122. No Presence

Now comprehending the motivations behind Stormterror's, or rather Dvalin's, attacks on Mondstadt, the people were filled with empathy. As the sole remaining guardian of Mondstadt, they collectively chose to extend their forgiveness, placing their hope in the dragon to continue safeguarding Mondstadt from any future threats.

Jean elaborated on how the once-hostile dragon had been restored to a friendly state, attributing his recovery to the collective efforts of the group and the blessings of the Anemo Archon. However, she tactfully omitted any mention of Ryūhei's and Veldora's roles in caring for the dragon and subduing him.

Now, everyone regarded the group with respect, their expressions mirroring the individuals they aspired to become. They cheered joyously as the crisis in the City of Mondstadt was resolved without incident, firmly convinced of the Anemo Archon's blessings.

Jean, Ryūhei, Ayaka, Rimuru, Diluc, Aether, and Paimon descended from the dragon's back. Soon after, Dvalin took flight with Veldora, suggesting that Veldora intended to impart some knowledge or guidance to the dragon. It made sense, given that Veldora shared a kinship with Dvalin as fellow dragons, much like Venti, Dvalin's oldest friend.

——————

After some time, when Venti reappeared before them, Jean invited him to accompany her to the cathedral. It wasn't related to Jean asking for a wedding, it wasn't; rather, it pertained to a matter concerning the Holy Lyre.

Indeed, the Holy Lyre had been damaged, leaving Ryūhei curious about Venti's plan to address the issue. Intrigued, he, Ayaka, and Rimuru, who was in Ayaka's care, followed Jean.

Upon entering the cathedral, they were welcomed by a young girl who bore a striking resemblance to Jean. Evidently, she was the deaconess, characterized by her ash-blonde hair, gray-blue eyes, and fair skin. Her hair was styled in two high pigtails that gracefully spiraled downward. She donned a white frock with open shoulders, a sizable white and blue bow adorning the front, white tights, white ankle boots, and a blue and white cap.

Jean introduced the young girl, Barbara, the Deaconess of the Church, who had come to retrieve the Holy Lyre der Himmel. Barbara expressed her gratitude: "May the Anemo Archon protect you. I'm not really in a position to speak compared to our Acting Grand Master, but I still want to thank you all on behalf of all of Mondstadt for your assistance! Fortunately, everything was resolved peacefully... I can't imagine how an all-out war between the military and the dragon would have ended…"

Ryūhei learned that Barbara was an idol highly revered by the people of Mondstadt due to her qualities like being hardworking, bright, charismatic, and optimistic, despite her occasional clumsiness. Her Hydro power was seen as a potent remedy for physical wounds, and her soothing singing and dancing provided solace to weary hearts.

The residents of Mondstadt believed that Barbara possessed a kind of magical power capable of healing both physical injuries and emotional wounds. However, only Barbara knew the true secret behind this magic was her diligence and dedication.

Returning to the main topic, Barbara inquired if they had brought the Holy Lyre. At that moment, Paimon hesitated and replied with a slight stutter, "We, uh, did bring it with us... but, well, it's just that... it's a little..." Paimon struggled to convey the truth.

"Oh, don't worry! I'm not here to collect a rent! The Church has always received special funding…" Barbara assured Paimon that she had no intention of asking for money. She was still unaware of the truth, after all.

Then, Aether handed the Holy Lyre to Barbara. The poor condition of the instrument shocked her.

"Aah…" Barbara let out a startled cry.

"Ahh…" Paimon couldn't help but emit a surprised yelp in response to Barbara's sudden shriek.

"Ugh…" Venti was also taken aback by her unexpected outburst.

"AAAAAARGH!!! THE HOLY LYRE!!! Oh, Lord Barbatos... Even if I atoned for these sins for the rest of my life… it would still not be enough!" Barbara clasped her hands together while kneeling, fervently praying and seeking forgiveness from the Anemo Archon. The irony of her supplication was not lost on the onlookers, as they knew the Anemo Archon was right in front of her, albeit in disguise.

"*Sigh* Give it to me!" Venti sighed, then extended his hand to take the Holy Lyre. Magically, the Holy Lyre shone and appeared to be repaired in his grasp. However, Ryūhei sensed something was amiss. With his discerning eyes, he could detect the disparity between the illusion and the genuine article, realizing it was indeed an illusion conjured by Venti, albeit a low-level one.

"How could this be… The Holy Lyre, but how?" Barbara exclaimed, swiftly snatching the Holy Lyre from Venti's hand. She proceeded to inspect it meticulously, seeking confirmation that the Holy Lyre was truly repaired.

Paimon, unable to contain her curiosity, chimed in, "Huh? Let me see!"

