Genshin Impact: Back From Teyvat - The Archon Follows Me Home!

The next day at lunch, Venti suddenly declared that he was going to buy the villa next door.

Lu Chen looked at him in surprise. "You're that rich now?"

Venti, chewing on a chicken drumstick, mumbled, "It's not that bad. A villa doesn't cost that much."

His extravagant statement caught everyone's attention. Lu Chen asked around and found out Venti's account balance had already hit eight figures—his jaw nearly hit the floor.

Being a celebrity was way too profitable. Lu Chen silently glanced across the table at Zhongli, who was elegantly picking at his food.

"Maybe you should cover the old man's bills from now on... or take him with you when you go antique shopping," he muttered.

Lu Chen hadn't even managed to spend his system earnings as fast as Zhongli had. If he hadn't gotten into the jade business, he'd probably be broke and living under a bridge by now.

Venti shook his head. "No way! Zhongli's a gold-devouring beast—there's no way I can afford to support him."

At least he was self-aware. Taking on Zhongli's expenses wasn't something one could do on a whim...

Zhongli's golden eyes shifted slightly at their banter, but he remained calm, picking food from his plate without so much as a twitch.

Lu Chen already knew why Venti suddenly wanted to buy another house.

He'd helped Diluc settle into the downstairs study—not a bad setup, it was spacious enough to convert into a bedroom—but if more people came, they'd run out of room fast.

"Um... Diluc, is the study working out okay for you?"

Lu Chen looked at him apologetically. Letting a noble like Diluc sleep in the study made him feel a little guilty.

Diluc shook his head. "I'm not like Mondstadt's old aristocrats. I've slept rough plenty of times while traveling. This place is more than comfortable."

Lu Chen breathed a sigh of relief.

After his father's death, Diluc had left Mondstadt to track down the Fatui, traveling across the Seven Nations. Though publicly the heir of the Ragnvindr family, he secretly acted as the Darknight Hero, protecting Mondstadt from the shadows.

Lu Chen turned to look at Barbara. When she'd first arrived, she was nervous and unsure, but she'd adapted quickly.

The lively, harmonious atmosphere of the house had drawn her in. She occasionally glanced around at the chatting group, her bright blue eyes full of curiosity.

Venti, of course, was trying to get everyone to drink again. Ei and Zhongli occasionally joined in, but when the wine was passed to Diluc, he politely declined.

"The owner of Dawn Winery doesn't drink?" Hu Tao tilted her head in curiosity, clearly unfamiliar with him.

Diluc smiled helplessly. "Alcohol makes me dizzy. I don't like the feeling."

"Ohhh..." Hu Tao looked confused but didn't press.

Then Diluc glanced at the three archons at the table, who were laughing and exchanging drinks. A slight smile tugged at his lips.

"I have to admit, I didn't expect the three Archons to be like this in private."

"Like what?" Venti asked, puzzled.

Lu Chen looked around the table. Ei, who had helped him serve food earlier, was still wearing her apron and was happily nibbling on a dessert that was supposed to be for after the meal.

Zhongli subtly pushed away a seafood hotpot that had drifted too close, while mischievous Hu Tao fished out an octopus and dropped it into his bowl, causing the old man's brow to twitch.

And Venti... well, his pushy attempts to get everyone drunk could easily be mistaken for a hotel bartender on commission.

Honestly... if you hadn't seen it with your own eyes, who would believe the Seven Archons acted like this in private?

"Uh..." Ei suddenly froze, a bit of cream stuck at the corner of her mouth. Realizing she might've been a bit too relaxed in front of a newcomer, she cleared her throat and slid the cake over to Miko.

Miko just covered her mouth and laughed.

But Barbara had frozen, her gaze darting between the three archons.

"Three Archons..."

"Three Archons...?"

"Three Archons?!"

"Huh? What about them?" Hu Tao asked, confused.

"Which three Archons?" Barbara stared at her in shock.

Hu Tao blinked, then pointed around the table. "Morax, Beelzebul, Barbatos..."

"Barbatos!!"

Barbara shot up like she'd been electrocuted, pointing at the carefree Venti with a look of pure disbelief.

"So that... bard... is God Barbatos?!"

Venti blinked, then grinned mischievously. "Ehe~"

Lu Chen smacked his forehead. Right... he'd never actually told her.

Barbara had always been kept out of Mondstadt's political turmoil.

Jean had known Venti's true identity for a while, but fearing it would shatter Barbara's devout faith—and drag her into dangerous matters—she'd never told her that the lazy, wine-loving bard she saw every day was actually the Anemo Archon himself.

And after Barbara had arrived here, Lu Chen hadn't mentioned it either. Unlike him, she wasn't a player and didn't know every character's lore, so...

He looked at her sympathetically. Her pupils were dilating rapidly. She trembled, unable to even form full words.

"Barba..."

"Barbatos..."

"My Lord..."

Venti looked at her, scratching his head. "You don't have to react like that. Come on, sit down."

The once-lively dining table fell into awkward silence. Everyone looked around, confused, unsure what just happened.

Venti chuckled to lighten the mood. "Huh? Why's everyone so quiet? Come on, drink up!"

"Our home's getting livelier every day—two new friends just joined us! If that's not a reason to drink till dawn, what is?"

Lu Chen wanted to stop him.

But he was already too late.

Barbara looked like she was about to cry.

Total worldview collapse.

Seeing her like this, Venti finally looked a little more serious—but the damage was done. Barbara covered her face and bolted from the room.

Lu Chen watched her run out of the seaside villa and into the garden—then vanish.

"What happened?" Miko asked, worried. As Barbara's personal stylist, she'd gotten along well with the gentle girl over the past two days. She hadn't expected her to react this strongly after learning Venti's true identity.

She exchanged a helpless glance with Lu Chen, then followed after her.

Hu Tao, realizing she'd been the one who blurted it out, felt a little guilty. She grabbed Qiqi and chased after them too.

"Look what you've done to the poor girl." Lu Chen shot a glance at Venti. "She's your most devout follower, you know."

Venti gave a helpless smile and didn't go after her—he just quietly said,

"The wind will guide her forward, help her face her troubles. Let her have some time to herself."

"Maybe... in her heart, Lord Barbatos was this all-powerful, shining figure." Ei shook her head. "Seeing what Venti's really like must've shaken her faith."

Venti remained silent, and Ei looked at him.

"But if she spends time with the real Barbatos, she'll eventually come to understand—this person before her deserves every bit of praise the Church of Favonius ever gave him."

Lu Chen nodded quietly. That was true.

Venti always looked like he had no responsibilities, always laughing and goofing off—but only those close to him knew how much this youthful god had endured... and how much he'd sacrificed.