Chapter 140: A surprise attack on Mondstadt backfires...

Days passed by.

"Good morning, Your Highness! Would you like a cup of coffee to perk you up?"

Mainkuhn felt his scalp tingle from the call.

[……No. ]

"Your Highness, would you like some fragrant roasted meat rolls?"

[No. ]

"Your Highness, some foreigners were speaking ill of you in the tavern, and I have already fought them off for you!"

"Hey! Even though I didn't fight him, I didn't give that guy a good beating either, so cheer up!"

Don't expect me to say thank you.

Mainkuhn was filled with trepidation and worry, but he couldn't help but add a sentence.

"Don't fight."

"...You will get hurt."

There was no one happier or more tormented than him.

Desia: Hahaha, I can smell his tangled odor even from three zhang away!

Tinari: I know I shouldn't laugh, but last time he tried to scare Professor Nafis, and the way he stumbled and encouraged him when the professor stopped him was really funny...

"Sino: Don't be careless. Although the current situation is stable, the Fools haven't given up spreading rumors. I suspect they have a deeper conspiracy."

"Kavi: The thought that so many hidden dangers still lurk within the Sumeru Realm makes me involuntarily sweat for Mainkun... Elhesen! Is there nothing else I can do besides wait?!"

...

Kavi: Elheisen? Stop playing dead, you're clearly online!

"Kavi: Answer me! Elheisen!!"

Tinari: Wow, you two have a really good relationship.

Tinari: But just waiting around is certainly unsettling, Elheisen. Are we really not going to do anything?

...

Desia: Hahaha! It's obvious! He doesn't give face to anyone!

Seno: What a cold guy. But that's alright. It would be scary if he actually smiled.

Kavi: ? No way, I think it'll look pretty good.

"Sino: No, no, no, I mean..."

"Sino: If Elhesen laughs, it will trigger a tsunami, and Sumeru has no experience in preventing tsunamis, which is truly frightening."

...

Sino: Hey, why isn't anyone talking? Did the connection drop?

Nasita: What a funny joke!

Narcida: Let me think... if I were to use the same method to write a question... why does Seno look kind after taking off his hat and revealing his hair?

Sino: Hmm? The hat had such a big impact on me?

Nasita: No, it's because of "revealing goodness"!

"Sino: Genius! No wonder you're the god of wisdom; you easily came up with a joke I couldn't come up with all night!"

Tinari: Ah… Winter… I’ve gone abroad…

Kavi: Seno...don't...corrupt our gods...

Deshia: (Lights up the Eye of God) (Rubbing hands) The Grass God is so...merciful with the people, it seems there's nothing unusual at Mainkun's place.

Nasita: That's not right.

Nasita: I am not looking at him now because my vision can only encompass Mount Sumeru.

Kavi: ...Wait, what do you mean?! ? ?

Narcissus: Yes, because he couldn't bring himself to do it, he ran away from Sumeru. Sigh, he's clearly just a cat, but he lives like moss, only feeling safe in dark, damp places.

Kavi: Huh???

Desia: Wait, where is he going? Which country is he planning to turn on this time?

"Tinari: Is the international dispute finally coming? Elheisen, Elheisen! Come out quickly, something big has happened!"

Elheisen: Mond, right?

Nasita: Yes, just as we predicted~

"Sino: ...Wait, no, you deliberately forced Mainkuen to leave the country, why?"

"Erhesen: I already said that."

Al-Hysen: He himself will bring together the opportunity for new life.

Nasita: All we can do is wait and help him seize the opportunity.

Nasita: Because the process of breaking free from the cocoon can only be completed by the butterfly alone.

At this moment, in Mondstadt, dark clouds gathered, a sign that heavy rain was imminent.

"Father!!!"

The red-haired knight's desperate cries echoed through the forest.

"Please get back into the carriage! I will protect you!"

“Diluc…my son…”

The unarmed winery owner, Mr. Cripps, gritted his teeth and gripped the tightly sealed wooden box in his hand.

Only he knew that a strange object called the 'Evil Eye' was hidden there.

"That's the Demon Dragon Usa, how can you possibly defeat him?"

"Everyone, hold on!"

The red-haired knight was fearless, slashing his sword at the dragon's hideous scales and horns.

"Kaeya's reinforcements are on their way!"

But it was too late.

The servants fell one by one, first the guards, then the attendants, then the bartenders, then the steward, and finally their young master.

"Ugh! Father, don't come out!"

"..."

Mr. Kripps could not wait any longer.

Click!

He put on gloves adorned with red evil eyes and lifted the carriage curtain.

"father,"

To Diluc's astonishment, he shielded his son, an ominous power surging in his hands, threatening to devour his father's life.

Goodbye, Diluc.

Haha, I never thought I'd actually have a day when I'd be a hero.

"Awooo—!"

Just as he was about to activate the Evil Eye, the dragon suddenly let out a miserable cry, blood splattering from its neck before falling to the ground along with its head!

