"Welcome to Mondstadt, travelers carried here by the wind," Jean greeted them with a dignified tone. "I am Jean, Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius. And this is Lisa, our head librarian."
Standing before Su Mo, Jean immediately introduced herself with a professional and steady composure. Despite being a woman, there was nothing delicate about her presence — she exuded a calm strength that made people instinctively respect her. Lisa, dressed in her signature witch-like attire, greeted Su Mo and Lumine with a friendly smile, clearly intrigued by the pair who had frozen Stormterror.
Kaeya proceeded to briefly recount the events leading up to this moment, allowing both sides to exchange enough information to establish a basic understanding of one another.
After introductions, Jean carefully broached a request. "I would like to ask if you would be willing to entrust the matter of Stormterror to the Knights of Favonius," she said, slightly apprehensive. "I do not wish to lay claim to the spoils of adventurers, but Dvalin — I mean, Stormterror — was once one of Mondstadt's Four Winds. Now that it no longer threatens Mondstadt, I hope you would allow us to investigate further before any harm comes to it."
Jean knew full well of Dvalin's identity. Though the dragon had once fallen under the influence of Durin's corruption, it was still the East Wind who had once protected Mondstadt. She deeply respected the creature and did not wish to see it senselessly slain. By rights, the spoils of such a hunt would belong to the adventurers who subdued it, but Dvalin was no ordinary beast. Jean hoped Su Mo and Lumine would show restraint until the situation could be fully investigated.
Upon hearing Jean's request, Su Mo exchanged a glance with Venti and saw the bard's eyes twinkling with delight — clearly, the Anemo Archon himself was very pleased with Jean's decision.
"To tell you the truth, Acting Grand Master," Venti swayed lazily as he spoke, "we never intended to harm Dvalin. That's exactly why my friend Su Mo chose to freeze him rather than finish him off. Otherwise…" Venti patted his chest with exaggerated pride. "My friend here could have taken down Dvalin with a single blow!"
"Take down Dvalin in one strike…" Jean couldn't help but glance toward Su Mo and Lumine. With her own strength, as long as the dragon didn't take to the skies, she might have a chance — but defeating such a creature in one attack sounded almost mythical. Even the Anemo Archon himself might struggle to accomplish such a feat. Yet after witnessing how Dvalin had been frozen in an instant earlier, Jean couldn't entirely dismiss the possibility. She lowered her head slightly in sincere gratitude.
"Thank you all for your understanding!" Jean said sincerely. "But I do have a question—why are you all so intent on protecting Stormterror?"
As a native of Mondstadt, it made sense for Jean to feel conflicted about harming a being who once protected the city. But Su Mo and Lumine were clearly not locals. Their decision to spare Stormterror puzzled her.
Hearing the question, Su Mo turned his gaze to Venti. "Your turn," he prompted.
Venti didn't dodge the responsibility this time. With a theatrical flourish, he stepped forward.
"Naturally, it was I, the great bard, who moved the hearts of this brave warrior and Her Highness the Princess. I recited the poetic tales of Stormterror's past glory and, touched by my words, they chose not to harm him but to seal him in ice instead."
Venti puffed out his chest with pride, clearly enjoying the spotlight. Unfortunately for him, Paimon was having none of it.
"That's not true at all!" she called out, arms crossed in irritation. "We trusted you only because you could talk to the dragon!"
That statement made several members of the Knights of Favonius stiffen.
"You could talk to the dragon?" Jean asked, visibly surprised.
Lisa gave Venti a curious look. He responded with a relaxed shrug. "Of course! I'm the world's greatest bard, after all. Speaking with dragons isn't such a strange thing for someone like me, is it?"
Amber, ever straightforward, couldn't hold back. "No, it is strange! The dragon is huge and terrifying! Just having the guts to talk to him is impressive."
Jean nodded thoughtfully. "Stormterror has been incredibly volatile lately. If you really were able to converse with him, that's no small feat."
Initially, they hadn't paid much attention to the bard who seemed to have done the least in battle. But now, understanding that Venti had the rare ability to communicate with Stormterror, they realized why Su Mo would want him on the team.
Kaeya narrowed his eyes. "May I ask what exactly was said between you and Stormterror?"
