VIII.

Always By Your Side

Night fast approaches Mondstadt, and I went home surprisingly not as exhausted as I thought would be.

It seemed the entire day just whizzed by, even though it was yet another hectic day.

Is this…really what happens when one is in love? How silly, Jean.

But…ridiculous as it sounds, I cannot dismiss it as mere childish musing. I consider it truth.

"Oh, big sis! You're back!" then greeted Barbara. She came from the dining area, jogging towards me, smiling.

"Good evening, Barbara. You're home quite early." I remarked, and she giggled. "Someone had quite a lot of free time and decided to help me out today." She then told me.

It wasn't hard to guess who she was talking about.

"I see. I'm glad the Honorary Knight still occasionally drops by and help the people of Mondstadt." I said, smiling as well.

"Y-Yes. She's a really thoughtful person." My sister then replied. I noticed her cheeks going a bit red.

I was about to ask if she was suddenly feeling ill, but I realized that the way her cheeks were…flushed looked familiar.

"You look…flustered. Are you…oh." Was all I could say. As it was easy to know who helped her with her duties earlier, so too was it easy to guess my sister's relationship with the Traveler.

"Y-Yes?" she then replied, looking away. "I-I can explain! I know its surprising, but really, its not that hard to—"

Before she could even continue, I let out a giggle. "Barbara, its okay. I'm happy for you." I told her.

"—believe…huh?" she asked, dumbfounded. "Its…okay? You don't find it weird?" she asked.

I shook my head as I embraced her. "Why would I find it weird that my sister has fallen in love with someone as kind and trustworthy as the Traveler?" I answered.

I looked at her in the midst of our embrace, and I saw a huge smile plastered on her face.

It was quite different from I saw Lisa showed me earlier, but the emotions she's feeling is evident in her smile as well.

"I'm so happy too. Thank you, big sis!" she replied, not letting go of the embrace.

The Traveler huh? Come to think of it, the two seem to be perfect for each other, and the nuns at the Cathedral have been telling me that Barbara has been staying overtime doing her duties.

Just like me, huh?

We broke away from the embrace, and Barbara went…timid. "I was…planning on properly telling you about it." She admitted. She looked at me again and smiled. "But this is fine too! She really is a big help, in more ways than one." She added.

I cleared my throat. "I appreciate the Traveler helping you now more than ever, but must you really stay late doing your duties at the Cathedral?" I then asked her.

Barbara's eyes widened, and then she looked away. "W-Well I don't do it all the time! Lumine has just been telling to unwind more often, so I eagerly accepted, but then I find myself wanting to drown myself in work, no matter if its menial." She then explained, fidgeting as she stood in place.

I let out a sigh. I definitely am concerned for her well-being, considering she's becoming rigid and restless like me, but I can't help but smile at that thought, and at what she said.

"It seems you truly are my sister." I told her. "Huh?" she replied in confusion. I let out a soft laugh.

"Overworking seems to be in our blood." I remarked, and she let out a small laugh as well after processing what I said.

"A-Actually, the two of us were at Windrise early in the morning…" she then told me.

I was surprised, honestly. It seems even my sister has become fond of the winds over at the large tree to keep her at peace. I appreciate that.

But then, her words started to fully register.

"Early in the morning…does that mean—!" I didn't finish my sentence as I immediately got embarrassed, with my eyes widening. "…you heard all of it?" I then asked her.

She suddenly bowed down. "I fully support you and soon-to-be big sis Lisa and would want nothing more but to share the happiness that you two are feeling for each other!" she suddenly blurted out.

I was stunned. It took me a while to process what she said. It was overwhelming, yes, but I can sense nothing but positive emotions from what she said.

Once I fully understood, my cheeks felt a bit hot. Am I becoming flustered? Goodness I do not wish to be seen by my sister in such an embarrassing state!

I managed to look at her, and it seems she was just as embarrassed as I am.

We look like bumbling fools. We truly are sisters.

She managed a smile, and then we both burst out laughing.

Oh such foolishness, such joy.

The laughter died down, and we both were calm now.

"Let's talk in the dining area, if that's okay?" I then offered, and she simply nodded.

The two of us then walked towards the dining area, and Barbara, before sitting down, took two glasses and brought out a bottle of wine. It had a ribbon tied around it.

"Ah this came from the Cat's Tail. Lumine told me Diona wanted to try out a mild beverage that was also sweet, so she made something up and planned to give it to you on your birthday." She then explained.

She then poured the two glasses. "But she needed a lot of dandelions, so it was held back for a day or so." She added, and I nodded. "Such dedication. Although I was told that her…goal is to make a beverage so dislikable that alcohol would never be drunken ever again in Mondstadt?" I asked her.

