boyutpedia Chapter 169 Diona
Chapter 169 Diona
"You're a child with the same 'Katzline family' bloodline as me! I'm going to mix the worst-tasting liquor and poison you!!!"
After Diona finished speaking, she took out a large bag of salt and poured it into the wine glass.
After a vigorous shake, a "Cat Tail Special" was ready in no time.
Wendy smiled slightly, took the glass, and drank it all in one gulp.
"Hiss—good...good..."
Diona's eyes lit up with excitement as she looked at Wendy's ferocious expression.
"It tastes awful?"
Wendy said, "It's delicious!"
Diona stared wide-eyed at Wendy in disbelief.
"How is that possible? This is a special liquor with a lot of salt added!"
Wendy smacked her lips with satisfaction and said, "This wine, upon first taste, the intense saltiness is like a surging wave crashing against the taste buds, unexpectedly bringing out a unique kind of stimulation. Then, the aroma of the wine hidden behind the saltiness slowly unfolds, like a flower blooming through layers of mist, each fragrance carrying mystery and mellowness. This feeling of saltiness followed by aroma is like the surprise of overcoming hardships and dangers on an adventure and then discovering a treasure. Moreover, the saltiness does not ruin the original flavor of the wine; on the contrary, it is like giving it a unique outer layer, making the taste richer and more layered."
Hearing Wendy's praise, Diona stomped her foot angrily.
"Tsk... Damn it! Why is it like this again?"
Courtney looked at the angry Diona and asked, puzzled, "Um... why are you angry when you've made such a delicious drink?"
"Hmph! Kid, get out of here! You think you can just walk into a tavern like that? Get out of here!"
"Huh? But...aren't you a child too?"
Seeing that the two little ones were about to fight, Wendy quickly intervened to stop them.
"Hey, hey, don't hit her. She only came here with me to learn how to play the piano."
Diona glared at Wendy and snapped, "You bard, huh? How dare you swindle people like that! Humph... Fine, I can't be bothered with a drunkard, I'm not mixing you a drink!"
"Hey——Why is that?"
Wendy scratched her head, looking bewildered, and prepared to leave Cattail Tavern.
Just as Wendy touched the doorknob, Diona called out, "Where are you going? We haven't paid Mora yet!"
"Ah, ah... I forgot just now, hehe, wait a moment."
Instead of reaching into her pocket, the drunken Wendy looked at Courteney's backpack.
"Um... Courteney, do you have any money with you?"
Courtney took off her backpack, rummaged through it, and pulled out the Mora bag.
"We brought some... but weren't we here to pet cats? Why are we drinking?"
Wendy chuckled and said dismissively, "It's called improvisation after drinking. Even a highly talented bard can give an impromptu performance when drunk."
"But...I'm a child, I can't drink alcohol."
"Of course! So... you'll understand when you grow up."
Courtney scratched her head, looking completely bewildered.
"Lord Barbatos must have his reasons for doing this... Never mind, here, Mora is for you."
"Hehe, thanks Courtney, I'll definitely teach you to be the best bard."
Without feeling any shame, Wendy accepted the Mora and, after paying, began to play it on the spot.
Courtney watched curiously and then began to imitate her.
Little Diona sneaked up to Courteney and whispered something to her.
"Your name is Courteney, right? Never become one of those drunkards. Even if you want to be a bard, you can't sing in taverns, understand?"
"Huh...? Why can't we sing and play instruments in a tavern?"
"Hmph... Just remember this, no means no. If Lord Barbatos were to govern Mondstadt personally, he would surely eradicate this wicked wine industry."
Courtney gave an awkward laugh, and Diona didn't say anything more, only reminding her "don't go astray" before returning to the bar.
Before they knew it, evening had arrived amidst the bard's singing and playing.
Arriving at the Angel's Gift Tavern, they met up with Ying and Paimon, and quietly sat down behind Stanley.
The pub reeked of alcohol, forcing Courtney to cover her nose.
Stanley slumped weakly onto the table, babbling incoherently.
With their cat ears perked up, everyone began to eavesdrop.
“Stanley... tell me, what should I do…”
While drunk, Stanley seemed to be confiding in someone, and the person he was confiding in was also named Stanley.
"Huh? Why is he calling his own name?"
Looking at the drunk Stanley, Paimon asked Yingmei in confusion.
After a moment's thought, Ying offered her own guess.
"Is there anyone else named Stanley?"
Wendy shook her head and denied it, saying, "No way, I've never even heard of a second Stanley."
As the wind god and wind spirit, Wendy has exceptional hearing and memory.
It's fair to say that as long as he's still wandering around Mondstadt, there's no gossip or character he doesn't know.
Seeing Wendy's certainty, Ying continued to speculate.
Just as everyone was racking their brains, Stanley started crying again.
"Waaaaah! Waaah... Stanley... you died in the Sea of Ashes... why wasn't it me! Why didn't your spirit stop me when I used your name? Stanley!"
After hearing Stanley's words, Ying, Paimon, and Courteney exchanged surprised glances, and only after realizing they hadn't misheard did they continue listening.
That's right, this self-proclaimed Stanley Stanley is not the real Stanley, but an imposter.
As for why he did that...
"If it weren't for protecting me, a newcomer, you wouldn't have died in that windless place! You already had the title of a great adventurer, but... but because of a piece of trash like me, you can never become a legend..."
Seeing Stanley, who was a grown man during the day but now cries ten pounds of tears when drunk, Paimon became worried.
"What... is going on?"
Wendy replied, "...I think he did indeed find the Sea of Ashes back then. The crisis he encountered there was real too. However, the companion who explored with him was the real 'Stanley the Great Adventurer.' The real Stanley died to save this 'Stanley' we know."
After listening to Wendy's very detailed explanation, the not-so-bright Paimon finally understood.
"Ah...so the reason this 'Stanley' is called Stanley is because he 'stole' someone else's name?"
"That's probably the case."