"Amber, what a coincidence running into you!" Paimon's voice reached Amber's ears, and Amber turned around.
"Ah, it's Honorary Knight and little Paimon!" Amber excitedly waved at them.
She had just finished a mission and returned to Mondstadt City, unexpectedly running into the two of them at the city gate.
"Where have you two been?" Amber asked curiously.
"Hmph, it's all that bard's fault! He ran off to such a distant place, making us search for ages." Bringing this up, Paimon stomped her foot in the air, a little angry.
"Bard?" Amber clearly didn't understand Paimon's exclusive nickname.
"Oh, it's that bard named Venti." Paimon rubbed her head and explained.
"Speaking of which, Amber, why are you wearing a green headband today?" Lumine asked, curiously staring at Amber's head.
Normally, Amber's rabbit-ear-like headband was always a red that matched her personality.
Green really seemed a bit unsuitable for her, and Lumine wondered why Amber would choose that color headband to wear out.
"Huh? No way?" Amber confusedly took off her headband.
"It's not green, is it?"
"Yeah, Lumine, isn't this the same as usual?" Paimon also looked at her companion, confused.
"Eh? It, it really is. But I just now…" Lumine also looked strangely at the "rabbit ears" in Amber's hand.
It was indeed red, but she had clearly seen a flash of green just now.
Had she become red-green colorblind? How strange…
"Maybe I really saw things. Sorry."
"It's okay." Amber re-tied the band onto her head.
"Let's go into the city together; it's gotten so late without us realizing it…" Amber said with a smile to the two of them, feeling very eager in her heart.
She wondered how Aether was doing now, and if he missed her.
In any case, she missed Aether all the time, even when she was on a mission.
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"Acting Grand Master Jean truly works so hard…" A passing Knight couldn't help but exclaim upon seeing the lights still on in the Acting Grand Master's office.
It was already very late; not only was it past the Knights of Favonius's working hours, but even those Mondstadters with heavier workloads had basically gone home to sleep by now.
However, Acting Grand Master Jean still seemed to be working, and perhaps she wouldn't be able to rest until very late today.
"Isn't that right? There's probably no one in the entire city of Mondstadt who is more diligent than Acting Grand Master Jean," another Knight beside him also nodded and said.
"Oh, by the way, don't you still have documents to deliver to Acting Grand Master Jean?"
"Yes, why?"
"If you're not in a hurry, don't deliver them yet. Acting Grand Master Jean is still working so late; don't add to her burden," the other Knight suggested.
"Besides, I just went to deliver documents, and after knocking for a long time, Acting Grand Master Jean finally responded, but she didn't let me in, only saying that she was too busy with work right now and that I should hand the things over to her tomorrow…"
At that time, Acting Grand Master Jean's voice was a bit different from usual; it must have been due to extreme fatigue, right?
"Such a thing happened??" The Knight said, somewhat surprised.
If even Acting Grand Master Jean herself felt too busy, then today's workload must have been enormous.
"Alright, anyway, it's just minor matters like clearing the sewers; delivering them tomorrow will be the same."
"If you ask me, such matters shouldn't be handled by Acting Grand Master Jean at all…"
"Indeed, but there's a shortage of personnel in the Knights of Favonius right now, and the lower ranks are in disarray, with everything, big or small, relying on Acting Grand Master Jean alone… Sigh, thankfully, the Dragon Disaster is finally over. Otherwise, I would truly worry that Acting Grand Master Jean would collapse…"
The two of them silently saluted the Acting Grand Master's office with a Knight's salute, then departed separately.
Meanwhile, Acting Grand Master Jean, whom they had been discussing for a long time, was currently blushing, hastily pulling on her white tight shorts.
The small office was a mess, and the air still carried a scent that made one's heart race.
If it weren't for the occasional discussions heard from outside the window, Jean might still not have been willing to get up from Aether.
"Ha…" Aether, on the other hand, was lying on the sofa, panting. It was her first time being defeated.
Acting Grand Master Jean truly lived up to her reputation as a mature older sister; at first, she was only being rubbed, but later, she had no room to resist.
This wasn't what was agreed upon; didn't Jean say she would return what Aether did to her twofold?
How did it end up being doubled back on Aether herself later on?
Damn it, she was tricked…
"Jean, how could you do this?" Aether turned over, looking at Jean's smooth back, and couldn't help but say.
There was a hint of resentment in her tone.
Jean's body trembled slightly upon hearing this. She remained silent, unsure of what to say.
She had no idea what was wrong with her, saying things she wouldn't normally say and doing things she wouldn't normally do.
"Aether, I, I will turn myself in to the Knights of Favonius…"
"Uh, turn yourself in to the Knights of Favonius??" Aether was full of question marks. Aren't you the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius yourself?
This is… Who dares to accuse this official in court?
Not quite right, but Aether knew that if Jean turned herself in, she would most likely be treated as a joke and dismissed.
Even if she wasn't treated as a joke, Jean was the only one in the Knights of Favonius who could lead everyone right now. Jean would not be arrested or punished no matter what.
"Jean, although I don't know what Mondstadt's laws stipulate, I didn't resist just now, so it was consensual…" Aether sighed helplessly, then said to Jean.
She probably misunderstood, thinking that Aether's resentful tone was directed at the whole incident, when in reality, Aether was just a bit unhappy about being counter-killed.
How could she blame Jean? After all, it wasn't Jean's fault.
She shouldn't have chosen such a place to confront Jean; in a more open area, this kind of thing definitely wouldn't have happened.
Speaking of which, she actually spent a day with both sisters… She truly was something else.
Sigh, how was she going to face Barbara, how was she going to face Amber…
"In short, I hope Jean won't dwell on these things anymore. I have never blamed Jean."
Jean was slightly stunned upon hearing this, slowly turned around, and looked at Aether.
Then, her face quickly turned red again.
Aether's clothes hung loosely on her body; clearly, she didn't have the strength to put them on properly right now, only able to use them to cover her exposed skin.
But sometimes, compared to being completely exposed, being partially exposed is what is most exciting.
Jean had no choice but to look away again.
"I, I…" Jean's voice trembled, unsure of what to say.
"I will take responsibility!"
"…"
Aether felt a strange sense of unease. This sentence seemed like it should have been said by her; she had said the same thing to Amber and Barbara before.
Now, however, the roles had been reversed.
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