Chapter 264: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [264]
Dressed in her usual light blue kimono, Kamisato Ayaka returned to her room after completing her nightly rituals. The mansion was silent, the hour so late that only a few guards on patrol remained awake.
Gently pushing her door open just a crack, Ayaka peeked down the dimly lit hallway.
At the far end of the corridor lay her brother Kamisato Ayato's room. Typically, he stayed up late, processing official documents before retiring only when he could no longer keep his eyes open.
But tonight, his room was dark.
"Brother must already be asleep…"
Ayaka exhaled a sigh of relief. Quietly shutting her door, she opened her wardrobe and carefully hid away the magical toilet portal she had used to sneak back from Sumeru.
She had been taking great pains to keep her secret trips undiscovered, especially from her brother.
Though he never voiced it outright, Ayaka knew Ayato disapproved of her relationship with Luo Qing. For now, she had no choice but to tread lightly and wait for the right moment to bring it up again.
Previously, Ayato's concerns stemmed from Luo Qing's identity as a Fatui Harbinger, fearing the potential political ramifications for the Kamisato family and the Shogunate.
But now, with both Ei and Yae Miko involved with Luo Qing, her brother's argument was looking weaker by the day.
Surely, with the Shogun and Lady Miko accepting him, Brother can't object anymore, Ayaka thought as she prepared for bed.
Her mind wandered to rehearsing how to broach the subject with her brother as she slipped off her kimono and lay down on her futon. Exhausted from the day's dance practice, she soon drifted off to sleep.
Unbeknownst to her, a small tanuki-shaped daruma perched in the rafters stirred.
"Hmm…"
The daruma shifted into its human form—Sayu. Sniffing the air, she identified Luo Qing's scent lingering faintly on Ayaka's body before slipping out the window into the night.
In the main estate, Sayu bounded deftly across rooftops until she reached Kamisato Ayato's room.
The room appeared as Ayaka had seen—dark and seemingly empty.
But Ayato wasn't asleep. He sat in quiet contemplation, sipping tea on a tatami mat. The open sliding door to his garden allowed the starlight to spill in, illuminating his serene figure.
"When we were children, Ayaka and I used to stargaze like this often…" Ayato mused, his gaze lingering on the night sky before turning to Sayu.
"Did you see everything?"
"Yes," Sayu confirmed with a small nod, seating herself on the mat.
"She returned through the same black toilet as Luo Qing. Also…"
She hesitated.
"What is it?" Ayato prompted, pouring a cup of tea for them both.
"Miss Ayaka smells like Luo Qing. And the scent is… very strong."
"…"
Ayato's hand trembled slightly, nearly spilling his tea.
"Are you certain?"
"I remember Luo Qing's scent clearly. When he was in Inazuma, Miss Ayaka often carried his scent as well. And…"
"That's enough, Sayu." Ayato cut her off with a strained smile.
He had heard enough.
"You've done well. Go rest for the night."
"Understood. Goodnight, Lord Ayato."
With that, Sayu vanished into the shadows, leaving Ayato alone in his dimly lit room.
He sighed deeply, his shadow stretching long across the floor under the moonlight.
"Ah… Ayaka…"
---
Sumeru – Luo Qing's Home
Hearing the calm yet unmistakably icy tone of the woman in his arms, Luo Qing took a deep breath and pretended to stay composed.
His arms, however, remained firmly wrapped around Ei's slender waist, refusing to let go.
"I thought this wasn't Makoto's room…" he muttered, feigning ignorance.
"It's not. I swapped with her because I needed the desk for my light novel readings."
Ei's voice was calm—too calm.
"And why didn't anyone tell me?" Luo Qing asked, trying to maintain a straight face.
"How long do you plan to hold me?"
"Well…" Luo Qing hugged her even tighter.
"Since I'm already here, why not let me stay? Just for tonight?"
"…"
"Sofas are cold and lonely. You're so warm, kind, and lovely—how could you possibly turn me away?"
"…"
His reasoning was infuriatingly sound—except it wasn't.
"You were trying to sneak into Makoto's bed, weren't you?"
"…"
[Luo Qing's Frustration +1]
"Well, Makoto's not here, but her sister will do—ow! Stop pinching me!" Luo Qing yelped as Ei's fingers found his side.
"If you're so concerned about Makoto, why don't you go find her?"
Her voice remained level, but Luo Qing could sense the faintest twinge of jealousy.
"Wait… are you jealous?" he asked, a sly grin spreading across his face.
"Jealous? Of you? Don't flatter yourself."
"Then why are you pinching me?"
"Because I want to."
"Fine. Pinch all you want—I'm going to sleep."
Without another word, Luo Qing buried his face against Ei's back and closed his eyes.
They'd already shared a kiss before. Surely, sharing a bed was no big deal, right?
"You're really going to sleep?"
When Luo Qing didn't respond, Ei frowned.
Is he seriously just planning to hold me all night without doing anything else?!
"Hey, I'm talking to you…"
Still no response.
Curious, Ei wriggled around to face him, only to find Luo Qing's eyes closed, his breathing steady.
"…He's already asleep?"
She stared at him in disbelief.
All he's going to do is hug me? Nothing else?
Ei debated whether to kick him out of bed, but before she could decide, Luo Qing muttered in his sleep.
"Such a soft, fragrant pillow…"
He pressed his face into her chest with a contented sniff, a blissful smile spreading across his lips.
Ei's eyebrow twitched.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
---
Meanwhile, in the Living Room
Having tasted success with her first late-night escapade, Theresa was itching for another intimate encounter with her beloved master.
Quietly slipping off her shoes, she tiptoed down the stairs, her heart pounding in anticipation.
