"Oh my, little adventurer, are you looking for a more… intimate conversation with ? Sure~ You can teleport to my dorm tonight—if you're not afraid of Jean finding out, that is."
Lisa's fair face was adorned with a faint smile.
[Lisa Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 260 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.9 (660/900)]
"Heh, alright." Nolan gave her soft thigh a gentle squeeze.
If not for the system notification about gaining affection, he would've thought she was joking. But to his surprise, she was serious.
It made sense. Lisa, being a mature woman, might be new to such things, but she was clearly more open to the idea than the reserved Acting Grand Master Jean or the overly shy Sucrose.
Well then, since you're ready, I'll make sure to prepare myself tonight…
Just as his thoughts began to wander, the library doors were suddenly flung open with a loud bang.
Jean entered, her face darkened, her eyes locking onto Nolan and Lisa, who were sitting far too close for comfort.
"You two, in public, like this? Do you want to ruin the Knights' reputation?" she scolded, her tone sharp.
Earlier, Jean had sensed Nolan's presence in the library from her office. Assuming he had returned from Inazuma to discuss sothing important with Lisa, she hadn't thought much of it.
But as ti passed, her suspicion grew. Feeling uneasy, she ca to check—and sure enough, her instincts were correct. The two of them were practically glued together.
If it were in private or outside of working hours, she might have turned a blind eye. But in the library, of all places? Such behavior was utterly inappropriate!
Fortunately, no one else was around to witness it. Otherwise, the reputation of the Knights of Favonius would've been tarnished!
Jean, as the Acting Grand Master, was clearly upset—not that it had anything to do with her feeling jealous, of course!
Nolan awkwardly scratched his head, not expecting to get caught again by Jean.
"Sorry, Jean, but it was the little adventurer who forced himself on . I didn't want this either, but you know how it is. I'm just a soft-hearted girl in front of him—how could I possibly resist?"
Lisa gently swatted away Nolan's mischievous hand on her thigh, feigning an innocent, helpless expression.
Nolan stared at her, speechless. Really? Pinning all the bla on ?
Jean, of course, wasn't fooled. She didn't care who started it. Her only concern was that their behavior was unbecoming.
"Both of you, co to my office now," Jean said sternly, crossing her arms. Her face was emotionless as she turned and walked back to her office.
Nolan and Lisa exchanged a glance, sighed in resignation, and followed behind her. It seed they were about to get another lecture.
---
Acting Grand Master's Office
Jean was not one to nag excessively, but she gave Nolan and Lisa a thorough lecture about their inappropriate behavior.
Her reprimand only ca to a halt when Nolan unexpectedly silenced her with a kiss.
Jean froze, her words cut off, her expression a mix of shock and embarrassnt. After a mont, she stopped talking altogether—though her reluctance was evident.
Perhaps, Nolan thought, it was because she finally felt a sense of balance. Maybe Jean was upset because Lisa and I were so close earlier, and she felt left out, he mused.
Lisa, standing nearby, caught the faintest smile on her lips as she observed the scene. Noticing this, Jean's face turned slightly red. She quickly pressed her hands against Nolan's cheeks, pushing him away to prevent him from kissing her again.
Honestly, this just puts on the sa level as them! Jean thought in exasperation, clearly displeased with herself.
"Alright, Jean, now that the lecture's over, could you grant a day off? I want to set up a laboratory for research and study in the little adventurer's portable space," Lisa said with a bright smile, turning the conversation back to her own plans.
"Today isn't a weekend, so the Knights' library likely won't have many visitors. I'll have Noelle and Ellin cover the shift later," Jean said with a nod, signaling her approval of Lisa's leave request.
"Alright, I'll head back and wait for them at the library." Lisa smiled, turned, and left the office.
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave too."
Since it was work hours, Nolan decided not to linger and disturb Jean further. After all, even if he tried to tease her, she'd scold him again for being improper in an official setting.
It would be better to rejoin Lumine and the others on their journey and perhaps use the opportunity to increase Yoimiya's affection points. He could return later in the evening to spend ti with Lisa.
"Wait."
Jean's voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Hm? Is there sothing else?" Nolan turned back, his face showing a trace of confusion.
"You ntioned last ti about encountering Rift Beasts in the underwater region. I had the Knights focus more on them, and we've found so leads," Jean said, her tone turning serious.
"Oh? Could it be that you've discovered another spatial rift?" Nolan asked eagerly.
If there really was another spatial rift, it would be perfect timing. He was a little short on Adventure EXP, and these rifts usually spewed a significant number of Rift Beasts. Clearing them would likely be enough to push him to Level 90.
"Yes, it's information Albedo brought back. He said that a few days ago, he lost track of Durin for a bit while letting him play in Dragonspine. Durin wandered into a cave deep within the mountain and discovered a spatial rift about two ters wide," Jean explained briefly.
"I see," Nolan nodded, then asked, "Since Albedo and Durin were the ones who found it, I assu there's nothing to worry about? No matter how many Rift Beasts show up, they'd have no trouble handling them."
He felt a little disappointed, realizing he might not get the Adventure EXP he had hoped for.
"Albedo's strength is indeed reliable, but he only sealed the rift with alchemy and didn't clear out the Rift Beasts," Jean said, sitting back in her chair and taking a sip of the tea she had brewed that morning.
"He didn't clear them out? Is Albedo planning so sort of research?" Nolan raised an eyebrow, finding the situation odd. Then he recalled that research was Albedo's forte, and such behavior wasn't unusual for him.
After all, once the Rift Beasts were cleared, the rift would collapse within a short ti if left unchecked, rendering further study impossible.
"You're right," Jean said. "Albedo believes that since the Rift Beasts are actively attempting to invade Teyvat and can erge from virtually anywhere, monitoring them across the region would be a waste of resources.
"After all, as long as the Abyss exists, these creatures will continue to pour through. Defending against them on Teyvat's soil is an ultimately futile effort."
Jean rested her fair hand against her soft chin, smiling warmly at Nolan.
"Uh… Why are you looking at with such a loving expression? Is there sothing you need my help with?" Nolan couldn't help but think Jean looked especially adorable at the mont.
"Yes, you've probably already guessed Albedo's plan," Jean replied. "Since resolving the issue from Teyvat's side is difficult, the solution is to go to the Abyss itself. Destroying it would stop the Rift Beasts from invading entirely."
Jean pushed back a strand of her golden hair as she nodded.
"So that's it… As expected of Albedo—he's planning a reverse invasion?" Nolan found the idea fascinating.
"Exactly. He's run into so difficulties, though, and ntioned he could use your help. If you're free, head to Dragonspine and find him," Jean said, finishing her explanation.
The boldness of Albedo's plan impressed her. While risky, it seed like a viable solution to the Rift Beast problem at its source. Testing it was certainly worth considering.
(End of Chapter)
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