Diluc had always known how to play with fire.
Considering his vision was as blazing as his heart, it was never really seen through perfectly because of his calm exterior. The lone wanderer scavenged supplies near the Andrius' terrains of Wolvendom. Being a winery master and having a wide array of networks didn't mean he could simply slack off and let his workers take all the glory. He despised static movement more so than a certain individual he couldn't get along with.
Settling against the trunk of a Sunsettia tree, he gazed at the stars tiredly and counted them one by one. The constellations would show, even if they were invisible to him. A man can dream. After exploring the seven nations of the world, uncovering dark truths no man or child should ever go through, Diluc wanted to leave the past behind but there was no doubt he didn't deny it.
Now he hoped that this time of relaxation will lead to some daydreaming sanctuary. Unfortunately, a band of hilichurls accompanied with bows and clubs growled menacingly at the sleeping anti-hero. The bone at the front of their throats like semi-sized pebbles bobbing up and down at him. Their heads shook in an erratic manner as they crept closer.
"At least they're not slimes..." Why on the adepti's good green world would he go out of his way to hunt for small lamp grass for a woman he didn't see frequently? Did he grow exhausted of the winery's operations? To an extent, he did. Ironically, the man wasn't fond of liquor and introduced apple cider as a non-alcoholic beverage on the menu.
So much for a winery master.
"Come already, weaklings of the Fatui." He was suddenly itching for a spar to loosen his joints from all the stress recently. A little pyro aerodynamics wouldn't hurt.
The hilichurl at the front obliged by dashing maniacally at him with no proper strategy. The rest soon followed, scattering and letting loose with all the firepower they harbored in their swings. Diluc scoffed at their amateurish display of offense. Releasing a sigh, he ducked right under the first hilichurl's empty thrust. Extending a leg, Diluc swept the creature of its feet and summoned his all-too mighty claymore at its head, perfectly cutting the monster in eternal symmetry. All that was left were the cinders that floated in the sky.
The other three companions the hilichurl were with grew angered at the sight of their fallen comrade. They repeatedly kept swinging left and right, allowing Diluc to maneuver quite easily through the club crossfire of misses. He didn't even need to use his Vision for this battle. All he needed were timely hits and basic footwork.
This ultimately reminded him of his days back when he was a knight of Favonius. Back when his father was still up and kicking, telling him he was proud of his son. Suffering a little flashback in the heat of battle wasn't like Diluc but at the end of the day he was still human.
An arrow from a hilichurl's bow almost pierced through him. Diluc with the accuracy of a hawk, sliced through the hardwood and steel tip of that projectile, cut up into two as its range of motion died swiftly upon a fiery slash. He couldn't get enough rest, could he?
Using a meager amount of his power wouldn't hurt now. Channeling a swirling aura of fire from his shoulders to his fingertips, he conjured up a falcon-like embodiment of grace and destruction as he sent it flying to the band of hilichurls, powerfully causing an explosion of havoc and triumph.
Just like the first hilichurl, the rest also dissipated into nothingness. Diluc scoured the area for any more suspicious activity. Silence was as deadly as it is safe. He couldn't let his guard down at anything. The guy was probably more awake than the adeptis themselves when it comes to surveillance.
After minutes of walking around and examining the area, he concluded that he could take a quick break in Mondstadt temporarily. A woman's day of celebration called for his presence. Not that he was forced to go. It was close to Dawn Winery. That's the reason why he can fit it in his hectic schedule.
"What would an irksome woman want?" Small lamp grass. He could probably make something out of it. If he can attract slimes by concocting potions and mixing ingredients then he most certainly can make small lamp grasses far more capable.
~*~
"You're drowning yourself in your books again."
The acting grandmaster of the knights of Favonius flicked those words out like flies as she digested the reading material right at her hands. She squinted her eyes at words that weren't in her vocabulary. Jean Gunnhildr often asked Lisa to decode every single word or phrase she had trouble with when they were together.
It was either that or about the matters of the seven nations. As the city of peace, she needed to be more aware of the strife that's occurring in each region. What more with the role of being the acting grand master? She needed to learn everything before she turned in her grave and bid farewell to the world.
