"If you think tomorrow's too soon, Ayaka, we can wait a bit longer. I'll be around Inazuma for a while, so just let me know when you're ready," Luo Qing said casually.
"It's fine," Ayaka shook her head firmly. "Tomorrow is perfect."
She had rehearsed everything she wanted to say to the Shogun countless times in her mind. Even if she had to meet Raiden Shogun right now, she wouldn't hesitate for a second.
"Alright, then. Tomorrow evening, after training, I'll take you to meet her."
"Okay..." Ayaka nodded.
With that settled, there was nothing left to discuss but personal matters between the two of them.
Although it had been a while since they last spoke, Luo Qing's casual attitude with Ayaka hadn't changed a bit. They chatted about the recent happenings and even her personal interests. He noticed how interested she was in the group dance, even encouraging her to suggest it to her busy brother.
After all, the more people dancing together, the more lively it would be.
Several times, Ayaka tried to bring up the incident where Luo Qing had almost kissed her, but every time she got close, Luo Qing managed to change the topic, leaving her questions unanswered.
Before she knew it, night had fallen.
Though Ayaka hadn't said anything, Luo Qing knew well enough that their relationship wasn't yet at a point where they could spend the night together. So, he found a polite excuse and headed back to his lodgings.
The next day.
Just like the first day, the morning training began with an hour of group dance practice. With Luo Qing's oversized phonograph blasting its catchy tunes, the music echoed throughout Tenshukaku. Some of the residents of Hanamizaka could even faintly hear the infuriatingly catchy song, but given that it came from the Shogun's residence, they could only complain in private and curse Luo Qing in secret.
Sword training wasn't like classroom teaching; it didn't require Luo Qing's constant presence. He only needed to step in occasionally to provide guidance. Most of the time, the students would train independently while Luo Qing enjoyed his tea on the platform, stealing glances at Ayaka's enthusiastic dance moves.
If only the new athletic uniforms were ready, it would be even more thrilling...
By now, the students were able to practice on their own. Luo Qing left Theresa and Kujou Sara in charge, activating his Time Zero ability to once again slip up to Tenshukaku.
Perhaps because it was Ei herself who crafted the body, the Raiden Shogun had a habit of staying indoors. Every time Luo Qing visited her at Tenshukaku, she was seated alone, meditating quietly on the dais.
"Why do you always have to sneak in through the balcony?" Raiden Shogun asked with a frown, wondering if she should teach him a lesson to make him use the front door next time.
"Isn't the balcony more exciting?" Luo Qing grinned as he casually sat down in front of her.
"What do you want this time?" Raiden Shogun's voice was cold.
Every time Luo Qing visited, it was either to seek Ei's help or to ask for a favor. One of these days, she'd just cut him down with her blade.
"The eldest daughter of the Kamisato Clan wants to meet with you. She asked for my assistance."
"She should have formally requested an audience through the Tenryou Commission, not used you as an intermediary," Raiden Shogun replied coolly, her eyes remaining closed.
She knew exactly who Luo Qing was referring to.
"I already promised her. It's just a quick meeting, why not?"
"No."
"..."
Luo Qing was in a tough spot. He had already touched Ayaka's cheek, almost kissed her, and if he broke his promise now, any goodwill he'd built up would vanish instantly.
"Just meet with her! Don't make me beg!"
"No means no—"
Raiden Shogun's eyes suddenly flickered, and then her expression softened as she smirked.
"Hmph, then why don't you go ahead and beg?" she teased.
"...?"
Luo Qing was stunned for a moment.
"Wait, are you... Ei?"
"She won't come out. I'm speaking on her behalf," Raiden Shogun said, her voice still stern.
"Don't pretend. The Shogun always refers to herself as 'this body,' but you just said 'I.' You're definitely Ei!" Luo Qing declared loudly.
"..."
"Heh, Miss Ei, you wouldn't want your secret excursions from the Plane of Euthymia to be exposed to your foxy friend, would you?" Luo Qing said with a sly grin, leaning back.
"..."
"I'm not her!" she insisted.
"Stop denying it!" Luo Qing countered.
Ei frowned, realizing that Luo Qing could discern the difference between her and the puppet from just a single slip. Was she really that obvious?
"What did she offer you to make you so willing to help?" Ei asked, her tone cold.
"You do know you're working with a foreign organization, right? Aligning with outsiders like this could have serious consequences," she warned.
"Are you... jealous?" Luo Qing asked, his voice softening.
