“Y-you… don’t come any closer!”
Seeing Luo Qing so near, Layla instinctively shrank back.
Her restrained feet pushed against the bed, scooting her body toward the edge as fear swirled in her chest.
To create a perfectly quiet space for writing her thesis, Layla had ensured her room was completely soundproof. No matter how noisy the street outside got, not a single sound could penetrate the walls.
But the downside was obvious—no matter how loudly she screamed, no one outside would hear her.
Was she really about to be taken advantage of by this so-called Matra imposter tonight…?
“Why are you keeping your distance? Do I really look like a bad guy?”
Luo Qing glanced at Layla, who was curled up at the corner of the bed, clutching her knees. His voice was calm, almost teasing.
“You…”
Layla was momentarily speechless.
You cuffed me without permission, took off my shoes and stockings… If you’re not a bad guy, then bad guys don’t exist!
“Relax. I’m here on your daytime self’s request. I won’t hurt you.”
“Then why did you tie me up?!”
“To stop you from running, of course,” Luo Qing replied matter-of-factly.
“?”
And you’re still claiming you’re not a bad guy?!
What are you so afraid I’ll run from?!
Layla instinctively scooted farther back.
“When did you first appear?” Luo Qing asked casually.
“Why are you asking that?”
“Come on, I’m here on your daytime self’s behalf. Isn’t it normal for me to ask?”
“…”
Layla stayed silent for a moment before answering in a small voice, “I don’t know…”
“So, she’s completely unaware of your existence?”
“Hmph, if she knew, why would she even go looking for you?”
Layla’s tone was tinged with disdain.
“Hmm… That makes sense.”
Luo Qing nodded thoughtfully, then turned to her with a smile.
“But I’d suggest you drop that haughty attitude when talking to me. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee I won’t do something to you~”
Luo Qing didn’t have many hobbies, but “disciplining tsunderes” was definitely one of them.
And Layla’s inner persona was a textbook tsundere—prime material for some good-natured teasing.
“…”
Layla chose silence.
She had no choice. Luo Qing held all the cards, and she had no power to resist.
Then again… wasn’t this still her own room?
“So, you have access to all her memories, right?” Luo Qing asked abruptly.
“Why do you ask?” Layla replied warily.
“I heard you’re a top scholar in the Akademiya. Let’s test your biology knowledge.”
Luo Qing grabbed a piece of paper and a pen from her desk and continued, “What’s your daily routine? Any hobbies? Favorite foods? And, uh… when’s your period?”
“?”
[+1 Frustration Value from Layla.]
Layla was dumbfounded.
What kind of biology question is this?! And what even is “period” supposed to mean?!
“Don’t know?”
“I…”
“And you call yourself an Akademiya scholar?!”
“…”
[+1 Frustration Value from Layla.]
“Why are you asking this? I’m not telling you!” Layla snapped, her voice cold.
These were deeply personal questions. There was no way she’d share them with someone like Luo Qing.
“Really not going to say?”
“N-not saying!”
“Alright.”
“Wait, what are you—”
Before Layla could finish, Luo Qing grabbed her small foot and dragged her across the bed until she was right in front of him.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a feather, his tone laced with amusement.
“This is your last chance.”
“I… I’m not telling you!”
“Good. You’re brave.”
With that, Luo Qing propped her foot on his lap and began gently running the feather along her sole.
Since her daytime persona wouldn’t remember anything her inner self experienced, Luo Qing was free to indulge in his little “disciplinary” tactic.
The soft skin of her youthful feet made her particularly sensitive, and Layla couldn’t handle the ticklish sensation.
She bit her lip, writhing on the bed as laughter mixed with frustration escaped her.
It wasn’t long before she was gasping for air, her pale skin glistening with sweat.
Her frail constitution made even this light teasing feel like an intense workout.
“Ready to talk now?” Luo Qing asked, finally stopping after noticing how exhausted she looked.
“Why… Why are you asking these things…”
Layla lay sprawled on the bed, looking as if she’d just emerged from battle.
“Hmm…”
Luo Qing hesitated briefly before deciding to come clean.
“I once read my fortune.”
“A fortune?”
“The reading said I’d spend my life with a girl who has a Cryo Vision.”
“…”
“And?”
Layla asked, genuinely curious now.
She had heard about Liyue’s fortune-telling practices—similar to astrology, but with its own unique mystique. The better the fortune-teller, the more accurate their predictions.
“It didn’t specify anything else. Just that she’d have a Cryo Vision. So, I decided to get to know every girl with one. In other words…”
Luo Qing leaned in, his smile playful as he whispered,
“I have a good feeling about you two, so I wanted to get closer~”
“…”
Layla fell silent.
It wasn’t just the absurdity of his reasoning. It was the fact that he had infiltrated her room under the guise of a Matra, tied her up, and tickled her—all because of this nonsense!
“You think that after everything you’ve done, there’s a chance between us?” she asked coldly.
“I know.”
Luo Qing chuckled, lightly brushing her foot with his finger as he added,
“But you said it yourself. She’ll never know what happened between us~”
“…”
—
Late Night, Luo Qing’s Residence in Sumeru
Since Luo Qing was considered a collaborator, he and his team were provided lodging by the Akademiya. The house was situated near the Grand Bazaar, right in the bustling heart of the city.
He shared the residence with Makoto and Rosalyne, while Natalia and the others lived in the surrounding area, forming a protective perimeter.
Despite Luo Qing instructing Rosalyne to return earlier in the day, it was now deep into the night, and she still hadn’t come back.
“Still not back… Where could he have gone?”
Makoto sat in the living room, dressed in a lavender nightgown.
Leaning against the armrest of the couch, she rested her head on her hand, staring at the candlelight on the table with a slightly displeased expression.
“Hey, Rosalyne, do you know where he went tonight?”
“The master told me not to say.”
Rosalyne, seated on the other end of the couch in a deep red silk nightdress, quietly flipped through a book in the candle’s glow.
“Hmph. I bet he’s off playing around with some little girl again… Let me guess…”
Makoto rubbed her temples, then turned to Rosalyne.
“Her name is Layla, right?”
Her ability to see glimpses of the future in Inazuma often revealed fleeting details, and she recalled a girl from Sumeru named Layla in one such vision.
At the mention of Layla, Rosalyne’s expression subtly shifted, but she remained silent, continuing to read.
“I saw that look, Rosalyne! It is her, isn’t it?”
Makoto’s sharp eye caught the change in Rosalyne’s demeanor, confirming her suspicion.
“That scoundrel… He really doesn’t let anyone go, does he?”
As she muttered her complaint, the sound of a key turning in the door interrupted her.
The door opened, and Luo Qing stepped inside, finding both Makoto and Rosalyne sitting in their nightwear.
“You still know how to come back?!”
Makoto huffed, her displeasure evident.
“?”
Reader discussion
0 Comments
Be the first reader to share a thought about this chapter.