Jean's words were overheard by Diluc, who was standing guard nearby.
He curled his lips slightly, but there was a hint of approval in his gaze.
In his view, Jean, though still somewhat inexperienced in her methods, was already far more reliable than Varka.
"Blood debts must be repaid with blood. That's only natural," Diluc said calmly.
"There's no need to specifically inform me."
Ryen smiled and shook his head, but Jean answered with solemn seriousness:
"No, it's something that must be said."
"The Doctor's strength is right there for all to see. He is, without question, a god-level combatant, on par with the Seven."
"Even in a one-on-one fight, we are no match for him."
"Not to mention the unknown number of Fatui under his command."
"If we truly want to eliminate the Doctor, relying on just a handful of us will never be enough."
Jean glanced toward Nahida, who was being led by Makoto nearby, and spoke softly:
"I would like to ask you to discuss this with Nahida."
"I want to… deploy the Dragon Knight Corps, and completely wipe out the Doctor's forces in Sumeru."
"As for the Doctor himself, Barbatos will take action against him."
"In any case, this would mean Mondstadt's military officially entering Sumeru. No matter what, Nahida's opinion must be respected."
Ryen looked at Jean with a trace of emotion.
"You're still very strict about rules, Jean…"
"But in my opinion, this doesn't involve interfering in Sumeru's internal affairs."
"Blood vengeance is justified. For crimes like the Doctor's, no matter where it's discussed, leading troops to take revenge is reasonable."
"There's really no need to be so rigid."
"That said, I'll speak to Nahida later."
Hearing this, Jean finally relaxed and nodded.
"Thank you. This will also be a valuable opportunity to test the Dragon Knight Corps."
"I'll compile detailed battle records for everyone's reference."
That remark caught the attention of the others.
At present, every major unit, light infantry, heavy cavalry, firearms corps, had already proven itself in battle.
Only the Dragon Knight Corps' true combat strength remained unverified.
If Jean were to lead them against the Doctor…
The Doctor himself was a god-level being. Even if Sumeru housed only one of his segments, its combat capability would surely be formidable.
After all, to personally oversee a forbidden undertaking like the god-creation project, he would never deploy a weak segment.
On top of that, the Doctor would certainly be accompanied by a large number of Fatui under his direct command.
For all intents and purposes, this was equivalent to confronting a demon god backed by an organized force.
If the Dragon Knight Corps could still shine under such conditions, it would prove beyond doubt that they possessed the power to directly oppose demon gods.
As these thoughts settled, Ningguang spoke up:
"In that case, Liyue can lend you some of our Dragon Knights as well."
"Inazuma can too," Kujou Sara added.
"Her Excellency the Shogun will agree."
"Although Inazuma's Dragon Knight Corps was only established recently, and our numbers are still small, it should still count as meaningful support."
Seeing both Inazuma and Liyue offering aid, Rosalyne glanced at the Cryo Archon beside her and nodded.
"Our Dragon Knights can also be dispatched."
"No matter what, the Doctor's matter concerns Snezhnaya as well."
"Eliminating him will significantly strengthen Her Majesty's control over Snezhnaya."
"Even if this is only one of the Doctor's segments, it's still enough for Pulcinella and the others to take advantage of the situation and withdraw considerable Fatui power."
Jean hesitated instead of accepting immediately.
Originally, she had thought that mobilizing one hundred Dragon Knights from Mondstadt would already be sufficient.
But she was deeply moved by everyone's proactive support.
After pressing her lips together, Jean said gently:
"Actually… one hundred Dragon Knights should be enough."
"No matter how strong the Fatui's modified soldiers are, they shouldn't be able to withstand that many Dragon Knights."
"Our primary enemy is the Doctor. If he truly is god-level, then only Barbatos can restrain him."
Rosalyne shook her head softly.
"It's better to be cautious."
"That man's level of secrecy rivals even that of the Jester."
"Besides, the four nations already share a life-and-death alliance."
