The Teyvat Second Creation broadcast room buzzed with energy, its virtual space a kaleidoscope of reactions as the video played on. The audience, scattered across the continent, watched with a mix of amusement and shock, their comments flooding the chat in a torrent of laughter and disbelief. The scene unfolding on the big screen was a perfect storm of mischief and mayhem, centered on two of Mondstadt's most beloved figures: Jean, the Acting Grand Master with her long hips and steadfast heart, and Klee, the Spark Knight whose innocence was matched only by her penchant for destruction.
The chat had already lit up with reactions to Klee's earlier antics. Beidou: "Hahaha, what a naughty little girl!" she roared, her laughter echoing through the virtual space.
Keqing: "Well, this is definitely a brat," she remarked, her tone a mix of exasperation and amusement.
Razor: "Red… very hot… girl… trouble," he typed, his words halting but clear in their meaning.
Diona: "Exactly! Throwing a lizard in my drink would make it taste awful!" she exclaimed, her feline ears twitching with indignation.
Xingqiu: "Why would you deliberately ruin the wine's flavor?" he asked, his scholarly curiosity piqued.
Kaeya: "You'd have to ask Diona's father, Mr. Draff, about that," he teased, his smirk practically visible through the text.
Draff: "Ahem… I don't know anything," he replied, his tone evasive as he tried to dodge the accusation.
Barbara: "@Draff, Mr. Draff, please don't drink so much—spend more time with Diona when you can," she urged, her gentle concern shining through.
Xander: "Drinking instead of being with your child? That kind of parent should lose custody and be sent to wash dishes in prison," he quipped, his tone sharp but playful.
Draff: "No need to be so extreme!" he protested, his panic evident.
The video continued, the scene in Jean's office at the Knights of Favonius headquarters growing increasingly chaotic. The office was a blend of order and warmth, its stone walls adorned with maps of Mondstadt and shelves lined with leather-bound tomes. A large window behind Jean's desk let in the midday sun, casting golden light across the room and illuminating the dust motes that danced in the air. Jean's desk was a mess of responsibility—parchment scrolls, a quill still wet with ink, and a half-eaten apple sat beside a stack of reports on recent Abyss Order activity. Her blue cape hung over the back of her chair, the emblem of the Knights glinting in the sunlight.
Klee stood before the desk, her tiny form a bundle of energy in her red outfit. Her hat, slightly too big for her head, tilted to one side, and her backpack—stuffed with bombs and her beloved Jumpty Dumpty—bounced as she shifted her weight. Her large, sparkling eyes were wide with innocence, but the mischief in her smile hinted at the trouble she'd caused.
Klee tilted her head, her voice a soft chirp as she continued her confession. "That's not it? Then… I just blew up a strange old man," she said, her tone as casual as if she were discussing a picnic.
Jean's expression froze, her hands gripping the edge of the desk as she processed the words. "That's not what I—wait, what? The old man you're talking about… it wouldn't be…" she trailed off, her voice trembling with dread.
Klee nodded enthusiastically, her hat bobbing with the motion. "He kept saying weird things I didn't understand—like 'refusing a sick son-in-law,' 'feeling a bit tired,' and 'buying osmanthus flowers with wine,'" she explained, mimicking Zhongli's deep, measured tone with a child's exaggerated flair.
The screen shifted to a memory sequence, the scene unfolding in Liyue Harbor's bustling streets. The harbor was a vibrant tapestry of color and sound, with merchants hawking their wares and the scent of grilled fish mingling with the salty tang of the sea. Red and gold banners fluttered in the breeze, their dragon motifs a symbol of Liyue's prosperity. Zhongli stood near a tea stall, his tall frame clad in his signature brown coat, his amber eyes scanning a scroll of ancient poetry. His calm demeanor was a stark contrast to the chaos about to unfold.
