Chapter 039: Heading to Dawn Winery

After Shao Yun watched Barbara leave, the door to the interrogation room creaked open in the distance.

Kaeya appeared at the door. Seeing Shao Yun standing in the Knights of Favonius hall, he walked over with his usual relaxed smile.

"Oh, Mr. Shao Yun, you're still here."

Shao Yun turned to face Kaeya, his expression neutral.

"Is the interrogation done?"

The two stood side by side, and Kaeya spread his hands, a playful smile on his lips as he recounted the farce that had taken place in the interrogation room.

"As soon as we entered the interrogation room, before I could even say anything, he confessed to everything."

Shao Yun glanced at him. "What did he say?"

Kaeya gave him a mysterious smile, as if deliberately teasing Shao Yun. He crossed his arms and said slowly, "You want to know? Then you'll have to see if you're patient enough to listen to me."

Shao Yun frowned. He wasn't interested in hearing a lengthy report about the Knights' work.

"Keep it short."

Kaeya gave a brief answer: "Apart from the Holy Lyre, he admitted to everything I asked."

This result was pretty much what Shao Yun had expected.

"Good. What's his punishment?"

Kaeya didn't answer directly. Instead, he continued in a lighthearted tone, "Well, let's put the punishment aside for now. I'm more interested in the Holy Lyre."

Facing Kaeya's teasing inquiry, Shao Yun responded with a metaphor: "Your question is as absurd as asking a fisherman who's spent his whole life catching fish how to farm land."

In other words, he had no idea what Kaeya was talking about.

Kaeya smiled slightly. From Shao Yun's response, he keenly sensed that the other party definitely knew something about the Holy Lyre.

So, with a slightly interrogative tone, he pressed further, "Mr. Shao Yun, it seems you know something."

However, Shao Yun showed no fear. He responded without hesitation, "I'm not a criminal in Mondstadt. Don't interrogate me. Also, I don't know what you're talking about."

Kaeya quickly changed his demeanor, playfully patting Shao Yun's shoulder and speaking in a friendly tone, "Haha, just joking. Don't take it seriously."

Shao Yun chuckled, "Good joke."

But inwardly, he thought, Your jokes aren't as funny as Sean's.

(TL/N: Who?)

Being around Kaeya made Shao Yun feel exhausted, so he said, "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

Watching Shao Yun's retreating figure, Kaeya didn't say anything. Even if he pressed further, he wouldn't get anything out of Shao Yun. It was better to let things unfold naturally and focus on his own tasks.

---

Over the next two days, Shao Yun thoroughly explored Mondstadt.

Well, "explored" might be an overstatement. He mostly wandered around the city, lighting up the map.

Compared to the original primitive town, Mondstadt had grown significantly.

Apart from the residential areas scattered throughout the city, there were also ancient manor districts, such as Jean's family estate, the Gunnhildr Manor, and the Lawrence family's old noble estate.

After lighting up the map, he took the pendant Lisa had given him and went out to gather herbs and make potions.

The only noteworthy event during these two days was accepting a commission from a kid named Timmy, who asked him to buy some wheat to feed ducks. The reason? He was afraid the ducks in the river would steal the pigeons' food.

This kid, Timmy, fed pigeons on the bridge every day, rain or shine.

Here's the thing: feeding pigeons on the only land route in and out of Mondstadt? Really? Couldn't he pick a different spot? No wonder his pigeons kept getting chased away.

And then he'd get mad at people for scaring off his pigeons. If it weren't for the fact that characters in this world couldn't take extreme actions against specific individuals, he'd have been reunited with his father long ago.

---

Two days later, early morning, outside Mondstadt.

Lumine, Paimon, and Shao Yun were checking their supplies at the city gate. According to the schedule, they were supposed to head to Dawn Winery today.

Paimon patted her round belly contentedly, her little face filled with satisfaction and joy. In her characteristic lively tone, she asked, "We're heading to Dawn Winery today. It's probably a long journey. Is everyone full?"

