Chapter Text
The view around him was no longer filled with blood and death, but the swords and arrows of the fallen remained steady. He started looking around. Everything about the place screams tragedy. Wherever he turns his head, he is greeted by a dreadful sight. The sounds of war cries can still be heard in the wind. He continued walking, wondering if something or anything had survived this horrible place. As he moves forward, he sees a woman in the distance. The woman was kneeling, clearly frightened, but despite the fear on her face, there was an eerie feeling emitting from her. As he walked towards the woman, he saw that the woman was in red robes, reaching the tips of her feet. The woman turned her head once he felt the presence of the man near him. The man stood in shock, for the woman was burning in her own flames. The woman stood there, flaming a bright glow around herself as she faded into the wind leaving behind a timepiece too hot to touch.
Diluc jolted awake from his slumber, the quietness of the bar surrounding him. As he looked around the place, he quickly recognized where he was. As he turned his head around, he was suddenly met with a pair of luminescent green eyes staring at him with utmost focus and curiosity. Diluc jumped with surprise, clearly not an image he wanted to be seen in. He quickly patted the non-existing dust around his apron, face flushed as he looked at the green bard who was just staring at him a few moments ago.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Diluc sounded annoyed; well, he was annoyed because the bard had no plans of stopping his game of stare, making him conscious at some point. Second, he wasn’t sure what time it was, but it seems like it was pretty late already, considering there were no more people around the bar except for the bard in front of him.
“I was watching you sleep silly! I noticed how tired you were while wiping the remaining glasses, so being the good friend that I am. I volunteered in helping you and then you just dozed off. And I’m not that mean, so of course, I let you take your rest while I worked hard in wiping the remaining glasses.”
Diluc looked to his right, the glasses were indeed dried and adequately placed at the counter, but that did not explain the weird stare the bard was giving him once he awoke.
“You were watching me while I was asleep, weren’t you?”
“I was just looking out for you! Actually, I wouldn’t call it watching really since I was doing some other things you know like stretching, sitting and star—“
“You’re really creepy sometimes.”
“HEY! I’m not creepy! As I said, I was just looking out for you!!”
Diluc facepalmed, looking at Venti with clear annoyance. “Ugh, I hate you.”
“No, you don’t. In fact, you actually care for me and treat me really well! I might mistake your kindness with something else soon, Master Diluc,” Venti replied with a chuckle, teasing Diluc in the process.
Diluc sighed at Venti’s actions. He was pretty used to it if anyone asked; the daily teasing and attitude from the bard was no surprise already.
Venti's actions showed that he was sure that the bard was watching him while he was asleep. He hated it because if there was one thing that he hated showing to others, that was his vulnerability. But he couldn’t help but be surrounded by the nightmares from his past. The attendants in Dawn Winery were aware of this, that’s why as much as possible, he sleeps so late in the night and wake-ups as early as dawn to minimize the effect of his nightmares. But the dream that he had, clearly remembering every fragment of it, from the ruined setting and the flaming woman, that these were no ordinary nightmares that he usually has.
Diluc was deep in thought as Venti pointed out something from his neck. Something was dangling around his neck as Venti observed. Diluc gave the bard a puzzled look as he glanced down and saw a timepiece attached around his neck. He removed it from his neck, quickly examined it.
“What’s that, Master Diluc?” The bard gave a curious gaze at the man, looking at the object that Diluc was currently holding. Diluc stared at the timepiece in his hand. It was oddly familiar as he further looked into it. Still, he couldn’t pinpoint where he saw a timepiece like the one he is currently holding.
“Hey! You seem to be in deep thought there, Master Diluc. Are you okay?” Venti asked with concern, looking over at Diluc as he continued to stare at his hand. The question was able to wake Diluc from his trance, looking at Venti with a sigh and placing the timepiece in his pocket instead of putting it back to his neck.
“I’m fine.” Diluc, the ever stoic man, managed to ignore Venti’s question as he finished organizing the remaining ingredients on the counter.
“I still want to see what you got there, pretty please?”
“No.”
“And why not? You’re such a killjoy, Master Diluc.” Venti pouted, crossing his arms in front of Diluc.
Venti was curious, yes, but he sure felt something familiar from what Diluc was holding. His gnosis was gone, but he was sure that his godly senses were still intact. He wanted to take a closer peek at the object; there was just something not right with the thing that was now sitting in Diluc’s pocket. He wanted to be cautious, but Diluc was stubborn. And the bartender was getting used to his antics as days continued.
