A Forbidden And Cruel Love (Genshin)

Part 7 - Woman on a Mission

Jean's gaze fell on Lisa, the librarian, who was standing behind the front desk, sorting through some papers. Jean approached her, her mind still racing with thoughts of the hilichurl and the missing knight.

"Excuse me, Lisa... Have you seen Ella Musk around here anywhere?"

She asked, her voice betraying her sense of urgency.

Lisa looked up from her papers, a knowing smile on her face. She knew that look, it was the look of a woman on a mission. She set down her papers and folded her arms on the desk, looking at Jean with an amused expression.

"Ella? Yes, I've seen her around here somewhere."

Lisa said, her voice as calm and cool as ever.

"Do you know where she might be right now?"

Jean asked, her voice tinged with impatience. She needed to find Ella as soon as possible, every moment she wasted was a moment the hilichurl could take its final breath.

Lisa chuckled at Jean's impatience, enjoying toying with her a little bit. She tapped her chin with her finger as she answered, pretending to look as if she didn't know where Ella was.

"Hmm... Let me think... Oh, I know!"

Lisa said, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"She's in the language section, of course. Always studying her dear old hilichurl language..."

"Thank you," Jean said, feeling a sense of relief at Lisa's words.

She wasted no time and started walking in the direction of the language section, her mind already focused on her mission.

...But Lisa's voice called out to her, making her stop in her tracks.

"Jean?"

She said, her tone a bit more serious now.

Jean turned back to look at Lisa, her eyebrows raised in a questioning manner.

"You look a little troubled. Is everything alright?"

Lisa asked, her eyes studying Jean intently. She could tell that Jean was worried about something.

Jean hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much she should reveal to Lisa. She knew that Lisa was sharp and observant, and she didn't want to give too much away.

"I..."

But she also knew she could trust the librarian, and that she might be able to help.

"I was out on patrol when I came across a badly injured hilichurl... and a few yards away, I saw a dead knight. The knight showed signs of being burned, but there was no evidence of a forest fire anywhere near."

She paused for a moment.

"I think the hilichurl might have seen something, or someone, but I can't communicate with it. That's why I need to find Ella, to see if she can translate for me..."

Lisa listened intently, her expression becoming increasingly serious as Jean spoke.

"A dead knight... and a badly injured hilichurl..."

Lisa said, her voice low and contemplative. She seemed to be deep in thought.

"Have you reported this to the other knights yet?"

She asked, her eyes meeting Jean's gaze with a serious look.

"Yes, I've informed them of the situation."

Lisa nodded, a look of understanding on her face.

"I see... you've been a bit frazzled, haven't you?"