"By the way, Su Bai—how did you know I woke up? Did the old man tell you?"
Venti lounged in the chair as if he were in his own home, sipping wine with zero restraint.
Su Bai shot him a glare.
"After last year's Rite of Descension, I haven't seen the Geo Archon again. Who knows where he went."
"As for how I knew you'd woken up—"
"With that huge Stormterror tearing up the skies over Mondstadt, you really think the Anemo Archon could sleep through it?"
Venti chuckled, ignoring that line of questioning. Instead, his teal eyes moved up and down, scrutinizing Su Bai with obvious curiosity. The stare made Su Bai uncomfortable—and reminded him that he was supposed to beat Venti up today.
"Barbatos… it's about time we settled our old accounts, don't you think? Just because I haven't come looking for you doesn't mean I forgot."
Seeing the two fox tails behind Su Bai—one flowing with adeptal energy, the other crackling with Electro—Venti found the sight remarkable. Though he already knew what Su Bai meant, he still blinked innocently and said,
"Accounts? What accounts? I don't owe you any Mora, do I?"
"Looks like the great Anemo Archon needs a little reminder."
Su Bai gritted his teeth, his expression darkening. The Electro on his tail was already starting to flare out of control. Venti slapped his forehead.
"Oh—you mean when I used to flick you on the forehead as a kid, ri—mmph!"
"Barbatos, you mangy dog, you dare say it out loud?! Mondstadt might need a new Anemo Archon today."
Hearing that, Venti instantly threw his wine bottle aside and leapt up from the chair, grasping Su Bai's hands excitedly.
"Really? Really?? Little Su Bai, you're actually willing to replace me as the Anemo Archon? That's wonderful! I can finally go drink wherever I want!"
"Get off me. And no, I'm not interested in the position. Just lend me your Gnosis. If you cooperate, I might consider hitting you a little more gently."
The moment Su Bai said he wasn't taking the position, Venti deflated and took a long swig from his flask. As for lending out his Gnosis, Venti immediately shook his head.
"Little Su Bai, I can't lend out my Gnosis right now. Not until Stormterror returns to normal. If anything happens to it before then, Mondstadt is finished."
"Of course—if you're willing to help me pacify Stormterror first, I could lend it to you right away. How about it? Tempted?"
Su Bai snorted. This dog of a Barbatos really thought he could trick him into free labor? He'd rather wait. He had all the time in the world.
If he actually fought Stormterror, it would be like a Geovishap fighting a Thunder Manifestation—one on the ground, one in the sky. Anybody with half a brain could tell how annoying that fight would be.
Besides, Stormterror clearly wasn't crazed from erosion-induced memory loss. Su Bai had no intention of getting beaten up for free—especially when Barbatos would definitely mock him afterward.
"No need to think it over. I believe the Anemo Archon will handle this himself. Safe travels. I'm tired, so I won't see you out. Next time you visit, just remember to bring me the Gnosis."
Su Bai opened the door, fully assuming the role of a tavern clerk kicking out a drunk.
Venti glanced at Su Bai's two fluffy tails. He knew very well Su Bai never let men touch them—not even Morax had touched them more than a handful of times.
"Little Su Bai, I'll tell you a secret about the old man. Come closer."
"A secret? About the Geo Archon? Don't tell me it's the untold tale between him and Madame Ping?"
At the mention of Morax gossip, Su Bai perked up instantly. The Geo Archon's authority was etched deeply into every adeptus—he'd never once heard any gossip about him, not even from Cloud Retainer.
"Back in the day, Morax, that old man… on one dark, windy night, he—"
In the instant Su Bai relaxed his guard, Venti's fingers, wrapped in Anemo, struck like lightning and plucked a tuft of fox fur straight from Su Bai's tail.
"Ah—! Barbatos, you thieving mutt! You dare pluck my tail fur?! Perfect timing—Wangsheng Funeral Parlor hasn't done a funeral for an Archon yet. You'll make good practice!"
A small fox made of pure Electro materialized at Su Bai's feet. Just as he was about to unleash it on Venti, the Anemo Archon dissolved into a gust of wind and disappeared, leaving Su Bai alone—furious and helpless.
Outside, Venti twirled the tuft of fox fur, still faintly crackling with Electro. Even as just a clump of fur, it was unbelievably soft.
"Well, Little Su Bai, consider this my fee for lending you the Gnosis someday."
Inside, Su Bai only grew angrier the more he thought about it. Aside from the fur he'd plucked himself to save Hanachirusato, no one had ever dared touch his tail in eighteen years—much less yank out a whole tuft.
Restless and unable to sleep, Su Bai decided to get dressed and take a walk through Mondstadt. He might as well pick up some gifts for friends while he was out.
But as soon as he stepped outside—before he could even decide which street to take—voices from the Adventurers' Guild caught his attention. Drawn by curiosity, he went over to watch.
"Miss Fischl, that commission on Dragonspine is extremely dangerous. Even with a Vision, it's not safe to go alone. I really can't assign it to you."
"Hmph! I am Fischl, Prinzessin der Verurteilung, sovereign of eternal desolation! A mere frozen wasteland cannot impede my royal might!"
"Miss Fischl means that she is confident in her strength, and Dragonspine poses no threat to her."
Katheryne looked helplessly at the chuuni girl and her talking night raven. This peculiar duo had been pestering her for three straight days. She was beginning to wish her manufacturer would just install a "conversing with chuunis" module into her.
"Miss Fischl, Dragonspine truly is dangerous. Many adventurers have fallen there. I cannot approve the commission unless you find another Vision holder willing to team up with you."
"And your patrol commission in Windrise still has five days left. You cannot accept a new commission until the previous one is complete."
Hearing that, Fischl immediately thought of Bennett and Razor. But Bennett had accepted a ruins-exploration job yesterday and immediately went to find Razor. The realization made her shoulders droop. In Bennett's heart, she still ranked below Razor.
Still unwilling to give up, Fischl scanned the people gathered around to watch the scene. The crowd quickly dispersed the moment her eyes swept over them. Her gaze darkened.
No one understood her. As always.
"Miss, there is still one person who hasn't left—a fox-eared gentleman with a Vision. Perhaps you can ask him."