PROLOGUE, ACT II, PART IV
The performance that Venti put on ended. Diluc was blown away by his performance as he looked at Venti with his eyes squinted. "What did I just witness... This is confidential information. Why did you let me know?"
Was it really that much of confidential? You thought. "Why? Hmm... Perhaps the winds are changing. What do you say, Master Diluc?" Venti asked.
"Interesting. Give me some times. I'll organize some contacts. Outlanders, as one of the Knights it seems you're not a suspect. Blonde and white are the only description on the wanted posters. You should be safe." You gave a disbelief look.
Were you not seen at all? "As for the bard however, it'd be better if you stayed at the tavern." Venti smiled widely after hearing Diluc statement and giggled.
"No problem! I like taverns." He said cheerfully which made Diluc sighed, regretting his decision. He turned to you and Aether.
"Okay, let's meet here tonight after the tavern closes." You two nodded before heading out from the tavern. You did some stretches but you still so sore after running and using your power.
"Y/N, are you okay? You seems exhausted?" Aether asked as you nodded.
"Yeah, I'm fine... No need to worry." You said as you looked at them. "You guys want to eat something? I want to try this new recipe that I bought." You said as you showed a recipe for one of the famous dishes within the Genshin community, Sweet Madame.
"Oohhh... Yes! Paimon can't wait for Y/N's cooking!" Paimon said excitedly as you guys headed back to the inn.
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"Come on, can Paimon have one last Sweet Madame?" Paimon asked as she handed her plate to you.
"For the last time, no! I am keeping these food in case of injury later. Besides, you already eaten the fifth one and we are going to be late on meeting Diluc!" You scolded Paimon as she started to whine that it wasn't enough.
You ignored her and continue to pack the food inside your inventory. Good thing about the inventory is that the food never go rot so that's good for you.
"Paimon, we'll eat some more later. Right now, we have a dragon to save." Paimon grumbled as she looked at her plate sadly.
"Fine..." She said as you sighed. Paimon is too hard to take care of. You can't imagine how would it feel to be taking care of her alone.
"Let's head back to the Angel's Share. It's already midnight and he must be waiting for us." You stated as you guys went to Angel's Share which was a few minutes away.
You were wondering if you should use a bow or a sword during the fight with Dvalin. You arrived and as you opened the door, saw Venti, Diluc and Jean stood right in front of you.
Jean looked really surprised to see you and Aether probably because you stole the Holy Lyre. "Wait, you're..."
"...Jean?" Aether looked at Jean in shock.
"Hello, Acting Grand Master." You greeted her formally, forgetting the fact that you shouldn't know that was supposed to be here.
"Well, first of all, I contacted more than one person. Secondly, she came as 'Jean' herself, not as the Acting Grand Master. A Jean that you would never see, even as the Honorary Knights." Diluc explained.
Was there much differences? You thought as you tried to recall. "What a surprise. I heard about the Holy Lyre but I never suspected it was you two." She said.
Only if she knew that I 'investigate' pretty much all the veggies that I could find in Springvale.
She turned to Venti with a hopeful look in her eyes. "So, the sound of the Holy Lyre can purify Stormterror and return it to normal... Is that true?" She asked as Venti nodded.
You already know the outcome but you felt like that if you told them about it, they either gonna still give it a try or the future might be tampered.
It already tampered because you came into the picture whether the impact for it would be big or not is something tjat you, yourself don't even know... yet.
"That's right! Y/N and Aether are putting themselves on the front line to try and resolve this Stormterror's issues. Now that's the hotshots of the Knights of Favonius I'm talking about." Venti said enthusiastically.
To you, it's just that you guys always seem to be dragged into these kinds of trouble. "Feels like we are breaking the law though..." Paimon said with a guilty look on her face.
"I understand that this is kind of absurd explanation is hard to believe. But we can ask the bard to play the song again to try and persuade-"
"I believe you." Jean said which put a smile on Venti's face.
"To persuade our stubborn comman- Wait what?" Diluc looked at Jean flabbergasted.
"I can't think of any other reason for Dvalin's betrayal, given it was once of the Four Winds. However, if it was poisoned by the battle over Mondstadt all those years ago and then corrupted by the Abyss Mage after it woke up - we can't really blame it." Jean said as she sighed.
"But as Acting Grand Master, I obviously can't make such statement publicly. Diplomatic pressure from the Fatui makes it hard for us to speak a peaceful resolution to the Stormterror issue. People would've think I've lost my grip on the situation. That's why I can only do this in private." She explained which made Diluc huffed.
