Vulpecula || [Various! Genshin Impact x Reader]

Chapter 20 - The Church Heist

It was silent for a few moments with Aether staring at Y/n, utterly perplexed, and Venti just smiling.

"Well, that didn't work!" Venti said cheerily. "Though it is like I expected."

After hearing the bard, Paimon's eyes bugged out and she flew over to get closer to his face, her hands on her hips.

"What do you mean 'like you expected'?" she cried out, annoyed. "You mean you knew this was going to happen?"

Venti didn't look affected by Paimon's outburst and shrugged with a carefree smile.

"I just wanted to know how influential Aether and Y/n - the hotshots of the Knights of the Favonius — are. You see, the best warrior should always be presented with the best sword, yet here we are..."

Y/n watched as Venti spun around with his hands held up towards the ceiling, his eyes shining.

"Does the story not make for a fitting ballad?" he asked.

Paimon wasn't impressed and she crossed her arms with a huff.

"So what are you trying to say? That we're not good enough?" she asked indignantly.

Venti shook his head, "No, that's not it. More of a commentary regarding Mondstadt's inability to see the warrior standing right before its very eyes."

He then smiled and clapped once, turning to face the two outlanders who were just standing there watching.

"Very well. Since borrowing it is not going to be possible, we're simply going to have to steal it, like our dear Y/n said!" Venti placed his hands on his hips. Today we stand for free will! Any suggestions on just how we steal it?"

Y/n could see Aether looking very unsure of the bard's suggestion and he turned to catch a glimpse of her expression. She could tell the blond only became more uncertain because she knew her face didn't show any concern about the concept of stealing the lyre. Well, she was the one who suggested it first since she stole Venti's line and said it earlier than he did.

"Come now, speak up. That's what free will is for," the bard quipped, growing slightly impatient in the silence.

"I don't really feel comfortable stealing," Aether said, nervously glancing at his stone-faced h/c-haired companion, "Especially from a church..."

Venti blinked at the blond outlander before bursting out laughing.

"No need to get sidetracked!" He said, still giggling while waving his hand. "But seriously, you both are more suitable for the job than I am. Aside from singing, I don't really have any other talents."

Paimon huffed, "You are right about that."

"Besides, if I was caught, I'd have no one to right the grave injustice of my arrest," Venti continued on, ignoring the fairy's quip.

Paimon frowned and tilted her head. "How can it be a "grave injustice" if you got caught stealing red-handed?"

"I am but an ordinary bard to the general population of Mondstadt. But things are different for Aether and Y/n. You're both the superstar of the Knights of Favonius. You've made contributions to Mondstadt. Should you get caught, you would easily be able to talk your way out of it."

Y/n agreed. Aside from her and a few others, nobody else knows that this unassuming bard called Venti is actually their Archon Barbatos. Nobody would believe it either if he were to tell them, one of the examples being the Sister they approached earlier. One will probably think he is a lunatic if he were to come up to them and say, 'I am your Archon, Barbatos'.

Aether sighed, "You make it sound so easy and simple to get out of an arrest."

The bard merely grinned in response to the blond before continuing, "The guards here, it seems they're off duty throughout the night. If we manage to seize this opportunity, it should be smooth sailing from here."