***

“Sister Rosaria, I’m so glad you’re here, but why did you come? Shouldn’t you be helping at the church?” Barbara asked her, while checking her equipment.

Yomite told her that the tome she had received from Lisa, entitled the Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers, was in fact a powerful artifact. He insisted she read from it during their battles to boost the abilities of everyone around her.

Under different circumstances, she might have disregarded such advice, but hearing it from Yomite lent it a unique credibility.

“I simply felt like coming. No particular reason other than to make sure I won’t be stuck singing in the choir and get yelled at.” Rosaria replied, walking side by side with Barbara while inspecting her own polearm.

Though it had dulled somewhat from use, the weapon remained sturdy and sharp enough to penetrate the hide of any monster she came across so far.

“I’ve always wondered… What are your thoughts on the city of Mondstadt?” Barbara asked, her words tinged with ire.

Rosaria’s brows arched in surprise, her dead fish eyes seeking answers within Barbara’s troubled gaze.

After a moment’s contemplation, she released a heavy sigh and gave a nonchalant shrug. “For me, it is a place of unsettling tranquility. Though I suppose it does suit my tastes in some way, and the alcohol isn’t bad.”

“That’s so like you!”

A small chuckle escaped Barbara’s lips as she studied her enigmatic companion. “…For me…sometimes, I feel like the city is…too much…I feel like…it would be so much better if it didn’t exist.”

“…”

The air seemed to thicken around them, and Rosaria shivered as a premonitory chill slithered down her spine.

An inexplicable sense of foreboding gnawed at her, and it had grown more insistent each time she conversed with Barbara of late.

Her soul quivered, as if touched by the icy fingers of fear itself. ‘What has changed within her?’ Rosaria pondered, her disquiet mounting. ‘Could it be the aftermath of her quarrel with Jean?’ She shook her head, willing away the disconcerting sensations.

With a silent, steely resolve, she decided to focus on the impending challenge and ensure Barbara’s safety.

‘I just need to focus on this challenge and make sure nothing happens to her. If something goes wrong…I’ll have to make sure she is safe…’ She vowed silently.

***

Yomite bade farewell to the others as they diverged, choosing a separate path to the chamber’s latter half. He forged ahead, accompanied by Barbara, Rosaria, and Hu Tao, into the ominous first half of the chamber.

“Looks like we’ve got our work cut out for us,” Rosaria spoke, eyeing the key warily.

“Piece of cake,” Hu Tao replied, grinning. “I’ve taken on much tougher foes than a floating key!”

Yomite rolled his eyes. “Let’s not get too cocky. We don’t know what we’re up against. Also, you know we’re not actually going to fight the key itself, but the monsters that spawn from it, right…?”

Barbara nodded, her agreement laced with admiration. “Yum-Yum always thinks ahead, regardless of the adversaries we face.”

“Hey! Don’t be a spoil sport!” Hu Tao retorted, her ire raised by Yomite’s words. “Who knows, maybe we’ll fight with the key at some point!”

“Yeah, right…”

As they neared the key, it commenced to emit a luminous glow that bathed the entire chamber in its radiance.

The ground tremored beneath them, and the group steeled themselves for the impending onslaught.

A horde of monstrosities materialized before them: Slimes and Hilichurls, creatures they routinely vanquished in the world outside, yet still potent enough to pose a threat if underestimated.

“Haha! This will be a peace of cake with my new staff!” Hu Tao exclaimed, brandishing her newly acquired weapon.

Yomite glanced at the red design and immediately knew it was an artifact of some kind.

‘I want to know.’

———————

Name: Staff of Homa

Rarity: 5* Artifact

Description: Cleansing this world through and through, once used by a doctor, it became infused with the power of healing and destruction.

Active Ability – Wielder’s HP increased by 40%. Additionally, provides an ATK Bonus based on 1.6% of the wielder’s Max HP. When the wielder’s HP is less than 50%, this ATK bonus is increased by an additional 1.8% of Max HP. When wielded by certain bloodline, additional effects apply.

———————

‘The less HP she has, the stronger she’ll get? Isn’t that a bit of a broken ability?’

It was an interesting artifact, but Yomite wasn’t all that happy about her using it.

As this would essentially mean she would be injuring herself on purpose to get stronger.

And knowing Hu Tao, if she broke her body with an item like this, she would just say something along the lines of, “It was my time anyway.” Or something stupid, and he didn’t want that to happen.

“Tao, you know the aftereffects of this artifact, right? Where did you even get that thing from?” He asked, pointing at the staff.

“Of course I do! It’s a staff the previous generations of Directors from our parlor used! I know the history about it too! I asked Lumi-Lumi earlier today to transport me quickly to Liyue and picked it up! It’s an amazing weapon!” Hu Tao replied with pride.

“So, you know that when you use it, you’ll injure yourself to deal more damage to your enemies, right?”

“Yeppy!” Hu Tao replied, nodding, “But it’s only a bit. My Vision or whatever it’s called, has regenerative properties so even if I do injure myself, the wound immediately closes.”

“If you say so…but just in case…I’m going to watch you closely so that you won’t do anything stupid…”

Hu Tao smiled happily, “Thank you! You’re the best!”

“Just try to keep it under control, okay? And don’t injure yourself too much. Otherwise, I’ll have to confiscate it.” Yomite rolled his eyes and joined the fight.

His movements felt dull, as though an invisible weight were holding him back.

And that was precisely right. The artifact Lisa had placed on his wrist back then was the cause of his sluggishness.

He gritted his teeth, struggling to swing his claymore with his usual precision and speed. Despite his best efforts, his attacks barely fazed the advancing horde.