Stepping outside, Luo Qing began walking toward the Sanctuary of Surasthana.
With Azar’s faction overthrown, the Akademiya had temporarily abolished the bans he once decreed. As a result, the mood among the people these days was lighthearted, their faces glowing with contented smiles.
The atmosphere in all of Sumeru felt livelier than usual.
When Luo Qing arrived at the Sanctuary, he pushed the door open.
Inside, he saw Bu’er holding Nahida’s small hand, the two of them standing in the heart of the hall, engaged in a quiet discussion.
When Bu’er saw Luo Qing enter, she greeted him with a gentle smile.
Taking small steps forward, she wrapped her arms around Luo Qing’s waist and gave him a light hug.
Standing to the side, Nahida tilted her head as she watched the scene unfold. A strange, complicated feeling arose in her heart.
For some reason, she felt an urge to leap into Luo Qing’s arms and have him ruffle her hair.
“Luo Qing, what brings you here…?” Nahida asked softly.
Before she could finish speaking, Luo Qing had already placed his right hand on her head, gently ruffling her hair with a smile.
“Came to check on my little Nahida. Is that a good enough reason?”
“Mm…”
Nahida liked his response very much. Though she tried to keep her expression neutral, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she couldn’t help squinting her eyes in enjoyment under Luo Qing’s head pats.
“What were you two discussing so early in the day?” Luo Qing turned to look at Bu’er.
“From now on, Nahida will be the one overseeing Sumeru. I came to discuss some governance matters with her,” Bu’er replied with a tender smile. Her fingers lightly brushed through Nahida’s silver-white hair, her gaze warm and doting.
Though Nahida had lived for five centuries, most of that time had been spent imprisoned in the Sanctuary. After the Akademiya initially mistook her for being like the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata—capable of guiding Sumeru—they venerated and served her briefly. But that period ended swiftly, and the rest of her life was confined to the sanctuary, learning about the world and gaining knowledge only through dreams and puppets.
Now that Nahida was truly connected to the World Tree and had become the legitimate Dendro Archon, she still lacked actual governance experience.
That’s why Bu’er seized this opportunity to grow closer to her, strengthening their bond.
“Luo Qing…” Nahida hesitated for a few seconds, then looked up at him.
“The Void Terminal reform plan you mentioned earlier—I’ve thought it through.”
“You’ve thought it through?”
Luo Qing was surprised. He’d intended to steer the conversation toward the Void Terminals during this visit, but Nahida brought it up herself.
“I gave it a lot of thought. The Void Terminals do have the potential to improve the daily lives of the people.” Nahida’s long, elfin ears twitched as she spoke, adding a touch of cuteness to her demeanor. “I’d like to try the method you suggested.”
She was aware that Luo Qing’s insistence on keeping the Void Terminals was partially due to his own agenda. Yet her trust in him, strengthened by their bond and her guesses about his true identity, led her to choose to support him and become his ally.
She had already decided: as long as Luo Qing wasn’t doing something gravely immoral, she would stand by him.
“Thank you, Nahida.” A warm feeling rose in Luo Qing’s chest. Nahida was truly his most reliable partner.
With the Void, he could fully utilize his Void Authority. The next step would be to expand the Void Network, spreading it across Teyvat and promoting the Void Terminals in other regions.
When everyone had a Void Terminal, they would unwittingly become his informants and sources of intelligence.
He hadn’t understood before why the system granted him such abilities. But now it made sense—it must be tied to his past involvement with Bu’er in creating the Void.
“Nahida, have you ever considered expanding the Void across Teyvat?” Luo Qing tested the waters. “To cover the entire continent, so that people from every nation can access the Void Network and use Void Terminals?”
“To cover all of Teyvat…” Nahida lowered her head, deep in thought.
She had only ever considered the impact of the Void within Sumeru. The idea of introducing it to other nations had never crossed her mind.
The core of the Void originated from the Gnosis of the Dendro Archon, but its essence was the power of the World Tree. And since the World Tree was the foundation of Teyvat, it was theoretically possible to extend the Void across the entire continent.
“I’ve never thought about that before…” Nahida admitted. Expanding the Void to other nations would involve dealing with the Archons of those nations—a daunting prospect for someone like her, who was still finding her footing as an Archon after centuries of confinement.
“No rush,” Luo Qing reassured her with a slight smile, patting her head again. “It’s just a suggestion. You can decide when you’re ready.”
Despite his reassuring tone, Luo Qing knew he would soon need to gather the next Gnosis. If Nahida could help expand the Void Network along the way, it would save him significant effort.
“I’ll think about it carefully!” Nahida said with determination, looking at Luo Qing with steadfast resolve.
If she was going to be his… not father’s… but Luo Qing’s strongest supporter, she would give it her all.
“Alright…”
Seeing Nahida’s adorably earnest expression, Luo Qing’s heart softened. Unable to resist, he crouched down to her eye level and pulled her into a hug.
—
After discussing the matter, Luo Qing lingered with Nahida and Bu’er for a while. The three of them were like a small family, chatting casually and even watching some “touching” animations that Luo Qing had secretly uploaded to the Void.
The day passed quickly. As evening approached, Bu’er, overcome with maternal affection, decided she wanted to spend the night cuddling with Nahida. She asked Luo Qing if she could stay at the Sanctuary, and since Luo Qing had plans to visit Kamisato Ayaka in Inazuma that evening, he agreed without hesitation.
Back at home, Luo Qing ate dinner, checked the clock on the wall, and decided it was time. He headed to the washroom to prepare.
Reflecting on recent events, he felt a bit guilty. His focus on Scaramouche’s situation had distracted him, and if it weren’t for a timely reminder, he wouldn’t have realized how long it had been since he’d seen Ayaka. While he didn’t think anything bad would happen to her in Inazuma, her older brother’s disapproving attitude made him cautious.
A slight ripple in his vision later, Luo Qing found himself in complete darkness. The scent of a delicate fragrance filled the air. Reaching out, his hand brushed against a piece of silky, lacy fabric.
“Where is this…?” Luo Qing thought, a guess forming in his mind.
When he stood up, his head bumped into a wooden panel.
It dawned on him. He was inside a wardrobe.
Sliding the panel open, he found himself staring into Ayaka’s room.
“Why did I end up in her wardrobe again…?”
Luo Qing stepped out and glanced back. The wardrobe was packed with clothes—most of which were risqué outfits he’d once gifted Ayaka from a particularly “bold” catalog.
For a moment, he fell into deep thought.
Just then, the door opened.
Kamisato Ayaka entered, dressed in a light blue silk kimono.
—
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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