I Became A Hilichurl

Victor Wang and Albert were now positioned such that one could spy on the Cathedral's side door, and the other on the main entrance.

"Why are you so skilled at this? Feels like you're even more professional than me,"

Albert asked as he watched Victor Wang peek out from behind a pillar. "Do you like that woman? Are you her fan club president or something?"

"Shoo, don't lump me in with you."

"Hmph, so what if she's got a teensy bit of a nice figure. What's the big deal! I still prefer Lady Barbara!"

Albert turned away with a hand on his hip, looking every bit the resentful fanboy.

Once they confirmed that The Fair Lady and her party had left, Victor Wang approached Lumine and Venti. Along the way, he picked up the ice-blocked Paimon.

She'd frozen mid-pose, arms crossed in front of her face. Whether she was conscious or not, she definitely couldn't see who was moving her.

Victor Wang gently set her down on the ledge of Mondstadt's city wall. "The sunlight's better here—thaw faster, okay?"

Lumine had been knocked unconscious by the Debt Collectors. Venti looked gravely injured and had fainted.

"Venti, Venti, wake up."

"?"

Venti's eyes fluttered open. "You seem to have known something was going to happen here?"

"Yes, and I've known for a while that you're the Anemo Archon. I'm sorry for pretending not to recognize you."

"Haha, I figured as much. But I didn't sense any malice from you." Heh, you thought you were acting me out—but really, I was the one playing you, Venti chuckled inwardly.

"My acting was clumsy. Honestly, I know you well... but you don't know me. Anyway, forget that for now—how are your injuries?"

Venti gave a wry smile. "I passed out. What do you think?"

"Sorry, I thought you were faking it. I actually have a request. If you need time to recover, I can come back later."

Victor Wang really had believed Venti was faking a defeat to The Fair Lady. But if he wasn't, and the injuries were real, then seeking help from the other Archons would be necessary. Either way, he needed to get Venti's contact info—just in case.

But Venti looked intrigued. "Why not tell me now?"

Victor Wang glanced around. Apart from Albert loitering far behind, there was no one else nearby.

He pulled back his cloak's hood and spoke in a low voice. "I want to become human again."

Then he put the hood back on.

"Hmm... I think we can talk about that. But first, we need to get her treated," Venti said, nodding at Lumine.

"Barbara at the Cathedral is great at healing. I'll get her."

Venti stood up. "Then let's meet again at the 'Symbol of Mondstadt's Hero.'"

When Victor Wang pushed open the Cathedral's side door and turned back—Venti was already gone.

Barbara was chatting with Jean. When she noticed the oddly dressed Victor Wang approaching, she was about to ask something, but he cut her off.

"Someone needs healing."

"What happened?"

Barbara and Jean hurried toward the side entrance and saw Lumine lying there.

Victor Wang quickly explained what had happened, intentionally mentioning that Venti had gone to the "Symbol of Mondstadt's Hero" to prevent the main story from derailing. Then he headed off to Windrise.

...

"How much do you know about Visions?" Venti asked.

"Normal people can't manipulate elemental power. A Vision helps them do that. But gods… they can control elements even without a Gnosis?"

Seeing Victor Wang's skeptical look, Venti chuckled. "Even without a Gnosis, it doesn't make getting run through the chest any less serious. Still, I didn't expect you to know this much."

Ever since hearing that fairytale not of this world, Venti had high hopes for Victor Wang. And now, that expectation had grown even more.

"You're basically right. Let me put it this way: imagine normal people are blank sheets of paper, and the seven elements are seven different colors. A Vision helps that blank paper get its first color.

"Usually, once a person gets a color, they can't change it. Gods, however, are born as colored paper—so we can use elemental power regardless of whether we have a Gnosis."

Venti stared at the Dodo-King emblem on Victor Wang's cloak and continued, "Hilichurls, on the other hand, are black paper. They contain all the colors—and so they become black. Of course, I don't mean their skin color. It's just a metaphor."

"You mean Hilichurls are elemental beings?"

"You could say Hilichurl bodies are formed by elemental power—but they aren't true elemental beings. Creatures born purely from elemental power, like slimes and wisps—those are true elemental lifeforms.

"The more tainted the elemental power, the less like an elemental being it is—like Whopperflowers or Shroomboars. A being formed of all seven elements might technically be considered elemental, but they've basically lost all defining traits."

So that's why slimes treat Hilichurls like kin? Does that mean Vision wielders, after full elemental infusion, eventually become pure elemental beings?

Victor Wang asked, "Are gods elemental beings?"

Venti smiled and gently plucked his lyre. "...You'll understand that someday."

"Ah—right."

Venti went on, "Visions carry part of a person's will. They're like proof that this power belongs to someone. So, when a Vision holder loses their Vision, two things can happen: they instantly lose access to elemental power; and over time, part of their spirit is drawn away.

If the element itself is forcibly ripped from someone, the consequences are much worse. Body and mind alike suffer. Even if all the colors are pulled out, you can't go back to being blank paper—you just vanish. Understand?"

"..." Victor Wang fell silent.

Venti remained lighthearted, gently strumming a soothing melody.

"Where did you hear I might be able to help you?"

"A voice suddenly appeared in my mind. I only know it was a woman—I don't know who she is."

"Hm… sounds like someone you've never met. What did she say?"

"She told me to seek help from the Seven Archons."

"Then she does know a thing or two. But who could she be?"

"She wasn't lying to me?"

"Nope. She told the truth. If anyone can help turn you back into a human, it would be the Seven. I can extract the colors from your body, clean them, and put them back in."

"Really?!"

Victor Wang was ecstatic at the confirmation.

"Of course. But I can only purify the Anemo element. For the others, you'll need to find the respective gods. And cleansing an element... it hurts. Be prepared."

"To me, nothing could be more painful than becoming a Hilichurl. I'm not afraid."

Victor Wang recalled bitter memories. But this was his only hope—how could he give up?

"It also takes a lot of energy on my part. So, I'll need you to agree to one thing."

"Name it. If I can do it, I will."

"No rush. Let's wait until after we succeed."

"Okay."

"I'll also need a few materials to help the process... Let me think. I already have Dvalin's tears, feathers, toenail, and breath. We still need the Tail of Boreas, and a thousand dandelions. Can you get the rest?"

"I will, even if I can't right now. I'll figure it out."

"Once you have everything, come find me here. If I'm not around, just call my name under this tree."

"By the way—I have a friend. She doesn't have a Vision but can control elemental power—and all seven elements. What kind of paper would she be?"

Victor Wang didn't name Lumine. As far as he knew, she could only use Anemo right now—by resonating with Statues of the Seven. He figured the Archons must know something.

"Funny, I have a friend like that too. She's a special case. I know why—but I can't tell you. You'll find out when the time is right."

Mystery-mongers everywhere. Fine. I'll become one myself someday.

Riding his rented horse away from Windrise, Victor Wang pondered how to gather a thousand dandelions.

In this world, materials clearly existed in greater quantities than in the game, and grew abnormally fast—but still not as fast as game respawns.

A thousand dandelions, if he had to collect them himself, would take at least a month. That would delay everything too much.

But Mondstadt produced dandelion wine. Brewing must require tons of dandelions. There had to be storage—or even plantations. He could just buy them from the taverns.

As for the Tail of Boreas, he'd definitely need help. Maybe from the famed Traveler. Post a commission with generous pay—that should do it.

"Having money really is great."