Honkai Star Rail: I Became the World Tree — Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Welt’s Chance Encounter with Venti

It was high noon.

Furina marched ahead with a triumphant swagger, her chin tilted proudly toward the sky. Neuvillette, Clorinde, and Welt followed closely behind her at a much more measured pace. They had just returned from a highly successful monster hunt. Fortune had smiled upon them today, gifting them an encounter with three Big Goblins that provided a generous one hundred experience points each.

Humming a cheerful, off-tempo tune, Furina stepped into the plaza. The moment her boots hit the paving stones, she stopped dead in her tracks. A mountain of fresh food was stacked haphazardly not too far away.

It was a staggering variety of forage: plump mushrooms, vibrant wild berries, crisp wild vegetables, and freshly butchered meat. Bronya, Seele, and Natasha were currently hauling armfuls of the provisions toward the glowing teleportation gate.

Curious, Furina trotted over to Stelle, who was currently rocking back and forth in a wooden rocking chair with the lazy momentum of a pendulum.

“Stelle, didn’t you say you were going to investigate the Stellaron?” Furina asked, crossing her arms. “Back so soon?”

Stelle paused her rocking. She picked up a delicate porcelain teacup she had shamelessly swiped from Samuel’s coffee table and downed the dark, fizzing liquid inside in one gulp.

“The investigation is going fine,” Stelle replied, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “However, the Underworld of Belobog is currently experiencing a massive supply shortage. Bronya and the others decided to focus on gathering food first. A lot of people over there are starving.”

After delivering her report, Stelle casually unscrewed a large, plastic bottle of iced cola sitting on the ground beside her and poured another generous serving into the dainty teacup.

The entire aesthetic screamed one word: Elegant.

Using a high-end porcelain teacup to chug iced cola was a chaotic clash of cultures that Samuel was willing to bet made Stelle the first person in history to ever attempt it.

Stelle swirled the carbonated dark liquid and looked up at Furina. “What about you? How’s your progress?”

Furina puffed out her chest and flexed her completely non-existent biceps. “I actually defeated a Big Goblin! A full one hundred experience points! Just four more, and I’ll reach Level 4.”

Stelle blinked, genuinely stunned. “A Big Goblin? Which direction did you go? How come I haven’t run into any of those?”

Furina pointed a gloved finger dramatically into the distance. “To the west.”

Stelle nodded slowly, the pieces falling into place. “Ah, no wonder. We haven’t explored that direction yet. The south is currently impassable. Those Shadow Goblins hanging around the Windmill Market are an absolute nightmare to deal with. Still, the rewards are definitely worth the hassle. Look at my gold coins, aren’t they beautiful?”

Stelle fished a gleaming gold coin from her pocket and flicked it into the air, catching it with a satisfied smirk.

A short while later, Escofier stepped out into the plaza, wiping his hands on an apron.

“Lady Furina! It’s time to eat! Everyone, lunch is served!”

Furina clapped her hands together the second she heard the chef’s call. “Let’s go, let’s go! Time to eat!”

The group migrated toward the Star Adventurer Group Station in a noisy, cheerful crowd. The official station for Furina’s Justice Adventure Team hadn’t been decorated yet, and it currently lacked a single piece of furniture, let alone a dining table. Therefore, they had to crash at the Star Adventurer Group’s headquarters for their meals.

Seele, Bronya, and Natasha were naturally invited to stay and join them.

By the end of the meal, Seele was practically moved to tears. She had never tasted anything so incredible in her entire life. When she was a child in the Underworld, she honestly believed stale black bread was the peak of culinary achievement. A few days ago, she thought hard candy was the greatest treasure in the universe. Today, Escofier’s cooking completely shattered her worldview.

Once the plates were cleared and their food had settled, the large group went their separate ways.

The Star Adventure Group planned to head out for an afternoon hunt, with Stelle specifically targeting the western territories to farm Big Goblins. Furina and Clorinde returned to the Opera Epiclese to observe a scheduled trial. Neuvillette, ever the workaholic, retreated to his office to tackle a mountain of official documents.

As for Welt, he decided to take a leisurely stroll through the Court of Fontaine.

The city streets were alive with energy. Street musicians played lively melodies on the corners, their music blending with the rhythmic clanking of clockwork meka patrolling the cobblestone avenues.

Arriving at a large, open plaza on the lowest level of the city, Welt felt a mild ache in his legs. He found a quiet outdoor cafe bordering the plaza, ordered a cup of black coffee, and sat down to rest.

