Jams wore a gentle smile on his handsome face, but in Albert's eyes, it exuded a sense of oppression.
Especially when Albert saw the gleaming dagger in Jams' hand, his body couldn't help but tremble.
He had been enjoying a peaceful life in Mondstadt, where he had never encountered such a ruthless wolf like Jams.
"Mr. Albert, don't hesitate, come on," urged Jams. "Pick up the dagger on the ground, you go first. Then we'll each make a stab, and see who falls first. The one who falls will never bother Barbara again. It's that simple."
"You... you're insane... you madman!"
Albert still didn't dare to pick up the dagger on the ground because he knew that there was no chance of winning against Jams!
When Jams proposed this bloody duel, his face always maintained a faint smile, seemingly indifferent to life and death.
In a showdown between two men, the brave and decisive Jams was clearly more courageous than Albert.
"This is just a duel between men, or you can consider it a duel between perverts, Mr. Albert. What's there to be afraid of?"
Jams grew impatient as Albert hesitated to pick up the dagger from the ground. "When you were stalking Barbara, did you ever think about her feelings?"
"When you were lingering outside the Cathedral of the Seven, did you ever think that Barbara might be afraid?"
"When you were rummaging through the trash near Barbara's house, did you ever think about the grievances this girl has endured!?"
Albert was sweating profusely, opened his mouth, and his voice became hoarse. "I... "
"You're not a fan at all. You're just a fucking pervert!"
Smack!
Jams slapped Albert, knocking him down to the ground, then forcefully stabbed the dagger into the grass next to his head!
Sshh!
The chilling sound of the wind made Albert shiver. At the edge of his ear, he could faintly see a small wound oozing warm blood.
Tick-tock! Tick-tock...
Jams squatted halfway on the ground, coldly staring at the pale-faced Albert.
"Don't bother Barbara anymore. A pervert like you will only trouble her. What she needs is... someone like me, a pervert!"
"You... "
Albert widened his eyes, his throat dry, unable to utter a complete sentence.
Jams' way of dealing with problems was simple.
In the face of violence, Jams would not hesitate to counter with violence.
In the face of a pervert, Jams didn't mind showing the other party what a true pervert looked like!
Only magic can defeat magic, and only a pervert can defeat a pervert!
Reasoning with someone like Albert, a fanatic fan, was futile.
The only way to make him retreat was to show an even crazier side, to make him fear and take one step back, heading towards a dead end!
"Stop with the 'yours' and 'mine'. Either pick up the dagger and duel with me, or just back off and stay away from me. Don't let me see you again."
Jams patted Albert's young and unremarkable face lightly and said indifferently, "If you dare to pester Barbara again, I'll let you experience what it feels like to be stalked by a pervert. Don't cry then."
"Well, just like you, I have plenty of free time to play with you, hehe."
"No... no... please!"
Albert looked at Jams' deep black pupils, and his fear intensified.
If someone like Jams set his sights on him, it would be a torment like hell!
He crawled backward like a dog, trying to get as far away from Jams as possible.
Sshh...
But Jams easily followed him, each step light, his shadow enveloping Albert's trembling body, never letting him see a ray of sunlight.
Jams gradually closed in, tormenting his spirit and plundering his hope.
"Mr. Albert, make a decision quickly. Staring at a man for too long makes me feel nauseous. If you continue like this, I might just lose control and chop you up," Jams taunted, the dagger in his hand gleaming, ready to effortlessly claim Albert's head.
He wasn't joking.
"What decision... what do you want me to decide!?" Albert, on the brink of collapse, widened his eyes and let out a hysterical roar.
He grabbed a handful of mud and hurled it at Jams. "Go... go away! Stay away from me! Don't come any closer!"
"Make a decision already!" Jams seized Albert's collar and spoke in a deep voice. "Will you continue to bother Barbara, or will you get out of her life? This is the third time I'm asking you, and there won't be a fourth!"
Albert's pathetic display pushed Jams over the edge of his patience.
A simp, spineless, perverted... faced with such a person, Jams really couldn't muster any enthusiasm.
But whenever he thought about someone like Albert pestering Barbara, making her secretly weep, Jams became furious.
If you want to be a fan, then be a decent one. Can't you communicate normally? Why resort to stalking, peeping, and rummaging through someone else's personal life? Not only do you live like a pervert yourself, but you also turn Barbara's life into a mess.
What did Barbara do wrong?
