Chapter 6
Mondstadt was bustling with activity today.
Standing at the back of a crowd, Venti couldn't squeeze in, his eyes filled with curiosity.
He had noticed something was off early in the morning. The streets of Mondstadt were usually not this noisy. With so many people gathered, how could a bard who loved excitement not come to take a look?
As a result, with his small stature, he found himself far behind. Venti tilted his head, stood on tiptoe, trying to see what was happening up front. But there were too many people, and even when he found a gap, he was quickly blocked again.
Most of the crowd were women.
What could possibly attract so many people? Even his performances weren't this lively.
So curious.
Unable to get in, Venti simply stood at the back, watching the girls with joyful expressions squeezing out of the crowd.
Hmm, carrying bags, they must have bought something from that little stall. The girls looked both excited and thrilled. What on earth was inside?
After waiting for about two hours, the crowd didn't seem to diminish. The surroundings were bustling and noisy.
Venti rubbed his eyes. It was noon, and the warm sunlight made him a bit drowsy.
He looked up at the crowd in front of him. Standing in the middle, he was half a head shorter, like a child among adults. Venti sighed. At this rate, would he have to wait until evening?
He still had to go to the plaza to perform later.
Venti blinked, looked up at the rooftops, and thought. A smile flashed in his emerald eyes. In the next moment, he was sitting on a spacious rooftop, the Cecilia flower on his hat swaying, glistening in the warm sun.
His legs dangled in the air, his hand resting on the tiles, as he leisurely looked down.
Let me see what exactly is attracting his people.
His gaze fell on the stall, where books were piled high. Venti blinked. Were those books?
What kind of book was so popular? Venti was even more curious now. He squinted his green eyes to look at the cover of the top book.
As a god, his eyesight was impeccable. Venti could clearly see every detail on the cover.
Uh...
Venti's mouth dropped open.
What kind of book is this?!
He blinked slowly, immediately noticing the two people on the cover, embracing intimately. If he wasn't mistaken, weren't they two Harbingers under the Cryo Archon?
One he often saw wandering around Liyue, the last Harbinger, cheerful and outgoing, with a good relationship with the old man. The other... Venti hadn't seen him in person, but from what he knew, he was a bad guy.
These two, Venti raised an eyebrow, embracing so tightly.
He looked at the book's title and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"The Yandere Experiment Maniac and His Runaway Harbinger"
Hahahaha!!!
Who came up with such a brilliant title? Venti grinned, his eyes filled with uncontrollable amusement. He rested his chin on his hand, watching the busy shopkeeper below, curious about the content of such a popular book.
Eh hey.
Venti quietly sneaked behind the shopkeeper, quickly snatched a book without being noticed. This was a skill honed specifically in the tavern, thanks to Diluc's strict prohibition against him entering Angel's Share.
He crouched under the stall, sneakily examining the exquisite pages, touching the author's name, "A Jiu," before opening the first page without any preparation.
The depiction of Snezhnaya was a bit off. Though it was cold, it wasn't all ice and snow. This author must have never been there. But the writing was good, very immersive.
Venti nodded approvingly, turning to the second page... the third page...
"..."
Venti's smile disappeared.
His fingers froze at the page corner.
His eyes widened, staring at the explicit descriptions.
Speechless.
Even as the Anemo Archon, Venti had never truly read adult literature. Having wandered Teyvat for over two thousand years, Venti had always been pure and untainted by lust.
He understood matters between men and women.
But, could two men do it too?
Venti was dumbfounded, holding the pages without turning them, his gaze glued to the bold descriptions, opening the door to a new world.
Who was this author, writing so boldly? No, how could such a book even be published?!
He suspiciously checked the publisher, Yae Publishing House. Well, that explained it. Nothing was surprising coming from that fox's bookstore.
Venti scratched his chin, hesitating. Should he continue reading? His heart wanted to, because the author was particularly good at leaving cliffhangers and hooks, making it hard to stop. Even he felt a bit inferior.
After a brief internal struggle, Venti decided to keep reading.
Heh heh, interesting. The Doctor even brought a puppet along, called... How did this author know? Venti, who had recently gained a puppet believer, was puzzled. Logically, besides him, the old man, Bu'er, and the Traveler, no one should know about the erased memories of the World Tree. Yet, this author named A Jiu seemed very aware of the Harlequin's origins.
The puppet quickly captured all of the Doctor's attention, leaving Tartaglia neglected.
Pfft, hahaha—
Venti quickly covered his mouth, cautiously looking around. Only after confirming he wasn't discovered did he continue reading.
...
As the sun set.
After finishing the book, Venti's expression was peculiar. He closed the last page, his face twitching for a moment, then—
"Hahahahaha!"
He couldn't hold back his laughter.
"Who's there?!"
The shopkeeper, alert, caught Venti hiding under his stall.
