Having driven away the Fatui troublemaker, Shao Yun returned to the Acting Grand Master's office, where Jean looked at him, unsure of what to say.
"Good news—those Fatui folks won't be pestering you about the dragon crisis anymore."
Sitting in the chair in front of the desk, he watched Jean with a faint, bitter smile.
"Don't look so gloomy. Smile! The problem's been temporarily resolved."
"Sigh... thank you..." Jean was genuinely grateful. Though Shao Yun's methods were a bit rough, it seemed, at least for now, she wouldn't be bothered again.
"Can you believe it, Acting Grand Master Jean? Just as she called the Dragon of the East Wind a 'mad beast,' the storm outside vanished."
He couldn't help but sigh in amazement. "And it's all thanks to Amber, Kaeya, Lisa, Lumine, and Paimon—without them, it wouldn't have been possible."
Just as Shao Yun was reflecting, a sultry and gentle voice came from the door.
"My, my, what's this tall and handsome gentleman saying about me behind my back?"
Lisa stood at the doorway, her gaze resting on both Shao Yun and Jean, curiosity twinkling in her eyes.
Shao Yun stood up, glanced between Jean and Lisa, then scratched his neck.
"Oh, nothing much. Just praising you all for untangling the leylines—messy as a cat's plaything—and putting them back in order."
Lisa's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Haha, you certainly have a way with words."
She was quite pleased to hear Shao Yun using her own phrasing.
Her laughter, like the warble of a nightingale, held a trace of mystery—charming and impossible to ignore.
Shao Yun took a moment to study her closely. She was poised, exuding an irresistible charm from head to toe. Her eyes radiated a unique blend of mature allure and playful mischief.
Lisa walked to Jean's desk to report on their mission's outcome.
"The leylines around Mondstadt have temporarily stabilized. We now have time to deal with Stormterror."
She then glanced at Shao Yun, casually mentioning something she had just seen.
"I just saw a Fatui agent leaving the Knight of Favonius Headquarters looking awfully sour. I wonder who gave those arrogant Fatui such a hard time?"
Her tone hinted at curiosity—she was clearly fishing for information on what had happened while she was gone.
Shao Yun looked at Jean, signaling for her to explain.
Jean recounted the incident: the Fatui had used Stormterror's attack on Mondstadt to pressure them into handing over the city's defenses.
"Oh, I see. I'm sure you handled it well, Jean."
"Well... how should I put this?" Jean looked toward Shao Yun—what came next had mostly been his doing.
Shao Yun recounted his approach.
"When that Fatui woman—Anastasia—called the Dragon of the East Wind a 'mad beast,' I stepped in. I threatened to execute half the Fatui in front of the Anemo Archon's statue and boil the other half to feed to the dragon to quell the storm."
"Then I grabbed her by the collar, threw her out, and warned her that if they brought up the dragon crisis again, I'd..." He made a throat-slitting gesture.
Lisa rubbed her chin and nodded with satisfaction.
"Crude as it is, it was effective. It's about time those arrogant Fatui got a taste of their own medicine. Now we can fully focus on the dragon crisis."
Later, Amber and Kaeya returned to report as well, though they left soon after finishing their debrief.
Before leaving, Amber asked Shao Yun if he'd found a place to stay. After he said no, she gave him her home address.
So, in the end, after circling around, the lodging mission came full circle—he'd be staying at Amber's place.
The system updated as well: [Lodging mission completed. Reward—changeable clothing, available for use at the residence.]
Lisa observed as Amber invited everyone to stay at her home and couldn't help but sigh.
"Amber really is warm-hearted, just like Noelle. Though, Noelle still lacks a bit of maturity."
…
"Acting Grand Master Jean, we're back!" Paimon pushed open the office door and walked in with Lumine.
Seeing them return, Jean stood up and went to greet them.
"Thank you both for your contribution to Mondstadt. I hope you didn't run into any trouble on your way back."
"No trouble, but we did see some weird people wearing masks sneaking in and out of the Goth Grand Hotel," Paimon mentioned what she saw on the way.
