12 The Price of Being a Spectator

Diluc’s expression was grave. He slowly pushed the glass toward the youth and lowered his voice, "Is it the Traveler or the girl?"

The youth grinned, pulling the glass up to hide half his face. He hid behind the cup like a cat, blinking at him. "The Traveler’s stories, of course, must be sung across the seven nations!"

*(Then the problem lies with the girl.)*

Diluc thought this to himself, his presence growing increasingly dangerous. He was an upright man—compassionate toward the weak, fair, and considerate. He would not mind helping a friend look after their kin, but... the safety of Mondstadt was always paramount!

Diluc had known the youth for a long time and was well aware that this carefree child of the wind could be recklessly unrestrained. He would tease the Seven Archons and speak lightly of ancient history. With a friend who seemed capable of saying anything, it was hard not to lose one's sense of boundaries.

This was not the first time Diluc had encountered a "taboo," but without exception, they all related to the level of the gods. Not the sort of whimsical stories about divine beings, but serious, world-altering events that were meant to remain unknown. He was unsure which category of taboo the "girl" fell into, but he only wished to keep his distance and keep all such "anomalous events" far away from Mondstadt.

"Don't go getting any bad ideas."

He looked up to see the youth staring at him. Those emerald eyes held a rare, severe earnestness. Diluc’s heart skipped a beat.

Before he could press for more, the youth transformed back into his familiar, drunken scoundrel persona. He slumped over the bar like a lazy snake, muttering incoherently, "You can't kill her. If she dies, Teyvat will be in big trouble."

Diluc frowned. "I had no intention of killing her." Only sending her away.

The youth waved a hand dismissively. "Relax, relax, don't overthink it. Just like this glass of dandelion wine—as long as no one intentionally adds something undrinkable to it, it’s a perfectly safe, harmless, and delicious beverage! Her packaging is very secure."

Yes, as long as no one does anything suicidal.

Diluc: "..."

Seeing Diluc’s expression remained uneasy, the youth clicked his tongue. He thought for a moment, then rocked his chair back with a bright smile. "Let’s put it this way: just imagine you’re a minor noble, and a child from the family of a suzerain Great Lord comes to visit. As long as you feed her well, make sure she’s happy, and then send her on her way, that’s all! Not that hard, is it?"

Diluc: "..."

Youth: "Still don't get it??"

Diluc: *(No, that’s not the problem...)*

The youth pondered again, fearing Diluc might actually take action. Diluc’s commitment to protecting Mondstadt was unquestionable. While the probability was low, this was a situation that couldn't be trifled with.

Even if Diluc didn't stir up trouble, there was no guarantee others wouldn't. He couldn't exactly grab a megaphone and announce to everyone to stay away from her. It would be better to entrust this troublesome matter to Diluc; with a wealthy and powerful local figure like him as a backer, it would likely deter most evildoers.

He offered another analogy: "How about this—suppose the Geo Archon next door had a daughter who ran off to Mondstadt all by herself. If you let her get swindled or suffer a little, that’s fine; consider it a lesson learned. But if you were to drive his daughter mad, maim her, or even kill her, do you think the Geo Archon would reason with you, saying it was her own fault for running away? I tell you, he wouldn't. He would simply drop a star down on you, letting you know exactly why he is the God of Martial Arts.

"By the same token, the big shot behind that little girl won't either. If you handle this well, and eventually send her off, you’ll be happily counting your money—there will be plenty of gratitude fees, apology fees, and dining expenses. But if you mess it up..."

He patted Diluc’s arm comfortingly. "Of course, don't take it too seriously. The requirements on that side aren't that overbearing; just don't go out of your way to harm or ruin the girl. By the way, keep this confidential."

He gave Diluc a meaningful look, leaving him to ponder it on his own, before sauntering off into the crowd with his wine glass and lyre.

Diluc watched his back in silence for a long time. Finally, he let out a long sigh, feeling that his spirit and upbringing had been put to a massive test. After all, he hadn't cursed yet.

