Chapter 313: Paimon's Painful Sacrifice
What Venti cherished was not merely the exquisite vintage swirling in his cup, but the vibrant, chaotic warmth permeating the tavern. He loved the unhindered banter with his people, the clinking of mugs, and the lively, comforting pulse of the City of Freedom's daily life. To the Anemo Archon, these ordinary moments—a god sharing a drink with mortals—were infinitely more precious than sitting alone in Celestia, sipping divine nectar in sterile silence.
As the bard let his thoughts drift, the Endless Wine Goblet resting in his palm seemed to connect with his mood. The ornate chalice shimmered with a soft, ethereal light. Without him even tilting it, a stream of clear, amber liquid—carrying a crisp, mouth-watering aroma of fermented sunsettias and sweet flowers—flowed smoothly from its brim into a waiting glass.
He raised the freshly filled cup toward Lumine and Paimon, his gaze sweeping over the peaceful, harmonious expanse of Mondstadt spread out below them. A deeply contented smile curved his lips.
"Come! To this unexpected joy, and to our eternal friendship and freedom—cheers!"
Hovering nearby, Paimon watched Venti's utterly blissful expression. A loud gulp echoed from her throat. Her large, starry eyes locked onto the amber liquid, sparkling with an instinctive, ravenous longing for anything that qualified as 'high-quality food.'
She rubbed her little hands together, a shamelessly fawning smile stretching across her face as she drifted right up to Venti's nose. "Um... Venti, could you... could you let Paimon have just a tiny taste? Just a little sip! Paimon promises not to drink too much!"
Catching Lumine's warning glare, the fairy hastily waved her hands, her voice pitching an octave higher. "Paimon doesn't want to drink alcohol, oh! It's just... it's just that Paimon is very, very curious about such amazing food... uh, drink-type items! Yes, purely academic curiosity!"
Venti couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of the little guide, clearly salivating but forcefully making terrible excuses. He waved his free hand with exaggerated generosity.
"Of course, no problem at all, Little Paimon. Such joyous occasions are always more fun when shared with friends!" He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Once I head back and properly study the mechanics of this Endless Wine Goblet, I'll divide the Origin-Returning Brew and a few other suitable spiritual wines into smaller portions. I'll toss them right into the Chat Group's warehouse."
He winked at Lumine. "By then, not just you, but anyone in the group who's interested can have a taste!"
Then, the bard paused. A wicked glint of mischief flashed in his bright emerald eyes. Leaning in close, he deliberately lowered his voice to a mysterious, theatrical whisper. "However, Paimon, I must solemnly remind you—minors are strictly forbidden from consuming alcohol!"
He wagged a finger in front of her nose. "This is an ironclad rule that applies across all of Teyvat, and even across many other worlds in our group. Just think about the consequences! If you accidentally get drunk, your little head will get all muddle-headed. And if you get dizzy... your 'Paimon's Star' might just start doing drunken boxing!"
Venti gasped dramatically, throwing his hands up. "Wow, what a terrifying sight that would be! A hulking, muscular spirit with immense strength and the ability to stop time, completely inebriated! Even Lumine and I combined probably couldn't stop it from ripping the roof right off the Favonius Cathedral!"
The starry sparkle in Paimon's eyes instantly shattered. The sheer terror of "minors forbidden from drinking" combined with the apocalyptic mental image of her Stand tearing down Mondstadt's most sacred building hit her like a physical blow.
Her active imagination immediately conjured the chaotic scene: herself floating dizzily in the air, hiccuping, while the towering, hyper-muscular Paimon's Star wildly swung its massive fists, shattering stained glass and toppling stone pillars in a drunken frenzy.
A full-body shiver wrecked her tiny frame. "Uh... that... that actually makes a lot of sense..."
She shrank her neck like a frightened turtle. The lingering curiosity for the spiritual wine was instantly annihilated by the threat of catastrophic property damage. She backed away, waving her hands frantically.
"Then, then let's not! Paimon is a law-abiding guide! We can talk about drinking alcohol when Paimon finally grows up!"
Having successfully deterred the fairy from a life of underage drinking, Venti smiled in amusement. He watched as the easily distracted little guide quickly shifted her attention back to her system interface, excitedly counting the spoils from her recent ten-pull gacha.
