"Aiya, that's quite the ancient history. But let me make this clear first—the Thousand Winds Temple has nothing to do with the Lost Country of a Thousand Winds."
"Eh?"
Had Diergis lied to him during their conversation?
Lisa was very satisfied with Victor Wang's surprised reaction. She began speaking in her slow, lilting voice:
"It's a rather long story, so listen carefully~
"The Thousand Winds Temple dates back three thousand years, even before the Anemo Archon's birth, when Mondstadt was still caught in the clash between the Lord of the Tower, Decarabian and the Great Wolf King of the North, Andrius.
Legend has it that the father of Gunnhildr was one of Decarabian's subjects. Unable to bear his tyrannical rule, he led his tribe in fleeing the storm-torn city.
But outside the walls lay barren wilderness and howling snowstorms, nearly impossible to survive in. Luckily, they encountered the spirits of the thousand winds. Their prayers and faith became the source of these wind spirits' power, and in turn, the spirits granted them a small sanctuary.
As more refugees gathered, this tribe became the strongest among the frozen plains of Mondstadt. When her father passed, Gunnhildr became both the tribe's leader and its first high priestess. Remember her well—she's important.
This tribe's descendants became the ancestors of present-day Mondstadt. They held a tradition of building theaters on wind-battered cliffs, where they performed plays as offerings to the gods. They believed their god delighted in stories and songs. On the towering eastern cliffs, they raised a temple to seek divine favor.
That temple is the Thousand Winds Temple. Its origins are quite clear, so it has no relation to the so-called Lost Country of a Thousand Winds—just a coincidence of names."
With that conclusion, Lisa's smile turned more enigmatic.
"What's interesting is that, at that time, the Anemo Archon had not yet been born. So, what the ancestors of Mondstadt worshipped wasn't who people now believe it was, but rather… a god seemingly connected to time.
No one knows if that god ever aided them. Just as the Anemo Archon offers only the wind, what could a god of time offer…?
Anyway, Gunnhildr herself led her people in support of Barbatos when he challenged Decarabian. And when Barbatos freed the people from the storm tyrant's rule, it was she who crowned him as Mondstadt's newborn Archon.
But note this—Gunnhildr's tribe fled Decarabian's city three thousand years ago, while Barbatos' uprising against the tyrant took place around twenty-six hundred years ago. That's a full four-hundred-year gap… Either the legend is flawed, or some divine miracle occurred."
Four hundred years—a key discrepancy.
Khaenri'ah fell only five hundred years ago, and already the world was forgetting it.
Victor Wang frowned beneath his mask. "That legend comes from the Gunnhildr Chronicle, right? I recall its author was…"
"Eckhart Gunnhildr, a modern Mondstadt historian. He called it a 'historical work.' In my eyes, though he polished his family's image, his accounts align with fact—except for the timing. His version has the Gunnhildr tribe leaving Decarabian's city three thousand years ago, but crowning Barbatos twenty-six hundred years ago. That doesn't match up."
'They believed their god delighted in stories and songs…' Venti, too, loved tales and poetry. If not for the Time and Wind world quest confirming the existence of a god of time, this misunderstanding would have fooled anyone.
Thinking back, the sundial ruins from Time and Wind were indeed connected to the Thousand Winds Temple. The pillar patterns matched. Clearly, the temple had been built for the god of time.
Victor Wang couldn't help but ask softly, "But why would Mondstadt's ancestors, sheltered by wind spirits, devote their faith to another god instead of to those same spirits? They had only just fled Decarabian's city, where even birds couldn't pass the storms. And how did they even learn of this obscure god of time?"
"Even if you brought Jean here, she couldn't answer that. Such things are buried beneath millennia of history. Unless… you find someone who was there."
Someone who was there? No ordinary mortal could live three thousand years. Only the god themselves remained—but like Zhongli, they would never answer such questions.
"…Unless it was the wind spirits themselves who guided them toward the god of time. Then everything makes sense."
"Mhm…" Lisa propped her cheek against her hand, watching his earnest expression with amused interest. "That's quite the theory. I don't know how wind spirits would connect to a god of time, but yes, it does tie things together."
For the god of time had many epithets: The Thousand Winds, Ad Oblivione, God of Moments, Kairos, The Measure of Sun and Moon, Ruler of Time, even the Tokoyo Ookami of Enkanomiya.
She was Istaroth.
