As time passed, more and more people began to gather.
At the stalls for the Weinlesefest, each winery hoisted its own banner, the colorful flags fluttering in the air.
Besides the participating wineries, many vendors had also arrived, turning the venue into a full-blown carnival.
The stall from Good Hunter was laden with all sorts of delicious food and beverages. Visitors from Springvale set up a barbecue stand, grilling skewers that filled the air with a mouthwatering aroma.
There were even candy merchants selling vibrant, colorful sweets.
Sitting on Shao Yun's shoulders, Klee looked at the brightly colored candies, stretched out her little hand, and adorably said, "Klee wants this one, and this one, and that one too!"
"Alright."
Shao Yun then paid from his own pocket and bought a few bags.
With Klee on his shoulders and Lumine and Paimon each holding a bag of gummies, they strolled around the festival, eating as they went, enjoying this rare moment of leisure.
At the Dawn Winery's stall, Diluc was checking preparations with the winemaker, Connor.
"The alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are all ready, correct?"
Connor replied with full confidence, "Master Diluc, rest assured. The wine has been blended to perfection, and the non-alcoholic drinks are well-stocked."
Then, he pointed to the neatly arranged barrels on either side of the booth to introduce them to Diluc.
"The wooden barrels on the left contain our winery's signature wines. On the right are the non-alcoholic juices prepared for the children. And the dandelion wine for the Anemo Archon has already been delivered on time."
Diluc nodded in satisfaction.
"Looks like everything is in order."
Just then, Shao Yun and his group arrived at the Dawn Winery's stall.
Paimon greeted Diluc cheerfully.
"Master Diluc, long time no see!"
Diluc turned at the voice and calmly replied, "Long time no see. Happy Weinlesefest."
Paimon giggled and curiously asked, "Master Diluc, what wine did Dawn Winery offer the Anemo Archon?"
Connor, standing nearby, proudly answered, "Our Dawn Winery's signature dandelion wine."
Paimon's eyes widened with excitement. She was convinced Dawn Winery would take the crown this time!
"Oh! Then Master Diluc is definitely going to win this time!"
Faced with Paimon's compliment, Diluc remained composed and simply nodded.
"Thanks for the praise. Truthfully, I don't really care whether the church favors Dawn Winery's wine. If not for supporting the Knights of Favonius, I wouldn't even attend this festival."
Shao Yun glanced at the wooden barrels at the booth and said to Diluc, "Mr. Diluc, I'd like a few drinks, is that okay?"
"Of course. Please wait a moment." Diluc nodded and turned to instruct Connor.
"Connor, prepare four glasses of Holiday Fruit Wine."
Connor responded immediately. Soon, he returned with a tray holding four glasses of the Holiday Fruit Wine, handing them out to Shao Yun, Lumine, Paimon, and Klee, who was perched on Shao Yun's shoulders.
After tasting it, Klee found it delicious. She held out her empty glass enthusiastically.
"Big Brother Diluc, I want more!"
Diluc, looking at the adorable Klee, gave another order to Connor.
"Connor, bring four bottles of Holiday Fruit Wine from the store. Make sure they're the best."
"Understood, Master Diluc!"
Connor quickly ran off and soon returned from the store with four bottles of juice.
Diluc handed them to Shao Yun and the others one by one.
When giving Klee her juice, although his face remained expressionless, there was a hint of concern in his voice.
"Don't drink it all at once. During the Weinlesefest, Good Hunter will prepare lots of delicious food. It'd be a pity to miss out just because you're too full."
Klee nodded obediently, put the juice into her backpack, and said sweetly, "Thank you, Big Brother Diluc! You're a good person!"
Diluc looked at the beaming Klee, and the corners of his lips curled into a quick smile before returning to his usual calm.
"No need to thank me."
…
After leaving the Dawn Winery stall, Shao Yun, with Klee, Lumine, and Paimon, toured the entire venue thoroughly.
As time went on, the crowd at the venue grew even larger, and the atmosphere became more festive.
After organizing the patrols, Acting Grand Master Jean approached them and expressed her gratitude.
"Everything's settled. Thank you so much for looking after Klee."
Shao Yun smiled and replied, "It was no trouble at all. I actually really enjoy walking the festival with Klee." With that, he gently handed the girl on his shoulders over to Jean.
Jean received Klee and gently pinched her nose with a smile.
"Klee, were you a good girl while I was away?"
Klee nodded obediently and replied, "Klee was very good, a good girl!"
Hearing this, Jean was clearly relieved. She turned to Shao Yun and the others.
"Then I'll take Klee now. Happy Weinlesefest to all three of you!"
"You too, Acting Grand Master Jean. Enjoy the festival!"
As Jean left with the adorable Klee, an unexpected figure appeared before them—Venti.
Holding an empty wine bottle, Venti had just finished sampling a fine wine. He wore a joyful expression, clearly in high spirits.
He approached Shao Yun, Lumine, and Paimon with a cheerful tone.
"Aiya, Shao Yun, Lumine, and Paimon! Hello and happy Weinlesefest!"
Seeing how cheerful Venti was, Paimon couldn't resist making a joke.
"Someone's looking pretty pleased with himself today!"
