Chapter 174. Venti's News
"Alright, everyone, the city gates are no place to linger."
Yelan stepped forward, projecting flawless diplomatic authority. She bowed slightly to the Mondstadt delegation.
"My name is Yelan, an envoy acting on behalf of the Tianquan, Ningguang. You have traveled a long way and must be exhausted. I have already arranged a welcome banquet at Liuli Pavilion."
Yanfei blinked in surprise. She hadn't realized Yelan had already booked the Pavilion while they were debating earlier. Yelan caught her look and offered a subtle wink. Protocol demanded that guests never arrive without a reservation already secured.
"Thank you."
Jean paused her conversation with Kokomi and offered Yelan a respectful nod.
"It is my duty." Yelan smiled gracefully. She turned to Mitama's group. "Everyone, please join us. The Ministry of Civil Affairs will cover all expenses tonight."
"That's very generous of you."
Kaeya said, offering a smooth, appreciative bow.
"Sister Yelan is super nice!"
Klee cheered. She possessed an alarming amount of Mora from her mother's various destructive patents, but as a child, getting a free meal still felt like a massive win.
Albedo offered a quiet nod of thanks.
Since both factions were already acquainted—many having fought side-by-side in The Chasm—there was no need for stiff, performative diplomacy. The combined group headed toward Liuli Pavilion in high spirits.
At the Pavilion, Yelan ushered them into an opulent private dining room. As the group took their seats around the massive circular table, Aila and Black Aila moved with practiced precision, stepping up to stand rigidly behind Mitama's chair.
"Eh? Are you two not going to sit?"
Eula asked, looking at the twins in confusion. She had interacted with them in the Chat Group, but she had never actually shared a meal with them in person.
Jean and Kaeya also exchanged confused glances but remained politely silent.
"We are the Young Master's maids." Aila stated, her voice perfectly even and serious. "When the Young Master dines, it is entirely inappropriate for us to sit at his table."
"Because that would be deeply disrespectful."
Black Aila nodded in agreement, her tone equally stern.
"Furthermore, mealtime is when individuals are most relaxed. As his retainers, we must maintain absolute vigilance. Should an unauthorized threat breach this room, we are positioned to neutralize them immediately, ensuring the Young Master's meal is not interrupted."
The sheer, lethal dedication in their voices made Jean and Kaeya's expressions turn incredibly complicated.
Aren't these maids a little too intense?
"You'll get used to it." Shinobu sighed, pouring herself a cup of tea. "In public, they act like elite imperial bodyguards. In private, they basically fuse themselves to Mitama."
Kokomi nodded emphatically. Having lived with the trio for months, she knew exactly how the dynamic shifted behind closed doors.
"Now that you mention it..." Mona stroked her chin thoughtfully. "When we eat in public, they stand behind him like statues. But back at the house... they sit on either side of him and literally feed him."
Damn it!!! What a decadent, luxurious lifestyle! I'm not jealous at all!
Mona screamed internally.
After a month of living with them, she knew exactly how terrifyingly competent the twins were.
They possessed overwhelming combat strength, flawless domestic skills, and a terrifying capacity for rapid learning.
Mona desperately wanted an elite, beautiful, multi-talented maid of her own. The fact that Mitama possessed two of them simultaneously was enough to drive anyone mad with envy.
"Yeah, just ignore it." Paimon waved a hand dismissively. "They'll eat eventually. Mitama always forces them to have a few bites, even though they technically don't need food to survive."
"Get used to it?"
Kaeya muttered, clearly struggling to process the dynamic.
Jean looked equally unsure of how to respond, but seeing Futsu Mitama's helpless, slightly embarrassed smile, she realized this bizarre routine was entirely normal for them.
"So, how are things in Mondstadt?"
Futsu Mitama asked, smoothly changing the subject before the appetizers arrived.
The Mondstadt members in the Chat Group were notoriously unhelpful when it came to domestic intelligence.
Eula was always on patrol, Albedo was always in his lab, and Klee was usually bombing a lake. Venti, naturally, was acting entirely useless.
"The situation is incredibly positive."
Jean said, her posture straightening as a proud, genuine smile crossed her face.
