With that thought, Chaimenhuofu moved to leave.
But an infuriating voice stopped him cold.
"The Snezhnayan Embassy is under lockdown. No one leaves without permission!"
Chaimenhuofu froze, his face turning ashen with rage.
The Knights of Favonius?!
Damn them!
Their response was impossibly fast. They'd already surrounded the embassy.
He looked out and saw squads of knights stationed in every direction, weapons at the ready, watching every movement. They had clearly sensed the Fatui's unusual activity, and the sudden elemental storm had focused all suspicion squarely on this building.
Bang!
Chaimenhuofu slammed his fist into the door, his face a mask of pure fury.
This was absurd!
They hadn't even stolen the lyre. The mission was a failure.
And now, the Sky Lyre's wind elemental fluctuation was so powerful even he could feel it clearly. It had fallen into someone else's hands and been successfully activated.
Yet here he was, trapped. Watched so closely by the Knights that he couldn't even step outside?
"Insolent fools...!"
His fists clenched, veins bulging as a wild light gleamed in his eyes.
His instincts screamed that the Sky Lyre was still somewhere in Mondstadt. If he could only get there, he might still have a chance to seize it. But if he acted rashly now, he would completely expose himself and plunge the Fatui into even deeper trouble.
No... I can't be reckless.
But if he did nothing, this opportunity would be lost forever. The Sky Lyre would be gone for good.
Chaimenhuofu's mind was a storm of焦躁, his rage warring with his reason.
The Knights outside saw his violent outburst and drew their weapons, their stances wary.
Meanwhile, inside the tavern.
Lumine was scratching her head. "So we need to find more of Dvalin's tears, but where do we even look?"
"We just arrived in Mondstadt. We don't know the region at all."
"As Mondstadt's Anemo Archon, you must know, right?"
"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure either." Venti scratched his own head. "But we can check the places Dvalin used to frequent. I'm certain there will be some at the Thousand Winds Temple. As for the others... well, I'll need some time."
"The wind brings me information, but I still have to wait for the messages to arrive."
"So, for now, let's be patient."
Venti picked up a bottle of wine with a grin. "First, a celebration. Cheers!"
Click!
Just as he spoke, the tavern door swung open. Grand Acting Master Jean walked in, with Diluc following close behind.
The moment they entered, they felt the dense concentration of wind elemental energy flowing down from the second floor.
Looking up, they saw the Sky Lyre resting on the table.
"Just as I thought."
Jean's eyes narrowed as she took in the sight of the lyre. Compared to how she'd always seen it, the instrument before her now seemed to have shed its aged skin, glowing with a renewed brilliance.
But her gaze quickly fell upon the three figures at the table—Lumine, Kael, and Venti—and she fell into deep thought.
How did the Sky Lyre end up with them?
"Ah, it's the Grand Acting Master."
The moment he saw Jean, Venti set down his wine glass.
He waved casually. "Jean, long time no see!"
His tone was so relaxed it was as if he were greeting an old friend, not someone who had just intercepted one of Mondstadt's most sacred relics.
His breezy greeting did nothing to ease the tension.
Paimon froze instantly, as if struck by lightning. Her eyes went wide, mouth agape in pure panic. "J-Jean?!"
She glanced frantically between Lumine, Venti, and Kael, searching for a way out.
Lumine's expression tightened. She maintained a calm facade, but her mind was already racing, formulating a response.
Jean's gaze was sharp as a falcon's, sweeping over the Sky Lyre on the table. The echoes of its melody still hung in the air, the strings still vibrating faintly. The residual wind elemental fluctuation was all the proof she needed.
She said nothing, striding forward until she stood before their table.
Her expression was complex as she finally spoke. "The Knights of Favonius just received a report. The Sky Lyre was stolen from the Cathedral by the Fatui."
"An eyewitness saw an Electro Cicin Mage near the scene."
"And yet now, the lyre is here. With you."
Lumine immediately spoke up. "Grand Acting Master, we did run into the Fatui!"
"They were acting suspiciously, so we followed them. We saw them steal the Sky Lyre from outside the Cathedral and intercepted them!"
