough information to paint a full picture of the situation, but at least that was a starting point for further investigation. Which eventually led them to tackle another equally delicate topic.

«I guess you know that I will now have to report to the Acting Grand Master», added Albedo, and Kaeya, who was already expecting that conclusion, couldn’t help but nod, surrendering to the evidence.

«I'm afraid I can't stop you...»

Kaeya knew he had to face Jean and he could no longer hide it. On the other hand, it would have been impossible because he really felt like a rag, and he was sure that that feeling was also reflected on his face.

Having made that decision, Kaeya and Albedo left the laboratory together a few minutes later, and leaving the building behind them immediately took the road to the Headquarters.

It was about five o'clock and the lowering sun on the horizon had begun to stretch the shadows and paint Mondstadt's outlines orange, but neither seemed even vaguely interested in those generally warm and reassuring details. They had other priorities, and no less important it was a far too short journey to be able to dwell on anything else that was not their destination.

They reached the Headquarters in a few minutes, and after greeting the Knights on guard they passed the large entrance door to enter the structure. Without any hesitation Albedo immediately went to the office of the Grand Master, in front of which he stopped only after knocking.

Jean's reply was not long in coming, giving them permission to sit inside the room.

Crossing the threshold, Kaeya's gaze immediately ran in search of the young woman who he found standing almost in front of him, not far from the table located to the right of the door.

She seemed to be ready to take on her role as leader, but Lisa's presence sitting right on that table, in front of steaming cups of tea, made that situation a little different.

They had clearly interrupted them during a break, and that detail displeased Kaeya a little. He knew that soon he would be giving unpleasant news to Jean, and at least he would have liked the latter to enjoy that moment of peace before the weight that he and Albedo were about to place on her shoulders.

As much as Kaeya loved to put others in trouble, to see hesitation and confusion in their eyes, there were particular moments and people he had a little respect for, and Jean was one of them.

They had really bad timing.

«Oh! What a surprise to see you both here!» Lisa greeted them promptly. «You look like a wreck, Kaeya,» she added, starting to pour the tea into the other cups, which had remained empty until then.

Lisa used to always carry more than two cups when she decided it was time for a break for Jean, because only by inviting the 'troublemakers' to drink with her and her partner she could make sure that the Acting Grand Master got some sugar and rested at least for a few moments.

«It’s not a pleasure visit,» immediately announced Albedo, muffling the librarian's silent invitation in the bud, perhaps without even really wanting to. That, perhaps, was one of the flaws of the young alchemist, because in his analytical and scientific approach, he sometimes seemed not to notice the atmosphere that was created between people, to the point of being often insensitive.

«Did something happen?» asked Jean bluntly. She had become serious and her eyes had immediately focused on Kaeya, who had preferred to remain silent until that moment.

She was studying him from head to toe, and not even the smile Kaeya tried to give her seemed to erase the concern that began to shadow her face.

«We need to talk,» he tried to answer. «I omitted something from the Temple of the Wolf’s mission report.»

Jean opened her mouth, but it was Lisa who preceded her.

«In this case, perhaps it’s better to sit down, don't you think?» she proposed in a gentle tone, indicating the chairs with a wave of her hand.

Lisa’s words might have seemed like a simple invitation, but there was a clear order hidden between her lines and her gaze spoke volumes about the seriousness with which she was ready to tackle the subject.

Lisa was many things. She was a strong and successful woman, intelligent and as talented as she was gorgeous, but most of all she was also terrifying and Kaeya knew how bad it was to make her angry. For that reason too he accepted the invitation willingly, finding it almost reassuring to be able to sit down and no longer support his weight.

It was a strange and foreigg feeling that didn’t belong to him. Kaeya hated that weakness, and most of all he also hated how his mind was starting to adapt too quickly to his condition - both physically and otherwise, as he had found himself facing a problem that last week. out of the ordinary negativity.

Albedo also imitated him and sat down composed in one of the free chairs. His back was straight, his hands resting on his thighs, and his lips curled slightly downwards in a serious and thoughtful expression at the same time. It was impossible to try to see his thoughts, but it was clear that Albedo was continuing to think about all the information available to him, in order to show a clearer plan to the Acting Grand Master.

Jean joined them at the table last, resuming her seat without stopping to look at Kaeya. Maybe she was studying his suddenly pale complexion, dark circles and tired eyes. Maybe Jean was seeing things that even he hadn't been able to see the last time he had looked in the mirror.

Although it might seem the exact opposite, Kaeya didn't particularly like being the center of attention, especially if unwanted and beyond his control. He could easily become the life of the party, attract glances and much more, he knew how to handle those situations without too much effort, but in reality Kaeya was a reserved person and as careful to protect his privacy as he was good at invading someone else's.

However, he was no longer in a privileged position, and given the context he couldn’t help but accept even those inquiring looks.

«So… what really happened?» asked the young woman apprehensively, breaking that moment of silence that had almost seemed to last for whole minutes. Her voice was fraught with anxiety, and she seemed to have put aside her role as Acting Grand Master, perhaps after realizing that in one way or another that subject would have touched her in a more personal way. Jean seemed certain that she wouldn’t be quite capable of maintaining the detachment given to her by her title.

Kaeya sighed, and closing his eyes for a moment, he tried to make up his mind before he could speak. He had already explained the situation to Albedo, but talking about it to Jean was different.

He meant really admitting that he had made a false move, that he hadn't been paying attention, but most of all that Kaeya was no longer able to do his job. It was more a matter of pride, because he knew that Jean would never fire him and that she would go out of her way to help him instead.

