Genshin Impact: Mondstadt Alter
Act 1 Chapter 5.5:
Hidden Scheme
It's time for me to join Diluc in commemorating his brother-in-law's birthday. Once I secured what I believed to be an appropriate gift, I freshened up and dressed for the occasion. Diluc mentioned it would be a low-key affair, but I felt compelled to dress appropriately nonetheless.
Finishing putting on my shoes, I checked to see if I had missed anything.
"Present, key, and mora." I shoved them into my pockets while holding the gift box, "I guess that's all."
As soon as I step out of my bedroom, I suddenly remember I forgot one final thing.
"Hmm, I need to nail the idea of bringing my vision everywhere in my head. Even though, it doesn't make any difference whether I have it on me or not." I sighed as I picked up and attached my vision to my back hips.
With that, I finally head to the Angel's Share.
When I reach the destination, I immediately notice that the bar is bustling with a crowd, I can even tell from a distance. There's also a line of people waiting to get in. Diluc hadn't given me any details about what to expect inside. He simply instructed me to go along with it until he gave the signal, teasing it as a surprise.
I suppose that's fair. Let's just hope I'm not late for anything.
"Hmm?"
I see two people I'm familiar with about to enter the tavern, so I decide to say hi after hiding the present behind me.
"Evening, you two. Fancy running at you here."
"Hey, Morgan! It's been a while since we saw you, and what's with the outfit?" The brunette inquired as she approached and examined me.
"We met a few days ago, no?" I wondered, "I was invited here today, so that's why I wear something nice. How about you?"
"Invited? Is something going to happen in the bar tonight?" Amber asked again, innocently.
"You'll see." I followed the way the red-haired kept me under the dark.
Amber is pouting, "Why the secret? It couldn't be anything important with this many people."
Isn't that supposed to be the opposite?
"Like I said, you'll see later." I said before adding, "So, what about you?" I looked at Mr. Hao.
"Master Crepus has kindly invited me to join tonight. But, his directions were a bit unclear, merely advising me to arrive with a small group. I felt unsure, so I brought along Amber and some of my currently available colleagues." Mr. Hao answered.
"Eh?" Amber let out a squeal, "I thought we were only here for dinner?"
"Well, yeah. That's partially the reason we're here." The man laughed.
I'm not sure I should be surprised about it, but I sure did not expect that. Mr. Hao is still wearing his uniform, so he is most likely just done with work and immediately brings his granddaughter here as she's wearing casual.
Is this how rich people hold parties?
So much for being a low-key, huh?
"I see."
"Well, you might as well join us then, Morgan. We can have dinner together again!" Amber enthusiastically grabbed my hand.
I hum, "I didn't plan to have supper here, so I guess we'll see. I'd join you if I got nothing to do." I replied as I looked around the tavern and noted the swarming crowd with a surprising amount of knights.
"Now that you mention it, what you've been doing lately?" She switched the subject.
Mr. Hao bobbed his head along, "I hope nothing happened, right? You got us a little worried."
"Everything is fine." My reply came out as it was our turn to get in, "Let's continue this talk another time and enter the tavern first."
The two agree and we go inside the building as I follow from behind.
Once we are in, the bar goes as usual as I can see. The chandelier illuminates almost the whole building while lanterns cover the rest of the areas. People are eating, drinking, and cheering in every direction, and a few bards attend to play and entertain the customers.
Charles and the owner seem to be present as well, even Kaeya is doing them a favor by helping them. Meanwhile, I don't see where Diluc is, but I can tell he's nearby. Of course, I'm not forgetting some other people I know who are here.
"So, what do you want?"
"I want a steak and an apple cider!" She raised her hand in spirit.
"Alright," The man nodded, "What you'd like to have tonight, Morgan?"
"Mm, then, I'll have a Hash Brown, and as for the drink, I'll leave it to you. I'm fine with anything."
"You got it!" He gave us a thumbs up.
"I'll order our food and drink, so how about you two find somewhere for us to sit?" Mr. Hao instructed.
"Okay!" Amber replied while I nodded silently.
Mr. Hao heads to the counter to order, leaving both of us to do what he told us to do. The bunny-ribbon girl asks me to help her to find a vacant table, or at least, somewhere we can sit since my sonar tells me every table in the tavern is occupied. But…
Since it's one of the few that seem to allow to contain a few more people, I'm sure they wouldn't mind sharing with Amber and Mr. Hao. I give her a direction to go upstairs as it's already full of people, and the brunette agrees.
On the top floor are plenty of people, but it's not as crowded. Amber scans the whole floor while I follow her from behind, and as we keep going,
Someone softly calls, "If it isn't the granddaughter of the Outrider Captain?"
"Oh, hello, ma'am. Good to see you tonight." Amber tried her best to be courteous.
"Good evening." Her daughter greeted us with a polite nod.
"Your name is Amber, right? Do you want us to share the table with you? It just so happens we have two empty chairs."
"That is…" She looked at me, confused as to what to answer.