As she finished, her heart pounded. She watched Jean's reaction carefully, praying she would be believed.
Jean's expression flickered, a strange look in her eyes. She frowned, clearly not expecting such an explanation.
Her first instinct was doubt.
The Fatui were notoriously cunning. Would they really allow such an important target to be taken from them so easily?
But... the Sky Lyre was right there. The proof was undeniable.
What truly astonished her, however, was the lyre's condition. The nuns at the Cathedral had all tried to awaken it. She herself had attempted to resonate with it using her own wind elemental power, but the strings had remained silent.
Yet now, not only had the lyre reappeared, but it pulsed with an unprecedented vitality, its entire frame glowing with the light of the wind.
Could this really be the result of a simple interception?
Her questioning gaze moved between Lumine, Kael, and Venti.
Paimon nodded vigorously, trying to add credibility. "That's right! We're heroes saving Mondstadt, we would never steal anything!"
"We were just being brave and took the Sky Lyre back! Right, Lumine?" Paimon shot Lumine a desperate, meaningful look.
Lumine nodded like a pecking chick. "Exactly!"
Kael watched the scene unfold, a thought flashing through his mind.
Absolute genius.
He couldn't believe they'd managed to spin it that way.
He had expected Paimon to come up with some ludicrous excuse, but Lumine had calmly woven a narrative that was just plausible enough to work.
In truth, Jean already knew the Fatui were the prime suspects, and she didn't believe for a second that Venti or Lumine would steal a sacred relic.
In that context, Lumine's explanation made a strange sort of sense.
If they had truly just intercepted the Fatui, then the Knights had no reason to blame them. In fact, they should be thanking them.
The excuse was nearly flawless.
Jean's brow remained furrowed, but the suspicion in her heart had already lessened considerably.
After a moment, she sighed, her tone softening. "...If that's the case, this matter still requires further investigation."
She paused, her gaze sweeping over them once more. "However, I hope you will cooperate to ensure there are no further misunderstandings."
Paimon breathed a quiet sigh of relief. "Phew, we convinced her," she whispered.
Lumine gave a steady nod. "Of course, Grand Acting Master. We will fully cooperate."
Venti merely smiled, his fingers idly strumming a single string on the lyre. The wind's melody sang out again, as if in response.
"Then I'll take the Sky Lyre back now," Jean continued.
Venti's hand stopped. He shook his head. "I'm afraid the lyre can't be returned just yet."
"What do you mean?" Jean asked, stunned. Was this bard also after the Sky Lyre?
"It's like this, Jean!" Paimon quickly interjected. "After we got the lyre from the Fatui, we met this bard, and he said its music could save Dvalin!"
Paimon hurriedly recounted everything Venti had told them, leaving Jean speechless.
Such a thing was possible?
But then she saw the Sky Lyre, which had truly been rejuvenated by Dvalin's tear. She fell silent.
She knew Lumine possessed the crystal tear; she had been there when it was purified.
But for that tear to also purify the Sky Lyre, and for the lyre to then be able to channel the Anemo Archon's power to call Dvalin...
Jean was quiet for a long time, looking from Venti to the lyre, lost in thought. The influx of new information was disorienting.
Finally, she looked at Venti. "The lyre's song can truly restore Stormterror to his senses? Is that true?"
"It is! The Honorary Knight is on the front lines, working to resolve the Stormterror incident." Venti nodded with certainty. "The fact that the Sky Lyre responded is proof."
"If you don't believe me, I can tell you another story..."
"No, I believe you."
Jean shook her head. "Dvalin, the Dragon of the East, one of the Four Winds... I could never understand why he would betray us."
"But if he was poisoned by corrupted blood during the war to defend Mondstadt all those years ago..."
"And then further corrupted by the Abyss Order upon waking... it's true he wouldn't be in control of his own actions."
"But as Acting Grand Master, I could never say such words aloud."
"Under diplomatic pressure from the Fatui, it's difficult for the Knights to publicly show goodwill toward Stormterror. It would be seen as indulgence and inaction. So even if we act, it must be done in secret."