As soon as Venti realized that there was nothing more he could do, he sat back properly in his seat and tried changing the topic to something else. He was still in doubt about it but forcing Diluc would result in the redhead kicking him out of the tavern, and he didn’t want that. Even though the bartender acted okay with him doing anything he wanted, especially annoying him, he didn’t want to push Diluc’s limits. Besides, it looked like the man wasn’t up for any more disturbances, for he was still distracted by his own thoughts.
A woman stared at the void, a smile formed along her lips as the scene unfolds. Her plans had now taken their first step. Soon after, his target would finally give in to her evil desires, taking down the person who took everything from her.
“Go, my little butterfly, for you will be the perfect pawn in this game of revenge.”
The next day when Diluc woke up and went out of his room, Adelinde greeted him with a worried look on her face. The redhead questioned her worried glance, raising his brow at the head maid.
“Are you okay, Master Diluc? We heard screams from your room last night. Was it your nightmares again? When we tried waking you up, to no avail, nothing happened,” Adelinde said, looking at the man with worry evident on her face. Adelinde had always cared for both Diluc and Kaeya ever since they were a child. She treated them how a mother would, and seeing them going through something was painful for her too. She wanted to help Diluc in the best ways that she could, but the man had always been hardheaded when showing his feelings to others.
Diluc gave Adelinde a tired smile, thanking her for concern and telling her there was nothing to worry about. That his nightmares were just like the old ones he usually has. Adelinde gave a skeptical look, not buying his excuses. Still, Diluc assured her that it was nothing serious. She should worry about something else so he can take care of himself, for he was not a child anymore who used to run at his father’s embrace every night he had nightmares. Adelinde couldn’t do anything but sigh, reminding Diluc to take care of himself too.
Diluc nodded at Adelinde, paying attention to her reminders, for he didn’t want to get her worried any more. After eating breakfast, Adelinde made sure that he was okay. Diluc went up to his office inside the winery. As he took a seat on his chair, he noticed a small bump in his pocket where it revealed the timepiece that he had acquired out of nowhere yesterday. Diluc examined the timepiece again, the bright red liquid glowing underneath his fingertips. He saw how the tiny amounts of fluid were slowly pouring into the bottom, but it was nowhere done. He tried flipping the timepiece to see if something would change, but the liquid just stayed in its place: not even the tiniest amount of liquid dripped when he flipped it. So he decided on just displaying it on his table and made a note to see Lisa and ask if she knew something about it for she might have seen it in the books in the library. There he would decide what would be the best decision to do with the timepiece.
Diluc then started with his work, checking the winery’s stocks and sales, as usual while making note of the different supplies that were needed in the tavern that he might have missed. After finishing checking all the things related to the winery, he then studied some information that he had gathered related to the Fatui and the Abyss order to ensure that he could do something whenever trouble might arise. Looking through the notes, he came across an intriguing one that related to Inazuma.
As far as Diluc remembered, Inazuma was still under the Sakoku Decree, which meant it was still heavily guarded. Entering the nation was not an easy task, so it was a wonder how information from Inazuma managed to come across him. Scanning through the notes, it stated that two harbingers were currently dispatched in the nation, with the other missing and the other presumably dead. It was a surprise to him; he knew how cruel and powerful the harbingers could be since he already came across one himself. He might be strong now, but who knew what the other harbingers were up to. More than the one missing, Diluc was deeply intrigued by the death of one of the harbingers. As he skimmed through it more, he learned that the harbinger’s name was La Signora.
“Signora..?” Diluc felt something odd around the surroundings as the name slipped off his tongue. The name was pretty familiar, but he was still quite unsure who the person was behind the title. Perhaps he might have heard it from somewhere, but he doesn’t remember where. He planned to ask Jean, but he knew how busy the acting grandmaster could be. Or maybe he could capture a Fatui diplomat near Mondstadt and ask him all about the information he needed. But that was a little too much as he further thought about it. Diluc sighed, brushing through his hair; there was just something about the name that he couldn’t seem to let go of. Maybe on his way to the tavern, he might encounter something that could be useful to his query.
On his way to the tavern, nothing really happened. Well, some Mondstadt citizens greeted him as usual, but nothing peculiar or anything valuable happened. He could always ask the knights that visited his tavern during the late hours of the day. Still, he wasn’t really in the mood to meddle with the knights tonight, especially Kaeya. He knew how insufferable his brother could be, especially when it comes to him. That left him with no choice but to ask Venti. Even though that bard was up to no good most of the time, he was still a reliable person willing to give assistance to whoever needed it. A small smile managed to form around his lips as he thought about all the crazy things that Venti had done. But despite all that, he was still as reliable as ever to his dear nation even though he had already blessed it with freedom.
