Chapter 48: Wendy—It's Great to Exchange Points for Fine Wine
Obviously, Diluc was overthinking things.
In his mind, although Barbatos seemed a little unreliable, he was only in this state because of Mondstadt's history.
Moreover, the Cryo Archon herself hadn't made a move—only the Fatui Harbingers had been sent. No matter how powerful they were, they were not gods.
The real issue wasn't Barbatos—it was the people of Mondstadt themselves.
But now, there was an opportunity.
Diluc didn't know the full extent of this so-called "chat group," but it was clearly a chance to become stronger.
A Trade for Strength
"How many points do you have right now?" Diluc asked Wendy without hesitation.
"About 1,700 or so..." Wendy replied, her eyes flickering slightly.
"Hmm, 1,700? That's not bad," Diluc mused. "It seems these points have a lot of value. I saw that just 100 points can increase something called 'internal energy' by a significant amount.
I don't know how strong that actually makes someone, but it looks promising.
Let's make a deal—you give me all your points, and for the next three months, you can drink as much Dandelion Wine as you want."
Three months—that was ninety days. If Wendy spent about ten or twenty points per day on drinks, she'd be getting a good deal.
At first glance, it seemed like Diluc was the one profiting from this trade. But he knew Wendy far too well.
With her drinking capacity, if there were no restrictions, she could drink from morning to night, every single day. Even if she were drinking water instead of wine, she'd still out-drink most people.
Diluc suspected that Wendy could easily go through thousands of bottles in three months.
For Wendy, earning points was probably easy anyway.
This was, in a way, Diluc's method of giving an "offering" to Barbatos.
"Of course," he added, "there's one condition. You can't get drunk during this time. If you do, I'll cancel the deal immediately."
"Free drinks, and I just can't get drunk? That's amazing! I agree!" Wendy accepted without hesitation.
Just kidding—she was the Anemo Archon! If she didn't want to get drunk, then she wouldn't.
A little tipsy? That was fine.
But truly getting drunk? That was impossible!
Diluc's Plan
Without hesitation, Wendy transferred all 1,772 points to Diluc and excitedly ran downstairs to start drinking.
"Just don't forget—we're heading out tomorrow to clear monsters," Diluc reminded her.
1,772 points...
It wasn't much, but it was enough to test how useful "internal energy" really was.
He also needed to improve his physical condition. Using his Delusion in the past had left hidden damage in his body. If this chat group could fix that, then it was even more valuable than he initially thought.
He needed to start earning more points.
Unfortunately, this kind of trade would only work with Wendy. The other members of the chat group weren't short on Mora.
If points could be bought, then someone like Ningguang would have already done so. He doubted she hadn't considered it.
As for Wendy, he probably didn't care much about such a small number of points anyway.
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The Next Morning
When Aiden woke up, Barbara was already waiting in the living room.
Seeing him come downstairs, she gave him a bright smile.
"Mr. Aiden, you're up! What would you like for breakfast?"
"It's you, Barbara." Aiden nodded slightly. "Thanks for going out of your way—just make anything simple."
"No, not at all! Actually, I should be the one thanking you for yesterday," Barbara replied warmly. "You taught me a lot, so I wanted to express my gratitude.
Besides, my sister asked me to take good care of you while you're here."
"Oh?" Aiden nodded in understanding. "Jean said that?"
Wendy hadn't come back after heading out yesterday.
Last night, he had spent time talking privately with Keqing. At first, she seemed a little reluctant, probably thinking he was interrupting her work. But soon, she realized Aiden had some useful insights.
She had started asking for his thoughts on her plans for Liyue, and the conversation had taken an unexpected turn.
Aiden was caught off guard.
I came to chat with you at night to bond, not to act as your political advisor, Ah Qing!
Wouldn't it be nice to just have a relaxed conversation, get to know each other better, and share some interesting stories?
Instead, you're asking me for policy advice!
Was this her idea of romance?
Wasn't this a bit too practical?
Keqing, on the other hand, thought she was doing things perfectly.
Isn't dating just discussing work and ideals with someone? Isn't it about finding a like-minded partner?
She believed Aiden must have enjoyed working with her.
And so, their "date" had lasted until late at night—with Keqing going to bed completely satisfied.
Now, seeing Barbara, Aiden couldn't help but compare the two.
Barbara was younger than Keqing by two years, yet her attentiveness and care far surpassed Keqing's.
Ah Qing, look at this! Can't you learn from Barbara?
If only Keqing could make something like beef offal soup for him in the morning…
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A Worrying Situation
"By the way," Barbara continued, "my sister left early this morning. I think she went outside the city. Is she dealing with monsters?"
"You came to ask me this?" Aiden was slightly amused. "Since when did I become Jean's closest confidant?"
"I just had a feeling you might know," Barbara replied, looking at him intently.
There was something about him—the aura he carried.
It felt… warm, familiar.
Like standing in front of the Statue of Barbatos when she prayed.
If she didn't know Aiden was a traveler from another world, she might have suspected he was Lord Barbatos himself.
"Well, you're not wrong," Aiden sighed. "Jean went outside the city to hunt monsters with Wendy and Diluc.
The problem with the monsters can't be completely solved, but at the very least, they can make the area around Mondstadt safer."
"But… isn't that dangerous?" Barbara frowned in concern. "I heard from the Adventurers' Guild that the wilds around Mondstadt are full of monsters.
The Knights of Favonius used to post bounties for adventurers to handle them, but after so many deaths, barely anyone takes those missions anymore.
Even Miss Eula—who's as strong as my sister—comes back with injuries every day after fighting outside the city."
Barbara's voice carried clear worry.
Aiden smiled.
"Don't worry," he reassured her. "Jean, Wendy, and Diluc aren't just anyone.
They'll be fine."
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End of Chapter 48