Morning sunlight spilled over Mondstadt, bathing the city in a golden haze as a crisp breeze rustled through the cliffs, stirring the dandelions that dotted the grassy slopes beyond the walls. Within the West Wind Knights' headquarters, a sturdy stone edifice nestled near the cathedral, Jean sat hunched over her desk, her blonde ponytail swaying slightly as she scribbled reports, her blue eyes narrowed with focus under the weight of duty.
The Fengmolong crisis had faded, its shadow lifted by teamwork and tenacity, yet paperwork piled high, a relentless foe she battled with ink and quill. Beyond the routine, a deeper concern gnawed at her, Galehaven Comics, Harlan Flint's quirky shop, its magic a double-edged sword she couldn't ignore.
Its rewards reshaped lives, golden rice and glowing tofu proof of its power, but Jean's knightly instincts flared, what if darker gifts emerged? She sighed, her gaze drifting to the window where Mondstadt buzzed below, her mind tracing Harlan's grin, a flush creeping up her cheeks as she shook it off.
A sudden clatter broke her reverie, the office door swinging wide as Klee burst in, her red hat bouncing, her tiny boots tapping the floor with eager haste. "Jean, let's go to Harlan's shop, Klee wants comics now!" she chirped, her crimson eyes sparkling, her voice a spark of dawn excitement.
Jean blinked, a smile tugging at her lips as she set her quill down. "So early, Klee?" she teased, marveling at the child's energy, a rare sight before noon, usually reserved for bomb-making mischief.
Klee nodded, her hat tilting as she bounced, "Comics are so fun, Harlan's nice, and the food glows!" Yesterday's visit had ignited her world, Yu-Gi-Oh's duels and mapo tofu's joy fueling a sleepless night of glee.
Jean chuckled, her blue eyes softening, "All for comics, huh?" Klee's passion amused her, a welcome shift from explosives, though a flicker of worry lingered, her duties pinning her to the desk.
Barbara slumbered still, Lisa's yawns echoing from the library, leaving Jean strapped for options. "Eula can take you," she decided, her voice firm, trusting the new knight to guard Klee's chaotic spark.
Unbeknownst to Jean, Harlan had whispered a secret to Klee, a promise of bomb comics, a lure that would've turned Jean's smile to a groan. Eula strode in, her silver hair glinting, her Cryo Vision pulsing at her hip, "I'll go," she agreed, her tone cool, her morning free for comic indulgence.
Klee clapped, her red cape fluttering as she hopped, "Yay, comics again!" Eula's navy cape swirled as she nodded, her icy gaze warming slightly, a chance to explore Galehaven's wonders too tempting to resist.
They departed the headquarters, Klee skipping ahead, her tiny figure a red blur against Mondstadt's cobblestone streets, already alive with dawn chatter. Merchants unpacked wares, bards tuned lyres, and townsfolk buzzed, "Golden egg fried rice, Deer Hunter's new hit!" one crowed, "Glowed like a legend!" another marveled.
Eula's ears caught the hum, her silver hair swaying as Klee tugged her hand, "Sister Eula, did you eat it, is it yummy?" The child's crimson eyes gleamed, her tofu triumph spurring foodie curiosity.
Eula's lips tightened, a shadow crossing her face as she murmured, "No, missed it." Last night's Abyss Mage fiasco had robbed her and Amber of the golden feast, a grudge still simmering in her Cryo soul.
They'd raced to the restaurant, boots pounding, only to find empty plates, the golden glow a taunt they'd vented on the mage with icy wrath. "Just comics, it whined," Eula recalled, her voice a dry huff, "Tough luck," she added, her hunger fueling a lesson it wouldn't forget.
She shook it off, her gaze sharpening as she scanned the bustling street. "Harlan's shop will swarm soon," she mused, golden rice a beacon, luring risk-takers with 100,000 Mora dreams.
The gamble intrigued her, a loss trivial, a win transformative, her mind drifting to a letter sent to Yanfei, "She'll come," she thought. Klee hummed beside her, oblivious, her red hat bobbing as they neared Galehaven Comics, its weathered sign swaying in the breeze.
The shop loomed, its narrow facade a cozy nook tucked in an alley, its windows aglow with lantern light, the scent of aged paper wafting out. Klee burst through the door, "Harlan, Klee's back!" she cheered, her voice a spark as Eula followed, "Morning, boss," she greeted, her tone crisp.
Harlan Flint leaned against the counter, his dark jacket slung over a chair, his hazel eyes glinting with a shopkeeper's warmth. "Welcome, Klee, Eula," he said, his grin widening, surprised by their early zeal, Klee's especially, a tiny whirlwind of joy.
