"The original calamity had been overturned, yet the island in the sky set the earth to burn. Chalk pursues gold, in this time inopportune, the eclipse is swallowed by the crimson moon. The future must atone for bygone mistakes, as the bond familiar falters and breaks— of the same blood, elders and the youth... Such is the cycle of the world, in truth. Dain, what is that strand of blonde hair to you? Someone you must kill? Or the object of your penitence?"
Khaenri'ah's Twilight Sword walked upon the desolate, cold earth.
He lowered his head, his body entangled with heavy curses and Erosion that penetrated deep into his bones—this calamity stemmed from his transgression decades ago, his transgression against the Heavenly Principles.
He stopped and looked back. His homeland lay behind him, prosperous and splendid, but he knew that due to the sages' transgression, they had slowly touched upon the world's taboos. Perhaps... in a few decades, the calamity of divine punishment would descend upon this homeland he loved so dearly.
This was a nation destined for destruction.
They were walking on the wrong path, and what was more terrifying was that they could no longer turn back.
He needed to find a solution.
There was still time.
He could still make it.
He would not let that happen.
The Tsaritsa had offered him a "recruitment." That Empress seemed intent on establishing a transgressive organization named the Fatui, and she invited him to be the First Seat... to become the first Fool.
In truth, the Empress was very gentle. She loved the people of the world. It was precisely because of her gentleness that she had to be colder than anyone else—he knew this.
But Khaenri'ah had not yet fallen. He was still Khaenri'ah's sword.
That was not his path. Perhaps... his friend... the court mage of Khaenri'ah, Pierro, would be more suitable.
He walked through the lonely wasteland, paused, and suddenly coughed violently, as if his entire lungs were being pulled. He bent over in pain, countless echoes overlapping in his ears, the Erosion intensifying further—that was Heavenly Principles' punishment for him.
Punishing him for his past transgression.
He still remembered that shock of blonde hair, still remembered that journey. Those were the few bright days in the Twilight Sword's centuries-long life. They went to many places, met many people, and encountered many things. He told her to keep moving forward because Teyvat was beautiful.
His travel companion was expelled by the Heavenly Principles, and he resisted the Heavenly Principles. It was that simple...
But he did not regret it—Dainsleif never regretted it.
Thinking about it now, perhaps the Empress invited him... precisely because she valued this transgression of his.
Perhaps... the Empress could save them.
Perhaps he should go to Snezhnaya.
He had to find a path to save Khaenri'ah. But regrettably, he died a step ahead, before his homeland was destroyed.
Forty-three years later, Khaenri'ah fell. The Empress of Snezhnaya established the Fatui. His friend Pierrobecame the First Seat of the Fatui, codenamed "The Jester." From then on, Snezhnaya raised the banner of rebellion against the existence on the island in the sky.
"Sorry to have you shoulder the grief of the whole world with me. Since you can endure my bitter cold, you must have burning desires in your hearts? Then, burn the old world for me."
All the stories within were drowned in the dust of history, remembered by no one.
The last glimmer of the Twilight Sword had extinguished; no one remembered his name.
——————
It was raining.
Spring set the base color, light rain applied the ink. The drizzle of late spring tapped on the eaves of the bamboo hut. The hollow bamboo transmitted the sound, creating a crisp, empty resonance. The ink-like spring rain painted this season approaching midsummer. Further away lay a sky of deep ink and a sea of profound azure; aside from this, there was nothing else.
It was a very distant memory, so distant it had become blurred.
Dusk had ended.
When she was in Mondstadt, Lumine seemed to have waited for someone like this too.
She had painstakingly learned the technique of grilling fish, mastering the discipline of the Miser guarding his gold, yet before she could display her skill, the 'gold' had vanished.
Lumine rested her cheek on her hand, staring blankly at the misty evening rain outside the wooden window. She suddenly recalled an even more distant story, a reunion from even longer ago, further back than Mondstadt... That was her first reunion with that guy.
Because of Erosion, her memories of the past were also blurred... Or rather, if the Human Principles System hadn't helped her recall it last time, she wouldn't have known about that past until now.
Many things had been forgotten. Lumine only remembered that guy's brilliant golden long hair... only remembered that guy hoodwinking her into going on a journey, only remembered that guy stuffing a thick book into her arms, only remembered that guy saying to her, "Walk on in my place."
That book was named the Teyvat Travel Guide. It lay quietly before Lumine's knees now. Due to the wear of time, some of the handwriting was already blurred, and the pages had yellowed.
This book was both Lumine's travel guide and her diary, recording various sights and experiences from her journey. Flipping from the beginning: first Mondstadt, from the shores of Starfell Lake to the sunset at Cape Oath, from the vast Dragonspine to the rolling plains of Dawn Winery. Past Mondstadt, flipping further back.
It was Liyue Harbor.
