Chapter 376
Zhongli pondered for a moment, then nodded quickly without hesitation.
Chapter 48 Requires a Souvenir
Mondstadt, a warm and sunny day.
"The great Anemo God Barbatos..."
Qin stood by the office window, praying to the gentle breeze outside.
The weather has been great lately. Lots of good things have also happened in Mondstadt.
The first step was the successful establishment of the Wolf Cavalry Unit.
This was thanks to Anqi's strong academic abilities, which perfectly solved key technical issues such as facilities, food, equipment, wolf pack feeding, and treatment rules.
This was a collaborative project approved by Andrius, representing the will of the Demon God. This deterred even the arrogant Fatui from interfering, and there was virtually no resistance within Mondstadt. After all, Andrius hadn't transformed into some kind of Stormterror, hadn't caused any trouble, and was still a legitimate and revered follower of the God of Wind. Surely no one would harbor resentment towards the God of Wind?
Therefore, the first batch of Wolf Cavalry has now joined the ranks of field patrols and emergency reinforcements. Their superior mobility and agility have greatly alleviated the Knights' manpower shortage.
After that, Anqi brought out Knight Musket that was supposedly based on the equipment of the Fatui. There was also some kind of Anemo Elemental Power enchantment technique that could make the Knight Sword incredibly sharp, unleash sword energy, and even create defensive wind walls. In short, Lisa successfully proved the genius Witch's vision, allowing the Knights' initial investment to yield returns far exceeding expectations.
A series of good news boosted the morale of the Knights, and the unease and confusion caused by the main force's expedition gradually dissipated. The improvement in the official protective forces also improved the overall atmosphere of Mondstadt. People felt more at ease, and commerce became more stable and prosperous; everything was interconnected.
In her prayer, Qin recounted Anqi's contributions, hoping the God of Wind would protect this genius alchemist.
This was followed by various praises of the God of Wind.
Only Qin knew that things were progressing so smoothly because, as the acting leader, she had the confidence to resolutely and fearlessly push these matters forward. And the source of that confidence was self-evident.
After her daily prayers, Qin returned to her desk. She patted her cheeks to cheer herself up, intending to continue her work with the Knights.
"Phew~~"
Just then, a gentle breeze swept across the corner of the table.
Qin sensed something and turned her head to look. On the table were some scattered objects such as horns, claws, teeth, ores, and plants. But they were not junk; if she wasn't mistaken, each one was a very rare and high-grade material.
"Baba... Greetings, Your Excellency Musician! Qin pays you the highest respect!"
Qin quickly stood up. Because across from her desk, the stunningly beautiful goddess she dreamed of even in her sleep was leaning half her body on the desk, gazing at her with alluring charm.
Its full, snow-white hemispherical shape is particularly eye-catching.
Wendy looked at Qin with a smile and said:
"Don't be so reserved, you're making me sound like some kind of bad guy."
"The musician is naturally tolerant and kind, but Qin Xin's admiration was too overwhelming, and she lost her composure. Oh, I wonder what's wrong with the musician..."
Qin looked at the pile of materials and identified several of them as items that Anqi had recently applied for, which were exactly the materials the Knights urgently needed.
However, the great God of Wind shouldn't be sending materials specifically to the Knights, right? It's not that doing so would diminish the God of Wind's dignity or God of Wind, but if the Wind God's benevolence reaches this level, then Jean would truly be moved to tears.
Wendy shrugged, stood up straight, and spread her hands, saying:
"Actually, I wanted to trade some Mora with the Knights Favonius. I need to go to Liyue to see the Geo Archon. But I can't go empty-handed, and it wouldn't be appropriate to just bring wild berries and flowers. I should prepare some gifts before I meet the Archon, right?"
"If that's the case, then the order has funds reserved for the worship of the God of Wind, which I can access directly."
"No, no, that's for Barbatos. And ultimately it's meant for the people of Mondstadt; it's not appropriate for an unknown musician like me to use it."
"But, sir musician..."
Jean looked at Wendy with a troubled expression.
Since the God of Wind Archon is going to visit Liyue, Mondstadt is naturally obligated to cover all the expenses. Rather, the fact that they couldn't greet the God of Wind with the most solemn ceremony has already severely damaged Jean's faith. If the Anemo God of Wind were to be made to feel so embarrassed, she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.
Wendy looked at Jean with a troubled expression. In reality, she was still a nameless and unranked new Daedric Demon God, and it would be somewhat inappropriate for her to accept Mondstadt's offerings so casually. Character development needs to be presented through everyday details, and following rules is for the sake of long-term value.
