Ei: "My blade is never without justice!"
Jade Chamber.
After receiving Nahida's reply, Lumine was overjoyed.
Sure, Venti was a riddle-spewing drunk, and Ei… well, Ei looked like a simple-minded airhead most of the time.
But at least one Archon was finally reliable!
With the Dendro Archon helping, she should soon learn something about her brother.
And if Aether ended up being safe…
Then she and Paimon would just settle down in Liyue.
Open a coconut-milk shop with Ganyu.
Grow big, grow famous, go international!
Occasionally call Ayaka and use her "teleport door" to travel the world for fun.
Bliss~
Thinking about that beautiful future, Lumine couldn't help but grin to herself.
But then—
when she saw her own icon appear on the light-screen, she froze.
[Lumine: Huh? Ask me? Ask what?? (confused expression)]
[Furina: ???]
[Furina: Weren't you desperate to know about your brother?]
[Lumine: Yeah? I literally just asked Nahida. (???.jpg)]
[Furina: You asked the Anemo Archon, the Electro Archon, and the Dendro Archon—
so why didn't you ask me?]
[Furina: Do you look down on me, Focalors, Hydro Archon!? (hands-on-hips.jpg)]
[Lumine: Uh… I didn't ask the Geo Archon, Pyro Archon, or Cryo Archon either…]
[Furina: The Cryo Archon rarely talks.
As for Pyro and Geo—you don't even know their identities.]
Lumine blinked.
…That did make some sense.
And judging from Furina's posture—
Could it be she actually knew something about Aether?
If that was the case—
No need to bother Nahida after all!
Thinking so, Lumine hurriedly typed:
[Lumine: Lord Hydro Archon is correct. I failed to consider that.]
[Lumine: Then—my beloved Hydro Archon, do you know anything about my brother?]
[Furina: Nope.]
[Lumine: ???]
A giant "???" materialized above Lumine's head.
You don't know??
Then why were you acting so serious earlier??
What are you even doing???
Somehow she was even worse than Venti the walking riddle book!
"Lumine, she's so playing you~"
Paimon was speechless.
Lumine rolled her eyes hard.
Enkanomiya Palace.
Neuvillette was equally stunned by Furina's nonsense.
After regaining his composure, he asked carefully:
"Lady Furina… you truly don't know?"
"Of course not!"
"I've only been 'God' for five hundred years—
I've never met any travelers from another world!"
"And the Raiden Shogun doesn't know either!"
Hands on hips, Furina declared this with absolute confidence.
Neuvillette stared for a beat.
"…If you don't know, then why tell the Traveler to ask you?"
Furina shrugged.
"Well, I am the Hydro Archon, aren't I?"
"The Traveler asked all the other gods.
If she didn't ask me, wouldn't that be rude?"
"Gods deserve equal treatment!"
"And besides—whether I know anything doesn't matter at all."
She glanced at Neuvillette as if he were being strange.
Neuvillette: "…"
Her words left him completely stunned.
He thought all her theatrics were just performance—
But now…
Now he wasn't sure anymore.
Nothing about this reaction looked like acting.
It looked like this was… genuinely her personality.
His thoughts spiraled.
"Lady Furina… just what kind of person are you?"
He sighed long and deep.
Perhaps only the light-screen knew the answer.
Furina's chaotic antics were merely a small interlude.
Everyone's attention returned to the light-screen as it flickered again.
Light-Screen
Luo Chen continued:
"Next is the second major deed of the God of Freedom's beloved—
the overthrow of the Old Nobility and the restoration of Mondstadt!"
"As mentioned earlier, after Barbatos reshaped Mondstadt and bestowed wisdom upon its people, he left—
to slack off, of course."
"From then on, Mondstadt became a nation without kings—
ruled by its people."
"For generations, Mondstadters cultivated the land, and everything flourished."
"The nobles were paragons of virtue and elegance."
"They generously shared their knowledge."
"They guided the people wholeheartedly."
"They kept pocket watches to maintain strict discipline."
"They reflected each night on their conduct and Mondstadt's future."
"This was Mondstadt's golden age—
a true utopia in many hearts."
"But with time…
everything changed."
"Here it comes."
Keqing straightened in her seat.
The light-screen had mentioned Mondstadt's 'dark era' during her evaluation, but only briefly.
Now it was finally being explained in full.
Not that she had any intention of continuing her "human governance" theory after today…
But studying history to avoid repeating mistakes was always valuable.
Another person watching intently—
Eula.
She stared at the screen, expression complicated.
Previously, the light-screen had only brushed over the Lawrence family's sins.
This time, it seemed determined to expose everything.
And when that happened…
Eula inhaled deeply, then steadied herself.
"Expose it."
"It's fine."
"Only by confronting the past can we carve out a future."
"Perhaps this is my chance to cleanse the Lawrence name."
Light-Screen
"In New Mondstadt's 1600th year—
roughly a millennium ago—
darkness descended once more."
"This time, the culprit was not a lovesick god like the Lone Tower King."
"It was—
humans themselves."
"Time eroded the nobility's ideals."
"The Lawrence clan led the descent into decadence and excess."
"They introduced slavery.
Tore down the statue of the Anemo Archon.
Built a towering spire in the main plaza—
a symbol of their dominance."
"And the Church…
had long since joined hands with them."
"Perhaps this sounds abstract, so let's use an example."
"Mondstadt once had a yearly festival known as the 'Featherball Festival.'"
"It honored the Anemo Archon."
"At its climax, a chosen maiden stood high above and cast down a featherball."