After the Stormterror incident, she was now able to fully and completely believe anything was possible.
"As a lover of literature and historical controversies, you shouldn't be speaking like that to someone who's ardent in reading." Jean said, her lips unmoving after.
"That is true... but do you know what today is?" Lisa beckoned for her to listen. To at least accept it was her birthday today. Lisa put a hand underneath her chin, observing Jean sitting by her desk. The door-sized window behind her didn't enshroud the view of the moonlight. It painted Jean's skin beautifully with this dark-blue hue cascading all over her body. She glowed ethereally, befitting an elegant and composed woman in any situation presented to her.
"I'd confirm it's indeed my birthday. What then? Should I be excited?"
"You should. Another year of realizing what you can be is a blessing if not a dream."
"And it's also another year close to impending danger. I need to do whatever I can for my people. I let my guard down for a second when that bard was close to getting killed by the Fatui's subordinates." She had to admit. After quenching the dragon's almost uncontrollable state, she took a breath in between the situation thinking it was nearing to an end. She didn't stop to think there were more layers added into the equation. "I've made a crucial mistake as the acting grand master and the role model of this city. I don't plan on being one step late again."
"A lot of humans make careless decisions. You wouldn't be the first, Jean. And that won't be your last either." Lisa pulled the book out of Jean's hands, patting on the cover gently before placing it down on a table. "Don't take the time you can rest for granted. I understand you want to do good for your people but overworking will get you killed before you can even save them."
Jean looked at Lisa and realized how much of a loved one she is to her. She knew the woman was a sadist but her soft and caring side was equally loveable, a rare quality that wouldn't go astray if given the chance to witness.
Jean held her forearm, "Perhaps you're right... I'm not getting much sleep nowadays."
Lisa grinned, "Heart's Desire? Reading fantasy stories when you're living a life of magic already?"
Understanding it was a joke, Jean lightly chuckled. "It builds the imagination. I'm sure it's of use."
The librarian smiled, going beside her and pointing to her window. "The people out there are celebrating your birthday."
"I don't deserve it. If anything, it should be Aether who gets this kind of attention. He, after all, played a huge role in calming down Dvalin along with Venti."
"Still, the people can't help but support you, Jean. You're just as integral. Given your abilities and talents, you're bound to achieve something greater eventually." Lisa put a finger to her lips quite playfully. "I did catch wind of news circling the plaza Diluc's coming."
Jean, who was as calm and graceful seconds ago had almost stumbled on her chair. That man knew her birthday? Since when was he aware of such trivial details? Knowing him, he'd find a mora cartel far more interesting than a woman's birthday. Diluc wasn't your ordinary man who toiled the fields and cut up wood for resources. The guy burned through all of those and made those daily functions look like child's play. Toiling the fields? He'd do more than that. Cut up wood? He cut through abyssal mages like they were practice dummies.
"S-senpai's going?" Jean asked.
Lisa could only grin. Her old friend was back.
~*~
"Are you positive you don't want to hold an event?" Lisa asked for the tenth time.
Instead of calling over every person Jean knew of, she only called for the ones that were close to her for the past few days. They settled for the Dawn Winery as it was a relatively quiet place during this time of night. Only a few drunkards here and there would enter. If they so much as touched the maids, they were sent out immediately.
"I'm sure. I don't need a hundred voices telling me the same thing." Jean didn't make an effort to dress herself up. She didn't want to put more effort into beatifying herself for one day. However, the man that operated on journeys and missions by himself was the owner of this winery. And he was coming.
She dressed up nicely but not to the point that it'd look like a messy myriad of untamed flowers. Unlike her pristine jumpsuit. She was now wearing one that was pure gold, a platinum-colored coat with long-sleeves, a collar that hid the back of her neck and some heels she borrowed from Lisa. She wasn't the dresser in this relationship, after all.
The men in the winery were eyeing Lisa from head to toe but they were more concentrated on one specific thing.
Then, the door opened revealing the other guests.
"Paimon has arrived in the building!" Paimon squealed with delight as if someone was going to welcome her proudly. Jean and Lisa stared at the three that entered. Aether and Venti were together, waving and sending their greetings. "Along with two of my finest men!"
