"Haha, actually, there's another reason why I couldn't fight back against the Tsaritsa."
Venti stood with his hands on his hips, smiling as if nothing had happened.
"What! Is the Tsaritsa really that terrifying?" Paimon gasped, covering her mouth in shock.
"Indeed. Otherwise, the Fatui wouldn't dare act so brazenly in every nation."
Venti nodded, his expression serious.
"...That, Lord Barbatos, what is a Gnosis? Will losing it affect you badly?"
Eula asked, her hands resting on the sides of her hips, which were clad in a form-fitting leather bodysuit with semi-transparent black stockings that revealed glimpses of her pale skin beneath.
Venti explained, "A Gnosis is a magical item similar to a Vision, but it's more advanced. It's a symbol of the Seven Archons' authority. Having it allows me to control my elemental powers fully. Without it, my powers are somewhat diminished, but it doesn't harm me."
"Phew—" Paimon breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought without it, you wouldn't live long."
"Not at all. Generally, as long as an Archon isn't directly killed, we don't have lifespan issues. However, there are other unavoidable problems. The longer we live, the more 'wear and tear' we experience emotionally. The more 'wear and tear,' the more we might turn into something we despise."
Venti shrugged, his tone light despite the seriousness of his words.
"I see. But I've rarely heard the term 'wear and tear' used this way. What exactly does it mean?"
Lumine asked, crossing her arms and looking slightly puzzled.
"Well... over time or through experiencing sorrowful events, our mindset and perception can change in ways we might not even notice. I might end up like Dvalin, causing storms and becoming a god who hates humanity," Venti said with a hint of exaggeration.
So, if Dvalin had been controlled by the Abyss Order, losing his freedom or even dying, that would count as one of Venti's 'wear and tear' experiences?
Nolan pondered. Given Venti's bond with Dvalin, any harm to the dragon would surely sadden him deeply.
"What?! You want to destroy the world, you bard!" Paimon shrieked, hiding behind Lumine.
"Haha, it seems I've scared little Paimon. But don't worry. As long as I live freely and happily, 'wear and tear' will be a very slow process."
The green-clad bard laughed, his demeanor carefree.
"If 'wear and tear' is so bad, is there any way to avoid it?" Nolan asked curiously.
"... Hmm, theoretically, as long as one is alive, 'wear and tear' will happen. To avoid it, a long period of sleep is a good method."
Venti thought for a moment and suggested a common solution among gods. After all, sleeping would prevent them from experiencing events that could lead to severe 'wear and tear.'
Thus, the remaining 'wear and tear' caused by the passage of time can be mostly disregarded.
"Uh, what kind of solution is that?" Paimon was a bit speechless.
Long periods of sleep were practically like "temporary death," a complete waste of time without any benefit. It only prolonged the inevitable 'wear and tear.'
"This method is actually quite effective. Take the neighboring nation of Liyue, for example. The Geo Archon there frequently uses this method to avoid 'wear and tear.'
Though he governs the nation, he only appears once a year during the 'Rite of Descension' to guide the development for the upcoming year.
"He is recognized among the gods as the one who has lived the longest and knows the most. Traveler, if you want to find out who took your brother, the Geo Archon might have seen them."
Venti had wanted to tell Lumine about this earlier but had been interrupted by the sudden attack from the Fatui Harbinger.
"He only appears once a year?! When can we see him?" Paimon exclaimed in surprise.
"In about two months. It will take you a little over a month to get there, so if you don't want to miss him, you should set off soon."
Venti thought for a moment before smiling and suggesting.
"Alright, we'll prepare to leave as soon as possible." The gentle breeze ruffled Lumine's golden hair as she nodded in agreement.
Not long after, Kaeya, the cavalry captain, arrived with a squad of Knights of Favonius.
"I heard from the nuns that there was a fierce battle here. Can you tell us what happened?" Kaeya asked, a smile playing on his dark-skinned face.
"Kaeya, it's you. A Fatui Harbinger attacked us just now but has already fled." Eula briefly explained the events that had transpired.
"Oh, a Fatui Harbinger's attack? This is a serious diplomatic issue," Kaeya said, his expression uncharacteristically stern.
Due to the Abyss Order's rampant activities on Teyvat, Snezhnaya, and the other six nations had formed diplomatic alliances to jointly resist the invasion of the Abyssal Monsters.
The fact that a Fatui Harbinger attacked the Anemo Archon in such a brazen manner was not something that could be easily overlooked.
This incident could severely strain the diplomatic alliance, increasing the pressure on Mondstadt to fend off the Abyssal monsters on its own.
Although the Fatui were domineering, they still served a purpose in Mondstadt; otherwise, they would have been expelled long ago.
However, the Anemo Archon was the faith of Mondstadt, and regardless of the consequences, the Knights of Favonius had to demand an explanation from the Fatui!
Seeing the dangerous glint in the cavalry captain's eyes, Venti quickly tried to diffuse the situation, "Uh, Kaeya, there's no need to provoke them. Honestly, I don't mind."
"Lord Barbatos, we can't just let this slide. Otherwise, everyone will think that the Knights of Favonius are cowards," Kaeya replied, spreading his hands in a gesture of helplessness.
In the game's storyline, the Knights of Favonius had no significant reaction to the Anemo Archon losing his Gnosis, likely because the "Lady" had taken it and left without being seen by the knights, leaving no evidence behind.
But now, with the reconnaissance captain personally fighting her and numerous nuns as witnesses, the situation was different.
Even though they didn't know Venti was the Anemo Archon, the extent of the damage meant the Fatui had to be held accountable.
"Alright, but no matter what happens, we can't let Mondstadt go to war with Snezhnaya," Venti said, lowering his hands in resignation.
He understood the vast difference in power between Mondstadt and Snezhnaya. If it came to war, Mondstadt would likely lose, and maintaining the peace of recent years was no small feat. He couldn't let everyone be dragged into conflict.
Of course, the gods knew each other well, and there was no real animosity between their nations. A major conflict was unlikely to occur.
"Understood," Kaeya acknowledged.
He then turned to Eula, Nolan, and Lumine, saying, "Reconnaissance Captain, along with our two honorary knights, please join me in surrounding the Goth Grand Hotel."
(End of Chapter)
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