He was a young man, not much older than a boy. Pale blond hair was tied neatly behind his head, revealing a smooth, unblemished forehead. He wore a white, hooded coat—thick and warm—clearly made for alpine weather.
Metal pauldrons protected his shoulders and knees, and bracers covered his arms—gear meant for immediate response in case of danger.
Despite the strange, ominous setting, he exuded a composed and refined air. Calm and unshaken, he didn't give off the impression of someone dabbling in sinister rituals. On the contrary, he looked more like an aristocratic heir who'd accidentally wandered into the wrong place.
"Someone's there?"
Jiang Bai stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the figure standing before the massive, beating heart.
He hadn't expected to find anyone—let alone someone this young—in such a remote, eerie place.
Before Jiang Bai could even open his mouth to speak, the youth turned toward him, eyes alight with curiosity.
"Huh… You carry the scent of the stars."
Jiang Bai's pupils contracted. This was the first person who had seen through him the moment they met.
His instincts flared, his muscles tensing automatically. The atmosphere in the cave thickened—on edge.
Perhaps realizing his words had been a bit abrupt, the youth offered a polite smile and introduced himself.
"Hello. I'm Albedo, Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius."
"The… Knights of Favonius?" Jiang Bai blinked. The name sounded vaguely familiar, like something he'd overheard in passing once, but he didn't have a clear impression.
Alchemist, though—that rang a bell. When Hu Tao took him to Bubu Pharmacy for a check-up, Baizhu had mentioned an alchemist in Mondstadt who specialized in… nonhuman biology.
He wasn't sure if this was the same one Baizhu had referred to, but "Chief Alchemist" certainly sounded impressive.
"You don't know them?" Albedo raised a brow in surprise, studying Jiang Bai's clothing before nodding in understanding.
"Ah, I see. You're from Liyue. No wonder."
Every Mondstadt native knew of the Knights, but foreigners? Not necessarily.
"Yeah, I live in Liyue," Jiang Bai said. "Name's Jiang Bai. I'm a duhunché—a soul ferryman—for Wangsheng Hall."
He gave a short introduction, casually tacking on his affiliation with Wangsheng Hall.
Not because the name held any particular power here, but it never hurt to leave a calling card. After all, it might help promote business later.
He was, by now, a very competent part-time worker who knew how to market his services.
Albedo nodded, not asking what Wangsheng Hall was. Instead, he explained the Knights of Favonius:
"The Knights manage all aspects of Mondstadt's affairs. They're a bit like the Millelith and the Ministry of Civil Affairs in Liyue."
That made it click for Jiang Bai.
Ah. So basically a government agency.
And Albedo's role was officially recognized, which explained why he could appear in such a strange and dangerous place without seeming suspicious.
Just as Jiang Bai was about to ask about the cave and its strange contents, Albedo beat him to it.
"This place is unstable. The corruption here runs deep—better if we talk elsewhere."
Even after all this time, the pollution left behind by the draconic corpse hadn't been fully cleansed. It still pulsed from the massive heart, leaking into the air.
Lingering here too long could result in contamination.
"Alright."
Jiang Bai didn't know much about this place anyway. He looked at the heart's red-and-black flow—definitely not the sort of thing you wanted getting into your bloodstream.
Albedo had only come to check the site for anomalies. Once he confirmed everything was as before, he turned and led Jiang Bai out of the heart chamber.
...
"What was that just now?" Jiang Bai asked, curiosity burning.
"That was the heart of Durin, the dragon of disaster."
"Durin?"
"A massive dragon that once ravaged Mondstadt. He was eventually slain atop Dragonspine by the Anemo Archon Barbatos and the dragon of the east wind."
"So the skeleton in the valley… was a dragon after all." Jiang Bai looked up at the towering rib bones stretching across the ravine and finally understood what creature they had belonged to.
"And these red crystals?" He pointed at the blood-colored stones scattered across the snow.
"They're called Crimson Agate. A rare crystal found only here in Dragonspine. They give off a brief warmth when held."
"Why are there so many in that cave?"
Jiang Bai couldn't shake the uneasy feeling. The stones were too red—like freshly spilled blood.
"They're linked to Durin. When he died, his blood seeped into the leylines beneath the mountain. The heat and corruption of draconic essence fused with the ice and snow, producing these crystals."
Perhaps sensing Jiang Bai's interest, Albedo was unusually forthcoming.
"So… does that mean Crimson Agate is dangerous?"
Albedo looked mildly surprised. "Why would you think that?"
"Well… he was called a disaster dragon, wasn't he? If a god had to intervene to kill him, then his blood should carry resentment, corruption—karma, even."
From what Jiang Bai understood, Xiao spent his days cleansing exactly this kind of residual taint—foul remnants left behind after the death of evil gods.
If that applied to fallen gods, why not fallen dragons?
Albedo shook his head lightly. "Durin wasn't an evil dragon."
When he died, there was no hatred in his heart. And so, no corruption remained.
"Then… why was he called a 'dragon of disaster'? Why did Barbatos kill him?"
That question hit the heart of Jiang Bai's curiosity. He leaned forward, genuinely eager to know what had happened.
"It's complicated," Albedo said softly, his long lashes lowering to hide the shadows in his eyes. He didn't elaborate further.
There were secrets in that story—ones not easily shared with someone he'd just met, no matter how intriguing the starlit aura he carried.
Jiang Bai was deeply frustrated.
It felt like being shown a delicious feast—sealed behind glass. You could see it, smell it, almost taste it… but never touch.
"…So you can't tell me?"
"It's not something I can explain quickly. Too many layers."
"…Alright."
Jiang Bai could only back down. As much as he wanted answers, it was Albedo's choice to share or not.
If he wanted to know the truth, he'd have to find it himself.
"It's freezing here. Let's head to my camp. I have a few questions of my own to ask you."
"Sure."
Jiang Bai nodded, following him through the snow.
Albedo had answered so many of his questions—it was only fair he returned the favor. And besides…
He really wanted to know how Albedo had sensed the starlight aura on him.
What exactly is this "scent of the stars"? And why can it be sensed at all?