The Electro Cicin Mage felt that she had to consider if this was the only opportunity she would ever have in her life.
This was a target personally designated by La Signora! Wasn't this more important than the Holy Lyre der Himmel? not to mention that the target looks currently weak.
And so, she made her move.
Although the Traveler's strength was somewhat unexpected, the electric light still hit her solidly. That whip was powerful! Not even the most seasoned Fatui Pyro Agent could take it head-on.
Watching Lumine's panicked expression, the woman laughed wildly.
Ding—dong—ding——
Venti looked at the Electro Cicin Mage being dragged across the ground like a dead dog and fell silent.
The woman's outfit was scorched and torn, her mask was only half-hanging by her ear, revealing a bloody and bruised face underneath. Most shocking was her left arm, which was completely bent backward.
"You killed her...?" Venti's voice was soft.
"Ah, she's still alive~"
"Ji-Jibril... pushed her... into the wall, ugh-!"
Under Jibril's gentle gaze, Paimon obediently shut her mouth and hid behind Lumine.
Blood drops fell from the Electro Cicin Mage's wounds, blooming into dark red flowers on the stone path. Yet the Flügel remained spotless, while smiling heartlessly.
Venti keenly noticed that after just one trip to the basement, the Flügel, who had seemed a bit listless, had regained her vitality, even her eyes sparkling.
What exactly happened?
"…Venti, shouldn't we run first?" Lumine looked at the church behind her, her brow slightly furrowed.
"Jibril's fighting must have attracted the attention of the Knights of Favonius. There isn't much time left."
"Alright, follow me!"
"What about this woman? Leaving her here would cause a diplomatic incident, wouldn't it?" Jibril casually swung the captive in her hand, blood splattering with the movement.
"So, I'll trouble you to take her with you first!"
Before Venti finished speaking, he lightly flipped over the railing and leaped, flying into the distance.
"Lumine, Paimon, hold on tight to me."
Just as the footsteps of their pursuers grew closer, Jibril, dragging the woman, also flipped over the railing.
Lumine took her free left hand, while Paimon frantically grabbed her hair.
Before Lumine could even unfurl her wind glider, a rainbow-colored light curtain engulfed her vision like a tide. Space folded and unfolded in an instant, and when her feet touched solid ground again, she found herself standing on the second floor of a tavern.
Their footsteps echoed on the oak floor, and the sound of a door closing faintly came from downstairs.
"Hi, we'd like a seat at your, uhhh.... least conspicuous table." Venti's voice came from downstairs, without a hint of panic, his tone as light as if he had just come for a drink.
Diluc, who was wiping a wine glass, stopped his movements and pondered for a moment. "Umm... The second floor has fewer customers. You'd be less conspicuous up there.... But aren't you a bard? Why not sit front center?"
"Hahahah, let's save the paid performance for next time! We'll be heading up now, see you in a bit!" After Venti finished speaking, he quickly ran upstairs.
Behind him, after watching him go upstairs, Diluc walked back to the bar.
"Hey, keep an eye on them. There's something strange about that bard. I'll go ask around. Diluc said to the Bartender.
"Ask who exactly?" Charles asked puzzled.
The red-haired man said nothing, merely tapping the ceiling lightly with his index finger.
"The protectors of Mondstadt...."
As soon as Diluc finished speaking, the wind chimes at the tavern's entrance rang again.
"Ah, Master Diluc, have you seen two thieves around?" A Knight pushed open the door and asked while panting.
"What happened? Why have you mobilized so many guards?" Diluc asked while frowning.
"Haven't you heard, Master Diluc? Two thieves were trying to steal the Holy Lyre!"
Diluc raised an eyebrow and straightened up, his fingertips lightly tapping the table. "Oh? How odd."
"Isn't it? The Holy Lyre is a treasure that was played by the God of Anemo themselves. Such a precious piece of culture heritage-"
"Why would someone want to steal something they can't sell off? Would pay better to steal from my cellar..."
"…"
Perhaps the Anemo Archon himself, hidden on the second floor, would agree with Diluc. But the two Knights in front of them exchanged glances, ultimately not daring to respond.
However, due to the other party's identity and reputation, they couldn't say much.
"Sorry, off topic. Believe they headed that way."
"Is that so...? But please pay more attention. Those thieves seem to have had an internal conflict as there are traces of a struggle and large patches of blood at the scene."
His eyes flickered slightly and after a brief silence, Diluc nodded to the two of them.
"I'll keep an eye out."
"Ah, good. Thank you, Master Diluc!" the Knight said gratefully.
They immediately rushed out of the tavern.
Watching the Knights' hurried departure, Diluc turned around and looked towards the second floor.
"Ladies and gentlemen, do you still need me to bring the wine upstairs?"
"Hehe, sorry about that, Master Diluc..."
Venti chuckled, poking his head out from the stairwell, and led Lumine and the others down.
Diluc scanned the group, finally resting his gaze on Jibril.
Even he, who usually wore a stern expression, couldn't help but breathe a little heavier when he saw the humanoid object she was dragging.
Although, most people wouldn't notice his change in expression.
"We meet again, Miss Jibril. It seems you've dealt with these tails?" Diluc said.
"Astonishing efficiency, much better than the Knights of Favonius. However, It would've been even better if you didn't bring the corpse into my tavern."
