Varka didn't think twice about it. He left his office as soon as he received Crepus's note. He hadn't heard from him for a long time and he longed to see him, but most of all, he was worried about him. He knew about his night escapes and the power he used. Although he didn't know the origin of that gem, he was convinced that it posed a danger to his friend.

Your presence in the vineyard is required.

Varka reread the note. He and Crepus hadn't spoken since their last argument, about a month ago now. The reason for the dispute: that strange power. He thought that if his friend wanted to see him, it would be for something important, and he promised to arrange things with him.

Elzer accompanied him to Crepus' office as soon as he arrived. His friend asked him to sit down while he poured him a glass of his best wine. He also sat down and took a sip from his own glass before starting the conversation. Varka was expectant, but didn't want to speak first.

"You must be wondering why I asked you to come." Varka just nodded. "Before I talk to you about this, I'd like to ask you to be understanding."

"Do you think I'm not?"

Crepus stared at him leaving the question unanswered. Varka sighed and looked away for a few moments before speaking again.

"If it's about your power, you know I don't—"

"It's not that."

"What's with all the mystery, then?"

"I found someone last night. A foreigner." That got his friend's full attention. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you haven't seen any strangers around lately, have you?"

"That's right. Mondstadt doesn't get many visitors these days. And you know well that the ones it receives, are not to our liking."

"There is no need to think that this foreigner poses a danger."

"You seem very confident. What do you know about him? And what do you mean by 'You found him'?"

"He almost died in the storm. If I hadn't found him—"

"Where is he?"

"With my son."

"And why is he with Diluc?!"

"Because he's just a kid."

"A foreign child? And his parents?"

"No idea. We've been looking for them, but we haven't found a trace."

"Crepus, why are you being so careful? I feel like you're half-talking to me."

"Because I don't want you to take him away."

"And what do you intend to do with him?"

"If his parents don't show up, I'll raise him as if he were just another son."

"Do you know where he comes from? His name? Age?"

Crepus shook his head. He was convinced that Varka wouldn't accept. He would take him away, interrogate him and lock him up until he was sure that he wasn't a danger to Mondstadt.

"You don't know anything about him and you intend to raise him like a son. Are you listening to yourself? You know he could be a spy, even a murderer."

"He's just a kid."

"He could endanger Diluc!"

"I'll keep an eye on him day and night."

"Crepus, you know I have to take him. We need to find out who he is and why he's here."

"Let me do it. I'll tell you everything I find out about him."

"It doesn't work like that—"

"Do you think you're going to get a lot out of him if you lock him up?"

"Mondstadt is in a delicate situation, Crepus. You know that as well as I do. And you know that the enemy is capable of—"

"Yes. I know he can be a spy, I know he can be dangerous, but I also know he's just a child and he needs to be saved, not locked up for a crime he hasn't committed."

"Yet."

Varka sighed and squeezed his brow. Both of them were silent for a few seconds.

"Varka, give him a chance, please."

"If something happens to you or to Diluc—"

"Do you really think I would put my son in danger?"

"Isn't that what you're doing?"

"I already told you that he will be watched."

"Still, I can't allow it."

"What should I do to make you let him stay?"

Varka looked at him, but didn't say anything, and neither did he need to. Crepus knew right away what he should give in return. He sighed and emptied his glass in one gulp.

"All right. Anyway, raising two kids won't leave me much time to be a hero."

"Are you really willing to give up your power for that child?"

"If you fulfill your part of the deal and leave him alone, I won't use it again."

Crepus had never broken his word, so Varka trusted him and didn't demand that he hand over the gem.

"Can I see the kid?"

Crepus nodded and invited him to follow him.

They went outside the house and immediately heard Diluc laughing. They headed over there and saw both children. Diluc was showing his turtle to the foreigner, who was looking at it as if it was the first time he had seen one.

"Come on, touch it. He likes to have his head stroked."

The boy looked at Diluc first, then looked down again and put his finger very slowly to the turtle's head. But when it saw the finger approaching, it opened its mouth thinking it was food and bit it. The boy immediately pulled his hand away and looked at his finger. It was a small turtle, so it didn't hurt him, but he didn't want to touch it anymore. Diluc, for his part, began to laugh out loud.