She just wanted the wind of freedom to blow through Mondstadt, wanted to fill the city with laughter, and for that, she kept all her sadness hidden in her heart.
Jams didn't have such lofty ideals as Barbara, nor did he have any fondness for the spoiled children of Mondstadt. So, faced with this situation, the only option was to strike with a heavy blow!
"Hoo..." Albert gasped for breath like a fish out of water. His clothes were already drenched in sweat, wrinkled and utterly disheveled.
"I... I... I'll leave..."
"Oh, how enlightening. I'm glad you've come to your senses," Jams said, a charming smile appearing on his handsome face. He slightly turned, allowing the sunlight to fall on Albert's pale face.
In a polite gesture, Jams straightened Albert's collar and said with a smile, "That's much better. What's the point of being a simp at such a young age? Go back quickly. Look at you, your pants are soaked."
"This... this is sweat!"
Albert looked down at the moisture on his pants, his young face turning purple. He hurriedly explained, "It's sweat!"
"I know, it's sweat. Besides, we're near a lake, so the humidity is high. It's perfectly reasonable for your pants to get wet like that," Jams said, pinching his nose, understandingly.
"Go back quickly, Mr. Albert. Don't let me see you around Barbara again~"
"I... I understand."
Gritting his teeth, Albert cast one last complicated glance at Barbara.
...
Barbara still looked lovely and sweet, her soft golden hair shimmering in the sunlight. However, her clear smoky purple eyes held only one person's figure—Jams!
She had Jams in her eyes, Jams in her heart, and her sweet smile bloomed only for Jams.
"..."
Despite harboring countless regrets, Albert could only leave with a broken heart, filled with gloom.
He was nothing more than a loyal dog, with nothing to his name.
Jams smiled, convinced that he had done nothing wrong.
It turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Barbara and Albert.
Barbara no longer had to endure Albert's harassment.
Albert no longer had to be a lapdog.
Jams gained Barbara's favor.
Everyone had a bright future ahead of them!
Jams approached Barbara, looking at the girl's watery eyes, and a relaxed smile appeared on his face. "Alright, I've peacefully resolved the issue... Huh!"
Swoosh!
"Jams! Sob, sob, sob..."
Barbara, seeing Jams return as the hero, uncontrollably threw herself into his arms. Her delicate face, filled with tears, nuzzled against his chest, like an affectionate little cat.
"Thank you, sob, sob, sob..."
"It's nothing. In the future, if you encounter such a situation, just tell me openly. You can also tell Jean. I'm sure she wouldn't want her little sister to be bullied."
Jams gently rubbed the moist corners of Barbara's eyes, finding it somewhat amusing and yet pained.
Compared to himself, who was nothing more than a slacker, Barbara was indeed burdened with pressures that didn't belong to her age. Fortunately, her heart was filled with light.
"Jams... I love you~"
Barbara pressed her tender cheek against Jams' warm palm, her eyes filled with shyness and affection.
If Lumine and Noelle weren't present, Barbara might have offered a loving kiss full of passion.
"Love me? What do you love about me?"
Jams pinched Barbara's charming face playfully and joked, "You just tore my clothes to shreds a moment ago, and now you say you love me."
"Well, I do love you~"
Barbara tightly embraced Jams, her eyes filled with tenderness, her lips parting gently. "I love your tattered clothes, your daring gun that defies fate, I love how similar we are (lyrics from a song)... Mmm!"
"Alright, alright. If you keep going, you might infringe on copyrights!"
Jams hurriedly covered Barbara's cherry lips, sweating profusely.
"Jams..."
Just then, Lumine lightly tugged at the corner of Jams' clothes and pointed to a fisher not far away, wearing a conical hat.
"There's still one troublesome fellow left to deal with."
"..."
The person Lumine referred to was none other than Nantuck, the head of the Mondstadt Fishing Association, who had jumped out of the bushes with Albert earlier.
His title sounded impressive, but in plain terms, he was just a wanderer who fished around Mondstadt all year round.
As everyone's gaze fell on him, Nantuck's aura immediately weakened, and cold sweat dripped from his forehead.
He had indeed intended to use his identity as the head of the fishing association to teach Jams, the "newcomer," a lesson.
However, after witnessing Jams' ruthless methods against Albert, he became a little panicked.
"This Jams is quite formidable. He even subdued someone as sick-minded as Albert. I'm still mentally sound, so there's no need for me to create such an enemy for myself..."
