After Barbatos left, Gu Sanqiu casually found a place to eat and began mulling over the cryptic remarks the bard had left him with.
The fools had uncovered traces of certain entities—perhaps even tangible remnants of their existence—and, in their naivety, deemed them magnificent truths. They pursued these illusions with zeal, oblivious to the fact that what they sought was neither real nor attainable.
The so-called "truth" was but an illusion, a mirage born of some unknown being's accidental emanations.
And then, there was Aether's strange affinity.
Initially, Gu Sanqiu had believed that, in the real world, such things as raising favorability by simply doing a few tasks didn't exist. Yet, in retrospect, he'd been too naive.
If not for his own mental defenses, after hearing Aether's earnest plea to find his sister, he might have impulsively financed and organized a massive missing-person campaign throughout Liyue.
Utterly absurd.
"Fools, truth, and Aether. Could there be a connection I'm missing?"
Could Aether represent the illusionary truth the fools pursued? Could that explain why he emitted such an unconscious pull toward himself and others?
And what about the Abyss Princess? Could it be that she had essentially converted the entire Abyss Order into fanatical devotees?
"Forget it. Thinking about it won't do any good."
Gu Sanqiu downed his drink in one gulp. If even Barbatos had advised him to sit back and observe, then whatever this was clearly wasn't something he could meddle with.
It was like a private circle of enthusiasts discussing topics beyond an outsider's understanding. No matter how close one was to them, some conversations would remain inaccessible.
And for now, both his status and abilities placed Gu Sanqiu firmly on the outside.
He idly swirled his glass, suddenly realizing something.
For a matter this significant, Diluc was probably experiencing life at Angel's Share again.
"Perfect. Time to freeload some drinks and food."
With satisfaction, Gu Sanqiu settled his tab and made his way toward the tavern.
---
Clang!
The sharp edge of a claymore sliced through the cobblestone pavement, embedding itself firmly in the ground. At a table in the open-air section of Angel's Share, Diluc placed his weapon aside and took a sip of juice with his free hand.
"You two are going to pay your tab today, right?"
Gu Sanqiu exchanged a glance with another man—blue-haired and dark-skinned—seated across from him.
The silent communication was clear: We're both here to freeload, aren't we?
But their mutual understanding didn't escape Diluc, who clearly had no intention of letting them get away with it.
"I trust Captain Kaeya wouldn't hesitate to foot the bill," Gu Sanqiu said, feigning seriousness. "Especially for a traveling ally who frequently visits Mondstadt. And of course, as a Cavalry Captain, he'd also cover the cost of repairing the damaged cobblestones."
Diluc instantly aligned with Gu Sanqiu, turning his stoic expression toward Kaeya.
"He makes a good point. I wonder what our 'proud and noble' Cavalry Captain has to say about this."
"Whoa, whoa! 'Proud and noble' is a bit much, don't you think?" Kaeya chuckled, clearly exasperated. "Fine. I'll cover it."
Diluc nodded slightly. "Very well."
Meanwhile, Gu Sanqiu raised a hand to the bartender, ordering a few bottles of fine wine and the day's most expensive special.
"Hey, hey! I didn't say I'd treat you all today," Kaeya protested, his face twitching. "I'm not like you wealthy types with bottomless coffers. I'm just a regular guy scraping by on a basic salary."
Diluc scoffed. "A Cavalry Captain living on a basic salary? Are we to believe the Knights of Favonius have suddenly turned a blind eye to bribery?"
Gu Sanqiu, nibbling on a small dried fish snack, added with a questioning look, "Didn't you frequently work with the reconnaissance teams? You've taken down half the Treasure Hoarders in Mondstadt. Surely you've stumbled upon some of their stashed loot along the way?"
Kaeya's face twitched visibly.
"That's… a ridiculous accusation. Sure, we've apprehended plenty of Treasure Hoarders, but all their belongings are evidence. As if I'd pocket any of it! Are you trying to get me fired?"
Gu Sanqiu's expression remained skeptical. "Come on. Don't tell me you've never worked solo. You could take the loot, get rid of the Hoarders, and who'd ever know? Don't pretend Mondstadt doesn't have a black market for fencing stolen goods."
Even Diluc's gaze shifted toward Gu Sanqiu at this remark, his curiosity piqued.
Isn't this guy from a prominent family in Liyue? How does he know so much about these shady dealings?
"Don't look at me like that," Gu Sanqiu said nonchalantly, sipping his drink. "This kind of thing is pretty common, isn't it? Anyway, what's the deal with the Knights dragging Amber out of bed just for an elemental fluctuation?"
Diluc shook his head. "Elemental fluctuations are usually minor. Alchemists monitor small surges and deposits regularly, and even a large Slime gathering could cause such phenomena."
Kaeya added, "But this time, the fluctuation spread throughout all of Mondstadt. That's why it's being taken more seriously."
Gu Sanqiu nodded thoughtfully. "So Mondstadt's on high alert?"
"Not quite," Kaeya said with a sly grin. "But such classified information isn't for idle hands like you two to discuss."
As if I don't already know what's going on.
Still, the Knights' lack of visible alarm was within Gu Sanqiu's expectations.
If such a small incident could cause widespread panic, it would only mean Jean wasn't doing her job. Besides, Stormterror's recent public appearance had already reassured both the citizens and the Knights.
Anyone foolish enough to challenge the Dandelion Knight's blade or Stormterror's might would be courting disaster.
"Oh, by the way," Kaeya said, "Amber brought back two foreign travelers today. They aren't from Liyue, are they?"
Gu Sanqiu shook his head. "Their outfits alone make it obvious they're not from Liyue."
"Interesting," Kaeya mused. "Apparently, they're here searching for a long-lost sister. No money, no ID—just an air of mystery. Fascinating, don't you think?"
The word "mystery" seemed to strike a nerve with Diluc.
"Mystery?" Diluc said coldly. "No matter how mysterious they are, they're nothing compared to our Cavalry Captain's secrets."
---
...
Huh. You really stuck it out all the way to the end.
Didn't think you had the patience. Guess I was wrong.
WiseTL's the one who actually made all this come together. I'm just here putting a bow on it… or, well, shoving it in a backpack and calling it a day. Same thing.
If you had fun, you know what to do:
👉 [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Heads up—Patreon's 50% off for all tiers during May. So if you were on the fence? Now's the time.
And if you're the social type, there's a Discord too. Pretty decent spot to hang out—no battles required.
👉 [discord.gg/wisetl]
Alright. That's enough standing around. Go on—before you make it weird.
—Leaf