Had this war already caused such devastating casualties in less than two hours?
Although the Fatui's casualties were several times their own, this brought Jean not the slightest joy.
Jean's face was filled with anguish. These were the subordinates she spent every day with, precious fighting strength of the Knights of Favonius.
Jean then asked the messenger beside her, "Is that so? Fatui, Mondstadt City will be your sworn enemy from this day forward! How are things at Mondstadt's side gate?"
The messenger said, "Reporting to Acting Grand Master Jean! Captain Kaeya and Master Diluc have safely withdrawn into Mondstadt City from the side gate. Thanks to Master Diluc and Captain Kaeya's valiant performance, our casualties were light, while the enemy suffered heavy losses.
"Before withdrawing into Mondstadt City, Diluc unleashed a flaming bird, melting all the ice paths the Fatui had laid and effectively easing the pressure of their assault."
Jean said, "Understood. Order the knights to defend in shifts. Make sure the knights who just fought so hard get precious time to rest."
"Yes!"
After the messenger left, leaving Acting Grand Master Jean alone, Barbara, who stood nearby, finally could not help asking, "Sister, can we win this war?"
Jean smiled gently. "Of course! We will win this war, and we must. Otherwise, the freedom Lord Barbatos bestowed upon the people of Mondstadt will be lost once again."
With tears clouding her eyes, Barbara asked, "Lord Barbatos... if I pray sincerely to Lord Barbatos, will he come forward to save us?"
Jean gently wiped away her little sister's tears and explained, "Freedom can never be obtained through someone else's charity. We must earn it through our own efforts. I believe Lord Barbatos must be watching us from somewhere, and we must not disappoint him."
"Acting Grand Master-Jean!"
Just