Chapter 43

Under the great oak tree at Windrise, Hiroshi and his group stood beneath the Statue of the Anemo Archon, gazing up at the massive tree swaying in the wind.

Hinata's small mouth hung open, unable to close, as she excitedly tugged on Ruri Gokou's hand, "Sister Ruri! This is the first time I've seen such a huge tree! How many years do you think it took to grow this big?!"

Ruri Gokou patted Hinata's small head, smiling, "Probably a very long time."

"Klee knows!" Klee said, raising her small hand while holding a Wind Crystal Butterfly. "This story was one I had to learn by heart when Captain Jean put me in confinement. Also, my mom has this story in the book she gave me."

"Really?" Hinata looked at Klee in surprise, quickly asking, "Can you tell us the story, Klee?"

Nearby, Luo Xiaobai retracted his hand, which was reaching for the Wind Crystal Butterfly, and quietly sat beside Klee.

Seeing her friends looking at her expectantly, Klee took out a thick book from her backpack and sat by the statue to recount the history from a thousand years ago.

Long ago, after the two families that assisted the Anemo Archon Barbatos in overthrowing the tyrant, the Lawrence family fell into corruption a thousand years later. They forgot their oath and assumed power over Mondstadt, becoming the new rulers.

The people of Mondstadt suffered, oppressed by both the looming dragon threat and the cruelty of the aristocracy. Powerless, they lost all sense of freedom.

Then, one day, the Anemo Archon Barbatos awakened from his slumber and saw what Mondstadt had become—a place bereft of freedom.

He descended to lead the people, guiding Vanessa, the one chosen by the wind, to overthrow the oppressive nobles. Together, they formed the Knights of Favonius to protect the freedom of Mondstadt.

One day, Vanessa was granted the chance to ascend to Celestia, the abode of the gods. Before leaving, she planted this oak tree, and though a thousand years have passed, the tree remains blessed by the wind, just like the Knights of Favonius, who continue to protect Mondstadt to this day.

"What a beautiful story," Hiroshi remarked, sitting on the grass, quietly listening to Klee's childlike voice as she narrated Mondstadt's history. He then turned to the figure beside him and said with a smile, "Am I right, Venti?"

"Hahaha, I'll let the guests decide. After all, I'm just a wine-loving bard," Venti chuckled, rubbing his head as he plucked the strings of his lyre, looking up at the great tree planted by his old friend.

"What brings you to Windrise, Hiroshi?" Venti asked after a while, looking curiously at Hiroshi, who was lying leisurely on the grass. "Are you here for a walk?"

"No," Hiroshi shook his head, pointing to the three kids playing by the statue. "I brought Hinata here to train. Her sudden surge of power left her struggling to control it. We're just resting now."

"Oh, right," Hiroshi seemed to think of something, sitting up suddenly and leaning toward Venti with a grin, "How about you give Hinata a blessing?"

"Huh?" Venti looked at Hiroshi in confusion until he noticed him pointing to the statue. Understanding dawned on him, but he shook his head in embarrassment, "That won't work. You and Lumine are different. Lumine can resonate with the statue and gain power, but for the rest of you, I have to actively channel divine power to create a resonance. And right now, my power is quite limited..."

"Oh, I see," Hiroshi nodded knowingly. With a wave of his hand, he took out a crate of premium sake from Kazuma's world, smiling at Venti. "Now do you have enough power?"

Venti's eyes immediately lit up at the sight of the sake bottles, nodding eagerly. He grabbed the crate and took out a bottle, caressing it as though it were his long-lost lover. With a flick of his hand, he sent a green wisp of Anemo energy to Hiroshi and, before darting away, called out, "That's all I've got, but it should be enough for the little one. How much she gains depends on her! I have things to do, and I'll gladly take the sake. No need to thank me!"

"That's really Mondstadt's Archon?" Ruri Gokou asked incredulously, pointing at Venti as he ran off with the alcohol.

"Who else could it be?" Hiroshi said innocently. Venti was always like this—a carefree bard whenever he had no duties to fulfill.

Seizing the moment while Ruri Gokou was still bewildered, Hiroshi playfully patted her head before turning toward Hinata.

Behind him, Ruri Gokou blushed deeply, rubbing her head. She watched Hiroshi run off in the same way Venti had, muttering, "Baka (idiot)."

On the other side, Infinity noticed Hiroshi heading toward Luo Xiaobai and the others, holding a wisp of higher-tier energy. He got up and began walking in the same direction, thinking to himself that he had no intention of being the third wheel. Instead, he stood at a distance, smiling as he watched Luo Xiaobai, who had been in a great mood all day.

Hiroshi waved to Hinata, who was sitting with Klee, listening to the story and staring at the large book in her hands. "Hinata, come here for a moment."

