Archive of Our Own ^beta

It has been a little over three months since Childe was stationed in Liyue as a diplomat in accordance with the Tsaritsa’s orders.

At first, the sudden change in environment brought him a sense of discomfort. His body was too accustomed to the bone-chilling weather of the Cryo Archon’s nation, given that he was born and raised there. Unlike his home, Liyue’s climate was warm; it was extremely so, that he had to shed a few pieces of his uniform in order to avoid suffocating to death.

However, doubts of not being able to adjust vanished for that three-month duration was enough for the likes of him to adequately adapt to the weather of the land and the everyday life as a banker, or should he say, debt collector of the Northland Bank.

The Harbinger’s daily life in Liyue consisted of a particular routine. He would wake up early in the morning and immediately change into his grey Fatui uniform, with his red scarf slung around his shoulders and mask placed on the side of his messy ginger hair. He would then have a light breakfast then leave his quarters for work.

He would spend the whole day either staying in his office or hunting down debtors, occasionally raiding hilichurl camps in the wilderness along the way. And when the day comes to an end, he would go eat dinner at some nearby restaurant, make his way back into his abode, and retire for the evening.

Childe has repeated this routine over and over again for the past months. There was nothing remotely wrong with it. The debt-collection work gave him the opportunity to blow off some steam. He even took advantage of his encounters with stubborn opponents like Treasure Hoarders to quench his thirst for battle.

But at times, he would find his days uneventful and empty. It was as if there was something vital missing. The passing days continued to become dull and repetitive. Even his occasional battles with Treasure Hoarders and hilichurls couldn’t relieve him of his boredom anymore. He couldn’t quite put his head around it nor does he really want to.

He’s not really one to use his brain at its full capacity after all.

It was another normal day for the Harbinger. The sun was yet to set after he finished his usual debt collection work, so he decided to take a short stroll around Liyue Harbor. The town was bustling with merchants and vendors beckoning nearby citizens, desperately trying to make a profit. A couple of small children were running and playing around as people made their way through the streets.

The latter scene reminded him of his home and his cute younger siblings back in Snezhnaya. The little rascals would always fail to avoid getting into small troubles. But despite their occasional naughtiness, he still thought that their attempts were so adorable that he couldn’t afford to scold them. A tiny smile made its way onto Childe’s face as he thought of them, thinking that he should try to send some more gifts and letters to them soon.

Childe continued to walk aimlessly around the Harbor, passing by stalls filled with various products and trinkets. He proceeded to stop in his tracks, one of the stalls catching his eyes. It was selling a variety of local minerals and gems. He looked at the precious stones with a small hint of brimming curiosity, signaling the stall owner to entertain him.

“Has anything caught your eye, dear sir?” the merchant smiled at him expectantly.

Childe’s eyes remained on the crystals, more specifically on a small piece of Cor Lapis, brilliantly shining akin to gold, laying down on the neatly organized stall table with other types of gems.

“These are the new batches we got from our mine. I dare say that these crystals are of the best quality that you would ever find here in Liyue Harbor,” the vendor boasted enthusiastically.

“Huh...” Childe nodded, obviously wasn’t paying attention to the merchant’s rambles. His eyes continue to linger on that particular gleaming piece of Cor Lapis.

“So, what would it be, sir? Will you be purchasing this?” the merchant’s voice snapped him back into reality.

Childe contemplated for a bit then gave the man a nod. The vendor smiled brightly at his achievement as the Harbinger proceeded to pull out a bag of Mora from his pocket.

“Keep the change,” he smiled as he exchanged it with the product. The merchant was quite flabbergasted with the amount given to him but proceeded to thank Childe for the purchase anyway.

After the occurrence, Childe made his way back into his residence, clutching in his hand the piece of Cor Lapis he just purchased on impulse. He entered his room, set aside the red mask hanging from the side of his head, and laid down on his bed.

He lifted the piece of Cor Lapis and inspected it. How peculiar , Childe thought to himself, pondering on whatever had driven him to buy the small piece of crystal on a whim while continuing to admire its glamour.

Why did I buy it though? He questioned himself. Childe was not one to buy items without giving such actions a second thought.

Was it because of the golden-like color? Was it because of how such a small piece of mineral shined so brightly? Were these qualities the ones that attracted him to make such a useless purchase?

After a few moments of dwelling on this subject, he proceeded to shrug the questions off of his mind. “No point thinking about it now,” he mumbled to himself as he set down the Cor Lapis piece on the desk beside his bed and proceeded to prepare himself to rest for the night.

~~~~~

A tall and slender man, clothed in an intricately designed dress suit adorned in golden and silver patterns, came into his field of vision. He had long, dark brown locks tied in a low ponytail, hair tips similar to that of the color of molten gold.

He had his back to the Harbinger but the air of elegance around that certain man caught Childe’s attention. He couldn’t take his eyes off of him, his gaze ever unfaltering.

It’s as if he’s a moth, unknowingly being drawn to the bright light created by the flame that is the stranger standing in front of him.

The familiar scene of the marketplace in Liyue Harbor then gradually enveloped their surroundings. The sound of the busy stalls and chattering people filled the air.

Amidst the noise, a deep, baritone voice echoed through his ears, seemingly belonging to the long-haired brunette he continued to gaze upon.

Childe was slightly stunned.

It was very pleasant to listen to. He found himself unable to give justice to describing the beauty of the man’s voice due to his lack of knowledge in flowery vocabulary. He doesn’t quite recognize the voice; however, a tinge of nostalgia, along with a heavy ache, rose inside his chest.

The voice continued to chatter away with a shadow that seemed to be taking the shape of that of the crystal merchant he had encountered during the day.

The elegant man raised his arm, in his hand clutching a small piece of Cor Lapis. He proceeded to go on a contemplative and elaborate spiel of what seemed to be the history of the golden-colored crystal. He sounded so enthusiastic, but his tone never failed to exhibit grace and modesty.

‘That person… I want to see him’, Childe thought to himself as he unconsciously reached out towards the man.

The world around them fell silent. The Harbinger only focused on the figure in front of him as he slowly stretched out his hand.

Without warning, the man suddenly turned around. Childe couldn’t quite see his face but he could see that person’s thin lips forming into a small smile as he uttered the Fatui diplomat’s name with so much familiarity.

“Ah, Childe…”

Just as his name left the man’s tongue, a bright light engulfed them as the figure the Harbinger was yearning to reach vanished into thin air.

~~~~~

Childe abruptly woke up from his slumber, breathing heavily for reasons unknown. Sweat gradually fell down from his face and neck.

“W-what the hell was that?” he told himself as he clutched his chest tightly, his other arm raised, as if trying to reach something.  His heart was racing so fast, as if he just went on a parkour marathon from Liyue Harbor to Lingjiu Pass.

All of a sudden, he felt a wet sensation on his face. He slowly brought a hand on his left cheek, feeling a stream of tears fall down.

Why was he crying? Furthermore, what was that weird dream about? A flood of questions went through his mind. He tried to think of any plausible answer but to no avail, he couldn’t.

He doesn’t know why he had that seemingly vivid dream. He doesn’t know exactly why he was crying.

