“Leave it to me…”
Jean, whose work had just been entirely reassigned by the Knights of Favonius, found herself at a loss. The sudden emptiness following her previously overwhelming workload, compounded by too much coffee, left her dazed.
As she reached for something to busy herself with, her subordinates intercepted her attempts.
“Oh, Acting Grand Master, just leave it to us!”
The abrupt transition from extreme busyness to having nothing to do was jarring. Seeking advice, she went to Lisa, who was calmly managing her own stack of paperwork.
“Why not take this as a two-day vacation and properly rest?” Lisa suggested, smiling knowingly. “Why not visit Barbara? You’ve been too tense lately, Jean.”
Lisa adjusted her glasses, her tone teasing but caring. “You’ve been so exhausted you’re forgetting important things. It’s time to remember your role as a proper lady and give yourself a break.”
“I…” Jean hesitated.
Though she suspected the Knights were keeping something from her, Lisa’s words left no room for argument. Before Jean could protest, Lisa, still smiling, had gently nudged her out of the library and back to the headquarters’ entrance.
Standing there under the soft light of Mondstadt’s evening sky, Jean felt uncharacteristically aimless.
“A vacation…?”
The word sounded foreign. What was she supposed to do with one?
Lisa’s suggestion came to mind: Visit Barbara.
Hesitant but curious, Jean found herself walking to the Mondstadt Cathedral almost unconsciously.
—
Inside, she saw Barbara at work, skillfully using her Hydro Vision to heal a white-haired boy whose arms were covered in scrapes and bruises.
“Bennett, please be more careful next time. This is the seventeenth time you’ve come to the cathedral this month…” Barbara sighed.
“Hehe, just a minor mishap!” Bennett scratched his head sheepishly. “I can patch up small injuries myself, but for the serious ones, I’d rather not risk it.”
Once healed, Bennett sprinted out of the cathedral, already brimming with excitement for his next adventure.
Barbara exhaled in relief, only to look up and see Jean standing before her.
“Jean—Acting Grand Master?”
Barbara flinched, her expression tinged with nervousness as if worried Jean might have caught her doing something she shouldn’t.
“Barbara, do you have a moment?” Jean asked, her voice gentle. “Would you like to take a walk with me?”
“I’d love to, but… no, I can’t,” Barbara stammered, conflicted. “I—I still have things to take care of. But I’ll come find you later, I promise!”
With that, Barbara hurried away before Jean could say more.
Watching her younger sister’s retreating figure, Jean couldn’t shake the feeling that Barbara was also hiding something. Despite this, she let her go, though a pang of disappointment lingered.
—
Alone in the cathedral, Jean sat quietly for some time, trying to dispel the fog of doubt clouding her mind.
Eventually, she decided to visit Windrise, as she often did during moments of uncertainty, seeking solace beneath the Great Tree.
The sun had begun to set by the time Jean reached Windrise. The tranquil field was illuminated by the soft glow of crystalflies flitting about, their light blending with the majestic aura of the tree planted by Vanessa, the Dandelion Knight.
Jean stood beneath the towering tree, the symbol of Mondstadt’s courage and freedom, and felt the gentle evening breeze begin to calm her restless thoughts.
Drawing her sword, she knelt before the tree in the formal posture of a knight, placing the blade tip-first into the earth.
“Lady Vanessa… may your gaze upon Mondstadt remain clear,” she murmured, her voice soft but resolute.
Closing her eyes, Jean bowed her head, allowing the rustling leaves to speak through the wind’s song.
“I wonder… does the world, and I myself, meet your expectations? Have I grown stronger as you wished?”
Her words were both a prayer and a reflection, questioning whether she had fulfilled her duties to Mondstadt, to her comrades, and to herself.
As always, the soothing breeze seemed to carry away her doubts.
—
Just as Jean was beginning to find her center, a faint commotion reached her ears.
“Why are we coming all the way out here, anyway? I thought the hilichurls weren’t attacking until tomorrow!”
“Traveler, stop complaining! Venti told us to get ready for tomorrow. Touching the Statue of The Seven isn’t that much effort!”
“Ugh, fine. But Diluc and Venti are already handling the hilichurls on the trade route. If Venti hadn’t mentioned it, we wouldn’t even know tomorrow is supposed to be special. At least we still have a night to prepare…”
Recognizing the familiar voices, Jean opened her eyes and turned toward the source. Near the Statue of The Seven, she saw Lumine, Paimon, and Jia Changjiang fussing over something.
Curious, Jean quietly approached, watching as Lumine affixed what appeared to be a fake Anemo Vision—a glass orb—from Venti to the base of the statue. As it connected, faint winds flowed into the orb, causing it to glow softly.
“What are you doing?” Jean asked, her tone both curious and amused.
“Charging it!” Lumine replied without looking back. “Venti said this fake Vision can work as a one-time-use Wind Eye. Perfect for tomorrow—”
As she turned, she froze upon seeing Jean. Her words immediately shifted. “Uh, tomorrow’s commission! Jean, what are you doing here?”
“I came to rest,” Jean said, placing a hand over her heart. “The winds here help me find my resolve and ease my uncertainties.”
She tilted her head slightly. “But what about the three of you? Why are you here?”
“We, uh…”
Lumine’s mind raced, but finding no excuse, she glanced helplessly at Jia Changjiang.
Taking the hint, Jia Changjiang smoothly stepped in. “Just some small commissions around Mondstadt. Nothing worth worrying about. But Jean, you seem troubled. Is something on your mind?”
“You look tired. Has something been weighing on you?” he pressed gently, steering the conversation toward her. “Whatever it is, don’t hesitate to tell us. We’re here to help.”
—
This is a fan translation of 武器大师在原神绝不死于徒手 by 徐人双 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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