Qin pondered for a moment and said:
"May I ask how many gifts Your Excellency wishes to prepare for this trip? The Knights can arrange it on your behalf."
"Ah, well... let me think. First, we need a decent tea set and some tea leaves. After all, we're going to see our elder brother, so we should treat him to a good cup of tea. For souvenirs, we could get some dried fruit, cured meat, and wine from Mondstadt. They're local specialties, so it's the thought that counts. But since we're going to Liyue and have met the Geo Archon, we can also meet the Adepti. A souvenir for each of them would be appropriate. That's about it. What do you think?"
Wendy nodded, looking at Qin questioningly.
Qin pondered for a moment and said:
"As for these things, I do have a suitable candidate. Dawn Winery's main business is roughly these items, and they sell very well, so they must have the best quality goods. Moreover, we can also ask him for tea sets and tea, since he has a lot of business dealings with Liyue... The only problem is that Senior Diluc is exceptionally intelligent, and he might make some connections."
"That's alright. I know Diluc; he's a pretty good young man. Could you help me make the purchase? I'll pick it up at Dawn Winery in three days. Thank you!"
A gentle breeze swept by, Wendy's smiling, waving figure vanished with the wind, leaving behind only those priceless, rare and exquisite materials.
Qin paused for a moment, then smiled and bowed.
"Respectfully seeing off the musician."
After completing the formalities, Qin picked up a fang. She could smell the fresh blood and could easily imagine what it had looked like not long ago, inside the mouth of a magical beast. She fell into deep thought:
"Let's consider these as gifts from the God of Wind and record them in the church's scriptures in the future. As for diplomatic gifts, let's use the special funds for worshipping the God of Wind. It seems I need to have a good talk with Senior Diluc; we can't afford to overlook anything."
If these materials were truly used to exchange for money and then used to buy gifts, it would be a deal between the Knights and the God of Wind —how could the Knights dare to overstep their bounds like that? If the God of Wind has a need, then Mondstadt should unconditionally and voluntarily offer it up.
Qin naturally thought so.
At the same time, Wendy, having seen Jean's beautiful buttocks and pretty face today, floated in the air in a happy mood.
"Hmm, not bad, not bad~~"
Now that she 'Anqi all alone in the city, far from home, she has to find an excuse to go out and see pretty girls and satisfy her cravings! If it weren't for the troublesome World Tree issue, she would have been running to Mondstadt every few days, playing with the little priest, the little maid, and the pretty captain, living a happy and carefree life.
Chapter 49 This is Divine Grace
The office of the acting Grand Master of the Knights.
Diluc received an urgent invitation from Jean. Although he disliked the Knights, he was still worried that something serious had happened because he knew Jean's style well, so he accepted the invitation and came.
But what he heard next made him frown in confusion and displeasure:
"The finest wines, dried fruits, and cured meats, all in elaborate and formal gift packaging, along with the best tea sets and tea leaves, prepared for the most important person in Liyue. And no expense was spared, all purchased with the Order's special funds. Three days later, the distinguished guest is to pick it up at Dawn Winery, and servants and outsiders must be dismissed beforehand, leaving me to entertain them alone? Is the Knights insane?"
"Diluc, this is extremely important, more important than anything else in Mondstadt right now. I only have one question: can it be done?"
Qin remained expressionless and asked with utmost seriousness.
Diluc frowned even more.
This shouldn't have escalated to this point at all.
But Qin maintained an extremely solemn and serious attitude.
Diluc pondered for a moment, then nodded and said:
"... Don't call me senior."
"Alright, Diluc- senpai, thank you for your trouble."
Qin smiled with relief.
Diluc left with the kitten on his arm.
'What exactly does this mean? What kind of distinguished person can only be entertained by me? This is so vague... wait, using the Order's special funds? And it's for the most important person in Liyue? No way?'
As Diluc stepped out of the Knights' headquarters, he couldn't help but turn back to look at the massive and solemn building. Even with his strong will, he couldn't help but feel a jolt of emotion.
Mondstadt basically only has devout Barbatos fans, and relatively twisted Barbatos fans.
It's hard to say which category Diluc belongs to, but he's definitely a fan—at least, before the God of Wind Archon transformed into a weirdo who spends all his time eating and drinking at the [Angel's Share] tavern, my admiration for him wouldn't diminish.
"In any case, we must be prepared."
Diluc immediately made up his mind to arrange everything himself.
