The next day, Lydia was woken by the chirping of birds outside her window.
She opened her eyes to the familiar sight of her bedroom—her room in the Favonius Cathedral.
Scrambling to sit up, she instinctively reached for the Vision tucked against her chest.
Only after feeling the cool metal did she let out a silent sigh of relief.
The moment Lydia sat upright, a dull ache throbbed in her head.
"Hiss..."
Lydia rubbed her temples, trying to recall the events of the previous night.
She had been at Angel's Share... and had she thrown a tantrum at Lumine and the others?
Then run out without a word of apology?
Damn, was I really that bold? Lydia thought, finally making an accurate assessment of her own actions.
She remembered being somewhere with trees... and had she said something to Venti?
She tried to recall what happened next, but the memories were as if swept away by the wind, leaving only the faint sensation of Venti holding her.
She frowned, concentrating for a long time, but her mind remained a jumbled mess. Eventually, she gave up.
She got up and walked to the table. Just as she was about to pour a glass of water, she noticed a note tucked under the corner of the table.
The handwriting was familiar; she knew at a glance it was from Venti.
Lydia held the water glass, sipping the warm water to ease her headache as she unfolded the note:
[Little drunkard, hurry to the Dawn Winery once you're awake! We've worked out the next part of the plan and are just waiting for you~ ] —Venti
In the bottom right corner, a classic chibi-style portrait of Venti sticking his tongue out was drawn.
Next to it, two unfamiliar sets of handwriting added two more lines:
[Lydia, don't worry about what happened yesterday. We were all really worried about you. ] —Lumine
[Once this is all over, Paimon will treat you to something delicious! ] —Paimon
Lydia gazed at the words on the note, and the corners of her mouth, which had been drooping from her hangover, instantly curved into a smile.
She held up the note and jumped for joy, splashing a few drops of water from her glass. "Yes! Something to do again!"
But her excitement lasted only a few seconds before she remembered something and rushed to the window, pulling back the curtains.
The sun was already high in the sky, its light streaming through the glass and pooling on the floor.
The devout prayers of the nuns still drifted in from outside the door.
Lydia rushed to the table to check the clock. Its hands pointed exactly to twelve noon.
"I'm doomed, I'm doomed!" she muttered, her face falling. "The cathedral is packed at this hour. There's no way I can sneak out..."
Was she really stuck in the cathedral today, missing the chance to plan with everyone else?
Lydia hung her head, her heart sinking as she shuffled out of the room.
Just as she reached the corner of the hallway, she bumped into a soft figure.
"Oof!" Barbara cried out, clutching her bumped arm. When she looked up and saw Lydia, her expression immediately shifted to concern. "Lydia, are you okay?"
Lydia quickly shook her head, a little embarrassed. "Oh, Barbara... I'm fine. Just a bit of a headache."
Barbara reached out and touched Lydia's forehead, sighing in relief when she confirmed there was no fever.
She watched Lydia rub her temples, a look of frustration on her face.
Barbara's heart ached for her—she had actually visited Lydia's room earlier that morning.
Back then, the morning light had just begun to filter through the cracks in the window.
Barbara had gently pushed open the door to find Lydia curled up under the covers.
Her brow was furrowed tightly, and the corners of her eyes were faintly red—clear signs she had cried herself to sleep the night before.
She clutched her Vision so tightly in her arms that she hadn't let go even in her sleep.
It was a stark contrast to her usual self—the Lydia who would sprawl out like a starfish, snoring soundly, whenever Barbara tried to wake her.
Barbara knew Lydia constantly missed her parents and that her drunken outburst yesterday hadn't been intentional.
The poor girl always bottled up her grievances, only daring to let her emotions out when she drank.
Barbara stood by the bed for a long while, wanting to wake Lydia but afraid to disturb her rest.
In the end, she quietly left and went to speak with the other nuns, hoping to arrange a day off for Lydia.
She wanted Lydia to have a chance to do something she enjoyed and clear her head.
Now, hearing Lydia complain of a headache, Barbara's voice softened even more.
"By the way, you don't have to stay at the cathedral today. Acting Grand Master Jean came by this morning and told us you were wronged yesterday."
Lydia pointed at herself in disbelief. "Me? Wronged?"
After the way I acted like a drunken fool in front of Jean and the others, shouldn't they be the ones feeling wronged? Lydia thought.
Barbara nodded. "Yes, we know what happened yesterday. That's why we've given you the day off, so you can go do something you enjoy."
As she spoke, she pulled a piece of candy from her pocket and handed it to Lydia.
"Here, this will help with your headache."
"Be careful on the road, and if you run into any trouble, remember to prioritize your own safety."
Barbara and Lydia's daily interactions were no different from those of real sisters, so Barbara naturally knew about Lydia's past.
She didn't ask for much—only that Lydia could experience less hardship and more happiness.
"Really?" Lydia's eyes instantly lit up. She grabbed Barbara's arm and shook it. "Barbara, you're not kidding, are you?"
Seeing Lydia's spirits lift, Barbara's heart warmed.
"Of course not!" Barbara smiled and nodded, reaching out to pinch Lydia's cheek. "I know you want to contribute to Mondstadt, and the Acting Grand Master assured me of your safety, so I have nothing to worry about."
"Okay, okay!" Lydia nodded vigorously, so happy she leaned in and kissed Barbara's cheek. "Barbara, you're the best! I'm heading out right now!"
