Mondstadt.
Morning, Dawn Winery.
"Is Ruola not home?"
The Head Maid, Adelinde, stopped her work: "Master Diluc, Miss Ruola left early this morning to participate in the Knights of Favonius selection."
Diluc frowned, had it come to this time again?
"Did she eat breakfast?"
"Miss Ruola took her breakfast with her when she left this morning, so she should be eating it on the way."
Diluc nodded slightly, his left arm crossed over his chest, his right hand resting on his chin, lost in thought for a moment.
"Tonight, I'll have to trouble you all again to prepare the things according to this paper."
Saying that, Diluc took out a piece of paper filled with dish names.
"No problem, please rest assured and leave it to me!"
Adelinde seemed very accustomed to such instructions, taking the paper and leaving.
About ten minutes later, Diluc left the Dawn Winery.
In recent years, every year around this time, Diluc would hold a banquet for his sister Ruola to soothe any sadness she might feel from failing the Knights of Favonius assessment.
Yes, even though the assessment results hadn't been released yet, Diluc already knew the answer.
Ruola wouldn't pass the Knights of Favonius assessment.
It wasn't because she lacked ability; in fact, Ruola almost always ranked first in every aspect of the assessment.
How could she be weak, possessing a Pyro Vision?
The reason she couldn't pass was also very simple: she lacked one thing.
There was also a young girl in Mondstadt City with a similar situation; both of them lacked that one thing, which is why they had never been able to pass the assessment and remained external members of the Knights.
Diluc didn't have a good impression of the Knights of Favonius, but he wouldn't oppose his sister joining them.
It was just too early, not yet the right time.
Diluc traveled all the way to Mondstadt and arrived at the Angel's Share tavern.
There, he met two people he had expected to see.
"Oh, isn't this our Master Diluc?"
Hearing that familiar voice, Diluc's face turned cold.
"Ruola has her assessment today, I came to inform you not to be absent tonight."
Kaeya drained the wine in his glass, showing a rare moment of seriousness: "Don't worry, I've never been careless about anything related to my little sister."
Sitting opposite Kaeya, a young man with two braids and a green hat chuckled, "The banquet for the lovely, beautiful, and kind Miss Ruola, I, the most popular bard in all of Mondstadt, wouldn't miss it, oh."
Diluc didn't want to bother with this drunkard bard; three days ago, this guy tricked his sister into giving him wine, making his sister take out a lot of good wine from their family's wine cellar.
He only found out yesterday; if it weren't for his sister being on good terms with him, Diluc wouldn't even have invited him.
---
In the afternoon, the Knights' assessment concluded.
Ruola and Noelle waited together, both expectant and nervous, for the Knights of Favonius on the stage to announce the results.
When they learned they had failed again, both looked very disappointed.
The surrounding Knights of Favonius and the Mondstadters who participated in the assessment looked at the two with great pity.
Both of them were so excellent in all aspects!
Some who knew the inside story could only shake their heads and sigh.
Ruola and Noelle, in Mondstadt, everyone knew them.
One was the younger sister of Mondstadt's richest man, Master Diluc; the other was a maid of the Knights of Favonius.
Two very enthusiastic young girls, two little angels of Mondstadt City, who were very friendly and kind to everyone, and especially likable.
In Mondstadt, it had almost become a common understanding among the residents that if you had a problem, you'd go to them.
Both of them were usually full of energy and eager to help; Noelle's thoughtfulness and reliability, and Ruola's enthusiasm and liveliness, had touched everyone in Mondstadt!
Perhaps, only at this moment would one see her look of disappointment.
"Ruola, don't be discouraged!"
"Noelle, it's okay, you're already amazing!"
"..."
Ruola quickly adjusted; she was naturally a bit thick-skinned, and her emotions came and went quickly.
"Noelle, it's okay, I'm with you, we'll try again next time!"
"I..."
Noelle was still a bit disappointed. Looking at Ruola beside her, her best friend, who was looking at her with a face full of concern, Noelle nodded heavily:
"Mm, I need to work even harder!"
Ruola patted her small chest: "Hehe, that's the spirit! We'll work hard again this year, and we'll definitely pass next year!"
Ruola extended her slender, white hand and made a grabbing motion in the air.
Everyone around them, seeing how quickly the two had adjusted, applauded them.
