After being carried through the air by Dvalin for a loop, Barbatos suggested they take a stroll in the city.
Moh looked at his own eye-catching attire, then at Barbatos.
Clad in his white-winged divine raiment, holding a brilliant lyre, Barbatos practically radiated the aura of “I am the Anemo Archon.”
“You plan to enter the city looking like that?” Moh asked.
“How else?”
“Can we keep a low profile?” Moh said.
“I want to experience Mondstadt as an ordinary person.”
Barbatos gave him an “I get you” look.
Dvalin let them down on a hillside not far from Mondstadt.
He glanced at Barbatos.
“Don’t play too wild.”
“Don’t worry, don’t worry. Goodbye, Dvalin!”
Venti: ੭ ᐕ)੭*
Dvalin: ( ⩌ – ⩌ )
Dvalin spread his wings and flew off, his slender, cyan dragon body quickly vanishing into the clouds.
Barbatos spun around on the spot.
A flash of white light later, his outfit changed into that of a bard—a green cape, a white shirt, tight-fitting trousers, and his signature beret.
A wave of familiarity washed over Moh.
This was the exact image in his memories, the green bard who had guided him through the first two nations in the game.
“Just call me Venti from now on,” Barbatos said with a wink.
Moh patted his own clothes.
The crown on his head transformed into a halo, floating just above his head.
His physical form didn’t change, but his pointed elf ears vanished.
Instead, black wings sprouted from his ears and the sides of his waist.
They weren’t particularly large, and when folded, they hugged his hips like some unique decoration.
Venti leaned in, sizing him up.
“Oho, you can transform too?”
“Yeah,” Moh said, opening his eyes.
“My casual clothes from my time as a Nameless. It’ll do.”
Venti circled around him.
“Can’t you also transform with a single click?” Moh asked.
“That’s different,” Venti said.
“I’m a wind spirit, so I can shape myself into other forms. But your change isn’t just a simple change in appearance. It looks like you’ve changed your entire species, haven’t you?”
He reached out and poked the black wings on Moh’s waist.
“As far as I know, only Greater Lord Rukkhadevata has the ability to completely alter a lifeform’s physical state.”
Moh slapped his hand away.
“I am a Memookeeper. My existence is very unique—I have shed my physical body and survive as a memetic entity. In the eyes of others, the form I am observed in is called a ‘manifestation.’ It just so happens that I have multiple manifestations.”
He pointed at his halo.
“As you can see, this appearance is the body of a Halovian. You can think of it as a winged subspecies of elf.”
“Is it really okay to tell me such important info just like that?”
“That’s why you have to keep my secret, friend,” Moh said.
“Besides, who knows when I might need a helping hand from the breeze. It’s only right to lay my cards on the table for a friend.”
Venti looked at him, a trace of curiosity in his eyes.
“Actually, I’ve always been a bit curious. Aren’t you trusting me a bit too much? We’ve only known each other for less than a week.”
Moh replied righteously, “Because you are good.”
Venti: “?”
Moh didn’t explain.
But he had his own calculations in his heart.
If you wanted to talk about who was the most reliable in Teyvat, it had to be old man Zhongli.
Becoming friends with him meant always having a safety net in times of crisis.
Moh hadn’t forgotten the Cataclysm of Khaenri’ah—of the original seven Archons, only old Zhongli and the drunkard remained.
He had to prepare as many insurance policies as possible.
But how do you become buddies with the Rex Lapis?
You had to take it one step at a time.
Start by getting close to a friend’s friend.
Moreover, while Venti was lax in minor matters, he could definitely be counted on in major ones.
As for the three shadows other than Asmoday, he was merely on speaking terms with them.
Relying on them?
That would be like trying to slay the Heavenly Principles with the sword of the Heavenly Principles.
Shadows could not defy their master, at least not at this stage.
Plus, having played the game in his previous life, these two had helped him immensely in early exploration and the Spiral Abyss.
The sense of security brought from his past life carried over to this one.
Venti leaned in again, beginning to fiddle with the black wings on Moh’s waist.
“Hmm, with these wings growing from your waist, can you even fly?”
Moh rolled his eyes.
With a flap of his wings, he smacked Venti right in the face with feathers.
He folded the wings back tightly against his sides.
“Touch your own, leave mine alone.”
“Can you fly?”
( ⩌ – ⩌ )
Moh was quite speechless.
Who are you asking?
Go ask Mi…yo!
That’s just how the Halovians were designed.
“I can glide for a short distance. Alright, didn’t you say you were going to show me around Mondstadt?” he said.
