Chapter 273: I Have Remembered This Grudge

Youla's worries, Luo De was seeing them.

To be honest.

This was still Luo De's first time seeing what the real Laolunsi family was like.

Then he discovered that reality was more terrifying than his impression.

Those stubborn old fogeys were already completely in a state of madness.

In their eyes,

To let the Laolunsi family return to the noble era is more important than anything.

Even this noble faction still fantasizes about letting Mondstadt return to the era of noble rule.

Even though they already knew the news of the Wind God's return.

This left Luo De quite puzzled.

Do these Laolunsi family old fogeys have any trump card to oppose the gods?

"It's a pity."

"Our family doesn't have the trump card you mentioned."

When she said this, Youla wore a look of helplessness.

Just like Luo De's thought.

Having left the family since childhood, she clearly understood that the Laolunsi family had no chance of returning to the noble era those old people spoke of.

Yet insisting so firmly on noble etiquette,

The only effect it has is to make people despise the Laolunsi family even more.

This is very evident in Mondstadt, and the same holds true in Sumeru.

"The new city you built."

"The residents here are very impatient with our family's, uh, rules."

"Whenever elders there put on a show of what commoners should do when seeing nobles—kneeling—the residents here will report it to the patrol team."

"Sigh——"

Youla sighed: "I myself have personally arrested old people causing trouble on the street, so we were never on good terms, and now it's worse."

An expected problem.

Luo De stroked his chin, thoughtfully saying: "I have a question: who is earning money to support these old people of your family? Your little salary isn't enough."

"The Academy's subsidy."

Youla looked out the window: "After we arrived at Hope City, the Academy voluntarily arranged this accommodation for us, so that the old and young in the family could have a place to shelter from wind and rain; then they also provided many job openings, but except for me, everyone else who wanted to go out to work was stopped by the old people."

"As for why they don't stop me"

Youla gave a wry smile, pointing to the emblem on her shoulder: "See? The Frostmark, the family's strongest symbol of power; and back in Mondstadt they made a fuss, knowing they couldn't control me, so after being here this long, only I still have the freedom to act."

"."

"Absurd."

This is Luo De's evaluation.

He knew the Laolunsi family's hardliners were extreme, but he didn't expect them to be extreme to this degree.

They rely on others for food and drink, yet still have the courage to dream.

"Tsk."

"This is easy to handle."

"Hasn't someone told them I would support them becoming nobles? Then I'll find a place for them to properly live out this dream."

After years of struggling in the desert, Luo De is certainly not a soft-hearted person.

For those who affect him,

he doesn't have that much patience.

Just as he told Nadixa before.

In chaotic times, heavy penalties should be used.

If everything is met with a benevolent heart, then these rebellious sons of Sumeru will think the rulers are weak and incompetent, and can freely bully and conceal.

Orders must be carried out, regulations clear, punishments must be severe.

This is how Hope City was at its founding.

These three iron rules were established by Luo De through Nadixa's words.

Now the Laolunsi family people are trying to challenge these three iron rules, which is awkward.

"You"

Luo De's words made Youla feel uneasy, and she couldn't help but ask: "You aren't going to kill them, are you?"

Before leaving Mondstadt.

Amber, who went to see them off, had once told Youla some things about her and Luo De traveling together.

Regarding Luo De,

Amber's evaluation is that he is overly mysterious and absolutely not a good person.

Youla has kept this in mind until now.

Furthermore, the fact that Luo De is not a good person has been told to her not only by Amber, but also by Kaeya and Diluc.

The only difference is

that Diluc and Kaeya are both firmly convinced that Luo De definitely has the ability to help Youla handle the Laolunsi family affairs.

Combining these words,

Youla naturally came to a conclusion.

That's what Luo De is preparing to do—a bloody great purge.

Eula naturally does not want to see such a thing happen.

No matter what.

Her surname is also Lawrence.

Watching her blood relatives being slaughtered, she asks herself she can't be that cruel, even though these blood relatives had once spoken harshly to her.

"Who said I want to kill them?"

