While I was in Mondstadt, I never imagined becoming a god.

After finding the sugar, the three of them walked together toward the angel's gift.

Angel's Gift, the most famous tavern in Mondstadt.

Xu Chuan had visited countless times in the game, but the feeling of actually stepping into the game was still different.

The tavern was bustling with noise, and the air was filled with the aroma of alcohol and malt.

Behind the bar, a bartender was skillfully mixing various drinks, while several customers nearby chatted loudly while drinking.

In the corner, someone was playing Seven Sages Summoning, and cheers or sighs could be heard from time to time.

Xu Chuan's gaze swept across the tavern, and he suddenly thought of Wendy.

That lazy, lazy guy who spends all his time mooching drinks at taverns.

But today, he didn't see that familiar green figure.

strangeness.

This guy's not here? Has the sun risen in the west?

The three found an empty table and sat down, while Timaus went to order drinks.

Xu Chuan took the opportunity to observe his surroundings.

The tavern was crowded with people, and the topics of conversation were varied.

Some people talked about the dragon disaster, some about business, and some about the latest gossip.

A middle-aged man with a flushed face slammed his fist on the table and shouted, "I'm telling you, that dragon was definitely the work of the Fools! Those foreigners, not a single one of them is any good!"

"Come on," someone next to him retorted, "you've had too much to drink, go home and get some sleep."

"I'm not drunk! I'm perfectly sober!"

"A sober person will not say that he or she is sober."

The two started bickering, and the people around them burst into laughter.

This is Mondstadt.

Even with the dragon scourge upon them, nothing could dampen the Mondstadt people's enthusiasm for drinking.

Timaus returned with three glasses of wine, one for each person.

“Try it,” he said. “It’s a special gift from the angels, apple cider.”

Xu Chuan took a sip; it was sweet and sour, with a mild alcohol taste, somewhat like apple-flavored soda.

“It’s delicious,” he said.

The three of them drank and chatted.

Timaus and Sugar started talking about alchemy, discussing things like "element conversion efficiency," "the ethical boundaries of bioalchemy," and "the latest progress in the genetic improvement of the Sweet Flower." Xu Chuan listened, completely bewildered, and couldn't get a word in edgewise.

However, he was happy to have some free time, drinking and observing the people in the tavern.

Then he saw Yura.

She sat alone on the second floor, drinking her wine.

On the table in front of him was a half-empty bottle of wine. He held a wine glass in his hand and looked out the window, lost in thought.

Xu Chuan's heart skipped a beat.

He recalled the whispers of the people when he entered the city, and the hurried departure of Yura.

Lawrence.

In Mondstadt, this surname is considered a sin.

“I’ll go up and say hello,” he said to Timaus and Sugar.

The two followed his gaze and saw Yura. They exchanged a glance but said nothing.

Xu Chuan stood up and walked to the second floor.

The stairs creaked as he walked up to Yura and sat down opposite her.

Yura looked up, saw it was him, and was stunned for a moment.

What are you doing here?

"Let's have a drink," Xu Chuan said, "and celebrate my joining the company."

"Job onboarding?"

“Abedo’s assistant just finished the formalities,” Xu Chuan explained briefly. “By the way, I haven’t had a chance to formally thank him for what happened that day.”

"Thank you for saving me."

Yura was silent for a moment, then hummed in agreement.

"You're welcome," she said. "I would have saved anyone."

She had said those words once on the way down the mountain. But now, Xu Chuan sensed something different about them.

Anyone would have saved him.

But how many people would actually come over and sit across from her when she's being isolated?

"Are you drinking alone?" Xu Chuan asked.

"I'm used to it." Yura's tone was flat, revealing no emotion.

Xu Chuan paused for a moment, then said, "How about we go downstairs and have a drink together?"

Yura glanced at him.

There was a lot in that glance—surprise, doubt, and a little bit of... something indescribable.

"You don't know who I am?" she asked.

“I know,” Xu Chuan said. “Yura Lawrence.”

"Then why..."

