I want to be alone.

Eula's patience, already wafer thin, was exhausted by his comments and she snapped her eyes back to her table companion. She had had enough of this.

"I came here to be alone, and I would like for it to stay that way. Please leave, Diluc". The red haired man's mouth again blossomed into a smile. He sat back heavily in his seat causing it to rock slightly as he let out a short, sharp laugh.

"Ha! Oh Lady Eula, even now when facing ruin and judicial proceedings you still **** away those who would seek to help you. Tell me, milady", he learnt forward closing the distance between them, "are you truly so proud that you would turn down an offer of aid from likely the only soul in Mondstadt who would offer it?"

Eula's frustration peaked and her voice trembled with fury as she spoke. "You have made it very clear that your help comes with a price, Diluc. I am not in such dire straits as to need the aid of such a man as you. I say to you again, I want to be alone." Anger and injured pride flared across Diluc's face now and he bit off each word as he spoke, his eyes flashing.

"So very proud." He banged a fist on the table causing Eula to jump in alarm. "Very well, I bid you farewell, Lady Lawrence. Enjoy wallowing in the mess your uncle has made for you. Perhaps you will find some other way to make amends with the magistrate. I'm sure he'll think of something." With that, Diluc rose from his seat and stalked away to the staircase leading down to the main rooms of the tavern. Before descending the stairs he half turned his head towards Eula as the service girl whom he had previously gestured to returned with another glass of tri-berry punch. The girl edged expertly to the side and past her employer and made her way to Eula, delivering two new drinks to her table before snatching up the empty glass in one fluid motion and making her way back downstairs.

"Compliments of master Diluc, ma'am" the girl proclaimed with a small bow. Eula's mouth formed a thin line of annoyance and she cast her eyes over to Diluc - or rather to where he had been. The red haired man had gone without another word. Eula's gaze hung on that spot for a moment and she felt regret that she had let her normally cool emotions get the best of her. Under the current circumstances, she reasoned, a lapse in composure was excusable. Still, she did wonder if her situation could have been aided by Diluc's counsel and influence. Eula's brow furrowed as she recalled Diluc's parting words regarding the magistrate. "Think of something"? She began to run those words and their meaning over in her mind before being interrupted.

As the cathedral bells rang out a half-chorus of their song, Eula's attention was redirected to an excited clamour of voices approaching the main door of the tavern. At the same time, a knight of Favonius, one of those who had flanked Jean on the street below, strode purposefully up the stairs to the balcony area, armour clanking as he did so. His eyes scanned the tables, located Eula and then fell onto muscleman's table.

"Sirs, Grandmaster Jean of the Knights of Favonius has need of this establishment for official business. She has commanded me to relay her humble wishes that all patrons vacate the area until such time as it is no longer required." the knight boomed out authoritatively. Muscleman started to argue but his **** fuelled courage quickly waned as the knight slowly and purposefully put his hand on the hilt of his longsword, drumming his fingers once along the leather bindings. Muscleman instantly ceased his arguing, and emptied the table with his fellows like dandelion seeds on the wind. The fearless leader averted his eyes from the knight and mumbled "Good day sir, sorry. Good day." as he slunk out of eyeshot and down the stairs.

"All talk" Eula thought, her mouth curling at one corner. She took in a breath to ask the guard where his mistress was to meet her, but her question was answered by the steady clacking of heels on the wooden steps.

Jean made her way gracefully up onto the balcony. Fixing her eyes on Eula, she unbuttoned her cloak and held it out to the waiting knight with practiced familiarity. "Thank you, Swan. Leave us." She said without looking him in the face.

"Grandmaster" acknowledged knight Swan with a bow. He then made his way to the lower floor of the tavern leaving the both Eula and Jean staring wordlessly at one another. The loathing they shared for each other could have made the timbers around them creak and melted the cobbles on the street below, though both women masked it with practiced skill.

Jean broke the silence. "Lady Lawrence" she said, moving forwards towards Eula's table.

"Grandmaster" was Eula's lofty reply. Jean reached the table and smoothly brought a chair out before seating at the table facing Eula. She spotted the two glasses waiting on the table and cocked an eyebrow at Eula.

"Diluc." offered Eula by way of an explanation. Jean grimaced at the mention of the red haired man's name. Jean's grimace at the mention of the red-haired landowner's name spoke volumes.

