The stars never lied. That was the first basic rule any student learning astrology had to understand. If you didn't properly read the patterns and predicted a wrong future, then the issue was yours and yours alone. In that regard, any answer you wanted was in front of you. Only skill would hold you back. Of course, that's what Mona had believed throughout her whole life. No matter the issue, no matter the difficulty, the stars always told her the truth.

Mona, however, had found a new obstacle. A few days ago, the Traveller had kindly asked her about that alcoholic bard. She kindly took up the offer, but she never expected that Venti would be nearby. Because the moment the astrologist tried to get a read on him, a burst of air stopped her!

So rude! So incredibly disrespectful! Sure, perhaps she should have asked for permission. But the amount of information gathered for simply knowing his constellation was minimal! It led you towards a personality type, age and other characteristics. But that was something anybody could get by simply talking. He didn't have to almost blow her clothes off, much less in front of the Traveller of all people!

That failure kept repeating in her head throughout the whole week. And when the night arrived, she went home with a mixture of hunger and frustration. Clumsily entering her room, the lights of Mondstadt's night led her to see stars outside. It was like they were mocking her, taunting her about her failure. Yes, all the answers were there, and she couldn't pinpoint them.

That was it.

Her scryglass turned and shifted, the blue hue illuminating her face. She pictured the bard and started to do her job. But the moment she moved her hands, a burst of wind suddenly cracked the scryglass and dispelled it.

"Oi! This is expensive!" She complained to nobody in particular. "How is he even doing that? He's not here!"

She approached her desk and started shifting through the books. She knew that certain exceptional people could indeed feel it when their fate was being read. Some did it without realising it. But Mona was doubtful. That bard was an alcoholic, she had never seen him completely sober. Perhaps alcohol made his senses sharper? She couldn't find anything about it, but it could explain it.

But still, her scryglass almost broke in that attempt. She knew that the next time she tried it, it would completely shatter. So there was one last, more sensible option.

Mona adjusted her hat and headed out one last time. It was barely past midnight, but there were still people around. That was good. She only needed to follow the trail of drunkards, and she'd find the bard at the end of it.

Scouting Angel's Share, she found neither music nor the bard. Perhaps the bartender had already disposed of him. Mona just sighed and continued walking through Mondstadt's streets.

If there was something she certainly didn't miss from Liyue Harbour, it was Mondstadt's street planning. Liyue Harbour was easy to get lost in, but Mondstadt felt like it was made for the common citizen. So when you saw any obscure alley here, you could tell only weirdos and dangerous people entered them.

Sadly for Mona, she was looking for a weirdo. So she entered Mondstadt's back alleys with her guard up. It smelled horrible and it was littered with gunk. She would rather not look much at the ground or the moving shapes around her.

It didn't take much searching to find what she was looking for. A burly man kicked open the backdoor of a tavern, throwing Venti out of it like he was a sack of rice.

"The next time I see you leeching off my barrels, I'm cutting off your hands." The man said before slamming the door shut.

The bard crashed against the nearby wall, yet somehow fell to his feet. He fixed his clothes before noticing Mona's observant eyes.

"Well, well, if it isn't the astrologer. Fancy meeting you here." He leaned against the wall as if nothing had happened.

Even in the stink of the alley, she could tell apart the smell of cheap wine. Gross.

"What's your constellation?" Mona immediately asked.

"I dunno," Venti answered with a wide smile. "Aren't those things for quirky people?"

Mona raised an eyebrow, not understanding the correlation. "No? Even if they were, you have a quirky thing on your belt." She pointed to his anemo vision.

The bard patted his fake vision and just laughed. "Oh yes, I have one. What was your question again?"

The astrologer's drawn-out sigh only made her queasier. "Your constellation. If you have a vision, you can put it against any light and you'll see it."

"Right, yes." Venti took his fake vision and stared at it like it was the rosetta stone. "Okay, and you want to know it?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Okay."

Mona tapped her foot as Venti just stared at her happily, like nothing was wrong in the world.

"Well? Tell me!"

"Oh, you want to know it now? You should have said so!"

"Yes!" The bard was getting on her nerves. "For the love of Barbatos, are you doing this on purpose? Or are you just drunk?"

"A little bit of column A, a little bit of column B. Why do you want to know that anyhow?"

There was a small pause, the sounds of rats squirming around filling the gap. Then, Mona answered. "You've been blocking my divination. So I came to ask for permission."

