Chương 176: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [176] [100 PS]
Mystic Code Deployment: Bonus Chapters ✨
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Kamisato Ayaka flitted between two rooms, trying on one outfit after another, like a private model putting on a show just for Luo Qing. She went through several sets of clothes she had brought back, each one carefully selected.
Among them, Luo Qing particularly loved the sky-blue school uniform. On Ayaka, it exuded the vibrant energy of youthful innocence, igniting his enthusiasm and making his heart race.
In the end, he couldn't bring himself to let Ayaka change back into her regular clothes.
Seated cross-legged on opposite sides of a long table, the two shared stories and anecdotes about recent events in Inazuma.
The room was dimly lit by a single candle on the table, casting flickering shadows that gave the space a faintly romantic atmosphere.
The clock had already ticked deep into the night.
Luo Qing glanced out the window, debating whether to leave or stay.
"Luo Qing, are you leaving already…?"
Ayaka's soft voice broke his train of thought. She had noticed his gaze and spoke in a tone laced with reluctance.
"Maybe we should call it a night..."
"Hmm..."
Luo Qing looked her up and down, a playful smile tugging at his lips.
"Ayaka, do you want me to leave?"
"Eh?"
Ayaka blinked, startled. It took her a moment to process his teasing, and her cheeks turned pink as she fumbled for a response.
"I..."
She bit her lip before quietly suggesting, "There are extra rooms in the teahouse. If you don't mind, you could stay..."
"No, what I meant was..." Luo Qing interrupted her, leaning forward.
Their eyes met. Ayaka's expression turned puzzled, her head tilting slightly.
Luo Qing leaned closer, the tips of their noses only centimeters apart. He could smell the delicate fragrance lingering on her.
"Can I stay in your room tonight, Ayaka?"
"Eh?!"
Ayaka flinched, instinctively leaning back.
"So, that's a no, huh?" Luo Qing chuckled and stood up. "Alright then, Ayaka, I'll head back now."
"No... that's not what I meant!" Ayaka blurted, panic evident in her voice.
"Then what do you mean?" Luo Qing bent down again, looking at her intently.
Under the warm glow of the candlelight, Ayaka's face was as red as a freshly ripened apple, making it impossible not to want to take a bite.
"Ugh..."
Ayaka lowered her head, too flustered to speak. She realized she had fallen right into his trap. In a small voice, she mumbled, "Luo Qing, you're teasing me again..."
"Am I?" Luo Qing's grin widened as he took a seat beside her.
He reached out and gently tousled her hair.
Feeling his hand on her head, Ayaka didn't pull away. Instead, she kept her gaze lowered, sneaking glances at him from time to time.
This hesitant yet longing look didn't escape Luo Qing's notice. It stirred something inside him, a mischievous itch.
Should I kiss her?
Swallowing hard, he made up his mind.
His hand slid down, cupping her smooth, tender cheek. Their eyes met again, and Ayaka seemed to understand his intentions. A flicker of resolve appeared in her gaze as she slowly closed her eyes.
"Uh, this..." Luo Qing was momentarily stunned by her boldness.
After a quick glance around to confirm that no nosy relatives were about to barge in, he gently cradled her adorable face and leaned in.
Ah...
The softness...
The delicate fragrance and moist warmth of her lips...
Absolutely divine.
On the other hand, Ayaka, who had only ever read about kisses in light novels, had no practical experience. She closed her eyes, parted her lips slightly, and clumsily followed Luo Qing's lead.
She didn't understand why he was exploring her mouth with his tongue or the purpose of exchanging saliva, but since it was something Luo Qing wanted, she didn't refuse.
The kiss lingered until they finally pulled apart, both slightly out of breath.
"Hah..."
Ayaka's face was flushed, her breaths coming in soft pants. The long kiss left her jaw a little sore and her breathing uneven.
But her heart swelled with a powerful urge—to tell Luo Qing how she truly felt.
"Luo Qing..."
As she began to speak, he slid an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his embrace.
"What's the matter?" Luo Qing feigned confusion.
Most guys her age would have taken things further by now, but Luo Qing wasn't like most guys.
He was, in his own words, a scoundrel.
And scoundrels never rush; they wait until the girl takes the lead.
Like now.
"Luo Qing, I like you..." Ayaka's voice was soft, barely a whisper, but filled with certainty as she buried her face in his chest.
"Hmm..." Luo Qing gently stroked her hair, his voice equally tender.
"Luo Qing... do you like me too?" Ayaka lifted her head, looking up at him with shy anticipation.
"Of course, Ayaka. You're so adorable; how could I not like you?"
"Hmm..." Her gaze dropped again, her cheeks glowing pink.