For the second time that day, Kaeya began to recount in great detail what had happened in the Temple, describing the magic of the Abyss Mage and reporting the curse that had struck him. He talked again about the coughing fits and how they had gradually worsened, especially during the week away from Mondstadt. And only after having exhausted each topic, was Albedo to take the floor to illustrate the situation from his point of view.

For those long and almost interminable minutes, in which the young alchemist had spoken without ever stopping, giving voice to numerous suppositions and few certainties, both Jean and Lisa remained silent so as not to interrupt them. They were gathering as much information as possible to address this new problem, but their looks were worth more than any other reaction.

They had in fact gone from amazement to anger, to then land on worry and on a feeling that Kaeya interpreted as 'need'. They were clearly starting to think about how to help him and solve that situation, to the point of making that goal a sort of urgent need.

Once Albedo's report was also concluded, Jean and Lisa allowed themselves a few questions in search of clarification and further information, and when those topics were exhausted, the Acting Grand Master cleared her throat, and with a firm tone that suited her role as leader, she began with her first orders, immediately turning to Kaeya.

«In the light of the facts, I find myself forced to relieve you from the position of Captain of the Cavalry, indefinitely. I will fill in some papers myself to give you a leave of absence, and no word will be told to anyone about your illness or the curse itself so as not to create panic. You will also remain confined to your apartment. I don't like the idea of locking yourself up in the house, but you need a safe and private place in case things get worse, hoping of course that's not the case.»

There was no room for 'ifs' and 'buts', and Kaeya couldn’t help but accept that order that concealed all the small precautions and cares of the young woman. As Kaeya already expected, he hadn’t been fired for 'incapacity at work', but the Acting Grand Master was giving him a period of absence until the situation was resolved.

Furthermore, in keeping the curse hidden there was also a clear intention to protect his reputation and for that Kaeya was truly grateful. Showing that weakness in him would lead him to lose credibility in the eyes of his informants, and both Jean and Kaeya wanted to avoid that hypothesis as much as possible.

«We will start searching right away. Albedo, I officially entrust you with the studies and investigations on the Door of Resurrection,» Jean continued imperatively, effectively giving the idea of having the whole situation under control, but it was clear that she too was in an uncomfortable and unexpected situation. «Lisa-»

«I will send a letter to the Sumeru Academy,» the librarian promptly replied, anticipating her with a tone that was as sympathetic as it was full of support and trust.

Jean nodded somewhat relieved, and turned back to Kaeya, who had remained silent until then. It was strange not being able to actively participate in that sort of meeting to divide the tasks, since he used to always take a leading role during those events. Nonetheless, he couldn’t deny that he found that affection and interest towards him really reassuring.

The people in that room were among the few that Kaeya could consider 'important' or at least an integral part of her life. Albedo, for example, had earned his respect and trust thanks to his genius and his scientific way of dealing with every subject. In fact, in the young alchemist there seemed to be no room for sentimentality or the like, and in part Kaeya admired him for that too.

On the contrary, Jean and Lisa were different. They were both strong and courageous, intelligent and talented, with strong moral principles. Respecting them was almost obligatory, while feeling a vague form of affection for both was more than anything else the result of the years spent working together for the good of Mondstadt.

Kaeya had never really realized it, at least until now. He could argue that only Diluc and Klee had a particular place in his heart - and it was true, because those two were different from anyone else to him -, but in reality there were other people who had distinguished themselves in one way or another and that Kaeya would never ever consider maneuverable pawns.

With a bitter taste in his mouth he thought about how nice it would be to be able to share again that relationship of camaraderie and mutual trust even with Diluc.

Several times, also thanks to a few too many glasses of Death After Noon, he had wondered about how much their life could have changed if only that night of more than three years ago had never happened - if Master Crepus hadn’t died.

They would go on living together, because Kaeya probably never really felt the need to tell the whole truth about his past. Or at best, Diluc wouldn't have given that revelation so much weight.

They would cover each other's backs, fighting together against the Abyss Order and all of Mondstadt's enemies. And it was just as likely that Diluc would be in Jean's place as Acting Grand Master.

If they had found themselves in that same situation, Kaeya couldn’t find it hard to imagine all the insults he would have addressed to him for his reckless attitudes, and he knew that Diluc would also go out of his way to help him and find a cure.

But that was nevertheless the past mixed with an unattainable future, and Kaeya found himself slammed into the harsh reality through a new attack of violent and equally painful cough, which left him gasping for air while on his glove, now dirty for blood, another petal of Small Lamp Grass had arrived.

Kaeya shivered, and only in that instant did he realize that he had a hand on his back, stretched and hunched over in pain. Jean and Lisa had immediately joined him, ready to help and care for him as best they could.

«Do you want some water?» asked Jean, while Lisa stroked his back in a slow and reassuring way. They were kind but clearly scared and worried, and Kaeya for his usual defense mechanism, forced himself to smile and shrug to minimize.

«It seems... strange to me that you're not saying "I told you so",» he mocked in a weak tone but also full of gratitude.

«Do you realize that I will have to do some extra work, and above all unpaid? The "I told you so" is an understatement,» commented Lisa, while Jean gave a faint smile in response.

«It could have happened to anyone, and if your intuitions are correct it’s possible that other experiments are taking place elsewhere in Teyvat. It’s our duty to inform the competent authorities,» the young woman explained, crossing her arms over her chest. «For now, I'm just worried about your health, and I can assure you that I'll do everything in my power to help you and break this curse... and anyway, I really told you.»

Kaeya giggled faintly, thanking both Jean and Lisa for the efforts they were willing to make for him. He blindly believed their words, he trusted that they would really do everything in their power to help him and resolve that unfortunate and delicate situation