Chapter 24: I Really Am Barbatos
After following Venti to the cathedral, Venti beamed confidently: "Just watch this—"
He said it with a smile, then strolled up to a nun in a white robe and struck up a conversation.
Su Han and the others pretended to be admiring the scenery, sneaking glances at him out of the corner of their eyes.
The white-robed nun said, "May the Wind God bless you, young poet. How can I help you?"
Venti replied, "Actually, I've discovered a secret—a way to save Mondstadt from the crisis it faces."
Su Han: "Th-This isn't right…"
Lumine: "One glance and you can tell he's an old trickster."
The nun arched an eyebrow. "Oh? Really? That's quite the blessing from the Wind God, isn't it?"
"But… matters like this should be reported to the Knights of Favonius. What could a lowly nun like me do to help?"
Venti chuckled softly. "Sister, you're certainly capable of helping."
"For example… the Skyward Harp. With its power, I could make the Stormterror—"
The nun sighed. "Please, go back. Though that dragon is fierce, as long as the Acting Grand Master makes a firm decision, there's no reason it cannot be defeated."
Venti's eyes widened. "No, that won't do! Then the Stormterror would die!"
The nun said calmly, "A foolish beast that goes against the East Wind—even if the Wind God himself descended, it would not be easily forgiven."
"Wha—?!" Venti furrowed his brow. Suddenly, a mischievous idea sparked in his eyes. He pouted slightly and cooed at the nun, "Um… big sister…"
The nun's cheeks tinged pink. "N-No… is no, little poet."
Venti exhaled, feigning helplessness.
"Huh… really no way…"
"I can no longer hide it. My devoted follower, rejoice!"
"The one standing before you is none other than Lord Barbatos the Anemo Archon—"
The three watching from afar froze. "?!"
Venti grinned. "Shocked, aren't you? Shocked enough to cry? Finally meeting the deity you serve… how does it feel? Moved, yes?"
The nun, unruffled, said, "If there's nothing else, I'll return to handling the cathedral's paperwork."
Thankfully, it was this particular nun who had received the wandering bard. If it had been another, she might have accused him of blasphemy on the spot and locked him away for days.
A moment later, Venti wandered over, a sheepish grin on his face. "Hehe… the nun left without even turning her head."
Su Han muttered, "I can't blame you. Why not pretend to be something else? You insist on being Barbatos… spend some time learning The Actor's Self-Cultivation, maybe."
Venti laughed, "But… I actually accomplished my goal."
"At the very least, she didn't deny that the cathedral houses the Skyward Harp."
"Then, Lumine, since you're the Knights' hot new recruit… want to give it a try?"
Lumine flatly refused. "No way. That's too embarrassing."
Venti blinked, pleading, "Just think of it as doing it for Teyvat, please?"
"Please?"
Lumine: "…."
Unsurprisingly, after negotiations, Lumine's attempt also failed. Their approach had only raised suspicion.
Venti groaned. "Sigh, I guess you're no good at this either?"
Paimon: "Re-Really?!"
Venti waved a hand. "I just wanted to see if you, a rising star of the Knights, had what it takes."
"Look, the hero casually took the village's prized sword—"
"Isn't that exactly the kind of story worth singing about?"
Su Han: "Smooth talk, keep it up."
Paimon: "Hmph, your metaphor is pretty rude, bard."
Even Lumine, influenced by Paimon, crossed her arms and glared at Venti.
Venti laughed awkwardly. "Ah, you misunderstand. It's Mondstadt's disappointment—stingy even in the face of heroes."
"Well, it seems outright borrowing won't work. We'll have to be a bit… clever."
"Tonight we respect free will. So, what kind of clever approach do you think works best?"
"Uh…"
"Come on, speak freely. Free will means no holding back."
"I don't really want to steal anything," Lumine whispered.
"Haha, see, you're already going off topic."
"But since Lumine doesn't want to, this arduous and glorious mission falls to Su Han."
"Because aside from singing, I don't have any other skills I can boast about."
"And in Mondstadt, I have no one to defend me. If I get caught, I'll be severely punished."
Paimon: "Getting caught stealing wouldn't really be unfair, though."
Venti: "You're different. You're heroes who saved Mondstadt, contributed to the city, the Knights' shining stars. A slip-up can be explained—maybe even glossed over."
"And in my view, Su Han's instant-transit technique is perfect for this kind of job. There's basically zero chance of failure."
Su Han: "?"
Venti continued, "Also, I hear the guards usually leave their posts at night."
"If we seize that moment and cooperate cleverly, with proper division of labor, there's absolutely no chance of failure."
Paimon: "Don't always assume failure is the default!"
Venti: "What do you think? Su Han? Lumine?"
Lumine: "Wait—you just said you're Barbatos?"
Venti: "Uh… yes?"
Lumine: "If you're really a god, you can't just sit back and do nothing."
Venti looked puzzled. "Oh? And why is that?"
Paimon: "I'll tell you about her past… later."
Lumine: "Of course, even if you're not a god, I'll still save Teyvatlin."
Venti: "Huh?"
Lumine remained silent for a long moment, then said softly, "I'll bring back the Skyward Harp, because… I don't want to see separation again."
Su Han silently extended his hand, taking hold of Lumine's small hand.
"Don't worry. I've already drawn up a detailed plan. By tonight, you'll be impressed."
Lumine felt a warm glow in her chest. "Thank you… for sharing the risk of this madness with me."
Su Han continued, "Based on my experience, between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., humans are usually at their most drowsy."
"To ensure the plan goes perfectly, we'll act during that window."
Venti grinned. "Looks like you know your stuff. Then tonight, we're counting on you—"
Su Han cautioned, "Since we're all in this game, everyone should understand the rules of the road."
Paimon: "I got it, I got it—"
Su Han: "At midnight, you'll be waiting here in advance, ready to execute the plan."
"No matter what outrageous moves I make, treat them as necessary for the Skyward Harp."
"If the plan fails, the consequences will be severe."
Lumine, Paimon, and Venti nodded in unison. At that moment, none of them realized…
How utterly insane Su Han's plan was about to be.
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