Chapter 46 — My Dear Friend from the Abyss
From Kael's perspective, a god should never become a burden to their own people.
Even if their choices were flawed, their purpose should remain clear.
Take Raiden Ei, for example—the Electro Archon of Inazuma. Her obsession with Eternity had isolated her nation, suffocating it under the weight of her ideals. And yet, deep down, Ei had done it out of love—to protect her people from the decay of time itself.
That was the paradox of divinity: even the purest intentions could rot into tragedy.
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The Carefree God of Wind
"When it comes to ruling a nation," Kael said, swirling a cup of tea in his hand, "I'll leave that to you. I'm no politician."
Across from him, Venti—or rather, Barbatos, the Anemo Archon—laughed, reclining lazily on the edge of the table. "You make it sound like I'm a king. I'm just a humble bard, my friend!"
Kael smirked. "A bard who's ruled Mondstadt for thousands of years."
"Hey, I prefer guided instead of ruled," Venti corrected with mock indignation.
Kael didn't bother arguing. He had already read the histories of this world and compared them with those of his old one. If there was one thing he'd learned, it was this—Venti might be lazy, but he wasn't incompetent.
When it came to subtlety, few Archons could match him.
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Recruiting the Darknight Hero
"Come on," Venti said suddenly, hopping off the table and brushing imaginary dust from his sleeves. "Let's go pay our dear friend Diluc a visit."
Kael blinked. "You're going to meet him personally?"
"Of course! How else do you expect me to make him stronger?"
Kael gave him a skeptical look. "Aren't you worried he'll recognize you the moment he sees you?"
Venti grinned. "I suspect he already has."
He leaned closer conspiratorially. "After all, no matter where I perform, he always keeps a table open for me at Angel's Share."
"That's because you're the most famous bard in Mondstadt."
"Exactly! And yet, every time I 'forget' to pay my tab, he just sighs and looks away. Isn't that true friendship?"
Kael sighed, rubbing his temples. "So what you're saying is… you're recruiting him to secure a lifetime supply of free wine?"
Venti's eyes sparkled like the stars. "Wait, that's an option?"
Kael gave him a long, tired look.
And this is the god Mondstadt worships…
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The Abyss' Blessing
Still, Kael knew Venti's intentions weren't entirely frivolous.
Diluc had power, yes—but his fury burned unchecked, and his revenge against the Doctor, the Second of the Fatui Harbingers, was far beyond his reach.
Even ignoring the Fatui's army, Il Dottore himself was a being who skirted the line between godhood and monstrosity. No mortal—no ordinary Vision holder—could defeat him.
But with the Chat Group's point system, things had changed.
Points could enhance physical strength, refine elemental mastery, and even expand a person's inner energy channels. To reach Archon-level strength would still take an astronomical amount—but it was possible.
And for Venti, earning points was easy.
Just days earlier, he and Jean had annihilated a horde of monsters outside Mondstadt, earning him over ten thousand points in one go. And since his power resonated with the ley lines themselves, slaying corrupted entities only fed him more energy.
To the Abyss Order, their corruption of Mondstadt's Statue of The Seven was a triumph—an act of divine defiance.
But to Venti?
It was a convenient, self-replenishing battery.
"Oh, my dear friends from the Abyss," he thought with a sly grin, "please, keep corrupting me. You're doing such wonderful work!"
He could almost imagine their meetings:
> "Once we taint the Anemo Archon, Mondstadt will fall!"
"Soon, even Teyvat will kneel before the Abyss!"
Meanwhile, Venti was just there, tapping his lyre.
> "Come on, do your worst! I'm counting on you!"
Kael pinched the bridge of his nose. "Right. Completely normal behavior for a god."
If Venti ever stopped being strange, then Kael would start worrying.
---
Midnight at Angel's Share
The tavern was silent that night. The candles burned low, their soft light casting long shadows across the mahogany floor.
On the top floor, Diluc sat at his desk, surrounded by reports, intelligence letters, and half-drained cups of cold tea.
Every page he read was another reminder of how stretched Mondstadt had become.
The Knights of Favonius were undermanned. Jean was overworked. Eula was holding the frontlines almost alone. And Kaeya—well, Kaeya was being Kaeya.
If Diluc didn't handle these matters himself, no one would.
The Abyss Order grows stronger by the day, he thought grimly. If we keep waiting for divine intervention, we'll be too late.
His jaw tightened. He refused to depend on Barbatos. Mondstadt belonged to its people, not its god.
Just then, a breeze stirred the curtains.
Diluc's eyes snapped up. "Who's there?"
No answer—only the faint sound of a lyre string plucked once, echoing through the dark.
And then, a voice.
> "My dear believer… do you seek the power to change everything?"
---
The Archon Appears
Diluc turned sharply, his instincts kicking in. He hadn't even sensed the approach until now.
From the shadows stepped a familiar figure—emerald cloak, feathered hat, faint scent of wine.
That face. That grin.
"...You've got to be kidding me."
It was Wendy, Mondstadt's most infamous bard.
But there was no mistaking the divine energy radiating off him now.
So this was it—the God of Freedom, in person.
For a moment, Diluc simply stared. He didn't know whether to laugh or draw his weapon.
This guy? The one who spent half his time drinking and the other half dodging bills?
Barbatos, the Anemo Archon himself.
Of course. It all made sense now.
No wonder Jean's expression had been strange the other day when she mentioned him. She must have figured it out too.
And now this lazy god had come to recruit him?
Unbelievable.
Venti grinned, raising his hands in a mock surrender. "Surprised? Come on, you knew it deep down."
Diluc exhaled slowly, masking his disbelief behind his usual calm. "As far as I know, Anemo Archon, your power has been… depleted."
Venti winced slightly. "Ah, so that's common knowledge now, huh? How embarrassing."
Kael stepped forward, resting a hand on the back of a chair. "Don't underestimate him, Diluc. He's lazy, yes—but he's also the last person you'd want as an enemy."
Venti perked up. "See? My friend here gets it."
Then, Kael's tone shifted. His golden eyes glowed faintly, his voice carrying a weight that silenced the room.
"Youth," he said, "do you seek the meaning of strength? Do you wish to protect this land with your own hands? To avenge your father—to strike down the Doctor himself?"
The air in the room thickened. Diluc's knuckles tightened against the desk.
For a moment, all three stood in silence—the God, the Traveler, and the Warrior.
Venti gave a small cough. "Well, that's… one way to put it."
Kael smiled faintly. "It gets the point across."
Diluc's crimson eyes flickered with determination. "If it means protecting Mondstadt… I'll do whatever it takes."
And just like that, a new pact was forged.
One born not of faith, but of purpose.
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End of Chapter 46 — My Dear Friend from the Abyss