Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Master Diluc
The Windblume Festival is one of Mondstadt's most important annual events, lasting for fifteen days each year.
Its scale rivals that of Liyue's Lantern Rite and Snezhnaya's Winterfest. This festival is a celebration of freedom for the people of Mondstadt, but outsiders are also welcome to join in and indulge in the fine wines and food.
It's a festival that truly embodies the spirit of Mondstadt, where you can drink freely and without restraint.
The origins of the Windblume Festival trace back to the founding anniversary of Mondstadt. It's akin to a national holiday. Long ago, when the Anemo Archon Bartobas... cough cough, Barbatos, blew away the icy snow of Old Mondstadt, he dropped a feather from the sky, which landed in what is now the center of Mondstadt. Barbatos guided the people of Mondstadt to build their city around this feather, and the Windblume Festival was established to commemorate how Barbatos cleared the snow and created the eternally spring-like climate of New Mondstadt.
During the era of aristocratic rule, the festival lost its original meaning, becoming an event for the nobles to indulge in excess. However, after the fall of the Lawrence clan, the Windblume Festival was restored to a celebration for the people of Mondstadt, symbolizing both freedom and the resistance against tyranny.
In the days leading up to the festival, Mondstadt's foremost businessman, the head of the Mondstadt Trade Guild, and owner of the largest winery in the city, Dawn Winery, Lord Diluc Ragnvindr, hosts a grand banquet at his estate.
Diluc, who controls half of Mondstadt's wine industry, is known as Diona's lifelong rival and the wielder of Kaeya's sword. He is also the wealthiest man in Mondstadt.
If anyone wishes to take some wine home, Lord Diluc generously allows it. This banquet is the dream event that countless people in Mondstadt aspire to attend.
Before the banquet even begins, the Dawn Winery is already bustling with people. Friends and strangers alike gather to discuss the renowned wines of the winery or to praise Lord Diluc's generosity. Even the painting at the bottom of the staircase becomes a focus point for discussion and admiration.
The crowd is clearly divided into two groups. One group consists of elegantly dressed merchant elites, who, despite the abolition of nobility in Mondstadt, still maintain certain traditional airs. However, they do not dare to underestimate the other group—the Knights of Favonius. As the actual rulers of Mondstadt, the knights command absolute respect in the city. These knights are selected with rigorous standards, excelling both in skill and character, which gives them a favorable reputation in Mondstadt. Even these merchant elites often rely on the knights to protect their caravans from Hilichurl attacks.
The division between the two groups is also due to a lack of familiarity, though there are signs of mingling as time passes. This tentative interaction is quickly interrupted by the arrival of a third group—the Fatui. The Fatui are disliked by many even in Snezhnaya, their own homeland, and Mondstadt, the city of freedom, is no exception. As they enter, the lively atmosphere in the hall becomes subdued.
The person leading the Fatui group is Klober, whose reputation is so foul that some merchant elites discreetly hide among the crowd upon seeing him, or if no hiding place is available, pull a Knight of Favonius in front of them as a shield. Klober is infamous for his greed, cunning, shamelessness, and sleaziness—any negative trait you can think of fits him perfectly. Although bribery has become a sort of unspoken rule in the business world, Klober was the first and only one to break the rules openly, shamelessly demanding bribes in public. If anyone dared refuse, he would use his authority within the Fatui to sabotage them openly.
No one wanted to deal with him, but what they didn't know was that Klober himself wasn't happy either. He originally wanted someone named Bai Luo to take the lead so he could comfortably play the role of a follower.
It wasn't that he didn't want to be in the spotlight, but the presence of the person behind him made him fear he might lose control in front of everyone. However, Bai Luo expressed disinterest in taking the lead and pushed Klober forward instead.
Already in a foul mood, Klober became even more irritated when he noticed people trying to avoid him. If the person behind him discovered his bribery and reported it to their superior, he was certain he would face a terrible fate.
Casting a vicious glance at the merchant elites trying to avoid him, Klober memorized their faces, vowing to make them pay later. The arrival of the Fatui altered the mood of the banquet, making it more tense and strange. However, no one paid attention to Bai Luo, who was standing behind Klober.
Clad in a black trench coat, Bai Luo didn't seem like anyone important—except to one person.
"Ladies and gentlemen, friends, welcome to my banquet."
The sound of footsteps echoed as a red-haired young man in luxurious attire descended the wooden staircase from the second floor of the winery. His eyes lingered on Bai Luo for a long time. The outfit he wore was carefully chosen, derived from early Mondstadt noble attire but stripped of unnecessary decorations while retaining subtle yet luxurious elements.
This design ensured that Mondstadt's common folk, who harbored resentment towards the nobility, wouldn't feel offended, while still reflecting his prestigious status.
The outfit also had a fitting name: "Darknight Blaze." Lord Diluc himself had chosen this name, as the primarily black clothing with red accents perfectly matched the imagery. However, wearing this outfit in the summer might make one constantly experience the "Vaporize" reaction.
After bowing, Diluc spoke again. "For today's gathering, I've prepared a special wine, a thirty-year-old vintage from my late father's collection. I hope that both our esteemed guests and the diligent Knights of Favonius will have an enjoyable evening."
Despite the Fatui's presence, the guests still applauded and cheered in appreciation. A few Knights of Favonius who were well-acquainted with Diluc even helped to lighten the mood.
"And so, I declare the banquet officially begun. Please, enjoy this wonderful evening to the fullest!"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone