<h4>Chapter 87: Viin Simtor, Ch 87</h4>


    [Dragon Piercing Spear (A-Grade)]


    - Type: Skill


    - Effect: Throws a powerful spear imbued with elemental energy. Deals 100% extra damage to dragons and has a high chance to inflict irreparable piercing damage.


    ---


    [Ornate Gold Brooch]


    - Category: Set Item


    - Effect: (2/4) Grants a 7% bonus to Hydro element damage.


    ---


    There were no lootbox rewards this time, but considering the simtor''s rewards, Lucas had received quite a generous haul.


    ---


    "Ugh..." Barbara, who had been unconscious until now, finally stirred and slowly sat up.


    Her drunkenness seemed to have subsided a little, but she still appeared groggy, rubbing her eyes as she mumbled, "Where... am I?"


    "We''re in one of the rooms at Angel''s Share," Lucas exined gently. "It''s reallyte now. How about we stay here for the night?"


    "No..." Barbara''s cheeks flushed red as she pouted. "I want to go back to the church. I can''t sleep without hugging my sister''s doll..."


    Normally, Barbara wasn''t this clingy, but under the influence of the lingering effects of alcohol, she was acting a little more willful than usual.


    "Alright..." Lucas smiled wryly, unable to resist her plea. "I''ll take you back. Can you walk?"


    "Barbara doesn''t want to walk," she mumbled, stretching out her arms towards Lucas. "Daddy, carry me back."


    It seemed the alcohol had clouded her thoughts enough that she mistook Lucas for her father, Seamus Pegg—not the imprisoned version from the simtor, but the "Cardinal of Dawn" in the real world.


    Six months ago, Grand Master Varka had led most of the Knights of Favonius on an expedition, and Barbara''s father, Seamus, had apanied him as the church''s representative. After Seamus''s divorce from Frederica of the Gunnhildr family, Barbara and her sister Jean had been raised separately by their parents.


    Living with her father for so long, Barbara naturally missed him dearly, which exined why, in her half-asleep state, she had confused Lucas with him.


    "Alright, alright," Lucas didn''t have the heart to correct her. He knelt down in front of her, saying, "Come on, Barbara."


    "Daddy, I missed you so much..." Barbara wrapped her arms around Lucas''s neck as she clung to his back, murmuring softly, "Daddy''s back feels... broader now."


    "You can rest on Daddy''s back for a bit," Lucas whispered. "We''ll be home soon."


    "Mmm..." Comforted by the warmth of his back, Barbara quickly drifted off into sleep again.


    ---


    3 AM.


    The Wine Festival hade to an end, and most of Mondstadt''s citizens had returned home after their festivities. A few unlucky drunks, who had overindulged,y sprawled on the streets, too inebriated to make it back.


    If they were fortunate, a passing patrol knight might take them home. If not, they might spend the night outside, only to be woken by a curious stray dog the next morning.


    Thankfully, Mondstadt''s mild climate meant that a night outdoors would only result in a cold at worst. In Snezhnaya, however, such a night could easily mean waking up as a frozen corpse.


    On patrol that night was a blue-haired girl wielding arge sword: E, the Spindrift Knight of the Knights of Favonius.


    Although she typically led the reconnaissance squad and handled field missions outside the city, during festivals like this, E helped with the patrols inside the city as well.


    "Damn it, they stuck my squad with patrol duty," E grumbled under her breath. "I''ll remember this grudge!"


    Despite her words, E''s actions spoke otherwise. Known for her sharp tongue but soft heart, she had volunteered for the worst time slot so that her team could rest during the night.


    For E, the Wine Festival held little appeal. Even if she wanted to drink, the moment she sat down at a tavern, the other patrons would treat her like the gue, quickly vacating the area.


    But tonight, she had something else on her mind.


    To prepare for the night patrol, she had taken a quick nap at the Knights'' headquarters.


    Little did she expect that in just a few hours, she would have a long and vivid dream.


    In what should have been a pleasant dream, the Lawrence family—her family, once shamed and despised—had been transformed into celebrated heroes who had saved Mondstadt multiple times.


    As she walked through the city streets in her dream, the usual res and whispered curses were reced by kind smiles and warm greetings.


    But what made the dream truly strange was that in it, she had married her cousin from the Lawrence family.


    And that cousin was none other than the Liyue man she had met today—Lucas!


    Not only had he married her, but he had also married Jean!


    In the dream, they even had children together!


    Though she had felt quite content and happy within the dream, upon waking, E couldn''t shake the sense that something was off.


    Never before had a man appeared in her dreams, let alone one who swept her off her feet into a life of marriage and children.


    As the saying goes, "What you think about during the day shows up in your dreams at night." Could it be that she had developed feelings for a man she had only just met?


    Impossible!


    E quickly shook her head, mocking herself. "Even if he were from Mondstadt, why would anyone be interested in a Lawrence?"


    After walking a few more steps, E suddenly spotted a figure lying not far ahead. The air was thick with the mingled stench of alcohol and blood.


    "Could they have gotten hurt after drinking too much?" E muttered as she approached cautiously. "Hey, are you okay? This isn''t the ce to sleep."


    But as she took a couple more steps, her expression changed instantly.


    The figure lying on the ground was indeed a drunkard, but they were no longer breathing. Their abdomen had been shed open, and their intestines spilled messily onto the ground.


    Even for someone as battle-hardened as E, ustomed to violence and bloodshed, the gruesome sight made her stomach churn.


    "A murder?" E clenched her fists. "I need to report this to the Knights immediately."


    Suddenly, E felt a surge of killing intent from behind her. Her instincts honed from countless battles kicked in, and she swung her greatsword backward with all her strength.


    The sharp ng of metal rang out as her sword shed against another—arge sword.


