Late Night – Luo Qing’s House
The lights in every room had been turned off for the night, save for the soft glow of the fireplace in the living room.
The flickering flames cast shadows on the faces of the two women sitting on the couch.
Furina sat on one side, staring into the fire before glancing nervously at the poised, mature woman with violet hair knitting calmly across from her. Behind the woman stood a black-silk-clad maid, her eyes closed in silent vigilance.
Furina shifted uncomfortably, her hands fidgeting in her lap.
“You’re not lying, are you?” she whispered, her voice laced with uncertainty. “Seeing the future… isn’t that supposed to be the domain of the God of Time?”
“There are many ways to glimpse the future,” Makoto replied without looking up, her hands deftly working the needles. “Whether you believe me or not is your choice. I’m merely showing you the options ahead.”
“…”
Furina fell silent, sitting upright with her legs together and her hands resting on her knees. Her nerves made it impossible to relax.
The oppressive aura of the cold, elegant maid was already unsettling enough. Add to that the presence of this woman claiming to be Luo Qing’s “primary wife”…
“I can’t just take your word for it,” Furina mumbled. “Something like this… it’s too big for me to decide on my own…”
“I’ve already told you,” Makoto said, finally setting down her knitting. Her sharp eyes locked onto Furina’s, unflinching. “I’m only a signpost at the crossroads of your fate. The path you choose to walk is entirely up to you.”
With that, Makoto stood, stretching gracefully. Her flawless figure, bathed in the firelight, exuded an almost hypnotic allure.
“I thought you had already made up your mind tonight,” Makoto said, her voice carrying a faint edge of irritation. “But it seems I was mistaken.”
“I…” Furina opened her mouth, but the words caught in her throat.
Her emotions churned.
If this were any other decision—even one involving the survival of Fontaine—she might have sought advice from Neuvillette.
But the first thing this Makoto woman had whispered in her ear that night was:
“Focalors, you stand at the crossroads of destiny!”
“Join us! Become an honored member of Luo Qing’s harem and fight for the future of Teyvat!”
“Or refuse, watch Fontaine sink beneath the waves, and rule over a drowned nation as Teyvat marches toward destruction!”
“Choose, Focalors!”
The memory of those words still made Furina’s head spin.
Who even does this?! she thought incredulously. What kind of “main wife” goes around recruiting new members for her husband’s harem?!
Even worse, Makoto had implied that without her cooperation, Fontaine was doomed to destruction.
Was this a threat?
And wasn’t Luo Qing just as bad? Talking about signing a contract to save Fontaine, using either her or the Hydro Gnosis as collateral… Were they working together to scam her?!
“I… I haven’t decided yet,” Furina stammered, glancing at Makoto. “And you said it yourself… there are other ways to save Fontaine…”
Her voice trailed off, growing smaller and smaller.
Other ways might exist, she admitted inwardly. But what would the cost be?
“The decision is yours,” Makoto said, smiling faintly. She stretched again, her movements effortlessly elegant.
“It’s getting late, and I’m not as resilient as I used to be. I’ll take my leave.”
As she walked toward the stairs, Makoto paused, turning back to Furina with a thoughtful expression.
“There are spare rooms upstairs,” she said. “If you’d like to stay the night, let Rosalyne know. She’ll make the arrangements.”
“Uh… okay,” Furina murmured.
She watched Makoto ascend the staircase before turning to Rosalyne, who was quietly tidying the sofa.
What’s the deal with this maid? Furina wondered. She was so cold and intimidating when I first met her, but now she’s practically a different person around Makoto.
“Would you like to rest?” Rosalyne asked without looking up. “If so, I’ll prepare the room and bathing supplies.”
“T-Thank you…” Furina replied, bowing her head slightly.
Rosalyne’s sudden shift in demeanor left her uneasy.
Is she really trustworthy? After that ambush during my nighttime walk, I’m not taking any chances.
There was no way she was walking back to Palais Mermonia alone in the dead of night.
Tomorrow morning. I’ll leave tomorrow morning.
—
Meropide Fortress
Late at night, Luo Qing lay sprawled on his bed, dreaming vividly about his wives.
A loud knock on the door abruptly shattered his pleasant dreams.
“Who’s knocking?!” he growled groggily, stumbling to the door. “I have work tomorrow, you know!”
Flinging it open, he found Wriothesley standing there, his expression unusually grim.
“What do you want?” Luo Qing snapped irritably. “I’m not into men. Go bother someone else.”
“…” Wriothesley took a deep breath, visibly restraining himself.
“Didn’t you say,” Wriothesley began, his voice calm but firm, “that if there was any change with that valve, we were to inform you immediately?”
“The valve? You mean…” Luo Qing’s eyes widened. “That valve?!”
“Yes.” Wriothesley nodded solemnly. “I think you’d better see for yourself.”
—
The Depths of Meropide Fortress – The Sealed Primordial Water
Moments later, Luo Qing stood beside the valve, his eyes fixed on the pressure gauge.
The needle hovered deep within the red zone.
The last time he’d checked, it had barely entered the danger zone. Now, it was sitting firmly in the middle of it.
If the needle reached the end of the scale, the pressure would surpass the valve’s limit, and the Primordial Amniotic Fluid would burst forth.
At this rate, it wouldn’t take long.
“How much time do we have?” Luo Qing asked.
A mature woman’s voice answered from behind him.
“Anywhere from a week to two at most.”
He turned to see Clorinde, the stoic and sharp-eyed Duelist Representative, approaching with measured steps.
“In other words,” she continued, “time is not on our side.”
Standing beside them, Wriothesley observed the exchange silently.
Luo Qing studied Clorinde for a moment before smirking.
“I didn’t expect to see you here, Miss Clorinde. Concerned about Tartaglia’s safety, are you?”
“…” Clorinde didn’t answer, her gaze steady but unreadable.
Though she had her doubts about Wriothesley’s collaboration with someone from the Fatui, she chose not to voice them.
—
T/N: hjehe
This is a fan translation of 原神：这个见习执行官太屑了 by 何一乐. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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