Later outside the temple
"You two seem quiet today." Noted Diluc, glancing at us.
"........" was our response.
"Also, I hope you can keep me updated about any news regarding this." Replied Diluc.
"Sure, no problem, Master Diluc." I replied.
"Sure, anything you say Master Diluc." Replied Paimon nervously.
"There's nothing to be scared about me." Sighed Diluc glancing at us.
"Yes, sir, I mean Master Diluc." Paimon replied quickly.
I almost tripped over in laughter.
Diluc once again had trouble trying to keep his serious expression. So he looked away when he smiled a tiny bit.
How cute. Wait, Why this thought again.
I suddenly realized, I have to tell him something else.
"Oh right, Master Diluc, I was going to tell you how a few Knights of Favonius are suspcious about the identity of the Dark Night." I began.
"This, I know is going to happen, I already have a plan." Replied Diluc.
"What's your plan?" I asked, curious.
"Come meet me at my manor tomorrow and I will tell you." Replied Diluc as he walked away.
"See you tomorrow." I waved as I walked back, towards the City of Monstadt.
"See you." Replied Diluc with a wave.
The next day
Paimon and I went to Diluc's manor to meet up about his plan.
"Hello, You made it." Replied Diluc, smiling a little.
"Good Afternoon, Master Diluc." I replied.
"Hello, good afternoon Master Diluc." Replied Paimon.
"Just call me Diluc." Replied Diluc as he ordered the maids to pour tea for us.
"Thanks for the tea." I replied before I drank it.
"Mmhmm, tastes nice." Goes Paimon.
"Care to ask you a favor?" Asked Diluc, glancing at me.
"Sure, anything." I replied.
"Could you please fetch me some Corola Mist flowers please?" Asked Diluc.
"Sure, I'll head out right now." I replied.
"Where do you usually find them?" Asked Paimon.
"Around the pond by Dawn Winery." Replied Diluc.
"Alright, thanks." I replied as I walked out of the door.
Paimon and I quickly found some mist flowers by the lake. After defeating a couple cryo and water slimes, we headed towards Diluc's manor.
"I'm going to find Diluc." I replied.
"I'm going to explore around this place." Decided Paimon.
I guwss Paimon decided to stay in the vineyard later to probably sneak around and eat grapes.
Chuckling at the thought, I stepped inside the manor with the mist flowers.
"Ah, your back." Replied Diluc, greeting me.
"Yep, and here are your lovely flowers." I replied, blushing a little.
Honestly this is the first time I was getting flowers for a guy. This creates a slightly warm feeling inside my heart.
"Thank you, but those aren't for me." Replied Diluc as he almost read my mind.
"Huh?" I asked.
"Those are for the slimes." He explained.
"What are we doing with the slimes?" I asked.
"You will find out soon." Replied Diluc as he let one of the butlers mix the mist flower into wine.
We walked out towards the front of the vineyard.
Diluc passed a bowl of what looked like sprinkles to me.
"This sweet aroma draws in slimes." He explained, and continued, "sprinkle a bit over there, careful not too much." He says.
"Alright." I replied as I took a bit of the sprinkles and let the sprinkly ingredients shower onto the ground.
I heard a stange squelching sound ahead of us.
A family of water, cryo and electro slimes had made their way down the mountainside.
I readied my sword and managed to successfully fight each of them.
"Now, I'll just sprinkle that to distract the nights while I continue the investigation." says Diluc from behind us.
"Smart plan." I commented.
"Smart and charming Master Diluc." Laughed Paimon from beside me, eating a grape.
"Paimon..." I go.
"Isn't he your prince charming." Teased Paimon, whispering.
I glared at Paimon and took the last grape out of her hand and ate it.
"Hey! Get your own!" Replied Paimon as she stomped cutely in the air.
I shrugged and followed Diluc back inside the manor.
Later that night at Angel's Share Tavern
Diluc was bar tending when Huffman walked in.
"He must be here to unreveal the identity of the Dark Knight hero." Paimon comments as she glared at Huffman.
Huffman greeted Diluc.
Then Charles left the tavern to sprinkle the sweet dust that attracts slime from the east gate.
Later that night
Suddenly, a knight ran in to see Huffman.
"Sir! There's a huge horde of slimes at East gate!" Yelled the knight.
"What?!" Asked Huffman, without thinking he ran out of the tavern.
Diluc then stopped drying the glass and gently placed it back onto the shelf.
"Finally." He sighs as he left from the backdoor of the tavern.
I followed Diluc, with Paimon floating behind.
We arrived at the front city gate of Monstadt.
Diluc took out his claymore and sent a flaming phoenix as he killed the hilichurls with ease.
"Dealing you will be the easy part." He smirks as he swung his claymore sword.
"Woah." Goes Paimon.
We helped with slaying the smaller hilichurls.
A hilichurl made its way towards Paimon, and slapped her from the air.
"Ah!" Yelled Paimon as she was sent spinning in the air in dizziness.
A mitachurl made its way towards us, Diluc jumped ahead and plunged his sword, along with his fire phoenix towards the mitachurl.
"Retribution!" He snarled as he sent the attack.
"Windblade!" I screamed as I knocked down the hilichurls and blockades.
Later Back at the tavern
Diluc and I returned to the tavern, as for Paimon, she landed on one of the shelves.
"I shouldn't have ate so much and fly around like that!" She yelled as she crashed into the shelf and just laid there for a bit.
"Thank you for your extra help." Diluc says to me as he took out a glass.
"No problem, it was nothing." I replied with a smile.
"Here." Diluc replied as he offered me a drink, "it's on me tonight." He smiled a little as he hands me the sweet dandelion wine.
"Thank you." I replied.
We heard an aplauding sound behind us, to fine Sir Kaeya walk out.
"Bravo Bravo!" Smirked Kaeya, "I must say tonight was quite an entertaining show, Master Diluc." He chuckles.
"You were here all along?" Asked Diluc, glaring at Kaeya.
"I had to see the Great Dark Knight Hero after all! Never thought it would be you." Kaeya replies with a smirk.
"If you on planning to drink more tonight Sir Kaeya, I'd leave." Growled Diluc.
"Though, it surprises me that the Great Dark Knight Hero asks for help." Chuckled Kaeya as he glanced at me.
"I remember it was only my workers and the traveler who were here to witness what happened tonight." Replied Diluc, as he continued to glare at Kaeya.
"It strangely warms me that you have someone to accompny on your adventures." Replies Kaeya as he placed a hand on his chest.
Hearing this, Diluc glared at Kaeya, but this time with beet red cheeks.
Wait, is Diluc blushing?!
Paimon tried not to laugh.
"Well, I hope you two have a good night, I'll see myself out." Replied Kaeya, waving at us with a wink and left.
"Don't mind him." Replied Diluc after Kaeya left.
"I guess you two never got along well?" I asked.
"It wasn't always like this, but nevermind." Replied Diluc.
"Are you two brothers?" I asked.
"Step-brothers." Replied Diluc.
"Anyways, I'm heading to LiYue soon, maybe tomorrow or next week." I began.
"Listen Y/N, I want to thank you for helping me and I usually prefer to work alone." Replied Diluc, glancing at me.
"You're welcome, anytime and it's understandable." I replied.
"If you need help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask." He replied to me.
"Thank you too." I replied with a smile.
Diluc returned a small smile before going back to his normal expression.
"Goodbye Y/N." He replied as I begin to leave the tavern.
"See you around, Master Diluc." I smiled as I left the tavern.