41 How stubborn you are...

"Liyue? You came from Liyue Harbor?" Asked Lumine.

She had never gone to Liyue before, obviously. Due to Stormterror, the people of Liyue coming to Mondstadt have temporarily stopped. Thus, she had never met anyone from there before.

So when she heard that the person in front of her was from Liyue Harbor, she immediately took the opportunity to ask. "Is it true that the Rite of Descent is near?"

"Yeah, yeah! Also, have you seen Rex Lapis before?" Added Paimon

"..." Igarashi couldn't answer this one. Has he met Rex Lapis before? Well, yes, but not in his dragon form but instead, his human form. Did he know that the Rite of Descent was happening in a week? Honestly, no. He forgot.

As for what the Rite of Descent is, it's technically when Rex Lapis comes down to Liyue in his dragon form to make some Mora, the world's currency, and give some advice to the merchants on where the economy is going.

Receiving advice from a god is surely something merchants won't miss and as such, they gather at Liyue Harbor to receive Rex Lapis' predictions.

It should also be mentioned that Rex Lapis' predictions are almost every time correct, giving wealth to those who can comprehend them.

Quite ironic for the God that oftentimes forgets his own money...

"Err... Yes, actually. Lantern lights and merchants from all over Teyvat have already started appearing in the streets of Liyue Harbor." Igarashi came up with what he remembered when he left that morning to the Geovishaps. "It is the busiest month of Liyue Harbor because Rex Lapis is appearing."

"Why did you ask?" Igarashi asked.

"Paimon and the Traveler are planning to go there to see the Geo Archon!" The floating emergency food answered. Lumine then nodded silently.

Hearing this, Igarashi made a fake surprise look and nodded. "I see. Though, I advise you to call The Lord of Geo as Rex Lapis as it is more befitting instead of The Geo Archon."

"I see. Paimon will remember!" Paimon said.

"I'll keep it in mind too." Lumine added.

Igarashi nodded and then shifted his attention to Venti who was reading the manga he gave.

* * *

The manga that Igarashi gave Venti was merely the first chapter. After all, he just arrived in Mondstadt, and it was a new series. Though, there are already the second and third chapters in the making. Igarashi decided to complete them tonight and open the shop in Liyue tomorrow to let Mo Fan take a look at them and edit them.

Venti looked at the book that was given to him. He was still a bit drunk but he somehow could manage to still read them.

"Hehe~ let's see what's in here~" he muttered as he went to one of the couches and sat down with a smile on his face.

He opened the book and saw the first page. The first page presented two people walking. A tall man with blue hair wearing military clothes and a girl with messy blonde hair wearing a green military uniform.

The two of them silently walk through the busy streets until the girl stopped by a small vendor selling accessories.

"How beautiful~ Ehe~" Venti said. He was happy that the man they met would give him that Apple Cider Wine just to read his book. It was a total win for him, so why not enjoy reading?

Soon, he was slightly interrupted. "Here, have this, it will sober you up." Igarashi said as he placed an Apple Cider juice in front of Venti.

It was something from Angel's Share he bought that could sober up people.

Venti took the drink and happily thanked him. "Thank you~ A mere bard as I would not let such generosity go by, for one day I shall return something much high~" Venti said with rhymes.

"Haha, it's fine. Just give me an honest review once you're done reading." Igarashi said before continuing to speak with Lumine.

Venti drank the apple cider juice and felt like the effects were taking in. Although it was slow, he could feel that he was sobering up. 'He's nice~'

He then continued reading.

The man in the military uniform then asked the girl why she stopped to which she replied that his eyes' color looked exactly the same as the brooch that was on sale. She then said that whenever she sees it, she feels an unknown emotion that she has not felt before.

'Oh~ a young maiden in love~ how cute...' Venti thought. The sober effect is really going out by now. 'I am liking this story already... Will it be like this from here on out~?"

No. No, it won't.

Anyways, he flipped to the second page with a smile on his face. There, a different girl was shown. No, it was the same girl from before but much older by now. There, she lay in a nursing bed with some bandages around her arms and a bandage on her face. 'What happened?'

He was sure that this would be a nice story, but it seems like it started showing its true colors. Venti continued reading and saw the girl writing something on the paper. From the way she was writing, it seems like she was in the military and she wanted to return to her post. But unfortunately, her paper was blown away by the wind because of the window beside her.

'I see, so she's a soldier, huh? But why would she want to return? From her state, it seems like she was severely injured.' Venti thought. 'Or is it loyalty to her country?'

He flipped another page and saw another scene. A tall man with red hair was shown entering the place where the girl was.

It was later then revealed that his name and rank were Lt. Colonel Hodgins and the blonde girl's name was Violet.

As for the reason he was here, he came to pick her up.

They talked a bit and Venti noticed something from the way Violet talked. She always mentions a 'Major' and asks if he was okay.

'Why would she prioritize someone from the upper ranks than herself?' Venti thought. He then remembered the first page of the book. 'Oh wait, is the Major she's talking about that man on the first page?'

Then, a slight smile appeared on Venti's face. 'Ah~ I knew it~ She likes him... Heh.'

'Let me guess, she would meet him in the city they're going to?' He made some guesses with a smug face.

He continued reading and flipped to the next page. But the next page was... Different.

It was another location. Violet was severely injured with blood flowing down her head, but despite those injuries, she can still stand up. And in front of her, a man with blue hair m, similar to before, was lying in his own blood.

He uttered the words: "Run away... And live freely..." To Violet.

This scene was a flashback to the past.

"Huh?" Venti muttered out loud. 'Hold on, that was the man from before, isn't it? Why does he look like he's dying?!'

Venti seriously thought that this would be a light-hearted story. But he was wrong. And he had still not seen the 10th chapter/ episode of Violet Evergarden.