"The conflict between Mondstadt and Snezhnaya is, at its core, a conflict between the Seven Nations and their Seven Archons."
"The Fatui, led by the Cryo Archon, are coveting the divine power left behind by the Anemo Archon..."
"So that's it." Lumine looked astonished. "Because they covet the Anemo Archon's power, they want to kill Dvalin? And that's why they offered to take over the city's defenses?"
"If their public attempts to kill the dragon are thwarted by the Knights, then the Sky Lyre is the only piece of the Anemo Archon's power they can still obtain," Jean mused. "Your reasoning is sound. I can assist you."
"If Stormterror can be restored, it means he can once again become a guardian of Mondstadt."
Jean took a deep breath.
If that happened, it would be a tremendous boon. Once Dvalin was willing to protect Mondstadt again, his power would serve as a high-level deterrent, forcing the Fatui to reconsider their actions. Since the Grand Master had departed with a host of elite knights, Mondstadt's own forces had been stretched thin. Even in the face of the Fatui's insolence, the Knights had been forced to tread carefully.
"Excellent."
Venti's eyes narrowed. "You said the Fatui's goal is to claim Dvalin's power for the Cryo Archon... you may be underestimating their resolve."
"Their true objective may be to use the connection of the wind to find the Anemo Archon himself, Barbatos..."
"Just like how Lisa used the ley lines to track the source of the storms to the three temples," Lumine added.
"The Anemo Archon?" Diluc frowned. "The Anemo Archon left Mondstadt a thousand years ago. Why would you think their goal is to find the god himself?"
"Ehe?"
Venti just smiled. Diluc's face darkened. What was that supposed to mean?
"Ah, information's here."
Venti's eyebrows suddenly shot up. "Dvalin's teardrop crystals can currently be found in three locations: the Thousand Winds Temple, the ruins in the woods, and Dadaupa Gorge."
"Eh? Those three places?" Paimon scratched her head. "They all sound so far away."
"Are you certain of those locations?" Jean asked, hesitating.
"Of course." Venti nodded. "Dvalin rested in those places. You'll definitely find them there."
"In that case, I will join you tomorrow." Jean decided. "I possess a wind Vision, and the Traveler can also use the wind element. We should be able to cover all three locations in a day and find the teardrop crystals."
"Once they're purified, we can call Dvalin and restore him."
"For tonight, why don't you all get some rest?"
"How about we gather tomorrow morning?"
"Sounds good!" Paimon agreed readily. "No problem at all."
"As long as we're not leaving right now." After a day like this, she was exhausted.
"Then it's settled." Lumine nodded.
Tonight, they would rest and recover their strength.
"I will play a song for you tomorrow to see you off," Venti added with a wink.
"Huh?" Paimon looked at him suspiciously. "Are you trying to get out of work? Just going to contribute with your mouth?"
"Playing the lyre requires hands, you know."
Venti's smug smile left Paimon speechless. "Ugh, you're so annoying! I'm giving you a nasty nickname," she huffed. "Hmm... I've decided! From now on, you're the 'Tone-Deaf Bard'!"
"Then it is decided."
Jean nodded, a hint of exhaustion in her eyes, but she maintained her composure as Grand Acting Master. "We'll meet here, at the tavern, at nine tomorrow morning."
"Got it!" Lumine agreed without hesitation, Paimon echoing her enthusiastically.
Venti just propped his chin on his hand, looking as carefree as ever.
With that, Jean and the Knights departed, and the tension in the room finally dissipated.
Venti stretched lazily. "Alright, since we have to wake up early, I should probably find a place to have a few more drinks."
He winked at them. "Don't be late."
Lumine watched the laid-back Archon with a helpless smile. Even if he never admitted it, his carefree spirit was truly the symbol of Mondstadt's freedom.
"Well, let's all get some rest," Lumine said, rising to leave with Kael.
Venti was already humming an unknown tune as he disappeared into the night.
"See you tomorrow, Kael!" Paimon called out. "You have to be there!"
"Of course."
Kael nodded. He still hadn't received his reward, after all. And after the day's running around, he was more tired than he let on.
Soon, Kael returned to his own home to rest.