Abandoned temple of the Four Winds.
The group needed to clear the elemental energy linked to Dvalin in three temple ruins. Led by Jean and Lisa, the group finished the task quickly. During this mission, they also got an unexpected reward. Inside the temple, the Hilichurls actually learned how to hide and ambush. This kind of behavior is not something normal Hilichurls can do. Finally, after encountering an Abyss Mage from the Abyss Order, the whole truth came to light.
Mondstadt Knights of Favonius Headquarters.
Acting Grand Master Jean had a dark expression. "I didn't expect the Abyss Order to be involved in this. Things seem to be getting more complicated."
Kael didn't say anything. He seemed to be thinking. For him, finding the Anemo Archon Barbatos was the real priority.
"I'm going back to rest first. Been busy all morning. I'm pretty tired." Lumine coldly dropped a sentence and turned to walk out of the headquarters.
What's wrong with Lumine? Kael was completely confused. He felt like Lumine's attitude had been a bit off these past few days.
"Alright, you should get some rest for now." Kael replied politely.
At the door, Lumine twitched the corner of her mouth. Especially remembering how Lisa kept calling her little cutie during the mission, she felt so annoyed. Kael's simple response only made her more frustrated. Just follow me already. I already said I'm going to rest. Why are you still staying in the office? Fine, fine, fine. You must be obsessed with the curvy Acting Grand Master. Men, heh. Alright, don't talk to me anymore from now on.
Not long after Lumine left, Kael also left the headquarters. As the Acting Grand Master of Mondstadt, Jean had also granted him and Lumine the title of Honorary Knight. It seemed like there would be special discounts when spending in Mondstadt. Kael didn't really care about this point.
However, just as he stepped out of the headquarters, a crowd gathered near the nearby Statue of The Seven caught his attention. He walked closer to take a look. A man dressed in green clothes and white stockings was playing a lyre.
He was chanting: "The story I want to tell begins in ancient times. The gods walked upon the earth, and the dragon of the sky descended from above. The bard and the dragon became a legend, and a dark age began to fall. Another evil dragon descended. The dragon of the sky swallowed the evil dragon's blood and fell into a deep sleep. Years later, no one recognized it when it awoke. Anger and sorrow, life and corrupted blood, all turned into tears, falling from the dragon's eyes."
Kael listened quietly to the bard's story. When it ended, he still looked at the green-clad, white-stockinged man with interest.
"Hello. Do you seem to be looking for me for something? Or are you just interested in the story I told? My name is Venti. I'm the three-time consecutive champion of Mondstadt's favorite bard."
"My name is Kael. I am indeed interested in what you said about the Stormterror." This bard knows quite a lot. He tells the story so smoothly, as if he experienced it himself.
"Dvalin?" Venti's casual remark immediately made Kael frown. In present-day Mondstadt, no one uses Dvalin to refer to the Dragon of the East anymore. This bard in front of him must have a big problem.
"You call it Dvalin? Shouldn't it be Stormterror?"
Their conversation seemed to bring up bad memories for Venti. He took out a red Tear Crystal and muttered to himself: "It was once a gentle child. Now it has become so sad and full of anger. Just like the tears it left behind. The corrupted blood has already eroded it."
Kael was stunned. This strange guy's identity is definitely not simple. Kael didn't speak. He took the blood-red Tear Crystal in his hand. Instantly, a gentle breeze swept past. The blood-red tear was purified on the spot.
"You... You really possess an incredible power."
Kael ignored Venti's surprise. He just asked calmly: "I saw the sadness on your face when you called Dvalin a child just now. Could your identity be the Anemo Archon Barbatos?"
"So in your understanding, the Anemo Archon Barbatos looks like a bard?" Venti smiled: "Barbatos hasn't appeared in a long time. I'm like this because I was deeply moved by Dvalin's story."
Feels very suspicious. But since the other party won't admit it, he has no proof. The two had a brief exchange.
"Do you think finding Dvalin will lead us to the Anemo Archon Barbatos?" Venti pretended to think for a long time. "If you want to see Dvalin... As long as we get the Holy Lyre der Himmel from inside the church, I have a way to let you see Dvalin."
Venti swaggered into the church. He walked up to Dietlinde. After some talking, Venti's dejected look proved his failure. But, the next second, he suddenly looked confident again.
"At this point, I can't hide it anymore. My devout believer. Rejoice. The person standing before you is the Anemo Archon Barbatos himself. Aren't you shocked? Shocked to the point of tears? Finally meeting the god you serve. How is it? Very moving, right?"
Unfortunately, all Venti got was a disdainful look from the nun. After the nun left, Venti smiled awkwardly and came to Kael's side: "Ehe. The nun walked away without even looking back."
After repeated failures, Venti had no choice. He could only hope Kael could use his Honorary Knight status to borrow the Holy Lyre der Himmel. Unfortunately, Kael also failed. The church has its own rules. To get the Holy Lyre der Himmel, you need an approval document from the Knights of Favonius, plus signatures from other deacons. In short, it was extremely troublesome.
"Sigh. So even you can't do it? As a warrior of Mondstadt, you can't even casually take a sword. I'm really disappointed in Mondstadt." Venti shook his head, showing a bit of regret.
Soon, he came up with another plan: "Borrowing it openly won't work. We'll have to use a clever trick. Today, we must fully embrace Mondstadt's free will. Tell me, how should we use a clever trick? Speak freely. Freedom means saying whatever you want."
"That definitely won't work." Venti rejected Kael's idea of freedom. "We can only use your status to quietly get our hands on the Holy Lyre der Himmel."
"You mean you want me to steal it?"
Venti clapped his hands and laughed: "The guards here get off work at night. It would be hard to fail."
Kael thought it made sense. He nodded in agreement and asked: "Then I need to prepare a bit. I need to change into some stealth clothes."
Hearing this, Venti praised him on the spot: "That's much more reliable."
The two stared at each other for a long time. Venti looked slightly awkward: "You should go get ready."
"I don't have any Mora to buy clothes. Do you? Consider it a loan. After we solve Mondstadt's dragon disaster, I'll ask Lumine for some to pay you back."
---End Of Chapter---
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