With that, she turned and bolted toward the cathedral's main entrance.
Lydia ran across the plaza, and as she passed the Statue of the Anemo Archon, she didn't forget to wave at it.
"Lord Anemo Archon, I'm off to the Dawn Winery! I'll finish cleaning off the rest of that graffiti when I get back, hehe!"
Then, she quickened her pace and ran toward the Dawn Winery.
-
As Lydia ran toward the Dawn Winery, the Vision she carried swayed gently with each step.
From afar, she spotted several familiar figures in front of the winery's villa.
Only then did she slow down, bending over to rest her hands on her knees and catch her breath.
"Finally made it!" Lydia straightened up.
She was about to wave to the group when she suddenly remembered her drunken outburst from the previous day. Her steps faltered.
Taking a deep breath, she smoothed her slightly messy hair before quickly walking over.
Before anyone could speak, Lydia bowed deeply to Lumine, Paimon, Jean, and Diluc.
"I'm so sorry! I drank too much yesterday and said a lot of selfish things, then rudely ran off... I made everyone worry!"
Lumine and Paimon froze for a moment, then rushed forward to help her up. "Hey, you don't need to apologize! We know you didn't mean it!"
Paimon floated beside her, kicking her short legs. "Besides, you were so upset yesterday. We completely understand!"
Venti waved his hand with a smile. "You look quite serious with that apology! But we didn't take it to heart, you know."
"After all, who hasn't used alcohol as an excuse to vent their feelings?" he said, winking at Lydia. "Besides, didn't you already promise to treat me to a drink next time as compensation?"
Lydia froze. I don't remember saying that to Venti...
Jean stepped forward, her voice gentle. "What happened yesterday is in the past. Don't worry about it."
Diluc nodded in agreement. Just then, Venti took out the Holy Lyre der Himmel.
The patterns on the lyre's body shimmered faintly in the sunlight, though its surface remained battered and broken.
Lumine produced the unpurified Dragon's Teardrop she had obtained earlier and channeled her energy into it, cleansing it.
A pale blue light overflowed from the crystal, spreading along the lyre's intricate patterns.
The once-dull body of the lyre began to glow with a soft radiance, and its broken strings slowly repaired themselves within the light.
Lydia's eyes widened in amazement. She couldn't help but whisper, "Incredible! Does this mean the Holy Lyre can be used now?"
"Yes," Lumine confirmed, nodding.
She handed the restored Holy Lyre der Himmel to Venti.
Venti reached out and gently plucked the strings. A clear, crisp melody echoed, carrying a power that soothed the heart.
"Now that the Holy Lyre is restored, we need to go somewhere Stormterror can hear its melody."
"Starfell Cliff," Venti said, his playful expression replaced by a serious one. "Its high altitude makes it the perfect place to play the Holy Lyre."
The group packed up and set off for Starfell Cliff.
Lydia followed close behind Lumine, asking curiously, "Lumine, will we really get to see the Sky Dragon when you play the Holy Lyre?"
Lumine smiled and nodded. "Of course!"
Lydia's spirits instantly lifted, and her steps became much lighter.
Soon, they reached the highest point of Starfell Cliff.
Venti, cradling the restored Holy Lyre der Himmel, walked to the cliff's edge. "And now, the best bard in the mortal realm shall pluck his strings."
Jean and Diluc positioned themselves a few paces behind and to either side of Venti, warily scanning their surroundings for any movement.
Lumine and Paimon stood guard by Lydia's side, ready to handle any sudden developments.
Lydia clutched her Vision, her gaze fixed on the distant sky.
The wind blew gently across Starfell Cliff, carrying the scent of freedom.
Venti took a deep breath. His fingertips danced across the strings, and a melodious tune slowly began to rise.
Anemo energy flowed with the melody, swirling around the lyre and carrying the notes toward the far horizon.
Lydia's grip on her Visions tightened, her eyes locked on the distant clouds.
She could feel the air in the wind changing. The once-gentle breeze grew hurried and agitated, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible pressure that made her instinctively hold her breath.
The lyre's final note faded, its echo lingering long among the cliffs.
Just as the group was still lost in the melody, a deafening dragon's roar suddenly erupted from the valley below.
"He's here!" Diluc tensed, his body coiled and ready.
Lydia instinctively ducked behind Lumine but couldn't resist peeking out to look.
A colossal shadow shot up from the mist-shrouded valley. Its scales glinted coldly in the sunlight, and its outstretched wings nearly blotted out half the sky.
Dvalin's body obscured the sun, instantly plunging Starfell Cliff into shadow. The sunlight that had warmed them moments before was completely blocked, leaving only the dragon's immense silhouette covering the entire cliff.
The wind turned violent, whipping Lydia's snow-white hair into a frenzy.
This was the first time she had seen Stormterror so close!
It was even more terrifying than when she had glimpsed it in the Whispering Woods!
Deep, dark crystals clung to Dvalin's back, and his jet-black wings radiated the aura of "Curses and the Abyss."
Clutching the Holy Lyre der Himmel, Venti stepped forward and gazed up at Dvalin's head. His voice was tinged with heartache. "Dvalin, it's been a long time."
"It's you..." Dvalin's slit pupils fixed on Venti, his gaze seeming to drift into memory.
His eyes then swept over Lumine, Jean, and Diluc, finally settling on Lydia, who was hiding behind Lumine.