Outside Dawn Winery, Paimon stared wide-eyed at the magnificent estate in the distance.
Having never seen the Jade Chamber, Paimon was completely overwhelmed by the sheer grandeur of the winery.
"Lumine," she whispered excitedly, "once we finish dealing with Stormterror, let's ask Master Diluc if he has any work for us!"
"Someone this rich definitely won't treat us badly if we take his commissions."
Lumine nodded in agreement.
Judging by the scale of Dawn Winery alone, it was obvious that Diluc was not short on Mora. If he really had a commission, the reward would certainly be generous.
"These grapes are excellent," Su Bai remarked, carefully tasting a bunch he had just picked. "No wonder they're used to make such fine wine. The flavor, sweetness, and juiciness are all far better than the grapes I had in Liyue."
Even grapes Ningguang had purchased at exorbitant prices for the Jade Chamber could not compare to those grown at Dawn Winery.
"You must be Miss Lumine and Mr. Su Bai," said an elderly butler kindly.
"The master has been waiting for you in the sitting room. Please follow me."
The old butler greeted them warmly. Having served as a steward his entire life, he was keenly aware of how highly his master regarded these two guests. He patiently answered all of Paimon's many questions along the way.
"I didn't expect you to arrive so early," Diluc said. "Would you like something to eat?"
"Yes! Yes!" Paimon replied immediately. "Paimon didn't eat enough this morning!"
The moment she saw the food laid out on the table, Paimon was completely hooked.Watching her utterly shameless behavior, Lumine felt a sudden urge to just throw Paimon into the pot and cook her.
"Diluc," Su Bai said casually, "I won't end up locked in a Knights of Favonius confinement room again while I'm at Dawn Winery… right?"
Diluc responded with his usual expressionless stare—deadpan and wordless—leaving Su Bai to interpret it however he pleased.
Unbothered, Su Bai looked around the mansion.
The interior decor carried a strong Old Mondstadt aesthetic. This estate clearly had a long history, and many of the ornaments inside were things Su Bai had never seen before.
"Diluc," Su Bai asked, "may I take a look at one of the rooms upstairs?"
"Feel free," Diluc replied. "Anywhere except my study."
With permission granted, Su Bai headed upstairs without ceremony and pushed open a random door.
Inside, a young maid was cleaning. When she saw Su Bai enter, she nearly jumped out of her skin.
"S-sir! This is the master's bedroom! If you wish to rest, please use one of the guest rooms instead!"
"No need," Su Bai replied calmly. "When the blonde girl in the hall leaves, tell Diluc to come here and find me."
"Eh?! Y-yes! Of course… I wish you pleasant dreams!"
The maid exited the room with reddened eyes and a heart full of anguish.
So that's why the master has never taken a lover…
Does Master Diluc prefer men?
Why, Lord Barbatos… why would you let me encounter love only to wound me with such a cruel ending…
Completely unaware of the elaborate misunderstanding he had caused, Su Bai picked up a book from the bedside table.
This was it—the source of the faint soul energy he had sensed.
"The Ragnvindr Clan Chronicles?" Su Bai murmured. "So this records the history of the Ragnvindr family… Let's see what they've done."
Relying on the speed-reading skills he had acquired as deputy editor at Yae Publishing House, Su Bai finished the entire book in just half an hour.
When he closed it, he couldn't help but sigh.
"The word 'unyielding' really runs through the Ragnvindr bloodline."
"If this were Liyue, this family would definitely be right up the Geo Archon's alley."
According to the book, the Ragnvindr clan supported Barbatos from the moment he raised the banner of rebellion. During Vennessa's rule—when Mondstadt was still struggling to recover—a Dawn Knight of the Ragnvindr clan helped stabilize the nation.
As for recent history—
Diluc's father had faced a dragon head-on to protect his son. Though he lost his life, that courage alone would allow him to stand tall before his ancestors and say he had never disgraced the Ragnvindr name.
And Diluc himself—
After his father was wronged, he resigned from the Knights of Favonius, abandoned his Vision, and traveled alone across the Seven Nations (in truth, to investigate Delusions). Such resolve was exceedingly rare.
Though the account of these deeds was written by Diluc himself, Su Bai had no reason to doubt it was exaggerated.
"Compared to this, the Lawrence Clan is an embarrassment to Mondstadt's nobility," Su Bai muttered. "Among them, only Eula is worth mentioning. I wonder what kind of nobles the Gunnhildr Clan really are."
Based on the book's praise, Su Bai grew increasingly interested in the third of Mondstadt's great noble houses. Books with real history and stories were far more engaging than light novels.
"Su Bai! Su Bai!"
Paimon burst into the bedroom, grapes in hand.
"What are you reading? Are you coming with us to find the Abyss Mage? Master Diluc has a note that only an Abyss Mage can translate!"
"And these grapes are specially saved for you! Eat a little first—Master Diluc said he'll treat us to a big lunch!"
Paimon—definitely full—shoved the grapes toward Su Bai. Seeing that he hadn't joined them for breakfast, she had thoughtfully saved some for him.
"Thank you, little Paimon," Su Bai said with a smile. "Did Diluc not come with you?"
"Su Bai," Diluc's voice followed, "what exactly did you say to my maid? She's been looking at me strangely ever since."
Unable to simply float upstairs like Paimon, Diluc and Lumine arrived at the doorway just in time to hear Su Bai's question. Remembering the maid's earlier expression, Diluc felt as though he had somehow become a villain.
"Whether your maid is acting strange, I don't know," Su Bai said. "But I do know you're about to cry."
"Cry? Master Diluc crying?" Paimon shook her head vigorously. "No way! If that happened, Lumine could defeat Dvalin with one hand!"
Lumine also assumed Su Bai was joking. She instinctively reached for his sleeve to stop him—but seeing the serious look on his face, she hesitated… and chose to believe him.
"Diluc," Su Bai said softly, "I can feel your longing for your father in this book. And I deeply respect a man like him."
The book in Su Bai's hand slowly floated into the air. A stream of adeptal energy poured from his body into the faint soul bound within its pages.
That nearly dissipated soul began to revive.
Soft white motes of light spilled out, gathering together and forming a human silhouette. As Su Bai's face grew paler, the figure's hair, limbs, and features gradually became clear.
At last, a handsome middle-aged man stood before them.
"Where… is this?" the man asked gently. "Diluc… are you well?"
"A-a ghost!!"
Paimon screamed and instantly hid behind Lumine. Lumine's heart skipped violently—she nearly unleashed a tornado on reflex.
Diluc stared at the floating soul, unmoving. Tears pooled in the eyes of the normally unshakable man.
Looking at that familiar smile, he finally spoke the two words buried deep within his heart, his voice trembling.
"Father."