He had just learned that this was a tear crystal shed by Stormterror out of pain.
Grand Master Jean wanted to know information about this object and asked him and Lumine to investigate. When everyone was confused, he didn't speak up.
Instead, he waited quietly, and sure enough, options appeared.
If he had spoken just now, this option probably wouldn't have appeared.
However, even if he gave the information for the first option, he probably couldn't get the reward immediately.
Because he needed to continue pushing "Bronya's" (Jean's) thoughts, making her firmly believe her "mother's" (The Fatui/Decabarian?) actions were wrong.
That would take time.
"Kael, Kael! It's time to eat. Shall we go together?"
While Kael was thinking this...
He had unknowingly walked out of Jean's office with Lumine.
After walking out of the Knights of Favonius Headquarters, Paimon looked at Kael and said quickly, "We haven't had dinner yet. Want to eat together?"
The experience of being with Kael today was really comfortable.
So seeing Kael come out together, she asked immediately.
"Yes, let's eat together."
Beside her, Lumine also added quickly, "Our operation today was so easy thanks to you. We should treat you to a meal."
"We don't know much about Mondstadt either since we just arrived today. Kael, can you introduce us?"
"Sure."
Hearing Lumine's words, Kael nodded readily.
"Great!"
Seeing Kael agree, Paimon looked excited.
"By the way."
The excited Paimon suddenly thought of something and looked at Lumine. "Lumine, just now... there was one thing you didn't say."
"At that time, besides the dragon and the crystal, we clearly saw one more thing..."
"I want to investigate it myself first."
Hearing Paimon's words, Lumine scratched her head. "I don't think he looked like a bad person."
"Mm, you indeed remember him, that green guy!"
Hearing Lumine's words, Paimon nodded in agreement. "He dressed just as green as that passerby downstairs."
As she spoke, Paimon looked down the stairs not far away, at a passing bard wearing a green cloak.
"It really is the same color code. What a coincidence."
Hearing Paimon's words and looking in the direction Paimon pointed, Lumine froze. "Paimon, that... seems to be him."
"Ehh—?!"
Hearing this, Paimon's eyes widened. "Looking closer... it is the same person—?!"
"Right?"
Lumine nodded.
She wasn't mistaken.
When Kael followed their gaze, he saw only a back view.
It was Venti.
"Kael, Kael, you don't know this."
Paimon whispered quickly, "Actually, when we were talking to Grand Master Jean just now, we didn't mention another piece of intel."
"Mm-hmm."
Lumine nodded quickly. "Actually, we've seen Stormterror before. On our way to Mondstadt, passing through a forest, we saw a guy communicating with Stormterror. Then the dragon flew away, and the green guy disappeared too. We felt a gust of wind at the time."
"We thought it was a hallucination and didn't care much."
"But afterward, we found this crystal at the scene where the green guy and Stormterror were."
"We even guessed it might be an illusion created by this thing."
"Then we came to Mondstadt and saw Stormterror."
"I see."
Hearing Lumine's words, Kael smiled faintly. "Actually, the Anemo Archon you are looking for is him."
"What!?"
Hearing Kael's words, Paimon and Lumine's eyes widened abruptly. "The Anemo Archon we're looking for is him?"
"Impossible, right?"
On their way to Mondstadt, they saw the Anemo Archon they were looking for?
"Why is it impossible?"
Kael chuckled. "Don't forget, that is Stormterror. Given the disaster Stormterror caused in Mondstadt and its hatred for the people, who do you think could get close to it? Even communicate?"
"Stormterror is the Anemo Archon's familiar. Under these circumstances, only the Anemo Archon can contact it. Isn't the answer obvious?"
Hearing this, Paimon and Lumine were stunned for a moment.
They looked at each other, eyes full of shock and confusion.
Then they looked at Kael, seeming to want to find a trace of a joke on his face.
However, Kael still had that indifferent expression, his gaze calm, as if stating a matter of course.
"Eh eh eh? Are... Are you serious?"
Paimon waved her small hands violently, her floating body shaking a bit. "But... but how could we meet the Anemo Archon we've been looking for as soon as we entered Mondstadt? Isn't this too... too casual!"
Her tone revealed strong disbelief. This fact seemed to exceed her cognitive range.
Lumine also frowned, falling into deep thought.
Her purpose in coming all this way was clearly to find the Anemo Archon.
But if what Kael said was true, and the Anemo Archon was right beside them, wouldn't all their past speculations be overturned?