Hearing Paimon's words, Shao Yun suddenly realized something. He chuckled and teased, "So that's why you ordered so much food! I thought you were just being greedy!"

Paimon, hearing Shao Yun's teasing, pouted and put her hands on her hips, retorting, "Hey! Don't make me sound like a glutton! We need to replenish our energy for such a long journey."

Her tone, though slightly annoyed, was more playful than anything.

After all, two Sweet Madames, one Northern Smoked Chicken, three Radish Veggie Soups, and several Mondstadt Hash Browns had all been paid for by Shao Yun.

Shao Yun smirked and shifted the topic to this morning.

"Don't act all innocent after getting a free meal. Luckily, I woke up early today, or I'd have just found another note from you two."

Paimon, hearing this, felt a bit guilty. She rubbed her nose and said softly, "Well, we just didn't want to disturb your rest."

After Paimon finished speaking, Lumine's face showed a hint of unease, as if she didn't want to bring Shao Yun along.

Shao Yun noticed Lumine's expression and felt puzzled. Then he suddenly remembered what the system had told him: when the three of them were together, Lumine couldn't use the teleport waypoints.

No wonder they didn't want to bring him along during their free exploration.

Understanding but not voicing it, Shao Yun didn't press the issue further.

Seeing that Shao Yun didn't dwell on the topic, Paimon felt relieved and put on a cheerful expression.

"Alright, let's get going!" Paimon exclaimed excitedly, turning to look at the road ahead as if she could already see the outline of Dawn Winery.

"If we leave now, we should reach Dawn Winery by evening," Paimon added.

However, hearing that they had to walk to Dawn Winery, Shao Yun was taken aback. He quickly stopped the two.

"Ah, right. I think I forgot to tell you something," Shao Yun said urgently, as if there was something important he needed to share.

"What is it?" Lumine turned and asked.

Just as Shao Yun was about to summon his horse from the system's mobile stable, he saw Paimon and Lumine staring at him with wide, curious eyes.

"Both of you, close your eyes. No peeking."

Paimon, floating in the air, looked puzzled. She scratched her head and glanced at Lumine.

"Lumine, why does Shao Yun want us to close our eyes?" Paimon asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

Lumine was equally confused. She shook her head and said softly, "I'm not sure, but if Shao Yun says so, there must be a reason."

The two exchanged glances. Despite their confusion, they decided to follow Shao Yun's instructions. Lumine closed her eyes, and Paimon followed suit, tightly shutting her curious eyes.

The air around them seemed to freeze. Paimon and Lumine held their breath, waiting for what would happen next.

Suddenly, a soft neigh broke the silence. Paimon and Lumine couldn't help but want to open their eyes, but they resisted the urge and kept them closed.

"Alright, you can open your eyes now," Shao Yun's voice rang in their ears.

Paimon and Lumine opened their eyes simultaneously and saw a sturdy horse standing before them, adorned with a bear-pelt Dakota saddle.

"This is…" Paimon's mouth hung open in shock. She couldn't believe her eyes.

Paimon immediately excitedly circled the horse twice, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and excitement.

"Shao Yun, when did you catch this horse?" Paimon asked eagerly, her curiosity about the suddenly appearing horse making her forget to ask how it had appeared.

Shao Yun, seeing Paimon's excitement, smiled nostalgically. He thought for a moment and then said slowly, "This horse has been with me for a long, long time…"

He recalled the challenges he'd completed with Carrot, the ten-rider challenge, and all the horseback missions he'd accomplished with her.

Lumine also stepped forward and gently patted the horse's neck, feeling its strong muscles and powerful heartbeat. She gave her assessment: "This horse is so healthy and strong." Her voice was filled with admiration and affection.

Of course. In the past, Shao Yun would die before letting anything happen to this horse.

Shao Yun, growing more excited as he reminisced, proudly patted the horse's back and introduced her to Paimon and Lumine. "This girl's name is Carrot. She's very gentle with her own people."

