Chapter 37 — Jean Joins the Group
"So, you're planning to use her to resolve this?" Kael asked, studying Venti carefully.
The Archon nodded, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "Yes. If it's her, she can purify Dvalin's corruption. I'd prefer to handle it myself, of course… but dealing with this kind of corruption drains me far more than I'd like to admit."
Kael watched as the Wind God's usual playfulness dimmed, replaced by a weary gravity.
He understood why.
Barbatos — Mondstadt's carefree god of freedom — was far older and more damaged than he appeared. Second only to Morax in longevity, the winds of time had eroded him deeply.
Even gods, it seemed, could grow tired of eternity.
Now that a potential solution had emerged, Venti wasn't about to waste it.
If the corruption could be cleansed, the ley lines would begin to stabilize — and Mondstadt could finally breathe again.
"Since you've decided," Kael said, "then we'll proceed with that plan. But before we move forward—" He glanced sideways, golden eyes gleaming. "—when are we bringing Jean and Diluc into the group?"
Venti hummed in thought, tapping his chin. "Hmm… Jean first. She's at her breaking point. The power she'll gain from the group might just give her the edge she needs before confronting the Four Winds Temples."
Kael smirked faintly. "Agreed. She deserves it."
With a soft exhale, Kael raised a hand. The air shimmered around him, and in the blink of an eye, his attire transformed. His dark cloak flowed into elegant white robes interwoven with celestial light — reminiscent of the ancient heralds of Celestia. His features shifted subtly, gaining an otherworldly sharpness.
Venti whistled low. "You really like dramatic entrances, huh?"
Kael merely smiled.
"Some truths," he said quietly, "are better left shown than spoken."
Venti rolled his eyes good-naturedly before his own form began to shift. His bard's clothes faded, replaced by the divine regalia of Barbatos — the Anemo Archon. His emerald eyes gleamed with the raw brilliance of the wind's essence, his voice now deeper, steadier.
Yet, beneath the majesty, there lingered a trace of hesitation.
He prayed Jean wouldn't recognize his mortal guise.
After all, she'd often greeted him warmly in taverns — as nothing more than a drunken bard named Wendy.
"Are you sure this is wise?" Kael asked, raising a brow.
Venti's smirk returned. "Smart people will pretend not to notice."
---
Headquarters of the Knights of Favonius
Late Evening.
Jean sat alone in her office, the dim candlelight flickering over stacks of parchment.
The weight of leadership pressed heavily upon her shoulders. She had been working nearly twenty hours a day — coordinating patrols, approving reports, signing requisitions, and reviewing every new development related to the ley lines.
She took a deep sip of black coffee, trying to fight off the exhaustion clouding her mind.
If I collapse now, she thought grimly, Mondstadt will follow.
But before she could reach for her next report, a sudden gust of wind swept through the room. The papers on her desk fluttered violently, her coffee rippled — and the faint scent of fresh spring air filled the room.
Jean froze.
That was no ordinary breeze.
Her instincts flared to life. She drew her Favonius Sword, holding it steady. "Who's there?"
The light dimmed, then brightened — and before her eyes, a figure materialized. Cloaked in emerald light and wreathed in the aura of countless winds, he stood effortlessly regal.
Jean's breath hitched.
The energy radiating from him was impossible to mistake — pure, ancient, and endless.
The voice that followed carried both warmth and power.
> "My faithful knight."
Her sword fell from her hand as she dropped to one knee, trembling.
"Lord… Barbatos?"
As a descendant of the Gunnhildr bloodline — Mondstadt's oldest family of knights — Jean had been raised with reverence toward the Anemo Archon.
She had studied his hymns, memorized his legends, and prayed to his statues every morning.
But nothing — nothing — could have prepared her to see him standing before her.
The aura of wind around him resonated with her Vision, making it hum softly, as though in worship.
There was no doubt.
This was the Wind God himself.
---
Venti's divine form inclined his head slightly. His voice, though calm, carried divine resonance that made even the air tremble.
"Jean Gunnhildr," he said. "You have carried the burden of Mondstadt with unwavering resolve. Yet even you cannot fight against the current chaos alone."
Jean swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "If it's about the disturbances in the ley lines… yes. And if our reports are true, Stormterror — no, Dvalin — is behind much of it."
She hesitated, pain flickering in her eyes. "He was your companion, was he not? The Dragon of the East Wind."
Venti nodded, his tone heavy. "Dvalin was wounded five hundred years ago, poisoned by the corrupted blood of the dragon Durin. I lacked the strength to save him then. I slept for centuries to heal… and now, I still lack the power to purify him alone."
Jean's heart sank. Even her god was powerless?
Her knuckles whitened as she clenched her fists. "Then what can I do? If even you cannot—"
Venti raised a hand gently, stopping her. "You are not alone."
He stepped aside, and a swirl of wind and light coalesced beside him.
From it emerged Kael — his divine presence radiating quiet authority. His golden eyes met hers, calm and knowing.
Before Jean could speak, a chime echoed in her mind:
> Ding!
Congratulations, you have joined the Chat Group.
Jean froze.
Her first instinct was alarm — a foreign voice whispering inside her mind was never a good sign. For a split second, her hand reached for her sword again.
But Barbatos stood beside her. There was no malice in the wind — only clarity and light.
As the strange sensation settled, knowledge flowed into her mind. The Chat Group… connected people from across nations — perhaps even worlds. It shared knowledge, granted abilities, and… purified the Abyss?
Jean's breath caught. A power that could purify corruption…
Her trembling hands stilled. This was no curse.
This was a blessing.
---
Then, the group chat flared to life in her mind.
> Ningguang: "Jean? Welcome to the group!"
Keqing: "Glad to have you here!"
Venti: "Hey~ Welcome aboard!"
Jean blinked. "Ningguang? Keqing?"
Liyue's most powerful figures… were part of this too?
Her astonishment deepened as she noticed another username among them — "Wendy."
Wendy… that bard from the plaza?
For a moment, her eyes darted to Barbatos, whose divine expression remained perfectly serene.
No. Impossible. It couldn't be… could it?
She forced herself to ignore the suspicion. There were more pressing matters at hand.
Barbatos's gaze softened. "Jean. This power will help you grow — not just as a knight, but as a leader. The Abyss spreads quickly. To protect Mondstadt, you must transcend the limits of mortals."
Jean nodded solemnly. "I understand, my lord."
"There's more," Barbatos added. "Soon, a traveler will arrive in Mondstadt — a young woman named Lumine. She bears a power beyond your world. When she comes, assist her. Her journey will shape the fate of this land… and she may hold the key to Dvalin's salvation."
Jean bowed deeply. "I will not fail you, Lord Barbatos."
"Good."
The divine wind began to fade, and Venti's tone softened to a whisper. "Then I leave Mondstadt in your hands… my Dandelion Knight."
Jean remained kneeling even after the wind had vanished.
Her eyes burned with quiet determination.
The time for hesitation had passed.
With this new power, and the guidance of her god — Mondstadt would rise again.
---
End of Chapter 37 — Jean Joins the Group