Diluk

After his ordeal, Diluc became more withdrawn, detached, and sometimes cynical. He dislikes small talk, using polite manners more to maintain distance than to connect with people. However, behind this cold exterior lies a sensitive nature: he carefully observes his surroundings. Diluc possesses brilliant business acumen: he developed a distillery and introduced new beverages (including non-alcoholic ones, such as apple cider, which became popular among those who don't drink alcohol). He himself does not drink alcohol, partly due to his heightened vigilance after his father's death.

Diluc and Kaeya grew up together: Crepus adopted the boy into the family, and they were raised as brothers. As children, they were inseparable, though they were also somewhat rivalrous. However, after Crepus's death, the brothers had a serious falling out. Diluc injured Kaeya's eye. Despite this rift, Diluc carefully keeps the vase Kaeya once gave him.

During his absence, Diluc actively investigated the activities of the Fatui and other forces threatening the peace, dismantling their strongholds. Upon his return, he completely renounced his previous titles and adopted a new identity—the Midnight Hero (sometimes also called the Dark Hero of the Night). By day, he manages the distillery's affairs, and by night, he secretly protects Mondstadt from threats. He is driven by a thirst for vengeance: he hates the Fatui for their involvement in his father's death, and also holds a grudge against the Ordo Favonius for concealing the truth.

The tragedy forever changed Diluc's worldview. During the monster's attack, Crepus, wielding the Pyro Eye of Corruption, used the artifact to protect his son. This desperate act saved Diluc, but cost his father his life. The decisive blow came when the Ordo Favonius concealed the true circumstances of Crepus's death to preserve the political order. For Diluc, this proved that institutions often prioritize appearances over justice. Deeply disillusioned with the order, he left it and fled Mondstadt.

Diluc was born into the influential Ragnvindr clan in Mondstadt. His father, Crepus Ragnvindr, owned the Dawn distillery, a key enterprise for the region's economy. From childhood, Diluc demonstrated exceptional discipline and talent. He passed the knightly trials, joined the Ordo Favonius, and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the youngest cavalry captain in the order's history. At that time, he truly believed in the ideals of the order, considering them the embodiment of freedom and protection for Mondstadt.