Chapter 420: Generous Venti
Meanwhile, on the other side of the bustling room, Paimon had finally secured a kindred spirit.
Spotting Sōkaku staring starry-eyed at the freshly cooked delicacies, the floating fairy zipped over. She grabbed the oni girl's hands, pulling her close with a conspiratorial whisper. "Sōkaku, Sōkaku! Come help me serve the dishes! This job is super important. It determines whether every single plate reaches the table in its absolute, most perfect form! And..."
Paimon glanced left and right, lowering her voice to a dramatic hush. "We get to 'check the quality' first!"
Sōkaku's golden eyes widened to the size of saucers. She nodded so vigorously her blue hair bounced around her shoulders. "Mm-hm! I'll help you!"
Just like that, the serving squad doubled in size. Unfortunately for the kitchen staff, the trouble immediately doubled right along with it.
The two pint-sized foodies hoisted a pair of heavy porcelain plates. Yet, before they could even take two steps toward the dining area, they halted in perfect, synchronized unison.
"For these Jade Parcels, we need to ensure the filling is evenly distributed..." Paimon stated with the utmost solemnity, shamelessly poking a plump dumpling with her silver fork before popping it into her mouth.
"The sauce integration of this Satisfying Salad needs to be confirmed..." Sōkaku followed suit, scooping up a massive spoonful of greens and sweet dressing.
"And the heat on this grilled meat! The crispiness of the edges is crucial..."
"The layers of spice in this fish roll..."
"Taste for saltiness!"
"Test the texture!"
Naturally, by the time their rigorous "inspections" concluded, the mountains of food on their plates had visibly diminished to sad, half-empty hills. The two little gluttons held their trays, staring at the shiny grease smeared across each other's mouths. They exchanged silly, knowing smiles, entirely unrepentant despite their slight guilt.
"Paimon! Sōkaku!" Lumine's voice rang out, laced with a mixture of helplessness and fond amusement. The blonde Traveler crossed her arms, tapping her foot against the floorboards. "You two! If you steal one more bite, you'll be sitting in the corner watching everyone else eat dinner!"
"We aren't stealing bites! We are conducting strict quality control!" Paimon puffed out her little chest, looking incredibly righteous and severe for someone caught red-handed.
"Right! Control!" Sōkaku nodded vigorously in agreement, completely oblivious to the thick smear of sauce still clinging to the corner of her mouth.
Lumine rubbed her temples, letting out a long sigh before finally compromising. "Fine, fine... Starting with the next dish, I'll plate a separate, smaller portion strictly for your 'quality inspections.' Once you finish those, you get to work properly. Do not touch anything meant for the main table, you hear me?"
"Yay!" The two little foodies threw their hands in the air, cheering in victory.
Just like that, amidst minor management difficulties, plenty of laughter, and chaotic collaboration, the banquet preparations proceeded with surprisingly high efficiency.
Friends hailing from three entirely different universes mingled smoothly. They worked side-by-side, hauling heavy oak tables, arranging delicate tableware, stringing up colorful festive decorations, and debugging the complex audio equipment. The air buzzed with a lively display of overlapping accents, joyous laughter, and the rhythmic clatter of iron pots in the kitchen. Above it all drifted the cheerful, improvised melodies of Venti's wooden lyre, weaving the chaotic noise into a vibrant atmosphere of pure vitality.
Any lingering awkwardness or invisible barriers born from their differing worlds quickly dissolved in the heat of shared labor. They might have possessed vastly different combat styles, unique power systems, and contrasting cultural backgrounds, but here and now, their goal was wonderfully unified: to prepare a massive feast celebrating their hard-won victory and newfound friendship.
Wise and Belle wove smoothly through the dense crowd. The sibling Proxies acted as the glue holding the room together, sometimes passing heavy crates of supplies, and other times acting as temporary translators and introducers for the interdimensional guests. Watching the harmonious, bustling scene unfold before them, genuine, satisfied smiles never left their faces.
These companions—whether long-time local partners from the neon streets of New Eridu or extraordinary travelers from distant stars—truly merged into a single, cohesive family in this fleeting moment.
After more than half a system-hour of intense, coordinated effort, everything was finally ready.
The massive, elongated dining table was draped in a pristine white tablecloth. It groaned under the weight of an overwhelming variety of dishes. Culinary masterpieces from multiple worlds sat side-by-side, boasting perfect color, mouth-watering aromas, and exquisite presentation. The room's atmosphere grew thick with the alluring scent of roasted meats, the mellow, sweet notes of aged wine, and the faint, crisp undertone of floral air freshener.
