Chapter 12: The Truth Revealed and Wendy's Punishment
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[Venti: "Even though you say so, Captain Jean, Dvalin's madness really has nothing to do with me."]
[Venti: "Besides, if you truly want to know who caused Dvalin to become Stormterror, all you need to do is wait for the Q&A to end, right?"]
[Wendy: "I'm sure the answer provided by the Q&A system will convince everyone, don't you think?"]
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Wendy's confidence didn't waver. After all, as the Anemo Archon himself, he knew with absolute certainty that Dvalin's fall into madness wasn't his fault. He could proudly say that with a clear conscience.
"Proud and confident, that's me!"
However, a small doubt suddenly crept into Wendy's mind. "Hmm... If I had intervened earlier, maybe Dvalin wouldn't have reached this point..."
But then he brushed off the thought quickly. "It's not entirely my fault! Maybe I could've done something sooner, but I'm definitely not the main culprit!"
Wendy's words left many in the Q&A chat group stunned. Then, realization dawned on them all.
"Oh, right!" Since this powerful Q&A system had shown them these events and posed this question, it must already know the correct answer. All they had to do was wait and let the system reveal the truth.
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[Zhongli: "In terms of universal logic, relying on the Q&A system to provide the answer is indeed the most appropriate and convincing method."]
[Yanfei: "In Liyue's law, a suspect's own testimony is not considered conclusive evidence, so trusting the judgment of this Q&A system seems reasonable."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "If it's this Q&A system, I believe we can trust its answer."]
[Kujou Sara: "Indeed, the Q&A system will surely provide the most accurate answer."]
[Lisa: "I agree. Since the Q&A system brought us this question, it's only fitting to let it give us the answer."]
[Kaeya: "In that case, Wendy, how about you answer the question yourself and clear your name?"]
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[Venti: "Huh? You want me to answer it?"]
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In the tavern, Wendy, who had been feeling pleased about clearing his name, suddenly froze when he read Kaeya's suggestion.
"What?! I was about to let the Q&A system take the heat, and now you want me to answer it myself?!"
"Kaeya, you scheming backstabber! I'm your beloved Archon!"
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[Kaeya: "Of course! Since you've been insisting on your innocence, it only makes sense for you to prove it yourself, right?"]
[Jean: "Kaeya's right. Since you believe in your own innocence, Mr. Wendy, please answer the question."]
[Diluc: "Or could it be that you're afraid the truth will expose you as the real culprit?"]
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[Wendy: "Th-this... fine, I'll do it!"]
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Left with no other choice, Wendy agreed reluctantly. He felt like crying inside. All he'd wanted to do was soothe Dvalin, and now he was stuck in this mess!
"Dvalin, I've done so much for you. You'd better thank me for this later!"
"And Kaeya… just you wait! I'll use my power as the Anemo Archon to make things difficult for you!"
As Wendy plotted his revenge, the one-minute countdown came to an end.
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[Ding! Wendy has successfully grabbed the chance to answer. Please provide your response.]
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[Wendy: "I choose A! The culprit who caused the Dragon of the East Wind to become Stormterror is… Wendy!"]
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The entire continent of Teyvat held its breath. Whether in Mondstadt, Liyue, or Inazuma, everyone was glued to the screen, waiting for the system's verdict.
After everything they had learned, it was now clear that Stormterror was once Dvalin, one of the Four Winds of Mondstadt and a servant of Barbatos, the Anemo Archon.
Would Wendy really be revealed as the culprit?
Finally, the system responded.
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[Wendy's answer is incorrect.]
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Wendy breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment, he had been genuinely nervous.
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[Venti: "See? I told you it wasn't me! Now do you believe that I'm innocent?"]
[Paimon: "Huh? So Wendy isn't the one responsible for Dvalin's madness?"]
[Xingqiu: "I can't believe it. I was almost convinced that Wendy was some kind of hidden villain. But it turns out… he really is just a carefree bard!"]
[Jean: "Mr. Wendy, I sincerely apologize on behalf of the Knights of Favonius. We wrongfully suspected you."]
[Barbara: "I'm sorry for misjudging you. I was too hasty."]
[Amber: "Yeah, I'm sorry for doubting you!"]
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[Wendy: "It's all good, really. You were just worried about Dvalin. I'm sure Barbatos would be proud to have such caring people in Mondstadt."]
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As the misunderstanding surrounding Wendy was cleared, the tense atmosphere in the chat group eased. The people of Mondstadt, one by one, offered their apologies, and Wendy accepted them with a satisfied smile.
Unlike the strict governance of the Geo Archon or the eternal ambitions of the Electro Archon, Wendy—Barbatos, the god of freedom—had always believed in giving power to the people of Mondstadt.
And now, seeing the trust and loyalty of Mondstadt's citizens, Wendy couldn't help but feel a deep sense of pride.
Satisfied and content, Wendy picked up a glass of wine, ready to take a celebratory sip.
But before the glass could reach his lips, the Q&A system chimed in again.
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[Wendy's answer is incorrect! Punishment will now be administered.]
[Punishment: For the next month, Wendy will act like a cat whenever he touches or smells wine.]
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In the Angel's Share Tavern, Wendy froze, his celebratory mood instantly vanishing as he read the punishment.
Suddenly, the delicious aroma of wine turned into a curse, and Wendy felt an overwhelming compulsion to act like a cat every time he got near it. The mental image of him purring and rubbing up against wine barrels filled him with horror.
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"This is heaven for a cat lover, but for me, this is pure hell!"
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