Venti and the Traveler obtained information from Ellin.
The "Great Adventurer" of Mondstadt, Mr. Stanley, was planning to explore the [Temple of the Lion of the South] with Jack.
By the time the Traveler and the others arrived, Jack and Stanley were already surrounded by monsters, their lives in imminent danger.
This left the readers puzzled. This Mr. Stanley was a legend in Mondstadt—a great adventurer who had conquered the Mare Jivari. How could he be cornered by such weak monsters?
["Mind your own business!"]
["Do you really think I, Stanley, can't handle such a simple situation?"]
Stanley's reaction seemed overly agitated, as if being rescued was a shameful thing.
After saving Stanley and the others, the Traveler's group pressed forward.
Along the way, Stanley kept repeating his name and recounting his past exploits.
[Stanley: "The Mare Jivari... A place so silent it makes your ears ring, a 'sea' made entirely of ash as far as the eye can see."]
["My comrade was swept away by a vortex stirred up by a demonic beast, but I managed to hold onto him tightly!"]
As he spoke, Stanley's tone was firm yet melancholic.
Was he regretting his failure to save his companion?
[Jack pressed: "Whoa! Then... is he alright?"]
[Stanley replied: "Sadly, in the end... I was the only one who set foot on my homeland again."]
He was dead. Yes, he had died.
In the end, only Stanley returned to Mondstadt.
Seeing Jack's dejection, Stanley quickly comforted the adventure-loving young man.
["Jack! You're going to be a great adventurer! How can you shed tears so easily?"]
["Remember, our ideal is to die in a place where the wind blows, so our souls can be carried back to Mondstadt!"]
[Jack: "I know, Mr. Stanley! Our greatest achievement would be to die on the path of our final adventure!"]
["And above all—we must never, ever die in a windless land!"]
Stanley nodded. Yes, they must never die in a windless place.
'Stanley' did not die there—someone else did.
Venti listened quietly from the side, saying nothing.
"Though he loves to boast, those are indeed the words of a true great adventurer," Lisa remarked.
"Indeed, Mr. Stanley is truly a remarkable adventurer," Jean agreed.
To conquer the Mare Jivari—what an extraordinary feat.
In the book, Venti, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke after exploring the domain.
["Traveler, I've made a small discovery."]
At Venti's prompting, the Traveler and Paimon noticed something.
Even as an adult, Stanley had an "imaginary friend."
["A battle-hardened warrior, covered in scars, with a resolute expression."]
This "imaginary friend" mimicked Stanley's every movement.
Just as Stanley described himself—perhaps this was his idealized version?
Both in the book and in reality, people grew intrigued.
Why would an adult like Stanley have an "imaginary friend"?
And why did it so closely resemble the version of himself he spoke of?
The reading continued.
Jack sought out the Traveler, claiming he had learned a secret.
The relics of the 'Great Hero' Vennessa—
The [Sword of Brilliant Courage] and the [Shield of Radiant Will]—were both hidden in Dadupa Gorge.
He hoped the Traveler would accompany him to find these relics.
Hearing this, many Mondstadters' eyes lit up.
The relics of the 'Great Hero' Vennessa!
Whether they were divine artifacts or not, they'd surely be incredibly valuable!
Only the higher-ups of Mondstadt were baffled.
"Did Lady Vennessa leave behind such relics?" Jean asked.
Lisa shook her head—she had no knowledge of them, at least not from the library's records.
The reason they couldn't be sure was because Venti had gotten involved.
This was the Anemo Archon! How could they doubt the word of the God of Wind himself?
Had the great Barbatos truly been bribed with a mere bottle of wine?
Soon, however, everyone was left speechless.
The first relic they found, the [Sword of Brilliant Courage], turned out to be nothing more than a battered old sword.
Even Jack couldn't believe this was the legendary artifact.
At this point, Venti began to flex his skills as a bard.
["Jack, have you ever seen a Anemo Crystalfly?"]
["By day, they're unremarkable, but at night, they glow brilliantly, like flying gemstones."]
["Isn't courage the same? Those who sail through life smoothly will never understand its true value."]
["But when you're cornered, courage becomes the only light that drives you to fight and break free from despair."]
After this speech, even Jean was moved, let alone Jack.
Truly, this was the Anemo Archon—if he said this sword was the [Sword of Brilliant Courage], there had to be profound meaning behind it.
Lisa, however, wiped her brow in exasperation.
Well said, but that didn't change the fact that it was still just a broken sword.
Lord Barbatos, for a bottle of wine, you're really going all out, huh?
And the Anemo Archon's efforts didn't stop there.
Next, they found the [Shield of Radiant Will]—a wooden barrel lid stained with alcohol, clutched in the hands of a Hilichurl.
This was even more absurd than the broken sword.
At least the sword could be excused as worn down by time.
But a barrel lid? Did Vennessa really smack people over the head with a barrel lid back in the day?
Even if no one believed it, Venti had a way to convince them.
["A warrior takes pride in their scars—so too does a shield."]
["The more pristine a shield, the further it has stayed from battle."]
["Isn't its wear and tear proof of its countless battles?"]
["Even as its body breaks, it fights to the very end, spilling its last drop of blood on the battlefield."]
["Isn't such willpower precious?"]
"As expected of Lord Barbatos! His insight is truly profound!" Jean nodded approvingly.
"Jean..." Lisa sighed, massaging her temples.
For Jean, both Barbatos and Vennessa were figures she deeply revered.
So even if she didn't believe these relics were genuine, she was still inspired by the Anemo Archon's words.
But things got even more ridiculous.
For the sake of wine, Venti wasn't just willing to spin tales—he was even willing to perform for a Hilichurl.
The way they retrieved the shield was none other than the great Anemo Archon himself playing a song for it.
At the Angel's Share, Diluc smirked imperceptibly.
"The greatest bard in the land, performing a private concert for a Hilichurl."
"Ehe~ If the payment is wine, I'd be happy to perform here too, you know?"
Venti showed no trace of embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Barbara was struck by a bold idea.
If a single bottle of wine could make Lord Barbatos work this hard...
Then if she offered wine as tribute, could she... lure him—
No, no—invite him over?
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice: Venti – About Hobbies
"Wine! Poetry! And the wind!
Hmm... If only I could brew wine from the wind itself."