The faint blue shimmer, along with the spring sprite, vanished in an instant. Victor Wang couldn't tell what method the spring sprite had used to let him and Diona see her while Old Finch remained blind to her presence. Most likely, it was some kind of mental magic.
The affectionate couple who had been sitting in the pavilion earlier had already left, and there weren't many people on the road nearby. Victor Wang and Diona had been by the spring for over an hour since dinner.
Gazing toward the second-floor window across the spring, Victor Wang said to Diona, "Let's go see Old Finch and pass on the spring sprite's message."
"Mm... I'll lead the way."
Although Diona had just been through a major emotional upheaval, she quickly regained her composure. Her petite form led Victor Wang through the buildings along the spring until they finally stopped at the base of Old Finch's home.
"Grandpa Finch!"
Hearing Diona's call, a strange feeling welled up in Old Finch's heart—like decades of waiting were about to find an answer.
He replied and slowly descended the stairs, hunched over, to open the door.
"Heh heh, Diona. Ever since you started working at the Cat's Tail, it's been a while since you came by to visit. Coming to see me at this hour... must be something important, right?"
"Grandpa Finch..." Diona hesitated.
Seeing her unable to speak, Victor Wang came straight to the point. "Sir, we just met the spring sprite."
"I thought as much..." Seeing the two of them lingering by the spring for so long, then suddenly showing up at his door in the middle of the night—it had to be about her.
"The spring sprite asked me to relay a message: 'When all the stars in the night sky go dark, when every stream and every dream flows into the same sea—then we shall meet again.'"
"...Mm."
"The flow of life still moves forward—please take a step too, don't remain still." Victor Wang added this part from memory.
"Hahaha, it's just like her—still talking to me like I'm a child."
Old Finch waved his hand dismissively. "Alright, let me be alone for a while."
He quickly shut the door. Two streams of tears slipped from his wrinkled eyes.
"Grandpa Finch..."
Diona stayed by the door, afraid something might happen to him.
Before long, a strong smell of alcohol wafted from inside, so potent even Victor Wang could smell it.
Diona's feline nose picked it up even more clearly. She fanned the air in front of her, trying to dispel the scent.
Victor Wang laughed. "Every drink has its flavor. In this moment, it's probably better for him. Don't you think?"
Diona sighed.
"Ah... but for an old man living alone, isn't getting drunk kind of dangerous?
"Thank you and your sword sprite for the help, but I want to make sure Grandpa Finch goes to bed safely before I leave. If you're tired, you can head back to Mondstadt…"
As she spoke, she flicked her tail.
"Me? I'm still full of energy. But don't you have work tomorrow? And aren't you worried your dad will be anxious since you've been out so late?"
"I'm a cat-person, I don't mind staying up late. As for my dad... hmph! He always gets drunk and makes me worry—this time, let him worry for once!"
"Then I'll just keep you company."
"I don't need anyone to keep me company..." she muttered.
Still, Diona walked over to the spring.
When she was young, she often played there with friends from town. The other kids loved jumping into the spring to swim, but she was afraid of the water and would just sit by the side watching.
Over time, she'd sat on nearly every stone around the spring.
Below Old Finch's house was a large rock she often sat on. She climbed up and sat on it out of habit. After a moment, she shifted over, making space beside her.
As she did so, she felt a strange sense of déjà vu. It was like there had been a little boy, even younger than her, who used to call her "sister" again and again.
Had she once made space for him, just like this? She couldn't recall clearly… It must've been long ago, before she ever met the spring sprite.
Victor Wang plopped down beside her. This tsundere had clearly left that spot for him—how could he not sit?
"Have you ever thought about developing a drink that doesn't cause drunkenness? That wouldn't conflict with your blessing and still fulfills your goal."
"A drink that doesn't make people drunk? That sounds hard to make."
"Probably about as tough as a drink that makes people quit alcohol after one taste."
"Hmm—? Are you trying to make fun of me?" Diona tilted her head, squinting at Victor Wang with suspicion.
"Of course not."
The two sat on the big rock by the spring, bathed in moonlight.
Victor Wang kept offering Diona new ideas, though he didn't know much about alcohol and could only suggest simple concepts.
Things like low-alcohol drinks, or even ditching alcohol entirely and making addictive soft drinks with great flavors that make people forget about booze.
Most of his ideas were promptly shot down by Diona—she'd tried them all already.
He also proposed some ideas based on knowledge from Earth, which Diona only half-understood but nodded to for now.
"If none of that works, there's always that plan."
"What plan?"
"If you can't solve the alcohol, then solve the drinkers!"
"Eh, are you from the Abyss Order or something?"
"I mean like hosting alcohol-free competitions or anti-drinking campaigns. Winners could get exclusive new drinks you create. Or launch public events where the money saved from not drinking is donated to people in need."
"That... actually sounds kind of feasible."
As they chatted, Diona let out a yawn, growing sleepy.
Splash! Suddenly, Old Finch poured an entire jug of wine out his second-floor window right into the spring. The sound startled Diona wide awake.
