This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [115]
Ever since that night of playing the hotpot game, Luo Qing had intermittently received notifications from his system late at night:
[+1 Frustration Value from Kamisato Ayaka]
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't figure out what had happened. Even when he visited Komore Teahouse to look for Ayaka, the hostess, Kano Nana, only told him that the lady had returned to the Yashiro Commission and asked him to come back another time.
This left him even more puzzled.
But if she didn't want to see him, he had no reason to push.
One day, after finishing a fishing trip, Luo Qing passed by Rosalyne's room and noticed the lights were off.
Normally, she spent all her time in there, barely leaving the room even to eat. Why was she missing now?
Feeling a bit suspicious, he called Theresa over from the hallway.
"Where's Rosalyne?"
"Ah, the Shogunate is holding some kind of public Vision Hunt ceremony, and Lady Rosalyne said she was interested in seeing it. She also asked me to tell you not to worry—she won't be meeting the Raiden Shogun until the right time."
"Ah, I see..."
Hearing the words public Vision Hunt, Luo Qing instantly understood.
Lately, he'd been using the interstellar toilet to visit Ei, so it had been a while since he'd interacted with the Raiden Shogun.
He didn't even know that his good buddy Thoma had been captured.
Without further delay, Luo Qing hurried toward the Statue of the Omnipresent God.
Just as he passed through Hanamizaka, he saw a crowd gathered around the statue, with Thoma tied up in the center, kneeling as if awaiting judgment.
Glancing up at the raised platform, Luo Qing saw the Raiden Shogun looking down coldly at Thoma.
Sensing Luo Qing's gaze, the Raiden Shogun glanced his way, letting out a barely audible huff.
What is he doing here? Is he planning to disrupt the ceremony?
If he actually dares, should I cut him down on the spot...
The Raiden Shogun hesitated, torn.
Moments later, the ceremony began, signaled by the priest's drumbeats as the 100th Vision Hunt commenced.
The Raiden Shogun cast another glance at Luo Qing.
After a brief moment of thought, she made up her mind and raised her right hand.
A deep violet light appeared at Thoma's waist, yanking his Vision from him. It floated slowly toward the Raiden Shogun's waiting hand.
Suddenly, a flurry of footsteps broke the tense silence. Luo Qing turned to see Lumine sprinting forward. With a leap, she charged through the crowd, electricity sparking around her, and snatched the Vision back mid-air, returning it to Thoma.
"Go, now!"
Lumine shouted to Thoma, standing firmly between him and the Raiden Shogun, her blade at the ready.
At the same moment, the Raiden Shogun's gaze shifted to Luo Qing.
Linked to Ei's consciousness, she was aware of everything that happened within the Plane of Euthymia, including Luo Qing's earlier questions about those who could wield the elements without a Vision.
So he's curious about that... well, let's show him.
With a cold snort, she slowly lifted her long, pale leg, crackling with lightning, and stepped toward Lumine.
As long as Luo Qing didn't interfere, she had no qualms about dealing with anyone else.
"You... without needing a Vision, you can command the elements. You are an anomaly..."
Suddenly, a surge of lightning crackled around the Raiden Shogun, and she extended her right hand to her chest.
The lightning intensified.
From the depths of her chest, a blade's hilt began to form, radiating with violet light.
In front of the shocked crowd, she drew the Musou no Hitotachi from within her chest...
Pulling out a sword from her chest...
That's a little... suggestive...
If she can fit a sword there, doesn't that mean she could fit other things too...
Ahem, focus, focus...
Snapping himself back to reality, Luo Qing saw the space around the Raiden Shogun shatter. A void-like darkness expanded rapidly, enveloping Lumine and vanishing from sight.
Paimon, now separated from Lumine, was frantic, flying in circles and unable to find her friend.
Spotting Luo Qing, she darted toward him, crying out with a hint of desperation.
"Luo Qing! Please, save Lumine! She's gone!"
Paimon knew the Fatui Harbingers were fearsomely powerful.
With Thoma currently helpless, her only hope was in the unlikely ally, Luo Qing.
But her cry caught the attention of the crowd, who now turned their eyes to Luo Qing.
Another accomplice?!
The onlookers hastily stepped away from Luo Qing, creating a wide circle around him in mere seconds, afraid of being associated with a potential criminal.
"Uh, what the..."
Classic Paimon...
Luo Qing looked down at the teary-eyed, desperate Paimon in front of him.
I'm just here to watch the show, and you're dragging all the attention onto me?
He glanced up at the Raiden Shogun.
Her aloof expression seemed to say, If you dare to help, I'll cut you down too.
"..."
If I help, Lumine will be back soon anyway, and it won't even matter.
If I don't help, it would feel pretty heartless, especially since we're supposed to be friends...
"Alright, alright, Paimon, stop crying."
"B-But Lumine...!"
"Don't worry, she'll be fine."
Luo Qing patted Paimon's head gently before stepping away from the crowd (though there weren't really many people left around him).
He glanced at Thoma, who was still kneeling on the ground, and took a deep breath before facing the Raiden Shogun.
"Let me go in and take a look."
"Hmph, and why should I?"
The Raiden Shogun's scoff was laced with cold disdain. "Can't you get in yourself?"
Ever since Luo Qing had gained free access to the Plane of Euthymia, he hadn't sought her out even once.
Now he wanted help without saying a word of explanation? She wouldn't waste her time!
"You..."
Luo Qing sighed, pointing a finger at the Raiden Shogun.
With a mental command, he pulled the interstellar toilet out of his system inventory.
Then, right there in front of everyone, he sat down and pressed the flush button...
---
T/N: Posture and water check
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