Klee, skipping through the crowd with Jumpty Dumpty in her arms, spotted Zhongli and decided he looked "funny." Without a second thought, she tossed one of her bouncing bombs at his feet. The explosive detonated with a loud BOOM, a burst of Pyro energy engulfing Zhongli in a cloud of smoke and flame. When the dust settled, Zhongli stood unscathed, his coat slightly singed but his expression one of mild annoyance. He dusted off his sleeves, muttering, "Such reckless behavior… a child, perhaps?"
The chat exploded with reactions as the audience recognized the "strange old man." Zhongli: "Pfft, cough—I didn't expect to be involved in this," he typed, his usual composure faltering.
Hu Tao: "Hahaha, Zhongli, you're on camera again—and you're quite bomb-resistant!" she laughed, her playful jab hitting its mark.
Tartaglia: "Mr. Zhongli's been spoofed a second time—I feel a bit better now," he admitted, a smirk in his words.
Jean: "@Klee, bombs can hurt people—you must never do that again!" she scolded, her tone firm.
Klee: "Klee is very good and obedient—I even memorized the Knights' Survival Code!" she replied, her pride evident.
Ganyu: "I'm on camera too?" she typed, her surprise clear.
Madame Ping: "This person… yes, it must be him," she mused, her cryptic words sparking curiosity.
Mandrill: "If Madame Ping says so, this man does resemble…" he trailed off, his suspicion growing.
Thoma: "Is this a riddle? Who is this man that the Acting Grand Master herself needs to explain?" he wondered.
Hu Tao: "How about our guest at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor? Isn't he a big name? @Zhongli, what do you think?" she teased.
Zhongli: "I'm merely a guest at the parlor—these second creation spoofs shouldn't be taken seriously," he replied, his tone carefully neutral.
In Liyue, Zhongli sat at a teahouse overlooking the harbor, a cup of osmanthus tea cooling in his hands. The broadcast had rattled him more than he cared to admit. Madame Ping's recognition, combined with Mandrill's suspicion, meant his carefully guarded secret was at risk. As Morax, the Geo Archon, he had faked his death to retire from his divine duties, entrusting Liyue to its people. But if his identity as Zhongli were exposed, his peaceful retirement would be ruined. He glanced at Hu Tao, who sat across from him, her plum-colored eyes glinting with mischief. She likely suspected his true nature, her playful demeanor a mask for her sharp intuition. "This child… she's more trouble than I anticipated," Zhongli thought, sipping his tea to hide his unease.
Back in the video, Jean's attempts to get to the bottom of Klee's mischief continued. "That's not what I meant either—wait a minute…" she began, her voice rising with each new revelation.
Klee's eyes lit up as another memory struck her. "That's not it either? Then… I just hid a bouncing bomb under your chair!" she announced, her tone brimming with pride.
Jean's face paled, her hands gripping the desk as she processed the words. "That's not what I—wait, what?!" she stammered, her voice a mix of panic and disbelief.
Before she could react, a deafening BOOM echoed through the office. The chair beneath Jean exploded in a ball of flames, the force of the blast sending her flying through the window. The headquarters of the Knights of Favonius shuddered, a gaping hole blown into the side of the building. Debris rained down, chunks of stone and splintered wood scattering across the courtyard below. Jean landed in the open space outside, her body skidding across the grass before coming to a stop. Her once-pristine uniform was scorched black, her blonde hair singed at the ends, and her face smudged with soot. She lay there, dazed, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.
The video took a surreal turn as music began to play, a woman's voice singing a haunting melody. "The flower of hope, link our bond," she sang, her voice ethereal and uplifting. "It's in our hearts right now. So the power to survive will never dissipate. The flower of hope links our bond." The camera panned upward, focusing on Jean's outstretched left hand, her index finger pointing to the sky. "So, don't stop…" the singer concluded, the music swelling to a triumphant crescendo.
The chat erupted in laughter, the absurdity of the scene a perfect blend of chaos and humor. But in Mondstadt, the real world was far less whimsical. As the video ended, a new threat emerged from the shadows of Stormterror's Lair, drawn by the Abyss Order's lingering influence. A Ruin Hunter, its mechanical body gleaming with ancient runes, descended upon the city, its single eye glowing with a menacing red light. The machine had been awakened by the same dark magic that had driven the Qiuqiu siege, its programming set to destroy anything in its path.
