Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A green clad bard holds a man’s hand tightly, dragging him out of the city gates while they pant from exhaustion. A lot of swords clashing and monstrous screaming could be heard from inside the city. A city that was once standing strongly but now looking like a ruin. The lake surrounding it was no longer crystal blue in color, and instead it was red, tainted with both human and monster’s blood.

“Venti…” the man who the bard was dragging muttered weakly and helplessly .

Venti shakes his head, glaring at the man but he’s not mad. His expression soon softened before it was replaced with a pained one.

“Kaeya, please. Please, you have to go there. It’s our last hope!”

Last hope… This all happened because Kaeya is Khaenri’ah’s last hope. This all happened because he failed them and protected Mondstadt instead. He placed Mondstadt, his only home, in danger because of his selfish desire.

“Kaeya, look at me! Look at me.. Please…”

The broken voice of his drinking friend snapped him out of his negative thoughts and he stared at Venti with his dark and hopeless eyes. One eye containing the golden hope of the fallen nation and another one, containing the pain and horror that the man had seen throughout this war.

Venti bites his inner lip before continuing to run away from the city, still pulling Kaeya with him. Once they were far enough, the bard grabbed Kaeya by his shoulders. Words were spoken to him but Kaeya couldn’t find the energy to listen. He still understood a few words but it just entered his left ear and exited the other side. But the most important thing that the bard wanted him to remember was a Sundial .

“...Will there really be hope?” he suddenly asked and Venti’s eyes widened. “Will I get everyone back…?” he asked and before the bard could answer, he continued with a few names while his voice trembled, “Jean… Klee… ‘Bedo… Benny… Lumine… Will I be able to get them back? Will I get Diluc… my big brother back?”

Venti pursed his lips before smiling in a painful way. He nodded, “Mhmm…”

They allowed a short silence to stay before Kaeya finally straightened up. That answer and affirmation from their archon was enough. A new found strength found its way into Kaeya and he trudged forward, following the road which he knew would lead towards the Thousands Wind Temple. The place where the sundial was located.

“I believe you could make a change… This may change what happened in the past but this seems like the only way…” Venti said but was unheard by the bluenette. He took a deep breath before turning around. “I’ll buy as much time as you need. I won’t let anyone follow you. I will let my winds guide you to your destination, Kaeya.” he said before the wind around him blew towards the bluenette, pushing him and making him walk a little faster.

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Kaeya’s vision and mind was blurry. He had a goal at first but it quickly disappeared as soon as his despair and hopelessness creeped back. Regret and self-blame came like a wave but for some reason, he didn’t stop even if his feet ached.

Soon, he reached his destination and the wind around him died, making him fall on his knees. In front of him is an old sundial surrounded by ancient stories and myths. There was one god aside from Barbatos that once resided in Mondstadt but he doesn’t remember what kind of god they were.

He leaned back against the sundial, his heavy lidded eyes never leaving the sight of the ruins of Mondstadt in the distance. How did this happen and why did his feet lead him here? He’s too tired to try and remember but he did have a small recollection of a certain bard urging him to come here despite his hesitance. He clutched the deep injury on his stomach as he let out a shuddering breath. 

He closed his eyes momentarily and when he opened them again, he didn’t expect for a woman whose body is transparent to be kneeling down in front of him. He didn’t have the energy to ask, he only blinked his eyes slowly.

“Hello… star-pupiled child. My old friend must have told you to come to me as a last resort.” the woman said as she smiled so gently. “Do not worry. I’ll grant your deepest wish and I hope this would be enough to change the outcome of this… dreadful war.”

He felt her hands cradling his face in a motherly manner and he closed his eyes. The last thing he remembered was a soft touch on his forehead and the cool and yet comfortable wind surrounding him in an embrace.

The next time he opened his eyes, he found himself sitting against a tree and the ground was damp and muddy from the constant rain. He blinked his weary eyes before looking around but it was dark. He remembered passing out next to the sundial so how did he get here in Whispering Woods?

He tried getting up but winced, his wound was aching really badly and he wouldn’t be surprised if it ended up infected. He sighed. He can either wait for Venti to magically appear and tell him what’s going on or he can wait for an enemy to show up and end his suffering, which is not really that ideal.

Kaeya suddenly tensed when he heard the sound of footsteps from a distance so he lowered his head and pretended to be unconscious. It might be someone from the Abyss Order since their numbers are overwhelming, but even so, he hoped it’s a knight.

He can now hear the footsteps getting closer. They seem to stop before their steps start to sound a little cautious.

“Could he be…?” the person muttered and Kaeya mentally relaxed but not to the point he lowered his guard down. The man sounded human enough so he can’t be a creature from the abyss but he knew that looks and sounds can be deceiving.

“It looks like I finally found the kid’s father.” the knight suddenly said, which only brought surprise and confusion to the bluenette.

What? What does he mean by that? He never had a child…

A sound of flare was heard and then there were hands checking his neck as if to check if he is still alive. Kaeya opened his eyes a bit to see a bit of the man in front of him. He was wearing the armor of the Knights of Favonius, it looks like he’s right but… there’s something odd. He can’t explain it but there’s definitely something wrong with this knight. Like… Like… Why send out a flare during the war? Wouldn’t their enemies find them? There’s something else but he can’t think anymore due to his exhaustion and weakness.

Before he could utter a word, his head suddenly throbbed and it was followed by a wave of strong dizziness, making him fall on his side. He coughs harshly for a few moments which surprised the knight.

“H-Hey! Don’t die on me now!”

He wouldn’t want to die too. He knew that there’s something he must do. Something that the Anemo Archon had told him to do but he can’t remember it anymore in this state.

What was it?

What was he supposed to do as Mondstadt’s Last Hope?

Chapter Text

Kaeya woke up to a familiar white ceiling in the Cathedral. The very first thing he thought was… Was everything that happened a dream? The last memory he had of the cathedral was it being attacked by a Ruin Hunter, leaving nothing but rubbles and ruins. It shouldn’t be standing so completely like this…

He raised his bandaged arms and sighed. He can also feel a bandage wrapped around his head, covering his right eye.

What happened in Mondstadt couldn’t be a dream. If it is, then he shouldn’t have his wounds but here he was, lying down on the bed with his injuries patched with bandages. They probably put some ointments on him too because the room smells like medicine and fresh herbs.

The voice of the woman he saw in the sundial echoed inside his mind.

“I’ll grant you your deepest wish and I hope this would be enough to change the outcome of this… dreadful war.”

Granting his deepest wish…

Did she really send him back to the past? Because that’s one of his deepest wishes. And she even sent him back with his present or current body which was surprising… That was the only explanation to this situation after seeing the Cathedral in a good condition like this. But in what year did she bring him to? Was it before the Abyss Order launched an attack in Mondstadt? Was it before the Honorary Knight arrived to warn them of the incoming war? Or was this… a year that is very far behind?

He wanted to hope but hoping tends to disappoint him so he wouldn’t do that. He should focus on his current mission.

Sometime in the past, he was confused of his role as Khaenri’ah’s last hope but it’s different this time. His beloved nation, Mondstadt, depends on him and he will do anything to protect it and its people from its future destruction. He will never fail. He shouldn’t fail.

Despite his wounds not fully healed yet, Kaeya still sat up with a painful groan. He took a few deep breaths before standing up. He staggered and luckily, there’s a side table he can hold on to so he can keep his balance.

“Come on, Kaeya. We can’t waste any time. We have to figure out what year this is…” he said to himself before carefully walking towards the window. He opened the window and his lone dull eye widened. In the short moment he stared outside, a shine seemed to spark within the periwinkle orb, turning the dull and empty shade it had into something with life again.

The world is green again and the air doesn't feel so suffocating anymore.

“Don’t worry, Barbatos… I’ll find a way to change our future. I’ll make sure that the world stays this way.” Kaeya said before jumping off the window and disappearing into the city below.

A few hours after Kaeya left the room, a Sister entered the same room with a surprised gasp. She was followed by a man with striking red-hair.

“W-Where is he?! He shouldn’t be able to move around in his current condition!” the Sister exclaimed as she looked around the room, hoping that the person she’s looking for is just hiding somewhere in the room.

The red-haired man stared at the open window with his arms crossed on his chest, “It looks like he jumped off the window…” he muttered.

The Sister rushed towards the window, looking out. There was a look of disappointment on her face when she couldn’t find any trace of the wounded man.

“My apologies, Master Crepus. I should have let some knights guard this place so they could stop him from leaving.” the Sister apologized as she bowed her head but the man, Crepus Ragnvindr, only chuckled and waved it off.

“It’s alright, Sister Aria. After hearing his condition from you, he shouldn’t have gone that far. I’ll visit the knight’s headquarters and ask them to search for that man.” Crepus said.

As soon as he turned away from Aria, his relaxed expression turned serious, “I still need to know if that man is truly my youngest’s biological father. He’s been keeping himself in his room ever since the knight reported their findings to us in the Dawn Winery.” he sighed, “I should have talked with the knights outside of the winery instead… But I can’t change that anymore. All I can do is to confirm if this is truly his father and make sure he wouldn’t do anything that would harm my son .”

Aria followed him outside as she nodded, “I’ll have a few people look for him too.”

Crepus smiles, “That would be great. Thank you.”

Kaeya hid himself in the narrow alleys between the houses in the city. He could hear the rushed footsteps of the knights, probably looking for him. He has a hunch of the timeline but he’s still not a hundred percent sure.

This must be the time when he and Diluc didn’t enter the knights yet. Every familiar face looks so young and those elderly people who he knew had passed are still around. He can only be sure of the time once he sees his past self.

After taking a few more moments to rest, Kaeya finally stood up and left his spot. He’s still staggering on his steps and it looks like his wound reopened because red started blossoming on his bandage-wrapped stomach.

A sigh of relief left him when he finally spotted the main gate of Mondstadt. For now, staying inside the city would not be a good idea for him. He needs to hide first and plan out everything before he makes a move. His initial plans would change if the knights caught him again.

As soon as Kaeya ran through the gates, the one guard who was guarding outside looked at him with surprise. It wasn’t Swan, but a knight who used to be stationed in this gate before Swan even joined the knights.

He’s been sent that far in the past, huh…

“Wait, you–!!” the knight exclaimed but he didn’t leave his post to follow Kaeya. Instead, he turned around, yelling to some other knights.

Kaeya hurried his running, he couldn’t let those knights catch him and drag him back to the cathedral. But with his reopening injury, it was getting hard to keep on running like this but he forced himself to move, ignoring the pain.

He began hearing the noise of the horses coming after him and he’s feeling more tired and breathless from running. His mind also started getting hazy as soon as he got away from the city and he has a feeling that he had forgotten something but doesn’t know what so in the end, he ignored the odd feeling he’s experiencing. It’s probably just because he’s severely injured… perhaps a cause of loss of blood?

His running slowed down to a hasty walk. He has one destination in mind. What was it again? Where were they staying before Diluc decided to sell their father’s legacy including their main residence? Before he moved to Dawn Winery?

Why is it so hard to remember?

“Think later… walk for now…” Kaeya said to himself, his injury still aching and bleeding.

He felt something stirring in his chest when he saw a familiar residence in the distance. It wasn’t Dawn Winery but it feels like home and warmth from the hearth. It reminds him of mugs of hot chocolates and child-like laughter. A home where a father and two sons once lived in peace.

He knew in an instant that that place was his destination so he urged himself to run again. But it looks like life isn’t on his side this time because he tripped. He seriously tripped on a rock and he fell hard on the ground. Exhaustion finally caught up to him and he can now properly feel the excruciating pain on his stomach where his injury was.

A group of four horses surrounded him and he heard a sigh. He looked up with his one eye, which is dull and lifeless again. There are three knights and one.. Eerily familiar man. A man with red hair. It feels weird. That couldn’t be his brother. Diluc is too young to be a knight during this timeline. Was his calculation wrong?

Aah wait… He recognizes that black horse. That’s not Diluc, that's…

“Master Crepus…” Kaeya muttered softly as he felt the time stop. He tried getting up, making the people surrounding him tense but he no longer has the energy to do so, so he slump back down on the ground with a groan.

That’s his father…. He’s alive just in front of him.

I miss you.

He wanted to say that to him. To embrace him and cry in his arms. To tell him of the dreadful future where Mondstadt gets destroyed by not only the Abyss Order but by Celestia’s hands too.

But he can’t do that. Not when he’s in his present body. Crepus doesn’t know him in this body. For the man, this Kaeya is nothing but a stranger. He’s not that shy boy right now. And as much as he wanted to tell everything to Crepus, it isn’t the time yet. He can’t rush. He can’t make one wrong move. He should be careful.

So he stayed in his place, watching with a half-lidded eye as the group of four talked with each other. He couldn’t hear what they were talking about. Their voices sounded muffled and inaudible. He could already feel the unconsciousness clinging onto him. Maybe he did push himself too far. If Diluc… If Diluc of the present or future is still alive and sees him in this situation, he’ll scold him to no end for sure.

He chuckled softly, not heard by the people surrounding him before he finally succumbed to the darkness.

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The next time Kaeya woke up, a familiar white ceiling greeted him again. He’s back in his room in the Cathedral but it looks like he isn’t alone this time because he could hear a few voices. He turned his head to the source and his expression softened a bit.

Crepus is there talking with a child. A child that looks so familiar to him because that’s no other than his past self when he was still nine years old. His calculation was slightly correct then. This must be the timeline after a year Crepus found him. He was far too young…

Why did that woman send him this far?

“You didn’t really have to come with us, Kaeya.” he heard Crepus saying to the child.

The young bluenette shakes his head but it’s clear that he’s slightly trembling and is afraid of the man on the bed.

“I-I want to make sure too… If who you found is really my father.” his past self said.

Kaeya suddenly remembered the first thing he heard when he arrived in this timeline. So that was what that knight meant by being someone else’s father… He’s not going to lie and even though he dislikes admitting it, he does look a bit like his biological father in this age. Perhaps when the man was still a young adult and not as a groggy old man.

His past self glanced at him and they finally made eye contact. The child looks surprised at first before clinging on Crepus’ arm. Crepus then followed where the young bluenette was looking and frowned when he finally looked at the current– no, at the future Kaeya.

Crepus made a full turn, keeping Kaeya’s past self behind him as he crossed his arms. “You’re finally awake. Fortunately, your injury was treated quickly before it could cause any further harm to you.”

He watched as the man walked closer, pulling a chair to sit on. His past self stayed behind the man, looking at him with a curious eye. He was a smart child so he should have found the odd thing with his supposed ‘father’. The eye color.

His biological father has a more bluish tint rather than the periwinkle shade. But whatever the child had observed, he didn’t say.

“I’ll be straightforward. Are you the man who left this boy in Mondstadt?” Crepus asked, his gaze sharp and serious.

Kaeya stared at the man before shaking his head, “No. I am not his father… If that’s what you’re curious about.” he answered, smirking a bit. It’s a habit.

Crepus’ frown deepens as he looks at him with suspicion. “If you are not his father, then who are you? Why do you look so similar to him?” Crepus asked, his crimson eyes boring holes on him.

Kaeya bit his lip. Should he already tell them about the truth? But how would that affect this current timeline? No… He can’t risk it. He already decided not to tell anyone yet about the dreadful future. It’s not yet the time. He still has to prepare himself and think of a way to stop or delay the war. 

“I am…”

He can’t tell them his real name, he needs to think of a different one. A name that would allow Crepus to let him stay close to the Ragnvindr family or just to be close to his past self. He needs to be near them while he plans on how to avoid the future war. He doesn't even know how long he has left.

Wasn’t there a Khaenri’ahn that Lumine mentioned to him before? Someone who had lived many, many years ago when he wasn't born yet but also has ties with him because of their last name? Was it alright for him to borrow it?

“I am his uncle.” the words slipped out his mouth before he could hesitate, but there’s a clear hint of uncertainty in his tone and Crepus unfortunately noticed it. He saw his once father looking at him with doubt, his eyes observant and cautious at the same time. 

He mentally apologized to the person who owns this name but he needed to use it. He needs a different identity in this timeline and that’s the only name he thought he could use. He also has a feeling that the owner of the name wouldn’t despise him for it. It feels like it’s the right name to use.

“My name is Caribert. Caribert Alberich and I am Kaeya’s uncle.”

Chapter Text

“My name is Caribert. Caribert Alberich and I am Kaeya’s uncle.” Kaeya told them, his face serious despite his exhaustion.

Crepus hums before looking behind him, “Do you have an uncle, Kae?” he asked the child.

Kae looked a bit confused and bewildered at the same time. He slowly shakes his head, “I-I don’t remember having an uncle. I didn’t know that my father had a sibling… He never told me anything.”

Crepus smiles before patting Kae on his head. “Thank you, son.” he said and he looked back at Kaeya . “He doesn’t remember you, nor does he have any recollections of his biological father having a brother. What can you say to that, hm?” The man is growing more suspicious of him now and Kaeya couldn’t help but feel nervous.

He could do this. He could lie his way through this. He’s used to it anyway.

Kaeya took a deep breath before looking back at the ceiling, feigning a look of disappointment. “Ah, my brother. Both of us don't have a… good relationship. I’m not surprised that he never told Kaeya about me. I don’t know what proof I could show–” he suddenly paused and Crepus raised an eyebrow.

He could feel himself smirking and he hoped that it wasn't shown physically. How could he forget that one identical item that he and his younger self still possesses? It’s also a surprise that the two haven’t noticed it yet.

“Ah, pardon me. My memory is bad nowadays… but I do have something to show.” he told them as he shifted on the bed, reaching out for his left ear. He removed his earring and handed it out to Crepus with a hand still trembling. At least he already has enough energy to move around like this but his body is still weak and sore from overexerting himself earlier.

Kae’s eye widened, “T-That earring… How?!” he asked as he held his own earring as if to check if he still had it.

Kaeya smiled but it didn’t reach his eye, “Your father gave you that earring, correct?” he asked and his younger self nodded, “We used to have matching earrings. This is my pair. I still wear it.” he told Kae, smiling softly. And then he looked at Crepus, moving his hand towards the man. “You can check it and compare.”

Crepus stared at his hand before nodding. He took the earring from Kaeya and gestured for Kae to move beside him so he could compare the two earrings.

“...It’s the same design and size. It does look like the missing pair of Kae’s earring.” Crepus muttered before pulling his hand back. “So you truly are Kaeya’s uncle then, Sir Caribert.”

‘It’s really weird to be called with that name but I guess I just have to get used to it.’   Kaeya thought to himself. He took back his earring and slowly put it back on his left ear.

“Thank you for understanding, Master Crepus.” Kaeya told him with a smile and he noticed in a moment that Crepus seemed taken aback by what he said.

Ah, right. Crepus hasn’t introduced himself yet that’s why the man is surprised that he knew his name. Good thing, the man didn’t ask about that and instead faked a cough to ask him another question.

“Are you here to take Kaeya back then?” Crepus asked and Kae looked at both of them in horror.

Kae suddenly grabbed Crepus' arm, surprising the man. There are already tears in his eye, “N-No! I don’t want to go with him, papa! P-Please don’t give me away! I-I want to stay with papa and Luc!!” he cried out and Crepus immediately felt guilty.

Crepus placed a hand on Kae’s head, smiling at him warmly. “I wouldn’t let him take you away. I have proof that you are legally my son and Sir Caribert will need to face Grand Master Varka if he really needs to take you away. Knowing Varka, I’m sure he won’t agree to that.”

“Really talking about it while I’m here… huh.” Kaeya said with a chuckle.

Crepus smiles, “My apologies. Even if you are Kaeya’s uncle, I can’t let him come with you if that’s your purpose of coming here in Mondstadt. And I can’t trust you that quickly yet. Who knows you might also abandon him just like what his biological father did. I’ve already adopted Kaeya as my own son. He’s Kaeya Ragnvindr now. He’s not an Alberich. ” he said proudly and Kaeya’s heart felt happy for a moment when he heard that until he realized that Crepus is not talking about him but about his younger self instead. He crushed that feeling down.

He can’t play family with them, especially with the fact that he’s still a stranger to Crepus.

Kaeya tried to shrug, “You do not have.. To worry. I only came here to check on my nephew…” he told Crepus while smiling at Kae who was wiping his tears. “I couldn’t believe that… my brother really abandoned his own son in an unfamiliar place like this. I am glad that… he found a family. That is enough. So yes, I won’t take… Kaeya away. He can stay here.”

Crepus sighed in relief, a smile forming on his face. “That’s good then. I really hope I wouldn’t need to fight you if you’re really here to take him back. And his big brother would be very upset if I let that happen. You could leave after you recover then. I’ll inform the Sister about it and they will let you go freely. You don’t have to worry about the knights too.” he told Kaeya and the older bluenette hitched a breath.

No, he can’t leave. He already reached this point where Crepus doesn’t see him as a threat anymore– maybe he’s still cautious of him but he needs to earn his trust. He needs to be close to them.

“Actually, Master Crepus… I have a favor.” Kaeya said slowly, quickly earning a frown from the man.

Crepus seems to contemplate about it before letting out a tired sigh, “What is it? It depends on what kind of favor you’re asking.”

Kaeya smiles, “Are you currently looking for a new butler or… a worker?”

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A knight knocks on the Inspector’s office door. Once he received the permission to enter, he opened the door and walked in.

“Inspector Eroch, I have a report about the man that was found a few days ago.” the knight told the man who was looking out of the window.

Eroch, the current Inspector of the Knights of Favonius, turns around with a hum. He gestured for the knight to continue.

“According to the Sisters in the Cathedral, Master Crepus decided to take the man as a butler for the Ragnvindr Residence. It seems like the man wasn’t the adopted son’s real father, but his uncle instead. We do not know yet how he ended up injured but for now, we believe that he is not a threat to Mondstadt.” the knight said.

Eroch sneers, looking out of the window again. “What about his origins? Did he say he is from Mondstadt?” he asked but he saw the knight shaking his head from the window’s reflection. Eroch sighs, looking back at the knight with disappointment. “Master Crepus didn’t even question the man’s origin? Well, it seems like I have to talk to him myself. Did you at least get the man’s name?” he asked as he walked towards his seat.

“His name is Caribert Alberich.” the knight answered.

Eroch sat down, staring at the object in front of him. “Thank you. You may leave now.” he told the knight.

The knight saluted before leaving. Eroch’s office is empty again. His red eyes staring at the glowing object in front of him. The glow was weak and dim. He picked it up, staring at the two pairs of wings it had.

“If he is not from Mondstadt, why did that man have a Vision like this? Caribert Alberich… Just who are you?”

Chapter Text

The first time Crepus saw the man, he was already feeling the dread and fear of losing his youngest son. His hair, his skin color, it just screams ‘Alberich’ at him. He didn’t want to bring Kae when he asked him to see his biological father, especially when he finally went out of his room but he couldn’t say no when his son looked at him with that eye. 

So imagine his relief when the man, Caribert, said that he wasn’t Kae’s biological father but his uncle instead. There’s still a possibility that he will take Kae with him but that thought was quickly erased when Caribert said that he has no plan of taking the child away.

He doesn’t know if it’s safe to trust him because whenever he looks at the man's tired and dull eye despite his slightly cheery demeanor, he couldn't help but feel nervous and suspicious of the man even more. He doesn't know what truly happened to Caribert. He grew even more wary when he suddenly asked Crepus to be a butler or a worker for him and his reason for that was…

“I have nowhere to go, especially in this condition… My pursuers, the one who caused these injuries… might go after me again once I leave the safe land of Mondstadt. And now that I found my… nephew… I might as well watch him grow up, right? If my brother can’t be… a good father, can’t I become a good uncle for him? I won’t cause trouble, I promise.”

It was really suspicious, but Crepus also wanted to know this man more. Was he telling the truth? Who knows he might come back after leaving and do something that would endanger Kae or Mondstadt? And he has a feeling that with Caribert around, he can get to know his youngest even more. How much does he even know Kae? Does he know about the burdens that his nephew seems to always carry? Would Kae tell Caribert his problems when Crepus couldn't even get him to open up? If Caribert and his brother haven’t been in a good relationship, how did he even know about Kae? Everything is so mysterious about this man.

Crepus wants the best for Kae and there’s a voice in the back of his mind that seems to say that he could trust Caribert. Perhaps, having him as a butler would allow him to observe and learn more about the man.

So he accepted that favor despite the look of hesitance on his youngest’s face. He reassured Kae that he and the other staff in their residence will take a close watch on him so he doesn't need to worry.

Now, his problem would be convincing Diluc. But he’ll have to worry about that later once Caribert can go out of the Cathedral. For now, there’s a more concerning matter.

It happened after the day he met Caribert. Kae thankfully didn't come with him this time and stayed in their residence instead. Crepus was only visiting, just to check on the man, when he saw a favonius knight standing outside of the room. They talked for a bit and the knight told him that Eroch was summoning Caribert to his office. As expected, when he told Caribert about it, the man was frowning deeply.

“Whoever… that man is… Can’t he wait? I’m literally injured here.” Crepus heard Caribert complaining.

Caribert does have a point. The man can’t even stand up after overexerting himself yesterday. He can only move his arms around or to lean on the bed’s frame to drink water or eat.

“I’m sorry, but it's urgent.” the knight said, his expression blank.

Caribert grumbled under his breath and Crepus swore he heard him mumbling “Can’t that Inspector get here instead?”

Finally, Crepus sighed and approached the knight. “As much as I understand Inspector Eroch’s reasoning, I don’t think Sir Caribert can even stand in this condition. Please tell him to wait until he’s able to walk.”

The knight clearly hesitates but he nodded anyway before leaving the room.

“Thank you, Master Crepus.” Caribert said while chuckling.

He can’t help but feel some familiarity with this man. Maybe because he’s too similar to Kae.

Crepus rubs his temple, “It’s fine. I just don’t understand Inspector Eroch sometimes.”

Caribert stares at him before looking away, staring at the ceiling again. He seems to always do that.

“You seem to hate that Inspector.” Caribert mumbled.

“Hate is a strong word. Perhaps, I disliked him a bit after what he said about my youngest son.” Crepus said with a huff.

Caribert chuckles, “You’re very overprotective.”

“Any father would be. So..” Crepus took a seat, “You mentioned about being pursued. Who were pursuing you?” he asked.

Caribert sighed, “I know you’ll ask about that soon.” he said before falling silent as if he’s contemplating his answer. “Hilichurls.”

Crepus frowns. He knew what hilichurls are of course but it was unbelievable that a hilichurl could give Caribert an injury like this. It’s definitely not from a normal hilichurl. And seeing the calluses in his hands, he knew that Caribert could use a sword.

“The elite ones, you mean? Mitachurls, lawachurls.. Those kinds?” Crepus asked and the man quirked a smile.

“You could say that. They are tough, especially lawachurls.” Caribert said as he nodded his head.

Crepus knew that there is more to it but it looks like Caribert isn’t willing to share anything anymore so he let it go. A few moments have passed and he saw Caribert freezing in place. Like literally. His body froze in place and his breathing momentarily stopped but not in a concerning way. It’s more like he’s surprised. But to what? Crepus doesn’t know.

He was about to ask about it when the door of the room suddenly opened.

A chill. It was a familiar one. Kaeya suddenly felt it and he knew that something– no, someone was heading closer to the room. He knew that Crepus noticed him freezing up but how could he explain it? He also felt a pull in his chest, as if a missing piece he’s been looking for had finally appeared but he doesn’t know what it was.

And the door opened without any warning. The damned Inspector that he doesn’t want to meet this early entered the room.

“Inspector Eroch.” Crepus said as he stood up.

Eroch glanced towards Crepus, “Master Crepus. I didn’t expect that you are still here. Still chatting with this outsider?”

Crepus sighs, “He is my youngest son’s uncle. He’s not just a normal outlander for me.” he corrected.

Eroch huffs, “Is that so.” he muttered before looking down at Kaeya.

Ugh, he really hates being bedridden right now.

“So you are… Inspector Eroch? What an honor for you... to actually visit me.” Kaeya said slowly as he smirked a bit.

Eroch’s brow twitched. “You got some attitude, young man.” the Inspector said, “If you have the energy to talk, you should have the energy to respond to my summon.”

“Forcing a wounded person, I see.” Kaeya chuckled.

“Caribert.” Crepus sends Kaeya a warning look and a shake of a head.

Eroch sighs, “I only wanted to ask a few questions, Sir Caribert Alberich. Have you been in possession of a fake vision?”

Crepus froze with the question and he looked at Caribert, waiting for his answer. He also looked a bit uneasy as he gripped his arm tightly.

A vision?

Kaeya’s eye widened. How could he forget about it? He did have his vision with him when he went back to this timeline! How did Eroch find out about it?!

Eroch smirks, “Seeing your reaction, it could only mean that I am right. And do you know what this means?”

“I don’t have a fake vision.” Kaeya glared.

“Could you explain this irregularly shaped vision then? The knights found it with you when they found you in Whispering Woods.” Eroch told him as he pulled out an object from his pocket.

Kaeya immediately reaches out for it, ignoring his stomach injury. But Eroch had backed away, moving out of his reach with a chuckle. The bluenette could only glare at the Inspector, his hand covering his injury because it started aching again.

“I could arrest you for possessing a fake vision, Sir Alberich.” Eroch told Kaeya.

Crepus eyes the fake vision on Eroch’s hands as if examining it, “Inspector Eroch, that doesn’t look like a fake vision to me.” he told Eroch as he crossed his arms.

Eroch sighs, now facing Crepus. “Master Crepus, you must understand. This was the first time Sir Alberich arrived in Mondstadt so he couldn’t possess a Mondstadt Vision! The irregularity of this vision also shows that this is fake. It’s an illegal vision. What if he came here to spy on Mondstadt?! To deceive us with the use of this fake vision?! To show us that he is one of us when he isn’t!”

Just like that adopted son of yours!

Even if Eroch didn’t say it, Kaeya felt like it’s something that the Inspector had in mind.

Kaeya carefully leaned back on the frame of the bed, calming himself down. He couldn’t believe he suddenly reacted like that. But he couldn’t have Eroch have his vision. Venti trusted him. Barbatos trusted Mondstadt to him . He has to think quickly. Something that would convince Eroch no matter how hard it seems. He never liked Eroch and he knew the man had the same feeling when it comes to his younger self.

“Whether you believe me or not…” Kaeya said, getting the attention of both men. “While I was fighting my pursuers… That vision appeared and saved me. It’s the reason why I’m still alive…” 

It was also the truth. His vision saved him from so many things. From his brother’s flames, from all of the near death experiences… It was truly a blessing from the Gods, but it could also be a curse at the same time.

“Lies. What could our own god, Lord Barbatos, see from you? You’re nothing but an outsider!” Eroch snarled.

Kaeya smiled, “Perhaps… Your god saw something worthy from me. Perhaps he saw… my determination to meet my nephew…” he said while looking at Crepus’ surprised expression. “This could also be a chance he showed.. A second chance that I can still… take care and watch over my only relative. A family.” And maybe, in this way, he can get more of Crepus’ trust. Show him that the vision is a sign that Kaeya– no, that Caribert could be trusted because their own god trusted him with a vision.

Eroch glared at him, gripping the Cryo Vision tighter. “You–”

“Inspector Eroch.” Crepus’ voice, which sounded commanding, made Eroch stop and look at him with surprise. “Why don’t we let the knights who specialize in visions examine it if it’s truly fake or not? We shouldn’t rush our decisions about this. It brings bad light to the knights.”

“Tch.” Eroch looked away. “Fine. I’ll have them look at this and if I’m proven right, I am arresting this man in an instant! I couldn’t let a threat stay in Mondstadt.” he told them before walking away.

Kaeya held himself back from reaching out. That feeling of haziness returned when the vision was out of his reach again. He sighed, looking down on his lap.

“Don’t worry. I know a true vision when I see one.” Crepus reassured him but Kaeya knew that Crepus meant something else when he said that.

The Delusion . Crepus must know the difference between a Delusion and a Vision because he himself possesses one of those 'fakes'. But what Kaeya didn't know was when the man actually got it. Since he acted like he knew what a delusion was, does it mean Crepus already possesses it this early? Or was it common knowledge for him? It's also possible that he got it just before Diluc’s 18th birthday... That’s another problem he has to watch out for. Will it be alright to change that too? If he’s going to change the future, would it be alright to save their father from his death? But what if it brings a bigger butterfly effect and it affects his mission?

He didn’t notice that the man had unconsciously placed a hand on his head. Despite wanting the hand to stay, Kaeya felt the need to free Crepus from the upcoming awkwardness.

“Uh.” he simply smiled nervously at Crepus, waiting for him to realize what he’s currently doing.

Crepus suddenly backed away, surprised at what he did. He scratched the back of his head, “Sorry. You just… really reminded me of my son. You're surprisingly similar to Kae especially when he's deep in his thoughts. He makes that same face and I guess it's already a reflex for me to put my hand on his head whenever he have that expression.” he chuckles nervously.

“Well, I am his uncle. There could be a few similarities with us.” Kaeya said with a grin.

Okay, maybe 'a few' is an understatement considering that Kaeya and Kae are the same person... But Crepus wouldn't know that.

“Thank you, Master Crepus. For defending me.” Kaeya told Crepus, smiling a bit genuinely.

The man sighed as he sat down, “I just don’t want the knights to do something that they would regret. But I'm not going to lie... Your vision interests me. It does have an interesting shape…” he muses.

Kaeya chuckles, “You could take a look at it once I have it back. Seriously, depriving me of my vision…”

Crepus observes him before saying, “You’re talking as if you’ve possessed it for a long time.”

The bluenette just shrugs before setting himself down on the bed again. He really should be careful if he wants to recover quickly. “I might need a Sister to check on my injury again…” he said, changing the subject.

Crepus didn’t seem to mind and he just chuckled while shaking his head. “I’ll call for one. You should really be careful not to reopen your injury again. How would you work as a butler then?”

“Fine... I’ll try to be more careful, Master Crepus.” Kaeya said with a tired voice.

Kaeya received the result two days after that. Eroch returned with a big frown on his face and he suspects that the knight who checked his vision had proven it to be real, not a fake. It was satisfying to see the Inspector's face when he left the room.

But finally, he felt whole again with the Vision back to his possession. Maybe this time, he can truly remember what he had forgotten. The time is still long and the war is still far to happen but it’s never a bad idea to plan and act early.

Chapter Text

The Sisters allowed Kaeya to finally leave the Cathedral once he could walk long distances. His stomach injury is also almost healed and he only needed a week for it to fully heal. He followed Crepus back to the Ragnvindr Residence and was immediately greeted by a familiar redheaded child.

Kaeya could have cooed by then if not for the fact that he’s currently a stranger for Crepus’ eldest son.

“No! Why is he here?!” the younger version of Kaeya’s brother, Diluc, yelled out. “I don’t want him here! He’s a brother stealer!”

Kaeya tried his best to stifle his laughter but how could he not laugh when a younger Diluc pouts and yells at him this way? Ahh.. If only Diluc was alive and came back in time with him, this would be an amazing blackmail…

Sigh. He truly misses his brother…

He heard Crepus sighing tiredly and saw him rubbing his temple. “Diluc, please. He’s our guest and.. A future butler in the residence. He’s not here to steal your brother.”

Diluc gasped in horror, “He’s staying here?! No! I don’t approve! I don’t want him close to Kae!”

The mentioned child soon showed up with Adelinde but he stayed behind the head maid- no, Adelinde wasn’t the head maid at this time yet.

“Welcome back, Papa…” Kae greeted before staring at Kaeya with hesitance as if he’s contemplating if he should greet him too or not.

Kaeya just stared at this younger self. Maybe a greeting will do, it would be weird if his uncle won’t say anything. He’s currently doing the role of a good uncle after all. So he smiled but it didn’t reach his eye. “It’s good to see you again, Kaeya. I hope you won’t mind me staying starting today.”

“I-I don’t mind… uncle.” Kae muttered, looking away.

Diluc immediately blocked Kaeya’s sight of his little brother, his arms raised on his side as if to protect the younger bluenette. “You don’t get to talk to him! Go away!”

“Diluc…” Crepus pinched the bridge of his nose before looking at Adelinde. He decided to just do what he’s supposed to do since there’s no way of stopping Diluc while he’s being protective of his little brother. “Adelinde, this is Caribert Alberich. He is Kaeya’s uncle and he’s going to work as a butler starting today. I hope you can show him the ropes.”

Adelinde looked at Kaeya , examining him from head to toe. Then she smiled. It looked like a friendly smile for others but Kaeya knew Adelinde well. He knew there’s something behind that smile and Kaeya wouldn’t be surprised if it’s suspicion, curiosity or caution.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Alberich.” Adelinde greeted.

Kaeya nodded, “Just Caribert is fine, Ma’am Adelinde.”

Adelinde kept a smile, “No need to call me Ma’am. You can call me Miss Adelinde.” she told him before turning around, looking back at him as she slightly tilted her head. “I’ll show you around and introduce you to the rest of the staff then. After that, I will show you the chores we do around the residence. Perhaps you can pick a chore that you can already handle since you are still a little injured, if what I heard from Master Crepus is correct. And then, I will show you your room.” she explained in a clear and professional manner.

“Thank you, Miss Adelinde.” Kaeya simply replied with a bow of his head.

Adelinde smiles again and it turns genuine when she looks down at Kae, patting him on his head. “I’ll have to go now, Kae. Stay with your brother, alright?”

Kae nodded before walking towards Diluc. The younger redhead sticked his tongue out at Kaeya before pulling his little brother away. He even saw Crepus shaking his head and muttering an apology to him.

“I don’t mind it. It’s adorable to see him being protective of my nephew. It’s very… warm to see.” he told Crepus.

Crepus sighs but in a fond manner, “It is adorable. Well then, I still have a few matters to attend to. I’ll leave you with Adelinde.”

Kaeya nodded before following Adelinde around the residence and he couldn’t help but feel nostalgic to see this place again. Walking through the hallways of this mansion feels like walking through a dream where both him and his brother used to run. Well, he can only watch their past selves to enjoy doing that this time. He can’t do that anymore.

Adelinde showed the kitchen, introducing the chef and his assistants to Kaeya. The bluenette knew that in the future, the chef would retire and Adelinde would cook for them instead because she was taught by the chef himself. This was one of the skills that guaranteed Adelinde to be an amazing head maid like who she is now in the near future. He couldn’t help but smile at the memories.

“We usually have our own designated places when it comes to cleaning. You could talk with the head maid if you want to help with the hallway cleaning. I think you could handle that for now.” Adelinde told Kaeya as she walked in front of him.

Kaeya nodded his head, “I could do a few sweeping.” he replied, chuckling.

Adelinde smiles, “I’ll accompany you to the head maid then before we proceed to where the staff are staying.”

Kaeya almost forgot how strict the current head maid in this timeline was so when Adelinde introduced him to her, many questions were thrown at him. Where was he from? Is he really Kae’s uncle? Why did he appear now instead of last year after Kae was abandoned? What is his motive?

He tried answering each question to the best of his abilities but it’s honestly hard to keep himself from telling the truth even if he’s just mixing it up with a few lies. He even remembered feeling Adelinde’s gaze as he answered the head maid’s questions.

When the interrogation was finally over, the head maid assigned Kaeya to clean the manor’s windows, and if he’s done, he can assist in the gardening. Adelinde also told the head maid about his healing injuries so he was allowed to do light chores for his first week.

After talking with the head maid, Adelinde led Kaeya to the staff’s lodgings which looked like an apartment. The room given to him was simple but at least he wouldn’t worry about his shelter now while he’s in the past. It has one bed, one bathroom and a small desk. There’s also a small cabinet in the corner of the room. He’ll have to go to the city soon to buy some new clothes. He should still have a few mora in his pockets unless he dropped it during the war. His old clothes are honestly starting to smell and he noticed the weird looks that the other maids were giving him… It was embarrassing now that he noticed it. He’s thankful that Adelinde didn’t mention it or else he’ll bury himself under the ground.

Kaeya was able to rest for the remaining day. Checking his vision and then his stomach injury while he waited for the maid that was supposed to take his measurements for his butler outfit.

.

.

.

Kaeya thought he’ll have an easy start in the Ragnvindr Residence but oh boy, he was so wrong. He was prepared to start helping around the manor as a butler the day he received his uniform but he didn’t expect Diluc to be so…

Hella…

ANNOYING.

Maybe because the younger version of his brother disliked him. He still calls him ‘brother stealer’ because the redhead believes that he will take his little brother away someday. It was actually tempting to do just to see the reaction of this young Diluc but he doesn’t want to do anything that would upset Crepus. Because upsetting Crepus means losing his trust in him. 

Diluc had started doing these little pranks on him like putting a frog in his water-filled bucket whenever he cleans some windows. Sometimes, Diluc is running on the hallway and pretends to ‘accidentally’ push him which almost made him break a vase. Thank goodness, a maid was around as a witness and Kaeya’s reflex was fast enough to catch the falling vase but Diluc definitely looked disappointed when the vase didn’t shatter on the floor. He almost had the urge to tell Crepus about it but it seems childish so he simply let Diluc do what he wants…

Which was not a wise decision either because the kid’s pranks only increased.

Kaeya was in the back garden at that time, smiling at the calla lilies surrounding a small pond. Adelinde was actually the one who grew these flowers here because little Kae loves them. He still loves them until now and seeing the plant alive and colorful made a small spark light in his lone dull eye.

He was currently taking a break before he could continue pruning some of the bushes when he saw something in the corner of his eye. He knew in an instant that it’s another prank prepared by Diluc because who would think that a cotton-filled sock would work as a snake’s head? The googly eyes it had was a dead giveaway. At least this prank is a harmless one.

The bushes near the fake snake shakes and Kaeya slowly and quietly walks towards that direction. He smirks when he finds Diluc softly giggling while sitting on the ground.

“Young Master Diluc, Miss Adelinde would get mad if she saw that you dirtied your clothes.” Kaeya told Diluc which successfully surprised the kid.

Diluc yelped before standing up, glaring at Kaeya. “Y-You-!! How did you do that?!”

Kaeya innocently tilted his head to the side, “Whatever do you mean, young master?”

Diluc grumbled under his breath, stomping on the ground angrily. “You– You sneaked behind me and I didn’t even hear you! What did you do?!”

“It’s just called stealth. If you’re interested, I could teach you about it.” Kaeya told him as he picked up the fake snake. “And please, don’t waste good socks like this…”

Diluc immediately snatched the sock from Kaeya before running towards the manor. Kaeya only watched with a small smile. He knew he shouldn’t waste time like this but… he doesn’t even know where to start his planning. Now that he’s bound in the residence as a butler, he can’t freely go out unless he asks for permission. Maybe he should focus on gaining the full trust of Crepus. A trust that is enough to let him roam around Mondstadt without eyes watching his back.

I drew butler Kaeya!! He’s supposed to look much more older than this- 🤣 As for his current age, let’s say he’s around 30? I’m thinking between 28-30 🤔

Chapter Text

If there’s one thing that Kaeya could remember about his past self, it’s the habit of observing someone, especially if they are a stranger. And that’s currently what Kae is doing. Kaeya could feel his intense gaze on his back while he’s talking with a fellow butler, who was lending him some old clothes since he couldn’t go out to buy his own yet. He needed clothes aside from his uniform after all.

“You could keep these since I’m not using them anymore.” the butler, Hans, told him.

Kaeya nodded, checking out the clothes given to him. It looks like it’s a perfect fit for him too. “Thank you, Hans. I’ll repay you after this.”

Hans chuckled, patting him on his shoulder. “You’re welcome. I’ll see you around then, Caribert.”

Once Hans had left, Kaeya took a deep breath before turning around. He smiled, spotting Kae behind a pot of plants, trying to hide himself.

“Do you need something, Young Master Kaeya?” It feels weird calling somebody else with that title… But he had to since he’s now a butler in this residence.

Kae flinched before peeking, his lone periwinkle eye staring at him and not saying anything.

Kaeya walked closer and he knelt down in front of Kae. “Do you want to ask Uncle something?” 

He tried to show a friendly smile but he didn't know how it would look for Kae since he knew how empty his own eye looked. He saw it in the mirror. It honestly brought him nothing but dread as he remembered the future that will soon befall Mondstadt– no, the whole Teyvat. It wasn’t only Mondstadt who suffered in that war. The other nations did too. He doesn't even know how he could permanently get the life back in his own eye. It would only be a miracle if it did.

Kae looked around nervously before looking back at him, “What are you… planning? Are you really here just to… just to see me grow up? You’re not here for something else, aren’t you? You’re not here to see if I will perform my… my duty well?”

His duty. Of course he knew that one. It’s the biggest burden he had to carry. At this age, his mindset was positioned to fulfill it. To be the perfect spy that his biological father wanted him to be. But this was also the time where he’s wavering because of the love and warmth that Diluc and Crepus showed to him. Everyone in Mondstadt is kind and he saw that with his own two eyes. Even in the present, when he had no choice but to reveal who he truly is, his fellow knights and the adventurers living in Mondstadt… They all sided with him to protect their only home which is Mondstadt. That’s why…

He’s willing to do anything to protect this place.

“No. I truly wanted what’s best for you, Kae. You don’t have to worry about me getting angry. I’m not like him . I’m not like your father.” Kaeya reassured him as he put a hand on the kid’s head.

Kae clenched his shirt tightly as tears slowly formed in the corner of his eye. “R-Really? You won’t get mad or… or hit me? You won’t slap me if you see me enjoying papa and Luc’s company?”

Kaeya frowns, “I won’t. I promise. You are free to do what you want, Kae. Follow what your heart wants.”

Kae’s eye widened, “My heart…” he muttered before looking at the floor, “My heart wants to stay here… To stay with Luc and Papa. Can I really… Can I really do that? Without worrying what would happen if father found out about it?” he asked and there’s a hint of fear in his voice.

Kaeya chuckles, “If that old man decides to come back here and punish either of us, I promise to protect you. So don’t worry. Be a kid. Be yourself, Young Master Kaeya.” he smirked.

Kae’s tears finally fell and he sobbed. Kaeya could only watch before he embraced his younger self while patting him on the back.

“AAAHH!! You made Kaeya cry!!”

Kaeya felt his younger self flinching under his embrace and he sighed. Just standing behind Kae was none other than Diluc who was looking at him with a big frown and pointing at him with an accusatory finger.

“I did not. I just had a heart to heart talk with my nephew.” Kaeya told the redhead before gently pushing Kae and wiping the boy’s tear-stained eye. “And please don’t just point to people like that, Young Master Diluc. That’s bad.”

Diluc stomps his way towards the two of them, pulling Kae away from the older bluenette and hugging him tightly.

“Hmph! I don’t believe you. I bet you said something that hurt Kae!” Diluc said with a glare.

Kae frowns, “Uncle didn’t hurt me, Luc. We really just had a… heart to heart talk.”

Diluc looked at his brother, staring at him to see if he’s lying. And then he sighed before looking back at Kaeya. “I guess I’ll forgive you this time. I still don’t like you! I hope you’ll get bug bites when you sleep tonight! Good bye!!” he exclaimed before walking away, dragging Kae with him.

Kaeya just chuckles as he stands up. Diluc is really amusing at this age. He saw Kae looking back at him and when they made eye contact, Kae smiled a little while waving his hand. So Kaeya waves back, returning the smile with his own.

Maybe giving his younger self the freedom to believe in his own heart could help in the future, unlike him where it took him too long to realize what exactly his heart yearns for. It took so many sacrifices and now that he’s in the past even if he’s not in his past body, he can help guide his younger self to what he believed to be the right path. These are simply small changes, but hopefully it could be one of the forces that could help them in the future.

.

.

.

Kaeya was joined by a maid named Lily when he finally got permission to go out of the residence. Both of them were headed to the city. Since the chef needed a few ingredients from the city, Lily was asked to buy them and Kaeya saw it as a perfect opportunity to tag along, offering to join Lily so he could buy some clothes and also help the maid carry the grocery bags. The chef was clearly hesitant about letting the bluenette accompany Lily but the maid herself didn’t seem to mind and reassured the chef that she’ll be fine with Kaeya.

And that’s how Kaeya ended up helping Lily with the groceries. He decided to go help the maid with the groceries before buying his clothes.

“Thank you for offering to help, Caribert. It seems like I really needed help carrying these groceries.” Lily told him and Kaeya just smiled.

“It’s no problem. I had to visit the city anyway to buy some new clothes so I can have something else to wear aside from the ones I got from Hans.” he replied, carrying a paper bag of their groceries on his left arm. “Are these everything that you need to buy?”

Lily nodded, “We can go to the clothing shop now! I know a good place!”

Lily not only showed the good shops but also toured Kaeya around and he really appreciated her company despite him knowing where to actually go to. He just lets the maid do the little tour. It would raise suspicion if he showed that he actually knew some of the places pretty well.

Kaeya observes Lily as she points from one place to another. He remembers her as one of the sweetest maids that works in the Ragnvindr Residence but of course, she still couldn’t beat Adelinde. For him, Adelinde is still the best maid.

With Kaeya’s current amount of mora he had from the future, he was able to buy two sets of indoor clothes which is good enough to wear when he’s not doing his butler duties. He’ll just buy more once he can get his pay. Lily also treated him to some hair conditioners since he’d been bothered by how rough his hair had become. Maybe he should get a haircut too when the time comes… Just a little trimming at the ends would do. 

‘I wonder who to ask for help when cutting my hair. I mean, I can do it myself but I don’t want to make it uneven…’ Kaeya thought to himself as he pondered about it.

His younger self usually asks Adelinde to do the hair trimming for him and somewhere in the future, Lumine and Paimon do it for him and that was before the war even started. During the war, he didn’t have the time to trim or to even take care of himself. He had to make sure that Mondstadt was safe from their enemies.

He sighed. He should worry about the little things later.

Both of them were on their way towards the main gate of Mondstadt when in the corner of his eye, Kaeya spotted a notebook on the shelf found outside of Marjorie’s Souvenir Shop. They stopped in front of her shop and Marjorie greeted them. She looks really young at this time. He walked there with Lily following from behind. Lily peeked from his shoulder and smiled.

“Buying a journal?” she asked Kaeya and he nodded, picking it up and scanning through the blank pages.

He will need to write things down once he starts planning things out so he wouldn’t forget anything. It would be better to write it in Khaenri’ahn too so if ever someone finds it, they wouldn’t understand anything written on it. He couldn’t risk someone discovering that he’s actually from the future. He doesn’t want them to know the dreadful things that will soon arrive in Mondstadt and all of Teyvat.

“Yes. Might as well write about the days I spent with my nephew. It would be a nostalgic thing to go back to.” Kaeya said with a small smile as he checked out his pouch, counting his remaining mora if he had enough to buy it.

Lily giggled, “That sounds lovely.”

Kaeya paid for the journal and the two of them finally made their way back to the Ragnvindr Residence.

Chapter Text

Kaeya winced when he pressed the scar on his stomach too much. It looks like his injury will take a few more days to completely heal. At least, it’s showing signs of healing. He opened up the can of herbal ointment the Sisters from the Cathedral gave to him and carefully applied it on the scar before wrapping it up again with a clean bandage.

He took his time to dress up for the day, thinking about the chores he should do this time. He already checked the windows yesterday and saw that most of them have already been cleaned by the other maids. Maybe he should check if he missed a few stray weeds in the garden…

Once he’s done, he left his room and headed towards the main building to make himself a cup of coffee. The residence’s staffs were allowed to make their drinks in the main kitchen which was really nice. They still have their own kitchen back in the staff’s lodgings but he prefers making his coffee in the main kitchen. Their father was truly a kind man to allow his own staffs to use their kitchen. He saw Adelinde outside of the main kitchen, looking around while holding a tray filled with a cup of warm tea and a small serving of Satisfying Salad. Her eyes lit up when she saw Kaeya.

“Ah! Good morning, Caribert. Can you help me deliver this to Master Crepus? He’s currently in his office.” Adelinde told him as she smiled.

Kaeya raised an eyebrow, taking the tray from her. “Is the Master not joining his sons later at breakfast?” he asked.

“Thank you, and he will. This is just an early meal for him. He’s been busy working on a few papers in his office and I doubt he even got a long rest since last night. We still have to finish cooking the rest of their breakfast so I was hoping to find someone to deliver this for me. That’s when I saw you.” Adelinde said with a sigh. “Ah, if you’re here to make your coffee, I’ll go do it for you.”

Kaeya frowns, “I can’t bother you to do that…”

“It’s alright. Go ahead, the Master’s waiting.” Adelinde told him before heading back inside the kitchen.

Kaeya just sighs, he knew there’s no stopping Adelinde once she made up her mind. Once he walked away to deliver the meal to Crepus, no one noticed a short redhead kid sneaking inside of the kitchen.

“Come in.”

Kaeya opened the door to Crepus’ office once he got the permission to enter. He frowns as soon as he sees his once father buried in so many paperworks. The job as the head of the winery is truly making him so busy. But despite his busy job, he still makes some time for both of his sons and Kaeya finds that to be very heartwarming. It’s a sign that he truly loves both of them.

“Master Crepus, Adelinde had told me to deliver these for you. You should take a break and eat for a bit.” Kaeya told him.

Crepus just hummed, still writing on the paper he’s working on. “I’m almost done with this one. It’s the last paper I have to work on for today. Just put it on the side table, Caribert.”

Kaeya walked towards the side table while taking a look around the man’s office. Being back in this room truly brings him a sense of nostalgia. The smell of ink and books, and the familiar notes pinned on the board. He chuckled softly when he saw a small doodle that his younger self and Diluc had drawn on the corner of the board.

He heard the shuffling of papers while he was placing the tray down on the side table.

“Right, Caribert.” Crepus starts as he stands up. “Grand Master Varka of the Knights of Favonius will be visiting us during the afternoon to help Diluc with his Vision and…”

Ah right, how could he forget? It was around this year that Diluc gained his vision. Kaeya turned around, giving a nod and Crepus continued.

“He wants to meet you.”

Huh?

Kaeya clears his throat, “Why would the Grand Master meet someone like me?” he asked. He knew he’ll have to meet Varka someday but this early?

“If you’ve forgotten, you’re still an outlander who proclaims to be Kaeya’s uncle and I’m sure that he had heard about my decision of taking you in as a butler for my residence. Of course, he would be curious and would want to meet you. Plus, he’s very fond of Kaeya. I’m sure he wanted to see if you truly are a threat or not.” Crepus told him as he chuckled, walking towards the side table to pick up his cup of tea. “You don’t have that much to do, correct? It would be fine to meet with him unless you are lying about being my son’s uncle.” he said, looking at Kaeya with sharp eyes.

Kaeya stayed quiet for a few moments before smiling , “Alright, I’ll be there. Who am I to say no?”

Crepus nodded, “Good.”

Kaeya bowed his head before leaving the office. He walked back to the kitchen while thinking about meeting Varka. Varka is a smart man, he wouldn’t be surprised if he finds something strange with Caribert’s identity. Would he be the first person who would suspect Kaeya to be someone else other than who he proclaims to be? Will he find out that he’s more than an uncle? That he’s someone from the future?

Well, he’s doubtful that Varka would discover it that quickly. Having a future person visit the past– or the present sounds like something from a fictional book. That is until he experienced it himself. He still couldn’t believe that Istaroth, the God of Time, is still existing. Was she asleep like Barbatos during this current time? If not, what has she been doing and why did she only act when someone who is almost dead arrived at the sundial?

He still doesn’t know why she decided to bring him this far in the past. Wouldn’t it be better to just bring him back before the war started so they could prepare earlier for it and prevent many casualties? Or does she want him to find something in this faraway past? If only the Honorary Knight or the brother he knew is here to help him plan…

No. He should save the brainstorming when he’s not on duty. He should focus on his current task which is returning to the main kitchen and drinking his morning cup of coffee blended by none other than sweet Adelinde.

When he finally reached the main kitchen, he saw Adelinde and Lily already having their breakfast on the table. There are only a few staff inside the main kitchen unlike earlier. They probably left to do their own assigned chores. The meals for the Ragnvindr family are already set aside and ready to be served once the three of them are at their table in the dining hall.

“Ah Caribert, you’re back. Here’s your coffee.” Adelinde told him as she gestured at the cup of coffee beside her.

Kaeya smiled, taking a seat beside the maid. “Thank you, Miss Adelinde. Master Crepus is already eating the small meal you prepared for him.”

Adelinde giggled, “That’s good. I hope he’ll learn to take a long rest from work every now and then. But he’s very hardworking.”

Kaeya picks up his cup and blows it, savoring the scent of the coffee. “He truly is.” he muttered before taking a sip–

The flavor that assaulted his tongue as soon as he drank his coffee was… overwhelmingly salty . He started coughing because of it, spilling the coffee on the table in the process. Both Adelinde and Lily looked at him with a surprised expression. It even got the chef’s attention and Kaeya couldn’t feel even more ashamed than this. He placed the cup down on the table before he could spill anymore of its contents.

“Are you alright? Was the coffee bad?” Adelinde asked him and Kaeya suddenly felt guilty hearing the hurt from the maid’s voice. She’s also patting his back while he tries to calm down from his coughing.

He doesn’t want to ask it because he knew how careful Adelinde was whenever she made things. But he still had to, to make sure it wasn’t her who tampered with the drink.

“Uhm… Miss Adelinde… Did you perhaps mix up sugar with salt?” Kaeya asked slowly and Adelinde frowned before she looked at the spilled coffee.

“I made sure to use the jar of powdered sugar, I even checked it properly…” Adelinde muttered before looking at the chef who was already checking the jar that Adelinde had used when she was making Kaeya’s coffee.

The chef frowned when he took a small taste of it, “Adelinde. This is salt, not sugar.”

Adelinde gasped, covering her mouth in shock. “I-it was?! I made sure it’s sugar!” she exclaimed as she walked towards the chef to check on the jar too. She frowned when she confirmed that it was indeed salt not sugar. “I’m so sorry, Caribert. I really made sure… I don’t know what–”

Kaeya shakes his head as he wipes the coffee stains on the table with Lily’s help. “It’s alright, Miss Adelinde. I know you weren’t that careless. Perhaps someone didn’t like me and decided to swap the jar with salt without you knowing.” he chuckled.

“But who might that be? Some of the staff here could be a little cautious of you but they would never do something like this… It looks like I have to talk with the head maid and see who did this to you.” Adelinde said with an exasperated sigh.

Kaeya waves his hand, “No, it’s alright. It wasn’t that bad. You can just let it go–”

“No! This is not a good behavior for a staff in the Ragnvindr Residence. We can’t overlook this.” Adelinde exclaimed, her voice already full of authority.

The chef chuckled as he crossed his arms. “There’s no stopping Adelinde with this, Caribert. But she does have a point. We can’t overlook this.”

Kaeya sighs, “Okay then.” he mumbled.

He made his own coffee after that, making sure that he’s using the right jar this time. After having his small breakfast, he joined the other butlers in serving the family’s meal on the table. He stayed at the side as soon as he did his job, still wondering about that little incident in the kitchen.

Who could have replaced the jar of sugar with salt? He’s even surprised that Adelinde didn’t notice it. He sighed and in the corner of his eye, he noticed a certain expression from a certain redhead. He immediately grimaced.

The afternoon soon came and Varka did arrive. Kaeya was already outside of the mansion with Crepus and the kids. Both him and Crepus were observing Diluc as he swung his wooden sword around with Kae watching with awe. Diluc only stopped with what he was doing when they heard the sound of a horse. In the distance, they could see an armored man riding a horse.

“Grand Master Varka!!” Diluc exclaimed cheerfully while waving his arms around.

Kaeya couldn’t help but sigh with relief. Varka in the future arrived in Mondstadt when the city was already half damaged. The man grimaced when he and Jean told him about the knights they lost during the fight. He joined the war after that, helping the knights and the adventurers as they defend the city of Mondstadt from the waves of enemies that come to them.

“So you’re Caribert, Kaeya’s uncle. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Varka told Kaeya, snapping him from his thoughts.

Kaeya looked down to see that the man extended his hand out for a handshake so he smiled a little before shaking hands with Varka. What he didn’t expect was the tight hold that the Grand Master gave to him but when he looked up to see the man’s expression, Varka was still smiling.

“T-That’s right. It’s also a pleasure to meet you, Grand Master Varka.” Kaeya replied. His hunch was right, Varka is cautious of him.

Diluc observed both of them before pouting, “Grand Master, can you train me already?!” he asked excitedly.

Varka finally let go of Kaeya’s hand as he laughed before ruffling Diluc’s hair. “Someone seems excited!”

Diluc giggles before grinning from ear to ear. “Of course I am! I’ve been wanting to practice my Vision!”

Varka chuckles, “Later, Diluc. I have to do something first.” he told him, making the younger redhead pout even more.

Kaeya tensed when Varka looked at him, examining him from head to toe. Then his sight soon landed on the hidden vision hanging on his waist.

“So you do have a Vision. Say Caribert, care for a little spar?” Varka asked, surprising Kaeya.

Kaeya blinked, feeling nervous all of the sudden. What is Varka planning?

“Uhh… I’m afraid that I’m still recovering from my injuries, Grand Master Varka.” Kaeya reasoned.

Varka hummed while he caressed his own beard. “You don’t seem that injured to me.”

They heard Crepus sighing, “What are you planning, Varka? Don’t just ask my staff to have a spar with you. Remember that you’re still the knight’s Grand Master. Don’t intimidate Caribert.”

Kae seemed to watch the adults while Diluc looked unamused.

“I heard from rumors circulating around the city that a Vision saved him, that's why he was able to survive. Think about it, Master Crepus. Looking back at Caribert’s injuries, it seemed like he fought a strong opponent without a Vision and yet he was able to survive until it appeared. Aren’t you curious to see his skills?” Varka said while smirking.

Crepus looked at Kaeya, who was still tense at the sudden turn of events before looking back at Varka. “You’re not wrong. I am also interested to see how he fights but like what he said, he’s still recovering. I don’t think he could fight well in his condition.”

Varka shrugs, “It’s just a light spar. I’ll go easy.”

Diluc suddenly grins, “I want to see him fight too!” he exclaimed, earning a frown from Kaeya.

Varka laughed at Diluc’s enthusiasm, “See? Even little Diluc wants to see us fight! What do you think, Kae? Do you want to see it too?”

Kaeya looked at his younger self, still frowning. ‘Please say no.’

Kae looked at Varka then to the older bluenette, then back to Varka. “I guess so… Only if Uncle is already okay to fight.”

‘Past me! You have one job!’ Kaeya internally grimaced.

Crepus sighed, “Well.. Since both of the boys wanted to see the fight so badly… What do you say, Caribert? It’s fine to say no. You’re still recovering after all. We wouldn’t want to strain or re-open your already healing injuries.”

Varka crosses his arms, “I already said I’ll go easy.”

Crepus just rolled his eyes at that.

Kaeya looked at both of the kids. He knew that Diluc somehow wanted him to lose against Varka, seeing that smug smirk he had on his face. His younger self, Kae, had a look of curiosity and it was hard to say no to that. Now he knows how Crepus, Adelinde and soon, Elzer, fail to say no to that face that his younger self shows.

“Fine, I’ll do it.” Kaeya finally said, earning a cheer from Diluc and a satisfied nod from Varka. “But I don’t have a weapon with me. And I… uh… I just received my Vision so I don’t know how to control it yet.” A truth and a lie. He can’t let them know that he can actually use his Vision well like a professional. Then the truth; he left his sword somewhere in the future timeline. He wasn’t able to bring it with him.

Varka nodded again, “It’s no problem at all. I have an extra sword right here. And you can test your Vision against me. Don’t worry about hurting me.”

“You seem prepared for this, Varka.” Crepus said, shaking his head.

Kaeya’s not worried about hurting Varka. He knew that the man could defend himself well. He’s more worried about himself . Fighting is already a reflex for him so he’s nervous about doing something that would make others question him. He should be careful not to show too much skill.

“Diluc! You better watch us, alright? See this as a demonstration for our lesson!” Varka told Diluc.

The young redhead nodded before shouting, “Beat him, Grand Master Varka!”

Varka laughed while Crepus just shook his head again. Kae looked confused on who to cheer for. Finally, the younger bluenette gained the courage and yelled out;

“Y-You can do it, Uncle!”

