Shao Yun was surrounded by Amber, Noelle, and Lisa, all of whom were expressing their amazement and curiosity over how he managed to terrify the thief "Stormterror Bandit" into madness.
"There's no need to dig so deep into it," Shao Yun waved his hand impatiently. "I brought him back from Springvale without resting at all."
Amber stared at Shao Yun's calm face, feeling as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. Her words tumbled out rapidly, disbelief laced in her tone.
"How could I possibly stay calm? That was the Stormterror Bandit! The Knights have spent years chasing him, pouring in time and resources!"
"I only mentioned him to you this morning, and in just a few minutes, you had him tied up and brought back!"
Few minutes? Amber, that's a bit much.
Lisa, on the other hand, was intrigued. The Stormterror Bandit had quite the reputation—clearly not some small-time crook. How did he fall to Shao Yun?
"Tell us the story. I'll trade it for afternoon tea."
Not waiting for Shao Yun's reply, Lisa had already gone off to prepare.
"I'm in!" Amber and Noelle said in unison and followed her.
The trio divided the work efficiently. Amber set the table and laid out the tea set. Noelle sliced and plated the freshly baked muffins. Lisa used her special little stove to heat water and brew the tea.
Once everything was ready, the three looked at Shao Yun expectantly.
"This is... fine, I'll talk." Seeing their effort, he couldn't refuse, especially not with tea on the line.
Lisa, smiling, nudged him to sit down, poured him tea, and waited patiently for the tale.
Shao Yun took a sip to wet his throat, gestured for them to sit, and began his story.
"Alright, for the sake of tea, I'll spill."
He started from meeting Lumine and Amber, accepting the commission, tracking elemental traces on horseback to Springvale, rescuing the man surrounded by hilichurls, defeating the Treasure Hoarders, and finally lassoing the Stormterror Bandit.
When he got to the part about the return journey with the bandit, his storytelling became more animated as he snacked.
"I was thinking about what to buy Paimon for dinner when that guy in the back just wouldn't shut up."
He put his hands on his hips, adopting an exasperated look.
"So, every time he shouted, I punched him." He threw a mock punch in the air, and just from the motion, the three could feel the impact.
"Eventually, I got bored. So, every breath he took, I gave him a hit."
He clapped his hands dramatically. "That's how he was tamed."
The three women were stunned speechless, staring at Shao Yun in disbelief.
Lisa, mid-pour, didn't even notice the tea overflowing.
"Hey, hey! The tea's spilling, Lisa!"
Only then did Lisa snap out of it and hurriedly wipe up the mess.
Seeing their reactions, Shao Yun opened his arms. "In my hands, even a statue would sing its secrets."
"Besides, they needed him alive and able to talk. I saved the Knights the trouble of interrogation."
That's what you call ultimate memory restoration therapy.
Lisa, Amber, and Noelle exchanged awkward glances, all forcing a smile. It... kind of made sense.
With that story wrapped up, it was time to address another matter.
Noelle, scratching her head with a confused look, asked, "By the way, was that really the guy who stole the Holy Lyre?"
Shao Yun gently shook his head. "No idea," he said, biting into a muffin.
Noelle blinked, unsure if she heard right.
"No idea? But didn't you confirm it was him?"
Shao Yun swallowed and explained, "All I said was: this guy stole something from the Favonius Cathedral and I caught him. Someone else decided that meant he stole the Holy Lyre."
Only a handful of people knew the truth about the Lyre: Jean, Diluc, Venti, Lumine, Paimon, and himself.
The trio stared at him, their faces deadpan with embarrassment. They really thought he'd caught the one responsible for the Holy Lyre.
"What's with those disappointed faces? Catching the Stormterror Bandit still helped the Knights."
Lisa quickly waved off the concern with a cheerful smile.
"Oh, no, no disappointment at all. You're our big hero. Here, have some more tea."
…
Once the story ended, afternoon tea was winding down. Noelle picked up her skirt and bowed politely.
