Chương 191: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [191] [30 PS]
Well, well, look at you! So dedicated, you've earned a little extra treat! 🎉
---
He hadn't even done anything to Makoto—hadn't kissed her, hadn't touched her—yet here she was, interrogating him like a resentful wife about what he had done with Layla.
What could he possibly have done?
It was only their first meeting!
At most, he had touched her feet.
After explaining for what felt like forever, Luo Qing finally extricated himself and retreated to his room.
All he wanted was a good night's sleep before heading to the Sanctuary of Surasthana the next day to see if he could communicate with Nahida.
As soon as he lay down, drowsiness swept over him. Closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep.
But whether he was entering a dream or waking from one, he couldn't tell.
---
The sound of cicadas filled Luo Qing's ears, breaking his sleep.
Feeling the sunlight streaming through the window, he had no choice but to get up.
"Does Sumeru even have cicadas?"
Rubbing his eyes, he sat up in bed.
He was about to ask Rosalyne what time it was when he noticed something shocking.
The room had completely changed.
It was no longer the wood-scented, domed structure of Sumeru, but a modern rectangular bedroom.
"What the..."
Luo Qing felt a wave of dizziness as fragmented, illogical memories flitted through his mind.
It was disorienting, yet felt inexplicably natural.
"Wasn't I in Sumeru City? How did I end up back here?"
His gaze landed on the computer desk in the corner. The RGB-lit PC case cast a colorful glow, and three monitors displayed a familiar scene. The bottom-right corner of the screen showed the date and time.
"This is... that day..."
The fragmented memories pieced themselves together, and Luo Qing remembered: this was the day he transmigrated to Teyvat.
He had been an orphan, growing up in an orphanage until he struck out on his own at sixteen. Eventually, he became a small-time streamer.
Though his earnings were modest, they were enough to cover his expenses and even occasionally splurge on a game pack or two.
"Did I... come back?"
Luo Qing frowned, running his fingers over the wooden surface of the desk. He tapped the keyboard experimentally, and everything felt real.
"This... can't be happening..."
He had just started establishing himself in Teyvat!
The harem wasn't even halfway complete, and he hadn't even reached first base with anyone!
How could he suddenly return now?!
"So... it was just a dream?"
Murmuring to himself, Luo Qing put on a casual summer outfit and checked the time.
At 9:01 AM, he left his apartment, following a route etched in his memory.
Descending the stairs, he exited his residential complex, turned left, and walked until he reached a crosswalk.
Across the street was a familiar breakfast shop, a place he always visited after pulling all-nighters before heading home to crash.
Except that fateful day, something had gone terribly wrong.
As he waited, Luo Qing glanced to the right and saw a truck behaving erratically, speeding toward the crosswalk without slowing down despite the pedestrians.
"Three... two... one..."
He mentally counted, imagining where he would have been if he had stepped onto the crosswalk.
Right on cue, the truck roared through the intersection, narrowly missing the pedestrians before slamming into a roadside tree.
"...This is..."
Luo Qing fell silent.
That day, he had been hit by the truck and reduced to nothing more than a smear on the pavement.
Sigh. Serves me right for checking my phone while crossing the street.
"Am I really back?"
A sense of loss gripped his chest.
If he had known this would happen, he would have prioritized making some moves back in Teyvat.
What a waste...
Hunger gnawed at his stomach, snapping him out of his thoughts. Shaking his head, Luo Qing started toward the breakfast shop.
But just as he stepped forward, a petite figure caught his eye on the opposite side of the street.
A girl with snow-white hair tied in a ponytail, wearing a dress adorned with green accents, stood barefoot, curiously peeking into a storefront.
"That's..."
When trying to distinguish between a dream and reality, people often look for something illogical.
And there it was—none other than the Little Archon, Nahida, wandering curiously across the street.
Swallowing hard, Luo Qing ran across the crosswalk.
---
Meanwhile, Nahida had squeezed through the crowd gathered around the crash site, her curiosity piqued by the truck accident.
This dream wasn't hers, and to the dreamer, she was invisible to everyone except the creator of the dream.
"This place..."
She murmured softly, staring at the truck.
Imprisoned in the Sanctuary of Surasthana, she occasionally wandered into the dreams of Sumeru's citizens through the Akasha.
It was her way of exploring the world, learning, and satisfying her curiosity, all in the hopes of becoming a better god.
But since mastering this ability, this was the first time she had entered a dream so vivid, so lifelike.
Everything—every detail—was entirely unfamiliar to her.
This place...
It wasn't Teyvat.
Just as she was about to wander elsewhere, a voice spoke behind her.
"Peeking into someone else's dream without permission is quite rude, don't you think, Little Archon?"