He rubbed his eyes and wiped the tears from his face as he stood up from his bed. “Perhaps, I’m just homesick,” he told himself, finding solace in a conclusion that doesn’t exactly make sense, given that the setting of that lucid dream was not that of his home but instead, Liyue.

A wave of confusion and uncertainty still shadowed over him, thinking that that dream and those tears have an entirely different meaning behind them. However, he chose to quickly shove those thoughts away.

For the next several days, Childe continued on with his usual daily routine. Just as usual, he changed into his Fatui uniform, slid his red scarf around his shoulders, placed his mask on the side of his ever so messy ginger hair, and left his quarters for work.

The only thing that changed in his routine was that his mind would sometimes wander to the thought of that weird dream. He steeled himself, however, to not become too bothered by what came over to him during his sleep a couple days prior.

Another uneventful week has passed. Mountains of workload were waiting for him at the bank but he had yet to rise from his bed. He had a small urge forming inside of him to just ditch them and go out into the wilderness to hunt down some Ruin Guards.

However, duty calls. Despite being of young age, he was still a Harbinger. The Tsaritsa wouldn’t exactly be pleased if he, her Vanguard, would always slack off from doing the work that was assigned to him.

He forced himself to drag his lazy ass out of the comforts of his soft bed, hastily putting on his clothes and mask, and left his abode for work.

A few hours into his office shift, he was dawned with a realization.

He clutched his stomach as he was hunched over his desk, groaning in a low tone from the pain caused by hunger. He couldn’t comprehend the fact that he forgot to eat breakfast, something a normal human being wouldn’t exactly forget about.

Not that he was someone you can call a ‘normal human being’.

Childe perked up from his desk when he heard a knock on his office’s door. “Lord Harbinger, I have something to report,” a woman’s voice spoke from the other side, which he recognized as the bank’s receptionist, Ekaterina.

“Come in,” Childe mustered a reply, signaling the receptionist to enter his office. The Harbinger proceeded to gather the strength to properly sit up, looking presentable enough to his colleague.

“So, what is it about?” he questioned the woman, an air of authority gathering around him. Ekaterina approached her boss’s desk and set down a small stack of paper containing records of Mora lending contracts and such.

Childe sighs. “Ah, of course, debt collection again, huh,” he said to himself as he harshly eyed the pile of paper in front of him.

“Yes, sir. Out of the 10 people who have recently loaned Mora from the bank for this month, only four have successfully paid back with interest. The remaining six of the loaners have not made any significant progress in paying back their debt especially with some of their deadlines approaching. Furthermore, there are two particular loaners out of the six who haven't settled their payments that have way exceeded the duration of their deadline and still continued to withdraw Mora from the bank,” Ekaterina explained to the Harbinger.

“Huh, these people are quite shameless, aren’t they?” Childe commented. “They have the guts to even dare withhold their part of the contract, especially when they know that they’re dealing with us, the Fatui,” he smirked as he slowly picked up the stack of paper on his desk.

“Indeed, sir,” Ekaterina replied. “Thus, why it is extremely helpful for us, especially for the Northland Bank, that we have you. Your cooperation greatly benefits us in effectively accomplishing what needs to be done for managing the loans being made through our bank,” she continued.

“You flatter me,” Childe chuckled at his colleague’s comment. He stood up from his desk and faced Ekaterina, in his hand clutching the stack of paper given to him. “So, you’re implying that we do the usual,” he spoke.

“Give a friendly reminder to the four loaners about their approaching deadlines, and an even friendlier reminder to the two who haven’t shown their shameful faces and pay what they owe us,” the Harbinger grinned sarcastically, thrill running through his veins.

“Please do remember to proceed with caution, sir. We wouldn’t want the Liyue Qixing to meddle with our bank’s affairs,” Ekaterina told her boss. “The diplomatic relationship between our home country and Liyue was almost dismissed due to the previous incident that had occurred,” the receptionist bowed her head slightly.

Oh, must be because I messed with that one big wig that has been hoarding loans to frequent the Pearl Gallery , Childe thought to himself. 

“Alright, alright,” he then replied to her. He slowly walked towards the door and placed his hand on the handle. He almost forgot about the fact that he just missed the first meal of the day when all of a sudden, he felt his insides churn.

He stopped by the door and turned his face towards his colleague one last time. “I’ll be taking a short detour before paying a visit to those debtors. I wouldn’t be able to aid in ‘effectively accomplishing’ debt collecting tasks just as you’ve said on an empty stomach,” Childe told the woman.

“Noted, sir. May you have a safe trip, Lord Harbinger,” the receptionist once again bowed down her head, bidding farewell to the Harbinger. Childe waved his hand, opened the door, and walked out of the bank’s premises.

The Fatui diplomat let his feet lead him to wandering around the vicinity of Chihu Rock. He recalled passing by the area a couple times while making his way towards the Harbor’s port.

Childe was overcome with a weird feeling, similar to that when he thoughtlessly bought that one piece of Cor Lapis; the waves of emotions he felt when he was experiencing that lucid dream.

An appetizing aroma filled the air within the streets of Chihu Rock. Childe’s stomach grumbled along with the mouthwatering smell of Liyuen food and spices. He let himself be led to a small restaurant, packed with sailors and other locals who were savoring each plate of food being delivered to them.

He slowly entered the establishment, earning a few looks mixed with shock and wariness from the dining customers. Well, that was to be expected. Afterall, he was part of the Fatui and he wasn’t exactly trying to hide it.

Despite the visible hostility being directed at him, Childe paid them no mind as he made his way inside the restaurant and settled on sitting at a secluded table by the corner. A few moments later, a petite girl with braided dark hair approached his table.

“Hello there! Welcome to Wanmin Restaurant!” the girl smiled and greeted the diplomat in a jolly manner. “What would you like to order?” she asked.

Childe contemplated for a bit. He doesn’t know that much about Liyue’s cuisine but he admits that he has wanted to try different kinds of the nation’s local food for a while.

The Harbinger looked towards the girl. “Hmm, I’m quite famished. It’s my first time coming here so I don’t really know what to get. Do you have any recommendations?” Childe spoke up.

“Oh, we do, we do! I’m glad you asked!” the girl brightened up.

“We have a variety of meat and fish dishes on the menu for today! We’ve got some Jueyun Chili Chicken, Matsutake Meat Rolls, Black Back Perch Stew, and Squirrel Fish. There’s also Jade Parcels, Jewelry Soup, and Springvale Boar, some new additions. Oh, but if these dishes aren’t up to your alley, we are willing to take special made orders! It’s what makes our restaurant different from high-end ones!” the girl replied energetically, talking without even pausing for a breath of air.

Childe chuckled at the passionate and fiery attitude of the young girl. “Well then, I guess I’ll be taking…” he paused for a moment, bringing a hand to his chin. “Matsutake Meat Rolls, Jade Parcels, and lastly, a specially made bowl of Calla Lily Seafood Soup,” he continued.

“Oh, a dish from Mondstadt! Interesting choice, mister!” the bubbly girl commented. “One serving of Matsutake Meat Rolls, Jade Parcels, and Calla Lily Seafood Soup, coming right up!” The girl then whisked herself away from Childe’s table and went to the kitchen section of the restaurant.