While Diluc was in deep thought, he was startled by the loud cheers of the person that he was occupied with. Diluc cleared his throat, preparing the counter to serve drinks as the bard sat in the chair in front of him. “One dandelion wine, please! A suitable drink just before a performance,” Venti requested Diluc, strumming his lyre to make sure that it was in the right tone. Diluc rolled his eyes at Venti, preparing the man’s requested drink and reminding him about his long tab list to all the other wines he asked for but never paid.
“Oh, come on, Master Diluc! I told you that I’ll pay for my drinks with a performance. Can’t you have an exception again this time?” Venti requested with a soft look, pouting as he clasped his hands together in front of Diluc.
The redhead stared at him with no emotion in mind, clearing his throat as he offered a deal towards the bard: “Fine, I won’t list down any of your expenses for today, but in exchange, you must answer my question. Is that okay with you?” Diluc said with a severe tone.
Venti was surprised. That was an unexpected twist, but it mainly worked for him. After all, it meant he could drown himself with all the wine he could ask for. Today was one of the rare days that Diluc offered him such a great deal, and besides whatever Diluc’s question may be, he was sure that he would be able to answer it; well, he hoped so.
“Of course! What a wonderful offer, Master Diluc! Ask away!” Venti giggled, sipping through his wine as he awaited the question that Diluc was curious about.
“Do you know anyone named La Signora?” Diluc asked, curiosity filling up his mind.
Venti froze at the question. That was not what he expected it to be. Venti carefully placed down his drink, looking up to the man in front of him with so much curiosity in his eyes. Venti averted his gaze to the side, clearly not wanting to answer the question for the time was not yet right. So he pretended to not know who Signora was.
“Hmm, I honestly don’t know anyone who goes by that name. I’m sorry, Master Diluc,” Venti replied, chuckling as he tried diverting the topic to a new one. “But my expenses for today are still covered, right? After all, I did answer your question,” Venti added as he started drinking his wine again.
“A shame. But of course, you did do what I asked for, so it’s only fair that I keep my word.” Diluc sighed, nodding towards Venti as he continued with his work and assessing the other customers inside the tavern as he let Venti be. Venti took the opportunity once Diluc was distracted by the other duties in the tavern to wonder why Diluc would ask such a thing. He learned that Diluc hates the Fatui, so he was curious why he was asking about a certain harbinger: the harbinger that took his gnosis, to be precise. He was aware of the particular events that happened to the harbinger. Still, he knew that something more was coming, for he once knew the master that she served and the person behind the cold disguise.
The next few days, Venti still continued his routine of hanging out in the tavern while making sure that he got all the wine he could get, whether through a performance or annoying Diluc until he finally gave in. Although Diluc acted so hard and cold, he knew that under that disguise was actually a soft and understanding man. But he did understand how everyone can get into an act in front of others for various reasons.
Once Venti arrived in the tavern, he was surprised not to see the scowling face of the redhead from the counter; instead he was greeted by Charles. Venti looked around in the tavern once more but there was no sign of Diluc anywhere. When Venti took a seat near the bar counter, Charles noticed that the bard seemed to be looking for someone. Venti was a regular at the tavern so Charles was aware of how the bard always made sure to annoy Diluc at every chance he got. For a bard, he sure is brave for having the guts to annoy Diluc , Charles thought.
“Are you looking for Master Diluc…?” Charles asked, wondering what the bard’s name was.
“Venti. And yes, I was wondering where he is? He usually serves the tavern around this time of day,” Venti replied, looking at Charles with a curious glance.
“I got news from the winery that Master Diluc wasn't able to come for today.” Charles sighed, wiping the glass as he prepared a drink for Venti.
Venti tried resisting the offer but Charles insisted and said that it was on him. Venti gratefully accepted the wine, taking small sips as he further questioned Charles about Diluc’s absence at the tavern.
“So Charles, why was Master Diluc weren’t able to come today?” Venti asked, wondering why the ever busy man wasn't able to come. He thought that it might be from his daily activities as the Darknight hero, of which he actually learned accidentally, but there were no current threats around the city of Mondstadt at the moment.
As Venti continued to ponder the reason why Diluc wasn’t at the tavern, Charles cleared his throat, sighing as he motioned Venti to come close. After all, the reason was quite confidential but there was just something about the bard that he could trust. Perhaps, especially when it came to his Master, it was due to seeing how free and unrestricted his Master acted around the bard.
