Just then, someone scrambled up the edge of the platform.
A boy wearing a green hat had somehow wandered around to the side of the stage and was slowly climbing up, clutching his violin.
He almost tripped over his own instrument as he climbed up.
Bai You was taken aback.
"You--"
"Hey--hello everyone!"
The boy's eyes lit up when he saw Varesa, and he ran over to her.
"You sang so well! I was listening from below, and my hands were itching to sing!"
He casually stood a short distance in front of Varesa and hugged the violin to his chest.
"I can play the piano too!" he said. "Would you like to play a duet?"
Bai You was a little confused. Wasn't that Barbatos, the Wind God, or Venti? Why was he here too?
Varesa laughed first.
She looked at the boy in the green hat for two seconds.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Me?" The boy scratched his head, grinning broadly. " Venti."
"A wandering poet, going everywhere, listening to everything."
"My name is Varesa, nice to meet you."
Why is everyone climbing onto the stage tonight?
Just as Bai You was about to speak, she caught a glimpse of the side curtain out of the corner of her eye.
Sandrone's face turned deathly pale.
Columbina was also slightly taken aback.
Venti gently plucked the strings with his fingers, and a very soft prelude flowed out.
He looked up and winked at Varesa.
" Varesa," he said, "Hum whatever you want, I'll go with you."
Varesa looked at him.
Then she smiled.
She simply hummed softly, lowered her head, and began to hum along with the strings.
It's a very casual tune.
There were no lyrics, no sheet music. Wherever Venti played, she hummed along; wherever she hummed, Venti's strings followed.
The two of them, one playing the piano, the other humming.
Those who hadn't yet left the audience turned around again upon hearing this new sound.
No one spoke.
The formal performance we just witnessed was a grand, meticulously planned gift.
But this part—this part—is like the wind, blowing in casually.
As Venti's strings came out, the sound seemed to carry the wind.
Real wind.
In the square, the hair of those who were about to leave was suddenly blown up by the wind.
The wind wasn't strong, but it circled the edge of the platform again and again, as if reluctant to leave.
He looked up and clapped enthusiastically at Varesa.
"That sounds great!" he said. "With a voice like that, you could easily take my job!"
Varesa was amused by him.
"You flatter me."
"But no, no!" Venti waved his hand. He jumped off the stage and dusted himself off.
"The wind of Mondstadt," Venti smiled, "I really like you today."
After he finished speaking, he waved to Varesa without waiting for her reply.
"I'm outta here! I'm always on credit at the tavern!"
Then he grabbed his instrument and ran off in a flash.
I almost tripped over the steps while running.
Bai You stared at his retreating figure, unable to process what he was seeing for a long time. It really was as abstract as something out of a game.
Just then, with a "whoosh," a white shadow flew out from the crowd.
Paimon.
She hovered in mid-air, then suddenly stopped in front of Varesa, tilting her head back with bright, sparkling eyes.
"Hello!" she exclaimed, too excited to speak coherently.
"That song you just sang! The last one! You sang it so well! I almost cried while listening to it!"
Varesa was taken aback by her sudden enthusiasm, then bent down to look her in the eye.
"Thank you, little friend."
"My name is Paimon!" Paimon puffed out his chest. "Paimon is—this gentleman's guide!"
She pointed behind her.
A the Damselette carrying a sword squeezed through the crowd, apologizing to everyone along the way, and finally made it to the edge of the stage.
She looked up, nodded slightly to Varesa.
"Hello, my name is Ying, and I'm an adventurer," she said.
Varesa smiled, looked back at her, and said:
"Hello, my name is Varesa, and I'm a singer."
The two stared at each other for a second.
Bai You's heart was stirred again.
Why is everyone here tonight?
"You sang very well, it sounded really good," Ying said.
Paimon, completely oblivious to everything else, circled Varesa once, marveling at the sight.
"Where are you from? I don't think I've seen you in Mondstadt before. How come you sing so well? Where did you learn it?"
Varesa laughed at her barrage of questions.
"You came from a very far place," she said. "As for singing—I've been singing for many years."
"How many years is 'many years'?"
"... for a long time."
Paimon nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.
At that moment, the girl named Amber from the audience came running back.
As soon as she saw the Damselette carrying the sword, she exclaimed, "Ah!"
" Traveler!" she waved, "You're here too!"
Ying saw her and finally smiled.
" Amber," she said, "Long time no see."
The stage fell silent instantly.
Sandrone directed her little robot to begin taking off the lights one by one.
Columbina crossed her arms, looked up at the sky, seemingly at the moon.
"Oh dear," Columbina yawned, "I've been busy all night, and I'm hungry."
Upon hearing this, Odette's stomach growled.
Her face flushed.
Bai You then remembered that none of them had eaten anything that night.
Just as she was about to say something, the green-hatted boy who had run away reappeared from the side of the stage. He had returned, this time with a wine flask in his arms.
"Hey!" He waved to the stage, "Everyone's still here?"
Upon seeing him, Bai You instinctively took a step back.
Sandrone, standing beside him, tensed up again.
He scrambled up onto the stage, plopped down on the edge, and swung his legs around.
"I said," he said, "It's so late, why don't we go to a pub? My treat."
He stopped mid-sentence, patted his pocket, and remained completely calm.
"How about we pay it off tonight?"
Bai You:"..."
She finally saw through him. This Venti was just a freeloader, no different from the one in the game.
Just as she was about to say she was going back, Varesa chuckled softly behind her.
"Go ahead," Varesa said. "My treat."
Bai You was taken aback.
"You--"
"Having accomplished such a big task," Varesa looked down at her, her eyes crinkling, "Shouldn't we celebrate?"
Bai You's face instantly turned red.
The group, in a grand procession, headed towards the Cat's Tail Tavern.
Venti walked in front, carrying her violin, humming as she went.
Paimon floated above his head, occasionally interjecting, "Here you go, street performer!"
Amber was originally going back to the Knights of Favonius, Paimon her sleeves and she ended up coming along without really knowing why.
Ying followed behind, looking helpless.
Following them are Bai You, Varesa, and Odette.
Behind them was Sandrone, who looked like he didn't want to come, yet walked faster than anyone else, and Columbina, who was attracted by some little trinket by the roadside every few steps.
When they arrived at the tavern, Margaret was preparing to close up shop.
She looked up and saw a huge crowd of people pouring in; she almost dropped the rag she was holding.
"This--this is--"
" Margaret!" Venti rushed in, familiar with the place, and sat down at the bar. "The usual three things! Cider!"
"Hey, I'm telling you—" Margaret was about to snap when her gaze passed over Venti and landed on Varesa, who was walking in.
She paused for a moment, stunned.
Then she remembered—wasn't that the girl who sang in the square?
"Oh--!" Her eyes lit up immediately. "Please sit down, please sit down! The drinks are on me today!"
The tavern suddenly became lively.
Venti was the first to climb onto the bar, legs dangling, and took the cider Margaret offered, taking a big gulp.
"Ah—" he sighed contentedly, "I'm alive again."
Paimon floated above a table, sat down, and waved her little hand:
"Sister Margaret! One of each of these!"
She pointed to the menu.
Margaret looked at the circle of food, her lips twitching. "... Can you finish it all?"
"I can finish it!" Paimon patted his chest. " Paimon can eat a lot!"
Columbina found a spot in the very corner and plopped down.
She glanced at the menu, then at Paimon.
"Little one," she said.
"Huh? I'm not a little one!"
"What you ordered," Columbina said, "Double it again."
Paimon: "...!!"