40: Mandatory crown wearing

Time shifted back slightly, as half the sun was sinking into the hills, Jean, Clara, Lumine, Venti, Diluc, Rosaria, and the tag-along little Paimon arrived at the edge of Stormterror's Lair.

From the blown-up bridge, they could gaze into the distance at a solitary tower standing tall, like a lone monarch against the orange sky, with low-lying houses sprawling at its feet all the way to the basin's edge, until stopped by distant mountains.

It was as if the people of old Mondstadt, surrounded by soldiers, knelt in submission to the solitary king of the high tower, Decarabian.

Lumine looked into the distance; as far as the eye could see, it was all ruins. Some of the more intact architectural remains had already been occupied by the monsters here, transformed into settlements.

"Is this... Stormterror's Lair?" Lumine murmured.

Beside her, Paimon placed her tiny hands above her eyes, shielding them from the overexposed sunlight. Her voice trembled with awe as she exclaimed, "This, this is like a destroyed country!"

"Not just 'like'." Jean's voice carried the weight of recalling history: "The entire Stormterror's Lair is the ruins of old Mondstadt.

At that time, Mondstadt was still ruled by the Anemo Archon Decarabian. That God enveloped the entire old Mondstadt in violent storms, howling winds that prevented people from seeing far or working. They could only kneel and pray daily to the solitary king of the high tower, receiving nothing but His fleeting glances from atop the frosty sky."

At this point, Jean looked at Venti: "Later, it was a group of heroes, together with Lord Barbatos, who saved the people of Mondstadt, overthrew the tyranny of the solitary king, and helped our ancestors establish the new Mondstadt."

Lumine also looked at Venti, only to see him shake his head: "I didn't do anything. It was them, the human heroes, who overthrew Decarabian's tyranny.

And Decarabian... was just a pitiful being who loved people in the wrong way..."

Venti's voice, unusually, carried a heaviness and seriousness unlike his usual demeanor, but then, as if removing a mask, he shed all that emotion and reverted to his infuriatingly carefree self: "But let's not dwell on that old history. Shouldn't we figure out how to get into the tower first?"

Diluc surprisingly agreed with Venti's point: "Whether you're being modest or not, given our current situation, it's best we don't try to navigate through the buildings below. This place is already ruins, and after Ms. Alice's personal touch with explosives, it's become a maze. So, I suggest we stick to higher ground and enter from that broken bridge over there."

After speaking, Diluc pointed towards another bridge in the distance that had also been blown up by Alice.

Clara tapped her pink, moist lips with her little finger and whispered, "So, these ruins have all been... taken care of by Aunt Alice?"

Jean shook her head again: "Not all of them." Then, Jean selectively pointed out several locations, explaining that these were originally relatively intact buildings that, for some reason, Alice had taken a liking to and turned into 'performance art' with explosives.

As she pointed, Jean sighed: "I really don't know if it's because she's a long-lived species, and her values differ from humans'. Perhaps many events I consider ancient history, she has personally experienced.

Some artifacts or buildings are 'antiques' and 'ruins' to us, but to her, they might just be the little rundown houses she used as secret bases when she was young, nothing particularly special.

Anyway, overthinking it won't help. Let's hurry up and get going!"

With Venti's assistance, the group quickly found a path among the many bridges blown up by Ms. Alice that led into the tower.

However, that wasn't the end. Those familiar with the main storyline know that entering the tower requires another step: solving puzzles.

"I don't know how Dvalin comes and goes so freely with the protective barrier in place, because given his current state, he clearly doesn't possess the level of rationality needed to create such a complex seal." Paimon watched Lumine frantically solving puzzles and quietly Make complaints behind her back.

Jean and the others nearby were also dazzled by the sight.

In no time, the complex puzzles were single-handedly and swiftly cleared by Lumine, leaving Jean no chance to offer hints as she might have in the storyline.

Lumine wiped the sweat from her forehead, turned back to the group, and gave a 'V' for victory sign: "Solved!"

Clara happily clapped her hands: "Wow! You're so good at solving puzzles!"

Lumine: ...

"Clara, who taught you to talk like that?"

"Huh? Back on the Astral Express, Huo Xi kept a little creature called 'Weird Talk'. I learned it from him. Whenever someone finished doing something, he'd say that. I thought it was cute."

"...Guess why he was called 'Weird Talk'?"

With the puzzles solved, Venti proceeded to fully open the seal.