Facing Diluc's "praise" Jibril's ear feathers trembled slightly, and she actually lowered her head as if shy. "It's not as amazing as you say... she's not the same group as those from last night."
"Tails?" Lumine looked at Jibril in confusion.
"Ah, when I came here for a drink last night, two Fatui seemed to be watching me."
"They... were targeting you already..?" The blonde frowned slightly, her gaze towards the Electro Cicin Mage seeming to sharpen a bit.
Diluc lightly tapped a wine glass on the counter, the crisp sound drawing everyone's attention back.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Diluc, I'm the owner of this tavern."
Venti suddenly interjected. "He's very famous! By the way, his dandelion wine is one of my favorites..."
"Although most of the time I can only afford a bottle or two..."
"Alright, let's get down to business." Diluc said crossing his arms.
"I just heard about some thieves from the guards."
"For the record, I like your guts for trying to steal the Holy Lyre der Himmel." Diluc's lips curled slightly upward.
"Even if you are fools... but we don't often get to see people like you."
"That's quite harsh..." Jibil casually tossed the unconscious Electro Cicin Mage to the side of the counter, as if discarding insignificant trash.
"It wasn't us who stole it! The real culprit is this Fatui!" Paimon stomped her feet in the air anxiously. "It's this Fatui! She wanted to frame us, but Jibril brought her to justice on the spot!"
[T/L: Whats the difference between Fatui and Fatuus?"
"That's right! These are the hotshots of the Knights of Favonius. Why would people so aspiring steal Mondstadt's sacred treasure." Venti immediately chimed in.
"Hotshots...? Oh, so it's you"
Diluc's gaze shifted between the two girls, finally settling on Jibril.
"…Are you serious?"
"Mainly, I wanted to accompany her." Jibril said while smiling at Lumine, who awkwardly turned her face away.
"Sigh..." Diluc sighed, looking intently at the two. "As a Traveler, yet willing to lend a helping hand to Mondstadt in peril."
"It would be a pity for people like you to join the Knights of Favonius."
"The Knights of Favonius... are hesitant and inefficient when it comes to the Stormterror issue. And in diplomacy, they are weak and conservative towards the Fatui." Diluc said with an expression of bitter disappointment.
"Exactly! How dare they act as thieves in the sacred grounds of the church, right under the Anemo Archon?" Gabriela clenched her fists, saying fiercely.
"This is no ordinary Fatui; we must strike hard!"
Watching Jibril's eager demeanor, Diluc's mouth twitched violently, and some "unpleasant" memories about hammers flooded his mind.
He quickly coughed twice, turned, and took a coil of rope from behind the counter, deftly tying the Electro Cicin Mage's wrists behind her back with a firm knot.
"…Alright, I don't want to bring up this topic anymore."
"It seems Master Diluc really dislikes the Knights of Favonius!" Venti quipped from the side.
"Hmph... We simply have different paths." Diluc gave Venti a cold glance, gesturing for Charles to take the captive away.
He stood up, brushing dust from his gloves, the tavern's candlelight casting flickering shadows on his red hair.
"I have my own expectations for the city of Mondstadt..."
Diluc turned around, looking at them with a scrutinizing gaze. "Then answer my question, even if it was indeed the Fatui who wanted to steal the lyre, why were you at the scene?"
"Do you really want to know? You might get involved in trouble related to the Knights of Favonius, you know?" Venti reminded him.
However, as soon as Venti finished speaking, Diluc let out a scornful sneer.
"…Heh. I'm not afraid of trouble; I myself am trouble for the Knights of Favonius."
"Then, if I perform a story, will you believe me?"
"It depends on the situation; I will make my own judgment," the red-haired man stood with his arms crossed, maintaining his calm and composure.
"Then, about the Reward..."
"First, pay off last night's debt, you drunkard."
Faced with this cold refusal, Venti could only give Lumine and Jibril an awkward smile and shrug his shoulders.
He held out his hand to Lumine. "Could I borrow it for a moment?"
The blonde hesitated slightly, but seeing his earnest gaze, she finally took the Holy Lyre der Himmel from her backpack.
She could clearly feel that when the Holy Lyre der Himmel appeared, Diluc's gaze beside her also became fervent.
"Excellent! Now, please listen carefully to Mondstadt's finest Bard and the most exquisite instrument..."
The cool Star-Iron strings were plucked, and an ancient melody arose, like the poem played beneath the statue. Mondstadt's finest Poet began to perform the history of Stormterror for Diluc.
A moment passed.
"That poem just now, what exactly was it...?"
After listening to Venti's poem, Diluc lowered his head in thought for a moment. When he looked up again, his brows were furrowed in confusion. "Such an important secret. Why let me know all this?"
"Why indeed? Hmm, perhaps because the winds are changing direction!" Venti said, spreading his hands. "What do you think, Master Diluc!"
"Interesting... Give me some time, I can find a way to make connections."
"You are not in any danger right now," Diluc said, resting his chin as he looked at them. "Those Knights just now had no idea of the suspects' characteristics... Heh, they even thought there was only one group trying to get their hands on the Holy Lyre der Himmel"
"How about this! We'll meet here when the tavern closes, and I'll handle that Fatui."