***

"Don't be so lazy and come with me! This instance!"

Diona yelled again— loudly, this time hitting Yomite's shoulder lightly with her small hands, balled in fists, as she tugged at his sleeve and pushed against his chest.

Her adorable punches didn't hurt him one bit and it felt as though Paimon, the flying emergency food of their group, was hitting him, yet her loud ramblings and childish shenanigans were starting to annoy him a bit.

The annoyance was starting to build up making him frown in dissatisfaction.

He sighed— having had enough of the annoying little girl— standing up from the bar stool before walking away from her.

"Where are you going!? Ah! Are you...actually going with me?" A hint of joy flashed in her voice, her ears fluttering a bit in happiness.

Yomite, however, ignored her completely and sauntered straight to the woman in charge of this establishment— Margaret.

"W-Wait you can't possibly..."

The happiness slowly creeping in on her face vanished in its entirety and in its place a sense of dread and fear befell her, as she watched him walk towards the reception desk.

She was having a bad premonition...

He knocked on the door leading to the main branch area for staff, and Margaret immediately opened to see who had knocked and why. Once she saw who it was, a huge smile graced her mature lips, "If it isn't the Hero himself! Are you in need of anything?"

"Ah, sorry for bothering, but your bartender said she doesn't want to sell me any drinks and keeps on shouting at me and ordering me to follow her, not to mention she punched me a few times too."

"Eek!"

Diona shrieked in horror when she found out what his true goal was. Her soul almost left her body in fear of his actions.

(This sly man! He isn't a hero in the slightest! How is he not embarrassed to be such a blabbermouth!)

Hearing Yomite's complaints, Margaret smiled, it was a strained smile, and spoke in an apologetic tone, "My apologies, I shall give her a punishment. She won't be able to play with the kittens around here for a whole week! I hope that suffices."

Yomite nodded with a grin, "Sounds fair."

"Nya!? That's not fair at all! Nyathing about it is fair!" Diona hissed with her ears twitching up and tail swishing. Her small adorable feet kept stamping on the wooden floor in indignation as she glared at Yomite's figure.

If stares could kill Yomite would've already been dead, such was the intensity of her enraged glare.

"...Diona...I told you many times that customers are basically like Gods to us, we should treat them with respect, especially esteemed guests like the Cavalry Captain Kaeya, and Yomite, the Hero Of Mondstadt! So if you don't wish to get punished, serve them with your special drink on the tab of the pub immediately."

Diona clicked her tongue in annoyance, "Tch...Two specials coming right up." and blurted out, scowling through it all. She walked or rather stamped towards the counter, but not before she turned towards Yomite, giving him a mean look and sticking her tongue out— mocking him.

Yomite just snickered in response to her childish antics which further annoyed Diona as she began her work.

She tossed her cocktail shaker high into the air and once she caught it with her small hands, she kept shaking it in different directions, thoroughly mixing the contents within, before reaching under the counter. "I'll be sure to make yours extra special and spicy, Yo-mi-te, The Hero. I hope you will enjoy our service!"

As each ingredient hit the countertop and disappeared into the shaker, Yomite was more sure than ever that she was making him a disgusting drink as a payback for his snitching...

"We are...still talking about...a drink, right? Right…? What the hell is all of this crap!?"

There was no way that an abominable mixture that mostly consisted of a spoiled crab, some weird insects, and...was that...an eyeball of someone??? Maybe a Hilichurl? Would taste good at all…

(Oh dear Goddess! What in tarnation is she going to make us drink?)

The horrendous mixture of utter disgust and absolute garbage was divided into two glasses and placed on top of the table in front of both him and Kaeya— and the ever dashing cavalry captain immediately swallowed down the mix of abomination without any hesitation.

Yomite just stared at him— gobsmacked, eyes wide open in disbelief as Kaeya took a large gulp of what could be only described as dross and filth...

Looking back at the drink in front of him, its appearance was disgusting enough to make his gag reflex act up, much less the horrible smell that made him almost vomit into the glass itself…

It smelled as if some animal died in a sewer full of waste, kept rotting there for months if not years, and then was freshly squeezed and served as a drink for him…

He was sure he would rather eat poisonous mushrooms or toxic insects than to drink this...this mixture of nightmares and horrors...

It was bound to taste equally as bad...right?...so why...just why was Kaeya acting as if it was the greatest thing he ever drank?

His eyes were literally sparkling and tears welled up in the corners of his eyes as if he had seen the creator's visage itself, giving him salvation...

Was he doing this because he wanted to bait him into trying it, so that someone would share his suffering? Or was it actually that good?

Kaeya slammed the glass on the table and burped with satisfaction.

"Perfect as always. Another masterpiece from the best bartender in the city. Gotta tell my dear elder brother Diluc to step up his game, or else his Dawn Winery business will fall apart soon."

"Hmph! It better all fall apart! That's my only goal after all!" She glanced at Yomite and narrowed her slits, challenging him, "Come on, drink up! It better taste horrible! You hear!?"

Still looking over at Kaeya, Yomite's gaze was equally as disturbed as before…and his expression was riddled with doubt and dread...

He couldn't be serious!? They must be pranking him right now! In what world would this 'thing' that felt like it came out of someone's worst nightmare could even taste good!?

(Is there a hidden camera somewhere? Are they going to film my reactions?)

He doubted that was the case, as so far, they only invented a photo camera which was also pretty shitty compared to what he had back on Earth…

"Lil' bro, it's bad manners to keep the bartender waiting! Gulp it all in one go! The drink won't drink itself after all! If it's bad, I will give you a few hundred thousand Mora, how about it?"

"..."

Yomite, with utmost unwillingness, brought his lips forward, and took a sip of the dark gurgling liquid in front of him.

Instantly, a sweet flavor overwhelmed him and his taste buds. A smile unknowingly crossed his lips as he leaned forward to look at his reflection in the glass. "Oh my god..." he whispered to himself.

He hadn't really been expecting this...at all...but if this wasn't the best drink he ever had, then he didn't know what was...

His tongue touched the rim of his wine glass, and he swallowed it all down quickly, gulping it like he had been thirsty for days.

The liquid burned as it slid down his throat. A few moments later, he could feel it settle in his stomach, a warm sensation coursing throughout his body, filling him with energy and will to continue throughout the day.

"This is...absolutely...amazing…"

He complimented the drink and its maker. It was almost a miracle how something that looked so disgusting tasted this good.

"Aw, I failed...Ugh, again...even though I wanted him to vomit it out right away…"

Hearing her disturbing words, Yomite looked back at the empty glass in his hand, both confused and amazed at the turn of events.

(She wanted me to feel sick, but she's so good at mixing that she unwillingly made it this good? Is this actually some kind of magic?)

That was...certainly intriguing…

Very intriguing...indeed...