Chương 183: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [183]
Her composed demeanor didn't mask the lethal intent in her gaze—a look that made Luo Qing's pulse quicken slightly.
He found himself... enjoying that gaze.
Damn it...
"Has Arlecchino-sama been waiting long?" Luo Qing asked politely.
"There's no need for formalities between colleagues. Just call me Arlecchino," she replied, stepping closer to him.
She glanced at his two-bedroom apartment, raising an eyebrow.
"So, this is where you live now?"
Luo Qing followed her gaze, quickly realizing her intention.
She wanted to go inside.
His heart sank.
Rosalyne and Makoto were inside, and if Arlecchino discovered them...
He'd have to accelerate his plans.
"Yes, that's right. Though, Arlecchino-sama, didn't you ask me to visit the Hearth? Why now..."
Before he could finish, Arlecchino had already started walking toward the stairs leading to his apartment door.
"Let's talk here," she said, her voice steady.
"It's been a long time since we last met. Let's catch up."
By the time she finished speaking, Arlecchino was already standing at his door, glancing back at him as if to say:
Well? Aren't you going to open it?
"..."
Luo Qing sighed inwardly.
He knew Arlecchino too well—if he tried to deflect and suggest another location, she'd grow suspicious.
She might even send people to investigate, eventually uncovering the truth.
And Luo Qing knew this process intimately because he used to do it for her.
Resigned, he walked to the door and unlocked it, saying, "My place is a bit messy. I hope Arlecchino-sama doesn't mind."
"I don't," she said curtly.
The door clicked open.
As the room came into view, Arlecchino was greeted by a peculiar sight.
Two women, dressed in Inazuman kimonos and wearing fox masks, stood in the entryway. They bowed politely to Luo Qing and Arlecchino.
Arlecchino's gaze flicked toward Luo Qing, her eyes silently asking: Who are they?
"Oh, uh, these are my personal attendants from Inazuma," Luo Qing said, laughing nervously.
"They've been quite useful, so I brought them back with me..."
"..."
Arlecchino looked him up and down, a hint of disdain flashing across her face.
"Remember to exercise moderation," she muttered as she stepped inside.
"...Yes, I'll keep that in mind..." Luo Qing replied, stealing a glance at Rosalyne and Makoto, who had prudently donned their masks upon hearing him return with a guest.
Thank goodness for their vigilance.
If they'd been caught unprepared and Arlecchino had seen their faces...
Well, it would've been quite the coincidence for her to end up with such good fortune.
The interior of the apartment had been transformed into a traditional Inazuman style by Makoto over the past few days. Arlecchino removed her shoes and took a seat opposite Luo Qing on the tatami mat.
Rosalyne and Makoto tactfully served tea and snacks before retreating to a corner of the room in silence.
Arlecchino sipped her tea, glancing briefly at the two women.
"I heard from Rosalyne that you helped her carry out the retrieval mission in Inazuma?"
"I did," Luo Qing replied, feigning curiosity. "Why bring that up now, Arlecchino-sama?"
"The Tsaritsa declared Rosalyne dead, and even her bestowed divine powers dissipated with her," Arlecchino said in a measured tone.
"But according to my sources, someone resembling Rosalyne was spotted in Inazuma on the day of the incident..."
"..."
Luo Qing swallowed hard, leaning back slightly in a calculated gesture of confusion.
"Really? That's news to me! Are you sure your sources weren't mistaken?"
"You know how my information network works."
"..."
"Right..." Luo Qing muttered, falling silent.
As a former spy under Arlecchino, he knew her intelligence protocols well.
Each report went through rigorous verification, leaving little room for error by the time it reached her.
He had anticipated that Arlecchino might have agents in Inazuma. What he hadn't expected was for those agents to catch a glimpse of Rosalyne during her escape with Natalia and the others.
"So..." Arlecchino's voice broke his thoughts. Her sharp eyes locked onto his.
"Do you have any leads on this?"
"..."
Luo Qing raised an eyebrow and glanced fleetingly at Rosalyne before feigning ignorance.
"No idea," he said with a shrug.
"Really?"
Arlecchino's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Well, no matter. Just rumors, after all. No need to dwell on them."
Then, her tone softened slightly.
"I'm intrigued by your abilities. Interested in joining me in Fontaine?"