Luo De rolled his eyes, pursed his lips and said: "I mean let them go dream, I didn't say to kill them."

"Ah?"

"Dream?"

Eula didn't understand.

"What does go dreaming mean? 'Don't worry about it.'"

"Anyway, it's just to let them properly go be their own nobles, properly indulge in their noble addiction in the dream."

The thing Luo De said about sending people to dream.

Actually it's a brand-new mechanism made using Nadixa's mind-reading and dream authority.

This thing isn't very useful.

It can amplify a person's inner thoughts to create a dream, trapping them unable to extricate themselves.

This is an experimental device Nadixa came up with after gaining inspiration from the illusion Luo De encountered underground in the Chasm.

However, compared to that strong illusion in the Chasm that even Xiao would fall into.

The thing Nadixa made is only useful for people with weak mental strength, useless for those with strong mental strength.

Originally making this was intended to send to the hospital of the Life Theory Faction.

Let them use this mechanism to find the cause for patients with mental illness.

But after actual operation the effect wasn't good.

Thus it has been left idle until now.

"Aren't they wanting to return to being nobles?"

"As long as they are within the range of this mechanism, they will have their wishes fulfilled."

Luo De licked his lips: "You don't need to worry; at that time I will have people send them to another community separate from yours, letting them fully enjoy the feeling of returning to being nobles."

Looking at Luo De's ill-intentioned expression.

Don't know why.

Eula worries even more about the safety of these elders.

But without using force, she really can't think of a good solution.

Under Luo De's guarantee not to intentionally harm their names, after pondering for a while, Eula still agreed.

"Oh, right."

"I forgot to ask you."

"Your Lawrence family, who is the clan head now?"

"Also, is this clan head of the Noble Faction, or are you like this wanting to get rid of the nobles?" Having received a satisfactory answer, Luo De asked another question.

"Noble Faction."

The answer to this question is actually obvious; Luo De was just confirming.

After everything was cleared up.

Luo De stretched out his hand and said: "The list."

"."

Eula fell silent for a moment, then got up, went to the room, opened a drawer, and took out a thick list.

This is the noble faction list she had prepared earlier.

Leaving Mondstadt was for this matter.

She naturally had prepared early.

At this moment, when Luo De said that, she took out the list confirmed as noble faction.

"So many"

Luo De, having gotten the list, merely glanced at it lightly, and his brows involuntarily furrowed.

The people on this list almost account for two-thirds of the Lawrence family.

Moreover, Eula thoughtfully marked the ages.

Inside, from elderly to young, all age groups are present.

With so many people.

Nadixa's mechanism would not be enough.

"Wait a few days."

"I'll have Nadixa rush work on that side."

Luo De put away the list and gave Eula a rough time.

According to Nadixa's efficiency.

If not busy with other things.

Roughly four or five days to make enough mechanisms.

If there are many things.

Estimated it would take ten and a half days.

Let

This word in Luo De's speech left Eula momentarily unable to process it.

Who is Nadixa? Eula knew this was the Dendro Archon's taboo name.

But in Sumeru.

Besides Luo De, no one would openly address the Dendro Archon like that.

And now, when Luo De mentioned the Dendro Archon, he actually said to let the Dendro Archon do things.

It was not a request to the Dendro Archon, nor a plea for the Dendro Archon to act.

This discovery forced Eula to re-evaluate what Diluc had said before she set out—that Luo De's relationship with the Dendro Archon was extremely close, to the point that it could even influence the Dendro Archon's decisions.

Eula once thought it a bit exaggerated that a mortal could influence a god's decisions.

But looking at it now.

What Diluc said was probably still too superficial.

Luo De is not just able to influence the Dendro Archon; he can outright make decisions for the Dendro Archon.

This discovery also boosted Eula's confidence in Luo De a bit.

Someone with such tremendous power in Sumeru should be able to resolve this family issue peacefully, right? On the other hand,

Eula fell silent.

