Bai You vaguely heard them talking, but couldn't make out what they were saying.
She felt light as a feather, as if she were walking on clouds.
The surrounding sounds were distant, the lights were flashing, and Varesa's face was beautiful.
She reached out and poked Varesa's face.
"... hehe."
"What are you doing?"
"You look good."
Varesa:...
Columbina burst out laughing beside her.
"Alright," Varesa grabbed Bai You's hand, "You're drunk."
"I'm not drunk!" Bai You immediately retorted, her voice soft and sticky, "I can still drink!"
Are you sure?
"OK!"
"Want some more?"
"Yes!"
Bai You nodded vigorously, so much so that she swayed and almost slipped off the chair.
Varesa reacted quickly and grabbed her.
"Okay, okay, here you go."
She smiled helplessly and turned to face the bar.
"One more, please."
"The last cup," she said. "After you finish this cup, you can only drink water."
"Okay," Bai You replied groggily.
Charles paused for a moment, then mixed another glass of Windblume" and brought it over.
Bai You took it and drank most of it in one gulp.
That night, amidst the Angel's Share, five girls drank for a long time.
One cup after another.
It was continued again and again.
The cup is empty.
Odette was usually the quietest person, but as the drinking progressed, she became more talkative.
Clutching her cup, her face flushed, she spoke haltingly about how she had scraped her knee as a child, mentioning... a name she had never uttered when she was sober— Rosalyne.
Columbina's alcohol tolerance was indeed not that high.
After the third drink, she started laughing, laughing at everything she saw, laughing uncontrollably.
Sandrone tried to help her up, but she wrapped her arms around Sandrone's neck, buried her face in the crook of her neck, and sang a few lines indistinctly.
Sandrone initially remained defiant, but it wasn't long before he himself became quite drunk.
Her face flushed, she let Columbina cling to her while tapping her fingers on the table and muttering to herself.
In the end, all five of them were drunk.
--
The one that got the most drunk was Bai You.
Her cheek was pressed against the cold tabletop, her eyes half-closed, and she was humming softly.
'... Hmm...'
"Going home..."
"Going home..."
Varesa herself had drunk quite a bit, and she felt a little dizzy.
But she was still the most clear-headed one.
She helped Bai You to the bar to pay the bill.
Diluc stood behind the bar, watching her offer him Mora, but pushed Mora back, saying, "It's my treat."
"That won't do!"
"It's unreasonable to expect guests to pay when you say 'please.'"
His tone was indifferent, but there was no room for negotiation.
Varesa looked at him, but finally withdrew her gaze.
"Thank you."
"Hmm."
Varesa draped a coat over Bai You and then woke up the other three people who were staggering around.
"He's gone."
"Back to the hotel."
"Ugh..." Columbina clung to Sandrone, lifting her head, her eyes barely open, "One more drink..."
"That's all."
Just one cup...
"I'll drink it tomorrow."
Oh...
Sandrone helped Columbina, Odette held onto the table; the three of them staggered toward the door.
Varesa then knelt down and carefully helped Bai You, who was lying on the table, to her feet.
"Come on, Little Bai You, get up."
"Hmm..."
Bai You groggily opened her eyes, saw it was her, and immediately gave a silly grin.
"Wo... Varesa...""
"Yes, it's me."
"You... you smell so good..."
"Let's go, let's go back."
"Okay--"
Bai You was practically being half-dragged and half-carried out of the tavern, clinging to her.
The five people walked to the door, Varesa turned around and nodded to the bar.
"Mr. Diluc, farewell."
"Walk slowly."
Diluc stood behind the bar.
He watched the five figures, supporting each other and staggering, disappear out the door, and remained silent for a moment.
"Have a safe trip."
--
The night in City of Mondstadt was already very deep.
There was no one on the street, only the dim light of the streetlights casting crooked shadows of the five people.
Five drunkards walked along, laughing and singing all the way.
Columbina clung to Sandrone and sang all the way.
Sandrone walked on expressionlessly, but as he walked, he started humming along.
Odette walked at the back, muttering to herself over and over again as she went.
"I'm fine..."
"I'm not drunk..."
"I can still practice..."
Varesa supported Bai You as they walked at the front.
Bai You's feet barely touched the ground; he hung limply on her, laughing every two steps.
·... Varesa."
"Hmm?"
"I think I'm..."
"What does that look like?"
"It feels like I'm flying..."
"... You didn't fly, you walked."
"I'm flying..."
"Okay, okay, you're flying."
"Hehe..."