The alarm horns blared through Mondstadt, their sound cutting through the night as citizens scrambled for safety. Jean, still recovering from the earlier Lawachurl attack, pulled herself to her feet, her body aching but her resolve unbroken. "Knights, to the gates!" she shouted, her voice hoarse but commanding. She grabbed her sword, her Anemo Vision glowing as she prepared to face the new threat.
Klee, who had been playing with dandelions nearby, looked up at the sound of the horns. "Another bad guy? Klee can help!" she declared, pulling a bomb from her backpack. Before Jean could stop her, she raced toward the gates, her tiny form a blur of red against the cobblestone streets.
Xander, who had been watching the broadcast from his room at the Windblume Inn, heard the commotion and rushed outside. The Ruin Hunter loomed over the city walls, its mechanical arms whirring as it fired a barrage of energy blasts. The knights on duty returned fire, their arrows and spears bouncing off the machine's armor. Jean arrived just as the Ruin Hunter unleashed a spinning attack, its blades slicing through the air with deadly precision.
"Klee, stay back!" Jean shouted, summoning a gust of Anemo energy to push the little girl out of harm's way. The wind caught Klee, sending her tumbling into a pile of hay near the gates. She popped up, unharmed but determined, her bomb still clutched in her hands.
Xander teleported into the fray, the Shadowfang Blade glowing with spatial energy. "I've got this—focus on keeping Klee safe!" he called to Jean, his voice steady. He slashed at the Ruin Hunter, his dimensional strikes cutting through its armor where elemental attacks failed. The machine whirred, its eye locking onto Xander as it unleashed a volley of missiles. He teleported again, the explosions erupting harmlessly behind him as he struck from a new angle.
Jean turned to Klee, her expression a mix of frustration and fear. "Klee, you can't keep running into danger like this," she said, kneeling beside the girl. "I know you want to help, but you're still so young—I need to keep you safe."
Klee's eyes filled with tears, her lip trembling as she clutched Jumpty Dumpty. "But Klee wants to be a good knight like Captain Jean," she sniffled, her voice small but earnest.
Jean's heart softened, her hand resting on Klee's shoulder. "You already are, Klee—you're braver than most knights I know," she said, her voice gentle. "But part of being a knight is knowing when to fight and when to stay safe. Promise me you'll listen next time."
Klee nodded, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "Klee promises," she said, her smile returning as she hugged Jean.
On the battlefield, Xander and the knights worked together to bring down the Ruin Hunter. His spatial slashes weakened its core, while Amber's Pyro arrows heated its metal frame, making it brittle. Eula's Cryo strikes slowed its movements, and Kaeya's strategic attacks kept it off balance. Jean rejoined the fight, her Anemo powers lifting the machine into the air for a final, coordinated assault. With a combined strike, the Ruin Hunter fell, its mechanical body collapsing in a shower of sparks and twisted metal.
The city was safe once more, but the night had left Jean with much to reflect on. She stood amidst the wreckage of the gates, her gaze softening as she watched Klee play with a dandelion puff. The second creation video had painted her as a beleaguered leader, but the reality was far more complex. She was a woman torn between duty and care, her heart stretched thin by the needs of her city and the child she'd sworn to protect.
Xander approached, sheathing his blade as he offered a nod. "She's a handful, but she's got the heart of a true knight," he said, glancing at Klee.
Jean smiled, her exhaustion tempered by a quiet pride. "She does. And I'll do everything I can to guide her," she replied, her voice filled with resolve.
The Shadowfang Blade at Xander's side thrummed, a silent witness to the night's trials. Mondstadt had survived another threat, but the Abyss Order's shadow loomed ever larger, a storm on the horizon that would test Jean's leadership—and Klee's spark—in the days to come.
***
Support me on Patreon to read 50+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Nocturnal_Breeze