Stars In The Night Sky [ChiLumi]

Chapter 4

Childe's POV

It was just another busy day at the Northland Bank. Signora will be coming with a new set of recruits assigned for me to train. I wished that Lumine was here but she's currently at Guyun Stone Forest for a contest held by the captain of the Crux Fleet. At first I thought that she will only be a hindrance, but it turns out that she will be able to fix the broken part of me.

'So she's now really leaving for Inazuma...' my thought was cut off when Signora entered the Bank. "Welcome, it's nice to see you after a long time." I greeted. "It's not nice to see your face at all." Signora answered which I brushed of a laugh. "You'll be assigned to look after the affairs here in Liyue while I'm away from Inazuma due to the Tsaritsa's order." Signora stated.

"I thought the Balladeer was already there, why would you need to go there?" I asked. "Don't pry too much and just think of your affairs. I heard that you've been spending a lot of time with that nuisance traveler." I stood there dumbfounded as I watched her retreating figure.

"Just a simple reminder for you, Childe. That girl is a threat to the Tsaritsa. Don't be delusional, a hero and a villain can never be together." Signora stated before she left.

'A hero and... a villain' her words kept ringing in my ears. "That damn hurts..." I plastered a smile to my face to hide the pain due to the sudden realization. 'I'll only be a thorn at her side.'

Lumine's POV

At long last, I now have a way to go to Inazuma. Based on the informations I gathered from Kazuha, it seems that I'll have a hard time in there. But it's worth trying than never. I swear that I'll find the meaning of Aether's words.

"I guess we should prepare for a very long trip. Due to the vision hunt decree, we might have a hard time leaving there" Paimon stated. "Yeah... I guess we should." I replied.' If I left to Inazuma, does that mean I'll... never gonna see Childe for a long time?' the sudden realization hit me. "Paimon stay with Xiangling for a moment. Go order some foods if you want, I'll pay for it after I come back." I ran off leaving Paimon confused.

I stood outside the Golden House, hoping that Childe will be already inside. If I go to Inazuma, I won't be able to see him. I opened the door and saw Childe already waiting for her. "Took you long enough to get here." Childe smiled. "...I need to prepare my things before I go to Inazuma." I answered making my way towards him.

"Then since you're already here, let's have a match shall we?" Childe prepared his stance. "Want to make a bet? The loser will have to do what the winner says. Deal?" I challenged. "Don't take it back if you lose." Childe smirked as we begin our match.

In the end, I was the one who won."This will probably be our last match before I leave for Inazuma." I blurted out. "So I won't be seeing you for a longtime..." Childe muttered but I heard it clearly. "Okay since you won, what would you want me to do?" Childe asked. "Can you just stay where you are? Don't move" I said as I make my way behind him.

Childe obliged and just stood at his position. I took a deep breath and asked "Would you... want to join me on my journey?" I managed to ask him but I'm quite nervous on what will he respond. "Why are you asking me that? Are you going to miss me when you leave?" Childe chuckled but I didn't respond on his remark. I felt a blush start to form on my face as I remained silent.

I looked downwards avoiding his glance as I saw him move to face me. "I'm sorry to say but that was impossible" Childe's response caught me off guard. "The Tsaritsa's orders are absolute. I can't abandon it and come with you" Childe looked at me coldly.

"I'm glad that we became friends at the very least but we can't cross over other than that. In the eyes of the Tsaritsa, you are our enemy traveler. What if there might be a day where I'll have to kill you, what will you do if that happens?" Childe spatted.

"Attachments can only make you weak comrade. Those lingering feelings of yours will only hold you back" I could feel Childe walked closer to me. "You and me were not on the same league. You're on the good side while I..." Childe didn't continue his statement and just left. His words hit me hard.

I looked at the way he disappeared and smile sadly "I'm such an idiot... Hoping that you'll agree." And since that day, I never saw Childe again even on the time I have to leave for Inazuma.

It has been a month since the last time Childe saw Lumine. The Traveler hadn't left Inazuma yet even though the Vision Hunt Decree was already over. News about the 8th of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers who was defeated spread widely among the Snezhnayan diplomats. Aside from that, news of the Balladeer escaping with the gnosis reached the Tsaritsa's ears.

Childe was sent to Inazuma to investigate the whereabout of the Balladeer. Although Childe was focused on his mission, he simply hoped to see Lumine again. 'I was happy that you felt the same but I'll only be your shackles.' Childe thought as the memory of the day they last saw each other flashes through his mind.

The sight of the girl blushing from his questions made him glad. Their feelings are mutual. But that happiness disappeared as Signora's words hit Childe like a storm. 'My duty or my feelings' he thought. There's no other option, he has to end it.

The words that escaped from Childe's mouth weren't meant for Lumine. It was meant for him. Childe blamed himself for hurting Lumine's feelings. Zhongli tried confronting him on the day Lumine left for Inazuma. "What you made is a good and a bad move at the same time." Zhongli stated as he drank his tea.

Zhongli accompanied Childe to drink after he relayed Lumine's message. "It's impossible to make her give up. If I didn't do that... my feelings for her will only grow stronger." Childe retorted as he finished his 3rd bottle of wine. "That's my only chance to end it."

"Well do you regret it?" Zhongli asked but Childe didn't answered. The hurtful expression that Lumine showed still lingers in his mind. He was guilty. As much as we wanted to accept her proposal, he can't. He can't be a burden to Lumine. If the Tsaritsa knows that he betrayed her for the Traveler, no one knows what will happen to Lumine.

Back at the present time, Childe was processing some documents for his permission permit as a diplomat from Snezhnaya, leaving information about his affiliation as a Fatui. After he got an approval, he decided to scout Inazuma city if there are traces left by his target around the area.

But instead of the Balladeer's traces, he saw a glimpsed of a familiar blond haired girl passed through distance away from him. He walked through the way that girl disappeared to. But he wished that he didn't followed her.

There he saw Lumine walking beside another man with green eyes and messy blond hair tied in a ponytail. She smiled brightly at something the man said. "She must have been having a good time here... to the point that she don't want to return." Childe watched the two from afar as they entered a teahouse.

'That man...' Childe clenched his fist beforestorming away from the teahouse. 'I regret it, Zhongli-sensei. I regret it somuch to the point where I want to die.'