"Sigh, I want to read so badly... I want to drink so badly... If only I could sit at Windrise feeling the wind, sipping Dandelion Wine and reading at the same time, that'd be downright blissful just thinking about it."
Venti sat slumped in a chair by the fountain, watching the novel-lovers at the front of the queue walk away clutching huge stacks of books, and let out a despondent sigh.
Envy, envy.
Only — soon enough, he spotted a familiar figure in the queue.
The man was pulling a cart, standing near the front of the queue, and clutching a fat little coin-purse.
He recognized this man. There'd been a time when he'd been drinking and napping on the roof of Mondstadt's Great Cathedral, and he'd spotted this very fellow skulking around down below.
His plan had originally been to wait until the rascal actually committed something, catch him red-handed, then haul him over to the Knights of Favonius to collect a reward in Mora, and then go have himself a proper good drink at Angel's Share.
The result was that he hadn't managed it — the Traveler had beaten him to it.
And this man's name was Albert.
It was only afterward that he learned — this man was a devout fan of Barbara, and he came to the Cathedral simply to lighten Barbara's workload, hoping to help out by sweeping the courtyards.
"Hm?"
Seeing Albert buy a whole pile of Fang Qiu's books, Venti couldn't help raising a brow, and a glint flashed all at once in his teal-green eyes.
He had an idea.
The corner of his mouth curled upward, and he made his way over.
"Mister Albert, hello."
Venti called out in greeting.
"You are...?"
Albert's brow furrowed.
"As you can see, I'm a bard. At the same time, I'm also a fan of Miss Barbara. Since you, Mister Albert, are quite famous within Miss Barbara's Fan Club, that's how I came to know who you are."
Venti said.
"Ah, a fellow Miss Barbara fan, then."
Albert's tightly furrowed brow loosened at once, and his tone grew quite a bit friendlier. He said: "What can I do for you?"
"Well, it's like this. I'm currently writing a poem for Miss Barbara, but I'm a little short on inspiration. So I thought I'd take a look at the books Miss Barbara has been buying to draw some inspiration. Unfortunately, on the way here, my coin-purse was snatched away by some stray cat passing by."
Venti spread his hands helplessly.
After a deliberate pause, he shifted his tone and went on: "Seeing that you've bought so many — I was wondering, as a fellow Miss Barbara fan, if you could lend me a couple to read. Once I've drawn my inspiration from them, I'll return them to you."
"These books are bought on behalf of Miss Barbara's Fan Club. Still, since you're a Miss Barbara fan, that makes you one of us — pick out whatever you'd like to read, just take them."
Albert said: "But you'd best hurry up and get Miss Barbara's hymn of praise written out."
"Rest assured. I happen to be the greatest bard in all of Teyvat. As soon as I've finished reading, I'll begin composing."
Venti made no pretense of refusing. He simply picked out an entire complete set of Fang Qiu's books.
No sooner had he finished selecting than he looked up — and saw several familiar figures standing right in front of them.
At the head of them was a young woman dressed in a noble's knightly garb, a beautifully-wrought sword at her waist, her gorgeous golden hair tied up with a cord into a high ponytail.
Bright with valor and spirit.
Beside her was a sultry-looking, alluring elder-sister type in revealing attire, wearing a witch's hat.
Then there was a beautiful young maiden in deaconess vestments, her blonde hair done up in twin tails, and a little girl all in fiery red — her clothes covered in four-leaf clover motifs, a small bookbag on her back.
"Uh... oh, it's you all. What a coincidence."
Venti waved at them, looking slightly awkward.
"To think that Mondstadt City's famous bard is also a fan of Miss Barbara."
Lisa glanced at the books Venti was clutching, and a teasing curl played at the corner of her mouth.
"But of course. In all of Mondstadt City, who doesn't love Miss Barbara's singing? Even I — the most famous bard in all of Teyvat — am no exception."
Feeling Albert's gaze on him from the side, Venti smiled placidly and said it with the most natural air imaginable.
Hearing Venti's words, the Barbara standing nearby lowered her head, somewhat embarrassed.
After all, being called a fan to one's face by someone you know really does cause a touch of embarrassment.
She had heard Venti's songs before. Venti's voice was very pleasant, and she had even tried to learn a piece, but his style was just too different from her own, the melodies too complex. So even now, she still hadn't managed to sing one well.
Besides, Venti had been the one to repair the Favonius Anemo Catalyst — for that, deep down, she still felt a sense of gratitude toward him.
Speaking of the Favonius Anemo Catalyst, ever since the day the Traveler and her companions had returned it to the Cathedral, and she'd placed it in the secret chamber, she hadn't checked on it again.
