Dreams from the Stars Above

CHAPTER TEN

ACT ONE ; PART TEN
"Dvalin's Tears"

"You're here," Venti said, spotting the three (does the seelie count?) travellers enter the tavern.

"Wait, you guys are... Lumine? Ryu?"

"Hello Jean," Ryu said, calmly seating next to Diluc.

"...Jean?" Lumine asked, surprised at the fact that her (kind of) boss was here and that Ryu was so calm about this. "Why is the Acting Grand Mater here?"

"Well, first of all, I contacted more than one person," Diluc said. "Secondly, she came here as "Jean" herself, not as the Acting Grand Master. A Jean you would never see, even as an Honorary Knight."

"What a surprise. I heard about the Holy Lyre, but I never suspected it was you," Jean said.

"For the record, I wasn't involved. It was all Venti, Lumine, and dear Paimon," Ryu said, before turning to the man next to him and leaning into his ear.. "Hey Diluc, where'd Charles keep that wine he gave me a while ago?"

"Somewhere behind the counter. Probably about where you were sitting a while ago," Diluc whispered back.

"So, the sound of the Holy Lyre can purify Stormterror and return it to normal... Is that true?" Jean asked.

"That's right! The ever so brave Honorary Knights are putting themselves on the front line to try and resolve this Stormterror issue. Now that's the hotshots of the Knights of Favonius I'm talking about."

"Feels like we're breaking the law though," Paimon piped up.

"I understand this kind of absurd explanation is hard to believe. But, we can ask the bard to play the song again to try and persuade—"

"I believe you."

"To persuade our stubborn comman— Wait, what?"

Diluc looked at Jean in surprise. She believed them this fast? Really?

"I can't think of any reason for Dvalin's betrayal, given it was once one of The Four Winds. However, if it was poisoned in the battle over Mondstadt all those years ago... And then corrupted by the Abyss Mage after it woke up; we can't really blame it."

She continued, saying, "But as Acting Grand Master I obviously cannot make such a statement publicly. Diplomatic pressure from the Fatui makes it hard for us to seek a peaceful resolution to the Stormterror issue. People would think I've lost grip on the gravity of the situation. That's why I can only do this in private."

The redhead huffed. "That's one of the reasons I don't like the Knights of Favonius. What surprises me is that you would believe an outlander so easily..."

"My cautious and meticulous superior, even you trust them. Don't you, sir?" Jean asked.

"I already told you not to call me sir... Never mind. We don't often get to work together after all."

"...Sir?" Lumine asked in the silence.

"Wow! Um... This is really awkward..." Paimon trailed off.

"I have a rough idea of where the Holy Lyre der Himmel is," Jean finally said.

'Nice recovery! She's really talented at changing the subject...' Venti praised.

"What's next after this, again?" Ryu asked Azrael, who was finding the wine behind the counter. 

"Fatui hideout, tears, reunion with the dragon, then act three," they responded. "Oh, found it!"

"Give it to me. I doubt Diluc would mind that much," he said.