He grabbed the innocent boy with one hand and snatched the book from him with the other. "Oh, you little rascal, hiding under my stall to read!"
Venti looked pitiful, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I won't dare again."
"The book's got your fingerprints all over it. How am I supposed to sell it now? Pay up! Or else, I'll hand you over to the Knights of Favonius!!"
The shopkeeper threatened fiercely.
"I don't have money," Venti said earnestly. "Can we trade? Like, I play a song for you."
The shopkeeper looked down at him, then suddenly smiled.
...
Knights of Favonius
After paying the shopkeeper for the book, Venti finally escaped the shopkeeper's "lecture," sheepishly meeting Jean's helpless gaze, trying to play it off with an "eh hey."
"Lord Venti, you..."
"Heh heh, thanks for saving me, Jean. I'll pay you back the Mora."
Jean: "No— I wanted to ask, why are you reading novels now?"
She glanced at the book left on her desk, her expression odd. Lisa had recently come to her, saying she found a very interesting novel and insisted Jean read it. She hadn't expected that even Lord Barbatos would be interested in such novels.
Even gods enjoy reading such spicy content.
Venti realized, "Ah, lately no one listens to my performances. I saw a crowd there and went to take a look. I didn't expect them to be selling this kind of novel. I was surprised too."
"..." Jean coughed lightly, "Yes, it's said to be sold in various nations, very popular indeed."
Various nations!
Venti was surprised, then couldn't help but press his lips together. So, even the Fatui in Snezhnaya... Pfft, how amusing.
If the two protagonists in the book saw it, their expressions would surely be unpleasant. Luckily, he rarely left Mondstadt, hmm, very rarely. The author of this book couldn't possibly know him, so he wouldn't be written into it. Eh hey!
Venti thought gleefully.
But his laughter soon faded, because within three days, a group of unfamiliar faces arrived in Mondstadt, their distinctive Fatui uniforms impossible to ignore.
After discovering them, Captain Jean first engaged in negotiations. Venti didn't know the outcome, but they didn't leave and continued wandering the city, seemingly searching for someone?
Venti couldn't sit still.
So he approached with a cheeky grin, sweetly asking, "Miss, what are you looking for in the city?"
The Fatui lady he addressed froze for a moment, then noticed the conspicuous Anemo Vision hanging from his waist. The boy wasn't tall, and the masked lady's eyes widened. She grabbed the bewildered Venti, loudly calling her comrades:
"Everyone, come quickly— I've found him!!!!!!"
Her voice was filled with delight. How could she not be delighted? They had been searching Mondstadt for two days, almost digging up the entire city without finding a single Anemo boy.
Now, someone who fit all the criteria had delivered himself to them. The lady almost cried with joy. Finally! Finally, she could get off work!
Venti's smile froze, "Eh?"
What did this mean?
In the next moment, surrounded by numerous Fatui, Venti appeared small and helpless.
"Wait, what are you doing—"
His arms were pinned, stared at by countless bloodshot eyes. Venti shouted, "I haven't offended any of you, I'm innocent, I'm just a little bard!"
"You've got the wrong person!"
"Let me go!"
The leading lady crossed her arms, smiling as she patted Venti's hat, "Be good, you're the one we're looking for. Mondstadtian, Anemo, boy, isn't that you?"
"We haven't found another Anemo boy."
Venti: "I'm not from Mondstadt!"
Her smile vanished, "Shut up, take him away."
"The two lords can't wait any longer."
Venti: "..." This was so unfair.
What was going on?
Brought before the two Harbingers, Venti finally realized he had been made a scapegoat.
Childe and the Doctor.
Weren't they the two protagonists of "The Yandere Experiment Maniac and His Runaway Harbinger"? And with him captured, it wasn't hard to guess he was mistaken for the book's author!
Venti was full of questions. How could this author, A Jiu, possibly know him?
Thoughts swirling, he greeted with a cheerful smile, "Ah, good evening, you two!"
The Doctor & Childe: "..."
After Rosalyne successfully seized the Anemo Archon's Gnosis in Mondstadt, she returned to Snezhnaya to hand it over to Pierro, bringing back all the intelligence on the Anemo Archon.
They were aware of Mondstadt's Anemo Archon, so—
Was the person in front of them, easily restrained and smiling innocently, really the Anemo Archon?!
Dottore was uncharacteristically silent.
Tartaglia's blue eyes widened slightly. What did this mean? They had asked to find the 'Mondstadtian Anemo boy' author A Jiu, so why was the Anemo Archon of Mondstadt brought before them?
Wait a minute, Mondstadtian, Anemo, boy.
Childe met Venti's gentle green eyes, then looked at his stature and the Anemo Vision hanging from his waist. Under Venti's gaze, he fell silent too.
The Fatui captain lady stepped forward, "Lords, we've captured the person you were looking for."
"He's the only one in Mondstadt who fits the criteria!"
"Eh hey?"