บท 129: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [129] [4?? P?]
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After a whole night of Thoma's encouragement, Kamisato Ayaka finally pulled herself together.
She had resolved not to let Luo Qing's status as a member of the Fatui get in the way of mending their relationship.
If one invitation didn't work, she would try a second time. If the second attempt failed, she would try a third.
And if that didn't work... well, she'd just wear her tracksuit and... Ahem, in any case, as long as Luo Qing remained in Inazuma City, Ayaka was determined that her sincerity would eventually reach him.
Today, Ayaka was preparing to extend a second invitation to play the hotpot game with Luo Qing.
Back when Luo Qing had been confined in the Tenshukaku, she'd had some conversations with Teresa and the others, who had told her where Luo Qing lived.
Yesterday, she had planned to go to his safe house, but fate had brought them face-to-face halfway there.
So today, with renewed courage and determination, Ayaka followed the directions Teresa had given her to Luo Qing's safe house.
The so-called "safe house" was actually a small inn, secretly constructed by the Fatui. It was not open to the public and was reserved exclusively for Fatui personnel.
"Winter Solstice Inn... this is the place..."
Ayaka stared at the sign, taking a deep breath before pulling aside the curtain and stepping inside.
The inn's front desk was unattended, and there was no one to ask, so Ayaka made her way upstairs.
Teresa had provided the exact room number, so Ayaka knew she could find Luo Qing's room without asking anyone.
Reaching the second floor, she carefully checked the numbers on each door, searching for his room.
"207... this is it..."
Standing in front of the door, Ayaka took a deep breath and knocked.
She waited, but there was no response from the other side.
Pressing her ear to the door, she listened.
There was only silence. It seemed no one was inside.
"He's not here..."
On a whim, she tested the doorknob to see if it was locked.
To her surprise, the door swung open.
But the scene inside froze Ayaka in her tracks.
A richly dressed woman was lounging on the tatami mat, one hand propped under her head, the other holding a light novel. The table beside her was covered with milk tea and desserts.
Their eyes met, and both were stunned—Rosalyne, mid-sip, stopped drinking her milk tea.
Ayaka quickly bowed her head, apologizing.
"I'm sorry to disturb you... May I ask, does Mr. Luo Qing live here?"
"Luo Qing?"
Rosalyne frowned. What's the Kamisato heiress doing here, looking for Luo Qing?
"He left this morning. You missed him."
"H-He left?!"
Ayaka was shocked.
Why hadn't Luo Qing mentioned anything to her yesterday?!
"Could you please tell me where Mr. Luo Qing went...?"
Ayaka's face was crestfallen.
Last night, Thoma had assured her that if she showed enough sincerity, she'd win Luo Qing over.
But now he was gone—no amount of sincerity could change that.
"How should I know?"
Rosalyne's tone grew impatient.
She was right at the climax of her light novel, and Ayaka's sudden arrival had broken her concentration.
From the look on Ayaka's face, Rosalyne guessed she was another girl caught in Luo Qing's web.
Feeling mischievous, she decided to scare Ayaka a bit.
"He's not from Inazuma, is he? It's not unusual for him to leave. For all you know, he might have gone back to Snezhnaya to avoid you and isn't planning to return."
"Not... coming back?"
Ayaka's face paled.
She'd momentarily forgotten that Luo Qing was from Snezhnaya.
That was his real home—he could leave for it at any time.
After all, Snezhnaya and Inazuma were on opposite ends of Teyvat, a journey that would take months to complete.
And if Luo Qing left, he might never return to Inazuma...
Was yesterday their final encounter?
A wave of regret washed over Ayaka. Why hadn't she tried harder to make him stay?
"Do you need something else? If not, don't interrupt my reading."
Rosalyne's voice was cold, yet seeing Ayaka's dazed expression only reinforced her suspicions.
So it was true—this Kamisato girl had a thing for Luo Qing!
"I apologize... for the intrusion."
Ayaka nodded politely, then gently shut the door behind her as she left the inn.
As she walked away, Rosalyne's words echoed in her mind: "For all you know, he might have gone back to Snezhnaya to avoid you."
It seems that Mr. Luo Qing is truly upset... Even his friends are making excuses for him...
I just want to see Mr. Luo Qing again...
...
Meanwhile, at the port outside Inazuma City—
It seemed that sweet words whispered in a lover's ear were the hardest to resist.
After much persuasion, playful teasing, and gentle cajoling, Luo Qing had finally convinced the Raiden Shogun to grant his request. She had bestowed upon him the title of Great General of the Vanguard, granting him unrestricted access to Tatarasuna.
Moreover, she had sent one of her most trusted subordinates, Kujou Sara, to accompany him.
Officially, it was to aid Luo Qing in liaising with the Shogunate forces on the frontlines, but in reality, it was to keep a close eye on him and make sure he didn't cause too much trouble.
As for Sara, when she learned she was to accompany Luo Qing to Tatarasuna, her emotions were a mess.
But the order had come directly from the Shogun herself. She had no choice but to obey and become Luo Qing's assistant.
Remembering their last collaboration during the Tenryou Commission's training exercises, Sara felt a surge of complicated emotions.
Luo Qing was unlike any normal person—his shamelessness was beyond measure.
She couldn't understand what the Shogun saw in him.
Now, Sara stood at the harbor, staring at the horizon with a troubled expression, unsure when she would return from this journey.
"Sara, why do you look like you've swallowed something bitter the moment we set off?"
Luo Qing, walking over with Teresa, put on a serious tone.
"When we travel, we should be in high spirits. A cheerful attitude makes the journey so much more enjoyable~"
"..."
[Frustration Value from Kujou Sara +1]
Sara gave Luo Qing a glance, choosing to ignore him and returned her gaze to the sea.
"Isn't it boring to just stare at the ocean? How about we talk about something fun? Like the Shogun's daily hobbies—how about it?"
The trip to Tatarasuna would be long, and he was eager to have some fun.
"The Shogun's hobbies..."
A flash of excitement crossed Sara's face, quickly replaced by a calm demeanor as she pretended to be indifferent.
"Mr. Luo Qing, I'm listening."
"Oh, the Shogun's hobbies are quite a secret. I'll need a trade if I'm going to share them~"
"...Trade? What do you want?"
"How about joining Teresa and me for some plaza dancing?"
"?"
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