Midday in Mondstadt was livelier than it had been in days.
The storm that had loomed over the city had finally dissipated, and with it came celebration. The air was thick with the aromas of food—so rich that Su Bai could smell them even with his doors shut. Citizens poured into the streets, cheering and laughing, the entire city steeped in joy.
Su Bai, of course, had not been idle.
Taking advantage of the local merchants' celebratory discounts, he swept through Mondstadt's markets, buying far more than usual. By the time he finished, he'd spent barely half the Mora he normally would have.
As night fell, Su Bai stood over a pot in his kitchen, busy preparing the only dish he truly knew how to cook: Sweet Madame.
This wasn't because his culinary talent was lacking—no one had ever taught him.
Back in Liyue, Cloud Retainer had firmly opposed the idea of an adeptus learning to cook. Her stance was simple: it was beneath their dignity. In Inazuma, matters were even simpler—no one dared teach the younger brother of the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine. If he wanted food, the shrine maidens would prepare it for him.
Holding the recipe Xiangling had once given him—apparently worried he'd starve in the wilderness—Su Bai fell into thought.
Should he simmer the Sweet Flowers first to extract their sweetness… Or parboil the poultry before adding them?
Before he could decide, voices erupted outside.
"After him! Don't let the thief escape!"
"Unbelievable—stealing the Holy Lyre! Do they have no fear of Lord Barbatos' wrath?"
"When we catch that thief, we'll make an example of them!"
Su Bai paused, listening carefully. Once he understood what had happened, his expression turned strange.
Someone stole the Holy Lyre?
That broken relic?
Who in their right mind would steal something like that? If they couldn't sell it, it was nothing more than useless scrap wood—and not even good firewood at that.
"Plenty of rich people in Mondstadt, and they go steal that?" Su Bai muttered.
"This thief really needs to read more."
No sooner had he finished speaking than someone knocked on his door.
Before he could reach it—
Bang!
The flimsy wooden door was kicked clean off its hinges.
Su Bai's expression darkened.
"Kicking down my door? You've got some nerve."
He gripped the kitchen knife in his hand, the one he'd just used to process the poultry, and stepped forward.
"Hah! Still talking big, are you? Hand over the Holy Lyre immediately!"
A Knight of Favonius barked at him. Su Bai looked at the man like he'd just seen a fool.
So Mondstadt thieves weren't the only ones short on brains—apparently some knights were too.
"Stand down," a calm voice interrupted.
"Do not be rude to Lord Su Bai. We merely ask that he cooperate with our investigation."
Kaeya stepped forward, smiling as ever.
Ignoring the agitated knight, Kaeya casually questioned Su Bai about where he'd been that evening, whether he'd visited the Favonius Cathedral, and so on.
Su Bai cooperated—if only because he was curious who this idiot thief really was.
Then, out of nowhere, Kaeya's gaze drifted to Su Bai's tails.
"Lord Su Bai," Kaeya said lightly, "I've recently been wanting a white fox-fur eye patch. Since you're a fox adeptus, would you happen to know where one might obtain such fur?"
Su Bai raised an eyebrow.
So Kaeya was picking a fight.
"As it happens," Su Bai replied calmly, "the only white fox fur in all of Teyvat belongs to me. So unless you're dreaming, Captain Kaeya, I'd suggest giving up."
"Oh?" Kaeya smiled. "In that case… please come with us."
Two knights behind him immediately stepped forward, eager. Capturing the thief of the Holy Lyre would be a great achievement.
"You're abusing your authority now?" Su Bai scoffed. "I want to see your Acting Grand Master."
Kaeya produced a small evidence pouch.
"This tuft of white fox fur was found at the scene of the Holy Lyre's theft. Care to explain?"
Su Bai stared at it.
That fur was unmistakably his.
But he didn't shed.
Then realization dawned.
Barbatos.
That damned Anemo Archon had plucked his fur that very morning.
And now the Holy Lyre was stolen at night.
"If I say your Anemo Archon Barbatos stole the Holy Lyre," Su Bai said flatly, "would you believe me?"
Kaeya chuckled.
"And if I said the Geo Archon faked his own death for peace and quiet, would you believe me?"
With that, Su Bai had no choice but to be escorted to the Acting Grand Master's office.
Inside, Jean was still buried in paperwork.
She set down her pen and met his gaze.
"Lord Su Bai. Do you have an explanation? If not, I will notify the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing. You will be extradited to Liyue and judged under Liyue law."
"Acting Grand Master Jean, I'm innocent," Su Bai said helplessly.
"The Holy Lyre was stolen by your Archon—by Barbatos himself."
"Please show proper respect when speaking of Lord Barbatos."
Jean sighed inwardly. Given Su Bai's status, she couldn't interrogate him directly.
"For now, Lord Su Bai, I ask that you remain in confinement until the matter is resolved."
Su Bai understood immediately.
Barbatos had dumped the blame on him to avoid exposing himself.
"Fine," he shrugged. "Consider this part of the price for borrowing his Gnosis someday."
As he was escorted away, Su Bai couldn't help but marvel.
Jean was still working this late—and she was only human. Even Ganyu relied on her adeptal blood to endure such workloads.
Soon, he stood once again before a very familiar door.
The confinement room.
"So," the guarding knight chuckled, "weren't you released just this morning? You're the first person I've ever seen get locked up twice in one day."
Su Bai rolled his eyes.
"Klee's in there. She's fun, talks a lot, and I missed her. So I came back. Problem?"
"No problem at all. Please go in."
The door opened—
And Klee immediately tackled him in a hug.
"Brother Su Bai! Brother Su Bai! Klee heard everything you said earlier! You're the best! Klee likes you the most!"
Watching the energetic little red bundle in his arms, Su Bai became even more determined.
Klee needed friends.
And Qiqi would be perfect.