"Where is Venti...? Klee can't find him anywhere. I even asked my friends for help and they couldn't find him either!

Did he start hating himself for something again...? He didn't run away, did he...?",

The question that the child asked her at the time...

...

"Venti is...

...Some trouble happened in Mondstadt and he had to teleport back to help resolve it.",

Her reply, as she tried to not to say anything that will traumatize the child...

...

"I understand. Venti left because our home is in trouble.

Klee is going to say goodbye to Qiqi and Yaoyao. Mister Dvalin, can you turn back into a dragon in the meantime...? I wouldn't take long.

And when Klee returns, I want you to bring us back to Mondstadt as fast as you can!",

Klee's reply, as she ran to say goodbye to her friends,

With all of them leaving Liyue atop Dvalin a few minutes later...

*Their group, as well as Mister Zhongli, who asked to join in...

...

...

Even though Dvalin flew as fast as he possibly could,

They still reached Mondstadt city way too late,

Long after the crisis was already over...

...

...

In the end, even if they knew of it,

They did nothing to help during the crisis...

*She did nothing to help during the plight that befell Mondstadt...

...

She was, until a few hours ago, still on a vacation in Liyue,

Yet, she was still Mondstadt's Acting Grandmaster and the Dandelion and...!

-Jean, calm down. You shouldn't blame yourself for returning only recently. -A familiar voice soon interrupted her guilt stricken and frantic thoughts, as Frederica was now looking towards her in both knowing and reassurance. -While the crisis took us all by surprise, thanks to everyone's quick response, as well as the help of Dragon of the East Durin, Yaksha Xiao, Outrider Amber and our kind Archon, it has been successfully overcome. Now we simply need to take care of its aftermath.

She added in even more reassurance,

Giving her older daughter a warm smile...

*One which Jean, while surprised at first, soon returned...

...

-If you would not mind telling me, where is that old friend of mine at the moment...? There's a certain issue I would like to discuss with him. -Zhongli suddenly asked upon walking towards and stopping near the two, looking and sounding calm, yet there was a tint of danger in his voice. Perhaps he should give a small explanation on the matter. -...You see, Barbatos (That flying menace), has a bad habit of taking other people's things without asking. With his last "spoils" being a bottle of prime quality Osmanthus wine from my secret stack. -He soon explained, as his expression slightly darkened. -I would like to ask him what brought him to do such a thing. Depending on his answer...

-Let me answer that question, Yánwáng Dìjūn. -A familiar voice was soon heard, as Xiao teleported into the room, right before his Archon. -After helping take care of the ongoing crisis, Lord Barbatos...-He soon started the retelling of what happened next, up to the Archon calling him, after he ended the call with the Traveler. -...He soon proceeded to make a few more Sigils of Permission and asked me to deliver it to the group in Sumeru city. I agreed to his request and asked him about his promise to the Traveler to take a break. He soon reassured me that he was going to do as promised and promptly went to sleep in his and Miss Barbara's room in the Cathedral. -He ended with this, before his previously, yet calm expression soon shifted to a slightly eerie one. -...Yánwáng Dìjūn, there is something I wish to speak to you about. A certain, yet worrying, issue the Winds previously informed me of. You wouldn't mind giving me a moment of your time, would you...? Preferably in a more secluded location.

He made sure to ask the Archon soon enough,

The tone indicating quite well that it wasn't really a question...

*Zhongli soon realized what Xiao wanted to talk to him about and why,

Which made him reluctant to agree to the Yaksha's dema..."request"...

...

For Xiao to want to give him a long lecture,

Years ago, he would have never imagined it to be possible...

*And while he was glad that Xiao started to express himself more...

...

...

...

It would be best to just agree to this,

The earlier the lecture starts, the earlier it ends...

...

-Vigilant Yaksha Xiao, I agree to your request. -He managed to say moments later, still feeling reluctant about the situation. -Show me to the location you have in mind.

He added in as much authority as he could currently muster,

With the other soon taking his hand in his own and teleporting both of them away...

-My, that was an interesting way to leave~ I would wager that their "talk" is going to take quite a while~ -Lisa said in clear amusement, before going to stand near Jean and Frederica, her expression turning reassuring. -Jean, dear, just as our Alder Knight said, you don't have anything to feel guilty about. Besides, instead of unnecessarily worrying about what if's, how about we discuss the current situation more thoroughly and decide what should be done next...?

She soon suggested, trying to sound both serious and reassuring,

Hoping that the small "compromise" she just suggested will work...

*And seeing the changing expressions on their Acting Grandmaster's face,

It wasn't hard to imagine what was currently going through her friend's head...