Jean explained to Lumine and Paimon in detail about the Fatui at the Goth Grand Hotel, even more comprehensively than she had with Shao Yun.
Toward the end, she also shared a recent speculation.
"Moreover, the Fatui's aim in taking over Mondstadt's city defenses wasn't just for economic gain. They're after the power of the Anemo Archon's avatar—that's why they're being so aggressive."
At the mention of power, Lumine remembered something and pulled out a dark red crystal they had found in Whispering Woods.
"We picked this up while dealing with Stormterror. No idea what it is."
Jean examined the floating crystal and sensed its energy.
"This crystal contains a strange power… uh…" She looked to Lisa. "Lisa, can you analyze this?"
"Let me see." Lisa approached and carefully inspected the crystal.
"The dark red hue is from the impurities inside."
She circled around it, but that was as much as she could conclude for now.
"Looks like we'll need to check the restricted archives. I'll take care of this for the time being, alright?" She looked at Lumine for confirmation.
Knowing this required a professional touch, neither Lumine nor Paimon objected—they both nodded.
Jean officially assigned Lisa the task of researching the crystal and asked her to report any progress.
"Got it, but don't get your hopes up. Ancient texts rarely offer helpful info."
Just as she was about to put the crystal away, her fingertip brushed against it—only to be met with a sudden jolt of pain.
"Ow!" Lisa quickly retracted her hand, blowing on her sore finger. "Ouch, that really hurt."
"Seems like this thing rejects our elemental energy." Lisa gave a pained smile as she stared at the crystal.
After a few more checks, they discovered only Lumine could hold it without pain—anyone else would be affected.
After a brief discussion, they decided Lumine should keep it.
With the crystal matter settled, Jean turned to Lumine with a look of gratitude and voiced a heartfelt decision.
"If not for you, it's hard to say how long the leylines would've remained unstable. You chased away Stormterror and cleared the skies. So, I have a rather bold request."
"Please accept the title of Honorary Knight of the Knights of Favonius… along with my deepest thanks as Acting Grand Master."
Everyone except Shao Yun—Lisa, Lumine, and Paimon—was stunned.
On the surface, it seemed Jean was simply rewarding Lumine for her service. But Shao Yun sensed something deeper, recalling what the Fatui agent had said:
"Stormterror attacked Mondstadt, and your Knights had to rely on a foreign traveler to resolve the crisis."
"Doesn't that mean the Knights no longer have the strength to protect the city?"
Considering Acting Grand Master Falka had taken most of Mondstadt's forces with him, Jean's decision to grant Lumine the honorary title was likely a subtle message to the Fatui: Mondstadt can handle its own crises.
Even if Lumine wasn't a native, bringing her into the Knights' framework—even nominally—meant she could be considered part of Mondstadt's strength.
"Honorary Knight" was a flexible title. It could mean she was part of the Knights, or it could mean nothing more than a ceremonial name.
More importantly, it wouldn't cause trouble. If they officially made Lumine a member of the Knights of Favonius, she could face complications during her travels. Being a Mondstadt knight might draw unwanted attention in other nations—it could be a burden.
The honorary title was perfect—it let her enjoy the privileges of a knight without the limitations of official status.
Shao Yun looked at Jean with admiration. She definitely had what it took to be Acting Grand Master. This reward suited Lumine exactly and carried no major risks. Brilliant.
"Honorary Knight of the Knights of Favonius!" Paimon was completely shocked by the announcement.
Lumine accepted the title without hesitation. From her and Paimon's perspective, it was all benefits and no downside.
Shao Yun had no objections either. A good network of relationships was essential during any journey.
From there, the story continued. Jean asked Lumine to help Mondstadt fully resolve its crisis, and Lumine agreed—after all, she was now aligned with the Knights.
With everything said, there was no reason to remain in the office.
Jean offered Shao Yun a heartfelt thanks. Shao Yun didn't feel snubbed or overlooked at all. He understood he hadn't done enough to deserve the title of Honorary Knight himself.
A sincere thank-you was enough. What more could he want?