Love and Other Delusions | Chilumi

Retracting Waters

"Let it be known to everyone that all seized visions be returned, and the Sakoku Decree be lifted." She added.

Just from that sentence, huge cheers erupted from the Resistance's side. "We did it!" They cheered.

Childe watched them, amused. "Huh, they really did it."

***

"She doesn't look like herself." Childe commented as he and Paimon watched Lumine who was intensely fighting a training dummy.

"The fight is over right? Or is this a normal thing to see her practicing like this?" Childe asked again.

"Don't you also train?" Paimon raised an eyebrow.

"I'd rather train with a real target than a dummy." Childe said with furrowed eyebrows. "Hey Lumine, are you sure you don't want to spar with me?" He yelled.

"No!" She instantly replied.

"Her loss." Childe shrugged.

"So what are the plans after this? Are we going to stay here or are we going to move?" Childe asked, to which Paimon shrugged to.

Their attention then shifted completely to Lumine who used anemo to the training dummy, causing its stuffing to be blown off and scatter around.

"Aw what in the-" Lumine began to curse as she dusted herself off. "I should not have done that." She said as she walked away from the now deflated training dummies.

"Would you consider a spar with me now?" Childe asked as Lumine approached them.

"No, I think I need a break." She said, sitting over next to him.

There was a short moment of silence as they simply sat there, watching the ocean breeze from a distance.

"You know, Inazuma isn't all that bad isn't it?" Lumine said.

"Yeah, specially now that the Sakoku decree is gone we're just free to roam about." Paimon agreed. "Would you prefer settling down here for a bit?"

"I guess a short break would be nice. My life's been nothing but eventful lately, a little breather wouldn't hurt." Lumine nodded, taking a deep breath then looking over to the now setting sun.

"Staying here would be nice, maybe check up on Ayaka and the others once in a while. Take a little stroll around the city." Lumine said. "What about you?" She turned to Childe.

"Well I'm not planning on going anywhere else that you're not going if that's what you want to ask." He said.

Lumine laughed which made him furrow his eyebrows. "Well, do you have anything else in mind?"

"Only s-"

"Besides sparring." Lumine said.

"Oh." Childe said. "Well, if we're talking about just taking a breather, how about we go to my hometown?"

"I'm pretty sure I'm kind of wanted in your hometown." Lumine said. Childe looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Fatui? Legendary Traveller and her trusted companion Paimon?" Paimon crossed her arms.

Childe laughed. "Oh right, for a moment I forgot about that." He said. "I guess here would be fine too."

Their small talk was then interrupted by someone clearing their throat. "May I excuse myself with Lumine?" The general asked.

Lumine looked at the two people with her, they simply motioned her to go.

"Is there something wrong?" Lumine asked.

"We don't really know much details but it seems Katheryne from the Adventurer's Guild wants to have a word with you." Gorou said.

"Oh, I guess I'm having another commission then. Thanks for informing me, I'll head back to Inazuma City right away." Lumine said.

"My pleasure. Anyway, the celebration will be at sundown, we'll be waiting for you." Gorou said, waving goodbye.

"Wouldn't miss it." Lumine waved back.

"Oh, and don't forget to invite your friend too. Ajax was it?" Gorou paused.

"Yes, I'll drag him with me if I have to." Lumine joked, to which Gorou laughed.

"Alright, see you!" Gorou said once more before returning to his post, inviting every soldier he came across.

Lumine then returned to the stump they were sitting on, beside Childe, or Ajax rather, and sighed.

"What did he say?" Ajax asked.

"We're going back to Narukami tomorrow after the party, looks like another commission is up for me." Lumine explained.

***

"Ad astra abyssoque, it's nice to see you again traveller." Katheryne greeted. "I hope you've been well." She said.

"So so." Lumine replied.

"Paimon and Lumine was in a celebratory party yesterday! It was fun!" Paimon said.

"That's great to hear. Well I have great news for you too. Another commission." Katheryne said.

"Is this one of those commissions where we have to go fighting monsters or are they going to be daily chores again?" Paimon asked.

"This is an interesting one, it's a bit of a tricky one too that's why you were the one that came to mind to take on this quest." Katheryne started.

"We figured that a seasoned traveller such as yourself might just be the one that cracks the case." She added. "Plus there'll be a huge bounty-"

"What's the commission then?" Paimon instantly asked, which made the traveller shake her head, her hand on her temple.

Katheryne laughed. "You're familiar of Araumi right?" She asked, to which the two nodded to.

"Well there has been sightings of odd energy found around the cliffside. Our sources said that the strange archway that faced north often glowed an odd light at night, like thunders and occassionally, some sort of rip in reality." Katheryne began to explain.

"Thunder? Rip in reality? Do you think it has to do with the Shogun?" Paimon asked.

"Did it have electro imbued on it?" Lumine followed up the question.

Katheryne sighed. "We're not completely sure yet. Many are too skeptical to get near it, which is why we'd like you to investigate it." She said.

Lumine nodded. "Okay, we're on it."