"Oh, that's nice of you. It's still a no."

"Why not?" Mona growled back, slowly losing her nerves. "I swear I'm not doing it for something heinous."

"Because knowing that I'm the vessel of a powerful god will probably put you and everyone you know in danger."

"Ha-ha-ha. I'm laughing so hard." Her own monotone voice somehow made Mona even angrier. "Okay, bard, spill it! What do you want in exchange?"

"Hmm…" Venti considered her offer for an instant, though he already had in mind something. "Buy me a drink?"

"I… Ask something where I don't have to waste money, please." Mona sheepishly replied, twiddling her fingers.

"Okay, eh… Brew me a drink?" His question was once again met with Mona's deadpan face.

"I don't know how to do that."

"But that's what I want though." The bard admitted. "Besides, why am I the one who has to think? You're the one who wants my constellation."

"Because I… Oh my god. I asked what you want, remember?" She was beginning to really hate Venti. Maybe if he wasn't intoxicated, he'd be more reasonable. Or right because of it, this would be the only chance for her to pry open an answer. "Okay, fine! I'll buy you alcohol!"

"Yay!" Venti started to triumphally walk away. "This has inspired me to write a song about my saviour!"

"H-Hey, slow down," Mona took a hold of his arm in an attempt to stop him. "I don't have the money to buy it right now."

"Oh," The bard didn't slow down. "Don't worry, I have an idea! I'm sure this will work, follow me."

Wary of the bard's words, Mona maintained her distance from him as they walked away from the shady alleyways of the city. Venti's playful steps only furthered her suspicions, though they completely disappeared when he tripped and slammed his face against the ground.

"I'm fine! Stop aski~ng!" The bard cooed, resuming a hasty walk.

"This is the guy preventing my divination?" She whispered, hiding her face with her hat.

The sight of Angel's Share only lessened her worries even more. That place wouldn't allow any… obscene events to occur. Not like she wouldn't beat him up if he tried.

The bar was somewhat empty. It was the middle of the week, so not many people remained after midnight. Surprisingly so, Diluc was acting as the bartender for the night. He wasn't usually around, as far as Mona knew, though she appreciated that someone as wealthy as him showed his face around. In any case, he was about to close shop. Not many clients, nor a good day of the week for a bar.

Whether he knew this or not, Venti immediately changed his playful tune.

"Master Diluc, my friend, my comrade!" Venti dexterously sat down on the stool. How did he fall before, Mona didn't know.

"I am not serving you alcohol, bard." He didn't even look at Venti, deciding to sweep a section of the bar with a damp rag.

"Please, who do you take me for? I came here to help my dear old friend!" He pointed to Mona, who awkwardly waved hello. To meet Mondstadt's most famous man was already exciting enough, but to see Venti acting so casual around him was peculiar.

Diluc observed the astrologer. With only a glance, he could already tell something was going on. Mona, regardless, couldn't keep up with his intense glare.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Mona Megistus." The owner simply nodded in acknowledgement.

"Where was I? Ah, yeah! She's looking for a job. AND! I heard you are looking for late-night shifts! She's very experienced, yes. A pro, one might say. Somebody so good that you could say she's too good for this tavern!"

Diluc stared at Venti, then at Mona, before looking at the bard again.

"There are many words that can describe me. Fool isn't one of them." Diluc's dignified answer didn't discourage the bard in the slightest.

"Okay, you caught me. She's not that good. But she needs money and this is the only place that I could think about."

Mona was somewhat impressed with the bard. That wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth either.

"And you thought the top tavern of Mondstadt would give a newcomer a job?" There was a hint of surprise in the owner's voice. He turned to Mona. "Are you not some sort of fortune-teller?"

"I don't charge people for divination, that is not why I do it." And she didn't want to work at a tavern. The things she did for the love of astrology.

"Venti, out." Diluc stopped cleaning and threw the wet rag behind the counter.

"Okay, I get it!" The bard gracefully got off the stool and winked at Mona while placing a finger on his lips.

Mona's eyes followed him out of the tavern. Being alone with the wealthiest man of Mondstadt was certainly imposing. After the door closed behind her, she mutedly approached the bar and took off her hat, placing it on the nearby stool. Wearing a hat indoors was rude.

"What's the real story?" He asked, staring directly into her eyes.

