Kaeya — a four-star sword wielder, was Mondstadt's vigilant protector and trusted deputy to the Acting Grand Master. His standing in the city was quite significant. Understandably, he regarded Lumine, who had battled Stormterror, and Su Mo, who had frozen the dragon, with a cautious eye. After all, their power was nothing short of overwhelming, making trust difficult without prior contact. Yet his caution carried no malice. Freezing Stormterror had ultimately saved Mondstadt, and Kaeya felt genuine gratitude. Addressing them as heroes was his way of formally recognizing their deeds.
Su Mo, however, paid little attention to Kaeya's formalities. Upon seeing him, he immediately voiced a question that had long occupied his mind. "You say you're the Cavalry Captain…" Su Mo paused, raising an eyebrow, "…but where's your horse?"
The question wasn't meant as an insult. Su Mo was genuinely curious — why would a cavalry captain be without his steed? Caught slightly off guard, Kaeya blinked for a moment. Not many had ever asked him that. Spreading his hands with a small chuckle, he explained, "Within the city of Mondstadt, riding is prohibited unless absolutely necessary. Acting Grand Master Jean's rule." He did, in fact, own a horse — he just wasn't riding it.
"But isn't now an important time?" Paimon asked curiously. After all, with Stormterror attacking Mondstadt, what could be more urgent?
Kaeya cast a curious glance at the floating, talkative Paimon, answering patiently, "It certainly is a critical situation. But amidst Stormterror's chaos, horses would be of little use and would likely be placed in harm's way. For their safety, all mounts have been secured indoors." As any knight knew, horses were precious and essential companions — it was better to protect them when they could serve no purpose in the field.
Having finished explaining, Kaeya seemed eager to move away from the odd topic of horse logistics. Turning his gaze back to the group, he asked politely, "May I have your names?"
Paimon opened her mouth to introduce everyone, but before she could speak, a new figure descended from the sky using a glider — a fiery red-haired girl brimming with warmth and energy. It wasn't Klee, the demolition expert, but rather the Outrider herself — Amber, the Torchbearer.
Seeing her, Kaeya clapped his hands and immediately activated his trademark teasing tone. "I have to admire your courage, gliding through unstable winds while the storm still hasn't fully cleared." Gliding with a Wind Glider in such volatile winds was incredibly risky. Although Stormterror had been subdued, the turbulent Anemo currents hadn't fully dissipated. Amber's stunt was dangerous.
"Hehe!" Amber simply took the words as praise, flashing her usual bright smile. "With Stormterror frozen, this little breeze is nothing! No need to worry about me, Captain Kaeya!"
After exchanging greetings, Amber shifted her gaze to Su Mo and Lumine. "You— you're the ones I met during reconnaissance yesterday!" Paimon immediately recognized her as well, noting the signature bunny ear hair ornament. "You're that scout knight!" Paimon shouted excitedly.
Amber likewise remembered their first meeting. "And you're the emergency food… and the cup!" she added playfully, referencing their introduction from before.
Paimon stomped her feet mid-air in frustration. "I am not emergency food! And I'm not a cup either!" she protested.
Watching their lively banter, Kaeya grew slightly curious. He turned to Amber and asked, "Looks like you know each other?"
"Mm-hmm! We ran into each other during yesterday's patrol." Amber nodded cheerfully. "They were clearing out a Hilichurl camp nearby…" Ever candid, Amber quickly explained their encounter without reservation.
After Amber's recount, Su Mo and his companions took the opportunity to formally introduce themselves. Now understanding who they were, Kaeya gave a slight bow to Su Mo. "Mr. Su Mo, thank you for coming to Mondstadt's aid." Su Mo accepted the gesture graciously.
Kaeya then turned to Lumine, his expression softening slightly. "Traveler… I understand well the pain of being separated from one's blood relatives." His voice carried a trace of heaviness, likely recalling his own complicated origins. "I don't know why you seek the Anemo Archon, but everyone has their own secrets. Rest assured, we will do everything we can to assist you."
Lumine's face lit up with joy. This was exactly one of the outcomes Su Mo had planned for her. "Thank you!" she responded happily.