Barbara responded adamantly, "No! No! I don't know how you managed to fix it, but you'll never touch the lyre again!" She shielded the Holy Lyre protectively, keeping it out of Paimon's reach.

Barbara was on the verge of rushing inside, determined to prevent anyone from touching the Holy Lyre again. However, at that very moment, Ryūhei spoke up, saying, "The Holy Lyre hasn't been repaired yet!"

Barbara came to an abrupt halt as Ryūhei's words reached her ears. She turned to face him, her expression filled with anticipation. Meanwhile, Venti, who had been attempting to slip away, found himself gripped by Ryūhei's firm hold.

"Hey, Ryūhei, could you release me, pretty please?" Venti asked in a hushed tone, trying to persuade Ryūhei to let him go, as he realized he was in the wrong here.

Ryūhei gave Venti a mischievous sidelong glance. "No can do. You have such an innocent devotee, yet you still tried to trick her? What if she discovers that the Holy Lyre is still broken afterward and spends the entire day crying inside this church?"

Although he was aware that Mondstadt was a nation of freedom, Ryūhei couldn't help but hold the Anemo Archon responsible for his actions. He's the Archon, after all.

On the other hand, Barbara inquired, "What do you mean?"

Ryūhei pointed at the Holy Lyre and said, "Touch the string on the left side of your hand."

He was aware that there was a way to dispel the illusion with a gentle touch. As Barbara's hand made contact with that string, the illusion dissipated, revealing the broken state of the Holy Lyre.

Barbara was in shock, her gaze shifting between the Holy Lyre and Venti. Though the illusion had been impressive, it had deceived her greatly.

"Why did you do that to the sacred treasure of the Anemo Archon? This is heresy. You won't be blessed by Lord Barbatos!" Barbara chided Venti.

Ryūhei couldn't help but smirk, discreetly covering his mouth. Ryūhei couldn't help but ponder what would happen if Barbara were to discover Venti's true identity as Barbatos. The thought was somewhat amusing to him.

As Barbara scolded Venti, Ryūhei swiftly grabbed the Holy Lyre from her hand.

"What are you doing? Give it back to me!" she exclaimed. Ignoring her protests, Ryūhei tossed it toward Rimuru, who promptly swallowed it in an instant.

"Aaahhhh!" she shrieked.

Understanding Ryūhei's intention, Jean attempted to console Barbara, suggesting that Ryūhei might have a way to help. However, it was in vain, as Barbara had witnessed the slime swallowing the Holy Lyre with her own eyes. Yet, the moment Jean gave her a stern look, Barbara quickly became meek and stopped her protests. It was somewhat peculiar, but it appeared that Barbara might be related to Jean in some way.

Shortly after, Rimuru expelled the Holy Lyre from his slime body in a completely restored state.

"Here! Check this out carefully," Ryūhei said as he handed the Holy Lyre to Barbara.

Without sparing a glance for Ryūhei or acknowledging Rimuru's peculiar power, Barbara immediately grabbed the Holy Lyre, her eyes widening. She then inspected it carefully, cautious after Venti's previous illusion.

Barbara stormed off inside with the Holy Lyre in her hands, making it clear that she didn't want anyone else to touch or borrow it ever again.

Jean sighed, and then turned to the others, apologizing for her behavior. Ryūhei and the rest assured her that they didn't mind. More importantly,

"Is she your relative?" Aether inquired.

Jean nodded to confirm but didn't elaborate. The others understood and didn't press for more details. Family matters can indeed be quite complex and intricate.

——————

Ryūhei and Ayaka returned to the inn, where Ryūhei sat in his room with Ayaka and Rimuru, deep in thought about something important. Ayaka noticed his serious expression and couldn't resist asking him about it.

"What are you thinking?" Ayaka inquired.

Ryūhei turned to her and asked, "Do you know the god in the Celestia?"

Ayaka nodded and then asked him, "A little bit. Why did you ask that?"

Ryūhei replied, "I've been suspicious ever since I brought Rimuru and Veldora here. From what I've heard, the god above took action when the Abyss creatures broke into Teyvat, considering them creatures from a different realm or world. But the god has been silent up until now, even after Veldora showed his power, albeit a little. The god should sense Veldora, yet hasn't appeared. Then, I asked Veldora to visit the Celestia a while ago, but there was no presence there. Meaning the god is absent."

"Asked Veldora?" Ayaka asked.

Ryūhei nodded in response. "Yes, I can communicate with him through a telepathic link. He checked and found no trace of the god's presence."

Ayaka considered this and replied, "That is indeed strange. The Celestia is the abode of the gods, and it's unusual for the god to be absent from there. What could this mean, Ryūhei?"