[Cheat] Chapter 80: Singing?

“Singing, huh…” Venti pretended to ponder, leaning against a tree.

“Hmm, I wish I could sit on this tree with endless apple cider by my side.”

His eyes drifted over to them, half intentionally, half not.

“What do you mean by that?”

Paimon tilted her head, puzzled. “Are you trying to hint at something?”

“Ehehe~”

“What does ehehe even mean?!”

Zephyr shook his head. “We don’t have apple cider, but how about apple vinegar?”

“Huh? Apple vinegar? Apples can be turned into vinegar too?”

Venti let out a chuckle. “They can! That’s the first time I’ve heard of something like that. I’d love to give it a try.”

So Zephyr took out a special drink—apple vinegar.

“What a refined bottle! This could easily be placed on the desk of the acting Grand Master of Mondstadt as a piece of art.”

“Come on, it’s not that fancy.”

“Well then, let me have a taste… Whoa, that’s sour!”

“…But after the sourness comes a rich sweetness. Sweet and tangy… Is this what falling in love feels like?”

Venti turned to Lumine and said, “Traveler, this apple vinegar is delicious. I think I might be falling for you a little.”

Paimon was shocked. “Whoa, seriously? Just one bottle of apple vinegar and you’re smitten?!”

“Haha, the kind of ‘like’ I mean is pure, not that kind of like.”

“But are you sure this is really vinegar? It feels more like your local apple cider. Hmph, don’t think you can fool the Anemo Archon just because he’s a cute-looking boy.”

“No, really, it is vinegar…”

“Well then, after enjoying your amazing apple vinegar, it’s only fair I repay you somehow. What song would you like to hear?”

“…”

Paimon asked, “What songs do you even know?”

“Oh, I know tons! In fact, there’s no song in Teyvat I can’t sing.”

“Yeah right. Can you sing Let the Wind Tell You?”

Let the Wind Tell You? Never heard of it. Can you sing the intro for me?”

“The intro? Okay, it goes:

When the sky above you suddenly turns to pouring rain, that’s me blowing away the storm clouds for you…”

Venti nodded as he listened. “That actually sounds pretty nice. But strange… why have I never heard this before?”

“Hmph, see? You don’t know it. Caught you bluffing.”

Venti furrowed his brows. “So strange… And the rhythm too. This isn’t a Mondstadt ballad, is it?

Wait—no, even Liyue doesn’t have music like this. This is really odd… Oh! I get it now. You’re from another world, aren’t you?”

Paimon gasped, “How did you figure that out?!”

“Hehe, because I’m the Anemo Archon, remember?”

Paimon puffed up her cheeks. “Wow, you really take yourself seriously, huh? The Anemo Archon I know—Barbatos—was a god from thousands of years ago. There’s no way you’re him!”

“Hehe~”

“Paimon wasn’t complimenting you!”

“Traveler, why don’t you sing that song for this so-called Wind God?”

“Me? Sure, I can.”

Lumine blinked playfully, took a deep breath, and stepped into the spotlight like a true idol debut.

Zephyr didn’t do anything either—he wanted to hear Lumine’s singing too.

Before long, the group erupted in warm applause.

“Traveler, I didn’t know you could sing so well!”

“Young lady from another land, not bad. You’re almost as good as me.”

Zephyr sighed dramatically. “Man, I’m disappointed. I thought you’d have a death metal screech kind of voice.”

“What the heck is a death metal screech?!”

Lumine pouted, cheeks puffed, clearly sulking.

Paimon glanced at Venti with a teasing tone. “Hey, you’re really full of yourself. Paimon don’t believe you can sing better than the Traveler.”

“Hehe, and what if I can? What will you do then?”

“Uhh…”

“If I manage to outsing the Traveler, how about you give me three more bottles of that otherworldly apple cider?”

“Fine, deal!”

It began.

A song so full of sorrow it could break the heart—where across the world might a true kindred spirit be found?

—No wait, wrong mood.

What played was Let the Wind Tell You, and everyone was soon completely entranced.

“That was beautiful… it brought back so many memories.”

Lumine nodded in agreement.

Zephyr muttered, “Seriously? Come on, it’s just a song—do you really have to exaggerate like that?”

“Well then, you lost. Where’s that cider, Traveler?”

Zephyr’s mouth twitched. “Fine, fine, I lost fair and square. A bet’s a bet. Give me your hand.”

“My hand?”

Venti looked puzzled, but then noticed something strange about Lumine’s palm.

“Huh? What’s this? It feels like some kind of contract… Traveler, what is the meaning of this?”

“Sigh, as expected… Barbatos isn’t as easy to deal with as Amber.”

Zephyr let out a sigh.

“Oh, nothing much. I just thought you looked pleasing to the eye. Want to sign a contract with me?”

“Ehehe, thanks for the compliment, but no thanks. I’m a free bard, you know! Now, about that cider… Don’t tell me you’re going to back out?”

“Do I look like that kind of person?”

And so, he handed over three bottles of apple vinegar.

Let me repeat: apple vinegar, not apple cider.

Venti smiled, looking up at the clouds. “Oh? It’s already this late? Traveler, I’m heading back to Mondstadt. If I wait any longer, I’ll miss the noon wine party.

Not that many people drink at noon, but my good friend offers free lunch. No way I’m missing that.”

Paimon said, “Unbelievable! You’re just going for the free food!”

Zephyr added, “Wait up, Venti! Let’s go together.”

“Nope, because…”

As he spoke, the wind swirled at his feet, lifting him skyward in a gentle gust.

“Flying’s faster than running.”

“Oh come on! Are you seriously flexing on me like that?!”

What, like I don’t have a pair of Wind Gliders too? Zephyr quickly followed, soaring after him.

“Oh? The Honorary Wings of Mondstadt? That’s rare—even I don’t have those. The Knights actually gave them to a traveler? You’re getting more and more interesting.”

“Stop right there! Don’t run! Duel me with your sword!”

“Ehehe, maybe next time. I’ve got a lunch date.”

The wind lifted Venti again as he prepared to vanish from view.

Zephyr called out, “Do your skills not have cooldowns or something?!”

This real-world Venti was ridiculously powerful—way more OP than in the game!

And in that moment, Zephyr’s gaze burned with passion.

Venti, I must have you!

His eyes now looked at Venti the way one stares at a five-star character in the wish pool.

No matter what it takes—I’m pulling you!

“So scary, so scary,” Venti laughed, “but can you even keep up with my speed?”

Moments later, Venti had already flown far into the distance, disappearing from sight.

“Damn, that guy’s fast.”

Not a single misstep in movement, and he still couldn’t catch up?

“Sigh, forget it. He is the Anemo Archon after all. It’s normal not to be able to catch him.”

Paimon quipped, “To be accurate, he flew off. And now that I think about it… From your tone, it sounds like you already knew him?”

“More or less.”

“No wonder. That guy in the green hat didn’t seem surprised by my existence at all. Everyone else is always shocked when they see me.

Just what kind of person is he? Is he really just an ordinary bard?”

//END