"And…" Jean paused, then added, "I think I know a place."
"So fast?" Venti looked genuinely surprised.
"I can't be certain." Jean shook her head. "It's information from a survival expert at the Adventurers' Guild—Lynn. One of our Knights mentioned it in passing, and someone recorded it during a conversation."
Kaito rubbed his forehead, speechless. "Of course you'd know. You read every patrol report your people submit, don't you?"
"It's simply being responsible," Jean replied, calm as ever—like it was the most normal thing in the world.
She didn't see anything strange about it.
"…Then I can offer a lead too." Diluc set his spoon down. "At Windwail Highland, a hunter saw a dragon land."
"On the way toward Cape Oath…" Jean nodded. "I know that area."
Windwail Highland was all long, narrow valleys and ridgelines—high slopes on both sides, and to the south it even bordered Dragonspine.
Diluc's description was still too broad. They'd likely need the hunter to guide them.
"Mine is more specific," Jean said. "The Thousand Winds Temple."
Venti's expression dimmed for the briefest moment. "If Dvalin went there… that would make sense."
"Then we move fast." Once Jean decided, she moved like a blade. "I'll return, give orders, and tomorrow we begin."
"Wait." Venti held up a hand, stopping them.
"Just you won't be enough."
"Bard," Diluc said evenly, "what do you mean?"
Diluc had already guessed enough about Venti's identity to feel uncomfortable.
But if Venti wanted to pretend—
Diluc would play along.
"Even if you find the tear crystals, you won't be able to bring them back."
Venti's tone turned serious.
"Dvalin's tears contain powerful corrosive curse energy. Ordinary people who touch them could die."
"And that curse repels elemental power. Even Vision holders can't safely carry them on their bodies."
"Then…" Jean hesitated.
"You need to bring the Honorary Knight," Venti said, looking at Lumine. "She can purify the curse on the spot."
"Once it's purified, it's safe to bring back."
"…So we really do have to go one by one," Diluc said, nodding. "I'll locate the crystal at Windwail Highland with the hunter. You go to Thousand Winds Temple first."
"We can split," Lumine spoke up.
"…Oh?" Venti leaned forward, intrigued. "What, can little Paimon do it too?"
"Me?" Paimon flailed her hands, bewildered. "I didn't even know I was that amazing!"
"Kaito can," Lumine said plainly.
"Kaito?" Venti eyed him, knuckles resting lightly against his lips as he thought. "So… is it that travelers from other worlds can all do it?"
"Probably," Kaito said with a shrug.
"Then we split into two teams?" Venti asked, looking around for agreement.
He kept himself very neatly off the list of people doing the actual work.
Paimon immediately narrowed her eyes.
This bard… wasn't he basically planning to contribute nothing but his mouth?
"Yes." Jean's voice was cool and decisive. "Two teams investigate the only two confirmed leads we have. The Knights gather more intelligence."
"It's the most efficient option."
"I'll have my network collect information too," Diluc added.
That was likely why Kaito had called the two of them.
More hands made lighter work.
"Mmm. Really," Venti said dreamily, "heroes entrusting their hopes to one another, setting off together—those scenes are always so moving."
"Let me play a tune to see you off."
He lifted the Holy Lyre and stepped into an open space.
Paimon snapped to attention.
She pointed at him like she'd caught him red-handed.
"Hey! You're trying to slack o—trying to contribute nothing but words again, aren't you?!"
Venti chuckled. "Playing the Lyre uses hands too."
"Ugh! I'm so mad!" Paimon stomped mid-air. "I'm giving you a horrible nickname!"
"…I've decided! From now on, you're 'the street singer'!"
She puffed up, fierce and tiny.
Jean opened her mouth, intending to stop her—but paused, then let it go.
Mondstadt was a free nation.
Maybe this kind of irreverence was exactly what Barbatos himself would prefer.
With that, the mood completely collapsed.
Venti quietly abandoned the idea of playing.
Diluc spoke first instead.
"Then my team will be me, Lumine, and this little one."
"…?"
Kaito immediately looked at him with a strange expression.
"Heh. Feeling guilty?" Kaito smiled like he'd seen right through him.
"I just don't want to run errands for you," Diluc answered smoothly.
On the surface, he meant Kaito was too good at making people do things and he didn't like it.
In his head, though—
If he ended up traveling with Kaito, wouldn't that be unbearably awkward?
Sure, he'd sent two bottles of wine as repayment, but any merchant understood the difference between things with a price and things without one.
Meeting briefly to talk business—fine.
But traveling together?
Unless you were mute, you'd eventually find a moment to bring up the artifact situation.
And Diluc was not about to volunteer for that humiliation.
"Then I'll go with Kaito."
Jean's tone stayed steady. "We'll coordinate with the Knights and move at first light."
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