With the delegation's mission complete and the contract with the Qixing settled, a period of relative quiet descended upon the house on Feiyun Slope. Yet, for Ren, it was a restless peace. Sandrone's parting words had planted a seed of anxiety in his mind, a seed that was nurtured by the news that began to trickle in from the north.
He made a habit of visiting the stalls near the wharf that catered to international traders, listening to the gossip of merchants and sailors who had recently come from Mondstadt. The stories were all the same: the great dragon, Stormterror, once a guardian of their city, was now terrorizing the skies. The Knights of Favonius were struggling to deal with the threat, and the people of the city of freedom were living in a state of fear and uncertainty.
It was all happening, just as he remembered from the game's opening. And woven into this tapestry of public knowledge was Sandrone's secret thread: La Signora was on her way.
The pieces were falling into place for a confrontation he knew was coming, a confrontation that would end with the Anemo Archon losing his Gnosis. The thought of Barbatos, the carefree, wine-loving bard, being ambushed and assaulted by a Harbinger filled Ren with a sense of dread and a frustrating, gnawing helplessness. He was just a child in Liyue. What could he possibly do?
He needed advice. Not from his guardians, who would surely forbid him from even thinking about such a dangerous, foreign affair. He needed to speak with someone who understood the stakes, who operated on the same divine level as the players involved.
He found Zhongli one afternoon, taking a leisurely stroll through the gardens of Yujing Terrace, examining a particularly fine glaze lily with the focused appreciation of a seasoned botanist.
"Mr. Zhongli," Ren said, approaching him with a respectful bow.
Zhongli turned, his amber eyes holding their usual calm, scholarly warmth. "Ren. It is good to see you. I trust you are enjoying the peace after your successful and rather eventful journey."
"I am," Ren replied, "but… my mind is not at peace. There is a matter I wish to discuss with you, if you have a moment. It is… a sensitive topic."
Zhongli's gaze sharpened slightly, sensing the gravity in the child's tone. He gestured to a nearby stone bench. "Of course. Let us speak."
They sat, the bustling sounds of the Harbor a distant murmur below them. Ren took a deep breath, choosing his words with the utmost care.
"During my travels," he began, "I came across some… information. Regarding Mondstadt. And the Fatui." He relayed Sandrone's intel, framing it as something he had overheard. "I was told that the Harbinger, La Signora, is scheduled to arrive in Mondstadt in the coming weeks, at the same time that this Stormterror crisis is escalating."
He then looked directly at Zhongli, his gaze steady and full of a meaning he hoped the Archon would understand. "I am worried. The Anemo Archon resides in Mondstadt. It seems to me that the Fatui are making a move, and that he could be in great danger."
He had laid his cards on the table. He had spoken of Archons and Harbingers with a familiarity that no ordinary child should possess. It was a test, a quiet acknowledgment that he knew who he was speaking to.
Zhongli did not react with surprise. He did not question how a child came to possess such high-level intelligence. He simply looked at Ren, his ancient, wise eyes holding a new, profound depth. A flicker of understanding passed between them. The mask of the mortal consultant had slipped, just for a moment, and the gaze of the Geo Archon was upon him. Zhongli knew that Ren knew.
Finally, Zhongli spoke, his voice a low, calm rumble, the sound of ancient stone settling. "Your concern for a fellow Archon is… commendable, Ren. It speaks to a compassionate and observant nature."
He paused, his gaze turning north, towards the distant lands of freedom. "However, your fears are misplaced. The danger you perceive is not as dire as you imagine. The Anemo Archon, Barbatos, is many things—carefree, flighty, and at times, infuriatingly irresponsible. But he is not weak."
Zhongli's expression was one of absolute, unshakeable confidence, the confidence of a being who had known his fellow god for millennia. "The Fatui's plan, whatever it may be, is not a direct threat to his life or his being. No mortal, not even a Harbinger bearing a Delusion, is capable of truly injuring an Archon. The gap in power is as vast as the sky itself."
He then looked back at Ren, his gaze softening slightly, offering a cryptic but reassuring piece of the puzzle. "The object of their desire is likely… an item. A symbol of his authority, which he himself holds with a rather loose grip. Its loss would be a significant event, yes, but it would not be the end of him. Barbatos is not a helpless creature. He is the spirit of freedom, as resilient and as untamable as the wind itself. Should the need truly arise, he is more than capable of fending for himself."
Zhongli did not mention the word 'Gnosis', but Ren understood perfectly. He was telling him not to worry about Venti's life, but about the chess piece the Fatui were trying to steal. The confirmation, coming from Rex Lapis himself, was a profound relief. His fear of the Anemo Archon being grievously harmed was assuaged.
But it was replaced by a new, colder understanding. This was a game being played on a level he could not interfere with. It was a divine affair, a conflict between gods and their chosen agents. His role, it seemed, was not to intervene, but to watch, to learn, and to prepare for when the game inevitably came to his own doorstep in Liyue.
"I understand," Ren said softly, the weight of worry lifting from his shoulders, replaced by the heavier burden of knowledge. "Thank you, Mr. Zhongli. You've… put my mind at ease."
Zhongli gave a slow, deliberate nod, the quiet understanding passing between them once more. The Archon of Contracts had just given him a piece of invaluable counsel: know your place, and trust in the strength of your peers. It was a lesson Ren would not soon forget.