"So, Farmas, you're saying that guy named Venti can deal with Stormterror's disaster?"
Lumine and Paimon had just returned from the Knights of Favonius. On the way, they ran into some Fatui diplomats who threatened Acting Grand Master Jean—saying that if Mondstadt could not resolve the Stormterror crisis, the Fatui could "eliminate the beast" for them.
"You wish to handle one of the Four Winds of Mondstadt? I do not want to hear such madness uttered before the Knights."
It was the first time Lumine and Paimon saw Jean speak with such sternness. After driving the diplomats out, Jean massaged her forehead and dismissed everyone from her office. Lumine and Paimon could only leave anxiously.
"Yes. Which is why we need to take… the Sky Lyre stored beneath the Cathedral."
Farmas dragged out the word take deliberately.
"Farmas isn't talking about taking it legitimately, is he?"
Paimon instantly understood what he meant.
Lumine was still confused, so Paimon explained:
"We could tell Acting Grand Master Jean and ask her to borrow the Sky Lyre for us!"
"And how exactly do we convince Jean to trust a bard named Venti and lend out the holy Sky Lyre once held by the Anemo Archon himself?"
Farmas waved his tiny slime arms.
"That thing is Mondstadt's greatest treasure."
"…Oh. That's true."
Paimon began spinning in troubled circles midair.
Then the realization finally hit Lumine:
"So… we're going to steal the Sky Lyre?"
"Yes."
Farmas and Paimon nodded in sync.
"That Venti person… can he really calm Dvalin?"
Lumine asked, worried—not because she doubted Farmas, but because according to him, the green figure they saw in the forest that day was Venti.
"We should at least go to the Cathedral and take a look first."
Paimon suggested.
The three glanced out the window—sunset was fast approaching—then hurried out of the inn.
They made their way to the plaza before the Cathedral. At its center stood the great statue of the Anemo Archon, hands cupped before him as if holding something unseen. Beneath it, a green-clad figure was performing music, surrounded by a small crowd.
"Hey! That's gotta be Venti, right?"
Paimon looked at Farmas, then at the bard who was completely absorbed in his song.
"That really is the guy who appeared with the dragon."
The trio edged closer and listened to Venti's performance until it ended and the crowd dispersed.
Venti had noticed Lumine and Paimon from the start—but upon spotting Farmas perched on Lumine's shoulder, the little slime waved a tiny arm, signaling him to keep quiet about their relationship.
"Heh… The mighty War God, afraid of being recognized?"
Venti grinned mischievously.
"Don't tell me you've fallen for the otherworldly traveler?"
Paimon flew up and smacked Venti on the shoulder.
"Hey! You're that—Windy—no, Venti that Farmas told us about, right?"
"To be precise, I am the three-time consecutive champion of Mondstadt's 'Most Popular Bard' contest—Venti!"
He proudly declared.
"Good afternoon, passionate citizens of Mondstadt!"
"Can you really stop this disaster?"
Lumine cut straight to the point, ignoring his bragging.
"Disaster?"
Venti glanced at Farmas. What exactly did he tell them?
"Ah—yes. If we retrieve the Sky Lyre, I can use it to awaken Dvalin's true self from his nightmare."
Venti quickly adapted and nodded.
"I'm the best bard in the world, after all—past, present, or future, there's no ballad I don't know. Look into my eyes—don't I seem trustworthy?"
Paimon squinted suspiciously at the bard trying too hard to be cute.
"We trust Farmas more than you."
"Eheh! Then let's go to the Cathedral!"
Venti took the lead, and the three followed him up the steps toward the great building.
The Cathedral loomed before them—massive, majestic, with a structure shaped like a Latin cross, flanked by towers and countless spires rising like stars around two great central towers.
"I heard the Cathedral was built with the help of the Anemo Archon himself! As expected of Lord Barbatos who blew away the blizzards!"
Paimon said, awed.
"Heheh~ You're welcome!"
Venti replied politely.
"Hey! I was praising Lord Barbatos—not you, bard!"
Paimon put her hands on her hips, glaring at him.
Farmas sighed quietly.
…Is it really safe to ask Barbatos to borrow a Vision for me?
Inside, the moment Venti stepped onto the marble floor, the massive pipe organ let out a grand, resonant chord—as if welcoming a long-lost deity.
The praying sisters didn't react, their hands clasped in reverence.
Venti approached one of the nuns with a cheerful smile and casually waved at Lumine and Farmas, hinting at where the basement entrance was.
"May the Anemo Archon bless you, young bard. How may I help you?"
"Well, I happen to possess a secret—one that can save Mondstadt from its crisis."
"Oh? How wonderful. But such matters should be reported to the Knights. I am just a simple sister—how could I be of help?"
"Haha… On the contrary, sister—there is something you can help with."
Venti scratched his head awkwardly.
"For instance… the Sky Lyre. With its power, I can make Stormterror—"
"Please leave."
The nun cut him off instantly.
"Eh?"
"Though the dragon is ferocious, as long as the Acting Grand Master wills it, there is no reason it cannot be slain."
"That won't do! The dragon will die if they do that!"
Venti protested.
The nun in the black prayer dress stared at him oddly.
"A beast that has forsaken the East Wind… even if the Archon himself descended, He would not forgive it lightly."
"Ah…? Is that so…? Um… big sister…"
Venti was stunned. The dragon who had protected Mondstadt for a thousand years… now called a mindless beast?
"No means no, little bard."
With that, she turned away.
"If there is nothing else, I must return to prayer."
Farmas, watching Venti's total defeat from a pew, couldn't help but chuckle.
This sister reminded him of the war priests in Munata—unyielding, rule-bound, absolutely unmoved by emotion.
"No helping it."
Venti shrugged at the trio.
"Looks like we'll need to use… less conventional methods."