Chapter 233

Alice quickly pretended to be innocent: "Did I say something wrong?"

Takumi rolled his eyes: "Alice, don't even think about getting a reward. You haven't done anything worthy of one."

As soon as Alice arrived in the dark world, she immediately began hunting the Level 5 Gastrea creatures across the globe. Her space backpack was filled with their flesh and blood. She planned to sell them to Reindottir but didn't actually contribute to the mission—yet now she wanted a reward. Quite ambitious.

Alice pouted, with a playful tearful expression, and hugged Takumi's arm. "Darling, even if I haven't earned a reward, surely my hard work counts for something? I'll take whatever you give me."

As an experienced trickster, Alice knew that her true intentions were most likely obvious to Takumi. She wasn't necessarily looking for anything specific—just hoping to get something useful.

Takumi's face remained expressionless. "In this world, everything is rewarded based on merit. Acting coy won't change that." He liked Alice, but even his fondness couldn't change the rules—business was business, and the rules needed to be upheld.

Alice sighed and let go of his arm, her expression showing disappointment, but deep down she knew this outcome was fair. She hadn't truly earned anything.

"Alright, Lord Tenri," she said, her tone resigned.

Takumi clicked his tongue. Acting coquettish wouldn't get her what she wanted—whether it was a witch, a god, or a regular human, they all seemed to think they could manipulate him this way.

Alice put her hands on her hips and turned her gaze to Venti curiously. "So what is Barbatos' wish? I'm quite curious."

Venti plucked a string of his lyre and smiled mysteriously. "My wish is pretty ordinary. It's related to the past, and I doubt you'd find it all that interesting."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Fine, don't tell me then. Anyway, all you seven archons think of me as bad luck." She paused, her curiosity getting the better of her. "But still, it's not every day you get a chance to know what a god truly desires."

Takumi's golden eyes glimmered, and he smiled. "Barbatos, your story is a beautiful one. The girl summoned the wind spirit with a fragment of hope. The wind spirit met the boy who dreamed of freedom, and together they resisted.

"The friendship between human and spirit endured for two thousand seven hundred years. And now, to renew that friendship—that's a truly beautiful epic."

Venti lowered his head, his green eyes filled with nostalgia. "Lord Tenri praises me too highly," he murmured, his emotions touched deeply.

Suddenly, from the ruins of an old tower far from Mondstadt, a cloud of gray dust was swept into the air by the breeze, moving toward Mondstadt. The people of Mondstadt simply felt today's breeze was especially gentle, unaware of the true nature of that wind.

The dust swirled and formed a figure identical to Barbatos, the bard who once led the people of Mondstadt in their rebellion against the Lone King of the Tower.

Firefly-like lights emerged from the river of time and merged with the dust, gradually reconstituting the bard.

Alice's eyes widened—she didn't want to blink for even a second. She had learned a lot from her new friend Barbatos in the past two days, including stories of how the deceased had returned.

Alice's excitement grew. Was this how resurrection worked? Bringing together everything about the deceased? How was this done? She started brainstorming furiously in her head, thinking of possibilities—was it time travel or something else?

These lights were fragments of the bard's spirit, and Takumi was able to bring back the essence of the young bard who died two thousand seven hundred years ago to the present time.

Once the body—reconstituted from the dust—and the spirit fragments were gathered, the life energy began to flow into it. The dust figure became flesh, slowly becoming human again.

Venti's eyes widened, tears welling up from nostalgia. Memories of his friend from centuries ago resurfaced—a friend who shared his love for freedom.

Back then, Venti wasn't a god but merely a wind spirit. The young boy's dreams of freedom and his defiance against tyranny attracted Venti. They became close friends, and the boy shared stories of the people resisting their oppressor. The boy knew he might die, but before he did, he wanted to see birds flying freely.

Venti remembered how he traveled all over Mondstadt the night before the rebellion, but he found no birds—only feathers. By the time he returned, the rebellion had begun. He found the young boy leading the charge, fighting against the tyranny of Decarabian.

But the boy was struck down, arrows piercing him and sending him falling from the tower. Though Venti did his best, he couldn't save his friend.

The boy asked Venti to see the world for him, to watch the birds fly freely in the sky. Ever since that moment, Venti took the form of the boy and experienced all the sights of Teyvat for him.

But in truth, Venti knew it was all just self-consolation. Now, after two thousand seven hundred years, the boy's body and spirit were fully restored, with a heartbeat signifying true life.

Under Venti's nervous gaze, the boy slowly opened his eyes. His once dull pupils now shone with clarity and light.

"Where… am I?"

Venti took a deep breath, calming himself, and then played his lyre gently. "Bard, welcome back to this world."

While Venti and the boy reunited, Takumi and Alice quietly walked away.

Takumi wanted to give his friend privacy, and Alice, though reluctant, chose to follow—it wasn't every day she witnessed resurrection, but perhaps she'd see more surprises if she stuck around. To her, Takumi was like a "gorgeous treasure chest" full of wonders.

**At the Knights of Favonius Headquarters**

Jean was in her office, reviewing the documents on her desk. Most of them had accumulated during her absence. Fortunately, some matters had been handled by other members of the Knights, but a few critical issues required her personal attention.

Lisa, leaning lazily against the desk in her purple attire and iconic witch hat, asked with a mischievous smile, "Jean~ How does it feel to have saved an entire world? It's a shame I couldn't join in on that adventure." Lisa's emerald eyes gleamed with curiosity. "As a scholar, my curiosity is about to burst. You have to share all the details about that other world."

Jean smiled gently. "Of course, Lisa. Once I get through all this work, I'll tell you everything about my experiences."

Just then, the office door clicked open.

Jean and Lisa both looked over, and their eyes widened in surprise. Lisa tilted her head. "Oh? A new face… and such a handsome young man."