“Luo Qing…”
Arlecchino’s tone shifted unexpectedly as she turned to face Luo Qing. Her voice was calm but carried weight.
“Between people, there are more connections than just mutual benefit. I believe I’ve told you this before… friendship, family, kinship… There are many reasons in this world to extend our help wholeheartedly.”
“Is that so…”
Luo Qing stood beside her, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Then I must thank Father for the life lesson.”
“By the way…”
Arlecchino continued in the same calm tone, her gaze unwavering.
“I heard from Navia that you recently provided a sum of money to the Rose Union under a contractual arrangement?”
“Money?”
Luo Qing nodded slightly. “Yes, that’s correct. Why?”
“It’s nothing…”
Arlecchino shook her head gently, her voice softening.
“It saved me some trouble dealing with Pantalone’s endless arguments. Thank you for your help, Luo Qing.”
“It was nothing. No need to mention it, Father.”
Luo Qing gave a small smile.
The Mora of Snezhnaya is meant to be accumulated for Her Majesty the Tsaritsa’s grand vision.
If it’s to be used for disaster relief in other nations, it inevitably requires negotiations with the wealthy.
The well-known tensions between Arlecchino and Pantalone had long been the talk of the Fatui.
For someone like Arlecchino, such matters were rare sources of irritation.
“Oh, and one more thing that might interest you…”
Arlecchino glanced at Luo Qing and continued, “A group of children recently discovered some ruins near White Birch Town, which may be linked to the recent water level rise.”
As she spoke, she pulled out a map from her coat and handed it to him.
“Consider it a token of gratitude from White Birch Town. Lumine and Navia are already on their way. If you don’t want them getting ahead of you, I’d suggest heading there now.”
“Ruins…”
Luo Qing accepted the map, his gaze lingering on Arlecchino.
In his memory, this Father figure had never lied to him, always showing genuine care for her family.
But why would she hand over such critical information to him?
“Well, whether you go or not is up to you…”
Arlecchino smiled faintly and continued, “I need to get back to directing disaster relief. Luo Qing, if you have the chance, come home. There are children who miss you.”
With that, Arlecchino turned and walked away toward a nearby Fatui rescue team.
“…”
Luo Qing remained silent for a moment, watching her retreating figure.
Deep in thought, his golden eyes glimmered briefly before he turned and headed toward the ruins marked on the map.
—
Not long after, Luo Qing found himself navigating the vast, desolate underground ruins.
The structure appeared to be an ancient Fontainean construction, its layout intricate and maze-like. Along the cracked walls and shattered pathways, concentrated pockets of primordial seawater seeped through the gaps.
Judging by the scene, the flood that submerged White Birch Town likely originated from this very place.
Following the footprints left by Lumine and Navia, Luo Qing ventured deeper into the ruins.
Suddenly, a distant crashing sound echoed ahead.
Reacting swiftly, Luo Qing rushed toward the noise.
At full power, his [Time Zero] ability caused everything around him to slow to near stillness.
After navigating several twists and turns, the path opened into a chasm. A single stone bridge spanned the gap, beneath which glimmered the eerie, luminous waters of the primordial sea.
On the bridge, Luo Qing spotted Lumine and Navia sprinting toward the far side. With each step, the unstable bridge crumbled under their weight.
If they slowed even slightly, they would plunge into the waters below.
In the next instant, before Luo Qing could act, Navia’s footing gave way. She fell with the collapsing bridge toward the sea below.
Without hesitation, Lumine leaped after her in an attempt to save her.
Both figures descended rapidly toward the water.
In an instant, Luo Qing activated [Time Zero] at full power.
In his slowed perception, Navia and Lumine’s descent was reduced to a crawl.
Just as he stepped forward to rescue them, a familiar presence surged from another path.
Following the source, Luo Qing spotted a deep-blue figure moving with a speed nearly matching his own.
“Neuvillette…”
Luo Qing was momentarily stunned.
His [Time Zero], operating at full power, extended time by hundreds of times.
And yet, Neuvillette was moving with nearly the same speed!
“This guy… Is he always this formidable?”
Below, Neuvillette glanced upward, noticing Luo Qing’s gaze. He frowned slightly before effortlessly rescuing Navia mid-air and flying toward a nearby platform.
“…”
Luo Qing said nothing, scooping up Lumine and following Neuvillette to the same platform.
As [Time Zero] dissipated, the scene returned to normal speed.
Navia lay unconscious on the platform, while Luo Qing and Neuvillette stood silently on opposite sides.
Lumine sat beside Navia, utterly bewildered.
One moment she was falling into the sea; the next, she was back on solid ground.
“Luo Qing… Neuvillette… What are you two doing here?!”
Paimon’s startled voice snapped Lumine out of her daze.
She looked up, realizing that Luo Qing and Neuvillette were staring each other down, their silent confrontation filling the air with tension.
“Ugh… You two…”
Paimon hid behind Lumine, intimidated by the oppressive atmosphere.
“Luo Qing, Neuvillette, why are you both here…”
Lumine glanced at Navia’s unconscious form. “And Navia, is she…?”
Luo Qing kept his gaze steady and replied calmly, “She’s fine. Her vital signs are stable. She should wake up soon.”
Neuvillette, still watching Luo Qing, added, “Lumine, try gently waking her. She hasn’t been exposed to the primordial seawater, so her body should be unharmed.”
“I understand… But what about you two?”
While attempting to rouse Navia, Lumine stole glances at the two men.
Neuvillette was the first to speak. “Luo Qing, I recall you’ve been rather occupied lately, courting Lady Furina. What brings you here so suddenly?”
“Hmph…”
Luo Qing crossed his arms, letting out a soft scoff. “Since you’re aware of my relationship with Furina, then as her partner…”
“Stepping in for Furina to help with disaster relief—sounds reasonable, doesn’t it?”
“…”
—
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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