Kaeya could hear Diluc gasping, “Kae! You should cheer for Grand Master Varka, not your uncle!”

“But he’s my uncle..?” Kae muttered.

Kaeya just chuckles, shaking his head from side to side.

“Caribert, catch!”

Kaeya caught the sword thrown at him before looking at Varka who already had his claymore drawn.

“I’ll set a rule. The first one who loses their weapon gets defeated.” Crepus suddenly said.

Varka sighed, swinging his claymore on his shoulder. “Really, Master Crepus?”

Crepus crosses his arms, glaring at the man. “He’s still my staff, Grand Master. His safety is my responsibility.”

Varka huffs with a smile. “Alright, alright. Are you good with that rule, Caribert?”

Kaeya swings the sword around him to test the weight. “Yes, I’m fine with it.”

Varka smirked before swinging his claymore down. Kaeya only stood still, waiting for any movements to come from the man. Silence filled the whole area as the atmosphere turned tense.

Kaeya’s eye narrowed when Varka finally made the first move, walking towards him that soon turned into a sprint. Despite the claymore being heavy, for Varka, it looked like a dead weight for him, dragging it with him like a stick. Kaeya moved out of the way when Varka slammed his claymore on him but he didn’t stop there. Varka turned swiftly, swinging his claymore and slashing it horizontally. Kaeya quickly raised his sword to block it, flinching at the hard impact it made.

“Quick reflexes.” Varka smirked before jumping back.

Kaeya couldn’t help but smirk, the adrenaline of the fight slowly getting to him. “You’re quite fast yourself despite holding a big weapon like that, Grand Master.”

Varka laughed, “This claymore? Haha! It’s no big deal. It’s the result of my training when I was still not the Grand Master. Nothing can hold me down.” he grinned, posing again as he placed the claymore on his side. “Come at me. Don’t be shy, Caribert.”

Since he offered then he might as well. He just has to make sure not to show off too much.

Kaeya ran ahead, swinging his sword once he’s close to Varka but the man easily blocks it with his claymore before pushing him off to try tipping his balance off but Kaeya was able to stay standing by taking a step back and pushing back. Frost starts to crawl around his sword and Varka smirks when he notices what Kaeya was planning.

“Planning to keep my weapon stuck onto your sword? Not bad, but that’s still a naive plan!” Varka exclaimed, putting more force to his claymore, effectively pushing Kaeya back.

Little did he know that this was all a part of Kaeya’s plan. He’s already planning on losing this spar because how could a recovering butler like him defeat the Grand Master? He shouldn’t put too much effort fighting against Varka.

‘Better be naive than show my real skills.’ Kaeya thought to himself as he smirked inside his head.

Behind them, he could hear Diluc saying “Yeah! That’s it! Push him off!!”

Strikes and slashes were exchanged between Kaeya and Varka. Kaeya purposely let some of Varka’s attacks hit him. He mentally apologized to Adelinde or to Crepus for ruining his uniform. Kaeya still placed some effort in fighting so it wouldn’t be obvious that he’s planning to purposely lose the fight. He just hopes that Varka won't notice it.

Varka swung his claymore diagonally and Kaeya found this as the right time to let go of his sword so as soon as he pretended to parry the attack, Kaeya also let go of the hilt of the sword while feigning an expression of pain. His sword dropped a few meters behind him and he chuckled while shaking his right hand.

“Aah… It looks like I lost.” Kaeya muttered.

Diluc cheered, “Grand Master Varka won!!!”

“Uncle fought well.” Kae muttered, a small smile on his face.

Crepus chuckles, patting Kae and Diluc on their heads.

Varka chuckled, patting Kaeya on his shoulder. “It was a good spar! But I noticed that you still need a lot of practice.” he told him before walking past him to retreat the sword.

But as soon as Varka was close to his ear, the Grand Master whispered something that surprised the older bluenette.

“The next time we spar, please make sure to not hold back. I can see you holding back your strength while we’re fighting. Crepus and the kids probably couldn’t see it but since I’m facing you, it was quite obvious.”

Ah. He really shouldn’t underestimate Varka.

Even after being found out, Kaeya couldn’t help the smirk forming with his lips. “Ah, my apologies. I am… recovering. That is why I have to hold myself back.” he whispered back, following Varka towards the others.

Varka laughs as he picks up the sword. “I see, I see. That’s understandable. Alright then, I've made up my mind.”

Diluc smiled brightly, “Is it time to train?!”

“Sort of! But instead of me teaching you, I’ll let Caribert teach you instead.” Varka told them and Kaeya felt like slapping himself.

Varka just said what?!

Chapter Text

“Wait what?! Why?!” Diluc asked, his eyes wide. Even Kaeya was surprised by what Varka had said.

“I’ll have Caribert teach you your swordsmanship while I’ll help with your Vision. Since Caribert recently gained his Vision too, I can also help him with it.” Varka explained. “It’s hitting two birds with one stone!” he chuckled.

Diluc momentarily glared at Kaeya before looking back at Varka, “But why him?!”

Varka hums, “It’s because Caribert also has a Vision and it would help both of you if he were to join us. And from our spar earlier, I know that Caribert is a skilled man. He can definitely teach you the basics of swordsmanship. Don’t worry, I’ll teach you next after you master the basics.”

Kaeya crosses his arms, “I don’t think that this is a good idea.” he told Varka and for the first time ever since he worked as a butler, Diluc agreed with him. “Young Master Diluc clearly dislikes me if you didn’t notice that yet. And are you sure you want to trust me for this?” he asked.

Varka smiles widely, placing a hand on Kaeya’s shoulder. “I can see that Crepus already placed a bit of his trust on you by letting you work here in the Ragnvindr Residence instead of Dawn Winery so I’m alright with you teaching Diluc the basics of swordsmanship. I’m sure you’re not as bad as Rosaria.” he told him before laughing. “And why don’t the both of you use this chance to get to know each other more and be friendly? Don’t you want to get to know Kaeya’s uncle more, Luc?” He looked at Diluc with a smirk.

Diluc gasped, acting like it was the most terrible idea that Varka had ever suggested. “No! I refuse! He’s a brother stealer! He makes Kae cry too!”

Now, it was Kae’s turn to frown. Tired of simply watching them. He can’t help but feel upset whenever his big brother shows signs of dislike towards his uncle. “Uncle didn’t make me cry that time, Luc! I already told you and you even said you already forgave him!”

“I– Ugh! Even so, I won’t accept this!” Diluc told them as he stomped his right foot, already fuming. His Pyro Vision starts glowing and makes his surroundings hot as it responds to its owner’s emotions.

Crepus sighs and he finally says, “If we could supervise them while Caribert is teaching Diluc, I guess I could allow this.” he said, earning a gasp and a look of betrayal from his eldest son. “But why did you suddenly think of teaching Caribert too?” he asked Varka, curious.

Kaeya also looked at Varka again, waiting for his answer. Varka just can’t be that trusting right? Sure, he did help Rosaria around this time and from what he learned from her, she used to be a bandit, someone who is skilled in… killing? Until Varka somewhat saved her and let the church take care of her. 

“Think about it, Crepus. Caribert is the first allogene that works for you, correct?” Varka asked and Crepus nodded. “If we can train him and hone his skills, wouldn’t he be an amazing bodyguard for the Ragnvindr Family?”

Ah.. So that was Varka’s plan. It doesn’t sound bad honestly.

Crepus seemed to also understand the advantage of what Varka had said, and then he looked at Kaeya. “I believe you don’t have a plan of betraying us, especially your nephew, right?” he asked out of nowhere which surprised the older bluenette.

Varka smirked before looking at Kaeya. Diluc also looked up, glaring at him while Kae looked a little nervous. Probably worrying about their ties with Khaenri’ah.

Kaeya sighed before putting a hand on Kae’s head as an act of comfort. He smiled towards Crepus. It was genuine even if the light is still missing from his eye.  “I swear to my life that I will never betray you or anyone in Mondstadt. You took great care of my nephew so I will do anything to help you back. And I hope in the future, you can fully trust me.”

Crepus sighs, shaking his head fondly. “Those are some big words. I hope you won’t turn back in your words, Caribert. Not only am I trusting both of my sons’ swordsmanship education to you, I am also trusting you to protect the Ragnvindr name. Whatever you do will always affect this family, especially once I can truly make you their bodyguard.” he stated, face serious. Kaeya nodded in return.

“Diluc?” Varka looked down at the grumpy redhead.

Diluc glared at the ground, deep in his own thoughts.

“I… I want to join the training too.” Kae suddenly said, surprising his brother.

“You don’t have to, Kae.” Diluc told him but Kae just shakes his head.

“I also want to be a knight! I will fight alongside Luc and uncle!” Kae declared, his periwinkle eye shining with a newfound determination.

Kaeya smirks, ruffling his younger self’s hair. “Are you sure about that, Kae?” he asked and Kae nodded.

It was a little early for Kae to start training for the knights but Kaeya also thinks that it would be nice if the younger bluenette can learn a little earlier. Perhaps, he can teach Kae some tricks he learned in the future.

Crepus chuckles, “Ah, my two little knights. Make sure you train them well, Varka. Same to you, Caribert.”

“Of course.” Kaeya said as he lowered his head into a bow.

They spent the rest of the day doing light exercises and a simple training where both boys, including Kaeya , swung their wooden swords a few times. Despite Diluc’s dislike towards Kaeya , the boy fortunately still follows his and Varka’s instructions but Diluc would mostly respond to the Grand Master and not at Kaeya’s questions or statements. He could only shrug at that but surely, he’ll earn Diluc’s respect someday. He truly misses his brother at this age… He won’t lie that he sometimes gets jealous whenever Diluc’s bright smiles are only received by his younger self. He wanted Diluc to look at him with a smile too, not a frown.

But this isn’t his timeline anymore. He couldn’t do anything about Diluc’s attitude for now. He should focus on his current task instead.

His younger self was doing great with his swings. He does have a few experiences when holding a blade but it became a bit rusty after his first year of stay with the Ragnvindr so this training would help Kae remember his movements again. Kaeya would usually correct the two kids' posture whenever he spots them doing something wrong.

Both kids were resting, drinking the juice that Adelinde had brought to them, when Crepus walked beside Kaeya, his arms crossed. “It looks like this isn’t your first time to instruct swordsmanship.” he hummed. “Have you been teaching before?”

“... You could say that.” Kaeya mumbled while watching Diluc, the young redhead laughing with Kae as they both rested.

Crepus caresses his beard, “So you were a knight or a sword instructor?”

“Hmm… Yes.”

Varka, who had been standing in front of the two men, turned around to face them. “I haven’t asked but where are you and Kaeya from?” he asked the older bluenette.

Kaeya noticed his younger self perking up, stealing a small glance to look at them. “We’re from a faraway land.” what he simply answered.

Varka frowns, obviously not liking his answer. “Even Kaeya doesn’t want to tell me or Crepus, or even Diluc, about your origin. You do know how suspicious this sounds… Both you and Kaeya had unknown origins. This is one of the reasons why Inspector Eroch is very suspicious and cautious of Kaeya. And maybe, to you too.”

Kaeya sighs, “Fine. I’ll tell you.” he mumbled, causing his younger self to look at him with a wide eye. “We’re from Sumeru.” then Kae sighed in relief when he said that.

Sumeru is the best bet. It’s not really a lie since somewhere in Sumeru’s undergrounds, a gate to Khaenri’ah could be found plus with his appearance, people would believe him more if he were to pretend to be from Sumeru’s deserts. A desertfolk.

Varka stares at him before nodding, finally accepting the answer. “Sumeru, huh. That is indeed a faraway place. Both you and Kaeya do seem to be from the Great Red Sands. It would make sense why he looked malnourished when Crepus found him. Life in the desert is harsh and Mondstadt is pretty far. I couldn’t imagine his birth father and him walking all the way here…”

Kaeya sighs, expression turning somber. “I know. I was really surprised when I caught wind of this so I left Sumeru and headed to this nation until… you know, I got chased and ended up injured.” he said as he gestured to himself.

“Well, you’re here now. Welcome to Mondstadt, I guess.” Varka told Kaeya as he chuckled.

Kaeya smiles back, “Quite late for that now but thank you, Grand Master Varka.”

When the second session of their training ended, Varka finally returned to the city. After having dinner with the staff, Kaeya headed towards his room in the staff’s lodgings to finally go to sleep. But before that, he planned to write a few things in his journal.

Kaeya opened the window to let some cool air in before sitting down on his chair near the desk. He opened the journal to its first page. He picked up the quill and dipped it in the bottle of ink. Then he writes in the ancient language of the fallen nation.

Most of the important events happened before and after the arrival of the Honorary Knight, Lumine. Which was still far away from the current timeline he is currently on. Kae is currently nine and Diluc is ten years old. So that would mean, there’s still…

4 more years until Diluc becomes the Cavalry Captain

9 more years until Diluc’s 18th birthday

14 more years until the Stormterror’s events

Kaeya taps the quill on the side of the paper, a frown on his face. He groans, leaning back on his chair.

“Why did they send me back too far? I don’t even know what to do aside from trying to get Crepus and Varka’s full trust.” he grumbled. “I only remember Venti saying that this is our last hope. But he should have at least told me what I needed to do this far in the past. He didn’t even leave any clue…”

Silence stayed in the room before Kaeya finally let out a sound of sigh. He sat up properly, dipping the quill on the bottle of ink for the second time to write a new line.

Important Events that happened before Diluc’s promotion to a Cavalry Captain

He stared at the line for a few seconds before leaning on his other hand. He closed his eye, trying to recall any important events related to the Abyss Order but nothing truly comes to mind– 

Wait… 

Wasn’t there an issue about a missing Statue of the Seven? He only heard about it from Lumine some time in the future. He doesn’t know what happened to that after the Honorary Knight left the domain but he knew for sure that it’s a work by the Abyss Order and it’s somehow important to whatever they are planning for. What was it again? The Loom of Fate?

‘I wonder if that place is already existing at this time but it might be dangerous for me to go alone…’ Kaeya thought to himself as he wrote on the page.

Important Events that happened before Diluc’s promotion to a Cavalry Captain

-the domain containing the missing Statue of the Seven (the loom of fate?)

Ah, why did he almost forget? Something also happens to the kids before Diluc becomes the Cavalry Captain. He also wanted to avoid that incident from happening.

-Abyss Mages appearing during our the family’s outing in Falcon Coast (a year from now)

He could still remember it clearly. He was playing pirates with Diluc at that time when they went too far from Crepus and their other companions. He had forgotten who accompanied them at that time but he was sure that they were all worried about the both of them.

The Abyss Mages were both Pyro and they were dancing around a small bonfire. Diluc’s vision was useless at that time because he couldn’t do anything about the shield so he couldn’t even fight them. Despite the memory being old, Kaeya could still remember what the Abyss Mages said to him.

“You’re here, you’re here! The man’s little spawn! Is he a sacrifice for Khaenri’ah’s greater revival? Mhmm! Such a strong pyro energy! Such a young soul! As expected of his son, you’ve picked a good candidate!”

His younger self couldn’t fight at that time so it was only Diluc who was defending themselves from the Abyss Mages’ attacks. Soon enough, Crepus and their other companions found them after they realized that both boys aren't around anymore. They were saved just in time before Diluc could get even more hurt but his younger self was left shaken. 

He was so scared at that time, clueless as to what ‘sacrifice’ they were talking about. That was until it made some dots connect from what Lumine had told him about what she saw inside the domain where the lost Statue of the Seven was. There was a kneeling bandit in front of it and the man was DEAD. Was that what the abyss mages meant at that time? They thought he brought Diluc to them to be one of the sacrifices?

Kaeya frowned as he wrote more words on the page.

-Keep a close eye on Kae and Diluc once it’s time for the Falcon Coast outing and never let them go too far from where Crepus and the others are. If possible, go to where both of the Abyss Mages are and follow them after the outing. They might lead to the location of the domain

And hopefully in that time, he can finally go out freely without Crepus being suspicious or cautious of him. There’s a big chance that the Abyss Mages will lead him to the domain if what he concluded about that encounter was really true. That would save some time rather than searching around Mondstadt without a lead. Lumine didn’t tell him where it was located after all. It would be more problematic if that place happens to be outside Mondstadt.

Kaeya sighs, closing the journal. That’s all he could think of. Maybe the best plan for now is to gain Crepus and Varka’s complete trust so he can freely roam around Mondstadt and begin investigating by visiting some places. He also wanted to go to the sundial. Perhaps to thank Istaroth for bringing him here, giving him a chance to change or prevent the upcoming war in the far future. Ah, he also needed to access the library in the Knights of Favonius headquarters to check if he could find any books that could help him. He might need to sneak inside the restricted area for it. Around this time, Lisa shouldn’t be around yet. She’s too young to be a Librarian. Honestly, she’s the only Librarian that Kaeya fears. Who wouldn’t?

He caught something gold in the corner of his eye and when he looked down, he saw that a butterfly had landed on his journal. It’s golden-yellow in color, the wings glitters under the moonlight, making it glow in the night. He stood up and tried to guide the butterfly out of the window. He watches it fly away as if mesmerized. Then he shook his head before closing the window and heading to bed.

.

.

.

Kaeya’s schedule had been divided into two. In the morning, he will perform his cleaning duties as a butler and in the afternoon when Varka arrives, he will join him and the kids with their swordsmanship lessons. His schedule was packed thanks to that. Not that he complains, it’s better to do something than nothing.

Varka also helps him with his Vision, even though he already knew how to use it. But with the story he told to Crepus before, and to what Varka already knows, he only gained it recently so he shouldn’t be able to use it well yet. It was challenging to pretend that he can’t control his vision but it worked. And for funsies, he sometimes makes a flurry of snow on top of the grumpy redhead and tells them that he couldn’t control it. Diluc’s response to that was unforgettable.

“I swear, you’re enjoying this. Accident or not. Why is it always on me?!” Diluc exclaimed in anger while he brushed the snow off his hair. Kae was giggling beside him.

Kaeya feigns a frown, “If only I know how to control it, Young Master.” he said, earning a grumble from the redhead. He swiftly moved a bit to the side to avoid the flame that Diluc flicked on his way.

Varka laughs, “Come on, both of you. No time for playing. Concentrate.”

“Tell that to Caribert!” Diluc yelled out, pointing at Kaeya.

Kaeya calmly pushes his hand down, “What did I tell you, Young Master Diluc? Pointing at people is bad manners.”

“Hmph.”

Kaeya chuckles. He really wants to ruffle and mess with the redhead’s hair. It’s still fun annoying Diluc in whatever age.

“Caribert, Master Crepus is calling for you.” they heard Adelinde saying as she walked towards the group.

Kaeya looked at Varka and the man nodded at him. He bowed his head towards Varka and the kids before heading inside of the manor.

He knocked on the door and a voice from inside told Kaeya to come in.

“Do you need something, Master Crepus?” Kaeya asked as he walked inside the office.

Crepus smiles, “You’re here. I’m thinking of bringing you tomorrow for a road inspection if that’s alright.”

Kaeya raises an eyebrow, “A road inspection?”

The man nodded as he collected the papers on his desk. “There were a few sightings of Treasure Hoarders and stray hilichurls on the road our transportation team uses. It came to the point where some carriages or transportation balloons got attacked and some of our goods even got stolen. Since you are an allogene yourself, I’m thinking of having you accompany us instead of asking for some knights.”

“I see. I am alright with that. What time do we leave tomorrow?” Kaeya asked.

“After breakfast.”

Kaeya hums, thinking about the duties he has to do tomorrow.

“Oh, don’t worry about your cleaning duties. I’ve told the head maid about this in advance.” Crepus said with a smile.

Kaeya chuckles, “Alright then.” he bowed his head before leaving the office, going back outside to continue their lessons.

Chapter Text

There was a man walking and behind him, a golden haired teen is following while staring at the pill he has on his hand. They soon reach a house and on the bed is an unconscious hilichurl. It has a handkerchief tied on its wrist.

The golden haired boy gave the man the pill and watched as the man gave it to the hilichurl.

In a blink, he felt like he became the hilichurl. His body felt weird and his mind was hazy but as soon as the pill had taken effect, he gained a moment of clarity. But instead of relief, he suddenly felt afraid.

“Pa..pa? What… What happened to me?” He felt like that voice came from him but he doesn’t remember opening his mouth.

There was a smile on the man’s face and he embraced him– no, the hilichurl? “Caribert, my son!”

Caribert… Caribert… Why does that name sound so familiar?

“You’ll be alright, my son. Y-You’re– We’re just in a fairytale!”

“I-I don’t like this.. Papa… I’m scared!”

The hilichurl’s fearful thoughts and emotions are so much that it woke Kaeya up with a gasp. He awoke while sweating and the room was still dark but there’s already a bit of light coming out of the window. It was already dawn, he noticed. He also didn’t know how the familiar golden butterfly got inside. The windows were closed but for some reason, the butterfly from a few days ago was back. He groaned before getting up, placing a hand on his head.

“What was that dream?” he asked himself, trying to remember it again but strangely, the dream was no more as if he never had it in the first place. But he can still feel the lingering emotions inside his chest. It was heavy .

“No time for this… I have to help in the kitchen.” Kaeya mumbled to himself as he stood up and prepared for the new day.

“Good morning, Caribert.” Adelinde greeted Kaeya as soon as he entered the kitchen.

Kaeya replied with a nod, “Can I help with anything?” he asked.

“Ah, yes. Could you please cut those carrots and radishes?” Adelinde asked him.

Kaeya nodded before removing his gloves, putting it inside his pocket. He washes his hands before cutting the carrots and radishes. After cutting them, he gave it to Adelinde and the maid slowly poured the vegetables in the cooking pot. Kaeya smiled at the familiar scent of Adelinde’s special chicken stew.

“That smells delicious. Are we also having some for breakfast?” he asked while smirking.

Adelinde giggled, “This is for the Master’s family but if you want to have some, I can save a bowl for you.”

Kaeya makes an exaggerated bow in front of Adelinde, “Thank you, it’s an honor to try your cooking.”

Adelinde immediately smacks him on the shoulder and he chuckles. She rolls her eyes before going back on the stew she’s cooking. “Please, you’ve been eating my cooking since I’m assigned to cook the staff’s food.”

Kaeya chuckles, “I know, I know. When Kaeya said that your dishes are spectacular, I didn’t expect for it to be as spectacular as he said.”

“Aww, is that so? I guess I’ll prepare an extra dessert for him later for the compliment.” Adelinde said as she smiled.

“I’m sure he’ll appreciate that. But how about the eldest young master? He might become jealous.” Kaeya told her as he took a seat at their table.

The maid hums as she turns off the stove and lets the cooking pot cool off before transferring it in another container. “Right, I’m sure Young Master Diluc would pout all day.” she giggled. “I guess both of them deserve some extra treats. They are doing great with the lessons that you and Grand Master Varka are teaching them.”

Kaeya smirked, “Young Master Diluc should thank me after that.”

Adelinde rolls her eyes again before preparing their own breakfast. Soon enough, the main kitchen was quickly filled with the other staff and Kaeya ate with them. Once he’s done, he went outside of the manor to wait for Crepus. They have to go somewhere after all.

After a few minutes of waiting, the door opened. Kaeya turned around, expecting it to be Crepus but was surprised to see that it was his younger self instead.

“I heard from Papa that you’re leaving soon. Is that true?” Kae asked shyly.

Kaeya knelt down in front of him, ruffling Kae’s hair. “We’ll just do a little road inspection. I’ll be back with Master Crepus later.” he reassured him, already knowing that Kae was fearing to be abandoned by a family member again.

It’s still his problem until now. It was hard to let go of Diluc when he… Sigh .

“Oh.. Okay. Be careful.” There was a small smile that appeared in Kae’s face and Kaeya mirrored the smile before giving the little one’s hair another ruffle.

“Ah good, you’re here. Ready to go, Caribert?” Crepus asked as he appeared behind Kae, putting a hand on the boy’s shoulder.

Kaeya stood up with a nod, “Yes.”

“Wait patiently with Diluc, okay?” Crepus told Kae.

Kae smiled while looking at Crepus, “Okay. Stay safe, Papa.”

Crepus lended one of their horses to Kaeya before they headed down the road. They are also accompanied by two other staff members, Hans and Elzer. Elzer came from the Dawn Winery to show them the areas where the treasure hoarders and hilichurls were usually spotted. The man really looks so young at this age. Kaeya couldn’t help but smile at the memories.

He notices that Elzer walks his horse beside him so he smiles at the man.

“So you are Caribert. When Master Crepus mentioned that Young Master Kaeya’s uncle was joining us, I didn’t believe it at first but now that I look at you, you’re a striking resemblance. Are you sure that you aren’t actually his birth father? You’re like an older version of the little master, especially with that eyepatch.” Elzer said as he laughed but Kaeya could feel the man’s sharp and observant eyes on him.

Kaeya chuckles lightly, “I get that a lot. You are?”

“Elzer. I work at the Dawn Winery. You should visit sometimes.” Elzer told him, grinning.

Kaeya looked at Crepus, “If the Master allows.”

Crepus, who was listening to their conversation, let out a soft laugh. “Perhaps someday, I’ll show you around the winery. Do you like wine?”

Kaeya smirked, “Why of course. I used to drink some back in Sumeru.”

“I see. You’ll definitely love the place then. You could watch how we make our wines.” Crepus said, smiling. “But– You should promise not to let our secret recipe out in public~”

Kaeya chuckles, “Don’t worry, Master Crepus. The secret recipe is safe with me.”

Crepus laughed as he nodded. His laughter warms up Kaeya’s heart. He missed this.

Kaeya knew that there were eyes watching their group as soon as they entered the road between the feet of the two tall mountains. It seems like these Treasure Hoarders are amateurs if they couldn’t even hide their own presence. It looks like even Crepus noticed their watchful eyes seeing how he quickly increased his guard. He guides his horse to walk beside Crepus and he nodded his head when the man noticed him approaching.

“I could feel some eyes watching. They’re here.” Kaeya told Crepus.

Crepus nodded before looking ahead of them, “I felt that too. Prepare your weapons.” he told Kaeya, Hans and Elzer.

When Hans told Kaeya that he could actually use a bow and arrow, he didn’t believe it at first so he was a bit surprised when the young man pulled out a wooden bow. From his time as young Kae, he never saw the butler fight before as he’s always busy with the household chores. It looks like the arrows on his back weren't just for show. Elzer expectedly brought out a sword. He’s quite skilled at it.

In just a few minutes after they hopped down from their horses, each of the Treasure Hoarders finally appeared and surrounded them. They have weapons on them too, grinning from ear to ear as if they caught a jackpot.

“Well, well, well. Isn’t this the Master of the Dawn Winery himself? Brave of you to come here by yourself and without any knights.” one of the Treasure Hoarders said. “Are you sure that these three people are enough to protect you?” he asked before laughing together with the other bandits.

Elzer groans, “I recognize them. It’s the same group from last week.”

Crepus frowns, “Caribert, can you already fight without aggravating your stomach injury?” he asked Kaeya and the bluenette nodded with a reassuring smile. “Alright, show me what you learned from your lessons with Diluc and Varka then.”

Kaeya chuckles as he summons his sword from its space pocket, surprising the bandits. “We only started for a few days… But alright.” I’ll be a bit more serious than the time I first clashed blades with this timeline’s Varka.

“That guy’s an allogene?!” one of them exclaimed in shock.

The Treasure Hoarder’s Leader glared at Kaeya, “He’s just one person! We’re still at an advantage!”

When the Treasure Hoarders finally charged at them, the first one to make a move was Elzer, deflecting each of their attacks with the use of his sword while Crepus stayed beside their archer, Hans. Elzer swiftly moved from one bandit to another, knocking them out by hitting the back of their necks. Some were fast enough to read his moves and were able to avoid getting hit. One of the Treasure Hoarders, a Scout, throws a dagger at Elzer but it was blocked by Kaeya’s frostgnaw.

“Thanks.” Elzer nodded at Kaeya, smiling.

Kaeya, now back to back with Elzer, points his sword towards the Scout. “Care to cover my blind side while I’ll watch your back?” he asked Elzer and the young man nodded.

Crepus smiles as Elzer and Kaeya work back to back. It was a surprise to see how comfortable the bluenette was with fighting alongside Elzer as if it wasn’t his first time.

“Don’t get distracted now! You’re facing me!” a Pugilist Treasure Hoarder yelled out before sending out strong punches towards the red haired man.

Crepus quickly raised his sword in front of him, blocking each of the Pugilist’s punches. “I haven’t forgotten about you, of course.” he chuckled.

An arrow flew past the Pugilist and he glared at Hans. Crepus took this small opening given by Hans and tackled the Pugilist back, hitting the Treasure Hoarder on his chest. The Pugilist gasped but before Crepus could even swing his sword towards the Pugilist, the man swiftly backed away with a glare.

“Potioneers!” the Pugilist yelled out and all of the sudden four more Treasure Hoarders appeared on the top of the mountain, throwing bottles filled with elemental energy.

“Watch out!” Crepus warned Elzer and Kaeya before he turned to Hans. “Hans, could you get those Potioneers?”

Hans frowns as he changes his target. He closed one eye, trying to aim towards the four Potioneers hiding on top of the mountain. He shoots a few arrows but misses.

“They’re too high and far for me, Master Crepus!” Hans told him before moving out of the way of a thrown potion. It shatters, spreading sizzling liquid on the ground. “That was close…” he muttered as he gulped.

Kaeya wanted to make an ice dome so he could block the potions thrown at them but could a beginner allogene even do that on the first week they got their vision?

It looks like he doesn’t need to think about it as Crepus turned to him, looking a bit hesitant. “Caribert, I know you only recently received your vision but could you control it by making a dome above us? Just to shield us from the potions.” he finally asked.

“I could try.” Kaeya muttered, smiling a bit. Of course, he could. But he should make it look like an amateur did it. So he raised his hand and gathered as much cryo energy as he could.

Another Scout tries to interrupt Kaeya’s concentration by throwing a dagger on his way but Elzer quickly blocked it for him. He gave Elzer a thankful smile. Once he had gathered enough energy, ice bursts out of his hand and covers their entire area to make it look like he used it too much but Crepus looks content with what he’s done.

“That will do! Thank you, Caribert! We should be able to defeat them before the dome melts or shatters from the potions that the Potioneers have been throwing at us.” Crepus said as he grinned.

Crepus ran towards the Pugilist again, a confident smile on his face. The Pugilist looked so taken aback by the ice dome that Kaeya had created that he wasn’t able to see Crepus’ attack. Crepus flips his sword and hits the Pugilist under his chin using the end of his sword’s handle. The Pugilist’s eyes went white for a few moments but he was able to sustain his balance while taking a few steps back. His nose bled from the hit.

“Don’t get distracted now.” Crepus smirked.

“Y-You!!!”

Elzer suddenly appeared behind the Pugilist, surprising him. Elzer gave an Adelinde-kind of a smile before slashing the Pugilist on his back.

“GAH–!!” The Pugilist falls forward, finally unconscious.

Crepus looked around, seeing that most of the bandits had been defeated. Kaeya was kicking one of them, trying to see if they were indeed unconscious. He turned to Hans, seeing him peeking from outside of the dome.

“I don’t see the Potioneers anymore. I think they’re gone.” Hans told Crepus. “Should we tell the knights to patrol around this area just to be sure that no more Treasure Hoarders are camping?” he asked Hans.

Crepus nodded as he brushed his clothes, “Yes. That would be nice.”

None of the four noticed that there was still one Treasure Hoarder remaining. He was hiding behind a big rock, a crossbow in his hand. He aimed towards Crepus and the glint of the arrowhead was the only sign that Kaeya saw and soon realized that the fight wasn’t over yet.

Kaeya could only watch in slow motion as the hidden marksman shoots the arrow. Despite having one eye covered, he still noticed the purple tint on the edge of the arrowhead. Suddenly, a memory from the far past surfaces. It felt like the memory happened in this current timeline and fear immediately clutched his heart.

He remembered, as Kae, that Crepus once returned home injured after doing a ‘road inspection’. Hans at that time was panicking, telling them about a poisoned arrow before quickly heading to the city and getting a Sister from the Cathedral. The poison wasn’t that dangerous but it still made Crepus a bit sick and nauseous. He wasn’t able to work for a few days after that because he fell sick the day after the incident.

And his mind confirmed that the arrow that the marksman had released was the very same one that hits Crepus at that time.

So his body moved, thinking nothing else but to protect his father. He reached Crepus just in time and he tried changing the trajectory of the arrow by swiping it with a swing of his sword. It did move away but he didn’t notice that it grazed his right shoulder, tearing his uniform and giving him a cut. He ran ahead while focusing most of his cryo energy on his sword before releasing a frigid frostgnaw towards the hidden marksman, hitting it directly at the bandit’s head and knocking it unconscious. That would probably give the marksman a bad headache once he wakes up. Not that Kaeya cares.

“Master Crepus!” he heard Elzer and Hans exclaiming and Kaeya turned around quickly, running back to them.

“Are you alright, Master Crepus?” Kaeya asked.

Crepus nodded but he still looked a bit shocked from the surprise attack. “Thank you for the save, Caribert. What about you? Are you alright? I saw the arrow grazing your right shoulder. We should have it checked. What if it’s poisoned?” he asked, clearly concerned.

Kaeya looked at his right shoulder and finally noticed the small cut the arrow made. Hopefully, none of the poison got into his system yet but just to be sure… He let his vision cover the cut with a thin layer of ice and he feigned a surprised gasp.

“It looks like my vision can do self-healing as well.” he said, smiling at Crepus.

Crepus looked a bit doubtful about that but he still nodded. “That’s good. But still, have it checked by Adelinde once we’re back.” he told him.

Kaeya sighed, there’s really no stopping Crepus from worrying. Well, he is a staff working for Crepus and his father was known to be kind to everyone working in the Ragnvindr Residence or Dawn Winery. 

“Alright, I’ll make sure to go to Adelinde later.” Kaeya reassured the man and Crepus smiled at him before looking around them again, making sure that they didn’t miss anyone else.

“Let’s tie them all up and let Elzer call for some knights to pick them up. As for the three of us, we’re heading back to the manor.” Crepus told them as he pulled out some rope from the bag hanging on his horse’s saddle.

They gathered every Treasure Hoarder in a corner and tied them up. Elzer did as he was told and left to fetch some knights from the city while Kaeya patted their horse. He’s a bit impressed that the horses were calm during the whole fight. Thankfully, none of the Treasure Hoarders tried stealing them.

“We only encountered a few Treasure Hoarders but you mentioned that there could be hilichurls too and yet I did not see a single one of them.” Kaeya said and Crepus hummed before looking around.

The area already looks clean, without any signs of hiding bandits or hilichurls. It was strange not to see any hilichurls around this area which concerns Kaeya a bit. He tried not to think that it’s because of his interference with this timeline, because how would that make any sense?

“Master Crepus, you and Caribert can head back first. I’ll wait for Elzer. Someone needs to watch over these Treasure Hoarders.” Hans told them and Crepus nodded.

“Let’s go, Caribert.” Crepus told Kaeya as he walked towards his horse. Kaeya followed and rode on the horse he used.

Upon reaching the Ragnvindr Manor, Diluc bursts out of the manor with a big grin. Following him was Kae. Both were excited to see their father back.

“Father! How was it? Did you defeat the bad guys?” Diluc asked excitedly.

Crepus chuckled as he went down from his horse. “Yes, we did.”

Diluc cheered, “Father is strong!! The knights are truly missing a lot by not accepting you as a knight!”

“I’m a busy businessman, Luc, plus my skills aren’t enough to qualify me as a knight. Just like what they said before when I was still young…” Crepus muttered, a bit sadly. The sadness on his face quickly disappeared, replacing it with a smile, “But thank you for the compliment! I couldn’t do it without Caribert, Hans and Elzer’s help.” he told his son as he ruffled his hair, making him giggle. “Where is Adelinde at the moment? We need to patch up Caribert’s shoulder.”

Kae’s eye widened and he looked at Kaeya who already went down from his horse. “Uncle got hurt?”

Kaeya looked at his younger self, smiling a little. “Just a small cut. My vision already healed it too so we probably wouldn’t need to bother Miss Adelinde with it, Master Crepus.”

Crepus stared at him before looking at the cut on Kaeya’s right shoulder. The cut was still there and it made the man sigh. “Don’t be stubborn. We don’t want it to be infected. Even your ice has already melted.”

Diluc was only watching the whole conversation with his arms crossed on his chest while Kae walked towards Kaeya, holding his hand a bit hesitant.

“Let’s go to Addie, Uncle.” Kae said. “A-Addie can make pain go away!”

Kaeya’s expression softens. “Really? Alright then, if my nephew insists.”

Kaeya lets himself be pulled inside the manor by Kae, his younger self soon calling for Adelinde. Crepus and Diluc simply followed them inside, letting one of the staff take their horses to the stable.

Chapter Text

Fortunately, the cut from the arrow didn’t leave any trace of poison. Even if there is, his vision’s self-healing should have removed it already. Kaeya resumed his duties after Adelinde gave him the clear and on that same day, Elzer visited the Ragnvindr Residence and joined them for dinner.

“Elzer!!” Kae chirped, running towards Elzer and giving him a hug.

Elzer chuckles, ruffling the younger bluenette’s hair. “Good evening, Young Master Kaeya. I heard that you’re taking a swordsmanship lesson with Diluc?”

Kae nodded, “Uncle is teaching us too while he’s getting used to his vision!”

Elzer looked at where Kaeya was standing. Kaeya gives him a nod as a greeting and Elzer nods back before looking back at Kae. “Is that so? I’m a bit sad, I wanted to teach you myself.” he said, making Kae gasp.

Right, Kaeya remembered looking up to Elzer and he was actually the one who taught Kae how to properly use a sword and train him. Oops, it looks like Kaeya stole that chance from Elzer…

“You can still join our training when you have time, Elzer!” Diluc said, both of his arms behind his head. He grins towards the white-haired butler, “Maybe you can even replace Caribert!”

Elzer blinked before laughing. “You really dislike Caribert, huh. Why is that, Young Master Diluc? He seems friendly. I fought side by side with him during our road inspection this morning. I would approve having him as your teacher instead.”

Diluc immediately frowned as he crossed his arms, “He’s a brother stealer! He will take Kae away in the future! I just know it!”

Elzer raises an eyebrow in amusement before looking at Kaeya . Before he could ask, Kaeya immediately said “Don’t listen to the young master. I’m not taking Kae away. I’ve also decided to settle down here so I’m not really going anywhere. It’s been our on-going argument, believe it or not.”

“Quite the rivalry going on here. Haha!” Elzer said, smirking at both Diluc and Kaeya.

Adelinde giggled as she placed the final dish on the table. “Come on, the dinner’s ready. I’ll call for Master Crepus. Join us at the table as well, Caribert. I insist.”

Kaeya chuckles, “How could I say no to the residence’s best cook?”

Adelinde playfully rolls her eyes before walking away, heading towards the room where Crepus was. Kaeya noticed that a certain young redhead had been glaring behind his back so he turned around with a smile.

“Are you flirting with Addie?!” Diluc asked and Elzer almost choked on air, if that’s even possible.

Kaeya blinks before laughing, making Diluc glare even more. If anything, in this timeline, Kaeya sees Adelinde more like a sister, if not a mother since he’s not his younger self right now.

“My apologies but you’re mistaken, Young Master Diluc. I’m not flirting with her.” Kaeya told Diluc.

Diluc scoffs, “That better be true or else I’ll kick you in your–”

Elzer quickly covers his mouth, sweatdropping. “Now, now. Why don’t we go to the table and sit while waiting for Adelinde and Master Crepus?”

Diluc grumbled but he nodded anyway. As soon as Elzer removed his hand, Diluc quickly stuck his tongue out at Kaeya before running towards their dining hall, Elzer following him as he scolds the redhead not to run.

“You really have a feisty brother, Kae.” Kaeya mumbles, ruffling Kae’s head.

Kae smiles a bit nervously, “Luc is usually friendly and kind… And very energetic. I’m sorry that he’s acting like that towards you, Uncle Caribert.”

Kaeya chuckles, “It’s alright. Let’s go.”

That night, they all had a delightful dinner and Kaeya couldn’t help but enjoy the warmth he’s feeling at the table. It truly feels like home. Maybe just tonight, he’ll put his guard down and enjoy their company, acting like he is truly a part of their family like Adelinde and Elzer. Just tonight…

.

.

.

It didn’t take that long before Crepus discovered Diluc's pranks. The younger redhead definitely didn’t like the idea of saying ‘sorry’ and he was pouting the whole time he was in the same room as his father and Kaeya.

“It’s really alright, Master Crepus. Let kids be kids.” Kaeya said as he chuckled, acting as if he wasn’t bothered by the lizard tail he found floating on his coffee. The suspect of that prank was none other than Crepus’ eldest son.

Crepus shakes his head, “Don’t enable his actions, Caribert. I understand that he dislikes you but doing pranks such as putting a spider in your meal or a lizard tail in your coffee is definitely something I just couldn’t oversee.”

Kaeya just shrugs, “I truly didn’t mind.”

Crepus sighs, now frowning down at Diluc. “So what do you need to say, Diluc?” he asked, crossing his arms.

Diluc pouts, looking away. “I am not apologizing.”

Crepus massages his forehead. “Diluc, Caribert has been working here for almost a month. He tolerated your pranks for that long. Don’t you think it’s finally time to stop?”

“At least I’m not pranking him during our training.” Diluc scoffs, which earned a stern look from his father. “...I’m sorry.”

“Not to me. Say it to Caribert.” Crepus scolded.

Diluc groans before looking up at Kaeya. The older bluenette just tilted his head to the side, smiling as he waited for the grumpy redhead’s apology.

“I…”

“Yes, Young Master?” Kaeya asked in a teasing manner.

Diluc glared at him, “I’m sorry for the pranks! That should be good now, right?!”

Crepus facepalms, “Diluc…”

Kaeya laughs, ruffling Diluc’s hair and earning a series of annoyed noise from the kid. “Apology accepted. Just make the pranks lighter next time.” he smirked.

“Caribert, you...” Crepus sighs, shaking his head. “Well, since you liked Diluc’s pranks that much then I guess there’s no stopping both of you. Just…” he looks at Diluc, “Just don’t do it too much. You’re still my son, Diluc. A Ragnvindr.”

Diluc huffs, “I know. I’m sorry, father. I’ll be more careful next time.” he told Crepus, sounding more sincere this time.

Crepus nodded before gesturing towards the door. “You can go now.”

Kaeya does a bow before walking towards the door, followed by Diluc. Crepus glances one more time towards the two, seeing how Diluc shoves the bluenette butler on the side but Kaeya just laughs it off. Crepus couldn’t help the small helpless smile that forms on his face.

Maybe this isn’t that bad. As long as Diluc’s pranks don't go overboard. This looks more like a friendly banter between them too. It was a strange kind of friendship his son has with their new butler… But he guesses it’s fine.

.::Timeskip, also mention of someone’s death::.

Things seem to happen fast as the days quickly pass by Kaeya’s sense of time. Perhaps it’s the busy schedule he has, doing his butler duties in the morning and the swordsmanship training in the afternoon. Varka also left the training on Elzer’s hands, telling them that Elzer could continue instructing them instead of the Grand Master himself because his work in the headquarters is getting busier. For some reason, Kaeya had a feeling that Eroch had something to do with it. But Kae and Diluc were delighted to have Elzer teach them in Varka’s place and sparring with the man made Kaeya remember the times whenever he challenges Elzer in a mock bottle in the future whenever he’s not busy with his works in the Winery Guild.

Kaeya only realized that a year had passed when everyone was already preparing for Diluc’s eleventh birthday. They also had Kae’s birthday last November and as a treat, Kaeya decided to make his famous fruity skewer. But of course, he used a different beverage or flavoring this time to add the fruity flavor. Kae is still very young after all so he can’t use alcohol in it. Both his younger self and Diluc liked the skewer. Diluc even finished five sticks of it and it was adorable to see him deny that he liked the food. The young redhead even said that he’s only disposing the food because he made a lot of it. Really adorable of him.

But of course, he still focused on his original mission. He even received permission to go out and checked the sundial found on the southern part of the Thousands Wind Temple. He didn’t find anything odd or strange, sadly. No traces of the woman who sent him in this timeline too but he did feel the wind getting a bit agitated as if telling him to go back to the Ragnvindr Residence. It was strange because Venti shouldn’t even be awake at this time… Or was he?

They are currently in Dawn Winery since Diluc wanted to celebrate his birthday here. He loves the river found near the winery. In the past, Kaeya and Diluc would usually go there to play or swim in the water; with some maid’s supervision of course, to make sure they are safe. 

Adelinde had also asked him if he could make some fruity skewers again and he agreed. Both her and Elzer also know that Diluc likes the fruity skewer he made and both of them did too. How could he say no to that when he could feel their genuine excitement to eat his specialty dish again?

The three of them were cooking in the kitchen when Kae silently walked inside and tugged Adelinde on her apron. Kaeya looked down at his mini self with a small smile, hands still busy dicing the green onions on the table.

“Addie?” Kae called.

Adelinde smiles, looking down at the younger bluenette. “Yes, Kae?”

“Can we make your special jelly puddings for Luc’s birthday? I want to help you decorate it! It will be my gift for Luc!”

Aah. Adelinde’s sweet jelly pudding. Kaeya remembers how much Klee loves that snack. Whenever it’s the little Spark Knight’s birthday, he would ask Adelinde to help him make one. His skills with decorating it improved thanks to Adelinde’s great teaching.

‘Big brother… Kaeya…?’

Kaeya’s hand stilled as he took a sharp intake of breath. He hasn't been having flashbacks of the past lately so it surprised him that just thinking about his little Spark Knight made him remember the poor girl’s death. Her red clothing was darker than usual as her blood seeped through it. His hands coating with her own blood and the girl's unseeing eyes–

“..ert? Caribert?” 

Elzer’s worried voice finally snapped Kaeya out of the flashback and he turned to the man beside him with a smile but Elzer clearly knew that it wasn’t that genuine.

“Are you alright? Your hands are trembling. Is your Vision acting up?” Elzer asked, gaining Kae and Adelinde’s attention.

Kaeya couldn’t help but feel embarrassed, getting caught in the middle of having a flashback. He only chuckled nervously as he shook, tried relaxing himself and continued to focus on his work.

“I’m alright. I’m sorry, I became dazed for a bit. I just… remembered something.” Kaeya told him before giving Kae, who grips onto his tailcoat in concern, a reassuring smile.

“If you say so… I don’t know much about Visions but if it starts acting up, quickly tell us or Master Crepus. We could call a Sister from the Cathedral to check on you.” Elzer said while washing his hands.

Kaeya chuckles, “It’s not my Vision, don’t worry. Just.. memories. Nothing to worry about.”

“Uncle…” Kae muttered. “Uhm… Want to help Addie and me with Luc’s jelly pudding?” he asked.

Kaeya mentally thanked Kae for the quick change in subject. “Sure. I’d love to learn how to make one. What kind of treat is this jelly pudding?” he asked, acting clueless as he raised an eyebrow.

Adelinde answered for Kae this time, “It’s something I learned from my mother. As the name implies, it’s a combination of gelatine and pudding. The layer of gelatine is placed on top while the pudding is at the bottom. We can decorate the jelly using a syringe filled with edible colored liquids which can be made from fruit jams.”

Kaeya hums as he collects the minced green onions into a bowl. “That sounds creative. You won’t mind me learning about it too?”

Adelinde smiles, “Oh, I do mind~ What if you tell me about that secret recipe of your fruity skewer in exchange?”

He grins at her, “Enticing offer. But sure, we can exchange recipes.” he told Adelinde and both of them had an agreement with it.

Elzer chuckles, “Have fun making the dessert. I’ll have to head to the wine cellar and check the fermentation progress.”

Adelinde nodded, “See you later, Elzer.”

Kae had to wait until Kaeya and Adelinde could finish what they were cooking before they proceeded to make the jelly pudding.

Once Diluc’s birthday finally arrived, a wide spread of delicious meals were served on the table. The whole family of three are seated on the long table, with Diluc sitting on the Master’s seat this time. Crepus couldn’t help but smile as he watched the excited look on the birthday boy’s face as their meals got delivered on the table one by one. And lastly, the cake was finally placed in front of Diluc. It has a miniature phoenix stand in the middle and it was made from hard fondant so it’s edible. It was a red velvet cake coated with chocolate.

Kaeya stood not far from the table, smiling at the scene in front of him. He missed when Diluc’s birthdays were like this, peaceful and full of laughter. He caught Diluc stealing glances at him from time to time and he simply tilted his head to the side. Even Kae noticed it and looked at Kaeya too.

Finally, Diluc said “What are you doing so far like that?! Come here and sit with Kae! We’re starting!”

Kaeya blinked before smiling fondly. “Yes, yes. I’m coming.” He slowly walked towards the table, and says “Happy birthday… Diluc.”

“It’s ‘Young Master Diluc’ for you!” Diluc puffs his cheeks out as he looks away, crossing his arms.

Kaeya only chuckled at that before sitting beside Kae.

.

.

.

This is how I imagine what jelly pudding would look like 🥺

the flowers at the sides are Cecilias while the one in the middle is just a random flower I drew

Chapter Text

He walks through the forest, moving the branches out of his way. He doesn’t know where he is. This doesn’t look like a forest in Mondstadt. In the corner of his eyes, he noticed something moving; a small dot of light. It was only one at first and then it became two, then three, until he couldn’t count it anymore. He follows the swarm of lights– perhaps some fireflies but once he got closer, he realized that his guess was wrong.

These are golden butterflies.

A familiar gold… Like the one he saw before.

The swarm of butterflies doesn’t stop so he simply follows them. And then he heard a person’s voice. A very soothing voice.

“In the new world, they bade farewell to the shrouded sun.”

“At last, they no longer needed to dwell on their suffering, or try to differentiate between various thoughts of blasphemy.”

He gasped, seeing bodies of hilichurls lying on the side of the road he’s taking. They are still breathing, probably asleep.

“Such was the price they paid, and thus their souls became cleansed and pure.”

Are they in a coma? He doesn’t know but they do look peaceful. This was the first time he saw hilichurls looking at peace… Was it because of the voice he’s hearing? There are even a few golden butterflies staying on the bodies of the sleeping hilichurls as if keeping them company.

He soon reached a clearing and in front of him was a beautiful large tree. It’s smaller than Sumeru’s Divine Tree but this one has its own charm and enchanting atmosphere. He realized that he’s also out of the forest and he could even… walk on water? Everything doesn’t feel real.

He shivered as he felt something walking past through him and when he turned around, he saw a black haired man. The voice he heard from earlier was coming from him.

“You see? We’re both still here. We’ve reclaimed an endless amount of time to love.”

He squinted his eyes as a question went out of his own lips, “Who are you? What is this place?”

But there’s no response. The golden butterflies seemed to surround the man who didn’t notice him . Maybe this man isn’t real either. So he followed when the man started walking again, continuing the story from earlier. He also noticed that there are a few more hilichurls resting in some areas of this mysterious place.

The man walked to one of the hilichurls who was covering its face, its mask nowhere to be found.

“Release your tears. You no longer need to hold back your sorrow. In the end, he whispered… Sleep well, father. Sleep well, my beloved people. When you awake–”

His eyes widened as words who he didn’t mean to say escaped his very own lips, “–that which differentiates us shall be no more.”

The man chuckled, finally turning around and smiling at him . His eyes widened. He’s like looking at a mirror with the only difference being the man’s black hair, his more bluish eyes and his pale-like skin. Like a ghost.

“As I thought, it’s you. It’s unfortunately not yet the best time for us to meet each other but…” the man stared at him before smiling softly, “But it’s good to know that it's   currently.. Dormant. Go back. There’s someone that you have to meet first. The next time we meet, I’ll explain everything. I promise.”

Kaeya’s eye snapped open as he suddenly took a sharp inhale. He sat up, both eyes still wide.

What was that dream? Who was that man and why do they look… so similar? What does he mean by something being dormant and who does he need to meet? He also doesn't remember meeting someone like that and looking at the man’s eyes, he must be from Khaenri’ah too. A pure-blooded Khaenri’ahn like Dainsleif. And the man was talking as if he knew who he truly was.

He glanced up to the desk where his journal was and he frowned. There’s a golden butterfly on top of his journal. As if noticing the bluenette’s gaze, the butterfly flew away and left through the small gaps of the slightly opened window.

Could that truly be just a dream or is there more to that?

Kaeya soon prepared for the day, taking his time but his mind was still stuck on that dream. He can’t forget it for some reason. Even the story the man was telling was still clear inside his head. Taking a deep breath, he decided to forget about the dream for now and ponder about it more after his work or during his break.

He went out of his room after putting his eyepatch on. He raised an eyebrow when he saw that the door from Kae’s room is slightly open.

“Kae?” he asked softly as he opened the door quietly but he frowned when he didn’t see his younger self inside. “Where is he? It’s too early for him to be up unless…”

His feet brought him in front of Diluc’s room and as he expected, the redhead’s room is slightly open as well. He pushed it slowly before taking a peek inside. He smiled, seeing Kae snuggling against his big brother while Diluc wrapped a protective arm around the younger bluenette.

“A nightmare, huh… I guess I’ll go ahead and prepare their hot chocolate. I’m sure, they’ll get up early.” Kaeya muttered to himself as he closed the door as quietly as he could before going downstairs, heading towards the kitchen.

“Good morning, Caribert.” Adelinde greeted. It looks like she’s already boiling a pot of hot water. “Did you have a good sleep?”

Kaeya smiled as he nodded his head, “Lovely morning to you as well, Miss Adelinde. And yes, the rooms in Dawn Winery are very cozy.”

Adelinde giggled, “That’s good to know. I just re-heated some of the left-over bread from yesterday. You can grab them from the oven. Just be careful, it’s hot.”

“I will, thank you.” Kaeya nodded towards her before heading towards the oven, holding a plate. He wore a pair of kitchen mittens before opening the oven. He placed two pieces of bread on his plate before closing it and sitting on a table.

Around two hours later, both kids are finally awake. Kaeya saw both of them outside of the kitchen. Kae had been glancing inside of the kitchen while talking with Diluc. Soon enough, both brothers disappeared. Probably headed towards the long table to wait for their father and their breakfast.

“Caribert, can you bring these mugs of hot chocolate to both young masters?” Adelinde asked him and Kaeya nodded.

Kaeya carefully held the tray of hot chocolates while heading towards the living room where the long table was located. He places each mug in front of Diluc and Kae. His younger self was simply looking down at his lap, not at him.

“Would you like to have some fresh bread while waiting for your breakfast?” he asked them.

“Sure.” Diluc said while blowing his hot chocolate before taking a sip.

Kaeya looked down at Kae, “What about you, Kae?” he asked while smiling softly, but he didn’t miss the way his younger self flinched as soon as he talked to him. Does this have something to do with what he dreamt in his nightmare?

“I-I’ll have one too… Thank you, uncle.” the younger bluenette finally said and Kaeya nodded.

“Don’t be shy to call for me if you need anything else, alright?” Kaeya told Kae before heading back inside the kitchen. He could even feel Kae’s eye watching him as he left.

Kae was still silent when he returned to give them each a fresh piece of bread. He watches from the side as he waits for Adelinde’s call. Diluc takes out a small piece from his bread and dips it in his hot chocolate before eating while Kae just quietly nibbles on his bread. He sighs, walking back towards the kitchen when Adelinde finally tells him that their breakfast is ready.

.

.

.

Wooden swords clashed against each other as both brothers watched from the side of the field. Elzer and Kaeya are currently having a small match as requested by Diluc, saying that watching someone fight would be a much more effective training. Though, Kaeya had a hunch that the younger redhead only wanted to see Elzer beat him.

Kaeya started putting more effort into how he fights. It has been more than a year now after all. Elzer was clearly surprised every time he uses a trick or a skill that would catch the other butler off guard.

Elzer smiles as he blocks Kaeya’s wooden sword. “Do you think it’s time to call for Master Varka again? Because I can see that both young masters have already mastered the basics of swordsmanship and there’s nothing else that we can teach.”

Kaeya smiles. That’s the best suggestion he ever heard. If his schedule in the afternoon is cleared up, he can finally spend the afternoon doing his own things. By now, his butler duties only need him to help the others making their master’s meals in the kitchen every breakfast, lunch and dinner. He only needed to clean when asked so most of the time when he’s not training with Elzer and the brothers, he’s simply inside of his room writing on his journal or strolling around the manor to check if the maids or his fellow butlers missed a spot to clean. Crepus also seems to trust him a little more so he’ll probably allow him to stroll until the city as long as he can return to the manor before the sun sets. A year of recuperating should be enough. He should start investigating soon. He felt like he wasted a lot of time already. Perhaps it’s time to visit the Knights of Favonius headquarters to talk with Varka about Diluc and Kae’s training, and to visit their library. It’s still a public place so he should be able to visit it and read a few books that could help.

“I like the idea. I’ll try to ask for Master Crepus’ permission if I could go to the city and visit Master Varka in his office. I’m also quite interested in their library. The public can go there, correct?” Kaeya asked and Elzer nodded his head as the man moved back for a bit before charging again, slamming his sword against the other. “I just hope I won’t meet Eroch…” he added, earning a chuckle from Elzer.

Eroch didn't bother him after their first encounter. It was honestly a relief because that Inspector brings nothing but trouble.

Elzer’s humming brought Kaeya back to reality, “Would you like me to accompany you? I remember Adelinde wanting to buy a few more jars of sugar from the Grocery Store. You can go to their library while I do a little bit of grocery shopping.”

Kaeya smiles, “That would be great. Thank you.”

Both men exchanged a few more blows and slashes and Kaeya could already see the exhaustion in Elzer’s form so he took that advantage to finally bring the little spar into an end.

Elzer blinked when the tip of Kaeya’s wooden sword was already inches away from his neck. He let out a laugh, raising both hands on his side to show defeat. “Ah, it looks like the score goes to you this time.”

“He’s just lucky!” they heard Diluc yelling from the side.

“Learning and training alongside the young masters helped a lot.” Kaeya said while smirking. Then he turned towards both brothers, “That’s all for today I guess. Elzer and I will have to go somewhere.”

Diluc and Kae approach the two. “Are you going to the city? Can we go too?!” he asked excitedly.

If anything, Kaeya wanted to only go with Elzer since the man can leave him alone inside the library. If both kids would come with them too, they might stay with him. He’ll be thankful if they’ll stay by Elzer’s side instead but with the look that Kae was giving him, he has a feeling that his younger self would want to stay with him.

Before Kaeya could say anything, Elzer said “Ah, we’ll have to ask Master Crepus about that.”

Right, Kaeya has no right to decide since he’s a mere butler and who recently joined the house.

“Okay, let’s go!!!” Diluc exclaimed as he ran back towards the winery.

“Young Master!” Elzer gasped before sighing, “He’s truly an energetic one. Let’s go, Caribert, Young Master Kaeya.”

Kaeya nodded and he held a hand out to Kae. Kae blinked before hesitantly taking his hand. The three of them followed Diluc and they found him right in front of a confused Crepus who was sitting by the unlit fireplace, drinking a glass of wine.

Kaeya surely misses drinking wine… He can only drink it now during special occasions since that’s the only time that Crepus allows them to have some wine. Unless the Master himself invites someone to have a drink with him, which never happened with Kaeya but he did see Elzer drinking with Crepus sometimes… It’s honestly making him jealous.

Diluc, with the help of Elzer, tells Crepus about their plan to go to the city while Kaeya and his younger self stand by the side. Kae isn’t that tense or nervous anymore unlike this morning.

“Is there anywhere you want to go in the city?” Kaeya asked Kae.

Kae seems to ponder about it before looking up at him, “I want to pet some cats from Cat’s Tail.”

Cute.

He truly was an innocent kid back then. He hopes to make it stay this way. If only he could give his past self a different life than what he had before… But no, he has to be careful. He doesn't know yet how his changes in this timeline would affect the future. It was a bit annoying how restricted he feels.

“Sure, I don’t mind. Just behave, Diluc. Watch over your brother.” Kaeya heard Crepus saying.

Diluc puffs out his chest, his arms crossed. “Of course, I’ll be by Kae’s side!”

“Do you also want to have some take outs for dinner? You can buy some from Good Hunters if you want.” Crepus said and Diluc immediately gasped in excitement.

“Sweet Madame and Sticky Honey Roast!!!!”

Crepus and Elzer chuckled at the younger redhead’s answer.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Elzer said with a nod. “I’ll tell Adelinde to just prepare some snacks for later.”

“You and your brother should change, Kae.” Kaeya whispered to the younger bluenette.

Kae nodded and he walked towards his brother. Soon, both of them left to change their clothes.

They soon reached the headquarters and Elzer reminded Diluc and Kae to be quiet and behaved. It was silly seeing how excited the younger redhead was once they entered the headquarters. Diluc looked really different from the future. He’ll miss the way his brother calls the knights inefficient.

Elzer knocked on the Grand Master’s door and they waited for Varka to grant them permission to go inside. Once they heard Varka saying that they could come in, the group quietly went inside. Varka immediately smiled as soon as they entered. Kaeya saw a familiar face beside the man and fortunately, it’s not Eroch but Jean’s mother instead. Frederica Gunnhildr.

“Ah, Elzer. Caribert and Crepus’ boys too. What brought you here?” Varka asked while Frederica only stayed beside him, staring at Kaeya.

Elzer smiles, “Caribert and I have decided that it was time for both young masters to receive your guidance with training again. Young Master Diluc wanted to take the knight’s exam two years from now after all.”

Varka makes a sound of understanding before looking up at Frederica, who was frowning at what Elzer had said. “I am pretty much free right now, right Mrs. Gunnhildr?”

Frederica sighed, shaking his head. “Grand Master, I know how close you are to Master Crepus but personally teaching his sons might bring unpleasant rumors. What if the public and the other knights see this as a form of favoritism? This will surely affect his exam in two years time.” she chided, glaring at the Grand Master.

Varka laughs, “You’re so strict, Mrs. Gunnhildr. It will be fine. It’s not like I’ll always be there.” he told Frederica before looking back at Elzer, “Sure but it won’t be a daily thing. Let’s see… once every week, how’s that?”

Diluc nods, “Sounds good!! Thank you, Grand Master Varka!”

Kae nodded shyly.

“And I’m finally free from babysitting Young Master Diluc.” Kaeya said with a dramatic sigh of relief.

Diluc suddenly glared at him, “I’m not a baby!!” he exclaimed while Kae giggled beside him.

“Now that’s settled. Is there anything else?” Varka asked.

Elzer looked at Kaeya and the older bluenette remembered that he wanted to go to the library.

“Grand Master Varka, is the Favonius Library open for the public?” Kaeya asked.

Varka hummed as he straightened his back, “Hmm, yes. It is. Are you looking for a certain piece of literature? Or perhaps some novels to read?” he asked, smiling.

Kaeya smiles, “You could say that. I’ve been in Mondstadt for a year now and I’ve been feeling really bored back in the manor so I might as well do something else during my free time.”

Elzer shoots Kaeya an amused look, “Bored? My, my. I should inform Adelinde so she can give you more work. I’m pretty sure that the head maid back in the residence would be happy to give you some chores.”

Kaeya gasped, “Elzer, don’t you dare. Just when I can get a lot of free time…” he sulked, though it was fake and obviously performed a little dramatically. The others didn’t seem to mind his dramatic flair, thinking that it’s just a part of Kaeya’s personality. Which it is.

Diluc grinned, “I will tell her too! Haha! Be prepared to get buried with work!” he told Kaeya which made the older bluenette turn to him, eye wide with surprise.

“Young Master Diluc! Oh how could I ever bribe you not to tell Miss Adelinde?”

“Nothing! Bleh!” Diluc replied as he stuck his tongue out.

Varka laughed, “If you’re that bored, why not try for the knights? I’ll be happy to have you in our ranks!”

Frederica shoots Varka a glare, “Grand Master!”

