Chapter 44: The Role of the Church of Favonius
Barbara looked down at the Hydro Vision hanging from her waist and sighed. "Sometimes, I can't help but feel disappointed. Even though I have always been deeply devoted to Lord Barbatos, why is my Vision not of the Anemo element but Hydro instead?"
Aiden raised an eyebrow at her words. "What does that have to do with anything? A Hydro Vision isn't unsuitable for combat.
Look at Tartaglia, the Eleventh Harbinger of the Fatui—he has a Hydro Vision, and he's one of the most dangerous warriors in Teyvat. Kamisato Ayato, the head of the Kamisato Clan in Inazuma, also wields a Hydro Vision, and his combat skills are nothing to scoff at either. In terms of fighting ability, they're no weaker than your sister."
Barbara's expression remained downcast. "But that just proves that I wasn't chosen by Lord Barbatos… My Vision came from the Hydro Archon instead."
Aiden glanced up at the sky, silently sighing. This wasn't Barbatos' fault, was it?
It's like blaming an ex for something that wasn't even their responsibility. Actually, it wasn't even the ex's fault—this was just how Teyvat's system worked. The higher powers at Celestia determined who received a Vision, not the Archons themselves.
"Have you ever considered that the common belief about Visions might be wrong?" Aiden asked cautiously.
Barbara blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"There's an unspoken understanding between the Seven Archons, isn't there?
If they constantly interfered in each other's nations, it would cause conflicts. Aside from Snezhnaya, you don't see Archons meddling in other regions, right?
So if the Seven were personally handing out Visions, that would mean they're monitoring every single person in every nation at all times. Does that really seem likely?" Aiden smirked.
Barbara hesitated. That… actually made sense.
But if that were true, then the common belief about Visions was a lie. She wasn't sure whether to believe Aiden or hold onto the legends that had existed for centuries.
"Besides," Aiden continued, lowering his voice, "there are rumors of an even higher power above the Archons."
Barbara's eyes widened. She immediately understood the implication—Visions weren't granted by the Seven, but by Celestia itself.
Lady Vennessa, the great hero of Mondstadt, had ascended to Celestia. But what had become of her afterward? Did she learn the truth?
But more importantly… how did Aiden know all this?
He was supposed to be a traveler from another world. Did he see Celestia when he arrived?
"Regardless," Aiden went on, "you shouldn't feel inferior. Maybe your combat talent isn't the same as Jean's, but you can still support her in other ways."
Barbara's eyes lit up. "Really? How?"
Aiden coughed awkwardly. He had to be careful not to say anything inappropriate to someone as innocent as Barbara.
"Ahem, well," he said, "since combat isn't your strong suit, why not look at things from a different perspective?"
Barbara tilted her head. "But I don't have many skills outside of healing and housework. Oh, and I can sing…"
"But don't forget—music can heal the soul," Aiden said seriously. "Lately, the people of Mondstadt have been restless. The constant monster attacks, the worsening security situation… anxiety is spreading through the city."
Barbara's expression turned solemn. "That's true. I've felt it too, but I don't know what we can do about it.
The Church of Favonius has been working with the Knights to maintain order, distributing food, water, and other supplies to the people. But as time goes on, everyone is growing more anxious.
Unless Lord Barbatos intervenes personally, it'll be difficult to handle all these monsters."
Aiden nodded. He'd read many stories in his past life that painted the Church of Favonius as corrupt, portraying them as obstacles to the Knights or as an organization that cared only about luxury and power.
But after arriving in Mondstadt, he realized that wasn't true at all.
If anything, the Church of Favonius was one of the purest organizations in the city.
The Knights of Favonius had their share of corruption—just look at Il Dottore's old lackey, Eroch, who had infiltrated their ranks as an inspector.
And there were certainly more individuals like him within the order. Many noble families in Mondstadt sought to place their own people in the Knights, given the immense power the organization wielded.
By contrast, the Church of Favonius was far stricter about promotions. Becoming a high-ranking member required selection at multiple levels, and the Church even had an internal supervision system.
Many orphans were raised and trained by the Church—not just for faith, but also to monitor potential corruption within the organization.
After all, what would a devout priest like Barbara do if she discovered that some of her fellow clergy members didn't truly believe in Barbatos?
If she hadn't been raised in such an environment, would she still have such unwavering faith?
Sure, there were a few nuns in the Church who barely remembered Barbatos' name, but for the most part, they were dedicated to Mondstadt's well-being.
After learning all this, Aiden felt a little disappointed.
Originally, he thought he'd have to get involved in Mondstadt's politics, support Jean in reforming the city, and deal with resistance from a corrupt Church of Favonius. Then, when things got dire, he'd invite Barbatos himself to shake things up.
But the reality?
The Church wasn't the problem.
Most of the corrupt knights had already been taken care of when Grand Master Varka left on his expedition. The ones who remained were Jean's people, meaning she effectively had full control over the order.
Of course, Mondstadt still had deep-rooted issues—many noble families clung to their old privileges, and there was a general laziness among the populace.
But at least the Church wasn't the enemy here.
Aiden sighed to himself. Guess he'd have to find a different way to help Jean and Mondstadt.
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