Nahida turned to see Luo Qing standing before her, holding a bag of breakfast.
Once someone recognized the dream as a dream, it became a lucid dream.
And in a lucid dream, the dreamer was effectively a god.
"You... can see me?"
Nahida was startled.
Most people struggled to recognize whether they were dreaming. With the Akasha, Sumeru's citizens rarely even remembered their dreams.
Yet this man not only noticed her presence but maintained control over the dream after realizing he was in one.
It spoke of a mental fortitude far beyond ordinary.
"Sorry... I just found your dream intriguing and wanted to explore..."
Nahida looked away, embarrassed.
She didn't know who Luo Qing was. She had simply stumbled upon this fascinating dream and decided to step inside, only to be caught red-handed by its creator.
"No need to apologize."
Luo Qing walked over and handed her the bag of breakfast he'd just bought.
Inside was a fresh serving of soup dumplings, a crispy fried dough stick, and a cup of warm soy milk—his favorite breakfast combo.
"I heard dream food doesn't have taste. Why not give it a try, Little Archon?"
Nahida hesitated before taking a dumpling from the bag with her small hands. She took a careful bite, her expression softening.
"Hmm... The taste is a bit strange, but it's delicious..."
"Chive and pork. It's supposed to be tasty."
Luo Qing popped one into his own mouth, savoring the flavor.
To his surprise, it tasted exactly like the real thing.
"Food with flavor... This dream feels too real."
Doubt flickered in his mind.
He had never experienced a dream so vivid before.
"So..."
Luo Qing glanced at Nahida, who was now twirling her hair with her fingers.
"Little Archon, care to explain why you decided to sneak into my dream?"
---
This bonus chapter is like an encore after a rousing performance—totally worth staying for, wouldn't you say? Oh, and don't worry, my lyre's got plenty more tunes to play next time!
But for now, it's time to take a bow. Thank you for the applause (and all that wonderful support). If you're feeling extra inspired, you know where to find me—[patreon.com/WiseTL]. Toss a coin, and who knows? Maybe the next bard will sing your praises!
Now, go forth, Traveler, and revel in the wonders of this world. Until next time! 🍃✨
Chương 192: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [192] [40 PS]
Well, well, look at you! So dedicated, you've earned a little extra treat! 🎉
---
Nahida lowered her head, a bit ashamed.
This was the first time she had been caught spying on someone's dream, and being confronted by the dreamer left her feeling flustered and at a loss for words.
"Alright, alright, I'm just teasing you."
Luo Qing chuckled and moved closer to Nahida, resisting the urge to ruffle her hair. Instead, he extended his hand with a friendly smile.
"I'm honored to have you visit my dream, Little Archon. My name is Luo Qing."
"Luo Qing..."
Nahida repeated his name softly, her gaze shifting to the outstretched hand.
After a brief hesitation, she reached out with her small hand and shook his.
"Hello, Luo Qing. I'm Nahida."
Feeling the soft, warm touch of her tiny hand, Luo Qing couldn't help but smile.
The realism of this dream had its perks—every sensation felt vivid and lifelike.
If even the small details feel so real... does that mean other things might be just as...
"Luo Qing, you're not from Teyvat, are you?"
Nahida's voice broke his train of thought. She glanced around at their surroundings, her tone quiet and inquisitive.
The bustling streets, mechanical vehicles, and vibrant advertisements—all of it was unlike anything that could exist in Teyvat.
Even the handheld devices carried by passersby were a mystery to her. Luo Qing's dream world was as fascinating as it was alien.
"Little Archon, you're as sharp as they say."
Luo Qing chuckled. "But this is my little secret. Can I count on you to keep it, Nahida?"
As the incarnation and steward of the World Tree, Nahida's divine authority was unparalleled, even if her combat prowess lagged behind the other Archons. Luo Qing had long anticipated that she might discover his true origins someday.
However, the manner in which she did so had caught him by surprise.
"Alright. If this is the price for intruding on your dream, I'm willing to accept it," Nahida said with a gentle nod, her voice soft and sincere.
"It's settled, then," Luo Qing replied casually before taking another look at the surroundings.
Even now, the dream's uncanny realism astonished him.
"This is the first time I've experienced such a lifelike dream. Any idea why it's like this, Little Archon?"
"Um..."
Nahida hesitated. "I'm not sure. I simply stumbled upon the bubble of your dream and decided to enter."
"I see..."
Luo Qing pondered for a moment before recalling something.
Last night, he had deliberately kept his Akasha terminal on while sleeping, hoping it might attract Nahida's attention.
Could it be that this hyper-realistic dream was a result of the Akasha terminal enhancing his brain's computational power?
"Eh, whatever."