Moments later, a skill orb radiating a soft, pulsing blue light materialized in the air, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
[Appraisal (Blue Quality)]
[Description: A supportive skill boasting both immense practicality and high growth potential. As the name suggests, activating this skill allows the wielder to deeply "understand" the relevant information of targeted items.
The level of detail provided is directly correlated with the wielder's mental strength, existing knowledge reserve, and overall proficiency with the skill.
In the initial stages, the user may only be able to identify basic information, such as an item's name and primary material. As the skill levels up, it can decipher the item's origin, manufacturing process, hidden functions, and even the historical traces and stories embedded within it.
Note: For items possessing excessively high energy levels, conceptual rules, or a strong independent will, the appraisal effect will be greatly reduced and may even fail entirely. Knowledge is the foundation of everything.]
Paimon reached out, and the blue orb dissolved into streaks of light that merged smoothly into her chest. She blinked, feeling a sudden, wonderful influx of conceptual knowledge blooming in her mind.
She pumped her tiny fists, practically vibrating with excitement. "Does this mean that if we pick up something weird and unrecognizable in the future, Paimon will know exactly what kind of treasure it is just by staring at it?!"
Venti's eyes lit up with sudden inspiration. "Oh, it's far more than just amazing!"
Slipping effortlessly into his evocative, dramatic poet's persona, he spun around. "This is simply a treasure-hunting... ah, excuse me, an exploration artifact tailor-made just for you, Paimon!"
"Just imagine it!" Venti continued, his voice dripping with honeyed temptation. "Once you master this skill to a high level, you can take a leisurely stroll through the sprawling antique markets of Liyue Harbor—"
He spread his arms wide, making a grand gesture as if physically embracing a mountain of gold. "Those priceless treasures hidden beneath layers of dust! Those ancient heirloom antiques that foolish stall owners treat as ordinary junk! All of it will be laid bare before your absolute 'discerning eye'!"
He leaned in, whispering the magic words. "Bargain hunting, Paimon. Crazy bargain hunting! By then, rivers of countless Mora will flow directly into your pockets... Oh, and the Traveler's pockets too, of course."
Venti placed a hand over his heart, looking pitiful. "But, Grandmaster Paimon, when you strike it rich, please don't forget me! Spare a coin for the poor, starving bard who illuminated this golden path for you today!"
The "get-rich-quick" blueprint Venti painted was so vivid, so utterly intoxicating, that Paimon's little head practically short-circuited. The phrase "countless Mora" echoed in her skull on an endless loop.
Her eyes genuinely seemed to project the golden, glowing symbol of Mora. A dopey, uncontrollable grin stretched across her face, and she unconsciously murmured to herself.
"Mora..." she giggled. "Hehehe... endless Mora... Paimon is going to be the absolute richest guide in all of Teyvat..."
Seeing her companion completely fooled by the bard's silver tongue—to the point where she was visibly calculating the logistics of sweeping Liyue's black market—Lumine finally had enough.
"Paimon—!" Lumine called out, raising her voice.
She stepped forward and waved a hand rapidly in front of the daydreaming fairy's face, forcibly dragging her back from the ocean of capitalist imagination.
"It's fine to just occasionally use this skill to help us identify unknown dungeon loot," Lumine said, helplessly massaging her temples. She shot a dry glare at Venti, who was secretly snickering behind his hand, before patiently turning back to her guide.
"Think about it, Paimon. If you really go to the antique market every single day and monopolize all the appraisal work..." Lumine sighed. "Then Zhongli would literally only have three things left to do with his life: walking his birds, listening to opera, and drinking tea. Do you really want to turn him completely into... well, a useless social recluse?"
"Oh! Right, right!" Paimon snapped out of her trance, vigorously slapping her own cheeks to clear the golden haze of greed.
"That Zhongli guy already has a massive tendency to slack off! If Paimon snatches away his last 'proper job' of appraising old rocks, then his title as the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's consultant will truly be a sham! No, no, we can't do that to him!"
Crossing her arms, Paimon heaved a heavy, theatrical sigh. She tilted her head up, her little face twisting into an expression of deep, painful sacrifice.
"Alas! It seems that to prevent Zhongli from devolving into a complete societal leech, Liyue's antique market will temporarily have to be deprived of a future appraisal grandmaster! What an absolute tragedy for the world of historical artifacts!"
Watching the floating fairy mourn the loss of her imaginary business empire, both Lumine and Venti couldn't hold back anymore, bursting into bright, ringing laughter that echoed across the plaza.
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