Her mind quickly checked for any useful information about the wealthy man. His constellation was Noctua, but her mind was blank. She didn't remember what that meant. What should be the proper way to talk to him? She didn't know. Why did the bard even mean this? Did he want her to work as a waitress so he could drink for free? Or was it something else?

Those second thoughts didn't matter, as time was running out. If she didn't answer soon, he'd be even more suspicious.

"I want to know his constellation." She told the truth without realising.

"Drop the matter." Diluc's answer was immediate. "Regardless of the motive, he will only put you into more trouble."

Mona shook her head. "What? No! This is a matter of pride, he keeps blocking my attempts at hydromancy. I never fail if I put my mind to it."

"Pride? Such an irrelevant objective. And he wants you to work here for… What? Waste the money you earn on buying alcohol? Don't stoop so low, astrologer. You are better than that," With those words, Diluc turned from the bar and headed to clean the empty tables. "Don't be so easily manipulated to achieve what seems like a grand goal. It is never worth it."

Those few words had managed to completely shatter Mona's spirit. She just stared at the tavern floor, disheartened and saddened. He was right, after all. She was better than this. She could resolve any and all questions that life threw at her with her divination. But with this? How could she fail? Because that's what this whole situation was: A failure.

"However," Diluc began again. "I know you barely scrape by. If you truly need the job, come tomorrow at nine in the morning. Charles will start your training."

Muttering a quick thank you, she scurried out of the tavern. The cold wind brushed her hair, only reminding her of today's folly. She had to move on and deal with it.

"Mona! My friend, my astrologer! You're in, right? Master Diluc is a softie, in the end, letting a poor girl into her tavern." Venti popped out of nowhere, landing in front of her shaking with laughter.

That was it. Something snapped in Mona. The pent-up frustration boiled into anger. How was this idiot even a challenge for her? He wasn't! She was Mona Megistus! She had already surpassed her master in a matter of years! No, she wasn't done yet. If Diluc thought that she was stooping low, then he had no idea.

"…Poor girl?" Mona's eye twitched. "You don't want to tell me some basic information about you, and I'm the poor girl?" She stabbed a finger against his chest, pushing him back. "You… You're a damn alcoholic. What am I? Your maid? If you want to indulge in your addictions, why don't you work as well, huh?!"

"O-Okay, I see your point?" Venti took a step back but Mona didn't relent her attack.

"Oh, do you? Do you see my point?!" Anger flushed her face red. "So what were you going to do if this stupid bartender ruse didn't work? Hmm?!"

Venti backed away again, but he found no more room to escape to as he hit one of the bar's outdoor tables. He hastily made up an answer. "Okay, okay, calm down! It was the alcohol talking, I don't think that far ahead! Also, you're really scaring me…?"

"I'm the one hanging out with some drunkard stranger who can't even walk straight. And all because you somehow keep screwing with my hydromancy! I should be the one asking favours from you!"

With her hands on his shoulders, she pushed him onto the top of the table. Venti didn't pose any resistance, though he was sure he wouldn't be able to escape even if he struggled. The table was cold, but the sight of Mona on top of him was even colder.

"Spill it, bard! Say what I want to hear! Come on, make my day!"

There was no way Venti would admit his divinity without reason. Even if he did, Mona was so angry she wouldn't believe him. He had to make up something, anything so outrageous, so senseless, that it would stop her right in her tracks. Luckily for Venti, he had 2000 years of experience in the matter.

His act was perfect. His trembling lips, his blushed face, his glassy eyes… His body reactions were on point. Now, he had to say it.

"I… There's something I cannot tell to anyone. And ever since you came to this city, I thought that perhaps you would be the one to fix it. I didn't know why, but I think I understand it now." His voice cracked as the last words left his lips.

The weird and awkward confession blindsided Mona, though her anger certainly didn't subside. "What the hell are you blabbering about?"

"I have to tell you the truth. Because I… have been cursed. In the north after crossing the frozen rivers of the Tsaritsa, I found something horrible and dire. My fate has been cursed since then." Venti clicked his tongue, averting his eyes from Mona. "I have not been preventing you from reading my fate, it's the curse acting in my stead. I'm truly sorry but I cannot do anything about it." Burying his face with his hands, Venti could only hold back a laugh. He deceived the entire people of Mondstadt with that fake Morax signature. Tricking one girl was child's play.

