The warm glow of the fireplace cast flickering shadows across the room. The women were seated together around the hearth, their expressions distant as they gazed into the dancing flames.
Makoto’s thoughts seemed to drift far away, as though she was envisioning a future that lay just beyond reach.
“Makoto-nee, Luo Qing… he…”
Ei turned to her sister, her eyes filled with concern.
“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen to him right now,” Makoto replied, shaking her head gently to reassure her.
“It’s getting late…”
Makoto rose from her seat and glanced at the other women gathered near the fireplace.
“Go to bed. Even if you wait all night, he’s not coming back.”
“…”
“But, sister…”
Ei’s worry lingered as she pressed on. “Didn’t you say the reason we all came to Fontaine with him was because he would face grave danger here? Both Nahida and I can feel it—an extraordinarily powerful force is gathering in Fontaine, and we don’t know when it might erupt.”
“I know,” Makoto said quietly, looking at Ei with a faint sigh. “But it won’t be tonight.”
“But—”
Ei’s anxiety was evident. That overwhelming power left her deeply unsettled, and Luo Qing’s prolonged absence, with little contact, only added to her unease.
All of them felt the urge to storm the Momo Palace and confirm Luo Qing’s safety.
“No buts,” Makoto interrupted, her tone firm. “It’s late. Go to bed.”
With that, she turned and made her way upstairs.
Rosalyne, standing nearby, gave a brief nod to the others before following Makoto up the stairs.
—
Back in Makoto’s room, Rosalyne hesitated before asking, “Lady Makoto, are you sure Master is truly safe?”
Makoto let out a soft scoff. “He’s probably having the time of his life right now. What could possibly happen to him?”
“I understand.” Rosalyne bowed slightly, refraining from further questions. She quietly tidied Makoto’s bedding before leaving the room.
Left alone, Makoto exhaled a long breath. She approached the window and gazed at the bright moon hanging in the sky, her expression tinged with melancholy.
Since losing her powers and being resurrected by Luo Qing, the visions of the future she once accessed from her consciousness had ceased to update.
The future wasn’t a single unbroken thread; it was a complex web, like the root system of a great tree.
Every critical decision made at key junctures could lead to vastly different outcomes.
Now, she and Luo Qing stood at such a crossroads.
As she had once explained to Furina, they were now at a fork in destiny.
One path led to a future without Luo Qing, while the other allowed them to continue together.
Her memories were filled with countless possible endings, many of which included Luo Qing’s demise—this time included.
…
Unfortunately, knowing the branching paths of fate didn’t grant her the power to choose.
Even though she brought her sisters to Fontaine to help Luo Qing through the impending crisis, she hadn’t told them the truth.
It was all futile.
Even if the Geo Archon of Liyue and the Anemo Archon of Mondstadt joined forces, it wouldn’t change a thing.
At this fateful juncture, the only one who could decide the outcome was Luo Qing himself.
—
Sunlight streamed through the enameled windows, casting warm rays onto Luo Qing’s face.
The brightness stirred him, and he groggily opened his eyes. He instinctively reached out to embrace the figure he had held last night, only to grasp empty air.
Where is she?!
Luo Qing jolted awake, fully alert.
How had Furina vanished?
He quickly scanned the room, finding no trace of her. Her black leather shoes and lace stockings were also gone—it seemed she had left the palace altogether.
“This…”
He frowned, baffled.
Considering how closely I held her last night, how could she have slipped away without waking me?
As he began to rise from the bed, the door suddenly swung open.
Luo Qing froze, sitting upright on the bed, as several female attendants entered carrying trays.
They placed breakfast on the table while casting curious glances at Luo Qing.
After all, this was Lady Furina’s private chamber. Any man daring to trespass here would usually face decades in the cells of Melopide Prison.
But here was a man, not only in her room but lying on her bed, the covers in disarray—some even on the floor—suggesting… certain activities.
Could it be that Lady Furina, the Hydro Archon herself, also had those kinds of needs?
This was big news.
“Please enjoy your meal,” one of the attendants said, bowing slightly before preparing to leave.
“Wait a moment,” Luo Qing called out.
The attendants turned back. “Is there something else you need?”
“Where’s Furina?”
“Lady Furina left early this morning for the opera house,” one of them replied. “There’s a trial presided over by Lord Neuvillette today, and Lady Furina will be in attendance.”
“A trial?” Luo Qing repeated, puzzled.
What kind of case required both Neuvillette and Furina to be present? He hadn’t heard of any major incidents recently.
“That’s all we know,” the attendant said with a slight bow before departing.
The moment they turned to leave, Luo Qing vanished from the bed, leaving only the gently swaying window as evidence of his escape.
—
Opéra Épiclèse
The grand opera house was filled to capacity. A rare case had summoned Chief Justice Neuvillette to personally preside, with Lady Furina attending as well.
Anticipation buzzed among the audience as they awaited the start of the trial.
Bang, bang, bang!
Neuvillette struck his gavel, signaling the crowd to quiet down.
As silence fell, he rose to deliver the opening statement.
Before he could speak, a loud boom echoed through the hall as the opera house’s doors burst open.
A man stood amidst the wreckage.
The audience gasped, some assuming it was an attempt to disrupt the trial. Instead of panic, excitement rippled through the crowd as everyone turned their eyes to the intruder.
At the far end, Luo Qing stood frozen, staring at Furina and Neuvillette seated at the dais.
Wait… this isn’t a trial against Furina?
“…”
Neuvillette’s gaze turned to Furina, silently asking for an explanation.
“This guy…” Furina sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation. His appearance was clearly embarrassing her.
After a moment, she stood and raised her arms.
“Citizens, do not panic!” she announced.
“On the contrary, this is the perfect opportunity for me to share something important with all of you!”
The spotlight shifted to Furina, illuminating her elegant figure.
“In order to better understand and integrate with the lives of our people—guided by the principle of governance through experience and empathy—I, Focalors, the Hydro Archon, hereby declare:
“I will engage in a mortal romance! And the person I’ve chosen…”
Her voice rang through the opera house, clear and resolute.
“… is him!”
“?”
—
T/N: WHHHHHHHHAT A PUBLIC DECLARATION?
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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