"mistress" • diluc

xxv

• third person •

A little girl came scurrying through the Knights' Headquarters, huffing and puffing as she endeavoured to find the grownup she was so desperately searching for, as if her whole life depended on it.

Klee grabbed her hat when she bumped headfirst into someone, yelping a small sorry.

"K-Klee? What's the hurry? Hey, catch your breath."

Klee raised her head. Instantly, she breathed a large sigh of relief.

"Kaeya!" she exclaimed. "I-I have to go to see Mister Diluc! Klee made a big, big disaster!!"

Sighing, Kaeya tilted his head as he leant down to her height. "Did you blow up his vineyards again, Klee?" he asked with a chuckle. "It's alright; Diluc won't mi–"

"No no!!" Klee interrupted, shaking her head vigorously. Kaeya's visible eye widened slightly. "K-Klee went to Mister Diluc's big house yesterday, and, and... Master Jean... She asked Klee... who was there and..."

"Klee messed up..."

Kaeya's heart dropped.

"Oh."

• • •

The Acting Grandmaster stood at the mansion's door, a furrow in her brows as her eyes held a complicated expression.

She lowered her head slightly. "Good evening, Miss Adelinde," she replied. "I apologise; it is late."

"Indeed it is. Don't worry. It's a pleasure to have the Acting Grandmaster here. Is there anything we can help you with?"

Jean shook her head, rubbing her forehead with the pads of her fingers. "Is... Master Diluc available? I... I would like to talk to him, if that's alright."

Adelinde's eyebrows raised ever-so-slightly, before rapidly returning back to normal. "Of course. Please, sit. I will inform him of your arrival immediately."

"Thank you, Adelinde."

As the head housemaid would, she quickly sat Master Jean and made sure she was comfortable, about to make her way over to the kitchen.

Though, just as she was about to leave Jean, the kitchen door opened.

The red-headed lord of the manor stumbled out, his hair scrambled through his fingers.

Adelinde cleared her throat, pursing her lips for a moment.

"Master Diluc. Ahem, you. You have a guest."

Diluc lifted his head. "Huh?"

And then, his back straightened, his eyes shooting wide.

"J-Jean?" he exclaimed. He rapidly fixed his stature, shaking his head. "I- I mean- Acting Grandmaster. What brings you here today? It isn't often you visit personally."

Jean's face was tense, a clear frown deepening the corners of her mouth. "I am not here on official capacity today, Sir. I... I just have something to ask you," she murmured.

Adelinde left the two when Diluc signalled to her. Though, as unmaidly as it was, she continued to listen in from the room she had excused herself to. Even she knew that this had to be serious.

Upstairs, Aila attempted to regulate her breaths as she leant against the door.

Why was Jean here? Of course, Diluc's ex would be here the moment she was questioning her relationship with Diluc the most. Of course. Of course.

He loves Jean. He'll go back to her.

How stupid. How foolish.

How... foolish.