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The sun reflected off of Jean as she stood at the top of a hill, looking at the various Hilichurl camps. There was word around the city of raging Hilichurls, but she has yet to see them. So, she roamed around the area. The peaceful silence allowed her to get lost in her thoughts, causing her to lose track of time.
Eventually, the sun hid behind the clouds and cool air hit her face. She didn’t even have the time to register the change before she heard the sounds of the Hilichurls’ grunts and someone yelling. Finally having a lead, Jean sped up and went towards the direction of the sound. But before she could even act, a familiar figure, Diluc, emerged from the bushes. Within mere seconds, she watched as he fought off some of the Hilichurls, allowing the innocent citizen to run back to safety. Jean felt relieved seeing the citizen flee, but at the same time a sense of disappointment rose in her. Still, she ran down to assist Diluc in fighting off the rest of these Hilichurls.
It didn’t take long for the two of them to finish. Though, instead of gratitude, this person gave her an unimpressed look, “Do the Knights of Favonius always move at a glacial pace?”
“My apologies, I do admit that was unacceptable.” Jean replied, “I wasn’t functioning at my best today.”
“A life could’ve been lost today. What would you have done if it was?” Diluc questioned.
“I…” she hesitated, “I’m unsure.”
“There’s no time for hesitation.” He stated.
Jean nods in acknowledgment, “I understand that.”
“Do you? Or will you continue to let your head affect your performance?” Diluc questioned.
She shook her head, “It is not my intention to do that.”
He turned away and began to walk away, “Get yourself together, Jean.”
As Jean watched Diluc disappear further into the distance, she felt like she couldn’t breathe. No matter how much she tried to tell herself everything was okay, the feeling of frustration only built inside of her. She failed at the one thing she had sworn to devote her life to: the protection of Mondstadt. Someone’s life was in jeopardy and if Diluc hadn’t stepped in, they would’ve been gone for good. The thought made her feel sick.
Following the familiar routine she did when troubled, Jean made her way to the Great Tree. She sat down in front of it, hoping to feel some sort of clarity. The thoughts that were racing through her mind were too much to handle and she was desperate for some sort of relief.
For some reason, this relief never came.
The longer she sat there, the more she became lost in her head. She was obsessed with the thought of being worthless. No matter how hard she tried to avert her attention, it was all she could think about. The Hilichurls, the citizen, Diluc, and her failure. It wouldn’t stop.
With shaky hands, Jean pushed herself off of the ground.
Walking back in the direction she came, she went towards the library of Mondstadt. She looked inside of the windows of the seemingly empty building before she looked down at her watch. Of course she wasn’t in sight, with the current time she was likely asleep.
Jean let herself into the library, wandering around before she spotted the librarian practically drooling on the desk.
“Lisa.” She spoke up, looking down at her. When she received no response, she called her name once again. And again. She repeated herself until the librarian finally began to stir.
Being woken up from her mid-afternoon nap, her irritation began to rise. But before Lisa was able to complain, she noticed the dejected expression that her friend was sprouting. With a long yawn, she sat up and stretched.
“Rough day?” She asked, rubbing her eyes.
Jean sighed, “Something like that.”
Lisa stood up and walked towards the kitchen, “Would you like to talk about it?”
Jean hesitated before she stood up to follow her. Lisa placed a kettle onto the stovetop as she waited for Jean to speak. The moment Jean opened her mouth, words rushed out as if a dam had been broken. She spoke about how she felt as if she’s letting everyone down, disappointing the people around her. She explained her encounter with Diluc, how she failed to save a citizen who was in danger, her inability to think straight, and her fall in performance. Lisa let Jean spill her worries without interrupting her, listening intently as she rambled.
Once Jean’s rant came to an end, Lisa poured the water into a cup. She put in a teabag and carefully handed the steaming mug to her.
“What is it?” Jean questioned, breathing in the honeyed apple scent.
“Tea.” she replied, picking up her own mug from the counter. “It’ll help you relax.”
“Thank you.” Jean murmured, bringing the cup to her lips.
“You need to remember that you’re human.” Lisa spoke as she grabbed her own mug, “You have limits that you constantly ignore.”
“But that’s not the point. The point is–”
“Ah ah, I wasn’t finished.” she interjected, sitting down next to Jean. “You need to rest. You’re falling behind because you’re burning yourself out. I understand you want to keep Mondstadt safe, but how can you do that in this state?”
“In this state?” Jean repeated, “You say that as if I’ve completely changed.”
“Your determination hasn’t changed, your reason hasn’t either. What’s changed is your mindset.” Lisa replied, “I can tell that your head is the furthest thing from clear. You’re forgetting things and making mistakes that you’d never make normally.”
“It’s okay to take a break. If not for you, for the safety of Mondstadt.”
The room falls into silence as the two drink their tea. Lisa stared directly at Jean while Jean was staring at the ground, unwilling to meet her eyes.
Once Jean finished drinking her tea, she cleared her throat.
“What kind of tea is this?” she questioned.
“Chamomile.” Lisa replied, “Do you like it?”
Jean nodded, “It’s oddly soothing.”
Lisa gave a soft smile, bringing her mug to her lips. “You’re always welcome to come over for more.”
“Thank you.” Jean replied, “For everything.”
Lisa only hummed in response, making a mental note to make sure she always has chamomile tea around. She could also put aside some romance books for Jean to read as she relaxes, she’d do anything for Jean to enjoy her well deserved break.