"Following the direct mandate delivered by Lord Barbatos, the citizens have become significantly more self-reliant. Thanks to your guidance during our last spar, my own strength has also improved considerably."
Jean added, a flicker of true martial spirit shining in her eyes.
Mitama's delivery of the Anemo Archon's 'edict' had fundamentally shifted Mondstadt's culture. The citizens had stopped treating the Knights of Favonius as a glorified errand service.
Lost cats, food deliveries, and mundane chores were now handled by the community itself.
Initially, Jean had been conflicted. She believed a leader's duty was to serve the people in all capacities. But as the Knights were freed from menial labor, they redirected that immense surplus of time into rigorous combat training and aggressive patrols.
The results were undeniable.
Slime populations plummeted. Hilichurl camps were routed before they could organize. The Abyss Order's presence within Mondstadt's borders had virtually vanished. The citizens, seeing the tangible security their independence had bought, grew fiercely proud and more devout than ever.
Jean was profoundly grateful to Mitama for delivering the Archon's wisdom.
Mitama rubbed his nose, sweating slightly.
If I tell her Barbatos never actually said any of that, and I just made it up because I was annoyed by their laziness, would she draw her sword on me?
"Diluc also asked me to pass along a message." Kaeya chuckled, swirling his wine glass. "He said if you ever find yourself in Mondstadt, the drinks are on him. If you're too busy, he mentioned he wouldn't mind making the trip here. Hahahaha~"
Futsu Mitama smiled awkwardly.
He did plan to visit Mondstadt eventually—Venti had extended a standing invitation—but with the current chaos, his schedule was entirely unpredictable.
"Distinguished guests! The chicken soup has arrived!"
A waiter entered, breaking the tension as the first course was served. The rich, savory broth stimulated their appetites, officially kicking off the welcome banquet.
The atmosphere in the room quickly grew lively. Kokomi eagerly engaged Jean in a deep discussion on administrative efficiency.
Yelan subtly interrogated Shinobu about Mitama's sudden ascension to Acting Dendro Archon in Sumeru.
Yanfei enthusiastically bombarded Eula with questions about Mondstadt law, leaving the Spindrift Knight slightly overwhelmed until Lumine and Paimon stepped in to run interference.
Mitama chatted casually with Kaeya, asking about the Darknight Hero's recent activities. Kaeya laughed, explaining that with the Knights operating at peak efficiency, the vigilante was practically unemployed.
Meanwhile, Hu Tao and Klee were engaged in a conversation that was terrifyingly destructive.
Klee was complaining that her standard Jumpy Dumpties hadn't been powerful enough during the battle against Beisht, the Avenger of the Vortex. She wanted to upgrade her payload so she could help the 'older brothers and sisters' fight 'bad guys'—which, in Klee's vocabulary, meant kaiju-level threats.
Hu Tao, entirely lacking a moral compass when it came to explosions, suggested applying specialized Adeptus Talisman Arts directly to the explosive casings.
"If you carve specific amplification runes into the gunpowder casing, it should triple the blast radius!"
Hu Tao claimed proudly.
"I'll teach you everything I know!"
Klee's eyes practically glowed with destructive ambition.
Mona, completely ignoring the social dynamics and the impending threat of a nuclear Klee, was focused entirely on inhaling as much high-end Liuli Pavilion cuisine as physically possible. S
he was completely broke again.
She had spent the entire one billion Mora advance from Arlecchino on cutting-edge astrological equipment, which the Fatui had already shipped back to her master's location.
She was poor, but she was going to feast tonight!
After dinner, Yelan stood up and announced the itinerary. She would escort the Knights of Favonius to the Jade Chamber for their official summit with Ningguang, after which they would be settled into a dedicated diplomatic residence.
"We'll catch up properly once you're settled." Mitama said to Jean as the group moved to the door. "The Rite isn't for a few days, so I imagine your schedule will open up soon."
Jean nodded respectfully. As the head of the delegation, she had a mountain of official state business to discuss with the Tianquan before she could relax.
Yelan led the Mondstadt delegation away toward the floating palace.