Venti withdrew his hand and said, "Now, we just need to stand on the magic circle, and we'll be teleported inside the tower."

Paimon nodded nervously: "Finally facing the final battle... Suddenly, I feel a bit nervous."

Led by Venti, everyone stepped onto the magic circle.

Jean held a standard-issue Knights of Favonius longsword, and Diluc stood with his arms crossed, a greatsword slung on his back.

After all, unlike in the game, five-star weapons in this world are legendary among legends, not something you see everywhere.

Lumine held Clara's little hand to prevent any accidents befalling the little girl, while Rosaria drew the spear she always carried, ready for battle.

Paimon flew to Venti's side: "I say, bard, after we defeat Stormterror, what will happen to him? Will he stay here?"

Venti spread his hands, Anemo Element gathering within them. The five-star weapon "Skyward Harp" appeared in his grasp—a bow shaped like a harp with verdant bowstrings.

Gripping the Skyward Harp, Venti smiled: "I hope he can live with 'freedom'."

Jean, Rosaria, and Diluc all looked at him.

"freedom is the foundation of Mondstadters, the very soul of Mondstadt.

I hope Dvalin no longer lives for duty, no longer lives to protect. He should have his own thoughts, interests, hobbies. He should live for himself.

I hope he can be free."

The magic circle glowed brightly, a sign they were about to enter the final battlefield.

At the last moment, Lumine glanced towards a certain spot.

It was at the edge of the tower, where an inactive Ruin Guard sat alone, staring blankly at the floating island in the high sky.

"Are you also... watching over someone's freedom?"

A flash of intense light, and the figures on the tower vanished.

...

Inside the tower, all internal structures had been hollowed out, leaving only the intermittent ring-shaped platforms along the outer walls.

A shimmer of light, and Venti, Lumine, and the others appeared.

After steadying themselves, they looked around. This was indeed the inside of the tower, but a massive storm enveloped the entire structure, completely obscuring the view outside while perfectly revealing the interior arena.

"Somewhat similar to the situation with Andrius. Do all Anemo Archon's Dependants have this preference?"

Lumine teased Venti. Jean, after surveying the area, also looked ahead.

Diluc, standing at the forefront of the group, was now at the platform's edge, head bowed, silent.

"Senior Diluc? Is something wrong?"

Jean asked as she walked forward, the others following closely.

Before they could reach Diluc, he spoke first.

"Perhaps—not letting Huo Xi come along wasn't a rational choice."

The others looked down and understood why he said that.

In just half a day, Stormterror, whose wings had only been slightly tinged with red before, had undergone another transformation.

Most of his body, originally covered in verdant feathers and dragon scales, was now encased in dark purple crystals, as if clad in thick armor.

Flesh and crystals intermingled; where the skin was pierced, dark red blood flowed, quickly scabbing over to form new crystals.

The dragon noticed the new gazes upon him; his crimson eyes suddenly looked up at the group.

This was the harbinger of war.

[Name: Dvalin

Race: Elemental Dragon

Title: Dragon of the East (Forced Coronation in Progress)

Affiliation: Mondstadt City / Teyvat / The Abyss

Ancient Dragon's Authority (Incomplete—Coronation Unfinished): Anemo Element / Primordial Anemo Element

Introduction: The former Dragon of the East of Mondstadt City, the East Wind Guardian of Mondstadt.

Now, under the Abyssal Prince's 'grace', the bottomless Abyss has taken root, sprouted, and grown upon him. The might of the Void Realm corrodes the Light Realm. The usurped throne must be reclaimed. One-seventh of the supreme crown shall be placed upon you by the Abyss itself.

The Ancient Dragon's Authority is about to be restored. The Anemo Element must return to the planet's original form. Once the primordial winds cover Mondstadt and the Anemo Archon's seat is destroyed, the complete Authority shall forge the Perfect Dragon.

Barbatos, I ask you:

Is freedom commanded by the God of freedom, still true freedom?]

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Worked overtime until I'm numb, folks. Off at 3 AM, home by 4, asleep by 5, up at 7:30 AM to go to the hospital, just got to the company and sneaking this post during a meeting, so it's late.

If you folks think it's good, give it a like, add to your bookshelf, maybe a little 'powered by love' support. Thanks, everyone!

Wishing you all a ten-pull in the next version that gets you Nefer plus a standard character to use up your 50/50, and a direct hit on the Damselette in the version after that!