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Chapter 42: Jean's Bodyguard
"You're here," Diluc said, glancing at Barbara before shifting his gaze to Aiden. His voice was calm, but his expression was serious.
"It looks like you were ambushed," Aiden observed as he found a seat.
Diluc didn't bother to hide the truth. He nodded slightly and replied, "Yes. The Abyss Order was well-prepared."
He clenched his fists slightly before continuing, "Of course, if it had been me, Jean, Eula, and Kaeya holding them off together, we could've handled it."
At the mention of Kaeya, Diluc's expression twisted with disdain.
But deep in his eyes, there was a flash of something elseāworry.
Kaeyaā¦ a descendant of Khaenri'ah.
When the time comes, what choice will he make?
---
A Growing Threat
Aiden shrugged. "Well, at least you were able to hold your ground this time. That's a good sign."
"But," he continued, "there's no guarantee the Abyss Order won't set an even stronger trap next time."
Diluc's expression darkened.
That was exactly what concerned him.
And then there was the travelerā¦ the one blessed by Barbatos.
What kind of power did they wield?
As Barbara placed her hands over Diluc's injuries, a soft glow of Hydro energy began to spread, knitting his wounds together.
Aiden watched, his eyes lighting up.
Barbara's healing was truly remarkable.
He had seen healing techniques from various internal energy disciplines, but nothing could compare to the pure elemental power Barbara was using now.
---
Elemental Power vs. Internal Energy
Aiden had been refining his own system of internal energy, but even he had to admit that it was still far from the elemental energy system of Teyvat.
This powerāthe Visions granted by Celestiaāwas something unique.
Yes, they were gifts from the Heavenly Principles, remnants of a system passed down from the past rulers of the world.
And eventually, when the gods of this world perished, their essence would return to the world, becoming part of Teyvat's balance.
It was a cruel cycle.
But at the same timeā¦ was it really so different from how nature worked?
Those who wielded Visions were essentially borrowing powerāand every loan must eventually be repaid.
Still, if Aiden grew strong enough, perhaps he could change the rules.
He didn't need to rely on the old system.
And yet, he couldn't deny that some aspects of elemental power were irreplaceable.
Barbara's healing, for exampleāno amount of internal energy mastery could replicate it.
The internal force system was good for ordinary people who didn't have Visions.
But not everyone could receive a Vision.
And Aiden certainly wasn't going to hand them out whenever he pleased.
Especially not to Snezhnaya.
Let them fight against Celestia on their own.
Even though Aiden wasn't aligned with the Heavenly Principles, he still found the Fatui's ambitions irritating.
---
Barbara's Diagnosis
A few moments later, Barbara withdrew her hands and smiled slightly.
"It's much better now, Mr. Diluc," she said. "But you can't fight for the next few days. You need at least two to three days to recover fully."
Diluc nodded. "Understood. Thank you."
Then, he turned back to Aiden. "I won't be seeing you out. If you want food or drinks, feel free to order whatever you likeāI'll cover the bill."
Aiden smirked. "You really are rich, huh?"
Still, he knew Diluc wasn't trying to show off.
The Darknight Hero simply didn't like showing weakness in front of others.
This was his way of politely dismissing them so he could recover in peace.
"Alright, let's go," Aiden said, gesturing to Barbara.
Barbara quickly followed, and they left Angel's Share without stopping for a mealāeven though the food there was undeniably good.
Instead, Barbara eagerly suggested, "Let's go to Good Hunter! It's my favorite restaurant in Mondstadt!"
Aiden chuckled. "Sure, why not?"
If Mondstadt had one place known for its food, it was Good Hunter.
Unlike Angel's Share, which was more of a tavern, Good Hunter was the go-to restaurant for adventurers and nobles alike.
---
Jean Takes Action
As Aiden walked through the city, he suddenly felt a familiar energy.
A subtle, intermittent force was flowing into his body.
His gaze shifted toward the outskirts of Mondstadt, and he smirked.
Jean has made her move.
The monsters outside the city had grown too numerous.
She was finally taking steps to eliminate them.
Aiden wasn't too worried about her safety.
Butā¦
Mondstadt's situation was far more complicated than Liyue's.
Back in Liyue, even Keqing had found herself in danger.
Jean's strength was impressive, but if she was carelessā¦ she could end up in trouble.
Still, Aiden's smirk deepened.
He could sense another presence near Jean.
Wendy.
Or ratherā¦
Barbatos.
---
Jean and the Bard
Jean easily dispatched two Whopperflowers with precise West Wind Swordsmanship.
As she lowered her blade, she glanced at the familiar green figure nearby.
"You?" Jean frowned. "What are you doing here?"
The wandering bard, Venti, grinned and scratched the back of his head.
"Hey, isn't it only natural for a Mondstadt citizen to help deal with monsters?"
Jean gave him a long, thoughtful stare.
"Besides," Venti continued, "I'm also a member of the chat group. Points are useful, you know. And what better way to earn them than following the famous Acting Grand Master?"
Jean's eyes narrowed slightly.
She was almost certain of it now.
This wasn't just any bard.
It was Barbatos himself.
The records in her family archives described Lord Barbatos as a free-spirited individualāone who often said "hey" as a verbal tic.
Most bards didn't speak that way.
But Venti did.
And there was something else.
The pure Anemo aura radiating from him.
It was unlike anything she had sensed before.
Only one other person had displayed an elemental presence so unusual.
Aiden.
That raised another questionā
As an outsider, how did Aiden manage to possess such pure Anemo energy?
Jean didn't have the answer.
But she had a feelingā¦
Things in Mondstadt were about to get a lot more interesting.