"Lastly, I want to thank our reliable companions, Lumine and Paimon. Though they were merely travelers caught up in the dragon calamity by chance, they offered us great help. Without Lumine purifying the curse of the poisoned blood, our Stormterror might still be suffering. A toast to both of you!"
After Jean finished her speech, the atmosphere loosened up. Everyone began to eat, drink, and play at their leisure. Those who were full wandered off to have fun, and no one minded.
Noelle, though a guest, instinctively started tending to others again. When Kaeya finished his wine, she was already there refilling his glass. When Klee tried to sneak a sip of alcohol, Noelle dashed over to stop her.
Cyrus and Diluc were discussing future cooperation between Dawn Winery and the Adventurers' Guild. The two already collaborated in many areas. During the recent monster-clearing campaign led by the Knights of Favonius, Cyrus had been impressed with the combat discipline of the winery guards and hoped to hire some to train the guild's adventure teams.
Amber, Eula, and Sucrose were planning a trip to the hot springs in Dragonspine. Unsurprisingly, it was Eula's idea.
Lumine sat beside Keqing to ask about the situation in Liyue. She hadn't found any clues about Aether in Mondstadt, so her next destination was to consult the Geo Archon, Morax.
Keqing informed her that the annual Rite of Descension would soon take place in Liyue, during which the Geo Lord would appear publicly. She offered to introduce Lumine personally.
Barbara, worried, came to Jean and reminded her not to overdrink.
Lisa and Rosaria, two habitual work-dodgers, sat drinking in a corner, both looking quite melancholy.
Lisa: "Just the thought of waking up early for work tomorrow ruins the mood…"
Rosaria: "Compared to boring church events, I'd rather return to the battlefield."
They exchanged glances and sighed deeply at the same time.
Albedo was pestering Paimon with jokes like, "I hope I can study your body's structure. If I could dissect you, that would be even better… What? You'd die? Don't worry, you can absolutely trust my technique."
The little one was nearly scared to tears.
In comparison, Shen Qin was the busiest of all. People kept approaching him with drinks. Not much of a drinker, he eventually escaped to the balcony to get some air and clear his head.
"You too, huh?" Venti leaned on the railing, bottle in hand, gazing at the lively street beyond Angel's Share.
All of Mondstadt was celebrating today, not just their group. Feasts and parties filled the city with festive cheer.
"I'm really... not good with alcohol," Shen Qin sighed. Those guys were definitely doing it on purpose, no sooner had he put down a glass than someone else came with a toast. He didn't even have time to grab a bite. Now, with his stomach full of nothing but wine, he couldn't eat even if he wanted to.
"Good thing, Lord Diluc only gave us small glasses. If they were toasting you with bottles, you'd have nowhere to cry," Venti chuckled, raising his bottle.
Shen Qin shot him a glare but stayed quiet. They simply stood there in silence, watching the lights of the city below.
"It's wonderful," Venti mused. "At first, I thought I awoke from my slumber because Mondstadt was facing another great upheaval. But who would've thought the Stormterror crisis would pass so safely, and the city would suffer so little loss?"
He glanced over at Shen Qin. "Back when it first attacked, I hadn't regained my full power. I could only do my best to minimize the damage. Thankfully, you were there at the gates, holding off the monsters."
"Later, you created the Skyshield System, the Bolter Rifle, and the Sun's Annihilator. Not only did you help end the crisis, but you also multiplied Mondstadt's strength. I really don't know how I can ever repay you."
"Haven't you already paid me?" Shen Qin reminded him, he was referring to the Gnosis.
"That was just a gift I gave you."
"These were also gifts I gave to Mondstadt."
Venti smiled and said no more. Seeing that his bottle was empty, he turned to leave the balcony.
"The wind of Mondstadt will always bless and protect you."
Shen Qin stood alone, watching as a bard on the street began playing a tune. Strangers who likely didn't know each other joined hands and danced to the rhythm. Their laughter carried far into the wind.
The party ended around 9 PM. Most people had work tomorrow, and with all the wine they'd consumed, it was best to head home early.
Shen Qin returned home, cleaned up, and went to bed. After the dragon disaster, he'd barely had any rest. Now that the pressure had lifted, exhaustion finally caught up.
From a little past ten, he slept for twelve full hours. Upon waking, he instinctively sat down at his workbench, only to pause for a few seconds before realizing he had no new projects.
"This damned habit!" he muttered and gave himself a light slap. Thinking about working even during downtime? Totally unreasonable.
After breakfast at Good Hunter, he went to the inn to find Keqing, they had arranged to meet today.
"Master Shen! I thought you'd only be free this afternoon!" Keqing waved at him with a smile, and Shen Qin was momentarily stunned by her outfit.
Instead of her usual Liyue battle attire, she wore a berry-red, Mondstadt-style knee-length dress layered over a short-sleeved white blouse. A khaki belt hugged her waist perfectly, and short leather boots reaching mid-calf added a playful flair.
"That outfit really suits you," Shen Qin complimented sincerely.
"Doesn't it? I think so too." She spun cheerfully in front of him.
"You know, after seeing you so often in your work mode, it's refreshing to see you in something so casual."
"I'm not always working!" Keqing sighed. "This dress was a gift from Jean. She has surprisingly good fashion sense."
'Jean? Good taste?' Shen Qin recalled every time he'd seen Jean, it was always in her Knights of Favonius uniform, constantly working. He couldn't remember a single time she'd been relaxing.
Maybe, once, she loved wearing nice clothes too. But ever since becoming Acting Grand Master, she never had the chance.
"What is it?" Keqing asked, noticing him spacing out.
"Nothing," Shen Qin returned to his senses. "Let's get down to business. What did you want to talk about?"
"Let's talk as we walk," Keqing said, heading toward the nearby fountain plaza. She gestured for him to follow. "Would you be open to accepting custom alchemical commissions?"
"Custom-made?" Shen Qin asked, unsure what she meant.
"You know. If we provide specific requirements, can you develop tailored alchemical products? Naturally, we'll supply all necessary funds and materials."