Celestia Academy

68. Lingering Autumn

Don't worry, though. After I got the picture with the Arataki Gang, Shinobu finally showed up and chewed out the guys for lazing around. None of us told the real truth—that the reason behind the holdup was because of the slime recapture. Itto let me keep the group photo, insisting that "An oni never forgets! Your faces are forever engraved into my eyeball memories." The photo is taped to my mirror for now, but I want to find a nice frame for it the next time we go to Liyue Harbor.

(We ended up taking a photo of some Mist Flowers in the greenhouse for the last element, and our assignment was a success)

Meeting the Arataki Gang has probably been the most interesting to happen since the Sakoku Order was dissolved, and I'm hoping to have more fun experiences like that.

I'm sure you have a bunch of questions about school and my friends, but there's only so much I can fit into one letter without boring you to bits. I'll write again soon with more updates, and I'm looking forward to your Mondstadt Hashbrowns (and you, of course) over winter break.

Love, Lumine

I set down the pen and reread the letter I finally finished writing for Madame Ping. It turned out to be much longer than I expected—two sheets of paper filled on both sides—yet there was still so much more I hadn't told her. I didn't write anything about the Abyss Order or my pursuit for Aether. Though I had explained the monster attack and the Sakoku Order, I focused more on the people I've met so far and my classes.

She would probably be surprised to learn that I made so many friends, and honestly, so was I. Of course, a few of them were more than friends to me now, but I couldn't bring myself to write about those details just yet. It would probably be easier to talk about them to Madame Ping in person. Besides, there was still one person I had to confess to. Just one more person to embrace my feelings for and—hopefully—join with the others.

With the letter done, I neatly folded it into thirds and reached over to grab an envelope.

I didn't have any envelopes.

Considering the fact that writing letters hadn't been something I planned for, the only stationery I had were the pen and paper I used for class. Sighing, I set the folded letter aside and hoped the mailroom would have something for me. Where there's mail, there's bound to be mailing supplies.

Clicking off my lamp, I padded over to my bed and fell into the blankets. My eyelids drooped as I thought about what I had to do tomorrow. Mail, classes, figuring out how I should approach Kaeya on sharing the same feelings—one of those three took up a much larger presence in my mind than the others. I had time, but if I learned anything from Childe's point of view, it only benefitted me to put it off.

I tried to imagine how it might go, but I had to press my face into the cool fabric of my pillowcase each time I envisioned his reaction. I'd done this three times before, but I couldn't help but feel just as flustered and nervous. Excited and eager. After dozens of potential scenarios amped up my heart rate, sleep eventually took me.

✧✧✧

It had somehow slipped my mind to ask Childe where the mailroom was, but I had a good guess. Lunch was just beginning for me as I pushed open the doors to the dining hall, and I decided to go with something simple so I had enough time to drop off the letter before Physical Combat. With the new monsters the Arataki Gang brought in, I also didn't want to be too full to properly fight—especially if we were against real opponents.

"I'll take the Bird Egg Sushi, please. Could I also get a glass of grape juice?"

The woman across from the counter smiled apologetically. "I'll get that Bird Egg Sushi for you, but I'm afraid we've run out of clean glasses for the moment. Our cleaning staff is working hard, but there's been a great loss in the supply of our glasses since yesterday."