“Are we going or not?”
“Going, going.” Venti finally withdrew his hand, but his eyes were still darting toward the wings.
“But other than growing wings and changing your clothes, your facial features didn’t change at all, right? Aren’t you afraid the elves will recognize you?”
“Aren’t you the same?” Moh pointed at Venti’s head.
“Those twin braids of yours are tied exactly like the Statue of the Seven. Do you think your citizens are blind?”
Venti touched his braids.
“I changed my vibe, didn’t I? Besides, isn’t it normal for Mondstadters to style their hair like the Anemo Archon?”
“In that case, I could also say that the elves back home once held a ‘Tsar of White Sands Cosplay Contest,'” Moh said, throwing up his hands.
“I hid my identity and entered, only to be regrettably eliminated. The judges said I wasn’t cold enough.”
Venti stared blankly for a moment.
“There’s actually a contest like that? They really didn’t recognize you? Should I hold one too?”
Moh said, “Even if there was such a contest, you wouldn’t necessarily win first place. A thousand readers will have a thousand different ideas. Someone even pointed at me and said, ‘Oh my god, your imitation of His Majesty is utterly terrible.'”
Venti rubbed his chin.
“After all, the Anemo Archon in everyone’s heart is different, right? I always feel like you’ve experienced a lot of interesting things. It would have been great if I’d met you sooner.”
He suddenly leaned in close.
“So can I really not touch your halo? Your current look could easily pass for an archangel. Angels also have halos and wings on their heads, right?”
Moh shoved Venti’s face away.
“No.”
He dragged Venti and walked toward the city.
While taking a step forward with a friend meant becoming frenemies, why did Venti feel like he was turning into a mischievous brat?
The two entered Mondstadt.
Moh looked around with curiosity.
The streets of Mondstadt right now were quite different from the Mondstadt he had seen in the game in his previous life.
There was no Adventurers’ Guild counter, no crafting bench, and no Good Hunter restaurant.
The streets were lined with small vendors selling a variety of things: hand-woven baskets, freshly baked bread, and home-brewed fruit wine.
The architectural style was somewhat similar to the Mondstadt of later generations, but it was rougher and more rustic.
However, because they were welcoming the elves, the city had been decorated, giving it a unique aesthetic appeal.
“How is it?” Venti asked.
“My city is beautiful, isn’t it?”
“It feels very much like the freedom of the Mondstadt people. The elves have never seen the scenery of spring.” Moh caught a falling petal.
The city had a vibe similar to the Windblume Festival, though he didn’t know if this festival existed at this point in time.
“Hehe~”
Receiving praise from Moh, who held the title of the God of Art, clearly made Venti quite happy.
They passed a plaza where several elves were strolling.
One female elf froze when she saw Moh.
“Sir…” she spoke hesitantly, “you look a bit familiar.”
Moh didn’t bat an eye.
“Is that so? Perhaps I just have a common face.”
“No, no,” the elf shook her head.
“Your appearance looks very much like our Emperor. Are you an elf from the honor guard…”
Moh pointed at his chicken-wing-like ears.
“I belong to Mondstadt’s bird-man tribe.”
“Bird… bird-man?” The elf’s feathered ears on her head flared in surprise.
“Does Mondstadt have this kind of demi-human? Is that right?”
Only then did another elf notice that he didn’t have the pointed ears of an elf.
She smiled apologetically.
“Sorry, sorry, we got the wrong person.”
She pulled her companion away.
Venti was holding back his laughter nearby.
Hahaha, this was the first time he had heard someone refer to themselves as a bird-man.
“What are you laughing at? You have wings too, you’re also a bird-man.” Moh walked forward without changing his expression.
They met several more elves along the way.
Some did a double take, while others greeted them directly.
Moh handled them one by one, and he actually managed to fool them.
Venti took him to the best tavern in Mondstadt—though it wasn’t called the Angel’s Share yet.
However, this little tavern had been recommended by Anna.
Even if Venti hadn’t brought him here, he would have come to try it himself.
The tavern owner was a cheerful young woman with red hair tied in a high ponytail.
Moh had a vision of a female Diluc, but she was more outgoing and youthful, unlike Master Diluc who always wore a cold expression as if everyone owed him money.
“Yo, you actually said you’re buying someone a drink today? That’s rare. Usually, you’re the one looking for someone to buy *you* a drink. The sun must have risen from the west.”
Venti sat down without a hint of embarrassment.
“Miss Lia, please stop teasing me and bring us your best wine.”
