Moments after the two left the room, Collei suggested that they talk somewhere else,
Before the nuns and the children return from their break, to resume rehearsals,
After which Xiao teleported everyone to the Lawrence Estate, just as asked...
*And just as Collei was telling everyone how her first impression of the place was,
The Yaksha couldn't help but wonder how much differently it now looked...
...
At that time when he and Dainsleif arrived at this same manor...
"Huh, it appears that we finally arrived at the specified location.
I am not entirely sure why we were told that this wasn't an urgent situation and we can take our time coming here, but now that we have arrived...
...We should promptly take care of these monsters."
...
"So this is the type of monster we are fighting against today. I should have known they were going to employ those infectious horrors sooner or later.
Nevertheless, this is a job I was requested to do. Failure is not an option."
An extravagant looking mansion, which was partly destroyed,
Full of former humans, which were forcibly turned into disgusting monsters...
*This was also where they met that highly obnoxious..."Person"...
"I see that you have finally decided to show your face, dilly dallying as you were.
My prestigious name is Schubert Lawrence, a blood descendant of the magnanimous nobility. I take it that you peasants surely know of my…"
...
Thankfully, that depraved bastard was long dead now,
And under the new leadership of Eula Lawrence...
-...This mansion looks that much more serene now. -Xiao couldn't help but soon admit, as he looked between the mansion itself, the flower garden with the fountain in the middle of it and the Aviary in the distance. It was such a drastic change, as if...-...The Estate's state reflects its Clan Leader's morality...
He added in a more thoughtful and louder voice,
The words making Collei pause in her earlier retelling,
As she too, soon looked around the place, admiring the view...
-...This place is beautiful, nice and calming, just like how Big Sister Eula is. -She soon agreed in gratefulness, as her expression turned warm. -...I planned to show everyone my new room first and also share the content of the journal with Teacher...-Her voice got sadder after the word "and", with her expression soon mirroring it, before turning back to normal moments later. -...But now I am thinking about finding Big Sister Eula first, so we can go there together.
She ended the explanation with this, soon proceeding to look around the place in search of that unmistakable light blue hair...
*Which turned out to be a little hard to do, due to all those Blue Roses growing around the Estate's garden,
And she couldn't really ask anyone else to help with it, since they were busy with the Windblume event organizations...
...
What if Big Sister Eula was also busy...?
*Big Sister Amber was busy at Dornman Port, so...
-She is currently on the manor grounds, from what I just checked, located just by the fountain. -Her thoughts were soon interrupted by the familiar voice of Xiao, who looked very thoughtful at the moment. -...I can lead you all to her if you want. It would be nice to enjoy the sights on the way, right...?
He soon rhetorically added, before proceeding to start walking to the location in question,
With Collei, Cyno and Tighnari moments later following along on their pleasant walk...
...
And before long, due to the quite short distance, they arrived to their destination,
The fountain where Eula was now sitting, looking to be deep in thought...
*So much so that it didn't look like she noticed them arrive...
...
...
-...The Estate already went through a lot of changes, yet there's still so much to be done...-The Spindrift Knight couldn't help but mumble, before deeply sighing. -...I never really liked my clan and how they acted, but I have to admit that taking care of all the Estate matters is its own kind of challenge...Or I just need to find and hire some assistants to help me out, same as Uncle Schubert did in the past...But asking this of any of my subordinates or even my new family members...-She continued, looking and sounding quite conflicted now. -...I don't really want to burden them with all this Estate Management issue...Especially when they must already be busy with their own work...
Ei was really taking her sweet little time,
It was going to be afternoon in a few hours, yet she still didn't return...
*Just how much time does she need to "thoroughly punish Kunikuzushi"...?
Or she did return but was distracted by a sweets shop/stall and forgot about her friend...?
...
...
"Could I actually eat it...?
...Miko, do you think that the "Lollipop Venti" is tasty...? Is it really a plushie that looks like a candy or is it actually a candy disguised as a plushie...?"
Her silly friend's love for sweets was truly still as strong as ever~
*Even now, when she took her duties as Electro Archon more seriously...
