But in the next instant, just as the spike was about to strike, a rocky ridge abruptly appeared in front of Luo Qing, shattering the ice.
Luo Qing glanced at the shards of ice on the ground and casually remarked, "Oh my, Lady Rosalyne, getting impatient already?"
"Hmph! I've been wanting to beat you up for a long time!"
Rosalyne shouted angrily. She raised her hands, summoning more ice spikes from the sky that hurtled towards Luo Qing.
But, without exception, every spike was crushed by the stone ridges Luo Qing summoned.
"You've certainly been hiding your strength," Rosalyne muttered, frowning. During the previous officer selection, Luo Qing barely won using that emotion-manipulating ability. Yet now, he was wielding Geo powers with ease.
Adding in his time-stopping ability, she couldn't even fathom how many secrets he was still hiding.
"Indeed I have. What's the matter? Is Lady Rosalyne getting scared?"
"Afraid of you?!"
With that, Rosalyne's aura flared even stronger. She floated in mid-air, the ice element condensing around her to form an icy robe.
The freezing element covered the entire island, as if intending to freeze everything in its grasp.
A bone-chilling ice storm swirled around Luo Qing, yet it failed to faze him in the slightest.
With his own Cryo Vision, coupled with his natural resistance, the cold barely bothered him.
In the next moment, countless ice spears formed around Luo Qing, then, with a mere thought from Rosalyne, accelerated towards him.
"Tch, tell me, Lady Rosalyne, why must you do this?"
Luo Qing looked up at Rosalyne floating in the sky and let out a light chuckle.
The entire island's time abruptly froze, and the ice spears halted mid-air, suspended as if paused by an unseen force.
Luo Qing gazed at Rosalyne, shaking his head slightly, and walked out from the encirclement of ice.
He then retrieved a rope he had prepared earlier from his inventory and approached Rosalyne, who remained helpless in mid-air. Grabbing her by the ankle, he pulled her gently back to the ground.
With Rosalyne's eyes widening in shock, Luo Qing methodically tied the rope around her body, loop by loop.
Too bad her outfit made it a bit inconvenient; otherwise, Luo Qing would have tried something like a tortoise-shell bind...
Meanwhile, Rosalyne could vaguely sense Luo Qing's actions. Yet, within the frozen world of his time-stop, she could do nothing but feel the rope's pressure as it wrapped around her, leaving her utterly defenseless.
Once Rosalyne was securely bound, much like he had with Yelan before, Luo Qing slipped a pair of cuffs onto her fingers that suppressed elemental energy. Then he removed her high heels, applying another pair of cuffs to her toes.
He paused, as if something was still missing.
After a brief thought, he pulled a rag from his inventory, pried open Rosalyne's mouth, and stuffed the cloth inside.
"Perfect!" Luo Qing nodded with satisfaction, then released the time-stop domain.
"MMMMMM!! MMM!! MMMM!!!"
Rosalyne, now tied up like a bundle, writhed furiously on the ground, her eyes burning with fury as she glared at Luo Qing. Realizing that even her shoes had been removed, her glare only grew more intense.
Though Luo Qing couldn't decipher what exactly Rosalyne was trying to say through her muffled sounds, judging by her expression, it was probably... not very polite.
"Come now, Lady Rosalyne, why make things so difficult for yourself? If you had cooperated, we wouldn't be in this situation, would we?" Luo Qing feigned a sigh.
"MMMMM! MMM!" Rosalyne continued to struggle.
[Frustration Value from Rosalyne +10]
"I had no choice, Lady Rosalyne. You can't curse my entire family now—the deed is done. Don't worry, I'll take responsibility for this~" Luo Qing grinned mischievously.
"MMMM!"
[Frustration Value from Rosalyne +10]
"So, for now, you'll just have to bear with it. Don't worry, I'll provide plenty of light novels to keep you entertained."
With that, Luo Qing wrapped an arm around Rosalyne's slender waist, hoisted her onto his shoulder, and was about to leave. But then he remembered something, turned back, and grabbed her discarded high heels before heading toward Inazuma City.
In the early morning sunlight, Luo Qing's silhouette resembled that of a bandit chief who had just abducted a bride.
...
Hanamizaka
After some time, Teresa and her companions finally awoke.
Noticing Luo Qing's absence, they didn't think much of it and began tidying his home.
After a night of heavy drinking, the room was in utter disarray.
They had just finished cleaning up when heavy footsteps echoed from downstairs, accompanied by a faint, muffled female groan.
Curious, they moved to check, only to see Luo Qing entering with Rosalyne slung over his shoulder.