"There's no need to thank me — it's our duty." Kaeya smiled warmly. Then, his gaze shifted toward Venti. The ever-smooth Kaeya, for once, found himself momentarily at a loss for words.
"What's wrong? Thinking about how to thank me?" Venti teased lightly as he leapt down from atop Dvalin's frozen head, landing gracefully beside them. Flashing a carefree grin, he added, "If you want to thank me, it's simple — just bring me a bottle… no, a barrel of dandelion wine, and I'll be satisfied!"
The ever-greedy bard had originally intended to ask for just a bottle but couldn't resist upping his request mid-sentence.
Upon second thought, Venti immediately changed his request to a whole barrel. His old habit of extortion had kicked in. Then again, compared to the monumental feat of saving Mondstadt from Stormterror, a barrel of dandelion wine hardly seemed like an extravagant reward. However, Kaeya hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "Actually, what I was just wondering was… this bard named Venti…" He paused and glanced at him with some suspicion. "Did you actually help at all?"
No matter how he recalled the previous events or what Su Mo and Lumine had mentioned, Kaeya couldn't remember Venti contributing to the battle. Even if thanks were to be given, it didn't quite feel like Venti had earned them. Venti was momentarily dumbfounded — Kaeya clearly wasn't playing by the usual script. He had properly thanked Su Mo and Lumine, but when it came to him, suddenly the standard of gratitude changed. Was this man always so unpredictable?
But of course, an old fox like Venti wouldn't be flustered by such a question. With a sly smile, he quickly countered, "While I may not have directly fought Stormterror, I am still a companion to both Su Mo and the Traveler! Since ancient times, when a hero slays a dragon, while the hero certainly receives the highest praise, the hero's companions are also treated with due respect, aren't they?" He blinked playfully, his expression clearly saying: I won't stop bothering you until you agree.
"Well, that… does make sense," Kaeya admitted after a moment of thought. Seeing that neither Su Mo nor Lumine denied Venti's claim of being part of their team, Kaeya nodded, acknowledging Venti as one of the dragon-slaying companions.
With the conversation with the trio concluded, Kaeya straightened his posture. "The Knights of Favonius will not be late in offering their thanks. However, the matter of Stormterror's current state is extremely important. Acting Grand Master Jean is already on her way here to address it personally."
Unlike the original version of events where Stormterror was merely driven away, this time the dragon had been fully frozen in the heart of Mondstadt's plaza. Naturally, such a major event couldn't possibly be handled from the office — Jean had rushed over as soon as she received the news.
Su Mo, Lumine, and Venti all had no objections. After all, they were in Mondstadt, and Stormterror — or rather, Dvalin — was one of the Four Winds who guarded this city. How to deal with him was a matter best entrusted to the Knights of Favonius. However, floating nearby, Paimon couldn't help but protest.
"Wait a second, Mr. Eyepatch!" she huffed, crossing her arms and glaring at Kaeya. "Why did you thank even the bard but completely forget me?! I'm part of Su Mo's team too! I deserve the same treatment as a dragon-slaying companion!"
Seeing Paimon's earnest demand, Su Mo and Lumine exchanged amused glances. This was just like Paimon — very particular when it came to her share of recognition. Kaeya couldn't help but chuckle. "My apologies! How could I have overlooked you, Miss Emergency Food!" he said, deliberately ignoring her angry protests at the nickname.
With a tone one might use to coax a child, Kaeya suggested, "As a token of gratitude, how about a portion of Sticky Honey Roast?"
"Sticky Honey Roast?" The moment she heard the name, Paimon immediately recalled the delicious meal they'd had the other night. She couldn't help but drool a little. "That's tasty! Alright, Paimon will take that as her reward!" Whether this made her shrewd or simply easy to please was anyone's guess, but a serving of Sticky Honey Roast was enough to satisfy her entirely.
Just as Paimon's mood finally brightened, the Knights of Favonius arrived in formation. At their center walked a woman with golden hair tied in a ponytail, radiating grace and authority as she approached Kaeya and the others.
"This is our Acting Grand Master," Kaeya introduced. "We usually call her Master Jean."