"When one nation faces danger, the others provide aid. Mondstadt's matter is the matter of all four nations."
"There's no reason for us to stand by and watch."
"And frankly, we also want to test the strength of our own Dragon Knight Corps."
Ningguang nodded slightly and smiled.
"Consider it doing us a favor."
"In any case, none of our three nations have a proper justification to deploy Dragon Knights openly."
"But you do. A blood feud of this magnitude means you're justified no matter how it's framed."
"Since the Dragon Knight Corps was established, it has never faced a truly significant war."
"This is a perfect opportunity."
"Although the Dragon Knight Corps of our four nations are structurally similar, each has a different emphasis."
"Liyue focuses on coordination between heavy firearms and dragons."
"Mondstadt emphasizes elemental combat in tandem with Dragon Knights."
"Inazuma prioritizes the dragon's own offensive power."
"And Snezhnaya's Dragon Knights lean toward complex, multi-layered dragon attack control."
"This battle will also serve to test which approach produces the strongest combat power."
"Liyue will send forty Dragon Knights."
"Inazuma and Snezhnaya will each send thirty."
"With Mondstadt's forces included, that makes two hundred Dragon Knights in total."
"We'll strike together."
"It will also be a chance to announce the presence of our Four-Nation Alliance to the world."
Jean was clearly swayed by Ningguang's reasoning.
After a brief moment of thought, she spoke with some hesitation:
"But… the Doctor is still a god-level being."
"If something goes wrong, I'm worried your Dragon Knights may suffer losses…"
"No issue," Rosalyne replied calmly, waving a hand.
"Ryen has provided us with the most crucial platform."
"Her Majesty personally selected the strongest soldiers to ride dragons and poured immense effort into training them."
"They've trained together extensively."
"If they can only perform in drills but falter in real combat, then that simply means they lack the necessary skill."
"Even losing dragons is acceptable."
"We have the End dimension. Thirty dragons amount to no more than a day and a half of farming."
Her words were cold and ruthless, but sincere.
For these Dragon Knights, the Cryo Archon had personally devised tactics, strategies, and equipment.
If they failed to display the might befitting Dragon Knights…
Then they were unworthy.
Better to replace them early than allow them to disgrace Snezhnaya's Dragon Knight Corps.
In Rosalyne's heart, the Cryo Archon could never be wrong.
"In that case…"
Jean pressed her lips together and nodded.
"After some preparations, I will lead the Dragon Knight Corps into action."
At last, the key decision had been made. Diluc, who had been listening nearby, interjected without hesitation:
"I'm coming too."
"Ehe~ I'm a very important source of combat power, you know."
Venti popped up beside them, blinking playfully.
Jean considered for a moment, then spoke softly:
"Let Lisa stay behind to continue exploring the Twilight Forest. I'll bring Eula and the others with me."
After that, the discussion shifted to detailed assignments and coordination.
Ryen stepped aside to speak with Nahida, lifting her into his arms and explaining the situation briefly.
Nahida had no objections.
To be frank, the Doctor had harmed hundreds of Mondstadt's children and subjected thousands of Mondstadt citizens and Knights of Favonius members to human experimentation.
Such acts were utterly unforgivable.
Even if Mondstadt were to march straight into Snezhnaya and storm the Doctor's home to kill him, they would still be in the right.
This was no longer a matter of personal vendetta.
It was a national blood feud.
If the Seven convened another Archon Council to discuss this matter, every Archon would swiftly nod in agreement.
In the past, Jean had neither known the truth nor possessed the strength to oppose the Doctor.
But now she knew, and now she had the power.
If she still did not seek vengeance, how could she face the fallen people of Mondstadt?
Jean understood one thing clearly.
The Doctor did not care about life or death. He cared only about experiments.
To him, all of Teyvat was nothing more than a massive laboratory.
In that case, he could not be allowed a swift, painless death.
