Half a month had flown by in no time.
After deciding to join the Sumeru Akademiya, Luo Qing quickly informed the Doctor of his decision.
Originally, Luo Qing thought the Doctor would accompany him to Sumeru after two weeks.
To his surprise, the man told him that one of his segments had already arrived in Sumeru and that Luo Qing should sail there on his own.
This left Luo Qing somewhat disappointed.
The journey from Snezhnaya to Sumeru would also take several months by sea.
He had hoped to use this time to mess with the Doctor a bit and earn some Frustration Value.
Now, it seemed his only options were to continue tormenting Natalia and the others…
One of the teleportation toilets had been left in the Plane of Euthymia, meaning he couldn’t use it to take a detour to Mondstadt or explore Kamisato Ayaka’s bedroom during the voyage.
After all, the teleportation was random, and he didn’t dare gamble on the odds.
If he accidentally ended up back in the Plane of Euthymia, things would get ugly.
Two months passed quickly.
After a long voyage, Luo Qing and his companions finally caught sight of Sumeru’s landscape.
Towering plants stretched high into the sky, with human structures seamlessly built into them. Sumeru had thoroughly embodied the principle of harmony between humans and nature, perfectly interpreting the saying “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.”
Cough, cough. Got carried away there.
Anyway!
Sumeru looked very green. Very eco-friendly!
As the ship neared the port, Luo Qing and his group stood on the outer deck.
Natalia and the others, who had never been to Sumeru, stared wide-eyed at the colossal trees near the docks.
Following Luo Qing’s orders, everyone wore masks identical in design to his. Their identities as members of the Fatui’s Twelfth Seat Special Task Force had been formally acknowledged by the Fatui headquarters.
From now on, they were outside the regular Fatui military hierarchy. Only Luo Qing, the Tsaritsa, and Pierro could give them orders.
“Sumeru…”
Rosalyne murmured from behind Luo Qing.
She had once been a student at the Akademiya and had hoped to return home after completing her mission to reunite with her beloved.
But now…
“Sumeru… Even old friends are gone.”
Makoto sighed softly, her gaze, hidden beneath the mask, landing on Luo Qing.
She and Rosalyne were no exceptions—both wore replicas of the signature mask.
The six stood behind Luo Qing, their dramatic masks exuding an eerie aura. Luo Qing, however, chose not to wear one.
This peculiar ensemble drew more than a few curious glances from the Sumeru sailors at the docks.
Understandably so—those grinning masks were downright unsettling.
Before long, the ship docked at Port Ormos, and Luo Qing’s group set foot on Sumeru soil.
As they exited the harbor, a scholarly woman accompanied by guards approached. Her ears sported high-tech headphones that clashed with the rustic aesthetics of the surroundings.
“Are you Mr. Brighella?”
“That’s me.”
Luo Qing nodded.
As much as he disliked it, from now on, anything related to the Fatui required him to use the name Brighella.
“I’m Setare, the Akademiya’s liaison. You may call me that.”
Setare greeted them politely.
“Both the Grand Sage and the Doctor have been waiting for you in the workshop. It’s a bit of a journey, so please follow me.”
With a nod to the guards, Setare cleared a path for them.
“Speaking of…”
Luo Qing glanced at the guards on either side, smiling.
“Miss Setare, assigning so many guards—do you think we’re dangerous?”
“Mr. Brighella, you misunderstand,” Setare replied with a calm smile. “This is merely for your protection. Bandits often prowl the wilderness in Sumeru. Even we have to be extra cautious when traveling.”
“Is that so.”
Luo Qing chuckled but said no more.
With a brief exchange of glances with his companions, he followed Setare’s lead.
The masked group moved through the streets, exuding an imposing aura.
Still, something puzzled Luo Qing.
Given Natalia and the others’ usual penchant for complaints, wouldn’t they normally grumble a bit in a new nation?
Why were they so quiet today?
Could it be because of the masks?
—
Sumeru City
The Grand Sage Azar’s workshop, along with the Doctor’s lab, was located outside Sumeru City.
With Setare leading them and beasts of burden aiding the journey, it only took a few days to arrive.
Currently, the Grand Sage ruled Sumeru City with an iron fist.
Though many residents were frightened by Luo Qing’s group’s appearance, seeing an Akademiya scholar leading them prompted most to turn a blind eye, dismissing any thought of reporting them to the Matra.
“Mr. Brighella, the Grand Sage has decreed that non-specialists are not permitted inside.”
Setare explained courteously, “From here, you and your companions must proceed on your own.”
“Alright.”
Luo Qing glanced at the workshop’s entrance—a metallic hallway with concealed biometric scanners.
He couldn’t help but wonder how Sumeru, with its current technological limitations, had managed such advanced research facilities.
Or was this another case of Snezhnaya’s sponsorship?
Gently placing his hand on the scanner, the metal door opened with a hiss.
Peering inside, Luo Qing stepped forward.
He hadn’t walked far when a Fatui patrol approached.
Initially mistaking him for an intruder, they prepared to reprimand him.
But upon spotting the Executioner’s insignia on his waist, they froze.
Realizing he was the Tsaritsa’s newly appointed Executioner, they immediately bowed and respectfully led him to the Doctor.
When Luo Qing arrived, the Doctor was deep in conversation with the Grand Sage Azar and Scaramouche—aka the unbearably snarky Balladeer.
“It’s been a while, Lord Dottore. Which number segment are you now? You look quite youthful,” Luo Qing quipped as he approached.
Scaramouche, noticing Luo Qing, immediately scowled.
“Dottore, you never mentioned this guy would be part of the plan…”
His tone was dripping with hostility.
Though he’d only met Luo Qing a handful of times, something about the man made Scaramouche inherently dislike him.
“I think it’s best not to treat our collaborators with such animosity, Scaramouche.”
The Doctor glanced at the group behind Luo Qing before continuing.
“Brighella has exceptional emotional control, which will be invaluable to our plans.”
“Oh?”
The Grand Sage Azar, who had been observing silently, raised an eyebrow.
“Dottore, can he truly control her completely?”
“Her?”
Luo Qing feigned confusion.
“The current Archon of Sumeru—the Lesser Lord Kusanali,” the Doctor replied calmly.
“Our plan requires a significant amount of computational power, reliant on Sumeru’s Akasha System. As the core of that system, the Little Archon has proven… somewhat resistant to control.”
“Hmph. Recently, her psychological conditioning has faltered several times, leading to fluctuations in the Akasha’s processing capabilities,” Azar scoffed before turning to Luo Qing.
“Dottore claims your emotional manipulation skills can compel anyone to obey?”
“Yes,” Luo Qing nodded, his expression subtly betraying excitement.
If they’d told me earlier that I’d be tasked with handling the Little Archon… er, I mean, hypnotizing her… wait, that doesn’t sound right either.
Anyway, he was just really excited!
—
T/N: POLICE! also names for sumeru might be fucked up because I only played up until Inazuma… I’ll fix stuff if you point it out though
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