"..."
For a moment, Ei was at a loss for words.
Jealous of a little girl over this scoundrel? She thought incredulously. Why is Luo Qing so confident all of a sudden?
"Oh, come on! It's just a meeting; it won't kill you," Luo Qing said, his tone coaxing. "Next time, I'll bring you some fresh light novels—good ones that will make you cry and laugh!"
"..."
It was true that she had already read through all the novels in the Plane of Euthymia, but admitting it... no, she couldn't. She wasn't here to lounge around reading novels.
Seeing the hint of hesitation in her expression, Luo Qing pressed on, "I'll even include the updated volumes you haven't read yet, plus all the latest desserts. And I promise I won't let the pink-haired fox find out!"
"..."
Ei hesitated, a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks. Couldn't Luo Qing be a little more subtle? What if the Shogun overheard such shameless bargaining?
"Fine..."
Seeing her expression waver, Luo Qing knelt down, pressing his forehead to the floor in a perfect prostration.
"I humbly beg the Shogun to grant Kamisato Ayaka an audience!" he said, his voice loud and sincere.
All she needed was a graceful way to agree; he knew that well.
"Ahem... since you're so sincere..."
Luo Qing's head shot up. "You'll do it, Miss Ei?!"
"..."
Her sentence interrupted, Ei's brows furrowed.
As she suspected, Luo Qing didn't have a sincere bone in his body.
"Don't be so eager. The one she'll meet is the Shogun, not me," she said icily.
"Doesn't matter. She won't know the difference," Luo Qing said dismissively. In any case, the Shogun seems to like Ayaka just as much as you do, he thought.
"One thing though—what's your relationship with the Kamisato girl that makes you so determined to help her?" Ei asked, curiosity coloring her voice.
"Don't ask. Just call me Ayaka's loyal dog," Luo Qing replied with a grin.
"...?"
---
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]
Evening came, signaling the end of training.
After the students finished their usual hour of group dance, Luo Qing dismissed them to rest. He exchanged a glance with Ayaka, and the two quietly left the Tenryou Commission together.
Earlier, after his visit to Tenshukaku, Luo Qing had informed Ayaka that she would be able to meet with Raiden Shogun that evening. Although Ei had agreed, she also imposed a condition: Ayaka had to go alone. Luo Qing would not be allowed to stay during their conversation.
Because of this, Luo Qing simply gave Ayaka a few words of encouragement and let her head up by herself.
On Ayaka's side, despite having mentally prepared herself the previous night, her heart still fluttered with nerves when she found out that she would truly have the opportunity to request the abolishment of the Vision Hunt Decree directly from the Shogun.
Standing at the entrance of Tenshukaku, she took a deep breath, gave Luo Qing a determined nod, and stepped through the towering doors.
Since she was young, Ayaka had rarely met the Shogun in person. Matters of state were usually handled by her brother, and this was the first time she would have a private audience with the Raiden Shogun.
After informing the attendants of her identity, they no longer stopped her as they had in the past. Instead, they gave a respectful bow and led her into the Shogun's chamber.
When the door opened, the sight before her left Ayaka feeling a bit confused.
On the dais sat the legendary Raiden Shogun, her hands poised in a meditative gesture, eyes closed in deep concentration. And beside her, much to Ayaka's surprise, stood Luo Qing, the very person who had been cheering her on just moments before outside the Tenshukaku gate. He seemed to be quietly muttering something to the Shogun.
"I'm telling you, don't be too harsh... and don't just stay silent... She's coming here all alone, you know... If you make her cry, it's going to be a mess to comfort her..."
"Don't put on that cold act... Just give her some kind of response..."
Luo Qing was well aware of the Shogun's stern and sometimes harsh demeanor. Knowing her straightforward personality, he felt it necessary to offer a bit of advice and support for Ayaka's sake.
As the door creaked open, Raiden Shogun's eyes flicked open, casting a glance at Luo Qing, as if to ask: What are you still doing here?
"..."
"Remember what I said!" Luo Qing urged one last time, before reluctantly exiting the room. He exchanged a reassuring nod with Ayaka as he passed her, then walked out.
As the door closed behind him, Ayaka turned her gaze back to the Shogun, who had now risen from her seat, standing above her with the imposing presence of a god overseeing her people.
"What is it?"
Those two simple words carried an overwhelming weight, causing Ayaka's chest to tighten. Even breathing seemed difficult under such pressure. But she had come this far—there was no turning back.
