His Eyes Never Change (Gold like Cor Lapis, Blue as Noctilucous Jade)

The Clouds Dispersed

EDIT***** 10/02/2024 - I made a big change to Guizhong's adeptus form! This is the first chapter this change affects, please disregard the old version.

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"You're leaving?"

Childe ruffled Haolan's hair, "Only for a short time. I'll be back before you know it."

The young boy pouted, "But what about my training?"

Childe laughed.

"About that, I want you to ease off on the training while I'm gone," he said. "You're still a kid, go and have some fun."

Haolan wrinkled his nose, "I'm not a kid!"

"There's nothing wrong with being a kid," Childe sighed. "Don't be in such a hurry to grow up."

He crouched down to be eye level with Haolan and stuck out his hand, extending his pinky finger.

"Here," he gestured, "I want you to promise that you'll go have some fun while I'm gone."

Haolan glanced between Childe's face and his pinky. Childe made a grabbing motion and that seemed to cue Haolan in. The boy hesitated for a moment before he clasped pinkies with him.

"This is called a pinky promise," Childe explained. "You have to keep your promise or something bad might happen."

Haolan looked mildly alarmed, "Like what?"

Childe thought for a moment. He recalled the old Snezhnayan saying, but he figured that the threat of having your tongue frozen off probably wasn't the most effective against someone who'd never seen snow.

"Hmmm, like...the Wrath of the Rock," he said, "Rex Lapis is big on contracts, and a promise is a bit like a mini contract."

Childe nodded to himself. Yes, that worked rather well.

Haolan appeared skeptical but nodded anyway, "Alright then. I promise to take a break while you're gone."

Childe shook their hands twice, "Good, good. You can still do exercises if you'd like, but spend some time on other things. Hobbies, friends, whatever you find fun."

"I find training fun..." the boy muttered.

"Well then, you'll have a lot to look forward to when I get back," Childe grinned. "I've decided that it's about time you started practice with a sword."

Haolan's eyes glittered, "Really! Thank you, Shifu!"

"Of course!" Childe gently nudged his student towards the house. "Now, be good to your Ayi. I'll see you when I return."

Childe headed back to the palace. Guizhong had told him that she would be departing at noon for her laboratory. He recalled the Traveler talking about a domain they'd found out at Luhua Pool once, which is where Guizhong mentioned the domain was located. He absently wondered if they were one in the same.

He found her in her study sitting at the low table. Stacks of scrolls covered the surface, save for the area directly in front of Guizhong. She looked as serene as ever, as if the literal mountain of paperwork did not bother her in the slightest.

"That's quite the workload you've got there," he commented as he approached.

"Yes, well, that's what happens when I disappear for a while," she only briefly glanced up in greeting.

"Doesn't Morax help out with all of this?"

"He does. As bad as this looks, it could have easily been far worse."