Chapter 296: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [296]
With Azar's faction overthrown, the Akademiya had temporarily abolished the bans he once decreed. As a result, the mood among the people these days was lighthearted, their faces glowing with contented smiles.
The atmosphere in all of Sumeru felt livelier than usual.
When Luo Qing arrived at the Sanctuary, he pushed the door open.
Inside, he saw Bu'er holding Nahida's small hand, the two of them standing in the heart of the hall, engaged in a quiet discussion.
When Bu'er saw Luo Qing enter, she greeted him with a gentle smile.
Taking small steps forward, she wrapped her arms around Luo Qing's waist and gave him a light hug.
Standing to the side, Nahida tilted her head as she watched the scene unfold. A strange, complicated feeling arose in her heart.
For some reason, she felt an urge to leap into Luo Qing's arms and have him ruffle her hair.
"Luo Qing, what brings you here...?" Nahida asked softly.
Before she could finish speaking, Luo Qing had already placed his right hand on her head, gently ruffling her hair with a smile.
"Came to check on my little Nahida. Is that a good enough reason?"
"Mm..."
Nahida liked his response very much. Though she tried to keep her expression neutral, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she couldn't help squinting her eyes in enjoyment under Luo Qing's head pats.
"What were you two discussing so early in the day?" Luo Qing turned to look at Bu'er.
"From now on, Nahida will be the one overseeing Sumeru. I came to discuss some governance matters with her," Bu'er replied with a tender smile. Her fingers lightly brushed through Nahida's silver-white hair, her gaze warm and doting.
Though Nahida had lived for five centuries, most of that time had been spent imprisoned in the Sanctuary. After the Akademiya initially mistook her for being like the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata—capable of guiding Sumeru—they venerated and served her briefly. But that period ended swiftly, and the rest of her life was confined to the sanctuary, learning about the world and gaining knowledge only through dreams and puppets.
Now that Nahida was truly connected to the World Tree and had become the legitimate Dendro Archon, she still lacked actual governance experience.
That's why Bu'er seized this opportunity to grow closer to her, strengthening their bond.
"Luo Qing..." Nahida hesitated for a few seconds, then looked up at him.
"The Void Terminal reform plan you mentioned earlier—I've thought it through."
"You've thought it through?"
Luo Qing was surprised. He'd intended to steer the conversation toward the Void Terminals during this visit, but Nahida brought it up herself.
"I gave it a lot of thought. The Void Terminals do have the potential to improve the daily lives of the people." Nahida's long, elfin ears twitched as she spoke, adding a touch of cuteness to her demeanor. "I'd like to try the method you suggested."
She was aware that Luo Qing's insistence on keeping the Void Terminals was partially due to his own agenda. Yet her trust in him, strengthened by their bond and her guesses about his true identity, led her to choose to support him and become his ally.
She had already decided: as long as Luo Qing wasn't doing something gravely immoral, she would stand by him.
"Thank you, Nahida." A warm feeling rose in Luo Qing's chest. Nahida was truly his most reliable partner.
With the Void, he could fully utilize his Void Authority. The next step would be to expand the Void Network, spreading it across Teyvat and promoting the Void Terminals in other regions.
When everyone had a Void Terminal, they would unwittingly become his informants and sources of intelligence.
He hadn't understood before why the system granted him such abilities. But now it made sense—it must be tied to his past involvement with Bu'er in creating the Void.
"Nahida, have you ever considered expanding the Void across Teyvat?" Luo Qing tested the waters. "To cover the entire continent, so that people from every nation can access the Void Network and use Void Terminals?"
"To cover all of Teyvat..." Nahida lowered her head, deep in thought.
She had only ever considered the impact of the Void within Sumeru. The idea of introducing it to other nations had never crossed her mind.
The core of the Void originated from the Gnosis of the Dendro Archon, but its essence was the power of the World Tree. And since the World Tree was the foundation of Teyvat, it was theoretically possible to extend the Void across the entire continent.
"I've never thought about that before..." Nahida admitted. Expanding the Void to other nations would involve dealing with the Archons of those nations—a daunting prospect for someone like her, who was still finding her footing as an Archon after centuries of confinement.
"No rush," Luo Qing reassured her with a slight smile, patting her head again. "It's just a suggestion. You can decide when you're ready."
Despite his reassuring tone, Luo Qing knew he would soon need to gather the next Gnosis. If Nahida could help expand the Void Network along the way, it would save him significant effort.
"I'll think about it carefully!" Nahida said with determination, looking at Luo Qing with steadfast resolve.
