"Thus, Mondstadt's dragon crisis has come to a temporary end. On behalf of the Knights of Favonius, I clarified the misunderstanding to the citizens and announced the resolution of the incident. To ordinary people, the sudden assault of the Stormterror upon Mondstadt—and its equally sudden disappearance—must have left many doubts in their hearts. But the winds will change. One day, they will blow toward a brighter direction."
Jean wrote this passage in her office.
After a moment of thought, she picked up her pen again and added a title beside the account.
—The Song of the Dragon and Freedom.
After returning to Mondstadt, Diluc didn't even bother visiting the Knights of Favonius Headquarters, heading straight back to "Angel's Share."
Jean still needed to lead the Knights in handling the aftermath, so the task of returning the "Holy Lyre der Himmel" naturally fell to Venti and Lora.
"By the way," Paimon said as she followed behind Venti, frowning, "if you're really the Anemo Archon, why do you still have to return your own stuff to someone else? I just don't get it."
"Huh? The Anemo Archon?" Venti looked at her in feigned surprise. "Didn't that guy disappear a thousand years ago?"
"Ugh…" Paimon looked at Venti, then at Lora and Lumine beside her, and sighed.
"I get it now. If a holy relic like the 'Holy Lyre der Himmel' stayed in your hands, you'd probably trade it for wine one day!"
"Wow, Paimon really does understand me," Venti said with a grin.
The group arrived at the Favonius Cathedral and found Barbara, handing the "Holy Lyre der Himmel" over to her.
Barbara carefully inspected it for a long while, and only after confirming there wasn't the slightest bit of damage did she finally relax. Hugging it carefully to her chest, she carried it back to its place of storage.
Watching Barbara's retreating figure, Paimon whispered to Lumine, "She's really devoted. If she ever found out that the Anemo Archon she worships is just some bard who drinks all day, I wonder how she'd feel."
"Eh heh?" Venti laughed when he overheard. He glanced toward the cathedral entrance, then walked over to Lora's side.
Lora stepped aside with him. Venti raised his hand, revealing his Anemo Gnosis. Vast Anemo elemental power shimmered upon it, sky-blue light illuminating the surroundings.
While Lumine and Paimon weren't paying attention, Lora quietly put Venti's Gnosis away.
Watching her do so, Venti laughed. "This really feels like some kind of underground organization, sneaking around and making secret deals! Turn it into a story and it'd be pretty fun."
"Spoken like a true bard—your imagination really is something else," Lora said helplessly.
Venti chuckled. "Alright, let's head out too. If we stay any longer, the people outside will start getting impatient. Plus, there's hardly anyone outside the cathedral right now, so we won't cause much of a stir."
"You're really going to let those 'Fatui' push their luck like that?" Lora asked, looking at him.
"The person waiting outside… I do feel a bit guilty toward her," Venti said, glancing at the cathedral doors and sighing. "So I'd rather avoid a major conflict if possible."
"That's not something I can promise you, Venti," Lora replied seriously. "You may feel guilty toward her, but I don't. I can guarantee I won't provoke her first—but if she provokes me, then all bets are off."
Venti nodded. "I understand."
Lora turned back toward Lumine and Paimon. "Lumine, Paimon—we're leaving."
"Oh, coming!" Paimon snapped back to attention first and flew over. Lumine turned and joined them, and the four headed toward the cathedral entrance together.
The moment they stepped outside the Favonius Cathedral, two Fatui Debt Collectors suddenly appeared behind them and launched an attack at Venti and Lora. Lumine reacted instantly, blocking the assault.
The two Debt Collectors quickly retreated.
Lumine and Paimon rushed forward, but an icy storm swept in from another direction, freezing Venti and Lora's feet in place.
Lumine noticed something was wrong behind her and turned back—only for the Debt Collectors to reappear and strike her, knocking her unconscious to the ground.
Paimon was frozen solid as well and fell helplessly to the floor.
"Well, well. Looks like we finally caught our runaway hamster," Rosalyne said as she approached with two Fatui Cicin Mages. "Chewing on wooden posts, gnawing through rice sacks… causing Mondstadt so much trouble."
She stopped in front of Venti and pinched his cheek.
As for Lora standing beside him, Rosalyne completely ignored her.
Rosalyne hadn't gone to Old Mondstadt, nor had she seen Lora in action. Having lain in wait here the whole time, she naturally had no idea who Lora truly was.
Venti looked at her and said, "That's not a hamster—that's a rat."
Rosalyne released his face and swung her hand toward him. But before the slap could land, Lora grabbed her wrist.
"You don't hit someone in the face," Lora said coldly, staring straight into Rosalyne's eyes. "Hitting someone's face damages their pride. Don't you know that?"
Daring to slap Venti right in front of her—this was clearly not taking her seriously at all.
"This is between him and me. It has nothing to do with you," Rosalyne said with a frown.
She shook off Lora's grip and struck out with her palm. In her eyes, Lora was nothing more than an ordinary person with a Hydro Vision—someone who couldn't possibly withstand her attack.
Yet Lora instantly broke free of the ice binding her feet, stepped back, and evaded the strike. She reached out, grabbed Venti by the collar, and pulled him out of the way as well.
"Hey!" Venti cried out.
Lora: "..."
She's acting so convincingly it feels real.
"How is that possible? How could you break free of my control?" Rosalyne stared in shock. "This power was bestowed by Her Majesty the Tsaritsa!"
"That's not the point," Lora said, standing beside Venti and looking straight at Rosalyne.
"The point is this: the 'Fatui' attacked Mondstadt's archon right in front of the Favonius Cathedral. Is Snezhnaya planning to declare war on Mondstadt?"
Rosalyne snorted coldly.
"It's just dealing with an Archon who abandoned his rule over Mondstadt. What's the big deal?"
"You should show at least a little reverence toward gods," Lora said calmly. "Otherwise, you'll die a very miserable death."
As she spoke, an image flashed through her mind—Rosalyne being cleaved apart by the Raiden Shogun in Tenshukaku with a single strike.