EN | An encounter she will never forget | ᴄʜɪʟᴜᴍɪ

30 - A warm welcome

Edit: Childe's family = 2 older brothers, 1 older sister, [Ajax/Childe], Tonia, Anthon and Teucer + both parents. 

As the boat got closer and closer to the coast, Childe and Lumine were still on the deck at the front of the boat, leaning over the railing to better observe the landscape ahead. The white line gradually gave way to a clear view of a small coastal town, completely covered with snow. The houses didn't resemble in the least what the Traveler had seen in Mondstadt or Liyue. Here, all the buildings were made of wood, forming rustic cottages, of a dark color contrasting with the immaculate white of the snow stretching as far as the eye could see. The sun was gradually descending to the horizon, illuminating the purity of the white landscape like light reflecting off a beautifully polished diamond. Surrounding this small town, gigantic mountains, imposing and frightening at first sight, but seeming to protect the village, were also covered with a thick layer of snow.

This scene was breathtaking.

Having noticed the glitter shining in the golden irises of the young woman next to him, Childe couldn't help but introduce this small snowy town with all the pride he had for it.

"Welcome to Morepesok! A small harbor village where ice skating and ice fishing are legion!"

"Ice skating?!" Lumine was surprised, even though she should have expected it.

"Yes! I'll teach you how to do it, don't worry!"

"But, I'm sure I'll fall... It would be better to do something else..."

Lumine immediately kicked in. The cold prevented her from moving properly, so she couldn't even imagine having to concentrate on, let alone move forward, just standing on her skates.

"Haha, would the Traveler be afraid to eat the ice?" scoffed Childe. "Anyway, if I don't make you do it, one of my siblings will do it for me. Here, all the guests go through this compulsory step. It's a kind of custom."

"Really? I feel like I can't refuse..."

"And then, don't worry, I'll be there to guide you and catch you if you happen to fall ~."

Childe came to embrace the young woman after having said this sentence, in order to reassure her. They stayed like that until the boat was moored to the dock. Once stopped, the couple grabbed their bags and got off the boat.

Fortunately for her, Lumine hadn't been seasick, but she had to admit that being back on dry land felt good. Nothing was pitching, nothing was moving. It suited her much better than sailing on the waves.

She let herself be guided by Childe who showed her around on the way to their destination. The young woman noticed that Snezhnaya seemed to be a much more technologically advanced nation compared to Mondstadt or Liyue. She had already noticed this when she confronted the Fatui skirmishers who had things that Childe had called 'guns' the time she had asked him about it. What struck her in particular were the four-wheeled things like carts she was used to seeing, but these were completely enclosed and seemed to move by a will of their own. Fascinated, Lumine kept asking questions about how they worked. Childe stopped for a moment to explain to her that they called it a 'car', and that they moved by a fully automated system powered by the elemental energy of their driver. Once her curiosity was satisfied, the two lovebirds set off again in the cold and snowy surroundings. Lumine was frankly happy to have opted for this coat, which was pleasantly comfortable and warm, as well as the white snow boots that Childe had bought for her.

His family's house was a bit of a recluse from the city, but it was easy to get to with a ten-minute walk. It was getting darker and darker as they approached their destination, with a small wind reducing the temperature even further, chilling them to the bone.