The Harbinger patiently waited for his ordered dishes to be served onto his table. As he did, he let his eyes wander around the scenery outside the restaurant. It was currently midday. Locals, merchants, foreigners— different types of people were roaming through the streets, wearing bright smiles on their faces.

Large numbers of people from different parts of Teyvat have been pouring into Liyue Harbor due its fame of being a prosperous city leading in commerce. The land itself was also popular for its rich culture and history, luring tourists in for them to learn and experience life in the Liyue at first hand.

Childe wouldn’t be lying when he says that Liyue Harbor, or should he say Liyue in general, truly is a sight to behold. If the eternally cold nation of Snezhnaya and its vast snowy scenery made people gape at its otherworldly frosting beauty, Liyue’s mountainous landscape gave forth a sense of comfort with its warm scenery enveloping everything around them. The diplomat certainly felt the same as the latter.

“Here are your orders, mister!” The dark-haired girl walked towards Childe’s table and served his long awaited food. “By the way, I added a little bit of something to the Calla Lily Seafood Soup! A mixture of Snezhnayan and Liyuen twists! A taste of home and a taste of something new for a foreigner such as yourself! Enjoy!” the bubbly girl said as she placed the last ordered dish on the Harbinger’s table and dashed away to serve other customers.

The aroma of the food was divine, especially to someone as hungry as Childe. After half an hour of waiting, he could finally have his fill. He directed his attention to his table in search of utensils so that he could begin eating. There was, however, only a pair of chopsticks and a soup spoon; no signs of the typical spoon and fork that Childe usually used when dining.

“Uh, excuse me,” Childe beckoned the dark-haired girl who was still busy serving the other customers. The girl took notice and proceeded to approach Childe.

“Is there something the matter, mister?” she looked at the diplomat questioningly.

“Do you have any other utensils? Like, a spoon and fork I suppose?” Childe asked the young girl.

The latter shook her head and replied, “Sorry, mister. We only have chopsticks here…”

Looking dejected, Childe waved a hand at her. “Is that so? Guess I don’t have much of a choice,” he said to her. “Thanks, anyway,” he continued, allowing the girl to relax and return to what she was previously doing.

Childe admired the nation of Liyue. He really did! But if there was one thing that would bother him is that they have this pair of sticks as utensils, his obstacle in trying to fully enjoy food without having to worry about his dexterity. Despite the hardship, he still took on the challenge.

Childe grasped the chopsticks from his table and proceeded to clumsily grab a Matsutake Meat Roll from the food platter. He failed, however, to grip the utensils properly, leading to him accidentally dropping the meat roll, rolling as it fell to the ground. The Harbinger found this quite irritating. He really couldn’t enjoy good food without letting it go to waste, all because of his inability to use chopsticks.

Determined to not waste any of his food anymore, he stabbed a meat roll from the platter using the chopsticks and brought it to his mouth. The taste was as great as the smell. Childe couldn’t stop himself from savoring every last bit of it. The diplomat did just the same thing with the other dishes, ignoring the way the locals dining in the restaurant looked at him with disbelief as he pierced his food with the Liyuen utensils he had at hand.

As he continued enjoying his meal in a not so proper way, Childe felt something tug from the back of his mind; an underlying thought that there was supposed to be someone scolding him right now, guiding his unpracticed hands in properly picking up pieces of the dishes on his table.

But it felt weird. 

Because, he knew for a fact, that there wasn’t anyone like that, especially in all his time in Liyue. 

A growing sense of discomfort made its way into his chest. He recalled the same pain he experienced as he woke up from the vivid dream he had a week ago.

No, I shouldn’t think about that , Childe thought to himself as he took a spoonful of soup and brought it to his mouth. He doesn’t want to be bothered by such strange thoughts anymore. Therefore, once again, Childe decided to shrug it off.

As soon as Childe finished having his meal, he went on with his pending debt collection work. Just as he previously said, he gave a ‘friendly’ reminder to loaners whose deadlines were just around the corner and an even ‘friendlier’ reminder to the two stubborn bastards who had the audacity to disregard their debts; the usual way he does things during his work.

Dealing with the latter two became a bit messy, though.

The first one burned his documents and attempted to run away. However, Childe dealt with it swiftly, giving a fitting punishment to the man and taking all of his remaining possessions to consider his debt cleared.

The second one courageously called for the Milelleth and made accounts of Childe’s ‘unlawful’ actions. His claims were negated, however, when the diplomat, much to their dismay, showed the official documents and contract that the man signed, ultimately leading to him gaining a bigger fine.

Liyue was not just known as a prosperous land of commerce but also as the ‘City of Contracts’. It’s citizens highly valued contracts above all, in accordance with the very nature of the archon that founded the land.

People of the City of Contracts broke contracts themselves . Childe muses at the irony.

Regardless of the events that have transpired, the day for the Harbinger was overall tiring; not in a physical way but in a mental way. Childe thought of wanting to have a fight with some mobs in the wilderness but the exhaustion he was currently experiencing made him reconsider.

