Fortress of Meropide
Every so often, Fontaine’s judicial system sent new waves of prisoners to the Fortress of Meropide. Today marked the arrival of a fresh batch.
Unlike Luo Qing, whose arrival was akin to a leisurely field trip, most of these new inmates entered with trembling knees. They still saw Meropide as a savage and brutal penal colony.
Many were paralyzed by fear, terrified they’d slip up and end up on the receiving end of a guard’s wrath.
However, among this group of prisoners, three young individuals stood out. Calm and composed, they seemed utterly unaffected by the oppressive atmosphere.
“Brother,” Lynette said softly, glancing at Lyney. Her voice was calm but carried a tinge of reprimand.
“This is Meropide, not a stage. Stop greeting everyone like you’re performing. Father said we need to keep a low profile.”
“Ah, but that’s where you’re mistaken, Lynette.”
Lyney smiled, his tone light and carefree.
“All of life is a stage. No matter where we are, we should always present our best selves.”
He leaned closer, wagging a playful finger.
“Which means you should turn off your energy-saving mode for a bit. Come on, give me a smile.”
“…”
Lynette sighed internally. Her brother never failed to exasperate her.
“I’m going to scout the area,” she said, leaving Lyney behind as she walked deeper into the dormitory section.
Unlike Luo Qing’s situation, most prisoners weren’t assigned personal guides to help them adjust to life in Meropide.
The system here was simple: throw them in and let them figure it out. In time, they’d learn the rules—or suffer the consequences.
But Lynette had no need for guidance. She already knew Meropide’s layout like the back of her hand. Her goal was simple: familiarize herself with her immediate surroundings and commit them to memory.
As she wandered the dormitory halls, her thoughts drifted to Father’s instructions.
“Find Childe and locate his whereabouts. Avoid Brighella at all costs.”
“Avoid him…” Lynette whispered under her breath, feeling a pang of frustration.
Now bound to Luo Qing, she was acutely aware of the conflict this posed with Father’s orders.
Father despised traitors, and yet… here she was.
The thought weighed on her mind. She sighed, trying to refocus.
She wondered if she should use the Void Terminal tonight to send Luo Qing her report. Why didn’t Lyney have to report like she did?
As her mind wandered, Lynette failed to notice she’d reached the special privileges dining hall.
The familiar sound of a certain voice made her freeze mid-step.
“Nurse Sigewinne, this meal is too precious. You should have it instead.”
“Nope! This is a special nutrition box I asked Wriothesley to prepare just for you. You have to eat it all!”
“…Hmm?”
Lynette snapped out of her daze, her ears perking up.
Her eyes darted to a nearby table where she saw a man with his back to her. He was pushing a peculiar-looking lunchbox toward a petite girl dressed as a nurse.
The contents of the lunchbox didn’t resemble food so much as a science experiment gone horribly wrong.
That voice… Lynette’s heart skipped a beat as she cautiously approached.
The figure turned slightly, revealing a profile she knew all too well.
“Luo Qing…”
Sigewinne, noticing Lynette’s stunned expression, gently nudged Luo Qing.
“Luo Qing, someone’s here to see you. Is she a friend?”
“A friend?” Luo Qing echoed, turning around.
His gaze met Lynette’s wide, startled eyes.
“Ah, long time no see, Lynette!” Luo Qing greeted cheerfully. “What a coincidence. You’re here to serve time too?”
“…”
Lynette’s mind raced.
“B-Bri… I mean, Mr. Luo Qing,” she stammered, quickly correcting herself under Sigewinne’s watchful gaze.
“I didn’t expect to see you here. Did you… accidentally break a law in Fontaine?”
“Something like that,” Luo Qing replied nonchalantly, his tone dripping with feigned innocence.
“I just happened to borrow someone’s socks, and bam, here I am. Can you believe it? So unfair.”
“…”
Lynette said nothing, but her expression said everything.
She seriously doubted it was just socks.
“What about you?” Luo Qing asked, leaning back with a casual grin. “What crime did you commit?”
“Just some trivial matters,” Lynette replied carefully, her eyes darting toward Sigewinne.
She couldn’t risk revealing anything sensitive in front of the nurse.
“Fair enough,” Luo Qing said, shrugging. He gestured toward the bizarre lunchbox on the table.
“You must be hungry after all that travel. Come, try Nurse Sigewinne’s special lunch. It’s guaranteed to… energize you!”
“…”
“No need, really—”
“Ah, but I insist! You’ll love it. I swear it’s life-changing!”
—
A grueling hour later, the two of them managed to finish the mysterious concoction.
Sigewinne, pleased with their empty plates, skipped off to prepare next week’s meal plans, leaving Lynette alone with Luo Qing.
As soon as Sigewinne was out of sight, Lynette’s composed demeanor wavered.
“L-Lord Brigella,” she began hesitantly. “Why are you here?”
“Why not?” Luo Qing said with a chuckle. “I was raised by Father too, you know. We think alike.”
“I thought you came for Childe…”
“That brute? Hardly worth my time.”
“…”
Before Lynette could respond, the sound of hurried footsteps interrupted them.
Turning toward the noise, they saw Lyney and Freminet rushing toward them.
“Lynette! The guards need us to register our dorms—Luo Qing?!” Lyney froze mid-sentence, his expression instantly darkening.
His gaze darted between his sister and Luo Qing.
He still didn’t believe Luo Qing hadn’t taken advantage of Lynette that day. And the sock incident? Definitely suspicious.
“Long time no see, Lyney,” Luo Qing said with an easy smile. “I see Father has given you three a rather heavy task.”
“…”
Lyney forced a polite smile, bowing slightly.
“It’s an honor to see you again, Lord Luo Qing. If you’ll excuse us, we need to attend to some formalities. Lynette, you’re needed as well.”
“Of course.” Luo Qing stood, stretching. “Go on, I won’t keep you.”
As he turned to leave, Lynette heard his voice echo faintly in her mind.
“Come to my room tonight.”
“…”
—
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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