"Thank you for the tea, Miss Lisa. I have things to do, so I'll be leaving now."
Seeing Noelle leave, Amber set down her teacup. "I should go too—still plenty of tasks at the Knights."
Just as she turned to leave, Shao Yun called out, "Amber, do you know where Lumine and Paimon are?"
Amber tapped her chin, thinking. "I remember Lumine left after finishing her flight test. Didn't say where. Probably won't see her again until tonight at my place."
"Thanks."
Well, now he was idle again.
With nothing to do, he helped Lisa clean up.
"Lisa, mind if I hang out here a while?"
"The library's always open to visitors. Feel free to grab any book—but don't damage them."
Shao Yun casually picked out a book and settled into a corner to kill time.
Mondstadt books mostly consisted of poetry. After a while, he nearly started singing the verses out loud.
Feeling a little stifled, he realized reading just wasn't for him. He put the book back and went out for some air.
Outside, he saw a blonde girl in a white nun's robe with twin ponytails standing nervously at the door to Jean's office, unsure whether to knock.
Approaching her from behind, he asked, "Hey, you looking for Acting Grand Master Jean?"
The girl, lost in thought, jumped at his voice, heart nearly leaping from her chest. She turned, startled, but upon seeing who it was, her expression softened. She took a deep breath to calm herself and smiled.
"Hello."
Shao Yun recognized her immediately. Isn't this Barbara, the deaconess of the Church of Favonius? What's she doing here?
Seeing her slightly anxious expression, he tried to ease the tension.
"Relax, I'm not a bad guy. It's just… you've been standing here forever."
Barbara pointed at Jean's office and replied nervously, "Ahaha, I'm here to see my sis—uh, I mean, Acting Grand Master Jean. I've got something to discuss."
Shao Yun scratched his head. She's this nervous about seeing her sister? It's not like they're estranged.
"Gotcha. Why not just walk in and talk to her?"
Barbara hesitated a moment and sighed. "So, you heard that, huh…"
"Let's skip the titles then. Oh—name's Shao Yun, by the way."
No need to use a fake name. Barbara wasn't an enemy.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Shao Yun. I'm Barbara, deaconess of the Church of Favonius." She bowed politely, then explained why she was there.
"I heard someone caught the thief who stole the Holy Lyre."
Shao Yun's face twisted in disbelief. The rumor's already reached the Church?
"Huh? The news spread that fast?" His voice was filled with disbelief.
Barbara nodded earnestly. "The Holy Lyre was once played by Lord Barbatos himself—it's incredibly sacred. As soon as I heard, I rushed over. I wanted to make sure it's safe."
She sighed and looked at Jean's office door, then expressed her hesitation.
"But I heard from the knights that Acting Grand Master Jean is really busy. I don't know if I should interrupt."
So that's it. Not sisterly awkwardness—just being considerate.
"No need to disturb her. You can ask me—I'm the one who caught the Stormterror Bandit."
Barbara's eyes immediately lit up. She stepped closer, eager.
"Then the Holy Lyre—is it safe?"
Shao Yun scratched his head awkwardly. "He didn't steal the Lyre…"
(Barbara, visibly disappointed) "Oh… I see."
"But…" Shao Yun pulled the stolen artifact jar from his bag and handed it over. "He did steal this. So, it's not a total waste."
Barbara looked at the jar in her hands, her expression complicated. Just as Shao Yun said—at least she didn't come back empty-handed.
"Thank you, Mr. Shao Yun."
She turned to leave, but Shao Yun, worried she might mention his name, kindly added:
"Just say the Knights gave it to you. Please don't mention my name."
"Huh?"
Doing good without leaving a name—either a noble act or someone who shouldn't be known.
Barbara wasn't in the mood to speculate. She nodded in agreement.
"Alright."
Shao Yun watched her go, then called out one last reminder:
"Be careful on your way back!"
"Oh, okay. Thank you."