Nantuck was the head of the Mondstadt Fishing Association. If he was also driven away by Jams, he would not only lose face but also his job. His fate might be even worse than that of Albert, the lapdog!
With these thoughts in mind, Nantuck quickly took off his conical hat and bowed ninety degrees.
"Um, it's Mr. Jams, right? It was windy by the lakeside earlier, and I was afraid you couldn't hear me clearly, so I raised my voice. Please don't take offense, haha."
"..."
Jams was slightly stunned, finding it both laughable and exasperating to see the fisher make such a complete turnaround in his attitude.
There was no wind by the lakeside. Weren't you the one who made me stop just now?
"Tsk, Mr. Nantuck, I still prefer your unruly demeanor."
"Hehe, not at all. I'm a very humble person."
Nantuck put on his straw hat again while sarcastically smiling to himself.
"If I continue to act cool at this point, I'll definitely get hit hard by you later. I'm not as foolish as Albert!"
Although admitting defeat was somewhat embarrassing, it was better than being pinned down and rubbed on the ground by such a person like Jams!
He was a fisher who knew how to adapt to the situation.
Jams nodded inwardly, thinking that Nantuck was flexible enough. He didn't hesitate to back down when necessary, which was quite interesting.
There was no grudge between him and Nantuck. They were both fishers, minding their own business and living in peace.
With this in mind, a smile appeared on Jams' handsome face. "Mr. Nantuck, is there something you need from me?"
"Haha, nothing too important. I just wanted to ask if Mr. Jams is interested in joining the Fisher's Association."
Nantuck pointed to the fishing association badge on his chest. "If Mr. Jams wants to join, I'd be happy to be your recommender."
"Sorry, not interested."
Without hesitation, Jams waved his hand to refuse.
He was used to being free and didn't want to be labeled with any power.
He had turned down the invitation from Captain Jean and "The Fair Lady" Rosalyne, so he was even less interested in the invitation from the Fisher's Association.
"Alright, I respect your decision. However, there is one more thing..."
Nantuck didn't mention the Fisher's Association again. Instead, he rubbed his hands and seemed hesitant to speak.
"What else?" Jams showed curiosity.
What did this guy want to say, acting all fidgety?
"Well, it's about you..."
Nantuck bit his lip and suddenly pointed to the girls next to Jams. "Mr. Jams, recently many fishers have complained that your behavior of bringing girls fishing with you has caused them to lose focus, leading to a significant decline in their daily catch."
"Moreover, some have developed symptoms such as loss of appetite, insomnia, and decreased energy..."
"Oh really."
Upon hearing this, not only Jams was stunned, but the girls beside him were also taken aback.
"Um~"
Klee lightly tugged on Lumine's sleeve, her voice sweet and innocent. "Big sis Lumine, what is this big brother talking about? Klee doesn't understand a word."
"I don't understand either."
Lumine rubbed Klee's golden hair, her exquisite face filled with confusion.
"..."
It was only at this moment that Jams noticed Nantuck's somewhat pale complexion, black circles under his eyes, and a hazy look, as if his body had been drained.
"Um, Mr. Nantuck, when you mentioned loss of appetite, insomnia, and decreased energy just now, was it about this person..."
"This is my friend!"
Nantuck yawned and said firmly, "My friend has been feeling down after seeing you flirting with different beautiful girls by the lakeside every day. It has affected their mood, sleep, and overall well-being."
"Could you please stop bringing girls fishing? Let's be peaceful fishers..."
"Tsk."
Jams shook his head helplessly. "If it were any other condition, I might consider it, but when it comes to not bringing girls fishing, I'm sorry, but I refuse."
"Can't you consider the mental health of the fishers of Mondstadt? They just want to fish in peace, and you can't sacrifice a bit for them!?"
Nantuck's emotions became somewhat agitated, and his eyes were filled with envy and jealousy!
"Don't try to morally blackmail me. I'm just enjoying fishing with my lovely friends by the lake, and I don't care what others think."
Jams wrapped his left arm around Barbara's slender waist and his right arm around Lumine's delicate shoulder. Paimon perched on his head, and Klee sat on his shoulder.
Under the bright sunshine, Jams' lips curled up, revealing a smile that made people feel warm and comfortable.
"Only children make choices. I want both fishing and beautiful girls! If you have a problem with that, deal with it."
"Oh my God!"
Nantuck felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and he knelt down directly. It was too damn sour!
Everyone was a fisher, so why were you so damn charming!