The next day.
Just like in the original storyline, Diluc brought Jean along.
After a brief discussion, everyone quickly reached a consensus—
They would head straight to the Fatui stronghold and retrieve the Lyre der Himmel.
...
...
Throughout the entire operation, Cael was completely slacking off.
Frankly, he was bored.
He'd already experienced this storyline once. Going through it again held zero novelty.
Paimon and Cael lagged behind the group, chatting and munching sunflower seeds as they walked.
Diluc glanced back at them but said nothing.
Cael, at least, was useful—most of the traps and mechanisms along the way had been pointed out by him.
As for the floating white creature?
She was a full-time mascot.
Aside from cheering loudly, she contributed nothing.
What worried Cael more was that Paimon had gone from snacking to full-blown addiction.
By the time the Lyre was purified and preparations were made to summon Dvalin, Cael had already mentally checked out.
...
...
Lumine glanced at Cael.
She'd been observing him for a long time—ever since the first time he'd calmly watched the battle with Stormterror from below.
He always felt like someone who knew everything, yet chose not to say it.
Familiar. Approachable. Almost as if he'd known them for a very long time.
Like Venti, he was mysterious.
But unlike Venti's blatant theatrics, Cael kept an extremely low profile.
If anyone here was likely to have clues about her brother…
It might be him.
Assuming my suspicions are wrong, she thought.
...
...
Venti gently plucked the strings of the Lyre.
A soft, comforting melody spread through the air, stirring emotions and memories.
As expected—
Dvalin responded.
"We have nothing left to discuss," Dvalin said coldly.
"Is that so?" Venti replied gently.
"Yet I can feel that you still miss this melody."
Venti tried to continue—
But suddenly, an attack streaked through the air and struck the Lyre!
Venti was sent flying.
"Aiya—I'm down!"
Cael pinched the bridge of his nose.
Could you make it any more obvious…?
Everyone cried out in alarm.
A moment later, Abyss Mage appeared beside Dvalin, cackling maliciously.
"Don't be deceived by them!" it screeched.
"Look at their hypocrisy! Mondstadt has forgotten you!"
"You belong to the Abyss Prince now!"
"You have already fallen into the Abyss—there is no turning back!!"
A full serving of toxic propaganda.
Dvalin glared at Venti—
Then his gaze snapped to Cael, standing at the rear.
His eyes burned red.
"AGAREST!!" Dvalin roared.
"So even you have betrayed me?!"
"And you too, Barbatos—have you both come to hunt me down?!"
A violent storm erupted.
The overwhelming wind pressure froze everyone in place.
Then—
With a single beat of his massive wings, Dvalin took off and vanished.
...
...
"…Ah… we failed…" Venti said softly, looking dejected.
When he turned around, everyone was staring at him.
"…Eh?"
"Ehe," Venti laughed.
"I guess you already figured out my identity, right?"
Jean placed a hand over her chest, steadying herself.
"Lord Barbatos… no—Venti."
"Hehe, thank you for keeping my secret," Venti said, clearly pleased.
Paimon, meanwhile, looked like her soul had just been forcibly removed.
"W-WAIT—WHAT?!"
"VENTI is BARBATOS?! Mondstadt's Anemo Archon?!"
Dead silence.
Paimon slowly turned around.
Everyone else looked… unsurprised.
"So—so I'm the only one who didn't realize?!!"
Her worldview shattered.
She glared at Cael's smug smile and felt utterly humiliated.
Then she frowned.
"…Wait. Dvalin mentioned another name earlier."
"Agarest… wasn't that someone from Liyue?"
Diluc stepped forward.
"Agarest," he said calmly.
"The Dark Demon God. One of the most powerful entities five hundred years ago."
"Presumed dead. Cause unknown."
Jean nodded.
"I've heard the legend as well. But if Agarest truly fell… why would Dvalin claim he betrayed him?"
Venti immediately started sweating.
"P-Probably corruption!" he said quickly.
"His mind's in chaos—maybe he just thought Agarest was still alive!"
Diluc crossed his arms.
"That explanation is full of holes."
Jean murmured thoughtfully.
"Lumine and Paimon are outsiders. Diluc and I are natives of Mondstadt…"
Her gaze slowly shifted.
Everyone's gaze shifted.
To Cael.
He was still behind Paimon, calmly cracking sunflower seeds.
"…Go on," Cael said innocently when he noticed the stares.
"Why are you all looking at me?"
"Me? Agarest?"
He laughed. "Don't joke around."
"I'd be lucky just to have a Vision. A Demon God? Come on."
His expression was flawless—confusion, surprise, disbelief, amusement.
No cracks.
Venti silently raised a thumb.
Big bro—still the best.
Venti stepped forward.
"Alright, that's enough. As Barbatos, I swear—"
"Cael is not Agarest."
(Barbatos's oath, not mine, he added mentally.)
With that, suspicion finally dispersed.
Even Paimon breathed a sigh of relief.
"That scared me to death! If you really were Agarest, I'd never dare mess with you again!"
She patted Cael's head cheerfully.
"Good thing I can keep bullying you, right? You big pervert—HAHA—OW!!"
She was promptly kicked to the ground and brutally kneaded.
Ignoring the chaos, Diluc turned back to Venti.
"So what's next? Still trying to persuade him?"
Venti rubbed his chin.
"Soft methods failed. Time for force."
"We need to shatter the crystal on Dvalin's back to free him."
"He'll return to Stormterror's Lair. That's where we'll find him."
Paimon looked doubtful.
"Just us? Can we really beat him?"
Venti puffed out his chest.
"Hmph! With me here, victory is guaranteed!"
(Besides… I've got Brother Cael as my trump card, he thought.)
Paimon stared at him flatly.
"What kind of god even says that…"
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