...

Jean was acting pretty cute sometimes and didn't even know it...~

...

-I...Yes, discussing the current situation and taking care of the crisis aftermath is indeed a good idea. -Jean finally admitted moments later, still looking a little unsure, yet more serious and determined than she did before. -For starters, we should gather everyone's accounts of the situation, in order to draw a clear picture of when exactly and how the crisis started. Afterwards...

She soon went on a full blown instruction of their next course of actions,

Seamlessly going more and more into her Acting Grandmaster role as she did so...

*Which was a lot better than her continuing to blame herself for being late to the crisis,

Yet with the way the "lecture" was going, it was bound to take way more time than some people had to spare...

...

As during the "lecture" and even before, some people already slipped away from the room,

With Klee, Dvalin, Barbara and Noelle having already decided on what to do next...

...

Not that Diluc could blame them, as he was already tired with the whole situation,

Feeling a bad headache coming from the moment he heard of the crisis...

...

A headache that was not receding even now...

-...And just when things were seemingly getting calmer, with Mondstadt no longer having a crisis every few days...-He couldn't help but say aloud, before deeply sighing. Just how long was this insanity going to continue...? Was Mondstadt cursed to constantly have some kind of crisis going on...? If so, then...-...Chief Alchemist Albedo, Alchemist Emilia, is there a chance to replicate humans completely...? If that's possible, I don't mind giving myself for experiments, so that...

-Hahaha, what a silly idea you have, Diluc! -Kaeya interrupted him, trying to look and sound cheery, as he soon turned his gaze towards the now confused alchemist duo. -I apologize about my dear brother, he is very tired from the earlier chaos in Liyue and the recent crisis here and needs a good night's sleep!

He explained, trying very hard to look and sound reassuring,

As the Cavalry Captain now wondered what he should do about his brother...

...

...

Maybe he should have Diluc promise him to go to sleep now,

In a similar way that the Traveler had Venti promise them...

...

A good night's sleep will surely do his brother good.


The Dreamscape,

He was back here once again...

...

And yet...

-Wendy...? What are you...doing here...? -Barbatos couldn't help but ask aloud, quite taken aback by seeing her in this "place". In his "Realm of Consciousness", to which the Artifact seems to be connected now...-...The last time I saw you...Was it all the way back when I was in a coma...?

He soon mumbled in some confusion and thought,

Wondering what this meant that she was now here...

*Was this also caused by his Time powers getting stronger or...?

...

...

For some reason, having her here somehow felt right,

Though he had no idea why he was feeling this way...

...

Just what exactly was she...?

What is their connection...?

*Could it be that he forgot it...?

...

And why did it feel like someone else was here...?

Or is it just his imagination, which...?

"Good evening to you, Lord Barbatos. I am glad to see you safe and sound.", his thoughts were soon interrupted by a familiar dutiful voice, as Rostam went into a small bow before him, "Lady "Wendy" is here to keep me company. I hope that you don't mind."

He continued with this, sounding as dutiful as always,

Though there was still barely noticeable tint of worry in his voice...

*One which Barbatos recognized, confused as to why it was there...

...

But what was even more confusing is the Overly Dutiful Knight calling her by a title,

As it was usually reserved for himself alone...

...

Just what exactly was going on here...?

*Not that he minded Wendy being here, but still...

...

"It's as Rostam said, I am "visiting" this place in order to keep him company!", "Wendy" was the next one to say in reassurance, though she also looked slightly concerned, before her expression turned thoughtful for a few seconds, "...Actually, while I am here, it would be best if you call me "Wendy" instead. Since the actual Wendy is already long...", her words suddenly cut off, as she looked both sad and uncertain and also slightly scared, before she looked towards the Archon in thought, "...You must be wondering what you forgot, right...? I know what those memories are, but please, give me more time...", she soon added, her expression and voice getting a little desperate, almost begging now, "...I will show them to you in the future, I promise. But at the moment, I...I am sorry, but I want to exist for a little while longer..."

She sadly and guilt strikingly mumbled at the end,

While moving her head to look down on the "ground"...

*Looking as if she was about to cry, even though she was physically unable to...

...

...

"Lady "Wendy", it's alright. I am sure that Lord Barbatos wouldn't mind giving you as much time as you need. He is indeed a gentle Archon, after all.", Rostam soon reassured her, looking and sounding certain, before he turned to look towards the Archon with a a slightly concerned expression on his face, "Lord Barbatos, I know that you must be very confused by now and I would have readily told you everything. But at the moment, some information is..."

