"It's not the guild's business.
We accidentally revealed that you told us about Tevarin's identity."
Keqing became slightly embarrassed as she admitted this. "Besides, you're our Seven Star Advisor now, so it's only natural for her to want to meet you."
After considering for a moment, Keqing added hesitantly, "Perhaps Captain Qin wants to know how to rescue Tevarin. You mentioned before that there doesn't seem to be anyone in Mondstadt capable of dealing with Tevarin right now, correct?"
Smith curled his lips when he heard this. He was still quite interested in Qin.
After all, Qin had impressively long legs.
Apart from her overwhelming dedication to the people of Mondstadt and her tireless work ethic, she was undeniably a remarkable person.
Now, Qin had come to see him, but he couldn't offer her much help.
"The Anemo Archon, Barbatos, must know about Tevarin's condition. But even he couldn't purify the corruption in Tevarin's blood, so what could I possibly do?" Smith explained, though he still followed Keqing toward their meeting place.
Keqing remained silent.
Indeed, even the Wind God Barbatos had no solution to Tevarin's affliction. What could Smith possibly do?
She had initially placed high hopes on him, but perhaps she had been too optimistic. This was something she needed to keep in mind for the future.
The two of them made their way to Yujingtai. In Smith's plan, Wendy—Barbatos—had to join the guild eventually.
According to Zhongli, Barbatos had to expend significant divine power to maintain Mondstadt's climate, which forced him into a near-constant state of slumber to mitigate wear and tear. This explained why he had been so weak when facing La Signora.
Of course, Smith knew that if Wendy had truly wanted to fight, La Signora wouldn't have been able to take the Anemo Archon's Gnosis so easily. Wendy had chosen to surrender it—not to La Signora, but rather to the Tsaritsa.
The Gnosis might have been a source of power, but ultimately, it was not a blessing. It was a burden.
If given the choice, who would willingly carry the remains of another?
Smith certainly wouldn't. Even if the Gnosis could grant incredible strength, he would never take it for himself.
However, with Zhongli's meditation techniques, Barbatos might no longer need to sleep to resist erosion. In that case, he would be destined to become a perpetual drunkard.
But Smith wasn't about to let such a valuable potential ally slip away. Even if Barbatos had to use a substantial amount of his power to sustain Mondstadt's climate, Smith believed that in times of crisis, the Anemo Archon could still unleash top-tier strength—perhaps even at the level of a Demon God if wear and tear were not a concern.
After all, they couldn't keep relying on Zhongli for every difficult task.
And Qin? She was the key to drawing Barbatos into the guild. However, she wasn't ready to join yet. She was still young, still growing. More importantly, the people of Mondstadt were a burden.
If Liyue and Mondstadt truly formed an alliance, Smith might find himself weighed down by the responsibility of taking care of Mondstadt's problems.
That scenario wasn't likely, but it was a possibility.
---
At the Moon Sea Pavilion, under Keqing's guidance, Smith met Qin, who was engaged in a lively discussion with Ningguang.
Of course, as they made their way there, Smith found himself the subject of much attention. Over the past few days, he had become somewhat of a celebrity in Liyue.
As a Seven Star Advisor appointed by the Geo Archon himself, Smith had found himself at the political center of Liyue. His growing influence, combined with the rumors about his relationship with Keqing, had drawn admiration from many.
After all, everyone in Liyue knew of Yuhengxing Keqing. She had status, intelligence, beauty, and strength. Among her peers, there was hardly a man worthy of her.
More than that, Keqing was known as a relentless workaholic.
Since she had taken her position as Yuhengxing, her subordinates had suffered under an ever-increasing workload. Overtime had become the norm.
Sometimes, she even slept directly at Yujingtai.
Keqing was a formidable woman. While she demanded excellence from others, she was even harsher on herself. She wasn't the type to bark orders from above while letting others handle the work—Keqing personally carried the heaviest burden.
Her efficiency and capability were unmatched.
Anyone who had seen Keqing work would understand why she had become one of the Seven Stars of Liyue at such a young age.
At just sixteen, she had achieved a position that few ever reached. It wasn't just her family's influence that had gotten her there—it was her own merit.
But for her subordinates, she was a torment. Keqing could withstand immense pressure, but they couldn't.
If she was so hard on her subordinates, how strict would she be with a future partner?
Most in Liyue felt they would not be fortunate enough to bear that responsibility.
Yet now, Keqing was in a relationship. For the past five or six days, she had cut back on her excessive overtime.
Clearly, this was the effect of love.
What Keqing's subordinates didn't realize, however, was that she wasn't spending all that extra time with Smith—she was training and improving herself.
But in their eyes, Smith was a savior.
---
"Are you Smith, the Seven Star Advisor? Hello, I am Qin, Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius. It's a pleasure to meet you."
When Smith approached, Qin, having already been acknowledged by Ningguang, walked forward and extended her hand in greeting.
Smith shook her hand briefly before releasing it. "Hello, Captain Qin. I'm Smith. What would you like to discuss?"
Seeing that Smith preferred to get straight to the point, Qin wasted no time. "I wanted to ask you about Tevarin. You seem to know a lot about Mondstadt's history. Can you tell me why Tevarin lost control?"
Hearing this, Smith let out a sneer. "It's truly amusing. The people of Mondstadt don't even know why the Wind God's follower turned against them, and now they have to ask me, an outsider? That's quite the joke."
Qin frowned but said nothing, waiting for him to continue.
Smith sighed. "Tevarin was once the protector of Mondstadt, but after he was corrupted by the abyss, the people of Mondstadt abandoned him. The ones who once worshipped him turned their backs on him in fear. They forgot about him. How do you think that made him feel?"
Qin's expression darkened. She had always known that Tevarin's rage was directed at Mondstadt, but hearing it laid out so plainly struck a nerve.
Smith continued, "The people of Mondstadt celebrated their freedom, but they did not fight for it. They let the Anemo Archon handle everything. They became weak, complacent. And now, when they face a threat of their own making, they have no one capable of dealing with it."
Qin took a deep breath. "Then, is there any way to save him?"
Smith's gaze met hers, unwavering. "That's for your Archon to decide. If Barbatos couldn't purify him, what makes you think I can?"
Qin clenched her fists. "Then what should we do?"
Smith smirked. "Perhaps it's time for Mondstadt to take responsibility for its past. Are you ready to do that, Captain Qin?"
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