Ah, right — when she had time, she ought to go take a look at the Favonius Anemo Catalyst.
"Acting Grand Master Jean, Miss Barbara, Librarian Lisa, little Miss Klee, and this bard here — please, do take your time chatting. I'll be heading off first. The address for returning the books is the activity room at Miss Barbara's Fan Club."
Seeing that Venti was acquainted with them — and given the proud expression he'd just worn when he'd outed himself as a Miss Barbara fan — Albert had no more doubts about Venti's identity, and he turned and pulled his cart away.
"Heh heh, I'll get to reading first then. I won't disturb you."
Once Albert had left, Venti smiled and said.
With that, he gathered up the books and made his way over to sit down by the hot spring.
"Strange grown-up."
Watching Venti's smug little stride, Klee couldn't help but say.
"Isn't that the title we use for Diluc?"
Hearing Klee's assessment, Lisa let out a soft laugh. She raised her head to look at Jean and said: "Jean, what are you thinking about so intently?"
"It's nothing."
Jean shook her head, then glanced at Venti's retreating figure, and that pensive look surfaced in her eyes once more.
Lord Barbatos must have some deep intention behind this...
On her way over just now, she had heard quite a few people discussing Eula.
At first, she'd thought Eula had once again done something to stir up the populace's resentment. But to her surprise, what they were discussing was whether Eula, like Rose in The Eternal, was a noble by status but, just as much as anyone else, a victim of — and rebel against — the old nobility.
In the past, they had likewise tried to defend Eula. But the furious citizens hadn't been willing to hear a single good word about her, and had simply assumed the Knights of Favonius were being deceived by Eula.
But once Fang Qiu's The Eternal had appeared, after Mondstadt's citizens saw the life of Rose — a noble herself, helpless against her circumstances, cruelly oppressed —
The hostility toward Eula as a member of the Lawrence Clan didn't seem quite so fierce anymore, and quite a few people were saying they'd be willing to try to understand Eula's past.
And it was said that on the book's release day, Lord Barbatos had been the very first person in line to buy The Eternal.
That had also caused not a few of the others buying books that day to take notice of The Eternal.
There had to be a connection between these two things.
It was very likely that Lord Barbatos knew the contents of that book, and to help Eula— no, to change the entrenched prejudices of Mondstadt's citizens, he had deliberately leveraged his own influence to go buy The Eternal.
And now, here he was, openly procuring so many of Fang Qiu's books from Albert right in front of her — clearly, there was a deeper meaning to that as well.
"Jean, isn't your work all wrapped up for now? What are you still mulling over?"
Lisa said: "If we're going to wander the streets, we ought to wander them properly."
"My apologies."
Jean shook her head and said: "Oh — Lisa, once we're done strolling, could you keep me company while I read?"
"Oh?"
Lisa arched a brow and said: "Which one will it be, then?"
"Let's go with Your Lie in April."
Glancing over at Venti, who had sat down on a long bench near the fountain — he'd rifled through his pile of books, picked out Your Lie in April, and begun to read — Jean said.
"No problem."
Lisa gave a placid smile and said.
Barbara, meanwhile, gave her elder sister a faintly thoughtful glance.
"Fang Qiu's books? I'll buy myself a set later too, then, and give them a read."
Barbara murmured softly to herself: "Still — to think my sister would like the books I gave her."
At that thought, Barbara couldn't help giving a soft smile.
"Your Lie in April? Klee wants to read too."
Klee said.
"This sort of book is still a little too early for you, Klee."
Lisa said with a smile: "Besides, this afternoon weren't you going with Kaeya to that merchant's place to check on the progress of your Jumpy Dumpty doll replica?"
"All right then."
Klee said.
"All right, all right, let's not dawdle. If we delay any longer, that bubble tea Barbara was talking about is going to sell out."
Lisa smiled and said.
"It's the magnificent Melancholy Dreamlike Coral Bubble Tea."
Barbara added.
"Mm."
Jean nodded, then walked off toward Cat's Tail together with Lisa.
And meanwhile.
Diona, who had the day off today, was staring fretfully at the long line stretching out in front of the bookshop.
These past few days, Cat's Tail had been packed full of drinkers.
Even when they couldn't get a seat, more than a few had simply bought their alcohol and then taken it outside the tavern to drink.
Each and every one of them looked miserable, drowning their sorrows in liquor. Every single day on the streets, you could see plenty of dead-drunk wretches.
Yesterday she had even come across a man kneeling in front of the statue of Lord Barbatos.
She'd initially thought the man was confessing.
But once she'd gone over to look, it turned out he'd drunk himself so utterly senseless that he'd collapsed and fallen asleep right there, kneeling at the foot of Lord Barbatos's statue.
