In the wake of the disappearance of Dvalin's storms, the morale within the City of Mondstadt is at an all time high. Citizens are gathering around the fountain area, each celebrating their newfound freedom their own way.
Some gather together for a round of drinks, while some are content with emptying their wallet in Good Hunter. The bards, meanwhile, are busy in their own little group. Some are reciting verse after verse passionately for all to hear, while the others are complementing them with their instruments.
Within the deserted balcony behind the fountain, the four of us watch on. For the first time since I arrived in Mondstadt, the citizens are showing me first hand why they call this the City of Wine and Song.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Looking over at his people, Barbatos let out a content sigh. "Mondstadt is no stranger to devastating crises, but each and every time the people always pull through. This time, though, I can't help but wonder whether they'll be able to do so without your help."
Leaning myself against the railing, I look over towards Barbatos. "Is there a reason you dragged us here?"
"Yeah, what gives?" Floating closer towards the Anemo Archon, Paimon appears to be looking over the bard in question. "Now that Paimon think about it, weren't you the one we met in the forest?"
Giving the little fairy a clap, Barbatos smiles. "Ara, aren't you a smart one? But yes, that was me in the forest. I was trying to communicate with Dvalin, but someone just had to interrupt." Giving a side glance towards Lumine, Barbatos purse his mouth into a pout.
'I beg you Barbatos, please stop acting like a cute girl before you awaken something in me.'
"Ah, sorry…." Letting out a sheepish smile in return, Lumine utters an apology. Not that it's her fault anyway.
As if a switch has been flipped, Barbatos let out a giggle, returning to his happy-go-lucky self. "I'm joking, I'm joking! Though it would've been nice to have a chat with an old friend, I don't think he'll listen to me anyway."
"You talk like you're friends with Stormterror or something. Who the heck are you anyway?"
Beaming at Paimon's question, he materializes his lyre and begins strumming it. "I'm glad you asked, little friend! I am Venti the bard, three times winner of 'Most Popular Bard of Mondstadt'!"
"Otherwise known as the Anemo Archon, Barbatos."
The moment those words came out of my mouth, the surrounding suddenly went silent. Actually silent. As in, the sound of the festivities down below has basically disappeared.
'Wow, I made one just for this talk, but damn his control is amazing. As expected of an archon. Now I have somewhat of a baseline to compare to.'
"Barbatos? The Anemo God?" Lumine exclaimed, surprised at the sudden revelation.
"Ara, what gave it away I wonder?" Though he acts as if he's caught off guard with that statement, his eyes betray his surprise, looking more amused than anything else.
"What do you mean 'what gave it away'? You're not exactly being subtle about it you know? Your voice, your close relationship with Dvalin, you suddenly thanking us for helping drive out Dvalin? What more do you want me to say?"
"Ahahaha! You're an interesting one aren't you? Yes, I am indeed Barbatos." After having his share of laughter, he let out a dissatisfied grunt. "I was hoping for it to be a big reveal, you know? The look of surprise on your faces would have been quite the sight!"
"I'd rather not waste our time with pointless back-and-forths. You called out to us, does that mean you need our help in something?"
"What? Can't I just greet the heroes of Mondstadt and express my never-ending gratitude towards them?" The faux-shock on his face is not helping his case, honestly.
"So you don't need our help?"
"I never said that." Rummaging something out of his pocket, he grabs something and shows it to us: four tear-shaped crystals, each one pulsating with red light. The same kind of crystal that's currently in Lumine's possession. "Have you seen crystals like these?"
'Huh, I thought we were supposed to collect those ourselves. How convenient.'
"We do. Show him what we found in the forest, Lumine!" Nodding her head, she grabs her own crystal, and shows it to Barbatos. However, to her surprise, the crystal is no longer red. Instead, it shines with a white-blue glow.
"What?! It wasn't like this last time!"
"Can you give it to me?" With her permission, Barbatos takes the crystal out of her hand and looks at it closely. "Amazing… the poison within is purified. You have quite the interesting ability, don't you?"
Putting the crystal closer to his face, Barbatos continued, "People like you two are such a rarity. I'm not sure what exactly you are capable of, but if this–" waving the crystal in his hand, he looks towards the two of us, "is one of the things one of you is capable of, I couldn't help but be excited!
"Ahh, I can't wait to see what kind of influence you'll have in this world, dear otherworlders."
"I would appreciate it if you don't casually expose me like that, Barbatos."
"Ara, look who's talking."
'Tch, touché'
Ignoring the shocked look on Lumine's face, Barbatos focuses his attention on me. "Especially you. A high-quality puppet such as you is very few and far between. Such a masterpiece you are. I wonder who created you?"
I didn't say anything. Maybe I should've, because he starts to take a closer look at me. A very close look. He's too focused on his observation that he's getting a bit too close for comfort.
'Oh god he's touching me.'
Lifting my hat out of the way, he runs his hands over my face, as if marveling at a piece of art. "Fascinating. There's practically zero difference between you and a human being. Despite being mechanical in nature, do you have biological needs? If so, how does it feel to be a 'human' despite your nature as a puppet? Why do you have a vision? Does it have something to do with–"
"Alright, that's enough questions out of your mouth, Barbatos." I said, as I covered his mouth with my hand. Who knows how much longer he's going to babble if I don't do this.
'At least he answered the question of whether or not I'm actually a puppet. Having basic human needs kind of made it hard to actually tell.'