"Sure thing!" Venti replied breezily, showing no intention of hiding anything. "After speaking with him, I realized that Stormterror holds deep resentment toward Mondstadt."
That revelation made Jean and Lisa tense. The eastern wind dragon, once a protector of the city, harboring hatred toward it—it was hard to accept. They began to reflect. Perhaps it was because the city had grown too peaceful over the years, and the temples once dedicated to the Four Winds had been abandoned. If Stormterror had awakened to find himself forgotten, resentment would be a natural reaction.
The weight of guilt hung in the air.
But Venti had already anticipated that response. With a lighthearted tone, he continued, "What I found, though, is that this hatred didn't come from within him naturally—it was the result of corruption. Most likely, he's still suffering from wounds inflicted by Durin, the poisonous dragon. And more than that, there's evidence that someone manipulated him, whispering poison into his mind and turning him against Mondstadt."
A wave of relief washed over the Knights. If Stormterror's hatred was the result of outside interference, it meant they hadn't been entirely at fault. The shame was still there, but now they had an enemy to direct their strength against.
Jean's eyes lit up with understanding. "So you froze him—not to kill him, but—"
"To find the wound, exactly!" Venti cut in with a nod, then promptly hopped onto Stormterror's neck.
"And I've already found it!" he announced. "Take a look—this red spike here, that must be the source. A remnant of Durin's poison, still lodged in his body. That's probably what's been affecting him all this time!"
The crimson thorn jutted ominously from Stormterror's neck, pulsing with a dark energy that made everyone uneasy.
Jean stared at it, her expression turning grave. "If that's truly the root of his suffering… then maybe—just maybe—we can purify the wound and restore him to who he once was."
"I think so too!" Venti chirped in agreement.
Seeing that no one objected, Jean turned to Amber without hesitation. "Amber, hurry to the Cathedral and bring Barbara here. We'll need the Prayer Priestess. Her healing magic might be able to help purify the wound."
"Yes, Acting Grand Master!" Amber replied and took off at full speed toward the cathedral.
Venti swung his legs lazily as he sat atop the frozen dragon. "To be honest, I don't think Barbara's healing will be enough to deal with the poison… but it's true that Stormterror needs all the help he can get right now."
He knew better than anyone that Durin's venom wasn't so easily cleansed. Even for him, a god in disguise, it was a difficult task. But at the very least, a bit of healing would buy them time and keep Stormterror stable.
Meanwhile, Su Mo's eyes lit up with interest. "Barbara, huh… The Living Purification Saint herself. She was adorable in the game. I wonder what she'll be like in person."
But before they could dwell any further on Barbara's arrival, sharp clicking sounds of heels on stone echoed through the air.
Clack. Clack. Clack.
A sudden chill swept through the atmosphere. Even the faint buzzing of insects seemed to fade beneath the oppressive air.
From the far side of the plaza, a group of individuals in distinctly foreign attire marched forward. Their presence was sharp, like a blade cutting through the Knights' perimeter without resistance.
They were heading straight for the frozen Stormterror.
"The Fatui?" Jean's voice hardened as she saw the woman at the head of the group.
There was no mistaking her.
The Eighth of the Fatui's Eleven Harbingers—La Signora, the "Fair Lady."
Her high heels struck the cobblestone with purpose as she walked forward, her elegant figure radiating cold hostility. Her eyes swept across the scene, pausing only briefly on the massive ice-sealed dragon.
"Impressive," she said, her voice laced with honeyed menace. "Mondstadt truly is full of surprises. Even Stormterror has been brought low."
Her lips curled into a sharper, more dangerous smile.
"Congratulations to the Knights of Favonius for finally resolving the dragon crisis," La Signora said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Though we weren't able to help, we still offer our blessings."
So far, her words remained within the bounds of diplomacy. The gathered crowd found them tolerable.
But what came next made Jean's expression darken instantly.
"As allies, we of the Fatui won't ask for too much," she continued, her tone turning casual—too casual. "We're willing to pay a fair amount of Mora to purchase Stormterror's heart and claws. So, what do you think of this proposal?"
With that, the true intention was revealed—to butcher Stormterror and claim his remains.