Jiang Bai clicked his tongue. This was his first time witnessing what sheer luck—or the lack thereof—could really do.
Guess the goddess of fortune is still watching over me.
"Say, Director, is there a god in Teyvat who governs luck?"
"Beats me…"
They arrived at the edge of Cider Lake and found a spot where the wind was strong and steady.
Watching Bennett stand atop a large rock with the urn in his arms, Jiang Bai couldn't help but worry he might suddenly get struck by a falling boulder, sending both boy and ashes tumbling into the water.
Thankfully, Bennett was being extremely careful. He slowly opened the urn, gently took a handful of ashes, and scattered them toward the lake.
The wind caught the ashes and carried them far. Some settled on the surface of the lake, while others danced higher into the sky.
Jiang Bai and Hu Tao stood quietly, waiting until the last of the ashes had been released. Only then did this solemn task finally come to a close.
"Director, what's next on the itinerary?"
"We don't come here often—obviously we're staying a few days to enjoy Mondstadt!"
Jiang Bai had been hoping for just that. After traveling all the way here, they'd be fools not to take in the sights and experience Mondstadt's culture firsthand.
"Bennett, now that we've finished our task, we'll be heading out. If you ever need anything, come find us at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor in Liyue." Jiang Bai handed him a flyer.
"Right… I will."
Bennett had overheard their conversation just now. With a bit of hesitation, he offered, "Do you guys have any friends in Mondstadt? Need a guide?"
"Wouldn't that get in the way of your own plans?"
"Not at all!" Bennett scratched his head with a sheepish grin.
"You brought back Uncle Cartis's remains and even delivered his belongings to me. I can't do much, but please don't turn me down."
Faced with the offer of a free guide, Jiang Bai and Hu Tao didn't hesitate.
"Well then, we'd be rude to refuse!"
Hu Tao had been to Mondstadt a few times, but wasn't especially familiar with the city itself. Jiang Bai even less so—he'd passed through a few times but never had the chance to explore.
Having a local guide was definitely better than aimlessly wandering around.
"Let's start with some food. We've been traveling all morning, and I'm starving. Time to try some authentic Mondstadt cuisine…"
---
Dragonspine
After a long morning trek up the snowy mountain, Diluc arrived at the Statue of The Seven and released his night owl once again.
Owls were far more noticeable in daylight than at night, and it didn't take long for someone to spot it once it soared into the sky.
Kaeya, seeing the familiar bird, smiled knowingly.
He'd already reported the incident last night via pigeon to the Knights of Favonius, and had received their reply early that morning.
But Diluc, no longer part of the Knights, didn't have access to those channels. Naturally, he was still in the dark.
"Judging by the timing… he must've set out the moment he heard the explosion," Kaeya murmured. "Still the same as ever…"
Stretching his limbs, Kaeya continued talking to himself:
"I suppose, as the younger brother, I should come down and guide him up—just to be helpful."
He climbed into the basket lift and signaled to Klee, who had been playing idly in the snow, to lower him.
Meanwhile, a group of adventurers and Liyue intelligence agents had also reached the mountainside to investigate.
Among them was a nun of the Church of Favonius—the ever-elusive Rosaria, who operated quietly behind the scenes to protect Mondstadt from threats.
The explosion on Dragonspine had happened a full day earlier. Since then, some had descended the mountain with information, while others had rushed up without rest.
By the time Kaeya reached the foot of the mountain and stepped out of the cave, he was met with a sizable crowd.
Even Kaeya, ever composed, was momentarily speechless at the sight.
"Hey, it's Kaeya! Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius!"
Someone in the crowd called out excitedly.
"Captain Kaeya, what happened at the summit?"
"Yeah, what caused the explosion?"
"Is the Knights of Favonius behind this?"
The questions came rapid-fire from all directions. Kaeya, however, didn't answer immediately. His eyes first found Diluc, standing silently at the edge of the crowd.
Diluc's expression was unreadable—calm and cold, making it clear he wasn't in the mood to talk.
Kaeya cleared his throat and raised his voice. "I understand everyone's curious. The explosion earlier was the result of an experiment conducted by the Knights. I'm afraid the specifics are confidential."
As the Cavalry Captain and an official representative of the Knights—and someone clearly connected to the event—it was his duty to explain at least this much.
His identity gave him credibility.
As for the actual details? He didn't need to disclose them.
Sure enough, the Mondstadt adventurers didn't question him further.
But curiosity is human nature—especially for those like Wenyuan, a Liyue intelligence officer with a vested interest in the truth.
"Can we go up to the summit?" Wenyuan asked from within the crowd.
Others quickly joined in. "Yeah! Is there a path up now?"
The one who spoke next didn't seem to be from Mondstadt or Liyue at all—but from distant Snezhnaya. They were dressed like a local adventurer, blending in with the crowd.
"Climbing up is possible," Kaeya said with his usual lazy smile, "but the path is treacherous and the cold is intense. Anyone who tries to push through might be risking their lives."
He made no mention of where the actual route was. Which meant, if they really wanted to go up, they'd have to find the way themselves.
The crowd slowly began to disperse—some going back to report the news, others wandering off to try and find a way up the mountain. In the end, only two people remained:
—Diluc, heir of Mondstadt's greatest winery, Dawn Winery.
—Rosaria, the nun from the Church of Favonius.
The Church was a subsidiary of the Knights, and as a member of that church, Rosaria naturally knew both Kaeya and Diluc.
Even dressed in thick outerwear, Rosaria's graceful figure was impossible to conceal.
Her skin had a strange pallor to it—a side effect of living a nocturnal life, rarely exposed to sunlight.
She wore the standard nun's headdress, though hers had been modified—less solemn, more practical and stylish.
Dark shadows hung under her eyes, clear signs of countless sleepless nights.
She twirled a small dagger in her fingers, silently watching Kaeya.
"Well? Care to explain what really happened?" Her voice was low and cool. "I wasn't aware the Knights had any official clearance for experiments on Dragonspine."
"But Albedo—he's been conducting experiments here for ages, hasn't he? I actually came looking for him, but I couldn't find a trace…"