"Nya! Who am I, where am I?!"
Her tail puffed up like a brush.
"You're tired. Go home and sleep. I'll keep watch here."
"I'm not! I didn't—" Diona tried to deny it, but another yawn escaped.
"If you don't get proper sleep, you won't grow taller. And do you really want me to carry you back while you're asleep? Because I'd be more than happy to..."
"You!"
Her dad always told her the wilds were unpredictable, and only by sticking with a reliable adult could she safely venture deep into the forest.
But it wasn't just the wilds—people were unpredictable too.
Diona shook her head again. Looking at the grinning goof in front of her, she knew he was warning her not to be careless.
Even though they'd only met half a day ago, she could tell Victor Wang was a genuinely good person—looking out for her with his whole heart. But... but to be carried home on the first day they met...
"Won't you get lonely sitting here alone?"
"You underestimate me. I can handle loneliness deeper than the Abyss. Besides, Little Wen is with me."
"Then... I'm going?"
"Go on, don't let your dad worry." Victor Wang waved dismissively, as if annoyed and shooing her away.
"But since it's so late... if you don't want to walk back to Mondstadt at night, there's an empty room at my place. I'll speak for my dad... and let you stay the night."
Victor Wang nodded.
Diona took three hesitant steps before finally darting off silently on her tiptoes.
Victor Wang patted his sword's sheath. "Little Wen, you there?"
No response.
"Didn't expect even sword sprites to need sleep."
Still, what could be lonelier than reincarnating as a monster in another world?
Victor Wang began experimenting with ways to train that wouldn't consume too much mental energy.
Across the spring, past midnight, there weren't many people left. Hopkins finally arrived, carrying a bundle of little bottles to fill with spring water.
As he filled them, he noticed something odd—was that alcohol?
It was faint, but unmistakable.
This was a huge problem.
Even if it was fake holy water, it couldn't have negative effects. If someone got diarrhea and came back to complain, his entire operation would be exposed!
It couldn't have any off-putting odors either. Returning customers or drunkards would notice for sure!
There had been drunks who poured wine into the spring before, but it had never smelled this strong or spread this far. How much had been dumped in this time?
Fuming, Hopkins scanned the area, trying to find the bastard who ruined his business.
Only Old Finch's house still had lights on.
From a distance, Hopkins spotted someone sitting beneath it—looked like the guy who had asked him to fetch takeout the other day.
"What's he doing here now?"
The more he looked, the more sure he became. He quickly looked away and turned his gaze to Old Finch's second floor.
In his memory, Old Finch hardly ever drank. So, he never expected to see the old man drinking alone.
Their eyes met.
Countless nights, Hopkins had stolen water under Old Finch's watchful gaze, which was always so indifferent that he paid it no mind.
But now—for the first time—he saw a flicker of anger in those eyes.
Terrified, he collapsed to the ground, scrambled up, grabbed his bottles, and fled.
"Drink! Let's drink again!"
Old Finch pulled out another jug and poured the whole thing into the spring—he nearly threw the jug itself in too.
From the spring, a song rose—Victor Wang couldn't understand the language, but he could feel the sorrow in it, a cry woven into melody.
A lament in song.
No, it was crying in the form of a song.
As the voice rose to its peak, Old Finch collapsed with a thud, completely drunk.
Before Victor Wang could climb through the window to check on him, a dense surge of Hydro energy rushed in, gently enveloping Old Finch, washing away filth, and laying him softly in bed.
"Goodbye," Old Finch mumbled in his drunken sleep.
Victor Wang pulled out his pocket watch. It was already 1:00 AM.
"Really now. With you around, we worry for nothing," he muttered, turning to leave.
"You are a good person. I am willing to grant you a blessing," the spring sprite's voice stopped him.
"But with the energy I currently possess, I can only offer a basic blessing. Would you accept it?"
So not the same type as Diona's blessing? No big deal—he wasn't here for that anyway.
"Are there options?" Victor Wang scratched his head. "Actually, don't tell me. I've got decision fatigue. Just pick one for me."
A slightly tipsy, water-blue silhouette rose from the spring.
"I grant this blessing to the traveler from afar, as a gift for your journey and parting. May you bear the embrace of water, and breathe freely even beneath its surface."
"I hope this will help you." Her graceful form dissolved, droplets falling back into the lake.
That's it?
Although he noticed her form had thinned slightly, Victor Wang himself felt nothing—no visible effects. No wonder Diona thought it was all a dream.
"Is this blessing for underwater breathing?"
After a moment of hesitation, Victor Wang dunked his head into the spring.
Once he adjusted to the sensation of water rushing into his nose, it felt like LCL in Evangelion—he didn't choke, and his vision remained clear, as if he were on land.
"Works great. Thanks."
Now he didn't need to freeze the sea to cross it. He could just walk underwater. Maybe... he could even avoid Raiden Shogun's lightning if he went to Inazuma through the sea?
Though... that was quite a distance...
Still, once he reached Fontaine, this would definitely come in handy.