Side Quest: Rescue the Lotus Princess! HCs Pt.2.
• Il Dottore, the Harbinger Diluc encountered once upon a time, is behind Kaeya’s abduction. Aether fears his boyfriend (?) Childe is responsible for his friend being kidnapped, but the younger Harbinger hasn’t been seen in a few days (because his little brother has a cold). Il Dottore found out the connection between Kaeya and the (supposed?) Geo Archon, Zhongli, and decided to use the Lotus Princess to his advantage.
• The Sailor Scouts assemble at Liyue’s inn, including Diluc and Jean, all in fear of Kaeya’s life. Aether and the others are relieved to have Diluc onboard the rescue mission-especially after his last horrible encounter with Kaeya.
• Aether built up a warm, bubbly friendship with Kaeya, which makes being around Diluc initially difficult. Diluc senses the tension between them and respects how Aether is allied with the missing Kaeya. They eventually turn their partnership into a friendship once Diluc confesses something to Aether: he’s afraid of losing Kaeya.
• So Diluc goes into the mission armed with a short-range blade very much like the one Ezio Auditore summons out of his wrist because Diluc just gives off that Assassin’s Creed energy.
• The mission puts Diluc in close proximity with Zhongli, whom he blames for Kaeya’s abduction. Zhongli does nothing to discourage Diluc’s hatred, but the hatred never waivers-it only worsens as the mission goes on. Diluc not only blames the strange brunette for his brother’s capture, but is secretly jealous of Zhongli for winning Kaeya’s companionship.
• The Windscouts on the rescue mission: Aether, Diluc, Jean, Chongyun, Amber, Barbara, Xiangling, Keqing, Bennett (+ Zhongli)