"Uh..." Luo Qing hesitated, caught off guard.
So, she's here to recruit me? Then why bring up Rosalyne at all?
Feigning indecision, he said, "Arlecchino-sama, the Doctor also approached me about going to Sumeru. What do you think of that?"
"Him?"
Arlecchino snorted, her distaste evident.
"You know what he's like. Whatever he offers, the price you'll pay is always far greater."
"But," she added, rising to put on her shoes, "you're no longer under my command. The choice is yours."
She glanced at him as she adjusted her shoes.
"I'll be returning to Fontaine soon. If you decide, visit the Hearth."
Luo Qing's gaze lingered on her shoes for a moment, a strange impulse stirring within him.
"Arlecchino-sama, leaving already? Why not stay a bit longer? My attendants are quite skilled—perhaps they could offer you a massage before you go..."
"No need," she replied curtly, heading for the door.
As Luo Qing prepared to escort her out, Arlecchino suddenly stopped and turned toward Rosalyne.
With a flick of her wrist, she removed Rosalyne's fox mask.
"..."
---
T/N: So... Luo Qing is that kind of...person.
Oh, hey there, Traveler! 🍃 My friend here is the one bringing these stories to you—quite the talent, wouldn't you agree? If anything feels off, just give them a nudge—they're always happy to make things even better.
Now, don't forget to take a moment to rest! Grab a drink (perhaps something as refreshing as Mondstadt's finest), and let the stories whisk you away.
Oh, and if you're feeling generous, you could check out [patreon.com/WiseTL]. Supporting them is like throwing a coin to your favorite bard—it keeps the magic flowing!
Here's to more adventures and endless inspiration~ 🎵
Chương 184: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [184]
Rosalyne lowered her head, speaking softly.
At that moment, she hadn't revealed her true appearance.
When Arlecchino entered, Rosalyne had used the Illusion Mask gifted to her by Luo Qing, disguising herself as a nondescript woman from Inazuma.
Still, pretending to be a mere servant in front of someone who used to be her colleague left a bitter taste in her mouth.
But what choice did she have?
She belonged to Luo Qing now.
"Arlecchino-sama?" Luo Qing feigned ignorance.
He had been mere seconds away from knocking her out cold. Thankfully, Rosalyne's vigilance had paid off, and she'd used the Illusion Mask.
"..."
Arlecchino scrutinized Rosalyne's disguise.
Though her physique bore some resemblance to Rosalyne's, her aura and demeanor were entirely different.
After a long pause, Arlecchino seemed to dismiss the matter, her voice calm.
"Nothing. I was just curious about your attendants."
"..."
Luo Qing resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
That's the flimsiest excuse I've ever heard.
"And? What does Arlecchino-sama think of her appearance?"
"Mediocre."
"..."
[+1 Frustration Value from Rosalyne]
Arlecchino didn't seem inclined to press further. She gave Luo Qing a final glance before heading toward the door.
Luo Qing followed her out for a few symbolic steps before returning to the apartment.
Once the doors were securely locked, he sat back on the tatami mat and exhaled.
"Crisis averted. You can take off the masks now."
As he spoke, Rosalyne deactivated her Illusion Mask, and Makoto removed her fox mask.
"Who was that woman?" Makoto asked, her tone puzzled.
"One of my colleagues, another Harbinger. She's... a bit unhinged," Luo Qing replied succinctly.
Then, something occurred to him.
"Wait a second, Makoto. Didn't you foresee the future? How do you not know about her?"
"I'm Inazuma's Archon, not a god of time. My foresight is limited to events tied to Inazuma!" Makoto pouted, muttering, "What good am I to you, then?"
"Excuse me?"
Annoyed, Makoto pointed at the cards on the table and huffed.
"I saw your cards earlier. You were going to lose, and yet you bailed mid-game!"
"That was official business! I had no choice!" Luo Qing protested, his tone righteous.
He turned to Rosalyne, his expression growing serious.
"Speaking of which, Rosalyne, you know how Arlecchino operates. While she's still in Snezhnaya, be extra cautious."
"Yes, Master," Rosalyne said respectfully.
"Master, has Her Majesty granted you divine authority yet?"
"She has."
With a thought, Luo Qing retrieved the Weeping Comedy Mask from his system's inventory and placed it on the table.