Mt. Aocang, Sal Terrae, The Chasm... She had been to the world's highest mountain and the world's deepest abyss. Her journey seemed to have no regrets.
She had been to many places... but what meaning did that have?
It had been a full month.
He hadn't returned yet... but Lumine stubbornly continued to wait. Every time the sunset covered the plains and the sun grew thin at dusk, she would light the stove and cook. Waiting until the food grew cold, waiting until the night ambushed on all sides... She looked out the window expectantly, waiting until the morning stars were sparse and the morning sun was born.
She waited for nothing.
He was already dead.
"Lumine, Yaku..." A disjointed voice came from below, "When... coming... back?"
The moonlight outside the window grew increasingly dappled under the interweaving misty rain. Lumine withdrew her gaze and lowered her head.
The little zombie Qiqi opened her two small arms toward her, standing on tiptoes, tilting her head: "Qiqi... Qiqi has already... learned all of the first section... of Seven-Colored Sunlight..."
"Need to learn... the second section." Qiqi's voice wasn't loud, sounding seemingly aggrieved. "But Qiqi... has no one to teach."
Seven-Colored Sunlight... Lumine paused.
It took a while for her to remember what that was.
It was some "Adeptal Art" that Seino Yaku had conned them with. essentially, it was just calisthenics. Qiqi was a zombie with stiff joints and needed exercise to keep her body flexible—they used to go to Liyue Plaza early in the morning to do exercises, and Lumine would sit by the chair, quietly watching them.
Those days were short.
But also very nostalgic.
"Drowned Corpse only knows how to lie."
Paimon sat on the edge of the bed, puffing up her cheeks. She patted her small belly in distress, also lowering her little head. "He must be jealous of my, Young Hero Paimon's, talent—Mwahahahaha, terrifyingly so—and refused to teach me the divine art, so he absconded with the technique."
"That must be it." She huffed angrily. "Let's not wait for him, everyone! Let's eat!"
That was what she said, her words innocent and naive, but Lumine noticed Paimon gently gripping the corner of her clothes.
Actually, Paimon knew everything, but Paimon wouldn't say it. She put on this strange, funny act to make everyone feel at ease and eat well.
But the food was already cold.
Simple home-cooked dishes: Smoked Mora Meat, Tofu Soup, and sardines cured with salt... Seino Yaku said he liked sardines.
Lumine knew more and more cuisines; her "Miser's Skills" had become increasingly rich.
But the 'gold' was gone, and the food was cold.
'And he won't come back again.'
It was like this before, and it is like this now... the ending can never be changed.
They had clearly made a covenant; this was clearly promised.
Despite this, she still waited.
Lumine suddenly lowered her head. She was still clutching that fragment in her hand, the fragment from Seino Yaku's heart. The previous seven fragments were born of Bosacius's past covenants, but this one in her hand alone belonged to Seino Yaku's covenant in this life, representing his "Present."
Her shoulders trembled gently.
That heart emitted a faint glimmer. The gentle radiance penetrated Lumine's skin, and she could still see the text carved upon it:
[Covenant Eight: Before sunset, go home and eat with Lumine]
But the sun had set thirty times.
The night was deep today.
Qiqi looked out the window, seeming to sense something. Her eyes suddenly moved. She jumped off the stool, her bare feet stepping on the wooden planks, making a patter-patter sound as she walked.
"Qiqi, don't walk on the floor barefoot," Lumine nagged subconsciously. "You'll catch a cold—"
She froze.
Lumine suddenly heard a sound—the creaking of the wooden door. The wind and rain from outside blew in; the wind chimes made a crisp sound, and the paulownia leaves rustled...
She stood up, looking toward the door subconsciously. The wooden door had been pulled open.
Rainwater still streamed down the boy's profile, dripping onto the entryway. His pale long hair was wet, like a cat whose fur had been soaked. He lowered his head, and Qiqi tried hard to stand on her tiptoes, hugging him tightly.
——On a rainy night at the turn of spring and summer, Seino Yaku pushed open the door of the wooden hut, carrying the wind and rain with him.
"I..." His chest was empty; there was still no 'heart' within it. But for some reason, he felt a slight throb of a heart, a faint warmth. He subconsciously stroked Qiqi's head, moved his lips, but didn't know what to say.
He raised his head and looked at Lumine, finding that Lumine was also watching him.
Golden eyes reflected his face.
"I..." Seino Yaku said, "I'm back."
Lumine's lips moved, but she didn't speak. Seino Yaku didn't know what was slowly dancing in her eyes... Perhaps she was angry. She certainly should be angry. He hadn't kept his promise; he had hurt her again and again. Seino Yaku knew the mistakes he had committed.
Maybe it was anger.
Lumine certainly should be angry.
