At the Good Hunter restaurant, Jia Changjiang recounted his aerial battle with Stormterror to Venti, along with the events involving Lumine and Paimon, who had joined forces with the Knights of Favonius.
“Oh? A girl from another land, like yourself?” Venti’s tone was filled with curiosity. “And she’s searching for her brother?”
“Yeah, that’s the gist of it. Though we’ve only just met, I get the feeling that she’s… hmm… how should I put it? She’s probably going to be quite the character.”
Jia Changjiang paused, inwardly suppressing the urge to use the word cheeky.
Venti grinned. “Ahaha~ For you to say she’s interesting… could it be that she’s strong and you’re already itching to fight her?”
Jia Changjiang shook his head. “Maybe. But for now, she’s off with the Knights clearing the Temples of the Four Winds. Since I’m still recovering, I’ll focus on healing first.”
“Clearing the Temples of the Four Winds, huh…” Venti’s playful expression gave way to a subtle sadness, his eyes clouding briefly.
“There’s nothing to worry about,” Jia Changjiang said, shrugging as he stretched his injured shoulder. “I may not be from Mondstadt, but I’d really like another shot at the East Wind Dragon.”
He smiled faintly. “Mondstadt’s scenery is beautiful, the wine is excellent—I’ve come to like this place. That’s why I’m willing to lend a hand. What do you call that in Mondstadt? Oh yeah…”
Jia Changjiang tilted his head, cracking his neck. “Freedom, right?”
“Though I’m not sure what freedom means to the people of Mondstadt, to me, it’s about being able to make choices.”
He looked directly at Venti.
“Take Jean, for example. She chose her path, one where she fights to give others the chance to make their own choices.”
“My decision to help Mondstadt—and even the East Wind Dragon—is my own choice. That’s what freedom means to me. Don’t you think so, Venti?”
Jia Changjiang’s words hung in the air, their clarity leaving no room for misinterpretation.
Venti paused, his gaze resting on Jia Changjiang for a long moment.
“I’ve met many people who, like you, enjoy the thrill of battle,” Venti said softly.
“But, Jia Changjiang, you’re different.”
He smiled faintly.
“Some warriors would give everything for the sake of fighting. Others are consumed by their obsession with it.
“Some use their strength recklessly, while others suppress it entirely.”
“But you’re unique,” Venti continued. “When you fought Dvalin, there was no hatred in you. You sought victory, but you weren’t consumed by the need to win.”
“You fight to win, yes, but in doing so, you also allow your opponent to confront their true self. And… I quite like your interpretation of freedom.”
Jia Changjiang chuckled, brushing off the bard’s praise with feigned ignorance.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, grinning. “By the way, Venti, you still owe me a song. When do you plan on performing it?”
Venti’s eyes twinkled. “Soon… when the time is right.”
—
Meanwhile, in stark contrast to Jia Changjiang’s relaxed conversation, Lumine was locked in combat against Hilichurls within the Temples of the Four Winds.
Alongside Kaeya, Amber, and Lisa, she had worked to clear the temples and destroy the remnants of power Stormterror had drawn upon. During the process, Lumine learned much from her companions: the nature of Visions, the origin of Stormterror, and why only three temples needed cleansing.
The answer was simple—Stormterror himself was one of the Four Winds. From the beginning, he had been burning away his own power.
The story left Lumine feeling a weight she couldn’t quite shake. With a heavy heart, she returned to Mondstadt.
As she passed the embassy, Lumine and Paimon spotted Jean in conversation with a masked individual.
“Isn’t that Acting Grand Master Jean? Who’s she talking to?” Paimon pointed toward the scene. “We’ve finished our tasks—let’s go say hi!”
Nearby, Jean was in a tense discussion with a Fatui diplomat.
“So, that is your proposal? If the dragon cannot be subdued immediately, you suggest handing Mondstadt’s defenses over to the Fatui?” Jean’s voice was steady, but anger simmered beneath her words.
“The dragon crisis can be resolved,” the diplomat said coolly. “We only need to deal with that beast—”
“Beast?” Jean cut her off sharply. “You wish to dispose of one of Mondstadt’s Four Winds?”
The meeting ended abruptly, with the diplomat storming off.
“Acting Grand Master Jean! We’re back!”
Jean turned at the sound of Lumine and Paimon approaching.
“Ah, Traveler,” Jean greeted them with a small nod.
“Who was that?” Lumine asked, her eyes trailing after the diplomat. “Their clothing doesn’t look like it’s from Mondstadt.”
Her attention, however, lingered on the diplomat’s stockings more than their outfit as a whole.
“That was a representative of Snezhnaya,” Jean explained. “The land under the rule of the Cryo Archon. They are known as the Fatui.”
“I’ve heard of them!” Paimon exclaimed. “They have a pretty bad reputation!”
Lumine started to bring up the temples again, but Jean raised a hand to cut her off.
“We’ll discuss important matters at the Knights’ Headquarters,” Jean said.
“Oh, right!” Paimon piped up. “Traveler, we need to give Jean that thing we found!”
“Can’t we keep it?” Lumine asked, reluctant. “It might be useful.”
“No way! That thing looks way too dangerous!”
Jean gave Lumine a reassuring smile. “I also have something to tell you. Let’s talk more at the headquarters.”
Once at the headquarters, Lumine reluctantly handed over a red, glowing teardrop-shaped crystal.
“This is…”
—
Later, Lumine stepped out of the Knights’ Headquarters as an Honorary Knight of the Order. Though she suspected the position might come with its own set of headaches, she accepted it—if only because Jean’s figure left a strong impression on her.
—
“Hey, there’s something we haven’t talked about yet,” Paimon said as they stood outside.
“When we saw Stormterror, there was someone else…”
“I’ll handle it myself,” Lumine replied firmly.
“You still remember that green guy, don’t you?” Paimon asked. “Are you planning to investigate his connection to Stormterror alone?”
Lumine clenched her fists, her expression flat.
“No, I’m going to find him and punch him before the Knights do. After all, I’m sure at least one of today’s problems is his fault!”
“Then I’ll turn him over to the Knights. That should earn us a decent reward, right?”
—
T/N: Venti x Jia ship, i’m on my knees praying
This is a fan translation of 武器大师在原神绝不死于徒手 by 徐人双. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
Reader discussion
0 Comments
Be the first reader to share a thought about this chapter.