Chapter Text
Diluc sat on the peak of the Stone Gate, where Mondstadt’s and Liyue’s borders met. He was in the process of returning home.
Home, but not really.
Not anymore.
The City of Freedom, Mondstadt, sat in the distance in front of him.
Wolvendom surrounded by the bare trees and large fallen tree trunk to the left
The frozen mountain of sheer cold and dragon bone, Dragonspine, to his right. It’s perpetual storming peak visible just like he remembers.
Dawn Winery, his destination for today, sat peaking over the hills and cliffs. Red rooftops stood out amongst the greenery.
Diluc was afraid to admit he was nervous about his return.
He left in such an aggressive manner and so suddenly that most people were prepared for it. How would people react to him now? Would they care and celebrate his return? Or would they scold him for leaving in such a manner like the brat he acted like at the time. Would he just be treated like any other person visiting the city and have little fanfare?
Diluc admits he doesn't know which one he wants or dreads the most.
And how would-
Diluc forced his thoughts from continuing, knowing what the next insecure question would be.
It’s been four years since he left. He was hardly the same person he was before he left.
He at least made sure that his homecoming wasn’t going to be secret. He wasn’t just going to burst back into Mondstadt and expect others to accommodate him and reaccept him.
He had sent a letter to Adelinde to announce his return. What the people decided to do about it he’ll accept.
Truthfully he wouldn’t be surprised if he was picked up by the Knights and questioned about that night.
He at least didn’t have to worry about his father’s business. He knew the winery was well ran without him, thanks to Adelinde and Elzer’s work. He felt a little guilty leaving the bulk of the work to those two shortly after everything that had happened.
He also wouldn’t admit the amount of guilt and fear he felt when thinking about that night.
During his rampage across Teyvet, he tried very hard to not think about how he had wronged the remaining member of his family, Kaeya. How he attacked him in clouded anger. The fight. He didn’t even know what happened after his vision was filled with pale blue light, blinding him in the darkness of the storm that was happening at the time.
He would hate to admit that the thought that Keaya might’ve been dead, killed by his hands that night.
He never checked, just running away in anger, fear, grief, and a need for answers about the Delusion his Father had.
He can recall him unleashing his ultimate attack, but couldn’t remember if the attack actually hit, or if Kaeya got out of the way, or if he blocked it.
He remembers the scream and how it haunted him in his sleep.
Diluc knew if, and he so hoped he was, Kaeya was alive then he probably wouldn’t want to see Diluc.
Whether in anger or fear, he wouldn’t know. He had sold off his father’s Manor through Adelinde via letters he’d sent, and he had told Kaeya that he wasn’t welcomed in the family anymore and cast him aside.
That meant he had no home, no money, no support, and nowhere to go, when Diluc left because he had told the winery staff that Kaeya wasn’t welcome anymore.
With a groan, Diluc ran a hand down his face, trying to stop his thoughts of the past. He just needed to get it over with and try to return to a normal life.
As he made his way down to the path that leads to the Winery, his thoughts wandered to his Vision. He had casted it aside when he left the Ordo, and in turn, Mondstadt.
He knew he’d never return to the Knight due to how restricted they were, especially now if the rumors of Varka taking most of the knights on an expedition of some kind.
Grumbling, he realized he’ll probably need to file a possession claim if the Ordo still has his Vision.
“Welcome home, Master Diluc.” a voice snapped him out of his head.
Without realizing it, he had made his way to the front doors of the Winery where Adelinde was waiting for him… with a gaudy vase with a tacky ribbon sitting on the ground near the door.
“Adelinde.” He greeted her. “How have things been?”
“It’s been well, Master Diluc.” She told him, “I have your room ready for you if you’d like to rest before going over the Winery reports, or I can draw up a bath if you’d like.”
“No need.” He waved her off. “What’s with the vase?”
“It’s a welcome home gift.” she told him. “It was dropped off earlier.”
She seemed hesitant to talk about the vase, or perhaps just didn’t know how to react to such a… Unique vase. Or was waiting for orders on what to do with it.
“Well, let’s take it in, it’s a gift after all.” He told her, and picked up the vase. Something clinked inside of it, causing Diluc to blink. “Do you know who it’s from? So I may send a thank you letter?”