The diverse group spontaneously gathered around the grand table. Their faces glowed with the warm satisfaction of hard work and eager anticipation for the feast. Wise and Belle stepped up to the head of the table, turning to face the expectant crowd.
Wise cleared his throat. He shifted his weight, clearly a bit nervous under the spotlight, but his dark eyes shone with unwavering sincerity. "Um... everyone, before we dig in, please allow Belle and me to say a few words."
The chatter instantly died down. The guests turned their attention to the siblings, offering encouraging, warm smiles.
Belle took over, her voice ringing clear and thick with genuine emotion. "Being able to gather everyone here today... my brother and I feel incredibly, incredibly lucky. We want to offer our most sincere thanks to every single friend present in this room. Whether you are our loyal partners from right here in New Eridu, or our extended family from the Chat Group across distant worlds!"
She bowed deeply at the waist. Beside her, Wise immediately mirrored the gesture, dipping his head in deep respect.
"Without all of you, we might not have survived to see today," Belle continued, straightening up with a bright, slightly misty-eyed smile. "And it would have been absolutely impossible to prepare a banquet like this with all of you. Really... thank you so much!"
Their genuine outpouring of gratitude washed over the room, wrapping the venue in a deeply moving, heartwarming atmosphere.
Nicole waved a manicured hand, a breezy smile gracing her lips. "Oh my, Rope Masters, you guys are way too polite! Isn't helping each other out exactly what friends are for?"
"Exactly, exactly!" Stelle nodded vigorously. The tall Trailblazer was already leaning forward, her golden eyes locked impatiently onto a massive platter of sizzling grilled meat. "Why waste time on polite words? Today is a victory banquet! The main characters tonight are happiness... and delicious food! Right, everyone?"
Her blunt, food-driven logic drew a roaring chorus of approving laughter and enthusiastic nods.
"That's right! Banquets are meant to be loud and happy!" Caesar shouted, pumping a fist into the air.
Just as the festive energy hit its absolute peak, with everyone reaching for their glasses to initiate a grand toast, Venti stood up. A playful, brilliant smile stretched across the bard's face.
His emerald eyes sparkled with mischievous joy as he clapped his hands together, easily drawing the room's attention. "Speaking of toasting, how can we possibly celebrate without suitable fine wine to elevate the fun? When we were fighting in the Hollow, I promised Director Hu that I would bring out my most cherished vintage."
Hu Tao's plum-blossom eyes instantly lit up. She leaned across the table, a cheeky grin on her face. "Oho? Is Venti actually being generous for once? Don't you dare try to fool this Director with watered-down, inferior goods!"
"How could I ever?" Venti feigned a gasp of offense, pressing a hand to his chest. He then flipped his wrist with a theatrical flourish.
As if by pure magic, several heavy earthenware jars adorned with ancient, swirling designs materialized out of thin air, landing softly on a small side table. Faint, pulsing energy fluctuations radiated from the clay. Beside them sat several exquisite, crystal-clear glass bottles. Inside the glass, miniature, ethereal breezes seemed to constantly swirl and flow through the amber liquid.
A rich, breathtakingly complex aroma instantly flooded the dining hall. The scent carried the crisp essence of sun-drenched apple orchards caressed by a thousand winds, the pure sweetness of morning dew gathered at dawn, and the heavy, intoxicating weight of distant, ancient years. Just a single whiff was enough to make spirits soar and mouths water uncontrollably.
The most captivating of the collection were the clay jars sealed with thick mud bearing a distinct, glowing wind-pattern mark. They radiated an intoxicating, pure spiritual power that tugged at the senses.
"This is..." Zhongli murmured, his amber eyes shifting slightly. The retired Geo Archon stared intently at the wind-patterned seals, a rare look of deep recognition crossing his stoic features.
"The real deal. Mondstadt's legendary Anemo Archon's Brew," Venti declared, blinking playfully as his carefree smile widened. "Along with a few other rare treasures I've managed to acquire across my travels. Don't worry, there is more than enough for everyone."
He gently patted the small, unassuming wooden gourd tied to his waist. Faint, rippling spatial fluctuations warped the air around the item—it was the [Endless Wine Gourd] he had miraculously obtained from a previous Chat Group lucky draw.
"After all, a grand gathering of friends is the absolute best stage for fine wine to make its grand appearance, isn't it?"
Every pair of eyes in the room was instantly glued to the extraordinary, glowing beverages. Carried by the sudden, overwhelming aroma of wine that overflowed with the very breath of freedom and celebration, the atmosphere of the victory banquet was finally pushed to its absolute, euphoric peak.
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