"Green-hatted guy…" Su Mo twitched a little at Paimon's nickname.
Sure, Venti did wear a green hat—but somehow the way she said it just felt… off.
"Yeah, we're here for the bard," Su Mo nodded. "Most bards make their money singing in taverns, and Angel's Share is the most famous one in Mondstadt. If he's truly the world's number one, there's a high chance he'd be here."
Of course, that was only part of the truth. In reality, Venti was especially fond of Angel's Share for its dandelion wine. The other well-known bar in town, The Cat's Tail, was off-limits—he was allergic to cats.
Given his personality, there was no way he'd pass up the chance to sneak free drinks at the best tavern in the city.
As they neared the doors, they were greeted by the soft strumming of a lyre. The music flowed like a breeze rustling through the trees—light and playful, yet strangely calming. For a moment, the whole world seemed to pause to listen.
Hearing that tune, Su Mo smiled to himself. Looks like luck was on their side. They'd found their target right away.
Pushing the doors open, they entered.
There, near the front, stood the bard himself—like a spirit of the wind—spinning tales in song. His fingers danced across the strings, and the tavern grew quiet. Even the rowdiest patrons lowered their voices, letting the melody take center stage.
"Whoa… he's really popular," Paimon whispered, almost in awe.
"Let's wait until he finishes," Su Mo said softly, leading them to the bar.
As they waited, both Lumine and Paimon noticed the drink menu—dandelion wine, apple cider, and a host of specialty drinks, each more tempting than the last. Though buying a full bottle was expensive, ordering by the glass wasn't too bad.
The two girls lit up instantly, their eyes gleaming.
Regardless of their unquantifiable ages, the fact remained: both Paimon and Lumine were universally seen as minors. As a result, no matter where they went, nobody ever served them alcohol. So when Su Mo brought them into a tavern, they were understandably both surprised and thrilled.
The two girls exchanged an excited glance before flagging down the bartender with hushed enthusiasm.
"Hello! We'd like a glass of apple cider!" Paimon said eagerly.
"I'd like to try the dandelion wine," Lumine chimed in.
Bartender Charles looked at their bright, eager expressions and sighed, placing a hand on his forehead. "Sorry, we don't serve alcoholic drinks to minors. You could try some juice instead."
"Aww…" Paimon let out a disappointed sigh. She had suspected it wouldn't go so smoothly.
Lumine, however, wasn't ready to give up so easily. "Actually, I am an adult," she declared earnestly.
If one counted the years she'd been sealed away in slumber, Lumine wasn't just an adult—she could probably be the ancestor of everyone in the city. But Charles just gave her a knowing glance, clearly seeing through the innocent curiosity in her eyes.
He sighed again. "Every year I see over a hundred kids pretending to be of age. You think I'd fall for that? Some barely fourteen-year-olds try to act like they're grown-ups."
As a seasoned bartender, he had his principles. Serving alcohol to underage patrons wasn't just against Mondstadt's code—it would bring the wrath of the Knights of Favonius down on him. Not to mention, his boss Diluc would have his head.
"So just give up already," he said flatly. "If you really want something to drink, I recommend the raspberry mint refresher or apple brew. No alcohol, but they're very popular."
Charles's face made it clear—there would be no negotiating. Lumine and Paimon exchanged a defeated glance.
"In that case, I'll have the apple brew," Lumine sighed.
"I want the raspberry mint!" Paimon added.
Despite their initial disappointment, their eyes lit up the moment they sipped their drinks through the straws.
"This is really good!" Paimon exclaimed.
"Mine too! Try this, Traveler!"
Though they didn't get the wine they'd hoped for, the delicious juice more than made up for it. Just as they were happily enjoying their drinks, Charles returned and placed a frosty glass in front of Su Mo.
"Here's your chilled dandelion wine, sir."
They turned toward the voice just in time to see Charles not only hand Su Mo a drink but also bring over a whole bucket of ice—inside of which rested an entire bottle of dandelion wine.
"That's so unfair!" Paimon cried, practically leaping from her seat. "Why does he get to drink wine?"
Su Mo chuckled as he looked at the two pouty girls. "Probably because I'm legally an adult?"
Paimon puffed up her cheeks and crossed her arms indignantly. Lumine also put her hands on her hips, clearly not letting this go easily. Honestly, they looked absolutely adorable.
"I object!" Paimon raised her tiny fists. "You don't look that much older than the Traveler!"
"Well, just a few years can be the difference between a minor and an adult," Su Mo shrugged, pulling out his official adventurer's ID. "And I've got the documents to prove it."
When registering as an adventurer, age had to be declared. Su Mo was indeed of age, so he'd filled it in truthfully. Catherine hadn't questioned it either—at his age, there wasn't much visual difference anyway. He hadn't expected that ID to come in handy at a tavern, of all places.
"Ahh! What a missed opportunity!" Lumine smacked her forehead in frustration. "I should've just written that I was eighteen too!"
