Jean was different from the petite, gentle Barbara. Jean was the pride of the Gunnhildr family, a powerful and outstanding older sister.
In Barbara's eyes, Jean was like an impossibly high mountain she could never reach. Because her sister was so exceptional, Barbara had always looked up to Jean as her goal, wanting to surpass her just once, to prove herself.
However, whether it was swordsmanship or studies, she could never match Jean. This left her feeling incredibly disheartened.
That's when she realized that people are born with different talents. No matter how hard she tried, she could never be as tall as her sister, nor as strong.
Even her physical development... seemed less "blessed" than her sister's.
People with talent could surpass ordinary folks even without trying too hard. And Jean? Jean was a warrior who pushed herself to the absolute limit. This made Barbara feel even more dejected. Could she really never surpass Jean?
Later, following Alice's advice, she decided to forge a different path becoming an idol and achieved great success. She was happy, but with it came immense self-doubt.
To sign autographs for fans, she sacrificed her personal time. As an idol, she no longer had her own private world; her every move attracted attention.
It felt like she was no longer living for herself, but rather living up to others' expectations, trying to be the person they wanted her to be.
She had her down moments too, but to maintain her "perfect" image, she couldn't tell anyone.
"This profession, being an idol... unknowingly, you start living as the person others want to see, not your true self."
"Am I still the same person I used to be? I used to chase after my sister's footsteps, but now, I no longer dream of surpassing her. But as an idol, striving to maintain this radiant image in everyone's eyes... have I completely started living for others, unable to return to my true self?"
Although Barbara's voice remained soft and gentle, there was a noticeable tremor of emotion in it. She chased after her sister, but with her weaker physique, she could never surpass her powerful sibling.
Yet, when she became an idol and shone in a different way, looking back, she suddenly found her current self somewhat unfamiliar.
After listening to Barbara pour out her heart, Elliot simply nodded slightly. After all, in her Hangout Event, she often escaped the hustle and bustle of Mondstadt to find a quiet place to be alone.
It was understandable. If he were surrounded by countless beautiful girls, he'd probably be very conflicted too... Yes, very conflicted.
Which one to choose?Only kids would say "all of them"; adults knew their bodies couldn't handle that.
But this young woman... she was clearly bottling up a lot to confide so much in a giant dragon like him. It made sense, though.
The Traveler, also from another world, had Paimon, who was as good at keeping secrets as a leaky sieve.
If Barbara confided in the Traveler, the whole of Mondstadt would probably know her troubles by the next day.
He, on the other hand, as an Earth Dragon powerful, composed was a good listener. That's probably why she chose to tell him so much.
Good thing Barbara was talking to him. If she'd been confiding in a certain unloved spider monster, hearing all this, that spider would probably have exploded in rage.
This damn woman is totally humble-bragging!
If Kumoko was Cinderella, then Barbara was the perfect Snow White. The embodiment of beauty and grace, loved by all.
Kumoko probably couldn't imagine that such a girl would have her own worries. To Kumoko, a girl like Barbara was a high-class "normie," worlds apart from a shut-in otaku like herself.
Elliot listened calmly as Barbara finished, hearing her soft sigh. He then casually formed a stone cup and offered it to her. "You've said so much. Have a drink." The stone cup was something Elliot made on the spot.
As an Earth Dragon, he could easily manipulate the Geo element of this world. It was a natural talent. He could do it even without a Vision, something other humans couldn't.
"Oh, thank you, Elliot," Barbara said softly, a little shy. She suddenly realized that to a powerful Earth Dragon like him, all her worries might just sound like baseless complaining.
After all, if a mighty dragon like him used his true power, no problem would be too difficult. But regardless, just saying what was bottled up inside made her feel much lighter.
However, when she took a sip of the drink Elliot offered, she immediately choked and spat it out.
"Cough, cough... Wh-What is this drink?" Her eyes, clear as spring water, looked at the slimy liquid in the stone cup. She licked her lips. That sticky texture... could it be...?
"It's Slime Condensate. I don't have a sense of taste, so I can't tell what it's like... I thought you might like it. Sorry." Elliot scratched his head.
