After taking care of things with Diona, Shao Yun arrived at the venue in front of the Cathedral.
The decorations were splendid, radiating nobility and grandeur from every corner.
Colorful balloons, intricate adornments, and that solemn flagpole—all of it emphasized just how grand this upcoming event would be.
Shao Yun scanned the crowd and quickly spotted Lumine and Paimon busily working.
He smiled and waved enthusiastically. "Lumine! Paimon! I'm here!"
His voice echoed through the open plaza, drawing glances from the people nearby.
Lumine heard his call and turned toward him, her arms full of Knight banners, joy lighting up her face.
She hurried over and handed him a stack. "Shao Yun, you got back just in time! Help Paimon and me hang these on the flagpoles!"
Shao Yun took the flags, glancing at Lumine's lively face. A warm feeling rose in his chest.
He nodded with resolve. "Alright, I'll get them up right away!"
He grabbed a ladder and got to work.
Step by step, he climbed carefully, fastening the Knights' flags one by one.
After repeating the task over a dozen times, all the flags fluttered proudly in the breeze.
Satisfied, Shao Yun clapped his hands together and strode back to Lumine.
"All done! What's next?" he asked cheerfully.
Lumine lifted her gaze to the gently waving banners. She smiled and nodded.
"Nice work. Come with me—there's plenty more to do!"
And so, together with Paimon and the Knights, they helped the participating wineries set up their stalls.
A slew of miscellaneous tasks followed, but Shao Yun threw himself into them without complaint.
…
The day flew by. By dusk, the venue was fully prepared—ready for the Festival of the Finest Brews tomorrow.
Shao Yun, Lumine, and Paimon found a place to rest in the now-complete venue.
Shao Yun used his hat to fan himself while gazing over the setup.
It had been a long day, but he wasn't tired—in fact, he was exhilarated.
"Man, I'm beat. But the festival's tomorrow—can't wait to have some real fun!"
Paimon, however, looked thoroughly exhausted. She slumped into a chair, clutching her belly.
"So tired... I'm starving..." she whined.
Seeing her like that, Shao Yun plopped his hat back on and looked at them both.
"How about Good Hunter Restaurant?"
Just as they were about to leave, Jean approached.
"Hello, Acting Grand Master," Shao Yun said with a tip of his hat. "Looks like everything's wrapped up."
Jean smiled and clapped her hands. "Thank you all for your hard work today. The Knights have prepared a feast for everyone. Let me take you to dinner."
At the mention of food, Paimon perked up immediately.
"Thanks, Master Jean! Shao Yun, Lumine, let's go! My stomach can't wait!"
Shao Yun wasn't expecting a catered dinner—but hey, free food is free food.
"Alright. Thanks, Master Jean!"
Jean led them to the venue's dining area, where a lavish banquet was already laid out.
The aroma was mouthwatering, and the sight of so many elegant dishes made their appetites soar.
Paimon spotted two familiar figures and immediately floated over, waving cheerfully.
"Bennett! Fischl! Hello there!"
Bennett and Fischl turned around at the sound of her voice.
Bennett beamed. "Hey, Paimon! Lumine! And… who's this?"
Shao Yun stepped forward, offering a handshake. "I'm Shao Yun. Nice to meet you both."
Bennett shook his hand with a smile. "Nice to meet you too! I'm Bennett, from the Adventurers' Guild. I've heard great things about your adventures."
Beside him, Fischl stood poised in her extravagant princess-like attire, radiating peak chuunibyou energy.
"I am the Prinzessin der Verurteilung, descended from the realm of the Immernachtreich, summoned here by fate. This is my loyal servant, Oz. You have my permission to accompany us."
Oz flapped in the air beside her and translated, "Miss Fischl means to say her name is Fischl, and I'm Oz. Pleased to meet you."
Shao Yun tipped his hat. "A pleasure."
Paimon grinned. "Shao Yun, these two are some of the top adventurers from the Guild. Lumine and I met them on our travels in Mondstadt!"
Hearing they were Lumine's friends, Shao Yun smiled warmly. "Well then, it must be fate. Shall we all sit together and chat over dinner?"
Bennett eagerly agreed. "Sure! Lumine told me you've got tons of cool stories. Can you share some?"
"Absolutely," Shao Yun nodded.
…
The five of them sat around a finely crafted wooden table brimming with food.
Shao Yun animatedly shared tales from his past adventures, holding nothing back.
Bennett listened wide-eyed, nodding in amazement. Eventually, he asked, "Mr. Shao Yun, you must be a veteran adventurer. But why haven't I ever heard of you at the Guild?"
Because my Guild name is Tacitus Kilgore—if you'd heard of me, that'd be a miracle.
Shao Yun gave a sly grin and patted Bennett's shoulder. "Let's just say… I prefer to stay under the radar."
Bennett blinked, then laughed. "You're really something, Mr. Shao Yun."
Then Fischl leaned in, her tone dramatic. "Traveler from beyond… regale this Prinzessin with your grandest exploits."
Oz translated, "She means, do you have any fun adventure stories to share?"
Shao Yun thought for a moment, then began recounting his search for a stash of gold bars—a treasure hunt with maps, traps, and payoffs.
Bennett was enthralled. "Decryption! Danger! And treasure?! Man, I wish I could've joined you!"
Shao Yun sipped some juice. "Yup. Hard work pays off. And for me, that was the least risky way to earn money."
Bennett scratched his head. "Least risky?"
Paimon quickly changed the subject. "Let's not get into that—Bennett, Fischl, how've your adventures been lately?"
Bennett sighed. "Long story…"
He recounted a string of bad luck: getting rammed by a boar, eating poisonous mushrooms...
Fischl chimed in with her usual flair, turning balloon deliveries and pet-sitting into epic battles with darkness—only for Oz to clarify every exaggeration.
"Oz! Stop translating everything I say!"
Shao Yun chuckled. "Sounds like your adventures have been rough… but at least you're safe. That's what matters."
…
As night fell, the group finished their meal, courtesy of the Knights.
Back home, Lumine sent Paimon to prepare the bathwater.
Then she turned to Shao Yun with a curious expression.
"Shao Yun, I have a question for you."
Shao Yun relaxed on the couch and nodded. "Shoot."
Lumine stepped closer, studying him carefully.
"Have you... turned over a new leaf lately? You're being suspiciously nice."
Shao Yun raised an eyebrow, smiling.
"Let's just say I'm trying to... cultivate my temperament."
Lumine blinked. "Cultivate...? You serious?"
He brushed dust off his clothes and replied, serious this time. "I think we're going to meet your brother soon. I want to lay off the bloodshed, refine myself a little... make a good impression."
Lumine couldn't help bursting into laughter. Coming from him, "cultivation" and "temperance" just sounded absurd.
"Alright, I'll take that as your way of cheering me up. As long as you're happy."
Shao Yun smiled at her laughter—warmth blooming in his chest.
Then he remembered something. With a small jolt, he reached into his pack and pulled out a little box Jean had given him.
He handed it to Lumine.
She opened it to find a beautifully crafted hair clip.
"A hair clip?" she asked, puzzled.
Shao Yun nodded. "Master Jean said it looks good either on your head or clipped to your hat. I figured you'd like it, so I took it."
Lumine examined the accessory, then nodded. "Alright, I'll keep it."
She clipped it to her denim hat, then turned to him with a sly grin.
"And if, like you said, we really do meet my brother soon... based on how you've been acting these past few days, I might even say something nice about you."
…
"Is everything ready?"
"Ready!"
"Tomorrow... that mongrel will be begging at our feet!"