But when she reached the living room, she froze.
The sofa was empty.
"…Where's my Master?"
She stared at the vacant cushions, her mind blank with confusion.
Where could my Luo Qing have gone?!
---
T/N: YAE MIKO IS NOT ACTUALLY 'INVOLVED' WITH LUO QING AYAKA IS JUST SAYING THEY'RE FRIENDS OR SOMETHING
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— Raiden Shogun
Chapter 265: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [265] [30 PS]
This bonus chapter is a small gift—may it bring you a touch of tranquility.
---
After days of negotiation, Kaveh and Natalya, stationed in Mondstadt, had finally cleared multiple misunderstandings with the Knights of Favonius. They had to repeatedly explain that they were merely there to build a luxurious mansion—not to scheme against Mondstadt.
Eventually, the Knights relented. Using Northland Bank's generous funding, Kaveh managed to purchase a plot of land near Falcon Coast as the site for Luo Qing's grand estate.
Ordinarily, Mondstadt's Knights maintained strict vigilance against the Fatui, avoiding unnecessary interactions. But with their resources stretched thin due to the expedition teams abroad, and given Northland Bank's overwhelming financial contribution, the Knights had little choice but to agree.
As a precaution, the Knights recorded Luo Qing's plans. If they suspected any military activity on the property, they would reclaim it immediately.
Of course, Luo Qing didn't care.
With Lumine and Paimon chasing clues into the desert, Luo Qing finally found a rare free day after cycling through time with his six "wives." It was a Sunday—perfect for a surprise inspection in Mondstadt to check on Kaveh's progress.
After all, once the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata was resurrected, he planned to relocate his base here permanently.
Emerging from his toilet portal into Mondstadt, Luo Qing set foot on its soil for the third time.
With his enhanced physique now rivaling mid-tier gods, his mastery of Time Zero made traveling at hyper-speed as easy as breathing.
In a flash, he arrived near Falcon Coast, having heard about Kaveh's carefully selected location. As he crossed Windrise, the coastline came into view.
But just as he was about to resume his journey, a commotion reached his ears—a mix of grunts, roars, and shouts.
"Hmm… a battle?"
Typically, Luo Qing wouldn't bother investigating mundane skirmishes. But this time, something piqued his interest.
The voice—a fiery, familiar tone—sounded like someone he knew.
Eula?
Concealing his aura, Luo Qing approached the noise. Scaling a rocky outcrop, he peered down into the valley below.
There she was.
That unmistakable figure, clad in tight black leather pants, moving with her trademark graceful yet lethal swordsmanship.
Her opponent? A hulking Stonehide Lawachurl accompanied by a horde of Hilichurls.
But something was off.
Instead of wielding her iconic weapon, Eula was holding… a bladeless greatsword.
"Seriously? The quality of her weapons keeps dropping…" Luo Qing muttered, shaking his head.
Eula's situation wasn't ideal. Judging by the tracks in the dirt, it seemed she had stayed behind to buy time for her team to escape.
The hilichurl horde pressed her relentlessly, led by the armored Lawachurl. Despite her impressive swordsmanship and agility, her blunt weapon was barely scratching her enemy's rock-hard defenses.
Worse, her stamina was waning under the unending assault.
Luo Qing observed from his perch, arms crossed.
"Not bad… but she's struggling."
He decided to wait.
If Eula could handle it on her own, great. Less work for him.
If not… well, he could always save her in the nick of time.
No rush, he thought. After all, this was the same girl who had once tried to kill him on sight. Let her sweat a little.
---
In the valley below, Eula gritted her teeth.
Each strike with her dull greatsword barely dented the Lawachurl's armor. No matter how precisely she timed her moves or how elegantly she danced through the attacks, she was fighting an uphill battle.
The Lawachurl smashed through her attempts to slow it down with Cryo, shattering the icy barriers with ease.
Eula cast a glance at her weapon—a mere Waster Greatsword. If only she had her Song of Broken Pines, or even her old White Iron Greatsword.
This fight would've ended long ago.
I just need to hold out… until reinforcements arrive.
Her resolve firmed, but so did her enemies' determination.
The Lawachurl charged again, this time backed by a hilichurl berserker.
Eula moved to intercept, but her exhaustion betrayed her. She stumbled, leaving her flank wide open.
The berserker's axe swung down as the Lawachurl raised its massive fist.
She was trapped.
"Damn it—!"
Her body froze in fear, her mind racing as her impending demise loomed closer.
Then—
Whoosh!
A piercing sound tore through the air.
Before Eula could react, a massive spear of golden Geo energy descended from above, striking the Lawachurl and the berserker simultaneously.
Both enemies were impaled, their bodies pinned to the ground with crushing force.
The Lawachurl's seemingly impenetrable armor shattered like glass under the weight of the Geo spear.
More spears rained down, wiping out the remaining hilichurls with brutal precision.
Eula blinked, her mind struggling to process what had just happened.
One moment, she was on the brink of death. The next, her enemies were annihilated in an instant.
The battlefield fell silent.
Cautiously, Eula reached out to touch one of the Geo spears. Its surface glimmered faintly under the sunlight, radiating an overwhelming sense of power.
Then, a familiar voice called out from above.
"You owe me another life, Miss Eula~"
Eula's eyes snapped upward.
"…You."
---
T/N: tell me why I visibly shuddered when I saw Eula and Lawachurl in the same fucking sentence
Ah, Reader. You've stayed for the bonus chapter—how delightful.
Even amidst the quiet of eternity, there's joy to be found in shared moments like this.
If you wish to offer your strength, step forward: [patreon.com/WiseTL].
Each effort helps to shape a world where such moments can thrive.
— Ei
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