Venti leaned close to Jia Changjiang and whispered, subtly gesturing toward a corner of the tavern.
There sat Stanley, downing large gulps of wine.
“Let’s quietly take the table behind him,” Venti murmured. “We might overhear something… enlightening.”
“Got it.”
After collecting their drinks from Diluc, the group settled at the table directly behind Stanley. The tavern was mostly empty, with only Jia Changjiang’s party and Stanley present.
Jia Changjiang slid two glasses of non-iced Sunsettia juice to Lumine and Paimon. Grabbing a bottle of wine, he leaned slightly to listen to Stanley’s drunken ramblings.
On Stanley’s table, several empty bottles stood in disarray—a testament to how much he had already drunk. His face was flushed, and he teetered on the edge of passing out.
Behind him, the group could faintly hear his slurred murmurs and soft sobs.
“Stanley… Stanley, what do I do now…”
Paimon tilted her head in confusion. “Why’s he saying his own name? Is there… another Stanley?”
“Shh…”
Jia Changjiang gestured for Paimon to quiet down, waving her toward the table.
Stanley, head down on the table, continued to cry. “Stanley… if only it had been me who died back then… why didn’t your soul stop me when I stole your name? Stanley…”
His words left Lumine and Paimon stunned.
Stanley’s voice cracked. “If you hadn’t saved a rookie like me, you wouldn’t have died in that windless place… You were already a famed adventurer, and because of someone as useless as me, you’ll never become a legend…”
Stanley sobbed over his drink, mourning the man who had once saved his life.
“What… what’s going on here?” Paimon asked, wide-eyed. “Was there really another Stanley?!”
Jia Changjiang ruffled Paimon’s hair and handed her the glass of juice. “It’s becoming clear that the story Stanley told about the Ashen Sea is true. But the Stanley in that story… wasn’t the one sitting here.”
“Then the real Stanley…” Lumine trailed off, hesitant to finish her thought.
Venti gazed at the slouched figure before them and continued softly, “The real Stanley probably died saving this Stanley.”
Paimon hugged her glass, trying to piece things together. “So… this Stanley only took his name to carry on the legacy?”
“No,” Jia Changjiang corrected. “It’s more like… he tried to live as the real Stanley, to preserve his memory.”
Meanwhile, Stanley’s weeping deepened.
“Stanley… I’ve been so afraid all these years, afraid that Mondstadt would forget you! So I told your story everywhere… I made sure people knew Stanley reached the heart of the Ashen Sea! You’re the greatest adventurer, Stanley! You’re still alive! Stanley can’t die, because I… I am Stanley!”
His words revealed the torment and guilt he had carried for decades. His voice eventually faded, leaving behind a heavy silence.
“Stanley…” he muttered, his tone laced with despair. “Even I’ve grown old…”
As his grief seemed to settle into resignation, Stanley muttered toward the room behind him, “How much longer are you all planning to eavesdrop?”
Caught red-handed, Lumine and the others stood and approached him.
“Leave… leave me alone!” Stanley slurred, slamming his hand on the table. “Haven’t you heard enough? Just let me… be quiet for a while!”
Stanley’s drunken state took over, and his head slumped back onto the table.
At that moment, the tavern door opened, and Jack walked in.
“Ah! Lumine, Venti, Paimon, and Mr. Jax! Great, you’re all here!” Jack exclaimed happily. “I finally found you. Thanks to you, my parents agreed to let me become an adventurer!”
Venti gave a playful smile. “Really? That’s wonderful news!”
“Yeah! They even said they’d pay to repair the sword and shield so I can bring them on my journey!” Jack beamed. “It’s all thanks to you!”
“Although… I know I’m still not very strong, but I’ll work hard!” He clenched his fist with determination. “And I want to hear more of Stanley’s stories—he’s the reason I started dreaming of becoming an adventurer in the first place!”
Jack turned toward Stanley. “Mr. Stanley, I—”
He paused, noticing Stanley slumped over. “Ah, he’s drunk again…”
“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, sir! Tell me more stories then, okay?”
With that, Jack left, practically skipping out the door.
Venti chuckled softly. “You know, I think Stanley really likes that kid. Don’t you agree?”
Stanley stirred, his eyes slowly fluttering open.
“Jack’s gone,” Venti said gently.
“…Thank you for keeping my secret,” Stanley murmured, his gaze shifting away as if ashamed. Finally, he sighed. “I can’t even look Jack in the eye. His love for adventuring is so pure…”
“I’m just a useless fraud, but that boy… he has a bright future. I can’t let my lies ruin that.”
Paimon, trying to cheer him up, chimed in, “But Stanley’s stories… they’re real, aren’t they?”
Stanley shook his head with a bitter smile. “The real Stanley’s memories… they’ve become blurry. That’s my greatest secret, my greatest fear.”