As Charles was about to state the reason for Diluc's absence, a certain captain from the knights came walking in with a familiar nun, also known around the tavern, by his side.
“Well, if it isn’t one of my favorite drinking buddies and perhaps my dear brother’s favorite customer. Sadly, my dear brother wasn’t able to make it for today but please don’t miss him too much.” Kaeya, the ever so charming cavalry captain of the Knights of Favonius, chuckled as he took a seat beside Venti. Rosaria rolled her eyes at the blue head as she also took a seat beside Venti, ordering a drink from Charles, leaving the three alone at the counter.
“What brings you here, Kaeya? Not busy with work I presume? Or should I say with a certain alchemist?” Venti teased Kaeya. For the winds know everything, sure whispers and declarations get flown against it. And maybe the story of the cavalry captain wooing the chief alchemist was quite a famous story in the town recently. Rosaria laughed at Venti's remark while Kaeya scowled, but everyone could see the slight blush creeping from his cheeks.
Venti got distracted from his curiosity through the teasing and the drinks. Still, Kaeya was the same as always, the ever-observant captain that he is. From the moment he stepped inside the place, he knew that Venti wanted to ask about Diluc.
"You're curious why Diluc isn't here, right? Kind of rare, especially on a night like this." Kaeya whispered, sipping from his drink, a slight smirk evident from his face.
Venti expected Kaeya's question, but it still surprised him of Kaeya's straightforwardness nonetheless. But since Kaeya already knew about it, there was no more reason to hide it, especially from Kaeya.
"Yes. I am, Kaeya," Venti said, gazing at Kaeya, looking like he was accepting a challenge. Both Kaeya and Venti stared at each other for a while, communicating through a game of stare. Questioning each other through their gazes, in the end, Kaeya lost as he felt a cold breeze around him, chuckling as he accepted his defeat.
"Well, it seems like I do not have any other choice. No need to use the wind on me, dear friend." Kaeya said, a cheeky smile still evident on his face. Venti apologetically looked at Kaeya for the slight breeze as he started to listen to what Kaeya was going to say.
"This is the first time you will know about this, but after unfortunate events...Diluc started experiencing nightmares more frequently." Kaeya started explaining. "When we were young, he often experienced nightmares too, but there was someone for him during that time, so the effects weren't that severe. But after losing that someone and..." Kaeya stopped at his words, hesitantly, but as he saw Venti's determined look, he continued. "And after our fight...he started distancing himself from people. He was all alone. He may seem tough and reserved for a guy, but I know he is still in pain underneath." Kaeya continued, looking at his glass, stirring it with his hand. "He is still suffering up to this day, and unfortunately, his nightmares last night were so severe to the point that he couldn't function properly today. So the winery staff advised him to take the day off." Kaeya finished, drinking from his glass as he looked at Venti with a gaze that clearly says I trust you with this, and I hope you don't break that.
Two days have passed since that talk with Kaeya and now Diluc was feeling a lot better. The winery staff requested Diluc to continue his rest, but Diluc assured them that he had already gotten enough rest. Besides, he’ll get used to the nightmares soon for it won’t easily go away no matter how hard he tries. So he told them that it was better for him to stay distracted with his bartending and other duties.
When Diluc came back to manage the tavern, Venti realized how tired Diluc looked. There were bags under his eyes and his actions seemed weary and tired. But even though that man looked like he wasn’t getting any ounce of sleep, the man still looked amazing in Venti’s eyes. He still had that determined and soft gaze that Venti will never get over with. It brought him a weird sense of comfort that he couldn’t explain.
After the talk that Venti had with Kaeya, he was determined to look for Diluc. After all, Diluc was a very special friend of his and Diluc did offer great help during the storm terror incident so it was only natural for him to look out for him. He was worried, yes, but there was nothing wrong with being so worried for a friend, right? Venti convinced himself, looking at the redhead as he started mixing drinks, serving it to other customers.
Few days have passed and nothing out of the ordinary really happened. Venti continued with his daily trips to the tavern, annoying Diluc at every chance he got. Diluc’s condition somehow got better and his presence was quite livelier unlike in the past days. But even though Venti saw that Diluc was slowly recovering from what happened, he noticed that Diluc had become rather distant and strange. Venti noticed how unfocused Diluc had become, that Charles would sometimes have to call him at least three times until he responded, which was really weird for someone like Diluc who always seemed to be alert for any possible events. Also, one time while he was out on the city, he decided to travel around Mondstadt, just to feel comfort from the calming winds during the late hours of the night. Venti came across Diluc standing still around several corpses of hilichurls and abyss mages. Diluc was frozen on his spot, looking at the void with no thought in mind, his claymore hanging lowly on his right hand and blood oozing from the blade.