"Whoever caught it would receive generous rewards and a year of the Archon's blessing."
"But during the dark era, this role was monopolized by the Lawrence heir."
"And the 'chosen maidens' were predetermined—
always young, beautiful girls."
"After the festival ended, these girls were taken into the palace."
"Officially, they were 'protected.'
In truth, they were violated for three days."
"If you want more details, read the novel The Tower of Mondstadt."
The chat erupted in shock and fury.
Sympathy for the victims.
Rage at the nobles.
Even though the light-screen described only a "small" incident—
it perfectly revealed how rotten Mondstadt had become.
Jade Chamber.
"Disgusting!"
Keqing slammed the table.
As a woman, she despised such crimes most of all.
Even imagining it sent chills up the spine—
so what of the girls who lived through it?
Around her, Ningguang, Ganyu, Lumine, and even little Paimon wore expressions of fury.
If this weren't a thousand years in the past, none of them would let it slide.
After venting, Keqing regained some calm.
Thinking of Mondstadt's past, then of Liyue's peace, she sighed.
"We truly owe much to Rex Lapis."
"Without him, perhaps Liyue would've followed the same path."
"The cost of purely human governance is too high…"
Ningguang nodded quietly.
Humanity had limitless potential—
and equally limitless flaws.
She and Keqing could promise integrity.
But future generations?
Without Morax's deterrence, and without Ganyu's eternal supervision…
Liyue would never have enjoyed 3700 years of stability.
A god who loves—and understands—people was truly invaluable.
Enkanomiya Palace.
"So this is Mondstadt's darkness…"
Neuvillette exhaled.
Some watched history.
Others saw a mirror.
Fontaine was the latter.
Too similar.
Five hundred years ago, their own nobles had caused a great case over selfish interests.
The only difference—
Fontaine had him as its deterrent.
But even so, noble corruption still festered.
After a moment of silence, Furina spoke softly:
"During this chain of missing-girl cases…
let's drag out all those selling 'joyous delights' as well."
"People like that aren't worth saving."
"Understood."
Neuvillette nodded.
Transcendent Chat Group
Tartaglia:Tch. Now I get why Mondstadters despise the Lawrence clan.
Xiangling:Those poor girls… We're just spectators. They lived it.
Ayato:And this is only what was visible. The unseen horrors must've been more.
Diluc:Heh. The nobles nearly sacrificed the rebels to Ursa the Drake back then.
Hu Tao:Honestly? These nobles are worse than the Lone Tower King! At least he was misguidedly in love. (speechless.jpg)
Alice:Somehow you managed to insult a whole Archon-class being…
Yanfei:Eula, you…
Eula:I'm fine. If my clan sinned, then we must bear the consequences!
Zhongli:With such resolve, perhaps one day you may cleanse your family's name.
Xiao:If something like this happened in Liyue, I wouldn't wait for the Geo Lord's word. I would act immediately.
Yae Miko:Inazuma wasn't as bad, but it wasn't spotless either.
Kujou Sara:The Shogun has already purged those elements!
Ei:I have learned my lesson. If anything like this arises again, my blade shall not spare them!
Nilou:As for Sumeru…
Alhaitham:Not this extreme, but we followed a different path to ruin.
Furina:As the God of Justice, I will judge any corrupt noble in Fontaine!
…
Mondstadters felt mixed emotions reading the chat.
This was their nation's darkest stain—
but it had passed.
All they could do now was learn from it
and protect Mondstadt's future.
Light-Screen
Luo Chen took a sip of water and continued.
"Of course, oppression always gives rise to resistance."
"As with the Lone Tower King's era, heroes emerged."
"One was Eberhart."
"The other, a wandering troupe from Fontaine."
"Both groups had their own tragic stories."
"But we'll save those for the full Mondstadt history commentary."
"Though their rebellions failed, they planted the seeds of defiance."
"And then—
appeared a girl named Vennessa."
Knights of Favonius.
"It's Lady Vennessa!"
Jean shot to her feet in excitement.
If Barbatos was her faith, then Vennessa was her idol.
Her dream was to become someone like her.
"Alright, alright, sit down."
Lisa laughed, shaking her head affectionately.
Jean nodded quickly, sitting upright with reverent focus.
Light-Screen
"At this moment, Barbatos finally awoke from his… nap.
Ahem. 'Meditation.'"
"He descended as a bard named Venti."
"Just like fate—
1600 years ago, Barbatos met a girl of the Gunnhildr clan."
"1600 years later, he met a slave girl from Natlan."
"And once again, destiny turned."
"Barbatos wanted to simply whisk Vennessa and her people away—
but she refused."
"She believed her people had forgotten the meaning of freedom."
"They had to fight for it themselves—
or they would only wear new chains."
"Barbatos felt both regret and pride."
"With his support, Vennessa led her people to defeat Ursa the Drake."
"Then rallied the citizens of Mondstadt, raising the banner of rebellion."
"The Gunnhildrs, the Ragnvindrs… all joined the cause."
"Justice triumphs over tyranny."
"And just like 1600 years prior—
they won."
"The corrupt nobles were expelled.
Only the Gunnhildr clan remained—
a lineage that had upheld Mondstadt's ideals since its founding."
"They're basically Teyvat's Zhuge Liang."
Luo Chen paused, then smirked.
"Some may wonder—
with 1600 years of power, how did the nobles fall so easily?"
"Well, Barbatos helped."
"But not with force."
"It's quite an interesting story—
one we'll save for later."
To read advanced Chapters, head over to p@treon:
patreon.com/nani_kaito