"I need to get back to the office as well."
Yanfei sighed, waving goodbye to Eula. Even at night, a top-tier lawyer's work was never done.
"Be careful on your way back, Senior Sister!"
Shinobu called out. With the massive influx of tourists for the Rite, Liyue Harbor was chaotic, and caution was necessary.
With the officials gone, only Mitama's core group remained in the private dining room.
"Is everyone full?"
Futsu Mitama asked, glancing at the few remaining dishes on the table. The Liuli Pavilion chefs had clearly pulled out all the stops for their VIP guests.
Aila and Black Aila finally sat down, delicately tasting a few of the remaining dishes. They weren't eating to satisfy hunger; they were analyzing the flavor profiles and cooking techniques to replicate them later.
"I am completely, entirely stuffed."
Mona groaned, patting her stomach happily. If she hadn't reached her absolute physical limit, she would have kept eating. She made a mental note to burn off the extra calories with some aggressive hydromancy training tomorrow.
"Alright, let's head out."
Futsu Mitama stood up.
Suddenly, the window blew open, and a sharp, unnatural gust of wind swept into the room.
Aila and Black Aila instantly snapped to attention, their eyes darting to the window. That wasn't a natural draft. Someone had deliberately manipulated Anemo energy to unlatch the lock.
"Brrr! It's freezing!"
Paimon shivered, rubbing her arms.
"The temperature always drops at night in a harbor recently."
Hu Tao laughed, completely missing the magical anomaly.
"Make sure you stay warm, Paimon! You don't want to get sick right before the festival. Even Baizhu can't cure a cold instantly!"
Paimon grimaced, the trauma of her culinary-induced coma flashing before her eyes. But she wasn't worried. If she got sick, she would just beg Futsu Mitama to heal her with his Dendro authority.
"Waiter."
Futsu Mitama called out toward the door.
The attendants, who had been waiting silently in the hall, immediately stepped in.
"Yes, my lord?"
"Pack all of this up."
Mitama said, pointing to the untouched premium dishes.
The waiters moved with practiced efficiency, boxing up the leftovers in moments.
"I don't need the soup, but bring me three bottles of your finest wine." Futsu Mitama added. He glanced at Aila. "Pay for the alcohol."
Aila nodded, pulling a pouch of Mora from her dress.
Tsk, Black Aila clicked her tongue in subtle annoyance. She knew exactly who that gust of wind belonged to.
"Wine?" Paimon blinked in confusion, before realization dawned on her face. "Wait... is he here?"
"Who else would dramatically blow a window open just to demand booze?"
Lumine sighed.
Shinobu and Kokomi remained silent. Commenting on the behavior of an Archon was above their pay grade.
"Who are we talking about?"
Mona asked, completely lost.
"Ehe~ Why don't you try divining it?"
Paimon teased with a wicked grin.
Mona glared at her. Whenever Paimon made that face, it meant she was walking into a trap. She refused to fall for it.
The waiter quickly returned with three bottles of top-tier vintage wine.
"You guys head back to the house. I need to meet someone."
Futsu Mitama said, grabbing the packed food and the wine. Without another word, he vaulted smoothly out the open window.
The waiters didn't even blink. Dealing with eccentric Vision holders was part of the job description at Liuli Pavilion.
"Dammit! Who is he meeting?!"
Mona exploded, her curiosity finally overriding her caution. She summoned a scrying mirror of hydro energy.
"I wouldn't do that." Lumine warned quickly. "He's going to see the guy from Mondstadt."
"Mondstadt?"
Mona paused, the connection clicking in her brain. The unnatural wind. The alcohol. Crack. The hydro mirror shattered as she gasped.
"Wait... you don't mean..."
"We just need to know he's here."
Shinobu interrupted smoothly, wary of eavesdroppers. If Venti was sneaking around Liyue Harbor instead of announcing his presence, he had a reason for it.
"Whatever. Doesn't concern me."
Hu Tao shrugged, entirely unbothered. She knew when to mind her own business.
"Let's head back. The Young Master will likely be gone for a while."
Aila said, leading the girls out of the restaurant.