What shocked them even more was that the esteemed Lady Rosalyne was bound from head to toe, with her hands and feet in cuffs, barefoot, and a gag firmly in her mouth.
Considering how much they'd all drunk last night, they had to wonder—did their master, Luo Qing, get carried away while drunk and do something... inappropriate to the lady next door?
Her clothing was in such disarray...
They must have had a fierce fight, right?
"Master, this is..."
Natalia hesitated, speaking softly.
After all, Rosalyne held the highest position among the Fatui forces in Inazuma, and their master had tied her up like a bundle. If this got back to Snezhnaya, it could lead to significant trouble.
"It's fine."
Luo Qing set Rosalyne down on the tatami mat and continued,
"Lady Rosalyne specifically requested this treatment. Right, Lady Rosalyne?"
"MMMM!!!"
[Frustration Value from Rosalyne +10]
If looks could kill, Luo Qing would have been torn to pieces by Rosalyne's furious gaze.
"Luo Qing, Lady Rosalyne seems... to want to say something," Natalia timidly suggested.
"Oh, does she now?"
Feigning ignorance, Luo Qing turned to Rosalyne with a look of feigned surprise.
"You're all mistaken. Lady Rosalyne herself asked for this—she said she wanted to play some sort of... game. Isn't that right, Lady Rosalyne?"
"MMMM!!!"
[Frustration Value from Rosalyne +10]
"You see? She's nodding. Alright, you all can leave now," Luo Qing waved dismissively. "You four did well last night. When this is over, I'll reward you accordingly. But for now, Natalia, you and the others keep an eye on those samurai. Understood?"
"Yes... Master Luo Qing,"
Knowing better than to disobey, Natalia and the others nodded, even if they clearly saw their master had forcibly restrained Lady Rosalyne. But since Luo Qing said nothing, they kept their silence.
Natalia cast a worried glance at the bound Rosalyne and hesitated before asking again,
"What about Lady Rosalyne...?"
Luo Qing smiled reassuringly.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of Lady Rosalyne myself~"
For some reason, Natalia found those words rather unsettling...
...
---
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
Posture and water check! Review or your frigging dead to me
If you wish to support me or read ahead here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Bonus Chapter!
---
Natalia and the others had to return to guard the samurai, so they didn't stay long in Inazuma City.
After finishing two hours of plaza dancing with Teresa, they left Inazuma.
Soon, the safe house was left with only Luo Qing, Teresa, and the tightly bound Rosalyne.
With Lumine off on Watatsumi Island with no clear return date, Luo Qing knew he couldn't keep Rosalyne tied up forever. After all, she was technically a colleague, and had even spoken a few good words on his behalf to the Tsaritsa. Luo Qing preferred to reason things out rather than forcefully restrain someone—unless, of course, Rosalyne chose to resist.
Finding an excuse to send Teresa off to play on her own, Luo Qing carried Rosalyne back to her own room, dropping her onto the tatami mat. He then shut the doors and windows tightly, drawing the curtains.
Sitting down in front of Rosalyne, he spoke in a calm tone:
"Now, Lady Rosalyne, how about we discuss our cooperation again?"
The only response was Rosalyne's glare, a look that promised a thousand cuts.
"No need to be so fierce. If you obediently follow my lead, everything will be fine when you meet the Raiden Shogun later, won't it?"
Luo Qing chuckled, not minding her expression at all, as he casually removed the gag from her mouth.
"Luo Qing! Do you have any idea what the consequences of your actions will be?"
Rosalyne's voice was icy. If it weren't for the cuffs on her wrists and ankles suppressing her elemental energy, she would have fought him tooth and nail.
"And what consequences would those be?"
Luo Qing leaned back casually. "Lady Rosalyne, didn't you say it yourself? Among the Harbingers, it's not uncommon to have a bit of conflict, right?
Besides, if you had cooperated a bit more, we wouldn't be in this mess, would we?"
"Since I arrived in Inazuma, you've been stalling me, preventing me from meeting with the Raiden Shogun. What, do you want the Gnosis for yourself?"
Rosalyne's gaze was icy, fixed on Luo Qing.
In Liyue, she had thought Luo Qing's personality had merely changed. But now, his strength and demeanor made it clear—he was a completely different person.
Everyone had their motives. In Inazuma, the only thing of real interest was the mysterious location of the Gnosis. She doubted Luo Qing was stalling her for mere amusement.
"I have no interest in that."
Luo Qing shook his head, leaning forward slightly until his face was closer to hers, his eyes reflecting her image.
