Wendy stood tall in the sky.
Watching the "Anemo Archon" rushing over, Wendy's first thought was: that wolf from before had instantly lost its appeal.
The Guardian of the East Wind, Dvalin.
A colossal azure dragon with the body of a dragon, the feathers of a bird, the talons of an eagle, the wings of a butterfly, and the horns of a ram, its belly covered in white down. To have a [Higher Primordial Species] that could soar through the skies and whose attributes matched her own as a mount—what a wonderful thing that would be!
This was a difficult matter.
Imperial law stipulated that for any resident of the Empire, regardless of "race," the prerequisite for obtaining or becoming a "mount" was the genuine, heartfelt willingness of both parties. There was even an entire Chamber within the Ninety-Nine Chambers that served as a certification body (similar to a driver's license exam, or perhaps a marriage registration?) specifically responsible for this.
Thanks to her own foul temper, Wendy had yet to acquire a mount.
Ordinarily, a mount was nothing of consequence for a powerhouse of her level, but those "little bitches" from the other legions would parade their mounts around from time to time… This was an indignity she could not bear!
The above was Wendy's first reaction upon seeing Dvalin.
As for her second thought:
"No wonder he's so strong. He is my counterpart, after all."
That's right.
The true name of the "Anemo Archon" who guarded Mondstadt was Barbatos, and his human name was Venti. He was originally a wisp of wind among the thousand winds that roared over the northern lands (a wind sprite). After defeating the "Lone King of the Tower," the Demon God Decarabian, he inherited the appearance and spirit (freedom) of a human friend who had died in the war, becoming the current Archon of Mondstadt.
Fwoosh!
The dragon's wings stirred up a great gale. Dvalin, carrying Barbatos, came to a halt when they were half a kilometer apart. As the strongest of the East Wind guardians, Dvalin could sense the immense power of the newcomer even from a great distance.
This distance was just right.
"Demon God."
"Do you desire the position of 'Anemo Archon'?"
Barbatos's voice was not loud, as the wind itself would carry his emotions and intent.
"What if I do?"
"Do you think you can stop me?"
Wendy retorted with a "smile."
Her counterpart, despite possessing extremely exquisite control over the wind, had a gap in the most crucial aspects—energy level and magnitude—that was far too vast. Even with the help of the dragon beside him, their combined strength was only equivalent to about… one-third of her own.
And this was only considering the power of "wind" alone. Her title of "Sky Sovereign" wasn't just for show. If she were to use the power of "fluids," even a whole platoon of the pair before her would be no match.
"No."
"Although I do not know the true extent of your strength,"
"Dvalin and I together are surely no match for you."
Unexpectedly, Barbatos shook his head, negating Wendy's question.
"What I want to ask is—"
"If I were to yield the position of 'Anemo Archon,' if Mondstadt were given to you to rule… what would you do?"
---o---
"?" x3
Not only was Wendy filled with confusion, but even Dvalin beneath Barbatos and the soul-form of Andrius were instantly covered in question marks. Although they knew their god was extremely "free," he was always reliable whenever Mondstadt faced a crisis.
How could…
"How would I rule?"
The question was a bit difficult for Wendy. As the Legion Commander of the Plague Legion, she rarely used her brain. When it came to planning and strategy, her deputy commander and subordinates all treated her as the number one heavy hitter. After all, when something could be solved with a fist, using one's head was a bit of a waste.
However, to become a Legion Commander, one had to at least pass political studies. As for civilizations outside the Empire, while the legion's old propaganda slogans hadn't seen much use, she could at least remember them:
"We promise you a peaceful and prosperous nation, and grant you your freedom."
"…"
After a short silence.
"I see, in that case—"
"Barbatos!"
Seeing his god's spirit of surrender flare up, Dvalin beat his wings in fury!
"Sigh."
Barbatos, who was nearly thrown off, let out a heavy sigh. The more level-headed of the Four Winds were not around, and he had no way to explain the situation to Dvalin and Andrius.
Sky Island's previous command had been to order "The Seven Archons of the Mortal World" to march on Khaenri'ah and quell the rebellion. In other words, as long as he, Barbatos, was no longer one of The Seven Archons, the new Anemo Archon would naturally have to take his place. Barbatos, who hadn't ruled Mondstadt for many years, no longer drew much power from "wishes" anyway. Shedding the title of "Anemo Archon" was actually a good thing—he could still protect his beloved Mondstadt, and with one less constraint.
The sea breeze had brought news from Inazuma. Although those monsters had appeared in Inazuma first, it didn't mean they wouldn't attack Mondstadt. If he could remain in Mondstadt City, he could at least protect more innocent people.
Unfortunately, it was highly unlikely that Dvalin and the others would understand him.
"You seem quite eager to give this position to me?"
While Barbatos was wallowing in melancholy, Wendy showed no intention of attacking. Instead, she asked with great interest.
"Er…"
"Is it because of the 'Erosion'? Sky Island? Or the mission you are currently undertaking?"
Wendy cut off Barbatos's hesitation.
"Hmph."
"This entire world will be in His Majesty the Emperor's grasp. A mere 'godship' holds no attraction for us."
Wendy realized at this moment that she had been led astray by the conversation.
"'Anemo Archon'."
"Sky Island didn't even dare to show its face before the Apostles."
The battle in the starry sky was over. No news was the best news—if there had been a problem on the Apostles' end, she and the others would have likely been recalled immediately.
"Submit to the Empire."
"The promise I just made still stands."
"…"
Venti and Dvalin stared at each other for several seconds.
"You are not a Demon God?"
"How could a mere Demon God compare to us?"
Wendy frowned.
"…"
"Is this 'His Majesty the Emperor' very powerful?"
"He could crush Sky Island with a turn of his hand."
Though a slight exaggeration, this was the common understanding among the citizens of the Empire. To destroy a planet, even the [Three Pillar Gods] did not necessarily need to act, to say nothing of His Majesty the Emperor.
"Do 'you people' not suffer from Erosion?"
"'Eternity' is His Majesty the Emperor's reward for loyalty. The subjects of the Empire only die in battle; how could there be any talk of 'Erosion'?"
The concept of "dying of old age" truly did not exist in the Empire, at least not in units of thousands of years. While there was the possibility of entering long-term hibernation due to mental fatigue, that was a state from which one could be awakened at any time.
"…"
"How should I address you, honored one?"
"'Sky Sovereign' Wendy."
"Lady Wendy, we surrender."
"!?"