He glanced between Makoto and Rosalyne, his mind churning.
Childe had told him that Harbingers could establish their own personal battalions—independent of the Fatui's regular forces. These units would follow his direct orders, granted unique privileges, and move freely within Snezhnaya.
Considering that Rosalyne and Makoto were supposed to be dead, disguises would be necessary for them to move about.
Luo Qing began to formulate a plan: have his followers wear custom masks, modeled after Rosalyne's and Makoto's, and register them as part of his personal battalion. This would make it easier to assign them tasks without arousing suspicion.
With a flick of his hand, Luo Qing shaped a set of masks using Geo elements and laid them on the table.
Some resembled tengu masks from Inazuma; others bore dragon-like features inspired by Liyue. One even mirrored his Weeping Comedy Mask.
"What do you think of these designs?" he asked.
"None of them look good," Makoto said, shaking her head.
"Whatever you decide, Master," Rosalyne replied quietly, bowing her head.
"Tsk. Rosalyne, you're so gentle now; it's kind of unsettling," Luo Qing teased, ruffling her hair.
"Mm..."
Rosalyne remained silent, allowing him to stroke her head.
Since her resurrection, she felt her once-agitated temperament had calmed significantly, replaced by an unusual serenity.
"I'll arrange with headquarters to designate these masks as the official symbol of my battalion," Luo Qing said.
"This way, you'll be free to move about without worrying about Fatui agents identifying you."
"Are you sure you don't want to choose a different design?"
"None of them look good anyway," Makoto said dismissively.
"Perhaps, Master," Rosalyne suggested, "you could base the design on the mask Her Majesty granted you."
"My mask?"
Luo Qing glanced at the Weeping Comedy Mask.
Unlike the other Harbingers' masks, which only partially obscured their faces, his covered his entire face.
Admittedly, the mask did exude a certain gravitas—a perfect representation of an intimidating figure.
"Alright, I'll head to headquarters and have them produce a batch."
He stood and moved toward the door.
"Stay on high alert. Arlecchino seems to have her eye on you two. Don't let her discover anything."
"Yes, Master."
"Got it..."
---
At the Fatui headquarters, Luo Qing quickly finalized the registration of his personal battalion's insignia.
The logistics department began producing masks based on the Weeping Comedy Mask, each with slight variations to differentiate them while maintaining a cohesive design.
With his tasks complete, Luo Qing was about to head home for some well-earned leisure time when he reached the entrance hall and found his path blocked.
Standing before him was the Doctor.
"Well, what a coincidence, Brighella," Dottore said, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
His demeanor radiated calm confidence.
"Dottore-sama. What brings you here?" Luo Qing asked with a polite smile, though inwardly, he bristled.
Among all the Harbingers, he had the least favorable impression of the Doctor.
Dottore's reputation as a mad scientist wasn't undeserved; his penchant for using soldiers as experimental subjects—even if it didn't kill them—left a sour taste in many mouths.
"Didn't I mention it during the Tsaritsa's audience?"
Dottore's grin widened.
"I find your abilities... fascinating. Interested in collaborating?"
"Collaboration?" Luo Qing's tone was lighthearted. "You're not planning to dissect me, are you? Because if that's the case, I'll have to decline."
"Hah, your humor is much sharper than Arlecchino's," Dottore replied, unperturbed by the subtle jab.
"For an experiment subject of your caliber, dissection would be far too crude.
"Your emotional manipulation aligns closely with one of my research topics. I know a place where I might be able to help you refine your abilities even further."
"Oh?" Luo Qing feigned curiosity.
"And where might that be, Dottore-sama?"
The Doctor's smirk deepened.
"Sumeru."
---
T/N: sorry doctor, but you aren't a woman so I don't think he'll go to Sumeru
Oh, hey there, Traveler! 🍃 My friend here is the one bringing these stories to you—quite the talent, wouldn't you agree? If anything feels off, just give them a nudge—they're always happy to make things even better.
Now, don't forget to take a moment to rest! Grab a drink (perhaps something as refreshing as Mondstadt's finest), and let the stories whisk you away.
Oh, and if you're feeling generous, you could check out [patreon.com/WiseTL]. Supporting them is like throwing a coin to your favorite bard—it keeps the magic flowing!
Here's to more adventures and endless inspiration~ 🎵
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