And Barbatos himself was but one wisp of the Thousand Winds. For Mondstadt's ancestors to abandon worship of the spirit who saved them, and instead honor an unfamiliar god… Could that not be evidence—not just speculation—that Barbatos and Istaroth were connected?
Venti, oh Venti!
Lisa brought him back to the topic. "Anyway, regarding the 'Lost Country of a Thousand Winds,' Mondstadt's records say nothing. But I once came across the name in Sumeru, the Nation of Wisdom. Supposedly, it stood on what is now Mondstadt's land. Its founding date is unknown, but it was destroyed before the Lord of the Tower's reign."
So, Lisa really did know something? He'd expected answers from Kaeya instead. Victor Wang quickly asked, "Its exact location?"
"You may not believe this."
She spread a map on the table. Her gloved finger circled the center point between Whispering Woods, Stormbearer Mountains, and Cider Lake.
"Three thousand years ago, a mountain stood here—half of it now submerged in Cider Lake. That was where the Lost Country of a Thousand Winds lay."
A vanished nation. A missing mountain. A dragon sealed beneath Mondstadt. A god of time. All pre–Archon War tales.
"…Back then, Mondstadt was a frozen land, only later reshaped by the Anemo Archon. Maybe someone else made similar changes. It's not hard to accept."
"But the ruins of that country are utterly gone. For you, who's seeking it—doesn't that trouble you?"
His eyes fixed on the shaded depths marked in Cider Lake. Last time, he hadn't explored that part when searching for dragon bones. Even if the surface was gone, the underground might remain.
Khaenri'ah's ruins would surely be underground. And the locations lined up. Could that shaded patch be it?
"Knowing the location is enough. That helps a lot."
"So easily satisfied… I thought I'd get to show off and deduce its present-day location."
"Go on, I'll humor you."
Lisa rolled her eyes, shaking her head with a smile. "Forget it. Tea time's over. Go about your business. Just don't forget the new book you promised me."
"Lisa-sis, you really are the most understanding!"
"Go, go. Don't disturb my work."
…
"Good thing Diluc gave me the Day Pearl. Didn't think I'd be needing it again at Cider Lake so soon."
Weighing the layered glass orb in his hand, Victor Wang booked a room at the Goth Grand Hotel. Between searching the lakebed and writing Lisa's book, he'd be staying in Mondstadt for four or five days.
By chance, the same room was still vacant. Unfortunately, Ying wasn't across the hall this time. As he unlocked his door, voices drifted down the narrow corridor:
"Why isn't the Goth Hotel open to the public?"
"It's been under Fatui control for ages. Weren't there guards at the door today? Usually they chase off anyone who gets close."
"Fatui? Hmph."
The voice sounded familiar, but the distance made him uncertain. He dismissed the thought, entered his room, and began choosing an appropriate romance to rewrite—with a happy ending this time.
To his dismay, eight out of ten great romances ended in tragedy, as though a love story could only be 'classic' if it broke hearts.
That left Pride and Prejudice and The Merchant of Venice. Considering the workload, he chose The Merchant of Venice. It offered the bonus of adaptation: into The Merchant of Liyue to highlight its 'Contracts,' or The Merchant of Fontaine for its 'Justice' and courts. He wondered if Focalors would enjoy such a tale.
If it could bring Furina a smile, that alone would be worth it… Decided—it would be The Merchant of Fontaine! A step into Fontaine's market ahead of time.
Knock, knock!
A sudden knock shattered his daydreams.
"Who is it?"
"Your neighbor. I have a question for you."
That deep, magnetic voice—was he imagining it?
Unthinking, Victor Wang answered and opened the door.
It really was Dainsleif.
"That aura… I thought it was him."
Before the words faded, Dainsleif's monstrous right arm lashed out, tearing through the hastily raised Geo shield and forcing Victor Wang to dodge back in alarm.
"Hey, hey, we've no quarrel, have we?"
"You'll have your chance to explain. After you've lost the ability to fight."
Cold, ruthless—Dainsleif struck again. But this time, an icy blade shot toward his face even faster.
"Breaking into a private residence? That alone is enough reason for me to throw you in the dungeon of the Knights of Favonius."
"Hm?"
From the window behind Victor Wang, Kaeya slipped inside, parroting Dainsleif's words with his usual flippant grin. "You'll get your chance to explain. But only After you've lost the ability to fight."