Just like how Ryen had dealt with the Grand Sage,
Slowly, methodically, everything the Doctor valued had to be destroyed.
To kill someone properly was to destroy their heart first.
As everyone chatted and made plans, Ryen had his hands full, looking after Klee and Nahida, while also keeping a close eye on the ever-bouncing Guizhong.
She was far too lively.
Look away for a moment, and she would already be darting off somewhere else.
The Twilight Forest was not Teyvat.
With Guizhong's combat instincts still unfamiliar with the rules of the Minecraft world, running into monsters alone could be dangerous.
Against weaker enemies, she might manage.
But if she ran into a group of goblins, or worse, a druid mage,
That would be real trouble.
After dragging Guizhong back from behind yet another tree, Ryen finally lost patience and told Ping and Cloud Retainer to keep her under strict watch so she couldn't wander off again.
Only then did he relax.
Zhongli walked beside him at an unhurried pace and said calmly:
"Now you understand how I felt back then, don't you?"
Ryen curled his lips and complained:
"I thought she'd be a lively little sister. Turns out she's a daughter who never stops causing trouble!"
"No wonder you used to leave for wars that lasted ten or twenty years whenever you allied with her."
Zhongli nodded slightly.
"By common rational standards, I truly could not handle her."
"Ah…"
Ryen sighed helplessly.
"If I'd known earlier, I would've just left her behind in the Overworld to guard the house."
"If she stayed in the Overworld without Ping and Cloud Retainer watching her,"
Zhongli added lightly,
"you might return to find your villa dismantled."
Ryen froze for a moment, then nodded solemnly.
"That… does sound possible."
In the distance, the faint silhouette of a Lich Tower had already appeared on the horizon.
Ryen straightened up and smiled.
"The second target, the Lich King. Overall, we're making good progress."
Zhongli glanced at the lunar compass and nodded.
"We've been here for nearly a full day. If nothing goes wrong, we should be able to deal with the Lich King before today ends."
"By that calculation, one week should be just about enough."
"Perfect timing for Jean to lead her forces against the Doctor, and bring the Traveler back along the way, in time for your new mod."
Ryen raised an eyebrow and teased:
"You don't object to Ningguang and the others supporting Jean?"
Zhongli gave him a calm look.
"We are allies, we advance and retreat together."
"Besides, when it comes to national blood feuds, even if Heavenly Principles stood in front of them, Mondstadt would still be justified in raising an army for vengeance."
Ryen said nothing more, merely shrugged and motioned for everyone to pick up the pace toward the Lich Tower.
Although the saying went that 'seeing the mountain doesn't mean reaching it,' they were hardly ordinary people.
After quickening their pace, they arrived at the base of the Lich Tower before long.
Looking up at its peak, Ryen smiled.
"Same rules as before. Makoto and Guizhong stay behind to watch the kids. We'll head up and deal with the Lich King."
"Again with babysitting?!"
Guizhong puffed out her cheeks and glared at Ryen.
"I can fight too, you know!"
Ryen glanced at her and said lightly:
"The Lich King is uglier than the Naga."
"..."
"Have a safe trip, don't let me stop you!"
Ryen laughed inwardly and was about to lead the group inside when Makoto suddenly turned to Ei, her gaze deep and thoughtful.
"Ryen, if possible, I'd like Ei to stay behind. There are some things I need to talk to her about."
Ryen had no objections. After all, dealing with a Lich King didn't require many people.
He nodded in agreement.
But Ei immediately sensed danger, she had the distinct feeling her sister was about to scold her for something.
She quietly tugged at Yae Miko's sleeve, a pleading look flashing in her eyes.
Yae Miko chuckled softly.
"If you're not short on manpower, I'll stay with Ei too. Fighting the Naga earlier was exhausting, you know."
Ryen shot her a look.
During the Naga fight, Yae Miko had fired two shots at most.
The rest of the time, she'd been slacking off.
Exhausted, my foot.
Ryen shook his head and waved a hand.
"Suit yourself."