Entralling Bloom

7.) After hours

Rosalind

Having completed her shift, Rosalind left the Knights of Favonious Headquarters. She lived there, yes, and it was already past midnight. But, it was Rosalind's habit to take a late-night stroll to make up for the many hours she spent inactive during her job.

Because Ros was accustomed to staying up late, she chose to work the evening shift at the library deferring the morning shift to Lisa. As the schedule worked out, Lisa handled her duties from 9-5 pm and Rosalind took over at 5 pm, leaving for home at 1 am. 

This arrangement allowed the library to be opened an astonishing 18 hours a day. It was an impressive feat considering the business was run by a mere two people -excluding the occasional overzealous maid who volunteered to help out.

On paper, Ros' full-time job seemed strenuous, but in actuality, practically every day was like the one she just had- full of downtime.

 During an eight-hour shift, there weren't people who constantly asked questions or had books to return. In addition, Ros' allotted time for lunch breaks ensured that she never felt tired at work. As a librarian, Ros had all the time in the world to read novels or daydream to her heart's content.

There were only three things about Ros'  job that were strenuous: packing away large quantities of books, dealing with Lisa, and being required to sit at a desk for eight hours straight. 

Rosalind hated sitting still. As a student, she was always walking between classes, walking alone around her neighborhood back at home, or indulging in hobbies that at least kept her brain preoccupied and her fingers moving. It was no wonder that Ros couldn't sleep immediately after work. Going on late-night strolls was the closest she could get to her once very active lifestyle.

As she exited Headquarters, Rosalind walked the same path she always did, wandering underneath the statue of Lord Barbatos and admiring it's illuminated its features in the moonlight.

Ros adored Barbatos' statue. As someone from another world, an agnostic someone at that, Rosalind had her doubts about Barbatos' divine knowledge and status as protector of Mondstadt. From what she had read, the other archons were at least present ruling figures in their respective nations, but Barbatos hadn't been seen in Mondstadt for nearly centuries.

So Rosalind didn't love Barbatos' statue in a pious manner, she simply adored it because she thought it looked pretty. It clearly required an unimaginable amount of stone, vision, and time to construct, and the statue itself reminded her of the grandiose sculptures she would see outside of official buildings in her homeworld. 

Barbatos' statue was familiar in that sense, and in a foreign world familiarity was rare for Rosalind, so as she promenaded under Barbartos' sprawling wings she allowed herself a brief moment of tranquility. The night air was cool and calming and there wasn't a citizen in sight to interrupt Ros' peaceful evening. 

Besides getting her steps in, this was the main reason for Ros' nightly walks, the serenity of being alone in a cool quiet space. An introvert's paradise...

 Despite being alone in the wee hours of the morning, Rosalind wasn't scared to walk around. The Knights of Favonius were instructed to patrol the entire city 24 hours a day.

 This level of security was a little over the top in Ros' opinion, but it allowed Rosalind to enjoy her moonlit strolls, so she didn't question it.

Despite the fact that the Knights never slept, many stores in Mondstadt were closed by the time Rosalind got off work. The only businesses that remained open past 2 am were taverns, which became raucous venues at night.