This, in turn, made Noelle blush.
They had failed the assessment, after all...
Ruola, however, scratched her head and laughed, her smile as bright as a blooming sunflower, her laughter like clear silver bells.
Noelle pulled Ruola and fled from the awkward place.
"Hey, hey, what's wrong?"
"Um, I, I just, I'm not used to being in that kind of atmosphere."
"Ora ora, let's go! I'll take you to my house, you have to sleep with me tonight!"
Noelle placed her small hands in front of her skirt-armor, nodding shyly.
"Hehe."
Ruola put her arm around Noelle's shoulder, and the two walked together towards the gates of Mondstadt City.
"Good afternoon, Sister Margaret!"
"Oh, it's Ruola! How was it? Did you pass the assessment this time?"
"Hmm, no, but I won't give up! Next time, I'll definitely pass the assessment, I'll definitely become a Knight of Favonius!"
"Go for it! Come to my place when you have time, I recently got some new fabrics, and I even made a beautiful outfit especially for Ruola~"
"Really, really? I'll come tomorrow! Thank you, Sister Margaret!"
"Haha~ You call me sister, no need to say thanks."
They walked a bit further.
"Good afternoon, Uncle Wagner!"
Wagner, who was usually taciturn and rarely spoke to many people, immediately stopped what he was doing upon hearing this lively voice.
"It's you, little lass, and Noelle! Good afternoon!"
Facing these two little angels of Mondstadt, Wagner showed a faint smile.
"Uncle Wagner, is my spear tip ready?"
"It's been ready for a while, look, do you like it?"
"Wow, Uncle Wagner's craftsmanship is as amazing as ever!"
"That's right."
Wagner patted her head.
Leaving Mondstadt City, Ruola greeted the two knights standing guard at the gate.
---
Back at the Dawn Winery.
It was already dusk, and the sky was about to darken.
Ruola and Noelle spotted the lanterns hanging at the manor entrance from afar.
"Big brother!"
Seeing Diluc standing at the winery entrance, Ruola scampered over and threw herself into his arms.
"Hmm, big brother, I didn't pass again..."
Diluc dotingly ruffled Ruola's hair, then nodded in greeting to Noelle.
"Come, I've prepared a lot of delicious food for you two, all your favorites."
Diluc also regarded Noelle, who was Ruola's best friend, as his own sister.
"Big brother, I love you to death!"
Ruola gave her big brother a big bear hug, then quickly pulled Noelle into the winery.
"Brother Kaeya, and Venti, you're here too! Is today some special day?!"
Usually, it was just Brother Kaeya and her big brother, she didn't expect Venti to be here today!
She had only known Venti for seven days, Ruola truly hadn't expected him to come.
"Does a brother need a special day to come home and eat with his sister, little Ruola?"
Kaeya, as if by magic, pulled out a hairpin from behind his back: "I heard all about it, you didn't pass the Knights' assessment again this time. Don't worry, maybe you'll pass next time."
"Thank you, Brother Kaeya!"
Kaeya didn't forget Noelle beside Ruola; he pulled out another hairpin from who-knows-where, identical to the one he gave Ruola, except for the color.
After Ruola and Kaeya's persuasion, Noelle finally accepted the hairpin.
"Thank you, Captain Kaeya~"
"It's really not easy to come and eat with little Ruola, some people guard me quite... *cough*."
Before Kaeya could finish his sentence, Diluc, with a cold face, placed his hand on his shoulder: "Sit down, dinner's about to start."
Venti, seeing that they had finished talking, proactively went up to greet them:
"Hello there, we meet again, my good friends!"
"Venti, thank you for coming this time! Did you receive the wine I sent to Windrise last time? How was it, did you like it? If not, I still have..."
"Cough, cough, cough, oh dear, I think I've caught a cold. The temperature has been changing so much recently. Let's not talk about that for now, Master Diluc has prepared a lot of delicious food, you know."
Hearing a sensitive topic, Venti quickly changed the subject, while also subtly glancing at Diluc's reaction behind him.
Diluc was busy with the dishes, seemingly not having heard a thing.
Everyone finished the grand meal in a lively atmosphere; everyone was very happy, and Diluc and Kaeya didn't bicker during the meal either.
Venti drank a lot of wine and passed out on the table before the meal was even finished.
.
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