The wooden beams of the ceiling were gone, replaced by a deep crimson sky under a blood-red moon. The wooden floor beneath his feet had become a stone platform engraved with circular patterns, surrounded by countless shattered torii gates.
Floating in the air before him was a figure identical to the Raiden Shogun. Slowly, she opened her eyes.
"Luo Qing..."
Ei's voice was soft as she rose to her feet.
"Are you... the Shogun?" Luo Qing asked, feigning ignorance.
As always, if he didn't admit to anything, no one could prove that he had used his special item cards.
But before he could continue, Ei's hand moved, and a sword crackling with electricity materialized. She approached him and pressed the blade to his throat.
"Uh..."
Luo Qing was momentarily speechless, Why were both of them so quick to draw their swords?
"No bonds or emotions appear out of thin air," Ei said, the blade hovering just centimeters from his neck. "I'm curious—how did you plant the seeds of attachment within my body?"
"Lady Shogun, I—"
Luo Qing began to speak, attempting to use the same tactics he had with the Raiden Shogun, but Ei cut him off.
"Don't bother pretending. Your eyes betrayed you long ago—you know who I am, don't you?"
"Ah..." Luo Qing sighed.
"Alright, I know who you are... Lady Ei."
Of course, someone who had lived for over a thousand years would be far more perceptive than that emotionless puppet.
"Hmph, I'll give you one more chance to answer."
"There's nothing to explain. What do you want me to say?" Luo Qing responded casually.
Even the emotionless Raiden Shogun hadn't managed to draw her sword against him. He didn't believe Ei—who had experienced sisterhood, friendship, and familial love—would truly strike him down.
"You think I won't do it?"
"If I tell you a lie, do you think you'll just let me go, Lady Ei?" Luo Qing countered.
Different women required different approaches, and as a former player, Luo Qing knew one thing:
Ei likes it a bit rough.
"Hmph, interesting."
Without another word, Ei's arm moved, and her blade sliced toward Luo Qing's neck.
"What?!"
Ei, are you really going for it?!
Luo Qing was genuinely taken aback. He hadn't expected Ei to actually attack.
Who still gets slashed when the affection points are over 30?! If it reaches 90, will she commit murder?! These girls are seriously nuts!
Thankfully, Luo Qing was always on high alert. The moment he noticed the shift in Ei's stance, he activated his Time Zero Field.
In an instant, he dodged her strike, appearing at the edge of the platform, his back pressed against a torii pillar. He was about ten meters away from Ei when he yelled:
"Lady Ei, are you seriously going for it?!"
"Hmph."
Ei didn't waste time with words. She transformed into a bolt of lightning, closing the distance in a flash and swinging her blade at him again.
"Damn it..."
Luo Qing barely had time to complain before activating his Time Zero Field once more, evading another lethal slash.
"You're quick, I'll give you that," Ei said calmly, her eyes locked onto him like a predator eyeing prey. "But is running away all you can do?"
Luo Qing could feel her probing gaze, as if she were a hunter toying with her prey. She clearly sensed his sudden bursts of speed. If she exerted her full power, she could probably catch up. But that wasn't her intention—she seemed to be testing his limits, not aiming to kill him outright.
"Lady Ei, I'm warning you, don't push me..."
"Oh?"
Another flash of lightning—Ei's blade formed a cage of electricity around Luo Qing, attempting to lock him in.
"Alright, that's it..."
Cornered, Luo Qing had no choice but to activate Time Zero again, searching for gaps in the electric prison to dodge her strikes. He noticed that her speed was gradually increasing, matching his own adjustments, as if she were gauging the limits of his abilities.
Is she testing me like in the Moment of Wholeness challenge...
After evading another attack, Luo Qing realized that this game of cat and mouse couldn't continue forever. He needed to counterattack or she would keep pursuing him without end.
With a flick of his thoughts, the Millelith Spear materialized in his hand.
Time Zero activated once more.
Luo Qing thrust his spear at Ei, but she was ready. Even within his slowed-time domain, she deflected his thrust with her katana.
"So, you're finally willing to fight back?" Ei asked, her tone neutral.
"Only because I didn't want to embarrass you if you lost too quickly, Lady Ei," Luo Qing retorted.
"Hmph, let's see about that."
Electric shadows flared as lightning surged around the platform. Luo Qing's figure vanished again.
