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I was greatly relieved that I had stopped Childe from going any further, and a newfound confidence had arisen inside me.
He could leer at me all he wanted, he could even touch me if he so desired, but my back was not for him to see.
Maybe there would come a day when I would forget 'her' face, 'her' words, and the pain 'she' had inflicted upon me.
But those scars don't fade away.
"1."
"2."
"3."
"4."
"10."
"20."
"40."
"57."
"Get up, Rin."
Not even the most potent of remedies could heal those scars of the past.
Now, only the present mattered.
Childe wouldn't let news of our engagement slip, but I could not afford to let my guard down.
Your opponent is unpredictable, your next move is certain.
"I-I'm sorry," I apologized, bursting into tears. "I didn't mean to--"
"Oh, my kitten, please don't cry," he sing-songed, clearly satisfied with the outcome of my little tantrum. "Darling, please don't cry."
I sniffled. "Forgive me, Lord Childe."
"Why wouldn't I, my precious?"
As his nicknames registered in my mind, an old memory suddenly flashed before my eyes.
"Nee-chan! Nii-chan!"
Ayaka ran towards me, stumbling over her steps.
"Be careful, Yacchan!" I exclaimed. "A proper lady must watch where she is going."
Ayato rolled his eyes. "Don't give Yacchan that nonsense. She's much too young to hear those dull lessons of yours."
"No!" Ayaka fumed. "I want to be pretty and smart and strong like Nee-chan! Nee-chan is always so cool! Nii-chan isn't cool at all!"
I giggled.
"Yacchan, don't be like that. Big Brother is super cool, and he wants the best for you too. We'll always be behind you, no matter what happens, okay?"
She smiled.
"Okay, Nee-chan!"
Yacchan.
That's what I used to call her.
Yacchan.
I wanted to say that, I wanted to call that out, and I wanted to have someone answer.
I wanted to be called "Nee-chan" again.
But that reality was gone.
And ahead of me was a man, a shallow man, who thought that emulating such affection would allow him to reach into my heart and see my darkest secrets.
He really knew nothing about me.
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Childe's Perspective
She's amazing.
She's so amazing.
And she wasn't just pretty, though she was ridiculously pretty. She had such gentle, inquisitive eyes, paired with those thick and dreamy lashes. Then there was her long, flowing hair, sweeping around her body like angel wings. She wasn't top-heavy or bottom-heavy or pretentious or fake. To say she was well-proportioned was a drastic understatement. Even "drop-dead gorgeous" didn't do her justice.
And every drop of blood in her veins, every inch of skin on her body, every cell in her being . . .
it would all be mine.
As I thought these dangerous things to myself, Rin simply stood there, her brows raised in curiosity.
The sight of her expression brought me back to my senses, and I finally released her hand.
"Come sit with me," I urged cheerfully, leading Rin into the gazebo.
I had set up a circular table and a pair of garden chairs just for the two of us. A vase of fresh coral roses stood in the center, next to a three-tiered dessert stand stacked with petit fours, cream puffs, scones, macarons, and other confectionery. Tea in rose-patterned china cups had been set on saucers on each side of the table.
I held Rin's hand, making sure I was gentle this time, and took a moment to trace my thumb over her silky skin.
Not even a callus or a blister. This girl must've grown up in some nice household.
After I guided Rin to sit, I took a seat on the other end, facing the gate of the garden.
"You didn't have anything at the banquet, my lady," I noted, handing her a pair of tongs. "Eat up."
Though hesitantly, Rin obeyed, stocking her plate with cream puffs, éclairs, and chocolate scones.
I smirked. She had quite the sweet tooth when she wasn't trying to hide it.
"Is there any topic of discussion that interests you?" she asked graciously, bringing her teacup to her lips. "After all, I wouldn't like to speak of matters that are dull to you."
"Hmm," I pondered, forcing myself to swallow the lukewarm, bitter-tasting tea. "I'm a jack of all trades, my lady. Speak to me about anything you'd like."
Rin beamed, unfazed at the taste of the disgusting tea.
"Did you know that Venus shall be at its greatest western elongation in four days time?"
I froze, confused.
I have no clue what the hell that is.
Goddammit.
"Why . . . yes, I have indeed heard of it, my lady," I stammered, keeping a smile on my face.
Turning away, Rin dabbed her mouth with a handkerchief and placed it properly on her lap, smoothing out even the tiniest creases in the fabric of her dress.
What polite table manners, I thought to myself. I've already heard how ridiculously strict Inazuma's upper class is about etiquette, but this girl is just on a whole other level!
I finally understood why Her Imperial Majesty wanted Rin so much.
Though Rin had already fallen into the favor of Her Imperial Majesty, the Harbingers continued to view her as a subject of controversy. After all, Fatui trained for their whole lives to be nominated as candidates, and even then they were rebuffed by the Tsaritsa without a word exchanged. Yet a girl had been accepted into our ranks within a single day of meeting the Cryo Archon, the most powerful god in Teyvat? There were thousands of questions to be asked.
But my eyes were like a blind beggar's in comparison to Her Imperial Majesty's. Il Dottore and I agreed that our goddess saw something in Rin that the rest of us did not. Signora claimed that Rin held the ability to interfere with the bond between our Delusions, which already meant that she was far stronger than we had initially thought.
In reality, this had nothing to do with physical strength.
It had to do with her countenance, her behavior, her mentality, her internal strength.
"Lord Childe," Rin chimed in. "I have prepared a gift for you. Please see it as a token of my appreciation."
She presented me with a small flower with five petals, folded carefully from a piece of silk brocade. It was the same color as my eyes: a deep azure blue.
"You made it yourself, didn't you? It's really pretty," I noted, inspecting the brooch.
But not as pretty as you.
"Yes, it is indeed made by my hands," she replied earnestly. "These are called kanzashi brooches. They're created using an ancient art style native to my homeland. I hope you will accept this brooch, as a display of my gratitude for your goodwill. I thank you with all my heart."
"It really isn't a big deal," I scoffed. "We're comrades now, after all."
Rin continued, her expression slowly growing grim. "Do you think I will be able to live up to the expectations of Snezhnaya, Lord Childe?"
"No question," I replied. "Everyone will love you, I'm sure of it."
She smiled softly.
"The people are my highest priority. My only fear is whether or not my kindness shall reach them."
Ha.
I had almost forgotten.
All of Snezhnaya placed their lives in the hands of the Fatui, and its kingpins, the Harbingers needed to be closer to the common folk.
Rin would be the key to doing that.
She was not only intelligent and strong, but also determined, courageous and kind-hearted. She had the air of nobility, but wasn't arrogant or intimidating. If anything, she knew how to use her femininity to her advantage. Rin would be sure to win the hearts of the people.
Yet, even so, I couldn't help but wonder . . .
was Rin an angel, with a heart and mind as pure as glass?
Or was she a demon in disguise, waiting for the right moment to destroy us all?