Mona, however, wasn't fooled so easily. Especially since she had the bard pinned down like fodder.

"If you're trying to make me pity you, it's not gonna work. Even if that were to be true, you still know your constellation. And I only want to know that."

"If you keep pinning me against the table like this, then I suppose I'll have to tell you."

Mona flinched at the suggestion, and quickly let him go. She was about to reply with disgust when she felt somebody placing a hat on her head. It was her own.

"You forgot your hat," Diluc's deep voice startled her. "Next time, I advise you to not copulate on my tables."

Mona blinked. Then, as her face flushed with embarrassment, she pulled the flaps of her hat down and ran away in shame. Venti managed to sit at the table and sighed relieved.

"I won't save you next time." Diluc turned the open sign and locked the main door of Angel's Share.

"I had it all under control," Venti replied, jumping towards the ground and fixing his clothes. "Was she really trying to wink-wink-nudge-nudge with me? I thought she was mad."

Diluc rolled his eyes. "Of course not."

"I see, I see! You know, I am not really human. I don't feel the same desires as you lot, so maybe it was some weird kinky fetish that I didn't understand. Can I even reproduce in this form?" Venti looked down at his teal shorts in amusement before Diluc cut him off.

"I am not having this talk with you."

"Oh, come on. You're the only person I can talk to about this!" He feigned a sigh and clapped his hands. "I suppose I'll have to ask Jean."

The even slightest implication spurred Diluc to grasp Venti's collar.

"Do not bother her with your stupid questions. Don't you have some other, more important matters at hand?" He released the bard and started walking away. "That astrologer will not give up until she knows the truth. The more you lie to her, the worse her reaction. She might expose your secret to everyone."

Venti realised as much. He hoped the sudden wind scare of her first divination would temper her resolve. But it only emboldened her more. And now, he had already made up a petty excuse that he had to continue. But to him, that wasn't a hassle. He needed some entertainment after all the pain and drama of the last few months.

Mona didn't catch a lick of sleep that night. She wasn't embarrassed about that whole anger fit. The bard's whole curse speech actually resonated with her. Somewhere in her books, she had read something very similar. A curse brought down by the gods that no human could escape from. A nebulous hex that always ended in a depraved death. She understood it now. Venti's alcoholism was simple escapism. He knew of his horrible end and decided to live life to the fullest. By the gods, she was horrible for insulting him!

Or he could have been lying. That was also a possibility. Mona was very good at detecting lies, but the bard had very odd reactions. It could very well be his intoxicated state messing with his speech and body language. Or a very good liar.

Regardless, that didn't remove the fact that she had still failed. Some curse preventing her divination was already embarrassing enough. How could she let some ancient magical words stop her… In hindsight, that made a lot of sense. If she could ask her master, perhaps she'd be able to bypass it. No matter, she had to dig in more on this issue.

With those thoughts, her hungry stomach complained in pain. It had been so long since she had a proper meal, that maybe she should actually take up that night job offer from Angel's Share. But that would consume so much time, especially from the best hours to practice star divination.

As she mulled over those thoughts, she groggily wandered out of her home.

"Good morning!" A high-pitched voice suddenly greeted her as soon as she stepped out of the house. Venti stood right below the stairs of her home, hiding something in his back.

"…What do you want?"

He revealed a pair of rare Cecilia, presenting them to Mona. "It's the most beautiful thing of all Mondstadt. And a pair of beautiful flowers for her."

"Ha! Unless you're here to tell me your constellation, I don't care about you." She nimbly avoided his flattery and climbed down the stairs.

"It's an apology gift since I think I could have explained my reasonings better. I trekked the whole night for'em." Venti hesitated to offer them again. "I think they're pretty. I heard they can be eaten to get a boost of energy. I mean, it's a bit of a waste since they…"

"Why would I eat flowers? I'm not a goat." Mona angrily replied, snatching the flowers from him. "Okay, fine, apology accepted. Go away, I have things to do."

"How about you apologise about throwing me into a table? Then we'll be…" Venti realised too late that Mona was already far from hearing distance. "Well, now she hates me, she didn't even say goodbye. So easy. And Diluc thought I needed saving."

Meanwhile, as Mona picked off a Cecilia petal, she thought to herself: "Now that he feels pity for his actions, he'll be way easier to handle. I got him right where I wanted."

The truth was that they both had started a war that nobody could win. Because neither party would admit defeat.