As if something had just occurred to her, Ayaka began to lift her head, only for Luo Qing to cut her off.
He cupped her face with one hand and kissed her again.
This time, their embrace was tighter, their bodies pressed even closer. Lost in the moment, they ended up lying together on the tatami floor.
Minutes passed as they kissed, their breaths mingling.
Then Ayaka suddenly felt a hand slide under her blouse, startling her into sitting upright.
She scrambled back, pressing her hands over her chest, her face a picture of panic.
"Luo Qing... that kind of thing should wait until we're married..."
Inazuma, like Liyue, upheld traditional values, and as the daughter of the Kamisato Clan, which oversaw the nation's cultural rituals, Ayaka had been raised with a conservative mindset.
In her view, certain actions were only permissible after marriage.
Her current outfit—a thin school uniform designed by Luo Qing—offered little protection. Beneath the jacket, there was only a light camisole, and under the pleated skirt, just a small pair of shorts.
If she had let Luo Qing continue, it wouldn't have taken long for him to strip her completely...
"Ahem, sorry... I got carried away for a moment."
"Carried away?" Ayaka pouted, her eyes betraying a hint of annoyance.
They had agreed to only kiss, but this guy had taken liberties!
Her thoughts wandered back to the skilled way Luo Qing had kissed her, prompting her to mumble, "Luo Qing... you seem awfully experienced at this..."
"..." Luo Qing froze, feeling the weight of yet another loaded question.
"Well, I..."
Before he could explain, Ayaka interrupted him.
"You've kissed other girls before, haven't you?"
"..." Luo Qing's silence spoke volumes.
Caught.
"Ayaka, let me exp—"
"It's late. I'm going to bed."
Ayaka stood, covering her chest, and moved to the door. Her expression seemed to say, You may leave now.
"..."
"Alright..." Luo Qing sighed inwardly.
Why couldn't he control himself?
He blamed his time spent with the Raiden Shogun and Ei; it had made him careless.
"Goodnight, Ayaka. I'll be off then..."
But just as he reached the door, he felt small hands wrap around his waist.
The next moment, something soft pressed against his back.
"Ayaka?"
"Hmm..."
She buried her face in his back, her voice muffled as she whispered, "Luo Qing, can you... only like me?"
"..."
Luo Qing hesitated, unsure how to respond.
"I see..."
Ayaka's arms loosened as she stepped back, her face calm and sweetly smiling.
"Let's end it here for tonight."
"Goodnight, Luo Qing."
---
T/N: heh deserved
If you notice anything that feels off, just let me know—I don't mind fixing things up.
Oh, and don't forget to sit up, grab some water, and take it easy while you're here. No rush, right?
If you're into this, consider checking out [patreon.com/WiseTL].
Your support helps me keep going, and I'm grateful for every bit of it.
Chương 177: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [177] [200 PS]
Mystic Code Deployment: Bonus Chapters ✨
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After Kamisato Ayaka's heartfelt confession that night, Luo Qing had assumed she would avoid him from then on.
To his surprise, when they met the next day, Ayaka greeted him with her usual smile, inviting him to the Komore Teahouse as though nothing had changed.
However, with the teahouse reopening for business, the intimacy of that night was not repeated. At most, Luo Qing managed to steal a quick kiss or two during fleeting moments.
Soon, the custom clothes Luo Qing had ordered were ready, and it was time for him to head to Ritou to reunite with Natalia and the others for their return to Snezhnaya.
Ayaka had long known about Luo Qing's departure, and when the day finally came, she showed no overt emotion. She simply smiled and made plans to meet again in the future.
Snezhnaya was in the far north, while Inazuma lay to the south—opposite ends of Teyvat. A round trip would take nearly half a year.
In Ayaka's mind, it would be a long time before she saw Luo Qing again.
She also had no idea what purpose the odd black, toilet-shaped object Luo Qing had left in her room might serve.
---
At Ritou.
To save time, Luo Qing didn't travel at a leisurely pace.
Instead, he scooped up Makoto and activated Time Zero, sprinting full speed toward the port.
A journey that would normally take days was completed in a single day.
Before parting ways with Natalia and the others, Luo Qing had already instructed them to prepare a ship. When he arrived, they could set sail for Snezhnaya immediately.
After meeting up with them at Ritou, Luo Qing planned to stay only one day before departure.
---
That day, Natalia and the others were packing up on the deck, chatting idly with Rosalyne as they waited for the captain to weigh anchor.
This was a merchant ship bound for Snezhnaya, carrying not only them but several Snezhnayan merchants as well.
"Unbelievable," Natalia sighed as she glanced toward the bow. Luo Qing was deep in conversation with a hooded and masked young woman.
"Our lord disappears for a few days, and when he returns, he's got another girl trailing after him."
