Chapter 21 An Astrologer and a Hat Guy
Lumine's POV

After a day of work, Childe and I were heading back to his house from the Zapolyarny Palace.

While we were walking, I suddenly heard two familiar voices coming from in front of me.

"It's freezing", a feminine voice said. "Kaze, please tell me that there's some sort of village or something not too far from here?"

"Wait a minute", Paimon started. "Paimon recognizes that voice! is that…"

With this, we all walked forward, and spotted two familiar faces.

"Mona", Paimon exclaimed, before turning her head. "And…Hat Guy?!"

"Paimon", Mona exclaimed in relief. "Thank goodness that we found you!"

"Greetings", Hat Guy said.

"What are you two doing here", Paimon asked. "And…did you two come together? Paimon didn't even know that you two knew each other?!"

"We met…", Hat Guy started.

"Can we save that story for later, Kaze", Mona asked as she hugged herself to keep warm. "It's freezing out here!"

"Are you two friends of the traveler", Childe asked.

"Mona's a friend of ours", Paimon replied. "Not sure we can say the same thing about Hat Guy?"

"Hat Guy", Childe asked, trying to hold back a giggle.

"It's better than being referred to as a 'child'", Hat Guy shot back.

"Huh", Childe said in confusion. "How did you know that I'm called 'Childe?'"

"Um…", Paimon started nervously.

"The traveler told me about you", Hat Guy lied.

Hearing this, Childe looked at me with a smug look on his face.

"Oh, is that so, Traveler", he asked. "I hope you said good things about me?"

"Would you like to know", I asked teasingly.

"Okay, okay", Paimon started, interrupting us. "Can we continue this conversation elsewhere before Mona turns into a popsicle?"

"Right, sorry about that", Childe said, before looking at Mona and Hat Guy. "The traveler is staying with my family, so why don't you two come to our house?"

...

Mona was now warming up in Childe's house with Sbiten; a popular drink to warm you up in Snezhnaya.

"Thank you so much", she said to Tonia. "I feel so much better now!"

"You're welcome! Anything for a friend of the traveler!"

After saying this, Tonia looked at Hat Guy.

"Are you sure you don't want Sbiten, Mr Hat Guy", she asked. "It'll warm you up!"

"No thanks", Hat Guy replied. "I actually somewhat like the coldness of Snezhnaya."

"I actually know what you mean", Childe revealed. "Because I travel a lot for work, whenever I feel the cold of Snezhnaya, I'm reminded that I'm home."

"Anyway", Paimon started, changing the subject. "Now that Mona's all warmed up, can you two tell Paimon how you even know each other?"

"We met back in Simulanka", Hat Guy revealed. "I wanted to ask her a question about fate."

"About fate", Paimon asked. "What do you mean?"

"That doesn't matter right now", Hat Guy stated.

"Anyway", Mona started, getting back on topic. "After I told him what I knew about fate and how it is linked to the stars of Teyvat, he suggested that I should give lessons about it at the Akademiya. He meant it as a joke. However, I realized that it would actually be a good way to make some extra Mora."

"Since she's so terrible at managing it", Hat Guy added.

"Hey", Mona exclaimed angrily, before clearing her throat. "Anyway. Since then, I've been traveling to Sumeru to give lectures about astrology to the Sumeru Rtawahist Darshan on a regular basis. And, unfortunately, I always end up running into this guy whenever I'm there."

"So that's how you two know each other", Paimon said. "But, that still doesn't explain why you two are in Snezhnaya?"

"I wanted to come and examine the colorful lights that appear in the sky in Snezhnaya", Mona revealed.

"Really", Paimon asked. "How come?"

"No one knows for sure why these lights appear, but some Rtawahist students were speculating if they are connect to the stars of Teyvat", Mona revealed. "Therefore, I decided to come here and investigate them myself."

"When Mona told me that she wanted to come to Snezhnaya, I told her that I had been here before", Hat Guy revealed. "Then, she practically begged me to escort her here."

"Do you have to word it like that", Mona asked angrily.

"I see", Childe started. "If seeing the lights is what you're here for, then you're in luck. I know a spot where you can see them up close, and I was actually thinking about taking my siblings to it. If you want, you can come with us?"

"Really? Can I", Mona asked. "In that case, I'll take you up on that offer."

"Great", Childe said. "Let me give you the details of the trip."

"While you two discuss that, I'm going to step outside for a bit", Hat Guy revealed as he suddenly stood up. "Traveler, why don't you join me?"

When Kaze asked this, I realized that he wanted to discuss with me the true reason why he was in Snezhnaya.

"Sure. I'll join you."