"I didn't expect Your Highness to bring me here…"
"Hm? What is it?"
Leon tilted his head, puzzled. He could clearly see the confusion and distress on Eula's face, yet he had no idea why she looked that way.
"…I don't have enough money."
Eula stared at the prices listed in the wine cellar, a faint nervousness flashing across her eyes.
Although Liyue Tavern, Angel's Gift, and Cat's Tail Tavern are currently the three most popular taverns in Mondstadt, there is still a significant difference between them.
Angel's Gift is a classic, traditional tavern—good wine, good bards.
Cat's Tail Tavern is full of cats, private rooms, and even offers card games.
Liyue Tavern, however, is fundamentally different. Rather than medieval Mondstadt style, it features the ancient aesthetic of Liyue—carved balustrades, red bricks, green tiles, and crimson roofs.
And naturally, their drinks are different as well.
Not cocktails or ciders, but mixed beverages from Leon's previous life.
Of course, those recipes were provided to Ningguang by Leon. When they were first released, they received overwhelming praise.
It's estimated that Liyue Tavern will soon surpass Angel's Gift and become Mondstadt's top tavern—so its prices are far higher than ordinary drinks.
Eula clenched her hand tightly, her eyes twitching uncontrollably as she looked at the menu. Her whole body trembled.
(Good grief… There are more zeroes here than anywhere else! And this place looks incredible! What kind of décor even is this?)
It was clearly designed to win customers over with its unique atmosphere.
Eula, who had already accepted that she might end up washing dishes to pay off her bill, didn't realize that the moment the attendant saw Leon, they immediately determined that this was not a customer who should be charged at all.
They closed the bar early, cleared the tavern to provide the best and quietest environment, brought out their finest wines, turned on the music—and left of their own volition.
"Alright, what are you staring at? It's time for a toast."
"I'm looking at the price of the wine… Why can't I find this bottle on the menu? It looks expensive. Ugh, whatever, I'll stop thinking about it and just drink."
Eula hesitated, then gave up on analyzing it.
She poured herself a glass of white wine and downed it in one gulp—then immediately—
"Cough! Cough! Cough! Wow, that burns!"
"Takes guts to do that in one go."
Leon looked at her, perplexed.
He lifted his hand and gently patted her back to help her relax. Feeling something soft under his palm, he suddenly remembered that her outfit exposed her back.
It had been hidden under her cape, so he hadn't noticed.
Only now did Leon realize that although Eula's clothes weren't revealing and everything that needed to be covered was covered, she still exuded a strangely seductive charm.
Too many elemental aesthetics.
He could only conclude that she was incredibly elegant.
"Hey, what are you staring at, Your Highness? When you drink with a lady, you're supposed to look her in the eyes."
"Alright, alright, I'll punish myself with another one."
Leon poured himself a glass and drank it in one shot.
Eula nodded in approval.
However, after that single glass of white wine, two bright red blushes bloomed on her cheeks, softening her usually cold expression.
"Alright, it's almost time to get to the point. Eula, I'm really curious—why don't you leave Mondstadt?"
"What? Leave Mondstadt?"
"Yes. You know better than anyone that this city is full of hostility toward you."
"In that case, why not live somewhere else? Even if the Lawrence name is infamous, if you move far enough from Mondstadt and stop using the name Lawrence, no one will know you're a descendant of sinners, right?"
Leon asked honestly.
In the past, when he executed the entire Lawrence Clan, he had ordered an investigation into Eula.
That's how he learned her history.
He knew that, for Eula, this city held almost no good memories.
As the eldest daughter, she grew up under strict elite education, infused with the family's distorted values. Yet she clung to her kindness and eventually broke ties with them, leaving Mondstadt.
But when she returned, the Lawrence Clan had already been destroyed by Leon. She had stood beneath the execution platform, forced to watch her family die.
Even so, she did not leave.
Instead, she chose to live in Mondstadt.
She endured the city's malice and lived a difficult life—yet she still fought monsters without hesitation whenever Mondstadt was in danger.
Leon simply couldn't understand her reasoning.
Wouldn't it be easier to live elsewhere?
Wouldn't it be easier to stop calling herself "Lawrence"?
Why not choose a peaceful life?
Leon was her enemy—the one who executed her family. And Eula was a descendant of criminals who had sworn vengeance against the Prince of Palettia.
Yet here they were, sitting side by side, drinking together like old acquaintances. The scene was absurd.
"Prince Leon, I will never abandon the Lawrence name. Even if my family is gone… even if the name is stained with crimes… it is still my name. I am Eula Lawrence."
The girl shook her head. Her grip on her wineglass tightened slightly, but her eyes were filled with unwavering determination.
"You're right. Moving to another city to start over is a good choice—in fact, it's probably the correct one. But… I won't run away."
"In the days following my family's execution, I was lost. I didn't know what to do."
"Yes, the Lawrence Clan committed unforgivable crimes. And as a descendant of that corrupt nobility, it's only natural that Mondstadt doesn't welcome me. But now… I understand."
"I have never done anything to disgrace my dignity, my pride, or my noble status. So… I have no need to flee. No matter how biased others may be, I continue to live an upright life."
"Your Highness, I, Eula Lawrence, am alive and well. So tell me—why should I run? Why should I hide?"
After two glasses of strong wine, Eula's cheeks were flushed—like an ice-blue flower blooming in the snow.
Leon's eyes gleamed. His heart skipped a beat.
"Well said! Exactly—if you're alive and well, there's no reason to run! Haha! Cheers to that!"
Leon laughed.
(End of Chapter)