"As a person who can play all lyrical ballads from past, present, and to the future, it'd be my honor to compose an exquisite melody for a woman." Venti said, cheerfully bowing. "Happy birthday!"
"Oh, you don't have to. We were only planning to eat."
"Pretty dry for a birthday, don't you think?" Paimon said to Aether. He only shrugged. "Where are the one million guests you're supposed to be catering to? The celebrations in Liyue were given more spotlight than this."
"Your little doll sure has a big mouth, Aether." Lisa giggled to herself. This was exactly what Jean wanted. A time to spend it with people she can trust.
"Nah, she's emergency food." Aether waived off Lisa's perception of Paimon.
"You're being verbal with that term lately!" Paimon exclaimed.
Then the last guest entered.
"Ha... Ha... D-d-diluc's also here?!" Paimon shrieked from fright. This person was in her list of 'people not to mess with'. Diluc carried a bored expression walking over to their table. Jean could feel her heart stammering as his footsteps were decreasing the distance between them. Was this from fear? Or expectation?
"What do you mean? Aren't I welcomed? This is my business, after all." Diluc proposed, crossing his arms.
"His macho vibes are too immense!" Paimon fake-gasped.
Jean wanted this man to acknowledge her. The two weren't eye-to-eye when it came to delivering justice and peace. Diluc preferred to be free from the jurisdictions of the knights of Favonius, opting for his lone departures and methods as he clearly despised the knights. Jean wanted to prove to him that this wasn't all for fun and games. That the knights of Favonius were equal to his desire of protecting what's theirs.
Diluc might not confess but he protects Mondstadt from the shadows, a hidden vigilante vanquishing any intruder who dares to trample on the leaves of the city of peace.
"I'll just sit here." Diluc sat beside Jean. Lisa, conveniently, left a seat open there. Paimon almost made the mistake of sitting but she realized she could float.
Diluc closed his eyes, taking everything in as he rest his palms on his thighs. "Happy birthday. How are you doing?" he asked Jean, looking at her in the eye.
Jean could make out Diluc's physique just by this distance they shared. His wild yet pure eyes, his crimson strands of hair, his lips.
She looked at him properly this time, her hands shaking slightly from the cold and from him.
"Thank you, I'm fine. What did you see out there?" Diluc knew the answers to that question so well. It was what Jean often asked of him whenever they bumped into each other or saw one another. Diluc was often away from Mondstadt to take care of business.
"We'll talk about it some other time. Birthdays shouldn't be tainted with bad news."
"Now that piece of revelation is making me curious!" Lisa said.
"Bad news is like the ordinary hilichurl now. We see it everyday and Aether's sick of it." Paimon snickered. "He can't defeat the Skirmishers by himself so he relies a lot on Barbara for coming to his aid-"
"Gah! Shut up about that, Paimon!" Aether grabbed Paimon and shook her head numerous times, making her have dizzy swirling circles for eyes on her face.
Lisa chuckled, "I think you sent her up the clouds."
Everyone laughed except for Diluc who was staring at Jean.
"I-It's true... Hahahahaha! Barbara looks like she's in pain... HAHAHAH... because of you but in actuality, she enjoys spending her time with you on our... HAHAHA travels." Paimon's head was constantly being shaken by Aether so her sentences seem disarranged. "Talking about how she hahahaha... thinks of talking to you in a personal level as akin to sacrilege! Hahahahah... STOP!"
They were the rowdiest that night along with Paimon.
"Speaking of, where's my little sister?" Jean asked Aether. He stopped shaking Paimon as he answered Jean right away.
"It's a surprise." Aether smiled.
~*~
Everyone had a good time. After dinner, Aether and Paimon bid their farewells and told them they were going to explore more of Liyue and perhaps Dragonspine. Venti was going to be around until he'd disappear again, saying the wind will take him wherever he needs to be. Diluc's eyes narrowed at the mentioning of Dragonspine.
Jean and Lisa were about to part ways as well with Diluc when he stopped both of them.
"Jean." One word and the acting grandmaster could only abide by him even if he hadn't commanded anything. "Come with me for a bit."
