While the head of the medical team was busy strategizing, Gu Sanqiu and his drinking companions had finally halted their "drink a hundred rounds" festivities.
One advantage of the snowy mountain was its relentless wind, which swept away the stagnant smell of alcohol even within the tents.
The people outside, however, had a different opinion.
Mondstadters were renowned throughout Teyvat for their love of wine. Combine that with the relaxed atmosphere following a battle, and the desire for a drink was palpable. Unfortunately, this was a military camp, and many of the knights were injured and forbidden from indulging.
Yet, the biting mountain wind seemed almost gleeful in wafting the scent of alcohol into their noses again and again—a temptation so strong it felt like a deliberate test of their discipline.
It was akin to having a beautiful figure teasingly appear before you, only to be force-fed ten times the dose of a mysterious potion by that figure's enemy. Even if your body resisted, your mind would still burn with restless desire.
Such was the torment of the Knights of Favonius, though their training kept them from crossing the line.
Naturally, someone came up with a solution.
Enter Diluc, bandaged and carrying a claymore, alongside Amber, who also bore bandages and medicinal plasters on her arms and wrists. They marched into the tent where Gu Sanqiu and his group were drinking, using a very direct method to put an end to the merriment.
Faced with this natural counterbalance to their antics, Kaeya and Eula begrudgingly set down their drinks. Eula even patted her chest and swore to Amber that she'd only had a small sip, blaming Gu Sanqiu for tempting her with rare Liyue wine.
Amber, of course, didn't buy it. Eula's demeanor before and after drinking were like night and day, so she tuned her out and focused on dressing Eula's injuries while gently scolding her for not taking better care of herself.
Meanwhile, Diluc had no intention of being so considerate. Instead, he grabbed Kaeya by the collar and dragged him straight toward the medical tent.
"Interesting," Gu Sanqiu muttered with a chuckle.
As the two women tended to their injuries and massaged bruised muscles, Gu Sanqiu decided it was best to excuse himself. Swapping his wine bottle for a lollipop, he wandered around the area aimlessly.
The current situation was largely resolved. The Anemo dragon had been subdued at its source, the Blood Dragon had been reduced to ash by Decarabian's single strike, and Aether was now free to roam Mondstadt unhindered.
Considering Aether's pace when activating waypoints, he'd likely remain in Mondstadt for a while if he were to thoroughly search every corner. That left Gu Sanqiu with plenty of time to act.
While the relevant plotlines didn't strictly hinge on Aether reaching Liyue, another potential event was Yaya's acquisition of the Forbidden Talisman and its subsequent replication.
Fortunately, he'd assigned someone to keep an eye on her. She was now so bored that she'd resorted to poring over ancient Liyue texts. With the other crucial points similarly under control, Gu Sanqiu felt confident in his assessment.
If he'd assumed Aether's slow progress meant he had all the time in the world, only to be blindsided by the many-headed Osial's appearance, he would've been completely caught off guard.
"Well, as things stand, I doubt I can call for any more reinforcements," he murmured, stretching lazily.
In truth, he had already drafted several plans for dealing with Osial. The most straightforward involved clearing a large area, planting explosives according to a sealing diagram, and summoning Zhongli to deal with the problem directly.
Gu Sanqiu was certain the seal was little more than a formality, at least for someone of Zhongli's caliber. As the Supreme of the Ley Lines, he could traverse the paths of the earth itself and arrive in no time, delivering a massive surprise to Osial.
Gu Sanqiu didn't expend much energy worrying about this inevitable loser from the "future." His true concern lay with the Abyss Order.
The incident with Durin's blood-shadow had been a wake-up call. No matter how cautious he was, the Abyss Order would always find alternative paths to achieve their goals, even breaking free from the constraints of the original plotline.
Such unpredictable developments required preemptive countermeasures.
What other traps lie hidden in Liyue? Gu Sanqiu pondered.
There were many. Too many.
Taking a deep breath, he reassured himself. Any major disruptions would likely wait until Zhongli's "retirement." As long as the old man held the line, most external pressures would be deflected. Otherwise, challenging Gu Sanqiu would be tantamount to declaring that the Geo Spear was no longer effective.
Hang in there, old man! Gu Sanqiu silently cheered Zhongli on.
In hindsight, he'd never appreciated how reassuring it was to have such a powerful figure in his corner.
If things escalated?
No problem. Just another Geo Spear. Small issue, small issue~
Suppressing the urge to laugh at his own thoughts, Gu Sanqiu reminded himself not to voice such ideas aloud. Zhongli had once advised him to stay out of trouble, citing the "illustrious but troublesome" history of the Gu family.
If Gu Sanqiu openly expressed his current mindset, Zhongli might clutch his heart, summon a Geo Spear, and personally seal Gu Sanqiu away—right before retiring at lightspeed.
"Sir Sanqiu, Acting Grand Master Jean requests your presence," said a knight who approached and saluted with fervor. "Please accompany me to the main tent."
"...Can you tone down the intensity of that look? And why are you looking at me like that?"
The knight laughed warmly. "It's nothing, really. But many of us witnessed what happened in the Sleeping Dragon Valley. Surviving such an attack and returning unscathed—your strength is truly admirable."
"Moreover, all that you've done for Mondstadt... the Thousand Winds will remember."
Great, Gu Sanqiu thought. Little fanboy, added to the list.
---
"Honorary Knight? Me?"
Gu Sanqiu pointed to himself in surprise. "Does this mean I can drink at Angel's Share for free?"
Jean, seated at the head of the table, blinked in confusion before instinctively glancing at Diluc.
"Uh... that's something you'll need to negotiate yourselves," she said.
Kaeya cleared his throat. "Sanqiu, while we're all friends here, this is a formal discussion. Could you take this seriously?"
He continued, "We unanimously agreed that your contributions warrant the Honorary Knight title. However, we're aware your family might have certain rules or restrictions, so we wanted to hear your opinion first."
"Oh, there won't be any objections on my end. Feel free to proceed."
Gu Sanqiu noticed Aether and Paimon's excitement at the announcement. It seemed Aether's own Honorary Knight title had already been decided, likely with some impressive perks attached.
Though Aether hadn't contributed much in combat, his innate purification ability was invaluable.
"I object."
An aged voice rang out from outside the tent.
The flap opened to reveal a pair of knights in teal armor, standing respectfully to either side of an elderly woman in a cart, pushed by two strong attendants.
The old woman's piercing eyes swept over Gu Sanqiu before turning to Jean.
"Jean, no—Grand Master. I cannot agree with your proposal," she declared.
"This young man, Gu Sanqiu, is the first in years to receive a response from the Wind God. He must become our church's West Wind Saint."
Gu Sanqiu's mouth twitched violently.
Sitting on Dvalin's back, Venti spat his wine all over the dragon.
In the ruins below, Decarabian erupted into laughter.
Dvalin roared, "Barbatos!"
Venti roared back, "You bratty nephew!"