"Hmph! Alright then, keep your secrets." Seeing that his curiosity wouldn't be sated anytime soon, he turns his attention back towards our resident blonde protagonist. "Anyway! It seems that you are capable of purifying his tears. Can you do the same for these?"
Shaking her shock out of her head, Lumine reaches out towards the tears on Barbatos' hand and takes them.
Shortly after, the four crystals gently float above her hands and they slowly become much clearer. Barbatos, who is closely observing the process, couldn't help but marvel at the process. When the four crystals are successfully purified, Barbatos takes them alongside the one in Lumine's possession. "With these, I should be able to restore the Holy Lyre."
"The Holy Lyre? What's that?"
"It's the lyre I used a long time ago. I was hoping to use it to communicate with Dvalin better, but after thousands of years of disuse, the anemo energy within has pretty much dissipated. That's why I need these crystals. It took me some time to collect these, but this much should be enough."
"I see." Nodding her head in understanding, Lumine continues. "Since it's yours, it should be in your possession right?"
"No, actually. The church has it. They made it a national treasure of sorts. Really, it's just an old lyre though. Nowadays the only time it's being used is for Ludi Harpastrum."
Wow. This guy is unbelievable.
'Just a lyre he says. What basically amounts to a powerful artifact is just a lyre, he says. An archon's perspective is really something else. Reminds me of Morax's penchant to buy things, despite not having any Mora to his name. Well, I guess he did. Heh.'
Patting myself in the back for that clever joke, I urge Barbatos to continue. "And how do you plan to get your lyre back?"
"Plan? What plan? All I have to do is ask nicely. I'm sure they'll remember their own archon once I show them my power!"
Remembering the disbelief plastered across the sister's face the last time around, I highly doubt it'll succeed. Who knows though, it might just work. "Good luck with that."
"Mhm!" Pocketing the crystals, the green bard starts walking towards the cathedral's direction. "Well, I'll meet you shortly after I get my lyre back. In the meantime, enjoy the festivities, heroes. You definitely deserve it!"
Before he left though, he turned towards me once more. "Oh! Amazing application of anemo by the way. People usually focus too much on combat. It's nice to see someone is being clever about it. See you later, travelers!"
That damn smile of his.
'I wonder if this is how Hikigaya feels whenever he's with Totsuka?'
Now that the time for secrecy is over, I dispelled the silencing barrier, and basked in the refreshing breeze under the afternoon sun.
"So. Otherworlder huh?"
"Yeah, what she said! Paimon thought you said you were from Inazuma! And what was that about being a puppet?"
'Oh boy. Guess the barrier is going up again.'
Crossing her arms on her chest, the unamused expression on her face says everything I need to know. "Paimon's right. Is there something you're not telling me, Yuu?"
"You tell me, miss otherworlder." I replied, as I leaned my back on the railings. "We all have our secrets, princess, you're not an exception to that. Besides," I continued, the teasing tone evident for her to hear, "I can ask you the same thing."
Positioning herself next to me, she placed both of her arms on the stone railing, laying her head against them and let out a frustrated groan. "I hate you so much right now."
"I'm flattered." Floating behind the sullen blonde, Paimon rubs her back gently while consoling her. How motherly. "It's not like everything I said is a lie, you know? All that stuff about Inazuma is real. It's just that anything that involves me is not true."
"So you've been there then? You've seen it for yourself?"
"You could say that."
"That's not a yes."
"But it's not a no either."
At this point, she's practically growling with how annoyed she is. Clearly, her frustration is at an all-time high. "Ugh, you're insufferable, you know that?"
"I know. People eventually learn to like me though."
Lifting her head slightly, she gives me the stink-eye. "How could they ever put up with someone like you?"
"I'm just that good."
Enjoying the lull in the conversation, I turned my back, looking over the people below. Placing my head on my right hand, I dispelled the barrier and listened to their boisterous laughter and the melody the bards were playing.
Their festivities are something I never cared to experience before. As a professional at not touching grass, it seems a bit too crowded for someone like me. Not to mention how loud they are, and we're not even that close to them.
"So, what now?"
"We wait for Venti to come back." Carefully addressing the archon by his mortal name, I continued. "I doubt he'll be able to convince the sisters at the church to hand over the lyre. After all, it's been a long time since he made his appearance."
"That's not what I meant, Yuu."
I couldn't help but let out a sigh. This girl can be so troublesome sometimes. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. I know I won't be telling you much about me."
"Why?"
"Why, huh." Why indeed. Troublesome? Very. Dangerous? Probably. What to do, what to do. "Let's just say that my situation is a lot more complicated than yours."
"Enlighten me."
Glancing towards her for a bit, I shook my head. "Maybe another time, princess. I'm not even entirely sure myself. But who knows," I loudly clap my hands, trying to break the somewhat tense atmosphere, "maybe you'll be able to get it out of me with your charms, hmm?"
"Is that a challenge I hear?"
"I don't know. What do you think?"
"A challenge it is, then. Just you wait, I'll have you dancing in the palm of my hands soon enough."
"Heh, good luck with that, princess."
Amidst the festive atmosphere of the city, the three of us waited for Barbatos to return. Hopefully with the lyre. Who knows, maybe he'd actually manage to convince them? That'll be convenient.
'Though if the whole Abyss Lector situation is any indication, maybe not.'
I should just stick with not expecting anything after all.