“Oratrice Mecanique d’Analyse Cardinale…”
Luo Qing murmured the words to himself,
His mind drifting to the information Natalya had provided about Fontaine.
In public trials, while Chief Justice Neuvillette appeared to deliver the verdict, he primarily served as a presiding figure.
The true determinant of guilt or innocence was the Oratrice Mecanique d’Analyse Cardinale, placed prominently on the stage of the Opera Epiclese.
If Neuvillette’s judgment conflicted with the Oratrice’s ruling, even he—the highest authority—was obligated to follow its decision.
In essence,
If the Oratrice deemed you guilty, no matter your actual innocence, you were destined for a cell in Meropide.
“It certainly raises some questions…”
As he mulled over the implications, the door to the study creaked open.
Theresa stepped inside, draped in a semi-sheer black lace nightgown that clung alluringly to her pale skin, revealing just enough to stir the imagination.
This outfit alone seemed capable of increasing attack speed by at least 50%.
“?”
Luo Qing’s thoughts were abruptly derailed.
“Theresa, what are you doing?”
“What does it look like~?”
Theresa plopped herself onto Luo Qing’s lap, wrapping her arms around him as she cooed, “My lord~ You haven’t that with me for a whole week~”
“…”
When did she get this insatiable?!
“Not tonight. I have things to do and need to head out.”
“Aw, come on~ My lord, it won’t take long~”
“…”
That “won’t take long” felt like a direct attack on his pride.
“Tomorrow night, I promise. Be good.”
Luo Qing ruffled her hair and vanished from the study in an instant, leaving Theresa alone.
For a moment, she seemed lost.
It had been an entire week since her lord had last indulged her.
She was lonely.
—
Luo Qing made his way toward the Opera Epiclese.
If this involved Arlecchino, he needed to take it seriously. Winning her over, especially given her past role as his “Father,” required careful effort.
By the time he arrived at the opera house, it was late into the night.
As the heart of Fontaine’s judicial system, the Opera Epiclese was under constant guard by patrolling officers, even at this hour.
But for someone like Luo Qing, wielding the power of Time Zero, bypassing them was trivial.
In just a few breaths, he had evaded all the guards and reached the center stage.
There, illuminated by a faint blue glow, was the Oratrice Mecanique d’Analyse Cardinale—the core of all trials in Fontaine.
“This thing…”
Before even approaching, Luo Qing could feel a tremendous energy emanating from it.
But the energy wasn’t elemental, nor did it resemble any type he had encountered before. It felt… alien.
Curious, Luo Qing cautiously extended a hand, placing it on the Oratrice.
The device emitted a faint blue light, which spread to his hand like an ethereal stain.
“This…”
Luo Qing stared at the glowing mark.
The energy was beyond his control and couldn’t be absorbed into his body. It seemed to exist solely for a specific purpose.
“Nahida, do you know what this is?”
He called out to the Void Network.
A moment later, Nahida’s figure materialized beside the Oratrice, visible only to Luo Qing, as if she were a projection in augmented reality.
“This energy is unusual…”
“Daddy, let me check the World Tree for information.”
Focused on the Oratrice, Nahida didn’t seem to notice that she had casually called him “Daddy.”
“…”
She really said it.
Luo Qing’s thoughts stumbled as he stared at his daughter’s avatar.
Did Buer already explain everything to her?
After a while, Nahida’s eyes regained their clarity, and she turned to Luo Qing.
“Daddy, I found it. This energy is called Judgmental Resonance. It’s generated during trials, especially when determining guilt. However, its exact function remains unclear…”
Her little ears twitched as she spoke, her tone as sweet as ever.
“…”
“More importantly, Nahida… What did you just call me?”
“Daddy!”
Nahida giggled, throwing herself into Luo Qing’s arms.
“Mom already told me the truth about the past. From now on, I don’t want to call you by your name anymore.”
“…”
Luo Qing fell silent, unsure what Buer had been up to in his absence.
“Hmm…”
He gently patted Nahida’s head.
“I’m sorry we kept this from you…”
“It’s okay, Daddy.”
Nahida shook her head, her voice tender. “I don’t blame you or Mom.”
“Hmm…”
For a moment, Luo Qing forgot about the Oratrice Mecanique d’Analyse Cardinale entirely, basking in this warm father-daughter moment.
But their tranquility was interrupted by the sound of steady footsteps echoing from the audience seats.
Luo Qing turned to see Neuvillette entering, leaning lightly on his cane as he walked with deliberate calm.
“Mr. Luo Qing, perhaps you could explain why you are here at this hour?”
Neuvillette’s face betrayed no emotion, but an undeniable authority radiated from him.
Though Furina had grown close to Luo Qing recently, that did not mean Neuvillette trusted him completely.
His impartial suspicion extended to everyone but Furina herself.
“Lord Neuvillette…”
Luo Qing was mildly surprised. Shouldn’t he be working overtime at the Palais Mermonia at this hour?
Could my interaction with the Oratrice have alerted him?
Glancing at Nahida, he silently signaled her to disconnect from the Void Network. Maintaining a calm demeanor, he smiled.
“I heard that the great magician Lyney will be performing here in a few days. I thought I’d scout the venue in advance so I wouldn’t get lost later.”
“…”
Neuvillette remained silent,
Not because of Luo Qing’s absurd excuse, but because he had just felt the presence of divine energy—a god’s gaze—emanating from Luo Qing moments ago.
He had seen real gods before and recognized the sensation.
Just now, a divine power had been communicating with Luo Qing.
The Tsaritsa?
Or someone else…
Without warning, Neuvillette struck the ground with his cane.
Behind him, a surge of water elemental energy erupted, enveloping the opera house in a watery prison.
“Mr. Luo Qing, if you cannot provide a reasonable explanation, I’m afraid I must charge you with tampering with the Oratrice Mecanique d’Analyse Cardinale.”
“By law, you will be arrested and tried at a later date.”
—
T/N: awww
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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