"Ahhh… I'm so full!"
Paimon rubbed her round belly and let out a long, satisfied sigh.
"I remember back in my days in Munata—several Moraxes couldn't even bend one of my fingers! It was in the arena, you know? I just put my hand on his nose. I didn't even fight back. According to traditional Munata martial arts, it's all about stopping just before the strike lands…"
Lumine and Paimon stared at the drunk Farmas as he hopped onto another customer's table and began bragging about his "glorious past."
"That shameless Morax… charged at me and went for a sneak attack—"
Good Hunter had partnered with the Cat's Tail Tavern, now serving not only hot meals but also Dandelion Wine and Cat's Tail Special Brew.
While Lumine and Paimon were busy eating, Farmas somehow acquired a mug of Cat's Tail Special Brew. The moment the alcohol hit his nonexistent stomach, he began talking nonsense—claiming he once fought the Geo Lord of Liyue himself. Lumine could only shake her head.
"Farmas, stop bragging. Eat a few peanuts—we're leaving."
Paimon floated unsteadily, grabbing onto Farmas' slime body.
"Alcohol is liquid too, right? Why can Farmas get drunk…? Does alcohol react with his Pyro element and… ignite him?"
Lumine lifted the rambling Farmas into her arms.
The moment he felt the faint fragrance of the girl carrying him, Farmas finally quieted down and fell into a deep sleep.
"Uh… what do we do now?"
Lumine stared at the melting-puddle-like slime in her hands.
"How about putting Farmas in the inn for now? We can go visit the Knights afterward."
Paimon suggested weakly. They had originally planned to eat, then visit the Knights to discuss the next step—until Farmas got drunk.
"Okay."
Lumine nodded. Carrying Farmas, she returned to the inn. Under the odd stares from the receptionist, she and Paimon settled Farmas in his room and hurried out.
Ten minutes after they left, the once snoring Farmas suddenly opened his eyes.
The drunken haze was completely gone.
Farmas hopped out of the inn window, landed in an alleyway, and bounced forward rapidly.
"The scent of the wind was here just now… where'd it go?"
He stopped near a corner of Mondstadt's outer wall. The trace of Anemo he sensed earlier vanished at this exact spot.
A youthful figure in green sat by the wall, holding a lyre whose strings shimmered with azure light.
The surrounding breeze hummed softly, as if harmonizing with the Wind Archon before him.
"Good afternoon, Archon of the Mortal Realm—Barbatos."
Farmas greeted the familiar figure.
Venti turned, intending to confirm the voice—
Just in time to see a red blur flying directly at his forehead.
Ah yes. The Munata greeting tradition: forehead bumping.
Venti had complained about this "barbaric ritual" countless times.
He reacted too late.
Thud.
Farmas slammed into his forehead, making Venti stumble back while clutching his head.
"Stay away from me!!"
Barbatos glared at the bouncing slime, then narrowed his eyes.
"So you can't even maintain human form anymore, hmm… War God Farmas?"
"Ahem. Temporarily. That's why I came to you, Venti!"
Farmas sounded desperate.
"You need to help me find a few Pyro Visions. I can extract my divine power from them—then I'll be able to take human form again."
"Hm."
Venti nodded. The lyre dissolved into the wind. He reached out and gently picked up Farmas.
"Welcome back to the mortal world, Farmas."
Two of the arguably weakest gods stared at each other for a moment.
"How did you get back to Teyvat, anyway? Did you sneak in from beyond the Abyssal Sea?"
Venti asked the question that had puzzled him most.
As far as he knew, Farmas had been eradicated in his battle against Morax. Nothing remained—not even dust. After Morax left the battlefield, Barbatos had even gone to check under the fallen meteor, hoping to find some trace of Farmas.
"No, no. I was only sealed. Not dead."
Farmas said casually.
The nations near Teyvat's coasts called the world beyond the Seven's authority the Outer Abyssal Sea. Many defeated gods who refused to bow to the new order fled to remote islands and became wicked deities.
During Khaenri'ah's fall, a certain great sinner created countless abominations—creatures with black blood, corrupting all they touched. Their lives were forged by powers foreign to this world.
Even Durin, the poisonous dragon that once attacked Mondstadt, was one such being.
"You could've helped me back then, you know?"
Farmas said resentfully, remembering something unpleasant.
"Ehe~"
Venti gave his iconic cheeky laugh.
"I had just woken up then! I was busy fighting Ursa the Dragon. And even if I did come, neither of us could've beaten Morax."
"And honestly… who would've expected that you, the God of War, would lose to Morax that badly?"
"But Morax is old now. Last time at the Seven Archons' banquet, he didn't nag me about slacking off at all. Probably preparing to retire."
Venti squeezed Farmas playfully.
"So! As thanks for helping protect Mondstadt, I can borrow Amber's Pyro Vision for you."
The moment Farmas heard "Vision," he swallowed all complaints.
"What about Stormterror, then? What are you going to do about Dvalin?"
Farmas asked casually.
"That's where you come in, Farmas!"
Venti said brightly.
"Me?"
"Yep!"
Venti set Farmas down and clasped his hands pitifully.
"You know I'm the God of Freedom. I haven't managed Mondstadt in ages. Even maintaining a human form takes effort…"
"I'm literally a Slime right now. What do you expect me to do?"
Farmas frowned.
"Oh, you don't need to fight! Just help me retrieve—borrow—a lyre from the Cathedral."
Farmas paused.
"…The Sky Lyre?"
Of course he knew which lyre Venti meant.
"You're even making someone steal your favorite instrument?"
"It's not stealing—it's taking what already belongs to me."
Venti protested. As the wind god, he couldn't fight or snatch things from his worshippers, so he needed others to retrieve the Sky Lyre for him.
"So basically you just want to slack off…"
Farmas sighed.
"Fine. Lumine and I will steal—retrieve—the Sky Lyre."
"Ah, and one more thing."
"Hm?"
Farmas crouched, charging power for a jump.
Venti's expression froze.
"Venti—!"
Farmas launched himself and headbutted Venti again.