He hoped it wasn’t one the other aristocrats trying to get on his good side to try and gain favors in hopes of trying to marry one of their daughters off to him. Again.
“I do not, sir.” Adelinde told him, opening the doors for him. “It was anonymous.”
Diluc set the vase on a nearby table and carefully tilted it to see what was inside. The object clattered on the wood floor as Adelinde closed the doors.
It was his Vision.
He picked it up, feeling the pulsing warmth of Pyro energy from it. A feeling he hasn’t felt in a long time. A feeling he wished he had when he was in Snezhnaya.
He hooked it to where it would normally hang on his belt. Now he knows that the vase was from someone in the Ordo.
His mind drifted to Kaeya again.
“Adelinde.” Diluc turned to the maid. “Can you give me an overview on the current affairs of the Ordo and city?”
“Certainly.” She said with a smile. “Would you like to discuss it over lunch?”
“Of course.”
Diluc, Adelinde, and Elzer all enjoyed Lunch as they caught Diluc up on the latest events and anything that had happened over the time he was gone.
They confirmed the rumors of Grandmaster Varka taking most of the Ordo for one of his expeditions and that Jean of all people was assigned as the Acting Grandmaster.
Diluc felt happy for her because she definitely deserved it. He learned that she was promoted after revealing a traitor to the Ordo, Eroch.
While he wasn’t happy to hear the man wasn’t killed for treason, he is satisfied to settle for exilement.
He told them vague bits of his journey, talking mostly about sights and the occasional person he’d seen and met.
He learned, by no surprise, that Jean’s partner in the Eroch issue was made the Cavalry Captain after he left, and that he was known for helping remove other corrupt knights or hidden allies of Eroch when they pop up.
The two servants never spoke their name so it was probably someone Diluc didn’t know or they weren’t that remarkable to mention.
They also never mentioned Kaeya, which made a stab of fear enter his heart. But he couldn’t bring himself to ask them.
Jean would know.
He needs to go to the City to go over Angel’s Share stuff with Charles anyways, but he’ll need to wait on it till tomorrow afternoon after he’s gone over the Winery stuff with Adelinde today.
Admitty, Diluc felt like the next day came all too quickly for his liking, Afternoon, even sooner. He’s been in the city since early noon, late morning, but has yet to see or hear Kaeya. He hasn’t even heard anyone mention him at all. More fear gripped his heart. He made his way up the steps leading to the Ordo’s headquarters.
“I’m here to see the Acting Grandmaster when she has some time.” He told one of the front guards.The knights just gave him a nod and allowed him in.
The Ordo looks the same as it did four years ago. Except for the scenery art, those were new. They were nice and made the place have more color. He made his way to the Grandmaster’s office and knocked.
“Come in!”
Dilcu opened the door and was greeted by two ladies. One was Jean, who had grown taller since the last time he saw her. The other was Lisa, the Librarian, who was lounging on a couch.
“Oh Master Diluc!” Jean greeted him from behind her desk. “It’s nice to see you back and in good health. What can I help you with today?”
Ever the professional, Jean was.
“I see you got your Vision delivered.”
“It’s good to be back, I suppose.” Diluc told her, maintaining the small talk. She seemed more reserved then he remembered. “I did, was it you who sent the vase?”
A look of confusion crossed her face and Lisa began lightly chuckling behind her hand.
“No… What vase?” she asked carefully.
“Someone, presumably one of your knights, anonymously dropped a vase off at the Winery and my Vision was inside.” Diluc told her. “I thought it must have been you or someone else who knew I left my Vision behind.”
A look crossed her face and she dropped her head in her hands.
“That idiot, I just told him to drop it off with Adelinde on his way by.” She raised her head. “Anyways, now that you're back, what do you plan on doing? Will you be rejoining the Ordo or…?”
“No.” Diluc interrupted her flatly. “I came here to get a few questions answered and to catch up for a moment if possible. I plan on taking over the Winery for good.”
“Of course.” Jean nodded. “Lisa, we can continue our talk later.”
Lisa got up and gave a silent wave, leaving the two alone, closing the door behind her. The atmosphere turned a bit tense but Diluc still took a seat. Should he try to be casual or be serious, he didn’t know.
“Who did you assign to drop off my Vision?” He asked, he knew Jean wouldn’t trust just anyone with a vision that wasn’t theirs. “And who is the current Cavalry Captain?”
