At Jean’s appreciation party, everyone indulged in the delicious food and drinks, enjoying a lively and cheerful evening together.
The feast on the table was partly prepared by Noelle and partly made with Lumine’s help over at the Good Hunter.
In truth, this celebration wasn’t just something the Knights of Favonius had organized for Jean—it felt more like Mondstadt as a whole had come together to honor her.
Otherwise, Kaeya and the others couldn’t possibly have pulled this off in such a short time.
The food was for everyone to enjoy, but the wine…
Not everyone was allowed to partake.
After all, several attendees were minors—Barbara, Noelle, and Amber among them—none of whom were of drinking age.
“Give me a glass!!”
Lumine reached out desperately for the wine Jia Changjiang had brought, only to be thwarted. Jia Changjiang easily pressed his hand against her face, keeping her at bay with his superior reach. No matter how hard she stretched, she couldn’t get close to a cup.
“No alcohol for minors.”
“I’m not a minor!” Lumine protested furiously.
“Yeah, right. Are you really trying to drink, or are you just looking for an excuse to pretend you’re drunk? You’re the textbook example of drunkenness isn’t about the wine,” Jia Changjiang teased, waving her off. “Go enjoy some non-alcoholic apple juice or grape juice instead!”
“Ugh! You’re just like Aether!” Lumine pouted and turned to Lisa for comfort. “Lisa, Jax is bullying me!”
“Ha~ This wine is excellent. Pour me another…”
On the other side of the room, Venti, having just finished a song in Jean’s honor, was enjoying himself to the fullest. He downed glass after glass of wine, seemingly unfazed. Where all the alcohol went was anyone’s guess.
For someone who constantly got carded thanks to his youthful appearance, this was a rare opportunity for Venti. And since he usually couldn’t afford such high-quality wine, he made sure to savor it.
Kaeya, intrigued, watched Venti drink.
With a tolerance like that, there was no way Venti was an ordinary person.
Meanwhile, Razor, who had been happily devouring meat on the sidelines, accidentally gulped down a large glass of wine while choking. As an underaged drinker, he quickly succumbed to its effects, collapsing face-first onto the table.
Diluc surveyed the chaos overtaking his tavern, shook his head, and sipped his grape juice. Choosing to distance himself from the revelry, he quietly sat in a corner.
Noticing this, Jia Changjiang grabbed two glasses and joined him, sliding one across the table.
“Why are you sitting here alone? You look like one of those socially anxious types…”
“I simply prefer not to get too involved with the Knights of Favonius,” Diluc replied without touching the glass. “Allowing them to use my tavern was just a gesture of goodwill, an acknowledgment of Jean’s contributions as a citizen of Mondstadt.”
“Got it, Mr. Stoic,” Jia Changjiang said with a laugh. “By the way, Jean suspected you were the Darknight Hero earlier, but we managed to cover for you. She even asked Lisa and Kaeya, but they both confirmed you’d been here all night, so your secret identity is safe. Pretty neat, huh?”
“Hmph… Kaeya, that guy…”
Diluc muttered in mild annoyance. “You can only believe half of what he says, but you’ll never know which half.”
“Yeah, I know. But so what?”
Jia Changjiang downed his drink in one go and grinned. “Everyone’s got secrets, a past they don’t talk about. Who doesn’t have things they’d rather keep hidden? If someone’s keeping something from you, it just means you haven’t earned their full trust yet.”
Jia Changjiang gave Diluc a hearty slap on the back. “But don’t worry! As long as you’re willing to fight alongside me, you’re a good friend in my book! I don’t stick around to complicate things anyway—I’m the type to finish the fight and move on!”
The way Jia Changjiang said it made him sound like a playboy boasting about one-night stands.
“…You certainly live freely, with simple goals,” Diluc remarked, glancing at him.
“Jealous of my lifestyle?” Jia Changjiang laughed.
“No. Your way of living doesn’t suit me,” Diluc replied, his gaze drifting to the lively crowd in the tavern. His tone softened slightly.
“To me, before true dawn arrives, someone has to illuminate the darkness, even if only a little.”
Then, almost wistfully, he added, “But perhaps… it doesn’t always have to be a solitary journey.”
“Seems like you’ve got your own answers. No need for me to ramble on.” Jia Changjiang stood up, stretching. “I know you’re not a fan of alcohol, so I poured you some grape juice. But come on, lighten up. No one likes a party pooper.”
As he walked away, Jia Changjiang quipped, “Too bad I’ll be leaving Mondstadt soon. I’m heading to Liyue for a while. What a shame—I’ll miss out on all the great wine in this tavern…”
With that, Jia Changjiang left, leaving Diluc alone.
After a moment’s hesitation, Diluc picked up the glass.
One sip in, he froze, the taste catching him off guard. For a moment, his expression hovered between amused and exasperated, though he kept his composure.
Jia Changjiang hadn’t poured grape juice. It was wine.
“Hmph…”
Diluc let out a small chuckle. “What a childish prank.”
—
The party continued late into the night.
Even Klee, bursting with energy earlier, eventually fell asleep.
As the festivities wound down, Jia Changjiang’s massive barrel of wine was emptied, and Diluc even contributed a few more bottles of his finest to keep the celebration going.
Lumine, though denied the chance to fake drunkenness, still had a wonderful time. As for the overindulgent drinkers…
Only Jia Changjiang and Venti ended up drunk.
“So, what should we do with Jia Changjiang and this bard?” Kaeya asked, slurring slightly but still coherent. “Their alcohol tolerance is terrifying… They drank almost the entire barrel between them.”
Diluc peeked out from behind the bar. “Just leave them. Someone will come clean up in the morning.”
Paimon hovered near the two unconscious drinkers, marveling at their stamina. “Where did all that alcohol go? If Paimon had a stomach that big, she could eat so much more delicious food!”
“Tch. Won’t let me drink, but look at him now,” Lumine muttered, glaring at Jia Changjiang.
Kaeya, ever the mischief-maker, grinned and added, “Ah, Lumine, men’s stomachs for drinking wine are just like girls’ stomachs for eating desserts—bottomless!”
—
This is a fan translation of 武器大师在原神绝不死于徒手 by 徐人双 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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