LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 16: Chapter 16
Nightfall.
Mondstadt.
At the side entrance of the Favonius Cathedral, three sneaky figures appeared.
"Speak your mind, don't hold back. Freedom means speaking freely."
Venti looked at Lumine and Paimon, who were hiding outside the cathedral. The three of them were hunched over, their faces covered with strange masks that concealed their mouths and noses. Even Famas had been playfully fitted with a small black cloth mask by Venti.
Since Famas was entirely round, the mask looked more like a full-body black cloth covering, with only his eyes and mouth exposed.
"Actually, I don't want to steal anything!"
Lumine tugged at Venti's sleeve, making one last attempt to resist.
"Ahaha, look at you, going off-topic right away. You're more suited for this than I am."
"Besides singing, I don't have many strengths to be confident about."
"And I have no connections in Mondstadt. If I get caught, no one will vouch for me, and I'll definitely be punished severely."
"But you're different, Lumine. You've contributed to Mondstadt. You're the hero who drove away Stormterror, the rising star of the Knights of Favonius."
"If you mess up, you can explain it away and maybe even get off scot-free."
Venti grinned at Famas, who was wearing the mask, while continuing to reassure Lumine.
"What about Famas? He's so slow. Is he coming with us too?"
Paimon clung to Lumine's hair, watching as the cathedral guards left one by one, leaving only a few behind.
"Oh right, Famas can stay outside with me. We'll cover for you."
Venti seemed to remember something and nodded at Lumine and Paimon.
"What?!"
Paimon immediately regretted speaking up.
"Enough talking, it'll be dawn soon."
"Hmph, Famas, keep an eye on this bard."
Paimon glanced at the starry sky and grabbed Lumine.
Famas hopped onto Venti's shoulder, looking curiously at Lumine. Although she said she didn't want to steal anything, why did Famas sense a hint of excitement in her eyes?
"Ehe."
Famas and Venti arrived at Mondstadt Plaza, standing at the base of the massive statue of the Anemo Archon.
"You kept me behind for a reason, didn't you?"
As the temperature around him rose, Famas burned away the black cloth covering his face.
"Ah? Are you mad?"
Venti stood in front of the statue, looking up at its vague features.
"I told them not to bother carving my statue. It doesn't look like me at all."
As Venti spoke, Famas felt a surge of intense Pyro energy.
A Pyro Vision adorned with feather-like decorations appeared in Venti's hand.
"This is the Vision left to Amber by her grandfather, the first Outrider of the Knights of Favonius. Don't take all the divine power from it—it needs to be returned."
Famas nodded. He only needed the divine power within the Vision, not the Pyro element itself or its ability to generate Pyro energy.
Taking the Vision from Venti, Famas noticed a small break in the link between the Vision and Amber's belt.
A bad feeling suddenly washed over him.
"Barbatos, how did you get this Vision?"
"Ah, well, I borrowed it from… the Outrider."
Venti hesitated, stammering slightly.
"Are you close with Amber?"
Famas asked suspiciously.
"Of course!"
Venti patted his chest. "Don't worry about it. Just hurry up and absorb the divine power…"
Hearing this, Famas, though still suspicious, decided not to press further. He nodded, and strands of golden energy began to flow from the Vision into Famas's Slime body.
"Ugh."
As the power grew, the temperature around Famas skyrocketed. Venti's fingers trembled as he strummed his lyre, summoning a breeze to dissipate the heat and prevent the plaza's stone tiles from melting.
As the temperature continued to rise, even the breeze couldn't disperse the intense heat. Venti had to summon a stronger gust of wind.
By now, the heat around Famas had formed a fiery sphere. Within it, the faint outline of a young boy with black eyelashes, deep red eyes, and red-and-white hair began to take shape. A light-colored cowlick added to his cuteness.
As the boy's eyes flickered open, the temperature around him rapidly dropped.
The boy stepped out of the fiery sphere and tossed the Vision back to Venti, who was still summoning small whirlwinds.
"Hey, Famas, you've turned into a human."
Venti fumbled to catch the Vision.
"Be careful! What if it breaks? You can't make a new one now…"
Just as Venti was about to lecture Famas, the now-boyish Famas suddenly rushed forward, resting his chin on Venti's shoulder and hugging him tightly.
"Thank you."
Venti's wide eyes softened. He wrapped his left arm around the boy's waist and gently ruffled Famas's fluffy hair with his right hand.
"You're welcome."
"Ow!"
Famas lifted his head and bit down on Venti's shoulder.
"Ahhh! That hurts! What are you doing, Famas?!"
Venti struggled to break free, thinking to himself that he really shouldn't have been so nice to this war-loving guy.
"Huh?!"
In an instant, the boy in Venti's arms vanished, and Famas returned to his Slime form, landing on the ground and pretending nothing had happened as he stared at the empty grass in the plaza.
"I can only turn into a human for half an hour a day. Can't waste it."
Famas turned to look at Venti, who was still rubbing his shoulder.
"So that's why you bit me?"
Venti grimaced at Famas.
"In Natlan, that's how we show friendship."
Famas nodded calmly, though he had no idea where this "tradition" came from. He was just making up an excuse to mess with the lazy Anemo Archon—a small revenge for Venti's inaction during the Archon War.