Plus the existence of Stormterror... she vaguely felt things were much more complicated than they imagined.
"But isn't Stormterror attacking Mondstadt?"
Lumine frowned hesitantly. "If it's the Anemo Archon's familiar, why would it do such a thing? Shouldn't the Anemo Archon stop it?"
"That's why I said, the Anemo Archon you are looking for is him."
The corner of Kael's mouth lifted slightly, his tone carrying a thought-provoking meaning. "No one understands Stormterror's existence better than him, or... can communicate with it."
Paimon's brain spun wildly.
But soon, she patted her face hard, puffed out her cheeks, and shook her head. "No no no, wait a minute, let me clear this up!"
"You're saying Stormterror's attack on Mondstadt is actually because of some connection between it and the Anemo Archon?"
"And the Anemo Archon knows about this?"
"But then why doesn't he step out to stop it directly?"
"Maybe... he tried."
Lumine whispered, her tone already carrying a hint of contemplation.
Paimon was stunned, turning to look at Lumine quickly. "You think it makes sense too?"
Lumine was silent for a moment, then finally nodded slowly.
The more she recalled what Kael said just now, the more reasonable it felt.
If Stormterror was truly once the Anemo Archon's familiar, then its abnormal behavior now must have a reason.
And the person who could truly solve this mystery...
Was the Anemo Archon himself.
All the way here, from the Dragon Disaster to the Storm to the gathering of Vision holders, everything vaguely pointed to a core.
The relationship between Mondstadt's Anemo Archon and Stormterror was far more complex than they imagined.
"Okay... I believe it for now."
Paimon crossed her arms, looking like she was thinking hard. "But this means... our journey has become more troublesome!"
"If the Anemo Archon really knows Stormterror's situation... then what exactly is he doing?"
Lumine murmured softly, seeming to talk to herself, yet also asking Kael.
Kael just smiled slightly, his eyes deep. "You'll have to ask him that yourself."
Hearing this, Paimon froze again, eyes wide. "You don't mean... we should go find the Anemo Archon personally and ask clearly?"
"What else?"
Kael shrugged. "Aren't you here to find him?"
Paimon opened her mouth, wanting to refute, but found Kael's words were correct.
The purpose of her and Lumine coming to Mondstadt was precisely to find Barbatos, the Anemo Archon.
Now that they had this clue, were they going to back down?
"Hehe."
Paimon suddenly patted Lumine's shoulder, smiling mysteriously. "Traveler, we seem to have a new target!"
The corner of Lumine's mouth hooked up. She nodded, her gaze firmer than before.
Anemo Archon, Stormterror, Mondstadt's Storm—these mysteries had begun to surface gradually.
And as a Traveler, she would never stop her steps.
"Then let's go."
Lumine looked at Kael and said quickly, "Thank you, Kael, for the reminder. We're going to find that green guy now."
"En."
Kael nodded. "You go ahead. If you come back later, you can come to Good Hunter."
"I'll be eating dinner there, drinking some wine."
He wouldn't go with Lumine and Paimon.
Too lazy to run.
Meaningless.
Spending effort to run over there was worse than filling his stomach first.
He had already told Lumine the answer.
The reason for telling Lumine was to complete the option as soon as possible so he could get the [Trailblazer's Baseball Bat].
That was a melee weapon.
Although he had Bronya's Rifle, that thing was ranged.
Speaking of which, whether it was the Rifle...
Or Seele's Secret Technique, he hadn't tried them yet. He had to try them properly.
"Ah? You aren't coming with us?"
Hearing Kael's words, Paimon's eyes widened abruptly.
"Of course."
Kael smiled and turned around.
Walking toward Good Hunter, he waved his hand. "You have a reason you have to go. I don't."
"Okay, okay."
Hearing Kael's words, Paimon and Lumine looked at each other.
Then nodded.
Kael could not go with them.
But they had a reason they had to find him.
Immediately, the two chased in the direction where the green figure disappeared.
Soon, in a short while.
They arrived at the destination.
It was the Mondstadt Plaza.
The afterglow of the moonlight spilled over the entire city, casting a quiet and warm glow.
Under that tall Anemo Archon statue, Lumine and Paimon's steps gradually slowed down.
Because they had already seen that familiar figure.
A young man in a green cloak was sitting leisurely by the base of the statue, holding a lyre, his fingertips gently plucking the strings.
A string of clear melody flowed out like water.
His eyes were lowered, a faint smile on his lips, looking relaxed and comfortable.