After seeing the incident, Venti worriedly ran over to Diluc’s aid. But as soon as Diluc was woken up from his spot, he quickly gave Venti a look of hatred as he ran off to the forest. Venti tried catching up to him, he also tried sensing Diluc with the help of the wind, but it seems like the man was too fast. After that encounter, Venti came to a conclusion that there was clearly something wrong going on with Diluc and he will find why.
When Venti tried asking Diluc about that encounter, Diluc quickly shrugged off the question, denying Venti’s claims and telling Venti that he might have mistaken Diluc for someone else instead. But Venti was sure that the person he encountered on that day was Diluc. So he tried asking the person that he knew could somewhat give him answers regarding Diluc’s strange actions, which was the cavalry captain. Luckily for him, he managed to come across Kaeya while strolling near the cathedral.
After noticing the bard waving at him, Kaeya approached Venti. “Ah, if it isn’t my favorite bard, It’s quite rare not to meet you at the tavern, Venti. So are you planning on setting up poetry classes again? If you are, then I wouldn’t mind becoming your student once again.”
“For a certain someone I suppose?” Venti giggled, seeing clearly through Kaeya’s teasing. Venti cleared his throat, shook his head, and whispered to himself to focus. “I’m sorry Kaeya, but I do not plan on having poetry classes again at the moment but I’ll be willing to help you in exchange for a question.”
“Depends on the question I suppose.”
“Have you noticed something weird about Master Diluc lately?”
“Actually, I did, but Lisa also told me something strange about Diluc’s action lately.” Kaeya replied, remembering the story that Lisa told him a few days ago.
“Good morning, Lisa. I’m sorry for barging in the library so suddenly but I have something to ask from you.” Diluc greeted, clearly uncomfortable. Everyone knows how much Diluc avoided the Knights of Favonius at all cost so stepping at the headquarter was truly making Diluc uncomfortable. But he needed answers and this was no time to be pretentious.
“Oh? What a surprise, Diluc! But of course, I will try my best to answer your query to your satisfaction.” Lisa replied, closing off the book she was currently reading, placing it on one of the shelves.
Diluc walked up to the library’s desk, showing off the timepiece that he acquired suddenly. Lisa examined the timepiece and saw that the liquid had reached a quarter of liquid already. As she further examined the hourglass, she realized that it looked quite familiar from one of the books that she had brought from Sumeru. But he didn’t want to form conclusions without being sure so she told Diluc to wait inside the library as she started looking for the book.
Diluc nodded at what Lisa said and asked him if he could look around for it has been quite a while since he looked around inside the library. Lisa granted Diluc the permission as long as he made sure that he did not damage any books.
As Diluc was looking around the area, with no idea what he was searching for, he came across the hall where notable members of the Knights of Favonius were displayed. He saw photos from the first grandmaster and some knights who have served the Knights with great honor. He scoffed as he further scanned the gallery, remembering one of the dreams that his father had for him. He wondered if that incident didn’t happen, would he also be recognized as a notable member of the Knights, just like what his father always wanted? Diluc thought about it for a while but as soon as his eyes landed on a specific member of the Knights of Favonius, an ill feeling started creeping from his chest. There he read the name..
“Rostam, The Wolf Pup”
Diluc felt a wave of emotion once he read the name, staring at the photo of a man with defined features and long hair. There was an inexplicable desire and longing that grew in his heart, the longer he stared at the photo. A sense of regret and hatred also started pooling in from his insides, darkening his view as he tried reaching in for the photo. His head also started spiraling, shaking as he started hearing whispers of hatred and revenge. Diluc was about to reach for the photo, not until Lisa called him which woke him up from the moment of deep longing and hatred.
Diluc calmed himself from what just happened, taking deep breaths as he cleared his throat and turned towards Lisa. “I’m sorry, I might have gotten quite occupied a bit there. Have you found the book?”
“Are you okay, Diluc?” Once Lisa saw Diluc nodding from her question, she continued on with the matter.