Kaeya crosses his arms while frowning, “Stop teasing me already. And Grand Master Varka, I'll have to decline your offer. I am after all a... battle butler! Working for Master Crepus. I’ll have to stay with the Ragnvindrs so I can keep them safe.” he smirked.

Kae smiles, liking the name that he used. “Battle butler!”

“Alright, alright. But if you ever have a plan to change your profession, you can come to me and apply for the knight’s exam.” Varka smirked.

Kaeya sighs, smiling at Varka. “Fine. I’ll keep that in mind.” he said but he's obviously not serious about it. Varka can see that he truly wanted to stay as a butler working under Crepus.

Their attention turned to the door when someone knocked.

“Well then, it looks like you have a visitor. I’ll go to the library then.” Kaeya said and Elzer nodded his head.

“Then I should proceed with the grocery shopping. Young masters, would you like to stay with Caribert or with me?” Elzer asked both brothers.

“I’ll help with the groceries! What about you, Kae?” Diluc asked Kae.

Kae looked at Elzer, and then back to his brother before looking up at Kaeya. “I’ll… Can I go with uncle?”

Elzer looked at Kaeya , waiting for an answer. Kaeya had expected this but if it’s only his younger self, he guesses it’s fine.

“Sure, you can come with uncle.” Kaeya told Kae, earning a smile from his younger self.

They left Varka’s office then Elzer left the headquarters with Diluc while Kae stayed with his uncle. Kae was only following behind, his gaze stayed on the floor while fidgeting with the end of his shirt. Once they entered the library, they were greeted by the librarian, who was not Lisa. Lisa is still around Diluc’s age at this timeline so she’s not the librarian yet.

“Are you looking for a certain book, uncle? Do you need help?” Kae suddenly asked, surprising Kaeya.

“Well…” Kaeya looked around, thinking where to start. “Can you find some books about the Gods of Mondstadt?”

Kae’s eye widened, looking at Kaeya with shock. “G-Gods? Why…?” he asked in a whisper.

Kaeya smiles, tapping his Cryo Vision. “Perhaps they have answers about some of my curiosities about this Vision.” he answered, though it’s a lie. The truth is, he wanted to know about the other god beside Barbatos. The woman who sent him back here.

Kae seems to relax, “Oh… Uhm, okay. I will see if I can find something!” he said before heading off to a shelf.

Kaeya nodded before walking to a different shelf. He could still remember the categories of each bookshelves and he hoped that it’s still the same.

Once they had enough books, they took one of the long tables and sat there. Kaeya started skimming through the pages quietly while Kae only sat down, stealing glances from Kaeya from time to time, as if there’s something that he wanted to say. Luckily, Kaeya is a smart man. He can read the kid easily. He’s his younger self after all. Even if their personalities are no longer the same, Kae is still Kaeya.

“Is there something on your mind, Kae?” he asked.

Kae flinched before looking up at him. “I just had… a bad dream this early morning. And… And uncle was in it.”

“Oh? What is uncle doing in your bad dream?” Kaeya asked, momentarily stopping his reading to look at the younger bluenette, giving him his full attention.

Kae started playing with the end of his sleeves, “Uncle was… walking away like father. You… You told me that I’m not being useful. That I’m just like what my father said.” Tears started glistening in the corner of his eye. He curls up on his chair, bringing both of his legs up and trying to look small. “You won’t leave me like father, right?” he asked, his voice low and on the verge of breaking.

Kaeya sighs, “I can’t promise about staying by your side forever…” he said, thinking about everything that he has to do to avoid the dreadful future that’s soon to come. If he can sacrifice himself to stop that from happening, he’ll do it. As long as everyone he loves can survive. “But I can tell you that while I’m alive, I will never leave your side. Not Diluc’s side, not Crepus’ side. I’ll be here.”

Kae didn’t seem to mind the moment that he dropped their titles and instead leaned closer to Kaeya, tears already running down his cheeks.

“I-I’ve accepted you as part of my family, Uncle Caribert. S-So don’t leave… Please…” Kae sobbed.

Kaeya smiles, patting the younger one on his head. “I’ll try my best to stay…” he told him, wrapping an arm around his younger self. “Now wipe your tears. I wouldn’t want your big brother yelling at me again for making you cry.” he said while chuckling.

Kae slowly wipes his tears and Kaeya returns to the book he was reading. Once Kae had fully calmed down, he also opened a few books and tried helping Kaeya , pointing at everything that relates to the God's blessings and Visions. Despite not needing that information, Kaeya still appreciated the effort and help.

“AAH! You made Kae cry AGAIN!” Diluc yelled as soon as the group met each other again in the fountain found on the city’s market street.

Kae was wiping his slightly reddened eyes, hoping to make it disappear. “U-Uncle did not! Something just got in my eye…”

Elzer shoots Kaeya a look, “Caribert? What happened?”

Kaeya and Kae looked at each other before both of them grinned. They faced Elzer and Diluc, a finger over their lips.

“It’s our secret!”

Diluc pouts, “What?! Unfair! What happened?? I’m your big brother, Kae! You can tell me!”

Kae giggles, “It’s really nothing, Luc.”

Elzer sighs, “If Young Master Kaeya says so… I’ll let this go.”

“Did you get everything you need, Elzer?” Kaeya asked, quickly changing the subject.

Elzer smiled at him, showing the paper bags he was carrying. “Yes. Young Master Diluc and I bought our dinner from Good Hunters as well. Shall we head back?” he asked.

Both brothers nodded and the group soon made their way back to Dawn Winery.

Kaeya entered his room as soon as they finished their dinner and his additional chores. Blame Diluc for telling Adelinde about how bored he was. He took a seat on his chair and pulled out the journal from his desk’s drawer. He started writing on a blank page.

Istaroth. The God of Wind and Time.

The woman who was responsible for my time traveling. Her current state is unknown. By this time, only a few people know about her. I believe it was after Venti Barbatos became the Anemo Archon after the fall of Decarabian. The current librarian said that the three prominent clans of Mondstadt in the past used to worship both Barbatos and Istaroth, until the latter was forgotten in time. People soon believed that Barbatos was the only deity in Mondstadt. Even the librarian was sure about it. At least she entertained my question about Istaroth. 

It will be hard to find books or information about Istaroth. Most of the library’s books are about the Anemo Archon and there’s only a few literature that mentions Istaroth. Am I looking at the wrong thing? The librarian did tell me that the current library was only one-sixth of its former size because of a tragedy in the past called the ‘Great Fire of Fall Equinox’. Perhaps the books relating to Istaroth had been destroyed during that time.

I might need to visit the sundial again. I remember seeing some faded text in there but I didn’t think of reading it. If I truly can’t find anything that could help me learn more about Istaroth, then I should not stick to this. I should proceed to the next plan.

No sign of Venti around the city as well but we did not go to Angel’s Share or inside Cat’s Tail so he must have been there instead. I doubt he’s been inside Cat’s Tail though. When we stopped by outside the establishment, I did not hear any music or any sign of a singing bard inside.

Kaeya stared at the page before nodding. He flips the page, moving to write in the next page instead.

Crepus’ trust gained. Need to start a new plan.

I have to find where the defiled statue was but where do I even start? The books only stated that it was lost due to an unknown incident. Lumine had mentioned something about its location before but I cannot remember it. I already have my Vision since last year. What was preventing me from remembering it? Or was I truly that forgetful?

From my dream this morning. Who did the man mean that I'm supposed to meet? Or was it only a simple dream that holds no meaning? And yet it feels too real to be a dream.

Kaeya taps the tip of the quill on the page before sighing and setting the quill down. He closes the journal. That’s everything his investigation and research in the library resulted to. Well, better than nothing.

He turned off the lights before heading to bed.

“What have you been doing?”

Rough hands grabbed him by his shoulders, cyan-colored eyes glowed in the dark and it frightened him.

“I trusted you, Kaeya. I trusted Mondstadt’s safety to you!”

White bloodied wings sprouted out the young man’s back. He wanted to say something but his lips kept shut.

“Stop wasting your time and help us ! Fulfill the mission I’ve left to you!”

He covers his ears as familiar screams suddenly echo around them. Familiar voices telling him to act fast. Voices of his friends, from his fellow knights and from his brother. They are telling him that there’s no time left. That the Abyss is approaching closer. The anemo archon’s tight grip was almost choking.

“Are you also going to betray us, Kaeya?” Venti, his voice sounding broken and betrayed, snarled towards him . His grip only tightening. “Just like what you did to your home of birth?”

“ ARE YOU FAILING US TOO?! ”

The wave of voices shook him to the core, making him hitch a breath. He wanted to turn away but would that mean agreeing to what this Venti was saying? That question is enough to break him as it was mixed with voices that he recognizes; Jean, Diluc, Lumine, Venti, Klee, Adelinde, and many more to count. The horror he felt made his skin rise and he suddenly felt the whole area suffocating him. He couldn’t breathe. It’s getting hard to breathe–

And in that moment of panic and struggling, a lightweight landed on his left hand and–

Kaeya awoke with a gasp, his right hand already covering his mouth to prevent his screams from waking up the neighboring rooms. He stared at the ceiling, his lone eye wide and its small spark disappeared as fear and dread filled it again.

He doesn’t know if he’s still dreaming because the voices–

‘Move! Find a way to save us!’

The voices kept on screaming inside his head and–

‘You’re our last hope!’

It’s always the same. Why is it always the same–

‘Don’t fail us. Mondstadt is now in your hands.’

He knew that Venti wouldn’t say that. He knew how patient the Anemo Archon was. And that the souls of Jean and the others wouldn’t push him unlike the voices that came from the fallen people of Khaenri’ah when he was still as young as Kae. They can’t be the same… right? That dream might just be the result of his hidden worry or anxiety. They wouldn’t be mad at him for taking his time… They wouldn’t be…

The voices seemed to fade as he tried to take a few deep inhales and exhales, calming himself down. He felt something moving on his left hand and when he lifted it up, he saw the same golden butterfly. He’s too tired to react but he did give it a small glare. He watched as the butterfly flew away, heading towards the still-dark sky. He didn’t even know that he left the window open like that…

Archons, he needs a drink.

The door to the wine cellar creaked open and Kaeya peeked inside, looking around. On his hand is a lamp to guide his way. His steps as he descended the stairs was quiet. He wouldn’t want anyone to wake up and see Caribert stealing some wines. But he really couldn’t stop it anymore. He needed a drink. Just one is enough.

After securing a bottle, Kaeya left the cellar and made sure not to leave any traces that someone came in. He went out using the back door of the winery and walked around, heading towards a cliff where the three crystalflies could usually be found. He sat down, his eye gazing at the calm waves of the river– or lake. He’s too tired to differentiate. Hopefully no one will find him out here at this time. The sun hasn't even risen up yet...

“My apologies for this… Fa– Master Crepus.” Kaeya muttered to himself as he stared at the bottle of wine in his hand. He popped it open and drank directly from the bottle.

Hoping it would be enough to make him forget about his own nightmare.

Chapter Text

The sun was about to rise when Kaeya guiltily finished the bottle of wine. Thank Barbatos that he has a high alcohol tolerance so he wasn’t feeling that drunk but he’s still stumbling a bit on his steps. He also won’t be able to avoid feeling the hangover effects later… Anyway, that’s a problem for later. For now, he should sneak back inside the winery before anyone sees him.

He grumbles under his breath when he almost tripped over a stupid rock. His head is starting to spin, already regretting drinking that stolen wine. He should really control his urges to drink, it’s one of the things that Jean and Diluc had been reminding him during the war after he witnessed the deaths of the young adventurers. The Abyss Order is truly merciless even to young people like Bennett, Razor and Fischl…

It’s also possible that he’s getting the hangover effects early because the very first thing he consumes in the early morning is a whole bottle of wine and not some proper meal. Maybe he should call in sick and keep himself inside his room? It feels a bit of a cowardly move but he wouldn’t want to risk getting caught by anyone. What if Crepus decided to kick him out of the house once he realized that he stole one of their wines? He should at least try avoiding Adelinde or Elzer–

“Caribert? What are you doing out here at this time?”

Speaking of the devil–

Kaeya looked up at Elzer, giving the confused man a smile. “Good morning, Elzer. You’re early. I just finished my morning walk. What about you? Why are you up so early?” Good thing he decided to leave the empty bottle of wine beside some barrels or else this man will surely bombard him with questions. But he could already see the suspicion in Elzer’s eyes.

Elzer frowned, looking at him from head to toe. “I usually wake up around this time to exercise… You look like a wreck. What time did you wake up and did you even sleep well?” he asked as he approached him.

Kaeya hoped that Elzer couldn’t smell the alcohol from him. The man got a sharp nose sometimes. Especially Adelinde…

Kaeya sighs, “Fine you got me. I dreamed about my nephew’s birth father taking him away from the winery and I couldn’t get him back. Then I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep so I decided to take a walk outside the manor to get some fresh air and remind myself that his birth father won’t be able to take him away while I’m around.” he said with a scoff.

Half truth, he did wake up from a nightmare. It’s just not about his birth father and his younger self. Elzer seemed to accept his answer because there was a glint of understanding within the young man’s eyes.

“Aah… I guess the nightmares run in your blood. Young Master Kaeya tends to have nightmares as well and he always seeks comfort from Young Master Diluc.”

Kaeya hums as he nodded, “I guess…” he muttered before feigning a yawn. “I’m getting sleepy now so I should get some sleep before my duties call. I bet Adelinde prepared a lot of work for me again after what the eldest Young Master said to her.” he grumbled.

Elzer laughed, “Good luck with that. Go on, I won’t stop you.” he told Kaeya before stretching his arms.

Kaeya nodded, relaxing as the other man didn’t suspect anything else. He started walking back towards the manor, thinking that everything was clear.

“Ah, Caribert. Wait.”

Or maybe he spoke too soon.

Kaeya tensed as he turns around, raising an eyebrow. “Yes, Elzer?”

Elzer seems to contemplate for a bit,opening his mouth to say something but closes it in an instant. After a few more moments, Elzer shakes his head. “No, nothing. It’s probably just my imagination. Sorry for holding you here. Go get your beauty sleep.” he chuckles.

Kaeya relaxes as he smiles, “I will. See you later, Elzer.”

Okay, he could definitely call that as a close call. He should hurry back to his room before Elzer changes his mind. He greeted the maids that were already up before he finally reached his room. Luckily, Adelinde didn’t seem to be awake yet.

The hangover effect after that wasn’t bad. It just gave him a headache but not bad enough to be a migraine. Maybe the wine he picked was actually a mild one, not the strong kind. He didn’t check the label since he was also in a hurry.

One thing he wasn’t able to escape was Adelinde’s knowing look. He tried ignoring it, really. But when it was time to help in the kitchen, Adelinde’s gaze became so strong that it started to make him nervous.

“Caribert, may I have a word with you?”

Kaeya sighed after washing his hands. He turned to smile at Adelinde, already having an idea about what the future head maid wanted to talk about. “Can it wait till later, Miss Adelinde? I still have to do the laundry.”

Adelinde only stared at him with a blank expression which was enough to tell him that the laundry can wait later. Kaeya nodded, finally giving up with the idea of escaping Adelinde’s wrath. He followed Adelinde behind the shelves of ingredients.

“Did you drink?”

He wasn’t surprised anymore that the first question Adelinde asked was about that.

She narrows her eyes at the bluenette as she waits for an answer. “And don’t lie. I can smell the alcohol from you even how faint it was.”

Kaeya sighs, “My apologies. I did not mean to sneak a bottle out.” he admitted truthfully. He doesn’t have the heart to lie to Adelinde especially when she already knew that he did drink alcohol. It would bring more trouble if he lies.

Adelinde just stared at him before sighing, her look of suspicion turning into concern.

“For some reason, I can’t stay angry with you. Perhaps it’s because you’re a striking resemblance of an older version of Young Master Kaeya.” Adelinde said, a tired smile forming on her face. “But I must still report this behavior to Master Crepus. You are Kae’s uncle and his only relative in Mondstadt so I’m sure that your punishment won’t be severe.”

Kaeya’s shoulders dropped. At least that’s a sign that Crepus wouldn’t just kick him out because of a stolen wine. But it’s still making him nervous. He never wanted to face an angered Crepus. It reminds him of that time when he helped Diluc to secretly grab a bottle of wine while he’s trying to distract Adelinde. The future head maid was able to catch them with their plan and Crepus was a bit furious about it. It was the first time he saw Crepus angry towards them . It honestly scared him and from that moment, he swore to never anger his father.

He should be able to face it now though. He’s currently playing the role as his past self's uncle. He’s not Crepus’ son anymore.

“I understand.” Kaeya finally said and Adelinde nodded.

Adelinde allowed him to go back to work after that. She also made him a hangover tea which he was grateful for. He expected to be called to Crepus’ office after Adelinde had done her report to the master of the winery. He was reading a book to Kae and Diluc when a butler suddenly told Kaeya that Crepus wanted to see him in his office. Already knowing what it was for, he sighed and unfortunately, the little redhead saw his expression and smiled in an annoying smug way.

“Oh no, it looks like someone is in trouble! Tsk, tsk. You’re a bad example to your nephew.” Diluc said, grinning from ear to ear.

Kae frowns, looking at Kaeya as he closes the book. “Will you be okay, uncle?”

Kaeya nodded, patting his younger self on the head. “I should be. Let’s continue the story later, alright?”

Kae nodded and Kaeya finally headed towards Crepus’ office. He takes a deep breath before knocking on the door. He heard a ‘come in’ and quietly went inside, closing the door gently behind him.

Crepus was sitting behind his desk, his arms propped up on the desk to lean on while staring at Kaeya . “So, Adelinde had told me that you stole a bottle of wine from the wine cellar?” he asked and Kaeya didn’t miss the amused tone in his voice.

Alright, Crepus seems amused rather than upset so he matched up the man’s mood by smiling.

“My apologies for my improper behavior, Master Crepus. I just couldn’t hold myself.” Kaeya told him.

Crepus chuckles, “It was honestly a surprise. I know you liked wine but not to the point you’re willing to steal one directly from the wine cellar.” he stated.

Kaeya stood straight, placing both hands on his back. He didn’t remove his smile, “The Dawn Winery’s wine is hard to resist. So I wasn’t able to hold myself back from taking one.”

The man raises an eyebrow, “So you admit you stole the wine out of a greedy impulse?”

“I wouldn’t say it was a greedy impulse..” Kaeya muttered, thinking what to say. He’ll probably say the same thing he told Elzer. “I simply had a bad dream that woke me up too early in the morning. I couldn’t sleep back and… I needed to drink something to forget what I’ve dreamt of. I’ll accept any punishment that you deem fit. I promise to hold myself back better next time.”

Crepus visibly relaxes on his seat, his expression softening. “A bad dream? Something like a nightmare that Kae usually gets?” he asked, Kaeya nodded. “Hmm.. Is that an Alberich trait?” he chuckles.

Kaeya chuckles with the man as he shrugs his shoulders. “Perhaps.”

Crepus caresses his beard, pondering about something. “I was planning on sending out a group to investigate a nearby hilichurl camp that Tunner had discovered so I'd have an idea on the kind of report I will write to the knights. Maybe it’s a coincidence that you needed some kind of disciplinary action so instead of letting the knights deal with the camp, I’m thinking of sending you instead. You can bring Elzer with you if you need.”

Kaeya blinks, “A hilichurl camp clean-up? That doesn’t sound like a punishment.” he chuckles.

Crepus shrugs his shoulders, “I think it’s the perfect punishment for you. Unless you want to spend the whole week cleaning the stables.”

Kaeya immediately cringed. Cleaning the stables would mean brushing the horses and cleaning their… wastes. Sure, he can tolerate brushing the horses and feeding them but… cleaning their wastes too? Not for one day, but for a whole week?! No thank you.

“I’ll take the hilichurl camp clean-up.”

Crepus laughs at his answer. His expression probably showed his disgust too. “Good. You can leave anytime today. Just make sure to have it done before tomorrow.”

Kaeya did a small bow before leaving the office.

He found Elzer in the storage house after that, taking out an adjustable wooden ladder.

“Haha! I knew I smelled something familiar and odd when you walked past me this morning. You drunk some wine without permission.” Elzer said as he chuckled. “So… You need my help cleaning up the hilichurl camp that Tunner had found? Sure. He told me the location since I was part of the group that Master Crepus was supposed to send there. I’ll just do my cleaning later once we’re back.” he told Kaeya as he placed the wooden ladder back inside the storage.

Kaeya smiles, “Thank you. Now I’m relieved to have a reliable fighter by my side.”

Elzer rolls his eyes, “That should be my line. Cleaning up that camp will be quick with a Vision user. So I’m depending on you, Caribert.” he smirked.

“My, my. So it all falls down on my hand.” Kaeya said, dramatically placing a hand over his chest and acting like he’s hurt. “Watch my blind side at least.”

“Alright, alright, you drama queen. Let’s go. The earlier we do this, the faster we finish.” Elzer told him as he shoves him forward, earning a chuckle from the bluenette.

Both of them arrived at the location, which was located at the nearby waterfall. Kaeya only remembered that there's only a few cryo slimes around this area so he was surprised to see a small camp of hilichurls. Even Elzer looked concerned as he counted every monster that they needed to defeat.

“Two hilichurl archers, fortunately without elements. An annoying anemo samachurl, just great. Three lesser hilichurls, I could handle them surely. I can’t spot any mitachurls around the camp so that’s another good thing. Our problem would be the archers staying on top of their towers.” Elzer muttered.

Kaeya smiles, “Leave them to me. I can shoot some icicles at them. That should defeat them or at least, make them fall from their towers.”

Elzer smirks, “Oh, that’s a relief. I’ll let you handle them then. I’ll take the lesser hilichurls while you take the archers. Once either of those two groups are defeated, we’ll head towards the samachurl. As much as I wanted to take out the samachurl first, it would be better if we dealt with the others first.”

The bluenette nodded his head, “Did Tunner mention anything else about this camp? If Master Crepus was planning to investigate this camp first before reporting it to the knights, shouldn’t that mean that there should be at least one dangerous type of hilichurl with them? Like a mitachurl, or worse, a lawachurl or an Abyss Mage.”

Elzer frowns, “Tunner didn’t tell me anything else but he did mention about noticing a huge shadow. My hunch was it being the towers where the archers are since Tunner didn’t take a closer look and immediately reported this sighting as soon as he saw a hilichurl loitering around this area.”

“...That’s not reassuring…” Kaeya muttered, suddenly feeling that there’s something off with this camp.

Elzer stood up from his kneeling position, “Let’s not overthink it. I don’t see anything else unusual around the camp so it’s safe to assume that it was only them. Be careful with the explosive barrels though. There’s a few around the camp.”

Kaeya followed him as he nodded. “Alright. Be careful as well, Elzer.” he said, his sword already materializing on his right hand while he concentrates his Vision’s power on the other, creating a few shards of ice.

Elzer nodded at him before heading towards the camp, alerting the hilichurls. He ran towards the three lesser hilichurls, slashing his sword at them. The hilichurl archers moved as expected, pointing their bows at Elzer but before they could even shoot at the man, Kaeya beats them by shooting his icicles at them. Some of the icicles missed but one icicle hit the hilichurl on the left side, pushing it off and making it fall off from its tower. The hilichurl archer from the right side focused on Kaeya . Good, that was Kaeya’s plan from the start. Redirecting the hilichurl archer’s attention to him instead of Elzer so the other man can focus on fighting the lesser hilichurls while avoiding the gusts of wind that the samachurl creates.

Kaeya created some more icicles, shooting them to the hilichurl archer from the right side before swiftly turning around, swinging his sword as it creates a wave of chilling wind towards the fallen archer from the left tower. He stabbed his sword before it could even recover, finally defeating it. He smiles, turning around to see the archer from the right tower to be gone too. One the icicles that he probably shot earlier had hit the hilichurl straight at its head or chest.

He rushes to the area where Elzer was and sees the man already fighting against the samachurl, the three lesser hilichurls already gone. As expected of Elzer, he was truly skillful.

With a final strike slashing the samachurl, Elzer finally defeated it. Kaeya smiles at the man, finally approaching him.

“You didn’t even need my help with that samachurl. I’m quite upset.” Kaeya muttered.

Elzer chuckles, “Sorry to steal the fun.” he said before looking around. “It looks like we got them–”

Kaeya’s eye suddenly widened when he felt the ground shake. He looked at Elzer, seeing the man with the same surprised expression. He didn’t imagine it. Both of them quickly stood back to back, looking around for the source of the shaking.

Is it just a weak earthquake? Or is there a nearby ruin guard around? But that seems unlikely. The shaking continues and finally, a shadow towered in the distance. Both young men swiftly turned to that direction when they heard a low growl.

Kaeya cursed inside his head, This doesn’t look good.

Standing a few feet from them was a lawachurl. A freaking Stonehide Lawachurl holding a few dead boars in its hands. It looks like it returned from a little hunting but now it’s looking around the empty camp and huffing angrily at the two intruders which are Kaeya and Elzer.

“Don’t tell me that this was the shadow that Tunner saw…” he heard Elzer saying and Kaeya could already feel the nervousness in the man’s voice. “What should we do, Caribert? Can you handle it? I remember Master Crepus saying something about you being chased by a lawachurl that’s why you ended up badly hurt when the knights found you.”

Kaeya pursed his lips together. This isn’t looking good for them. Why didn’t anyone notice a lawachurl this big around the Dawn Winery? How could this big guy avoid the hunters that usually patrol around the area? More importantly…

Why is there a lawachurl camping close to Dawn Winery?

Dread suddenly filled him. He glanced at Elzer who was waiting for his answer before he looked back at the lawachurl.

“Best we report this quickly to the knights. Elzer, I want you to go to the city and tell the knights about this situation. I’ll distract the lawachurl so it won't follow you.”

Elzer looked at him with wide eyes, “You want to handle it yourself?! It’s a lawachurl, Caribert! You won’t be able to handle it alone despite having a Vision!”

Kaeya smirks while he stances. “I think I am skilled enough to fight against this guy. You can trust me on that. I am not like before when I was still recovering from my injury. It’s been a year, Elzer. I’ll be fine. I’ll save as much time as you need until you can get some of the knights here.”

Elzer clenched his fists, glaring at him. Finally, the young man exhaled and nodded. “Fine, don’t you dare die on me, Caribert. Young Master Kae wouldn’t be happy.”

Kaeya chuckles, “Don’t worry. I’ll live.” he reassured the man and he ran towards the lawachurl before Elzer could hesitate even more.

Seeing this as a sign of Kaeya’s strong decision, Elzer places his sword on its sheath before sneaking to the side and running away from the camp, leaving the lawachurl to Kaeya’s hands.

Kaeya took a deep breath and smiled menacingly. He glared at the lawachurl, who took a few steps back at Kaeya’s sudden change in demeanor.

“No witnesses, which means I can use everything I got. It’s a wrong decision to camp this close to my home.” Kaeya scowled at the lawachurl in a language he thought he would never verbally use.

The lawachurl was taken aback by what he said before growling angrily. The lawachurl beats its chest before letting out a loud growl which was probably loud enough to be heard by the people from the winery. Light covered the lawachurl, a sign that it had used a shield to protect itself. Kaeya looked around, seeing that the explosive barrels were still around. Luckily, Kaeya didn’t use them to defeat the hilichurls earlier. Elzer was also around at that time, he wouldn’t want the man to be caught in the explosions so he avoided them at all costs. But now it will have some use. He can use the explosive barrels to destroy the lawachurl’s shield.

The angered roars of the lawachurl snapped Kaeya out of his thoughts and he avoided its punch just on time. He ducked down before raising his hand, shooting a blast of cryo against the lawachurl’s stomach. He quickly moved out of the way when the lawachurl stumbled forward. It recovered quickly and Kaeya could definitely see its rage behind its mask.

The lawachurl leaned forward before charging towards him. Eyeing the barrels behind him, Kaeya quickly moved to the side so the lawachurl would hit the explosive barrels instead of him. There was a surprised growl that came with the lawachurl when it finally hit the explosive barrels. Kaeya didn’t give it a time to recover as he teleported behind the lawachurl and swung his sword diagonally, slashing the lawachurl’s back. The lawachurl let out a loud cry before struggling to get up, the light around it flickering. Good, the explosion damaged its shield. Just a bit more and Kaeya could break it. He needs to gather as much as cryo he could so he can spear it through the lawachurl to defeat it. He can only do it as a last move because he’ll be exhausted after that.

The lawachurl knelt down again as if it’s about to charge towards Kaeya again so he prepared himself. What he didn’t expect was for it to jump into the air before slamming down to where he was so he quickly jumped away before he could get caught by the force of the quake it created. It jumped for the second time and Kaeya moved away from the remaining explosive barrels. He doesn’t want to risk getting caught in the explosions if the lawachurl accidentally hits those.

On the last jump that the lawachurl did, Kaeya knelt down with his hand on the ground and used his Vision to temporarily freeze the area around him. He was able to move out of the way when the lawachurl slammed down on the ground again. Shards of ice flew everywhere and the frozen ground under the lawachurl cracked. When the lawachurl stood up and stepped out of the crater it created, it almost slipped but it was able to stay upright, albeit struggling. Kaeya smirked. Fortunately, he can freeze the ground for a certain amount of time.

“You should calm down for a bit, big guy.” Kaeya chuckles as his surroundings start to chill. “You must be exhausted after all of those jumps.”

The lawachurl roared at him before trying to charge again but instead, it slipped backwards. Kaeya laughed as he raised his hand. The frost around him started to gather above his hand.

“Don’t worry, this is going to be fast. Just stay down.”

As if understanding what he was saying, the lawachurl suddenly froze while it’s staring at the bluenette. The ice above Kaeya started to get bigger until it started to form the shape of a spear. Panicked, the lawachurl forces itself to stand again. It turns its back to Kaeya , deciding that it would be best to crawl away. But where is it crawling to? There’s nothing but a wall of the mountain behind the lawachurl.

“There’s no way out for you!!” Kaeya yelled out as he threw the gigantic ice spear towards the lawachurl.

The lawachurl turns around quickly, and throws something into the air. Kaeya realized that it was one of the explosive barrels. The barrel and the ice spear exploded when it collided. Shards of ice flew everywhere. The smoke and the white fog from the ice spear covered the area and Kaeya coughed on his arm. He looked around him while alert. Did the lawachurl survive from that explosion? Or did it get caught in it? If it got caught, he hoped that it'd been defeated but it’s unlikely because the lawachurl still has a bit of its shield on. If it didn’t die from that explosion, then it should have at least weakened it.

As soon as the smoke cleared, Kaeya’s eye widened. The lawachurl was indeed weakened but on its hands were the remaining explosive barrels. A sound of what seemed like a chuckle rumbled behind the lawachurl’s mask.

Kaeya raised his hand, attempting to create a few more icicles so he could at least hit those barrels while the lawachurl is still holding it, but he suddenly felt a wave of painful headache. His Vision flickers dangerously, as if telling him that he had used too much from that big icicle he created. He tsked under his breath, the exhaustion finally catching up to him.

Where are those knights? Shouldn’t they arrive by this time? He had been fighting the lawachurl for so long now. Why aren’t they here yet? Did someone ambush Elzer on his way back?

He caught a movement in front of him and he saw the lawachurl standing. Kaeya took a few steps back. Oh how funny the tables had turned against him. Maybe he miscalculated something. Should he have planned differently and saved his Vision’s energy much later?

The lawachurl finally threw the explosive barrels at him. He raised his hand, trying to force his Vision to create a wall of ice to block the barrels. The barrels immediately exploded as soon as it hit the wall that he created, shattering it into pieces. Some of the stray shards cut through his skin and he flinched. What he didn’t expect to happen after that was for the lawachurl to run through the explosion, charging towards Kaeya and tackling him against the ground. Pain erupted from his back as he coughed out blood from the impact.

What went wrong? Just when he thought he could defeat the lawachurl without the knight’s help… Was he not as perceptive as before? He could already imagine his brother scolding him from inside his head, about how careless he had become.

The lawachurl backed away with a huff and stared down at Kaeya as if he’s just an ant. Kaeya tried getting up but he immediately fell limply to the ground, his whole body aching from the harsh attack. His back might be bleeding too, feeling something wet sticking between his skin and clothes. He heard the lawachurl roaring before it raised both of its hands in the sky, ready to deliver the last strike.

Kaeya forces himself to get up again only to fall back down for the second time. The victory he saw was now out of his reach. Is this the end? He can feel his consciousness fading away. He didn’t even properly start his mission yet. Maybe the Abyss Order followed him in the past, sending this group of hilichurls after him. Maybe he really couldn’t avoid the future where everyone he knew and loved died. Is he finally joining them ?

A golden butterfly passes by his line of sight, seemingly clueless of the lawachurl towering over the bluenette. He could only stare at it, waiting for the lawachurl to finally end him. He closed his eye, waiting for the pain and for the darkness to swallow him.

But nothing came. Nothing but silence.

And the sound of chains.

He slowly forces to open his eye and through his blurry and hazy sight, exhausted from the pain and maybe bloodlost too, he looks up to the lawachurl and notices the dark chains wrapping around the lawachurl’s wrists, stopping it from slamming its fists down on Kaeya . His gaze followed the chains and saw a redheaded man who walked towards the lawachurl and soon fought it using the same dark chains engulfed in dark flames. He noticed that the dark chains were attached from the man’s glove-

Oh.

That’s not a normal glove. He could feel his own heartbeat speeding up in shock and disbelief.

A redheaded man wearing a black robe. A familiar eerie glove that screams ‘ Delusion ’. The only person that appeared in his mind was…

“...Luc?”

Did his brother follow him…? But Future Diluc is already dead. He saw him dying for him and Diluc already swore that he won’t be using their father’s Delusion. His brother didn’t even use it during the war, he only used his Vision to fight. And his brother couldn’t just become alive again and suddenly follow him back in the past. Even Venti doesn’t have the power to bring someone back to life…

He stared at the man, a bit weakly as he continued to fight against his fading consciousness, and then he squinted his eye while trying to see who this redheaded man was. Because there’s no way this man can be his brother from his timeline.

A small gasp escaped his lips as he finally recognized the man in front of him; the man who is now kneeling down and looking at him with a frown and evident concern within his gentle eyes. The figure of the lawachurl behind the man was starting to disintegrate into ashes.

“Master… Crepus…?”

Before he could ask anything else, like how in Teyvat he got his Delusion this early, his consciousness finally gave out and he blacked out.

Chapter Text

Diluc only laid down on the ground limply, his eyes which were once filled with blazing courage and retribution had turned dull and empty. Lifeless . Kaeya hitched a breath before getting up and running towards his brother but someone grabbed his head from behind and slammed him down on the ground. A buzzing sound echoes inside his ears as his sight whitened for a few seconds before he came back to his senses. He glared at the two Abyss Heralds holding him down.

“Let me go, you b*stard!” he yelled out but the Abyss Heralds just chuckled at him. He looked back to where his motionless brother was, heterochromia eyes still wide with disbelief and horror.

He doesn’t want to accept it. He doesn’t want to accept that Diluc is dead . He can’t be! No one could defeat the Uncrowned King of Mondstadt. Diluc wouldn’t let himself be defeated like this… He can’t die in Kaeya’s place. HE CAN’T!

An Abyss Mage started dancing around Diluc, as if mocking Kaeya at the same time. Then the mage raised its staff and flames surrounded the redhead, burning him .

Kaeya’s eyes widened and he reached out. “Don’t you dare burn his body! DON’T YOU DARE!” 

He struggled against the tight hold of the Abyss Heralds while crying out for his brother. Tears started flowing down his cheeks. “You can’t die this easily, Diluc! Get up! GET UP AND FIGHT! You can’t leave me like this, Diluc! BROTHER!!”

“..ncle! Uncle! Uncle Caribert!”

Kaeya woke up with a gasp, he could feel a few hands pushing him down to what seemed like a bed. Still feeling the phantoms of his dream, he struggled against the Abyss Heralds that were holding him down.

“H-Hey! Calm down! Caribert, you’re safe! It’s just us!”

He froze, eye widening in shock as he finally registered from whom those voices were from. He finally looked at the people around him that still held him down before he could hurt himself from his thrashing. Elzer and Hans. Kae was also there, looking at him with worry in his eye. Kaeya blinked several times before relaxing on the bed and letting out a painful groan when his mind registered the pain coming from his back. Elzer and Hans also let out a sigh of relief and finally released Kaeya from their hold.

“You scared us… You were having a nightmare and for some reason, you kept on calling out for Young Master Diluc.” Hans said with a frown. “Did your nightmare involve the eldest young master?” he asked but Kaeya simply stared.

“..What?” Kaeya asked, still not catching up with what’s happening. His mind was still processing where he was and why he’s on the bed. The nightmare slowly fades into a blurry memory.

Elzer sighs, turning his head to face at Hans. “Hans, can you fetch a glass of water for Caribert?” he asked and Hans nodded before leaving the room. He looked back at Kaeya while Kae held on to the older bluenette’s left hand.

“What happened?” Kaeya asked as he shifted around the bed, pushing himself to sit up. He didn’t pull away from Kae and instead held his hand back to bring relief to the little boy’s worried expression. It seems to work a bit after seeing him relaxing.

Elzer sat on the stool where he seemed to be sitting before, “You don’t remember about the camp we cleaned up two days ago?” he asked.

Kaeya’s eye widened but this time, from realization. He remembered the hilichurl camp that he and Elzer cleaned up. Memories started rushing back; the appearance of the Stonehide Lawachurl and the moment he told Elzer to go find help from the knights. He fought against the lawachurl alone while buying some time, and then he shivered, realizing that he almost died from it. It’s a miracle that he’s still alive.

He then remembered a man with red hair. If he didn’t see the difference in the hairstyle, Kaeya could have believed that it was his brother who saved him. He could have believed that the Abyss Mage didn’t really burn his body but no. His savior wasn’t Diluc from his timeline.

It was Crepus.

He doesn’t know if what he saw was true… Did Crepus really use his Delusion to save him? Or did he just imagine it? It looked so real when he tried remembering the fight…

“I’ve been unconscious for two days?” Kaeya asked before coughing. His throat feels so dry.

Elzer frowns, “Yes. You’ve been waking up from time to time but you weren’t aware of anything. Your eye was always unfocused and Sister Aria said that it might be because of your concussion. You also exhausted the power of your Vision so that might have affected you as well. The lawachurl really hurt you pretty badly just like the first time the knights found you. Do you think they are the same lawachurl?”

Kaeya frowns, it was unbelievable for his lie to become the truth. But he might as well accept this sudden turn of events. “I think so… I can’t believe it camped close to the winery…” he huffed.

The white-haired man frowns as he crosses his arms, “It’s terrifying to see how smart these monsters have become.”

Kaeya chuckles before coughing again. Hans returned and gave the injured man the glass of water. Kaeya thanked him and he drank it slowly. While drinking, he tries to feel the bandages wrapped around him so he’ll know where exactly he was injured. He could feel the tight bandages around his torso. There’s also some wrapped around his head. Is he going to need to rest for a few days again? He won’t like that…

“We’ll inform Master Crepus and Young Master Diluc that you’ve woken up.” Elzer told Kaeya before leaving the room with Hans, leaving him with his younger self.

Kaeya smiles down at the smaller bluenette before patting him on his head. Kae finally pulled away from his hand and now sits on the edge of the bed.

“I was worried when Papa came back home with you. You were bleeding everywhere and it scared me.” Kae said softly.

Kaeya hums, “So it was Master Crepus who saved me?” he asked.

Kae nodded, “Papa came back home with Grand Master Varka. You were rushed quickly to your room and Grand Master Varka quickly returned to the city to call for a Sister.” he answered before sniffling.

Kaeya noticed the red in the corner of his eye. His younger self might have cried a lot while he’s unconscious.

“I’m sorry if I worried you, Kae. But uncle is fine now.” Kaeya told him with a gentle voice, like how he usually talks to Klee whenever the girl’s upset.

“Mhm…” the younger bluenette nodded, a small smile appearing on his face.

The door soon opened. Crepus and Diluc entered the room and Kaeya looked up to smile at them. He observed Crepus but he didn’t see him wearing the Delusion. Of course, he wouldn’t. Crepus wouldn’t show it to others unless it’s an emergency just like… last time.

Diluc had joined Kae and hugged him while quietly staring at Kaeya. The redhead wasn’t saying anything but there was an evident sign of concern within his red eyes.

“It’s good to see you awake.” Crepus said with a calm smile, as if he never used a fake Vision to save Kaeya’s life. He didn’t seem to be hurt from the use of it either. Was he still able to use the Delusion without any side effects around this time? But how…? Aren’t Delusions supposed to be dangerous? Giving its holder a painful backlash?

Kaeya lowered his head a bit, “My apologies for making you worry, Master Crepus. I heard from my nephew that you saved me from the lawachurl. Thank you.”

Crepus chuckles before sitting down on the stool where Elzer was seated earlier, “No problem. Grand Master Varka did all the fighting since I can’t fight a big guy like that.” A lie but Kaeya didn’t show any sign that he knew . Maybe Crepus thought that he was too injured and too out of it to remember. “You’re still one of my people and Kae’s uncle as well. So your safety is also my responsibility.”

Kaeya smiles. He really wanted to confront Crepus about the weapon he used but both of the kids are still here. He doesn’t want to let Kae and Diluc know about the Delusion and how it affects their father. They are far too young to discover that their father’s life is already at risk. He’ll just wait and ask at the right time. For now, he has to focus on recovering.

“You’re in luck. According to Sister Aria, your injuries aren’t as bad as before so you should be fine by tomorrow. Just don’t force yourself once you continue doing your chores.” Crepus told him and Kaeya sighed in relief.

“I see. That’s good news. I don’t want my work to pile up.” he replied as he chuckled.

Crepus seemed to stare at him for a few moments, making him a bit nervous so he decided to look towards Kae and Diluc instead. Finally, Crepus stood up and stretched.

“Alright then, I should leave you so you can continue on resting. Kae, Diluc. Let’s go.” Crepus said and both of his sons nodded.

“Thank you again, Master Crepus.” Kaeya said and the man nodded at him with a smile. Then, the three of them left his room.

Kaeya decided to just lay back down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. A lone tear streams down his cheek but he quickly wipes them off.

It looks like he won’t be joining his friends yet. And that dream… He clenches his hand over his chest as he swore to himself that he won't let his brother end up like that. He’ll live.

Everyone will live.

Kaeya returned to his duties the next day. He already removed his bandage around his head but kept the one around his torso. His back still aches without it but not painful enough to keep him away from work.

His duty for today is hanging out some laundry. Something easy, according to Adelinde, and it serves as an exercise for him. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the future head maid’s care. It was heartwarming.

After hanging out the laundry, Kaeya headed back inside and he saw Adelinde holding a tray filled with a mug of hot coffee and an egg sandwich. He smiles and jogs towards her.

“Miss Adelinde, are you delivering those to Master Crepus’ office?” Kaeya asked. If he’s right, then this would be the right time to confront the man about the Delusion. If he allowed more time to pass, he might lose more chances of saving the man from its clutches.

Adelinde smiled and there’s a twinkle within her eyes. If this is a normal day and Kaeya would want nothing but to avoid some chores, he wouldn’t like that twinkle. But today is different. He’ll happily take any chores that would allow him to meet Crepus without raising any suspicions.

“Caribert. Yes, I’m about to give this to our ever hardworking Master. Are you done with the laundry? It didn’t strain you too much?” she asked.

Kaeya chuckles, “It’s an easy work.” he said before looking at the tray again, “Do you need help delivering those?”

Adelinde’s wider smile was enough of an answer so Kaeya takes the tray from her.

“Thank you, Caribert. Now, don’t make the Master wait~” she told him before walking off.

Kaeya takes a deep breath before heading off to Crepus’ office. Once he’s outside, he knocks. It was at this time that he actually felt nervous about this plan but he needs to do it. Even if Crepus hasn’t shown any side effects from the Delusion, the man might just be hiding his pain so he wouldn’t worry anyone especially both of his sons. He needs to tell Crepus to put the Delusion away, or destroy it which was a better option. It’s now or never. He doesn’t want the man to lose his life this early because if that happens…

It would be none other than his own fault.

“Come in.” Crepus finally said and Kaeya went inside, giving the man a friendly smile as soon as he saw him standing by the window, reading a book. He doesn’t seem to be working on any paperworks today.

“Master Crepus, I’ve brought you your snacks.” Kaeya smiles, placing the mug and the plate of sandwiches on his desk.

Crepus chuckles, “Ah, thank you, Caribert. How are you feeling now? Is your back still aching?”

“Just a little bit but I could already work around.” he told Crepus.

Crepus hummed as he sat on his chair. “Good.”

Kaeya only stood from across Crepus, watching the man for any strange movements that might be an indication of pain or a possible side effect from the Delusion but he couldn’t find anything, not even a twitch of a finger.

“Do you need something else, Caribert?” Crepus asked, snapping Kaeya from his observations.

Kaeya smiled as he stood straight, “I want to thank you again for saving me from the lawachurl, Master Crepus. It might have been a difficult fight. I must extend my gratitude to Master Varka as well. I did not remember him coming, it was only you who I saw before I fell unconscious.”

He doesn’t know if he imagined it but Crepus’ hold on his mug seems to tighten. Then Crepus chuckles before saying, “He will appreciate that. He arrived a little later, that’s probably why you didn’t see him.”

Kaeya simply nodded. He took a deep breath, he needed to tell Crepus about the dangers of the Delusion.

“Master Crepus, the weapon you used… It’s a Delusion is it not?” Kaeya finally asked while staring at him.

He waited for any reactions from the winery’s master but there was only silence. A silence that is also deafening. Crepus is only sipping his coffee, his expression unreadable.

“I’m unsure if Master Varka knew about it but I won’t tell anyone. I know you used it for good; to protect me. But isn’t it a dangerous weapon? What if Inspector Eroch finds out? It would be best not to use it ever again. Both of the young masters are still–”

“Caribert.”

Kaeya couldn’t help but flinch when he heard the difference in Crepus’ tone. It honestly made him nervous so he quickly lowered his head.

“My apologies, I might have overstepped.” he muttered as he pursed his lips together. Did he say too much?

He heard a sigh and noticed some movements in front of him. When he looked up again, Crepus was now standing with his back facing Kaeya as he looked out of the window, his mug already abandoned on the desk beside the empty plate.

“That is fine.” Crepus said as he turned around.

Kaeya felt the pair of red eyes examining him and it was hard for him not to look away. Finally, Crepus leaned back on the frame of the window before gesturing towards the chair across the desk.

“Why don’t you sit down and recall what you saw? What do you remember about my fight against the lawachurl?” Crepus asked him while staring with a piercing gaze.

It took Kaeya so much facial control not to flinch when he met the man’s gaze. He never saw Crepus this serious before and it’s honestly a terrifying thing to see. He took a deep breath before walking towards the chair. He paused a bit, looking back at the man for the second time to check if he only imagined that terrifying feeling.

He didn’t . It was still there.

“Well?” Crepus smiled at him but Kaeya could already see that it wasn't the friendly one.

Kaeya obeyed and sat down on the chair across from Crepus, not risking what would happen if he disobeyed the man. He clears his throat before telling Crepus what he saw before he lost his consciousness.

“Well, I’ll try to remember what happened to the best of my abilities…” Kaeya slowly said and he could see Crepus nodding his head. “The lawachurl was about to slam its fists down to me when you stopped its movements with chains. The chains weren’t normal as it was black and burning with something like… black flames.”

“Black flames.” Crepus repeated as if asking Kaeya if he was sure about that and Kaeya nodded in reflex. He can never lie to Crepus after everything that happened in his life.

“You don’t have a Pyro Vision unlike Young Master Diluc so that could not have been a weapon from a Vision. It’s also not a normal chain. No normal chains can hold a lawachurl from bringing its fists down especially when it's enraged.” Kaeya said before braving himself to meet Crepus in his eyes again. “I believe that it was a fake vision just like what Inspector Eroch had mistaken my Vision for. A Delusion.”

Crepus’ face darkened and silence filled the room for the second time. Kaeya waited for the man to speak while sitting nervously on the chair. With Crepus standing on the other side of the desk, Kaeya feels very small. It felt just like the time when he fled to Sumeru and Crepus found him. He was this quiet but he was never this terrifying.

Finally, the man sighed. “So you really saw me.”

Kaeya gripped his knees as he leaned forward. “You have to stop using it, Master Crepus! I’ve read from… From a book in the Akademiya that Delusions are dangerous and life threatening. You’re risking your life whenever you use it.”

Crepus just hums and nodding his head, “If it is as dangerous as you say, then why is it not affecting me yet?”

“It’s possible that the effects are late, that is why it would be better to stay away from it as early as now. Master Crepus, please–”

Crepus suddenly glared at him, “It’s none of your business. Who are you to tell me what to do with the Delusion?”

“I’m–”  your son!

But he can’t say that anymore. He can’t.

Kaeya let out a sigh instead, “...You’re Kaeya’s father. And as his uncle, I’ll make sure that he’ll grow up happy and that he’ll have a proper childhood with a loving parent by his side. I don’t want him to lose a second father.” he reasoned instead.

I don’t want to lose you this early…

“Young Master Diluc would also lose a father too.” he muttered as he looked down on his lap, staring at his clenched hands. “I don’t think they both deserved that. They’ll need you as they both grow up.”

There was a sigh and the room started to darken. He doesn’t know if the clouds outside had hidden the sun or if Crepus was using the Delusion’s power again to make the room dark. He hopes it’s the first option. He doesn’t want Crepus to keep on using that accursed thing.

“You’re speaking as if I’ll die as soon as I use that Delusion.” Crepus said as he chuckled, Kaeya wasn’t able to hold back a flinch. “I can’t let you go off this easily.” he said in a tone that sent shivers down Kaeya’s spine. “You know too much so I guess there’s no point in hiding it from you anymore. You are a smart man, Caribert. If Kaeya isn’t close to you, I could have ended you here as soon as you uttered the word ‘Delusion’. But you are important to him. He already sees you as his family so unfortunately , I can’t harm you.”

Kaeya stayed quiet before he narrowed his eye on him, “...How did you even get your Delusion?” he asked.

Crepus placed both of his hands on the desk as he loomed over the bluenette. Kaeya just gulped his nervousness down while trying not to look away from the observant gaze the older redhead has on him.

“That’s something I’m not obliged to answer.” Crepus instantly said, making Kaeya frown. “But I’ll reassure you, Caribert. This would not harm me.”

His brother held their father’s fading body closer to him and he could only watch, not moving from his spot.

“You’ll never know that. It could be unpredictable.” Kaeya argued in return, shaking his head as he tried to push the unpleasant memories away. “It would be better to destroy it or to throw it away.”

Crepus stares at him, “You seem to hate this particular Delusion. I wonder why. You only saw me using it once unless… You already knew it before, which was also impossible because I kept it away. Unless… there’s something you knew that I don’t.”

Kaeya just kept his mouth shut, preventing any information about the future from passing through his lips. It was tempting. He wanted to confess everything to Crepus but that would also risk his plans and his current mission. He doesn’t know what would happen if he tells someone that he was actually from the future. Crepus’ youngest son from the future. The remaining Ragnvindr…

And how could he not hate the object that took their father’s life? He wanted it gone.

The man sighed when he didn’t get any response from Kaeya . “I know you’re worried, Caribert, and I appreciate you for looking after me but I’ve held this item for years now. When I saved you from the lawachurl, it wasn’t my first time using it. It may be dangerous, but not for me.”

Then how did you die? 

Kaeya’s shoulders dropped as he asked the question inside his head because he can never ask the man in front of him about it.

How did you die from using it, Father?

“Delusions are dangerous and life threatening to those who don’t possess a Vision and let’s say… there’s some people who are a bit more tolerant to the effects of it. The Fatui for example. Of course, I am not a part of them.” Crepus said with spite before mumbling something that Kaeya couldn’t hear. “I really do hope you won’t tell a soul about my Delusion, Caribert. I don’t want to threaten you anymore than this. Don’t even bother telling Varka because he already knew. He’s just like you, to be honest, but he doesn’t know how this Delusion could help me in times of need. If I don’t have it anymore, I could not have saved you, Caribert.”

Kaeya couldn’t help but groan because of Crepus’ stubbornness. “You could have fought in some other way. Or the knights could have arrived and helped me. I won’t die easily. Not against a small fry like that.”

Perhaps it was a bit hypocritical of him to say that because before Crepus even arrived, he had thought he'd lose his life against that lawachurl but now, he realized how stupid those thoughts are. He can’t bring down Venti’s hope in him. He swore to himself he wouldn’t give up easily. Not until he can stop the Abyss Order’s plans and the war they are preparing in the far future.

Crepus laughed, “A small fry? The lawachurl? Caribert, you almost got pinched to death.” he told Kaeya, amused.

Kaeya couldn’t help the embarrassment shown in his face, “It just caught me off guard and a miscalculation on my part! Anyway, I really don’t want you to use that Delusion whatever happens especially in the future. I want you to promise me that, Master Crepus.” he said as he stood up. “Not as a butler, but as someone who is also a part of Kaeya’s family.”

Crepus smiled but a bit somberly, “I can’t keep such promises, Caribert but….” he looked around the room, as if contemplating. “Fine, I’ll try at least. For Diluc and Kaeya.”

Kaeya sighs, the tension and the heaviness of the atmosphere in the room is gone. The room was also a little brighter than before.

“I’ll be watching you as you keep your words, Master Crepus.” Kaeya smirked.

Crepus smirked back, “That should be my line. You’re truly a mysterious guy, Caribert but I know that we all have secrets to keep so I won’t pry until you’re ready to tell them. When that time comes, perhaps I can also share a bit of my own secrets.”

Kaeya nodded, his smirk turning into a small smile. “When that time comes…” he muttered before making a turn but he stopped and looked back at the winery’s master. “Am I allowed to go now?” he asked and Crepus nodded.

“Go ahead. I apologize for keeping you here and… for possibly scaring you.” Crepus said but Kaeya could feel that the man wasn’t that apologetic with how he intimidated him during the whole talk. Though, it’s something that Kaeya could understand. He was asking the man about a sensitive subject after all.

Kaeya bowed his head a bit before turning around. His smile faded when he finally stepped out of the office. Once he closed the door, he let out a shuddering breath while he tried to relax his shaking hands. He realized just how fast his heart was beating. That experience seriously scared the hell out of him.

What happened to his once father? Kaeya doesn't remember Crepus acting like that around him and Diluc when they were still young. He also didn’t see the man like that whenever he sneaks in one of his business meetings. Crepus was suddenly terrifying, his gaze piercing and dark and Kaeya felt like he’s trapped within the man’s tight grip with nowhere else to escape to.

Was that an effect of the Delusion? But that doesn’t make sense. He doesn’t remember the Delusion changing its user’s personality. It might mess up with their head but surely not to the point of changing someone’s personality, right? All he knew is that the Delusion is dangerous to one’s health, that it eats up the user’s life while whispering negative things inside their heads. That’s what Diluc had told him when he disappeared from Mondstadt after their father’s death.

But in that room, Crepus seems to have become a different person even in just a bit. He was honestly lucky that their talk went well. He just hopes that Crepus will really keep his word about not using the Delusion…

Just what kind of secret are you hiding, Crepus? Is this a side that he and Diluc never knew about their own father?

Chapter Text

This is quite late but thank you for the 100+ kudos! We’re almost at 200 too!
Have an intimidating Crepus Ragnvindr from the previous chapter 

(the version without the text is at the end of the chapter)

They returned to the Ragnvindr Residence a day after Kaeya’s talk with Crepus. Crepus acted like nothing happened between them and Kaeya returned to his normal duties after.

Kaeya is currently cleaning some vases on the main hall of the manor while Crepus is nearby with Diluc and Kae. The three of them were simply relaxing by the fireplace while eating an apple pie made by Adelinde. A knock on the door broke the comfortable silence between them.

“I’ll get it.” Kaeya said, nodding towards Crepus when the man was about to stand.

“Ah. Thank you, Caribert.”

Kaeya puts the dirty cloth on the basket near his foot before heading towards the door. When he opened it, he didn’t see anyone. Just two floating envelopes that look like letters and… something about it feels familiar . He simply frowned at the sight of it before slowly reaching for the letters. He closed the door and walked towards the three.

“Master Crepus, our visitor seems to have dropped two floating letters by the door.” Kaeya told Crepus.

Crepus blinked for a few moments, “Floating letters?” he mumbled before a shine of recognition appeared in his eyes, “Aah. It might have been from Alice then. It was around this time that she would send letters to me. She always leaves the letters in unexpected places so I’m not surprised that she just left the letters floating in front of the door.”

Diluc gasps, “A letter from Miss Alice? Let me see!!” 

Diluc quickly got up from his chair before excitedly jumping towards Kaeya to reach for the letters but the older bluenette just raised his hands higher, not risking the kid to ruin both of the letters. He smiled at Diluc’s pouty face and he handed the letters to Crepus instead, who took it with a chuckle. Diluc quickly ran beside his father’s chair, a look of pure excitement replacing the pout. Even Kae was curious as he approached his brother and stared at the letters within Crepus’ hands.

The two redheads seem to know more about the letters than him. Kaeya did remember Diluc getting excited over some letters in the past and if he could remember correctly, it was a letter written by his mother– or supposedly… their mother? Kaeya never met her before, even in the future. He doesn’t even know if she’s still alive during the war against the Abyss Order. All he knows is that Diluc’s mother wasn’t always home and his brother never really talked about her that much especially after their father died. Diluc will only talk about their mother around this age, telling him how much of an amazing mother she was and how she has the same Pyro Vision as him.

“Huh. Only one of these letters is addressed to me. The other is addressed to…Caribert Alberich.”

Kaeya snapped out of his thoughts, looking at Crepus with surprise. “For me? Are you sure? I… I have never met this person before. How could she know me?” he asked, suddenly feeling nervous.

How could Alice know him? Does she also know about his true identity?

Crepus shrugs but he hands the other letter back to Kaeya. “I’m not sure… Alice is honestly a mysterious woman but she’s not a bad person.”

Kaeya took the letter hesitantly. He looked at the back of it and frowned. His fake name is currently written on the lower right side.

To: Caribert Alberich

Kaeya looked back at Crepus and found the man already reading the letter that was for him. There was a fond smile on his face and Diluc still looked excited as ever. The only one who wasn’t joining the redheads was his younger self. Kae was looking at him with concern instead. He decides to give his younger self a reassuring smile before opening his letter. He takes a deep breath before pulling out the paper inside. It’s a small paper, not even folded, indicating that it was only a short message. He felt something else within the envelope and when he pulled it out, he saw that it was a key. He looked at the words in the paper and he felt some goosebumps forming on his skin.

Mr. Caribert Alberich, I’d like to invite you to a tea party. This key can open the restricted room inside the Favonius Library. I know you’ve been there before so there’s no need for me to guide you. Don’t worry about the librarian stopping you, I’ve informed her about our meeting. You may come anytime you want, I will be waiting patiently for your arrival.

 I’ve heard a lot of things about you from my friend and she insists that we meet. I am very excited to finally meet you, Caribert.

-A

Alice wanted to meet him? But why? And how did she know that he’s been inside the restricted room? It’s true that he went there once before but… that was in the future. Lumine brought them there and they used that as a training ground, with Wolfy’s permission of course.

Kaeya noticed that Crepus was looking at him. The letter he was reading was already being held by Diluc, who was reading it to Kae and explaining some things to him. He cleared his throat and decided to fill the man’s curiosity.

“It seems like she wants to meet me. I even received a key.” Kaeya said, showing the key to Crepus.

Crepus eyed the key on Kaeya’s hand with suspicion and curiosity. “Strange. I wonder why she wanted to meet you.”

“Maybe because he’s Kae’s uncle?” Diluc asked, momentarily stopping with what he’s doing when Kaeya and Crepus started talking. He tilted his head to the side, waiting for either of their responses.

Crepus frowns, “I doubt that’s the case. She hasn't even seen Kae yet.” he told Diluc before looking back at Kaeya. “Did she say she wanted to meet your nephew as well? I remember my wife saying in her letters that Alice has been wanting to meet Kae but she never really made an effort to visit us here.”

Kaeya looks at the letter again but there’s nothing else written so he shakes his head. “No. It seems like Miss Alice only wanted to meet me.”

“Hmm… Perhaps she simply wanted to meet you. It was truly a surprise. She rarely visits us anymore because of her travels. Does this mean she is back in Mondstadt?” Crepus wondered before sighing, “She should have dropped by and said hello. Seriously, this woman.” he chuckled.

“Should I go then?” Kaeya asked him; more like for permission.

Crepus seems to ponder about it before nodding, “I think it’s alright. Just like what I said earlier, despite being mysterious, she’s still a good person. I’d like you to also tell her to come and visit the residence before she leaves again for who knows how long. Tell her that Diluc had been wanting to hear more about her travels. She should also meet Kae.” he chuckles, patting both of his boys on the head and making them smile.

“Yeah! Miss Alice should visit us again! It’s been years!!! Kae will surely like her too. Her stories are always amazing!” Diluc said.

Kaeya smiles, “Alright. I’ll meet with her then…” and I really hope it’s not what I think. If she knows that I’m from the future…

He sighs, shaking his head to erase the thoughts. Alice is a mage, a part of the Hexenzirkel. But would it still be possible for her to know that he’s from the future? Unless the friend that Alice was talking about was Istaroth but he couldn’t imagine her befriending a god that has been inactive longer than Barbatos.

“I’ll go there tomorrow then. I might as well ask Adelinde if the chef needs to restock anything. I can buy it on my way back.” Kaeya said and Crepus nodded.

He really hopes this meeting will go well…

The next day, the chef gave Kaeya a list of ingredients that they needed to restock and some mora to use for it. He couldn’t help but wonder how he would meet Alice. She would usually appear as a lamp or as a recorder just like in that summer beach vacation he had with Klee and the others. He really never met Alice face to face but he had seen pictures and drawings from Klee but from what he learned from Crepus, it looks like he’s close friends with her. Well, more like his wife was?

Anyway, it’s a tea party. It would be strange to have a tea party with a lamp so perhaps, Alice is truly back in Mondstadt just to meet him.

As soon as he arrived inside the headquarters, he headed straight to the library and walked down to the lower floor where the doors to the restricted room are found. Kaeya pulls out the glimmering key from his pocket and takes a deep breath. He inserts the key in the keyhole and turns.

Then there’s a click. A sign that the door has been unlocked.

He pushes the door slowly before walking inside with caution. When he closed the doors, the room lit up and he was greeted by the familiar magical room of the Imaginarium Theater lobby. He held his breath when he saw a young lady sitting on the right side of the long table, drinking from a cup of tea.

“You’ve come. Without hesitation as well. I thought you'll be more cautious than this. You’re truly an interesting man, Caribert .” Alice said, speaking his fake name slowly and carefully.

He watches as she places her cup down before standing up. When Alice turns to face him, he is caught by nostalgia. Alice truly looks like an older version of Klee, with the style of her hair and her height being the only difference. Well, she is her mother after all. He couldn’t help but miss his little Spark Knight. He wonders how long it will be until the little spark is born.

Kaeya lowered his head into a bow and smiled. “Miss Alice. Thank you for your invitation. It was a surprise for you to invite me instead of Master Crepus. He was pretty jealous.” he smirked and the young lady giggled.

“Was he? Oh, don’t worry. I’ll make sure to visit him and his kids before I leave for another journey.” Alice told him before gesturing to the seat across from her, “Don’t be shy. Come join me here.”

Kaeya nodded and he made his way towards his seat while looking around. He spotted Wolfy not moving on the sofa near the entrance of the room. It looks like the living plush is still inactive around this time.

Once seated, Kaeya stared at the lady in front of him. Alice is seated again and she’s staring at her cup of tea. Only silence filled the room and Kaeya had grown a little uneasy on his seat. He was about to start a conversation when the lady beat him to it.

“Tell me, Caribert. How much do you know about your mission?” Alice asked and Kaeya felt a few goosebumps rising on his skin.

She couldn’t mean about that mission… right?

Kaeya tries to smile and act clueless, “What mission do you mean, Miss Alice?”

