Archon of Minus

Chapter 18:Wine gets people closer

After having a chase through the entire city, Kumagawa and Diluc had returned to the tavern where the others were. Diluc held the missing bottle in his hand, with a frown in his face.

However, they were no longer there. After being informed by the barman that they relocated at the Dawn Winery, they went immediatly.

Lumine:You two finally came.

Paimon:Lumine already put all the crystals in the lyre.

Jean: It is hard to believe such a thing is possible, until you've seen it with your own eyes.

Diluc:Interesting. And all those crystals were corrupted as the one Lisa came in contact with, correct? It's like filtering wine. The process is...Refreshing. However wicked the source of this miracle may be.

Kumagawa:[Eh? Are you still mad about that? Cone on, some exercisimg before ending this epic quest is a good thing, right? Beside, I gave you your bottle up.]

Diluc:Yes. But I wasn't interesed in the wine itself, it's content was what had such a high value.

Kumagawa:[Hey, you were the one who chased me through all the city. I had to drink something.]

Diluc:The value of that particular wine comes from it's highly alcoholic content. I'm still in awe of how you managed to chug it all up so fast, yet still managed to escape me at every corner.

Diluc sighed, massaging his temple. Now having calmed down, he thought about the situation more clearly.

Diluc:...Still, I suppose your deed higly outvalues your mischief. I'll think of that bottle as my payment to you for all those crystals.

Venti:The lyre's Anemo power seems fully restored. We should be able to use it now. It's all thanks to you, Kumagawa.

Kumagawa:[Eh...]

Kumagawa was a momentar lose for words. Being genuinly appreciated for something is still something very rare and weird to him, he's much more used to people pointing out his many vices.

Kumagawa:[...Um, you're welcome.]

Jean:Huh...

Jean and Lumine stared at him for a few moments. It's the first time they saw Kumagawa react like this.

Lumine thought especially hard about it. Despise having been with him the longest out of everyone in this world, she doesn't really know much about him.

Rather than being bashful for accompleshing a great deed, he seems unused to being taken, leaving him confused at hiw he should react. That only makes her more curious, what was his life like before they meet?

Jean:Now, where should we summon Stormterror? It must be away from the city, else there will be casualties should we fail. Perhaps here at the winery...

Diluc:If the winery was destroyed, it's not something I couldn't eventually fix, but...I'd still rather not go through the hassle.

Venti:The wind that blows at sea or in high places should be able to carry a bard's words far away. It's never going to work if the air is too dry or suffocating.

Paimon:Paimon understands. Sea or high places, right? Then the best location to play the lyre would be...

Lumine:In the sky? You could play the lyre as you're gliding through the air...

Jean:Even Amber would never think of doing such a thing...

Kumagawa:[Well, maybe gliding is difficult, but there are other ways...]

The first thing coming to Kumagawa's mind was to make a screw come out of the ground with a flat head big enough to act as a floor for all of them and extend it to the sky. That would certainly mkae it possible to use it from the sky.

Diluc: If you go east from Starfell Lake, there are mountains south of the beach.

Paimon:...Oh! You mean that beach you were snoring away on and Paimon had to wake you?

Diluc: If you head to where the cliff juts out...That place is known as Starsnatch Cliff.

Ah, there was an alternative. Kumagawa could still go with his idea, but decided against it.

Aether sure isn't anywhere around the Nation of Freedom, so they'll probably moce out to another nation soon after this whole fiasco is resolved. Might as well take the oportunity to visit tourist hotspots while they still have it.

Diluc: What do you think, bard? Meets the requirements, no?

Venti:Lemme think...Starsnatch Cliff...Alright, let's do it there.

Jean:Very well. Then let's meet at Starsnatch Cliff when we are ready. Please don't be late.

Paimon:Hee-hee! Yes, Ma'am!

Jean:Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to...

Everyone was getting ready in their own way. For Lumine and Diluc, that was to take a last maintainance check of their weapons.

Venti was simply looking at how everyone is doing, happy he may save his griend from his own grief. Kumagawa and Jean were at a table having an conversation, although Jean looked a bit under the weather.

Jean:I know I'm not here on official business, so why did I sound so stern just now? It seems I struggle to break out of work mode...

Kumagawa:[Maybe that's the main problem. You look to be focused on work. Maybe you should take a break.]

Jean:I can't do that. The Knights of Favonius were all very busy dealing with the aftermath of the incident. I'm a bit ashamed of myself for it...If only I was a stronger leader...Or at least good enough to boost the morale and the strength of our troops like our Grand Master does...No, I cannot feel sorry for myself. We need to solve our problems first. Right?

Kumagawa:[Then take a break after all of this is done. The Knighs have a lot of competent people, like Amber, Lisa or Kaeya. Or, do you not trust your owm subordinates?]

Jean:No, I...I just want to be good enough as an Acting Grand Master...

Kumagawa:[I don't think that means turning yourself into a machine to please everyone. I knew something like that once, and it only made her more and more inhuman...Well, we managed to give her a wake up call at the end of the elections.]

Jean:I...Perhaps you are right...

From the corner of his eye, Venti noticed Lumine syaring intensively at the two. He came from behind her to check up on it.

Venti:Now, what's that look for?

Lumine:I just...I've been trabeling with Kumagawa with sometime now, but I realized I don't really know anything about him...

Paimon:Lumine...

Venti:Well, that's what coversations are for, right? We can understand each ither better through them. I can tell that Kumagawa is a very guarded individual, yet his guard seems to drop when he's around you. Maybe all you have to do is ask? I'm sure you'll have lots of time to know each other better after all of this is over.

Lumine:I...You're right.

Lumine gave a rare smile at the idea. It seems she had made a decision.

Venti:And, hey, we already found out something new abou him!

Lumine:What?

Venti:That he's a heavyweight! To chug an high quality Mondstadtian wine like that...Mondstadt is famous for its wine. It's the city's most prized treasure, I'd say. Its dandelion wine is the best! Actually, the scent of dandelion in the wind alone is enough to get you drunk. Ah, I almost forgot that you're underage. Such a shame...But I fully intend to challenge Kumagawa to a drinking competition after!

Diluc:Not without paying upfront, you're not!