Hearing Hiroshi's call, Hinata raised her head, tilting it curiously when she saw the green wind-element bracelet that had somehow appeared on his hand. She patted the dust off her pants and ran over.

"Big Brother, do you need something from me?" Hinata asked sweetly, standing by Hiroshi's leg.

Squatting down, Hiroshi waved the wind-element power in front of her, "I got this power from a lazy guy I know. In a moment, follow me and touch the statue over there. Just try to understand whatever you feel. Can you do that, Hinata?"

Hinata looked up at Ruri Gokou, who was standing beside Hiroshi, and then smiled brightly, nodding, "Got it, Big Brother! I'll do as you say."

"Good. Don't worry, I've tried it before, and it's not dangerous," Hiroshi reassured her, patting her head. He held Hinata's hand as they walked toward the statue.

Seeing them coming, Klee put her book on her backpack and ran up to Hiroshi. With a happy little cry, she clung to his leg and asked, "Brother Hiroshi, do you need me for something?"

Seeing Klee hanging onto his leg, Hiroshi couldn't help but slow down his steps, carefully moving forward as Klee laughed happily. "It's nothing, really. I just found a quicker way for Hinata to control her power," Hiroshi explained.

*Note: All abilities exchanged start at Lv1 and must be improved through personal study and comprehension.*

Still clinging to Hiroshi's leg as he moved, Klee seemed to find a new game and continued to laugh as she was carried along. Hearing Hiroshi's words, she looked up curiously, "What kind of method, Brother Hiroshi?"

"You'll see in a moment, Klee."

Standing in front of the statue, Hiroshi pressed the Anemo energy against it. A green light flashed, and a gentle breeze began to swirl around the statue. Hiroshi smiled encouragingly at Hinata before stepping back to Ruri Gokou's side.

Hinata took a deep breath, giving Ruri Gokou a reassuring smile before placing her hand on the statue.

The green wind enveloped Hinata, lifting her small body into the air. Gradually, the wind formed into a green sphere, glowing quietly.

Infinity moved closer to observe the sphere of wind closely, nodding after a while and murmuring, "As expected of a god's power. When Hinata comes out, she should be able to control her strength much better, and she might even grow stronger."

Hearing Infinity's words, Ruri Gokou let out a small sigh of relief. As the strongest member of the group, Infinity's judgment held a lot of weight.

Ruri Gokou glanced at Hiroshi and whispered, "Thank you, Hiroshi."

"No problem. I like Hinata too, and I'm happy to help her," Hiroshi whispered back, looking at the statue with a hint of regret. "It's a pity. I was hoping everyone in our group could resonate with the statue, but after experimenting, I realized it's impossible without the Archon's help."

Seeing Hiroshi's disappointed expression, Ruri Gokou covered her mouth and laughed softly. She then turned to look at Hinata, "You're too greedy. You even scared away the Anemo Archon of Mondstadt."

Hiroshi froze, utterly baffled. What was that look from Ruri Gokou just now? It was like a spark—he couldn't move at all.

Hearing her teasing, Hiroshi shivered slightly, taking a few steps away.

Ruri Gokou, noticing Hiroshi moving away suddenly, hurried after him, standing on tiptoe and touching his forehead as if checking for a fever.

After a while, she turned around, her back to Hiroshi, and quickly muttered, "I thought you were sick. You just suddenly froze. Looks like you're fine. I'll go check on Hinata." She then hurried toward Hinata.

Meanwhile, Hiroshi stood there, face flushed and unable to move.

Ruri Gokou, her face steaming, plopped down in front of the green sphere surrounding Hinata, the soft glow concealing her reddened ears. Her mind drifted to her sister's advice.

"Sister Ruri, I'm telling you, Big Brother doesn't have much experience with romance. He's not very confident. If you keep holding back, he'll never notice how you feel. You have to be proactive. Here's what you should do..."

Recalling Hinata's notes from a few days ago, Ruri Gokou grew even more embarrassed. Thinking of Hiroshi's blushing face just now, she whispered, "Thank you, Hinata."

Klee, seeing Hiroshi standing frozen, remembered Ruri Gokou's actions just moments ago. She quickly climbed onto Hiroshi's chest and, touching his forehead, asked curiously, "Brother Hiroshi, your face is so hot. Are you sick?"

Snapped back to reality by Klee's touch, Hiroshi rubbed his forehead and looked at Ruri Gokou in the distance. With his sharp eyesight, he noticed her flushed ears. Taking a deep breath, Hiroshi seemed to understand something.

He smiled and patted Klee, who looked worried, then looked up at the great oak tree. His heart felt sweet, like it had been coated in honey, and he whispered, "I'm fine, Klee. In fact, everything is great now."