"Well, how convenient. Amber, you should take Mrs. Frederica's offer. Mr. Hao and you can have them." I said after making eye contact with her for a mere second.
Giving Amber my suggestion makes her nervous, "W- what about you?"
I shake my head, "Don't worry about me. I'll look somewhere else. I'll tell him where you are."
"B- but…!"
The brunette tried to resist as I pushed her to the chair to sit beside the knight as she gave me a side glance.
Amber finally gives in to sit, albeit timidly and reluctantly. I was about to leave them like that, but Jean and Amber wanted me to stay and join instead. The former grabbed my upper arm and dragged us away from the two.
"This is your chance! Why are you backing away?" She whispered very close to my ear.
Due to my sensitive senses, I can't help but feel my heart racing because of that.
"I told you already, I'm not ready. I'll make things awkward as I don't know what to say."
"You're making that excuse again. Come on, it'll be alright! I'll help you with that." She encouraged, still whispering.
I put a distance between my face and hers, "I appreciate it, but I don't want to mess with the happy occasion."
"But-"
"Here you are." The man came just in time.
"Mr. Hao, I already found a seat for you with them." I said as I pointed to Jean and the Alder Knight, "I'll be finding mine on my own."
"Wait, what?"
"Don't worry, Jean. There'll be next time." I said in a low voice before looking to the rest, "Make sure to enjoy the night, everyone." I added with a bow.
I swiftly departed to avoid any potential interruptions from those who seemed eager to talk to me. Descending the stairs, I spotted the individual I wished to converse with. Yet, I opted to wait until he concluded his conversation with others. As soon as he finished, our gazes met and he made his way over to me.
"I thought you might miss the opening speech, but I'm glad you're already here." Diluc grinned.
"Well, yeah, but this party is way grander than I expected."
"Hehe, I consider this a little smaller compared to what I used to, but you still got it with that suit!" He patted me on the shoulder, "Anyway, stay tight, it'll be starting soon. Find somewhere to sit if possible. Be seeing you later!"
He goes as fast as he comes. Everything here is too boisterous, which I am not fond of. While his suggestion wasn't terrible, I'd rather keep my distance from social gatherings.
I intended to stick to my original plan until an unfamiliar person caught wind of me and insisted I accompany them. They bombarded me with questions, but their inebriated state meant I didn't feel compelled to respond. It seems like a convenient way to blend in, but I can't shake the feeling that something isn't quite right.
"Here's your food and drink."
When I was busy with my thoughts, someone served me a Mondstadt Hash Brown and iced Apple Cider in front of me.
"Sorry for the wait. I hope you didn't wait too long." The navy-haired smiled at me.
"Not really, thanks." I wagged my head, "Shouldn't you be just waiting instead of helping serving patrons, Kaeya?"
He snorts, "What am I supposed to wait for? Isn't it just the usual?"
My ears buzzed a little for a second.
Seems like he knows what's coming.
"By the way, you sure gather with some interesting individuals." The eye-patched hinted, looking at my fellow 'friends' here.
"Haha, I guess you are not wrong…"
"Oh look, it's Kaeya!" One of them noticed his presence.
"How about you join us as well?!"
"Can you give us another fill, Kaeya!?"
They all spoke loudly at the same time, but the noises around the tavern almost made their shouting insignificant. Although, I doubt none of them are right on their mind right now, as I can see their faces are as red as newborn rats.
"Thank you, but I still have work to do. I'll be back to refill your glass, sir." Kaeya said, "I'll be going, Morgan. Make sure you savor your food and drink." He added as he waved his hand and left.
Again, my ears are droning.
"Attention, everybody!"
Everything is quiet right after someone shouts to gather people's attention. It was the owner, Master Crepus.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to a night of celebration, where laughter fills the air and memories are made. Tonight, we gather to honor my son's birthday, Kaeya, whose presence in our lives brings us immeasurable joy. As we raise our glasses to toast to Kaeya, let us cherish the moments we share and the happiness they bring. May this evening be filled with laughter, love, and unforgettable memories. So let's kick off the festivities and make this birthday celebration one to remember! Cheers to Kaeya, and cheers to all of us! Let the party begin!" That was the end of his opening party speech.
"CHEERS!"
Everyone joins in to enhance the already joyful atmosphere. Many are clustered around our esteemed guests tonight, while others, like myself, opt to wait until the initial round is completed. I plan to enjoy my meal before offering my gift and well wishes.
I discreetly observe Kaeya as he interacts with others, shaking hands and accepting gifts prepared by some, including Diluc and the owner who don't want to miss out on the opportunity to be part of the early group. Kaeya's demeanor appears somewhat rigid as he deals with these individuals, yet it's clear he still manages to handle them without too much difficulty.
That's lame, I wished he was flustered.
I face back to my food and start munching it as I want to do it as soon as possible and have some fresh air. Once I finished with my food, I was about to drink my beverage. However, something odd happens.
My hand doesn't stop shaking the moment I hold the glass, but it soon stops when I release my hand from it. The second time, it happens again.
What?
Is something wrong with this iced Apple Cider?
