Night.
Angel's Share.
After wandering around for a while, Rowan arrived here.
With nothing better to do, coming for a drink wasn't a bad idea.
Mondstadt was still rebuilding from the ground up, so compared to the tavern's usual packed crowds, Angel's Share now had only a handful of customers.
Even so, quite a few people still left in a hurry right after finishing their drinks.
Diluc, the owner of Angel's Share, had no opinion about it.
Truthfully, Diluc wasn't someone who liked drinking in the first place.
He even disliked drunks.
Yes, you heard that right.
As the boss of Mondstadt's largest wine industry, Diluc was someone who didn't touch alcohol at all.
It was as ridiculous as a person selling rock candy telling you they never eat rock candy.
But Diluc really didn't drink, and he really didn't like alcohol.
Today, he happened to be on duty.
Rowan exchanged a few casual words with him, then went up to the second floor.
Compared to chatting with Diluc, Rowan preferred talking with Kaeya.
Diluc always kept a cold face, like you owed him a fortune.
Even knowing it wasn't aimed at him, it still felt unpleasant.
So Rowan simply went upstairs and started drinking alone.
Not long after he arrived, a familiar figure walked in.
Green Adventurers' Guild clothes, short brown hair, and a small mustache.
That unmistakable look—wasn't this the "great dreamer," Stanley?
So… was it really going to happen?
Sensing Venti approaching, Rowan glanced down at "Stanley," who, the moment he entered, ordered the strongest liquor and then sat not far from the bar, chugging like his life depended on it.
If Rowan still didn't know what was about to unfold, then he'd be an idiot.
"If you're trapped in a land without wind…"
"How interesting. Seems like I can run into anything tonight."
Rowan took a sip of dandelion wine, wearing an expression that clearly said he was here to enjoy the show.
Before long, "Stanley" was drinking himself half-unconscious, slumping over the table.
The bartender only spared him a glance before ignoring him.
After all, people like that were a dime a dozen in a tavern.
At most, when closing time came, they'd toss him outside.
"Diluc-sama, are you on duty today?"
As she walked into the tavern, Lumine spotted Diluc.
She knew him—because one night, when she was wandering around with nothing to do, she'd witnessed the "Darknight Hero" in action.
At a single glance, she recognized that masked man—whose hair color wasn't even changed—as the owner of Angel's Share, Diluc.
To think the Darknight Hero, who upheld justice and protected Mondstadt in the shadows, was actually Angel's Share's boss.
Paimon had even given Diluc a nice nickname because of it.
"Righteous Man!"
Even though Diluc had his complaints about the nickname, Paimon declared it was his now and he wasn't allowed to refuse.
Left with no choice, Diluc accepted it.
Because of that, they'd also gotten to know another person who protected Mondstadt in the night as well—Rosaria from the Church of Favonius.
That was why every time Lumine went to the Church after getting hurt and ran into Rosaria, Rosaria's face always looked unusually pale, like she hadn't woken up.
If she was sneaking around at night just like Diluc, then honestly, that made perfect sense.
"Not many customers today. I don't have much to do—nice and quiet," Diluc said.
Then his gaze shifted to Venti behind Lumine, his expression turning a bit strange.
"This is your friend?"
Venti was a freeloader.
Every time he came to Angel's Share, he never brought enough money.
More accurately—he had enough before he started drinking. After he started drinking, that was another story.
Because once this guy got going, the Mora in his hands stopped being enough.
Angel's Share's number one tab-running "regular" was Venti.
Sometimes, when Diluc saw the debt piling up too high, he'd make Venti work in the tavern to pay it off.
Either singing at the door, reciting poems, or doing odd jobs like carrying drinks.
But after Diluc caught Venti skimming drinks for himself, he never let him deliver drinks again.
Otherwise, who knew how many customers would end up getting shorted and stop coming.
If Venti was Lumine's friend, then maybe Diluc could make Lumine cover Venti's tab…
"Uh, not really a friend," Lumine said.
"We just met."
Lumine seemed to notice the "bad idea" in Diluc's eyes. She quickly yanked Paimon—who was about to say Venti was their good friend—into her arms and covered her mouth, then smiled brightly as she explained.
"Is that so?" Diluc said, looking regretful.
"Apple cider, right? Coming up."
He turned around and started making it.
As for Venti—
As long as Diluc was on duty, Venti wasn't getting any alcohol.
He still hadn't paid off his tab, and he wanted to drink?
In his dreams.
Venti scratched his head with an awkward grin and didn't argue, obediently following Lumine to sit at the table closest to Stanley.
Only then did Lumine let Paimon go.
The moment she was freed, Paimon pointed at Lumine's nose and demanded,
"Lumine! What are you doing?!"
"Isn't Venti our good friend?"
"Why are you lying to Diluc-sama?!"
Venti also chimed in from the side.
"Yeah, yeah! We've known each other for so long!"
"And I even helped you clear up doubts, and this is how you treat me?"
Lumine slapped Paimon's tiny hand away, shot the heckling Venti a glare, and retorted,
"Since you're saying that, let me ask you something."
"Haven't you owed money at Angel's Share?"
Venti immediately shut up, grinning awkwardly and scratching his head again.
Seeing Venti like that, Paimon understood exactly what he was trying to do.
"Venti! I treated you like a good friend, and you were trying to use us to pay your tab?!"
"You're a big bad guy!"
Venti forced a couple of laughs.
"Hey, hey, didn't work, did it?"
"You!!!"
Not long after, Diluc came over carrying a cup of apple cider.
Before Lumine could even take it, Paimon snatched it away.
Without another word, she hugged the cup and gulped it down noisily.
Lumine sighed, shaking her head, about to say something—
When behind her, Stanley's voice drifted over.
"Stanley… tell me… what should I do…!"
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For 20+ Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!] [[email protected]/Draumel]
[Thank You For Your Support!]