Lumine and Paimon didn't mock Shao Yun's naming skills at all. Instead, they found it endearing.

Then, Shao Yun turned to Lumine and said, "Come on, get on the horse."

However, Lumine hesitated, clearly unsure how to mount a horse.

Shao Yun, seeing this, walked over to Lumine, gently lifted her by the armpits, and placed her securely on the horse.

He then mounted the horse himself, adjusted the saddle to ensure he was seated firmly, and turned to Lumine and Paimon.

"Paimon, Lumine, hold on tight. We're about to go fast."

Paimon, not yet understanding the horse's speed, scoffed, "How fast can it be… Ah!"

Her words had barely left her mouth when Carrot reared up and began galloping at full speed.

Paimon let out a scream, clutching Lumine's clothes tightly, afraid of being thrown off.

As Carrot galloped, the wind whistled past them, and the scenery around them blurred. Lumine also held onto Shao Yun tightly, feeling both thrilled and excited.

However, Paimon was clearly terrified by Carrot's speed. She shouted, "Ah! Slow down!"

Her voice trembled in the wind. But Shao Yun showed no intention of slowing down.

He tugged on the reins and said to Paimon, "This is nothing! Giddy up!"

With Shao Yun's shout, Carrot sped up even more. Paimon could only cling to Lumine's clothes, while Lumine held onto Shao Yun even tighter, feeling the exhilarating speed.

Soon, they rode past Springvale and through a canyon. Before long, they arrived at a vineyard.

The grapevines intertwined, forming a sea of green.

Shao Yun saw a winery and thought they had arrived at Dawn Winery, so he stopped the horse to ask for directions.

At that moment, a steward immediately emerged from the winery, a warm smile on his face. He walked up to Shao Yun and the others and politely asked, "Are you here to buy wine?"

Shao Yun was about to answer, but the steward didn't wait for him to speak and immediately started promoting his winery's products. "The wine from our Drunken Moon Winery is excellent. I guarantee you'll taste the purest grape wine."

Shao Yun, hearing this, felt a bit puzzled.

He looked around at the vineyard and the winery buildings, then noticed the sign that read "Drunken Moon Winery." Realizing they were in the wrong place, he quickly and politely declined.

"Sorry, we're in the wrong place. We're actually heading to Dawn Winery."

The steward, hearing this, seemed a bit disappointed, but he assumed the trio had come because of Dawn Winery's reputation.

So, he persisted in promoting his winery, still wearing a polite smile.

"Dawn Winery is good, but our Dandelion Wine might not be as famous. However, we also have Wolfhook Wine and Valberry Wine, which are just as good as Dawn Winery's!"

He tried to emphasize the variety and uniqueness of his winery's products to attract Shao Yun's interest.

Shao Yun quickly explained, a hint of helplessness in his smile. The steward had misunderstood their purpose, so he patiently clarified, "You've got it wrong. We're going to Dawn Winery to meet someone, not to buy wine."

The steward, hearing Shao Yun's explanation, widened his eyes and looked at him as if confirming the truth of his words.

Seeing the apologetic look in Shao Yun's eyes, the steward seemed to deflate like a balloon, his shoulders slumping. He pointed southwest and said with a hint of disappointment, "Dawn Winery is further in that direction."

"Thank you," Shao Yun expressed his gratitude once more. He adjusted the reins, turning the horse toward the southwest, ready to leave.

However, the steward still seemed reluctant to let them go. He frowned slightly, a trace of regret and reluctance in his voice, and tried to persuade them once more. "Are you sure you don't want to buy some wine? Our winery's wine is really good."

Shao Yun, hearing this, shook his head gently and smiled helplessly. "No, we're mainly here to meet someone, not to buy wine. Thank you again for the directions."

The steward, hearing Shao Yun's words, though disappointed, understood his decision. He sighed and waved his hand. "In that case, I won't keep you. Have a safe journey, and I hope you find the person you're looking for."