“I’ve lived for his stories, but now… I can barely remember him.” His voice trembled. “All I know is that he died in the windless Ashen Sea. The wind couldn’t carry his soul home!”
Stanley clenched his fists, his voice filled with anguish. “I’ve grown old, but an adventurer… an adventurer mustn’t die like that!”
The room fell silent as Stanley’s pain weighed heavily on them all.
“He’s really hurting,” Lumine whispered.
“The memory of his friend has faded, frozen in the moment of his death. That loss has shackled his entire life,” Venti said solemnly. “The past holds him hostage, robbing him of the courage to face the future.”
“Is there anything we can do to help him?” Lumine asked.
Jia Changjiang opened his system interface and examined the item he had received.
[Seed of Courage: Courage isn’t born, but shared. If someone is stuck, lend them some of your courage.]
“I think I know what to do,” Jia Changjiang muttered to himself.
Before he could act, Venti stepped forward, standing directly in front of Stanley.
The adventurer, still groggy, suddenly heard a name he thought he’d buried deep in the Ashen Sea.
“Hans Archibald.”
Venti’s voice was gentle but firm, cutting through Stanley’s drunken haze. His eyes widened in shock, his body jolting upright.
“How… how do you know my real name?” Stanley stammered, staring at Venti.
Venti smiled warmly.
A soft breeze stirred through the tavern, bringing with it the faintest whisper of wind.
“This… is wind?” Stanley reached out as if to grasp it. “The sound of the wind…”
As he gazed at Venti, the bard’s form seemed to blur, merging with the image of the towering statue in Mondstadt’s plaza.
“Lord Barbatos… I…”
Overcome with emotion, Stanley staggered to his feet, his lips trembling as he finally choked out, “I’ve always believed… in your existence…”
Tears streamed down his face as he dropped to his knees, desperate to atone. He begged the Anemo Archon to carry the soul of his lost friend, still stranded in the Ashen Sea, back to their homeland.
But before Stanley could fully kneel, Venti reached out a hand to stop him.
“Will you entrust your friend’s soul to me?”
Venti’s words were tender, filled with the boundless compassion of the Anemo Archon.
Lumine’s eyes widened as she watched this different side of Venti—the divine presence that had always protected Mondstadt.
Stanley reached out, trembling, and placed his hand in Venti’s.
The moment their hands touched, a soft glow emanated from Stanley’s hand—a light unlike anything he had ever seen.
As Stanley looked up, the sight before him transformed. Standing there wasn’t Venti but the true Stanley, his face scarred but smiling warmly.
The real Stanley gave no sign of anger or regret, only peace.
In the next moment, the figure dissolved into light, carried away by the gentle wind to an unknown destination.
Stanley instinctively reached out to hold on, but as the light faded, the tavern returned to normal.
“Thank you… Lord Barbatos,” Stanley whispered.
Looking at the group, he added, “I… I just need some time to collect myself. But I think I’ll be okay now.”
With that, Stanley quietly left the tavern.
“Wait, that’s it?” Lumine asked, blinking.
Paimon perched on her shoulder, patting her head. “Don’t worry about it! Venti solved everything perfectly!”
“Yeah, Stanley has reclaimed himself, and Jack is off to a great start,” Venti cheered. “So many good things at once—let’s celebrate with a drink!”
“Don’t tell me you’re planning to get wasted right here?” Paimon groaned.
“Too expensive here! Jack still owes me a rare vintage wine. I’ll go find him, and then… meet you at the ‘usual spot,’ okay?”
Before anyone could respond, Venti dashed out.
“‘Usual spot’? Hey, wait!” Paimon called after him, but he was gone.
Turning to Jia Changjiang, she asked, “So, what’s your plan?”
“I’ve got something to take care of,” Jia Changjiang said with a grin.
“What is it?” Lumine asked, tilting her head.
“Let’s just say… the gods have done their part. Now it’s time for a weapons master to act.”
—
After buying some wine from Diluc, Jia Changjiang vanished into the city, leaving Lumine and Paimon curious about his plans.
Near the city gates, Stanley sat quietly, letting the wind brush past him as he reflected.
A hand landed on his shoulder.
“Feeling strange, huh? Like it’s all a bit unreal?” Jia Changjiang asked, sitting down beside him.
Stanley glanced at him, then sighed. “I told you I’d be fine on my own.”
“I’m here to talk. Sometimes, that helps too.”
Stanley hesitated but eventually relented. “You’re a hero of the Knights of Favonius, a renowned adventurer. We’re nothing alike.”
He paused, then muttered, “Do you think… Stanley forgave me? After all, it’s my fault he died in the Ashen Sea… my fault I took his name. Do I even deserve forgiveness?”
“Maybe it’s not about forgiveness,” Jia Changjiang said, his voice calm.
“At least… in that windless Ashen Sea, you were the one who carried your friend’s soul home.”
—
T/N: I loved Venti’s story quest
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!
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