Alice smiles and she looks up, meeting Kaeya’s lone periwinkle eye with her own observant red eyes. “Your mission in Mondstadt, Caribert, or should I say… in this current timeline?”

Kaeya tries to control his expression to hide his surprise. He only narrowed his eye on her, “...I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m only here in Mondstadt to watch my nephew–”

“Kaeya Alberich.” Alice suddenly said.

Kaeya paused and stared at her. He could already feel his Vision acting up defensively but he still tried to control it down. Alice might just be saying his younger self’s name when he wasn’t part of the Ragnvindr yet. Yes, that might be the case.

“…That’s right, he’s my nephew.” he told her as he quirked a smile. Though it might look a little forced.

The young lady laughs lightly behind her hand before she shakes her head, “No, I mean.” she muttered, pointing at him. “You are also Kaeya Alberich, aren’t you? But you are currently using the name of another Khaenri’ahn. Caribert Alberich.”

A cold chill suddenly filled the room as Kaeya’s Vision made the room colder than usual. Kaeya’s lone eye was now glaring at Alice. Alice was only looking around them, at the change of temperature, but her smile never disappeared from her face.

“I have a hunch that we never actually met like this in the future but you should know that I’ll never do anything that would endanger anyone, or you. You can relax. You can be yourself in this room, Kaeya.” Alice told him with a reassuring smile but it clearly failed to make the bluenette calm down.

The room only grew colder and crystals of ice started to appear on the table, especially around Kaeya. Not only is this the first time that Kaeya had a face-to-face meeting with Alice, he also doesn’t know her real motive for wanting to meet him like this. And with how she talked, Alice already knew that he’s from the future; a time traveler. How should he act after this? Can she be trusted? Is she here to stop him from messing with this timeline? From saving their future?

“I am here to help you, just like what my astrologist friend told me to do.” Alice said, bringing Kaeya out of his thoughts.

Kaeya’s eye widened, that was not something he expected to hear from her. And he was right. The person that told Alice about him is not Istaroth. Could she mean Mona’s master who is also a part of the Hexenzirkel? So even astrologists can know about this true identity? It’s not a surprise anymore because Mona surely knew about the mission he had to carry when he was still struggling to choose between Khaenri’ah and Mondstadt.

Sensing the frost around them to be slowly melting, Alice’s smile grew. “Before I continue, can you calm down?” she asked.

Kaeya frowns but he complies. He takes a few deep breaths as he slowly relaxes himself. He’s fine for now . Alice doesn’t look like a threat and she seems to be genuine about helping him. He couldn’t sense any lie from her words unless she’s good at concealing them. But she’s Klee’s mother and Klee really loves her. From the stories that Klee and Albedo had told him about Alice, she wasn’t really a bad mother or a bad mage. Just like what Crepus had said, Alice is mysterious but she’s not a bad person.

Alice knowing about his true identity really just caught him by surprise. He couldn’t risk anyone knowing the truth about his identity after all…

After what seemed like a long silence, Kaeya finally faced Alice. “So.. Are you here to stop me?” he asked her while clenching his hands on his lap.

Alice only stared at him before laughing, making Kaeya more tense. “Stop you? No, I’m not here to stop you. You don’t have to worry. If anything, I am curious about the changes you’ll make. Which past events are you going to change? Which ones are you willing to play along with? And…” she paused, looking carefully at him while smirking. “What kind of consequences are you going to receive from all of these changes? Will it be heavy? Or will it be like the bite of an ant?” she said as she gestured her hand around. “So let me ask you again. What do you know about your mission? What is it that you want to do now that you have traveled back in time?”

Kaeya frowns, “I… I just want to stop the future war, or stop the Abyss Order from completing the Loom of Fate. But I don’t have enough leads. I don’t even know what I should do this early in time.” he told Alice but she didn’t seem bothered about his current dilemma.

Instead, she said..

“You don’t have to find what you already have.”

Kaeya’s eye only widened at what she said, “...What?”

Alice places her cup down and picks up a fork instead. She takes a piece of the slice of cake in front of her and eats it. “The Loom of Fate. You already have it in you, Kaeya.” she told him in a nonchalant manner, as if it’s not a surprise for her.

But for the bluenette’s case…

“Wait– What? What are you talking about? I don’t have it! The Abyss Order did! How did I even get it?!” Kaeya asked, completely bewildered.

Alice giggles, “You’re so adorable.” she muttered before putting the fork down and clearing her throat. She gathered her hands in front of her and she leaned forward. “I believe that it’s the doing of Lord Barbatos in your timeline. Or perhaps, it was Istaroth’s doing as she controlled the leyline with someone’s help while you were on your way in the past. You even decided to take Caribert’s mantle so that even made the passing of the Loom of Fate easy. As for how they stole the Loom of Fate from the Abyss Order…” she paused before shaking her head, “That’s a story for another time. I don’t want to overwhelm you with information and it wouldn’t be fun to reveal everything this early.” she giggled before eating another piece of her cake.

Kaeya scratches his head, his expression sour. “I… What? This is too much to process.” he grumbled before sighing, “So you mean to say, Ven– Barbatos or Istaroth transferred the Loom of Fate to me… Do you know how crazy that sounds?”

“Yes, I know. Believe me when I say that I didn’t believe it at first but when you entered this room, I felt it . The Loom of Fate is currently dormant, it’s sleeping.” Alice explained to him before gesturing to the slice of cake in front of Kaeya, telling him to eat but honestly, he doesn’t even have the appetite to eat anything right now.

A memory resurfaces inside his mind and Kaeya remembered the dream that he had before.

“As I thought, it’s you. It’s unfortunately not yet the best time for us to meet each other but…” the man stared at him before smiling softly, “ But it’s good to know that it's currently.. Dormant . Go back. There’s someone that you have to meet first. The next time we meet, I’ll explain everything. I promise.”

Kaeya slowly looked back at Alice. What she said matches with what the man had told him. That man mentioned that there’s something currently dormant within him and Alice said that the Loom of Fate is dormant. Can it be the same thing? Then… Does it mean that it was Alice that he needed to meet first?

“...Are you the one that I need to meet?” Kaeya asked and Alice blinked her eyes.

“Pardon?” she asked.

Kaeya frowned again, suddenly feeling that there’s something wrong with his hypothesis. “I had a dream before, about this… man, who looked a bit like me but instead of blue hair, he had black instead. Our skin is also different and his eyes are bluish in color. He’s also a pure-blooded Khaenri’ahn unlike me.”

A look of understanding shows on Alice’s face and then she smiles, “I see, so you already met him. But no, I don’t think that I’m the one that Caribert wanted you to meet.”

Wait, did she say–

“Did you say Caribert?” Kaeya asked, his eye widening in surprise. “So that man was Caribert?!”

Alice nodded her head, smiling in an amused way. “That’s right. ‘B’ told me to at least meet you before the old star, who we believed to be Caribert, meets you. But I guess I am a little late. I did see a few golden butterflies around the Dawn Winery and the Ragnvindr Residence already...”

“What’s the connection of golden butterflies with Caribert?” Kaeya asked, remembering some of those butterflies entering his room and for some reason, they really liked his journal.

Alice just shrugs her shoulders, “I know little but I guess you could see them as a sign that the real Caribert is currently watching over you and watching how the changes would unfold in this old but new timeline. A little bit of himself is currently around in the leylines so he probably found his way here as soon as you appeared. Traveling from Sumeru to Mondstadt is quite fast when the leyline is used, you see.”

Kaeya leaned forward on his arms, staring at the slice of cake as he processed everything that he learned. Caribert appearing in his dreams, the golden butterflies being connected to him, and him being the host of the Loom of Fate?! That last one is still something that he couldn’t believe.

“If Barbatos or Istaroth can move the Loom of Fate somewhere else, why didn’t they do that during the war? That could have been a big advantage for us. Lives could have been saved so why…?” Kaeya asked as his face darkened.

Alice didn’t give an immediate answer this time and instead, she stared at her cup which she just picked up again. “A lot of procedure is needed for it and I believe they were waiting for someone to agree to their plans. There’s one more person involved with the passing of the Loom of Fate to you and they need to be careful especially when there’s a Sinner present. Who knew what happened to Barbatos and to that person as soon as they stole the Loom of Fate from the Sinner.”

Shivers crawl on Kaeya’s skin. He couldn’t imagine it. He had seen what the Sinner could do with the Loom of Fate. He had seen how Lumine’s brother had used it to destroy their armies. Many lives were lost, the battlefield was so bloody and he couldn’t make himself look at it again. There’s too much blood, too many deaths… Too many familiar faces on the side of allies and foes that had died… It was a very gruesome war.

“Let’s talk about this later. We’re going to take a short break and you can eat. As soon as you process everything, we’ll continue our conversation. We have all the time in this room.” Alice told him, smiling reassuringly at the bluenette.

Kaeya sighs, finally nodding. He picked up his cup and stared at the rather familiar color of the tea . He looked at Alice and saw her already finishing her slice of cake so he looked back at his cup and took a sip. His eye widened at the familiar taste of…

“Death After Noon in a teacup? Seriously?” Kaeya asked and he couldn’t help but smile in surprise.

Alice giggled at his reaction, “I know you’ll like it. The best drink for you while we’re having a serious conversation like this, right?” she asked, smirking.

“It’s honestly unnerving that you knew me this well.” Kaeya muttered as he tried to eat his slice of cake. He was getting pretty hungry too… How many hours had even passed since they talked? It was hard to tell the time whenever he’s inside this room.

Still, Kaeya was thankful for the little break. It was still hard to process everything that was dropped onto him. He wondered if it was also fate’s joke on him for making him use Caribert’s name as his new identity in this timeline…

Counting the new discoveries he had for this month, he couldn’t help but sigh exhaustedly. First, it was Crepus’ Delusion and now, it’s about him carrying the Loom of Fate. What’s next? The Abyss Prince will appear early and force him to give the complete Loom of Fate to him? He hopes that’s not the case… If there’s anyone from the future that he wanted to meet next, it would be Lumine or Venti.

Kaeya finished at least three cups of Death After Noon and a plate of petit chocolate cake. He takes a deep breath before looking at Alice who had been waiting for him.

“Are you sure that the Loom of Fate had been transferred to me? And is it even the complete one?” he asked and Alice nodded her head.

“That’s what ‘B’ had found. Fortunately, it’s still dormant until now and that is why you never felt it.” Alice explained.

Kaeya frowned, “I didn’t even feel it being transferred to me. Nothing has changed.” he said as he examined himself. “And why did Barbatos never mention it before he told me to go to the sundial?”

Alice’s expression turned serious for a moment as she answered his question, “Perhaps it’s because there are ears and eyes everywhere. The Abyss Order might get a glimpse of his plan if he tells you about the transfer before you traveled back in time. Possessing the Loom of Fate is no big joke, Kaeya. It’s a serious matter.”

“I know that! I just… I don’t understand… How will I even use it? What if I hurt those who are around me instead of protecting them because of this dangerous power?” he fretted as he tapped his fingers on the table.

Alice sighs, looking at Kaeya with pity. “Judging by your reaction, you only witnessed it being used to hurt people.”

Kaeya huffs and he crossed his arms over his chest. “How else will the Abyss Order use it aside for evil?” he questioned.

“You got a point, but the Loom of Fate has other uses, I believe.” Alice told him.

“And that is?”

Alice smiles, “I have no idea but I think that’s what Caribert wanted to tell you after you meet the person you’re supposed to meet.”

Kaeya frowns as he unfolded his arms.

“Now that you’ve decided to take Caribert’s mantle, you should do your best to fulfill this role and never let anyone, allies or enemies, find out about this. If your enemies have learned that the complete Loom of Fate is just loitering around Mondstadt, who knows what bigger problem this will cause.” Alice said as she gestured her hand and a floating teapot refilled her cup.

Kaeya looked at her again, thoughts circling inside his head. How can he be sure if he could trust Alice– or the Hexenzirkel with this knowledge? They never appeared in the future war, he doesn’t even know if they helped behind the scenes. How could he be sure that the other mages won’t use this chance to take the Loom of Fate for themselves?

Alice tilted her head in the side, staring at Kaeya as if she could hear the troubles inside his head. “If you are worried for me, or for any members of the Hexenzirkel to mess with your mission, then do not be. Well… I guess you still have to be careful around R, or Rhinedottir, but when it comes to me, to B, or to the other living mages, you can trust us and when the time comes, we will surely lend you our hand but for now, we cannot move. Not yet. ”

He couldn’t help but glare as he remembered that none of the mages even helped in the future, “How will I believe in you for helping me in the future? You didn’t even appear in the future war. I don’t even know if you’re secretly working behind the shadows. There are no signs.”

And Klee… Klee kept on calling for Alice until the last of her breath but her mother never once appeared. No one knew if the mages were still alive or if they were simply staying away, not messing with ‘fate’. But what is fate when it’s created by the Loom? What is the use of it when that war was carefully crafted by the Sinner and the Abyss Order? Kaeya could vividly remember when he held the little girl’s cold body while whispering comforts, knowing that she would soon die like the others who he cherished.

Alice could only stare at her teacup, “...I have no words for our movements in the future. Fate works in mysterious ways, Kaeya. Even if it can be controlled by the Loom of Fate, it can still go through its loose gaps. Fate can bring surprising and unexpected results. Let’s say you are right when you said we didn’t help, but we don't truly know what the Hexenzirkel is doing in the future. I already tried to look through astrology, even with B’s help, but we still couldn’t see what’s happening to us in your original timeline. There should be signs, even if it’s little, but there’s nothing. It is honestly quite concerning but we believe in our future selves.”

Even Alice herself or the Trismegistus couldn’t see the state of the Hexenzirkel’s future?

Alice smiles at him, “You just have to keep in mind that we are on your side.” she told him while swirling her teacup. “There’s also a lot of things that you need to discover, things that will surely help you in your mission, and I’m sure you’ve already discovered one regarding Master Crepus.”

Kaeya’s eye widened, “Do you mean about his possession of the Delusion?” he asked and Alice nodded. “Do you know how he got it?! I didn’t expect that he would actually have it this early!”

“Ohh… So you don’t know about his previous occupation yet. I guess Master Crepus is still a bit secretive about it. Well, it’s not a surprise. He doesn’t see you as Future Kaeya after all, Caribert .” she smirked.

He ignored the teasing way she said the last sentence, he could only look at her with surprise. He feels like he’s missing something. Crepus had a previous occupation before he took the business of wine making? And it’s something related to the Delusion?

“I don’t want to think about this but it’s been on my mind… Is he possibly a part of the Fatui in the past? He denied it but… I just have this feeling…” Kaeya slowly asks as he narrows his eye on her.

Alice's smile turned wider, “He’s not just any Fatuus, Kaeya. Think. Who else in that organization possesses Delusions? Who are those people who can use Delusions with minimal recoil?”

Kaeya leaned back on his chair as he pondered about it harder. When he finally realized it, he gasped with his eye widening. He looked back at Alice and the young lady smiled at her in an amused way. There’s a glimmer within her eyes, as if telling him that what he’s thinking about is true.

“No way…” he muttered. “F-Father’s a Harbinger?!”

Alice laughs softly, “It’s really a surprise isn’t it? But yes, he was . He’s not a part of them anymore though.” she told Kaeya as she took a sip from her cup.

Who would have thought that their father was once a member of the organization that his older brother had hated? And not just a normal member! He was a fvcking Harbinger!

Now this had him thinking. Does Crepus have anything to do with Eroch’s placement in Mondstadt? But Crepus clearly hates the Inspector which doesn’t make any sense. Why would he help the man if he hates him?

“Why did he leave the Fatui?” Kaeya asked.

Alice smiles, “Now, now. Wasn’t our conversation about the Loom of Fate and your mission in this timeline?”

“But–”

“I’m sure he will tell you about it. Once the time comes. It’s not my place to tell you about it. I’m sorry, Kaeya.” Alice told Kaeya while leaning on her hand, smiling.

Kaeya frowns, upset that she sets the information about Crepus aside. But she does have a point. He can focus on Crepus being a Harbinger in the past some other time. There’s some other things that he needed to prioritize.

“Fine.”

Alice nodded, “Good. So tell me, Kaeya, what is your current plan? B had told me I could give you a few guides to follow. As long as I won’t get in Caribert’s way.”

Kaeya sighs and he tells Alice about his current plan which was looking for the location of the domain where the Defiled Statue was. He also told her how he has a feeling that it’s related to the Abyss Order’s plans or with the Loom of Fate itself. The only problem is, he doesn’t know where to find the domain because he had forgotten what Lumine had told him. And he doesn’t even know what to do with it once he finds it. He can’t just bring it back to Mondstadt while it’s corrupted with abyssal energy, and how would he even take it away from the domain? But with the additional information of him possessing the Loom of Fate… maybe he can use it to reverse the condition of the Defiled Statue?

He also shares that idea to Alice and he could see the twinkle of interest within her eyes.

“Ahh. That’s not a bad idea but reversing the current state of the missing Statue of the Seven might be difficult especially when the complete Loom of Fate is currently dormant. I suggest you wait until you meet Caribert again. He may have the solution you need and I am sure that he will teach you how to awaken the Loom’s power. For now, it’s quite risky.” Alice told him.

Kaeya hums, nodding his head. “Alright… Then, I should meet the person that he wants me to meet. I don’t even know who that is supposed to be.”

Alice giggled, “You mentioned the sundial. Did you go there again?”

“I did. But I didn’t find anything there.” Kaeya said as he sighed. He picked up his cup again. “Should I visit it again?” he asked before taking a sip.

Alice smiles, “There’s no harm in going there again. You could try going there after our talk. I have a feeling that you’ll find something in that place this time.”

Kaeya raised an eyebrow, asking her to elaborate further but Alice didn’t say anything else.

He sighed, “Alright. I still have grocery shopping to do before I leave to visit the sundial again. I’m sure Master Crepus wouldn’t mind if I’ll return late.” he told her.

“Shopping! Oh, how I love shopping! Let me help!” Alice said, suddenly standing up.

Kaeya could only blink, caught off guard by Alice’s sudden enthusiasm to do some shopping. “It’s just grocery shopping… And are we done?” he asked before finishing his last cup of Death After Noon. He stood up to follow Alice towards the door.

Alice turns around with a smile, “Yes, I believe we discussed everything that needs to be discussed for now. The rest can wait next time.” she told him as she holds the door knob but before she opens the door, she looks at Kaeya again. “Oh, I almost forgot. If you need a place to plan out things, you can visit this place again. Just make sure not to lose the key. This room needs a special permission for someone to freely enter, you see. So the key will have to do for now. I’m only borrowing this room for you from my friend after all. You can also leave your journal and other important stuff in here. We can’t risk anyone knowing about your plans and the future, right?”

“Ah, thank you. I do need a secure place for my journal. Even if it’s written in Khaenri’ah’s language, I can’t have anyone take a peek from it. I also have drawn a few illustrations in it. I’m afraid that some of them could be quite concerning for other people.” Kaeya said, smiling nervously.

Alice giggled and both of them had left the room.

-Future Kaeya is not in the next scene so his name in the narration is going to be ‘Caribert’ for awhile-

Crepus is discussing some business contracts that he was working on with Elzer. Elzer had decided to stay in the residence for the meantime since Crepus was teaching him about some works in the winery business. He does have a plan for the man’s future. The man is smart so he’s sure that he could handle the work of a Wine Guild Chief Executive. He’s sure that both of his sons are going to be busy as knights in the future. He could see how talented they both are with swordsmanship. All thanks to Varka and Caribert’s teachings, he guesses.

Speaking of Caribert… It’s been a few hours ever since he left to meet with Alice. It’s not that he’s worried that Kae’s uncle would spread rumors about him possessing a Delusion, he looks genuine when he promised him that he will keep it a secret plus who would believe him? Worse to happen is for Eroch to take advantage of it to bring him down, but the both of them had a deal not to meddle with each other’s businesses. The Inspector is just unlucky that Crepus himself is close friends with the knight’s Grand Master. Eroch can’t do anything about that.

A knocking on the door paused Crepus’ conversation with Elzer. He raised a hand when Elzer was about to offer to receive the guest. He spotted in the corner of his eyes that the knocking also got both of his kids’ attention as they stopped from their little game of knights and pirates roleplay. It was adorable.

“Let me handle it. It might just be Caribert carrying the grocery. Seeing the list earlier, it might be a lot.” Crepus said as he chuckled.

Elzer rolled his eyes, “That should be my line, Master Crepus.” he told him as he followed the man towards the door.

When Crepus opened the door, he was surprised to see Alice carrying some bags of grocery instead of Caribert.

“Good morning! Or was it afternoon already?” Alice greeted with her usual cheerful smile. “Elzer, hello! I didn’t expect to see you here. I thought you were working in Dawn Winery and not in the Ragnvindr Residence?”

Elzer chuckles, “Hello, Miss Alice. I am currently staying here learning about the wine business from Master Crepus.” he explained.

“Wait, did I hear Miss Alice’s voice?! Kae, Miss Alice is here!!” Diluc’s voice echoed from inside the manor and Alice’s eyes sparkled when she heard her voice while Crepus sighed fondly.

Crepus stepped aside to let Alice in.

Alice smiles at Crepus before walking inside the manor, “I’m here, little firefly! Oh, how much I wanted to see you again! I have prepared many stories for you, especially stories about the undying flames of the phoenix! Ah, you must be Master Crepus’ adopted son. Kaeya, right? I’m Alice.” she said, extending a hand towards Kae but the younger bluenette only hid behind Diluc, looking at Alice shyly.

Crepus sighs, finally walking towards Alice. Elzer had followed, taking the groceries from her and bringing them to the kitchen.

“Alice, you finally visited us. But where’s Caribert? Wasn’t he supposed to meet you?” Crepus asked and Alice giggled.

“Oh, Caribert had to go somewhere else so he asked me to bring the groceries home for him. I didn’t mind. I did have a plan to visit before I leave for another adventure.” Alice told him, only making Crepus frown. Alice couldn’t help but giggle. “Oh, loosen up will you? He’ll be back later.”

Kae finally stepped out from behind Diluc, looking up at Alice. “Is uncle in danger?” he asked in a worried tone.

“You really have a troublesome uncle, Kae.” Diluc said with a frown matching his father as he crossed his arms.

Kae puffs out his cheek, “Uncle is not troublesome!”

Alice giggled, reaching out to pat Kae on his head. “Don’t worry. Your uncle isn’t in danger. He just wanted to visit a place. He’ll be back before dinner, or even earlier than that.”

“Okay…” Kae muttered with a small smile.

Alice melted at the smile, her hands moving to squish Kae’s cheeks. “Awww, he’s so adorable! How could you be this adorable? Ignisia would surely love you! I can just imagine her spoiling you~”

Kae leans his head to Alice’s right hand, “Who?”

“That’s mother!! Ignisia Ragnvindr!” Diluc said with a proud huff.

“Mother..?” Kae asked curiously. He rubs his own cheeks when Alice finally releases him from her squishing.

Crepus chuckles, “You’ve seen pictures about her, correct?” he asked Kae as he remembered Diluc showing their photo album to him before.

Kae nodded, “She’s pretty.” he muttered with a smile, “..Will she really accept me in the family?” he asked.

Crepus smiles, “I’m sure she will.”

Alice watches them with a smile. She looks out of the window where the view of the Starsnatch Cliff could be seen. She felt the wind caress her hair when she parted ways with Kaeya. It looks like her hunch was correct. He will really meet someone in the sundial today.

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Here's the version of the art without the text :)

Chapter Text

Before Alice arrives in the Ragnvindr Residence…

“Miss Alice, are you sure you can carry everything? I can just hold them and drop it off the manor first because I also have to inform Master Crepus about going to the Thousands Wind Temple for a commission...” Kaeya told Alice.

He had taken a commission from the Adventurer’s Guild so he could at least have an excuse on why he needed to go to the Thousands Wind Temple. He already registered as an adventurer when he visited the city before. It was honestly a relief that Crepus allowed him to register. This helps him visit a few hilichurl sites and see if there’s anything unusual, and it also allows him to visit the sundial from time to time but of course, he’s not leaving the residence that much so he wouldn’t raise any suspicion.

Alice just waves a hand, “It’s fine! If you stop by the manor, I’m afraid you’ll miss the wind .”

Kaeya frowns, staring at the bags of groceries that are now on Alice’s arms. “Alright then. Thank you, Miss Alice.”

Alice giggles, “You’re welcome, Caribert ~ Now go. I’m sure you’ll have one delightful conversation with this person.” she told Kaeya as she turned her heels to the direction of the residence.

Kaeya sighs and leaves for the Thousands Wind Temple.

On his way, he fought some of the roaming hilichurls so they wouldn’t harm any passersby and to also save the knights some time to clean them up. Even at this time, Kaeya couldn’t help but do his work as the Cavalry Captain.

He felt the wind pick up, swirling around him and making the strands of his hair float around. Judging by what Alice had told him earlier, Kaeya already has a hunch who this person could be and he’s relieved that finally, after so many weeks and months, he can finally see his friend again. Kaeya even wondered if he will recognize him, or if he also has memories of the future. Well, even if he’s a god, it’s still possible that Venti doesn’t know about the future. Hopefully, the bard will trust him and listen to his words. If Venti knew about his real identity, not only does he have Alice’s help but the Anemo Archon’s help too. He’ll surely need all of the help he could get. He can’t face the Abyss Order alone .

“...never let anyone, allies or enemies, find out about this.” Alice’s voice echoed inside his head.

Kaeya shakes his head. Of course he trusts Venti. He might have not trusted the bard in the past but that was because he doesn’t know if he can trust the Anemo Archon but as the years went by and when the war started, he realized how devoted he was with protecting Mondstadt and its people, even Kaeya himself. Alice is only worried that the words of him possessing the Loom of Fate would spread, and if that’s the case, Kaeya could just tell Venti that he’s from the future. He can just tell him about the Loom of Fate once the bard can fully trust him. And Alice is correct, even if this is the past, there are still many eyes and ears everywhere. He wondered if he could bring Venti inside the Imaginarium Theater lobby. That’s the only safe place that Kaeya knew…

The sound of a lyre was a clear sign that he’s already close to the sundial. He continued his trekking, a smile present on his face. He honestly missed the sound of Venti’s lyre. It always brings comfort and warmth to him.

There he was. Venti was standing in front of the sundial while playing some tunes with his lyre. He didn’t seem to notice Kaeya yet so the bluenette approached Venti from behind quietly. Once he’s close enough, Venti finally notices his presence.

Venti turns around, eyes wide with surprise. Then he smiled, curiosity glinting within his eyes. “Oh hello, Traveler. Doing some explorations in the Thousands Wind Temple?” the bard asked and Kaeya simply stared.

How should he start the conversation? He can’t just tell Venti that he’s from the future all of the sudden. He should do this slowly and as carefully as he could, so he decided to entertain Venti’s question.

“I’m here to fulfill a commission from the Adventurer’s Guild. You seem like a bard, what are you doing in a dangerous place like this?” Kaeya asked while looking around, acting like he’s checking if there’s any hilichurls or treasure hoarders nearby.

Venti’s giggle jingled in the wind and Kaeya looked back at the shorter guy. The bard’s gaze returned to the sundial as he kept his lyre away, perhaps in a subspace of his… gnosis? Does it even work like Visions? Or does a god normally have a hidden subspace like an allogene?

“The winds had told me that someone had been frequenting this place. A person who carries the winds from the future.” Venti said in his usual rhythmic tone before turning around to smile at Kaeya. “I can also feel that the winds around you are special, Traveler. It was faint but it was there. It feels… very familiar. Are you sure you are only here for a commission and not to meet me?”

Kaeya’s eye widened before he huffed out a short laugh. Venti was only watching him with an innocent smile. It looks like he really can’t go around the bush when it comes to this friend of his.

“You are correct. The commission is simply… an excuse. I had to take one so I could visit this place again.” Kaeya told him as he looked at the sundial. “And to meet someone… Who I believe to be you.”

“I see. May I have your name, dear guest? I’m Venti, the bard!” Venti introduced himself with a bright grin.

The truth. Kaeya had already decided to tell Venti the truth. So he introduced himself as…

“My name is Kaeya Alberich but I also use the last name Ragnvindr because of my brother. Right now, I am currently using the name Caribert Alberich for this timeline. Pleased to meet you, Venti.”

Venti’s eyes widened and his eyes went up and down as if examining Kaeya . “You do look like Master Crepus’ adopted son, Kaeya Ragnvindr. I heard that his adopted son’s uncle became a butler in the Ragnvindr Residence. If that’s you then it must be true…” he muttered before sighing and placing both of his hands on his hips, “So this is what the winds meant by ‘winds from the future’. You must be Master Crepus’ adopted son from the future then.”

Kaeya nodded, surprised that Venti accepted all of that. “Do you believe me that easily? No doubts or anything?”

Venti smiles, “Oh, I am a bit doubtful and suspicious alright. But my old friend already informed me about you, just not your identity. She just told me to be prepared. If she didn’t, I would not be believing you at all.” he told Kaeya but then, his expression turned serious. “Are you sure you can trust me with this information? I am a mere bard.”

Kaeya smiles, “Yes. I trust you, Venti. Or should I call you… Lord Barbatos?”

The wind around them suddenly picked up. Venti’s eyes and the tips of his braids were slightly glowing but Kaeya wasn’t surprised nor intimidated. Soon, the wind calmed down and Venti sighed as he scratched the back of his head.

“My apologies for the sudden change in the winds, I was surprised. Fortunately, my old friend briefed me about the person I was supposed to meet but I guess, I was still shocked that you knew about my real identity. Perhaps in the future, I would have no other choice but to reveal it to the people of Mondstadt. Was it that bad in the future?” Venti asked, a hint of worry in his tone.

Kaeya’s expression quickly sombered as he remembered the war. “Yes. And I need your help and guidance.”

Venti sighs, “I have a feeling that we have a lot to talk about. Give me a minute.” he said before closing his eyes and focusing on the winds around them.

Kaeya watched as the wind surrounded them, creating a dome and keeping both him and Venti separated from the outside. Good idea, they wouldn’t want to risk any eavesdroppers.

“Alright, this should be good enough as a soundproof dome!” Venti grinned. “Now tell me. What will happen to Mondstadt in the future?” he asked, eyes glowing once again.

At this time, Kaeya knew that the person in front of him was no longer Venti but Barbatos instead. The Anemo Archon wanted to know what happened to Mondstadt in the future and Kaeya relayed what he saw and experienced without hesitation.

“The Abyss Order finally started the war. All of the seven nations fought their own battles and there wasn’t enough time to help each other. It was a gruesome war. Mondstadt suffered a lot of losses because most of the Abyss Order’s armies were here… When there’s no more hope left, Venti from the future urged me to go to the sundial. At first I didn’t know why he wanted me to go there but he said that it would be our last hope to save Mondstadt. Once I reached the sundial…” Kaeya looked at the sundial in front of them, “I saw a transparent woman whom I believed to be Istaroth. She was the one who sent me back to the past.”

Venti’s eyes widened, “So she’s already awake in the future. I was honestly surprised when I suddenly heard her winds speaking to me about you even though she's currently… Anyway, how many years was it in the future when the war started?” he asked.

“We still have twenty years to prepare. I’m thirty years old and my younger self is currently ten. That’s how far in the past Istaroth had brought me. It was hard thinking where to start but Alice had given me a little guidance and I hope you can help too.” Kaeya explained.

Venti’s eyebrow furrowed, “That’s… pretty far. Why didn’t she bring you a year or two before the war? That sounded more efficient… Is there anything in the past that we should find?”

Kaeya shrugs, “Perhaps…” he muttered as he looked away, wondering if he should already tell Venti about possessing the dormant Loom of Fate. But how would the Anemo Archon react to it? What would he do if he knew that there’s a dangerous weapon staying in Mondstadt which might even endanger his beloved nation once the Abyss Order finds out about it?

“Kaeya? Is there something you’re not telling me?” Venti asked, pulling the bluenette away from his own thoughts.

Kaeya should really remember how sharp and observant Venti was.

He’s not yet ready to share about the Loom of Fate. He’s honestly scared of Barbatos’ reaction so he just shakes his head, smiling towards his friend. Venti crosses his arms but he doesn't seem angry or upset.

“Alright. It’s okay if you can’t tell me about it yet. I will wait.” Venti said as if he had read Kaeya’s thoughts.

Kaeya chuckles, “Thank you… I need more time to think about it.”

Venti unfolds his arms, now placing his left hand on his waist and the other below his chin. “So… What’s the plan and what did Alice tell you?” he asked.

Kaeya recalled his talk with Alice for Venti, leaving out the information about his Loom of Fate.

“So the real Caribert appeared in your dreams and told you that you need to meet someone, who you believed to be me since it wasn’t Alice. Istaroth did whisper about ‘an old friend from the ancient star’ so I guess that it was indeed me who you need to meet first. Now that we’ve met each other, the next action would be… searching for the missing Statue of the Seven in Mondstadt…” Venti muttered, his voice going quiet in the end.

Kaeya nodded, “Do you have an idea where it could be?”

Venti frowns, “No… I was asleep when the statue disappeared. What did that friend of yours say about its location again? Her name’s Lumine, correct?”

Kaeya scratches his head, “Yeah, that’s her. She said that she and Dainsleif found it inside of a domain. I’ve been thinking about it honestly and I think it’s also not located in Mondstadt.”

“Which means, it could be in other nations…” Venti continued and Kaeya nodded his head. “That is possible. If the domain is located in Mondstadt, the winds could have told me about it. And I could have felt it. You say it’s corrupted with abysmal energy?” he asked and Kaeya nodded again. “Hmmm… I could ask a friend from Liyue if he noticed anything strange lately. And if there are a few Abyss Order activities that seem unnatural to him.”

Kaeya raises an eyebrow. Could he mean Zhongli? Lumine and Venti once introduced Zhongli to him and Diluc when they dropped by Angel’s Share to get some drinks. Kaeya knew that the man is not a regular funeral consultant with how he bickers with Venti, and there’s something ancient with that man. He even joked with Diluc that Zhongli could be the Geo Archon in disguise so imagine their surprise when Venti told them about Liyue’s situation during the war. Zhongli had revealed himself as the Geo Archon and helped his people fight against the Abyss Order, and perhaps against the Fatui too since that organization took the Abyss Order’s attack as an advantage to act.

He still couldn’t believe that the Fatui was actually divided into two factions… Some of the Harbingers helped them fight against the Abyss Order while the other Harbingers only did their selfish objectives like a certain Doctor.

Kaeya shakes his head. That’s not important right now. Thinking about what Venti had said, Liyue is indeed a good place to start. It’s the closest nation to Mondstadt.

And if Kaeya remembers correctly, sometime this year, Crepus would also send some of his men to Sumeru to deliver some of their wines and to inquire for more business trade opportunities. That’s when he– when Kae sneaks into the carriage since he also wanted to go to Sumeru after learning about its connection with Khaenri’ah. He can try convincing Crepus to allow him to join the group going to Sumeru, or maybe Crepus is already thinking about it. He said that he and Kae came from Sumeru after all so he might think that Kaeya knows a few places to inquire. And that would allow him to watch over his younger self and to reassure his father that he’s in safe hands.

He will also take that time to investigate the location of the Defiled Statue while Venti asks his friend to check around Liyue. He can ask a few Aranara if they felt anything more dangerous than the withering zones… if they can trust him. It was a little hard gaining the trust of the Aranara when he visited Sumeru before but thanks to Lumine and Paimon’s encouragement, the Aranara ended up trusting him.

“Give me a few weeks to talk with my friend. It's possible that he might be busy so it will take some time. Is that okay?” Venti asked Kaeya.

“Of course. Take your time. We’re not in a hurry. Alice also said to work on our plans carefully and not to rush.” Kaeya told him as he smiled.

Venti smiled back, “Alright! I’ll knock on your door or window once my friend finds something.”

Kaeya rolls his eyes, “Make sure to use the main door or else Miss Adelinde might call the knights on you if you suddenly break through my room’s window.” he snickered.

Venti pouted, “I said I will knock! I won’t crash through your room!” he huffed and at the same time, the wind dome around them disappeared.

Both of them laughed after a moment of silence. Kaeya looked at the setting sun before looking back at the bard.

“Want to help me defeat the Ruin Guard in the temple for my commission? It will take a long time for me to defeat it alone. I need some help from an archer.” Kaeya told Venti as he summoned his sword.

“One dandelion wine.” Venti grinned.

Kaeya rolls his eye, “Fine, I’ll tell the bartender at Angel’s Share to save a free glass for a certain green-clad bard.”

“Ehe! Let’s go!” Venti exclaimed as he ran ahead, Kaeya followed him from behind with a smile.

“So what’s your excuse this time?”

Kaeya finally returned to the Ragnvindr Residence and the person who opened the door for him when he knocked was no other than Crepus himself. The man had his arms crossed over his chest and he was frowning. The sun had already set when he reached the residence so… it was a little late for him to return. He blames Venti for accidentally missing the ruin guard’s core twice when they were trying to paralyze it and he swore the bard was having fun annoying him.

He bowed his head as he explained, “Katheryne from the Adventurer’s Guild asked me to do an urgent commission. The deactivated Ruin Guard in the Thousands Wind Temple was roaming around the temple again and they needed someone to defeat it again. There weren't any other Adventurers around so she asked me instead. Miss Alice didn’t tell you?”

Crepus sighs, stepping aside so Kaeya could walk inside. “She did tell me that you’re supposed to go somewhere that’s why she brought home the groceries instead, but she didn’t tell me that you actually did a commission.” he told Kaeya, eyeing him with suspicion.

Kaeya just chuckled nervously, grimacing internally. ‘Miss Alice, I thought you’ll help me with the excuse so what’s with this additional suspicion on me?!’ 

“You have nothing to worry about, Master Crepus. Here, I even have the guild’s letter.” Kaeya showed the paper that was given to him by Katheryne that shows that he had completed the commission and received his reward.

Crepus looked at the paper and his look of suspicion was gone. He hums before nodding. “Alright, alright. I’ll let this go. Next time, when you decide to take another commission, make sure to inform me or anyone in the manor first. We wouldn’t know where you’ve gone if you suddenly went somewhere else like that. Kae was pretty worried, you know.”

Kaeya blinked, he almost forgot how much of a worrywart his younger self was when it comes to those people he cherishes. “Oh… I’ll make sure to show up during dinner so I can show him that I am safe.” he said as he chuckled.

Crepus smiles, gesturing his hand to the direction of the kitchen, “Well, go and help in the kitchen then. Adelinde and Lily are already helping the chef with the dinner.”

Kaeya nodded before doing a small bow and heading towards the kitchen to help with dinner.

Chapter Text

He panted as he ran towards the direction of the cathedral. A group of knights had reported that a body was found hanging from Barbatos’ statue. When the knights told him and Diluc who they saw, he didn’t want to believe it. So he left and ran towards the statue of the Anemo Archon while being followed by his older brother.

He had been wondering what’s taking their friend too long with her investigation. He was against this plan because there was something off with the Abyss Order’s movements. He really hoped that the knights were mistaken because… because she can’t be defeated that easily. He needs to go there. He needs to get a closer look; to see if what the knights had said was true. He needs to see it with his own eye.

In the distance, he can already see the statue and there was indeed something– or rather, someone, hanging from the statue’s hands.

Kaeya hitches a breath as he and Diluc stop in front of the statue. He even heard a terrified gasp coming from the redhead. He doesn’t want to believe it. He doesn’t want to believe his eyes. He stumbled forward before hurrying towards the statue while Diluc called out to him, telling him to be careful. It might be a trap but he doesn’t care. He needs to get her down there. She can’t be dead!

He sobbed, crying out a name while Diluc pulled him away from the dreadful scene, looking away from the dead body of their childhood friend.

“Diluc, let me go! We need to get her down from there! She might still be alive!”

But the body was clearly pale and the person’s half lidded eyes were empty and blank. Diluc could only shake his head before wrapping his arms around Kaeya , shielding his sight of the dead body.

“She’s gone, Kae. S-She’s gone.”

“N-No.. Nononono! Jean can’t be dead! She can’t be…!”

Kaeya awoke with a gasp. He felt too sweaty and the blanket on him is sticking to his skin. He cringes before he pushes it away. He rubs his face and he could still feel his arms trembling from the dream– or flashback that he saw.

“Jean…” he muttered, suddenly wanting to check if her younger self is alright in this timeline. Diluc and Kae still won’t spend that much time with Jean until they are knights. She should be fine for now. She should be…

Once he felt better, he got up and fixed his bed before getting ready for the day. A few weeks had passed ever since his meeting with Venti and he’s simply waiting for any news from him. If he’s counting the date correctly, the trip for Sumeru should be close. It should happen around this week.

As he expected, he was called by Crepus so after helping the kitchen staff with the family’s breakfast, he headed straight to Crepus’ office. When he reached his office, he saw Connor inside accompanied by two other staff that he recognizes to be Alec and Ranald. Elzer was also in the room, nodding his head towards Kaeya as a greeting. It was the same group that went to Sumeru.

“Master Crepus, you called?” Kaeya asked as he approached them.

Crepus nodded, he looked a bit hesitant to speak so Connor explained why he was called instead.

“We’re actually thinking of bringing you with us to Sumeru, Caribert, since you and Young Master Kaeya are from there. You might know the right merchants and taverns to visit for our business inquiries. This trip is also to give Elzer the experience to handle this kind of work.” Connor chuckled and the mentioned man just smiled.

“If that’s the case, why does our Master look a bit hesitant about this decision?” Kaeya couldn’t help but ask as he looked at Crepus.

Crepus sighed and before he could even say anything, Elzer beat him into it.

“Master Crepus doesn’t seem to trust you going with us. What kind of trouble have you been causing in the residence lately, Caribert?” Elzer asked, teasing him a bit.

Kaeya dramatically placed a hand over his chest, gasping in feign surprise. “Elzer, my friend, how could you say that? I’ve been nothing but obedient and hospitable to guests! You can even ask Kae or Miss Adelinde. They will surely tell you that I’ve been doing my job properly. I'm an excellent butler.” he told him.

“Except that you tend to sneak outside sometimes.” Crepus mumbled with a frown, crossing his arms.

Kaeya knows that Crepus is not only worried about him possibly fleeing somewhere (he’ll never do that though) , but the man is also worried that he might tell someone about his Delusion but seriously, Crepus should trust him that he won’t tell anyone about that. He’s been quiet about it ever since their talk about the Delusion. Isn’t that enough proof that Crepus could trust him with this secret? Or was there another reason why Crepus seemed hesitant to allow Kaeya to join this group to Sumeru?

“But with a reason. I am not leaving without Miss Adelinde or the head maid’s permission.” Kaeya reasoned with a smile. “What happened before with Miss Alice was an urgent thing, so I really couldn’t do something about that. Allow me to apologize again for that day, Master Crepus.” he said as he politely bowed his head.

Well, there are actually times when he would sneak out in the middle of the night but only to roam outside of the residence for some fresh air or, to check if there are any hilichurls or Abyss Order members loitering outside the manor. For now, he’s seeing none of them which was a relief. He also made sure that no one was around whenever he did that.

Crepus’ frown didn’t disappear so Kaeya took a sigh, “If you’re worried if I’ll suddenly flee and leave everyone else, don’t be. I’ll stay with the group and help them with the inquiries and deliveries. I know a few places, even inside Sumeru City. Your adopted son is still my nephew, Master Crepus. I was genuine when I said that I want to watch him grow up. He’s my only family left.”

Crepus’ frown slowly disappeared as if he remembered Kaeya’s relationship with his youngest son.

“Just trust him, Master Crepus. I can assure you that despite Caribert being a little naughty sometimes, I can say that he’s a person we can trust. Honestly, he really looks like a grown up version of Young Master Kaeya. I really don’t have the heart not to trust him.” Elzer said as he chuckled.

Kaeya couldn’t help but sweat when Elzer said that but he kept a neutral face the whole time so he wouldn’t rouse any suspicion. He honestly had enough of Crepus getting suspicious of him, but he couldn’t blame the man. He’s just a very careful person and he has a family and business to protect. Hopefully, Crepus wouldn’t get any ideas from what Elzer had said. If Crepus knew that he was actually from the future…

He heard Crepus sighing and the man shakes his head. “My apologies, Caribert, if I have been a bit suspicious of you lately. I can’t help but be on guard sometimes.” he said while staring at him.

It looks like Crepus also wanted to remind him about their talk of the Delusion, and Kaeya understood that message so he nodded and smiled in return.

“But the next time you want to go out for a commission or to do other business, don’t forget to tell me or Adelinde about it.” Crepus reminded him.

The tensed shoulders that Kaeya didn’t know he had, finally relaxed. “Of course, I’ll tell you.” even if it has to be a white lie . He’s doing this to protect not only this family but Mondstadt too.

Crepus nodded, finally smiling at them. “Alright. Caribert, you’ll join Connor, Elzer, Alec and Ranald to Sumeru.” he told them, and they responded with a nod. “A few taverns had ordered some of our wine and there were also some merchants that ordered several clusters of fresh grapes from us. You are going to deliver those products to them. Just like what Connor had said, Elzer will be coming to learn how to handle the business trades. I hope you know some merchants that you could talk to, Caribert.”

Kaeya smirks in reflex, “Leave it to me, Master Crepus. I may not have been a city person in Sumeru but I still know a few taverns and merchants that we can visit.”

Crepus nodded again before arranging the papers on his desk. “Good… You are dismissed. Elzer, we still have to talk about the business you’ll be doing in Sumeru.”

Kaeya had a feeling that there’s something else that Crepus wanted to say. He watched as Connor bowed his head and left the room with Alec and Ranald, leaving the room with Crepus, Elzer and himself.

Finally, Crepus spoke again as he faced Kaeya .

“I know you said that Kae is your only family left but… Do you have any family that you can visit in Sumeru while you’re staying there, Caribert?”

Oh.

Kaeya could only smile somberly. “I’m afraid not. We have a really complicated family. I can’t say if they are still in Sumeru or… if they are already gone.” he told Crepus, earning a look of pity from Elzer. He smiled at the other butler before looking back at the redhead, “But don’t worry. I don’t feel alone. I have Kae and my fellow workers here after all. This place honestly feels like home instead of Sumeru.” .. Instead of Khaenri’ah.

Crepus chuckles. “Well, I’m glad that this place can serve as your home then. Elzer, you’ll lead the group. You can take a few days in Sumeru to work on the business inquiries. Just don’t take too long. Perhaps a week of stay there will do.”

Kaeya sighs, “A week that I wouldn’t be able to eat Miss Adelinde’s cooking. How sad.”

“Doesn't Sumeru have good cuisine too? Do you miss any of it?” Elzer asked him, raising an eyebrow.

“Well… I guess I do. I do miss their Shawarma Wrap.” Kaeya chuckled, remembering that it’s one of the dishes that he really liked in Sumeru. Even Diluc from the future liked it. “Perhaps, I’ll buy a few take-outs. I hope it won’t spoil. I’m sure Young Master Diluc would love it.”

Crepus chuckles, “If it’s stored properly, it should be fine. Or… You can ask for the recipe and have our chef make it.”

“Or you can ask Adelinde to make it.” Elzer said, grinning.

Kaeya hums, “Good idea. I’m sure Miss Adelinde can make a Mondstadt version of it.” he told him, chuckling.

.

.

.

He had been eyeing one certain crate ever since he started helping Elzer and Connor with the boxes where the bottles of wines are kept. Kaeya saw his younger self sneaking inside the covered wagon earlier before he headed towards the wine cellar to carry a few more boxes of wine bottles. He doesn’t know if Kae already entered one of the extra empty crates they had inside but the position of it changed when he returned to the covered wagon. Kaeya didn’t stop his younger self when he saw him earlier because he had to keep the past events playing and he already swore to himself that he’ll take care of Kae once they arrived in Port Ormos. He plans on facing Kae once they are on the ship. He’ll take full responsibility.

“Do we have everything inside, Caribert?” Elzer asked and Kaeya looked inside the covered wagon for the nth time, counting every barrel and crates; even the one where he suspected Kae was hiding.

Kaeya turns to Elzer with a nod and a small smile, “Yes. We have everything in here now.”

Elzer smiles back before returning to Crepus to have some final words with him before they leave. Kaeya took a seat just beside the crate where Kae was so he can make sure that it won’t topple over or get pushed by some of the barrels. Alec and Ranald soon entered the covered wagon, sitting beside him.

“I think we’re good to go. Let’s go!” Elzer shouted from the outside and the older bluenette heard Connor replying with “Alright!”.

Elzer rode on one of the two horses pulling the covered wagon while Connor was seated on the other. Then the horses began to move. Kaeya looked outside, staring at the Ragnvindr Residence as they gained some distance away from it. He still couldn’t help but feel nervous about leaving it for a week. He sighs, closing his eye and muttering something for the winds to hear, hoping for a certain bard to hear his small prayer.

‘Please watch over them while I’m gone.’

When Kaeya was still young like Kae, he actually didn’t know which road they took to reach Port Ormos. All he knows is that the whole vehicle  itself rode on a big cargo ship on their way to the other nation. He was able to sneak out at that time and grab some food because there weren't many men watching over the covered wagon. In the present and even in this current time, the Chasm was a dangerous place infested with hilichurls and treasure hoarders, even Fatui, so he knew at least that they wouldn’t pass through that area.

The salty scent in the air indicated that they were nearing the sea and Kaeya soon realized where they were going.

Dornman Port.

It’s the closest port they have in Mondstadt so it’s not a surprise that they are taking a ship from that place. Liyue Harbor is still a few mountains away after all.

Well, this also explains why their travel in the sea was very long. Fortunately, he– Kae doesn't easily get seasick. Well, except for a certain redhead. It’s a silly story. When Crepus went to Sumeru to pick him up, Diluc actually came along and he looked pretty sick when he saw him rushing out of the ship. Poor kid. His seasickness slowly disappeared as he grew older though.

“That is Dornman Port. We’ll be using a cargo ship from there so we can bring the covered wagon with us to Port Ormos. The trip will take several hours though. Have you rode a ship before, Caribert?” Ranald asked.

Kaeya hums and ponders about it, thinking how he would answer this question. He remembered how he introduced himself to Crepus before and how he told him that he and Kae are from Sumeru. Crepus seems to believe that they are from the desert and he knew that the life of a desertfolk is rough, especially in the cities. He knew a few people from the future who had experienced such difficulties.

“Just small ones. I haven’t been on a big ship before. Earning mora in Sumeru was a little tough for me and my family so I can’t afford such luxurious transportations.” He answered, just to act out how poor he was in Sumeru. 

Ranald and Alec frowns. “It must have been tough then.” Ranald muttered.

Alec leaned a little closer, a look of concern present on his face. “Is the work in the residence alright for you?” he asked and Kaeya nodded. “That’s good then! If you or Young Master Kaeya needs our help, just ask, alright?”

Kaeya chuckles, “I’ll remember that. Thank you, Alec.”

They arrived in Dornman Port just before lunch. Elzer had told them that they will be riding on the cargo ship that will soon leave so they wouldn’t waste time and reach Port Ormos a little early. The ship also has its own galley where the passenger’s foods were prepared and it will be served in their mess room which was a neat thing.

Kaeya , Alec and Ranald made sure that everything was secured inside their covered wagon as soon as they parked it on the ground floor of the ship. He tags along with the two as they follow Elzer and Connor who are already arranging their cabins. Kaeya will just check and catch Kae later, knowing that the kid wouldn’t leave the covered wagon or won’t stray too far away from it. He also needs to bring some food for him. He may have left some of Adelinde’s snacks in the wagon but he’s sure that it won’t be enough to fill Kae’s appetite.

Their mess room was spacious enough for five groups of people, as there are five tables inside. They were joined by other passengers but they didn’t mind and thankfully, they also minded their own businesses.

“Over here!” Kaeya heard Connor calling for them and so he headed towards their table with Alec and Ranald.

He sat beside Elzer, who handed him a glass of juice. Not grape juice. He took slow sips while looking at each of the meals spread in front of them. Kaeya made sure to pocket some of the easy to carry ones like bread and fruits so he could give them to Kae later once he decides to face his younger self.

The ship began to move as soon as they finished their lunch. Connor and Ranald decided to go to their cabin to rest while Elzer and Alec headed towards the deck to watch the sea. Kaeya went back to the covered wagon as planned with the food he took from the mess room.

When Kaeya arrived at the lower floor, he noticed some shadows moving around their covered wagon so he walked quietly and stealthily. He could hear hushed whispers and he can recognize it to be Kae. Did he get caught?

He decided to approach the figures. If Kae truly got caught by the ship’s crewmates and found out that he sneaked in and didn’t have a ticket, it would be troublesome to deal with. But as he got closer to the figures, instead of tall people, what greeted him were two short kids. One was indeed Kae but the other…

“What in Teyvat…” he muttered, staring at the two kids in front of him.

Kae and his companion froze before slowly turning around to face Kaeya , both of them tense and nervous. Kaeya soon recognized Kae’s redheaded companion.

“Diluc?” Kaeya gasped in a whisper before frowning, he could already feel a massive headache coming. “What are you– What are you two doing here?!” he asked both of them, but mainly at Diluc.

Because Diluc shouldn’t be here. It should only be Kae. Why is his brother’s younger self with them too?! He hopes Crepus isn’t losing his mind right now for not only discovering that Kae is missing but Diluc too.

Archons, have mercy on him.

“U-Uncle! We can explain! B-But before that– Luc! Luc’s sick!” 

Kaeya looked at the redhead and he could see the symptoms of seasickness from the poor kid. He sighed, “Let’s go to the deck. Getting fresh air will help Young Master Diluc. Elzer is also there with Alec. We expect your explanations, alright?”

Both brothers grimaced but nodded. Kae was only staring at the ground, he doesn’t seem to have the courage to look Kaeya in the eye, feeling guilty for what they did. With another sigh, Kaeya took both of them to the deck.

Upon their arrival, surprise immediately formed in Elzer and Alec’s faces. Diluc seems to relax now though and Kaeya watches as he takes a few inhales and exhales before facing the two other men with nervousness and a sheepish smile.

“Young Masters?! Why are they here, Caribert?” Elzer asked while grinning and the older bluenette couldn’t help but frown as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Why do I have a feeling that you’re suspecting me for having both of them here?” Kaeya asked in return.

Elzer just laughs, “Sorry, sorry. I can’t help it.”

“How did they get inside the ship? We’re too far from the residence now and the ship’s already moving. We can’t turn back.” Alec said with worry while he’s staring at both kids.

With the three butlers looking at Kae and Diluc, both kids suddenly felt small and Kae even got more tense. Kaeya recognizes the sudden change in the young bluenette’s breathing so he takes a few steps forward, putting a hand on Kae’s back and rubbing circles to help him calm down.

“We won’t be mad, we’re just worried.” Kaeya told Kae.

Kae sniffles before saying, “I’m sorry, we sneaked in… It’s not Luc’s fault either! H-He just got dragged with me. It was my idea to secretly tag along…”

Diluc frowns, “Don’t blame yourself, Kae! You’re my brother and it’s my job to make sure you’re safe!”

“Then why didn’t you tell your brother not to get inside the covered wagon? How did the both of you sneak in?” Elzer asked.

“W-Well… I saw Kae looking around the rear of the covered wagon. I got curious and went to him. I tried pulling him back inside the manor, okay?! But Kae is pretty insistent on hiding inside and to secretly tag along with the group. Not that I blame him! And then we saw Ranald heading towards the wagon so we panicked and sort of… uh… got inside the covered wagon and hid behind the barrels. Kae saw an empty crate and decided to hide there while I just sat quietly behind the boxes. Soon, the wagon is filled with boxes and barrels and we can’t leave anymore…” Diluc explained, gripping his shirt.

“Why didn’t you yell for us to help? We could have come and brought you out of the wagon.” Alec asked. 

“I wanted to but…” Diluc looked at Kae and the younger bluenette shuffled in his feet.

“I-I was scared so I told Luc to just stay there… We’ll get caught soon anyway but we didn’t expect that it would take this long.” Kae muttered, still looking down.

“I-Is father going to be mad at us?” Diluc asked, his hands trembling. Kae was even close to tears.

Elzer sighs as he rubs his temple, “Yes but I’m sure he’ll be more worried than mad. As soon as we reach Port Ormos, I’m going to send a letter to Master Crepus. We’ll inform him that you two are currently here with us. Caribert, can you supervise them?”

Kaeya blinks before nodding. That’s exactly what he wanted and it makes everything easier for him. “Yes, leave them to me.” he said with a smile.

Elzer nodded, “Thank you. I’ll go back to the cabin and prepare the letter so as soon as we dock, I can immediately send it out.” he said before hurrying back inside the ship.

Kaeya and Alec accompanied both brothers at the deck, waiting for Diluc to feel alright before following Elzer back to their cabin. He had also given both kids the food he took from the mess room so they could eat.

Chapter Text

Crepus stared at the main door as he tapped his foot in an antsy manner. He grumbled, finally rushing towards the door only to be stopped by a certain maid.

“Master Crepus.”

Crepus turned around slowly to face the maid. He had a big frown on his face and he looked exhausted with slightly visible eye bags under his eyes. “Adelinde.” he muttered and the maid just looked at him with a stern expression as if telling him not to leave but that didn’t stop the worry and anxiety the man was feeling.

“I can’t stay here. I have to find my boys. They’ve been missing since yesterday! My boys have been gone for a whole day! They disappeared as soon as our covered wagon left for Dornman Port and I swore if Caribert had something to do with this again –” Crepus exclaimed with panic in his tone but he was quickly interrupted by Adelinde.

“I’m sure that Caribert wouldn’t suddenly kidnap both of them and if ever he did, Elzer will notice something strange. I trust him, Master Crepus. Caribert wouldn’t do that. I’m not taking his side, I just want to trust my instinct and you know that nothing wrong happens when it comes to my instinct. He wouldn’t do anything that would endanger his nephew or your eldest son. And if both young masters really happened to be with them, we shouldn’t worry. They wouldn’t be able to hide for so long and I know that Elzer and the others will take good care of them until they are back home. So please, don’t rush. I know Elzer well and I know that he will send us a letter if something happened during their trip. Let us wait and if nothing arrives within three days, we can go to Grand Master Varka and tell him about this.” Adelinde told him as she walked towards the man while holding a cup of tea. “Please drink this, it will calm you down.”

Crepus looked hesitant and he looked back at the main door, his frown never leaving his face. He looked back at Adelinde and took the teacup from her, “But what if they’re not with them? Adelinde, the Fatui has been spotted around the Dawn Winery according to Tunner’s wife. It’s also possible that they have been taken by them. You do know my relationship with the Fatui well, Adelinde…”

A frown forms on Adelinde’s face as she is reminded again by the Fatui’s lingering presence, “But that is only around Dawn Winery, Master Crepus. They aren’t spotted around our residence. Perhaps, those Fatuus are simply curious about your business and how the grapes were being tended here since Snezhnaya is a very cold place unlike Mondstadt. And didn’t you have a deal with the Cryo Archon? The Fatui wouldn’t be able to harm you or your family because of that deal unless they are stupid enough to disobey their own archon’s orders.”

“I do hope that’s really the case…” Crepus muttered, sitting on his armchair near the unlit fireplace. “I really hope my boys are safe…”

.

.

.

It took them a whole day and a half to finally reach Port Ormos and Kaeya doesn’t know if he will feel more relief or more anxiety for finally docking on the port. He joined Elzer as soon as they got out of the ship to make sure that his friend successfully sent the letter out, leaving both Ragnvindr brothers with Alec and Ranald.

“Relax, with Adelinde in the residence, I’m sure Master Crepus wouldn’t suddenly rush outside to search for our young masters.” Elzer reassured Kaeya as they walked back to the others. “Are you worried that Master Crepus might blame you for this incident?”

Kaeya frowns, “You could say that. Why has my luck been bad lately?” he grumbled, hearing a chuckle from Elzer. Well, he’s guilty that some of it was his own doing but this? No! He only wanted his younger self to join this trip, not Diluc too! Archons above…

The man gave him a few pats on the back. “You’ll be fine. Hopefully .” Elzer said before laughing. Kaeya just glared at him while frowning.

Once they grouped up with Alec, Ranald and the young brothers, they headed towards the Inn where they will be staying. Elzer and Kaeya were holding the reins of the horses so they would follow them while pulling the covered wagon.

“We’re coming with you! We promise we’ll behave! You can’t just leave us here!” was what they received after Elzer told Kae and Diluc to stay inside their room in the Inn while they will be delivering the orders to the taverns and merchants.

Elzer crossed his arms, sighing. “Young master, it will be safer if both of you will stay here. What if you get lost? We can’t have both of you missing for the second time.”

Diluc mimics his crossed arms, his cheeks getting red from the heated disagreement. “No! We’ll tag along and it’s final! I’m sure Kae also wanted to see the place!”

The younger bluenette yelped at the mention of his name. He’s been keeping quiet beside Kaeya, watching as his older brother and Elzer bicker. Kae didn’t immediately answer as he looked up to his uncle instead.

Kaeya smiles, putting a hand on Kae’s head. “Well, showing them around would be a good idea so this little escapade of theirs won’t be wasted. I’m sure both of them would be too bored if they were to stay inside this room without any toys to play with or books to read.”

Elzer shakes his head, “Alright, alright. Fine, we’ll bring both of you as long as you promise to behave, young master Diluc.” he said and Diluc cheered with a single jump.

Kaeya chuckles. “Well, young master Diluc already promised that he’ll behave and I’m sure my nephew doesn’t have any problems with it too. Right, Kae?” 

Kae nodded, holding his hand tightly. “I-I won’t get far from uncle.”

Kaeya smiles at him before looking back at Elzer, “Leave them to me, I’ll make sure that they won’t be going anywhere else.”

They started their work. Elzer and Ranald went to Djafar Tavern while Kaeya and Alec, together with the kids, left to meet some of the merchants that were already waiting for them at the building found beside the docks of Port Ormos. They’ll just catch up with Elzer and Ranald after delivering the wines and fresh grapes to the merchants.

“Thank you for making your way all the way here from Mondstadt.” a Sumeru Merchant named Ahal told them while smiling brightly. He seems very welcoming. “If I didn’t know that you’re from Mondstadt, I would have mistaken you as a fellow Sumerian or someone from Natlan.”

Kaeya chuckles, handing Ahal the receipt so he could check how much he needed to pay while his men take the crates and barrels from their covered wagon with Alec’s help. Kae and Diluc were simply sitting on the front of the wooden wagon, watching the trade unfold in front of them.

“I am actually from this place. I recently traveled to Mondstadt and lived there instead.” Kaeya said with a smile of his own, letting the lies freely flow out of his mouth.

Ahal’s eyes widened in surprise, “Wait, really? That’s a surprise! It must feel good to be back in your home nation then.”

Kaeya nodded, “It truly is.”

Ahal pulls out a pouch of mora and counts its amount. He nodded before handing the pouch to Kaeya, “Here it is! Thank you again.”

Kaeya takes the pouch and gives it to Alec, “Thank you as well. Enjoy your wines!”

Ahal let out a heartfelt laugh, “We will!”

After their business with the merchant, the group headed straight to Djafar Tavern where Elzer and Ranald are. Alec and Diluc were seated inside the covered wagon while Kae joined Kaeya on the front seat.

“Uncle is amazing. No one suspected you when you said you were from Sumeru.” Kae said in a low tone so only Kaeya could hear him.

Kaeya chuckles, “Well, I hate lying to them but it’s part of my job so I could survive.”

Kae nodded, understanding him. “I know… I lied a few times to Luc and Papa too… I still feel guilty about it but if they knew I’m a Khaenri’ahn, they might kick me out…”

Kaeya patted his younger self on the head, not saying anything. He doesn’t know if he could reassure the younger bluenette that they wouldn’t kick him out if they knew their secret because he already experienced Diluc’s reaction to that… But, perhaps things may change if the setting of the reveal is different.

