Now everyone understood that the fake Stanley was not a swindler.
He was merely telling the true Stanley's story to everyone.
Finally, we understand the meaning of Barbatos's words: 'A person who is unwilling to forget the past, yet abandons the present.'
The fake Stanley could not forget the true Stanley.
He abandoned his own identity; he abandoned his own future.
He lingered in the past, unable to move forward, hoping to salvage something through this method.
However, memories and emotions can linger, but time will not.
The fake Stanley was old now; he was no longer the young Adventurer he once was.
"I'm sorry, Stanley… even I've grown old… I've grown old!"
If I die, will anyone still remember Stanley?
I cannot die, even if self-reproach fills my heart.
Stanley cannot, and should not, be forgotten!
Yae Miko remained silent, her slender fingers turning the pages of the book.
Ei, aren't you also someone who is unwilling to forget the past, yet abandons the present?
You hope that everything will stand still, maintaining an unchanging eternity.
Isn't this also a way of escaping the future?
The book was right; memories and emotions can linger, but time will not.
However unwilling you may be, Inazuma must move towards the future.
"My Archon…" Yae Miko sighed softly.
The fake Stanley's eternity had a change, and that was Jacques.
Jacques remembered Stanley's story and yearned to be like Stanley.
He actually used his comical 'Sword of Glorious Courage' and 'Shield of Luminous Will' to convince his parents.
But the fake Stanley didn't dare to look Jacques in the eye.
I am just a swindler; how could I dare to look someone who truly loves adventure in the eye?
The fake Stanley, who had been pretending to sleep, 'woke up' and thanked the Traveler and the others.
His tone was low, even tinged with self-mockery.
For all these years, he had lived for Stanley's story.
But he could no longer remember what Stanley's personality or life was like.
The only thing he couldn't forget was that Stanley had died in the windless Junjiji Sea, and the wind couldn't carry his soul away!
Yes, that's all he remembered, because that was the only thing he couldn't forget.
It was he himself who, there, had caused Stanley's death...
Lumine: "His life… seems to have been filled with guilt."
Lumine sighed, perhaps this was the PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) of the survivor?
Venti: "Indeed, in his memory, the true Stanley is no longer a vibrant friend."
Venti: "Instead, he is forever fixed as a scarred warrior, binding his life."
Seeing this, Yae Miko couldn't help but wonder, what was Makoto like in Ei's memory?
She was unwilling to recall the past, unwilling to consider Makoto's understanding of eternity.
Was this because, in her heart, Makoto also appeared scarred?
Scarred, spitting blood, lying in her arms...
My poor, adorable Archon, it is precisely because of this that I cannot roughly oppose your eternity.
The fake Stanley seemed to not hear Venti and the others, continuing to murmur to himself.
Venti stepped forward.
"Hans Archibald."
It seemed the wind was rising.
"How… how do you know… my real name?"
The fake Stanley, or rather, Hans, was astonished.
He had abandoned this identity and had never mentioned it to anyone since returning to Mondstadt...
The wind, a gentle breeze, blew in.
For a moment, everyone felt as if they were in another space.
Wind! It was the sound of wind, so desperately sought in the Junjiji Sea!
Hans understood; the person before him was the Anemo Archon!
Yes, only Barbatos would remember my name, right?
An Archon who can remember the name of even a coward like me...
I want to tell you:
I… I have always believed in your existence!
Venti extended his hand, looking at Hans with gentle eyes.
In his eyes, Hans was never a coward, but one of his people.
"May I take your old friend's soul?"
If you are trapped in a windless place, I will play the song of the heavens for you.
Hans slowly placed his hand on Venti's hand.
When he looked up again, Venti before him had transformed into Stanley, whom he had longed for day and night.
'Stanley… I must have disappointed you greatly, right?'
'If we had a second chance, would you still reach out to me?'
This was Stanley's previous thought, and at this moment, his hand was resting on Stanley's hand.
Stanley tightened Hans's hand, just as he had back then.
Only Hans's hand was no longer as tender as it had been then.
Looking at Hans, Stanley smiled slightly.
Little Adventurer, remember.
I am your senior!
'So, it was I who died in the Junjiji Sea, not you!'
Hans wanted to reach out and grasp, but Stanley's soul had already dissipated.
Hans, bring his soul back to his homeland.
The wind will carry his soul to the heavens above.
The story of Stanley and Hans Archibald ended.
But the story of 'Carmen Dei' had not yet concluded.
After leaving the tavern, Venti told his story to the Traveler.
"My current appearance, just like Mr. Fake Stanley, is borrowed from a 'friend'."
Yes, Venti and the fake Stanley were very similar.
Their only difference was that the fake Stanley was filled with guilt and hesitated to move forward.
Whereas Venti, in place of his friend, moved towards the future.
Just like the poem Venti had heard from his 'friend':
Fly, fly
Like a bird
See this world for me
Fly to the heavens for me
How do birds fly to the heavens?
The answer is courage.
Only a bird with courage can fly to the heavens.
Only a person with courage can move towards the future.
Just as Venti said, 'When you are in despair, courage is the only light that allows you to rise up and escape despair.'
At this point, the story of 'Carmen Dei' was completely over.
All that remained was a group of Mondstadters crying their eyes out.
Let alone the Mondstadters who believed in Barbatos seeing this story.
Even those who didn't believe in Barbatos were moved to tears.
"Barbatos! Wuwu~…"
Barbara knelt before the statue, covering her eyes, already crying silently.
Rosaria sat nearby, her emotions hard to calm, looking at the statue.
Never mind, this bottle of wine is on me, Barbatos.
Inside the tavern, everyone looked at Venti, wanting to say something but not knowing how to begin.
"Why are you all looking at me?"
"Stories and good wine go well together, but tears and good wine do not."
"Drinking wine with tears makes the wine no longer beautiful~."
Venti took a sip of the fine wine in his hand.
It was truly delicious; drinking such fine wine made one so moved they wanted to cry.
However… Archons do not cry…
Wan Ye, who had just returned to Liyue, was lying on the deck at this moment.
A book covered his face, hiding his expression.
A breeze blew past his ear, as if wanting to turn the pages of the book.
The opened page happened to read:
See this world for me
Fly to the heavens for me
Wan Ye tightened his grip on the dim Vision in his hand.
Can this Vision become your eyes?