The diplomat quickly dropped by the Northland Bank, dealt with a bit of paperwork, and went on his way back into his residence. He immediately went into his room, removed his outer clothing, and tossed his mask on to the desk. He then proceeded to collapse on the soft cushions of his bed and slowly closed his eyes, dozing off into slumber.

~~~~~

Childe found himself enveloped in the familiar scene of Chihu Rock. He took notice of the fact that he was seated in one of the tables belonging to Third Round Knockout, a tavern situated just near Wanmin Restaurant. 

He looked around, processing the view. He was aware that it was only a dream but confusion as to why it was so vivid hunted him. Then, his eyes landed on a figure sipping a cup of tea, sitting across him.

‘It’s him,’ Childe thought as he gaped at the sight of the man. It was the same person that he had encountered in the dream he had a few weeks before. The very same tall, slender, and elegant brunette who unknowingly enchanted him with his grace and charming voice.

The diplomat fretted, however, due to the fact that he couldn’t clearly perceive the man’s face. A soft blur covered some of his features, only leaving his soft, thin lips for Childe to gaze at. 

The way the man smiled, slowly bringing his teacup towards the tip of his lips and ever so elegantly drinking from it was... alluring. Childe couldn’t help but gawk at him. Realizing his actions, the Harbinger quickly turned his face away, feeling it heat up.

‘What the fuck are you thinking about a stranger, Tartaglia?!’ he mentally cussed to himself as he put both of his hands on his face, a sad attempt of hiding his blushing expression. In the midst of his internal crisis, he heard the man speak up. 

“Childe, are you alright?” the man asked him, tone filled with concern.

The diplomat turned to face him, still bothered by the fact that he couldn’t exactly make eye contact with his companion, and mustered a reply.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me,” Childe smiled, slowly setting down his arms. The response that he gave to the man felt natural and intimate, in a way. It was as if he had done it a thousand times before; as if the man in front of him wasn’t just a simple stranger.

“Is that so? That’s good,” the man spoke. “It would be a shame if you weren’t feeling well. You wouldn’t be able to have the opportunity to enjoy more of Liyuen cuisine, especially with a talented chef like Xiangling tending to the kitchen for today.”

Childe was pondering over the mentioned name as a jolly voice approached their table. “Ah! Mister Consultant! You’re with a companion today!” The Harbinger was slightly startled when the dark-haired girl who he encountered during his trip to Chihu Rock during the day appeared.

“Ah, Xiangling. It’s pleasant to see you,” the brunette turned towards the girl. “Nice to see you too! So, what’s going to be your order for today?” Xiangling brightened up as she asked the man.

The latter turned towards his companion. “Childe, do you have any preferences?” he asked.

Childe paused for a moment, thinking of what to say. Then all of a sudden, his mouth moved on its own, forming words without giving him a second to spare.

“I’m fine with anything so long as it’s good,” he smiled. “I’ll be leaving the orders to you,” he continued; each word felt foreign to Childe, but at the same time, familiar.

“Very well then,” the man responded as he flashed the diplomat with a small smile. The man began stating their orders, bringing up several dishes that he coincidentally had before. “We’ll be taking Matsuke Meat Rolls, Jade Parcels, Jewelry Soup, Qingce Stir Fry, Jueyun Chili Chicken, and a specially made Bamboo Shoot Soup. Enough for a meal between two people.”

“We also have some Salt and Pepper Tofu and Springvale Boar on the menu for today! Would you like to try them?” the young chef suggested to the man. “Ah, we’ll be taking those as well,” the brunette replied, shocking Childe with the already large amount of dishes that he has ordered for them.

“Alright, we’ll be serving them in no time!” Xiangling said in glee as she skipped her way back to Wanmin’s kitchen. With the girl leaving to take charge of the orders that the man had placed, it was once again just the two of them, sitting across each other.

Childe awkwardly looked at the man, his expression unchanging. A series of questions popped into his mind.

‘Who is he?’

‘Do I know him?’

‘Have I met him?’

The questions were as endless as the diplomat’s confusion. He pondered over them as he continued to gaze at the man and his every action. A wave of nostalgia once again coursed inside of him. But this time, instead of pain, it brought him... fondness? He couldn’t quite grasp what it was.

After what felt like an eternity, the food that they have ordered has been served one by one. All of them looked extremely delectable that Childe couldn’t help himself from mentally drooling over them. However, he encountered a small obstacle for him to be able to enjoy the served dishes.

Chopsticks— his sworn enemies.

“Food looks good and all, but…” Childe looked towards the brunette. “do they really only have chopsticks here?” he continued, face scrunching up in a troubled expression.

The man chuckled, making the Harbinger a bit embarrassed about his query. “You will need to be adept with chopsticks if you are to truly appreciate Liyue’s gastronomy, Childe,” the brunette said as he took another sip from his cup of tea.

‘Guess I don’t have much of a choice,’ Childe thought to himself as he tried to clumsily grip the chopsticks. He slowly moved towards the food platter and tried to take a piece of Jade Parcels. He struggled to pick up the food but to his surprise, he succeeded. 

The Harbinger felt a sense of accomplishment inside of him as he slowly moved the food towards his mouth. However, the celebration was short-lived. He accidentally lost his grip and dropped the piece of food on his lap.

At that moment, Childe looked like a kicked puppy as he eyed the wasted piece of Jade Parcel on his thighs. The sound of a quiet laugh rang through his ears as he lifted his head up to look at the brunette only to witness him laugh at his expense.

“Hey, it’s quite rude to make fun of someone’s failure, you know,” Childe told him, lips forming into a small pout.

“Ah, apologies,” the man lifted a hand and cupped his chin, slowly stifling his laughter. “I couldn’t help but find your clumsy attempt very endearing.” the brunette smiled as he slowly stood up from his seat. He proceeded to walk towards Childe’s side of the table. He then bent down and took the diplomat’s hand, which was holding the god forsaken chopsticks, and held it in his.

Childe went stiff, bewildered by the brunette’s sudden actions. He could feel his face heating up once again as the elegant man fixed his grip on the utensils and guided him to take a piece of Matsutake Meat Rolls from the food platter.

“There. Now, you will not have to worry about dropping your food anymore,” the man uttered as his hand parted with Childe’s, allowing the latter to bring the food up to his mouth and eat it.

‘Somehow, this feels all too familiar,’ Childe thought to himself as he chewed and relished the meat roll, a sense of deja vu creeping up within him.

“Is the taste to your liking?” the brunette asked Childe as he made his way back to his seat.

“Yeah, it’s great,” Childe replied.

“Wonderful. When Xiangling is cooking, it would be far more appealing to go to Wanmin Restaurant, as opposed to Xinyue Kiosk or Liyue Pavilion. It was a good idea to have brought you here with me,” the man said as he picked up his chopsticks. He then faced Childe and smiled.

Something about his smile always tugged on Childe’s heart, making it soften and ache at the same time. He has never felt like this, not even towards someone from his family. A complex mixture of emotions was swirling inside him.

“Well then, shall we continue dining?” the man said.

Childe unconsciously smiled back.

“Sure.”

~~~~~

Childe slowly opened his eyes, teardrops trailing down on both sides of his face.

Ah, he cried again , he thought as he rose up from his bed and wiped his tears.

He had a dream again. It lasted longer compared to the previous one. And most of all, “That man…” Childe mumbled to himself as he remembered the brunette he met in his visions.

It was the second time he had encountered him within his sleep. Childe thought it was weird. 

The first time he met that person was within the scenery of Liyue Harbor’s marketplace. But this time, it was Chihu Rock.

A thought popped into Childe’s mind. He quickly scrambled towards the edge of his bed, stood up, and approached his desk. He opened the tiny drawer and quickly took the piece of Cor Lapis he recalled that he bought from the marketplace.

Was it just a coincidence?

Childe first had the dream that involved that mysterious brunette the night after he bought the small piece of crystal on impulse. Childe dreamt again the night after he first dined at Wanmin Restaurant.

It was as if particular things that Childe does during the day would trigger those dreams. This never happened to him before he set foot in Liyue.

Was this some kind of ancient Liyuen magic or something? Childe thought of a conjecture.

There was a possibility. But at the same time, he doubted it. He knew for a fact that he didn't attempt to anger any mythical creature or god that resides in Liyue. He's been very good during his time within its lands.

Well, 'good' as in he didn't kill anything remotely human, yet.

Childe continued to look at the piece of Cor Lapis on his hand, thinking back to the thought he had a couple weeks ago, when he first experienced these vivid dreams.

There really was something more to them and Childe intended to figure it out.

As days, weeks, and months went on, Childe continued to have these recurring dreams. And in each of them, he kept encountering that particular elegant brunette.

The settings, however, would change from time to time. Coincidentally, these were places that the Harbinger had been to prior to the occurrences of those dreams.

In one dream, they were taking a stroll along the road of Feiyun Slope with Childe listening to the man ramble about numerous trivia about Liyue. In another, they were shopping at Mingxing Jewelry with Childe laughing at the man for being so clumsy with handling Mora.

Every word, action, and expressions that Childe made when conversing with the man came out naturally without him even trying to think about them. It was like he was in control, but at the same time, it was like he was just a spectator to the activities that they were partaking in.

Affection, longing, pain, sadness; he felt various emotions when he came across that person within his dreams. 

But, he couldn’t understand why. 

