"Then I'll walk you all to here, alright?"
Xiangling shifted the huge slab of boar meat on her back and nodded to the group.
After leaving Draff's cabin, they cooked one of the boars in Springvale and left the rest for Draff and the hunters.
Paimon held a skewer of roasted pork—its golden, crisp skin coated with Xiangling's secret teriyaki glaze, made from sweet flowers and honey, smoked with branches from an Exploding Flame Tree.
"Mmm! Bye-bye, Xiangling!"
Klee waved energetically, mouth greasy with meat.
By the time they finished roasting, dusk was already settling in.
Xiangling bid the group farewell, salumine she needed to gather more ingredients.
"Ah—Farmas! This is for you!"
Already several steps away, Xiangling suddenly remembered something and hurried back.
She untied a small bell from her waist and handed it to him.
"With this bell, all meals at Wanmin Restaurant are free."
Grinning from ear to ear, she waved.
"Come visit Liyue sometime!"
Farmas watched her leave, then tied the bell to his belt.
Beside him, Lumine looked at him strangely, then removed the ever-blooming flower she kept in her hair.
"This is for you."
Paimon stared at Lumine's red cheeks and instantly understood, teasing nonstop:
"Heeeeh? That's Lumine's favorite flower!
Farmas, you better treasure it!"
Under the fiery sunset, the pure white flower in Lumine's hand glowed softly.
Farmas looked at her.
Without the flower pinning her hair, her pale-gold strands fluttered freely in the wind.
Ever since she woke up, that flower had always been there.
Lumine loved wearing it.
She had once picked a similar white blossom—unknown yet miraculously pristine—untouched by wind or rain, as if protected by an invisible power.
"Thank you."
Farmas accepted the flower solemnly and fixed it to his collar with fire elemental energy.
As the former Pyro Archon, he recognized it immediately—
the national flower of Khaenri'ah: the Intivat.
Its natural blooming period was only two weeks,
but once taken outside Khaenri'ah,
it would remain eternally in full bloom—
until it returned home.
Paimon floated quietly beside Lumine, for once salumine nothing.
Lumine tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, took Klee's hand, and headed toward Mondstadt.
Farmas followed behind.
Everything felt warm and peaceful—
Until the three of them reached Mondstadt's gate, crossing the only stone bridge leading inside.
Klee, tired from walking, rode on Farmas's shoulders, waving a windwheel aster like a paper windmill.
Farmas held tightly onto her legs to keep her from falling.
Paimon lay sprawled on Lumine's shoulder, stuffed full and sleepy.
Lumine watched Farmas's profile with a soft smile—blissfully content.
But the three of them failed to notice two familiar figures waiting at the gate.
"Klee!"
A crisp and commanding voice rang out.
Klee jolted so hard she almost fell!
"C-Captain Jean!"
Seeing the pristine white figure in the distance, Klee's bright smile instantly froze.
She scrambled off Farmas's shoulders and dashed to Jean.
Worried Jean would scold her, Farmas and Lumine quickly followed.
"You all…"
Jean stared at them—far too united for her liking—
and let out a helpless sigh.
None of them noticed the suspiciously delighted grin on Venti's face nearby.
Only Paimon weakly raised a hand.
"Afternoon, bard…"
Venti nodded, eyes sparkling with mischief, as Jean lifted Klee by her backpack like a kitten.
"Anyway, all of you back to the Knights headquarters with me. Now."
Jean marched off with a dangling Klee in tow.
Klee glanced back with pleading eyes, but when Farmas saw Venti's eerie smile—
a sense of impending doom washed over him.
"A-ah… Venti! Long time no see!"
Farmas subtly shuffled backward.
A thousand years ago, before Statues of the Seven even existed,
he didn't know how the statues were linked to Venti—
but with the murderous look currently in the bard's eyes,
one thing was certain:
He needed to run.
"Then, Farmas and I will go turn in commissions at the Adventurers' Guild—"
Lumine sensed tension and tried to excuse herself and Paimon.
"Wait, Lumine— I'll go with you!"
Farmas reached out to grab her wrist—
but Venti grabbed his collar first.
Venti flashed Lumine a terrifluminely gentle smile.
"You go on ahead, Lumine.
Farmas and I need to talk."
Seeing that demonic smile, Lumine opened her mouth to protest—
but Paimon shot up from her shoulder and dragged her away.
"Don't look! Don't look!
Farmas and the bard must have super-important things to discuss!"
Once Lumine was gone, Venti and Farmas stood in tense silence.
Then Venti pulled out a glowing teal longbow.
"W-wait! I can explain!"
Feeling the wind element building in the drawn bowstring,
Farmas bolted immediately, fire erupting beneath his feet.
"You're not getting away!"
Venti loosed the arrow.
"You're actually shooting?!"
Mid-bridge, Farmas startled Timmy's pigeons before a violent suction yanked him backward.
"War Shield!"
A Pyro barrier flared around him as he was dragged into the raging vortex of Venti's attack.
"If I dodge, that would be insulting the War Shield."
Inside the storm, Farmas tumbled helplessly, the fire shield flickering under the violent winds.
When the elemental force finally dissipated,
Farmas hit the ground, barely on his feet—
before Venti vaulted onto him, pinning him down.
Sitting on his chest, Venti grabbed Farmas's cheeks and stretched them furiously.
"That's for smashing my Statue!"
"And blasting my island!"
"Do you have any idea how scared you made me?!"
Venti's voice trembled with indignation, almost sounding more wronged than Farmas.
"I— I— I know— I'll— I'll fix it—"
Farmas stammered, face squished beyond recognition.
"So… uh… how do you fix a Statue of the Seven?"
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