...
...
"I-I saw you die...I-I couldn't save you...! I-I...!"
"What you saw was just me fulfilling my side of the deal.
...
I couldn't very well have left Inazuma and everyone in it to be overrun by monsters of the Abyss and was too weak to fight them off myself. So in the end, I proposed an exchange.
...
Thankfully, my gamble paid off and our deal was soon fulfilled. Thanks to that, I was able to save our land from being swallowed by the darkness. And from then onwards, I was watching over Inazuma and my dear sister from the top of the Narukami Shrine."
At that time,
So much happened back then...
*Including Ei almost dying and if not for "Venti"s help...
...
"It doesn't matter what happens to me...I can't stand to see Makoto die again…
...Makoto, she always looked after me...Even after dying as a god and turning into a tree...And in her own way, she strived to teach me how to be a better Archon for Inazuma and its people...
...I can't just leave her, Miko...Especially not now...Please, understand…"
...
...
Ei didn't get herself into some kind of trouble again, right...?
*She was currently in Sumeru, punishing her "son", right...?
...
...
Ei was stronger than those stupid Sages,
Besides, isn't the Traveler also there...?
*And Xiao, even if he clearly didn't like her friend much,
He surely wouldn't let her be hurt, just from respect of her position as Archon...
...
...
"...It's all my fault...It's really all my fault that it went to this...
...If only I took the situation more seriously at the time and actually checked on the Sacred Sakura's condition, things wouldn't have turned so horribly...
...If only I was a better priestess and a better friend...If only I put my duties first instead of second to my novels...This whole situation would have been avoided and..."
Besides, that time was partly her fault,
When she, too, didn't take her duty seriously...
*Her job as the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine...
...
...
Perhaps she can go "talk" to Lisa again...?
Or maybe find Cyno and talk with him instead...?
*To think that he was not only also Lisa's friend,
But they were at the same "Spantamad" school in the Akademiya...
...
There were still things she didn't know about her new friend...
*And considering her "track record" with Ei, whom she...
...
...
-I should really stop thinking about my own failures or I will be standing here for the whole day. -She couldn't help but soon say, hoping that voicing her thoughts aloud would help with her self-persuasion. -...Even though it's way easier to persuade others, irritatingly enough.
Since she was so worried for Ei, she should search for her herself,
Or at least do something better with her time, then having all those sad thoughts...
*Such as thinking about a new novel, playing pranks on people or even making her Specialty dish!
...
Maybe she could even make Ei some of her specialty "Fukuuchi Udon"...?
*That is, if she had enough ingredients with her, in her Vision's "Hyperspace"...
...
And then, she and her friend could travel to Dragonspine together,
Where she heard that there is a new kind of "resort" and also a couple of handsome human-shif...~
...
...
...
Why is Ei together with that Puppet...?
*Is this why she was so late to return...?!
-Oh, look! Venti's finally waking up! -Just as he started opening his eyes, a familiar and very enthusiastic voice was soon heard from nearby. -Venti, Venti, Qiqi and Yaoyao arrived to play with Klee!
The speaker continued in even more happiness, just as the Archon finally looked to the side,
Noticing Klee, Qiqi and Yaoyao standing by the bed, with Shenhe leaning on the nearby wall...
*Venti wasn't sure how long they were here, waiting for him to wake up,
But he wasn't surprised, he did like to sleep in, after all...
...
But what actually confused him...
-Good morning, Venti. -Qiqi was the next to say in some happiness, before her expression turned a little confused. -...Or is it late morning...? Qiqi is not sure. But Venti can sleep a lot.
-Good day to you, Venti and congratulations on the second day of Windblume. -Yaoyao soon respectfully said, going into a small bow as she did so. -This is my first time celebrating Windblume, so I worry that I might mess up...
-I don't really get why you are so worried about this. It would take a lot for you to actually "mess up". -Shenhe noted a moment later, from her place by the wall, as she looked a little annoyed. -At least you wanted to come here and even asked Klee about what this "Windblume" even is. I was ordered by Master to accompany you. -She added upon crossing her arms. -...I would rather help in the "Human and Adepti Cooperation" than join a festival I have nothing to do with.
