Chapter 151: An Extra Set of Chopsticks

Venti felt like the world had truly gone to hell. His likeness was being used without his consent, and there was nothing he could do about it. Was there no justice?

…Although Venti secretly opposed the Heavenly Principles, he now realized how good it was to have some order!

"Wait, there's still the Electro Archon, right? That girl, I remember her. She's not as easygoing as we are. I don't believe she'd just hand over her likeness so easily. In other words, I don't need to do anything. The Raiden Shogun will naturally take care of Fontaine with her blade!"

Faced with Venti's wishful thinking, Zhongli had to shatter his dreams once again, speaking with a hint of cruelty: "Unfortunately, according to Rea, Ye has done a lot in Inazuma. Although his relationship with Baal isn't great, getting her permission to use her likeness wasn't a problem. Rea returned to Liyue after completing that task."

"...So, I'm the only one being targeted, is that it?"

"From a rational perspective, yes."

Venti scratched his head helplessly. "Forget it. I don't know what Ye's goal is with all this, but it doesn't matter. Even if my identity is exposed, it's not a big deal. I never really hid it in the first place."

Indeed, Venti had never deliberately hidden his identity as Barbatos, the Anemo Archon. He just never felt the need to announce it.

Mondstadt was the City of Freedom, a nation that had remained godless because Barbatos chose not to rule.

In this nation, the will of the people had always been free, and that was what Venti desired.

Some chose to devoutly worship Barbatos—that was freedom. Some nuns even mispronounced his name as "Bartobas" and held no faith in him—that was also freedom.

Some people spent their days trying to blow up fish with bombs, while others dismantled Mondstadt's gates for fun. Some aspired to become knights to protect and help others, while others shouted for Noelle or Acting Grand Master Jean at the slightest problem. Some spent their time researching Hilichurls in the wild, while others became so obsessed with plants that they started calling people animals… Everywhere in Mondstadt, you could see people embodying the spirit of "freedom," whether good or bad.

They were unrestrained, doing whatever they wanted, and whatever they did was always a choice made of their own free will.

Venti loved this kind of "freedom."

And he himself was part of this "freedom."

Choosing not to wear the crown and rule Mondstadt as a god was his freedom. Seeing Mondstadt fall under the tyranny of the aristocracy and helping the people rebel was also his freedom.

Hiding his identity and blending into Mondstadt as a bard was his freedom. Revealing his identity and letting the world know he was Barbatos, the Anemo Archon, was also his freedom.

...Though this particular freedom felt a bit forced, Venti truly didn't mind too much.

As he said, Venti had never deliberately hidden his identity as Barbatos. He just never felt the need to announce it.

So what if people found out?

It wouldn't change anything.

Besides, there was only one Anemo Archon card. That made things even less worrisome, right?

Looking on the bright side, half of his debt had been wiped out! And from now on, there would be no more interest! That was really… Wait, I never planned to repay the Mora in the first place!

Thinking about it this way, Venti felt annoyed again.

Forget it. No use dwelling on it. Time to eat.

Venti picked up a pair of chopsticks and started eating.

Seeing this, Zhongli couldn't help but ask, "Did I say I was treating you?"

Hearing this, Venti looked up in shock, his face full of disbelief. "You're paying?"

"Naturally." Zhongli frowned. "How could I let a child pay?"

"So… you brought Mora?"

"...From a rational perspective, although I did forget to bring Mora, I can charge it to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."

"Then one more person won't make a difference. Treat me too. I've been so busy playing games lately that I haven't had a proper meal in a while."

Once he understood, Venti stopped caring about Zhongli and went back to eating. After a while, he looked up again and called out, "Waiter, bring some wine! A meal without wine is no meal at all. Bring your best wine! Don't underestimate the financial power of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!"

Astrea pretended not to hear anything and quietly continued eating. At least this time, she didn't have to pay.

"By the way, old man, have you noticed any changes in the wind recently?"

"I haven't noticed any changes in the wind, but I've felt quite a few earthquakes."

Zhongli put down his chopsticks, took a sip of wine, and said calmly:

"And soon, those earthquakes will reach Sumeru."

"Something big has already happened in Sumeru." Venti smiled lightly. "One of Ye's subordinates, a girl named Fanseti from the Holy Knights, has caused quite a stir there. The Akademiya is almost emptied out."

Zhongli couldn't help but frown slightly. "Regarding Sumeru, I've always been puzzled. Although I've never met the Lesser Lord Kusanali, she is, after all, seated on the Dendro Archon's throne. How is it that she seems to have no involvement in Sumeru at all? Do you know anything?"

"It's a bit complicated." Venti put down his chopsticks, his expression turning slightly serious. "I don't know the full details either. After all, even the wind can't bring me every story. The only thing I know is that the Lesser Lord Kusanali's presence in Sumeru is incredibly faint—even fainter than mine in Mondstadt."

Although the comparison might not be entirely appropriate—after all, while the Anemo Archon never appears in Mondstadt, his presence is still deeply felt. Barbatos is in a state of being absent yet omnipresent in Mondstadt.

But as a metaphor, Venti's words made it easy to understand the current state of the Dendro Archon.

Mondstadt is a godless city-state. For a god's presence to be even fainter than that in a godless city-state, one can imagine the situation of the Lesser Lord Kusanali in Sumeru.

After all, the Lesser Lord Kusanali is the rightful Dendro Archon of Sumeru.

Even among the second-generation Archons… leaving aside the Electro Archon, whose change of position was unknown to most, just look at the Hydro Archon of Fontaine, the Pyro Archon of Natlan, and the Cryo Archon of Snezhnaya. Which of these gods, who normally rule their nations, has a presence fainter than Venti's?

"It seems the situation in Sumeru is indeed complicated."

Zhongli turned slightly to look at Astrea, who was silently eating without a word.

"Rea, do you know any specifics? After all, Ye's aggressive actions in Sumeru are unusual. He must know something, right?"

"Huh? This?" Astrea looked flustered and waved her hands. "I-I don't know. The Supreme Bishop never mentioned anything about Sumeru."

"Is that so…"

"That's exactly how it is."

A sudden voice made both Zhongli and Venti widen their eyes slightly, while Astrea instantly stood up in fear.

"S-Supreme Bishop?"

Indeed, Ye, who had somehow arrived at the scene, walked over and, like Venti, sat down unceremoniously.

"Bring an extra set of chopsticks and a bottle of wine—the most expensive one. Don't underestimate Director Hu's financial power."