“Anyways, I have found the book and saw that the timepiece belonged to a maiden named Rosalyne. It was also said that the timepiece was a gift from her lover after she had to study in Sumeru Academia. But after she came back from Sumeru, her lover was found dead from the cataclysm and soon the liquid from the timepiece became molten fire from clear water.” Lisa stated, showing the exact image of the timepiece that Diluc has from the book.
Diluc stared at the timepiece in his hand, feeling the heat radiating from its glass as the molten fire continued to flow gently. Diluc kept the timepiece back in his pocket, thanking Lisa for the information. Looking back at the portrait of the knight named Rostam, he bid goodbye to her and left the Favonius headquarters.
As Kaeya finished his story, Venti was deep in thought. The story of what Lisa said was familiar to him, he was sure that he recognizes it somewhere but he can’t seem to pinpoint out where he has heard the story. He shrugged off the thought as he remembered that during one of the nights at Angel’s Share, he saw a timepiece hanging around Diluc’s neck that came out of nowhere. His hunches were right, there was truly something off going on with the timepiece that Diluc acquired and now Diluc seems to be affected by something. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he sure was going to find out what happened to Diluc.
Venti thanked Kaeya for answering his question, bidding goodbye to the captain as he noticed that the sun was already setting. The orange hues that painted the sky, matched the soft sceneries of Mondstadt with dandelion fuzz getting mixed with the wind. He could look at more of this at Windrise, where the view was spectacular but he needed to focus and know what was going on with Diluc. He did promise himself that he’ll look out for him even if the man was very much capable of himself, but he was still very worried about the bartender and there was nothing wrong with being worried for a friend, right?
The sky was dark already, with the stars and the moon the only ones illuminating the dark skies. It was an ordinary night and Diluc advised Charles to handle the tavern for today for he needed to release some air after knowing more about the timepiece that lies in his pocket. Diluc had just finished fighting off a hilichurl camp near Springvale and since there was a known village in that area, Diluc made sure that he removed the threat as quickly as possible.
As he was searching more around the area, looking for any more monsters lurking around the area, he didn’t notice that he was able to reach the Statue of the Seven near Dawn Winery. Diluc stood in the spot, looking up to the statue above him. Diluc remembered the time when he used to visit the statue as a child. There was just something comforting about the place that he can’t help but go back everytime he can, to the point that Adelinde often scolded him, telling Diluc that he shouldn’t wander that far. Diluc smiled at the memory, a comforting feeling seeping through inside him. But the comforting feeling soon ended, as he started feeling pain in his chest and head, aching as they continued to pound inside him.
“Rostam! Come quick!” A lady with long blond hair, wearing a simple red dress with a little red flower as an accessory shouted at the man who was trying to keep up with her. The man simply shook his head, smiling at the lady as he quickly ran to her side.
“Calm down Rosalyne, we have all the time for today! Besides, the festival has just started, no need to rush,” The man chuckled, as they stopped in front of the Statue of the Seven near Dawn Winery which was filled with decorations of colorful flowers and pinwheels. The woman was filled with energy once they arrived at the statue, as she offered a bouquet of small lamp grasses at the bottom of the statue.
“Why small lamp grasses? I thought dandelions were your windblumes,” The man asked with curiosity. The lady chuckled, smiling as she remembered the memory on why she chose small lamp grasses as her windblume.
“Didn’t you forget? You gave me a small lamp grass when you confessed to me. You said that it matches the way my eyes sparkle or something,” The lady giggled at the memory, as the man looked away, hiding the blush on his cheeks.
“Although I didn’t expect to receive a lamp grass on such an intimate moment, it was still one of the happiest moments of my life and from then on small lamp grasses have become my favorite flower because of the person that will remind me of it every time I look at it.” The lady smiled at the man beside her, holding his hand, as she looked at him with all the love in her eyes. The man smiled at her, bringing her hand close to his lips, as he placed a soft kiss on her knuckles.
“And besides, isn’t the windblume flower given as a sign of love? For me, it’s the perfect flower for it symbolizes our love.” The lady beamed a smile, as she starts offering a short song to Barbatos.
When Diluc calmed down from the sudden pain in his head and chest, he breathed heavily as he remembered every detail from what he just saw. Once he was fully back to his senses, he realized that he was in the same spot with the two people he saw in his vision. Although the surrounding was a little different and faded from what he saw, the scenery and landmarks were still the same. Diluc looked up to the statue once again where lies the image of the god whom he always respected and looked up to. Some things may have changed but Diluc believed that even if these changes have happened already, his faith in Barbatos would always remain the same. For he believed that even if their god was now some bard who likes to annoy him for his wine, he still is the ever caring archon who has granted Monstadt of its blessed winds and freedom.
