The Teyvat Second Creation broadcast room glowed with its ethereal light, a virtual haven where the continent's denizens gathered to witness the latest spectacle. The video had just concluded, leaving the audience in stitches with its absurd humor and Klee's unfiltered chaos. The title, "The Trouble of the Piano Leader," had promised mischief, and it delivered in spades, painting Jean as a beleaguered leader and Klee as a pint-sized agent of destruction. The chat buzzed with reactions, a mix of laughter, sympathy, and playful jabs as the five-minute timer for the broadcast room's closure ticked down.
Jean: "I… I'm so embarrassed," she typed, her words heavy with mortification. The image of her being blasted out of her office, scorched and dazed, replayed in her mind, a stark contrast to the composed leader she strove to be.
Lisa: "@Jean, don't cry, darling—it's just a spoof, nothing to take seriously," she soothed, her tone warm and teasing.
Yoimiya: "This kid's gunpowder skills are a bit dangerous, don't you think?" she noted, her fireworks expertise giving her a unique perspective on Klee's bombs.
Klee: "Oh no, oh no—the bomb hurt someone! I have to go to the confinement room right now!" she exclaimed, her tiny voice trembling with guilt.
Kaeya: "It's alright, Klee—it's not a real bomb that hurt anyone, just a story, like in a book," he reassured, his tone gentle despite his usual mischief.
Arataki Itto: "Hahaha, this kid's got talent! She should join the Arataki Gang—she'd do great things!" he declared, his enthusiasm undimmed by his current predicament in Inazuma's prison.
Yanfei: "Please, you're always locked up by the Tenryou Commission—you'd only teach her bad habits," she retorted, her legal mind quick to point out the flaws in Itto's suggestion.
Keqing: "Exactly—children are impressionable, and we can't let unreliable people lead them astray," she agreed, her protective instincts kicking in.
Kujou Sara: "This child… she'd better not come to Inazuma. I can feel my wings aching again," she muttered, her stern demeanor hiding a flicker of unease.
Yae Miko: "And I feel a pain in my tail just thinking about it," she added, her playful tone masking a genuine wariness of Klee's explosive tendencies.
The video had shifted back to the Knights of Favonius headquarters in Mondstadt, the scene a mix of comedy and chaos. The large hole in the wall, a result of Klee's bomb, had been hastily covered with wooden planks, the splintered edges a stark reminder of the explosion. The office, once a bastion of order, was in disarray—papers scattered across the floor, a shattered teacup leaking onto a map of Mondstadt, and the faint smell of gunpowder lingering in the air. Jean had replaced her charred chair with a new one, its wood polished but lacking the history of the one Klee had destroyed. She sat behind her desk, her blonde hair still slightly singed, her blue cape draped over her shoulders as she tried to regain her composure.
Klee stood before her, her red hat tilted to one side, her large eyes wide with a mix of confusion and earnestness. Her tiny hands fidgeted with the straps of her backpack, Jumpty Dumpty peeking out with its googly eyes. The little girl's innocence was undeniable, but so was her knack for trouble—a combination that had left Jean both exasperated and fond.
"Klee, what is it you did this time? I really don't think you've done anything else wrong, have you?" Klee asked, her voice a soft chirp as she rocked on her heels.
Jean sighed, rubbing her temples as she tried to focus. "I just wanted to talk to you about the importance of studying, but I didn't expect you to have caused so many problems," she said, her tone a mix of frustration and resignation.
Klee tilted her head, her hat bobbing with the motion. "Studying? Klee has been studying really hard!" she insisted, her voice brimming with sincerity.
Jean raised an eyebrow, pulling a piece of parchment from the pile on her desk. "Then explain to me why you got a zero on this exam," she said, her voice firm as she held up the test paper, its red ink stark against the white.
Klee blinked, her brow furrowing as she thought. "Klee doesn't know… Klee answered everything right!" she protested, her tone confident despite the evidence.
Jean's patience was wearing thin, but she forced herself to remain calm. "Alright, if you're so sure, let's go over it. Here's a math problem: Xiao Ming has 323 rock candies, 289 marshmallows, and 134 lollipops in his pocket. Today, he ate 289 rock candies, 124 marshmallows, and 98 lollipops. What does Xiao Ming have now?" she asked, her voice steady as she waited for Klee's response.
Klee's eyes lit up, her tiny hand shooting into the air as if she were in class. "Answer: He has diabetes!" she declared, her tone triumphant.
Jean's jaw dropped, her composure shattering. "Klee, this is a math problem!" she exclaimed, her voice rising with disbelief. She buried her face in her hands, a groan escaping her lips. "Fine, let's forget math for now. What about this language question? Here are the words: 'principal,' 'grandpa,' 'I,' 'danced,' 'peacock dance,' 'here.' Arrange and combine them into a sentence. How did you write it?"
Klee clapped her hands, her excitement undimmed. "The principal's grandpa danced the peacock dance for me here!" she announced, her smile wide.
Jean's eye twitched, her hands gripping the edge of the desk. "What is your identity in that sentence, Klee?" she asked, her tone dangerously calm.
Klee tilted her head, her hat slipping further to the side. "Huh? Then… could it be… the principal danced the peacock dance for my grandpa here?" she tried, her voice uncertain.
Jean's patience snapped, her voice rising to a shout. "Klee!" she exclaimed, her frustration boiling over.
Klee's eyes widened, her mind racing for another answer. "Isn't that right either? Then… the principal gave me a peacock dance for grandpa here?" she ventured, her tone hopeful.
Jean collapsed back into her chair, her hands covering her face as she let out a long, defeated sigh. "Klee, go to the confinement room—now!" she ordered, her voice a mix of exhaustion and exasperation.