He couldn’t understand why he felt fond of his little antics. He couldn’t understand why he felt sad at the sight of him. He couldn’t understand why he longed for him.

Every time he woke up, tears would stream down his face. On some occasions, the tears would be accompanied by haggard breathing as he would clutch his chest tightly. However, he would still fail to understand the reason behind them.

He didn’t know the man’s name nor could he clearly see his face. Nonetheless, he looked forward to continuously meeting that mysterious person in his sleep. He found himself enjoying his company, even if there was an underlying thought deep within his mind that the brunette may be just a figment of his imagination.

At some point, Childe decided to find out whether or not that man exists in reality. He just couldn’t settle on the fact that he may have just made that person up. He also thought that maybe, just maybe, that person could explain why he was having those weird yet nostalgic dreams.

Childe made use of his position to order some of the Fatui men within the vicinity to search and gather information about the brunette that kept appearing in his dreams. They were a bit skeptical about it but, nevertheless, obeyed the orders they got from their superior.

He also began frequenting various places he found himself in within his dreamscape more. 

During lunch, he made it a routine to dine at Wanmin Restaurant. He still had a lot of trouble using chopsticks but that didn’t stop him from dining there. Every time he finished work for the day, he would roam around the streets of Liyue Harbor’s marketplace. He would buy whatever caught his eye and send some of them home as gifts to his little siblings. When he found himself worn off from collecting debt, he would take a short stroll through Feiyun Slope before returning to Northland Bank.

Childe came to realize that he became quite attached to the man, despite not knowing if he even existed in real life. He couldn’t help but be continuously drawn to his grace that knew no bounds, to his soothing voice that made endless trivias about Liyue, to his trivial fascination with antiques and crystals, to his carelessness when it comes to Mora, and to his small smiles that never failed to make the diplomat’s heart flutter in awe.

Both excitement and anxiety flowed within him.

Will he be the same when I get to meet him, not in a dream, but in real life?

Childe was sitting in his office, a hand under his chin as he flipped through numerous papers on his desk. 

He was bored, awfully so. 

For some reason, he stopped having those dreams a few weeks ago. Ever since the second one, he had been constantly having those visions for months. But all of a sudden, it ceased, leaving Childe in a state of confusion.

He couldn’t see the regal brunette in his sleep anymore.

His investigation about the man also yielded no significant results. He had ordered his men to search far and wide within Liyue but they all reported no sighting of any man who fitted his descriptions. Disappointment coursed through Childe’s veins when they relayed that information to him.

Was he not real after all? 

The Harbinger’s hopes and excitement in meeting the man were crushed.

The thought of not being able to meet that person anymore brought an ache to his chest. He would admit that he had gotten so fond of that brunette that he couldn’t imagine how his life was before he encountered him in his dreams. Meeting that mysterious yet familiar man in his visions added life to his previously dull routine.

Childe suddenly felt restless.

He hastily stood up from his chair, some of the papers falling from his desk. He directed towards the door and exited his office.

“Ekaterina, I’ll be out for a bit. Take care of the remaining paperwork for me,” he said to the receptionist before he finally left the Northland Bank’s premises.

Childe let his feet lead him from the streets of Liyue Harbor into the wilderness. The urge to quench his sudden thirst for battle pumped up the adrenaline within him. Slimes, hilichurls, geovishaps— he cut down any mobs he came across his path.

The distant scene of Lingjiu Pass came into view as Childe halted, the blood of the monsters he fought off dripping down his blades. The Hydro daggers he had in hand dispersed as he sat down on a large rock nearby.

It was bothering him— the knowledge that he may not be able to see that elegant man again within his dreams. 

A part of him argued that the man may be just in fact a product of his mind and that there was no point of becoming anymore attached to him. Another part of him continued to hope and yearn for the man’s presence, as if that man meant everything in the world to him.

He ran his gloved hand through his messy ginger hair, his eyebrows tensing. Both his head and chest were aching from the flood of thoughts that were crashing with each other within the depths of his mind. The ache was more agonizing than any wound he gained over years of fighting and bloodshed.

“They were just fucking dreams! Why the fuck am I so hung up about them!” Childe cussed out in a fit from the pain, gripping his hair and chest tightly.

Without warning, the sound of several mechanical gears reverberated around him. The noise snapped him out of his thoughts as he found himself surrounded by three Ruin Guards, slowly rising up on their feet. They seemed to have been woken up from their deep slumber due to Childe’s furious outburst.

Childe immediately stood up and summoned his Hydro blades, getting into a stance to prepare for a fight. The Ruin Guards gave him no time to attack and positioned themselves around him, firing missiles at the Harbinger, one by one. Childe swiftly dodged, evading each projectile that was targeted at him.

He then ran up to one of the Ruin Guards, ducked as it swung its arms around, and slashed its leg, causing the machine to stagger and lose its footing. He quickly stood up and stabbed its eye as deep as he could, destroying the ancient machine in the process.

That was one down.

He turned around to observe the remaining two Ruin Guards. For a moment, he was puzzled why he only saw one, positioning itself to fire missiles at him. That was when he saw a big shadow above him, falling down.

“Shit!”

Childe whisked himself to the side, barely able to avoid getting crushed as the missing Ruin Guard landed with a big thud. The other Ruin Guard then shot explosive projectiles at his direction just as he was trying to recover. He quickly stood up and narrowly dodged them.

He failed to notice, however, that there was another wave of missiles directed at him. The explosion sent Childe flying back, his clothes partially burnt, blood trickling down his face, and wounds all over his body.

It hurt like a bitch . The Harbinger gritted his teeth as he wiped the blood off his face. 

Fighting one Ruin Guard was doable. He could kill it without a sweat. But, taking on three at a time would be a tough challenge. Childe wasn’t complaining though.

Adrenaline rushed through his veins as an unhinged grin made its way on his face. He couldn’t think of anything else at the moment, just the urge to dig his blades into the enemies before him.

He took his Delusion, the red mask that resided on the side of his hair, and wore it on his face. The air crackled with the electricity, his empty ocean blue eyes changed into a shade of deep purple.

The two Ruin Guards slowly stomped their way to Childe, their arms spinning along with their upper bodies. The Harbinger summoned a spear made out of Electro energy and clutched it tightly in his gloved hand. When the Ruin Guards’ actions halted, Childe charged towards, lunging his polearm into one of the machines

He successfully pierced its body, a purple Riptide Mark appearing where he had stabbed it. The other Ruin Guard swung its arms and tried to smash Childe but with the help of his Delusion, the Harbinger was able to evade it with sheer speed. He then teleported behind it and severed its arm with his spear, a purple Riptide Mark appearing on its shoulder.

Childe harnessed a large amount of Electro energy into his polearm and swung his weapon, slashing the two Ruin Guards. The ancient machines collapsed on the ground, smoke coming from their bodies. The Harbinger took his time to observe them and finally relaxed when he confirmed that he had successfully destroyed them.

Childe took off his mask, his eyes turning back to its usual color, and his spear, along with the Electro energy around him, dissipating. He tried to catch his breath, groaning as the pain from his wounds resurfaced.

“Haha, that got me all riled up,” Childe told himself as he leaned against a nearby tree, keeping himself from staggering.