He purses his lips, he still hasn’t decided if he will save Crepus from Ursa’s ambush. Alice did say he can change things since he already went back to stop the Abyss Order’s plans. He really wanted to save the man from that event but what kind of changes would it make in this timeline? If Crepus survived, Diluc wouldn’t have to go to his path of revenge but the change his brother went through during that three years journey was something essential to Diluc’s growth. And what if something worse happens after he saves Crepus from his death? What if something more dangerous happens to his family?

He shakes his head. That’s a problem for him to ponder on some other time. It’s still too early and there’s still a lot of time to prepare for that. He takes a deep breath.

There’s enough time.

He’ll have to live through his current role for now while waiting for the result of the investigation that Venti’s friend did and for the real Caribert to appear in his dreams again.

When they arrived in front of Djafar Tavern, Kaeya saw Elzer talking to a familiar man. The owner of the tavern looks so young in this timeline. Kaeya stopped the wagon and went down with Kae. Diluc and Alec also went out of the wagon and they walked towards Elzer.

As they got nearer, they could finally hear their conversation and something about their topic… leaves some kind of buzz inside Kaeya’s head and he couldn’t help but flinch.

“Yes, until now, most of the people here couldn’t forget about ǤɍɇȺŧɇɍ Łøɍđ ɌᵾꝁꝁħȺđɇvȺŧȺ.”

He knew in an instant that there’s something wrong. He couldn’t understand who they were talking about and why it was affecting him. He felt like there’s a gap within his memories, trying to resurface but it could not.

His companions noticed him not walking anymore and Kae looked up at him with worry when he saw him holding his head in a pained way.

“Uncle, are you okay?” Kae asked as he tugged on his sleeves.

Kaeya just smiles before nodding. The buzzing has already stopped. It seems it only happens when that certain name is mentioned. But the question remains. Why?

“Yeah, just a headache…” Kaeya replied.

They heard a huff from Diluc, “If you’re getting tired this early, then maybe helping Elzer with this delivery is not for you. You have weak stamina. It looks like you’re only good with house work and fighting but not with walking and socializing, huh?” the boy smirked as if his jab was hitting the butler hard enough.

“Now, now, young master Diluc. Isn’t that just mean?” Kaeya chuckled, ruffling the redhead’s hair and earning an annoyed ‘Hey!’ from the kid.

“We’re done here, why don’t we order our lunch here at the tavern? Caribert might just be hungry.” Elzer said, earning a fond shake of a head from Kaeya.

Maybe Elzer’s right. Maybe he’s just hungry.

It didn’t take that long for the master of the house to reply to Elzer’s letter, saying that by the time they read the letter, he’s already on his way to Port Ormos.

As soon as Crepus received Elzer’s letter, he immediately headed towards Dornman Port and rode a ship going towards Sumeru despite Adelinde and the current head maid’s protests. No one can truly stop the man from rushing towards his missing sons’ location.

Kaeya expected Crepus to arrive by this coming evening and while he’s waiting, he decided to join Kae and Diluc to the small bookshop that they saw from yesterday’s trade business. Both of them seem interested in Sumeru’s history so he’s currently helping them buy some books about it to read at home. Kae even saw some picture books about Sumeru’s plants and wildlife and the drawings in it really amazes the younger bluenette.

There’s just one thing that is still bothering Kaeya. His persistent headaches. It even happens when he’s not even hearing that name anymore. What was it again? Grea… Greater Lord? Something like that.

So while they’re here in this bookshop, he has decided to see if there is any literature about that certain name. With how people describe the name, it seems like they are a god. Surely not the Dendro Archon because he knew that the only Dendro Archon in Sumeru is none other than Lesser Lord Kusanali.

“Ugh.” Kaeya flinched at another spike of headache and he sighed. “Why is this happening?” he grumbled before pulling out a thick book from a shelf.

When his eye landed on the title of the book, the headache got worse and he felt his eyes twitching.

ᏖᏂᏋ ᏕᏖᎧᏒᎩ ᎧᎦ ᎶᏒᏋᏗᏖᏋᏒ ᏝᎧᏒᎴ ᏒᏬᏦᏦᏂᏗᎴᏋᏉᏗᏖᏗ
ᏖᏂᏋ  ᎴᏋᏁᎴᏒᎧ  ᏗᏒፈᏂᎧᏁ

Kaeya quickly shoved the book back to the shelf with a huff before his headache could get even more painful. He can’t even handle reading a book related to that name? What is this sorcery? Did he somehow get cursed by someone?! This seriously doesn’t make any sense!

“It seems like you’re struggling. I should have expected this.”

His eye widened at the familiar voice and he turned his head swiftly to the side. “You–”

Caribert placed a finger over his lips, smiling. “I can only be here for a short time. Fortunately, you are close to the village where I am currently staying at so I could extend my power until this place but only for a while. I was already preparing to meet you in your dreams tonight until I realized that I could also do this. Doing this just consumes so much energy though but it’s fine. As long as I can talk to you.” he said, smiling sheepishly.

Kaeya frowns, “How could you even– I know you aren’t alive. That’s what Lumine had told me.” he stated in a hushed whisper.

“This is also the power of the loom of fate that was done to me. No one is suspicious because I inserted a memory to them that I’ve been here the whole time.” Caribert told Kaeya as they both looked around the bookshop. Kae and Diluc didn’t seem to mind both of them as they continued to check on the picture book that they have.

“Can you explain what was happening to me? It looks like you have an idea.” Kaeya said, crossing his arms.

Caribert smiles at him before picking the same book that Kaeya had taken from earlier. “It was because of Irminsul. There’s a conflict of memories happening within you. In your knowledge from the future timeline, the name ǤɍɇȺŧɇɍ Łøɍđ ɌᵾꝁꝁħȺđɇvȺŧȺ no longer exists. That entity had been erased from everyone’s memories, even from the Irminsul. But since you are back in the past, people in this timeline still remember her and her existence is still living inside Irminsul. As for you, you don’t. And that’s where the conflict happens. You should be fine as long as you’re away from Sumeru. Just don’t think too much about it.”

Kaeya sighs in what seems like relief, “Is that so? So it’s nothing important for me to worry about?”

“Yes. Just bear with the headaches for now while you’re here. It shouldn’t give you any other side effects aside from that.” Caribert told him, making the older bluenette grumble. “Now then, you and the Anemo Archon finally talked. I also felt one of the Hexenzirkel members meeting with you. I did not expect them to act fast considering their state in the future…”

Caribert gestured at Kaeya to follow him so he did. They moved to a more secluded part of the bookshop, but they are still somewhere where the Ragnvindr brothers could see them so both boys wouldn’t think that Kaeya had left the shop.

“Are you finally going to explain… what kind of power I really possess?” Kaeya asked slowly and carefully.

“Yes. I apologize for taking this long. We can talk here, I made sure that no one could hear us. Not even entities that we cannot see.” Caribert told him. “I could only tell you what I know and what I understand about the Loom of Fate. I believe that the mage had told you a brief explanation about this power. It’s really easy to understand, honestly. It could change fate itself. A power that can even rival Istaroth’s power over time. It’s powerful enough to overwhelm the Gods governing Teyvat.”

Kaeya looked down, frowning even more when he remembered the war against the Abyss Order. “I know… Just when we thought we were winning, the tides suddenly changed. Those monsters we defeated, they suddenly came back to life and they started moving again like puppets whose strings had been tied again. Ven– Barbatos’ power, which was supposedly strong because of everyone’s fate on him, became weak the longer he used it. Before we knew it… one by one, our allies fell.” he said, his voice trembling at the end. He couldn’t stop the way his hands shook. “We really tried our best to fight. I even used the power I hid behind my right eye but it’s not enough because the abyss was fighting against me as well… And then… the Abyss Prince took it. I lost that power.”

“It was a part of their plan. Aether had to take the power stored in your right eye, Kaeya. If he didn’t do that, they couldn’t transfer the complete Loom of Fate into you.” Caribert explained, his tone serious.

Kaeya’s eye widened. “Wait… You don’t mean… The person that Venti had asked for help was none other than Aether, Lumine’s brother himself?!” he asked with disbelief. Caribert confirmed his suspicion with a nod. “...But why? He was the reason why that war started! He… He killed his own sister. He killed Lumine.”

Caribert’s downturned mouth didn’t deny this. “And Aether regretted it. He couldn’t do anything but to follow the Sinner’s orders. Thankfully, the Anemo Archon found a way to convince the Abyss Prince and that’s how they commenced their plan to transfer the Loom of Fate. It took so much of Aether. I don’t even think he survived. I believed he still faced the Sinner before he could complete the transfer.”

Kaeya clenched his hands into fists, “That still doesn’t excuse him from killing Lumine.” he spatted with spite.

Caribert just smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. He was also saddened by what happened to the twins. He really wanted both of them to get along and to finally be together again but… fate could be cruel like this. “After the transfer, it was also sealed so the whispers of the Abyss wouldn’t control your mind and so the Abyss Order couldn’t find you. That is why I said that it’s in a dormant state. You could control it that way but you should still be careful. The Loom of Fate is still a part of the abyss. It’s dangerous and powerful.”

Kaeya grumbled, “I know. That’s why I’m worried. What if I can’t control it? How could I even train myself without risking being found by the Abyss Order, or any of the existing Archons?” he asked.

Caribert hums, placing a hand under his chin as he ponders about it. He then explains how he could open a hole within the seal, a hole that is small enough for the power of the Loom of Fate to go through. That way, the Abyss Order couldn’t feel any traces of it being used but that needed a lot of practice and training to do.

“Tonight, I’ll bring you again to the place where we first met. I could help you train there before you return to Mondstadt. With you being in Sumeru, I could sustain my power longer so we can take our time inside that dream. For now, that is all I want you to know. I can feel my power fading. I need to save it for tonight.” Caribert told Kaeya.

Kaeya frowns, feeling like Caribert’s explanation isn’t enough. Sensing his troubled thoughts, Caribert placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling a little genuine this time.

“I know this is too far from the future where you are from. I also know that you still have a lot of questions for me about your place on this timeline but trust me. Be patient, you’re already doing great, Kaeya. This is a great start for you, though it might be slow. Who knows, there might be situations that you can save and things that you should see with your own eye. There could even be some people that you should bring to your side because in the future, they are going to be a great help.” Caribert told him.

“Caribert…” he muttered before taking a deep breath. Kaeya smiles at him, “Alright. Thank you. I’ll see you tonight then.”

Caribert nodded, “I’ll see you.”

He watches as Caribert leaves the bookshop. At the same time, Kae and Diluc ran to him. He smiled at the brothers, leaning down a bit to see the books that they have.

“Are these everything that you want to buy?” Kaeya asked them.

“Yup! Let’s go pay for them now! I still want to buy some of the street foods that I saw earlier! Come on, come on!” Diluc exclaimed in an excited manner.

Kaeya chuckles, “Okay, okay. I hear you, young master Diluc. Come on, Kae.” his younger self nodded, following him and Diluc towards the cashier so they could pay for the books.

It was interesting how time could flow inside the dream that Caribert had created. What seemed like several hours or days was simply around five or six hours of sleep for Kaeya . What Caribert had thought him was a few basics of how he could open up a seal, and he also explained what he could do with the Loom of Fate. Though, Kaeya knew that Caribert didn’t explain everything. He seems to be hiding more about the power of the Loom of Fate.

“That’s pretty cliché don’t you think?” Kaeya once asked after Caribert demonstrated a way to use the Loom of Fate. By extending his hand to his target and imagining the power seeping through the hole he made in the seal.

Caribert only laughed and countered it by saying that Lumine and Aether do the same pose whenever they absorb any type of abyssal or elemental energy. Kaeya could only shrug his shoulders at that time but the other man wasn’t lying. Aether did extend his hand to his right eye when he took the small abyssal power stored in it.

Still, he couldn’t believe that he was helped by Lumine’s killer. He still doesn’t know how to feel about that. Should he be thankful? Should he feel forgiving? But remembering Lumine’s death… he just couldn’t let this go. Aether should at least understand that.

Kaeya was joined by Elzer and Ranald at the table, eating their breakfast when someone loudly suddenly knocked on their door. They already knew who their visitor was. Elzer and Ranald simultaneously looked at Kaeya with grins in their faces and the bluenette could only sigh as he stood up.

“Good luck, Caribert.” Elzer said while chuckling, earning an eye roll from Kaeya.

Kaeya stood and went towards the door. As soon as he opened it, it revealed Crepus standing outside of their room. Fortunately, their room isn’t inside the building of the Inn but found behind the building. This way, there aren’t any neighboring rooms to bother. He was complaining about the location of their room at first but now, he’s actually thankful.

Kaeya mustered up a smile, “Master Crepus, you’re here–” but he was quickly interrupted by the man.

“Where are they, Caribert? Where are my sons?” Crepus asked in the same way he intimidated Kaeya about his Delusion.

Kaeya could only gulp before smiling, mentally telling himself not to tremble in front of his past father again . “Ah, don’t worry! Both of the young masters are safe with us! No incident happened. Alec is currently waking them for breakfast. Please don’t just stand outside, Master. Come in.” he said, preventing Crepus from cutting him off.

There seems to be relief forming within Crepus’ worried and tired eyes. The man nodded before walking inside, heading towards the table where Elzer and Ranald are as soon as he spotted them. Both men stood and greeted their Master before being told to sit down and continue on with eating.

“Father!” Diluc immediately exclaimed as soon as he arrived with Kae and Alec. The smaller redhead ran towards Crepus, hugging him on his torso.

Kae had a different reaction though. He rushed by Kaeya’s side instead and the older bluenette could feel his younger self shaking in possible fear.

“Oh Diluc.” Crepus knelt down, hugging his eldest son. He looked at where Kae was and extended his hand. With a little encouraging push from Kaeya, Kae also ran crying at their father. “Both of you! You made me worry so much! Please don’t sneak out like this ever again. My heart couldn’t take it.”

Kae continues to sob, “I-I’m sorry! I’m sorry, papa! I-It’s my fault, not Luc! Not uncle! T-This was my idea! Please don’t be mad at them…!”

Diluc glares at his brother, “It’s my fault too!! It’s my responsibility to look after my little brother so… so it’s not just Kae’s fault, father!” he also cried out, clinging tighter on Crepus.

Kaeya could see how Crepus’ demeanor softens and he couldn’t help but smile at the scene in front of him. Crepus looked more worried than mad. He watched as the man comforted both of the kids, telling them that he’s no longer mad and upset now that he found them. He’s just thankful that they are both safe.

As soon as they calmed down, Kaeya told Crepus to join them for breakfast and so he did. While eating, both brothers shared what they did in their stay in Sumeru and their father listened with relief and a smile on his face. After breakfast, Elzer told Kae and Diluc to wash up since they are going back to Mondstadt soon and while waiting, Crepus had asked Kaeya to join him for a talk outside of their room. To say that Kaeya is not nervous might be an understatement. He was expecting for the man to scold him again so he was surprised when Crepus thanked him instead.

“Thank you, Caribert. Diluc had told me how you watched over both of them and how you even took the time to show them around Sumeru after doing your work with Elzer. It seems like Adelinde is right. My apologies, I actually suspected that you might have kidnapped both of them.” Crepus told him while rubbing the back of his neck, looking away.

Kaeya just smiles, he already expected Crepus to think about that. It looks like he owes Adelinde too for comforting Crepus back in the residence.

“It’s alright, Master Crepus. Thank you for trusting me.” Kaeya replied.

Crepus chuckles, “But still, those two boys. They really scared me when I couldn’t find them. I thought I'd lose my mind. Archons, my wife would burn me alive if something really did happen to both of them.”

Kaeya blinks, “Sounds like a fiery wife.” he muttered.

He won’t deny that he’s curious about Crepus’ wife, or their mother. He never met her before after all. And with how Crepus talked about her, she’s still alive but why didn’t she appear in the future? Where was she around this time?

Crepus sighs as he massages his hand, “She is. Perhaps one day, you’ll be able to meet her too. Though… she’s rarely home due to her work.”

Kaeya hums, looking at Crepus’ longing expression. “Is she a wonderful wife and mother at least?” he asked and Crepus nodded.

“Of course she is. She might be rarely home but she loves and treasures Diluc. She’s been wanting to meet Kaeya as well ever since I mentioned him in my letters.” Crepus answered with a chuckle.

Kaeya smiles, “I see. I can’t wait to meet Mrs. Ragnvindr then.”

Crepus chuckles, “Ah, I suggest not to look for it. Not until you meet her. She’s a one of a kind woman. I’ll say that she and Alice somewhat have the same mysterious vibe.” he muttered, nervously sweating a bit.

“Oh. Hmm… Understood.” Kaeya said, grinning. That only made him more curious about the woman.

Crepus just shakes his head with a smile.

They rode a ship later that day, heading back to Mondstadt.

.

.

.

Extra

“Kae, you’re lucky that Master Crepus didn’t pull you by the ear as soon as he saw you and your brother.” Kaeya told his younger self and Kae stiffened, looking up at them with a widened eye.

Crepus caresses his beard as he thinks about it, “Actually. I did have that in my mind while I was on my way here. But when I saw Diluc’s excitement and Kae’s crying, I didn’t have the heart to do it anymore.”

Kae’s eye began to tear up, and then he cried, making both men panic. In the end, a treat of shawarma wrap calmed the little bluenette down. Kaeya and Crepus had to bear Diluc’s glare though for making his younger brother cry.

Chapter Text

A few days after Kaeya’s return to Mondstadt, Venti finally met up with him again. This time, Kaeya had joined Crepus in Angel’s Share and he happened to see the bard playing some songs for the patrons. So he approached the bard while Crepus was busy talking with some of his regulars.

Venti smiled at him and they both greeted each other. They sat at a vacant table and talked.

“My dear friend had found a suspicious domain somewhere in the north-west part of Liyue. He had seen a few hilichurls entering through that domain.” Venti told him.

Kaeya frowns, “That must be the domain where the Defiled Statue then…”

Venti plays a few notes with his lyre, “Are you going alone? He said that those hilichurls look stronger than normal. Their aura is even stronger than the usual evil spirits that he’s subjugating.”

“I should be able to fight them off. I’m still strong despite being idle nowadays.” Kaeya said with a huff and Venti just giggled in return.

The bard hums after a short moment of silence, “Alright, I’ve made up my mind! I’ll also come with you!” Venti suddenly declared, surprising the bluenette.

Kaeya’s eye widened at his sudden declaration, “Huh?”

“You might grow lonely! Plus, I need to make sure to keep you safe. As far as I know, you’re the only person who is from the future. Our future would be doomed if something bad were to happen to you.” Venti told him while grinning.

Kaeya frowns, trying to balance everything if the bard were to accompany him. “That’s true… but are you sure? You can just introduce me to that friend of yours. He can help me in your stead.”

Venti crosses his arms, “My friend is kinda shy… I doubt he’ll be willing to help you too. He might just accompany you to the location of the domain but he won’t be joining you inside.”

Kaeya sighs, “I don’t think that this is a good idea, Venti. You’re still an archon. What if something happens to you inside that domain? I might not be able to protect you…” he told him with a somber tone. “Mondstadt still needs you.”

He doesn’t want to risk anyone in the past to get hurt. Especially Venti, he doesn’t want his friend to be in danger. That domain reeks of the Abyss and his statue is corrupted. What if that affects the Anemo Archon?

But the bard smiles at him as if he already knows his troubles. “You don’t have to worry about that. I am strong enough to protect myself, Kaeya .” he said.

Silence fell on their table as Kaeya pondered about it. Venti simply allowed him to think while playing a few soothing tones with his lyre. The bard only looked up when someone approached their table and placed two glasses of different drinks in front of them; dandelion wine for Venti and grape juice for Kaeya .

Kaeya spotted the glass in front of him and scrunched his face, looking up at the redhead man beside their table. Crepus seems to enjoy teasing him with grape juice after knowing that he really doesn’t like it. Father and son are truly alike.

“Why don’t I also get a glass of wine, Master Crepus? You know that I don’t like grape juice…” Kaeya said in a dramatic tone and a pout.

Crepus laughs, “You’re still on duty, Caribert. Our bard here gets a glass of wine as a treat for showing our patrons a good show. Thank you again for that, Venti.”

Venti grins at Kaeya before smiling towards Crepus, “Ehe! No problem! It is my pleasure to play for everyone. Thank you for letting me perform in the tavern, Master Crepus!”

Crepus chuckles, “You’re welcome. Feel free to come back here anytime. If you perform again, I’ll make sure to serve you another free glass.” he said, earning a cheer from the bard.

‘Lucky guy. If this is Diluc, Venti would not get a free glass of wine.’ Kaeya thought to himself as he chuckled silently.

“Can I get apple cider instead then?” Kaeya asked Crepus.

Crepus shakes his head, a little fondly. “Alright, alright.” he said as he took the glass of grape juice and walked back to the counter to get apple cider instead.

While waiting for the man to return, Kaeya looked at Venti who was enjoying his glass of dandelion wine.

“Fine, I’ll let you come with me. But we must be careful. Who knows what awaits us there. I only learned a few things about it from Lumine. If things get dangerous for you , I need you to promise me to leave the domain.” Kaeya told Venti.

Venti pouts, “And leave you inside by yourself? No way! If I’m retreating, I’m dragging you with me.”

Kaeya crosses his arms, “Venti, I’m serious.”

“I am also serious.”

Kaeya sighs. Crepus then returned with the glass of apple cider and Kaeya thanked him for it. The two watched as the man returned to the counter to serve the other patrons.

“How am I going to Liyue though? I just gained back Crepus’ trust again. I can’t disappear and lose it for the second time.” Kaeya muttered.

Venti hums, “Well, I actually have an idea. I can ask someone in Liyue to prepare a meeting with Master Crepus, and require him to bring at least one or two assistants with him. Knowing that you and Sir Elzer are the ones who are mostly battle experienced, I’m sure Master Crepus will bring either of you so the trip to Liyue would be safe. He must know of the Treasure Hoarder activities in Guili Plains. I’ll also tag along with you, of course. How else am I going to join you there? I’ll have that block-head introduce me as a trusty guide for Liyue!”

Kaeya almost spills his drink. He looks at Venti with amusement and a raised eyebrow, “Block-head?” he asked.

He only knows one person with that nickname. Zhongli, or the Geo Archon in disguise. He knew Zhongli is fond of Osmanthus wine so perhaps this plan will work. He’s more of a tea person but Zhongli’s knowledge is wide and maybe he and Crepus would get along well. He just hopes that the disguised archon won’t grow suspicious of their action. The man’s smart, especially when it comes to the anemo archon’s actions. It’s as if he could read him like a book. He doesn't know if he can trust the man with their secret if Zhongli ever finds out about their plan in Liyue.

“I didn’t know you’re this smart, Venti.” Kaeya said as he chuckled.

Venti pouts, “Hey! What do you mean by that?! Of course, I am smart!” he exclaimed before downing his glass of dandelion wine.

A few days had passed and a letter arrived in Dawn Winery. The family was having their lunch when the letter arrived and Kaeya happened to be standing nearby so he could hear Crepus’ murmurings after reading the letter.

“Hmm… The Wangsheng Funeral Consultant in Liyue is inviting me for a discussion of Liyue wines and teas. He’s also ordering a crate of Dandelion Wine to share with his colleagues. It seems like he’s interested in learning more about Mondstadt’s wines and he invited me for a week's stay in Liyue. The Inn room is free and I can bring my family and a few assistants as well.” Crepus hums.

Adelinde smiles, “Sounds like a good time to have a small vacation from work, Master Crepus.” she told him, earning a chuckle from the man.

Diluc’s eyes widened with excitement, “A vacation in Liyue?! Can we go, father? Please!!!”

Crepus folds the letter before ruffling his eldest son’s hair, “Would you two like to go? I’m not sure if the Consultant will also tour us around so it might be boring.”

Kae seemed to brood about it before his eye shone, “Um!”

The man turned to him, “Yes, Kae?”

“The letter said you can bring an assistant. Can uncle come as the assistant? If father is busy meeting the person that invited us, uncle can bring us around!” Kae told him.

Kaeya smirked at the given opening so he walked towards the table with a smile, “I like the sound of that. That will also save me from the future chores that Miss Adelinde had prepared for me.”

The said maid just rolled her eyes but there was a fond smile on her face. “Who was it again that said he was bored?” Adelinde asked, matching Kaeya’s smirk with her own.

Crepus laughs, “That is actually a great idea. Perhaps Caribert will owe me if I save him from this predicament.”

Adelinde sighs, shaking her head. “Just make sure to get everything you need. Caribert, watch over the young masters, alright?”

Kaeya nodded, a hand over his chest. “Leave them to me, Miss Adelinde.”

.

.

.

“Venti, thank you again for being our guide.” Crepus said while they stood in front of their covered wagon.

Venti smiles, “No problem!”

Diluc and Kae are already inside the covered wagon, looking out of the uncovered space to watch their father and Kaeya with Venti.

“The bard will guide us? I never thought that he’ll know Liyue.” Diluc said with wonder.

Venti puffs out his chest proudly, “That comes with my job as a bard! I know many places, not only Mondstadt!”

“Mr. Zhongli, the one who wrote the letter, also mentioned that the both of you are old friends?” Crepus asked with curiosity.

Venti nodded his head while smiling, “Yup! I’ve been to Liyue a few times. It’s really a beautiful place especially during the Lantern Rite! Perhaps next time, when the Lantern Rite is near, I’ll ask my old friend to invite your family. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind~”

Crepus smiles, “I wouldn’t want to bother him with such matters…”

Venti just laughed as he took a seat at the coach’s seat. “No worries! I’m sure, after this meeting, both of you will be good friends! It’s never a bother to invite a friend. Caribert is also my friend, so he can come too.” he smirked.

Kaeya rolls his eyes, “Enough chit chat, we have places to be. We wouldn’t want to be late before we reach Wangshu Inn, right?”

Crepus nodded, “Let’s go then.”

Venti sang songs during their whole trip while Kaeya entertained both kids with his vision by creating a few snowflakes. Diluc even melted the ice dagger that he made for Kae and the younger bluenette has been pouting for awhile, upset with what his brother did. Looking at how peaceful this family seems now makes Kaeya feel nostalgic and he couldn’t help but reminisce about the old times before his fall out with Diluc on his 18th birthday.

“Kae!! I’m sorry! Forgive me!! I didn’t mean to melt it!” Diluc cried out, tears already forming in the corner of his eyes. “Don’t be upset with me!!”

Kaeya chuckles as he lifts his hand, creating another ice dagger. “Come on, Kae. I can just make another one so don’t be upset with your brother.” he told Kae as he handed the new ice dagger to him.

Kae, still pouting, takes the ice dagger. He stares at it before nodding. “Okay, uncle. I forgive Luc.”

Diluc immediately hugs Kae, the tears no more. “Thank you, Kae!!! I’ll treat you to anything you like once we’re in Liyue Harbor!!”

“It will still come from papa’s wallet though.” Kae mutters and they heard a chuckle from the coach seat. It seems like Crepus and Venti have been listening to their little silly quarrel.

“Well, it’s still our money!” Diluc argued.

Kae just mumbled before smiling at the ice dagger.

They arrived at Wangshu Inn around late afternoon. They had decided to stay there for the night and to continue their trip tomorrow as suggested by Venti. Crepus didn’t have any problems with it plus both of his sons were happy to stay, marveled by the structure of the Inn.

“Do you think the building grew with the tree?” Diluc asked all of the sudden and Venti almost choked on the canister of wine that he was drinking. How did the bard even get that?

Kaeya laughed, “No, it did not, young master Diluc. How will that even happen?”

Diluc crosses his arms, pouting. “Anything can happen!!”

Crepus chuckles as he leads the group inside the Inn. Venti, who already recovered from his initial surprise from what the younger redhead had said, walks beside Crepus. He seems to be discussing something with the man and Crepus nodded at him.

“And now, we just need to wait for night time!” Venti exclaimed as he threw himself to his bed inside their room. He had told Crepus that he'll be sharing rooms with Kaeya.

Kaeya chuckles, setting down his bag on his own bed. “Master Crepus is very observant with his surroundings even if he’s just inside their room. Are you sure we’re going to the domain tonight? I thought we’ll wait until we’re in the harbor.”

Venti stretches his arms, “Well, the domain is much closer if we’re in Wangshu Inn. After our little mission, we can enjoy our short vacation in the harbor! Isn’t that an amazing idea?” he asked Kaeya while smirking.

Kaeya smiles as he sits down, “You’re too carefree. I don’t even know if we can investigate the domain in just one night.”

“We’ll see! You have me!” Venti said with a proud huff.

“Sure, sure. If we get caught, I’m blaming you.” Kaeya smirked.

“Hey!”

The duo waited until late night. That was when someone knocked on their window and Kaeya sat up in alarm, his sword immediately materializing on his hand but Venti raised his hand to stop him.

“It’s fine, Kaeya. That’s just my friend.” Venti told Kaeya in a soft tone before walking towards the window, opening it which revealed a familiar young man. “Come in.” The person entered and Kaeya recognized him.

Xiao.

Xiao seemed to look around the room until his eyes landed on Kaeya . He frowns before facing Venti, “Are you really going there yourself?” he asked Venti. He tried to hide it but there’s an obvious hint of concern in his expression.

Venti smiles as he approaches him, “Yup! Don’t worry, Xiao, I have a very powerful bodyguard. Meet Caribert. Caribert, this is the friend I was talking about. His name is Xiao, a yaksha.”

Kaeya keeps his sword away, nodding towards Xiao. “It’s a pleasure to meet the remaining yaksha in Liyue. Thank you for helping us find the domain.”

Xiao huffs, “I hope both of you know what you’re doing. This domain is different from normal and the energy that the hilichurl possesses in this place is much more different from the one that I’ve been fighting against. I’m sure it isn’t a form of demonic spirit.”

“Don’t worry, we have a secret weapon. Anyway, we’re depending on you to bring us there, Xiao!” Venti chirped while wearing a bright smile.

Xiao sighs before nodding, “I can only bring us to the entrance of the domain, After that… it’s up to the both of you.”

Before Kaeya could ask if they were going to walk their way to the domain, Xiao had grabbed both of their hands and in a blink of an eye, their surroundings changed. And then he felt it…

The strong energy of the abyss coming from inside a cave in front of them.

“I’ll wait out here.” Xiao told them as he leaned against a tree, his arms crossed.

Venti smiles, “Thank you, Xiao! Let’s go, Kaeya! Stop dazing around!”

Kaeya shakes his head before following Venti inside of the domain. The miasma inside was thick but thankfully, it doesn’t seem to affect both him and the anemo archon. Kaeya also noticed that Venti’s braids were shining, which means that the archon is on guard. He summoned his sword just in-case a hilichurl or any Abyss Order members attacked them.

The domain seems to be bigger inside as there are many rooms and narrow hallways that they had to walk through. But they didn’t see a single hilichurl on their path. Hopefully, no one is at home so they could deal with the defiled statue without any problems. If Crepus found out that he and Venti are missing, he’ll have to handle another scolding or suspicious looks from the man.

Venti raised his hand to stop Kaeya from walking as soon as they turned to a corner. Kaeya’s eye widened. The path ahead of them is a dead end. There’s a huge chasm between their current spot and the room on the other side. Kaeya looked down, inwardly wincing at the spiky rocks below the wide chasm.

“How do we cross?” Kaeya asked and Venti tut-tuts.

“Are you forgetting what kind of archon I am?”

Kaeya yelped when Venti casually carried him in bridal style. The bluenette doesn’t even know how the shorter man could carry him. Before he could complain, Venti had jumped, stepping on the air like it was a normal thing for him. Thank archons, it’s only the two of them in this domain or else he’ll be embarrassed with a face redder than his brother’s hair.

Venti finally let him stand on his own once they reached the other room. The bard couldn’t help the grin in his face while watching Kaeya’s embarrassment.

“Never ever do that again.”

Venti whistled as he placed his arms behind his head while walking ahead of the bluenette, “How else am I carrying you then?”

Kaeya sighs, following the shorter man. “By using your wind?? You did that in the future when you aided us in the war!”

“That’s future me, not present me.” Venti grinned.

“Ugh.”

After a few more walking, the two finally reached a large room. Kaeya’s right eye throbbed when he finally saw the defiled statue in the distance.

“Are you alright?” Venti asked, noticing his pained expression.

Kaeya just nodded before frowning at the sight in front of them. There are bodies of hilichurls around the room and they aren’t moving. He saw Venti walking to one of the hilichurls and knelt down.

“They’re dead.” Venti muttered before looking up at Kaeya, “Do you think it’s because of the defiled statue?” he asked.

Kaeya didn’t remember Lumine saying anything about dead hilichurls inside the domain but it was possible that these hilichurls sacrificed themselves to the defiled statue so its abyssal energy would get stronger.

“That’s possible. How are you feeling, Venti?” Kaeya asked as Venti gazed towards the defiled statue.

Venti sighs, placing a hand on his temple while shaking his head. “As soon as I saw the statue, I felt like it’s calling to me, urging me to come closer…” he answered.

Kaeya frowns. That doesn’t sound good.

“It’s better if you stay behind me, Venti. Like what I said before, we don’t know how the defiled statue would affect you.” Kaeya told him.

Before Venti could say anything, the energy swirling around the hands of the defiled statue suddenly pulsed, making both the anemo archon and Kaeya gasped in pain. Voices started to whisper beside their ears but Kaeya knows better not to listen to the voices of the abyss. A strong gust of wind blows around the two. Venti had blown away the traces of abyssal energy clinging around them.

“We can’t stay here much longer, Kaeya! Do what you need to do!” Venti told Kaeya and the bluenette nodded.

Kaeya raised his right hand, extending it towards the defiled statue. He closed his eyes, remembering what the real Caribert had taught him.

“If you want to solve the problem of the defiled statue, there’s one way to do it.” Caribert once told him, “Reverse it with the power of the Loom of Fate.”

Something inside Kaeya snapped open and he couldn’t help but gasp from it. The tips of his fingers on his right hand began to darken while the defiled statue pulses with power as if it's fighting against the power of the Loom of Fate.

Venti could only watch as the scene unfolds in front of him. But Kaeya's peaceful concentration was interrupted by a loud roar. They both gasped when a mitachurl appeared behind them.

“Don’t stop! I’ll handle it!” Venti told Kaeya as he summoned his bow.

“T-Thanks.” Kaeya replied, managing to give a smile before he continues to focus on what he’s doing.

The mitachurl charges towards them and Venti shoots several arrows, aiming at its head or legs. The mitachurl growls in pain when one of Venti’s arrows successfully hits it on its forehead, making it stumble backwards but the anemo archon doesn't stop there. Commanding the power of the winds, he pushed the mitachurl up in the air before shooting a few more anemo-imbued arrows. The mitachurl cried out before finally disintegrating into ashes.

Venti sighs and he surveys their surroundings. When he didn’t see any more threats, he turned around to see Kaeya if he’s already done. His eyes widened, noticing that Kaeya’s right arm had fully turned abysmal black.

Kaeya winced as a sharp pain throbbed within his right eye. He knelt down, clutching on the right side of his face using his left hand since his right hand is still extended towards the defiled statue as the power of Loom of Fate reverses its state.

“Kaeya!” he felt Venti’s hands on his shoulder and without looking at the anemo archon, he knew the worries present on his face.

The skin around his right arm had darkened and the color crawled past his elbow and onto his shoulder. But the abyssal aura around the defiled statue also starts to lessen.

Kaeya tried to smirk but it only looked pained for the bard, “I’m fine. D-Don’t worry. Just a bit more…”

Like a string that had been cut, Kaeya gasped and slumped forward as he panted out of exhaustion. The abyssal aura around the statue had disappeared and the ominous atmosphere had faded. His right arm also started fading back to its original skin color.

He felt some liquid dripping from his right eye and when he looked down at the ground, he frowned at the sight of blood. He looked up at the statue and sighed in relief. At least, the cleansing was a success but he didn’t expect that the side effects of using the power would be like this. Caribert didn’t tell him about this.

“You’re bleeding–”

Before Venti could continue worrying about the side effect of the Loom of Fate’s power on Kaeya , the domain they were in began to shake. The chains holding the statue of the seven shattered and the statue fell, shaking the ground. Venti looked up and noticed that the ceiling was also starting to collapse on them.

“We got to go!” Venti told Kaeya as he pulled him up.

Kaeya blinked, the aching in his right eye had faded but it was replaced with lightheadedness instead. “But.. the statue…” he managed to murmur.

Venti rolls his eyes, “How are we bringing it back to Mondstadt? Let’s just leave it here, our mission is done! I'm sure the Abyss Order wouldn't be able to corrupt it again!”

Kaeya nodded and the two of them rushed out to the exit of the domain with the help of Venti’s winds. None of the two noticed a pair of golden eyes watching them as they both fled from the collapsing domain.

Chapter Text

Kaeya remembered losing consciousness while he was carried by Venti and there’s also somebody else’s arm supporting him. Probably Xiao. But after losing his consciousness, he had a strange dream. He was standing in front of a Statue of the Seven and for some reason, he knew that it was the defiled statue that he cleansed. He could only stare at it while some winds blew past him, caressing his hair and his cheeks. He doesn’t know if he imagined it, but there was also a huge tree behind the statue.

And a familiar feminine voice said,

‘Thank you.’

And that’s when he opened his eyes, a familiar ceiling greeting him. It looks like he’s back in their room in Wangshu Inn. He’ll make sure to thank Xiao and Venti later for carrying him back. Using the power of the Loom of Fate for the first time is exhausting. He could still feel the tiredness today.

He noticed that the range of his sight was small so he touched the right side of his face and realized that his right eye was bandaged. It did bleed earlier… His right eye wouldn’t go blind after what happened… right?

He heard someone clearing their throat so he turned his head and froze. Kaeya immediately sat up, staring at the man with a widened eye.

“M-Master Crepus?!”

Why is Crepus here?!

He spotted Venti in the corner of the room. He looks apologetic. What happened while he’s unconscious? Did they get caught while on their way back? But how? Surely Xiao teleported them back inside the room unless…

“Care to tell me where you and Venti have been and how you got your right eye injured and bleeding?” Crepus asked him, raising an eyebrow. There’s a deep frown on his face.

“Aah…” Kaeya looked at Venti again but the bard only looked away, smiling nervously. What a friend. “We were just.. Taking a walk! Yes, we were just taking a walk since we couldn’t sleep. And then we saw a hilichurl camp and decided to clean it up since it was too close to Wangshu Inn. I got a little careless and it was dark so I got hit in the right side of my face by one of the hilichurl’s clubs.”

Crepus crosses his arms, “And I assume you are aided by one of Liyue’s yaksha, Xiao?”

Kaeya’s eye widened, “W-Well… Yes-”

“But I remember not spotting any camps when we arrived at Wangshu Inn. I’ll let you know that I did my own rounds around the area before I stayed in our room. Even if there are camps, I should have cleaned them up myself. Without the use of my weapon of course, to honor our agreement.” Crepus told him, his face darkening.

Shit.

Kaeya gulped in nervousness and he couldn’t help but just stare down on his lap, his hands clenched on the sheet of the bed. The panic wasn’t helping with his exhaustion and he couldn’t think straight for a better excuse.

Crepus sighs when Kaeya replies with nothing but silence. “Listen. You don’t have to lie to me. Venti already told me that both of you are doing this for the best intention but I still need to know.”

Kaeya expected to see anger within those red orbs but when he looked up, he was surprised to see worry instead. So Crepus was no longer suspicious of him and was instead worried? I guess that’s the perk of being his youngest son’s uncle and for trying to prove to him that he won’t ever make the man suspicious of him anymore.

“I…” Kaeya bit his lip, thinking how he could twist what they just did. 

Let’s think about what Crepus knew about him. He’s Kae’s uncle. He appeared in Mondstadt to protect him and to watch him grow up. That’s what most of the people know about his purpose of becoming a butler in the Ragnvindr Residence. And if he can connect that with his current mission, he could just tell Crepus…

“I simply dealt with a threat that might harm Kae in the future. As you know, his father abandoned him in Mondstadt and he had a few lackeys that had been keeping a close watch over the poor kid. Ever since I appeared, I felt that they are starting to move so I’m trying my best to deal with them. Venti knew about them too and offered his help when he noticed me sneaking out late at night. And the yaksha, Xiao, happened to be around and helped us too when I got injured.” Kaeya explained, wishing that it’s enough for Crepus to believe in. He hates lying to the man but it’s not yet the time to tell the real truth.

Crepus sighs as he leaned back, rubbing his temple, “I see. Still, you could have told me about it and I could have helped you. If you are doing this to protect Kae, then I wouldn’t mind lending a hand. I will do anything to keep my son safe. If you risk your own safety by facing them all by yourself, you’ll only get injured and worry not just me but the others too. Including Kae.”

Kaeya’s eye widened, surprised that Crepus admitted that he was worried for him . “Right… I don’t want him to get worried.” he chuckles, “But about you extending your help… I’m sorry but I have to decline. I can handle this.” he told Crepus, earning a frown from the man.

“Are you hiding something else?” Crepus asked sharply.

“N-No…” Kaeya answered softly, already looking away. He knew Crepus wouldn’t buy it but he really can’t say anything anymore.

Crepus sighs and nodded, “Alright, fine. Let’s say I believe in you. But if things get too dangerous and if you think you can’t handle it alone, promise me that you’ll seek my help.”

Kaeya’s eye widened, turning to face Crepus. “But–”

“I followed your promise not to use…” he glanced at where Venti was, not forgetting that they aren’t alone in the room. “ That weapon. Don’t I deserve to have a promise from you too?” he smirked.

Kaeya shakes his head but he was smiling fondly. How could he ever forget that his brother got his own stubbornness from their own father? It seems like he has no other choice but to promise something to him but with Venti helping him with this mission, and with Alice in the background, he doubts he’ll ever need Crepus’ help. He’ll just accept this promise just to stop Crepus from persuading him.

“Alright. I promise, Master Crepus.” Kaeya finally said.

Crepus smiles, nodding. He seems satisfied. “Good.”

A comfortable silence fell in the room. It was only then that Venti approached the two and sat on the bed, grinning at Kaeya .

“How’s your right eye? Does it still hurt?” Venti asked, Crepus also looked at him.

“Right, I almost forgot to ask about that. It was bleeding when I saw you being helped by Venti and the yaksha.” Crepus muttered.

Kaeya patted the bandage covering his right eye and smiled, “I think it’s okay now.” he muttered before carefully removing the bandage.

Once the bandages were removed, he covered his right eye before looking around. He saw his eyepatch on the side table beside him and grabbed it. It looks like it had been cleaned too since there’s no bloodstains in it anymore.

He could feel Crepus’ eyes on him while he’s putting on the eyepatch so he asked, “Is there something wrong, Master Crepus?”

The man blinked as if surprised, “Ah, my apologies. I was just wondering why you and Kae are covering your right eye... Yours should have healed already so why are you covering it from other’s view?” he asked with curiosity. “I have never seen Kae’s right eye as well… I’m not going to lie that I’ve been so curious about it. Is it some kind of… family tradition?”

Kaeya chuckles, “You could say that. It’s… nothing special.”

Crepus just hums, “If you say so.”

“How did you catch us, by the way?” Kaeya asked Crepus while eyeing Venti.

Crepus smirks, “I’ve been in your room when the yaksha appeared with you and Venti.”

“I was surprised when I realized that Master Crepus was inside the room!” Venti exclaimed. Kaeya didn’t feel either of them were lying so it must be true.

Kaeya tilted his head, curious about one thing. “Why were you in our room?”

“Well. Actually, Kae woke up crying. He had a nightmare and he was asking for you so I went out of our room to go to yours. I knocked but the force of my knocking opened the door instead. It wasn’t locked, not even properly closed. I tried calling for you or Venti but no one answered so I went inside. That’s when I realized that the room was empty.” Crepus explained to them.

Kaeya immediately glared at the guilty bard, his look giving the question ‘You didn’t lock the door??’ while he verbally said, “I blame Venti then. He was still in the room when I snuck out.”

“Hey!” Venti pouted.

“I returned to our room and told Kae that you’re already asleep before returning to your room to wait for either of you to return.” Crepus told them.

Kaeya smiles sheepishly, “I’m sorry for sneaking out again.”

“Just don’t do it next time… When you and Venti returned with the yaksha, I….” Crepus looked away, pain evident in his expression. “I don’t know why I feel hurt. Maybe because I imagined Kae being hurt in your place and it made me panic.”

“Master Crepus did your bandage.” Venti said, smirking.

Kaeya blinked, surprised. “Oh.” he suddenly couldn’t help but feel shy. “Thank you, Master Crepus.”

Crepus just sighs before standing up, “It’s nothing. Well then, you two better rest. We can leave before lunch. Fighting must have exhausted both of you.” he told them before leaving the room.

Once the man was gone, Venti quickly went to lock the door before letting out a sigh of relief. He turns around, smiling at Kaeya .

“That was close! You don’t know how nervous I was the whole time, especially when you’re not yet awake! Master Crepus could be very scary!” Venti told him as he walked towards his separate bed.

Kaeya chuckles, “That’s Master Crepus for you.”

Venti giggles, “So… I know we asked about your eye but are you really feeling alright now? No more side effects from the power?” he asked.

Kaeya nodded, lying down again. “Yeah, I feel better now. Just tired.” he yawned before asking, “What time is it?”

“It should be past midnight already.” Venti said, “We should sleep! We still have a long trip later!”

“I know, I know. Good night, Venti.” Kaeya said.

“Night!”

The next time Kaeya woke up, he felt a heavy weight on top of him. He swore if that bard somehow sleepwalked and ended up on him, he’s going to kick him hard. But when he opened his eye, he did not expect to see blue hair in front of him. It took him a few moments to realize that it was actually his younger self hugging him while he sleeps.

There was somebody else in the room who spoke.

“Sorry about that, as soon as he woke up, he wanted to go to you even if you’re still sleeping.” a voice said on his side and when he turned his head, he saw Crepus drinking what seemed like a mug of hot coffee.

Kaeya carefully sat up, holding on to Kae and gently setting him down beside him so he wouldn’t wake him up. “Is that so? He sounds a little antsy.”

Crepus looked at Kae with worry, “I know. Maybe it’s because of the nightmare. I think it involves you.”

“Oh…” Kaeya muttered. “Is young master Diluc also awake?” he asked and Crepus nodded.

“Venti accompanied him to Verr Goldet to order their breakfast. We should go and join them.” Crepus told him before placing his mug on the side table and shaking Kae to wake him up. “Kae? Wake up. We need to eat breakfast.”

Kae grumbles something, curling up beside Kaeya even more. “Noo… I don’t want to train yet…”

Kaeya chuckles, “Kae, there’s no training today. We’re resuming our trip to Liyue, remember?” he asked him and the younger bluenette blinked his eye slowly.

Kae yawns before finally getting up, “Good morning, uncle. Good morning, papa…”

“Good morning, sleepy head. Come on, let’s join Venti and your brother.” Crepus told him and received a slow nod from Kae.

Crepus left the room with his mug of coffee and Kae followed him. They waited for Kaeya to finish getting ready before joining Venti and Diluc for breakfast. Kae sat beside Kaeya and while everyone else was busy with their own meals, Kaeya decided to ask the younger bluenette about his nightmare.

“I heard from Master Crepus that you had another nightmare. Do you want to tell uncle about it?” Kaeya asked Kae.

Kae nibbles on his piece of golden shrimp ball while thinking about it. He looked up at Kaeya , “It was a very bad nightmare… Uncle was fighting against some bad guys while joined by… papa? But the weird thing was… papa looks more like Luc if he’s an adult.”

Kaeya froze, his eye widening slightly. “...Really?”

Hearing the concern in Kaeya’s tone, Venti looked up from the crystal shrimp dumpling he was eating to listen to them.

Kae nodded his head, “Mhmm… Uncle was badly wounded while papa was protecting you… I know it’s just a nightmare and it isn’t real but… it feels so real and it scares me. So when I woke up, I wanted to make sure that you’re really alright… Papa said you were already sleeping tho so I just went to your room the second time I woke up.”

Kaeya and Venti exchange worried glances. Did Kae just dream about the future? Was it the effect of his stay in this timeline?

“Well, Caribert is safe. So everything’s alright, Kae.” Crepus, who was also listening, told Kae in a gentle tone.

Kaeya nodded, smiling at Kae. “Yes, I am safe and healthy.”

Kae smiles back, “Mhm!” he hums before returning to his food.

Kaeya’s smile quickly disappeared as he stared at his soup. He has to talk to Alice or Caribert about this and confirm if the memories from the future are really affecting his younger self… If Kae discovers that he was actually his future self and not his uncle, how could he explain everything to him?

Upon their arrival in Liyue, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Consultant greeted them in front of Baiju Guesthouse. Surprised that Zhongli was already there, Kaeya just thought that Venti probably informed him that they are close to the harbor using the winds. He could feel the man’s gaze on him and Kae. He was observing his younger self and Kaeya wouldn’t be surprised if he’s currently in his guard for having not one but two Khaenri’ahns in his own nation. Fortunately, Venti is with them. Kaeya couldn’t help but snicker every time the bard elbows his old friend whenever the man stares at him or Kae. Sometimes, the look he gives scares his younger self. 

Once Crepus had settled in their room in the Inn, Zhongli invited them to Third-Round Knockout for dinner. Zhongli had brought one of the bottles of Dandelion Wine he ordered with them to drink. On their way, both of the men started talking about business.

“Ah, here comes the boring talk…” Diluc grumbled.

Kaeya chuckles, “How about we walk around after dinner? I heard that Liyue is very pretty at night, especially in Feiyun Slope.”

Diluc grins, “You finally have some use! I love that idea.”

Kae pouts, “Luc…”

“I agree with the butler. Feiyun Slope is indeed beautiful at night. There are also a few street shops and game stalls that you can check. Perhaps something may interest both of the children.” Zhongli said as he turned around, smiling at Kae and Diluc.

Crepus nodded, “That’s good then. Caribert, make sure to go back to the inn before eight.”

Kaeya placed a hand over his chest and bowed, “I will, Master Crepus.”

They soon reached the restaurant and sat at one of the vacant tables. Zhongli offered to pay for them so they could choose freely from the menu. Crepus was hesitant at first, not wanting to let Zhongli pay alone but the Consultant reassured him that it’s fine and that they are the guests so it was only right for him to treat them with free meals. In the end, Crepus gave up and agreed.

“So your name is Caribert. You and Master Crepus’ youngest son look a bit similar. Are both of you related?” Zhongli suddenly asked.

“Ah, yes. Young master Kaeya is actually my nephew. I’m his uncle.” Kaeya explained.

Zhongli hums while staring at Kaeya with his unwavering golden eyes. “I see. It’s a surprise to see you working as a butler.”

Kaeya laughs lightly, “It’s a long story. Let’s just say I owe Master Crepus a lot for taking good care of my adorable nephew.” he told Zhongli, ruffling Kae’s hair and earning a whine from the kid.

Zhongli smiles before sipping on his share of the wine that they brought, “I see.”

Thankfully, their dinner went smoothly. Zhongli didn’t question Kaeya or Kae anymore and simply enjoyed his talk with Crepus. Venti’s right, these two might end up as best buddies. Quite funny how Zhongli will befriend another Harbinger in the far future.

After eating dinner, Kaeya had left with both kids while Venti stayed with Crepus and Zhongli. He could only smile as he watched Kae and Diluc walking ahead of him with wonder and excitement in their eyes.

“Uncle, can we eat from that food stall?” Kae asked while tugging Kaeya on his left arm’s sleeve.

Diluc started sniffing the air and both of his eyes sparkled, “That smells amazing! Caribert, let’s go!!!” he yelled out before grabbing Caribert’s other hand and pulling him towards the food stall that Kae pointed at.

Kae grabbed on Kaeya’s hand while following the two, matching the excitement of his older brother. The older bluenette chuckled at both of them and once they arrived in front of the stall, he brought out his wallet while Kae and Diluc picked which ones they wanted to buy.

The three of them settled by the side of the sea as they ate their food. Kaeya lets the time pass by, letting the kids enjoy their time as they watch the ship go in and out of the harbor. They even visited some street game stalls that are up and Kaeya took some time to check the merchant stalls selling some local Liyue ingredients. He’s thinking of checking it out for now and just buy a few before they return to Mondstadt.

He was about to tell the kids that it’s time to return when he suddenly felt a deadly stare from behind, making him turn around with his eye wide.

What was that?

The stare definitely didn’t feel friendly and it even had a slight hint of bloodthirst in it. But as he looked around, he didn’t find anyone suspicious. He also couldn’t think of anyone who might be after him or the kids… Or maybe someone knows Diluc as the famous wine tycoon’s son from Mondstadt and they had been keeping an eye on him? But that doesn’t seem right. The deadly stare felt like it was directed at him not towards Diluc or his adopted brother, Kae.

He heard a yawn so he looked down at both of the kids.

“Caribert, let’s go back now. I’m tired.” Diluc said as he rubbed his eyes.

Kae nodded, holding on Kaeya’s hand as he also let out a yawn. “Tired and sleepy. But the street games here are fun! I want to go back tomorrow…”

Kaeya chuckles, patting both of them on their heads and earning an annoyed huff from the younger redhead. 

“Alright then, let’s go back.” he told them, holding back Kae’s hand and extending the other to Diluc. Though hesitant, Diluc still held his hand and the three of them headed back to their inn.

…maybe it’s just his imagination.

Chapter Text

Their vacation in Liyue soon came to an end. Crepus, Diluc, Kae, Venti and Kaeya had to return to Mondstadt soon. Zhongli packed a few Liyue cuisines for them to take home and to share with the staff of the Ragnvindr Residence and Dawn Winery.

“Thank you once again for inviting us to Liyue, Mr. Zhongli.” Crepus told Zhongli as they walked towards their covered wagon where Kaeya and the brothers were waiting. Venti was walking by Zhongli’s other side, smiling.

Zhongli chuckles, “It was a pleasure. I hope I can invite you and your kids again once Lantern Rite is here.”

Crepus lets out a heartfelt laugh, “I’m sure my kids would love to return! They enjoyed their stay.”

Venti pouts, “And no invitation for me, my dear friend?”

Zhongli sighs, “... ah yes, for you as well.”

“Why do I have a feeling that you’re not happy? Hmph.” Venti grumbled and Crepus chuckled at their interaction.

“Father! Venti! Mister Zhongli!!” Diluc called out while waving his hand. He’s sitting in the front seat of the covered wagon with Kae.

Crepus spotted Kaeya who just finished loading up their wagon with the crates of the ingredients they bought, then the bluenette approached them while Venti immediately hopped inside of the covered wagon, excited to go back to Mondstadt.

“We’re all ready and good to go.” Kaeya told Crepus, smiling.

Crepus nodded, “Thank you, Caribert. Well then, I’ll see you again next time, Mr. Zhongli.”

Zhongli smiled and he nodded his head, “Have a safe trip.”

Crepus ushered both kids inside the covered wagon before getting on himself. Kaeya could feel Zhongli’s gaze on him so he turned around while smiling; even though the gaze was making him a bit uneasy. The man had been observing him during their whole stay in Liyue. And with him knowing that Zhongli was actually the Geo Archon in disguise, why wouldn't he be tensed?

“Is there something you've forgotten to tell us?” Kaeya asked Zhongli but the consultant simply smiles in a friendly manner.

“I’d like to give you some traveling advice.” Zhongli slowly said and Kaeya raised an eyebrow, a sign telling Zhongli that he’s curious about the advice. “Be careful on the road, Caribert. Don’t let your guard down, especially once you’re outside of Liyue Harbor. There have been several eyes on you and I’m sure you’ve felt them. They aren’t friendly.”

Kaeya’s eye widens but his surprise quickly disappears and he bows instead, “Thank you for the advice. I’ll be careful on our way back to Mondstadt.”

Zhongli nodded and he simply watched as Kaeya hops onto the front seat. The two exchange a nod and soon, the covered wagon departs. For now, he’s thankful that the Geo Archon doesn’t seem like a threat to him. He’s honestly surprised that Zhongli had noticed those eyes that had been watching him and he even gave him some advice. Perhaps the reason why Zhongli wasn’t doing anything to him or Kae was because of the presence of the Anemo Archon. He’ll have to thank Venti once they return to Mondstadt.

Once they are away from the harbor, Kaeya becomes more cautious in their surroundings. The eyes he felt inside Liyue Harbor didn’t appear again but the road back to Mondstadt is suspiciously quiet. Too quiet. The Treasure Hoarders that usually camp out in Guili Plains aren’t around. Hopefully, those people simply moved to the other areas.

“What got you so tense? Are there any threats around, Caribert?” 

Kaeya almost yelped, surprised by Crepus’ sudden appearance by his side. When did the man even peeked from there?! Crepus raised his eyebrow while smiling in amusement. Kaeya also notices that both Kae and Diluc are sleeping while Venti was playing a music that sounded like a lullaby.

When Crepus didn’t receive an answer from Kaeya , he carefully moved to sit beside the bluenette instead and looked around.

“I don’t see any threats. But it’s… a little quieter than normal. Ahh. So that’s what got you to be this tense.” Crepus said, a frown forming in his face.

Kaeya only nodded, looking back in front of them to focus on their path. “It was unusual. The Treasure Hoarders are also gone. I would usually spot some of them hiding behind the trees and watching as we passed but today, it’s pretty empty here.”

Crepus hums, his eyes sharp as he continues to observe their surroundings. Suddenly, he held on Kaeya’s shoulder and stood up, shaking the wagon a bit with the sudden movement. The shaking got Venti’s attention and he stopped with his music, now looking towards the front seat where Kaeya and Crepus are.

Kaeya frowned at the redhead man, “Master Crepus, standing on the front seat of the covered wagon is not good manne–”

“Stop the wagon.” Crepus suddenly told Kaeya and the bluenette quickly complied, making the wagon slow to a stop.

Before Kaeya could ask Crepus why they had to stop, he heard a familiar sound and it brought nothing but shock for the bluenette. He heard that sound so many times, especially in the future timeline. 

It was the laughter of an abyss mage.

Kaeya’s thoughts turned out to be real as an abyssal portal appears in front of them and floating out of it is a Pyro Abyss Mage. It’s followed by several hilichurl archers and two Rock Shieldwall Mitachurls.

“Hilichurls led by a monster from the Abyss?!” Crepus gasped in surprise which woke the kids up.

“Mmm.. what?” Diluc asked as he rubbed his eyes.

Kae, who had woken up and looked at their direction, spotted the group of Abyss Order monsters. His face paled in fear and abruptly backed away but thankfully, Diluc caught him before he could fall to the floor of the wagon. The younger bluenette clung onto his brother, looking at the Abyss Order monsters with a fearful wide eye.

“Stay back, I’ll handle them.” Kaeya told them as he stood up, “That goes for you as well, Master Crepus.” he told the man as he noticed Crepus grabbing the sword he brought with them.

Crepus frowned at him as expected, “And let you handle them alone?”

Venti watched them before smiling. He stood up, his lyre disappearing with the winds. “He won’t be alone if he’ll have my help!”

Kaeya looked at him gratefully while Crepus still looked hesitant about leaving the fight with him and the bard.

“Venti, you can fight?” Diluc asked in shock while hugging his scared brother.

Venti grins and a bow materializes on his hand. The younger redhead stared at his weapon with awe.

“Yes, I can! Not only am I the best bard in Mondstadt but also the best archer that can sing a song!” he told Diluc before following Kaeya down the covered wagon.

Crepus shakes his head, “They still have the upperhand with their numbers.”

“But both of us are experienced fighters. Please believe in us, Master Crepus.” Venti said back, looking at the man with confidence.

Crepus stared at the both of them before finally sitting back on the front seat of the covered wagon but he hadn't let go of the sword yet.

“Fine but if I see both of you struggling, I’m joining.” Crepus told them.

Kaeya sighs, shaking his head. “Alright, Master Crepus. Don’t worry, we’ll finish this as fast as possible.” he reassured the man before walking towards their enemies with Venti.

The Pyro Abyss Mage cackles, “You think you two can handle us? Nonsense! Just give up your power to us, man with a blue hair.”

Kaeya froze, his eye widening. Even Venti was surprised by what the abyss mage had said. They shouldn’t mean the Loom of Fate, right…? How could it be possible?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kaeya glared, making the abyss mage laugh even more.

“Don’t play like a fool! The Prince had seen what you had done with the Defiled Statue! You… You used an unknown power to remove the corruption in it. You are a threat. Nothing but a threat! And for us to contain that threat, we must capture you and take that power!”

Kaeya’s sweat dropped and he glanced towards his friend. Venti’s braids were already glowing with the energy of anemo. He looked behind them and still saw the concerned expression of Crepus. Even Diluc and Kae are watching. They didn’t seem to hear what the abyss mage had said which was a relief. He doesn’t want Crepus asking him about the Defiled Statue.

“I won’t let you do that.” he heard Venti saying to the Pyro Abyss Mage. “You won’t touch a single strand of my friend’s hair.”

The bluenette smiles before turning back to glare at the enemies in front of them. The Pyro Abyss Mage just cackles again and then it finally waves its wand, signaling its allies to attack. The hilichurl archers loaded their crossbows with element-infused arrows, aiming it towards the covered wagon instead of Kaeya and Venti, which was quickly discovered by the two that the target wasn’t actually them but the family inside the wagon instead.

“Venti!”

Venti nodded, raising his hand to focus the wind around the hilichurl archers. A gust of wind suddenly surrounded them and pushed them up in the air before they could even release their arrows. Kaeya sprinted towards the Pyro Abyss Mage, hitting its shield with his frostgnaw. As expected, Cryo wasn’t that strong against the shield of a Pyro Abyss Mage. He could even hear the laughter of the mage while he’s trying to break its shield.

<Diluc’s Focus>
<Kaeya will now be written as Caribert in the narration until Diluc’s Focus is over>

Diluc could only watch helplessly and he couldn't help but take a glance at his own vision from time to time. Seeing the color of that unfamiliar monster to be in red color, that would mean that it has the power of Pyro like him so he probably couldn’t help Caribert but he can try to help Venti with the smaller hilichurls. If he remembers Grand Master Varka's lessons clearly, claymores are powerful against the shields of a Rock Shieldwall Mitachurl.

As if reading the plans running inside the boy’s head, Crepus shot him a stern look.

“Whatever you’re planning, don’t. Just stay here and let the two of them handle it.” his father told him and making him frown.

The younger redhead glared at his father, “I-I’m supposed to be a knight. A soon-to-be knight! I should be out there helping both of them, Father!” Diluc snapped, already feeling irritated that he couldn’t do anything. His Vision flaring together with his emotions.

Crepus sighs, doing a full turn so he could face both of his sons properly. “What you need to do right now is to be with your brother. You’re still 11 years old. Leave this to the older people, Diluc. And these monsters.. They are led by a creature from the Abyss and… monsters from the Abyss are dangerous. I don’t want you to risk yourself. And you’re not yet a knight, Diluc. You’re not that experienced yet.”

“But–”

“Luc...” Kae’s trembling voice cuts him off.

Diluc glanced towards his younger brother, his eyes wide. Finally, the weight of Crepus’ words seem to make its presence known to him. He shakes his head, finally dismissing the thoughts of wanting to fight alongside the two men and he keeps Kae close to his side instead.

“I’m sorry, Kae! I-I won’t go anywhere!”

Diluc spots his father smiling in relief, seeing the way Kae calms down even for a bit. For some reason, Diluc really feels upset for having his weakness used like this but he guesses that there’s really nothing he could do but to watch the two fight while keeping his brother safe. He won’t deny that he really has a soft spot for his baby brother.

He saw his father looking back to where Venti and Caribert are fighting and noticed that the hilichurl archers are now gone and Venti was fighting against the two Rock Shieldwall Mitachurls now but it looks like their bard friend was struggling. His Anemo Vision wasn’t doing anything against its shields.

“Looks like Caribert finally broke that abyss monster’s shield.” he heard Crepus saying in relief.

Diluc watched as their butler fought against the abyss monster. He watched closely. Maybe he could learn some moves from Kae’s uncle and perform it during the knight’s test. He should try imitating his moves. Alright! That’s his goal for now!