Finally understanding what Luo De was up to, Zhongli also chimed in from the side: "If you're lacking in mechanisms, little friend, I have some talismans that can produce the effect you mentioned; if you need them, I can give you some."

"Oh, that's great."

Zhongli took the initiative to send something, and Luo De naturally wouldn't refuse; he also asked in passing: "Is this personally drawn by Mr. Zhongli?"

"Just practicing my brushwork in my spare time."

"The effect might not be as good as mechanisms made by the Dendro Archon."

Zhongli remained as modest as ever.

"Hehe."

After taking the talismans from Zhongli, Luo De pondered and then asked Eula: "What do your family members think about staying in Sumeru? Specifically, those who want to work."

"Hmm?"

"Oh—"

Eula, having gathered her thoughts, rested her chin and said: "They're all happy about coming to a new environment."

Saying this,

Eula inevitably spoke with a bitter expression: "After all, here you won't be scolded wherever you go."

This matter is a painful memory that Eula cannot forget.

The Lawrence family's noble-style education began from childhood.

Those rules, as complex as countless stars, were truly too tormenting for a child.

At that time, Eula bore the title of the Lawrence family's hope star, and the noble education she received was far more burdensome than that of other children.

When she finally got a chance to rest and sneaked into Mondstadt to relax,

What she encountered, however, were the eye-rolls and insults when she recited noble rules to the 'commoners'.

Back then, young Eula couldn't understand why these adults and even children harbored such malice.

In Mondstadt, she, who suffered greatly,

Upon returning to the family, she was again met with reprimands from the elders.

No one explained to her why the people of Mondstadt harbored such deep animosity toward her family.

Some did.

It was just that set of brainwashing rhetoric.

【Our Lawrence family is the sole nobility in Mondstadt; one day we will retake Mondstadt and make those usurpers who seized our family's position crawl at our feet.】

But the elders of the Lawrence family never imagined that young Eula's rebellious streak would be so strong.

After realizing that her noble behavior and surname were likely the source of Mondstadt residents' hostility.

She snuck into Mondstadt again, trying to imitate the words and deeds of those around her, and did not reveal her surname.

Then she was utterly shocked.

The infamy of the Lawrence family in Mondstadt is something she will never forget in her lifetime.

"Sigh——"

Upon thinking of these things, Eula, who had just mentioned that family members would no longer be scolded, let out a heavy sigh: "It wouldn't hurt for the family to have someone like me who scoffs at noble etiquette and just wants to live a normal life; therefore, in such an environment where no one would show hostility toward us, they are actually quite happy and eager to try the new work you've provided."

"Mm, very good."

"But I need to give you a heads-up first."

"Just because no one scolds you doesn't mean no one will trip you up, especially those from the Academy."

Facing Eula's doubtful gaze, Luo De straightforwardly laid out his original arrangements for the Lawrence family.

In short.

Namely, he hoped to use members of the Lawrence family to balance the forces of the desert side, where cultural differences are immense, and the Academy side.

Don't be fooled by the small number of Lawrence family members.

But it only takes positioning them in certain key posts that the Academy originally monopolized; even with few people they can still suppress the Academy's influence.

"Doing so."

"You'll essentially be pushed onto the forefront of the storm."

"Those old slickers at the Academy will certainly not resign themselves to losing their power and will resort to underhanded tactics against your family members."

Luo De said seriously: "Most of your family members likely have no experience dealing with such troubles, so this matter is actually me dragging your family into the mire; if it succeeds, the Lawrence family will become a major power in Sumeru, but if your clansmen fail to contend with the Academy, I can only take protective measures and relegate them to safer positions."

Luo De's frankness left Youla not knowing what to say for a moment.

After a long while.

She, who had always looked worried, suddenly laughed and said: "Just do as you said; since it's a new life, naturally we must face new difficulties. The Lawrence family has never had a cowardly or timid member."

"It's you."

"You've schemed against me again."

Youla crossed her arms, glanced sideways at Luo De, and let out a light hum, saying: "I've noted this grudge; together with the previous one, I will find a chance to settle accounts with you."

(End of chapter)