"I say, Diluc, you go out fighting crime in the middle of the night, and you're still up this early?"
Diluc stood outside Su Bai's door, his unique dead-fish eyes fixed on Su Bai, making him feel thoroughly uncomfortable. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Su Bai forced himself to wake up.
"Alright, out with it. What brings you here at this hour?"
"I've acquired some Mist Flower Corollas for winemaking. There's been a slight issue at Dawn Winery, so I'd like you to help safely transport the corollas there."
"This batch is quite important. I'll hire you at the highest commission rate the Adventurers' Guild offers for transport commissions."
Su Bai didn't agree immediately. The Fatui had started making moves yesterday, and now today, Diluc's Dawn Winery had problems. There had to be a connection.
"Need any help? If you're preparing the shipment, I could go with you to the winery."
"It's not prepared yet. Just some minor trouble. I can handle it alone."
Diluc shook his head. The Mist Flower Corollas, which could usually be collected in a single night, still weren't fully gathered even as dawn approached. Someone was definitely meddling.
"Once they're collected, Charles will notify you. Su Bai, be careful on the road. Your safety comes first."
"Diluc... are you sure you want to face this alone?"
"Someone has to illuminate the darkness before dawn arrives. I don't have much fondness for the Knights. I'm enough on my own."
Su Bai watched Diluc's retreating figure, narrowing his eyes. This man's sense of justice surpassed ninety-nine percent of people in Teyvat. In Liyue, someone like him would either be a legendary hero or a righteous warrior remembered through the ages. Mondstadt was truly fortunate to have someone like Diluc.
As he mused, Su Bai casually glanced at the shadowy alleyways. The rats hiding there were no match for Diluc. But he had a feeling that delivering this shipment wouldn't be as simple as it seemed. Someone wouldn't let it reach the winery without a fight.
'This is getting more interesting. Are the Fatui getting this bold now? This time, though, they've probably picked the wrong opponent.'
Su Bai watched the rising sun. Its light wasn't yet enough to illuminate the darkness shrouding Mondstadt. Diluc, just how far will you go?
'Ah well, forget it for now. With the protective charm I gave him, Diluc should be safe enough.'
'Better prepare breakfast for the two and a half troublemakers upstairs. I'll ask Eula to keep an eye out for that alchemist, Sucrose. Bennett's still recovering at the Cathedral.'
Sizzle~ As the eggs hit the frying pan, the first one awakened by the aroma wasn't the keen-nosed Yae Miko, nor the rigorously trained Eula, but a bleary-eyed Klee clutching Dodoco.
Little Klee came downstairs in pajamas Yae Miko had bought her. Her messy hair looked like a bird's nest—heaven knows what they'd been playing last night.
"Little Klee, you're up! Perfect—drink your milk while it's hot, then have an egg and some Fisherman's Toast."
"Didn't have much time to cook this morning. At lunch, Sister Miko will make you something delicious. She's really good at Inazuman cuisine."
The moment Klee heard "drink your milk," she turned around without a second thought and ran back upstairs, muttering to herself:
"Klee isn't awake yet. Klee is still sleeping."
'Good grief. This little one learns fast.' Su Bai chuckled at her antics. He picked up the glass of milk from the table and downed it in a few gulps. Not bad at all. Maybe he really should try making milk tea tomorrow.
Leaving a note asking Eula to help find Sucrose, Su Bai headed out to the Angel's Share to wait for Charles. As one of Diluc's trusted associates, Charles had also sensed something unusual today. He'd been planning to post a transport commission at the Adventurers' Guild, but his master had already recruited Su Bai.
"Sir Su Bai, here are all the Mist Flower Corollas. For some reason, the collectors were all late today. I'm terribly sorry for the trouble."
"No trouble at all. You should stay within Mondstadt for the next few days. Your master's been targeted."
"If possible, you might want to request some Knights of Favonius to patrol near the Angel's Share more often."
Su Bai waved his hand, storing the Mist Flower Corollas in his Vision's subspace. These delicate things would lose their Cryo energy if damaged during transport.
---
At Dawn Winery, Diluc sat solemnly at a table. He never imagined she would personally come to the winery. This put considerable pressure on him.
Adopting a strategy of stalling as long as possible, Diluc could only engage in verbal sparring with the Fatui Harbinger across from him—the Eighth, Signora—while hoping the winery staff would evacuate quickly. If a fight broke out, he wouldn't be able to protect them.
"I don't recall Dawn Winery ever inviting a Fatui Harbinger. Trespassing into someone's home is against the law, 'Signora.'"
"Kahahaha! As expected of you, Diluc Ragnvindr. Still keeping your composure even before a Harbinger who nearly killed you once."
Signora's words made Diluc clench his fists. If not for that person saving him back then, he would have died at the hands of the Fatui Harbingers.
Facing Diluc's perpetually unchanging dead-fish eyes, Signora grew puzzled. She'd provoked him so much, yet he still hadn't struck first. If he attacked, she'd have the perfect excuse to destroy the winery.
And so Diluc and Signora sat there exchanging meaningless words. No matter how Signora taunted him, Diluc just stared at her with those dead-fish eyes, as if the insults weren't directed at him at all.
Calculating the time, once all the winery staff had escaped, a glimmer of serious light finally appeared in Diluc's dead-fish eyes.
"Out with it. What do the Fatui really want at my winery? If you're here to buy wine, you can do that at the Angel's Share."
"Heh. Diluc, I won't beat around the bush. We're not here to buy wine. We're here to give you a choice."
"Option one: destroy your Dawn Winery. Option two: sell us your Dawn Winery for one Mora. Choose."
Diluc's expression turned cold. The Wolf's Gravestone was already in his hands. Dawn Winery was his father's legacy. He would never hand it over, nor would he let the Fatui destroy it.
"Looks like I arrived just in time. I really should be part of this fun."