<End of Diluc’s focus>

“Venti, let’s switch!” Kaeya yelled out, getting Venti’s attention.

The bard smirked, seeing the Pyro Abyss Mage’s stunned state. “Alright! Be careful! Those mitachurls are tough!”

Kaeya and Venti ran to each other’s place. Kaeya had brought out his Glacial Waltz, surrounding himself with crystals of frozen ice. It seems like Venti’s attacks still made some damage to the mitachurl’s shields and it broke in just two to three swings of his sword. He made quick work of a continuous series of slashes before kicking one of the mitachurls below its chin, making it lose its balance and fall backwards. Kaeya didn’t take a moment to rest as he switched his focus to the second mitachurl who was already charging towards him at quick speed. He dodged to his left side before sending out a strong frostgnaw from behind the mitachurl, making it growl in pain.

The wind suddenly grew strong around them and Kaeya covered his face. He glanced to where Venti was and saw that he had created a medium sized black hole– or vacuum? He couldn’t help but snicker when the Pyro Abyss Mage was struggling in the center of the vacuum of wind. Soon, the two mirachurls had joined the abyss mage inside of it.

“W-Woah! Father, are you sure that Venti isn’t some kind of legendary adventurer?!” Diluc gasped from the covered wagon.

The praise apparently made the bard’s pride increase as he puffed out his chest. “What a wonderful praise, young master Diluc! Unfortunately, I truly am just a normal bard!” Venti told Diluc while winking.

Crepus could only chuckle while holding down the covers of the wagon. He doesn’t want it to get sucked by whatever Venti had created. Even the horses are starting to get restless because of the winds.

“Haha… Just a normal bard, huh…” Crepus mumbled, staring at the vacuum of wind that’s starting to disperse.

Both of the mitachurls fade into ashes, leaving only the badly wounded Pyro Abyss Mage on the ground. Venti and Kaeya walked closer to the mage and the bluenette knelt down in front of it, grabbing it by its collar.

“Tell me, was it truly the ‘Prince’ of the Abyss Order who sent you here?” Kaeya asked, his voice low because he doesn’t want their conversation to be heard by the people from the covered wagon. And if they needed to get information from this mage, then there’s no playing around anymore. If Aether already found out about his power of the Loom of Fate, then they should act fast and get as much information as they can from this abyss mage.

The Pyro Abyss Mage shivers, “Why… Why are you working with this… this useless bard?!” it shrieked, pointing at Venti. “You… You should come with us, instead! With your mysterious power, we can rule over Teyvat and topple the Seven Gods or even Celestia from their high thrones! I– We can even guarantee the safety of those people behind you!”

Kaeya smiles, “Tempting offer.”

Small hope seems to appear from the abyss mage’s black eyes. “So–”

His smile suddenly turned into a deep frown, his periwinkle eye seemed to glow dangerously even under the sunlight, making the abyss mage shiver in fear.

“No thank you. I’ve chosen my own path, tell that to your Prince.” Kaeya told him before pushing the abyss mage harshly. “I will never surrender myself or this mysterious power .” He stood up, dusting himself off the dirt.

The abyss mage shivers even more, not from fear but from anger. “Y-You… You’ll regret this!” it told Kaeya before a portal appeared behind it.

Venti was about to stop the Pyro Abyss Mage from leaving but Kaeya raised his hand and shook his head. Soon, the abyss mage disappears with the portal. The bard frowns at the bluenette.

“Are you sure about letting that guy off?” Venti asked Kaeya , following him as he walked his way back to the covered wagon. “This might taunt the Abyss Order more. What if their ‘Prince’ decides to come after you instead?”

“Their Prince… even though I don’t want to meet him… He’s a sensible person. His sister, who died in the future, is still alive in this timeline. She should still be asleep. Who knows if I can negotiate with him, by telling him bits of the future. Although it’s a bit risky, knowing that he’s the Prince of the Abyss… But if he agreed to transfer this power to me, then there’s a chance to talk things out with him.” Kaeya said but just thinking about it is already making him nervous.

Venti sighs, “Alright, your choice… We’ll talk more about this once we’re back in Mondstadt.”

Kaeya nodded, “We can go to the restricted room in the Knights of Favonius library.”

“Oh, good idea! I’ve been wanting to go there!” Venti chirped with a bright smile.

“Are both of you alright? Any injuries?” Crepus asked as soon as they got close to the covered wagon. He’s already holding some rolls of bandages.

“W-We also have an ointment for cuts or burns!” Kae told them, showing the small can of the ointment.

Venti smiles, ruffling Kae’s hair. “Aww, thank you Kae! Ahh, you’re so adorable~” he told him and Kae giggled in return. Venti glanced towards Kaeya , grinning a bit.

Kaeya just sighs at the obvious teasing while shaking his head. “We’re alright, Master Crepus. We didn’t have any serious injuries. Just a few cuts and first degree burns.”

“Use the ointment then. Go inside the covered wagon, I’ll sit in the front seat this time to lead the horses.” Crepus told  them before putting back the bandages inside of their first-aid kit.

Kaeya and Venti followed Kae inside of the covered wagon and both brothers quickly helped them with the ointment despite being told that they can handle it, but it looks like both Kae and Diluc really wanted to help so Kaeya and Venti just let them.

Fortunately, they didn’t encounter any more trouble for the rest of their trip.

.

.

.

The escaped Pyro Abyss Mage appeared inside of a dark ruin. It flails its arms wildly as he floats towards the young man with a braided golden hair.

“P-Prince!!”

The young man turns around, his golden eyes staring at the mage with no emotion. 

“Did you get him?”

“I-I’m so sorry! My group was killed! Both him and the Mondstadter bard are too strong! T-The bluenette let me flee though! W-What should we do? He said he won’t hand over the power or work with us!”

The young man sighs, turning around and looking up to the eerie black crystal floating up in the air, suspended by chains. It was silent, only the pulse of the abysmal energy around them could be felt.

“That’s fine. Regroup and bring a lot more stronger warriors next time. We must take that man and interrogate him on how he cleansed the defiled statue. I must know that mysterious power he used. We must get him alive or injured. Just make sure he isn’t dead.”

The Pyro Abyss Mage bowed its head, “Y-Yes, Prince Aether.”

Aether simply nodded.

Chapter Text

Destruction.

There’s nothing but destruction around him.

The Abyss Order keeps their advance against the Seven Nations of Teyvat. The Tsaritsa had failed to summon the Heavenly Principles and had sacrificed her own life in exchange, driving the organization of the Fatui to madness. Those who are strong enough were able to survive from the surging madness but for those who are unlucky began to roam Teyvat like soulless monsters, causing chaos and havoc all over the world.

Just like Khaenri’ah’s people when the Abyss Order wasn’t founded yet.

This was the punishment given to Snezhnaya for trying to tap into greater divine power, and yet the sinister Sinner had taken this as an advantage to take control over the maddened soldiers, gaining more numbers in the Abyss Order’s army.

If someone were to ask him if he ever regretted starting this war… it did appear in his mind so many times but he can no longer stop what he had started. His sister had chosen his enemy’s side so now, they must go against each other. It was painful. It brings an ache in his heart but he can’t do anything about it because he believes…

That this is all for the better.

He’d seen the truth of this world after all… And only the Sinner has the power to change the tides of fate. And that is how they made this war happen.

“..Ae…ther…”

His hand shook as he took several harsh breaths while staring down at the person under him, impaled by his own sword.

His own sister, slain by his own sword. Using his own two hands.

The light leaves Lumine’s eyes and the elements around them seem to grieve. The wind blows harsher and the temperature drops. The ground began to shake and small spikes of rocks surrounded them. The Gods who are watching over his sister must have gotten mad. His sister was still surprisingly loved by Teyvat’s many deities.

But that doesn’t seem to be the case.

He realized that it was his own power getting out of control because of his emotions. He cried out to the merciless heavens, he blamed the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, he blamed fate.

He blamed himself.

Until his eyes’ own light shattered and hope had disappeared. Little did he know of the triumphant cheers and laughter coming from the Abyss Order’s army. Especially from a certain chunk of black crystal.

“Aether… I-I’m not here to fight you. Most of my people have fallen and I am now truly the weakest archon. I have no power to defeat you. I… I just want to talk.”

Aether could only stare down at the short god named Barbatos, his sword pointed at the archon’s neck.

“Let’s… Let’s make a deal and I can assure you that I… I can save your sister, Lumine.”

If Aether is not smarter than this, he could have fallen to the lies. Save his sister? But his sister is dead. What is he going to do? Bring her back to life? But how? No life can ever bring back his sister especially when she was killed by his sword and with the power of the Abyss.

“I know you don’t believe me but please, just this once! You have to trust me! I-I know a way and you’re the only one who can help me. There must be some kindness left in your heart, Aether.”

For a moment, Aether’s hold on his sword loosened but he quickly sharpens his eyes and dragged the sword diagonally, earning a painful cry from Barbatos. Unfortunately, the small archon moved back just in time, earning only an injury on his arms which he had used as a shield.

“It’s over, Barbatos.”

As he raised his sword, Barbatos suddenly said something that halted Aether’s movement.

“W-We can rewind time!”

Aether’s eyes narrowed, “What?”

A small smile appeared on Barbatos’ face when he had gotten the Abyss Prince’s attention.

“You must know me as the God of Freedom but I also have another title that I share with an old friend.” There was hesitance in the small god’s voice before he uttered a few words that got Aether off guard.

“The God of Time.”

Aether’s eyes widened. Of course, he had heard of the God of Time. Their power is strong enough to defy fate but it was known that the God of Time had perished a long time ago. Long before Khaenri’ah was destroyed. The Loom of Fate is something similar to the power of the God of Time and the Sinner was still working on making it much stronger than that god’s power. If Barbatos also holds this title, he could have known about this. They could have known.

“That is nothing but a lie, Barbatos. You? A God of Time? If you truly have that title, why haven’t you used that power yet? Oh, did you fail in changing the tides of this war? Were you and your people too powerless to fight against the Abyss Order’s advances?” he sneered.

Instead of answering his questions, Barbatos said something else.

“There is still hope in your eyes.”

And Aether flinched, taking a few steps back. Barbatos smiled at him but it didn't reach his eyes.

“It was small but in that short moment, I saw a small flicker of hope. You’re still hoping to change everything, right? Because you regret it. You regret taking your sister’s life–”

“SHUT UP!” Aether snapped as jagged rocks formed around them, but this didn’t scare the archon and only continued his words.

“You wanted to have her back. To take back everything you said and done. You want to be with your sister again. And if you have the choice , you’ll never work with the Sinner ever again.”

But Aether only denied everything, ignoring the pain inside his chest. “No! She betrayed me! She sided with my enemies! I don’t want to see her ever again and she deserved what happened to her!”

Barbatos suddenly looked at him with pity.

“Then why are you crying?”

He gasped and he found himself touching his own cheeks. He was crying.

Barbatos slowly took careful steps forward, “I’ll admit that my power is not that strong when it comes to the governance of time but I know my old friend can do it. Even if she’s gone, she still lingers in Mondstadt, watching over the people who used to worship her even if they don’t do that anymore. I know she will listen. She can help us but before I can ask her, I need you. I need your help.”

He’s too tired. Too tired of this war, too tired of ending many lives. If he can’t do anything but cause even more destruction, then there’s no more hope left for him. But this Anemo Archon, Barbatos, is willing to lend a hand. There was no lie within the god’s clear eyes. He doesn’t want to believe it but Barbatos sounded so genuine and serious.

Would he risk it?

“You want to give it to a descendant of the Abyss Order Founder? Are you crazy?!”

The thing that Barbatos needed help with was to transfer the completed Loom of Fate to somebody else. He doesn’t even know how they can do that but what he doesn’t understand the most is…

Why did Barbatos want to transfer the dangerous power to an Alberich? Not just any Alberich, but the man who was supposedly a spy for Mondstadt!

“I trust him. He’s not like the founder. Kaeya had helped Mondstadt in many crisis that my nation had faced, despite knowing the dangers of going against his home of origin. He’s the best choice for this, Aether.”

Barbatos’ trust on the spy doesn’t seem to waver. He even had the gut to smile in a situation like this. Aether could only let out an exhausted sigh as he rubbed his temple.

“What if he misuses it? Can’t you just transfer it to me? If you don’t trust me, then we can just give it to Lumine!”

Barbatos shakes his head, “No, it will be too risky. I could have chosen Lumine too but… she’s not with us anymore, Aether. I can no longer sense her around Teyvat. That’s why I chose Kaeya to be the one who we will send back to the past while carrying the complete Loom of Fate.”

Aether frowns. They did talk about Barbatos’ plan of rewinding the time but it wasn’t what he expected. It wasn’t rewinding , it's sending someone from the present to the past and to have them change the future. To stop the Abyss Order as early as possible to avoid the war. If the war can’t still be avoided, then the person must at least gather forces that could help them fight back in the future.

“But why does it have to be an Alberich?”

Barbatos smiles, “Because he’s my child.”

Aether cringed. One of the Seven Archons who destroyed Khaenri’ah calling a Khaenri’ahn their child? This god must have lost his mind already from this war… Will this plan even work?

“If this does not work, I will end you.”

Barbatos only does his silly smile and Aether shakes his head.

Taking the Loom of Fate from the Sinner’s possession was not easy. Aether had to act that he wouldn't betray the Abyss Order. If they found out that he’s collaborating with one of the Seven Archons, then this plan will be nothing but a failure. He still questions himself sometimes. Was it right to trust Barbatos’ words? Can that archon really speak with the deceased god to bring Clothar’s descendant back to the past? How can they be sure that the man they are planning to send back won’t betray their expectations and use the power for evil?

And yet these thoughts were erased when he remembered his sister. He will risk anything for her. Even if they can’t bring her back in this timeline, there’s still a chance that she will survive in the new one.

It was a little funny and he doesn’t know if he’d grown crazy for trusting one of the Seven Archons. But he had already agreed to help with Barbatos’ plan so there’s really nothing else he can do. He will hold onto this small hope and only wish that this plan is going to succeed.

He doesn’t like saying this but…

He wanted to trust Kaeya Alberich to truly find a way to prevent this war from happening and save everyone, even his sister. Whatever consequences that he might receive from this, he will never regret it.

“YOU!” The voice of the Sinner bellowed throughout the ruins as Aether tried his best to take the Loom of Fate using his power. He had long abandoned the purity of his power so using it again was a challenge. “I knew there was something strange going on with you! But I never thought you would collide with the Anemo Archon to betray me like this! After everything we’ve reached, is this what you’re going to repay me?! AFTER HOW MUCH I HELPED YOU?!”

He didn’t say anything and simply focused. He ignored the pain coming from the swords and spears of black abysmal energy impaling all over his body. He ignores the way he hitches a breath as if he’s losing it and simply keeps his attention to the black crystal in front of him.

With the help of the winds, none of the abyss creatures could touch him but that doesn’t mean he can escape from the Sinner’s attacks. And yet, he stood his guard. He won’t fall now. Not after he takes that power away from the Sinner.

Tendrils from the abyss starts to wrap around Aether’s body, absorbing his energy and making him weak. It looks like the Sinner is taking back the power of the abyss that he had given him. He sees how his power flickers in front of him but he’s already close! He won’t lose now!

“You’re going to regret this, Aether!!”

He fell down on the ground at the same time the black crystal lost its power. His blood spreads too fast but instead of fear, he is filled with an unexpected feeling of peace. He did it, right? He removed the power from the rock. The ruins aren’t pulsing with the dangerous power anymore and he could sense how every monster around him grew uneasy from the loss of power. He could hear nothing but the Sinner’s angered voice cursing him. He breathes slowly while his sight darkens. In the corner of his darkening sight, he saw the movements of the Abyss Order that he once led and now, they are looking at him with disdain.

But he’s not scared. Not anymore. It’s okay now. He did his role. Now he’s leaving the rest to Barbatos and to the deceased god. He finally closes his eyes, managing a smile on his face when he realizes that he can finally rest.

“Lumine…”

“Wait for me,”

“I’m coming.”

“We’ll be together now.”

.

.

.

Barbatos, who had left a few flowers in the graveyards he had made, finally stood up after hearing the whispers from the winds. His expression sombers for another soul that has been taken away by the abyss.

“Thank you. I’ll make sure to complete our plan. Don’t worry, my friend , you can rest and be with your sister.” Barbatos muttered as he stared at the sky.

He took a deep breath before turning his heels. He walks in a slow manner before speeding up into a run. He needs to find Kaeya, and then he will send him back to the past with Istaroth’s help to finally complete this plan. He doesn’t want to put another heavy burden on his child’s shoulders but at this point…

He is their only hope left.

Chapter Text

Kaeya let a few days pass before meeting up with Venti again. He was honestly still bothered by the fact that the Abyss Prince knew about his hidden power but the positive side of it, he doesn’t seem to know that it was actually the complete Loom of Fate. Still, it doesn’t lessen his uneasiness. Anytime, the Abyss Order will attack him and he doesn’t want to involve his past family with his own troubles. As he pondered about it, he couldn’t help but remember what Crepus had told him when he woke up inside their room in Wangshu Inn.

No. He won’t involve the man. It’s too risky.

Once he met up with Venti, both of them headed towards the Knight’s Headquarters and entered the library. Kaeya pulled out the lobby’s key and opened the restricted room with it. Venti walked inside first, looking around in awe.

“I know I introduced tea time to those mages but for them to create a secret room like this… How incredible!” Venti marveled while walking around the room and poking the floating teacups.

Kaeya chuckles and he spotted a familiar unlit lamp in the middle of the long table. It wasn’t there before when he met Alice. It’s probably just an additional decoration that she had added to the room so he didn’t mind it that much but he feels like he should know what that lamp is for. He placed his journal down on the table before looking around the area to see if there’s any more changes.

“This is the perfect meeting place indeed!” Venti chirped as he walked towards the table. The bard seemed to have taken the wolf plush from its chair and was now hugging it.

“We should be thankful to Alice for letting us use this place.” Kaeya said as he sat down just across from the unlit lamp.

Venti took a seat beside him, placing the wolf plush on his lap. “So… Now that the Abyss Order knew that you cleansed the Defiled Statue with an unknown power, what would our next plan be? We should be more careful since the Abyss Order is now after us.”

Kaeya frowns. He wanted the peaceful atmosphere of the room to linger but it seems like he can’t have it. He knows that this heavy topic is important and they need to discuss it soon, but he really didn’t like how fast the Abyss Order discovered him even if it’s not all of his secrets.

He already did some brainstorming while working in the Ragnvindr Residence since their return and he scratched out most of the plans he formed. With the involvement of the Abyss Order, things would become more dangerous for him.

He couldn’t fail this. They already finished one part of their plan which was cleansing the defiled statue. That would delay the creation of the Loom of Fate but the Abyss Order is always one step ahead of them. He needs to think more, to remember more of what happened in his timeline– or in the future years; what he found out during his investigations when Lumine didn’t arrive yet in Mondstadt.

He felt someone’s hand on his own and when he looked up (When did he stare at his lap? Did he space out too much?) , he saw Venti looking warmly at him. He was smiling reassuringly. “Hey. It’s alright. You still have me and Alice. Even if the Abyss Order is after us, I know they wouldn’t suddenly send out a big army after you. Well, they might still ambush you but with my protection, I won’t let them take you away.”

Kaeya let out a sigh before smiling, “Thank you, Venti. It’s really nice to have someone supporting me by my side especially when the situation is as heavy as this… My brother always did that. He’s always by my side during the war until…” he doesn’t want  the tears out but his emotions made itself known inside his heart. Venti seems to understand it too as he gives the bluenette a few pats on his back.

A few moments had passed when Kaeya finally had the energy to start their meeting. He opened his journal to a blank page so he can take notes of what they will be talking about.

“We’ve cleansed the Defiled Statue, but in return, the Abyss Prince saw me doing that. Resulting in the Abyss Order targeting me.” Kaeya started as he wrote, “At least they won’t be killing me. I think the abyss mage only wanted to take me to their prince and get information about the power I used.”

Venti leaned back on his chair, “But they would still do anything to get you to their side. You might still get badly injured. We should still be careful.”

Kaeya nodded, “I know.”

“Say, Kaeya…” Venti looked at the ceiling, “Why don’t we accept Master Crepus’ help?”

Kaeya immediately frowned at the bard, “I can’t, Venti. I don’t want to involve him.”

“After offering his help with so much sincerity? Why? We can just have his help when we’re fighting against the Abyss Order lackeys, we will surely need a lot of hands for that. We can just keep our whole mission a secret. We don’t need to tell him about your power, or your real identity, or–”

“No is a no. I’m sorry, Venti.”

He will get in more danger and he might die early. I don’t want that to happen.

Was left unsaid.

Venti pouts and he finally looks at the bluenette, “Are you hiding something else from me that concerns Master Crepus?” he asked but Kaeya just stayed quiet which raised more suspicions. “If it’s something important for this mission, I better know about it, Kaeya.”

He wouldn’t say it’s important for their mission against the Abyss Order. It’s more like a… personal one for him like how he wanted to protect the Ragnvindr family in this timeline.

“My, my… Such silence this room had got.”

The voice surprised both Kaeya and Venti. Their attention went towards the lamp in the middle of the table. It was no longer unlit, instead it’s shining with a familiar light.

Right! How could he ever forget?

“Alice…” Kaeya muttered before shaking his head. “That’s why the lamp looks familiar to me.”

Alice giggles, “It’s a nice addition. I could listen to you or to both of you while I’m away. Isn’t that neat?”

Venti smiles, poking the lamp. “Alice, you honestly surprised me!”

“I agree with Venti actually.” Alice suddenly said, the lamp earning a glare from the bluenette. “Think about what I said before.”

Kaeya crosses his arms, “About looking for people who I can trust?”

“Yes. I recommend talking to Crepus about it. But it’s your choice to keep the rest of the truth a secret.” Alice told him.

Kaeya grumbles before he shakes his head, “I can’t.”

“Is it because you’re afraid that Crepus might die earlier than what happened in your timeline if you involve him in this?”

Kaeya hitched a breath, his eye widening. Even Venti looked surprised by what Alice had said.

“Master Crepus… died in the future?” Venti asked slowly while looking at Kaeya’s uneasy state. “So that’s why you don’t want to involve him… I’m sorry for asking.”

“There’s a lot of things that you don’t know about that man, Kaeya. In my opinion, getting his help will be advantageous for you.” Alice said.

Alice was telling the truth. There’s still a lot of things that he doesn’t know about his father. He still doesn’t know why his delusion killed him after using it when the man was an Ex-Harbinger. Shouldn’t he be able to control the Delusion’s power? Why did it backfire on him? Maybe not possessing a Vision affected it? But then… Remembering Tartaglia, he also has a Vision and a Delusion but his transformation still has a side effect for him. Or was Tartaglia’s case different from what happened with Crepus? The foul legacy transformation was after all... a product of the guy being stuck in the abyss for who knows how long.

Kaeya rubs his forehead. Thinking about this is giving him a headache…

“Think about it, alright?” Alice asked and Kaeya just nodded, wanting to move to a different subject now. “Good. Now then, I’ve heard that both of you have cleansed the Defiled Statue. That’s a good step. For your next move, I have a suggestion.”

Thankful that the topic had moved to a different one, Kaeya looked at the lamp with curiosity. “What is it?”

“Find the first ‘Field Tiller’ and secure its eye.”

Field Tiller … Now that’s a name he hasn’t heard for many decades. Field Tiller is another name for a Ruin Guard. But why do they need its eye? As if Alice could read Kaeya’s mind even if she’s not present inside the room, she explained why they needed it to answer his unspoken question.

“I’m sure they’ll quickly move to their next plan and that is to find the eye– or core of the first Field Tiller. It’s powerful enough to be used as a material to create something dangerous. Taking that before them would give you a better advantage but… expect to face the Abyss Order while you’re looking for it.”

Kaeya ponders about it. He had heard about a certain core from Lumine and Dainsleif. He and Dainsleif rarely talked as the man respected his choice about his chosen side which is Mondstadt but Lumine had told him a story of the time when she helped Dainsleif with a small mission concerning a certain core.

“Where do we find it?” Kaeya asked.

“Why don’t you ask your bard friend? He’s been very quiet lately.” Alice said with a giggle.

The mentioned bard suddenly flinched before smiling sheepishly at the bluenette. “Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts.”

“It’s fine. Did you think of something?” He asked Venti.

Venti frowns, “Well… Hmm… If it’s for you and to save our dreadful future, then I guess I can tell you. I know where the first Field Tiller was.” he answered slowly.

Kaeya’s eye widened, “Really?!”

“Yes, but I’m not sure if it still has the core that we’ll be looking for.” Venti said with a sigh. “We’ll need to visit Decarabian’s abandoned tower for that.”

Wait. Decarabian’s abandoned tower? Was that Stormterror’s Lair?

If it’s this far from the future, does that mean Dvalin has not been corrupted yet with abyssal power?

“Venti. I know this is a weird question and out of our topic but… How’s Dvalin currently?” he slowly asked, his brows furrowing in obvious concern.

The bard looked surprised at the question, “He’s asleep. He’s still recovering from what happened 500 years ago. He was grievously injured after his fight with Durin. He’s also staying in the abandoned tower so we should be careful if we go there. I don’t want to wake up my old friend from his beauty sleep.” he told Kaeya while chuckling.

“So he’s not acting strange lately?” Kaeya asked and Venti shook his head to say no. Kaeya sighs in relief as his concern slowly fades. “That’s good…”

Now it was Venti’s turn to look at him with worry, “Is something going to happen to him in the future?”

“You could say that…” Kaeya muttered before sharing what happened to Dvalin when the Abyss Order manipulated the dragon into thinking that he’s been abandoned by the Anemo Archon and by Mondstadt.

Shock and regret were what Venti felt while he listened to Kaeya’s story. Both of his eyes widened as he spoke, “Oh no… Not my dear friend. He must have suffered for so long… You wouldn’t mind joining me to check on him after we looked at the first Field Tiller, right?” he asked, looking at Kaeya with a desperate look.

Kaeya smiles. He honestly wanted to check on the dragon too. “Yes, I don’t mind. It’s important to check on him and you need to have a talk with him, Venti. I’m sure sharing stories with the dragon can make your bond stronger. With that, the Abyss Order wouldn’t be able to manipulate Dvalin.”

“You’re right! I’ll do that. Thank you, Kaeya, for telling me about this.” Venti said as his tensed shoulders relaxed.

“Alright. Both of you seem to have a clear head for your next plan so I’ll go now. I still have a lot of work to do. I’ll appear again if I sense that both of you need my help again.” Alice told them and before Kaeya or Venti can say their thanks or say goodbye to their mage friend, the lamp quickly loses its light.

Venti giggles, “Typical Alice. When are we going to Decarabian’s abandoned tower, Kaeya?”

Kaeya places a hand under his chin, thinking. “I’ll have to see when I’ll have a day off again.”

“Alright. Just whisper to the winds! I’ll listen~” Venti said, giggling.

“Caribert, welcome back. How’s your day?” Adelinde asked him as soon as Kaeya arrived inside the Ragnvindr Residence manor.

Kaeya smiles, now holding a few groceries. “It’s been a relaxing day. I took a stroll around the city and bought some snacks for myself. I also bought more ingredients for my special fruity skewer. Both young master Kae and young master Diluc had been wanting me to make some for dinner.”

Adelinde giggles, “Well, it’s a delicious delicacy. I also like it.”

“I’ll make sure to cook a lot of them then.” Kaeya smirked before heading towards their kitchen to leave some of his groceries.

When he stepped out of the kitchen, he saw Crepus walking out of his office at the same time. The man looked tired, probably because of his work load. He suddenly remembered what Alice and Venti had said, making him stare at his father for a few moments.

“Oh, Caribert. I see you’re back. Is the city well?” Crepus asked as soon as he noticed Kaeya.

The bluenette smiles, walking towards Crepus. “Yes. The city is lively and bustling as usual. You seem tired, Master Crepus. Have you finished your work?”

Crepus just chuckles, “Barely finished them. There’s still a lot of paperworks left for me to sign. I’m just taking a break now because if I won’t, I’ll face Adelinde’s wrath.”

Just thinking about Adelinde holding a mop and threatening the master of the house with it was hilarious, making Kaeya laugh.

“Of course, you will. I’m happy that you’re following the schedule I gave to you.” Adelinde said, appearing between the two while holding a cup of warm tea. “Here you go, Master Crepus.”

“Can I get a glass of wine instea–” A quick sharp look from Adelinde was enough to stop Crepus from what he was saying. “Ah, tea is fine. Tea is good. Thank you, Addie.”

Kaeya chuckles as he watches the scene in front of him with a fond look. He really missed this and if he wants to keep it this way…

He can’t let Crepus put himself in more danger by joining Kaeya and Venti in their mission. He has to keep it this way to keep Crepus safe from any harm.

I’m sorry… Master Crepus. I know you meant well when you offered your help. But only in this way can I guarantee your safety.

Chapter Text

It took some days for Kaeya to have another day off. He called Venti through the winds before heading towards the inactive waypoint found on the west side of Dawn Winery. He waited for a while, watching the nearby Cryo Slimes as they bounced around until the bard arrived.

“Did I make you wait for too long?” Venti asked, smiling.

Kaeya shakes his head, “Not really. You’re just in time.”

“Good! Let’s go then! I’m excited to meet my dear friend again~ I already prepared the songs and stories that I’m going to share with him!” Venti said with excitement and Kaeya just chuckled at the excited bard.

“We’ll go to the first Field Tiller first, Venti.” the bluenette reminded him.

Venti turns around, pouting. “I know that!”

The old city of Mondstadt is still covered with a barrier of wind but it doesn’t look as bad as the condition that Kaeya could remember from the future. The barrier feels more… calmer than what he knows. Venti takes out his lyre and plays a few melodies and soon, the barrier opens up a hole so the both of them could go inside. Once they entered the barrier, it closed up again.

“Some knew that it was Dvalin who created that barrier but it was actually me. I did that so no one can disturb Dvalin as he rests, but I guess it wasn’t enough to push some hilichurls away…” Venti said as he looked around, spotting some small camps of hilichurls. Fortunately, none of the hilichurls noticed both of them yet.

“Should we clean them up?” Kaeya asked Venti but the bard just shook his head.

“That would alarm the other camps. Worse, they might know someone from the Abyss Order. We wouldn’t want to attract their attention, right?” Venti told him.

Kaeya frowns but Venti has a point. “That’s true. Lead the way then, Venti.”

Venti nodded and he led ahead, heading towards the center of the ruined city where Decarabian’s abandoned tower could be found. When sneaking around wouldn’t work, they had no other choice but to fight against the hilichurls that were blocking their way. They fought them quickly so the hilichurls wouldn’t alarm their other allies.

When they finally arrived at the spot where the first Field Tiller was, they did not expect a Cryo Abyss Mage already inspecting it. Kaeya and Venti quickly moved to hide before the mage could notice them.

“Seriously?! They are already looking for the core?!” Kaeya gasped but in a low tone so he wouldn’t alarm the abyss mage.

Venti’s expression sours, “It looks like Alice was right. The Abyss Order is already one step ahead of us but the positive thing is… The core is still attached to the ruin guard. I can feel it.”

Kaeya sighs in relief, “Then we just have to deal with that abyss mage but…”

“It’s Cryo.” Venti continued, then Kaeya nodded with a frown. “This is going to be tough. Anemo won’t damage its shield that much so we can only rely on your sword’s brute strength. Will you be able to do that, Mister Caribert?” he asked him, smirking.

Kaeya rolls his eye as he summons his sword in his hand. “Don’t underestimate me. I’ve broken a few Cryo Abyss Mage shields myself but it will just take a long time.”

“That’s fine! We’re lucky that we’re only against one enemy this time.” Venti chirped, already holding his bow. “I’ll try to get it’s attention while you’ll be–”

snap

Kaeya and Venti quickly looked behind them as soon as they heard the sound. Nothing seems amiss but they also didn’t imagine the snap.

“Do you think the abyss mage’s companions are simply hiding and waiting to ambush us?” Kaeya asked, eyeing the barrels behind them.

Venti frowns, “Hilichurls rarely come around this part because of Dvalin and that’s the same path where we came from. I didn’t see or sense any hilichurls hiding. Maybe it’s just an animal who wandered here.”

“I hope that’s the case…” Kaeya muttered before looking ahead of them. “So, on your signal?”

Venti nodded and both of them waited for a few moments before finally signaling for Kaeya to go while Venti moved to a higher platform, an arrow already forming within his free hand.

Kaeya surprised the Cryo Abyss Mage by spraying frostgnaw on its head. He gave it a quick kick on the side before a shield even forms. If he can injure the abyss mage before the shield appears, it would help tiring it down.

The Cryo Abyss Mage finally faces them, its surprised eyes quickly shifting to anger.

“Y-You! Why are you here?! How are you here?!” it shrieked. The abyss mage’s reaction perfectly confirms what Alice had said. Then it scoffs, now facing Kaeya with a sinister look. “Well since you are here, this is the perfect chance for me to take you! Our Prince had been wanting to meet you~”

Kaeya smirked, “By yourself? I don’t think so. Don’t even think about me coming with you because I never will!” he told the mage before charging ahead.

He moves his sword in a slash but the Cryo Abyss Mage quickly creates the shield around itself. Kaeya tsk-ed as he took a few steps back, already thinking about his next move now that the shield is up. The Cryo Abyss Mage chuckles when it notices the light blue glow from the bluenette’s waist. The mage finally knows that Kaeya possesses the same element as them.

“Weak! You can’t break my shield!” The Cryo Abyss Mage taunts and as soon as it said that, an arrow hits his shield, impaling through it and making the mage shriek in surprise. It looked around before finally spotting Venti on a higher ground, loading up his bow with another anemo arrow.

The mages waves its wand, about to create an icicle to shoot at Venti but Kaeya moves fast. He teleported behind the abyss mage, bringing his sword down against its shield with force and interrupting it just on time, making the icicle disappear.

“Annoying!!” the abyss mage shrieked as it teleported away from Kaeya. It waves its wand again and the bluenette feels the sudden shift of temperature.

He knew in an instant that the cold he felt wasn’t from his Vision so he quickly dodged to his side, just in time to avoid the falling icicle from above. He knows this move. There’s two more so he dodged again, and again.

Venti shot a few more arrows to get the abyss mage’s attention so he can give Kaeya another opening but it looks like luck isn’t on their side. The Cryo Abyss Mage seems to have noticed the pattern and their plan.

The mage held its wand close to its chest, murmuring words in a different language. Kaeya felt his skin rising as soon as it pointed its wand on him. A barrage of icicles was suddenly shot on Kaeya’s way. At first, he deflected each of them with his sword or with his own icicles but it kept on getting faster, causing him to get a few cuts across his arms and legs so he moved around instead, dodging each of the icicles while still trying to deflect some of them. He noticed Venti moving to a different spot so he waited until his friend could do something about the mage’s harsh attacks. He made a turn, which was his mistake as he tripped over an uneven floor.

“Ack–!”

Tripping over an uneven floor must have been the stupidest accident he had in his entire life. Thankfully, the barrage of icicles also stopped. He felt his surroundings shifting with the winds, it must be Venti’s doing to help him up before the abyss mage could launch it’s next attack but none of them expected what happened next.

Chains sprouted from the ground and the shield that was supposed to be the abyss mage’s protection turned into a cage when the chains wrapped around it, holding it in place.

Wait… Chains?

No . He can’t be here! Why?!

“Are you injured?” a voice from behind asked and Kaeya’s fear became real. “It was reckless for the both of you to fight against this abyss mage after knowing that you're at a disadvantage.” Crepus said with a shake of his head.

Kaeya could only look up in shock, his eye wide. “M-Master Crepus..? Why–”

Crepus smiles apologetically at him, “I’m sorry. When I saw both of you heading towards Old Mondstadt, I grew curious and decided to follow. I still haven’t forgotten about what happened back when we were staying in Wangshu Inn. Seeing the both of you leaving for the old city reminded me of that day.”

Wait, so that snap that they heard from before… Was that from him? 

Kaeya looked up to the place where Venti moved to and he already felt betrayed. He expected to see the bard to be as surprised as him but… Venti looked guilty instead. The bard knew that they were being followed. He knew that Crepus followed them and he didn’t even tell him about it!

“Stay back for now. Venti, stay with Caribert and let me handle this.” Crepus ordered as he adjusted his glove . Archons, Crepus is going to use his Delusion!

Before Kaeya could stop the man, Crepus already ran ahead, fighting the Cryo Abyss Mage instead. Flashes of Crepus’ dead body and Diluc’s grieving form appear inside his mind. He knew he should stand and stop his father but he feels paralyzed. The sight of Crepus using his Delusion awakened a nightmarish memory. His death.

He didn’t even notice that he’s already breathing at a concerning speed, and his chest starts to tighten.

“..bert! Caribert!” Venti’s voice broke through the turmoil inside Kaeya’s head. “Calm down. You’re okay. Crepus is okay. He’s still okay. See?”

Kaeya looks ahead and sees Crepus delivering his last attack on the Cryo Abyss Mage before it shatters to dust. Crepus turns around, dusting the dirt off his hands and he looks fine. There’s no blood on him. He’s not on the ground, lying down in his own pool of blood. He’s safe.

He’s safe.

Venti relaxed when Kaeya finally calmed down. And the breakdown was quickly forgotten as soon as Crepus arrived in front of the two. Kaeya felt a different emotion rising. Anger.

“Why did you follow us, Master Crepus?” Kaeya asked while Venti helped him to stand.

Crepus crosses his arms, “I’ve already told you. I saw the both of you heading here in Old Mondstadt and I decided to follow out of curiosity.”

“Well, you should not have! This is our business alone! You didn’t need to follow!” Kaeya couldn’t help but snap.

Venti shoots him a look and speaks up to reprimand him, “Caribert–”

But Crepus suddenly spoke with a tone of disbelief.

“I just saved you and this is what I get? Really, Caribert? Just tell me the truth. What are you trying so hard to hide from me? Don’t say that both of you are in a simple stroll because I heard everything on the way here. About a mission. About the involvement of the Abyss Order. Is this the reason why you keep on lying to me? Is this related to why you don’t want me to use my Delusion?” Crepus asked him while frowning and he’s also running out of patience too.

Kaeya grumbles under his breath as he scratches his hair in annoyance. “You– You’re so– Ugh.” He looked at his bard friend. “Venti, can you please… give us some privacy? There are some things that I wanted to tell the master.” 

Venti watched the both of them before letting out a long exhale. “Alright. I’ll just be… uh… visiting the rumored sleeping dragon.” he told them before slowly walking back and then turning his heels to head deeper into the abandoned tower, finally giving Kaeya some alone time with his past father.

Kaeya faced the man who had been waiting for an answer. “So you want to know the truth, huh? I didn’t want you to die, Master Crepus. I know more than you do when it comes to that Delusion you possess. The use of that cursed weapon will surely kill you if you keep on using it! And what if I tell you about this mission we’re doing? I know that once you discover this, you’re only going to use that cursed weapon and I don’t want that to happen! It will only lessen your life! I am doing this for your own good!”

Crepus scoffed, crossing his arms across his chest. “No. That doesn’t seem to be the case, Caribert. You don’t know anything about me at all, nor my life when I was still a Harbinger. I never had a single accident with the Delusion before. The delusion would stay dormant if I wanted it to stay dormant. It never, in my whole life, harmed me.”

…Then why? Why did it kill you?!

Kaeya wanted to ask, he wanted to bawl out. But he can’t. He just clenches his fists, shutting his mouth shut to prevent any words from coming out. Words that would give Crepus a sign that Caribert is actually his own son from the future. 

“So just because it wouldn’t harm you, you broke our promise?” Kaeya asked instead, glaring at the man but Crepus doesn’t seem intimidated.

“What do you want me to do? Just watch until that abyss mage injures both you and your friend?! Caribert, without my help, both of you wouldn’t survive. Cryo and Anemo Visions are both at a disadvantage against a Cryo Abyss Mage. Venti could have broken that shield if only he is aided by a different element like fire but there’s only you and him in this place. No torches to get fire from, nothing!” Crepus yelled out and Kaeya was reminded of the time when he and Crepus talked inside his office about the man’s Delusion. 

Kaeya also knew that Crepus wasn’t intimidating him. Crepus was just concerned, worried and at the same time angry towards him. But he still couldn’t help but feel small in front of Crepus, like that small scared child. But he’s no longer that child so he hides his fear behind a strong facade.

“You are Kae’s uncle and I can’t bear to see the hurt in his face if he learns that you got badly hurt again. And I would regret it even more because I was also in the scene with a weapon that I hesitated to use because of a certain promise. That’s why I broke it. I have to break it so those things wouldn’t happen. I have to break our promise to save both of you, Caribert. You have to understand that. Lives are at risk and I just can’t ignore that.” the man tried to explain as he slowly calmed down. He’s now looking at Kaeya.

“But you are too. You’re at risk.” Kaeya said as he looked away, pain now evident in his face.

Crepus sighs, shaking his head. “I just wanted to help you, Caribert. Even if you’re just working as a butler, you’re already a part of our family .”

Kaeya’s eye widened and he could feel the moist in the corner of his eyes but he quickly stopped the tears before it can even come out. Why does he feel like breaking down everytime he hears that word? He already accepted that he can no longer be part of this family in the past but… but his father just told him– he told him that he’s already a part of their family! How could he stop the emotions stirring inside his chest after hearing that?

No , he should stay strong. This is probably one of Crepus’ ways to get information out of him. To lower his guard and for him to finally see what Kaeya is hiding.

“I want you to trust me. I am already learning to trust you, Caribert, even if… I’m still perplexed as to why you are here with Venti to look for this old Ruin Guard and even fighting against an abyss mage that for some reason wanted to take you away. That’s very concerning, Caribert.” Crepus told him, glancing towards the first Field Tiller before looking back at the bluenette.

Kaeya clenched both of his hands together, “I already trust you, Master Crepus.”

“But your trust isn’t about my Delusion, Caribert. I already know that you trust me but the trust I want from you is for this weapon. I want you to trust it that it wouldn’t harm me.” Crepus said, only deepening Kaeya’s frown. “I know that you hate Delusions. I can see it from when Eroch suspects you of carrying one. But this one is a special gift I received from The Tsaritsa, the Cryo Archon. If you want, I can tell you more about it. I just need your trust. And I want you to allow me to finally help you with whatever mission you and your friend are doing.”

Kaeya finally faced Crepus, his eye widening with shock. “I can’t involve you in this.”

Crepus smirked, “But I already am involved. The Cryo Abyss Mage saw my face so I’m sure that the next time they appear to have their revenge, it won’t only be against the both of you. They’ll also be looking for me. So yes, I am already involved.”

Archons, why is this man so–

Is there really no way out of this? Does he really need to tell Crepus and accept his help? Allow him to use that Delusion and risk his life?

Venti’s and Alice’s voice suddenly echoes inside his head.

“We can just have his help when we’re fighting against the Abyss Order lackeys, we will surely need a lot of hands for that. We can just keep our whole mission a secret. We don’t need to tell him about your power, or your real identity…”

“It’s your choice to keep the rest of the truth a secret.”

He doesn’t know if this is the work of fate but he surely doesn’t like it. But he really has no other choice now, huh…? If that’s the case…

He’ll only be telling him the surface of the truth .

Nothing more than that. And to ensure that Crepus wouldn’t overuse the Delusion, he can just tell him to just use it for emergencies. He knows by now that Crepus wouldn’t agree to another promise to never use it after discovering just how dangerous Kaeya and Venti’s mission is. He really wanted to avoid the use of the Delusion at all costs but seeing how firm Crepus was, Kaeya already knew that the man would use it again when needed.

“Fine. Fine, do what you want.” Kaeya finally said. He could already feel the mental and physical exhaustion. Fighting against that Cryo Abyss Mage and this encounter with Crepus is just too much for one day.

His answer received a victorious grin from the redhead.

“ But! ” Kaeya suddenly exclaimed, cutting off whatever Crepus planned to say. “But, only use your Delusion when you truly need it. Use it only for emergencies. Like, real emergency.”

“That depends on your explanation on why you are here with Venti. And there’s no use in lying. I know there’s something else besides visiting a certain sleeping dragon. I heard both of you talking about a certain ‘mission’. I saw how that abyss mage looked at you, Caribert. It’s after you. It clearly wanted to take you to whoever it meant as the Prince. So to ensure your safety, I need to know about that and then I’ll decide how I’ll use the Delusion.” Crepus firmly said, showing that there’s no more room for any arguments.

Crepus really cornered him this time.

He needs to think carefully about the information he will be sharing with Crepus. And he wanted to do that once he’s with Venti.

So he nodded, “Alright. I’ll… I’ll do my best to explain but can we talk about it once Venti is with us? I also have to check on the first Fie– I mean the old Ruin Guard.” Kaeya told him, praying mentally that Crepus would let him go this one time. He still needs to think which things are safe to share.

Fortunately, Crepus seemed to think the same and nodded. “Sure. What are you looking for? Maybe I could help.”

“A… core. I need to find the core of the ruin guard.” Kaeya said before rushing towards the first Field Tiller to get to work, and to avoid getting questioned even more. His mind seriously needs to rest.

Crepus only nodded slowly but there’s a sign of knowing within his eyes. “A Ruin Guard’s core, got it.”

The eye or core of the first Field Tiller is more intricate than the machines made after it. Kaeya already felt the pulse within his right eye where the power of the Loom of Fate rests. It was amazing to see that this old artifact from Khaenri’ah is still filled with so much power, no wonder the Abyss Order wanted to take it.

He doesn’t know if Dainsleif was supposed to secure it but all he could do is to mentally apologize to the man for taking the artifact for himself to keep.

He kept the core inside of a bag that he brought with them before heading deeper into the abandoned tower while followed by Crepus. The walk was eerily silent and it was honestly uncomfortable. Kaeya only bears it because he doesn’t want to start any type of conversation with Crepus for a while.

Kaeya knew they were close when they started hearing the sound of a lyre and a resounding satisfied hum that definitely didn’t come from their bard friend. It looks like Dvalin had awakened when Venti visited him.

Even without looking behind him, Kaeya already knew of the awe within Crepus’ face. Dvalin is resting inside of a big room and leaning against his scaly neck is none other than Venti himself. The bard was singing some stories while playing his lyre and Dvalin was listening with his eyes closed. He’s calm and there’s no sign of abyssal corruption yet.

That’s a relief.

“It seems your friends are here.” Dvalin suddenly said, his eyes opening and Kaeya could feel the stare. Even Crepus looked a little nervous. Good for the man, he guesses. At least he’s still nervous when in front of a higher entity. Dvalin opened his mouth and said, “A Mondstadter and a… Hmm… I see. You’ve met some interesting people, Barba–”

Venti stood up abruptly, cutting off the dragon. “Ah, there you go again, my dear dragon friend! My name is Venti. Please do not forget before you mistake me for someone else!” he suddenly said while pouting, earning a confused look from Crepus and a tired smile from Kaeya. Venti faked a few coughs on his hand before waving at the two of them, “Don’t be scared, my friends! Dvalin doesn’t seem to bite! He’s a very good dragon!”

Crepus chuckles as he and Kaeya both approach the dragon. “It’s a pleasure to meet one of the four winds. My name is Crepus Ragnvindr.”

Recognition appears within Dvalin’s eyes. “From the Ragnvindr Clan, I see. No wonder the color of your hair is familiar. It is also a pleasure to meet you.” Dvalin told him before looking at Kaeya. “And you, the child with the stars of a fallen na–”

“Aah!” Venti waves his hands, cutting off Dvalin for the second time.

Kaeya also felt like his heart would jump. Dvalin knows where he’s from, it’s not a surprise coming from a dragon. But if Venti didn’t interrupt Dvalin, Crepus would have another additional question in his list. Revealing his origin isn’t included in the surface of the truth that he’ll be sharing with the man.

“I’m Caribert, from Sumeru.” Kaeya easily lies, nodding towards the dragon.

Dvalin narrows his eyes before looking down at the bard who was looking at him with pleading eyes as if to say to play along. Dvalin then let out a huff, “From Sumeru. That is far from Mondstadt.” he said.

Kaeya smiles in relief, “It is. But I do not mind the distance. I enjoy my stay here in the nation of freedom.”

Dvalin hummed again as he nodded his head, “I see, then that is not a problem.” he said before looking at Venti again, “I must go back to my rest. But you can visit again when the time comes. You are welcome, the same goes to Caribert and Crepus.”

Crepus smiles, “It’s an honor to get an invitation. I’ll make sure to visit again. I’ve read from the books how you got injured in the past and I hope you wouldn’t mind me dropping off some gifts from time to time. Mondstadt appreciates your help in the past, and until today.”

Dvalin seemed to glow with what he said. He looks happy to be recognized and remembered by a citizen of Mondstadt. “It is my duty to protect Mondstadt.”

Venti pats Dvalin before leaning his forehead against his scales. “I’ll see you again next time, my friend. I’ll bring more stories.” he whispered so Kaeya and Crepus wouldn’t hear him.

Dvalin closes his eyes slowly, “I’ll be waiting.” he said back before finally going back to his sleep.

Venti slowly backed away, taking one last look at his friend while smiling. He turns around, smiling at both of them. Despite the happy reunion with Dvalin, Venti already noticed the heavy atmosphere between the two men.

“Shall we head back now? I know that there’s a lot to discuss.” Venti said.

Crepus nodded, eyeing Kaeya for a moment before looking back at Venti. “We can drop by the Dawn Winery and have our dinner there before heading back to our residence.”

“Fine by me!” Venti chirped, definitely excited for free wine.

“Alright…” Kaeya muttered, already dreading Crepus’ questions and about the truth they should reveal.

Chapter Text

While on their way to the winery, Kaeya already whispered bits of what happened between him and Crepus so the bard was able to think in advance about the things that they would be sharing with the man. After having their dinner, Crepus led Kaeya and Venti inside his office in the Dawn Winery, planning on having the conversation now before they return to the residence and before Venti can go back to the city.

“Well then.” Crepus said as he sat down behind his desk, “Now that we’re here, I expect some explanation from the both of you. Why do you need the core of the old ruin guard and why does the Cryo Abyss Mage seem to be after Caribert? And what is your mission all about?” he asked, already straight to the point.

Kaeya and Venti exchanged glances and Venti took the chance to give the first answer. “Remember when we snuck out of Wangshu Inn?”

“So both of you truly snuck out at the same time. I’m not surprised anymore.” Crepus said, sighing.

 “Hehe.” Venti replies with his silly smile before continuing, “We happen to cross to one of their bases. You seem to know about the Abyss Order, Master Crepus.”

The man nodded. “I heard about them when I was still a Harbinger.” he told them, no longer hiding the fact that he’s really a Harbinger not just to Kaeya but to Venti too. “They are a dangerous organization and with what that abyss mage had said, the organization seems to be led by a Prince.” Crepus said.

“Correct! I don’t need to explain who they are then. So in this base, it was true that we cleaned them up. But because of that, we ended up having targets behind our backs. I guess they are doing it because of revenge. Caribert defeated most of them, that is probably why the abyss mage wanted him instead of me even though I was also there in the scene.” Venti explained before letting out a tired huff to show how it exhausted him.

Well, it’s half lie and half truth so that should be fine. Venti left out the domain where they cleansed the Defiled Statue and replaced it with a base from the Abyss Order. And it’s true that they are being chased after that incident.

Crepus looked at Kaeya, “That explains why that Cryo Abyss Mage seems to be after your head then. So, why do the both of you need the core of the old Ruin Guard?”

With Crepus’ gaze fixed directly on Kaeya, the bluenette knew that the man wanted to hear the answer from him, not Venti.

“It was to stop their plan.” That's the first floating information from the surface, it’s not a white lie. And Kaeya doesn’t need to reveal that the plan he was preventing was the future war. “I’ve seen some documents from their base and they are planning on using that core as a weapon.”

Crepus’ eyes narrowed on him, “You can read their language?”

Shit .

Kaeya, think quick!

“I learned some hilichurlian language from the Akademiya when I was still in Sumeru. I also visited the library inside the Favonius Headquarters and continued my studies there.” Kaeya tried to explain.

Crepus slowly nodded, “Alright then… Their language was indeed interesting. So, why do they need this certain core?”

He sighs in relief before explaining, “It’s not like the other cores that you can find from other Ruin Guards. If that core fell into the wrong hands, Mondstadt would be in danger so I asked Venti to help me with securing it.”

“If you didn’t want to accept my help, why Venti? You know that I used to be a Harbinger and yet you still denied my help. But you seek for a simple bard’s help?” Crepus questioned while raising an eyebrow.

To say that Kaeya didn’t expect this question would be an understatement. Thankfully, he prepared an answer. During their trip back from Liyue, Diluc opened up a guess that Venti might be a legendary adventurer. It’s not possible, if anything, he sees Lumine as one. And if he can connect that with Venti’s current profession as bard, he can come up with…

“That is because he’s–”

But he was suddenly interrupted by the bard himself and what he said shocked Kaeya.

“I am not a simple bard, Ragnvindr . The truth is, I am Barbatos, the Anemo Archon.”

Kaeya’s periwinkle eye widened and he swiftly looked at his friend. Venti’s braids were glowing and his eyes were shining. He wanted to ask if he’s crazy for blurting that out but no words came out from his mouth due to his surprise. He looked at Crepus to see his reaction, the man wasn’t as surprised as him but he still looked taken off guard. 

He looked back at Venti with a frown. “Venti–”

But the bard simply raised his hand to stop Kaeya, giving him a reassuring look and a message saying that he truly prepared himself to say this. It’s his own addition to the surface but…

Isn’t this too much?!

“I don’t just say this around but this situation is special and it concerns my nation… I can no longer watch if Mondstadt is under a risk so I decided to approach Caribert and offered to help while keeping a low profile. I know you’ve noticed things about me, Master Crepus.” Venti said, his voice suddenly sounding serene. He sounded more like Barbatos now, not Venti the Bard. “It would be pointless for me to hide it anymore from you so I might as well say it.”

Then Crepus laughed, placing a hand over his stomach while Kaeya could only stay speechless and in silence.

“No wonder you still looked the same even after all of these years! I knew that the bard I met when I was still as young as Diluc was the same bard as you! I keep on telling myself that you might just be a doppelganger or a relative, but the similarities are very uncanny." Crepus laughed, smiling at Venti but for some reason, this sentence made Kaeya a bit uneasy.

'He's talking about Venti, not me. He hasn't found out yet. Kaeya, calm down.' he chided himself mentally before taking a deep breath.

He looked at Crepus again when he heard him chuckling, "I also could have mistaken you as another god but to be Lord Barbatos himself… Haha… This is truly a surprise.” Crepus said before looking at Kaeya, “It seems you also know about his true identity, Caribert. You just didn’t expect him to say that to me. Let me guess, it’s not in your plan ?” he asked while smirking.

Kaeya leaned back on his chair, crossing his arms in an uncomfortable manner. “...You could say that. I was going to say that Venti is a known adventurer who retired years ago, only to come back as a bard. And since I’ve seen his skills, I’ve decided to ask for his help.”

Venti pouted, his attitude already back to his bard persona. “A retired adventurer becoming a bard? Boring~”

“Haha! To be honest, I wouldn't believe in that but nice try I guess.” Crepus told Kaeya before pondering about something. “Hmm… Still, it’s a surprise to see you, a person not local to Mondstadt, being helped by the Anemo Archon himself. Who are you really, Caribert?” Crepus asked, his eyes suddenly sharp.

Kaeya gulped. He glanced at his friend, asking for help. And also sending a message that he should fix what he had started. He received another pout from the bard as if he understood his message.

Venti faked a cough, getting Crepus’ attention back to him. “Our friend right here is a man of mystery, I know. Even he has secrets that he can’t really speak of and I am respecting that. It would be nice if you could do the same, Master Crepus. Just like you, each one of us has a secret that we just can’t freely share with others. I know you can understand that.” he told Crepus with a smile.

The man sighs, “If Lord Barbatos says so… Then alright. I won’t pry any longer regarding his identity.” he said and Kaeya sighed in relief. Though he'll admit that Crepus surprisingly let it go easily. Maybe this is why Venti revealed himself. The Archon’s words are always absolute it seems. Even if Crepus used to be a Harbinger, he still believes in Barbatos which was a relief.

Venti smiles towards Crepus, “I can guarantee you that he truly means no harm. Despite all of this, his heart is pure and all he only wanted to do is to protect his family who is residing here in Mondstadt. The family he sees is not only his nephew but young master Diluc and you too, Master Crepus. He won’t openly admit it but he’s proud to be a part of this family.”

Kaeya could suddenly feel his ears reddening, “Venti!” It’s not fair to be embarrassed by this and this is not included in what they talked about!

Crepus chuckles, “That makes more sense why you don’t want me risking myself using my delusion. But…” he sighed, “I’m sorry, Caribert. Now that I know that we are against the Abyss Order, I cannot keep my promise to not use my delusion even if you have Lord Barbatos by your side. I know our archon has his own limits when it comes to the use of his own power.”

Venti smiles sheepishly, “Well, that is true but I am still doing my best to help Caribert.”

“Well, it’s not like I can stop you anymore, Master Crepus. But I just want you to think about your sons. What would they feel if one day, you get badly hurt because of it?” Kaeya asked and he couldn’t help but smirk, being able to turn Crepus’ own words against the man himself.

Noticing his way with words, Crepus laughed. “Ah, using my own words against me? That’s a bit unfair, haha… Alright, alright. I’ll try to only use it for emergencies but that doesn’t mean that I won’t be joining the both of you the next time you go off to continue your mission. Count it as a… request, especially to the Anemo Archon. I too wanted to help to keep our nation safe.” Crepus said in a firm manner, leaving no other discussions to change his mind and then he faced Venti, determination and readiness present in his face. “Use me as you see fit, Lord Barbatos.” he smirked.

Kaeya groans while Venti scratches the back of his head, laughing nervously.

“I am not the kind who uses my own people. I'm very different from the Tsaritsa! But if you truly wanted to help us in our mission…” Venti looked at Kaeya and the bluenette nodded, already feeling defeated. “Then welcome to the team, Master Crepus!”

Crepus grins, “Great. Thank you.”

A comfortable silence fell in the room and Kaeya only stared at his lap, hoping that it’s over. He’s already regretting this decision but once Crepus had made up his mind, no one could stop him anymore. He just wanted to retreat to his room and sleep. Ugh, he only wished that he could continue with his work tomorrow because he surely isn’t in the right mood for some housework…

Kaeya looked up, watching as Crepus pondered about what he just learned. He couldn’t help but stare at the glove he was wearing. The red glow of the Delusion was shining, as if taunting the bluenette.

“Master Crepus… Are you truly feeling alright after the use of your Delusion?” Kaeya finally asked as he could no longer hide his concern.

Crepus looked at his gloves, “Yes. It would usually just whisper a few negative things inside my head but I’ve learned not to listen to them. My wife also placed a spell that would lessen its side effects. That's why it hasn't been affecting me badly.”

A thought appeared Kaeya’s mind. If the Delusion truly doesn’t harm his father because of his wife’s spell, would that mean the spell was weakened or broken during the Ursa attack? Would that be the reason why it backfired on him? That’s the only logical conclusion that he can come up with and it's starting to make sense. Now, he just need to know what weakened the Delusion... For some reason, he couldn't help but suspect Eroch. Who else was behind the Ursa attack besides him?

“So that’s really a Delusion.” Venti, who is now standing beside Crepus’ desk, said while staring at the red orb.

Crepus and even himself, grew tense. Kaeya doesn’t exactly know if the bard already knew that Crepus used to be a Harbinger in the past and if he knows that the man possesses a fake Vision. Venti hasn't really said anything about it during their private meetings and Kaeya didn’t really tell him about it because he’s afraid of the Anemo Archon’s reaction. He doesn't want Crepus to be punished, but that doesn't seem to be the case because Venti was looking at the Delusion with so much interest.

“Well, I don’t usually support the use of a fake Visions… I can understand Caribert’s concern but now that I can have a closer look at this, the Delusion truly looks tame. I can see traces of the mage’s spells in it. Your wife must truly be a skilled person to be able to do this.” Venti said while smiling innocently.

Despite feeling nervous, Crepus answers with a smile. Talking about his wife seems to make the man smile with fondness. “She truly is. But she was also helped by Lady Tsaritsa. Ah, I haven’t told you but my wife, Ignisia Ragnvindr, is a part of the Hexenzirkel. Which is why whenever Alice visits us, she would also deliver Ignisia’s letters to us.” 

Venti sighs at the mention of the Cryo Archon, “I see… The Cryo Archon seems to have a soft spot for you, Master Crepus.”

Crepus chuckles, “It's more like she has a soft spot for Ignisia. I don’t know the relationship between the two but before I even met my wife, both of them already seemed  close.”

“Is she… from Snezhnaya then?” Kaeya asked in curiosity. This would be a good time to learn more about his second mother that he never met.

“Well, no. We only met there during my Harbinger days since that’s where she’s currently staying. Ignisia is a wanderer, she moves from one place to another. She doesn’t really have a permanent home, that is until we married. Mondstadt became her home then.” Crepus said with a smile. “She did tell me before that she grew up in Natlan so she’s probably a Natlanese.”

Kaeya couldn’t help but be in awe. He had heard that the people of Natlan don't usually leave their nation so to learn that Diluc's mother was actually from Natlan was a surprise. Strange though, her name doesn't sound like someone from Natlan... Did she change her name perhaps?

“I see. I cannot wait to meet the Lady of the house then.” Kaeya said with a smile, earning a chuckle from Crepus.

“I think that’s everything we need to talk about. Remember what I said, Caribert. Don’t do this on your own anymore. You have an additional ally now.” Crepus told Kaeya as he smirked.

Kaeya just sighs, nodding. At least it’s over now. It’s also a relief that the conversation ended in a good way. After talking about Ignisia, some of his worries somehow diminished and he’s thankful for that.

“Ah right, you can continue resting until tomorrow. I’ll inform Adelinde about it. I know that today must have been exhausting not only for your body but for your mind as well.” the man said and Kaeya relaxed even more. That’s exactly what he needed.

“Thank you, Master Crepus.” Kaeya said with a tired smile.

“Rest well. I’ll see you again next time, Lord Barbatos.” Crepus told Venti.

“Please just call me Venti as usual! We’re still friends even after I revealed my true identity. It does not change anything.” Venti replied while smiling.

Crepus chuckles, “Alright. If you say so, Venti.”

They left Dawn Winery after taking a few more minutes of rest. Once Crepus and Kaeya parted ways with Venti and arrived back at the Ragnvindr Residence, both of them were scolded by Adelinde for suddenly leaving and returning late at night, making the kids worry. Kaeya’s scolding was light since it was his day off but he still returned past the time of his supposed return. As for Crepus, Adelinde scolded him for not telling her where he went off to. Something really never changed in this household and Kaeya couldn’t help but smile from the feeling of nostalgia despite the scolding he received.

That night, Kaeya quickly went to sleep, exhausted from the events that happened today. At least, they got the core of the first Filled Tiller. Now, he just has to go tomorrow to the Imaginarium Theater lobby so he can keep it there with his journal.

He dreamed this time. And he knew that it’s not just a normal dream after seeing the familiar tree in the distance. He stared at the ground filled with water before walking towards the tree to meet his.. Ancestor? Would Caribert count as his ancestor too?

“You’re here… It seems you attracted the Abyss Order.” Caribert said with a sad smile.

Kaeya sat down beside him, leaning against the tree. “Unfortunately. The abyss mage from before mentioned about Aether seeing me when I cleansed the Defiled Statue.”

Caribert bit his lower lip, “Aether… I really want to warn or stop him. But it’s too late for me already. I can only depend on you, Kaeya. I’m sorry.”

Kaeya smiles, “It’s my job. There’s no need to be sorry, Caribert.”

Caribert chuckles, “I want to share something about the Loom of Fate. It's probably something that you already know but... would you like to listen?” he asked and Kaeya nodded. Caribert looked up in the never changing sky.

