It was a troubled time.
For some reason, the Guardian of the East, "Dvalin," had attacked Mondstadt.
The dragon's roars shattered the peace of Cider Lake, and fierce winds tore tiles from rooftops. For days, Mondstadt had lain under a blanket of dark clouds.
The Anemo Archon's return to Mondstadt was a good thing.
But then his elders had come too, and he had been seized and put straight to work. He hadn't handled a single day of official business in thousands of years!
Jean went straight to the Church of Favonius, but she was in no hurry to discuss the handover of funeral affairs.
She first went to see Swan and Lawrence.
Fortunately, neither of them had been hurt.
"He lost his sword, but gained a Vision."
At the brink of life and death, Lawrence had received a Hydro Vision and unleashed the Elemental Burst "My Heart Is Iron, Indestructible."
Countless bubbles had lifted him and Timmie out of Cider Lake.
Both of them had been saved.
Jean pondered for a moment. "Knight Lawrence."
Lawrence immediately stood at attention. "Present."
Jean said, "The lives of Mondstadt's residents are worth far more than a sword. I'm glad you understand that. Go to the Knights' armory later and choose a Favonius Sword that suits you as your new weapon."
Lawrence was overjoyed. A Favonius Sword was several grades above his original silver sword.
Only the Knights' elites were allowed to use them.
"Praise the Anemo Archon Barbatos."
Hearing the Anemo Archon's name, Jean continued, "Right, the two of you met were elders of the Anemo Archon Barbatos. What happened earlier was only a test for you. Remember to keep this matter secret."
What! She really was the Anemo Archon's aunt?!
Could Lawrence's Vision have been given to him by those two gods?
Swan stood where he was, his expression betraying nothing, but inside, rivers and seas were churning.
He looked at the brand-new Vision in Lawrence's hand, at Lawrence's straightened back and irrepressible smile, and felt as though every sight carved at his heart like a knife.
Why?
I was the one who drew my sword first. I was the one who first shouted, "A knight never throws away his sword."
I upheld a knight's creed, only to end up embedded in the city wall, covered in dirt.
And Lawrence?
He threw away his sword, jumped into the river, and disgraced the knights, yet he won the gods' favor and the acting grand master's reward.
This isn't fair.
Swan clenched his fists inside his sleeves, his nails nearly digging into his palms.
He forced an attentive smile onto his face and nodded in agreement with Jean, but deep in his heart, a venomous snake hissed and flicked its tongue:
If I had been the one to throw away my sword...
If I had been the one to jump in and save him...
If I too could have drawn the gaze of the gods between life and death...
That Vision should have been mine.
That Favonius Sword should have been mine.
This glory, this promotion, this chance to earn the acting grand master's special regard-all of it should have been mine!
He lowered his eyes, hiding the dark currents surging within them. His lips moved slightly, silently chewing over a name.
Lawrence.
He did not say it aloud, but he had already ground that name to pieces between his teeth countless times.
Swan took a deep breath. When he raised his head again, his usual honest, dependable smile was back on his face.
But beneath that smile, a black seed had quietly fallen into the soil and was secretly taking root.
"Acting Grand Master Jean?"
A clear, bright voice interrupted everyone's thoughts.
The newcomer was slender, her long blonde hair tied into twin tails behind her head. Her blue eyes were clear and bright, and her voice was sweet.
It was Barbara Pegg, everyone's beloved little sister-in-law.
Seeing that it was her younger sister, Jean's gaze softened considerably. "Barbara, you came at just the right time. Spread the word: from now on, all funeral services in Mondstadt will be managed by the Liyue-based Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's branch."
Before Barbara could speak, Cardinal Calvin, who stood nearby, had already frowned.
He had merely been passing by and happened upon the scene.
"Acting Grand Master Jean, funeral affairs in Mondstadt have been under the Church of Favonius's jurisdiction since ancient times. Why change that so suddenly? And why hand them over to Liyue's Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?" There was unmistakable displeasure in Calvin's voice.
This was no small matter.
Funeral taxes were one of the church's major sources of income, and the annual proceeds were considerable.
Handing over that part of the business was like snatching a juicy piece of meat right out of the church's mouth.
Jean's tone brooked no argument. "You have no right to refuse. This is the Anemo Archon's will."
Barbara's eyes lit up, and she clasped her hands together. "Has Lord Barbatos really returned to Mondstadt?"
"That's right. He was at the Knights' headquarters just now. Kaeya and I both saw him with our own eyes."
"What a shame..." Barbara's face was full of regret. "I didn't get to see Lord Barbatos in person."
Jean thought of what Barbatos had been doing in Mondstadt lately.
He spent every day drinking apple cider at Angel's Share, occasionally wandering over to Favonius Plaza to play music and sing.
She couldn't help feeling a headache coming on. "I'm afraid you wouldn't want to see what he's like now, Barbara."
Calvin still refused to give up. "Lord Barbatos has not appeared in Mondstadt for centuries. How can you prove that what you say is true, Acting Grand Master Jean?"
"Calvin." Jean's tone grew a little colder. "This was not Lord Barbatos's own proposal, but a demand from his elders. Lord Barbatos himself was also ordered to work at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor as punishment for neglecting his duties for thousands of years."
Calvin fell silent.
If it was punishment for Barbatos neglecting his duties, then it all made sense.
After all, the image of the Anemo Archon spending thousands of years doing no proper work was deeply ingrained in people's minds. Even some clergy within the church had grumbled about it in private.
Now that his elders had caught him and put him to work to pay off his debts, it seemed perfectly reasonable.
Such was his reputation.
Barbara, however, grew excited. "Does that mean I can see Lord Barbatos at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor every day from now on?"
"You won't necessarily find him there every time, but he'll most likely be there."
Jean paused, then added, "Also, Lord Barbatos seems rather displeased that the Church of Favonius pays no taxes. Calvin, Bishop Simon is away, so I'll leave this matter to you."
Calvin's heart sank.
Not only were they losing a source of income, they had another tax to pay?
Barbara, however, waved a hand dismissively. "It's only a little money. Naturally, the Church of Favonius will obey Lord Barbatos's will."
Calvin said, "..."
Oh, my lady, you really don't care how much of your grandfather's land you sell off.
What do you mean, "a little"?
The Church of Favonius collected twenty percent in funeral taxes every year. Once that money went to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Mondstadt's budget shortfall would have to be made up elsewhere.
And on top of that, they would have to pay additional taxes.
Mondstadt's taxes would almost double.
Calvin opened his mouth, intending to say something, but ultimately swallowed his words.
Forget it. This is the Anemo Archon's will. How could I defy it?
It was just that the days ahead were likely to be difficult.
Jean turned to leave. "I'm going to find a suitable shop for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's branch. I'll leave things here to you, Barbara."
"All right, Acting Grand Master Jean. Now that Lord Barbatos has returned, surely the matter of the Guardian of the East will be resolved soon."
Barbara nodded vigorously and watched her sister leave.