To an observer in normal time, the platform in the Plane of Euthymia seemed empty, save for the intermittent flashes of lightning and the pale yellow glints of a spear in the clash of their battle.
Even at a hundredfold time dilation, Ei managed to keep up with Luo Qing, leaving him wondering how the Traveler, with the strength displayed during the Osial fight, could ever compete with Ei.
But now wasn't the time for such questions.
He realized that relying purely on his physical capabilities wasn't enough. Unfortunately, he couldn't harness any elemental power in the Plane of Euthymia.
Through their exchanges, he began to understand her strategy. She kept pressuring him, denying him any chance to counter, likely to gauge his abilities rather than kill him outright.
If he wanted to end this duel, he would have to land a decisive blow.
Taking a deep breath, Luo Qing concentrated all his focus. He pushed the time dilation of Time Zero to its absolute limit—two hundredfold.
In that moment, Ei's blade, which had been hurtling towards him, froze mid-air. Yet before Luo Qing could launch his counterattack, Ei adjusted to the increased time dilation and continued her assault.
At two hundredfold, she's still this fast?!
With no other option, Luo Qing summoned a risky move.
[Using 'Learn to Meow' Item Card x5]
This card had barely caused a momentary distraction for Zhongli, but within the two-hundredfold slowed time, even a second's hesitation would stretch into an eternity.
As expected, in the slowed domain, Ei's expression shifted—her body wavered for a heartbeat.
Luo Qing seized the opportunity. He lunged forward with his Millelith Spear.
But just before the spear made contact with her face, Luo Qing pulled back. Instead, he reached out with his left hand, which he'd kept hidden, his middle finger bent, and flicked her forehead.
Tap!
A crisp sound echoed through the Plane of Euthymia.
---
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
If you wish to support me or read ahead here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
The domain of Time Zero dissipated, and the two of them stood facing each other.
The faint ache on her forehead brought a flash of surprise to Ei's eyes. Her left hand instinctively touched the spot Luo Qing had flicked, as if she still hadn't fully grasped what had just happened.
Luo Qing looked at her disbelieving expression, arms crossed.
"Alright, I hit you first, Miss Ei, so that means I win."
"You..."
Ei's mind replayed those few seconds, remembering the strange impulse that had surged within her. She didn't have to guess—it was definitely Luo Qing's doing.
"Just now... did you tamper with my mind?"
Luo Qing feigned innocence. "Me? Absolutely not, Miss Ei, you mustn't wrongly accuse someone."
"Hmph, then why did I react like that?"
"How should I know? Maybe your will just isn't as steadfast as you think it is?"
"..."
Ei was at a loss for words.
Just as Luo Qing had anticipated, the thirty points of affection meant she could no longer bring herself to cut him down. Even though she was certain that the unfamiliar emotions in her heart had something to do with him.
"Now that the duel's over, Miss Ei, will you let me go?" Luo Qing rapped his knuckles against a nearby torii pillar. "I've got work tomorrow, you know."
"..."
"Hmph, what do you think?"
Ei scoffed and turned away, floating back to her previous meditative position, eyes closed once more.
Since she couldn't bring herself to kill him, she decided to keep him trapped in the Plane of Euthymia. If he dared to make a move against her, then she would have the perfect justification to finish him off with her blade.
"What? Miss Ei, what are you doing?!"
Luo Qing moved in front of her, puzzled by her behavior as she hovered with her eyes shut.
"Miss Ei, if you're planning to sleep, could you at least let me out first? I'd like to get some rest too..."
"Don't play the mysterious sage now, Miss Ei!"
"Miss Ei...? Miss Ei...?"
Luo Qing paced around Ei, trying to get a response, but she remained silent, a picture of serene meditation.
"So you're going to play the cold and distant type, huh..."
By this point, Luo Qing understood exactly what was happening.
This woman was intentionally trapping him in the Plane of Euthymia—her motives were anything but innocent!
"Well, you can't blame me then..."
With anyone else, they might have believed that this god ruling over Inazuma had transcended worldly desires, devoted solely to her ideal of eternity.
But unfortunately, the person facing Ei was none other than Teyvat's most audacious transmigrator—Luo Qing!
With a decisive motion, he rolled up his sleeves, sat down directly in front of Ei, and leaned forward.