“The Loom of Fate has the power to reconstruct or to create a new Ley Line. That's what we learned. I also looked through some of your memories and the Ley Line still connected with you, I hope that’s alright.” Caribert said as he smiled sheepishly.

Kaeya raises an eyebrow, “You can look at my memories? And what Ley Line? Is it the one from the future?” he asked and Caribert nodded.

“I can only see glimpses of the future Ley Line. It's a little tough to get a look at something stable since we're in the past. I wanted to see and study the war that happened in Mondstadt. That's when I noticed a pattern. The war is a bit similar to what happened in Natlan.”

Kaeya frowns, “Lumine said that Natlan was the first nation that fell before Snezhnaya. She didn’t really tell me what happened but just by seeing her expression, I can already tell that it's really grim.”

Caribert nodded, his face darkens. “...The Pyro Archon failed to protect her nation. The Abyss Order took a part of their Ley Line and manipulated it. They sewed it on the other Ley Lines which made the appearance of the Abyss Order much faster. It wasn't just a memory. They made it the reality. That's one of the powers of the Loom of Fate.”

Kaeya’s eyes widened, “The Loom of Fate can do that?”

Caribert nodded his head again, “It's no wonder that the Abyss Order easily brought out their many armies and overwhelmed each nations. I don’t know if you can also do it because the Sinner wasn’t just a single entity. There’s more of them and it's possible that they worked together. They must have sacrificed many of their pawns to just take that part of the Ley Line and put it on the other nation so the war in Natlan would repeat. You've seen the result of that...”

Kaeya couldn't help the shiver that shook his body. He clenched his fists, brows furrowing in anger. The Abyss Order are truly to be despised. Why would Lumine’s brother even do that? What does he really want?

“I will try my best to try communicating with Aether. I can’t help that much since I can only exist inside this dream thanks to the present Loom of Fate being incomplete. It was because of your complete Loom of Fate that I can connect your dream with my remaining consciousness. That's why we can meet like this.” Caribert told him, showing a reassuring smile.

Kaeya sighs, “Thank you… For now, Venti and I will need to discuss our next move. We’re taking a break but we should discuss about the next plan soon.”

Caribert chuckles, “Take your time and don’t rush, Kaeya.”

The bluenette takes a deep breath, “I’ll try not to rush…”

“You should take this time to enjoy your family's company." Caribert smiles at him before looking up to the sky again. "Ah, I’m suddenly reminded by something. There was… something strange within this timeline’s Ley Line.”

Kaeya frowns, “Was my use of Loom of Fate affecting our current Ley Line?” he asked.

“Well, naturally it does. But you have Istaroth’s permission to do this so the Ley Line is accepting the changes that you’re making as long as it’s acceptable for your mission. This strangeness I felt is different. It’s not from the use of your power.” Caribert explained as he waved his hand, making an Inteyvat appear. He holds it gently before continuing to speak, “This strangeness also gives me a sense of familiarity. If my guess is correct then you’ll meet someone earlier than expected.”

“And who is this person?” Kaeya asked as he watched the way Caribert stared at the flower with fondness in his face.

Caribert looks at him, smiling. “I don’t know. I just know that… She will awaken soon.”

Before Kaeya could ask him to elaborate further, he suddenly woke up from the dream. He could hear the birds chirping from outside of the window. The sun rays entered his room, signaling that it’s already morning. He stared at the familiar ceiling of his room for a few moments before he pushed himself to sit.

Who was Caribert talking about? Does it have something to do with the Inteyvat? Was it someone from Khaenri’ah and he already met her before? There are only two female Khaenri’ahn that he met. It can’t be Arlecchino because Caribert mentioned that the person will still need to ‘awaken’. So that only leaves one person…

Lumine .

But it doesn't make sense! Why would past Lumine want to meet him early? He only met Lumine during the Stormterror crisis in Mondstadt so that’s still… several years in the future. And by that time, there will be no more Stormterror crisis because Venti had met with Dvalin and talked with him before the Abyss Order could even make a move. They won’t be able to manipulate the dragon for sure. Lumine can’t possibly recognize him because they never met around this time. 

Unless…

No, that’s impossible. He’s the only person from the future and Lumine died in his timeline. It can’t be her.

He grumbled under his breath before standing up. He’ll just worry about this some other time. He should focus on resting today. Maybe Caribert will elaborate about it more the next time they meet.

Somewhere in Musk Reef, a girl was soundlessly sleeping by the side of the seashore. Then she took a sudden sharp inhale, her golden eyes snapping open as she finally awakens. She blinks her eyes a few times before raising her hand up to the sky with her eyes blown wide.

“I’m… alive?”

Chapter Text

The last thing that she could remember after being left by his brother the Abyss Prince, was a familiar voice. She wanted to calm her down, to tell her that she’ll be fine. But she won’t be fine. She could only gasp for breath with tears streaming down her eyes. Is this the end for her? For both of them? Is this truly their fate? But why…?

Why does it have to be her brother? Why, Aether?

Whywhywhywhywhy–

“L-Lumine? Lumine, please look at Paimon. P-Please…”

Her limbs are numb and she can’t even muster the strength to lift them up but she can feel the small hands holding onto her right hand.

“D-Don’t worry, Lumine. P-Paimon will surely do something! Paimon p-promises that she’ll save you!”

No, Paimon. It’s… It’s alright…

“...L-Lumine? P-Paimon is feeling guilty…”

Guilty? Why? It isn’t Paimon’s fault why Aether killed her.

“Paimon kept a really important secret… P-Paimon is a fallen god from Celestia.”

..What?

“Paimon was afraid to tell you because Paimon doesn’t want Lumine to hate her. The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles also sealed Paimon’s powers, just like what happened to you. Paimon thinks it was fate that both of us met. B-But unlike Lumine, Paimon can never get her powers back. That’s why Paimon remained weak.”

What is she talking about? Paimon is a god who fell from Celestia?!

“Paimon hopes you won’t hate her for this… B-But Paimon had made up her mind! P-Paimon will surely save Lumine using her remaining powers! Paimon is not afraid of disappearing anymore…”

Disappear? What does she mean by that?

Wait–

Paimon, no- Please no–

I won’t hate you for this! I already had an idea that you’re not just a normal guide in Teyvat but that doesn’t matter! You’re still Paimon for me and that will never change…!

Please!

She gasps for breath, finally managing to turn her head towards her closest companion, her remaining family. She tried to say something only for her to cough out blood and sob. She can see Paimon smiling at her, her eyes twinkling like the stars within a galaxy.

“Paimon won’t ever regret this… Paimon can feel movements within our Ley Line. Someone is trying to manipulate the time and it isn’t coming from the Abyss Order’s side. Paimon thinks someone is planning to travel back in time so they could save us from this war so… So Paimon will use her remaining power to put your memories within that flow. This backward flow of the Ley Line will surely guide your memories back to your past body. This way, you are going to be saved.”

“N-No… No, Pai… Paimon no…” She couldn’t help but cry out, “P-Please… You don’t have to do this.”

Paimon could only smile, her eyes glistening with tears. “Paimon only has Lumine… Paimon won’t be able to live without Lumine. Paimon thinks it’s better if she do this.”

Lumine shakes her head, already sobbing and whimpering in pain because of her agonizing wounds; the physical injuries she sustained and the emotional pain within her chest.

“Paimon doesn’t like seeing Lumine hurt like this… Paimon is also sad that this is the last time we’ll see each other but Paimon already made up her mind.”

“P-Paimon…” she continues to sob. “...W-With me… Why not come with me…? Please…”

Paimon shakes her head, a sad smile on her face.

“Paimon can only use her remaining powers to send your memories back to the past. But Paimon won’t be able to exist anymore because of this… Paimon admits that she can never journey with you again… But Paimon is really happy to have met you, to journey around Teyvat with you! But this is goodbye… I’m sorry. Please remember that Paimon will always love you…”

She took a sharp inhale while her eyes widened with fear, “Pai—”

And then her mind blacked out.

She doesn’t know how long it took for her to wake up but when she finally did, she found herself on a familiar island, Musk Reef, the place where the Spiral Abyss could be found. The sky that was once black is now back to a peaceful blue color. She could hear the birds chirping and the waves of the nearby sea crashing against the sands in a calm manner.

She couldn’t get herself to get up. She just stared at her clean hands. Hands that are not stained with blood. And then she just stared at the sky, her eyes glistening with more tears as she remembered who sacrificed her life just to bring her memories back to the past. She covers her face, finally crying out for Paimon.

She swore to herself that she won’t waste this chance to make a change, and promises Paimon that the same future won’t ever happen. After calming down, she finally stood up and looked at the horizon where Mondstadt is. She also noticed that she can’t control any of the elements so she’ll need to borrow the Seven Archon’s powers again and without Paimon this time… She knew that the memories she carries with Paimon won’t ever disappear from her heart but remembering those times will surely bring her into a bittersweet nostalgia.

She placed a hand over her own chest, closing her eyes. She replayed her past experiences and nodded as she made up her mind. There are places where she needs to be. First, she needs to know the year. She looked around and found a dirty cloth. She picked it up and dusted it off the sands before wearing it like a hooded robe.

Lumine soon reached the Statue of the Seven found near the Dawn Winery, looking over the cliff. She spotted two young kids, Kae and Diluc. It looks like Paimon brought her memories back when both brothers were still young and not yet knights. That’s good, that will give her so much time. She’ll just return here before the Stormterror Crisis happens so she can warn them in advance. For now, she needs to talk to a few people in Liyue, Sumeru, Fontaine, Natlan and Snezhnaya. Going to Inazuma is still a bad idea because of the Vision Hunt Decree and their closed borders.

And there’s also her brother….

With a shake of her head, Lumine smiles before turning around and walking away to finally head towards Liyue. She didn’t notice the golden butterflies fluttering behind her and the older bluenette coming out of the Dawn Winery manor.*

.:: Two Years After::.

(Diluc is 13, Kae is 12)
(Month: Around July)

Today, Grand Master Varka is going to introduce the knights who passed this year’s knights examination and both Ragnvindr brothers were accepted. Crepus and Kaeya were on their way to the Knight’s Headquarters to watch the welcoming ceremony.

“Ah, my boys have grown.” Crepus mused as they both watched from a distance. “Kae is also starting to look similar to you. How are you not his father?” he asked, smirking at Kaeya.

Kaeya just chuckles in a slightly nervous manner. He’s right. Kae is starting to resemble him and there’s something that he noticed about himself as well. He doesn’t age, which was strange. And now it worries him once his past self reaches the age of 20. Both of them will surely look like twins. Crepus would be suspicious again. Can he just say he was cursed by the Abyss while they are being chased?

“Ah, Grand Master Varka’s speech is finally done. They are taking their oaths now.” Kaeya told Crepus and the man nodded while he smiled in a proud manner.

“I see that the both of you had come to watch.”

Kaeya could already feel the annoyance in his veins when he heard the voice. Both him and Crepus turn around to face Eroch who definitely doesn’t look pleased. Eroch looked at the place where the brothers were standing with the other knights.

“Tsk. What’s going on inside Grand Master Varka’s mind for accepting a non-Mondstadter in the knights?” Eroch said with spite.

Crepus immediately glared at the Inspector. “Watch your tongue, Inspector Eroch. Kaeya Ragnvindr is my son and he’s clearly a Mondstadter. Grand Master Varka and the Seneschal can vouch for that.”

Eroch rolls his eyes, “Don’t tell me that his so-called ‘Uncle’ is also a Mondstadter now?” he asked, eyeing Kaeya while he frowned.

“Well, you can see him as one. He’s been under my care ever since he worked as a butler.” Crepus told him.

Eroch didn’t say anything back and just clicked his tongue before quickly turning his heels and walking away while murmuring about his complaints about this year’s new recruits.

Crepus sighs, “I’m sorry about him, Caribert. Eroch is just really a… pain in the head.”

Kaeya chuckles, “It’s alright. I hate that man too. How come he became an Inspector in the first place? This city is clearly the city of freedom. A perfect place for Kae and I and he should have learned how everyone had accepted us.”

“Eroch is still a skillful and intelligent man. I don’t want to admit it but his job fits him well. Let’s just ignore him. Don’t let him spoil our celebration.” Crepus told Kaeya while smiling.

“Father! Uncle!” Kae’s voice called out.

Kae and Diluc are jogging towards the two. It looks like their oath taking is done. Crepus immediately hugged both of his sons, a bright and proud smile present in his face. Kaeya then spotted someone else with them and he could feel the emotions stirring inside his chest. He politely bowed his head to greet not only the brothers but their friend too. Jean Gunnhildr.

“I am so proud of you two.” Crepus told them. “And congratulations to you as well, Miss Jean.”

Jean smiles, “Thank you, Master Crepus. And please just call me Jean like always.”

Crepus chuckles as he shakes his head, “You are a knight now. I must stay respectful.”

“Hey, Uncle . You also came to watch us?” Diluc asked and Kaeya couldn’t help but frown.

Ever since Diluc discovered that if he calls Kaeya his ‘Uncle’ too and makes the butler uncomfortable, it’s been his way of teasing and the redhead just can’t stop. It honestly annoys him.

Imagine your own sibling calling you their ‘Uncle’. Isn’t that just weird?!

“Young master Diluc….” Kaeya muttered with a sigh. He would prefer Diluc calling him brother stealer instead of Uncle. It’s more funny that way. “Yes, of course I’ve come to watch. I will never miss my nephew’s acceptance into the knights. And of course yours as well.” Then he looks at Jean, “Hello. You’ve grown well, Miss Jean. Congratulations.”

Jean pouts, “Sir Caribert, not you too! Just Jean is fine! Just like how you call Kaeya as Kae.”

Kaeya chuckles, “But I am merely a butler.”

“A battle butler.” Kae quickly corrected. “Uncle is really good with the sword! I’ve learned so much from him and Grand Master Varka. I think it would really be cool if you also entered the knight’s examination with us!”

Kaeya ruffles Kae’s head, “I think I am more needed around the residence. And if I were to become a knight, who would watch over your overworking Father?” he smirked at Crepus and the man just shook his head fondly.

Jean stares at Kaeya before nodding her head, “Yes, I’ve heard about the training from Mother.” she said before looking at her two friends, “I’m really happy that we can get to spend more time together now! We’re also in the same group!”

“When is your real work starting?” Crepus asked the three.

“Grand Master Varka said that we will start tomorrow. For now, we can learn the routines from our Captains. We’ll be free around late afternoon.” Diluc answered.

Crepus smiles, “I see. We shouldn’t take your time then. I’ll have Adelinde prepare a feast for our dinner. See it as a celebration for successfully entering the knights. Jean is also free to join us if she wants.”

Jean looks at him with surprise before smiling, “I think I can convince my Mother!”

“Great. I’ll see you later then.” Crepus told them and the three knights walked back to the front of the Headquarters to meet their superiors. “Now… Where are we meeting Venti again?” he asked Kaeya.

“In Cat’s Tail.” Kaeya answered with a small smile.

Kaeya and Venti had a plan to have their meeting in Cat’s Tail and since Crepus is now part of their team, Kaeya had decided to inform him about it too. They used one of the private rooms in Cat’s Tail, discussing their next plan while they ate. It was a little challenging not to mention anything relating to the future but thankfully, Venti can lead the conversation pretty well.

“So we will investigate the heightened activity of hilichurls around Mondstadt. There’s a chance that we’ll encounter some of the knights while investigating them so should we leave at night time?” Crepus asked while he stared at the marked areas in the map brought by Venti.

Kaeya nodded, “If we don’t want to get in trouble, then yes.”

Venti pointed at some marked areas, “It would be best if we investigate each area separately. Take any documents you can see in their camp so we can read it together with Caribert’s help. We need to know what the Abyss Order is planning next and to make sure if they are still after Caribert and I.”

“And me.” Crepus added with a chuckle.

Kaeya frowns, “I don’t trust Master Crepus to go alone. You or I need to be with him.”

Crepus raises an eyebrow as he looks at Kaeya . “Are you still worried that I’ll use my Delusion? This is just an investigation which requires us sneaking into their camp. I won’t need to use it.” he reassured the bluenette but Kaeya seemed to frown even more. Crepus sighs, “Alright, alright. I won’t bring it with me. I’ll just bring a sword and a few elemental potions for emergencies.”

And that’s the only time that Kaeya relaxed.

Venti looked between the two before smiling, “Don’t worry! I’ll have the winds tell me if one of you is in danger so I can come to your rescue! Hehe!”

Crepus chuckles, “Thank you, Venti. Knowing that you got our back makes me feel at ease.”

“When are we doing this?” Kaeya asked Venti.

Venti hums, “I know that both of you are going to be busy tonight and the following days so we can start our investigation next week instead. Maybe around weekend night.”

Crepus pondered for a bit before nodding, “I should be free from paperwork by then.”

“Then that date’s settled.” Kaeya told them as he stretched his arms. “Anything else?”

Venti shakes his head but he was eyeing Kaeya as if telling him that there’s something that he wanted to tell Kaeya privately , without Crepus knowing.

“Seems like we’re done. I’m staying here a bit more and helping Venti with the payment. You can head back first, Master Crepus.” Kaeya told Crepus.

Crepus blinks and then he stood up, “Ah, allow me to pay instead–”

Kaeya chuckles, “No need, no need! This is our treat!” he told him before standing up and ushering the man towards the door. “You still need to talk with Adelinde and the head chef about tonight’s feast, remember?”

The man sighed, nodding. “Fine. Don’t take too long. You also need to help them.” Crepus told him while he smirked.

Kaeya rolls his eye, “Yes, Master Crepus. I’ll be there after we pay for the meals.”

Crepus nodded towards Venti before leaving the room. Kaeya sat down again and leaned back with a sigh.

“So, what did you find out about Eroch?” Kaeya asked Venti.

Venti leans forward, a smirk on his face. “Oh you won’t believe what I found out! It seems like he’s really related to the Fatui. I saw him talking with some Fatuus outside of the city and they tend to exchange documents. I don’t know what the documents are about though since it’s hidden inside of a folder.” he said, shrugging.

“Did you at least get some shots?” Kaeya asked and then Venti placed a picture on the table. He picked it up and smiled, “Nice. This can be our first proof. I’ll keep it inside the theater lobby.”

Venti giggles, “If only I can record their voices too, it would be great! But unfortunately, Mondstadt doesn’t have such a device. I already checked with Marjorie but she only has that prototype kamera.”

“Better than nothing.” Kaeya smiles.

The prototype kamera wasn't the one he’s used to. The kamera that Venti was using gives the pictures a black and white color, unlike the one from the future where it’s colored. At least it doesn’t look like a sketch. It really looks like a real life picture despite being black and white. Good thing Eroch is also wearing his Inspector uniform so when it’s time to show this to Varka, no one can say that it’s somebody else. Eroch’s face is also shown in the picture. He really needs to thank Venti a lot.

“Did you at least hear something from them?” Kaeya asked. “It’s fine if we can’t record it but we should also be updated on what that man is plotting.”

Venti hums, tapping his chin with his finger while he thinks. “Well, they were talking really low so it was a bit difficult to catch what they were talking about even with the help of the wind… but I did remember some terms. Delusion, Snezhnaya and a plan.”

Kaeya’s eye narrows on the picture. “A plan, huh.”

Are they already planning for the Ursa attack? So the planning happened this early? Creating Ursa the Drake must take a long time then, for them to take four or five years to commence the attack…

He looked at Venti, uncertainty growing within him. But if he shares this, it would be beneficial in their current investigations.

“There’s something… I must share with you, Venti. It concerns Master Crepus’ death in the future.” Kaeya said as low as he could so if ever there were eavesdroppers outside of the room, they wouldn’t be able to hear him. “Eroch was involved in his death. He created a monstrosity called Ursa the Drake that ambushed the wagon that Master Crepus and Diluc used on their way back home.”

Venti’s eyes widened. “Ursa? He created Ursa the Drake?!” he asked in a hushed whisper.

Kaeya nodded, “Eroch was actually a clone of the second harbinger, Il Dottore.”

“Il Dottore… And he’s part of the knights, even! This is bad…” Venti grumbled, his brows furrowed. “Do you want us to deal with this early?” he asked, which caught Kaeya off guard.

He was expecting Venti to just tell him that they should deal with the Inspector early, not to ask him.

“I know what you’re expecting from me, but I also want to know your thoughts. If we deal with this early, it means we can even save Master Crepus from his death!” Venti told him while smiling. “Don’t you want that?”

Kaeya’s eye widened. “I…”

Since it came to this, maybe it’s time for him to finally give in to his inner voice. The voice of the young knight who lost not only his brother but his father too.

“I want to save him, of course. But what if something worse happens if I changed the time of his death?” Kaeya asked as he stared at his lap, watching his own clenched hands together.

Venti sighs, “You are not changing the time of his death, Kaeya. You are saving him from his death. Tell me, you don’t actually want Master Crepus to die, right?”

“O-Of course I don’t want to! Who would want their father to die?!” Kaeya finally snapped at the bard but instead of surprise, Venti smiled proudly at him instead.

“Then there’s your answer. We can save him, Kaeya.” Venti told him. “You’ve made many changes in this timeline already. So why not do another one? I’m sure the Ley Line would accept the change seeing how helpful Crepus had been for our mission. And it’s one of your biggest wishes, right?”

Kaeya gasped and for a moment, he could see his old friend Venti in front of him instead of the past one. But that’s impossible. This Venti is from this past timeline. It seems like Venti stays the same in whatever year it is.

He pursed his lips together, “Is… Is that really alright?”

Venti nodded, “I, as the Anemo Archon, support you with this decision. I will do my best to also protect Master Crepus. He is one of my people after all.”

All of the sudden, the invisible heavy weight that hangs on Kaeya’s shoulder began to lessen. Does worrying about Crepus’ death really burdened his mind that much? Alright, maybe he’ll admit that the thoughts about his death really did bother him greatly. He wanted to keep some parts of the past on its original path and he’s afraid that changing something small might bring something bigger and worse. But Crepus’ death is never a small thing, wasn’t it? Not only did it affect his future but Diluc’s too. Maybe by doing this, Kae won’t have a brother who would leave him alone. Maybe Diluc would never leave Mondstadt anymore. Isn’t this what he wanted in the first place? Not only to stop the Abyss Order but to also make sure that his past self will have a better life; a life better than what he had?

“I’ll save him.” Kaeya said, with so much determination this time. “I’ll save him, Venti.”

“We will save him.” Venti smiled.

That night, the Ragnvindr household had a lively feast celebrating Diluc, Kae and Jean’s acceptance into the knights. Jean also came with her parents and her little sister, Barbara. While both brothers are with Jean and Barbara at their own table, their parents are at a separate table and they can see the heated argument between Frederica and Seamus. Kaeya only watches by the side, knowing where this argument would lead them. He couldn’t help but to look sadly at Jean and Barbara.

“Alright, alright. Knock it off, you two. This is a celebration, don’t spoil it by arguing.” Crepus scolded the both of them.

Frederica just glared at Crepus while Seamus sighed. Only the Seneschal looked apologetic.

“I’m sorry about this, Master Crepus. Frederica and I had been going on about this and we just couldn't reach an agreement.” Seamus said with a tired sigh.

Crepus shakes his head, “Why don’t you let the little girl decide? You can’t always control their life. Jean might have been alright following your footsteps, Frederica but Barbara is still so young. Who knows, she might want to be something else in the future.”

Frederica huffs, “What is more honorable than to become a knight to serve Mondstadt?”

“She can serve Mondstadt in some other ways, Frederica.” Seamus argued.

Frederica glares at his husband, “The Gunnhildr Clan is a venerable knightly house! It’s only right for Barbara to follow in my footsteps or in her elder sister’s. Jean didn’t have any problems following mine.”

Seamus shakes his head, “That is because she studied early and just like Diluc and Kae, Jean became interested in swordsmanship. And just like what Master Crepus had said, Barbara is still young. I won’t force her to do things that she’s not ready to do.”

Frederica suddenly stands and argues with Seamus again. Crepus shakes his head again before noticing that the kids had been watching them. He frowns, looking over at the couple in front of him. He stands up, finally pulling the two away from each other.

“I think both of you need some fresh air. Let’s go outside, shall we?” Crepus told the two and before they could even respond back, Crepus took them outside of the manor.

Kaeya , who walked over to the young knights’ table to refill their glasses with juice, looked over at Barbara who had been staying quiet the whole time. Despite her calm demeanor, Kaeya can still notice small signs of uneasiness from the little girl.

“Do you want more juice, Miss Barbara?” Kaeya asked while he smiled.

Barbara looked up at him in surprise. She giggles, “Yes, please.” she answered shyly.

Kaeya refills her glass before moving to Diluc to refill his juice.

“Thank you, Uncle.” Diluc smirked, earning a groan from Kaeya. He sticks his tongue out before looking at Jean with worry, “Are you okay, Jean? Don’t worry about your parents! I’m sure Father will do something about it!”

Jean sighs, “It’s just… They started arguing when this year started. But I agree with Father, I don’t want to force Barbara to take the sword if she doesn’t want it.” she told them while patting her little sister in the head.

“Maybe your Mother will change her mind someday?” Kae tries to reassure but Jean shakes her head.

“I can’t imagine that. Mother is really serious about our family’s knighthood. I’m really scared… What if they suddenly leave each other because of this? What would happen to us?” They can clearly hear the pain in her voice so both brothers tried comforting her by giving her a pat on the back.

Kae looks around and then grabs a stick of fruity skewer, “Don’t be sad! You still have us, Jean. Here, you should try this out. My Uncle made it. It’s really fruity and meaty.”

Jean giggles, wiping some of her tears before taking the fruity skewer. “Thank you, Kae. Thank you too, Diluc. I’m sorry. Today should have been a happy celebration but…”

“It’s fine! We should focus on our celebration!” Diluc told her, smiling brightly.

Kaeya smiles at the group before looking at the door that leads outside. He sighs and walks back inside the kitchen to join the staff with their own dinner.

After a few days, at the Dawn Winery. 

“Caribert, can you bring this box of wines to Angel's Share before you head back to the residence? Master Crepus forgot to bring it together with the other crates.” Connor asked Kaeya while he was cleaning outside of the manor.

Kaeya stared at the box and nodded. “Sure, I can drop by.”

Connor smiles, “Thanks!”

Once he’s done, Kaeya tries carrying the box to see if he can carry it all the way to the city. It wasn’t that heavy so he can probably handle this without using a wagon.

Upon his arrival in the city, he headed straight to Angel’s Share and before he could even enter the establishment, he could hear hushed whispers from behind the tavern. He would normally ignore it, thinking that it’s only some drunk patrons arguing but the voices sounded very familiar. He opened the door to the tavern and waved at Charles.

“Hey, Charles. Master Crepus forgot to bring this extra box of wine.” Kaeya told the bartender.

“Ah! No wonder we’re missing a box. Thank you, Caribert. You can leave that to me. Master Crepus should be on his way back to the residence.” Charles said as he walked over to the bluenette, taking the box from his hands.

Kaeya narrows his eyes, remembering the hushed whispers from behind the tavern. He hopes he can still catch up with them. “Alright, I better head back as well. Good luck, Charles!”

Charles chuckles, “Be careful on your way back.”

Kaeya exits the tavern before taking a deep breath. He slowly walked from the side of the building before hiding behind some barrels. The hushed whispers are still there, it looks like he’s just on time.

“Just because you used to be one of us doesn’t mean that I would play along with whatever you’re doing!” he heard Eroch saying in a low growl.

There was a sigh, which surely came from Crepus. “I could say the same thing to you, Eroch. Or should I say… the clone of Il Dottore?”

So Crepus also knew about Eroch’s true identity… Two Harbingers arguing never brings any good news.

“Don’t just go spitting that out in public! What if someone hears?!” Eroch hissed and Kaeya could imagine his father rolling his eyes.

“Not that I care. I already agreed to you that I would not meddle with your business if you leave me and my family alone. But you didn’t by trying to intimidate my youngest son on his first days as a new recruit.” Crepus told Eroch with a harsh voice.

“Intimidate? He’s just overreacting. I treat him like how I treat the other recruits.” Eroch argued before sighing, “You said you won’t meddle with my business but you never stopped playing friends with that Grand Master. Does he even know what job you used to have before becoming a wine tycoon?”

Crepus didn’t say anything but Kaeya can guess that Varka already knows about it. They’ve been friends for too long, it would be strange if an observant person like Varka never noticed it especially when Crepus was still in Snezhnaya. Speaking of which, when did Crepus even stay in Snezhnaya and how long did he stay? He only knew that Crepus was already a Harbinger before meeting his wife so he must be pretty young.

“Anyway. That’s not the reason why I sought you out. The Delusion, Crepus. Remember your deal with us; with Her Majesty . This was the only reason why we allowed you to leave with the Delusion.” Eroch hissed with a sharp tone and Kaeya’s eye widened. He leaned forward to hear more of their conversation while trying not to bump with any of the barrels around him.

“The deal has nothing to do with you. Lady Tsaritsa clearly hid a lot of things from your fellow Harbingers about our deal so don’t act like you know what it’s all about.” Crepus told Eroch, his voice firm. “Oh, but there is indeed a change. Do tell the Lady that I won’t be able to give Diluc my Delusion. I changed my mind.”

There was a gasp coming from Eroch, “You– Ugh, fine. What about your youngest then? He doesn’t possess a vision. Perhaps hand it over to him as a kind of family heirloom.”

Crepus frowns, “No. I won’t give it to any of my sons. I’m keeping it for myself. Plus, having to talk with Caribert opened my eyes. I’m afraid that my Delusion won’t suit both of them even with my wife’s spell.”

“But you said–”

Crepus glared darkly at Eroch, “My decision is final, Eroch. They won’t become my replacement. My wife and I will make sure of that.”

A replacement? Was that Crepus’ plan all along? Does he want Diluc to be a Harbinger because of a deal he had with the Cryo Archon? But there seems to be more about this deal… Eroch clearly doesn’t know much about it too so Kaeya shouldn’t rush to conclusions.

Eroch clicked his tongue in annoyance, “So you lied to Her Majesty. This wouldn’t end well for you, Crepus Ragnvindr.” he sneered, “You’ll regret betraying us, you fool.”

Kaeya could hear footsteps but Eroch didn’t use the road beside him which brought him relief. He must have gone to the other road.

“As if he knows what Lady Tsaritsa and I really talked about.” he heard Crepus murmuring before sighing. “Caribert.”

Kaeya froze. He was so sure to hide his presence. How did Crepus notice him?

“Come out, the bad guy’s gone.”

For some reason, that statement made him snicker. He stood up from his hiding spot, dusting some dust from his uniform before walking towards Crepus. The man was simply smiling at him with his arms crossed.

“Well then, my friend. How much did you hear? It’s a bad habit to eavesdrop, you know.” Crepus told him while he chuckled.

Kaeya smiles sheepishly. Thank Barbatos that the both of them are on good terms now. “Just about Eroch threatening you if you won’t give the Delusions to either of your sons.”

“Ahh. I see.” Crepus sighed, his shoulders sagging. “He was right at one point. One of the deals I had with Lady Tsaritsa is about giving my first son the Delusion so he could become the next Harbinger after me but after our conversations, I changed my mind. The Delusion does choose its own bearer. And just like what you said, it is still a dangerous weapon with or without Ignisia’s spell.”

Kaeya smiles, “Well, I’m glad to be able to change your mind. What should we do about that Inspector then? I’m sure he won’t stop here.”

“You’re right, he won’t. But knowing him, he won’t do anything rash. I just hope he won’t end up targeting Kae.” Crepus muttered while he frowned.

“He’ll have to face us if he hurts him.” Kaeya grinned and Crepus returned it with his own.

“You’re right on that. Well then, let us return to the residence. I still have some paperworks to do.” Crepus said as he walked ahead.

Kaeya just smiles as he watches Crepus, but it soon disappears when he thinks about Crepus’ conversation with Eroch again. Was this connected to Ursa’s attack? Was this the argument that sparked that incident to happen?

“Caribert, are you coming?” he heard Crepus calling so Kaeya’s smile returned and he followed the man.

“Yes, yes.” he muttered and they made their way back to the Ragnvindr Residence.

Chapter Text

The night of their investigation finally arrived. They met up in Springvale late at night and there weren't many people outside of their homes so it’s the perfect time and place to do their investigation. The knights don't pass by this place around this time either, especially the new recruits like Diluc and Kae, who aren't scheduled to patrol around this time yet. Both brothers are already home, sleeping early so they could prepare for their work tomorrow.

“Is your sword and elemental potions with you, Master Crepus?” Kaeya asked Crepus as he observed the man.

Crepus nodded, showing the several bottles of elemental concoctions hanging from his belt. Kaeya couldn’t help but chuckle, thinking about how similar he is to a grown-up Diluc. He remembered the time when Diluc used a type of mixture using a few mist flower corolla to attract some slimes. His brother really caused so much trouble for the knights at that time.

Well, now he knows where Diluc got that from.

Venti stares at the concoctions. “How did you even make those? It looks dangerous.”

“Just mixed a few mist flower corollas, flaming flower stamen and electro crystals. My wife insisted on teaching me how to make it so I won’t just have to rely on my Delusion. Now that reminds me, Ignisia and Caribert have the same concern when it comes to my Delusion. Seriously, the both of you.” Crepus said but there’s no bite in it, instead he was smiling fondly at the realization.

Kaeya chuckles, “Glad I’m not the only one who sees the risk! Well then, I think it’s time to go to our places. The faster we do this, the earlier we can go home.”

With a nod from one another, they finally went to their own target locations.

Kaeya headed towards Wolvendom after dropping off Crepus on the previous clearing where a few hilichurl camps could be found. He picked this place because in the future, there will be some Abyss Order movements around this place. He had to see if they are already investigating this area too. Kaeya also needed to check if there are already a few riftwolves around this time. With the changes he had made and the movements of the Abyss Order slowly shifting, some incidents that may happen in the future might happen early.

Kaeya looks behind him, stopping just before the forest of Wolvendom. He’s still worried about Crepus. He’ll admit that he regretted telling Crepus to leave his Delusion at home but he doesn’t want to risk him with the use of that fake vision. He doesn’t know how strong Ignisia’s spell was and how long it will actually keep the Delusion from harming its host. He just hopes that Venti fulfills what he said, that he’ll protect the man if ever something bad were to happen.

With a sigh, Kaeya finally entered the forest, looking around for any anomaly.

Crepus hides behind a box, kneeling down on one knee while he’s observing the camp in front of him. He spotted three regular hilichurls dancing by the fire and there’s a mitachurl sitting by a tree, its axe discarded by its side. He doesn’t know if it's actually sleeping or awake because of the mask. It looks like these four are the only monsters here and none of them are guarding the hilichurl outpost hut so Crepus moves slowly and quietly until he can reach the hut. He looked around, trying to see if there was anything he could take. But he doubts that this camp has any useful documents. There’s no Abyss Mage anywhere after all so this camp might not be under the influence of the Abyss Order.

“I guess I’ll defeat those four to lighten the knight’s load.” Crepus muttered to himself as he smirked. “I’m sure Caribert can understand that.”

Venti floats in the background, squinting his eyes as he watches an abyss mage that seems to be sleeping.

“What a carefree bunch. Everyone is asleep at this time. Easy peasy, nothing can truly beat my hunch!” Venti said to himself as he giggled.

Venti entered the biggest hut in the camp and looked around the place. He took whatever document he could find, he can’t understand their language after all. Only Kaeya can. He also grabbed a few papers with some diagrams and symbols drawn in it. Once he got enough, he quietly left the hut, heading towards Crepus’ location to join him.

Crepus had defeated the hilichurls when Venti arrived. The bard looks around the camp in surprise. There are patches of burned grass around them and Venti couldn’t help but smirk.

“Caribert would get mad once he learns about this, Master Crepus.”

Crepus chuckles, “I’m helping the knights. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Venti giggles. “So, did you find anything in this camp?” he asked.

The man shakes his head, “I don’t think the hilichurls here are influenced by the Abyss Order. How about you, Venti?”

Venti shows Crepus the papers he took from the camp. “I found these!”

Crepus hums, checking the papers that Venti had. As expected, he can’t understand what the symbols or letters meant. There’s a few drawn maps though, he can recognize some of the places. Crepus was about to ask Venti about the drawn map when they heard an explosion from inside Wolvendom.

“And he said no fighting.” Crepus said, shaking his head and smiling slightly. He gave the papers back to Venti to keep before they ran towards the direction of the explosion.

Kaeya dodges the jaws of two rifthound whelps that charged at him. He swung his sword but the annoying rifthound disappeared again. He clicked his tongue. Fighting against these abyssal monsters during nighttime is hard because there’s barely any light and the rifhounds are using the darkness to their advantage. That’s why he has been on defense lately.

Another concerning thing is the Hydro Abyss Mage giggling in the distance. He couldn’t even get close to it because of the rifthound’s sneaky attacks. He just hoped that the explosive barrel that it hit earlier would alert Crepus and Venti.

“Come and surrender! You are at a disadvantage!” the Hydro Abyss Mage told him but Kaeya only grinned.

“Surrender? Why don’t you?” he asked while blocking the claw of a rifthound whelp.

The abyss mage chuckles, “I will never surrender to the likes of you!” it yelled out before sending out a bubble.

Kaeya slashed through the bubble but he didn’t see the rifthound coming for him from behind. He gasped but before the rifthound could even reach him, a lone arrow hit it. He smiles, finally seeing Venti and Crepus arriving in the scene.

“Finally, my reinforcements!” Kaeya said as Crepus and Venti joined him by his side.

Crepus looks around for any movements in the darkness. “Are you hurt?” he asked, raising his sword in front of him.

“Almost, but both of you arrived just on time.” Kaeya told the man before using his frostgnaw at the rifthound whelp that appeared on his left side. “They appeared as if they were expecting me. We’ve been fighting since we encountered each other.”

Crepus hums before grabbing the cryo concoctions he has. He looked at Venti, “I’m going to throw these cryo concoctions at the Hydro Abyss Mage. Hit it with your arrow so it will explode and freeze the abyss mage in place. Once frozen, Caribert and I will have to hit the shield to break it. Can I count on you to handle the black wolves?”

Venti salutes like a knight, “Gotcha! Leave them to me!”

“Alright. We move as soon as we freeze the Hydro Abyss Mage.” Crepus told them and he received a few nods from the two.

Kaeya and Crepus blocked a few more attacks from the rifthound whelps and when Crepus finally found an opening, he threw the three bottles of cryo concoctions above the Hydro Abyss Mage. Venti quickly shot an arrow as soon as it was close to the abyss mage.

The cryo concoction exploded, surprising the Hydro Abyss Mage and freezing it in place.

Crepus wasted no time as he dashed ahead, followed by Kaeya. The rifthound whelps started appearing in front of them but with Venti shooting a few anemo-imbued arrows from behind, none of the black wolves were able to touch them.

Kaeya uses his Vision to cover his sword with ice to add more weight to it and then he swings it down against the frozen shield of the abyss mage. Crepus slashes through the other side and with the force of their attacks, a few cracks appear on the surface of the shield and soon it shatters.

Crepus backed away before throwing an electro and pyro concoction towards the still-frozen abyss mage and Kaeya hits it with his frostgnaw, creating a strong explosion of super-conduct and melt reactions.

Both of them stared at the burnt ground, the Hydro Abyss Mage already gone.

“Wow, those concoctions are surely helpful.” Kaeya muttered before thinking, ‘ That would have been a nice weapon to use for the future. Why didn’t Albedo, Sucrose or Timaeus think of it? I mean, they used something similar to explosive potions but the one that father used seems stronger. Could it be because the recipe he used was made by a mage from the Hexenzirkel?’

Crepus chuckles and he turns around to see if Venti needed their help but it looks like the bard is also done with his part. Several bodies of rifthound whelps are already on the ground, disintegrating into ashes.

“I don’t see any more enemies, I think we’re done!” Venti told them, smiling from ear to ear.

Crepus puts his sword back to its sheath, “That’s good.” he turned to Kaeya who was treating his cuts with his vision, “Is there any more camps that we need to check in Wolvendom?” he asked him.

Kaeya shakes his head, “I mainly went here to check if there are any of those black wolves. It looks like they appeared earlier like I expected.”

“Like what you expected?” Crepus asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kaeya’s eye widened, “Uh! I mean– Yeah, they are after me and Venti and we’ve encountered those black wolves before so I expected them to start appearing around Mondstadt. They are called rifthounds or riftwolves. They are a nasty bunch.”

Crepus nodded slowly, “Yes, I can see that. They are using the darkness of the night as an advantage to hide from our sight. They also seem to travel using abyssal portals. I think we should report this to the knights just to be sure. I don’t want the new recruits, including my sons, to go here in their first month in the knights… That kind of enemy is a bit high level for them…”

“Hmm… I guess that’s alright but what do we say to him? We just can’t say that we sneaked out during nighttime and went here in Wolvendom. That will surely raise some questions.” Kaeya said as he frowned.

Crepus chuckles, patting him on his shoulder. “Leave it to me, I’ll write a letter and then have one of my staff submit it to the headquarters.”

“Alright then…”

Kaeya helps Adelinde and Lily as they serve the family’s breakfast. He glanced at both teens, seeing how thoughtful Diluc seems to be.

“Anything interesting happening in the knights, young master Diluc?” he asked.

Diluc seemed to only grumble so Kae was the one who answered him instead.

“Grand Master Varka told us to stay away from Wolvendom for a while. Someone reported that the forest is currently dangerous.” Kae told him. “Wolvendom is actually one of the areas that we’re supposed to go to this week. Our Captain was planning to bring us there for training.”

Diluc sighs, taking a piece of his steak and eating it. “I don’t get it. We can just fight them. If they want to train us as a knight, they should have let us go there and continue the plan with the training.”

“I don’t know, Luc. Do you remember Master Varka’s expression when he told all of us about this issue? He also said that the monsters who appeared in Wolvendom are stronger than us, that's why he’s planning on sending out skilled knights instead.” Kae told his brother.

“Wouldn’t that be the perfect time to teach us too? If we don’t need to fight, they can bring us so we can watch! I’m really curious about the monsters that appeared there.” Diluc said as he sulked.

Kaeya hums. It looks like Crepus’ letter arrived just on time. But just like what Diluc had said, Wolvendom is one of the best places to hold an outdoor training session. But for now, they need to wait until that place is deemed safe. He just hopes that the rifthound they fought from before are the only ones in there, unless the Abyss Order decided to send out a few more. That would be troublesome.

Kae looked up at Kaeya when he refilled his glass with water. “We are training now in the headquarter’s training ground. Our Captain decided to reschedule our outdoor training.”

Kaeya smiles, patting Kae on his head. “Sounds like a good start. How’s your day as a knight so far?” he asked them both.

Diluc grins, “Easy as pie!”

Kae smiles at his brother before looking back at Kaeya, “A lot of our seniors are impressed by Luc’s skills and how he could control his Vision. They even said that they won’t be surprised if he becomes a Captain someday.”

Kaeya chuckles, knowing that it’s indeed going to happen very soon. “I can’t wait to see either of you becoming a Captain then.” he teased.

Kae’s cheeks turn pink for a moment due to surprise and embarrassment, “N-Not me! I’m already alright being Luc’s right hand. I’ll be his shadow… Plus I’m sure most of the knights wouldn’t want a non-Mondstadtian to become their Captain…” 

Diluc frowns, “Are those mean nobles bullying you again?”

Ah, right. There are those people too. He almost forgot about the nobles that used to bully him when he was still a new recruit. They never change even if Kae became a knight earlier than him.

“And you’re already a Mondstadtian, Kae! Just ignore them.” Diluc told Kae and Kaeya nodded in agreement.

“Listen to your brother, Kae. I believe you’ll be fine.” Kaeya smiles at his younger self and Kae nodded with a small smile.

“Thank you, Luc. Thank you, Uncle.” Kae said softly.

Crepus chuckles. He had been watching the three of them quietly. “Now, now. Hurry up, you two. You don’t want to be late for work, right?”

“We’re almost done, Father!” Diluc said before finishing his food and standing up. “I’ll go upstairs and brush my teeth! Hurry up, Kae!”

They watched as the younger redhead headed towards his room. Kae soon finished too and followed his brother.

Kaeya cleans up the table before walking towards Crepus, “Master Crepus, are you free today? There’s somewhere we need to go to discuss some… documents that we found.” he told him.

Crepus looked at him in surprise, “Oh, and here I thought you and Venti will meet again secretly.”

He shakes his head while chuckling, “Well, I already promised to include you since you’re now part of our team.” 

“Haha, alright. Let me just get ready and we can go.”

Kaeya saw Venti by the fruit stand once he and Crepus arrived in Mondstadt City. The bard waves at them while wearing a big smile.

“Good morning! Lovely morning, isn’t it?” Venti said.

Crepus chuckles, “Indeed.”

“Are we bringing Master Crepus to our secret meeting place?” Venti asked Kaeya with a smirk.

Kaeya nodded, “Yup.”

“I’ll lead the way then!!” Venti chirped before walking ahead.

Kaeya and Crepus followed Venti towards the Knight’s Headquarters. They also saw Diluc and Kae on their way, training at the training ground. Once they are inside, they head towards the library, earning a confused look from Crepus.

“The library? This is where you’ve been having your meetings? Isn’t this too public?” Crepus asked them while frowning.

Venti tut-tuts. “You’re close! Don’t worry, our room is very private.”

Now they stood in front of the restricted room and Crepus gave the two a disappointed look.

“You’ve been using the restricted room? Did the librarian know?” Crepus asked him.

Kaeya just blinks, ‘Master Crepus doesn’t know about the Imaginarium Theater room? Miss Ignisia didn’t tell him about it? Now that’s a surprise.’

“Please do the honors, Caribert~” Venti said in a dramatic way, gesturing towards the door.

Kaeya rolls his eye before bringing out the key given to him by Alice. “Don’t worry, Master Crepus. I have permission to use this room.” he told the man before unlocking the door.

Crepus walked inside, his eyes wide. He looks around in awe. Venti closes the door behind them.

“I… I know this place. Nisia once sent me a picture of her having tea time with Alice in this room. I didn’t know that it’s actually the library’s restricted room…” Crepus said in awe. “Where did you get the key?” he asked Kaeya.

Kaeya smiles, heading towards the long table where the papers that Venti took from the Abyss Order's camp is placed. “Remember the time when Miss Alice wanted to meet me? She gave me a key for this room at that time. She said I can use this place for my mission.”

Crepus hums, “So Alice is also involved… I’m still surprised. You got the Anemo Archon and a Hexenzirkel mage by your side.”

Kaeya just sits on a chair beside Venti while smiling nervously. He glanced at the lamp which just lit up.

“Aha! So I’m not imagining that voice! You do have Master Crepus by your side now.” Alice said from the lamp.

Crepus raises an eyebrow, taking a seat himself while looking at the lamp. “Alice?”

“Hello, Master Crepus. You finally caught Caribert with his sneakiness, huh~” Alice mused, making Kaeya frown.

“I am being sneaky for a good reason.” Kaeya said before looking at the papers on the table. “Are you joining us for this meeting, Alice?” he asked and heard a hum from the lamp.

Alice seems to stay quiet before asking, “What do you know about this mission, Master Crepus?”

“Just something about Caribert and Venti being chased by the Abyss Order. Their mission seems to be about going against the Abyss Order and investigating their movements around Mondstadt. Is there something else that I must know?” Crepus asked and Kaeya mentally prayed that Alice would not say anything outside of that.

Thankfully, she didn’t.

“Nothing else. That’s the important part of the mission. So, what do you have with you?” Alice asked them.

“Venti found these documents in one of the Abyss Order camps. It’s mostly about their plans for the ley line around Mondstadt and Liyue. It looks like they are experimenting with a few of them but none of these experiments are dangerous.” Kaeya said while looking through all of the papers. “They also have diagrams about the core of the First Field Tiller but we already secured that.”

“What about this map?” Crepus asked, pointing at the paper with a map drawn on it. “This looks like the Chasm from Liyue.”

Kaeya tries to hide his shiver, “ Oh… ”

Venti looked at him with worry, “Do you think we should head there?” he asked him.

Kaeya crosses his arms while he thinks for the answer. Under the Chasm, he knew that there was a device that somehow triggered his curse somewhere in the future. He don’t know what it was since his trip to the Chasm with Klee was cancelled. He wouldn’t blame Klee because she also saved him. He never wanted to go there. He can still feel the phantom pains when his curse was triggered. Is he going to experience that again? Or can he do anything to stop that from happening?

Does he even still have his curse now that the complete Loom of Fate is occupying his right eye? He couldn’t help but wonder about that. Maybe he should ask Caribert if they were to meet again.

 “I… I don’t think we need to go there yet. The writings around the map only looks like rough plans. Nothing seems final. They are still planning everything they need to do in the Chasm.” Kaeya told them, which was the truth. It will probably take a long time for the Chasm incident to happen. It’s still far in the future.

“Alright, but we should set the map aside just to be safe. I’ll see if I can get some of my informants to relay some information to me about the situations in the Chasm.” Crepus said and Kaeya just nodded.

The lamp simply stayed quiet as if Alice knew what Kaeya was worried about the Chasm.

Venti picked another paper and showed it to the two, “Look at this map. The marked locations are the temples of the four winds…”

‘ Ah, so the Abyss Order is already planning on corrupting Dvalin. I don’t think we need to worry about that. ’ Kaeya thought to himself before glancing at Crepus who was looking at the second map that Venti had shown to them. ‘ Maybe I can suggest to Master Crepus to tell Varka about assigning some knights to guard the four temples. ’

“What is it, Caribert?” Crepus asked, but his eyes still focused on the map.

Kaeya rubs the back of his head, a bit embarrassed that he was caught staring. “Ah, well. I was wondering if we can ask Master Varka to send some knights to guard the four temples so if the Abyss Order do go there, they can protect the place..”

“Hmm… I could but we need to translate this document so we can also show it to him. We just can’t tell him to send the knights without a reason why.” Crepus told him as he chuckled.

Kaeya smiles sheepishly, “I’ll write it down then.”

Kaeya stood and walked over to the bookshelf where his journal was hidden. He tore a blank page from it before putting it back and returning to his seat to translate the paper. Venti and Crepus chose a few more documents for Kaeya to transcribe and once he’s done, they gathered all of the original copies and kept them in a cabinet.

Kaeya and Crepus went to visit Varka while Venti already went out of the headquarters.

Crepus knocked on the Grand Master’s door. They could hear a few chatters inside of the office before silencing down. When they finally got the permission to enter, Kaeya pushed the door open. He frowned, Eroch was also inside and he seemed to be arguing with Varka.

Varka seems to brighten at their arrival while Eroch looks at them– no, at Kaeya, with disdain.

“Ah, welcome. What can I do for you?” Varka asked them while smiling.

Kaeya only watched Eroch cautiously before turning to greet Varka. “Hello, I hope we didn’t interrupt anything important.” he said, smiling.

Varka let out a heartfelt laugh, “Don’t worry! It’s nothing big, just trivial things.”

Crepus smiles, “I hope we could talk alone, Varka. Without a certain Inspector listening to us.” he said as he glanced at Eroch’s way.

“You– Tch.” Eroch grumbled before walking away. Before he opens the door, Eroch turns around and says, “Don’t forget about what we talked about, Grand Master Varka. We’re not yet done.”

Once Eroch is finally gone, Varka lets out a long sigh.

“What did the both of you fight about this time?” Crepus asked as he smirked.

Varka smiles slightly, “It’s nothing really. So, what do you need to talk about? Is it something about Kae? About the nobles that had been bullying and mistreating him? Don’t worry, I handled them already. I just don’t know when they will finally learn their lesson.”

Somehow, that statement warms up Kaeya’s heart. That was the first time he heard about Varka dealing with those nobles for him.

“Well, no. But thank you for doing that, Master Varka. I really owe you a lot now.” Crepus smiled at him. “This is the reason why we visited you today.” he handed the translated papers to Varka,

Kaeya only stood idly while Varka read the papers. He could see the way his brows meet at the center, a sign of concern. Varka glanced up at Crepus after reading.

“Did you deal with the Abyss Order to get this information? Did you use that weapon?”

Kaeya blinked. So Varka knew about the Delusion… He’s not surprised, knowing how close the two are.

Crepus chuckles and suddenly patted Kaeya on his back, surprising him. “Not this time. You got Caribert to thank. He convinced me not to use my Delusion for a while. Only in emergencies.”

Varka frowns, “He knows?”

“About me being an ex-Harbinger? Yes.” Crepus simply said.

“I’m surprised you took that well, Caribert.” Varka told Kaeya while chuckling.

Kaeya sighs in a dramatic manner, “Oh you wouldn’t know. It did surprise me a lot when I found out about it. So the Grand Master also knows about it?”

“Of course. Crepus would never hide anything from me.. Right?” Varka asked the redhead and Crepus nodded with a carefree smile. “So, who transcribed this? I don’t think you just found this in our language. The Abyss Order have their own language.”

“Caribert did. He learned the language from the Akademiya and from the Favonius Library.” Crepus answered in a casual manner.

Surprisingly, Varka seems to take that answer.

“You’re pretty knowledgeable then, Caribert. Hmm, I bet you are here to ask me to guard the ruined temples of the four winds?” Varka asked them and they nodded. “Sure, that’s easy work.”

“Thank you, Grand Master Varka.” Kaeya told him as he bowed.

Varka chuckles as he waves a hand, “No need to be too formal, Caribert. Is that all you need?”

“That should be all, yes.” Crepus answered.

“Alright, I’ll send the knights as soon as possible. Do you want to receive reports if ever the Abyss Order makes a move in those temples?” he asked them.

Crepus nodded, “Please, thank you. We should head back then. I’ll see you again next time, Master Varka.” he told him before leaving the office with Kaeya.

Chapter Text

Several months had passed and Mondstadt was surprised by Diluc’s quick promotion to Cavalry Captain. His leadership abilities were noticed and tested by the senior knights and saw a profound potential for him to be the next Captain at the early age of 14. His success with completing his missions and the positive feedback he’s getting from fellow knights and citizens alike are what pushed this decision to happen.

The news didn’t really surprise Kaeya as he expected it, but it brought happiness and a sense of pride to Crepus. The older bluenette simply watched as both Crepus and Kae celebrated around Diluc who looked proud at the position he attained.

He then noticed that Crepus and Kae had left to the kitchen to see how the preparation for tonight’s celebration is going, so Diluc is now on his way towards him.

“Uncle, you don’t look surprised. Was me being a Captain not that interesting?” Diluc asked Kaeya while smirking.

Kaeya smiles, “Well I wouldn’t say it wasn’t, Captain Diluc.” he said as he chuckled, “But the reason why I’m not surprised is because I expected it to happen. You’re a very skilled and honorable knight after all. You have the leadership in you.” he told Diluc as he ruffled his hair.

“H-hey! That’s not how you treat a Captain of the knights!” Diluc groans but Kaeya just laughs.

“From the time I helped you with your training under the Grand Master, I know you’ll get a good position in the knights once you become a part of it. And I am proud because I was one of the people who taught you.” Kaeya said with a proud huff. He also stopped ruffling the redhead’s already messy hair. It does feel nice especially when Diluc is his brother. Hah! A little brother.

Diluc crosses his arms, “What are you snickering about? Is there something funny?” he asked with a frown. He’s already getting his familiar hotheadedness and Kaeya couldn’t help but look at him in a fond way.

He had learned to just accept these familiarities and the faint reminders of his memories from the future. It might be painful to remember but that is exactly why he is here. He’s here to make a change so the dreadful events wouldn’t happen again.

A knock on the door had gotten Kaeya’s attention and he excused himself before heading towards the door. He fixed his uniform before opening the door to see who was outside. Venti, Jean and some of Diluc and Kae’s friends should arrive later, not this early.

“Good morning, what can I do for you?” Kaeya asked and he stilled for a moment, staring at the woman in front of him.

She has long hair cascading on her back and the color reminds him of the color of bright sunrise. Her outfit reminds him of a witch or a sorceress.

There was a twinkle within her amber eyes and she leaned forward, closer to Kaeya’s face much to his discomfort. “An unfamiliar face. You must be a new butler, hm?”

“Who was it, Caribert?” Diluc asked as he approached them and as soon as he saw the woman, he gasped with his eyes blown wide. “M-Mother?!”

Oh .

Ignisia. This is Ignisia Ragnvindr! Crepus’ wife and Diluc’s mother!

Who is also supposed to be his adoptive mother…

Kaeya could only stare, speechless. Of all of the reactions he expected to have when he finally gets the chance to meet his adoptive mother, he didn’t expect it to be this much of a surprise. Remembering that he’s currently a butler and not as her adopted son, he quickly bowed his head as he placed a hand over his chest to apologize.

“My apologies. I did not know that you were the Lady of the house. Please forgive me for my discourtesy.” Kaeya apologized.

Ignisia smiles and for some reason, Kaeya could feel her look at him in a fond manner. Knowing that she’s a part of the Hexenzirkel, does she know…?

“It’s alright. This is our first meeting so I expected that you didn’t know about me.” Ignisia reassured him before walking inside the manor. Kaeya closed the door and followed her and Diluc.

“Father! Father, mother’s here!” Diluc called out excitedly and in just a minute, not only Crepus rushed out of the kitchen but Adelinde too. Kae stayed inside of the kitchen but he was peeking from the door, obviously curious about Ignisia.

“Nisia! I didn’t expect you to return today! You never sent a letter!” Crepus said in surprise as he embraced the woman.

Ignisia giggles, hugging her husband back. “I wanted it to be a surprise and what better day to choose than the day my son becomes a Cavalry Captain?”

Diluc blushes out of embarrassment when Ignisia goes closer to him and squishes his cheeks. “M-Mother! I’m not a kid anymore!”

Ignisia laughs before looking around, “So where is our youngest son that I’ve been reading about in your letters, Crepus?” she asked and at the same time, Kae yelped.

Adelinde smiles, turning around and waving at Kae. “Young Master Kaeya, come here please. Don’t be shy.”

They watched as the youngest son walked towards them, fidgeting with his fingers while looking at the ground, unsure how to greet the woman. Kaeya sees the way Ignisia smiles and for some reason, her demeanor changes to a careful one so she wouldn’t intimidate the younger bluenette.

“Hello, your name is Kaeya, correct?” Ignisia asked Kae and the teen nodded. She then turns around, eyeing Kaeya who becomes a little uneasy at her stare.

Crepus, who noticed the strange silence, finally spoke. “Ah, this is Caribert. He is Kae’s uncle, that is why they look similar.”

Ignisia smiles more, “I see. It’s a pleasure to meet you then. Why are you a butler instead of simply living as a guest in the manor?”

Kaeya simply smiles, “I owe Master Crepus a lot. He took care of my nephew when his birth father abandoned him and he also saved me when I was on the brink of death.”

Ignisia hums, “I see, I understand. I hope my husband hasn't been too hard on you.” she giggled.

Crepus shakes his head as he smiles, “You don’t have to worry about that, Nisia. We’re friends. Right, Caribert?”

Kaeya chuckles, nodding his head. “Indeed.”

Ignisia smiles at the two of them, “That’s good then. Now back to my lovely sons!” she said, looking at Diluc and Kae who had been watching their exchanges. “Come join me. I want to hear everything I missed! I also want to learn more about my youngest son.” she told them while smiling sweetly towards Kae.

Kaeya and Crepus watched as the three of them headed towards the sofa with Diluc already telling Ignisia some stories.

“She’s truly a surprise. But that’s what I love about her.” Kaeya heard Crepus saying then the bluenette smiles. “Well then, I’ll just be in my office.” Crepus told him before heading towards his office.

Kaeya nodded and then he watched Ignisia and the two teens one last time before heading inside the kitchen, following Adelinde so he could help them with the preparations. For some reason, seeing the family together… made him feel out of place.

The celebration feast soon arrived and everyone was enjoying their time. Venti also came because he was invited by Crepus to play some songs. While everyone is busy congratulating the youngest Captain, Kaeya is currently outside with a wine on hand. His expression is calm as he gazes towards the rows of vineyards. 

“So you’re here.” a feminine voice said and Kaeya turned around to see Ignisia walking by his side. She’s also holding her own glass of what seems to be Dandelion Wine. “Why not join the fun inside, Caribert? Kae was also looking for you.”

Kaeya smiles before looking back at the scenery in front of them. “Is that so? He’ll find me soon.” he chuckled.

A comfortable silence stayed between them but it didn’t stay that long. Ignisia said something that puts him on guard.

“You’ve grown a lot.”

Kaeya watches her a bit warily, “..Pardon?”

Ignisia raises her glass to her lips while smiling, “You’ve grown a lot, Kaeya .” she said, whispering the name.

He tensed, “...So you knew.” he muttered silently.

“You don’t look surprised. Did you expect me to know?” Ignisia asked and there was a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

He chuckles, “You could say that. You’re a mage from the Hexenzirkel so I thought that maybe Alice had told you about my situation.”

Ignisia giggles as she brushes some hair behind her ears. He noticed that her earrings resemble the red gem that Diluc has but it’s smaller. “Indeed, she did. But only a few of us know. We’re keeping it a secret from the other mages like… Rhinedottir for example.”

Albedo’s mother. It looks like they don’t trust her too after what she did.

“Please don’t tell Master Crepus or anyone about my identity.” Kaeya told her while looking at her seriously. “I don’t want them to know.”

“I don’t plan to. It’s safer that way if you want to continue doing your mission. But I’ve heard from Alice that Crepus somehow joined you for that?” she asked and Kaeya could feel a hint of amusement in her voice as if she expected it to happen.

Kaeya couldn’t help but to smile sheepishly, “I’m sorry… He was pretty persistent. But I only told him about the Abyss Order, nothing about my real identity or time travel.”

Ignisia giggles, “He never changed. Always lending out a hand whenever he wanted. That’s why I fell in love with him when he was still a Harbinger. He was very different from the others.” she mused, a slight blush painting her cheeks.

Another silence.

Honestly, Kaeya has a lot of questions for her. Why is she not always at home? Why didn’t he meet her before? How did she get close to the Cryo Archon? Does she have an idea on what happened to her in the future?

Can he still call her ‘mother’?

“You look rather uncomfortable inside, I noticed.” Ignisia said, pulling Kaeya out of his thoughts.

Kaeya just smiles, “Well… Seeing everyone together brings me some kind of bittersweet memories and...”

I honestly feel so out of place.

But he didn’t say that. Though it seems like he didn’t need to say it because Ignisia seemed to understand. It was a little funny how she can easily read him.

“You can call me mother if it’s just the two of us.”

Kaeya’s eye widened. Of all of the things that she would say, he didn’t expect it to be that . He couldn’t help but feel shy all of the sudden and.. Does he even have the right to call her that?

“Whatever year you are from, whether you are from the far past or from the far future, you will always be my son. And I know Crepus would say the same if he were to know about your situation. And now that I am here, let me lend you a helping hand as well. I just can’t let my husband help you alone, can’t I?”

He could feel that emotion again, but he strengthened himself. He can’t let his tears fall when today should be a joyful night.

“I don’t think I should. I–”

“Oh, shush. No excuses. Just call me mother.” Ignisia cut him off.

“But–”

“Mo-ther.” She insisted.

“I don’t really think–”

“I’m waiting~”

“...”

A sigh from the bluenette, “...mother.”

Ignisia smiles, her eyes twinkling this time with happiness. “There we go. It isn’t that hard, right?”

Kaeya looks away, hiding his reddened face from view. He hears Ignisia laughing and he could only grumble before drinking his glass empty in one go.

“It must have been hard trying to keep up a strong face, not letting anyone see through your façade.” Ignisia said as she looked at her remaining wine. She looked up, smiling softly. “But you’ve been so strong and you’re doing great, Kaeya. Thank you… for coming back in time to save our future.”

Kaeya felt some of the weights lifted off his shoulders as if he’s really been waiting for someone, who is as close as a family, to say that to him. Could that possibly be the reason why she appeared today? Back in his own past, when they celebrated Diluc’s new position as a Captain, Ignisia didn’t come home and only sent out a letter to congratulate him. He couldn’t help but smile as he simply let some of his stray tears to fall, relieved that there’s someone who is a family to him that knows about his circumstances.