"The reinforcements arrived so quickly?!"

Diluc's worries turned into joy.

"Could it be that the Grand Commander himself has arrived?"

...No, even if Captain Falgar is strong, he can't kill the Demon Dragon Usa instantly. That's someone even Vanessa couldn't eliminate!

Bang.

Finally, after the body swayed and fell, the father and son saw the faces of their rescuers.

"..."

Its cat ears stood upright, its vertical pupils were majestic, its crown was colorful, its face mask mysteriously covered its face, and its long, high-necked robe covered its entire body, revealing only its slender calves.

This is Mainkuhn in his 'normal' state.

"Ugh!"

Diluc clutched his wound and stood up, enduring the pain.

A powerful figure I've never seen before. His attire doesn't seem to belong to Mondstadt, and his hair color is quite unique. I feel like I've heard this description somewhere before... I'll stop analyzing now and thank you first.

"Thank u…"

He had only performed half of his knightly salute when he saw the gray-haired strongman suddenly leap into the air and swiftly attack his father!

What! ?

In the blink of an eye, his father had been grabbed by the neck and pinned to the carriage!

"Hmm!"

"Hey!? What are you doing—"

Mainkun completely ignored the knight's screams. He simply restrained Kripps, ripped off the man's glove with one claw, and sniffed it under the mask like a beast.

"A disgusting smell, the smell of death, the Doctor's evil eye."

He sniffed twice, and his voice became dangerous.

"You are a fool."

"Cough," Kripps gasped for breath as he was squeezed.

"no!!"

Diluc had no idea what he was talking about, and just tried to pull him up by the shoulder, but couldn't.

“I am the cavalry captain of the Knights of Favonius, and he is the owner of the Dawn Winery for generations. How could he possibly be a member of the Fools!”

"Yeah."

Mainkun sniffed him too, but found no trace of lies. The feel of his claws did not resemble that of a soldier; it was the body of someone who had lived a life of luxury.

"So."

He released Kripps, put away the Evil Eye, and jumped onto the carriage to inspect the area.

"Cough cough cough!"

"Father, are you alright?"

In the still-shaken gaze of the father and son, Mainkuen suddenly reached out, grabbed a mechanical insect at the back of the carriage, crushed it, and threw it to the ground.

"It turns out they were misled, victims who should never have been."

The marks of the Fools are still clearly visible among the wreckage.

"Crisis resolved."

...

"Father!"

Diluc immediately turned around in disbelief.

"That glove you were wearing just now, it couldn't really be—"

"Sigh, I couldn't resist the temptation."

Kripps gave a wry smile, but didn't shy away from the topic.

"The fools only said that this thing is the Eye of God, but it comes at a price, and whether or not to use it is up to me. Who knows..."

Father and son looked together at the remains of the mechanism, their gazes gradually sharpening.

"The dragon Usa shouldn't be active near the city; they must have done something to it."

Whoosh... The torrential rain finally poured down, washing away the bloodstains on the ground and drenching the pale corpse of the guard.

Mr. Jamie, Little Thompson, Old Jode...

Diluc could pronounce everyone's name; they were all good people who loved the wind and fine wine.

"The Fools, the Doctor?"

This grudge must be avenged.

*

Just as he was filled with grief and rage and swore an oath of revenge, he heard his sworn brother's call in his ears. Kaya and his men arrived belatedly.

"Diluc, Father, are you alright...?! What happened?!"

He immediately recognized the Fools symbol among the wreckage.

"There's no time to explain!"

Diluc woke him from his daze.

"Quick, come with me to save people! Search carefully, there might still be someone who can be saved!"

"OK!"

Kaiya was forced back to her senses, only to see a cat-eared youth step out of the bushes, carrying a blood-soaked servant in his arms.

"One is due east, two are southwest, and the one hanging from the tree is still breathing, but it's too late."

"That's all, take it with you."

...Wait, who is this person?!

"Alas!"

Kaiya looked at the crown on his head in horror.

"Were you scared out of your wits?"

The man's gaze was extremely fierce, and Kaiya almost thought he was about to reprimand him.

But no, he simply handed over the wounded soldier in his hand, then walked back to the bushes and, together with Diluc and the others, carried the remaining wounded soldiers onto the carriage.

"Hurry! Go back to the city and find a doctor!"

Mainkun turned around and looked at the urging Diluc, only to find that he was holding the poor man who was strung on the tree in his arms, blood gushing out from the branches on his chest, making Diluc's whole body as red as hair.

"He's going to die, there's no need to save him a place in the carriage, there's not much space."

"No…"

The rain was so heavy that Mainkuhn couldn't tell whether the tears or water were flowing from Diluc's eyes, but the anger and sorrow were so vivid and intoxicating.

“Mr. Pilta is still breathing, he’s still struggling, he doesn’t want to die…”

"Struggling will only increase the pain, and even if the best doctor were here, he would surely die."