However, he tensed up when he heard the familiar sound of mechanical gears turning. A Ruin Hunter emerged out of nowhere, hovering up in the sky.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” he cursed out, trying to muster the strength to get away.

But he couldn’t. There, he just continued to lean on the tree, his vision blurry and his legs unable to take even one step away from the approaching Ruin Hunter. Just as the machine suddenly thrusted its spinning blade towards Childe, he blacked out.

~~~~~

Childe slowly opened his eyes. It felt heavy— really heavy— but he did his best to do so. As his vision became clear, he witnessed a white scenery. The air against his face felt cold. His whole body felt like it was enveloped in snow.

It was weird. Wasn’t he in Liyue?

Childe tried to observe more of his surroundings to the best that he could.

Blood... the scent of blood and frost filled the air. He can vaguely perceive crimson staining the snow-covered ground as frozen corpses lay silently. White flakes continue to fall as the sound of clanking metal and war-cries fade into the background.

He was on the battlefield.

Snezhnaya has fallen. The Tsaritsa, along with her people, received divine punishment from Celestia for defying its will and waging war against it. The Fatui slowly crumbled, his fellow Harbingers fell one by one, and Her Majesty was suffering terribly under Celestia’s wrath.

...

Why does he know this?

...

Wait.

That’s wrong.

They haven’t waged war against Celestia yet. They haven’t finished all the necessary preparations for it.

‘What am I seeing?’ Childe thought to himself as he tried to move his body. He couldn’t budge, no matter what he did. He just stayed still, letting the snow embrace his form.

The world around him came to a silence. The noise created by weapons clanging slowly disappeared. The quiet was deafening. It made him numb. But at the same time, it felt comfortable.

Childe’s vision gradually became clouded. His eyes once again felt heavy. He wanted to go to sleep. Sleep— and then what?

Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps coming closer. It was approaching him. Childe gathered the strength to keep his eyes from closing, wanting to see who was walking towards him. His blurry vision perceived a tall, and slender figure, slowly coming to his direction.

‘Who?’ Childe thought as he stared at the silhouette.

A pair of legs stopped in front of his line of sight. Childe wanted to see who it was, but he couldn’t move his body. The figure then knelt down and Childe felt like he was being enveloped in a gentle warmth.

‘Ah, it’s him.’

The elegant man Childe was yearning for appeared before him and took his freezing body within his arms. His embrace was warm, like the climate of Liyue that he had grown fond of during the past several months that he was stationed there.

It was more comfortable than the chilling coldness that he felt earlier.

Childe’s head was propped near the man’s chest. He could hear his soft breathes and his rhythmic heartbeats. It was soothing and calming. Childe slowly closed his eyes, finding solace within the man’s arms.

Then, all of a sudden, he felt a warm, wet sensation dripping on his face. Curious, he opened his eyes and mustered the strength to tilt his head so he could see where it was coming from. The Harbinger's face met with the man's, and the former's eyes widened in awe.

Two amber orbs shining as bright as gold gazed at him, long lashes fluttering gently every time they blink. Vermillion rouge delicately painted around small eyelids, highlighting the eyes’ gleaming hue. Hair tips of molten gold glowed softly, illuminating red tinted porcelain cheeks as tear drops trailed down them.

Childe could only think of one word to describe the man’s beauty— ethereal.

Finally— he could finally see him clearly.

The Harbinger was delighted. However, the sight of the man’s tears troubled him.

‘Why are you crying?’ Childe wanted to speak out but he couldn’t. He wanted to tell him that it’s alright, that there’s nothing that he should be crying about. But, he couldn’t move his mouth; his voice wouldn’t come out.

Instead, Childe shakily raised his hand and placed it on the man’s face, caressing it as gently as he could, despite trembling.

The man’s eyes widened. And in that moment, his face twisted sorrowfully, more tears streaming down from his eyes, falling on Childe’s face.

“I’m sorry.”

‘It’s okay.’

“I’m sorry, Childe.”

‘It’s not your fault.’

“Don’t leave me.”

‘I won’t.’

“I beg you.”

‘I promise.’

“Please…”

‘It’s okay. It’s not your fault. I won’t leave you. I promise. That’s why…

Don’t cry.’

The man’s hold became tighter as broken sobs poured out from him. His amber eyes were red and puffy, his face messy from the smudged rouge caused by his tears. He held onto the hand Childe had placed on his face, feeling for the remaining warmth that it had.

Childe couldn’t bear it. The sight made his heart ache, painfully so.

The underlying desire to comfort the man lingered within him, but Childe found his energy slowly being taken away. He suddenly felt tired. The numbness he experienced earlier returned.

‘No,’ Childe wanted to resist it.

‘Not yet,’ he pleaded.

‘Let me be with him a little longer,’ he tried to fight the surfacing weariness.

‘I promised not to leave him,’ he felt his consciousness gradually fading away.

‘Wait,’ his vision started to fade.

‘Zhongli,’ his body felt heavy.

‘Zhongli…’ his strength is vanishing.

~~~~~

“Zhongli!”

Childe shouted out, jolting up from the covers. He clutched his chest, his heart racing so fast as he panted and gasped for air. The strain, however, sent his entire body crying with immense pain, making him collapse back down the mattress.

“What the- where am I?” Childe said as he grunted from the throbbing ache he was experiencing. He was covered in bandages, from head to toe.

The Harbinger scanned his surroundings. He was in some kind of room, lying down on white covers. The interior was Liyuen so he assumed that he was back at the Harbor.

He ran a hand through his hair, gripping his head as a pounding pain suddenly flared up.

“Lord Harbinger!” he heard a woman’s voice, exclaiming his title, entering the room.

“Ekaterina?” Childe spoke up, managing to sit up to face his subordinate.

“This place- where?” he asked, his face scrunching up because of his headache.

“You’re back at the Northland Bank, sir,” Ekaterina replied as she walked towards her superior.

“You were found unconscious and critically wounded by patrolling Millelith soldiers stationed near Lingjiu Pass. They reported that along with you, there were Ruin Guard and Ruin Hunter carcasses at the scene.”

Ah, that was right. He vaguely remembered fighting a bunch of Ruin Guards. But, anything after that was a blur. Except for that weird dream.

“The Liyue Qixing requested a meeting at Liuli Pavilion to compensate for having you, with your diplomatic status, harmed within Liyue’s domain,” the receptionist continued. She looked like she wanted to ask her superior what happened to him when he was found in such a state, but she didn’t pry any further.

“Is that so?” Childe propped himself up, leaning against the bed’s headboard.

“Yes, sir. They have scheduled the meeting within five days in consideration of your recovery rate,” Ekaterina told him.

“Alright. Go, you’re dismissed,” Childe commanded the woman.

“Very well then. Please call on either me or Andrei when you are in need of something, sir,” Ekaterina nodded and bowed at the Harbinger before leaving the room.

Childe looked up at the ceiling, thinking about the series of events that occurred to him. He was a wreck. He totally got his ass handed to him by those ancient metal scraps for machines.

His mind then wandered off to the vision he had before waking up.

He remembered.

He remembered the sight of his home slowly being destroyed. He remembered the stench of blood along the frosty air filing his lungs. He remembered the cold and numb feeling that overtook his body.

