The night was still young in Mondstadt, and the Angel's Share tavern buzzed with lively conversation and the clinking of glasses. The place was packed as usual, with regular patrons enjoying their drinks and sharing stories of their adventures. At a large, round table near the center of the tavern, a diverse group of friends gathered, eager to try something new.

Aether, the traveler from another world, sat at the table with his constant companion, Paimon, floating by his side. Across from them sat Venti, the carefree bard with a mischievous glint in his eyes. To their left was Fischl, the eccentric investigator of the Adventurers' Guild, with her faithful raven Oz perched on her shoulder. Next to Fischl were Bennett, the unlucky adventurer, and Amber, the cheerful outrider. Eula, the Spindrift Knight, and Kaeya, the Cavalry Captain, completed the group, their rivalry always adding a spark to any gathering.

"Alright, everyone, listen up!" Venti called out, waving a small box in his hand. "I found this amazing game we should try. It's called the King's Game!"

Kaeya leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Oh, this should be interesting. What's the catch, Venti?"

Venti grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "No catch, just a bit of fun. The rules are simple: everyone draws a stick from this box. One of the sticks is marked as the King's stick. The person who draws it becomes the King and can give any order they like. The rest of us have to obey."

"Sounds like fun!" Amber chimed in, her enthusiasm infectious.

Diluc, the stoic owner of the tavern, approached their table, carrying a tray of drinks. "Just a reminder, if any of you are underage, stick to the non-alcoholic drinks. I don't want any trouble."

Kaeya snorted, shooting his brother a teasing look. "Always the stick in the mud, aren't you, Diluc?"

Diluc's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing, simply setting the drinks down before walking away. Venti seized the moment, swapping a few of the non-alcoholic drinks with actual wine when no one was looking.

"Alright, everyone ready?" Venti asked, passing the box around. Each member of the group drew a stick, holding their breath in anticipation. When they all revealed their sticks, it was Fischl who held the one marked as King.

"Ah, the Prinzessin der Verurteilung has been chosen!" Fischl declared, raising her stick high. "Bow before me, peasants, and heed my royal decree!"

Oz fluttered his wings, translating for the group. "Lady Fischl means she is honored to be your King and will now give her first command."

The group exchanged amused glances, accustomed to Fischl's dramatic flair.

"What is your command, Your Majesty?" Bennett asked, his voice full of eager curiosity.

Fischl looked around the table, her eyes landing on Eula. A mischievous smile played on her lips. "I command... Eula to be nice to me for the rest of the night!"

Eula's expression darkened, her icy blue eyes narrowing. "Seriously? Of all the orders you could give..."

"Those are the rules," Venti interjected, clearly enjoying the unfolding drama. "You have to obey, Eula."

Eula sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Fine. I'll be nice."

The group had already completed the first round of the King's Game, and the excitement for the next round was palpable. Each of them drew their sticks, and this time, it was Amber who held the one marked as King.

Amber's eyes sparkled with mischief as she realized her newfound power. "Alright, everyone, I'm the King now! And I know just what I want."

Kaeya leaned back in his chair, a lazy grin on his face. "Well, Your Majesty, what is your command?"

Amber pondered for a moment, her gaze shifting between Kaeya and Diluc. "Kaeya, I want you to tell us a funny story about something that happened between you and Diluc."

Kaeya's grin widened, and he glanced at Diluc, who was standing at the bar, cleaning a glass and trying to appear uninterested. "Oh, I have just the story."

Diluc shot Kaeya a warning look, but Kaeya ignored it, leaning forward to address the group. "It all happened a few years ago. Diluc and I were on a mission together, which, as you can imagine, doesn't happen often. We had to investigate some strange occurrences in a small village near Mondstadt."

Diluc sighed, clearly resigned to his fate, and continued cleaning the glass with a bit more vigor.

"So," Kaeya continued, "we get to this village, and the villagers are all in a panic because something has been stealing their livestock at night. Naturally, they suspect it's some kind of monster. Diluc, being the noble knight that he is, takes the lead in questioning the villagers while I, of course, look for clues."

Paimon was already giggling. "This is gonna be good, I can tell!"

"Turns out," Kaeya said, "the culprit was a very mischievous boar that had somehow found its way into the village and was having the time of its life scaring the villagers and stealing their food. But here's the best part – while Diluc and I were setting up a trap to catch this boar, we got into a bit of an... argument about the best way to proceed."

Eula raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "An argument? About what?"

Kaeya smirked. "About everything, really. The bait, the trap, the positioning... you name it. Anyway, while we were busy bickering, the boar sneaks up behind us and—"

He paused dramatically, his grin widening as he saw everyone leaning in, eager to hear what happened next.

"And it rammed into Diluc, knocking him straight into the trap we had set! He was caught in our own trap, covered in mud, and looking absolutely furious. Meanwhile, the boar trotted off, completely unbothered."

The group erupted in laughter, imagining the normally stoic and composed Diluc in such a predicament. Even Aether couldn't help but chuckle, and Fischl was giggling behind her hand.

"How did you get out of the trap?" Bennett asked between laughs.

Kaeya leaned back, his expression one of pure satisfaction. "Well, after I stopped laughing, I helped him out. But let's just say Diluc wasn't very happy with me for a while after that."