Venti tried looking for Diluc at the tavern, but when he got there it was only Charles who greeted him. The uneasy feeling that he felt when he first saw the timepiece wrapped around Diluc’s neck grew. He wasn’t sure where it came from but as days continued, he started becoming more uncomfortable and not being able to see Diluc lately added to his worry because who knew what that man was up to now. But yet again Diluc was fully capable of himself, Venti knew that, but he just couldn’t stop and get worried at the redhead, especially with the uneasy feeling that was starting to grow on him.
When Venti arrived at the tavern to order a drink, wanting to distract his thoughts and worry, Charles informed him that Diluc hadn’t been coming to the tavern lately. Charles did not know the reason why Diluc wasn’t able to come to the tavern but he told Venti that some people from the winery might know about his whereabouts. After he drank the wine that Charles offered him in one gulp, Venti thanked Charles for the information and went off his way to the winery.
Once he arrived at the winery, Venti greeted the staff present who were tending to their assigned duties. The winery staff all greeted him back enthusiastically, recognizing the familiar face that they sometimes saw accompanying Diluc at the winery. Adelinde, being the head maid of the winery and the one who usually knew what everyone was up to, walked up to Venti and greeted him with a smile.
“Venti, what a surprise to see you here! Is there anything I could help you with? Except for stealing all the stock of wine here of course.” Adelinde chuckled, humouring Venti up with his visit.
“I would love to request that Adelinde, but I was hoping to ask if you have seen Master Diluc recently?” Venti asked, hoping that he’ll finally have some clue about Diluc’s whereabouts. Adelinde sighed at the question especially since Diluc had been keeping himself up lately with his darknight hero activities to the point that he was not getting enough sleep for himself. Adelinde has been aware that Diluc was not being his usual self lately and he is worried what the man could do.
Adelinde, seeing that Venti was still awaiting his answer, looked at Venti with a small smile. She could clearly see the worry and exhaustion at the bard’s face. “Master Diluc has been busy with his nightly activities. I’m sorry Venti, but he hasn’t come home since yesterday.” Adelinde replied apologetically. Adelinde knew that if there was a person that could somehow help Diluc with his worries, she knew that it was the person that was in front of her right now. Both of them may not be obvious with their little actions around each other, such as with their hidden concerns with the other and the small smile that both of them share once the other isn’t looking. Adeline knew that any person who saw them would know how truly special they were to one another.
Venti thanked Adelinde for her help. Even though it was not enough to know where Diluc was currently at the moment, he at least managed to get some information on what the man was doing lately. Venti bid goodbye to the head maid, thanking her one last time but as he was about to leave, Adelinde spoke three words that put a smile on Venti’s face, nodding his head in response to what the headmaid said.
Diluc was exhausted. He hadn’t been able to get some proper rest lately especially since his headaches were getting worse, and everytime he closed his eyes, visions of someone he didn't know started flooding in. His nightmares were already bad in the past but nothing could compare to the pain and exhaustion every time he tried to sleep. It left him no choice but to distract himself by fighting off some monsters or beating up some fatuis who were up to no good.
While he was walking around near the Temple of the Lion at Galesong Hill, he suddenly heard sounds of rustling against the bushes indicating that someone was there. Diluc took out his claymore, still not sure on who his enemy was, and started walking towards the sound carefully. But due to his exhaustion he wasn't as cautious as before as he clumsily stepped on a branch exposing his location. Diluc silently cursed under his breath, shaking his head to properly wake his system up. Diluc went on a defensive stance as he heard the enemy teleporting to his location. There he was greeted with three abyss mages: a cryo, a hydro and a pyro one.
Handling the cryo and the hydro abyss mage were easy especially since with his pyro vision could easily overpower the two elements, but the pyro one was going to take up lots of work. It was also harder for him since he wasn’t in the best condition right now. Diluc quickly scanned his location, his stance was still strong as ever even though his legs were slightly shaking because of tiredness. As he looked around, he saw that Dadaupa Gorge was near which could help him deal with the pyro abyss mage’s shield. But the only problem was that if ever the abyss mages follow him near the water, the cryo abyss mage could easily overwhelm him with his cryo attacks which could make his attacks and himself slower.
Diluc thought to himself momentarily that he would deal with the cryo and hydro abyss mages first and then later lure the pyro abyss mage to the waters near Dadaupa Gorge. As he was about to attack the cryo abyss mage with his claymore currently flaming, a wind vortex suddenly draws in the three abyss mages, swirling their shield into nothing but air. Diluc was surprised with the sudden help but he knew where that came from or who the person was without turning his head. He easily finished off the abyss mages, summoning his flaming phoenix to deal the last blow.