You and Aether awkwardly listening to them as you two just exchange look with each other. It was as if you were sending telepathical message with each other. Though, you two don't actually know why are you two looking at each other.
"That's one of the reasons I don't like the Knights of Favonius. Though I'm surprised that you trust outlanders so easily." Diluc said as you remembered there will be a very awkward moment coming up ahead.
"My cautious and meticulous superior, even you trust them. Don't you?" She asked which earned a groan from Diluc.
"I already told you to not call me sir... Never mind, we don't often get to work together after all." Diluc said as the room fell into silent. The awkwardness in this air feel like it would kill an elephant that comes into the room.
Okay, you don't exactly know why you think of elephant but it does felt like that.
"Wow! Um... This is really awkward..." Paimon commented.
"Well... do you have any information about the location of the Holy Lyre?" You asked, trying to break the awkwardness.
"I have a rough idea where the Holy Lyre der Himmel is." Jean stated. She began to explain about the location and the diplomatic issues between Mondstadt and Snezhnaya that you really could careless. Even though you are a knight.
After discussing the plan, you set off to find the Lyre in Windwail Highland. Jean had to stay behind and waited for you guys to return.
"Jean said that the Fatui are trying to take Dvalin's power for the Cryo's God... I fear this might fall short of their true intentions. I think they intend to use Barbatos' connections to the wind to draw him out. Just like Lisa traced the source of the storm to the temples." Venti explained as Diluc was puzzled by his explanation.
"The God of Anemo? ....Hasn't been seen for more than a thousand years. What makes you think that's their intentions?" Diluc asked.
"Oh... ah..." Venti fell into silence, trying to think of some excuses.
"Didn't Jean mentioned they want Barbatos' power? They probably want something that he has or hold. Probably use the power to create a powerful army." You stated before Venti agreeing to your words.
"Make sense." Diluc as you looked at him in bewilderment. You don't even know what you are rambling honestly. Venti returned back to the tavern, saying that he isn't fit for fighting which honestly a lie.
You guys continued your journey before arriving at the Fatui hideout.
"Also, Travelers, here. Take this." He said as he gave you two a mask. Paimon looked at it in confusion.
"What is it?" Paimon asked as Diluc put on the mask.
"A disguise, to protect your identity. Put it on before you ran into Fatui." He ordered as you tried to figure out are you going to wear your glasses with this mask on.
Or you could take off your glasses and going in blind. You just sighed as you took your glasses off which everything around you is blurry. So blurry you can't see Aether's and Diluc's face.
You just shrugged and put on the mask. To your surprise, somehow wearing that mask improve your eyesight which took you off guard.
Diluc explained the function of the mask before Diluc turned to you two. "Outlanders, are you ready?"
(A/N: I tried :') Please don't attack me)
You turned to him as you smiled. "Yep, I'm ready." Aether was mesmerized by your look as Diluc was taken off guard by your looks. He cleared his throat before he looked away with a slight tinted pink appeared to his cheeks. Aether blushed before he covered his face with his scarf.
You noticed the way they looked at you. It definitely piqued your interest and if it weren't in this situation. You would be teasing Aether.
"Alright, let's head in." You took out your sword and cautiously entered the hideout.
Just as you entered, you saw a cowering Fatui guard on the ground. "No, no don't eat me! Ah? You're... You're human?" He asked as you gave a playful smirk.
"Bold of you to assume I was a human." He immediately became even more frightened than before.
"Please- Don't attack me! I-I'll tell you a valuable information." He said. This guy surely get scared easily... You thought.
"We hid the Holy Lyre in the depths of these ruins. The place it's being kept is locked up tight. If you're after the key, keep going further into the ruins, but d-don't come after me! I don't know which one of the guard has it, but I'm sure you can find the guards and find out for yourselves." He said, shaking in fear.
"This guy looks like he's going to wet himself..." Paimon commented.
"Y-You just worry about yourselves. One of the Harbingers is already in Mondstadt." Ah yes... that sexy ice lady... What was her name again...? You tried to recall her name.
"Signora. When she gets her hand on you, she'll string you up and torture you." He said. Honestly, you don't think you would mind if it were her. "When that time comes, don't you dare say a word about me." He ran away from your sight.
"Did he say Signora? What a strange name..." Paimon remarked. Have Paimon met Nimrod? He has the strangest and absurd name.
Diluc explained about Signora's background as you opened a door into a room. In there you saw a guard who was surprised to see your appearance.
"W-Who are you? How'd you get in here?" The guard questioned you guys.