When the waiter delivered his drink, Welt picked up the ceramic cup and brought it toward his lips.

His body instinctively froze. His survival instincts flared, locking his arm in place.

Welt stared down at the dark liquid, a helpless, self-deprecating smile forming on his face. ‘Relax,’he told himself.’This isn’t Himeko’s brew. It’s actually safe for human consumption.’

Reassured by his own logic, Welt finally took a sip. It was rich, bitter, and entirely normal.

Suddenly, a gentle, playful breeze swept across the cafe patio. Without a sound, a boy dressed in green appeared in the empty chair directly across from Welt.

“Hi there, friend,” the boy greeted with a bright smile. “Are you also visiting Fontaine for a trip?”

Welt calmly lowered his coffee cup and looked at the newcomer. “Yes, I am. And you?”

Venti nodded, his twin braids swaying slightly. “That’s right. I hail from Mondstadt, another nation right here on the continent of Teyvat. What about you, friend?”

Welt considered his answer carefully. “I come from a very small place. Even if I told you the name, you likely wouldn’t have heard of it.”

It was a calculated choice to hide his otherworldly origins. Being an outlander from beyond the stars tended to attract unnecessary complications. Trouble usually started the moment someone opened their mouth. The more you spoke, the more mistakes you made. Silence was the ultimate shield.

Venti leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands. “I see. Well, my name is Venti. And yours, friend?”

“Welt Yang,” Welt replied smoothly. “You mentioned you are from Mondstadt? I haven’t had the pleasure of visiting yet. Would you mind telling me what kind of nation it is?”

Since he had the afternoon off anyway, Welt figured he might as well gather some local intelligence about this neighboring country.

Venti’s eyes lit up. He casually produced a bottle of dandelion wine from seemingly nowhere and poured himself a glass. “Stories and wine are the absolute best match. I’ll tell you all about it while I drink. Mondstadt, eh? Now that is a nation built on the very concept of freedom, where the winds carry the scent of…”

For a full half-hour, Venti spoke with escalating enthusiasm, painting a vivid picture of a city of wind, wine, and song.

By the time the bard finished his tale, Welt found himself genuinely intrigued. “Venti, your description makes me want to visit Mondstadt more and more.”

Venti chuckled, raising his glass. “Then you should just go! Mondstadt welcomes you as a guest anytime.”

Welt offered a polite nod. “Will you be staying in Fontaine for a while? If so, I’d like to hire you as my guide.”

“No problem at all,” Venti agreed instantly. “Every afternoon, I’ll be right here in this plaza performing for the crowds. You can find me then. See you later, Mr. Welt.”

The two men parted ways. Venti remained at the table for a moment, watching the older man’s retreating figure blend into the crowd.

The bard rubbed his chin, a knowing glint in his teal eyes. “Fontaine is becoming harder and harder to see through. Now even people from beyond the heavens are dropping in for a visit.” Venti glanced down at the empty coffee cup Welt had left behind. “And what was that about Himeko’s coffee? If I get the chance, I definitely need to ask around about that. Judging by Welt’s expression earlier, that coffee must be something truly special.”

With a soft, melodic laugh, Venti dissolved into a gentle breeze and drifted away across the plaza.

Meanwhile, back on the Source Continent.

Samuel was deep in thought, agonizing over a major financial decision. He was debating whether or not to drain his current reserves of Divine Power to purchase a new system feature called the [Skill Gacha Machine].

The feature cost exactly 300 Divine Power. Samuel could afford it, but doing so would leave him broke. He desperately needed to stockpile Divine Power to restore his original body.

After weighing the pros and cons, Samuel gritted his teeth and decided to make the purchase. To earn a massive amount of Divine Power in the long run, he needed to heavily invest in the combat strength of Stelle, Furina, and the rest of his chaotic vanguard.

According to the system, the [Skill Gacha Machine] required one gold coin per draw., unlocking this feature would drastically expand the variety and power of the skills available to his team.

[Notification: 300 Divine Power deducted. Congratulations to the Host for purchasing the ‘Skill Gacha Machine’!]

The moment the prompt faded, a heavy, metallic device resembling a casino slot machine materialized directly into Samuel’s hands. Its usage was identical to the General Store terminal—he just needed to throw it onto the ground to deploy it.

Stelle, who had just returned from her afternoon monster hunt and was currently back to aggressively rocking in her stolen chair, spotted the flashy machine in Samuel’s grip. Her eyes locked onto the shiny exterior.

“Samuel,” Stelle asked, leaning forward with intense curiosity. “What’s that thing in your hand? A new toy?”