This might be the first time he meets his adoptive mother but it’s a good start. He smiled faintly.

“Thank you… mother.”

Kaeya and Ignisia soon went back inside. Kaeya made sure that there’s no trace of tears in his face because he’ll be teased for sure. Especially by a certain redhead. And he doesn’t want to make Kae worry.

A shorter bluenette was heading towards the two, “Uncle! You’ve been outside? I’ve been looking for you.” Kae told him as he pouted.

Ignisia smiles at Kaeya , “I’ll leave the both of you then. I’ll join Crepus.” she told him, pointing at the corner where Crepus, Varka and Frederica are. Jean’s mother seems to be watching her.

Kaeya nods and watches as the woman leaves her empty wine glass at a table before walking towards the group where Crepus was. He turns back at his younger self who was still staring at him. He smiles, ruffling his hair.

“Do you need me for something?” Kaeya asked, chuckling at Kae’s grumbling for having his hair ruffled.

“Not really… Was just wondering where you’ve been since I can’t see you serving the guests.” Kae answered as he fidgeted with his sleeve. “I didn’t expect you to be with mo… mother.” he said slowly.

Kaeya smiles, “We just had a little talk.”

“Oh.. Okay.” Kae looks around before finally looking at the table where the buffet is placed. “Have you eaten yet, Uncle? Should we grab something to eat?”

“Sure.”

While they were eating, Diluc finally got away from the people who kept on talking to him. He joined Kaeya and his brother by the buffet table and took his own share too.

“I’m finally free. Why did you suddenly leave me with them, Kae?” Diluc frowned before taking a bite from a fried chicken leg.

Kae just smirks, “Oops?”

Diluc elbowed him, making the younger bluenette laugh.

“Not used to it, Captain?” Kaeya asked, matching Kae’s smirk.

Diluc rolls his eyes, “Who would? I saw you with mother earlier, what did the two of you talk about?”

“I’m also curious…” Kae muttered.

Diluc grins at the younger bluenette, “Maybe they talked about your baby days! Some uncles or other close relative sometimes do that.” he chuckled.

Kae pouted but he shook his head, “It can’t be stories about me when I was still a baby because I don’t think I’ve met Uncle Caribert before. Plus the fact that my birth father never told me about Uncle.”

Diluc started waving his fork around, glancing at Kaeya’s neutral expression while he sipped from his glass of wine that he refilled earlier. “Which is really strange, you know. Even if both of you are not on good terms, Kae’s stupid birth father should have at least mentioned about you. Unless, you’re not really his uncle.” he told Kaeya while raising an eyebrow.

Kae gasps, looking at Diluc with surprise. “L-Luc! Don’t say that!” he said before looking between Diluc and Kaeya in a nervous manner.

Kaeya chuckles but even if Diluc got a point, he can’t let that show and he simply patted both of them on their heads, surprising them in the process.

“Young Master Diluc is doubting me now, huh? I guess I won’t be making any more fruity skewers.” Kaeya said in a saddened tone and Diluc suddenly froze.

“I-I’m not doubting you! It’s just a habit to say what I have in mind! Don’t take it too seriously, Uncle!” Diluc suddenly told him. He really liked those skewers huh.

Kaeya laughs, “I know, I know. I’m just teasing you. Lady Ignisia and I just talked about where we’re from. I told her about Sumeru and what actually happened to our family, and the relationship I had with Kae’s birth father.” he easily lied but both of them seemed to take it.

“Was she suspicious of you? I-I can tell her that you’re really a good uncle! You’re not like my birth father…” Kae said and Kaeya just smiled, shaking his head.

“There’s no need for that, Young Master Kae.” he told him and his younger self pouted.

“I told you not to call me with that title anymore, Uncle.” Kae muttered before huffing.

Kaeya chuckled and they decided to change the topic of their conversation. The night went on without a hitch and everyone went home as soon as the celebration was over.

Two days have passed since the celebration and Kaeya observes Ignisia during her stay to learn more about her. According to Crepus, Ignisia would usually come and go without notice, only leaving a letter whenever she departs so he’s using this time to learn more about his adoptive mother. It was a little funny how he’s as curious as his younger self.

Today, Ignisia invited him and Crepus to stroll around the city. A lot of people were surprised to see her and they even greeted her on their way.

“Lady Ignisia, welcome back! Do you want to check my new artifacts?” A young Marjorie asked.

“How about some cocktails? You should come and visit Cat’s Tail and tell us what you think about our new drinks!”

“Lady Ignisia, we have some new recipes at Good Hunter! Would you like to take home some? It’s in the house!”

Crepus chuckles at the crowd around his wife, “It seems like we’ll be stuck here for awhile.” he said, making Kaeya chuckle.

“They love her.” Kaeya simply said, both hands on his back.

“They do.” Crepus hums. “For them, she is a rare sight because she rarely stays for too long in Mondstadt ever since she got too busy with her job.”

Kaeya raises an eyebrow, “What exactly is her job and where is she working? If you don’t mind me asking…”

“Well, it’s not really a secret. Do you remember the elemental concoction that I used before?” he asked and Kaeya nodded his head. Crepus smiles, looking back at Ignisia who was still entertaining Marjorie and the others. “I mentioned to you that Nisia taught me how to make them. It’s related to her job, she sells them and accepts custom commissions about it as long as it’s an acceptable request. She’s currently staying in Snezhnaya and owns a store there. She also takes subjugating commissions from time to time but those are usually related to fighting against the Abyss. There’s a lot of tears in space in Snezhnaya and some people would unfortunately wander inside of it or fall into it; accident and not.” he explains to him.

Kaeya suddenly gets reminded of a certain Harbinger in the future, Tartaglia. By this time, he probably fell on one already. He doesn’t know the full story but Lumine mentioned that someone found him in the Abyss and trained him before he became a Harbinger.

It took a few more minutes before the crowd around Ignisia walked away one by one. Kaeya followed Crepus as he walked towards his wife.

“Ah, I’m sorry about that. I should have expected that they would gather around me and stop our leisure walk.” Ignisia told them as she sighed but there’s a smile on her face.

Crepus chuckles, “That’s alright. They all miss you. We don’t have the heart to stop them.” he smiled and Kaeya nodded in agreement.

Ignisia giggles before she looks around the place, “Mondstadt is the same as ever. Nothing ever changes.” she muttered before walking ahead with the two following from behind her.

They reached the Knights of Favonius headquarters and the knights at the entrance eagerly greeted Ignisia. Kaeya couldn’t help but to watch in awe. If everyone looked up at her like this, why didn’t they call for her help in the future during the war? They don’t know if Diluc’s mother at that time was dead or alive and Diluc also didn’t bring her up especially after he came back from his three or four years of revenge trip.

It was honestly strange, as if Ignisia’s existence was wiped off Teyvat.

Soon they reached the office of Varka and Crepus knocked. Once they got permission to come in, they entered. As expected, Varka was surprised to see Ignisia.

“Lady Ignisia! You’re in Mondstadt!” Varka said in a cheery manner as he stood up from his desk, his paperworks long forgotten.

Ignisia waves a hand as they walk closer to the Grand Master. “It’s good to see you again, Master Varka. Still a busy Grand Master, I see.”

Varka chuckles, “Oh, you know. As long as there are hilichurls, treasure hoarders and some Fatui around, the knights will never get a break.”

Crepus shakes his head as he smiles, “I’m sure our dear Grand Master can handle all of those.”

“You’re putting too much trust in me, Crepus. Haha! Come and sit!”

They sat down around a table and Kaeya brought out the food that they got for free from Good Hunters. Four drinks of Apple Cider, four rolls of Apple Roly Poly and a plate of Crispy Potato Shrimp Platter. Sara really gave them a lot especially when Ignisia mentioned about visiting Varka.

“So how’s Snezhnaya? I hope the Fatui isn't giving you any trouble.” Varka said as he took one piece of crispy potato shrimp.

Ignisia smiles, “They should know better than to mess with an ex-Harbinger’s wife.” she told him before winking at Crepus. The man blushed before coughing on his fist.

Kaeya was just watching them quietly while sipping on his apple cider. He very much prefers to drink wine but Ignisia insisted earlier to just take Apple Ciders as their drinks, not wanting to get anything expensive from Sara’s menu.

“There are still a few Fatui Skirmishers in Snezhnaya that follow me, and I told them to protect Ignisia and her shop. No one will be able to harm her while they are around.” Crepus said.

Ignisia nodded while smiling, “They are very obedient and they miss you as well, Crepus. Are you sure you won’t visit Snezhnaya again to see them?”

Crepus shakes his head, “I have to look after our sons, Ignisia. And if I bring them to Snezhnaya, it wouldn’t be safe.” he reasoned.

Her smile turns somber but Crepus has a point. Kaeya had been in Snezhnaya in the future and he saw how unsafe of a place it was, especially in the southernmost part where the city of Nod-Krai could be found. He was accompanying Lumine in his brother’s place since Diluc was still banned in Snezhnaya. Diluc provided them a map where he wrote the routes he took. It honestly surprised him when his brother could still remember it but it greatly helped them into reaching Zapolyarny Palace.

A sigh coming from Ignisia pulled Kaeya out of his thoughts and he watched them again.

“That’s unfortunate then. I guess I’ll just tell them that they have to wait a little longer for the drinking party they’ve been wanting to have with you.” Ignisia said with a bit of a dramatic flair, earning a chuckle from Crepus.

“They’ll be fine.” Crepus muttered.

They chatted a little more and Kaeya joined in a few topics especially when it comes to the workings of the knights. He wanted to help even a little bit, and it’s also because he is still a Cavalry Captain in heart.

“And make sure to have a group of knights regularly check Dadaupa Gorge. I’ve heard from some travelers how fast the number of hilichurls increases in that area. You can also ask for the Advanturer’s Guild for that.” Kaeya told Varka.

Varka hums, nodding his head. “A good suggestion. I’ll see if I can form a group of knights for that. It might be too early to send the new recruits in that area but it would be a nice challenge for sure.”

Crepus crosses his arms, “Make sure to have some superior knights or Captain accompany them if you’re planning to send the new recruits especially my kids.”

Varka laughs, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to include some skilled knights with them!”

Ignisia giggles, “How are the boys, Varka?”

Varka smiles proudly, “They are doing amazing, especially our youngest Cavalry Captain. His leadership and swordsmanship skills are top-notch and paired with Kae, they make the strongest team. Let’s not forget about Jean of course. With her Vision, she could always watch their back while Diluc protects Kae’s blindspot.” he told her before looking at Kaeya . “It seems like our effort to train them really helped huh, Caribert?”

Kaeya chuckles, nodding. “It surely did, Grand Master Varka. And in the beginning, both of them are already skilled.”

Varka leans on his hand, smirking at Kaeya . “Caribert, are you sure you won’t retire being Crepus’ butler and work with the knights instead? I can give you a nice position, you can even be my right hand man!” he told him as he laughed.

Crepus places his empty cup down, “I don’t think I’ll agree with that. And if I remember correctly, I’ve been planning on promoting him as my right hand man.” he said, matching Varka’s smirk.

Kaeya sweatdrops as he looks at Crepus, ‘He is?’

“Come on, Crepus. You’re already skilled yourself and both of your boys are already excellent knights! Surely, you and your staff are well protected now and Caribert’s skills are going to be polished even more if he were to become a knight.” Varka said.

“Oh my.” Ignisia was obviously enjoying the scene right now.

“What do you say, Caribert?” Varka asked Kaeya while still smirking. “I’m serious about what I said.”

Kaeya sighs, shaking his head. “I’m very honored, Master Varka, but I’m afraid to say that I won’t be changing my profession. Plus, I am still Kae’s uncle and I promised Master Crepus and myself that I will watch him grow up and stay by his side until I grow old and gray.” 

Varka let out a laugh, “You don’t seem to grow any older though, Caribert. You look the same when I meet you! Haha! Seriously, what’s your secret?”

Kaeya could only laugh back but in a nervous manner. For once, he doesn’t have the answer to that but according to the real Caribert, the reason why he’s not aging is because of the power of the Loom of Fate.

Thankfully, it seems like Varka was only teasing him and quickly moved to another topic as he talked with Ignisia. He could feel a pair of eyes watching him and when he looked, Crepus had joined Varka and Ignisia in their conversation but he knew, he knew that the man was looking at him and it somehow made him uncomfortable.

He just hopes that Crepus hasn’t connected the dots yet .

Chapter Text

Just like what Crepus had said back in Varka’s office, the wine tycoon had promoted Kaeya as his right-hand man and close assistant. He is still free to help around as a butler when he’s not busy helping Crepus (he insisted the man). He still couldn’t believe how serious Crepus was actually when he told them about that plan.

Today, both Kaeya and Venti are back in the lobby of Imaginarium Theater. Without Crepus this time because he was busy with his work, but Kaeya had told him that he’ll be meeting up with Venti in the library’s restricted room. The man didn’t mind, as long as he shares what they both talked about so he’s up to date.

“It’s strange, it’s like they disappeared all of the sudden with no trace!” Venti said as he slump forward on the table.

They are talking about the sudden decrease of Abyss Order camps around Mondstadt. Only some of the common hilichurl camp remains. They already noticed this earlier but they expected that they would make a full return and attack Kaeya again but…

There’s nothing happening so far.

Kaeya’s trip from the Ragnvindr Residence to the City of Freedom that was usually interrupted with sudden ambushes from gangs of hilichurls or the Abyss Order from the previous year was unnaturally peaceful and whenever there’s a hilichurl around, the hilichurl would usually just stare at him before walking away. It was honestly weird and worrying. At first, he thought it was Caribert’s doing but when he asked him about it when they met again in his dream, Caribert told him that he had nothing to do with it and just told Kaeya to be careful and be on his guard.

“They are definitely planning something. They shouldn’t just give up like this.” Kaeya couldn’t help but say, not really wanting to jinx it but it’s the truth. The Abyss Prince wants him. Aether wouldn’t give up that easily especially when the power he wields is a danger to the Abyss Order.

Venti nodded, agreeing with his statement.

“Best to be on our guard then. I’ve told the wind spirits to inform me if there’s any unstable Ley Lines around or if there’s anything unusual with the hilichurl camps around Mondstadt.” Venti told him and Kaeya smiles at him, forever grateful for the bard’s help.

“Thank you, Venti.”

Kaeya stood up and went over to the cabinet to grab his journal before sitting again. He spent their remaining time writing and planning for their next move. His hand stopped as soon as he wrote about a future event that will soon come and made him feel uneasy.

Diluc’s 18th birthday in four years time
-Save Crepus from Ursa

He taps his pen on the book, thinking how he could save his father. Eroch was also pretty guarded nowadays as if he knew that someone has been following him so Kaeya told Venti to stay low for now.

Kaeya could tag along with Crepus and Diluc on their way back to the manor. He can’t change the fact that Diluc would need to come to escort his father home and because it’s his birthday, he was given a break so he also couldn’t join Kae with his patrol. He needs to protect both Crepus and Diluc. He wouldn’t let his brother be traumatized by their father’s death this time.

With a decision made, he finished his writing and closed the journal before returning it to the cabinet. He went out with Venti, ending their meeting for today. 

“I hope I didn’t make you wait for too long, Hans.” Kaeya said to Hans as they met up by the main gate of the city.

Hans smiles while waving a hand. “It’s fine! I just got here a few minutes ago.”

Kaeya looks at the paper bags on his arms, “Did you get everything in the list?”

“Sure did! Now we won’t have to worry about our stock once winter arrives.” Hans told him while fixing the way he holds the paper bags, carrying it more securely.

“Great, let’s head back then.” Kaeya told him and both of them left the city.

Kaeya listened to Hans as he chattered about his day. As they walked, Kaeya still pondered about the sudden disappearance of his pursuers and because he’s lost in his thoughts, he didn’t hear the surprised gasp that came from Hans. He only noticed it when Hans suddenly went silent.

“Hans?” Kaeya asked as he turned around but he froze on his tracks.

Hans is lying down on the ground, the contents of the paper bags scattered around him. There was a Fatui Skirmisher pointing a gun at Hans' head and Kaeya could only glare. One wrong move, Hans is going to be killed by this guy.

“Don’t do anything funny or else I’ll explode your friend’s head.” The Fatui Skirmisher threatened while he chuckled.

More Fatui Skirmishers appear around him and soon he’s surrounded. He wanted to summon his sword and fight them but that would put Hans in danger.

“What do you need from two normal workers, hm?” Kaeya asked while observing each of them.

The one in front of him who had Hans as his hostage is a Pyroslinger Bracer and there’s a Cryogunner behind him ( Kaeya ) . The Cryogunner is accompanied by a Geochanter and an Electro Cicin Mage.

“We don’t need this guy actually.” the Pyroslinger told Kaeya as he poked the end of his gun on Hans’ head. “You’re the one we need, Sir Caribert Alberich.”

Kaeya felt shivers going down his spine. “Why?” he asked, then the Geochanter on his right side let out a huff.

“There’s no point in asking. You don’t have any other choice but to come with us. We’ll leave your friend alone if you do.” the Geochanter told him.

Kaeya balanced his choices. The safest bet would be to come with them. Fighting would be a disadvantage for him because they have more numbers. And if what they say is true, Hans can rush back to the Ragnvindr Residence once he awakens so he can tell Crepus about what happened. He already has a hunch who might be behind this ambush. He really doesn’t want to face that man but unfortunately, this is the best option he can pick for now.

He sighs, “Fine, I’ll come.”

The Pyroslinger Bracer nodded, “Good choice. Grab him.” he ordered as he pulled his gun away from Hans’ head.

The Geochanter tapped his staff on the ground and a golden bind formed around Kaeya , binding him in place.

“Just to be safe.” The Geochanter said while chuckling.

Kaeya took one last look at Hans before he was dragged away by the Fatui.

.::A few hours later::.

Ignisia was reading a book by the fireplace when the main door of the manor was suddenly pushed open. She glanced at the direction of the door and saw Adelinde already talking with Hans who looked rather panicked so she stood up. At the same time, Crepus heard the ruckus and went out of his office, looking at the scene with confusion.

“Addie– Caribert was– We should– the knights–” Hans said in a panic, his words jumbled.

Adelinde frowns, “Hans, calm down first. Take a deep breath and tell us what happened.”

Ignisia and Crepus are now standing by Adelinde’s side when Hans took his time to catch his breath and calm down.

“W-We were attacked! My memory is a bit blurry but I swear it was the Fatui! I was on my way back with Caribert and they knocked me out. When I woke up, Caribert was not around anymore. I-I think the Fatui took him!” Hans told them, earning a surprised gasp from Adelinde.

“What? Why did Caribert let himself be caught?” Crepus asked with disappointment as he crossed his arms. “He could have fought them off. I know he’s not the type to back down.”

Ignisia sighs, “Think about it, Crepus. Hans was unconscious and he might have been taken as a hostage so Caribert couldn’t attack them. He won’t have a choice but to come with them if that’s the case plus, there might be more than one of them. Caribert might have been in a disadvantageous position.” she told Crepus, concern present in her voice. “Should we involve the knights or find where they took Caribert and save him ourselves? I honestly prefer going by ourselves first.”

Crepus smirks, “Just like the good old days?” he asked Ignisia and the woman smiled in a sly way.

“Just like the good old days.”

“Then we’ll go.” Crepus decided before facing Adelinde and Hans, “I’ll have Nisia send a note once we find the location. If we’re not yet back by tonight, tell Varka what happened and send some knights. If both boys came back early from their work and looked for us, just say that we went out with Caribert to inspect some roads.”

Adelinde and Hans bowed their heads, “Understood, Master Crepus.”

“I’ll just prepare and we can go.” Crepus told Ignisia before heading back to his office.

Kaeya sighs as he sits down on the cold floor. The Fatui Skirmishers brought him inside of a ruin near the Thousands Wind Temple and kept him inside of a cell, telling him to wait. They also took his Vision away, just great.

He already counted every Fatui Skirmisher around the area and was surprised that there weren't a lot. Well, he knows that the person behind this problem doesn’t want to get unnecessary attention in this area. If any wandering adventurers or civilians notice a strange gathering of Fatui in one place, it will surely raise suspicion and the knights will easily get the wind of it. If anything, that’s what Eroch wanted to avoid. But the question still remains, what does he want with him?

“It was quite funny how easy it was to capture you. I should have done this earlier.”

Speaking of the devil.

Kaeya looked up, seeing Eroch on the other side of the bars. He smirked, “Not a nice venue for a talk, don’t you think? Was it necessary for me to be kept inside of a cell?” He noticed that his Cryo Vision was being held by Eroch. “Do you really need to take my Vision too?”

Eroch looked at the Cryo Vision, clenching it tightly on his hand. “It is necessary for my case. But don’t worry, as long as you answer my questions, I will set you free and return your Vision to you. Just promise not to utter a word about this to Crepus.”

Kaeya chuckles, “Why not? Scared?”

Eroch glares at him before putting the Cryo Vision in his pocket. There was a jingle of keys and then Eroch unlocked the cell door. He walks inside while two Fatui Skirmishers stayed outside of the cell, watching both of them.

“Let’s get to questioning, shall we?” Eroch asked with a smile.

Kaeya stands up, leaning his back against the wall as he crosses his arms across his chest. “And what made you think I’m going to answer?”

“I know it would be difficult to question you but fortunately, I’ve planned far ahead.” Eroch said before looking at Kaeya seriously, “If you don’t want Mondstadt to know your nephew’s origins, then you better answer my questions truthfully.”

Kaeya clenches his fists. He couldn’t possibly mean…

“I don’t think Mondstadt would mind knowing that both of us are from Sumeru, Inspector Eroch.” Kaeya said, keeping his voice steady so his uneasiness wouldn’t be noticed by the man.

Eroch sighs, shaking his head. “Don’t even try to deny it. I know that your nephew, Kaeya Alberich, is a spy from Khaenri’ah. He’s a threat to Mondstadt.”

Eroch already knows? Kaeya thought to himself but he didn’t let his surprise show. He simply narrowed his eye at the man.

“Khaenri’ah? Are you misunderstanding us, Inspector? I already said that we’re from–”

“Your eye is proof enough, Alberich.” Eroch said sharply, cutting him off. “You and your nephew bear the eyes of the people of Khaenri’ah. I know when I see one because I am also acquainted with one. Though both of your eyes show that you’re not pure-blooded Khaenri’ahns.” he said while looking at Kaeya with a pair of observant eyes. “When Crepus brought him to the headquarters when he visited Master Varka, the language he accidentally used was not spoken in any of the Seven Nations. At that point, I knew that he’s from that nation destroyed by the gods and his father might have left him here in Mondstadt to spy for Khaenri’ah’s best interests. I didn’t mind his appearance at first but then, he suddenly entered the knights. I really hope he won’t do anything that would ruin my plans because even if this is a step planned by him , I won’t show mercy if that brat were to ruin everything I’ve worked hard for.”

Kaeya frowns. Hearing this from Eroch confirms his suspicions about the man’s hatred to him, but he really never expected for him to know about his origins that early. When he was investigating Eroch with Jean and Varka’s help in the future, they discovered that Eroch was actually one of Il Dottore’s clones. He began to assume that he might have learned about his true identity from Pierro, the only Khaenri’ahn he knew who is also the Director of the Fatui Harbingers and… His grandfather.

And it was actually true. Pierro must have ordered his father to leave him in Mondstadt but why didn’t he inform Il Dottore’s clone about it? Why hide if it was one of his plans? Did he actually want to hide this plan from the other Harbingers?

When Kaeya didn’t react to what Eroch had said, the man continued telling him his observations.

“And then you arrived, an unknown variable in this situation. I didn’t hear anything about Kaeya’s uncle. I never knew that his father had a brother, or any relatives that might still be alive. You suddenly appeared out of nowhere, claiming to be his relative. And do you know what else I noticed?”

There was a pause and Eroch simply observed him, his eyes dark yet sharp.

“You never aged, Caribert. That’s a sign of immortality. A possible curse of a Khaenri’ahn. These points are enough proof to show that you are also from Khaenri’ah like Kaeya. But what I can’t find an answer to is.. your background and your true purpose of coming here in Mondstadt.” Eroch told him as his face darkened. “Who are you, really? Is ‘Caribert Alberich’ really your name or was it just an alias to hide who you truly are?”

Caribert had told him that the reason why he’s not aging is because of the Loom of Fate being in his possession, but Eroch doesn’t know anything about that so the man probably assumed that it was because of a Khaenri’ahn curse and immortality could be the closest answer.

But this is still bad.

He knew that Eroch is a smart and observant man but he never expected that he already found out this much. Was he not careful? Well, he’ll admit that his appearance in this timeline is indeed suspicious and out of the blue. He’s also sure that Crepus had caught up to his origins but the man never made a move nor confronted him or his younger self about it. The only thing that relieves him is that Eroch never thought that he might be from the future; the future self of the current Kaeya in this timeline.

Eroch smirks at him, “With your silence, I can assume that you, being a Khaenri’ahn, is true and now I just need you to answer my question. Who are you, Caribert?”

Kaeya bit his lip. If his secret as a Khaenri’ahn is revealed, then he must be careful not to let this man know that he actually came from the future. “I already said who I am, Inspector Eroch. My name is truly Caribert Alberich and my purpose of coming to Mondstadt is pretty simple. I want to watch my nephew grow up and live his life while keeping him safe at the same time and I truly hope you won’t harm him, Inspector. You won’t like it when I’m mad.” he tried to intimidate.

Eroch simply chuckled at his small threat. “As long as your answers satisfy my curiosity, Sir Caribert. But unfortunately, the answers you give are becoming repetitive. It’s not enough and I’m beginning to think that this is simply an excuse. You could have seen how happy your nephew was with the Ragnvindr family, you should have left them after you recovered because I’m sure that while Master Crepus is around, he wouldn’t let anyone hurt either of his sons.” he told Kaeya .

“What’s wrong with watching my only nephew grow up? It’s my responsibility as his uncle.” Kaeya reasoned out while frowning. “You’ll know that feeling if you have your own nephew or niece who had been abandoned by their parents.”

The Inspector let out a deep sigh, shaking his head. “Still talking nonsense, I see. It looks like I won’t be getting your true answers easily… I guess it’s time to use that .” Eroch muttered before turning to one of the Fatui Skirmishers outside. “Bring the incense here.”

Kaeya narrows his eye on them, watching as the Pyroslinger leaves. He suddenly got a bad feeling about this. He only leaned on the wall uncomfortably while Eroch waited for the Fatuus to return and when he did, the Pyroslinger entered the cell carrying a strange-looking incense.

“I got this from Sumeru and it works wonders. I’ve used it on some rulebreakers or bandits that the knights had caught. It’s a nice tool for interrogation.” Eroch said as he chuckled.

Kaeya watched with caution as the incense was placed down on the floor. The Pyroslinger lifted its lid and lit it up using his Delusion. Smoke started to rise from it but Kaeya wasn't feeling anything weird yet, but for his own safety, he covered his nose and mouth. If this truly works wonders then he shouldn’t let his guard down.

But this movement wasn’t appreciated by Eroch. He tut-tuts and makes eye contact with the Pyroslinger. Knowing what to do, the Pyroslinger approached Kaeya and before the bluenette could do anything, the Fatuus grabbed both of his arms and kept it behind his back and made him kneel down on the floor. Kaeya just glared at him.

“And now, we wait.” Eroch smirks.

.

.

.

Crepus and Ignisia soon arrived at the location where Hans and Caribert were ambushed. The man looked around with a frown on his face, trying to see if the Fatui left any trace. There are only trails of wagon wheels and footsteps but he doesn’t know if it belongs to the Fatui.

“Nisia, do you think you can see if Caribert left any elemental tracks?” Crepus asked Ignisia.

His wife smiles before taking a good look at their surrounding herself. “I think I can. I believe Caribert left a few traces of Cryo energies but it’s faint. I can assume that he didn’t want to alarm the Fatui about it.”

Crepus sighs in relief, at least he left a trace for them to follow. He saw his wife bringing out a small vial filled with bright orange liquid. If he remembers correctly, it’s a Phlogiston from Natlan. Ignisia pops the cork open and closes her eyes. The content of the vial decreases until there’s only half of it inside before she corks it back. When she opens her eyes, the pair shines brightly and her pupil changes into a shape of the sun.

When Crepus first saw Ignisia doing this, he really thought that she’s the Pyro Archon in disguise but she reassured him that she’s not and it’s just an effect of her special sight being activated. But the way her skill activates was a little unique which sets her apart from the rest of her tribe, the Masters of the Night-Wind. Unique and different, and so she was casted away by her own fellow tribesmen. He could assume that this might be one of the reasons why she left Natlan and became a wanderer.

“I can see it much clearer now with the aid of my special sight. Follow me.” Ignisia told Crepus with haste.

Crepus nodded and followed Ignisia. The trail soon leads them towards the Thousands Wind Temple.

Kaeya bit his lip, making it bleed. His mind was starting to get hazy and the effects of the incense is starting to affect him too. There was an urge to answer, the urge to finally give Eroch what he wanted but he’s better than this. He can handle it.

There’s also something else happening when the incense finally affected him. He feels like they are no longer alone and Kaeya swore he could see the shadows moving around them. Eyes peeking out of it, watching his every move. The feeling of the stare is familiar. The way the shadows move reminded him of a gruesome memory.

The Abyss. Not just the normal Abyss but the same one that attacked Mondstadt in the future. Does this incense also make him hallucinate about his fears? No wonder Eroch uses this to interrogate those people caught by the knights. It will surely break their mind.

But Kaeya is stronger than them. This hallucination is not enough to break him. He won’t fall for it.

“You’re such a strong man, Caribert. I’m impressed that you can still control yourself.” Eroch’s voice, morphed with the voice of the Sinner, sent shivers down his spine.

He shakes his head, mentally telling himself that it’s all an illusion, his hallucination. It’s not real.

“Maybe increasing the smoke emitted by this incense would force you to give up.” Eroch muttered and he noticed a flicker of fire in front of him.

Slowly, the smoke gets denser. Eroch and the Fatui Skirmishers are lucky to have masks over their faces. He winced in pain at the sudden headache. His surroundings started getting darker, hands that weren’t there before started holding onto him.

‘Save us, Kaeya.’

‘Save Mondstadt!’

Kaeya shuts his eye close, trying to block the voices but with the Pyroslinger still holding his hands on his back, he couldn’t even cover his ears.

He could hear movements in front of him but at this point, he’s afraid to open his eye and spill the truth to Eroch. If Eroch learns that he’s from the future, his questioning wouldn’t end there. Worse, Eroch would force him to spill everything and even bring him to Snezhnaya. To show him to either Pierro or the Tsaritsa.

Someone suddenly grabbed him by his chin. He wouldn’t need to see to know who was grabbing him, knowing that there’s only Eroch who’s in front of him. He can still remember the Pyroslinger holding him down and another Fatuus staying guard outside of the cell.

“Tell me, Caribert. Who are you?” Eroch asks for the nth time and Kaeya could feel his mouth trembling.

‘Tell us, Kaeya! When are you saving us?!’

‘What have you been doing, loitering around Mondstadt and doing nothing?!’

‘Do you even still remember your mission?!’

“...I-I…” Kaeya started before he forced himself to shut his mouth again. His heart is starting to pick up in his small panic. The voices around him are not even helping, but he’s also starting to question himself if what he’s doing lately was right.

He shakes his head. He should just ignore these voices. These are just the effects of the incense and his fear. His mind is just messing with him.

The grip on his chin tightened, making him wince.

“I don’t have that much patience, Caribert. I really want to avoid physically harming you because I don’t want Master Crepus to suspect anything but if you keep on staying silent like this, then I won’t have any other choice but to move on a different way of torture and I’ll tell you right now, you won’t like it.” Eroch threatened.

Kaeya shivered, already knowing the unethical experiments and tortures that Il Dottore could do. Even if Eroch is a clone, he still knows how similar the clones are to the original.

“You’re scared. I know you are. So come on and tell me. Answer my question.” Eroch urged him.

Something in him wanted to crawl away from the man, to escape his grasp but he’s still being held down.

“I…” he started again as he shook in place, “I’m… I’m Ka–”

Before he could even continue, a strong explosion shook the whole place, alarming everyone inside the ruin.

“Tsk, what now?!” Eroch snarled, “You! Go and check what’s going on!” he yelled out, probably towards the Fatuus who was still outside. “Say it quickly, I need to know.” the man told Kaeya .

Kaeya shakes his head, shutting his mouth closed again. He could hear Eroch cursing under his breath, blaming the explosion for interrupting the bluenette from talking. For Kaeya , he was thankful for that distraction but he doesn’t know how long he can keep himself from talking. If Eroch continues to push him, then he might spill the truth out and he doesn’t want that.

He suddenly cried out in pain, feeling a sharp object piercing through his left thigh.

“I warned you, Sir Caribert.” Eroch snarled.

Maybe this is actually a good idea. Let Eroch run out of patience and let the man leave some wounds on him so when his saviors arrives (he hopes the explosion is from the knights or Crepus), they can use the torture that Eroch did to the wine tycoon’s most trusted assistant (it’s what he wanted to believe on) to arrest or reprimand the Inspector. What the man had been doing to him was against the code of the Knight of Favonius.

Just bear it. Tolerate it until someone comes.

The twist of the knife or dagger or whatever Eroch used to stab him with, made Kaeya gasp and flinch in pain.

Another explosion shakes the place and Kaeya doesn’t know if he’s imagining it but the surrounding suddenly starts getting hotter and the smoke from the incense is slowly starting to dissipate as if the heat is overpowering it. But the effect of the incense is still in his system and he still couldn’t think properly. He finally managed to open his eye only to see the Fatui Skirmisher back outside of the cell. His outfit was scorched in some parts.

“S-Sir! It’s the witch! It’s the witch of the white forest!” the Fatui Skirmisher told Eroch in panic.

A witch? From the white forest? Who–

“Oh, so this is where you ran off to.” a familiar voice said and the Fatui Skirmisher turned his head to the source of the voice. Even if the Fatui Skirmisher was wearing a mask, Kaeya could sense the fear radiating off the Fatuus. Even Eroch was frozen in his spot, the dagger on his left thigh long forgotten.

That moment of shock gave his mind a few seconds of clarity, his mind already working on a way out. He quickly stands up and pushes the Pyroslinger away, ignoring the pain that shoots up from his wounded thigh. With his Vision being close to him, he commanded it to freeze everything around him, keeping Eroch and the Pyroslinger stuck in place. Eroch cursed again while Kaeya searches for his Vision in his person. Once he finds it, he smirks at Eroch. He waves his Cryo Vision in front of the man’s face before clipping it back on his belt.

Eroch shouldn’t have let his guard down. Even if his Vision is not in his possession but the person who has it is close to him, Kaeya can still use it. He limped towards the exit of the cell. He needs to leave while the two are still stuck in the ice. He can already hear the Pyroslinger destroying it using his Delusion and gun.

The Fatui Skirmisher saw what he was doing and was about to charge inside the cell to stop him when two chains coated in black flames suddenly shot out from where the Fatuus came from and knocked him out. Kaeya couldn’t help but to hitch a breath. That was the power of Crepus’ Delusion.

He didn’t notice that someone had already pulled him away from the cell. A warm hand held his arm and when he looked up, he saw Ignisia. The woman was not looking at him and she had a furious expression. He guessed that the receiver of such a look was the two men inside the cell.

“..M-Mother…” he whispered but he didn’t mean to. Not here when they are not alone. Maybe the effect of the incense is still in his system. He shuts his mouth again. He doesn’t trust the words that will come out of his mouth while he’s here.

His state and the way he spoke might have sounded pathetic because the furious look on Ignisia suddenly softened as she looked down on him. She smiles, momentarily touching his cheek before looking back at Eroch and the Pyroslinger.

Their surroundings became even hotter but for some reason, it felt comforting for Kaeya . It reminded him of Diluc’s warm flames.

Kaeya finally sees Crepus approaching them, the cursed glove worn in one of his hands. The voices that he’s been hallucinating about changed from the voices of Mondstadt’s people to his own .

‘He’ll die again.’

‘He’ll die again and I’ll fail saving him.’

‘Diluc would hate me. Diluc would push me away again –’

Kaeya shuts his eye as he covers his ears with his hands. He doesn’t care looking pathetic in front of Ignisia and Crepus anymore. He just wanted to leave this place and go home. Lock himself inside his room until he can calm down. Until the hallucinatory effects of the incense disappears.

–Crepus–

Crepus could only watch Caribert with worry. This is the first time he saw Caribert showing a vulnerable side willingly, if he won’t count the first time he met the man, and seeing him like this makes his chest ache. Maybe because he had become close to him.

When he caught Ignisia’s eyes, he already knew what to do so he stepped closer to the cell and crossed his arms while Ignisia walked away to bring Caribert out while he limps on one leg. He ignores the way Caribert looks at him, as if the man didn’t want to leave him.

Crepus looked back at the cell, noticing the incense on the ground. The air inside the cell was strange. Varka had told him about Eroch’s strange interrogating methods and this might be one of them. It left Caribert totally shaken. He narrows his eyes at the Inspector, who is now out of the ice. The Pyroslinger looked rather uncomfortable standing behind Eroch.

As he should because the person standing in front of them is none other than Brighella, the one who used to be the 11th Harbinger before a young man replaced him. Ignisia had told him about the new 11th Harbinger that the Tsaritsa had chosen.

“I warned you, Eroch. I warn you not to touch any of my family, Caribert included.” Crepus sneered as he glared at the man. “But you never listen do you?”

Eroch hissed, “You don’t even know how much of a threat he could be! He’s an unknown variable, Crepus! You should have noticed it! His strange appearance, the way he claimed to be that outcast’s uncle–”

“SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!” Crepus bellowed as he clenched his fists on his side, his Delusion glowing dangerously. “You have no right to call my youngest son an outcast. You have no right to hurt the people under my protection; whoever they are. And I already trusted Caribert. He’s not a threat to Mondstadt! Get that out of your stupid brain! This is why the original abandoned you here, Eroch!”

“You–”

Crepus didn’t allow him to speak as he stomped his way towards the man, looking down at him with his dark and piercing eyes. “If you weren’t a member of the knights, I would not have shown you any mercy. I would have killed you right here and stuffed your body somewhere where no one could find you. So consider this as a threat instead. And if you won’t heed my warning for the second time, I will find a way to erase you from the face of Teyvat and I won’t care about my consequences from doing that.”

Eroch glared at him, “I could still use my position to bring you down, Crepus! I could tell them that you worked with the Fatui in the past! That you used to be a Harbinger! That you were the feared ‘Brighella’!”

Crepus chuckled, “Don’t forget that you are also a part of them, Eroch. And I have Caribert as our witness to show the unethical things you did to him with the help of the Fatui and who do you think Varka would believe? You? Or me? The answer is obvious, isn’t it?” he grinned, “It’s also not an excuse to torture Caribert like that just because you find him suspicious.” he told the man before walking out of the cell. “The next time we meet, make sure it won’t end up with chains impaled throughout your whole body.” he threatened darkly before walking away.

Eroch gritted his teeth when Crepus finally left to follow Ignisia out of the ruins. Crepus’ threat still lingers in the air, not giving the Pyroslinger the courage to follow the man. He knew better than to chase after the ex-Harbinger. The Fatui knew how strong Brighella and the witch were and it was always a question on why the wine tycoon decided to leave their organization and to start living normally in Mondstadt instead. But this threat never worked on Eroch. He instead grew even more frustrated for not getting what he wanted.

“You think this is the end, Crepus?” Eroch’s eyes shone dangerously, “Hah! I’ll show you what I can really do. You’ve underestimated me too much. I won’t hold back anymore.”

.

.

.

Name : Ignisia Ragnvindr (Crepus calls her Nisia)

Vision : Pyro

Weapon : Catalyst (the one in the drawing is just a temporary design)

Nation : Originally Natlan, but she’s a wanderer now. Currently settled in either Snezhnaya or Mondstadt, depending on the state of her work

Work : Selling of Elemental Concoctions, Abyss Subjugating Commissions

Song that fits her : Karliene - Dance with Fire  & Karliene - Not Our Day to Die 

♦ It was mentioned that Ignisia is originally from Natlan before she became a wanderer and temporarily settled in Snezhnaya where she met Crepus while working in her shop. In Natlan, she grew up in the Masters of the Night-Wind. She can also do what Citlali can do during that one quest in Natlan where she can see a trail of energy.

♦ The vial used for the phlogiston is made by one of the mages in the Hexenzirkel. That vial can hold a phlogiston without melting it. I have no idea who made that yet, maybe Alice since she’s close with her? I want to make it as Rhinedottir but I don’t like that woman and I’m sure Ignisia won’t like her too

♦ The Fatui Skirmisher called her ‘The Witch of the White Forest’ because that’s how she is known in Snezhnaya, even before she met Crepus. Her shop is literally built inside of a snowy forest and with the type of items she sells, she gains that title

I’ve noticed that there hasn’t been a single Pyro character in Natlan, except for the Pyro Archon herself, so I made this little headcanon where the power of Pyro is not so easily obtained in Natlan. But when Ignisia received her Vision, the people from her tribe were baffled. And not only that, the way she uses her special sight makes her normal pupil turn into the shape of the sun and that never happened to someone before. The sun reminded them of the Pyro Archon and that’s where the unpleasant rumor about her started.

Some people believed that she stole the power of the sacred flame and experimented with it using the skills she learned in the tribe. But those rumors were never true. Ignisia was just different from the other tribesmen of the Masters of the Night-Wind. The Pyro Archon had met her before and checked. There was not a single stolen sacred flame in her possession thus dismissing the case.

But this still made Ignisia an outcast in her tribe. That’s how she decided to become a wanderer and left Natlan, searching for the right place that would accept her for who she is. She still visits Natlan from time to time, only to refill her stock of Phlogiston. There are also a few people who still see her as their friend so she visits them too. I’m thinking that the Pyro Archon is also acquainted with her after learning about her situation.

Chapter Text

Going back to the time before Hans arrived in the Ragnvindr Manor.

A young knight who goes by the name Godwin was having his daily rounds in Springvale and he was already walking back to the city when he noticed a man lying unconscious on the road. Godwin ran towards the man with urgency before shaking him awake. He recognizes him to be one of the butlers from the Ragnvindr Residence. Wasn’t he just buying groceries inside the city earlier? What happened?

“Hey, wake up!” Godwin said as he shook the butler.

Godwin was about to carry him so he could bring the butler to the Cathedral when he finally received a response from the man. The butler groaned before moving to sit up, his hand rubbing the back of his head.

“Ugh, what happened?” the butler asked himself.

Godwin doesn’t really know the workers of the Ragnvindr Residence but he had heard Blanche saying his name when he passed by her store earlier. He cleared his throat to get his attention.

“You are… Hans, right? Are you alright? Do you remember anything? I found you unconscious in the middle of the road.” Godwin told him.

Hans frowns, rubbing his head this time, trying to remember what happened before he became unconscious. “Yeah, I’m Hans. I was… I was on my way back to the Ragnvindr Residence with Caribert.” he said before looking around. “Where’s Caribert? Did you see anyone else aside from me? Caribert has dark blue hair, he looks a bit like Young Master Kaeya.”

Godwin shakes his head before helping Hans put his groceries inside the paper bag. Some of the fruits and vegetables that Hans had bought cannot be saved anymore, sadly.

“I didn’t see anyone else here while patrolling. Did he possibly ditch you?” Godwin told Hans, joking a bit.

“No, no. Caribert wouldn’t do that… Ugh, what else happened?” Hans asked himself, trying to recall more.

Godwin finished putting the still-edible ingredients inside the paper bags when he heard a gasp from Hans, making him look at the butler.

“I-I remember! Oh no, I need to rush back to the residence! They might have taken him!” Hans exclaimed in panic, quickly getting up to his feet.

Godwin follows as he stands up and hands the paper bags to the butler. Hans takes it gratefully, whispering a thanks. The knight is now looking at Hans with a concerned expression. So his companion had been taken away… But by whom?

“Do you need my help? Do you have an idea who took him?” Godwin asked and Hans suddenly looked hesitant to answer.

“I-I’ll be fine! Don’t worry. We can handle this. Thank you for waking me up!” Hans told him before quickly running off before Godwin can even stop him.

Godwin scratches the back of his head before shrugging his shoulders and walking back to the city to finish his patrols. Maybe he can also tell one of the Captains about this. Since Hans is a butler from the Ragnvindr Residence, he can tell Captain Diluc about it.

He soon saw Captain Diluc with his brother by the smithy. He waves at them when Kae sees him.

“Oh hey, Godwin. Done with your patrols?” Diluc asked and he nodded. “Anything to report?”

“Actually, yes. I also think you two needed to hear it.” Godwin said which quickly gained the attention of the two.

Kae’s one eye blinked at his statement, “What is it?”

“I found one of your butlers, Hans, unconscious by the road. It looks like he and his companion have been attacked and his friend was taken away. If I remember correctly, the other person’s name is Caribert and Hans said he looks like you, Kaeya.” Godwin said and both brother’s eyes widened.

“U-Uncle had been taken away?!” Kae gasped, looking as panicked as Hans. “By whom?!”

Godwin just shrugs, “Hans seems to know but he didn’t tell me. He just rushed back to your manor, probably to tell your Father instead.”

“O-Oh…” Kae mumbled, still looking worried about what he had told them.

Diluc patted Kae on the back, “Caribert is strong, don’t worry. Thank you for telling us, Godwin. Let us handle this.”

Godwin salutes before walking away, leaving both brothers alone to gather their thoughts.

“Who could have attacked Hans and Uncle?” Kae asked while he tapped his foot. “I-I know that Uncle is very strong but I can’t help but get worried. Should we head back to the manor and ask Hans or Father about it?”

Diluc crosses his arms, “Well, we’re still on duty even if we’re currently taking a break. But, since Wolvendom is our next location to scout, passing by our home should not be a problem. We’ll go after we get my claymore though. It should be done soon. Right, Wagner?”

The blacksmith nodded.

Kae sighs, his shoulder dropping. “Okay.”

Once Wagner finished his work on Diluc’s claymore, both of them had taken their horses to head towards their home. It took them around two hours to finally arrive and they saw Adelinde sweeping in front of the manor.

The maid looked surprised to see both of them, “Captain Diluc and Sir Kaeya, how may I help you?” Adelinde asked them with a teasing smile.

Diluc rolls his eyes, “No need to call us that, Adelinde. We decided to just drop by. Godwin told us that Hans and Caribert were attacked, is that true? He found Hans unconscious and woke him up but Caribert was nowhere to be found. Hans told Godwin that he was taken away.” he said as he went down from his horse. Kae did the same.

Adelinde’s eyes widened, “Oh, so Hans was woken up by a knight. Hmm, Master Crepus had told me to tell a white lie but it looks like I can’t do that anymore…”

Kae’s panic returned as he walked closer to Adelinde, “So it’s true? Uncle was taken away? Do you know by whom? Hans didn’t tell Godwin.”

“It’s better if both of you won’t know… But don’t worry about Caribert, Master Crepus and Lady Ignisia had gone out to track him and the people who took him away.” Adelinde reassured both of them, but mostly Kae.

Kae frowns, “But–”

“And aren’t the both of you still on duty? You don’t want to upset your Father if they come back here and see the both of you slacking.” Adelinde told them as she placed her hands on her hips. 

Kae frowned even more. 

She smiles at them, “Trust your parents, okay? For now, focus on your work. We can wait for them together once your duty is done.”

Kae looked at Diluc and the redhead nodded at him.

“I’m sure with mother by father’s side, they can track them. If I remember correctly, mother has a special kind of elemental sight. Even if Caribert left a faint track for them to follow, mother can surely see them. I’m also worried, Kae, he’s also my uncle. But we can leave this to mother and father.” Diluc told Kae and it finally convinced the bluenette.

“Alright, alright. I believe in them too. We’ll see you tonight, Addie!” Kae told Adelinde and the maid smiled again as she waved a hand.

The sun had set and the moon was up high in the night sky when Kae and Diluc arrived home after a tiresome day. They had fought a few camps of hilichurls around Wolvendom but it’s nothing they can’t handle.

Kae expected to see their parents home with his uncle but unfortunately, they didn’t seem to be home yet but Adelinde had informed them that Ignisia had sent a second note to her and they had found Caribert. They should be on their way back now but it will just take a bit long because Caribert was also injured.

When the main door finally opened, Kae quickly got up from the sofa and rushed towards the entrance while followed by his brother. There they saw Caribert being supported by Crepus, his left thigh wrapped with a blood-stained bandage. Caribert also looked a little out of it, his eye glazed.

“Father! Uncle!” Kae said.

Ignisia seems to pout, “No ‘mother’?” she asked playfully, earning a flustered look from Kae. He wasn’t used to calling her ‘mother’ yet.

“W-Welcome back too, mother.” Kae said shyly before following them towards the fireplace with Diluc.

They watched as Crepus set Caribert down on an armchair. Caribert closed his eye which made Kae worry. He hadn't spoken yet when they arrived which was a bit out-of-character for his uncle.

“I-Is uncle okay?” Kae asked as he fidgeted with his fingers in a nervous manner.

Crepus gave him a warm smile, patting his youngest son on the head. “He will be. He just needs to rest.”

“Did you get the people who took him? I hope you made them pay.” Diluc said as he huffed. “No one messes with the people of our household.”

This surprised both Crepus and Ignisia.

“Adelinde told the both of you?” Crepus asked but before either of the two brothers could answer, Adelinde had arrived holding a first aid kit.

“They found out about it themselves. Apparently, Hans was woken up by a knight before he rushed back here. And the knight told both of them about what happened.” Adelinde answered and Crepus nodded in understanding.

Crepus straightened up while he let Adelinde and Ignisia properly treat Caribert’s wound. He looked at his sons as he answered their concern. “Yes, we’ve handled them. They just injured Caribert’s left thigh but with the help of his Vision, it should heal up pretty quickly. He’ll just have a bit of trouble walking for a few days. They also used some kind of incense to make him weak and hallucinate so it would be better to let him stay in his room for a while until we can make sure that his mind’s clear.”

“Uncle…” Kae muttered.

Kaeya opened his eye again, looking up to his younger self when he heard him muttering. He tries to give a smile. “Just like what Master Crepus had said, I’ll be alright. I’m not seeing that many hallucinations anymore.”

Hearing that from him seems to bring relief to Kae's demeanor. The young knight nodded as he let out a sigh.

“Will you be able to stand, Caribert?” Crepus asked Kaeya . “We’ll have to move you to your room so you can properly rest.”

His room in the staff lodge is a bit far and realizing that he had to bear the pain on his thigh while he makes their way on the other building made him frown. And it appears Ignisia also realizes this problem.

“I don’t think Caribert has the energy to walk that far, Crepus. What if we use one of our guest rooms? It would be best to also move his permanent room inside the manor, hm?” Ignisia suggested with a smile.

Kaeya blinks, “Would that be alright?”

Ignisia giggles, “Well, it should have been that way in my opinion since you are my youngest son’s uncle but it looks like someone is being too overprotective of him.” she said while giving her husband a look.

Crepus just chuckles nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Ah, that was in the past. It just didn’t come to my mind to move Caribert’s room after these years. We can use the vacant room beside Kae’s if he’s alright with that.”

Kae perked up at that and he looked rather excited to have his uncle as his neighbor. “I-I don’t mind!”

Kaeya smiles at them, “I don’t mind either if it’s truly alright. Thank you.”

Adelinde bows her head, “Then I’ll tell the others to prepare his room. It only needs a few cleanings and should be done after an hour or two.” she told them before leaving.

“I’ll take a nap while waiting then…” Kaeya mutters as he puts most of his weight on the back of the armchair he’s seated from, leaning against it. He closes his eye again, ignoring the small shadows wandering around the corners of the manor and instead, focusing on the voices, the real voices, around him.

“Go change, the both of you. You’re so sweaty.” he heard Ignisia telling Diluc and Kae.

“Yeah, Luc you stink.” Kae said as he chuckled and Kaeya could just imagine a glare from the younger redhead.

He heard a set of footsteps going away, both brothers must have gone to their rooms already to change. There was still a presence close to him, a comforting one. He simply relaxed until he was lulled into sleep.

He was woken up an hour later and was helped by Hans to reach his new room. Hans also apologized to him for being careless but he forgave the man. None of them expected for the Fatui to ambush them after all.

The hallucinations went away the next morning but his left thigh was still hurting so he simply confined himself on his bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking about all of the work he’ll be missing today. The events from yesterday replayed inside his mind.

Eroch already knows that he and Kae are from Khaenri’ah and that surely poses a threat to both of them. He doesn't know what Eroch and Crepus talked about because he was whisked away by Ignisia so he would be out of the incense’s range. Even if he hoped that Eroch wouldn’t tell Crepus about his origins, he knew that his father already had a hunch about it, especially when Crepus used to be a Harbinger. He might have met Pierro or Capitano once or twice. He just doesn’t know what kind of relationship he has with those two Harbingers.

A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts and he glanced to the side to see Kae helping Adelinde with what seems to be his breakfast.

“Kae, I already told you that you don’t need to help me. What if you and your brother arrive late for work? It's a three or four hour trip from here to the city.” Adelinde chided and Kae just smiled at her.

“It’s alright, Luc said he can handle it plus our horses are fast enough to reach the city in time. I wanted to check on Uncle too so I decided to help.” Kae told Adelinde before noticing that they were being watched. “Oh! Good morning, uncle! How do you feel? Does your thigh still hurt?” Kae asked him as he rushed inside the room, putting his meal on the nearby desk.

Kaeya just chuckles, “As you can see, I can’t move from the bed but aside from being stuck here, I am alright. I’m also not hallucinating anymore.”

“That’s good.” Kae said while smiling. “I-I was really worried when we heard that you were taken away… I’m glad that you’re safe at home now.”

Kaeya smiles but it didn’t reach his eye. Home, huh.

.::Changing to someone else’s POV::.

A lone figure wearing a hood was watching a young redheaded knight from behind a tree. This would be the first time she’ll see Diluc as a Cavalry Captain. Diluc was waiting for someone and it must be Kae. Her guess was proven to be true when a young bluenette goes out of the manor.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting, Luc! We can go now!” Kae told the redhead and Diluc turned around with a smile. It’s still strange for her to see Diluc smiling that way.

“How’s your uncle?” Diluc asked.

A pair of golden eyes widened. Kae have an uncle? She never knew that… She only knew Pierro being his grandfather so who could his uncle be?

“He’s already awake but he still can’t get out of bed. He’s no longer hallucinating, which is a good thing!” Kae said happily.

Diluc chuckles, “I hope he recovers quickly then. Father would surely need a lot of help once December comes so Caribert’s help is truly needed.”

…what?

Caribert? Did Diluc just say Caribert?

“Right and my birthday is also around the corner too. I want him to create some fruity skewers again.” Kae said as he hops onto his horse. Diluc does the same.

She didn’t seem to realize those two words because inside her mind, all she could think about was the name ‘Caribert’.

But did she really hear that correctly? Caribert is here, with the Ragnvindrs? But how? Even though she doesn’t remember much of what happened in Sumeru’s mysterious missing person problem, she knew that she somehow met Caribert but he shouldn’t be here. He shouldn’t be alive .

She needs answers.

So she stepped out of the tree and headed towards the two. Diluc immediately notices her and frowns before moving his horse to stand in front of Kae. She wouldn’t blame him, she does look suspicious with this attire.

“Good day… May I ask what you are doing around our residence?” Diluc asked, his voice had a tone of authority.

She smiles before pulling her hood down, “I’ve heard the both of you talking about a person named Caribert. Is he truly here?” she asked.

She watched as Diluc looked back at the bluenette but Kae just shrugged. Diluc cleared his throat before looking back at her.

“And you are?” he asked, not giving the answer if Caribert is truly in this place or not.

So she sighed, she might as well introduce herself so she wouldn’t make herself more suspicious.

“My name is Lumine. I am a friend of Caribert’s.” she told them.

Diluc looked at Kae again and she heard him whisper, “Caribert has a friend? Do you know her too, Kae?”

Kae shakes his head, looking at Lumine with uncertainty. “I-I don’t know, Diluc. Uncle never told me about his friends so I have no idea…”

Diluc hums, appearing to be thinking about it.

“Hm? What are the both of you still doing here?” a feminine voice asked the two.

Lumine looked up to the door of the manor to see a beautiful woman. Is she… their mother? If she hadn't met the Pyro Archon, Lumine would mistake her to be the archon.

“Ah, mother! We were about to leave when this person appeared. She said she’s Caribert’s friend.” Diluc explained, pointing his thumb in Lumine's direction.

Lumine only looked at their mother while she appeared to be observing her. And then there’s a glint within her eyes.

“Ah, a friend of Caribert !” she said but Lumine felt something else with the way she said his name. “There’s only one way to know, right? I’ll let her see Caribert so she can check if she’s truly the person she knows. As for the both of you, you better go now or you’ll be late.”

Both brothers frown, hesitating on leaving.

The woman smiles at the two reassuringly, “Don’t worry. I don’t think she’s a bad person. Plus, your father and I are still here so we can protect Caribert if something bad were to happen.”

Diluc gave Lumine one last look before sighing, “Fine. Let’s go, Kae.” he told his brother before making his horse walk.

Kae seems to hesitate longer but with another reassuring look from their mother, he also leaves as he follows his brother.

Once the brothers are gone, the woman walks towards Lumine.

“My apologies about their attitudes. Something happened to Caribert yesterday so they are both on guard especially when someone claims to be Caribert’s friend. I am Ignisia Ragnvindr, Diluc and Kae’s mother, and the wife of Crepus Ragnvindr. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you… Lumine.”

Lumine’s eyes widened and before she could ask her how she knew her, Ignisia had already turned around and walked back to the manor.

“Come, I’ll lead you to your friend .” Ignisia told her.

Lumine never met Ignisia so she had to be careful. She followed her, not letting her guard down.

They stopped in front of a room and Ignisia turned to look at her. She gestured towards the door.

“This is where he’s staying. Just knock and wait until he responds. He should still be awake. I’ll just go to the kitchen and get some snacks for the both of you.” Ignisia told her.

“T-There’s no need, Mrs. Ragnvindr. I don’t even know how long I will stay.” I don’t even know if this person is truly Caribert.

Ignisia simply smiles, “I know you will stay, and that the both of you will have a long talk.”

Before Lumine could ask her more, Ignisia had quickly walked down the stairs, leaving Lumine in the hallways. Lumine looked back at the door, feeling uncertain now. What if this is a different Caribert? What if it’s not who she thinks?

Well, she’s here now… She might as well check. It’s better to try than never. She might miss something important.

She already missed a lot of things. Things around Mondstadt had been… strange. The Ley Lines are changing.

The past is changing.

And for some reason, Lumine had a feeling that the person behind this door had something to do with this. If this is truly Caribert Alberich, then the changes here would make sense. But why would he do that? How could he come here when he can only appear around Sumeru?

Lumine shakes her head. She’s stalling too much time already so she took a deep breath and knocked.

She waited.

“Come in.”

That voice… It was familiar but she doesn’t remember if that’s how Caribert’s voice is supposed to sound like.

So she entered and looked at the man sitting on the bed, leaning against the pillows on his back.

That’s…

That’s not Caribert.

“What is–” the man turned to face her and she noticed the way his eye widened as if he recognized her.

“.. Kaeya ?” Lumine muttered the name, unsure and confused.

The man didn’t respond quickly but she could see the shock still present in his expression. And then numerous emotions crossed his face.

“Kaeya… Is that you? Is that really you?” she asked again as she slowly made her way towards the man.

Kaeya flinched back before letting out a sudden laugh. “Archons, am I still hallucinating? Why.. Why am I seeing Lumine? She shouldn’t be here yet.. N-Not yet…”

So he’s really Kaeya . The Kaeya she knew, the one from the future. But what does he mean by hallucination? His younger self also mentioned that to Diluc earlier.

“I’m not a hallucination, Kaeya. I’m really here.” Lumine told him, pulling the nearby chair to sit on it. She looked at Kaeya , stared at him before reaching out and holding on to his trembling hands. “See? I’m real.”

A soft gasp escaped Kaeya’s lips and he looked at their hands and then to her face, his expression finally melting. “Lumine?”

Lumine smiles, nodding her head. “What happened to you?” she asked, concerned about her old friend’s condition.

Kaeya sighs, finally relaxing against the pillows on his back again. “Just something about yesterday. I got ambushed by Eroch, he interrogated me. The incense from Sumeru that he used was nasty. It made me see and hear hallucinations. It messed with my mind, that's why… I didn’t believe that you were real. Because you shouldn’t be. Why… How are you here, Lumine?” he asked before pausing, finally realizing something. “Wait, the real Caribert told me that I’ll meet someone earlier… It was you?”

“You know the real Caribert?” Lumine asked in surprise and Kaeya nodded.

“I’ve met him in my dreams because…” Kaeya muttered before hesitating and shaking his head. “How are you here? Y-You died, Lumine. Aether killed you. How did you go back to the past?”

He looked at her, yearning for answers. Lumine honestly has the same question for him. How did he end up in the past with his… current body? Did he really travel in time, like her?

But before that…

“Why did you use the name ‘Caribert’?” Lumine asked, curious.

Kaeya blinked before smiling sheepishly. “I needed a different name to stay with the Ragnvindrs since I have to stay in Mondstadt and protect this city from the Abyss Order. I’ve been working around and changed a few things too.”

Lumine’s eyes widened, “Wait, do you have something to do with Dvalin? I checked to see if he’s still asleep or already corrupted but he looks fine.”

The bluenette smiles at her, nodding. “Yes, with Venti’s help of course. He already knows that I’m from the future so I told him what will happen to his friend.”

“Ooh… What about the Defiled Statue? It was no longer corrupted. Do you also have something to do with that?” Lumine asked him and again, Kaeya gave another nod. “How..?” she asked with confusion.

“I don’t know how to tell you… But I probably shouldn’t keep it from you.” Kaeya said before looking at the slightly open door that Lumine had left so he gestured for her to lean closer and once she did, he whispered to her ears. “I have the complete Loom of Fate with me. I used that to revert the statue’s state before it was corrupted.” he said, earning a surprised gasp from Lumine.

She quickly backed away, looking at Kaeya with her eyes wide. The way she looked at him was asking if what he said was true so Kaeya gave one confirming nod.

“I didn’t know about it at first until Caribert told me about it in our previous meetings. From what I understand, in our original timeline, Venti was able to convince your brother to steal the Loom of Fate from The Sinner and transfer it to me while I undergo the process of time traveling. I also believe that the Loom of Fate replaced my right eye but I’m not sure what it did to my curse. Maybe immortality is an effect of it since I do not age but Caribert had told me that the reason I’m not aging is because I am the host of the Loom of Fate.” Kaeya tried to explain to the best of his abilities. Thankfully, Lumine was able to understand it.

“I see… The Loom of Fate… Are you alright? Is it not giving you any problems?” Lumine asked, worry laced in her voice.

Kaeya smiles, “It’s mostly dormant so I’m alright. Using it just gives a painful backslash though.” he told her while shaking his head. “I’m not using the power that much. Not only am I afraid of the danger it might bring to those around me, I also don’t want to risk my life using it at the wrong time. Venti from the future said that I am Mondstadt’s Last Hope and I don’t want to fail him or anyone. So I’m saving as many lives as I can including…”

He paused but Lumine already knew who he meant.

“You’re going to save Crepus, aren’t you?” Lumine asked and Kaeya nodded.

“I learned a lot of things that I never knew before. He’ll be a great help for my mission and I… I don’t want my younger self and Diluc to be separated again. I don’t want both of them to be traumatized. Crepus is also helping me fight against the Abyss Order but of course, he doesn’t know of my real identity yet. I just can’t deny his help anymore, he can be pretty persistent.” he said as he chuckled.

Lumine smiles slightly, “I’ll support you with your decision… And Kaeya?”

“Hm?”

“You’re not alone in this anymore.” Lumine told him, looking at him straight in the eye because she knew… 

She knew in the way that Kaeya talks, he’s carrying the fate of their future alone . But she’s here now, isn’t she?