"Where did you run into him?" Kaito asked.
"We chased him to the Statue of the Seven plaza," Lumine said. "He was performing there. It was… actually really good."
"He's still not doing anything useful…" Kaito rubbed his forehead, speechless. The guy didn't go to the Knights—didn't go to anyone—just ran off to perform.
"But isn't performing… literally what a bard is supposed to do?" Paimon looked genuinely confused.
"…When you put it like that, I can't even argue." Kaito clicked his tongue, then asked, "Alright. And then?"
"Then we thought he was suspicious," Lumine said seriously. "He knows way too much about Barbatos and Stormterror. We want to tail him."
She hesitated, then asked, "He said he was going to the 'symbol of Mondstadt's heroism.' Where is that?"
"Windrise," Kaito replied. "Southeast of the city. There's a huge oak tree. You can get there in about half a day."
"An oak tree?" Lumine frowned. What did a tree have to do with "heroism"?
Kaito seemed to read her thoughts and explained, "That's where Vanessa ascended."
"…I'm going," Lumine said.
She wanted to investigate this herself.
She couldn't keep leaning on Kaito for everything—if she did, she'd just become dead weight.
"Buy some Mora Meat on the way," Kaito reminded her.
"Mora Meat?!" Paimon's eyes sparkled. "Is it meat made out of Mora?! That sounds delicious!"
"It's just a normal meat pie," Kaito said. "It's stamped with a Mora design. There's a stall right by the gate—perfect for a quick outing."
"Lumine, let's go!" Paimon grabbed the momentum immediately.
They left Good Hunter, scanned the stalls nearby, and quickly spotted the sign.
Two portions of Mora Meat later, they were munching as they headed out of the city.
…
Windrise.
This place wasn't just the symbol of Mondstadt's heroism—it was also the land's origin point.
Long, long ago, Mondstadt had been a frozen wasteland. It was only after Barbatos split the mountains, bringing warm seasonal winds to scatter the ice and snow, that Mondstadt gained the gentle climate it had today.
That "mountain range" had been Windrise's original terrain.
The first breeze blew through the break—feeding the land.
That was how Windrise got its name.
Lumine and Paimon stepped onto the grasslands, following the oak tree's direction.
A tiny Hydro Slime and a small Dendro Slime popped out at one point, then scurried away when they noticed them.
Given Windrise's meaning—and the safety of the many citizens who came here to pray—the Knights of Favonius kept patrols in the area year-round, clearing monsters.
Night fell, stars like scattered embers.
Around the great oak, fireflies drifted and Anemo Crystalflies shimmered through the air.
Venti stood beneath the tree, quietly breathing in the scent of the leaves and wind.
A faint sound—wrong for the calm breeze—made his eyes open.
He turned his head and asked, "Why are you here?"
Since he'd noticed them, Lumine didn't bother hiding.
She stepped forward openly. "I want to know more about the Anemo Archon."
"Barbatos?" Venti lifted an eyebrow. "That guy's been gone from Mondstadt for a long time."
"The Geo Archon of Liyue is still around. Inazuma's Raiden Shogun is still around. But Mondstadt hasn't seen its god in… ages."
He said it without the slightest shame.
Then he tilted his head. "Why do you want to ask about Barbatos? Is it related to Dvalin?"
Paimon was about to speak—
But Lumine still didn't trust him. This guy was suspicious. She wasn't about to spill everything.
So she only nodded. "Mm. Someone told me about Stormterror's past."
Venti's interest flickered—he was just about to press—
When his eyes shifted past her, beyond the oak.
He sighed, helpless. "It's been a long time since I came back here."
"Looks like… some things aren't happy about my return."
"The wind's direction changing affects more than just dragons…"
His tone carried no real worry.
Then—
A gale rolled in from the distance.
Lumine raised an arm to shield her eyes. When she adjusted, she saw a monster wrapped in violent wind barreling toward them.
"Wait… on a plain with nothing but a gentle breeze, why would something like that be here?" Paimon blurted.
Then she glanced at Venti, who had already slipped to the side, and whispered, "Is it… chasing him? Like we did?"
"This green guy's connection to Anemo feels even deeper than yours!"
Lumine drew the Favonius Sword. "Either way—let's deal with it first."
Fortunately, Kaito had taken them training in Stormbearer Mountains and given her that "big gift pack."
This kind of enemy…
She felt she could handle it alone now.
If Kaito were here, he'd recognize it instantly: an Anemo Hypostasis fragment—an Anemo Sigil Core—only Lv.15.
Lumine took a bit of time, found its weak point, and shattered the core.
The wind-wrapped creature collapsed into scattered motes.
"Nice work," Venti clapped. "Not bad at all for the Knights' Honorary Knight."
"What the—! He totally knows us!" Paimon pointed like she'd caught him red-handed. "He was acting all forgetful earlier!"
"Heh." Venti didn't respond to that. He simply turned back to Lumine. "So… you said someone told you about Stormterror's past?"
"He only said Stormterror's temperament changed because of a curse," Lumine answered—still refusing to reveal who.
"Oh?" Venti's eyes narrowed with real curiosity.
But when he saw Lumine still dodging the important part, he understood. He scratched the back of his head, then grew uncharacteristically serious.
"He's right," Venti said softly. "Dvalin's hatred of humans isn't because people stopped worshipping the Four Winds."
"It's what came after the corruption."
"It was the black blood—poison from that evil dragon—flowing into his heart."
"It tormented him so badly that his long sleep was never peaceful."
"So when he woke this time… his mind was easily eroded by the Abyss Mage's curse."
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