"Aha~ Welcome back, everyone."
At the Angels Share tavern.
Barbatos, in the guise of Venti, let out a burp.
His face was slightly flushed as he raised his hand to greet everyone.
Although he appeared completely drunk, from his normal speech, it was clear he still maintained a clear consciousness.
"This guy..."
"How much has he even drunk?"
Waving his hand to dispel the pervasive scent of alcohol in the air, Kai was a little puzzled.
He drank too.
But only when he was bored during the day.
After all, the dandelions produced in Mondstadt, when mixed with fruit wine, could be drunk entirely as a sweet beverage.
Yet, even so, it shouldn't lead to such a degree of alcoholism.
"I don't know... but at least a dozen cups."
Staring at the reduced number on the counter, Diluc frowned, giving an imprecise answer.
"That much?"
"But he looks... like he's not even old enough to drink yet."
Paimon floated in the air, saying with some confusion.
"Huh? Then you're underestimating me too much."
Hearing Paimon's grumbling, Barbatos patted his chest, looking incredibly proud.
"When I was drinking, you weren't even...
"Uh... in any case, a mere dozen cups of wine are no challenge for me at all."
"After all, I'm Mondstadt's three-time consecutive Bard champion. Since that's the case, as a representative of the City of Freedom, isn't it only natural to be good at drinking?"
Seemingly realizing he had misspoken, Barbatos coughed twice and quickly changed the subject.
"I see."
While Barbatos was proudly narrating, Kai had already sat at the counter, propping his chin with one hand.
He nodded; his face full of admiration.
"As expected of a Bard, your alcohol tolerance is indeed impressive."
"Thanks for the compliment."
Barbatos smiled contentedly.
"Since that's the case... Diluc."
"See how much this guy drank and remember to give him the bill."
If Barbatos had originally been smiling, then as Kai spoke these words, the smile on his face almost instantly froze, replaced by an indescribable, slight tremor.
It was as if he had heard something he hadn't expected.
Scratching his head, his tone immediately became incredibly apprehensive.
"Uh... Master Kai, are you serious?"
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
Kai maintained his smiling face.
"We were fighting hard outside, and you're sitting here drinking and chatting."
"Since that's the case, paying the bill is only natural, isn't it?"
"Bar... Mr. Venti?"
"Hmm?"
Although Kai corrected himself very quickly after realizing his slip of the tongue, that familiar word was clearly still noticed by Barbatos.
Looking at Kai's clear eyes, Barbatos, who was already a bit awkward, almost immediately understood something.
His expression, for a moment, became even more embarrassed.
"This..."
"Hmm, I support Master Kai this time!"
Little Paimon floated in mid-air.
Seeing Barbatos's almost despairing expression, she did not hesitate to add to his woes.
"Lumie and I almost didn't make it back, and you, who proposed this plan, are still here drinking."
"Now, paying the bill is what you should do."
"Master Diluc, give him the bill, and by the way, our dinner tonight... also put it on this guy's tab."
Little Paimon raised her adorable face.
With her hands on her hips, she wore a self-righteous expression, as if she were a meritorious hero who had undergone intense combat.
No... it seems you didn't do much at all, old man.
It seems you were just flying around the whole time, right?
Kai glanced indifferently, feeling a little helpless to complain.
"Cough cough... Anyway, did you get the Holy lyre der himmel?"
Coughing twice, realizing that all attention was on him, Barbatos quickly changed the subject.
"We did get it."
Kai said, waving his hand.
Lumie, beside him, reacted extremely quickly.
She quickly took out the Holy lyre der himmel and handed it to Barbatos.
Seeing the familiar harp, Barbatos's eyes lit up.
He quickly took it, his gaze for a moment seeming to fall into reminiscence.
"The rose of the flowing wind pattern, the cool starlight iron strings... It's truly nostalgic."
"It really is the Holy lyre der himmel!"
"So, Venti, can you use it to summon Dvalin now?"
Although she was very reluctant to interrupt someone's reminiscence, in the face of Stormterror's influence, Jean could only apologize and interrupt him.
"Hmm... While this is indeed the Holy lyre der himmel, it's still not quite capable of summoning Dvalin right now."
However, to Jean's surprise, Barbatos shook his head with some regret in response to her question.
"As you can see, after a thousand years, the Anemo energy contained within the Holy lyre der himmel has long been depleted. In this state, it's fine for performing at this tavern, but it's clearly not enough to summon Dvalin."
"Hmph, our tavern's resident performer spot is highly competitive among many Bards; don't take it for granted."
Diluc frowned.
"Eh... At a time like this, Master Diluc should direct his criticism to more important matters, shouldn't he?"
Little Paimon scratched her face, unable to resist adding a comment.
"Cough cough, of course..."
"Since I said it's in this state, then naturally there's also a way to restore it to another state."
Seemingly sensing that everyone present was about to beat him up, Barbatos didn't dare to keep them in suspense and quickly explained.
"The strings of the Holy lyre der himmel have lost their formerly active Anemo energy."
"In other words, to restore its vitality, it needs to be refilled with Anemo energy."
"Traveler, you've kept Dvalin's tear crystal well, haven't you?"
"Tear crystal... I see."
Jean's expression showed sudden understanding.
Stormterror Dvalin, as a former familiar of Anemo Archon Barbatos, was inherently a powerful Anemo creature, so naturally, as his tear crystal, after purifying the Abyssal power attached to it, what remained would be the most concentrated Anemo energy.
"So, by dripping the tear crystal onto the Holy lyre der himmel, it can regain its vitality and summon Stormterror?"
Kai asked somewhat bored.
It was too late; if they dragged this on any longer.
He barely had time to sleep.
"Ah, Probably?.. right?"
Barbatos sounded a little unsure.
"Anyway, I'll try first."