Such a golden opportunity, and she had completely overlooked it.
"..." Bartender Charles, who was still nearby, was speechless.
Were they seriously discussing falsifying their age right in front of him?
He narrowed his eyes at Lumine. "Even if you tried, the Adventurers' Guild would never let someone with your face get away with claiming to be eighteen."
"True," Paimon nodded seriously as she studied Lumine's youthful face. "Even if she says she's hundreds of years old, I bet no one besides Su Mo would actually believe her."
Lumine's appearance—her stature, her expression—was unmistakably that of a girl still in her growing years. If she had the kind of mature figure that Jean or Lisa had, maybe she wouldn't even be questioned.
"I'm not hundreds of years old!" Lumine immediately protested, sneaking a quick glance at Su Mo.
As a girl, age was already a sensitive subject. And to make things worse…
"It's not even my fault I'm not growing…" she muttered, casting a forlorn glance down at her figure.
How many years had she been stuck in puberty? She couldn't even remember anymore. But for the first time in her life, Lumine found herself genuinely frustrated with her own development—or lack thereof.
With both girls finally giving up on their dreams of alcohol, bartender Charles left to tend to other customers. Meanwhile, Su Mo took a curious sip of the dandelion wine before him. Cool and crisp, it wasn't too strong but had a distinctive flavor. Even someone like him, who didn't usually drink, could appreciate the charm of this iconic Mondstadt beverage.
"Ugh…" Paimon groaned from beside him. She looked at her drink, then at Su Mo's crystal-clear wine, then back again.
And then, with a sudden spark in her eyes, she came up with a plan.
"Traveler, let's switch drinks for a bit!"
She eagerly grabbed Lumine's hand.
"Huh? You want to try mine?" Lumine blinked.
Paimon blinked in surprise as Lumine passed her the apple cider without hesitation. Taking a small sip, Paimon's eyes lit up and she quickly handed over her own raspberry-mint drink in exchange. "Traveler, try mine too!"
"Eh? That's not necessary…" Lumine tried to decline, but Paimon wouldn't let her off that easily.
"Just a sip! Come on!" she insisted, before turning her bright eyes toward Su Mo. "Hey, I heard that in Liyue, there's an ancient oath called the Pear Garden Pact. People who pledge to travel together for life mix their drinks and each take a sip to seal their bond. That way, the Geo Archon himself will bless their journey."
"We could try something like that too!" she beamed. "Though, mixing drinks might ruin the taste, so maybe just tasting each other's drinks is good enough."
Lumine immediately picked up on Paimon's hidden agenda. "Ahem! I see. What a mystical and sacred ritual that is," she replied dramatically, playing along. After a thoughtful sip of Paimon's minty concoction, she turned toward Su Mo, her expression full of meaningful intent.
"In that case, to mark the beginning of our adventures together, we should let the Geo Archon witness our pact. Don't you think so, Su Mo?"
"That's right!" Paimon chimed in eagerly. "Once we do it, it means we'll be together forever!"
Watching the two girls exchange what sounded like heartfelt words while their eyes remained locked on the dandelion wine in his hand, Su Mo couldn't help but laugh. "All this just for a sip of wine? You're acting like I'm going to abandon the party if you don't get a taste."
He sighed, giving in. "Fine, fine—but only one sip each."
The moment he gave in, Paimon squealed with joy and hurried over. Lumine followed quietly, her eyes shining with anticipation. After checking to make sure bartender Charles wasn't looking, Su Mo carefully passed them the glass.
"Just one sip," he warned sternly.
"Okay!" Paimon and Lumine both nodded obediently. Under Su Mo's supervision, they each took a small taste of the dandelion wine.
"Huh… it tastes kind of weird," Paimon muttered, savoring the subtle floral fragrance. "Is this really dandelion wine? I don't think it's very good."
She clearly preferred Lumine's sweet apple cider.
"There's something special about its aroma, though," Lumine added thoughtfully. It was her first time trying alcohol, and despite the unfamiliar burning sensation, she found the experience oddly enjoyable—and even wanted another sip.
But Su Mo caught her longing glance and lightly chopped her on the head. "Nope. One sip means one sip. Any more and we'll get kicked out if the bartender notices."
Lumine pouted and reluctantly returned to her seat. Just then, a familiar voice drifted over.
"If they do find out, you might get banned from this place altogether," came the smug, teasing tone. "So, how about you buy me a drink to keep my lips sealed?"
A figure emerged—none other than the green-clad bard who always seemed to appear out of nowhere, grinning as he named his price.
Su Mo wasn't the least bit surprised. Finally took the bait, he thought. No wonder they call this guy a Dandelion Wine Detector.
Without hesitation, Su Mo reached into the nearby ice bucket and retrieved the full bottle of dandelion wine he'd ordered earlier. At the sight of it, Venti's eyes lit up like stars. He probably wouldn't leave even if the Knights of Favonius themselves came to arrest him.