67 Invitations 2

Two people are currently watching the festival below, from the balcony of a higher floor. The traveler felt a bit lonely after getting separated from her companion, but also experiencing a new freedom.

"Are we really going to meet the Cryo Archon in Snezhnaya... the Tsaritsa, Lu?" Lumine was a little unsettled with how great everything was going on right now.

"Of course, my dear Lumine... I can't really say no to encountering another heavenly beauty~, can I?" He whistled with a grin.

"Ugh! What the hell was that for?!" He added after receiving a punch in the abdomen by the other heavenly beauty beside him.

"So you won't dodge if its not dangerous?... That's great to know." Lumine muttered with a menacing smile, and a ready fist.

"Wait! Bear with me for a second Lumi-Lumi!" The crouching deity pleaded, and he received what he wanted. He was spared for now, as the traveler conceded with a hint of blush, due to his utterance of that nickname.

"The Fatui are all over Teyvat. I'm sure they're the best source of information you can find in this world... They might even know something about your long-lost brother." Lu got up and stated with his usual smile.

"I already have the other best information gatherer right beside me, don't I?" Lumine deadpanned.

"Me? Hmmm... Aha! I'll just go with this one. Ehem! 'That's for me to know... and yours to discover'." He replied with a smug look.

"... I could already imagine how annoying you would be as a sage." She said disdainfully, while holding her head for an incoming headache.

"Oh no no, my dear Lumine. You see, while the males were certainly annoyed with vauge words of wisdom back then. The females on the other hand-"

"Yeah, whatever! I'm not here to listen to you bragging about your love life." She interrupted in scorn.

"I am afraid I must correct you on that Lumine. Most of these females was once under my tutelage. So it is immoral for me to from any kind of scandalous connection with them as it would affect my reputation greatly." Raiden Lu defended after adjusting his invisible glasses.

"Then, can you explain the 'tutelage' you're currently doing now?! Oh yeah... We haven't even had a single lesson yet!" Lumine attacked sarcastically.

"About that... Other than being busy, you could say there was a bit of disturbance so I needed to postpone it in a later date." Lu reasoned.

"Yeah, sure... I believe you completely. There is no way you would lie to me after all..." The lady retorted.

"...What's up with you Lumine? You seem a bit more sassy..." He pondered with a thinking pose. He then edged a little closer to her, in which she responded by moving away with the same length.

"Thinking about what happened earlier? About the Harbinger Tartaglia perhaps? You both seem close to each other... or maybe, me?" He leaned near her with a teasing smirk.

"I-I... Hmph! What now? Jealous about Childe, are we now?" She rebutted, while donning her own teasing smirk.

"No, not at all. You just... you looked tired for a second there Lumine. As a great friend of yours, I am worried..." He dismissed, then asked in a concerned tone.

"I-I've had enough of you, Ziya! Do you even know how many troubles came into my life ever since you appeared!" Lumine shouted in annoyance.

"Whoa! Settle down there for a bit, Lumine..." Lu tried to calm down the furious girl.

"No I won't! Everywhere I go it's always 'Have you heard of the new deity in Inazuma, traveler?' 'How is the new god of Inazuma, Lumine?'. Every person, even my friends, are constantly asking me about you! How about you get out of my head for one second!" She ranted until she started breathing heavily.

"Is that really what you want?" Lu questioned with an ambiguous expression.

"What do you mean?..." Lumine inquired, flames still dancing in her eyes.

"I followed you here since you said you have something for me, yet you still haven't said anything about it ... Stalling for more time to be with me aren't ya, my dear Lumi-Lumi~?" He forced through and cornered her with one hand on the wall. She tried to speak but wasn't able to due to the situation.

"Shhh~... I know, you probably didn't notice what you're doing. But even then, it doesn't really matter if you did it consciously or not now ain't it... Lumine?" The traveler felt suffocated from this realization.

"Just take it then! Here!" She forcefully handed him the letter and escaped from his grasp with a hazy head. Lu was ready to counter her, but...

"Shhh~ is it? You better stay true to your word and read it silently!" Lumine said in a stern voice, without giving a single glance at him. Her mind was still in turmoil.

"Anything you say princess~. Hmmm... An invitation from the Qixing in Liyue... Another festival... Jade Chamber... And another one from the Geo Archon. I knew that old dude wasn't dead." He whispered after digesting the information from the two letters.

"Sigh* I knew it... You expected this, again, didn't you?" Lumine uttered while facing him, after calming down her heartbeat a bit.

"The Qixing from Liyue is a no brainer. There's a new god in Inazuma, I'm sure all nations are concerned about the power balance of Teyvat." The traveler nodded along, after hearing his reasoning. Four divines now, if you count the traveler of the stars.

"But I was surprised that Old Morax wrote me a personal letter... Now, don't stare at me like that. I looked calm most of the time. Just because I'm calm on the outside doesn't mean I am, right?..." Lu confused himself with his own question.

He then walked near the edge of the balcony and beckoned the person with him to follow. They watched the joyous and cheerful festival in silence together.

"Hey Lumine. Two journeys now awaits us... And I'm sure you would enjoy it as much as I would with your new companions." Raiden Lu said, as he went closer until they touched shoulders.

"...Apparently not, if that companion is as annoying as you." She ran off cheerfully, but not after mocking him by sticking out her tongue cutely.

(This damn sassy girl...)

Raiden Lu shrugged before leaving the balcony completely empty...