Three days later, at Dawn Winery.
Diluc dismissed all the bewildered servants, dressed in his best attire, and paced back and forth in front of the pile of gift boxes that he had repeatedly checked and even watched being packed, wanting to double-check for any flaws in their appearance.
He didn't confirm his guess with Qin. After all, Qin's vague statement had already implied a lot.
He didn't even bother to check if the funds had been received; he simply made sure everything was prepared to the best of his ability.
"Knock! Knock!"
Diluc heard a knock on the door.
His heart tightened instinctively. He quickly walked to the door, took a deep breath, and then opened it.
The next second, his slightly tense expression turned into his usual cold face.
"Why is it you?"
"Well, he is, after all, the acting Grand Master of the Knights. It's only natural that I'd be present at a time like this."
Qin scratched her face, pretending it was perfectly natural.
If it were the God of Wind making a visit, and He did not wish to make a big fuss, it would be reasonable for the acting Grand Master of the Knights to come alone to see Him off as a sign of respect.
However, Diluc knew that Jean was a very devout believer. Rather than it being a matter of etiquette, Diluc believed that she wanted to see the God of Wind one more time.
But it's understandable; how many Mondstadt residents could refuse such an opportunity?
Suddenly a gentle breeze passed by the two of them, and then they heard someone lift the gift box and shake it gently.
The two looked over at the same time and saw the ethereal fairy with a bright smile.
"Yo, good morning, Jean. And nice to meet you, Diluc from Dawn Winery."
"Qin greets Your Excellency the Musician!"
"Musician, sir?"
Jean bowed respectfully, while Diluc seemed puzzled.
"Yeah, although I don't know why, they now call me 'the world's best musician, whom I happen to pass by'~~"
Wendy gestured lightly in the air with her index fingers, like a conductor, with a bright, pure, and innocent smile.
Diluc suddenly realized. Yes, the ancient texts also say that the God of Wind does not like people to treat him with great fanfare, and usually appears among the crowd in an ordinary form. Only when he guides people to the key point of their destiny will he reveal his true form.
The unparalleled power of the Anemo Element emanating from Wendy, combined with Jean's posture and tone, made everything self-evident.
"Diluc Legnfender, greetings, Your Excellency the Musician!"
Diluc bowed deeply. He had many grievances against the Knights and many opinions about Mondstadt as it was now. But in any case, he shared the same unwavering faith as all the people of Mondstadt in the God of Wind who created Mondstadt.
"Alright, alright, I told you not to be so polite. Even Barbatos isn't portrayed as such a solemn god in the scriptures, is he?"
"The harp's answer remains the same: it's a sign of respect from the Mondstadt people, nothing more. If this makes the musician uncomfortable, then we will try our best to overcome it."
Qin smiled and straightened up, looking at the pile of gift bags, and said:
"Sir Musician, are these preparations sufficient? Do you see any additional items needed? We can prepare them as quickly as possible."
"No need, no need, it's enough. Liyue's elder brother is the source of Mora, what could he lack? And what treasures would his immortals lack? It's just a token of his appreciation, the sentiment is enough. In fact, it's too much, one for Adepti is too much."
Wendy tilted her head in distress.
To be fair, Diluc, having guessed the "truth," went to great lengths to prepare, completely disregarding costs and profits. Not only was the quality the best, but the gift packs were now piled up like a small city wall, and the quantity was quite staggering.
"I've got it. The rest should be distributed to those who have worked hard lately! Hmm, Dvalin and Andrius get one too; come to think of it, I haven't given them any gifts yet."
"Clatter!"
As Wendy said this, she snapped her fingers, and a gentle breeze lifted the gift boxes one by one and floated them away.
A gift box also landed in Jean's and Diluc's hands.
"Musician?" ×2
"Please accept this; you've all worked hard."
Wendy smiled and said, using Diluc's preparations, she immediately gave them to Jean and Diluc.
However, they didn't feel there was anything wrong with this act of giving something away for free; they only felt an overwhelming sense of excitement and exhilaration.
This is a gift from Anemo God Barbatos; it is divine grace!
Compared to this glory, the origin and intrinsic value of the gift are utterly insignificant. Besides, the gift box was prepared for the Geo Archon and the Adepti, and two were even given to Dvalin and Andrius, the Familiars of the God of Wind, making this glory even more valuable.
Wendy looked at them with a gentle smile, a slight pang of regret in her heart—if only there were a faith system or something, she'd probably be seeing a series of "Faith Points +N" notifications by now, right?