If she was going to be his... not father's... but Luo Qing's strongest supporter, she would give it her all.
"Alright..."
Seeing Nahida's adorably earnest expression, Luo Qing's heart softened. Unable to resist, he crouched down to her eye level and pulled her into a hug.
---
After discussing the matter, Luo Qing lingered with Nahida and Bu'er for a while. The three of them were like a small family, chatting casually and even watching some "touching" animations that Luo Qing had secretly uploaded to the Void.
The day passed quickly. As evening approached, Bu'er, overcome with maternal affection, decided she wanted to spend the night cuddling with Nahida. She asked Luo Qing if she could stay at the Sanctuary, and since Luo Qing had plans to visit Kamisato Ayaka in Inazuma that evening, he agreed without hesitation.
Back at home, Luo Qing ate dinner, checked the clock on the wall, and decided it was time. He headed to the washroom to prepare.
Reflecting on recent events, he felt a bit guilty. His focus on Scaramouche's situation had distracted him, and if it weren't for a timely reminder, he wouldn't have realized how long it had been since he'd seen Ayaka. While he didn't think anything bad would happen to her in Inazuma, her older brother's disapproving attitude made him cautious.
A slight ripple in his vision later, Luo Qing found himself in complete darkness. The scent of a delicate fragrance filled the air. Reaching out, his hand brushed against a piece of silky, lacy fabric.
"Where is this...?" Luo Qing thought, a guess forming in his mind.
When he stood up, his head bumped into a wooden panel.
It dawned on him. He was inside a wardrobe.
Sliding the panel open, he found himself staring into Ayaka's room.
"Why did I end up in her wardrobe again...?"
Luo Qing stepped out and glanced back. The wardrobe was packed with clothes—most of which were risqué outfits he'd once gifted Ayaka from a particularly "bold" catalog.
For a moment, he fell into deep thought.
Just then, the door opened.
Kamisato Ayaka entered, dressed in a light blue silk kimono.
---
Oh, you're still here? Nice. While I'm out here juggling revival matches and reminding villains why they should reconsider their life choices, someone's behind the scenes making sure my story reaches you. Gotta admit, they're doing a pretty solid job.
If you want to help keep this whole thing running smoothly, here's the link: [patreon.com/WiseTL]. Think of it as… supporting your favorite underdog. Everyone loves an underdog, right?
Anyway, time to get back to saving the day. See you in the next chapter—don't forget to stay out of trouble (that's my job).
— Xia Luo 🕸️
Chapter 297: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [297]
Kamisato Ayaka's eyes widened in disbelief at the sight before her.
Suddenly realizing something, she quickly turned toward the hallway to check. After confirming her brother had already gone to his room for the night, she hurried back into her bedroom, closed the door, and locked it.
With a swift step, she leapt into Luo Qing's arms.
"Luo Qing, why are you here?"
Feeling the familiar warmth of Luo Qing's embrace, the unease that had been gnawing at Ayaka's heart finally eased.
"Because I missed you," Luo Qing replied with a gentle smile, his voice tender as he stroked Ayaka's back. "I hadn't seen you in a while, so I thought I'd come check on you and see if everything's alright."
"Mm..."
"I-it's nothing, really. Things have been fine here," Ayaka said, though her tone carried a hint of hesitation.
"Ayaka..."
Luo Qing's hands moved upward, gently cupping Ayaka's adorable face as he looked into her eyes. His voice softened.
"You can tell me anything. No matter what it is, I'll be here to help you."
"It's nothing, really..."
Meeting Luo Qing's gaze, Ayaka's cheeks turned pink. She instinctively looked away, too shy to maintain eye contact.
"It's just... I decided on my own not to visit you for now."
"Huh?" Luo Qing blinked in confusion.
Before he could ask further, Ayaka hurriedly clarified, "It's not like that! It's just... for personal reasons."
"Personal reasons?"
"Well..." Ayaka hesitated, sneaking a glance at Luo Qing before her face turned an even deeper shade of red.
"Brother said I need to complete all the Kamisato family's pre-and post-marriage etiquette training before I can visit you again..."
"P-pre-and post-marriage etiquette?!"
Luo Qing was stunned.
They'd just entered the sweet phase of their relationship, and now they were already jumping to marriage?! That was a huge leap...
"Yes..."
Ayaka nodded shyly, like a little bird pecking at food. She wrapped her arms around Luo Qing's waist, rested her head against his chest, and murmured, "Luo Qing, my brother has agreed to let us be together."
"He... agreed?"
"Mm..."
A soft smile appeared on Ayaka's face, her mood visibly lifted.