He remembered the pained and sorrowful expression that Zhongli had on his face.

“Childe.”

Another pounding headache came over Childe, catching him off guard. A flash of images flooded within his mind. He recognized them.

“Childe, come over here,” Zhongli stopped by one of the stalls and called for his name.

“Yeah?” Childe immediately turned his attention to the man.

Zhongli traced his hand on a pair of chopsticks placed in a black casket. “This pair of ornate chopsticks… It exhibits such a high level of artistry. The craftsman must have put so much care in not just the structure itself, but also the details of the dragon and phoenix ornamentation.”

Childe’s eye fell onto the object by the man’s hand. “It does look really pretty,” he said as he observed the pair of chopsticks.

“It seems that you like it. Then, consider it as, ah, a gift from me,” Zhongli smiled at the Fatui Harbinger, his cheeks turning a light shade of red.

“Oh, what’s this, Mr. Zhongli? You’re going to pay for it? How rare!” Childe smiled back at the man in a playful manner, earning a small chuckle from the man.

“Consider it as a token of my appreciation for always accompanying me on my small trips. It could also serve as a tool for you to practice your lacking skills in using chopsticks,” Zhongli said as he turned towards Childe.

“Well, who am I to refuse a heartfelt gift from you, Mr. Zhongli.”

They were fragments— fragments of memories he knew he had.

Wait, what?

How does he-

“Childe…”

Before he could even contemplate on the flashbacks he just had, Childe’s head throbbed painfully once again, making him clutch his temples in agony.

Childe held his stomach, laughing out loud as if there was no tomorrow.

“Childe, I believe it’s quite rude of you to laugh so loudly like that,” Zhongli pouted, his eyebrows creasing as he looked at the Harbinger.

“Sorry but, it’s just funny how you forgot to bring Mora with you again for the fifth time this week, especially when you said that you’ll remember to bring it today,” Childe snorted as he wiped a tear from his eye.

“The thought just simply slipped my mind,” Zhongli retorted.

Childe continued to chuckle as he looked at the man’s adorable expressions. “Alright, alright. I’ll pay.”

“Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly depend on you again, especially when this gift is meant for you,” Zhongli told Childe, guilt in his tone.

“Don’t worry ‘bout it. Besides, I don’t mind paying for you. Let’s say that I even like doing so,” the last sentence was uttered like a whisper.

“Pardon?” Zhongli looked at Childe questioningly.

The Harbinger slightly panicked as he put a hand behind his head. “Ah, oh, it’s nothing, haha.”

Another wave of images flashed in his mind.

“These are-”

Childe’s thoughts were a mess. Why was he seeing these? Why were these so familiar? And, that name… that face… Zhongli? Who’s Zhongli? The elegant man he had always been meeting through his dreams… 

...is he this Zhongli?

At that moment, Childe finally understood.

The reason why he kept having those weird dreams, why he kept feeling nostalgia through them, the reason why he longed for that man; he finally understood the reason behind them.

The events that took place within his visions— he had experienced all of them first hand.

Childe had already lived through his current life before and those images, those dreams, were bits and pieces of memories he had of the time he spent with the man, no, god that he came to hold dear to his heart.

Childe was mostly left with his own thoughts during his recuperation. Aside from the pounding headache he would get every moment, the flashbacks and dreams occurred more often compared to before. Fragments of a life he previously lived were constantly being dumped at him, especially in moments he least expected it. He didn’t find it annoying though. Instead, he accepted them, looking forward to remembering more of what he seemed to have forgotten about.

There wasn’t an exact order to how Childe would recall his past, or should he say his future. His recovered memories came to him randomly. Just like what he would previously experience, even the smallest and most trivial thing would trigger his flashbacks. As if everything around him— everything in Liyue— reminded the Harbinger of him.

With his newly found knowledge, Childe wondered if he could finally have the opportunity to see Zhongli. Finally being able to clearly see his face and learn of his name just fueled his newly found, no, long harbored affections for the amber-eyed man.

Childe swore that he would find Zhongli. In this life, he would promise to stay by Zhongli’s side, no matter what would be bound to happen in the future.

In a blink of an eye, five days have passed since Childe’s incident. The day when he would be meeting with someone from the Qixing came. The Harbinger’s recovery was hastened just in time with the help of designated healers among the group of Fatui stationed alongside them in Liyue.

Childe, along with some of his agents, arrived at Liuli Pavilion, the meeting place that the Qixing had arranged. A couple of Millelith soldiers were stationed outside, signifying that the person he had to meet was already inside. As he entered the establishment, he was met with a piercing glare from a familiar purple-haired woman.

“Oh, this is unexpected. It’s an honor to have an audience with the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing herself,” Childe sneered as he approached the young woman.

Keqing didn’t say anything to the remark that the Harbinger made and merely gave him an irritated look.

“Miss Ningguang is busy with other affairs at the Jade Chamber right now, thus why she sent me instead,” the Yuheng said to Childe.

She just doesn’t want to see me ‘cause she can’t stand me , the diplomat thought to himself.

“Anyways, take a seat. We’ll get straight to the point,” Keqing shifted to a polite tone, making Childe snicker.

The Harbinger strode towards the table where the Yuheng was seated at. It was set near the restaurant’s windows, bright rays of the sunlight piercing through them. The sight was somehow familiar.

He slowly took the seat in front of the woman and set his hands on the table.

“Shall we?” Childe plastered a smile on his face as he looked at Keqing.

The latter rolled her eyes and took out a scroll from her person as she started talking.

The Yuheng’s voice faded into the background as Childe’s mind drifted off elsewhere. He could honestly care less about what the Qixing wanted to talk about. Their hostility, especially the Yuheng’s, towards the Fatui was something that the Harbinger could clearly see, even if they tried to mask it with business smiles and courteous words.

Instead of listening to the purple-haired woman, Childe thought of Zhongli. He knew that most of his memories hadn’t returned yet, given the fact that he had only a little knowledge as to where to find the brunette. His thoughts shifted to worry when he remembered how he failed to get any information on him when he previously sent his men out to investigate him.

As he was wandering in his own world, an unrelenting pain in his head flared up without warning.

Their first encounter was in Liuli Pavilion, seated at a table by the windows, sunlight piercing through them.

“You must be the Fatui diplomat that had just arrived a week prior. I am Zhongli, a consultant from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Childe was met face to face with a handsome and elegant amber-eyed man.

The Harbinger smiled at the consultant. “Indeed, I am. You can call me Childe, by the way. It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Mr. Zhongli.”

Childe groaned, clutching his head as the pain aggravated.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Mr. Childe, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, don’t mind it,” Childe replied as he felt his headache slowly disappeared.

Keqing shot him a look of disbelief but immediately shrugged it off, continuing to what she was talking about earlier.

“As I’ve said earlier, the Liyue Qixing sends their heartfelt apologies for letting your incident happen. We will surely strive to improve our security so as to not let it happen again,” the Yuheng finished as she rose up from her seat.

“That is all that her Lady, the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, had to extend to you. May you have a safe trip back to the Northland Bank,” the last sentence was said half-heartedly as Keqing walked towards the restaurant’s door and exited the establishment.