"Luo Qing-sama is truly a lover of all things beautiful," Natalia teased. "Wherever he goes, he attracts pretty women like bees to honey."
"Keep your voice down," Igor cautioned, shooting her a wary look. "You know how much he hates being talked about behind his back."
"Hmph, calling him a lover isn't an insult—it's a compliment!" Natalia retorted. She glanced back at Luo Qing and the masked woman chatting animatedly, clearly too preoccupied to notice them.
"Is he... has he always been like this?" Rosalyne asked hesitantly. If Luo Qing really was a womanizer, it would complicate things for her.
"Not exactly," Natalia shrugged. "Luo Qing-sama has his standards."
She gestured toward Theresa, who was leaning against the railing, staring daggers at the hooded woman.
"See? Some people can't even make it to his radar, no matter how hard they try."
Rosalyne followed Natalia's gaze, noting Theresa's sullen expression and clenched fists.
"..."
Rosalyne fell silent, realizing she might have underestimated the dynamics within Luo Qing's group.
---
"Why hasn't the captain set sail yet? What's the holdup?" Igor grumbled impatiently.
He was eager to return to Snezhnaya. After all, Theresa had promised to introduce him to a beautiful Firefly mage—someone as lovely as her!
"I heard that ships heading to Snezhnaya are being inspected by the Kanjou Commission," Natalia replied offhandedly. "We're probably waiting for the inspection."
As she spoke, a group of Kanjou Commission guards boarded the ship.
The leader glanced briefly at Luo Qing before beginning their inspection.
After completing the routine check, the guards disembarked.
"Looks like we're good to go," Natalia said, stretching lazily. "Finally, we're heading back to Snezhnaya. I wonder how many military merits this trip will earn us..."
"Something feels off," Igor muttered.
He noticed one of the guards at the pier speaking to a Kanjou Commission official. Their eyes darted toward Luo Qing several times before one of them hurriedly ran off in the direction of the commission's headquarters.
"Luo Qing-sama seems to have caught someone's attention."
"Caught someone's attention?" Natalia waved dismissively. "With his strength, anyone bothering him is just asking to get dragged into a public dance-off. Unless it's the Raiden Shogun herself, who else could—"
Before she could finish, a clap of thunder echoed overhead.
A streak of deep purple lightning shot up from the direction of the Kanjou Commission headquarters and streaked toward the ship.
"Ah, this..."
A sinking feeling settled in Natalia's gut.
The lightning landed on the deck, dispersing to reveal the Raiden Shogun herself.
Her appearance was so distinct and awe-inspiring that everyone present—whether crew member, merchant, or bystander on the pier—turned their attention to the deck.
Even Makoto, hidden beneath her hood and mask, froze in shock.
"You're... still alive," Ei murmured, her voice calm and unreadable as she stared at Luo Qing.
She had been waiting on Ritou for days, determined to see him one last time before he left.
"..."
Luo Qing stiffened, instinctively taking a half-step back. Feigning ignorance, he replied, "I think you've mistaken me for someone else, General. Do we know each other?"
"..."
Ei fell silent, her gaze sweeping over the onlookers. She spoke in a low voice.
"I'm sorry for what happened before."
"General, I don't understand what you mean. We don't know each other, so why apologize?" Luo Qing maintained his act, carefully avoiding any confirmation of familiarity.
He knew Ei had overridden the usual control over their connection, and he couldn't predict what she might do. He wouldn't admit anything unless absolutely necessary.
"..."
Ei glanced briefly at the masked woman standing nearby, her expression unreadable. Something about her seemed oddly familiar, though she couldn't place it.
After a moment's hesitation, Ei returned her focus to Luo Qing.
"No matter who you claim to be, you must accept my apology... and..."
She faltered slightly, her eyes showing a flash of resolve.
"She wants to see you."
With that, Ei's demeanor shifted, growing colder and more distant. She had relinquished control of her body to the Raiden Shogun as compensation, allowing her other self to meet Luo Qing in person.
"..."
"General?" Luo Qing started to speak, only to be cut off.
The Raiden Shogun, now in control, looked at him with uncharacteristic warmth. A soft smile graced her lips as she strode forward, cupping his face with both hands.
Before Luo Qing could react, she leaned in and kissed him.
Gasps erupted from the onlookers.
Was this a dream?!
The legendary Raiden Shogun—kissing a man?!
What was going on?!
---
If you notice anything that feels off, just let me know—I don't mind fixing things up.
Oh, and don't forget to sit up, grab some water, and take it easy while you're here. No rush, right?
If you're into this, consider checking out [patreon.com/WiseTL].
Your support helps me keep going, and I'm grateful for every bit of it.
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