Barbara simply shrugged. "I didn't ask her about it, but I think its for the best." She replied, as she placed the bottle on the table and sat down as well.

She then gave one glass to me, and I happily took it. I took one sip, and I was surprised at how sweet it is. "Oh my, this is refreshing." I remarked.

Barbara took a sip as well, and she had the same reaction. "It is!" she commented. I smiled and raised my glass. She looked at me for a while and then realized what I wanted to do. She smiled and approached me, clinking our glasses together.

"Cheers!" we both said, as we drank the sweet tasting wine.

The more I get a taste of the wine, the more I think that its non-alcoholic.

"…it really does seem like its more of a child's refreshment than anything." I then said, and Barbara simply nodded.

"We're getting sidetracked!" she then blurted out, surprising the both of us. "S-Sorry!" she then said.

I smiled and shook my head. "Its okay. Now then…earlier, at Windrise." I then began.

For some reason, it was harder to talk about it even though my sister has shown her overwhelming support.

"Before that, what were you doing there in the first place?" I then asked.

"Eh? Um…" Barbara then spoke, flushed and fidgeting a bit. "W-We weren't doing anything bad, honest!" she told me.

Now this piqued my interest, although I already knew who she was with. "The Traveler was with you?" I asked, and immediately did she blush.

"She told me that I can show up in the Cathedral late because I've been working too hard lately, telling me that they'd understand!" she then admitted, and I was surprised yet again.

She then sat in silence, flushed once more. She was too embarrassed to even take a sip of the sweet wine.

I looked at her for a while and saw that she looked a little bit fatigued.

My remark earlier was a bit of a half-joke, but now it's becoming more of a reality that we face.

"Lisa also told me to take a day off more often…" I then told her. "Huh? She did?" asked Barbara, whose embarrassment was slowly waning, replaced by interest and curiosity.

"While we did have one that is akin to a vacation, she still insists that I relax more." I continued, as I took another sip of the sweet wine. "It seems it was fated that the daughters of House Gunnhildr to fall in love with individuals that would pester them to take a break." I then joked again, hoping to make my sister laugh so that she could ease back in.

I looked at her and only saw her flushed once more. I failed to make her laugh.

Although, repeating what I said in my mind also made me flustered. Seriously…how blessed are we to have such concerned…

…what is the term? Companions? Significant others? No, wouldn't it be apt to say "lovers" at this point?

How blessed are we to have such concerned…girlfriends? Is that the actual proper term?

How confusing. Perhaps I'll ask Lisa about it tomorrow.

"Going back to what we were supposed to discuss…yes, Barbara. The reason the two of us were at Windrise earlier was because I answered Lisa's confessed." I then told her, continuing with what we're supposed to discuss.

"She's the one that confessed?" she then asked, seemingly surprised. I was confused, but nodded at her question.

"Well, the thing is…I was the one that blurted out my feelings during my birthday. We both were drinking, and…" I spoke, trailing off. Trying to tell her about what transpired during my birthday was quite embarrassing indeed.

I managed to look at my sister and saw that she was fully red. She seemed to be much more embarrassed than I am.

I was confused, but then I thought back to how I worded it. I shook my head and my hands in an attempt to clear any misleading thoughts. "W-We didn't do anything explicit, I assure you! We merely shared a kiss!" I then told her.

While it was tamer to what my sister was thinking, the embarrassment faded away little by little. "I-I see. That is still surprising though…" she replied, and I sighed, smiling as I took a sip of the sweet wine again.

"Indeed. Remembering it now clearly, it was something I never expected to happen so abruptly, but it did." I added.

Barbara then giggled. "Its so refreshing to see you like this…" she commented. She took a sip from her drink as well.

Not a sign of being flushed, nor anything else after. A genuine comment. One truly heartfelt.

"Barbara…" I only managed to call her name.

"To see you this flustered and mildly irritated…I couldn't help but smile. I'm so happy, for you, big sis. Isn't this what you've been wanting all along?" she then asked me.

Her question caught me off guard, but I managed to let out a laugh. "What I've always wanted huh? Is it because you've seen me read Vera's Melancholy over and over?"

She laughed as well. This really does feel great, doesn't it?

"I'm really glad you're happy too, Barbara. I hope you and the Traveler get to live a happy life together in the future." I told her, raising my glass.

"L-Likewise, of course! I would like to spend time with soon-to-be big sis Lisa too!" she answered, raising her glass as well.

I managed to giggle. "Would you drop the 'soon-to-be big sis' title? Lisa would certainly be embarrassed if she ever heard that." I told her.

We both laughed once more as we finished our drinks.

Two chapters remain

- The Void Sprinter