"So, will you join us when the main event of Weinlesefest is up?" Barbara asked Noelle, who continued to chow down on her salad.

"Of course I will, with Aether and the others."

"The others? You've brought some friends with you?" Amber raised a brow.

"Yes, the Shirasagi Himegimi of Inazuma, and the Star of Zubayr Theater."

Both of the girls' eyes then widened, and they slammed their hands onto the table, their faces now at least a couple of inches from Noelle's.

"The infamous Frostflake Heron of the Yashiro Commission...!?"

"And Sumeru's super idol!?"

Noelle nodded nervously.

"How do they treat you, though!?" Amber asked again, her eyes are now starry.

"Miss Nilou... The Star of Zubayr Theater treats me well, and as for Lady Ayaka... You can say that we're best friends!"

Somewhere, along the road towards Mondstadt, Ayaka let out a small cough behind her fan.

"Did some of the pollen got onto you, Ayaka?" Paimon asked Ayaka, as they passed a field of flowers along the way.

"I... I think so. But I also think that someone is speaking about me."

"If it was Noelle, what would you do?" Nilou asked her.

"You know what I would do to her..." Her grip on the fan gets even tighter.

"She must be saying that you're her best friend... How about that?" Nilou winked.

"I'll do it a million times then."

Back in Mondstadt, Noelle continued her explanation on her friendship with Ayaka.

"It's like training with Miss Ellin, but even harder!"

"Judging by the way she attacked you in your spars... It seems that she's trying her best to kill you, Noelle. She didn't even use a wooden sword for that matter, if what you said is true." Amber pointed out.

"That's nonsense, Lady Amber! You have no knowledge about her behavior. She can be a really elegant lady if you get to know her."

"We doubt that." Both of them replied monotonously.

"Noelle, we're back!" Paimon's voice is heard.

Noelle waved her hand at them gently, while Nilou and Ayaka bowed their heads as a way of greeting the other two who are hanging out with Noelle.

"You both, the one in red is Amber, the Knights' Outrider, and this is Barbara, Mondstadt's idol." Aether said, pointing at Amber and Barbara.

"It's an honor to be able to meet an important icon from Inazuma, Lady Himegimi!" Amber bowed down so hard, that the table in front of her broke.

"There is no need to be so formal, Outrider-San."

"Can you sing as well?" Barbara asked Nilou.

"I focused more on my dances rather than my voices... But, it's good to be finally able to meet with Mondstadt's idol face-to-face, especially since I've heard so much about you!"

As the two are talking to Amber and Barbara, Aether tugged on Noelle's arm.

"Noelle, there's something I need to tell you about."

"Understood."

Aether took Noelle to the alleyway between two huge buildings, one of which is the Cat's Tail tavern.

"It's about Razor... Apparently, inside of the box that his parents had left him is a half-bottle of Thousand-Wind Wine.

"Thousand-Wind Wine?"

"Apparently here is how it is made... Venti told me and I noted it down. Do you know what to think of to bring as the suitable ingredients?"

Noelle then took the note Aether gave her, and took a good read.

"Hmm..."

How does this fine wine taste to the tongue?
As 'Mondstadt' to the ear: like a sweet dream of freedom
And what are the fruits that went into the brew?
An explorer's courage, a love tender and true...

A defender's will, strong as yesteryear
Joining the thousand winds in a song of good cheer
Turning sour into sweet, bitter notes fade away
As we wait, wait for a windier day.

"Reading the second and final section of this note, I think I know what I can do. I'll be on my way."

"Wait, where are you going?"

"I'll try to go gather some fruits outside of the city, and I shall sample them. It's alright, Aether. I still remember Mondstadt's wilderness."

"How do you think you would know what to pick?"

"I love the scent of wine, and after reading up on the art of wine-making, I have grasped some of the key principles. In short, whatever ingredients you use, it's essential to include something sweet."

"So, you're heading outside to search for a sweet fruit?"

Noelle nodded, and continued.

"I still have my notes on winemaking tips and the sweet plants and fruits to find. I will be right back at least tomorrow."

"Be careful, alright Noelle?"

"I will, Aether. Thank you."

The both of them then tried to lean in for a kiss, and when their lips nearly touched, the sound of a glass bottle breaking after falling to the ground is heard. They shook in surprise, and looked at the source, a little girl with cat ears and tail walked out of the door, and saw the scene in front of her.

"Whoa... After a year of no-showing, you both came back to this doorstep as a lovey-dovey couple!? Don't tell me you just came out of Angel's Share--"

"D-Diona, you're mistaken! Unsee what you just saw right now..."

Noelle already ran off in search of the ingredients for the Thousand Wind Wine, her face blushing madly as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Back to Aether, after that scolding from Diona, he walked back to Good Hunter and met up with Ayaka and Nilou.

"Where's Noelle?"

"She's out trying to find the ingredients for a special wine."

"A special wine? I always wondered how Mondstadt's wine tastes compared to Inazuma's strong ones."

"You drank before, Miss Ayaka?" Nilou asked.

"Goodness, no. My brother once told me of the flavor, that is all. It's like the sweetest rice brewed into a drink, and that it warms the insides of the body."

"Anyways, we have another problem. There has been a boar problem plaguing the winery workers and the surrounding farmers, and that the source is from Dragonspine of all places."

"A boar problem? Why can't the hunters deal with them themselves?" Ayaka tilted her head in confusion.

"If they really need help, then let's go." Nilou pumped her fists.

---

"Why is that thing so huge!?" Nilou asked, as she ran around the circle shaped area evading the Snowboar king's charges.

"That's why I told you that you shouldn't have came with us in this! It's freezing! And if you turn into water right now, you might as well become solid ice!"

"Point taken, I should listen to whatever the threat is first, then decide!"

Nilou then stopped in front of a slope, and made a hard right which caused the snowboar king to hit it head-on. Ayaka then came in, and unleashed her tachi, before dozens of unseen slashes are made which managed to damage the snowboar king's hide.

"Kamisato-Ryuu: Soumetsuu!" She chanted, as she then unleashed a snowstorm with her fan, the extreme coldness of it slowly sending the king to sleep.

"That's great, Ayaka! But now how do we carry this over to the researcher!?"

"What!? We still need to bring it to him!?"

---

"I'm home!"

Noelle walks into the Serenitea Pot's mansion, to see Aether, Paimon, Ayaka and Nilou taking heavy breaths.

"Did something happen? I just finished gathering and sampling the ingredients, before handing them over to Miss Sucrose."

"Oh, something did happen, you airheaded--" Paimon then clasped Ayaka's mouth shut.

"We ran into a little trouble with our stall, it's lucky these both are with us!"

"It's good to know. All we need to do now is to wait for the wine to be brewed, and see the main event of Weinlesefest itself!"

Noelle then grabbed a broom and started sweeping the floor, as the others then moved to the Master Bedroom. Later that night, Aether got up and went downstairs to Noelle's room. He entered upon realizing that it was not locked after knocking it once, and for the rest of the night he didn't leave, like the previous night.