"But you, Lady Rosalyne, you are very interesting to me~"
"You... you wouldn't dare!"
Rosalyne's eyes widened, a flicker of fear igniting deep within her.
What did he mean by that? Could he really be... after her?
"What's there to not dare~"
Seeing Rosalyne's misunderstanding, Luo Qing's mischievous side kicked in, deciding to play along.
"It's just the two of us here in this room. Who would know?
Or do you think, Lady Rosalyne, that anyone's coming to rescue you?
Heh heh heh~"
[Frustration Value from Rosalyne +10]
"I...! Luo Qing, if you dare lay a finger on me, I swear I'll never let you go—even if it costs me my life!"
Rosalyne's tone was cold and unyielding. She was, after all, a warrior of purity, standing firmly against any humiliation.
"Heh heh heh~ Lady Rosalyne, do you really think, with the gap in our strength, that staking your life would make any difference? Don't worry, even if you died, I'd still find you useful~ Heh heh heh~"
Luo Qing's face contorted into a villainous grin, a look that no mere novice could imitate without having seen dozens of twisted stories.
"You...!"
Rosalyne's fierce facade cracked, fear flashing through her eyes. Instinctively, she shrank back a bit, as if Luo Qing's words had truly struck a chord. She had never considered such things in her long life—was she really going to be at his mercy?
"Oh~ Lady Rosalyne, could it be that you're... a first-timer~? Heh heh heh~ Don't worry~ I'll be gentle, it won't hurt at all~"
As he spoke, Luo Qing stood and approached, hands moving to his belt as if to make good on his threat.
"Don't... don't come any closer!"
At this point, Rosalyne's once proud demeanor was in tatters. She tried desperately to summon her elemental power, but the cuffs on her wrists and ankles rendered her abilities useless, leaving her helpless.
Watching Luo Qing's slow, deliberate approach, she instinctively turned her head away, curling into herself and inching backward, desperate to put distance between them. But her back soon pressed against the wooden wall—she had nowhere left to retreat.
After a tense few moments, Rosalyne noticed that Luo Qing had stopped moving.
Turning back, she saw him sitting where he had been, leisurely sipping tea, watching her as if enjoying some private show.
"What are you..."
Rosalyne was utterly bewildered.
"What, you expected me to really take off my pants?"
Luo Qing burst into laughter.
"..."
[Frustration Value from Rosalyne +10]
Realizing she had been thoroughly tricked, Rosalyne's face flushed with both shame and rage.
"You...! You dare to make a fool of me!"
Her face was a mix of fury and embarrassment.
She had to admit—even with all her previous bravery in the face of death, the mere implication of intimacy had shaken her far more than she would ever have anticipated.
Meanwhile, Luo Qing himself was just as surprised by her reaction. Given her fearless reputation, he had expected her to stay indifferent. How had such a simple implication made her react so intensely?
Could this really be the weakness of a warrior devoted to purity?
"I wasn't lying, Lady Rosalyne—I genuinely find you fascinating," Luo Qing said, his smile gentle now.
"Remember what I asked you before? If you weren't serving the Tsaritsa, what would you want to do?"
"You want me to serve you instead?"
Rosalyne scoffed, "Do you really think you're worthy?"
"If that's how you see it..."
Luo Qing leaned back with a grin.
"Then I suppose I'll really take off my pants now~"
"..."
[Frustration Value from Rosalyne +10]
What was with this guy? Why did he keep making everything about taking off his pants?
If only her elemental energy weren't being suppressed, she wouldn't have to endure this humiliation... then again, it's not like she could have beaten him even at full strength...
"But that's a matter for later. Let's focus on the present," Luo Qing said with a chuckle.
"Now, Lady Rosalyne, you have two choices.
I can untie you, allowing you to move freely around Inazuma City. But you can't negotiate with the Raiden Shogun without my permission.
Or, you can stay bound here, being fed and tended to until I decide it's time to release you.
Which do you prefer?"
"Hmph, you're so confident I won't sneak off to meet the Raiden Shogun?"
Rosalyne sneered.
"Of course. I trust that Lady Rosalyne keeps her word,"
Luo Qing replied, leaning in close, his voice lowering to a whisper. "But if you really did try to defy me, the consequences would be... unpleasant~"
He wasn't joking—even the Raiden Shogun herself was under his influence now.
If Rosalyne dared to seek her out, he could easily have the Shogun tie her up again and deliver her right back to him.
This was his Inazuma. How did she think she could fight him?
---
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
Posture and water check! Review or your frigging dead to me
If you wish to support me or read ahead here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
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