“I had asked the Cavalry Captain you were asking about to hand it to Adelinde upon hearing about your return.” Jean explained, waving her hand as if to dismiss the importance of the topic. “I had scheduled a training mission in Wolvendom for some of the younger Knights and a few members of the adventurers guild so I figured he could pass it along on his way by.”
“But who is the Cavalry Captain?”
“I’m afraid that if he asked Adelinde to keep themselves anonymous then I shall also respect his wish as well.” She said firmly, “I’m sorry.”
Diluc just gave her a nod. He wasn’t going to push the matter, He’ll figure it out in time anyways. A moment passed between them. He should ask about him now.
“Where’s Kaeya?” He asked after a moment. “I haven’t seen him yet.
Jean didn’t answer right away. She stared at him, biting her lip. Most likely to gauge his reactions, or perhaps looking for something in his demeanor. As each second passed, he felt fear and denial rising.
Jean let out a heavy sigh, breaking her stare down.
“Why do you want to know?” she asked, tone even, betraying nothing of her thoughts. “I saw the aftermath of your fight with him. I know what you did to him.”
Panic gripped Diluc. He killed Kaeya didn’t he. Was Jean going to justifiably arrest him for murder? Did he even want to know the answers he sought now?
“Is he-”
“Dead?” Jean interrupted, “No, he’s very much alive.”
Relief flooded Diluc, and for a moment he thought he would pass out. So he didn’t kill Kaeya in rage. But-
“He’s okay, too.” Jean’s words caught his attention, she was looking down, gripping her own hands that had started shaking. “I don’t know if he’d want me to tell you.”
She hesitated. “But you hurt him, Diluc, in more ways than one.”
Guilt pierced Diluc like an arrow.
So his attack did hit. It had to have been a miracle he survived Diluc’s attack at all let all get the help to heal it, they were out by the winery when the fight happened.
“How bad?” Diluc decided to ask, looking down. “I… didn’t stay to look. I just yelled at him and left.”
Jean looked weary all of a sudden. It was almost a defeated look. Diluc’s never seen this look on Jean. It was a look that shouldn’t be on someone like Jean.
She hugged herself to hide her still shaking hands but Diluc saw them anyway.
“It’s not my place to say.” Jean told him, her voice wavering a bit. “But it wasn’t good.”
Jean let out a breath to steady herself and shuffled the papers on her desk.
“I see.” Diluc said in reluctant acceptance.
Jean wasn’t going to give him information freely.
“Well then, are there any charges against me I should be made aware of?” Diluc asked. “I’m surprised that I wasn’t arrested on the spot for the assault.”
Jean bit her lip. As if she was arguing with herself.
“There are no charges.” she told him. Shock filled him. “The official story Kaeya likes to tell people was that shortly after you left he was ambushed by a group of hilichurls that had a Blazing Axe Mitachurl among them. He was able to take care of them but was injured during the fight.”
Diluc felt cold all of a sudden, and angry.
The anger came from the fact that Kaeya was telling more lies, but the cold was running through him because it was a lie to protect him.
It left him feeling conflicted.
Very conflicted
“I see.” Diluc managed to say after a moment. “And where is Kaeya right now?”
Jean's face shifted to a steely mask with a light glare
.
“I am not at liberty to release that information.” Jean’s tone shifted back to guarded and professional. “If Kaeya wishes to meet with you, he will find you when he wants to.”
Diluc supposed that’s fair, after all Jean did tell him she knew part of the real story behind that night.
There wasn’t anything else to talk about then, he stood up to leave.
“If there’s nothing else then I’ll take my leave.”
He made his way to the door and was about to open it when Jean stood up causing him to pause..
“There’s one more thing, Diluc.” She told him, leaning over her desk with her arms. Glare still present. “Varka, Barbara, Albedo and I know fully what happened that night, and we will not tolerate your actions should you attack him for any reason short of self-defense again.”
She met his eyes with a determined look, making sure the threat was understood before relaxing
“Not that I actually expect anything to happen again but I was told to warn you regardless when you came back.”
Diluc didn’t know if he believed that. That Kaeya would risk telling the truth again so soon after getting attacked for it, or did he tell them something else they think is the truth?
Either way the warning was valid.
“Very well.” Diluc said, turning back to the door. “Have a good day, Acting Grandmaster.”