In his most soothing and gentle voice, he said, "Miss Ei, you've been secluding yourself here for a long time, haven't you? Have you ever thought about going out and seeing the world?"
Ei kept her eyes closed, her expression unchanging. She ignored him.
"You should know that the world outside has undergone tremendous changes. I bet there are many things out there that would catch your interest, Miss Ei. Why not open the door, and we can go explore together?"
Still no response from Ei.
"In that case, how about I tell you a story?" Luo Qing thought for a moment and began to weave a tale.
"There was once a noble family called the Suzuki Clan, one of the most prestigious families under the Shogunate. The head of the family held a high position among the officials, respected and influential—the undisputed number one family in Inazuma.
"The eldest daughter of the Suzuki family, Suzunaga, showed extraordinary talent from a young age. Growing up in a privileged environment, she mastered etiquette, studied governance, and was hailed as a once-in-a-millennium genius before she even reached adulthood.
"Her gentle, elegant demeanor earned the admiration of countless young men, and suitors flocked to the Suzuki estate, each vying for her hand in marriage.
"Everyone believed that the young lady of the Suzuki family would one day marry a young man of equal status and prestige.
"But little did they know that beneath her gentle and refined exterior, Lady Suzunaga possessed a heart full of courage and a longing for adventure.
"Her lifelong dream was to roam like a wandering swordsman or an adventurer, exploring the beautiful landscapes of Teyvat, rather than being confined to the high towers and expectations of others...
"One day, while accompanying her father on a routine inspection, Suzunaga found herself ambushed by hostile factions. Chased into the wilderness, it seemed as though death was imminent, and worse, she feared humiliation at the hands of the enemy before her demise.
"Just as she thought all was lost, a flash of a blade caught her eye.
"When she looked up, there was a young man standing before her—a wanderer as swift as the wind.
"With a few swift movements, he dispatched the enemies before him. He turned to her and smiled gently.
"'Don't be afraid,' he said. 'You're safe now.'
"The traces of hardship on his face made him appear far more mature than his years.
"In that moment, the young Lady Suzunaga saw nothing but this ragged swordsman before her.
"Soon, her father's reinforcements arrived, and they brought the young man back to their estate.
"At Suzunaga's insistence, the young man became her personal guard, always by her side.
"A youthful romance blossomed, and it wasn't long before they fell in love, sharing many happy days together.
"But happiness is fleeting. Their secret relationship was soon discovered by her father.
"As the head of Inazuma's most prestigious family, he could never allow his daughter to be with a nameless vagabond.
"It wasn't long before he arranged a marriage for his daughter, promising her to the son of another noble family from the Shogunate..."
At this point, Luo Qing paused, crossing his arms and observing Ei's subtle expressions.
He noticed that her closed eyelids quivered slightly.
She waited, but when Luo Qing didn't continue, she hesitated, then slowly opened her eyes.
"Why did you stop?"
"Oh? Is Miss Ei curious about what happens next?" Luo Qing's lips curled into a knowing smile, his arms still crossed.
He knew Ei wouldn't be able to resist.
"This is from a new novel by the Yae Publishing House, The Shogun's Daughter Who Fell in Love with a Wandering Swordsman. If you want to know what happens next, Miss Ei, you'll have to go outside and read it for yourself~"
"Hmph. Fine, don't tell me then."
Ei scoffed, closing her eyes once more, pretending to meditate.
But it wasn't long before she heard Luo Qing, his voice adopting the eager tone of a gossiping auntie:
"Oh, I wonder if the lady will run away with the wandering swordsman, or will she accept her father's arrangements and marry that unknown nobleman?"
"Ah, I really want to know what happens next! It's so painful not to know!"
"..."
[+1 Frustration Value from Ei]
"Tsk, I've heard that there's a new dessert called Dango Milk that's all the rage at Hanamizaka. It's sweet, creamy, and just one sip can make you happy for the whole day.
"Imagine sipping on Dango Milk in the middle of the day, while listening to the rest of the story...
"Ahh~ Now wouldn't that be delightful?"
"..."
[+1 Frustration Value from Ei]
Ei swallowed slightly, her brows furrowing as she opened her eyes.
"Are you doing this on purpose?"
"No, Miss Ei, I'm doing this deliberately."
"..."
---
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
If you wish to support me or read ahead here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
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