Mainkuen calmly advised him, saying that he truly believed it now.

"Give him to me, so that I may send him to death without pain."

"no!"

Diluc immediately dodged his hand and ordered several knights to carry the wounded to the carriage:

“Pilta’s second daughter was just born, and he hasn’t even had a chance to see her yet. We can’t let him die with such regrets—”

He stopped speaking because he realized that although the knights had lifted the wounded onto the carriage, they had nowhere to put him down.

The carriage, though small, was already crammed with groaning patients and knights skilled in first aid. Even the most esteemed Lord Cripps voluntarily dismounted and rode his horse, giving his seat to those who needed it most.

There is no place for a dying person.

"Young Master...I don't..."

Ahead lay a painful plea.

Give him to me.

Behind them, death was lurking.

"My sworn brother."

Even Kaiya, who hadn't used that title in a long time, softened her tone, almost coaxing him gently.

"The rain is too heavy, the weather is too cold, and the injured can't bear it... We can't wait any longer."

Oh my god!

Diluc was in so much pain his heart felt like it was going to break, but he resolutely swung his hand down, giving the order to stop the transport.

"This is the worst coming-of-age ceremony in the world..."

"Brother..."

"I'm fine, Kaya."

Diluc took a few deep breaths in the rain, then looked at Mainkun with his wet, red eyes:

“I saw you wanting to secretly reach out and crush him from the very beginning. Now there’s no need to hide anymore, just stick out your black, sharp claws.”

His voice was choked with sobs, and Mainkuen couldn't detect a trace of reluctance.

"Please, grant him a painless death."

Mainkuhn remained expressionless: "..."

So annoying.

Didn't I come to Mondstadt to do bad things?

How did it turn out like this again?

Just snatch him away and kill him at first; that would definitely infuriate the red-haired guy.

Even if we actually kill them now, we won't be able to suppress any negative emotions.

Tsk, whatever. Although I'm not rich, I'm not short of demonic power.

"Coming-of-age ceremony, sworn brothers, ah, important days and an interesting pairing."

Mainkuhn reached out, and the glistening raindrops were instantly stained black, hovering in the air.

"What are you doing... why haven't you freed him yet?"

There was no answer. Thousands of raindrops transformed into countless ocean currents, binding the carriages and people like ropes. In an instant, a fierce, cold wind swept past Diluc's ear. When he opened his eyes again, he saw the sun shining brightly in Mondstadt.

"???"

ah?

At the city gates protected by the eternal wind god, Mainkun asked:

"Which direction is the hospital in?"

No, wait, what happened?

"Going to church will be fine!"

Among the bewildered group, Kaiya was the first to raise his hand and point the way.

"The largest building in that direction..."

Swish—

As if teleported, a familiar church appeared before dozens of people, along with a bewildered blond bishop standing in front of the door.

If they hadn't been soaked to the bone, they would have almost thought it was all an illusion.

"Captain Diluc? And Kaeya, weren't you outside the city? How did you suddenly... My Barbatos! What happened to Mr. Pilta?!"

The nuns rushed over, reacting faster than the knights to push the patients to the hospital for treatment, while Mainkuen tilted his ear to listen to Pilta's increasingly faint heartbeat.

[It's hopeless.]

[What a pointless waste; the emotional damage would take at least six people to recover.]

Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly felt someone gently pat his shoulder. When he turned around, he saw that the red-haired captain's face was still wet with sadness, but the pain in his eyes had faded considerably.

"I thank you for your sincere help and fine character, esteemed sir. May I ask how I should address you?"

[……never mind. ]

[Consider it a bad gift to make up for his terrible coming-of-age ceremony; a child's last birthday should have some special privileges.]

"I am……"

No, don't be so obedient. Remember your original intention and don't forget why you came here.

"You don't need to know my name. Just know that I'm here in Mondstadt to cause trouble."

...

Upon hearing this, Diluc turned around, looked at his unharmed father, and then at the nuns who were busy at work.

"Um?"

-----------------------

Author's Note: The following is a timeline arrangement to prevent confusion:

Diluc's father died on Diluc's 18th birthday due to a conspiracy by the Doctor. As a result, Diluc went on a three-year journey, during which he indiscriminately killed the Fatui.

The storyline of the manga's Cole begins after Diluc returns home from his travels and takes over the reins. The main storyline has not yet started, and Falgar has not left (based on Jean's father, it is speculated that the Archbishop will still appear).

Falgar began his expedition six months before the main storyline started.

Falgar knows Venti, so he speculates that Venti awakened no later than half a year before the main story began. As for when it was earliest... sorry, the information is insufficient, I cannot speculate, I am powerless to do so, and I will make a personal assumption here.

I'll make sure Mainkun avoids Falga as much as possible, because the new game, Song of the Empty Moon, hasn't been released yet, and I don't know anything about his character.

But there's nothing you can do if you can't avoid it.