The video ended with the sound of the confinement room door slamming shut, Klee's tiny footsteps echoing as she trudged inside. The broadcast system announced the rewards: "Video protagonist Jean receives a box of oral liquid for soothing nerves and aiding sleep. Video protagonist Klee receives 'Detailed Explanation of All Subjects in the First Grade of Primary School.' The live broadcast room will close in five minutes…"
The audience's reactions flooded the chat, their laughter a testament to the video's success. Yae Miko: "What a little genius—answering a math problem with diabetes!" she teased, her tone dripping with amusement.
Baizhu: "Eating that much sugar in a day? It'd be strange if he didn't get diabetes," he noted, his medical expertise adding a layer of realism to the joke.
Beidou: "This kid is adorable! I need to visit Mondstadt someday and see her for myself," she declared, her adventurous spirit piqued.
Xingqiu: "Her thought process… I can't stop laughing—my stomach hurts!" he typed, his scholarly composure undone by Klee's antics.
Kamisato Ayato: "The principal's grandpa danced the peacock dance for me, the principal danced the peacock dance for my grandpa, the principal gave me a peacock dance for grandpa—just to avoid the right answer," he summarized, his tone a mix of amusement and disbelief.
Paimon: "Poor Captain Jean in the video—she's about to lose it, hahaha!" she giggled, her laughter unrestrained.
Ying: "Paimon, don't laugh so openly in the live broadcast room," she chided, her tone gentle but firm.
Jean: "It's fine… let it all fall apart," she typed, her despair palpable.
Venti: "Cheer up, Jean—don't let a fake story get to you, even if it is hilarious," he encouraged, his playful tone a double-edged sword.
Eula: "@Venti, you're a bard—can't you be more reliable?" she snapped, her patience thin.
Venti: "Hehe!" he replied, his carefree attitude unshaken.
As the broadcast room closed, Mondstadt was far from peaceful. The city, still reeling from the Ruin Hunter's attack, faced a new threat on the horizon. The Abyss Order, undeterred by their recent failures, had unleashed a horde of Mitachurls from the depths of Stormbearer Mountains. The creatures, towering brutes wielding flaming axes, marched toward the city under the cover of night, their roars echoing through the plains. The Abyss Mages, though captured, had left behind a network of dark magic, a failsafe to ensure Mondstadt's continued torment.
The alarm horns blared once more, their sound cutting through the quiet night. Jean, who had just returned to the headquarters after the Ruin Hunter battle, sprang into action, her exhaustion forgotten in the face of duty. "Knights, to the walls!" she shouted, her voice carrying through the halls as she grabbed her sword. Her Anemo Vision glowed at her waist, a beacon of hope amidst the chaos.
Klee, who had been released from the confinement room after a brief timeout, heard the horns and perked up. "More bad guys? Klee can help!" she declared, grabbing her backpack and pulling out a fresh bomb. She raced out of the headquarters, her tiny form a blur of red as she headed for the gates.
Jean caught sight of her and groaned, her heart sinking. "Klee, not again!" she called, chasing after the little girl. She reached her just as they arrived at the city walls, where the knights were already engaging the Mitachurls. The creatures' flaming axes swung through the air, their Pyro energy scorching the ground as the knights fought to hold the line.
Xander, who had been resting at the Windblume Inn, heard the commotion and rushed to the scene. The Mitachurls were a formidable force, their massive frames towering over the knights. One of them charged at the gates, its axe raised to deliver a crushing blow. Xander teleported in front of it, the Shadowfang Blade glowing with spatial energy. "Not on my watch," he muttered, slashing with a dimensional strike. The attack cut through the Mitachurl's armor, sending it staggering back with a roar.
Jean arrived, her Anemo powers swirling as she summoned a gust of wind to push the Mitachurls away from the gates. "Klee, stay behind me!" she ordered, her voice firm as she positioned herself between the girl and the battle.
Klee pouted, her bomb clutched tightly in her hands. "But Klee wants to help Captain Jean!" she protested, her eyes shining with determination.
Jean knelt beside her, her expression softening despite the chaos. "I know you do, Klee, and I'm so proud of your bravery," she said, her voice gentle. "But you're still learning, and I need to keep you safe. Can you help by staying here and cheering for the knights?"
Klee's lip trembled, but she nodded, her hat bobbing with the motion. "Okay, Captain Jean—Klee will cheer really loud!" she promised, her smile returning as she began to clap her hands. "Go, knights, go! Beat the bad guys!"
Jean smiled, her heart warmed by Klee's enthusiasm. She turned back to the battle, her Anemo Vision glowing as she joined the fight. Xander's dimensional slashes carved through the Mitachurls' defenses, while Eula's Cryo attacks slowed their movements. Amber's Pyro arrows ignited their wooden shields, and Kaeya's strategic strikes kept them off balance. Jean's wind lifted the Mitachurls into the air, leaving them vulnerable to a coordinated assault.
As the last Mitachurl fell, its body collapsing in a heap of ash and flame, the knights let out a cheer. Mondstadt had survived another assault, but the night had left its mark on Jean. She stood amidst the wreckage of the battlefield, her breath heavy as she looked at Klee, who was still cheering with all her might. The second creation video had painted her as a leader overwhelmed by Klee's antics, but the reality was far more nuanced. Jean was a woman of duty, her heart torn between protecting her city and nurturing the child she'd come to see as family.
Xander approached, sheathing his blade as he offered a nod. "She's got a spark that could light up all of Teyvat," he said, glancing at Klee.
Jean nodded, her exhaustion tempered by a quiet pride. "She does. And I'll make sure that spark grows into a flame of justice," 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 weathered another storm, but the Abyss Order's shadow loomed ever larger, a threat that would test Jean's leadership—and Klee's boundless energy—in the days to come.
***
Support me on Patreon to read 50+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Nocturnal_Breeze