Klee dug into her backpack, her tiny hands clutching a pouch as she beamed, "Here's 100,000 Mora!" Jean's gift clinked, her monthly 50 Mora pittance no match for Galehaven's price, her crimson eyes shining with intent.
Harlan ruffled her hat, his voice a gentle nudge, "Shelves are there, pick away." Klee squealed, "Yay!" her red cape fluttering as she darted off, her target locked, Yu-Gi-Oh, its duels a siren call over tofu's glow.
She snatched the book, her tiny fingers clutching it tight as she plopped onto a worn sofa, "Hehe, fun time!" Her crimson eyes sparkled, Wendy's duel disk toy a prize she craved, rice a treat for later.
Eula stepped forward, her silver hair catching the light as she slid 100,000 Mora across the counter. "Last night's mage?" Harlan asked, his hazel eyes curious, pocketing the coins with a practiced flick.
"Set free," Eula sighed, her navy cape still as she leaned against a shelf. Jean's mercy had overruled her vengeance, a choice she'd grudged but accepted, the mage's petty crimes no match for bigger stakes.
Harlan's brows lifted, his grin tilting as he probed, "Jean's call?" Eula nodded, "She sees the shop's pull, wants control," she explained, her voice a cool hum, Mondstadt's future a chessboard in play.
Jean had weighed it, her blue eyes sharp as she'd reasoned, comics couldn't be hid, their lure a tide she'd channel, not block. "Come, read, behave," Eula mimicked, her lips quirking, "Smart move," she conceded, Jean's foresight a shield for peace.
Harlan whistled, his hazel eyes glinting with admiration, "She's sharp." His shop's chaos thrilled him, Jean's balance a dance he'd watch unfold, a knight's mind rivaling his own.
Eula shifted, her Cryo Vision pulsing as she asked, "New comics today?" Her voice held a spark, first picks a perk she savored, her morning's quiet hunt begun.
Harlan's grin widened, his voice a tease as he pointed, "Try This Brave Man Is Obviously Super Strong But Overly Cautious, it's unique." He chuckled, the tale's absurdity a gem, caution clashing with might in ink.
Eula's brows arched, "Unique?" she murmured, her silver hair swaying as she drifted to the shelf. She plucked the book, its cover bold, and sank onto a sofa, her icy gaze softening with intrigue.
She flipped it open, her navy cape pooling around her as the story unfurled, a hero's paranoia a twist she hadn't foreseen. "Oddly charming," she muttered, her lips twitching, Galehaven's magic pulling her in once more.
Klee giggled nearby, her Yu-Gi-Oh pages rustling as she traced Blue-Eyes with a tiny finger, "Cool cards!" Her crimson eyes danced, duels a game she'd master, bombs forgotten in the thrill.
Harlan watched, his hazel eyes glinting as he leaned back, the shop's hum a cozy pulse around him. Customers trickled in, their chatter rising, golden rice tales fueling a rush he'd stoke with flair.
A sudden clatter jolted the peace, the door banging wide as Amber burst in, her red bow bouncing, her green eyes wild. "Harlan, trouble, slimes outside!" she panted, her Pyro Vision flaring, her scout's calm shattered by chaos.
Harlan straightened, his grin fading as he grabbed his jacket, "From the comics?" Amber nodded, "Big, bouncy, not ours!" she gasped, her voice a spark, Little Master's breach spilling into Mondstadt's dawn.
He bolted out, Eula and Klee on his heels, the street erupting as a Crimson Slime loomed, its red mass pulsing, its roar shaking the stones. "Klee, stay back!" Eula barked, her blade flashing, her Cryo Vision igniting as she lunged, ice spiking its flank.
Klee pouted, "But Klee can help!" Her tiny hands clutched a bomb, her crimson eyes glinting with mischief, Harlan's promise a spark she'd wield. "No bombs!" Harlan shouted, his voice a whip as he dodged a tendril, his super chef mind racing, "Cold, it hates cold!"
Eula spun, her silver hair a blur as she slashed, "Freeze it!" Ice bloomed, the slime recoiling, its red flesh steaming as Amber's arrow struck, flames licking its edge. Harlan leapt, his hazel eyes sharp, "Push it back!" he yelled, his hands weaving Anemo from a borrowed trick, a gust slamming the beast against a wall.
The slime wailed, its form collapsing under frost and fire, a puddle staining the stones as townsfolk cheered, "Knights save the day!" Eula sheathed her blade, her breath a huff, "Comic spill, huh?" Harlan grinned, "System glitch, fixed now," he lied, his heart pounding with thrill.
Klee tugged his sleeve, her red hat tilting as she beamed, "Fun fight, now cards?" Harlan ruffled her hair, "Soon, champ," he promised, his hazel eyes glinting, Galehaven's chaos a flame he'd fan.
***
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