A copy of Fang Qiu's Your Name sat beside his hand.
His drool had even dripped onto the statue's feet, and he was mumbling something in his sleep — "the speed of a falling meteor is... what should I use to save you..."
That accursed Fang Qiu!
She was furious!
In order to figure out exactly why Fang Qiu's books had such devastating power, she decided she'd buy a set too and give them a read.
Only after she'd figured it out could she think up a way to fight back against Fang Qiu!
She'd see for herself just what was so special about Fang Qiu's books!
Just as she clenched her little fist, walked over to the back of the long queue, and got in line — she saw Jean and Lisa's group walk right into Cat's Tail.
At that sight, Diona was stunned all over again, and her little fist clenched tighter still.
"To think that after just a few days, Acting Grand Master Jean is going to the tavern to drink again. And — never mind Miss Lisa — this time she's even brought along Miss Barbara, and even little Klee on top of that? Little Klee surely isn't old enough to be drinking yet? Mm... Acting Grand Master Jean and the others should at least have a sense of moderation."
Diona looked distressed all over and said: "But even Acting Grand Master Jean, as serious as she is — in just these few days, she's been to Cat's Tail twice already to drink... Is Mondstadt City really beyond saving?"
"No! The mission of saving Mondstadt can only be entrusted to me — defeat the Demon King Fang Qiu!"
Diona clenched her fist and said.
Only — as she stood in the queue, she suddenly spotted, at the front of the line, a townsman from Springvale.
"Is that him...?"
At the sight of him, Diona went blank for a moment — and then she remembered something!
It seemed she'd asked him to deliver a set of Fang Qiu's books to her dad!
These past few days, she'd been at Cat's Tail and hadn't gone back to Springvale!
At that thought, Diona panicked.
She couldn't be bothered to wait in line anymore. She raced straight to the relay station, then climbed onto a wagon and rushed all the way back to Springvale.
Time drifted slowly on.
By the time she made it back to Springvale, it was already afternoon.
She climbed down from the wagon and ran straight to her house. She slid the key in, pushed the door open — and looked.
Her father was slumped over among the empty wine bottles, and on the desk in front of him was a stack of Fang Qiu's books, piled high.
One of them had been turned to about halfway through.
"Dad, are you all right?"
Diona's expression shifted at once. She rushed forward and propped her father up.
"Oh, it's Diona. Daddy's... fine. I can still drink more."
Durav, his face flushed bright red from drinking, opened his eyes with great effort when he heard Diona's voice. Looking at the worry-stricken Diona, he slurred his words.
Even as he spoke, he was wiping at his eyes, which were also bright red — clearly not just from the drinking.
Diona helped her father over to the bed, and began to prepare him some sobering tea.
As she waited for the water to come to a boil — watching her father lying there on the bed like some hog wallowing in a mudpit — Diona once again clenched her fists.
Stiffened, the fists were stiff!
She had to find a way to bring down the Mondstadt liquor industry.
In the past, the greatest obstacle to destroying the Mondstadt liquor industry had been the owner of Angel's Share — the man in charge of Dawn Winery, Diluc.
But now, it had become Fang Qiu.
Diluc might sell alcohol, but the most he could do was produce better alcohol, or run some discount promotions, or set up buy-one-get-one events to lure drinkers in to drink.
Fang Qiu was different. Her books, in a near-savage manner, were compelling every single person to head to the taverns to drink.
And on top of that, the number of drinkers was multiplying by the day. Never mind Diluc's Angel's Share — even Lady Margaret over at Cat's Tail was considering opening branch locations, or setting up an open-air bar outside Mondstadt City, which would let her sell alcohol without even occupying interior space — a stroke that would pay back ten thousand for every coin spent.
This absolutely could not go on!
The people of Mondstadt City were going to be ruined at the hands of the Demon King Fang Qiu!
Listening to her father's rolling about on the bed and his pitiful little whimpers, Diona let out a long breath. She had decided — she would read Fang Qiu's books carefully and then come up with a way to counter Fang Qiu.
She glanced at the books resting on the table, then looked through the window in the direction of Liyue, and clenched her fist with a look of firm resolve.
Toppling Fang Qiu was a matter of utmost urgency!
And meanwhile, far away in Liyue.
"Ah-choo."
Sitting in a chair by the sea, feeling the sea breeze, Fang Qiu couldn't help letting out a sneeze.
"What's wrong? Did you catch a chill?"
Shenhe, sitting across from her, couldn't help asking.
"It's nothing."
Fang Qiu gave a soft smile and said.
At the same time, she felt a little strange — why on earth had she suddenly sneezed?
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