It was still early, and the Cat's Tail Tavern hadn't opened yet.
Mu Yang simply stood at the entrance of the Cat's Tail Tavern and looked at the message board.
Back when he had just started playing the game, he was completely obsessed.
He would click on everything, no matter where it was.
Later on, as time passed, his daily thoughts were only about dailies and improvement; he wasn't as enthusiastic anymore.
[Cat's Tail Message Board]:
If you have worries, interesting things, happy things, or unhappy things, feel free to write them here!
The Cat's Tail Tavern will listen carefully to everyone's feelings!
That was the declaration on the board.
Below it were some unsigned notes.
"To you, the one reading this message right now, do you know?"
"Adding 'love is the same' after any declarative sentence makes it sound profoundly reasonable."
"For example... right, let's use that phrase the old man loves to say the most."
"The secret to blacksmithing is only sweat! Love is the same."
Mu Yang looked at this message. Although it was unsigned, it was probably written by an apprentice from the blacksmith shop.
It was just unclear what he wanted to confide.
Perhaps he simply thought the phrase was somewhat meaningful.
But even so, the Cat's Tail Tavern still gave its own response.
[The doors of the Cat's Tail are always open for you, no matter when! Love is the same.]
These unsigned notes covered all sorts of topics.
The Cat's Tail Tavern responded to every single one.
On the side of the board hung a beautifully made little booklet.
Before Mu Yang could flip it open to look,
he was interrupted by a black cat.
This cat seemed to be the owner's cat, named Little Prince.
Little Prince rubbed against Mu Yang's legs, as if wanting Mu Yang to pick it up.
Mu Yang picked up the cat and sat at the entrance of the Cat's Tail Tavern, waiting for it to open.
Springvale.
Before leaving home, Diona habitually reminded her father: [No sneaking drinks!]
Only then did she take small steps toward Mondstadt City.
Along the way, she fantasized about how to defeat Dawn Winery.
Destroying the Mondstadt alcohol industry was her lifelong dream.
Though she hadn't achieved it yet, she definitely would in the future.
"Go for it, Diona! Today is another day full of energy!"
The reason Diona called herself the 'alcohol industry killer' and harbored such a grand dream
was inextricably linked to her father.
Diona's father, Draff, was the best hunter in all of Springvale.
He had a resolute face, sharp hunting skills, and calm judgment.
He was the undisputed leader of all the hunters in Springvale, and their role model.
To Diona, her father had always shone brightly in her childhood.
He was the object of her admiration, an almost perfect idol.
And precisely because of that, when her father's image as an idol suddenly collapsed,
little Diona cried so heartbrokenly.
"He looks like a wild boar that's just eaten its fill and is rolling in a mud pit when he's drunk."
Those were the words little Diona said through teary eyes the first time she saw her father drunk.
But how could the young Diona blame everything on her idol father's terrible tolerance for alcohol?
She would never think her father was at fault.
How could such a reliable father possibly be wrong?
After ruling out that answer, only alcohol remained.
"It's all alcohol's fault! Alcohol is a bad thing that bewitches people and makes them stupid!"
And so, alcohol inexplicably took the blame...
This was the root of Diona's hatred for alcohol.
Some rejoice, some grieve.
Though alcohol inexplicably shouldered a huge blame,
the tavern known as the [Cat's Tail Tavern] struck good fortune.
Because they hired a genius bartender like Diona.
Although the owner of the [Cat's Tail Tavern], Miss Margaret, didn't think that far ahead at first.
Her reason for hiring Diona was very simple.
"No helping it—she looks way too cute."
Diona didn't mind what Boss Margaret thought.
Because working as a bartender at the [Cat's Tail Tavern]
was a prank she had carefully planned.
This prank was also the first step in her grand plan—to destroy the Mondstadt alcohol industry.
In her imagination,
when a drunkard found a stool by the bar and sat down,
she would mock him with a disdainful gaze and venomous tone.
Then serve him a disgusting drink.
"Something like Lizard Sea Salt Cocktail, whatever."
Anyway, use drinks like that to put an end to the customers' drunken careers.
That way, the drinkers whose appetites were ruined definitely wouldn't come back.
But reality seemed a bit different from what she had envisioned.
"Glug... glug... ah—I've never tasted such wonderful alcohol before. Can I get a refill, little miss?"
"R-Refill?"
Diona couldn't understand it no matter how hard she tried.
Why, even though she treated the customers with such a 'terrible' attitude
and served them such disgusting drinks,
did they not only not leave, but ask for refills?
It wasn't until later that Diona learned one thing:
Yes, it was just that contradictory.
Diona, who hated alcohol the most, had received the blessing of the spring water spirits.
That wasn't quite right either.
Since she hated it, it should be called a 'curse' from the spring water spirits.
No matter what ingredients or ratios she used to mix drinks,
the resulting alcohol was always a rare delicacy in the world.
So even to this day, Diona continued to struggle against her constitution of [100% mixing delicious drinks].
The ever-unyielding her had not yet given up on her wish to find a truly disgusting recipe.
But the results were always the same.
Last night at the [Cat's Tail Tavern], glasses clinked and toasts were made as usual.
The merry drinkers' praises for Diona never stopped.
Recently, with the Windblume Festival, many out-of-towners had arrived.
They had never tasted Diona's craft before.
They straight-up said they couldn't handle it...
The reason Diona continued working at the [Cat's Tail Tavern] was also very simple.
Her presence had indeed had some impact on the Mondstadt alcohol industry.
In the past, Mondstadt's alcohol industry had been completely monopolized by Dawn Winery.
Now there was a trend of it being broken by the rising Cat's Tail Tavern.
Of course, it was only a trend...
Master Diluc's family had deep roots and vast influence; it wasn't something that could be shaken so easily.
At first, the housekeeper Eze, who managed the winery under Diluc, had taken an interest in Diona.
The cunning old housekeeper
saw at a glance that Diona was a key figure.
He thought that as long as he could poach her, she would no longer pose a threat to Dawn Winery.
Little did he know, Diona had always viewed Dawn Winery as the great demon king she needed to defeat.
So, when the old housekeeper came to the [Cat's Tail Tavern] under the pretense of drinking
and fawned over Diona,
Diona's expression changed instantly.
She looked up and glared at Eze unhappily.
The hand shaking the cocktail began to tremble slightly.
The old housekeeper noticed the change in mood and immediately stated his purpose.
"A talented bartender like yourself, if you would do us the honor of cooperating with our Dawn Winery,"
"it would surely bring Mondstadt's alcohol industry to unprecedented prosperity."
Diona exploded.
She slammed down the shaker and bit the hand Eze had extended for cooperation...
This had happened a long time ago—why did it suddenly come to mind today?
Diona had been lost in memories the whole way and hadn't thought of a new recipe today.
Instead, she spotted a 'familiar face' at the entrance of the [Cat's Tail Tavern]?
Not really familiar—just seen once.
But Diona remembered him deeply.
Because that person didn't drink alcohol.
"Mr. Mu Yang?"