Although the specifics remained unclear, he understood the gist: it was akin to a 'princess from another nation traveling abroad without bodyguards to experience local customs.' As an accidental witness, he could neither expose her identity and send her home, nor could he allow a major incident to occur on his turf that might lead to an 'international dispute.'

Though he knew the Seven Archons had no daughters, the existence of 'other worlds' was a fact. The Traveler, Aether, was one such 'traveler' from another world. By comparing the 'suzerain Great Lord' to the 'Geo Archon'—who was even stronger than himself—the Anemo Archon had already made the other party's status quite clear. A woman from an otherworldly civilization that held a superior position and had ties to Teyvat.

Why else would he use the term 'suzerain'? Though, he hadn't imagined that there was a relationship of suzerainty between worlds, let alone that Teyvat was a subordinate world... How vexing.

But thinking about it, in any place where there is a hierarchy of strength, there must be a distinction between superior and inferior. He had heard faint rumors before that the Heavenly Principles of this world actually originated from another, but he had dismissed them as too absurd. Now that he thought about it... could it be true?

*#I feel like I know too much... I hope I don't get wiped out by the Heavenly Principles tomorrow just because I stepped into the tavern with my left foot first.#*

With his mind in turmoil, Diluc called Charles to tend the bar and retreated into the kitchen. The youth was a drunkard and the best bard in Mondstadt. But beyond that, he held an even more noble identity. He was Barbatos, the Anemo Archon. Therefore, even if it sounded like the rambling of a drunkard, knowing it came from him, Diluc would rather believe it was no mere fear-mongering.

His heart felt heavy, shadowed by a sense of impending doom, as if a thousand-pound stone were pressing down on him. The chef looked at his grim face and asked in surprise, "Master Diluc, why have you come to the kitchen?"

"Sigh," Diluc exhaled, his face expressionless and his tone hollow. "As a local power, I must prepare dinner for a visiting little princess. Ha."

Chef: "...?"

Diluc didn't explain. He grabbed a tray, selected three dishes from those the chef had prepared, added a flatbread, and fetched a glass of juice from the bar before heading upstairs.

The patrons on the second floor teased in surprise, "Oh! Who is so important that Master Diluc has to deliver their meal personally?"

Diluc nodded politely, his demeanor graceful. "A friend. Please, enjoy your meal."

He arrived at the room where the 'little princess' was staying. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves, telling himself to remain composed, and rapped his knuckles against the wooden door.

From inside came the girl’s guarded voice: "Who is it?!"

Diluc raised his voice slightly, his tone calm. "It’s me, Diluc. The owner of the tavern, a friend of the traveler Aether."

Silence fell inside, followed by the sound of footsteps on the floor. Soon, the door creaked open. The girl revealed half her face, peering out cautiously. Seeing it was him, and that he was holding a tray, she quickly opened the door wider, stepped aside, and said somewhat nervously, "Please, come in."

Diluc entered, set the dinner on the table, and turned to look her over.

The girl before him had the appearance of someone from Liyue, looking to be about twenty years old. She was not tall, her frame was slender, yet her figure was quite graceful. Perhaps because she had just bathed in hot water, her skin was white with a rosy flush, delicate and luminous—truly a vision of vitality.

She was stunningly beautiful, with a tiny red mole beneath her left eye accentuating her gaze. However, her temperament was delicate and fragile; she had a natural, pitiable charm that seemed to beg for words she wouldn't speak. Even dressed in the simple uniform of a tavern worker, she could not hide that... dew-kissed, fragile beauty.

At first glance, one might just think her pretty and feel an instinctive affection. But after hearing Venti's words, perhaps due to overthinking, he couldn't help but feel that this delicate, harmless beauty was somehow sinister.

Would a normal person make everyone—regardless of their personal taste—find them 'beautiful'? Furthermore, strictly speaking, her 'Liyue' features were quite different from their own; the features of Liyue people didn't necessarily align with the aesthetic sensibilities cultivated in Mondstadt over generations.

Yet, upon seeing her, he still found her incredibly beautiful.

Something was wrong.