The drink should be safe to consume since the people from Angel's Share made it unless someone managed to put something into it. I doubt that conclusion is correct as Master Crepus and Charles are professional and wouldn't let something like that happen.
Am I overthinking it or is my sonar trying to warn me?
…
Several minutes have passed since the opening speech, yet plenty of individuals still haven't extended their greetings to the eye-patched young man, and the line shows no signs of shrinking. Watching from the sidelines, his brother-in-law can't help but smile as he witnesses the successful execution of the party he meticulously organized with everyone.
"Diluc." Until someone patted his shoulder.
The red-haired turned to see his friend, who had a slightly troubled face.
"Oh, Morgan? What's wrong? Are you tired of waiting? I can help you get in the line."
His friend wagged his head, "No, I need to head back because I suddenly feel light-headed."
"Oh, okay. You're sweating profusely. Do you need my help?" Diluc showed his concern as he tried to get a good look at his friend's expression.
"Not necessary, just give this to him." Morgan shoved the present he had to the red-haired, "I'm really sorry I have to leave so early."
Diluc gulped, "N- no, it's fine. Are you sure you don't need help? You seem like you could collapse any second."
Morgan merely shook his head silently, which made Diluc more hesitant to let his friend go home in such a state all alone, especially after what happened. However,
"Got it. You be careful on your way back." Diluc decided to choose to trust him being able to head back safely.
The black-haired boy quickly headed to the entrance, unaware that some gazes were directed at him. On his way back, the boy tottered despite his best efforts to hold back the dizziness, even clutching his head. Only a few people were around, so no one noticed his strange behaviors until a patrolling knight saw him kneel down.
"Hey, are you alright?" The knight grabbed his shoulder tightly.
"... Move." The boy raised to his feet.
"What?"
"I said, move!" The boy shoved the knight away before moving forward.
"What's wrong with him?" The knight could only mutter his confusion.
After noticing something amiss, the knight decided to follow Morgan closely, but his friends called him out, and the moment he looked back, the boy was gone.
Tattering his way to his house, Morgan ignored all the alarming dangers through sheer willpower. His surroundings were as quiet as a grave, but his ears were full of beeping noises. However, unable to do anything, all he could do was walk back to his house.
As soon as he arrived, Morgan struggled to find the key to the door but eventually managed to locate it, though inserting it into the lock was difficult. Once inside, he closed the door behind him and walked to the center of the room. He bent down, resting on his knees for support, and slowly, as the noises subsided, his head began to feel better.
CLICK*
The room was oddly dark, although if he remembered correctly, he left with the lights on. His train of thought was interrupted when he suddenly felt a presence beside him send something flying towards him.
Still feeling fuzzy, he narrowly dodged it. That made him fall short to the floor on his back.
"Evening, kiddo. Didn't expect ya would still wake, but," An unfamiliar voice greeted him after the light turned back on, "Nighty night."
Morgan glimpsed a big man standing menacingly beside him for only a moment, but then the man sent his fist right into his face. Due to the lingering effects of the spiked drink, Morgan shifted his head to the left, barely avoiding the attack with great effort. Shocked at seeing the ground shatter beside his head, a reflex kicked in from his right hand as he pointed his index and middle fingers at his attacker and muttered quietly.
"... Cut."
BAM*
Some bits of the ceiling fell apart when Morgan launched his attack, however, his opponent swiftly dodged it.
"What the…!? Stay down, will ya?!"
This time, the man reacted much faster than before; he grabbed him by the neck and pinned his arm to the ground. The strength he used to immobilize the black-haired was immense. It was a simple yet effective way to render him nearly helpless, leaving only his free limb to attempt to push the man's hand away futilely. Realizing the effort was pointless, an idea crossed Morgan's mind.
"How do you even come up with convergence and divergence? Those two are some advanced-skill levels."
"Books. Also, they've basically upgraded forms of push and pull, which are the primary theme of anemo power. The idea wouldn't have crossed my mind otherwise."
Morgan knows it's difficult, and Cut perhaps should suffice to fight the man off. However, he feels the situation of being cornered gives him the inspiration to execute them at that moment.
An occurrence when air flows from different directions meet and are forced to accumulate to a single point.
Releasing his left hand, Morgan opened his palm, then formed a flick with his thumb and middle finger, aiming it at the burly man. The attacker noticed what the boy was doing, but instead of stopping him, he tightened his grip on Morgan's neck, sensing no danger and hoping the kid would surrender quietly.
"Stop struggling, and be a good-"
"... Convergence." He chanted softly before he released his middle finger and thumb lock.
The man widened his eyes as he saw the bright glow and his life flashed before his eyes.
A/N: Plenty of content was released before I could finish this chapter, so they slowed me down. Now, Natlan has reached ACT 4 in AQ and I must say it was a great ride so far (It hasn't reached its conclusion yet) compared to the previous AQ because I find it more engaging. And it was rather a surprise (but a welcome one) to see Genshin was brave enough to take a dark route and raise the stake.
Thank you for reading, and carry on!