Taking a deep breath, Ayaka straightened up and said firmly, "Shogun, I have come here to request the abolishment of the Vision Hunt Decree!"
The core of their discussion was the abolishment of the Vision Hunt Decree, touching on political matters at the top and the lives of the common folk below. In Ayaka's mind, the Shogun had to have been influenced by the Tenryou Commission and the Kanjou Commission to enact such a decree.
If she could honestly convey the suffering and pain it had caused the people, perhaps she could persuade the Shogun to cancel it, restoring the peace of their past.
But soon enough, she realized that the Vision Hunt Decree was not the result of manipulation from the Tenryou or Kanjou Commission. It was the Shogun's own decision. She was well aware of the decree's consequences, yet chose to persist.
Luo Qing stood outside the door, listening intently. Thanks to his enhanced senses, he didn't need to press his ear against the wall to hear the conversation inside.
As Ayaka's voice grew quieter and more uncertain, laced with hints of desperation, he knew the discussion was nearing its end.
He wasn't particularly surprised by the outcome. If the Shogun could be swayed by Ayaka's words alone, then there would be no need for Lumine or that cunning fox to get involved later.
Soon after, a stern reprimand echoed from the Shogun's chamber, signaling the conclusion of their dialogue. The attendant beside Luo Qing pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Through the crack, Luo Qing could see Ayaka's slumped shoulders. Her posture alone spoke volumes about her despair.
He glanced up at the Shogun, who remained as aloof as ever, her expression unreadable, as if she bore no responsibility.
The Shogun had dismissed them, and Ayaka, acknowledging her failure, bowed deeply and left the room with the attendant.
As she turned around, Luo Qing noticed the faint trace of a tear clinging to the corner of Ayaka's eye.
Damn... She really cried...
"Honestly..."
Luo Qing shot a reproachful glance at the Shogun, thinking, I told you to go easy on her. How could you end up making her cry?
"Master... Let's go back..."
Ayaka's head hung low, her pale blue bangs hiding her eyes. It was impossible to tell if her emotions were more rooted in disappointment or pain.
"Alright..."
Luo Qing glanced one last time at the Shogun, silently vowing to settle this score later.
Outside Tenshukaku, they passed the Statue of the Omnipresent God. Ayaka couldn't help but look back at it.
"Master... Do you think the Shogun's Vision Hunt Decree is truly right?"
"What do you think, Ayaka?" Luo Qing asked in return.
"I don't understand what the Shogun means by eternity... All I see is how the Vision Hunt Decree has turned so many lives upside down... how people have even lost their lives because of it..."
Even now, she struggled to grasp why the Shogun clung so stubbornly to the decree. Why were Visions seen as a threat to eternity?
They had existed for so long already.
"So, Ayaka, you still wish to bring down the Vision Hunt Decree, don't you?"
"Yes... but I don't know what to do anymore..."
The Shogun's expression during their conversation, along with the opposition she'd faced from the Tenryou and Kanjou Commissions, left Ayaka feeling lost.
She had once believed the decree's true enemies were the Tenryou and Kanjou Commissions. Now she understood—her greatest adversary was the Shogun herself.
"Don't lose hope."
Luo Qing gently ruffled Ayaka's hair. "I've seen a sign. In the not-so-distant future, a traveler from Liyue will arrive in Inazuma. She'll stand by your side and help bring down the Vision Hunt Decree."
"A sign? A traveler?"
Remembering the Shogun's unyielding stance, a flicker of doubt and sadness crossed Ayaka's face.
"Do you truly believe there will be a day when the Vision Hunt Decree is overturned?"
"Absolutely. My predictions have never been wrong."
Luo Qing gave her a comforting smile, ruffling her hair a little more.
"A traveler... from Liyue..."
Ayaka lowered her head, her thoughts swirling with uncertainty.
...
---
Translator's Note
Hi, peasants! I'm so excited to share Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking! Our favorite carefree bard, Venti, takes center stage in this Honkai: Star Rail adventure, landing in Belobog—the last bastion of preservation on Jarilo VI. With the fire inside fading and winds growing stagnant, can the spirit of freedom and the breeze of change rise once more?
If you're a fan of Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Rail, you're gonna love this one. There's music, rebellion, and all the freedom-loving energy Venti brings to the table! Also, I've got two more stories lined up after this, so keep an eye out. As always, thank you so much for your support—y'all are the best!
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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