Venti chuckled and explained, "Of course! Today's the day we offer the best wine to our noble Anemo Archon, Barbatos. How could I not be happy?"
Shao Yun chimed in teasingly, "The best wine is for the Archon Barbatos, not for you, Venti!"
Venti scratched his head a bit awkwardly and laughed, "It's all the same, no need to fuss over such little details."
Seeing Venti's reaction, Shao Yun grinned and said generously, "Alright then. Since the people of Mondstadt offer their best wine to Barbatos, I'll offer my best wine to Venti!"
He pulled a bottle of "Aged Pirate Rum" brewed by time itself from his Legend of the East satchel and handed it to Venti.
Venti uncorked the bottle and stared at the deep-colored, aromatic liquor in his hand, his face frozen in disbelief.
His eyes widened, voice trembling slightly.
"This... Shao Yun, is this really from you? You're too generous!"
Shao Yun's smile brightened. He gently patted Venti on the shoulder.
"Happy Weinlesefest, Venti. I stumbled upon this fine bottle during my travels. I'm in a good mood, so take it!"
Venti carefully stowed away the aged pirate rum, then unstrapped his beloved plucked zither from his waist.
"Mr. Shao Yun, your generosity overwhelms me. Please allow me to express my gratitude with the most heartfelt music I can offer."
With that, Venti gently plucked the strings.
Melodious notes began to float through the air.
The music was as pure as a spring, as gentle as a breeze, imbued with the Anemo Archon's blessing—enough to touch the soul.
For a moment, it felt like the entire festival was wrapped in this enchanting melody.
White doves, drawn by the music, flew in from all directions, circling in the sky before gathering above the Favonius Cathedral.
The crowd looked up at the birds in wonder and reverence, many exclaiming, "That must be Lord Barbatos revealing himself!"
"May the Anemo Archon protect Mondstadt. May our home forever be safe and peaceful." The people prayed in unison.
As Venti gently plucked the final few notes, the beautiful melody came to a gentle close.
He set down his zither softly. With the fine wine in hand, his face glowed with a radiant smile.
"Thank you for the fine drink, Shao Yun. As thanks, how about I take you on a tour of drinks around the festival?"
Shao Yun was clearly intrigued by the suggestion. He turned to Lumine and Paimon, seeking their opinion.
"Can I go?"
Lumine nodded with a warm smile and said, "Go ahead, Shao Yun. Like you said, as long as you're happy. Paimon and I are planning to catch up with some old friends anyway."
Upon hearing this, Shao Yun happily followed Venti to drink.
Lumine watched the two of them leave, then gently shook her head and turned to Paimon.
"Let's go too, Paimon. Let's catch up with some of our old friends."
…
"A good opportunity. That lowborn is gone. Shall we strike?"
"Not yet. Hold on! We can't beat the Honorary Knight. Wait for the right moment!"
…
Time flew by, and before anyone realized, it was already nine o'clock. The festival began.
On stage, Acting Grand Master Jean and Barbara stood side by side, solemnly presiding over the long-awaited opening ceremony of the Weinlesefest.
After a meticulous selection by the expert judging panel composed of winemakers like Diona, Dawn Winery's dandelion wine emerged victorious with its impeccable quality, earning unanimous praise.
This wine, with its exceptional taste and unique flavor, became the shining star of the celebration.
Finally, Barbara, holding a delicately crafted silver vessel of dandelion wine, slowly walked to the statue of the Anemo Archon in the center of the plaza.
With devout eyes and a gentle yet firm voice, she declared, "We offer this most exquisite wine to our great Anemo Archon, Lord Barbatos!"
Her voice echoed across the square. Accompanied by enthusiastic applause and cheers, the opening of the festival officially began.
Afterward, the church choir praised Barbatos with their harmonious hymns.
Their singing, like heavenly music, resonated throughout every corner of the venue.
Meanwhile, bards took to the stage one after another, expressing their love and blessings for Mondstadt and the celebration through poetry and song.
Each showed off their talents with dazzling artistry.
Laughter, applause, and joyous sounds filled the entire venue.
Venti led Shao Yun through the stalls of the participating wineries. During the Weinlesefest, all kinds of fine wines and delicacies were available in abundance—and for free.
Venti personally selected two glasses of wine, smiling as he handed one to Shao Yun.
"Try this from Drunken Moon Winery. It may not have the same fame as Dawn Winery, but the taste is quite good."
Shao Yun took the glass, swirled it gently, then downed it in one go.
He savored the flavor carefully, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.
"Hmm, it really is nice. It has a soft touch to it, and the aftertaste is amazing."
Seeing how much he enjoyed it; Venti became even more excited. Grabbing Shao Yun's hand, he exclaimed joyfully, "Then let's try the next one! I want you to taste every wine in Mondstadt!"
Under Venti's enthusiastic guidance, Shao Yun visited each winery's stall one after another.
Venti introduced each wine nonstop.
"This one's sunsettia wine is delicious too, give it a try."
"This one's unique too, the taste is definitely worth exploring."
By noon, Shao Yun had sampled many wines with Venti's company.
Drinking on an empty stomach, he began to feel a bit lightheaded, his cheeks flushed.
But he was still thoroughly enjoying the rare feast of fine brews.