Chapter 44 Seeking Assistance

"Huh? This tavern is actually still open at this hour!"
Outside Angel's Share, little Paimon looked at the still brightly lit establishment and said with considerable surprise.
Venti: "Hehe, Mondstadt is the hometown of wine after all, and many taverns operate around the clock. As the largest tavern in Mondstadt, Angel's Share is naturally no exception."
The story begins a short while earlier.
Having shaken off their pursuers, the trio returned to Chen and Paimon's guest room. Then, under Paimon and Venti's expectant gazes, Chen took out the Holy Lyre der Himmel.
To their surprise, after inspecting it, Venti stated that the lyre could no longer be used to reach out to the Dvalin because the power of the Anemo dragon within it had been exhausted.
Just as Paimon grew angry, feeling that Venti was nothing more than a fraud, the bard produced the dragon tear Chen had purified earlier and let a drop fall onto the strings.
The lyre, which had seemed completely drained, instantly lit up with specks of fluorescent light, as if granted a new lease on life.
Venti explained that as long as they gathered enough tears and had Chen purify them, the pure wind energy within could restore the lyre to its former vitality.
However, gathering a large number of scattered dragon tears required substantial manpower. The only people Chen and Paimon could think of who could mobilize such a workforce were the Knights of Favonius.
Yet, leaving aside the fact that the Knights were already severely short-handed given Mondstadt's current plight, they had just stolen the Holy Lyre der Himmel! How could they possibly explain themselves if they went to the Knights for help gathering tears? Wouldn't that simply be walking right into a trap?
Just as they were at their wit's end, Venti suggested that he knew someone who might be able to help them solve this problem.
And so, Venti had led the two of them here.

As they spoke, the three had already stepped inside the tavern.
"Eh? Master Diluc, are you actually working the shift yourself today?" Venti seemed quite familiar with the place, greeting the boss behind the counter with practiced ease the moment he walked in.
Diluc raised his head, and upon seeing the three newcomers, a flash crossed his eyes. He then spoke in a formal, rehearsed tone: "Welcome. What would you like to drink?"
"Hehe, then give me a glass of Dandelion Wine."
Diluc refused flatly: "Apologies, this establishment does not serve alcoholic beverages to minors."
Venti: "Eh~~? Why is that? Since when was this rule made?"
Diluc couldn't help but cast a glance at him, stating bluntly: "Did you just crawl out of the Knights' dungeons?"
Asking a question that lacked such basic common sense certainly made one wonder if this person was completely out of touch with society.

Venti awkwardly scratched the back of his head and tried to cover for himself: "Ahem, what I mean is, I'm actually an adult. When I started drinking, you were still... uh, anyway, I'm old enough to drink."
Diluc crossed his arms and said with a completely expressionless face: "Oh? Then please present your certificate of adulthood issued by the Knights of Favonius."
Venti: ......
In the end, Venti had no choice but to turn to Chen and Paimon, saying helplessly: "I originally wanted to treat you both to a drink, but it seems that's out of the question."
Paimon: "Hey—we didn't come here to drink! Where is the person you said you wanted to find?"
Little Paimon stamped her feet in anxiety, her face flushed red with exasperation at Venti.
Prompted by Paimon, Venti seemed to suddenly remember the purpose of their visit and hurriedly said: "Oh, right, right, right! Finding someone. Finding someone."
Under the speechless gazes of the two, Venti turned back to Diluc: "Ahem, Master Diluc, actually, we possess a major secret related to resolving the dragon calamity. I wonder if you might be interested?"
"Oh?" Diluc raised his head, sweeping his gaze across the three of them.
Unlike the nun from earlier, he didn't think Venti was just joking around. Because, possessing an intelligence network far more resourceful than the Knights, he had already recognized the three people before him.
A mysterious traveler who had defeated Stormterror, a bizarre flying creature accompanying them, and a bard who had suddenly appeared in Mondstadt with no prior trace.
With a combination like that, it was hard not to take notice.
Their previous conversation also made him realize that these three had come specifically looking for him.

Looking at the trio, Diluc hesitated briefly before putting down his glass and saying, "Follow me."
With that, he stepped out from behind the counter and led the way toward the second floor of the tavern.
"Ehe~" Venti winked at Chen and stepped forward to follow.
At this moment, little Paimon scurried over and whispered, "Hey, tone-deaf bard, is this the person you wanted to find?"
"Hehe, yep! And, let me tell you a secret: Master Diluc is the wealthiest man in all of Mondstadt."
"The richest man!" Paimon gasped, her eyes instantly turning into glittering Mora symbols as her inner gold-digger awakened. Looking at Diluc ahead of them, she felt an irresistible urge to rush up and shower him with flattery.
Chen, walking alongside the two of them, helplessly massaged their forehead. What a pair of goofballs!
............

A moment later, the three followed Diluc into a vacant private room on the second floor.
"The story I wish to tell begins in antiquity..." Venti once again adopted his unique epic-poetry style, weaving the legend of the dragon and the bard.
"This song..." Diluc's expression turned grave and thoughtful after listening.
After a brief moment to digest the information conveyed in the poem, Diluc let out a long sigh and spoke solemnly to the three of them: "Hoo—that is indeed information of immense value. Tell me, what do you want from me?"
Operating in the shadows for years, Diluc knew the true value of intelligence and was willing to pay a corresponding price, provided it fell within his bottom line.
"Hehe, that's just fantastic. Traveler, why don't you explain?" Venti turned his head to look at Chen.
"Alright." Chen nodded and once again produced the Holy Lyre der Himmel, recounting the entire sequence of events from beginning to end.
"I see." Diluc gently stroked his chin, nodding thoughtfully.
A short while later, he looked at Venti, his attitude serious and earnest: "Bard, are you truly certain that you can awaken the dragon with the Holy Lyre der Himmel?"
He stared fixedly at Venti, as if trying to pierce through to his true intentions.

Venti met his gaze openly, without the slightest flicker of hesitation, and said sincerely: "Yes, Master Diluc, please believe that I have absolute confidence. Besides, given the current situation, this is already the most worthwhile method to try, isn't it?"
Hearing this, Diluc fell silent. The facts were indeed as Venti stated. This was currently the only method he had heard of that had a chance of properly resolving the dragon calamity.
During this time, he had also been searching in his own way for a breakthrough to shatter the deadlock Mondstadt currently faced.
Unfortunately, the matter was far too tricky. Just like the Knights, he was completely helpless when it came to Stormterror.
If things continued this way, the Anemo and the Anemo dragon, who had once protected Mondstadt together, would inevitably come to blows. Regardless of the final outcome, it would leave an indelible scar on Mondstadt.
"Very well. Give me some time. I will gather manpower and help you collect enough tear crystals. I just hope your plan actually works..."
After weighing his options, Diluc finally made the decision to trust the three of them.
Regardless of whether Venti's plan was feasible, and regardless of whether these three mysterious individuals could be trusted, things certainly couldn't get any worse than they were now.
Even if the three of them harbored ill intentions, acting along with their wishes would introduce new variables into the deadlocked situation, giving Mondstadt a chance to find a breakthrough amid the shifting tides.