This was a drop from some slimes he'd defeated while clearing out the Hilichurl camp. Earth Dragons didn't have a sense of taste, but they had a sense of texture.
He actually quite liked this Slime Condensate, especially from Hydro Slimes it was like eating jelly. Without taste, the springy texture helped make up for the lack.
"Oh... I see." Barbara shook her head. "My apologies for my rudeness." Actually, in this world, Slime Condensate was a preferred drink for some.
For example, the Diona at the Cat's Tail tavern used lizard tails and slime condensate to mix drinks. And the drinks she made with those weird ingredients were actually quite delicious.
Barbara patted her chest, embarrassed by her earlier reaction. As an idol, she was always mindful of her words and actions. And she had just made a fool of herself in front of the Earth Dragon.
Elliot said calmly, "Actually, the way you were just now... was also quite cute."
"R-Really?" Barbara looked at him, a little disbelieving.
"Earth Dragons... do not lie." Elliot nodded. Dragons were noble creatures; they disdained lying. Just like Earth Dragon Araba even when defeated by Kumoko, he would never kneel or compromise.
After taking a sip of the Slime Condensate himself, Elliot continued, "The reason you're confused is because you care too much about what others think. You feel that compromising with others will distort your own will, but not compromising will hurt those who like you. You're living a tiring life because you're constantly making choices, and no matter what you choose, it will hurt yourself or others. That's the source of your troubles." Elliot shared his perspective.
Beside him, the young woman looked surprised, ripples forming in her autumn-water-like eyes. His words had struck a chord deep within her.
"Actually, there are two ways to solve this, and they're quite simple," Elliot smiled. "One is to completely impose your own beliefs onto others. For example, when doing something, tell yourself, 'I'm doing this for someone specific' for Lord Barbatos, or for your sister, Acting Grand Master Jean. Surrender your right to choose, believe you are fighting for others. That makes things much easier."
Hearing Elliot's words, Barbara shook her head. "But... But Lord Barbatos is very busy. His winds might not have time to listen to me. And Mondstadt has so many people who need the Anemo Archon's help. As a Deaconess, I shouldn't trouble Lord Barbatos."
"As for my sister... she's already so tired. I don't want to make things difficult for her." Barbara's eyes dimmed.
While that method of shifting responsibility sounded useful, she didn't want to trouble others. Avoiding problems is shameful, but effective. But Barbara didn't want to run away, didn't want to give herself an excuse to shirk responsibility.
"Alright, I understand." Elliot had anticipated this. The first method was about shifting responsibility.
Like the Crusaders of old those devout believers could kill without remorse because they were told they were fighting for their God.
Thus, the killing bore no burden, because God willed it; their conscience was clear. That was shifting responsibility.
As a Deaconess, Barbara was kind; she naturally wouldn't want to burden anyone. Not only would she not shift her responsibilities, but she would also actively take on others' burdens. That was her duty as a Deaconess.
"Well... the other method is much simpler," Elliot smiled. "You just need to become stronger. Stronger than your sister. Strong enough to share the burdens on her shoulders. Not as a clergy member, but as a warrior, clearing obstacles for your sister. When you become that strong, your worries will naturally disappear."
"The root of your trouble is that you can't help your sister share her burdens. When Jean leads the Knights of Favonius to clear out Hilichurl camps, you can only watch from the rear. If you could become a true warrior, shouldering everything for your sister, you wouldn't have any worries left!"
"As for being an idol, if you become an outstanding warrior, people will overlook your idol status, and you won't have to worry about it so much. At that point, you could even have Jean try being an idol."
Stronger than her sister... Th-That's impossible! She had tried so hard before and couldn't surpass her.
Now, after being an idol for so long, neglecting her training, how could she possibly lift her sword to protect her sister?
Seeing Barbara completely dumbfounded, Elliot said softly, "It's very simple, isn't it?"
"Elliot, I appreciate you trying to comfort me, but... to become stronger than my sister... with my abilities, that's just not possible, is it?"
….
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