"He's my savior, isn't it only right that I treat him to a drink?"

Yura stared at him for several seconds, then suddenly smiled.

The smile was faint and fleeting, but it was definitely a smile.

“Interesting,” she said. “Okay, let’s go down for a drink.”

The two went downstairs together and walked to the table where Timaus and Sugar were.

Timaus was taken aback when he saw Yura, but quickly realized what was happening and moved aside.

"Miss Yura, please sit here."

Sugar whispered, "Hello, Miss Yura."

Yura nodded and sat down next to Xu Chuan.

Timaus wisely ordered a new glass of wine and placed it in front of Yura.

"This drink is on me," he said.

Yura glanced at him, picked up her glass, and took a small sip.

Thanks.

The four men sat around in a corner of the tavern, chatting idly.

Timaus and Sugar gradually relaxed a bit, although they were still a little reserved, but at least they dared to take the initiative to talk to Yura.

Yura didn't say much, but every word she spoke was very earnest.

Xu Chuan watched this scene and suddenly felt a surge of emotion.

Yura Lawrence.

In the game, she's a very likable character. She says she's "vengeful," but she's actually kinder than anyone else.

Despite being discriminated against by the entire Mondstadt, they still chose to protect the city.

But once he truly stepped into this world and saw those strange looks and whispers with his own eyes, he realized how much heaviness was hidden behind the lighthearted and enjoyable storylines in the game.

"What are you thinking about?" Yura's voice suddenly rang out.

Xu Chuan snapped out of his daze and shook his head.

“Nothing,” he said. “I just think… Mondstadt’s wine is pretty good.”

Yura glanced at him but didn't call out his lame excuse.

She picked up her wine glass and clinked it against his.

"Then drink more in the future."

Chapter Eleven: I Have the Demeanor of an Emperor

When Xu Chuan emerged from the angel's gift, he no longer knew how he walked.

To be precise, he no longer knew how he was carried out.

"Slow down, slow down..." Timaus gasped for breath, and he and Sugar each supported one of Xu Chuan's arms, struggling to move him home. "He doesn't look fat, how come he's so heavy..."

"Yes, yes..." Sugar was also exhausted, her face flushed red. "Mr. Xu Chuan, are you... are you alright?"

"I...I'm not drunk..." Xu Chuan said indistinctly, "I can still drink...Yura, how about another drink..."

"Still drinking!" Timaus nearly threw him to the ground. "Do you know what you just did?"

"You said you'd treat Yura to drinks, but you didn't have a single Mora on you! In the end, Yura paid for it herself!"

Xu Chuan paused for a moment, then said "Oh".

"Then... please come back next time..."

"Let's talk about it after you can walk!"

After a great deal of effort, the two finally managed to get Xu Chuan back to Timaus's home.

He threw Xu Chuan onto the bed and then fell completely still.

Timaus wiped the sweat from his brow, looked at Xu Chuan who was fast asleep, and shook his head helplessly.

The two looked at each other and saw the helplessness in each other's eyes.

the next morning.

Xu Chuan was awakened by a burst of blinding sunlight.

He opened his eyes and was greeted by an unfamiliar ceiling.

My mind was a complete blank, as if someone had stuffed a wad of cotton inside, heavy and dull.

He instinctively tried to move, but a sharp headache struck, making him gasp for breath.

"hiss--"

"you're awake?"

A timid voice came from the side.

Xu Chuan turned his head and saw Sugar sitting next to him, holding a small notebook and a pen, looking at him expectantly.

Xu Chuan: "...What are you doing?"

“Record, keep a record,” Sugar whispered. “Teacher Abedo instructed us to record your physical condition regularly.”

You drank alcohol yesterday, so this is a good opportunity to collect data on the effects of alcohol on you.

The identity of myself as an "assistant" is essentially a euphemism for being an "experiment".

"Fine," he resignedly lay back down. "Go ahead and ask."

Sugar began to take careful notes.

"Did you feel anything unusual in your body after drinking last night?"

Does a headache count?

"Calculate."