After she'd told her brother about the situation with the Raiden Shogun, something unexpected had happened. Her brother had gone through a brief phase of isolation, only to reemerge as if he'd come to terms with everything. He'd then called her for a talk, asking her how she truly felt about Luo Qing.
That was when Ayaka uttered the one sentence that her brother would never forget for the rest of his life:
"Brother, I will only ever love Luo Qing. If I marry, it will only ever be to him."
It was a miracle her brother hadn't fainted from a sudden spike in blood pressure upon hearing those words.
At first, he'd thought Ayaka was just being impulsive, so he arranged for her to undergo a series of what he called "essential Kamisato family etiquette lessons for marriage." His hope was that the tediousness and monotony of the lessons would cool her enthusiasm over time.
After all, these courses were so dull that most people wanted to fall asleep within half an hour. Surely, Ayaka wouldn't stick with them for long.
But Ayaka wasn't most people.
To his dismay, she not only completed the lessons with zeal but also asked him to speed up the progress—eager to finish quickly so she could wear her wedding dress and marry Luo Qing.
Her brother had been utterly devastated.
"Your brother just... agreed to it?" Luo Qing still found it hard to believe.
If his own little sister suddenly fell for a guy surrounded by other girls, Luo Qing was sure he'd break that guy's legs. All three of them, in fact.
"Mm-hmm. He said that once I complete all the Kamisato family's required etiquette lessons, he'll let me visit you as often as I want and won't interfere anymore."
Ayaka beamed with joy.
Through her recent efforts, she only had two lessons left: Preparations Before the Wedding Night and Nurturing During Pregnancy and Postnatal Care. Once she finished those, she'd graduate with flying colors!
"This..."
Listening to the list of lessons Ayaka had been taking, Luo Qing couldn't shake the feeling that her brother had made them up on the spot.
"Luo Qing..."
Ayaka looked up at him, tugging gently at his sleeve. Her voice was soft.
"Are you going back tonight?"
Luo Qing turned the question back on her. "Do you want me to?"
"I..."
Ayaka's face turned bright red. How could she say something so embarrassing out loud?
"Luo Qing, let's go outside," she suggested.
"Where to?"
"To the beach below the estate."
"Alright..."
Luo Qing didn't question her intentions. He could see right through her. This was her way of asking him to stay.
Wrapping his arm around her waist, he scooped her up in a princess carry. His eyes glimmered with golden light, and in an instant, they appeared on the beach beneath the Kamisato estate.
While the estate itself was heavily guarded, the beach below it was unpatrolled. The two of them were completely alone.
"Luo Qing..."
Ayaka stepped out of his arms, her bare feet sinking slightly into the sand. She clasped her hands behind her back and stood under the moonlight, radiant in her elegant sky-blue kimono.
The soft glow of the moonlight bathed her figure, making her look like a celestial maiden descended to earth.
With a hint of bashfulness, she lowered her gaze and glanced at Luo Qing.
"Would you... like to see me dance?"
"Mm..."
Luo Qing nodded and sat cross-legged on the sand, his lips curving into a smile.
"I'd love to."
"I've only just started learning..." Ayaka's cheeks flushed deeper. "If it's not very good, you can't laugh at me..."
Taking a deep breath, Ayaka's Vision began to glow with a cool, icy-blue light.
The next moment, under the serene moonlight, Ayaka raised her long sleeves and began to dance. Frosty blue elemental energy swirled around her, forming intricate patterns that complemented her graceful movements.
Much like Nilou's dances, Ayaka's elemental energy added an ethereal quality to her performance, making it even more mesmerizing.
When the dance ended, Luo Qing remained seated, utterly captivated.
He had never seen Ayaka dance before—not counting her brief attempts at public square dances—but now, her performance had left an indelible impression on his heart. It was as if her movements were etched into his very soul.
Luo Qing felt an almost uncontrollable urge to rush over and pull her into his arms.
"Luo Qing, was it... beautiful?"
"It was..." Luo Qing replied, his voice soft and heartfelt.
---
Oh, you're still here? Nice. While I'm out here juggling revival matches and reminding villains why they should reconsider their life choices, someone's behind the scenes making sure my story reaches you. Gotta admit, they're doing a pretty solid job.
If you want to help keep this whole thing running smoothly, here's the link: [patreon.com/WiseTL]. Think of it as… supporting your favorite underdog. Everyone loves an underdog, right?
Anyway, time to get back to saving the day. See you in the next chapter—don't forget to stay out of trouble (that's my job).
— Xia Luo 🕸️
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