The music was melodious, clear and bright, like a breeze blowing across a lake, rippling gently.
It was a poetic melody, as if telling the ancient story of this city, praising Mondstadt's freedom and wind blessings.
The onlookers of Mondstadt stopped one after another, attracted by this moving music.
They stood quietly around.
Some closed their eyes gently, as if intoxicated by the melody.
Some smiled, as if recalling some beautiful past.
Lumine and Paimon originally came chasing this person.
But at this moment, they couldn't help but stop, their moods moved by this melodious tune.
Paimon widened her eyes and whispered, "This melody... is so gentle. I feel relaxed all over."
Lumine didn't speak, just listened quietly.
Feeling this soft music echoing in her ears.
She had never heard such a melody. It wasn't as passionate as a war song, nor as sad as a farewell song, but carried a free and easy freedom like a breeze.
They didn't step forward to disturb.
Instead, they chose to stand aside, listening silently to the melody, waiting for the end of the song.
In this quiet and free land, the wind brushed past their ears.
The lyre music flowed in their hearts, seeming to temporarily throw all disputes and troubles to the back of their minds, bringing a peace never felt before.
"The story I want to tell begins in the immemorial past."
In the next second, the young man spoke amidst the melody, his tone unhurried:
"When the Gods still walked the earth."
"The Dragon of High Heaven descended."
"Curious about everything in the world."
"The Dragon sought its own answers, but could not understand the complexity of the mortal world."
"The Wind Singer played the lyre strings, answering it one by one with the Holy Lyre."
"The Dragon was but a curious child, flying carefree, until now."
"It listened to poetry, wanting to learn to sing, so that all things would understand its heart."
"The Singer and the Dragon became legends, and the dark age descended."
"Anger and sorrow, life and poison blood together, turned into tears falling from the Dragon's eyes."
"The poetry fell silent, corruption took effect easily, and the Holy Lyre could no longer speak."
As a story fell slowly, the melody also gradually disappeared.
The surrounding Mondstadt residents frowned or relaxed.
Some even took out Mora and placed it at the young man's feet as a reward.
"I have to say, Venti, your stories are getting more and more moving. You actually make it hard for me to hate Stormterror."
"Every time Stormterror attacks, you give a speech here. Are you excusing Stormterror? It has changed. It is no longer the Dragon of the East."
"Sigh, the guardian of the past has now become our disaster. Fate really toys with people."
"Stormterror used to attack the outskirts. This time it attacked the inner city. I dare not imagine what it will attack next time."
One by one, the residents of Mondstadt spoke.
Some sighed, some scratched their heads, distressed.
Everyone left while communicating.
Lumine and Paimon walked directly to Venti, making Venti freeze. "Ah, you are..."
"You're the ones who scared Dvalin away at that time."
"Dvalin? Who?"
Hearing Venti's words, Paimon scratched her head.
"It's Stormterror's true name."
Lumine looked at Paimon speechlessly.
Is Paimon's amnesia serious?
"Umm... Oh! I remember. But don't people usually call it Stormterror?"
Paimon scratched her head. "Why do you call it that... are you very close?"
"You really are the Anemo Archon!"
Saying this, Paimon spoke quickly.
Venti: "?????"
Venti was originally plucking the strings leisurely, a lazy smile on his lips.
However.
When Paimon blurted out "You really are the Anemo Archon!"...
His fingers paused slightly. The strings vibrated gently, emitting a discordant note.
Venti was stunned for a moment, a trace of surprise flowing in his emerald green eyes.
That fleeting expression seemed like someone had accurately hit the mark.
However, just a moment later, he returned to his usual leisurely self.
The corner of his mouth lifted, revealing a cunning smile, his gaze landing playfully on Lumine and Paimon.
"Guess?"
Venti blinked, his tone brisk, as if the surprise just now was an illusion.
Hearing this, Paimon became anxious instantly.
Hands on her hips, floating in mid-air, she glared at Venti angrily. "What do you mean 'guess'? You guy, you're clearly perfunctory with us!"
Lumine also looked at Venti suspiciously, frowning. "Since you know Stormterror, and call it Dvalin, this is already very wrong."
"Ordinary Mondstadters almost never call it that."
"Mm-hmm!"
Paimon nodded repeatedly, echoing, "Plus your leisurely attitude... You must be the Anemo Archon Barbatos!"
"Otherwise, how could you know Stormterror so well!"
Hearing Paimon's words, Venti chuckled, his index finger gently touching his chin, pretending to think seriously.