"That's no way to make friends, young man."

Diluc recognized the voice and looked at the place where it came from.

"Varka!" He ran out there and stopped abruptly before crashing into him. Then he made the typical greeting of the Knights of Favonius.

Varka laughed and ruffled his hair.

"Have you come to take Captain?" Diluc asked.

"Captain?"

Diluc turned and pointed to the boy, who was looking at them noticeably worried.

"He doesn't talk, so I gave him a nickname."

"I see." Varka held the boy's scared look. "What's wrong with his eye?" he whispered to Crepus.

"We don't know. Adelinde says he didn't let her remove the patch."

"And is it true that he doesn't talk?"

"He hasn't said a word yet, but we know he understands our language."

"Are you convinced to take care of him?"

Crepus nodded and Diluc interrupted the conversation by pulling Varka's jacket.

"Will you stay for lunch? It's been a while since you've been home."

Varka smiled and looked at Crepus. He sighed and closed his eyes in approval.

"It will be a pleasure." Varka ruffled his hair again. Now go back to Captain, your father and I must talk about business.

"You're doing a good job with Diluc," Varka said once back in Crepus' office, "and I'm glad you're going to spend more time with him now."

"You don't need to stress it." Crepus handed the bottle of wine to his friend. He raised his glass. "I intend to keep my word."

"Don't see it as blackmail. I'm worried about what that gem might do to you."

"Good for you. You won't have to worry anymore." He said it calmly, but the anger was obvious by the tone of his voice.

"Crepus—"

Crepus looked out of the window. Not far from there Diluc could be seen trying to get the boy to touch the turtle again. Varka came up to him and put his hand on his shoulder. He also looked at the children.

"I don't want to go on like this—", Varka whispered. Crepus looked at him questioningly. "You know how I feel about you, and it breaks my heart that we argue every time we talk."

"Is it my fault?"

"We may not think alike, but I just want you and Diluc to be safe. Why does that bother you?"

"You're wrong. What bothers me is that you can't understand my desire to protect Mondstadt. You, the Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, the Knight of Boreas—You should understand it better than anyone."

"There are many ways to protect Mondstadt, and one of them shouldn't be at the cost of your life."

"Why? Because I don't belong to the Order?"

"I didn't mean that."

"You're risking your life, too."

"It's not the same. My men take care of me and I take care of them. You fight alone!"

Crepus looked him in the eye. His anger was increasing, but he restrained himself from saying anything more and moved away from him. However, Varka stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"I'm sorry. I came here ready to make things right, but it seems we can't stop arguing."

"Yeah, maybe we'd get along better if we stopped talking."

"Not that. Crepus." He forced him to look at him. "I've already walked away from you once and I'm not going to do it again."

Crepus looked down and remembered his wedding day. Varka, his best friend, agreed to be his best man, but the next day, he left Mondstadt on an expedition. From time to time he received a letter from him, but there were fewer and fewer of them.

Varka returned for the birth of Diluc, although he didn't stay long. When Crepus asked him why he was so distant with him, his friend just smiled and assured him that those were his imaginations.

After that, he rarely received correspondence from him, and it was not until a few years later that he was able to see him again. His wife had just died at the hands of bandits and Varka became his greatest support. He took care of Diluc when Crepus could barely get out of bed, and did the impossible to get him out of his depressive state.

Some time later, in a moment of weakness, Crepus kissed him and Varka returned the kiss. It was then that his friend revealed to him the feelings he had been hiding all those years and the real reason for his expeditions, assuring him that neither time nor distance had managed to diminish his feelings for him.

"Why are you trying so hard?" Crepus murmured, still with his head down. "You know I can't reciprocate your feelings."

"I'm not going to stop protecting you because of that."

Crepus had not only asked him to come to talk about the foreign child. He also wanted to share information that he had gathered in the last week, which could well be of importance to the protectors of Mondstadt. They talked at lenght about it until Adelinde informed them that the meal was served.

During dinner, Varka subtly tried to get information out of the boy, but he still didn't say a word. In the end, Varka gave up and returned home trusting Crepus to share any information with him.