No questions, just straightforward sentences. That was the price she'd have to pay for having conversations with him. He wasn't such a smooth talker.
Lisa put a hand to her mouth, "Hoho... What is this I smell?"
"It's most likely what you're going to vomit out as soon as you get back to headquarters. You ordered a hefty meal." Diluc said.
"Well I'll leave you two for a while! Don't take too long!"
Jean, oblivious, waved at Lisa farewell.
Now it was just him and her.
"You're going to tell me about any information regarding the Fatui now? Maybe concerning any probabilities that Dvalin will go rampant again?"
"Not quite. I'm afraid this isn't the night to discuss about those. Though I assure you Dvalin is not our enemy anymore." Diluc confirmed. Jean couldn't understand it but she could believe everything that pours out of Diluc's mouth instantly.
Why did he have to leave the knights of Favonius? He could have more backup and more support by his side if he weren't so anti-social. Jean was so sure she and him would make a good combination in fighting off the imbalances of the world.
"What then?"
Diluc rummaged through his pockets and held out a bracelet that glowed so magically in the night. It comprised of yellow and orange colors dotted into ten slots on the bracelet, alternately shining in the darkness.
"How many mora did you have to sacrifice for this?" Jean asked.
"It's hand-made, idiot."
"Oh I'm sorry, it's just your gifts weren't as well-thought out as this one."
"That would mean you like it."
Jean did like it. More than she ever would have. "How did you make it?"
"Small lamp grasses and the essences of pyro and geo slimes. The colors are from their excrements."
Jean widened her eyes, staring at Diluc menacingly. "You gave me a slime poop holder?"
Diluc put a finger to his lips, "Technically, slimes do not have a proper form so you can interpret it in different ways."
Jean didn't pay too much attention to it but Diluc smiled behind his hand, "It suits you rather well. It gives you enchantments too for geo and pyro resistances for a short period of time so I'd say you should thank me."
Jean scratched the back of her head. "Coming from you, this is more than just effort. Thank you. You could've given me a book or a new weapon though."
"I concluded this was easier. You already have a librarian for a friend and your weapons are stacked underneath your desk."
"How did you-" Jean was going to ask him how he went inside her room but chose to be silent about it.
"As a matter-of-fact, you did invite me before for a discussion. Investigating places are what you should do to learn about the layouts of a specific area."
"You're infuriating."
They were outside the winery, overlooking the dark sky atop them. The fields were in bloom.
"Happy birthday again." Diluc said. "I might not agree with your way of dealing with things but I can respect your position and the time it took you to get to where you are now."
He was just a friend she quarreled with. Why is he being like this now?
"Does that mean you'll never join us?"
Diluc could only respond in silence.
"I see." Jean said. "That's a little unfortunate."
Diluc could see her sad expression. It wasn't only just about him or her but Jean was definitely concerned for the people she cared about. Getting Diluc to join her in the knights of Favonius would be tremendous. This was for all of them and Diluc wouldn't participate in groupwork.
He ruffled the top of her hair. That was as close as he can get to being friendly with her.
"Don't worry. When the world's in danger. You can expect me to be by your side." Diluc told her.
There was no doubt he'd turn to evil and betray her. Not when he'd been exposed to it more than once.
"We're battling for what's right. As long as that stands to truth, I'm not going anywhere."
Jean didn't know how but that got her heart jumping out of her chest. She needed to scratch away her thoughts of earlier. Diluc really was a smooth talker.
"You're not leaving me."
Diluc sighed, "I'm with you, Jean. With all of you."
Just as the moment was going south, the sky was adorned with elements of water gushing upwards. So this was why Aether, Paimon, and Venti were being suspicious earlier. They were preparing for this to happen.
On the sky, the water spelled out Jean's name along with the words 'Happy Birthday'.
"And they're not going anywhere too. At least for the time being." Diluc said, crossing his arms.
Underneath the cluster of magical water and splendor, the sky cried out to the heavens of Jean's day of birth and it will never be forgotten.
I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. Please comment or vote. It is much appreciated.
You can also check out my other books. They're fairly new but I have plans to expand on them as well.