Once the abyss mages were unconscious, Diluc tied up the three together so that he could gather more information from them later on. When Diluc was done meddling with abyss mages, he felt a small gust of wind appearing on his side, crossing his arms as he turned around to the person that had appeared right in time.
“Master Diluc,I have been looking for you everywhere! I tried waiting for you at Angel’s Share but Charles said that it has been a week since you last came there. So I tried searching for you at Dawn Winery but they said that you haven’t come home since yesterday. So I tried looking for places where you could have gone off and I even have to use my powers to find you since your presence has been really off lately—“
“Venti, it’s okay. I’m alright” Diluc said with a low voice, almost a whisper as he looked at Venti with a small smile who seemed to be stressed lately as well. When Venti confirmed in his mind that Diluc was pretty much alright and alive, he couldn’t stop himself from hugging the taller man, wrapping his arms around Diluc’s waist, quickly wiping his tears that he didn’t know were there.
Diluc was frozen in the hug, he didn’t know how to react or what to do. He was contemplating whether he should hug Venti back or push him away. And as someone who wasn’t that fond of physical touch, the moment for him was pretty awkward to say the least. He thought about pushing Venti away but it was making him feel bad especially since the latter had been so worried about him. Diluc decided to just clear his throat in the end, making Venti aware of their intimate moment.
Once Venti noticed that he was still hugging Diluc tightly with tears all over his eyes, he quickly reclined himself away from Diluc an evident blush from his cheeks, clearing his throat as well to calm himself down from the loud pounding from his chest.
“It’s good to know that you are alright, Master Diluc. You should go back to the winery, they are really worried about you.” Venti recalled, once he calmed down from what just happened.
Diluc nodded with a sigh, “Say before we head to the winery, do you want to walk around the area for a bit? The wind is quite nice today, Venti.” Diluc added, inviting Venti for a short walk to calm himself down as well and feel the calming breeze of the wind during late at night. The past few days had been tiring and adding it with what just happened, Diluc just needed a comforting presence and even if Diluc can’t admit that he finds Venti’s presence comforting, there is no lie that Diluc feels lighter with the bard even though Venti likes annoying him most of the time.
Venti chuckled at Diluc’s invitation because who was he to decline? Of course he wanted to spend more time with him, but Diluc doesn’t need to know that. He’ll figure it out himself soon.
As the two were enjoying the calming breeze of the night, unexpectedly they arrived at the Sword Cemetery since it was around Dadaupa Gorge. As they walked closer, Diluc felt a certain chill around him, like the ones he usually felt everytime he received a vision from the past from someone he still wasn’t sure about. But no matter how wary he felt around the area, there was still something enthralling him to get closer. As Diluc was about to set foot on the waters near the center grave, he felt a strong grip on his arm, although small, stopping him from getting nearer towards the center.
Venti looked at him with worry in his eyes, trying to tell Diluc through his gaze that something around the area didn’t feel right. But even though Diluc saw Venti’s unsettled gaze, there was no one stopping him from walking towards the greatsword that lay in the middle. So he gently put down Venti’s grips, whispering that he’ll be alright as he walks towards the center, his feet getting wet from the shallow lake spread across the area. But Venti was stubborn as well, if he couldn’t stop Diluc from furthering into the grave even though something was not right then he had no choice but to accompany him, after all he did promise to himself that he’ll look out for the man no matter what happened.
When they arrived at the center of the grave where a large greatsword stands in the middle, both of them started feeling more uncomfortable, especially Diluc. He felt something boiling from his pockets. Once he took it out, he realized that it was the timepiece that he acquired a few weeks ago. Further inspecting the timepiece on his hand, he saw the lost drop of the bright liquid fall onto the bottom of the timepiece, boiling and heating the timepiece up. Diluc could feel the heat surge through his hands, but no matter how hot the glass was, it was not burning through his gloves. As he was looking through the timepiece, wondering what was happening with it. He suddenly felt a painful ache from his head: more painful from those he recently felt in the days past. Mixed with his exhaustion, Diluc fell to his knees, his breathing heavy and his grip on his head growing tighter as the pain strengthened.
“Don’t suffer anymore, my dear. Please let me help you.”
When Diluc heard those words, the pain from his head disappeared along with his consciousness. He lay in front of the sword grave as if it were meant for him.