She ended with this, still looking quite serious,
Yet also a little confused now, as well...
*In truth, she didn't particularly dislike attending Windblume,
But she had no idea what to do during it, which made her feel annoyed...
...
-Good morning, Klee. Welcome to Mondstadt, Qiqi, Yaoyao, Shenhe. -Venti finally said, as he sat up in the bed and looked between them, his expression soon turning thoughtful. Yes, what actually confused him was...-...Did anyone else arrive from Liyue or are they going to arrive later on...? It's a little weird for that Blockhead to not even greet me.
-Passing on Yánwáng-dìjūn's words: "I apologize, Barbatos. But regretfully, I can't join you during this year's Windblume.". -Shenhe answered almost right away, as she proceeded to go towards and stand by the bed, soon taking an envelope out of her Vision's "Hammerspace" and offering it to Venti. -I was asked to give you this letter, Lord Barbatos. I am certain it contains the full explanation of the reason why Yánwáng-dìjūn couldn't join us on the journey to Mondstadt.
She explained upon giving the Archon the envelope in question,
One which had the unmistakable Geo Symbol etched on its back side...
*It seems to really have come from that blockhead, Morax, and if so,
The letter was bound to be quite long, requiring a lot of time to read through...
...
-Thank you for passing Morax' words and letter, Shenhe. -Venti gratefully told her moments later, as he decided to hold onto the envelope for now. -Knowing how the blockhead is, reading this letter is going to take a long time and I don't want to hold you up. -He soon explained upon glancing between her and the others, his expression turning a little sad when he turned his gaze towards Shenhe again. -You should be enjoying Windblume. And if you don't know how to, I am certain that the others will help you.
-I promise to help Shenhe have fun during Windblume. -Yaoyao answered almost right away, as she looked towards the other with clear determination in her eyes.
-Yeah! And Klee's going to show her around Mondstadt! First we are going to explore the city and then the other fun places! -Klee enthusiastically added, as she already started imagining how their day would go. She was glad that her new friends were visiting and...! -...Right, when Klee went to say "good morning" to Venti, I met with Timmie, Lily and my other friends on the way. -She soon recalled, still looking and sounding quite happy, as well as slightly amused. -They asked to tell Venti that they are preparing a "BIIIIG SURPRISE"! But it's going to be tomorrow, so you better wait for it!
"Of course, Klee already knows what the "BIIIIG Surprise" is. But Klee was told to keep it secret, so I will!", was what she didn't say,
Yet it was still clearly seen through the Small Pyromaniac's now-even-more-amused expression and starry-eyes...
*Venti wasn't sure what this was all about, but he hoped that it wouldn't be too embarrassing...
...
"I did hear from the birds that they have some additions to your "plushie collection", Venti."
...Other than that, I don't think there's anything "overly embarrassing": A talent show/competition(?), "Rent a Cat", new "Romantic Destinations" in Dornman Port and Dragonspine..."
Vennessa herself admitted this, but,
Considering how things went before...
*Such as that day, when there was also a "surprise"...
...
"Weeeeeell, normally we would tell you anything you wish to know, Barbatos, but...
...We can't, sorry. It's supposed to be a surprise!
...Speaking of, Deaconess Barbara is on the way to get you! Just change into THAT robe and wait for her, alright, Barbatos? You will know the truth then~ Hehehehehe~"
And it turned out to be the "Jubiläum",
An anniversary for his "return" to Mondstadt...
...
...
...
Whatever the children have planned,
It truly wouldn't be "Overly embarrassing", right...?
...
-...Qiqi likes the idea of exploring the city. Qiqi decided to buy some presents for Hu Tao, because Hu Tao bought me some tasty food and drinks before. -The small zombie suddenly said, looking and sounding quite nonchalant, before her expression turned a little eager. -...But after the city, can we go to Dragonspine...? Qiqi likes the cold and Qiqi also wants to try the "Ski place" I heard people talk about!