“That was it? She certainly didn’t look remorseful at all,” Childe blurted out as he stood up from his seat.

As he walked off, he thought back to what had happened to him earlier. It was another flashback.

“So this was where we actually first met each other,” Childe mumbled as he exited Liuli Pavilion’s premises.

The Harbinger stopped in his tracks, a realization popping in his mind. ‘Wangsheng Funeral Parlor… Of course! How could I forget about that!’ he thought to himself.

He could try his luck and find Zhongli at his workplace.

“You guys can go ahead and return to the bank,” Childe turned towards his agents and ordered them.

“What about you, sir?” one of Fatui agents spoke up.

“I’ll be stopping by someplace else first. Go and tell Ekaterina that the meeting went well,” the Harbinger told them.

“Understood, sir,” both agents saluted before turning their heels and leaving.

Just as his agents left, Childe made his way through the streets of Feiyun Slope to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Excitement sparked within him. At the same, anxiety creeped up in his mind.

Wait, how should I greet him? Does he even remember me like how I remembered him? What if he doesn’t? Should I get him a gift on the way? What if he gets creeped out?

Childe’s mind was plagued with sudden worries. But before he could even sort them out, his feet had already led him in front of the funeral parlor’s doorsteps.

His heart was racing. Childe didn't really know if he’s truly ready to face Zhongli in this life; not in a dream, not in his occasional flashbacks, but instead, in person, in their current reality.

Childe steeled himself, his hand reaching towards the door.

There’s no point worrying. I want to see him, no matter what.

The Harbinger slowly opened the funeral parlor’s door and as he entered, he was greeted by the sight of intricately designed Liyuen interior. In a way, it was similar with the Northland bank’s interior, but the age and rich history that the establishment had was apparent in each nook and corner that Childe could perceive.

Zhongli would really like these kinds of stuff. No wonder he chose to work here , Childe chuckled at the thought as he let his eyes wander around, landing on a brown-haired girl sitting by the reception area.

If I remember correctly, she’s-

“Oh, a customer! Welcome, welcome!” Hu Tao greeted him enthusiastically.

“To what do I owe the honor to have the famed Fatui diplomat walk in my doors? Are you in need of someone to arrange a funeral? Then you’ve come to the right place! We’re currently offering discounts and promos, buy one, get one more coffin for free!” The funeral parlor’s director stood up from her seat, hands laid on the desk as she came eye to eye with the Harbinger.

“Oh, I’m not here to plan for any funeral of sorts,” Childe replied to her as he approached the girl.

“Is Zhongli here?” he asked, looking around to see any sign of a familiar tall brunette.

“Zhongli?” Hu Tao’s eyes widened, her face twisting in confusion.

“Who’s Zhongli?”

Childe froze. His heart dropped.

“Hey, don’t joke around. He’s here, right?” the diplomat asked once again.

“Dear patron, I don’t know who you’re talking about. Who’s this Zhongli?” Hu Tao looked at the Harbinger questioningly.

“He’s your consultant, isn’t he?” Childe felt like he was shaking, his chest beating at a fast pace.

“Our funeral parlor doesn’t have a consultant,” the girl removed her hands from the desk and crossed her arms.

“No, wait, that can’t be. He’s— he’s supposed to be employed here as your consultant,” Childe’s voice was trembling.

“Maybe you’re mistaken? We certainly don’t have anyone named ‘Zhongli’ employed as a consultant here,” Hu Tao’s words were firm.

Childe was panicking. All the excitement that he felt was shattered in an instant.

Where is he? Why isn’t he here? Why-

“Hello? You still there?” Hu Tao spoke up, snapping Childe out of his inner turmoil.

“Ah, yeah. Sorry for bothering you. I’ll be leaving now,” the Harbinger said as he looked at the director, clasping his hands together to stop the shaking.

Hu Tao’s face returned to its previous expression, grinning as she took out a black card.

“Don’t worry about it! Here, take this! Come back again next time. When you do, we’ll be sure to provide you with the best funeral service for you and this Zhongli person when you find them!” she handed the card to him, still smiling gleefully despite the awfully morbid sentence she just said.

“Thanks, I guess,” Childe reluctantly accepted the card and walked towards the door, exiting the funeral parlor’s premises.

Just as he went outside, Childe heaved, his breath hitching. Endless questions ran through his mind.

“Why doesn’t she-”

No. Childe wouldn’t believe it. He wouldn’t accept it. Maybe she was just playing around, just as she usually does based on the memories he had.

Childe marched towards the marketplace, Chihu Rock, the port; he went around Liyue Harbor and asked every person that he passed by.

“Do you know where Zhongli is?”

He asked and asked, looking like some kind of madman. He hoped and prayed that at least one of them could give him a proper answer. But, all of them just said the same thing.

“Who is Zhongli?”

Childe was devastated. He was once again thrown into a spiral of confusion.

Childe walked. He didn’t have a destination in mind, but nonetheless, he still walked. The sky darkened and raindrops started to pour down, as if to mock the dread that he felt.

The Harbinger stopped in his tracks. He ended up walking all the way to the outskirts of Liyue Harbor. Childe was soaking under the rain, the downpour becoming heavier and heavier.

Childe collapsed on his knees, tears endlessly falling down from his eyes as he grasped his head from a painful headache.

“You are such a peculiar person, Childe.”

Stop.

“How can you eat such a… grotesque looking dish? I simply fail to understand why you find eating food with such slimy texture a pleasure.”

Please, stop.

“Ah, it seems that I have forgotten to bring Mora with my person once again. May I be amenable to ask that you shoulder the payment for this? I’ll be sure to pay you back.”

It hurts.

“Childe, I’m sorry for having deceived you. It was not my intention at all. If you thought that all those times we spent together did not mean anything to me, then you are wrong. I have truly enjoyed being with you, and I swear that it isn’t a lie that I have come to adore you so.”

Zhongli, it hurts.

“Childe, thank you for teaching me how to be human.”

Zhongli…

“Childe… Ajax... I love you.”

Please…

More memories flashed within his mind. His chest tightened, his heart ached; the images of all those moments he had spent with Zhongli only brought him agony.

“Where are you?” Childe sobbed.

“Zhongli, where are you?” he was breathing haggardly.

Childe raised his head, his eyes half-lidded as he looked in front of him. A big statue was in front of him. It was of a hooded man, standing in a regal manner. In one hand was a spear and in another was a stone dumbbell.

With the little comprehension that he had left, Childe tried to read the stone tablet just in front of him.

“In memory of-”

Ah, Celestia is cruel, Childe thought, and in fact, it truly was.

It gave him memories he had yet to experience— memories that would undeniably become precious to him. It gave him a sliver of hope— hope that he would be able to bask in the presence of his beloved and hold him in his arms.

However, as if viewing him scornfully, it trampled on all that hope it gave him with no remorse.

The mortal Zhongli didn’t exist. No, he never existed in the first place. Rex Lapis, Morax, the Prime Adepti, the God of Contracts and Commerce, the Geo Archon; the Liyuen god he had become besotted with in both his past and present life, had already long passed in his current reality before he could even have the chance to meet him again.

Tartaglia forever cursed Celestia for that, along with the fragments that pierced his heart instead of bringing him happiness.