Amber was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. "Oh, I wish I could have seen that!"

Diluc finally turned around, his expression a mix of exasperation and amusement. "Yes, very funny, Kaeya. You conveniently left out the part where you almost got caught in the trap yourself."

Kaeya winked. "Details, details."

As the night wore on, the group continued their rounds of the King's Game, each more amusing and unpredictable than the last. Laughter and light-hearted banter filled the Angel's Share tavern, creating a warm and lively atmosphere.

Eula took a sip from her drink, not realizing it was wine instead of the non-alcoholic beverage she had intended. The unexpected alcohol quickly went to her head, and a slightly tipsy Eula suddenly stood up, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"I declare myself the King!" Eula announced loudly, her voice carrying over the chatter of the tavern.

The group, who hadn't yet drawn their sticks for the next round, looked at her in surprise. Paimon floated over to Eula, waving her hands. "Eula, we haven't picked our sticks yet!"

Amber tried to intervene as well. "Eula, you're not the King yet! We need to draw first."

But Eula, her judgment clouded by the wine, ignored them. She fixed her gaze on Aether, her expression a mix of determination and curiosity. "Aether, I demand to know—do you like me for who I am, or is it just because of my... thighs?"

The sudden and blunt question left the group in stunned silence. Aether, taken aback, felt his face grow warm. He looked around, hoping for some guidance, but everyone else seemed equally baffled and amused.

Kaeya, always one to enjoy the chaos, leaned forward with a grin. "Well, Traveler, we're all ears."

Aether scratched the back of his head, trying to find the right words. "Eula, I... I respect you for who you are. You're strong, independent, and dedicated to your duty. I admire your sense of justice and your loyalty to Mondstadt."

Eula blinked, her slightly drunken state making her expressions more exaggerated. "Really? It's not just... my thighs?"

Paimon giggled, despite trying to be supportive. "Aether's right, Eula. We all like you for who you are. You're more than just... well, your thighs!"

Amber nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! Eula, you're amazing. You're brave and always there to protect Mondstadt. That's what matters."

Fischl, in her usual dramatic flair, added, "Indeed! The Prinzessin der Verurteilung values the strength of character above all else."

Oz translated, "Lady Fischl means that we all appreciate you for your true self."

Eula's stern expression softened, a rare but genuine smile appearing on her face. "Thank you, everyone. Sometimes I just... need to hear it."

The final round of the King's Game was about to begin, and the atmosphere at Angel's Share was electric. The group had drawn their sticks, and the result was both unsurprising and somewhat anticipated: Venti, the bard who had been drinking wine all night, was the King. His usually merry demeanor had turned into outright drunken exuberance, making everyone curious and slightly anxious about what he might decree.

Venti, wobbling on his feet and with a rosy flush on his cheeks, looked around the table with a wide grin. "Alright, everyone," he slurred, "I've got a very important question for tonight's grand finale!"

Aether, sitting next to Paimon, watched Venti with a mix of amusement and wariness. He could never quite predict what Venti might do, especially in this state.

Before anyone could guess what was coming, Venti stumbled over to Aether, plopping himself right onto the traveler's lap. The unexpected move caused a mix of gasps and giggles from the group.

"Venti!" Paimon exclaimed, her eyes wide. "What are you doing?"

Venti leaned in close to Aether, his breath smelling strongly of wine. "Aether, my dear friend," he began, his words slightly slurred but his eyes earnest. "I have two very important questions for you."

Aether, taken aback but maintaining his composure, nodded. "Alright, Venti. What do you want to know?"

Venti's grin widened, and he held up one finger. "First question: Are we best friends?"

Aether's expression softened, and he smiled. "Of course we are, Venti. You're one of my closest friends here in Mondstadt. We've been through a lot together."

The group collectively let out a warm "aww," touched by the sincerity of the moment despite Venti's drunken state.

Venti beamed, looking genuinely pleased with the answer. Then, he held up a second finger. "Second question! Did you ever think I was a girl?"

Aether's eyes widened, and he heard a few snickers from the group, especially from Kaeya and Amber. He took a moment to compose his thoughts.

"Well," Aether began, "when I first met you, I did think you had a rather... unique appearance. But it didn't take long to realize that you're just Venti. Gender didn't really matter; what mattered was your spirit and your kindness."

Venti giggled, swaying a little as he sat on Aether's lap. "Good answer, my friend! You really do know how to say the right things."

Kaeya couldn't resist adding his two cents. "You have to admit, Venti does have a rather androgynous charm."

Amber nodded, grinning. "Yeah, and Venti's personality is just so... Venti. It's hard to pin down, and that's what we all love about him."

Fischl, in her usual dramatic tone, proclaimed, "Indeed, the bard's true nature transcends the mundane constraints of gender. He is a free spirit, like the winds themselves."

Oz translated, "Lady Fischl means Venti is unique and special, regardless of such trivial matters."

Eula, still feeling the warmth of camaraderie from earlier, added, "And that's why we're all here together. We accept each other for who we are."

Bennett raised his glass in a toast. "To friendship and to Venti, the best bard in all of Teyvat!"

The group raised their glasses, clinking them together in a celebratory toast. Venti, still perched on Aether's lap, looked around at his friends with a content and slightly dreamy smile.