"We are the Snezhno-Mondstadtian Association." Aether answered him as Diluc and you looked at him in confusion. You don't remember about that being an answer.
"Never heard of that association before... What are you doing here?" He questioned again.
"We wish to borrow the Holy Lyre der Himmel." You answered him as he looked at you in surprise.
"That lie's way too obvious. You really haven't got anything better." He commented as you just smiled at him.
"It's better to be straightforward than telling a lie." You stated. Your smile send a chill down to the guard's spine.
"A-And just how are you going to 'borrow' the Lyre?" He asked as his body trembled.
"We'll recommend you to the Association." Aether answered him as the guard thought for a while.
"Okay, sounds like a plan. Alright, you free to go but I don't have the key unfortunately. You'll have to ask the next guard you came across." He said as he opened the door to the next room before running away from your sight.
"...That is one way to go." Diluc commented. You noticed another guard who guard another room. You guys approached to him which scares the hell out of him.
"Wh-Who are you? Wh-What are you doing here?" He asked before you pointed your sword at his neck which made him yell.
"Give up, no one gonna come here to save you." Aether said with a threatening look in his eyes.
"Did you already beat all the guards?" He asked as he shook in fear.
"I kicked their Snezhnayan ass." You said which made him even more terrified than before.
"What? I-I'm not scared of you. An Agent will come to my aid." He said before you gave him a smirk.
"We already deal with him." You and Aether said at the same time which made him shrieked.
"Fine... It's not like I have choice. I don't have the key so you have to search the other rooms." He said as he opened the door to a hallway of rooms.
You went to each room to clear it and finding the key before you arrived at the last room you didn't clear yet. The door behind you guys were closed before a Fatui Agent appeared before you.
"Where did you rats scurry out from... Signora is not going to tolerate this kind of interference in our affairs." He took out bunch of knives before it was spinning around him.
"So I'll be the one who take care of you - save her the trouble to deal with you herself." He said as Diluc took out his claymore and jumped towards him to defeat him.
He immediately disappeared right before your eyes as he wandered around. Diluc and Aether immediately in their fighting stance as they looked around for him.
He appeared right behind you and tried to slice you before you dodged. It nearly hit you before he disappeared once again.
"This is frustrating..." Aether said as he looking around. Patiently waiting for him to reappear again.
He appeared once again to cast what looks like a shadow of him. You attacked it because you thought that was him before you heard him cackle.
"What an amateur move." He said before he appeared right behind you as he kicked you at your back cause you flying away.
"Y/N!" They shouted out your name as he was ready to stab you before you used your wind power to blow him away. He disappeared again from your sight.
"Weak." He sputtered. They immediately come to help you and protected you. Ahh... this definitely make you look pathetic. You can't help that you being a burden to them.
You stood up before you took out your sword. "It's okay... I'm fine, no need to protect me." You said before they looked at you in doubt.
You noticed that he appeared behind Aether with a knife on his hand before you pushed Aether away and blocked the knife using your sword. He disappeared once again which pisses you off.
You came up with a plan and probably would work. You immediately ran off which surprised Diluc and Aether. "Wait!"
You just ran to the exit that was block to lure him. You heard the sound of his knife was being unseathed. "Leaving so soon?" He appeared right in front of you before you smirked.
You took his arm that he was holding the knife before you used your strength to throw him away. He stood up and was about to use his clone attack before you kicked his nuts which cause him to fall down in pain.
"Who's the weak one now, huh?" You said as you step on his chest and pointed your sword at his neck. You took the key that was in his pocket before tossing it to Diluc as he opened the cage of the Holy Lyre.
"Finally, the Lyre is back in safe hands." Paimon cheered. "Where did the guy go, though? He was here a second ago..." You noticed that he went into the ground as he ran away like a coward.
"Signora is going to end you. The songs bards sing of your demise will be so terrifying - the people of Mondstadt will never sleep for the nightmares they give them." He said before went out of your sight.
"Big talk for the guy who ran off in the end... Chicken." Paimon said with an unimpressed look on her face. She turned to you before smiling widely. "Y/N, you look so cool there when you fought him. It was as if he was no match for you." She looked at you in admiration.
"It was impressive. You reacted so quickly that I barely have a time to see." Diluc commented.
"Are you okay though? The kick just now looked like it hurts so much." Aether looked very worried before you smiled at them. Though you must say, that kick reminds you of getting headbutt by a goat at your back when you were a child.
"It really is nothing... Now, let's return since we have a dragon to purify." You said as you hid the pain while you guys went back to the tavern.
TO BE CONTINUED