He had tried to be brave again, almost died again, his heart shattered into pieces again... He said he would come home before sunset, but now sunset had passed... He had broken his word again.
Lumine stared at Seino Yaku. She had so, so many words she wanted to say, but those words reached her throat and lost their sound. She just looked at Seino Yaku. After a long while, she said:
"It's wet."
"What...?" Seino Yaku didn't understand.
"Your hair is wet." Lumine stared at Seino Yaku's pale long hair that was still dripping water. "You'll catch a cold. I told you, bring an umbrella on rainy days."
This was the first sentence after their reunion.
She didn't blame him, only said, 'It's wet.'
Just like their first reunion in this life, also on a rainy night, Lumine said to him, 'It's wet.'
"Sorry..." Seino Yaku was like an obedient cat: "I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry."
Seino Yaku lowered his head. He was still very weak, leaning barely against the doorframe, struggling to support his body. He swayed slightly. "I'm sorry."
"I was late again."
"Whether getting my hair wet or other things... I'm sorry... I made you worry again."
Lumine looked at him. "...Where did you come from?"
"Mt. Aocang."
Mt. Aocang was very high and very far. The last time they climbed Mt. Aocang, it took a large part of the day. Now it was raining outside, and Seino Yaku dragged this body back from the mountain in the rain, yet he was still late.
This idiot.
——
A faint Anemo element wrapped in warmth gently brushed over the strands of hair. Seino Yaku sat quietly on the chair. Lumine stood behind him, her slender, fair fingertips passing through his long hair, drying the wet droplets.
The firelight from the fireplace illuminated their faces.
In front of Seino Yaku was the reheated food. The slightly intoxicating fragrance mixed with the settled scent of the bamboo hut. Paimon sat to his left with hands on hips, saying strange things like "Mwahahahaha, you scoundrel..."
Since he entered the door, Qiqi had been hugging him, refusing to let go no matter what. So Seino Yaku simply placed her on his lap.
Outside was the drizzle at the turn of spring and summer. After this rain, spring would step into its finale, and midsummer would arrive.
Neither he nor Lumine spoke, only listening to the sound of rain hitting the banana leaves outside the window, quietly waiting in this time.
Seino Yaku sensed Lumine's fingers slowly stopping. He felt the girl's fingertips tremble gently, a long pause. Seino Yaku wanted to turn back, but heard the girl behind him say: "Don't look at me. Don't look at me like this..."
From the moment Seino Yaku walked in, or rather, from the moment Seino Yaku went missing, Lumine had acted very calm, very composed, as if nothing had happened.
...Until this very moment.
"...Stay quiet."
"Just don't move like this..."
"Let me lean on you for a while."
Slender hands radiating a gentle body warmth wrapped around his shoulders. Lumine hugged him from behind. They were very close; Seino Yaku could feel her moist and warm breath.
The early summer rain slanted across the window lattice between them. The firelight from the fireplace spread out, the smoky brightness enveloping them, seeming to melt the two of them. Seino Yaku could feel Lumine's fingers digging deep into his shoulders, nails almost sinking into the flesh, refusing to let go.
Separating no matter what.
"I thought you would never come back," Lumine said by his ear.
"...Sorry."
"Seino Yaku, you are a bastard."
"I am a bastard."
"An out-and-out bastard in this world."
"Sorry."
"Is 'sorry' the only thing you can say?"
"Then... thank you."
"Why say thank you again... I didn't do anything."
"Thank you for saving my life."
"I didn't do anything—I didn't save your life either."
Why say thank you... Seino Yaku didn't know either.
Some people, just by existing, just by still living in this world, are enough to save a person.
"Because..." Seino Yaku organized his wording, "Because with you here, I could return. Because I knew someone was still waiting for me, I didn't dare to die, nor dared to go mad. That's why I could return..."
Seino Yaku raised his eyes, staring earnestly at Lumine, his pupils reflecting Lumine's face. "I want to live for someone. I never want to die for someone again."
Lumine was reflected deep in his pupils.
Seino Yaku noticed Lumine's eyes move; something crystalline seemed to be dancing. She lowered her head, and the tears finally streaked across her cheeks, dripping onto the floor.
"Sorry... I made you cry."
"...You..." Lumine paused, choked with a sob, "You still only know how to say sorry?"
"Then... thank you... thank you for waiting for me, thank you for being able to cry for me."
The late spring rain fell pitter-patter.
A long while later.
"Idiot."
Lumine raised her head. She revealed a smile, the bright firelight reflected in her tear tracks. Her smile carried a radiant sorrow, just like the bits and drops of late spring rain outside the window. "Idiot."
Seino Yaku's eyes widened slightly. He felt his collar being grabbed. Miss Lumine's face was very close; their breaths melted together, and cool lips touched warm skin.
As if for eternity—
The late spring rain fell pitter-patter, but after this night passed, it would be midsummer.