(T/N: Thoughts will be shown as '...' from now on.)
Angel's Share Tavern
Su Bai was gloomily sipping the wine personally mixed by Diluc inside Angel's Share. Although he had gotten his revenge, the problem of where to stay tonight remained. He, a distinguished adeptus, could hardly sleep on the streets.
"Su Bai, if you have nowhere to stay, you can stay at Angel's Share. I believe the Knights will deliver your compensation tomorrow."
Diluc poured himself a glass of grape juice, pulled out a chair, and sat down opposite Su Bai. Su Bai raised an eyebrow. This was indeed a good option, but after a moment's thought, he dismissed the idea. 'He didn't want to wake up smelling like alcohol.'
"Diluc, aren't you going to have a drink?"
"No. The Abyss Order's challenge is tonight. I'll just have a glass of grape juice with you."
"No wonder everyone in the tavern is from your Dawn Winery. What, expecting a probe tonight?"
Diluc nodded. He never left loose ends or vulnerabilities in his plans. His identity as the Darknight Hero couldn't be discovered by the Knights yet, or trouble would entangle him again. He hated trouble.
"Alright, need any help? I'm free anyway."
"That won't be necessary. A group of monsters won't cause any significant waves."
Diluc was fairly confident in his own strength. Seeing Diluc say this, Su Bai didn't press further. Diluc's abilities were indeed quite formidable.
"By the way, Su Bai, according to information from the person I have placed within the Knights, Eula and Yanfei are only casual friends. Eula probably wouldn't mention your misunderstanding to Yanfei."
Su Bai narrowed his fox-like eyes. 'Dammit, so that was what felt off! Whose family would widely publicize that their ancestor's tomb was robbed? That scoundrel Kaeya tried to trick him!'
Su Bai's thoughts suddenly cleared. 'To think, to think he was almost fooled by an ordinary human! Although he was almost tricked, gaining a friend like Eula wasn't bad.'
'Except Kaeya also seemed somewhat disrespectful to adepti. Combined with last time, asking right in front of him where to find white fox fur for an eye mask... now he had a reason to mess with Kaeya a little.'
"Thanks, Diluc. I wondered why Kaeya suddenly brought up Sister Yanfei. So that was the reason."
"It's nothing. I have a strong feeling Kaeya will come to Angel's Share tonight. You causing him trouble would actually be helping me."
Sometimes a man's intuition was remarkably accurate. At this very moment, Kaeya, having just finished his work, was eagerly setting off for the tavern. He didn't want to miss tonight's spectacle.
"Regardless, thank you. This talisman is for you. I made it myself. It will automatically deploy an Electro shield when you're in danger."
Su Bai placed a talisman shimmering with purple light on the counter. Diluc didn't stand on ceremony and tucked it into his robe. Such life-saving items were rare.
"Also, Diluc, could you help me look into the identities of those Vision-holding guards from the Lawrence clan? I have a feeling there's more to this."
"Alright. I'll have people keep an eye out."
Having received Diluc's reply, Su Bai had just opened the tavern door when, before he could react, Paimon 'thumped' right into his head. The sudden impact sent Paimon tumbling through the air head over heels.
"Yah! That hurts!"
"What's wrong, little Paimon? Did you eat Lumine's food again?"
Su Bai rubbed his reddened forehead. 'He was careless, didn't dodge. To think Su Bai would one day be ambushed by Paimon. This was a disgrace!'
"Su Bai, you're still here drinking?! Hurry, come with me! Our home was trashed!"
The frantic Paimon, seeing it was Su Bai who she crashed into, ignored the big bump on her head, grabbed Su Bai's arm, and started dragging him towards their lodgings. She seemed even more agitated than Su Bai.
"Alright, alright, little Paimon. I already know all about it."
"Huh? You already know?"
Paimon didn't quite understand Su Bai's words. At that moment, Lumine, holding her sword, walked out from around the corner. As she wasn't as fast as Paimon, she had sent Paimon ahead to tell Su Bai.
"Su Bai, do you know who did it? Let's go. I'll go with you to chop that guy into pieces. Darn it all, daring to trash my home? They've really got a death wish!"
Lumine was far more furious than Su Bai had imagined. She swung her Prototype Rancour so fast it seemed to leave afterimages. Paimon also waved her little fists, ready for a fight, though the big bump on her head made her look particularly comical.
"Alright, alright. I already know who did it."
Su Bai took out a special ointment for bruises and sprains from Baizhu from within his Vision's storage space and handed it to Lumine, gesturing for her to apply it to Paimon. Paimon now also felt the ache on her little head. She reached her short arms up, trying to touch the bump, but they were too short to reach. She could only look at Lumine with teary eyes.
"Lumine, you and Paimon stay at Angel's Share for tonight. I have some business to take care of tonight."
"Su Bai, do you need my help?"
Seeing Su Bai seemed very angry, Lumine assumed it was because their home was trashed. Thinking their free lodgings were gone just like that, her own fury was no less than Su Bai's. So when she heard Su Bai had business, her immediate assumption was that Su Bai was going to find the scoundrel who wrecked their place.
"Not this time. Didn't you agree to help Diluc? You'd better get going, or you might be late."
Su Bai didn't want Lumine to know he planned to mess with Kaeya a bit. 'He felt it was necessary to maintain a certain image in his friends' minds.'
Lumine remembered she did promise to help Diluc tonight and felt some regret. But Paimon had no intention of letting the person who destroyed her comfy bed off the hook. She waved her little fists, looking fiercely cute.
"Su Bai, you have to give that guy a good beating! Paimon is so mad!"
Lumine seemed to think of something, pulling a few Wolfhooks from her pocket and handing them to Su Bai. Having never seen this type of fruit before, Su Bai curiously felt the small barbs on it. They weren't very sharp, quite interesting.
"Su Bai, you have to properly teach that jerk a lesson! Best make sure he remembers it for a long time! This fruit can stop bleeding. After you're done beating him, use it to stop the bleeding. Don't cause a fatality."
Su Bai's mouth twitched. 'Good heavens, Lumine was a tough one too!' The two, on completely different wavelengths, exchanged a few more words before Su Bai, feeling rather alarmed, prepared to bid farewell. 'This woman was terrifying! He just wanted to mess with Kaeya a bit, but Lumine seemed to want to break his... third leg. Good grief, that was too harsh!'