In Search for the Lost Osmanthus Wine

Chapter 2: Meeting Friends:

As Zhongli (whilst giving Childe a piggyback), Venti, and Jean began to make their way to Dragonspine. They ended up meeting with some others, “Greetings I, the Prinzessin der Verurteilung, sovereign of the Immernachtreich, hereby hear the complaints of thee?”

Mona sighed, “Why thee for I seem to be in a predicament.”

“What unfortunate events have unfolded for thy to not see clear into the night sky?” Mona cleared her throat, “I- I…”

“Hmm?” Fischl Looked at Mona. “Megistus, what is wrong with thou?”

“For I have lost my “Der Weisheit Letzter Schluss”..” Fischl gasped, “Thou should not worry I, Prinzessin der Verurteilung shall make you a new dish!” Mona smiled, giggling as she covered her mouth.

“I thank you for your hospitality.. But I can remake the dish.”

Before Fischl could talk Jean quickly cuts in, “What’re you guys doing here?” Offended, Fischl gasped, whipping her head to the abrupt intervention of her conversation, “For what do you think you’re doing interrupting my spoken words?”

Jean cleared her throat before being pushed aside, “There you two are!” Venti yelled as he stomped to Fischl, she raised an eyebrow, “You stole my lyre and pretended it was some sort of bird?!”

“Hmph! Thou shall not leave their things lying on the ground where people can pick them up.” She pouts as she places her hands on her hips. Venti shook his head as he sighed, “Enough about this situation.. But we still have a long way to go to Dragonspine.” Fischl perks up.

“Dragonspine you speak of! For I am sovereign of the Immernachtreich was to go there for my cold platter delicacy.” She drags her hand in front of her trailing it down the side of her face. Zhongli nodded, “You can join us for our walk, I will appreciate your company”

Fischl laughed, “Of course ye subjects are all welcomed on my journey.” She glances at Mona. “We should continue our conversation as we walk.”

And there the two have now joined in. As they continue their journey a blood curdling howl was heard deep in the woods. Jean gasped, pulling her sword out of its sheath, “Someone is in desperate need of help!” She quickly dashes off, leaving the others.

“Should we go after her?” Venti asked, Zhongli shrugged, “I suppose not, for this journey is more important to me.” Venti nods before walking behind Zhongli. Venti sighed before a devilish smirk appeared on his face again, he pulled out a marker from who knows where before drawing silly drawings on Childe's back.

As snow began to plop down and briefly touch their noses was the time where Childe woke up, he gasped before groaning, snuggling closer to the pillow, “My head…” Zhongli smiled before dropping Childe off of his back; making sure he didn’t fall, of course.

“Are you feeling alright Childe? I knew I shouldn’t have let you out of the cooler.” Childe smiled, “I’m fine, hahhh the nice fresh breeze of wintery Snezhnaya-”

“We aren’t in Snezhnaya, Tartaglia. Stupid fatui” Mona grumbled, “Em, right..” Childe scratched the back of his neck before looking around, “Why are we here anyway?”

“My Osmanthus Wine..” Zhongli looked down with a frown. “My one true love is here.” Childe cringed before rolling his eyes, “Alright you weirdo.. Let’s get you that Osmanthus Wine. After that I have more important things to do than this. And I thought Guizhong was your one true love.”

Without hesitation Zhongli basically yells into Childe’s ear, “DON’T TALK ABOUT HER LIKE THAT YOU BRATTY CHILD!” Childe sobs, “Why everywon swo mwean two mwe~”

As they walk in the snow they hear a sniffle, “Did you hear that?” Mona asked before looking around, “Hm.. If you are to say yes, that is correct… It sounds like a commoner is crying.” Fischl mumbled.

“This way.” Mona guided them through the cold winter gush of snow to find someone munching on the white snow. Thankfully it was not yellow snow thank Lord Barbatos. Zhongli could feel his eyes widen. His son who he left by saying he forgot to buy milk for the groceries was in the cold wintery breeze.

Xiao, the adeptus. Zhongli slightly hides his face, he could feel tears prick his eyes. He wanted osmanthus wine not a heartbreaking reunion with his snow muncher. Childe notices Zhongli’s sudden change in emotion, “Hey girlie, what’s wrong?” He asked before being punched in the face.

As he fell to the ground, his hands behind him he stared confusedly at Zhongli as he sniffed his nose from the blood, “It is none of your business!” He yelled, catching the attention of the snow munchie.

Xiao stared at his dad with shock as he stood up and yelled, “Hey dad! Have you found the milk yet?” Zhongli pokerface looked up before down towards Childe. Quickly he pulls him up, presenting him to the adeptus.

“Yes, I have.” Xiao tilted his head, “What- that isn’t milk-”

“It can be.” Childe shoved his hand in Zhongli’s face pushing him away with a red face he yells like a child, “I’M NOT YO MOMMA OR YO MILK FROM THE GROCERY STORE.” He crossed his arms as he huffed and pouted.

Zhongli shook his head, “I should return the milk, it’s spoiled.” Mona stifles her laugh as her cheeks puffed up, Fischl rolls her eyes, “Why shall I Prinzessin der Verurteilung care for thy problem? Now carry along, my adventure awaits.” She crosses her arms before whipping her head.

Mona sighed with a smile, “Yes your majesty..”

As Xiao tags along asking his dear old man questions about how long he took and why it took so long to get the milk, Zhongli replied with ‘certain complications came across my path, but fear not I did not abandon you my dear child. I knew you were going to be here, I came for you.’

Xiao kept staring at the ginger haired man, he asked, “So when can we have some milk, all I’ve been eating- or drinking was water. And is she my mom”

Childe whips his head screaming, “I’M NOT MILK OR YO MOMMA GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEAD KID!”

Zhongli laughed knowing That Childe was well, a child in this situation (being the youngest throughout the three of them), “Don’t worry my son, we will find proper food soon, for now take my bamboo shoots I have stored for this occasion.”

As Xiao is now munching on his bamboo shoots they walk uphill on the cold rocky mountains, the uneven ground makes it hard to grip, their shoes soaked with wet snow, they shiver in the cold. Except for Childe and Xiao.

“How much longer?” Mona whined as she sniffled again, cold from the winter breeze. Zhongli hums as he looks off into the foggy distance, “I can’t be certain but it should be near, right Venti?” There was no answer.

“Venti?” Zhongli looked in the wind as it guided him up towards the mountains. “Perhaps it's up there.” The winds whistle and turn as it guides them, like the lord himself was there present with them.

As they reached the next layer, they decided to take a break and there Venti was chatting with someone whistling with a leaf. But not long after Venti jumped up in a seemingly fit of anger he began yelling to the innocent child who mindlessly blew on his leaf.

“Venti,” The kid said before pointing to Zhongli. As Venti turned around he began to stifle a laugh, “Pfmmhhhmh…” Zhongli raised a brow, “What’s so funny?” He asked before looking around, “This is the right way to find the Osmanthus Wine.. Right.” Venti began to laugh, clutching his stomach as he wiped away some tears.

“Oh boy did I get you wrapped around my finger~” He teased as he chuckled. Zhongli narrowed his eyes, “What do you mean by that?” He asked curiously. Venti waved him off, “Did you really think I knew where this “Osmanthus Wine” was?”

Zhongli sighed before looking at the sky, snow which acted like raindrops on this cold sombre winter day.

“THIS, IS ORDER!”

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”