High above Liyue Harbor, on a secluded mountain ridge overlooking the glowing city, Mitama stepped out of a spatial rift.
He found Venti sitting casually on the grass, looking down at the festival lights.
"You know, you could have just walked through the front door and eaten with us."
Mitama sighed, exasperated.
"And introduce myself as what? A vagabond bard crashing a diplomatic summit?"
Venti patted the grass beside him, grinning.
"It sounded like way too much effort. Plus, with the Rite of Descension coming up, everyone knows exactly what the old blockhead is planning. If the Anemo Archon officially enters Liyue right now, it might trigger an international panic."
Venti leaned back, rubbing his stomach impatiently.
"Anyway, enough politics. Hand over the goods! I watched you all eating through the wind and I was practically drooling!"
Futsu Mitama rolled his eyes. The dignified God of Freedom, ladies and gentlemen.
He pulled the boxed food and the wine from his inventory and set them on the grass.
"I didn't think you'd actually want to eat leftovers." Mitama admitted. "I was going to order you something fresh, but I didn't want to keep you waiting."
"Oh, please! I am a man of the people!"
Venti cheered, immediately tearing a massive bite out of a lotus-wrapped chicken leg.
"Waste not, want not! Back in the day, I used to happily drain the dregs of dandelion wine that other people left behind! Speaking of which—gimme the booze!"
Mitama tossed him a bottle. Venti popped the cork with his teeth and chugged half of it in three seconds flat.
He lowered the bottle, sighed in absolute bliss, and let out an earth-shattering, unapologetic burp.
Futsu Mitama stared at him, genuinely considering recording this interaction via the Chat Group just to shatter Eula's devout faith in her god.
"Ahhhh~~ I finally feel alive again." Venti grinned, tearing off another piece of chicken. "Aren't you going to join me?"
"I'm full."
Mitama said, sitting down cross-legged. He looked at the bard seriously.
"So, why are you in Liyue? Weren't you supposed to be in Sumeru? Did you find what you were looking for, or are you just here to watch Zhongli's retirement party?"
Mitama wasn't shocked that Venti had shown up for the Rite. Everyone in the Chat Group knew Zhongli was orchestrating a massive, theatrical exit. Guizhong's sudden, frantic push to finish the Azhdaha Mech heavily implied she was preparing to intervene in whatever catastrophic stress-test Zhongli was planning for the city.
"Both, actually." Venti said, his tone sobering slightly as he took another sip of wine. "Liyue's vintage really does have a kick."
He looked out over the city.
"I found the exact location where Egeria died in Sumeru."
"But." Venti continued, his eyes darkening, "I can't tell you where it is. And she cannot join the Chat Group."
Mitama froze.
Egeria. The original Hydro Archon. He had almost forgotten about her, assuming Venti was just taking his time exploring the desert.
"Why?" Mitama asked, his brow furrowing. "Isn't the whole point of this to save her? Did she trigger some kind of divine taboo?"
Venti's expression turned incredibly nuanced. He tossed the chicken bone aside.
"Logically speaking, given your current status, you have the right to know. But honestly? I don't dare speak Her name out loud. Because if Her gaze falls on you right now, Ei, Makoto, and the old man would probably tear me to shreds for putting you in danger."
Mitama's blood went cold.
Her.
Who was "She"? Istaroth, the God of Time? Or the other Shades of Heavenly Principles? The entity that slumbered above the sky?
"Anyway." Venti sighed, offering a reassuring smile. "Once our Chat Group upgrades to Level 5 or Level 6, you'll have enough conceptual weight to do whatever you want. I'm looking forward to that day."
"But until then, you have to forget about Egeria. At least until Fontaine's prophecy concludes. Egeria cannot show a single sign of 'being alive' before then."
Mitama narrowed his eyes. The implications were staggering.
If Egeria joined the Chat Group, the system's regenerative properties would slowly heal her soul—just as it had saved Bosacius from the brink of erasure.
But Venti was explicitly stating that Egeria could not be allowed to regain consciousness. She had to remain conceptually "dead."
Even if she could be resurrected, it had to wait until the prophecy of Fontaine ran its apocalyptic course.