Chapter 268: A Favor?
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He departed from the Mondstadt without being stopped by any Knights of Favonius.
Not because he was called a hero and granted a pass, but because security was so lax that the Knights weren't even present.
Anyone could just go in and out, even if it was an enemy...
"I should really mention it to Jean, not having any guards in front of a huge city like this, when there are many threats in this world is just pathetic."
The Knights were all probably comfortably sleeping in their beds after doing nothing whole day, every day.
He headed north-east from Mondstadt, towards the nearest village.
Once he was there, he found a specific house and knocked at the door...
"I'm coming to open the door! Like a normal person!" A voice soon answered from the inside.
'...He is still as weird as before...'
A few seconds later the door opened, revealing the owner of the voice.
An adult man with cat ears, huge grin and a terrible accent...
"Oh, my wonderful son-in-law! You haven't been here in awhile! Come to father!"
He yelled with joy and gave Yomite a bear hug.
"Old man...call me son-in-law again and I might break a few bones…"
"Ahh! Ahh! But my beautiful son-in-law! You are still as handsome as ever! Tall as ever, and kind as ever! You wouldn't do such a thing!"
"....I'm going to say it one more time...Your daughter is simply too young, what are you even trying to pull here...? I'll not marry her...she wouldn't like me anyway."
"Aww, don't be like that! Come in, come in, come in! Let me take your coat!"
"I don't have a coat..."
"..."
"..."
The man blinked for a few seconds before speaking up again. "Either way, welcome to our humble abode once more! What can I do for you? Anything to eat? A back massage? A dowry? Or some alcohol? We have a lot of it!"
He lowered his arms and motioned towards the interior of his home as an invitation to enter.
Yomite ignored the dowry part and got back on the track, "Actually, I need something to get rid of hangover...I was just looking for some doves I can make a soup with..."
The old man stared at him for a moment...and then burst into laughter.
"...I am the bestestest hunter in Mondstadt! You're looking for the rightestestet man then!"
"...it's just 'Best' and 'Right'..."
"Ahahahahahaha! So that's how it is! As expected of my son in law! So knowledgeable!"
Yomite rolled his eyes and tried to hide a smile...but he couldn't hide it completely.
He was Diona's father and a down bad alcoholic.
That Diona, who accidentally made him an energy boost libido drink without her knowledge back then, thinking it would only make him more energetic throughout the day...
Little did she know she created a masterpiece...
She was the best bartender in Mondstadt, and was able to create wonders with the most disgusting of ingredients.
A cute yet intimidating tsundere catgirl...
Either way, this man here was her failure of a father...
Still, he enjoyed spending time with this man named Draff, despite the fact that he was utterly ridiculous...
He could talk with him for hours.
Yomite didn't have have many guy friends in this world. If he didn't count Diluc and Kaeya, there was essentially no one else present.
Perhaps Venti...but Venti was much too feminine and cute to be considered a man...He knew that was the case when even the women of Mondstadt still get his gender wrong...
Either way, now that he was here, he might as well use this as a chance to pet Diona.
He adored her cat ears and tail, so cute they were practically absurd. But he could not picture himself marrying her...which was why he found Draff's requests weird.
"Say, could we talk outside? I don't want my daughter to hear."
"Well...sure? As long as you don't have any weird requests..."
Draff led Yomite outside of his house and sat him on a bench nearby, talking about the most random things as he went.
How his daughter, Diona, bullied him on a daily basis by hiding his alcohol.
How he went out hunting while drunk and managed to hit three boars with one arrow.
How he was crowned as the best hunter Mondstadt had ever produced.
Draff seemed to be in a great mood and wanted to share some of the stuff he experienced lately but didn't have anyone to talk with and his daughter was ignoring him.
"...I'm so glad you came to visit us, even if you only wanted to buy doves."
"Don't worry, I'll give you plenty of Mora, I know hunting can be hard and boring sometimes. I'll also check on you guys more often." Yomite assured him.
He didn't know Draff all that well as they were basically strangers, but he could tell that he was that kind of man who would give away anything for free, even his daughter if he hadn't mentioned anything about a price...
"Ahahahahaha! Hunting is never boring! The hunt is fun! You should go hunt with me sometimes, son-in-law!"
"No thanks...that would mean I'd have to wake up even earlier than today..."
"Aww...I know that you'd like to hunt with me!"
Draff informed Yomite that he needed to speak with him about an important matter after they had conversed for a while.
"Draff...You know your daughter isn't a thing. She can think and decide for herself as to what she wants... You can't just marry her off to a random guy you met that accidentally saved your village..."
"Hehehehe. My daughter is a wonderful girl! And I bet you'll fall in love with her immediately! But there is something I want to tell you. I have a request."
"Man...I really appreciate it, but I already have three lovers now...and she's underage..."
"Bah! She's a grown woman now! My daughter knows how to protect herself! Look at her! Look at how strong she is! Look how adorable she is! What a good bartender and a hunter she is! Marriage is simply the next step!"
Yomite rubbed his face, sighing deeply.
"Is this really what you wanted to talk to me about? Because I'm not going to accept, man..."
"Nah, that ain't it. I just have a favor to ask you..."