"Lady Lawrence" Jean began, "are you aware as to the purpose of our meeting here this day?" Eula's face flickered with contempt for the question for a brief moment. The look escaped Jean's awareness as she began to unbuckle a pouch on her belt before opening it and producing a small ledger. Jean began to flick through the pages, casting her eyes up to Eula, eyebrows raised in annoyance. "Well?" She said.

"Well, grandmaster. This venue was chosen for our meeting following your decree that all members of House Lawrence were forbidden from entering the barracks until further notice. That reason is why we are meeting here." Jean's green eyes narrowed.

"I referred to the reason why the hearing is necessary." Silence from Eula caused the acting Grandmaster to look down at the ledger and let out a short sigh, raising her eyebrows. "Eula Lawrence. You are being interviewed by myself, Grandmaster of the Knights of Favo-"

"Acting" Eula interrupted.

"Excuse me?"

"Acting Grandmaster" Eula replied unblinking. Jean's eyes flashed and she continued.

"Of Favonius, following accusations of having brought the Order into disrepute through the willful, criminal actions of your close associates. Namely, a Schubert Lawrence. Your uncle I believe?" Jean added with saccharin in her voice.

"That is correct, acting Grandmaster".

"And, as you are aware the Order of the Knights of Favonius have strict codes and expectations that all knights must adhere to. What tarnishes one, tarnishes us all. You...are aware of this?"

"Yes, acting Grandmaster." Eula knew the game Jean was playing. Delicately turning a page of the ledger, Jean continued.

"I have in my possession statements from an Alfredo Mason, proprietor of Hindsight Ventures." She produced a sheet from her notes. "It seems somewhat of a formality recount the entirety of the statement, so with your consent I shall merely summarise?" Eula said nothing, but her eyes could've burned holes through Jean's flesh. "Mr Mason claims and has submitted evidence that your uncle and associate Schubert Lawrence of House Lawrence placed a sizeable bet on the outcome of a...a high stakes lizard race." Jean showed mock puzzlement on her face, as though it was the first time she hand heard the information. "Having placed an unsuccessful and sizeable bet-", Jean raised her eyebrows, "-on the aforementioned...lizard race, Mr Mason states that Schubert Lawrence is to pay the balance of the debt owed to Hindsight Ventures in the amount of 269,416 mora.

Eula felt her stomach knot. That was a sum of mora considerably greater than all of the wealth her household possessed. How could her uncle Schubert have been so reckless and foolish. He had always had expensive tastes and when left unchecked during his niece's absence when out on long patrols, the debts had soon begun to mount. When the money repayments were demanded or threat of exposure and embarrassment was leveled at Schubert, Eula's uncle turned to high stakes games of chance. Now, facing the repercussions of one financial blunder after another, Eula's uncle had left Mondstadt discreetly and this left his niece with all of the debts to shoulder. Eula was suddenly aware of Jean's silence and expectant gaze upon her.

"Hm? I'm sorry?" Eula managed.

Jean frowned. "I asked you, Lady Lawrence, 'does your Household have monies sufficient to repay the debts owed to these individuals?

Eula's heart sank at the question. "No".

Jean snapped "No, grandmaster". She looked down at her ledger again. "Then I require to know how you intend to fund the repayment of these debts. Furthermore I must be satisfied that the repayment plan proposed is sound and fit for purpose." Eula felt a flicker of hope.

"My commission funding as a member of Reconnaissance Company will suffice if and arrangement can be made to allow the payments to be made in installmen-"

"That is not an option, Lady Lawrence." Jean said flatly. Her face then adopted a sadistic smile "You will hereby no longer be serving as a Knight of Favonius."

"What!? You...you can't do that!" Eula's voice trembled and her shoulders shook. "No. H-how am I expected to solve this issue without an income? Jea-, Grandmaster, this isn't right, you can't."

Jean looked back down at her ledger matter-of-fact-ly and inwardly relishing the almost panicked response from Eula "Should you be unable to repay the debt within the allotted time of 35 day spans, then you are to be detained and judicial proceedings instigated against you."

"This is outrageous" Eula burst out. "Whereas the actions of my House were reprehensible, it was not I who commited any offence. And to take away my means of putting it right by ousting me from the Knights of Favonius? This is a farce. I will take this to the magistrate myself."

Jean levelled her gaze at Eula and shrugged closing the ledger. "If that is what you wish to do. Should you change your mind, I have prepared a list of interested parties forthcoming with opportunities for you to repay the debt over the 35 day period." Jean stood up. "Else, plead your case to the magistrate himself."