-"...Hard to share"...? Is this similar to how Kairos can't tell me everything yet...? -Barbatos ended for him, looking and sounding quite thoughtful now, to which the knight soon nodded. -...So it's also Forbidden Knowledge of sorts...-He couldn't help but mumble soon enough, as he wondered about this a little more. But from what "Wendy" told him before...About his forgotten memories and how she couldn't show them to him now, because she wanted to continue existing...-..."Wendy", are you perhaps...The fusion of the memories I forgot/were sealed away...?

He soon asked in dawning realization, wondering if it's really the case,

To which the other was silent for a while, looking unsure and slightly scared again...

...

"...Not all of them, but yes. I am part of your sealed memories…Barbatos.", "Wendy" finally admitted, before she deeply sighed, her expression turning sad now, "...I was originally supposed to be a part, but, well...As you can see, I somehow became my own "person"...", she admitted, turning her head to the side now, "...And also, that robe you were gifted by Mondstadt's people...? I wore it before...And danced in it...It felt very nice...~ They are truly such "adorable children", just as you keep saying/thinking over and over~", she enthusiastically explained, as stars appeared in her eyes, before her expression suddenly turned a little embarrassed, "...What I mean is...I am basically a part of you, so...Want to discuss how adorable everyone is sometime, look through the presents again, decide together how we should repay them, maybe later on make a plan to...?"

She soon went on a whole speech about what they could do together,

Which Barbatos admitted to himself that he did wonder about before, as well...

*And since she was basically a part of him, yeah...

...

...

It actually wouldn't be so bad to discuss all these things...~

-Sure, let's go somewhere more "private" and discuss these together~ -He couldn't help but say soon enough, as he glanced towards Rostam for a few seconds, before turning to look towards her. -...We have to find a way to show appreciation to all those overly dutiful and loving children, right...?~ We should make a big and simply unforgettable surprise for them all~

He almost sing sang, as the two soon teleported somewhere else in the "Dreamscape",

Leaving Rostam all by himself, wondering about what just happened...

...

He already knew the connection between the two,

Between Lord Barbatos and Lady "Wendy"...

*Which was why he acted respectfully towards them both...

...

But that glance his Archon gave him while saying all that,

For some reason, it felt a little embarrassing...


"Collei was kidnapped by the Fatui and is held hostage and being experimented on by Ill Dottore's henchmen.",

This is what Venti told her at that time, a few days before they held Jubiläum...

...

And in the end, she decided to inform Amber of this, as well...

*Hoping that however horrible this made the Outrider feel, it was still the right choice...

...

...

But was it really the right choice to make...?

After everything that happened, Amber was...

*If she didn't tell her at that time, then maybe things would have turned out...

-Jean, dear, it's alright. There is no reason for you to feel guilty. -Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the reassuring voice of Lisa, the words making Jean instinctively gasp in shock, which made the other chuckle. -Your reaction is so cute, my dear friend. Did you think I wouldn't notice how you have been beating yourself up for what happened with the two cuties Amber and Collei…? Your thoughts are literally written on your face~ -The Librarian added in some intrigue, before her expression shifted to a serious one. -Jean, you really shouldn't blame yourself for how things turned out. You know as well as I do that there wasn't much we could have done in that situation. Hence we decided to check on those two, in order to decide how we can help them further. And we are already nearing the room where Collei should be hospitalized.

She made sure to add with even more reassurance,

As the two continued their walk through the Cathedral...

*Lisa surely hoped that, even though, in hindsight, she didn't say much,

It was enough for Jean to understand she had nothing to feel bad about...

...

...

Besides, she also couldn't help but think about Collei's situation,

This young teen, who got her life cut short before she could experience it all...

*Unlike herself, who already lived a good life and didn't mind dying to her curse...

...

"OH NO, YOU DON'T!

I WON'T LET YOU HURT THEM ANY FURTHER!"

...

Right, at that time, sometime before Ludi Harpastum,

When the Abyss Order attacked and tried to kill their Archon...

*She used so much of her power to protect him and Bennet at back then,

That it shortened her own life even more than it already was...

...

"...I should be alright for now, Jean. It just...

...Looks like I got carried away...!"

...

The Electro barrier she made at the time was quite strong,

So much so that she soon started coughing blood...

...

...

Would she survive to see the upcoming Windblume...?

How much time exactly did she have remaining...?

...

Did it really matter to her...?

*She knew it was coming for a while now...

...

...

If Collei needed her help, she would provide it,

As someone in a similar situation as the poor child...

...

This is what she should be doing, right...?

...

...

At least the cutie can still be saved, even if the timeframe is extremely short,

And to survive until then, she will need all the support she could get...