After that, the scene changed again to Violet and Hodgins traveling to the city of Leiden.

Hodgins then told a brief explanation of an order given by her 'Major'. He said that the major wanted Violet to be adopted by a family and get the name: Violet Evergarden. Which is the story's title.

'Whoever that Major is, he must care a lot for Violet, huh? But that scene before...' Venti remembered the scene of a man lying in blood. 'That was definitely him...'

They soon arrived at the Evergarden household. It was then later revealed that Violet has lost both of her arms and was replaced by artificial arms that can be partially controlled by her, although it took some time, she said that it now feels natural to her.

Seeing the prosthetic arm, Venti was amazed. 'Having lost an arm and adapting to a new one... She's one strong girl.'

He really admires those who persevere under hardships. So when he saw Violet's will to keep moving, he felt admiration for her.

He continued reading and found out that the Major's name is Gilbert, and Hodgins was his best friend from an academy. And the reason Violet was given to the Evergarden family was Gilbert's request for her to have a happy life.

Violet mistook it for another understanding, however. She thought that she was no use for Gilbert anymore because of her arms. She begged Hodgins to let her talk to Gilbert so that she could still serve him as his 'Tool' for war, to which Hodgins refuted saying that she was no tool.

Seeing the conversation between the two, Venti was confused. 'Hold on, why would she view herself as a tool? No one should view themselves as replaceable tools! They have their own lives under their control! No one should be treated as a disposable item!'

As a carefree bard that travels around Mondstadt, and a once free wind spirit, Venti values freedom more than anything. More than his people, that's why he never governs them. After all, he only wants freedom for the people of Mondstadt whom he loves.

And seeing a girl view herself as a mere tool made him... Question her. 'I should keep reading to know more...'

He continued reading and Violet started asking if Gilbert was still alive. Fortunately, Hodgins managed to convince her that he was safe.

'She really cares for him...'

He also managed to convince her to work for him, as another request from Gilbert. Violet accepted the offer and they went to the company Gilbert owns.

It was a company that writes and sends letters to their customers all over the region. 'A delivering company, hun...?'

Just then, a funny thought emerged from Venti's brain. 'Haha, what if I rode Dvalin to places I perform? Oh wait, he'll probably be angry for it... Haah...'

He kept flipping each page, reading how Violet adapts to the workspace around her. Eventually, she ended up delivering some letters at nighttime.

It was at that moment that Hodgins saw her and asked why she was delivering mails late at night. He then invited her for dinner which she agreed.

She and Hodgins had dinner and talked about some things. He then told her that she was burning. Not physically but mentally. She would not notice now but would notice later.

'That's a unique way of saying mental fatigue...' Venti thought.

'Coping with loss... Is really hard.' He started thinking about her arms and potentially Gilbert. 'But doing nothing about it makes it even harder. All of that mental fatigue needs to be let out, sometimes...'

'Or perhaps it's because of a promise that she can't let go? I know about that too... A promise made to someone dear to you can't just be easily broken...' He thought with some melancholy.

He continued reading and saw how Violet admired her senior, Cattleya's work. She saw how Cattleya was able to put a person's true feelings to paper and wanted to know something.

She wanted to know what "I love you" means.

And soon, another scene popped up on the next page. On the battlefield, Violet was killing people efficiently as if she was a trained warrior.

'Whoa... She's strong...' Venti thought, seeing a young girl take on those enemy soldiers by herself.

Another scene appeared which showed Gilbert once again lying on the floor as Violet tried her best to get him up while crying.

'Ah! So it really was him!' Venti thought. 'The possibility of Gilbert being dead is... High.'

Just when Violet was about to pick Gilbert up, he placed his hand on her face that made her stop, and said the words: "Run away... And live freely...'

Before adding in: " I love you."

Those words. Those three words. She wanted to know what they were. And to know it, she will become someone like Cattleya who understands emotions and figure out what those words meant.

Chapter 1, end.

"..." Venti was at loss for words. Although he did not want to admit it, the story was a bit... odd? "So even after being let go by him... She still firmly believes that his words have a much deeper meaning, huh...?"

Then, a gentle smile appeared on Venti's face. "Really... How stubborn you are..."

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room.

Paimon's voice was heard. "By the way, can we learn your name? Paimon and Lumine always remember our Acquaintance's names!"

The three of them have been discussing some matters ever since Venti started reading.

Igarashi heard this and stayed silent for a moment. 'Hmm... Should I give them my fake name? But...'

Although he was fine with using his Liyue Name, it will eventually cause some trouble for him. For one, if Lumine were to find his shop in Liyue and see him there, she would question why and how he immediately got there. How can he explain his portal?

It was gonna be a pain. Moreover, from the looks of it, the traveler and Paimon seem to not want to talk about the teleport waypoints, which means that no one knows about their teleportation ability. Of course, he learned this from their talks.

It was true. After all, those waypoints are devices from the past that have long been unused. What would happen if a person suddenly started using them? It will cause some trouble for the traveler, surely. That is why they are keeping it a secret.

Igarashi thought for a moment before coming to a conclusion. 'That's right... Me and Sasori have fake western names... But I don't like the name of Benson so...'

A slight smile appeared on his face as he reached for his pocket. There, he opened his system inventory and took out a golden monocle. He took it out of his pocket and wore it.

[Appearance alteration status has been activated]

[Your appearance shall be rewritten to those around you.]

Yes, this is one of the two effects of the [Scholar's Monocle]. The ability to disguise one's self.

After putting on the monocle, in the traveler's perspective, his appearance did not change and seemed to have always been that way in her memories. However, that was not the case at all. He had completely changed his appearance.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Amon." He gave a kind and trusting smile whilst closing his eyes.