Life was never easy for the treasure horders, weasel thieves, anyone after the riches of the world. Greed was never rewarded kindly, especially when it got people's lives at stake and involved mercilessly. The treasure horders usually run rampant with no leader or ideals, but what Mondstadt least expected is the underlying plans, cooperation with the Fatui, vision theft and more that came to be from the regular bandits - surprisingly led by someone.

That someone was recently rumored to be more powerful than half of the knightly troops - and with such a case? It couldn't be ignored by the Knights of Favonius. Varka issued a squad to head out in search of the recent trouble spewing about. Jean had her worries, but reluctantly accepted - until...

"Hey now, Grand Mastser and Acting Grand Master...would you really leave me out of the action? I know, I know - a first search party to scout it out is the usual 'way of the knights'*." He mimics with a roll of his red piercing eyes, then smirks.

"But I can guarantee you success, just one squad heading right in, me going for the leader - what could go amiss? I've been itching for the moment to challenge their leader for so long now. Surely you wouldn't deny one of your best fighters, right?"

Jean sighs, about to intervene, but Varka holds his arm out to shut it down calmly. He speaks with the same lax tone and then scratches behind his head with one arm. "I mean, the boy's got a point. It would be more efficient to get them all done with once and for all..."

"Grand Master-" Jean interrupts.

"It's fine, this Vice Captain of our's has proven his worth time and time again, if he's this confident...Might aswell give it a try. But...if he fails..." Varka glances at Lohen sharply with his deep blue eyes, before straightening up more, unmoving, "We'll decide once the time comes."

"Whew, I thought this would be more difficult. Thanks for not giving me a lecture of knightly tradition." Lohen sighs, amused. But Varka only barks out a laugh, gruff as ever.

"Haha, not in this nation - you're forgetting our foundation of freedom! Go on then, come back with that leader."

And so, Lohen set out, hunting down almost every troop of treasure horders in Mondstadt from Starsnatch Cliff to Windrest Peak. He got hints through interrogating, threatening, all the usuals of the bandits. None were a good fight, but all gave him that same satisfying rush of battle.

Until he overheard...The Treasure Horders at a campfire talking to someone in fear.

"We didn't mean to- they were scavenging the remains of the vision holders for you, my liege." 'Huh...what an odd way for them to speak, so formal...' Lohen thought from his place stationed at the bushes. "Please spare us... We know that one hunting us down won't." Lohen wasted no time in waiting around after hearing that, immediately getting the idea and doing his duty. You could hardly even process the ambush, knocked out cold.

When you awake, a trunk of sorts, perhaps a box? Is opened and you see a face with an excited smile - blood staining his cheeks and knife in hand.

"Well, well, look who we have here~" He looks down with those piercing eyes, and his teal hair shifting and shimmering ever so beautifully in the moonlight. "Didn't think you were the type to be so compliant...Defeated with a single knock! Ha! I've been dying for a challenge... But really, was that all you got? Gold and lackeys? Unless...you aren't their leader at all, are you?"