It had been over a month since Luo Qing’s disappearance.
Fontaine had finally recovered from the prophecy’s crisis, and society had stabilized.
Meanwhile, Luo Qing’s once lively household now felt much emptier. Ei and Nahida, who had been secretly away for nearly half a year, had returned to their nations to handle pressing state affairs. Even Bu’er had accompanied Nahida back to Sumeru.
The once bustling Fontaine household was now home only to Makoto, Theresa, and the newest resident, Furina.
Fortunately, Furina and Theresa’s playful and lively personalities often brought some energy back into the house, with their frequent banter keeping the atmosphere from becoming entirely dull.
In Luo Qing’s study, Makoto sat at his desk, rubbing her temples as she stared at a stack of letters. Her expression carried a hint of exhaustion.
From outside, the familiar sound of Furina and Theresa arguing echoed up from the living room.
This time, they seemed to be fighting over who should get the last slice of cake.
Standing nearby, Rosalyne spoke respectfully.
“Madam Makoto, shall I remind them to lower their voices?”
“No need. Let them argue,” Makoto replied with a faint shake of her head. “At least it makes the house feel lively…”
Her gaze returned to the letters on the desk, her thoughts troubled.
The letters were from Liyue, Inazuma, and elsewhere—every one of them addressed to Luo Qing.
It had been nearly a year since Luo Qing first left for Fontaine. Ganyu, Shenhe, and Ayaka hadn’t seen him since, and the upcoming Lantern Rite only deepened their longing.
Ganyu and Shenhe, busy with their duties in Liyue, had written to invite Luo Qing back to spend the festival with them.
As for Ayaka, the young lady in the throes of first love, her letters practically overflowed with longing.
The pile of letters on the desk from Ayaka spoke of how much she missed him, updates about her daily life, and even included photos of her wearing outfits she knew Luo Qing liked.
If Luo Qing were here to see these, he might very well fly straight back to Inazuma to reunite with her.
But Luo Qing wasn’t here.
Makoto sighed, carefully tucking the letters away. She didn’t know how to respond to her “sisters” in Luo Qing’s absence.
“Madam Makoto…”
Rosalyne, sensing Makoto’s concern, spoke softly.
“Do you believe Master Luo Qing will return?”
“I don’t know…”
Makoto shook her head, her tone carrying a hint of resignation.
Rosalyne, now fully loyal to Makoto after her “re-education,” was one of the few people Makoto trusted deeply. She knew things even Ei didn’t.
And as Makoto admitted, she truly didn’t know if Luo Qing would ever return.
Perhaps she’d wake up one morning to find him holding her in his arms, sleeping peacefully beside her.
Or perhaps Luo Qing would remain a memory, never to return.
Seeing Makoto’s downcast expression, Rosalyne attempted to comfort her.
“Please don’t worry, Madam Makoto. I’m certain Master Luo Qing will come back.”
“Oh?”
Makoto offered a faint smile. “And what makes you so sure?”
“Well…”
Rosalyne hesitated, unsure how to explain.
She couldn’t very well reveal that the servant contract binding her to Luo Qing was still active—a clear sign that he was alive.
That said, the contract’s influence had weakened significantly over time. In truth, Rosalyne had fully embraced her role as his maid. Even if the contract disappeared, she wouldn’t harbor any thoughts of rebellion or revenge.
After all, she had become Luo Qing’s woman in every way that mattered.
“No matter what happens…”
Makoto mustered a smile, her voice soft.
“Thank you, Rosalyne. You’ve worked hard these past few days. Go and rest.”
“Yes, Madam Makoto.”
Rosalyne bowed respectfully and turned to leave.
Just as she reached the door, Makoto’s voice called out again.
“Oh, and tell Furina…”
Makoto’s tone was dry but amused.
“If she wants something of Luo Qing’s, like his personal belongings, she should just ask me. There’s no need to sneak into his room in the middle of the night.”
“Understood…”
Rosalyne descended to the living room, where the source of the earlier commotion became immediately apparent.
Theresa and Furina stood on opposite sides of the room, each with bits of cake smeared on their faces, glaring at one another.
“That cake is mine!” Theresa shouted. “I bought it, so I get the last slice!”
Furina scoffed, folding her arms. “If it weren’t for me, the owner of the bakery wouldn’t have saved that limited-edition cake for us in the first place! You were just the delivery girl!”
“But I paid for it with my Mora!”
Theresa protectively cradled the last slice of cake, her expression fierce.
The tension between them had been simmering since Furina moved in. Before her arrival, Theresa had relied on her older “sisters” for support and had a clear upper hand.
But now that Furina was officially part of Luo Qing’s harem, the balance had shifted. Makoto, in her effort to treat everyone equally, no longer intervened.
“Ahem.”
Rosalyne cleared her throat as she began cleaning up their “battlefield.”
“Ladies, please keep your voices down. Madam Makoto is busy with important matters in the study.”
“Hmph…” Furina muttered, crossing her arms.
“Fine, I’ll keep it down.”
As Rosalyne finished tidying up, she added, almost casually:
“By the way, Madam Makoto mentioned that if you need anything of Master Luo Qing’s—such as clothing—you should ask her directly. There’s no need to sneak into his room at night.”
The room fell silent.
Theresa’s eyes widened in shock as she turned to Furina, pointing an accusatory finger.
“So it was you sneaking around at night! I knew something was off when I saw his wardrobe moving!”
“And you’re any better?!” Furina snapped back, her face flushed.
“How many nights have you been rolling around in his bed, huh?!”
“I told Makoto about that! I had permission! Unlike you!”
“…”
Furina fell silent, her lips pursed in frustration.
Since when do you need permission to borrow someone’s clothes? she thought, sulking as she stomped off to her room.
Curling up in her bed, she buried herself under the covers.
She had joined this family for Luo Qing.
But now, with Luo Qing gone, she found herself subject to Makoto’s rules and expectations.
And why did Rosalyne call Makoto “Madam” but address her as just “Furina”?
With no one else to talk to, Furina clutched one of Luo Qing’s shirts tightly.
Her heart ached, but she told herself to endure.
For Luo Qing.
Just as she began drifting to sleep, a woman’s voice echoed in her mind.
“It’s been a while, Furina…”
—
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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