    The wielder was a man in his thirties, dressed in luxurious attire. When E saw his face, she was startled. "Terrence?" (AN: Oc)


    Indeed, the man before her was none other than Terrence Lawrence, her cousin from the infamous Lawrence family.


    In E''s memory, Terrence had always been a quiet and reserved figure. Even during the family trials, when he had lost to her, he had epted his defeat without a word.


    But now, his appearance was like that of a bloodthirsty beast. His entire being radiated a murderous aura.


    Terrence''s eyes were bloodshot, glowing faintly with a crimson light. From the gaps between his clenched teeth, he muttered hoarsely, "Kill... kill... kill!"


    Without warning, a surge of immense strength hit E. She found herself being pushed down by the sheer force of Terrence''s sword.


    How is this possible?


    E''s mind raced in disbelief.


    She knew Terrence''s abilities well—though he trained diligently in swordsmanship, his talent was average. Even though he was older by over a decade, he had never been a match for her inbat.


    Yet now, his speed and strength had grown significantly. Such rapid improvement in such a short time should have been impossible.


    Her eyes fell on the bloodstains and bits of flesh clinging to Terrence''s sword. It seemed that the mutted body nearby was his doing.


    "Even if you''re a Lawrence..." E took two steps back, her de gathering frost as she called upon her Cryo powers. "I won''t hold back!"


    With that, E unleashed two icy shes toward Terrence. However, mes suddenly erupted from his greatsword.


    With a single downward swing, the mes vaporized her ice des, and his sword struck E hard, knocking her back.


    How can this be?


    The Lawrence family had very few members blessed with a Vision, and Terrence had never been one of them. How had he suddenly gained the ability to wield elemental powers?


    Taking advantage of E''s injury, Terrence leaped into the air. His sword, now zing with intense mes, lit up the dark sky as he prepared to strike her down.


    Damn it!


    For some reason, E could feel a powerful aura radiating from Terrence, freezing her in ce. The force of his previous blow,bined with the killing intent he now exuded, made her unable to move.


    As the fiery de descended toward her, E''s heart sank. She was certain the next strike would cleave her in two.


    But just at that critical moment, a spear suddenly shot out from the side, piercing into Terrence''s sword and sending him flying several meters away, crashing into a nearby stall that had yet to be cleared away.


    "Ah, the ssic hero-saving-the-damsel scenario—never gets old," a man joked as he appeared in front of E, a young girl clinging to his back.


    With one hand steadying the girl on his back and the other gripping his spear, the man smiled. "E, that wasn''t your best, was it?"


    It was Lucas.


    E had been caught off guard by her cousin, but a fight was still a fight—no matter the circumstances. There was no room for weakness when life was on the line.


    "Lucas?" E said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"


    Before Lucas could answer, the groggy Barbara on his back nuzzled his neck,ining, "Daddy, it''s cold out here. Let''s go home."


    Daddy? Go home?


    E''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Lucas! How could you involve the Acting Grand Master''s sister in this? You... you pervert! Scum!"


    Perhaps due to the strange intimacy she had felt toward Lucas in her dream, seeing him so close with another woman made E feel a twinge of jealousy.


    "It''s not what you think!" Lucasughed awkwardly. "She''s just drunk!"


    "So you made a minor drink?" E red at him, her voice filled with indignation. "I''ll remember this grudge!"


    "Now''s not the time for this!" Lucas carefully passed Barbara to E and said, "Take her back to the Knights; I''ll handle things here."


    "What? No way!" E protested. "I''m the Knight of Favonius! If anyone''s staying to fight, it should be me. We''ll fight him together!"


    "I can''t leave Barbara here," Lucas replied softly, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from E''s face. "Trust me, I''ve got this. He''s no match for me."


    The gesture, surprisingly gentle, felt oddly familiar to E. Despite herself, she didn''t feel ufortable at all.


    "Tch! Fine..." E blushed slightly as she cradled Barbara in her arms. "But if anything happens to you, I''ll never forgive you!"


    "Ugh!" came a groan from Terrence, who was slowly getting back on his feet. Despite being thrown back by Lucas''s spear, he seemedrgely unscathed.


    His gaze quickly locked onto E again, and he charged toward her, swinging his greatsword fiercely.


    But before he could reach her, Lucas stepped in, raising his spear to block the attack. His eyes narrowed as he said coldly, "Your opponent... is me."


    "Move!" Terrence roared, enraged as he watched E retreating into the distance. With a wild swing of his sword, he aimed a devastating blow at Lucas, the heavy de sparking against the ground as it tore through the air.


    Even for someone as strong as E, handling such a heavy sword with one hand was no easy feat.


    But Lucas had grown much stronger than E by now. He wasn''t interested in dragging out the fight, and so, activating his [Mystic Eyes of Death Perception], he prepared to strike at Terrence''s weak point, ending the battle with a single, fatal blow.


    However, as soon as Lucas activated his Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, he was shocked to discover something unusual—there were no "lines of death" on Terrence''s body!


    This was highly strange. While it''s true that the less someone fears death, the fainter their lines of death be, fear of death is a natural part of being human. Even someone with unshakable willpower, like Diluc, still has lines of death visible on their body.


    But on Terrence, there were none at all.


    This could only mean two things:


    First, he was truly fearless of death.


    Second... he was already dead.


    There was no time for Lucas to ponder the reason. Terrence was already upon him, swinging his zing sword with deadly force. The impact from earlier had toppled several liquor stalls, causing spirits and wine to spill across the ground.


    Sparks from Terrence''s fiery de touched the alcohol-soaked ground, and in an instant, the spilled liquor ignited, mes rapidly spreading across the area.


    ----


    Author''s Note: Protect your wifey!