After catching up to Farmas, Jean and the others found him already standing before the entrance of Good Hunter—
apparently having breezed past the gate guards who were trying to stop him seconds earlier.
"Welcome to Good Hunter, how may I—"
Sara recited her usual greeting automatically.
Then she paused.
"Oh! A new face."
She blinked at Farmas and little Timmy, who was still sniffling miserably.
"And… Acting Grand Master Jean, Lumine…
Master Diluc."
"My, my. Looks like business is going to be great today."
Sara smiled, eyeing the whole group.
"One order of fried shrimp & chips, one Golden Chicken Drumstick, and one Mint Soda."
Farmas rattled off his order casually, then turned to the others.
"What about you?"
Jean glanced at the sunlight slanting in through the windows.
It was already noon, and after the battle at Starsnatch Cliff—even though Dvalin's problem wasn't solved—everyone needed food.
"One Serving of Invigorating Pizza."
Jean yawned as she spoke her signature dish's name.
She'd even taught Sara how to make it so she could have it whenever she needed to stay awake.
"I'll have the usual."
Diluc said coolly, but Sara knew exactly what that meant.
"One Sticky Honey Roast—coming right up!" she called to the kitchen.
"Wow, Diluc really likes meat, huh?"
Paimon said loudly enough that half the restaurant turned to look.
"Can I cook something myself, Miss Sara~?"
Venti held up the bag of roasted pigeon he'd collected on the bridge, the bag now a suspicious black sack.
"Of course, little bard."
Something about his clasped-hands, sparkly-eyed pleading bypassed Sara's brain entirely, and she let him into the kitchen.
"What about you two?"
Venti asked, smiling toward Lumine and Paimon.
The two looked at each other, then spoke in perfect unison:
"Honeyed Roast!"
Everyone took their seats, and a few minutes later, the dishes arrived.
"Whoa—so this is the Sticky Honey Roast?
Look at that mountain of juicy meat! No wonder it's Diluc's favorite!"
Paimon happily alternated between Jean's pizza, her honeyed roast, and a huge bite of Diluc's dish.
"Alright! Here comes the great bard's masterpiece—
Barbatos' Vegetable Mix, plus the Golden Chicken Drumstick and shrimp platter, freshly made for little Timmy!"
Venti emerged from the kitchen in a bright red borrowed apron, balancing two large trays.
"These ingredients… onions, potatoes, carrots?"
Farmas murmured.
It took him back.
Back to when he first tasted Venti's cooking in Munata—
made from the same vegetables brought through treacherous supply routes.
Back when Venti had prepared a humble dish decorated with a lone Cecilia bloom…
A simple meal that carried the faint taste of "tiny turning winds and hopeful breezes."
The dish that convinced Farmas to launch his campaign to free Old Mondstadt from Decarabian.
"The thousand-year friendship between wind and flame began… from a bowl like this."
Farmas took a spoonful.
The gentle flavors of onion and carrot filled his senses; a cooling breeze seemed to swirl through his chest.
The three vegetables blended perfectly.
He finally understood why someone once said this dish was "the most delicious thing this world has to offer."
"The taste of the wind has never faded."
He lifted his gaze to Venti, who was watching with bright, expectant eyes.
"That little turning wind is still in the dish."
"Then I'm relieved."
Venti nodded, then handed another plate to Timmy, freshly done crying.
"Go on, Timmy. Try this—my secret recipe."
Timmy felt a strange malicious aura from Venti's smile…
But the smell of crispy, golden fried chicken was overpowering.
He took the plate.
He bit in.
"This is amazing!"
Watching the boy with oil dripping down his chin, Venti nodded and turned serious.
"We should talk about our next move."
Paimon lifted her head from her plate, still chewing, and nodded vigorously.
"Yeah! We can't let those Abyss Mages get away! They're super annoying!"
"Indeed. As long as the source of the corruption remains, Dvalin's pain won't lessen."
Diluc said, staring at his empty plate.
"Then I'll summon our scouts immediately—"
Jean began, wiping her mouth.
"No need."
"Hm?"
"A short while ago, I personally eliminated one of their kin in the ruins of the Four Winds Temple."
Diluc stood up slightly, as though making a declaration.
"If you want to track them, my intel network will be faster.
The Knights… are too slow."
Jean lowered her head in shame.
Paimon hurried to soften the blow:
"Even if Master Diluc doesn't like the Knights, he still protects Mondstadt in his own way!"
"Aww, Paimon's voice suddenly sounds so doting…"
Venti giggled while nibbling on his own veggie mix.
"Hmph."
Diluc responded like a startled tsundere.
"In any case, wait for word from me.
I'll make the Abyss Order understand—no matter how lawless they are…
there are things you cannot do in Mondstadt."
Venti nodded, then looked at Timmy—
who was now holding his round belly and staring into the distance, too full to even comprehend adult conversation.
That was when Venti leaned down…
Lowered his voice…
But not quite enough.
"By the way, little Timmy…
the fried chicken you just ate?
It was made from pigeon meat."
Timmy froze.
Jean buried her face in her hands.
"…Your Excellency Barbatos, are you truly a god, or an actual demon?" she sighed helplessly.
~---------------------------
Visit my P@tre0n for advance chapters
[email protected]/DevilWarden