Luo Qing shook his head.
If this dream offered him a chance to relive the real world, he wasn't going to overanalyze it—especially not when Nahida was here to keep him company.
It would be a shame to waste such an opportunity.
"You seem curious about this world, Little Archon," Luo Qing said, smiling as he walked beside her. "How about I give you a tour? Anything you want to know, just ask, and I'll explain it to you!"
For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was enticing an innocent young girl into mischief.
"Knowledge from another world..."
Nahida lowered her head in thought.
"This shouldn't be forbidden knowledge, right?"
If it wasn't forbidden knowledge, then absorbing a little bit should be fine... right?
After a moment of hesitation, she glanced again at the lively street around her. Unable to suppress her curiosity, she looked up at Luo Qing.
"Alright. I'll leave it to you, Luo Qing."
"Great!"
Luo Qing stepped aside to let Nahida walk beside him. With a slight nod, she followed as they ventured down the street together.
The neighborhood where Luo Qing's apartment was located wasn't part of the city center, so the streets were lined mostly with old shops, with nothing particularly remarkable in sight.
There were no giant advertisements from miHoYo, no slogans like "Meet Your Fated Encounter, Enjoy the Taste of Another World."
As they strolled, Luo Qing explained various curiosities to Nahida. From self-service adult stores to scams involving "instant riches" plastered on utility poles, and the truth behind clearance sales that didn't actually involve anyone jumping off buildings, he covered it all.
By the time they finished exploring the street, Nahida was visibly overwhelmed—though some of the terminology still baffled her.
It didn't stop her from being thoroughly amazed, and she even expressed a desire to revisit Luo Qing's dream in the future.
Dreams always pass quickly.
Just as Luo Qing was about to take Nahida to the bustling city center to test the dream's boundaries, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Standing with her hands clasped behind her back, she looked up at him.
"Thank you for showing me your dream, Luo Qing."
"What's wrong?" Luo Qing asked, puzzled.
They hadn't even been exploring for half an hour.
"Time moves faster in dreams than in reality," Nahida said softly.
"Luo Qing, it's time for you to wake up. And it's time for me to return."
"Return?"
"Mm..."
Nahida nodded, her tone gentle. "Until next time, Luo Qing."
With that, her figure dissolved into a faint green light, vanishing from his dream.
"Wait..."
Luo Qing instinctively reached out to stop her, but his hand grasped nothing but air.
The next moment, he woke up abruptly, sitting upright in his bed.
"You okay? Did you have a nightmare?"
Makoto's voice came from beside him. Turning his head, he saw her sitting at the edge of the bed, still dressed in her loose lavender nightgown from the night before. The sight of her snow-white skin and ample curves nearly made him choke.
"No... it's nothing," Luo Qing said, shaking his head and glancing toward the window.
The sun was already high in the sky, its rays streaming through the glass to illuminate his room.
"If it's nothing, don't scare me like that..."
Makoto gave him a look of mild annoyance. "Hurry up and get downstairs for breakfast. It's getting cold."
She tossed his clothes at him before turning and leaving the room.
"..."
For some reason, watching Makoto's retreating figure gave Luo Qing the odd feeling of being a husband in a domestic scene.
What exactly had happened between the two of them to lead to this dynamic?
Scratching his head, he thought back to his dream from last night before getting dressed and heading downstairs.
At the dining table in the corner of the living room, a Mondstadt-style breakfast awaited him. Makoto and Rosalyne each occupied a corner of the couch—one knitting a sweater, the other engrossed in a book.
As soon as Luo Qing appeared, Rosalyne stood up and respectfully asked, "Master, breakfast is ready. Shall I reheat it for you?"
"No need."
Luo Qing waved her off, sitting at the table alone.
While eating, his mind lingered on the dream. Even after waking, he couldn't help but marvel at how vivid it had been.
The dream had felt so real that when he threw a punch at an NPC, not only did he feel the feedback, but the NPC had even pretended to suffer a concussion, presumably to extort him.
After finishing his meal, Luo Qing was about to head out when there was a knock at the door.
Makoto glanced at him, her voice low.
"Make sure you're back early tonight."
With that, she and Rosalyne ascended the stairs, leaving Luo Qing alone.
"..."
---
This bonus chapter is like an encore after a rousing performance—totally worth staying for, wouldn't you say? Oh, and don't worry, my lyre's got plenty more tunes to play next time!
But for now, it's time to take a bow. Thank you for the applause (and all that wonderful support). If you're feeling extra inspired, you know where to find me—[patreon.com/WiseTL]. Toss a coin, and who knows? Maybe the next bard will sing your praises!
Now, go forth, Traveler, and revel in the wonders of this world. Until next time! 🍃✨
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