A few days passed.
During this time, I kept taking commissions and managed to raise my rank to Gold. With the money I earned, I bought what I needed for my home and had a nice set of armor crafted for myself. The armor was light and didn't restrict my movements. I made sure to add Fire and Electro resistance. Since I kept going in and out of the city, it felt like I was slowly numbing my bad memories.
While watering the crops in the garden behind my house, I drifted into thought.
"Still no sign of Dvalin. No news from the Traveler either. …Not looking good."
I… feel aimless.
I built a place I can call home. I survived. And these past few days, I felt a sense of accomplishment I've never experienced before in my entire life.
Yet still…
"Empty."
I don't know what I want to do… No, maybe I'm hiding it from myself… Am I scared? Of what? I don't know.
Actually… I do know. Shit… reaching her feels impossible right now. It shouldn't be this hard, yet I just… don't feel like trying.
I guess I don't care anymore. Tonight, I'll go to the city's tavern. I need a good drink. Maybe it'll help me relax a bit.
Until evening, I organized my house and garden. Then, without putting on my armor, I headed to the tavern wearing the new clothes I bought in the city. They looked very similar to the clothes from my world—dark blue jeans and a black T-shirt. Finding a size that fit me wasn't easy, so the shirt clung tightly to my athletic figure. Not that I mind... Anyway, I finally reached Diluc's Angels Share. I opened the door and walked in. The thick smell of beer, people talking, and singing overwhelmed my senses a bit. In front of me stood a red-haired, red-eyed guy, probably around 1.90 in height, working as the bartender. His features were sharp and fierce. I sat down on one of the bar stools.
"A whiskey."
He placed the glass in front of me and poured the right amount. He was about to add ice, but I grabbed his arm and added,
"No ice."
He looked at my arm and hand, then pulled back after making eye contact.
"You're not from around here."
There it is—suspicious Diluc.
I took a sip of my whiskey and replied while swirling the glass.
"Is it that obvious?"
While wiping a glass, he answered,
"Your posture, your build, and your hands. The calluses are in the wrong places for someone from this city."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Wrong how?"
He put the glass away and crossed his arms.
"In Mondstadt, most people use swords. Your hands wouldn't callus like that from holding a sword."
I chuckled softly and took another sip.
"You're observant. People in this city aren't very good at that, for some reason. They don't think."
He wasn't expecting that answer, I guess—because I caught a small smile on his face.
Taking the chance, I reached my hand toward him.
"I'm Kane. And you?"
He hesitated for a moment, then shook my hand.
"Diluc."
His palm was rough, as expected from someone who wields a claymore. We were silently testing each other's strength. Of course, he was stronger. But for some reason, I liked that feeling—meeting someone stronger and still pushing back… I could feel my ego swelling. Before overdoing it, I let go.
"This whiskey tastes great. Most places water theirs down."
I continued talking to probe him a little.
"I don't water my drinks." He leaned slightly forward. "People come here to relax, not to drown."
I smiled and finished my whiskey, my gaze drifting to the glass with a blank expression.
"Relaxing isn't one of the things I'm good at, Diluc."
He understood enough to ask,
"What do you mean by that?"
I could see the tension in his muscles—relax, champ. I'm not trying to pick a fight I'd lose. At least not yet.
"I'm not here to cause trouble. Just wanted a good drink and… information."
He tilted his head.
"Information? About what?"
Good. I had his attention now. Based on what I knew, I continued. My goal was to make him warm up to me. Not sure why I cared… but having someone reliable in this city would only help me.
"I've cleared countless Hilichurl camps near Mondstadt lately. But some things don't add up. They're moving in organized patterns."
Most of what I said was true. Those creatures didn't usually coordinate like that. They were evolving. And I'd been noticing it more and more in recent days.
Diluc leaned forward.
"You cleared Hilichurl camps alone? Without a Vision?"
I shrugged.
"Just another day for me."
Then Diluc's eyes widened slightly—as if something clicked.
"There been rumors about someone who joined the Adventurers' Guild recently—someone clearing Hilichurl camps daily without a Vision. Was that you?"
Rumors? Interesting. People apparently gossip regardless of the universe.
"First time I'm hearing of it. But yes, unless there's someone else like me, it's definitely me."
He thought for a moment, then replied,
"Be careful. Mondstadt isn't as peaceful as you think."
"I know."
A short silence settled between us.
"If you need another drink or anything else, the tavern will stay open for a few more hours. But don't expect much conversation from me. I'm not fond of chatting."
I slid my glass toward him again.
"Good. I'm not fond of people."
This time, he didn't hide his smile. For some reason, I felt like we'd become good friends someday.
After a few more sips, I noticed someone sitting at one of the tables. …My heart skipped. My hand trembled—maybe. I wasn't sure. I couldn't take my eyes off her.
Eula.
She was beautiful as always. The faint red on her lips after sipping her drink made it obvious she was drinking red wine. She was sitting alone. And from her movements and expression, I could tell she wasn't drunk.
As I kept staring, she suddenly looked at me. Our eyes met. I quickly looked away.
My heart hammered violently.
Diluc noticed the sudden change in me.
"You alright?"
I stood up and placed the money on the counter.
"…I'm fine."
Then I quickly left the tavern. My hands were still trembling. The cold night air brushing against my skin seemed like it was trying to calm me down. My steps slowed as I walked toward the city gate. The cold wind at night meant summer was ending. The tension faded as I walked. …I saw her, but I chose to run again. It was for the best, for now. I didn't feel like I deserved her like this.
While I was drowning in my own thoughts, a sudden force slammed me against a wall. A hand held me there by the side of my head. When my mind finally processed what happened, I saw Eula. …I was genuinely shocked. …She was too close. TOO close. My heart started racing all over again.
"You bastard! Why did you run away after what happened that day?! Because of you, things got worse between me and Amber."
…Really? That's the issue right now?
…And why are you this strong? She pinned me like I weighed nothing.
…More importantly, why is this feels so good?
"M-My intention wasn't to make things worse between you with Amber. I just…"
She cut me off, clearly out of patience.
"You just what?!"
…Stop looking at me like that. It hurts.
"I—I just wanted to run."
I turned my gaze away. I couldn't look her in the eyes. My words seemed to soften her anger for a moment.
"Run? I even apologized to you. Why would you do something like that?"
The words refused to leave my throat. I'd never felt this weak before.
"I-I—"
"Both of you, stop."
Diluc's voice cut in, saving me. Even my breathing was shaky.
"Stay out of this, bartender."
To Eula, apparently Diluc was still just a bartender.
Diluc replied firmly,
"I don't care what happened between you two. But why are you doing this to someone without even a Vision?"
…Why are you defending me, Diluc?
…We met TODAY. You have no reason to.
Eula looked into my eyes again, and I could tell she was reevaluating me. Honestly, thinking about it… I didn't really do anything to deserve this reaction. Maybe the wine made her more emotional than usual.
She sighed, calming herself.
"You got lucky this time. But this isn't over. I will have my vengeance!"
Then she walked away quickly.
Diluc turned to me.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
I took a deep breath.
"I don't know."
He sighed.
"I have no clue what happened between you two, but this is the first time I've seen her act like that. Usually, when someone at the bar bothers her, she simply ignores them. I don't know why she acted this way toward you. More importantly—why didn't you defend yourself?"
…I didn't know what to say.
I decided to be honest.
"I love her. That's all."
Diluc blinked, as if the absurdity of the situation physically hurt him.
"…You're the strangest man I've ever met."
Shut up, Diluc.