Centuries passed like a single day.
Beyond Sumeru City, several other settlements were established, and trade routes with neighboring nations gradually opened.
Luo Qing once thought he might encounter figures like Makoto, Ei, or Ganyu from this era. However, the system sternly warned him to avoid interacting with anyone tied to the future timeline, lest he disturb the flow of history.
Though he understood this was merely a trial, and only a short time would pass in the future for his loved ones, Luo Qing still had to personally endure these millennia.
Time, though intangible, left its marks on him. Over the years, he finally came to understand the wear and tear Zhongli often spoke of.
Thankfully, Bu’er’s constant presence kept him from feeling entirely alone.
A thousand years slipped by.
Luo Qing glanced at the system, which now showed Bu’er’s favorability at 69%. His heart swelled with relief.
The Archon War had ended, and with her Gnosis, Bu’er was far stronger than before, no longer in need of his protection.
Her favorability had surpassed the critical threshold of 60%, and their interactions had become much more intimate. They often held hands, and Luo Qing sometimes managed to steal a playful kiss.
Although their relationship hadn’t reached its most intimate levels, it was sweet with the subtle affection of a budding romance.
The unspoken bond between them remained intact, their feelings buried but undeniable.
One day, Luo Qing was busy managing Akademiya affairs when he suddenly felt Bu’er’s presence outside his window. Rushing to look, he found no one there.
“What’s going on?”
Though Bu’er hadn’t come in person, her energy permeated the air.
Then, he recalled that Bu’er had mentioned helping the Red King with some issues in the desert.
“Could it be…?”
Since forming an alliance with the Goddess of Flowers and the Red King, Bu’er often visited the desert to assist them. The Red King was determined to create an ideal nation free of suffering, going so far as to construct a technological marvel.
Luo Qing assumed this was just another routine trip, one where she’d return after a few days. But the overwhelming presence of her energy now filling all of Sumeru made him realize this time might be different.
After leaving instructions with his aides, Luo Qing summoned Susano’o and flew toward the desert.
However, upon arrival, he found the once-thriving kingdom under the Red King’s rule reduced to desolation. All traces of its golden age had vanished.
“This…”
The barren, lifeless landscape struck him. Memories of his previous life surfaced, though they were faint and fragmented after a millennium. He vaguely remembered a catastrophe that led to the Red King’s demise.
But what of Bu’er…?
“Bu’er…”
A sinking feeling overtook him, and he began searching for her in the vast desert. Her energy lingered everywhere, making it impossible to pinpoint her exact location. Luo Qing could only comb the area tirelessly, scouring every corner from the skies to the caves hidden beneath the sands.
What he thought would be a brief search stretched on for centuries.
Even for an Archon, such a span was excruciatingly long.
Finally, in a remote corner of the desert, Luo Qing found her.
Bu’er lay in a deep slumber, buried beneath the sands. Her once radiant form had diminished, her powerful presence now reduced. She appeared younger, her body smaller, as though she had transformed from a regal elder sister into a petite, delicate maiden.
Luo Qing carried her back to the Akademiya.
Even if he still had a Tenfold Vitality Pill, he doubted it would awaken her. But his stock was long gone, leaving him no choice but to watch over her sleeping form, powerless to help.
Without Bu’er’s companionship, Luo Qing finally realized just how endless time could feel.
Each day, after finishing his Akademiya duties, he would sit by her bedside, holding her hand and hoping she would wake. As the sun set, he would leave disappointed, only to return the next day.
Centuries more passed, and Luo Qing felt the weight of his solitude growing unbearable.
Every night, he dreamt of their shared past, only to wake up alone. For the first time, he truly felt the grueling length of this trial.
One fateful night, after finishing his routine tasks, Luo Qing sat by Bu’er’s side as usual, her hand in his. Lost in thought, he suddenly felt a faint movement in her fingers.
Startled, he looked up to see her slowly opening her eyes.
“Luo… Luo Qing…”
Bu’er rubbed her eyes, feeling that her limbs seemed shorter. Glancing at her chest, she noticed it was no longer as full as before.
“Did I… shrink?”
Before she could fully grasp her situation, Luo Qing pulled her into a tight embrace.
“You’re finally awake…”
For the first time in centuries, Luo Qing felt tears of joy. He had longed for this moment, imagining it countless times. Now that it had come, he found himself too overwhelmed to speak.
“Luo Qing… have I been asleep for a long time?”
Bu’er, still dazed, let him hold her as she looked down at her hands, memories of her exhaustion before her slumber returning. She had drained her power to help the Red King save his people, leading to her current state.
Luo Qing gently stroked her back, reassuring her, “It’s okay. Not too long…”
Centuries had passed since he found her, and centuries more had slipped by as he waited for her to awaken. The toll it took on him was something only he truly understood.
“I’m sorry, Luo Qing…”
Bu’er wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning into his warmth.
“It’s alright, it’s alright…”
Luo Qing held her tightly, afraid that if he let go, she might disappear again.
“I made you worry…”
Bu’er glanced at her palm. A faint trace of dark violet corruption marred her otherwise flawless skin. A flicker of panic crossed her eyes, but she quickly hid it before Luo Qing noticed.
Clenching her hand, Bu’er seemed to make a decision. Gently placing her hand against Luo Qing’s chest, she pushed him back slightly and said softly,
“Luo Qing…”
“What is it?”
“From now on…”
Bu’er gazed directly into his eyes, her voice tender but firm.
“Let’s be together. Just like a real couple.”
Before he could respond, Bu’er cupped his face and kissed him deeply.
—
T/N: oh she was the one who shrinked? i thought it was luo qing… maybe it was a diff instance
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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