Lia looked at Moh, then back at Venti.
“Is this your friend?”
“He came from Snezhnaya and wants to try Mondstadt’s local specialties.”
“Oh, are you His Majesty the Tsar of White Sands?”
?
Venti looked at Lia in surprise.
How did she guess?
“I might not know this elf gentleman, but how could I not know you, Lord Barbatos?” Lia winked playfully.
Barbatos didn’t care much for formalities.
Compared to the solemn cathedral, he preferred to wander and play in the mortal world, making many human friends, and Lia was one of them.
“Any friend brought here by My Lord must be a great figure, at least. Thanks to the recommendations of Lady Anna and Lord Kirill, our shop has hosted quite a few elven friends lately. The elven friends kept telling me about the Tsar, and they even gifted many related items. One of the tapestries had your portrait woven into it.”
Hmm?
Even Filins was involved in this?
Since Moh had transmigrated near the end of the Natlan version, the five-star banner at the time was Ineva.
He knew nothing about Snezhnaya, only recalling leaks about the next major version being about the moon.
As for the elves under his command, Moh had no idea who would become friends with the Traveler in the future.
Moreover, the elves were all beautiful and dressed extravagantly, making it hard to judge who might be a “playable character” in the game.
Although elves had long lifespans, no one could guarantee they would survive until then.
However, they could be identified by a Vision, but right now was still thousands of years before the main storyline.
It was too early to make a definitive judgment.
As for Filins, Moh did know of him.
He was brave enough on the battlefield but lacked interest in promotions.
Following his preferences, Moh had rewarded him with shiny gems instead.
But since he didn’t possess a Vision, wasn’t an outstanding talent in literature or art, and didn’t really attend court balls, Moh hadn’t paid much attention to Filins.
Filins was also chosen for this trip.
To think this kid could actually drink with Anna—he was probably Anna’s friend.
Moh decided to pay more attention to him in the future.
“Then why don’t I see anyone else?” Venti looked around.
The walls and shelves had many Snezhnayan decorations, but there was no one else in sight.
These must be the gifts the elves gave Lia.
This young girl was quite popular among those elven spirits from Snezhnaya.
This tavern was in a remote location.
Although it served good wine, its customers were either lost travelers or a small number of regular friends.
According to Lia, the tavern had hosted quite a few elves recently.
“This is all for you, My Lord. You said you were coming to taste my wine, so the tavern is closed to the public today. We are only hosting the two of you.”
Lia quickly brought over two glasses of Dandelion Wine.
Moh took a sip.
It tasted similar to the sweet wine of later generations, but it was richer and lacked the commercialized, cloying sweetness.
“Not bad,” he said.
“Of course,” Venti said proudly, swirling his glass.
“A Mondstadt specialty, certified by the Anemo Archon himself.”
Moh looked at him.
“You certify yourself?”
“Ehe.”
Moh, who loved to record his life, took a picture and created a Light Cone.
For a Memookeeper, creating a Light Cone was just like an ordinary person posting on social media.
Four-star Light Cone [A Quiet Drink]—
[The leisure time of two distinguished guests who chose to hide their identities in this cozy little tavern.]
The two clinked glasses.
Besides Dandelion Wine, they also drank many other fine vintages.
They drank until evening, and Lia said this round was on the house.
After all, hosting two deities at the same time was an extremely rare experience.
But Moh wasn’t used to freeloading.
Just like the generous Tsar of White Sands in the rumors, he, along with the other elves, bestowed a special gift upon this tavern.
Leaving the tavern, Venti managed to snag two bottles of wine.
The two climbed a windmill near the edge of the city to enjoy the view.
The setting sun was sinking into the sea, dyeing the entire city of Mondstadt in gold.
Cider Lake shimmered with light, and the distant cliffs were shrouded in the dusk.
Venti pulled something out from his shirt.
“Here.”
Moh looked down—it was a melodica, exquisitely crafted, with patterns of the wind and Cecilia flowers carved onto it.
“This is?”
“A return gift,” Venti said.
“You bought me drinks, and you even gave Dvalin and me ice sculptures. I have to show my appreciation somehow.”
He stuffed the small instrument into Moh’s hands.
“If you ever need me for anything, just play it. The wind will carry the sound to my ears. And if you have good wine you want to share with someone, you can call me too.”
Moh caressed the melodica.
“You still can’t go three sentences without mentioning wine, huh? There is the power of ‘Time’ on this instrument.”
“As for other uses, that’s up to you,” Venti said with a wink.
“Thank you. I will cherish it.”