In Mondstadt, alcohol was an essential drink. No matter the time, people always loved getting together for a drink.
Especially the mercenaries. In some cases, alcohol was their lifeline. There was no doubt about it.
The Angel's Share was Mondstadt's most famous tavern. No matter the time, their sales and customers were the highest.
That was an impressive achievement. But the Angel's Share seemed to have run into a problem. Actually, it was a problem for all of Mondstadt.
Because of the dragon disaster, many of the Angel's Share's wines were out of stock. Their competitors were thrilled. People always loved seeing their rivals struggle.
Among them, the Cat's Tail Tavern took the chance to run a discount promotion. Their sales did go up, but they still fell short of the Angel's Share.
After all, the Angel's Share was directly supplied by the Dawn Winery, and with Master Diluc at the helm, not many could surpass it.
Even though they couldn't beat the Angel's Share in sales, the Cat's Tail Tavern had its own charm. Their bartender, Diona, was one of the most famous names in the drinking world.
Since hiring Diona, the Cat's Tail's business had improved a lot. Diona was the type who, no matter how you messed around, would still end up making a great drink.
Too bad Miss Diona hated alcohol, especially the red-haired tavern owner.
---
Meow~ Meow~ Meow~
As soon as she got near the Cat's Tail Tavern, Bonanus heard soft cat calls. Looking closely, she could see cute cats lying around everywhere.
They were all Diona's friends.
"Wow, there are even more cats here than I remembered. Can the owner even take care of them all?" Bonanus squinted at the tavern. The variety of cats around was impressive.
"Probably not. Ms. Margaret's cats always run away. I've lost count of how many times I've had to find them." Noelle rubbed her head.
Even Acting Grand Master Jean had been called out to look for them.
"As much as I hate to say it, Ms. Margaret can be a bit inconsiderate sometimes." Noelle shook her head.
Even she had trouble dealing with Margaret sometimes.
"Doesn't matter. We're not here for her anyway." Bonanus put her hands on her hips, looked around a little more, and headed straight for the tavern door.
Noelle followed behind her. Cats kept jumping onto Noelle, all of them recognizing her from her past help.
"Ah, Dot, your cold is better! Oriz, don't bite my ear!"
Soon Noelle was covered in cats, looking like a gentle mother taking care of her children.
"The cats really love you, Noelle." Bonanus said, surprised. Not only did Noelle have connections with people, she also had connections with cats.
"I'm sure they'll love you too, Sister. You're very gentle." Noelle smiled back.
Bonanus just shook her head at that. She wasn't so sure. In her previous life, she loved petting cats.
She loved it so much that cats would run away the moment they saw her. When she caught them, they would look like they had given up on life.
But this wasn't her previous life. She would have to control herself. If she got labeled a freak, that would be the ultimate social death.
---
Inside the Cat's Tail Tavern
As soon as they entered, Bonanus heard some pleasant music and the unique scent of cats.
The tavern had a light fragrance that smelled wonderful. The place was very clean, with no stains or trash.
The interior of the Cat's Tail was bright and sunny, beautiful and elegant. It gave people a relaxing feeling.
"Welcome. Find a seat anywhere." A grumpy voice greeted them. It was Diona.
Diona looked unhappy, her furry paws lazily mixing drinks. She seemed very distracted.
What was wrong? Was Diona depressed because she failed to make a bad drink again?
Impossible. Diona wouldn't give up until she made the worst drink ever.
With that thought, Bonanus sat down at the bar with Noelle. She propped her chin on her hand and asked curiously,
"You look unhappy, Miss. Is there anything we can help with?"
Diona looked up at the sound. The person before her didn't have a familiar scent. Another foreigner.
But she looked underage. The tavern didn't serve minors.
"Sorry, miss. The Cat's Tail doesn't serve minors. If you're here to 'try it out for fun,' you should give up now."
Diona looked annoyed. After stating the rules, she continued, "You're so young. How can you touch that disgusting stuff? Alcohol is bad. I suggest you stay away from it."
Bonanus rubbed her forehead at Diona's words. Being called young by such a small girl felt so strange.
She was actually thousands of years old. She was way past drinking age. It felt like she was being looked down on.
Just as she was about to explain, Diona's tone shifted from calm to angry. She pointed at Bonanus.
"How could you bring Noelle here to drink?! How could you lead her astray?!"
Bonanus immediately knew the cat had misunderstood. Noelle looked just as startled.
"Miss Diona, you've got it wrong. We're not here to drink." Bonanus smiled. Diona looked so cute when she was angry and puffed up.
"Not drinking? Then why are you here?" Diona raised an eyebrow, putting down her shaker.
"And don't think you can get close to me just because you don't drink. Give up now." Diona crossed her arms, in full "no drunks allowed" mode.
"Before we talk, can we get two glasses of juice? We're really thirsty." Bonanus looked at Diona with big, blinking eyes.
Diona nodded slightly, pulled out a bottle of apple juice from under the counter, and poured them each a glass. As long as it wasn't alcohol, juice was fine.
"Thank you! Can you come closer? This is a big secret." Bonanus took a sip of her juice and motioned for Diona to lean in.
Curious, Diona tilted her head. The woman was being so mysterious. What was she up to?
Diona leaned on the counter, stood on a stool, and brought her ear closer.
"The secret is the recipe for the worst drink ever~"