Chapter 10: Tavern
"...That's the plan. Can you do it?" Isaac whispered to Daleth.
He and Daleth are currently talking in private and a bit far away, Moccus and Parsifal were waiting along with the other two survivors. Oh, and yes, a carriage is strapped on Moccus where Parsifal and the other two were staying, much to the latter's dismay.
Everything was ready to get Parsifal back to Mondstadt. All they were waiting for now was Daleth.
Daleth slightly nodded and replied to him. "Infiltrate the nearest human city and survey it internally and externally, be secretive as possible, and finally, retrieve information. Got it."
Isaac nodded and held up his hand, revealing a rather plain-looking mask made of special ice that doesn't melt found in the mountain. It only covered the wearer's upper face, though. And, just as mentioned, it was plain and had no design. It was thin but can block the face behind it. "Take this."
Daleth nodded and took the mask before she went to Moccus and the rest, and soon departed. Leaving Isaac alone in the mountain. With the Cryo Whopperflower as an exception, which was still beside him.
He went near the river separating the mountain and the outside world and lifted his hand. Soon, the semi-transparent forcefield-like shield appeared, blocking Isaac's hand.
Isaac just squinted his eyes and returned to the icy mountain as he sighed.
He then looked at the mountain's peak. As if piercing through the thick mist surrounding the summit, Isaac's eyes turned serious.
'Now that they're gone, I can finally start it...' Isaac thought as he sighed. 'Time to remove this giant pillar.'
Isaac waited until Moccus and the rest left to start the operation he was about to do. And regarding Moccus' brethren, the Snow Boars, he temporarily lead them outside the mountain so that they won't be affected by what he's about to do.
Isaac held up his hand, and soon, the surrounding area started rumbling. It even startled the Cryo Whopperflower and went into hiding.
In a few moments, something started rising from the snowy ground. It started from six small things before turning into long five fingers which eventually revealed two giant arms made of ice that levitated behind Isaac.
But these two were different. Isaac was not using normal ice but instead, the better ice that is hard to destroy. Through normal means, of course.
The hands themselves were at least 20 meters, which were quite large. Large enough to grab on the giant ice pillar, that is.
"Time to start." Isaac mumbled as he created ice formation under his feet to reach the mountain peak.
While all of these happened, the Cryo Whopperflower just watched as it hid under the snow.
* * *
Daleth and the rest's journey went smoothly from Sal Vindagnyr to Windrise. They encountered some slimes but Daleth just froze them and left them by the road.
Parsifal watched as Daleth easily handled the slices and admired her for her strength and just watched from behind.
After about 15 minutes, Parsifal finally saw the city walls of Mondstadt. "We're here!"
Daleth and Moccus saw the city and nodded. When they saw that the city was in sight, Moccus stopped and told Parsifal, "This is where I shall halt. I'll have to go back now. Daleth shall accompany thou from here on out."
With that said, Daleth removed the strapping of the carriage from Moccus' body.
Finally getting the strapping off of him, Moccus sighed. He then looked at Daleth and said: "I shall return to Sir Isaac. Good luck."
Daleth gave a nod and did not say anything as she watched Moccus' body leave.
Now, Daleth was left alone with Parsifal and the two injured adventurers.
She then turned around and inspected the city walls of Mondstadt. She was making a plan to infiltrate the city without getting noticed by any of the inhabitants.
While inspecting, she saw some people wearing armor heading to their location, meaning that they had been discovered.
After concocting a plan, Daleth finally made the decision to move. Without wasting any more time, she put on the mask and stealthily left the area to rush to Mondstadt.
"Hey, wait!" Parsifal shouted as he reached out his hand.
Just then, the knights arrived at Parsifal's location. They asked him some necessary questions as to why he was out here and why he was with two injured people, to which Parsifal answered.
He made up some excuse that their expedition went wrong and they encountered an accident in Sal Vindagnyr which caused injuries and deaths. Of course, he did not mention anything regarding Isaac, Moccus, or Daleth.
After asking him a few more questions, the knights finally helped him get the inured back in Mondstadt.
While this was all happening, Daleth had already infiltrated Mondstadt. On the western side of the city, a staircase made of ice was hanging by the wall before melting.
And Daleth, who was now strolling through the lower-class sections of Mondstadt, was sneakily avoiding attention and was looking for the place where information can be obtained.
She continued searching until she saw an establishment where a lot of people seem to be entering with their friends.
Daleth looked up at the signboard hanging at the top and saw the name of the place.
Angel's Share Tavern.
It was a place where a lot of people would go in for a drink to get drunk and a place where drunkards exit.
Daleth contemplated for a while before coming up with a theory. 'If human drunkards were to babble information during their 'drunk' phase, perhaps I can get information from them...'
After that thought, Daleth nodded and decided to enter the tavern.
When she entered, the smell of alcohol quickly entered her human nostrils, much to her dismay. 'What an odor...'
Daleth didn't pay more attention to the smell of the tavern and went to sit in the chairs near the bartender.
Of course, with her get-up consisting of black clothes and a mask to top it all off, she certainly gained attention from a few people. Some even wondered what is the face behind that mask; but from their view, it should be a beautiful woman.
This, of course, roused some of the drunkards, and decided to try their luck later.
Daleth sensed their stares but ignored them. After all, she is here for a mission assigned by the person that has great authority over the cryo domain, second only to the cryo archon.
The bartender, who had red hair and looked around his early 20's, decided to ask her. "What will it be for you?"
Daleth took out a pouch containing Mora that she got from Parsifal as a thank you gift and replied, "The best one."
The bartender scoffed as he crossed his arms. "Are you sure? The best one we have knocked out a seasoned adventurer for 4 hours after drinking three full cups. Do you still want it?"
"It's fine." Daleth insisted. After all, she IS an elemental being. And elemental beings' alcohol tolerance is quite high.
Take for example, a certain anemo archon that needs at least 35 drinks to get drunk and a certain Geo Archon that rarely gets drunk drinking Osmanthus wine.
Hearing her reply, the bartender laughed. "Haha, I like your persistence. Tell you what? If you can drink at least five cups, AND STILL be conscious, it's on the house."
"...Alright." Daleth answered. Truth to be told, she doesn't care. But it's free so she'll first give it a try. 'A bartender giving out drinks...'
"You look like you're quite confident!" The bartender applauded her. "Alright, I'll go to the back real quick and take your drink."
After saying that, the man left and entered the door behind him.
At the other side of the door, another person who works for the tavern heard their conversation and asked, "Sir, is that alright? It's not like you to give out free drinks like these..."
The red-haired man laughed and patted the worker's back. "Haha, it's fine. I feel like this person... Will be special."
"Alright... Sir Alec." The man nodded before leaving the room
Oh, and yes, the red-haired man is known as Alec Ragnvindr. The current head of the Ragnvindr clan and Dawn Winery. A friendly, carefree, and responsible man but with secrets to hide.
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