Inazuma City.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with Yoimiya, Luo Qing and Teresa eventually took their leave.
It was their first meeting, after all. No matter how good Luo Qing’s first impression of the bright and cheerful Yoimiya was, it wouldn’t do to go overboard on their first encounter.
He didn’t want to be seen as some kind of lunatic.
After wandering around for a while, Luo Qing returned to his resting place. Suddenly, he heard the chirping of birds from outside the window. He opened it to find that familiar owl fluttering in, landing right on his tea table. In its beak was a letter sealed with a red moth emblem, and it tilted its head, staring at him.
As soon as Luo Qing took the letter, the owl spread its wings and flew off the windowsill.
It left a deposit of bird droppings on his table as a parting gift.
【Frustration Value +1 from Luo Qing】
“Teresa, come in and wipe the table.”
He called out to the outside, and soon enough, Teresa came running in with a cloth, her wooden sandals clacking against the floor.
Luo Qing unfolded the letter and began reading.
The content was simple.
Rosalyn had already arrived in Inazuma. Before heading to Inazuma City, she had some business to handle on other islands and instructed Luo Qing to inform the Shogunate ahead of time. The message was clear: a Snezhnayan envoy was coming, bearing the will of the Tsaritsa, to negotiate with the Raiden Shogun. They were to prepare a proper welcome.
Emphasize that haughty attitude.
“Tch, still thinking she can negotiate with the Shogun…”
Luo Qing shook his head, his mind wandering back to his earlier speculation.
It seemed Rosalyn didn’t really know who held the Gnosis.
Otherwise, why would she keep insisting on negotiating with the Raiden Shogun?
That woman had dedicated herself to a path of emotionlessness. Even someone with a favorability rating of 37.5, like Luo Qing, had nearly been cut down by her.
Given Rosalyn’s usual disdainful attitude, it would be a miracle if she didn’t end up on the receiving end of the Shogun’s blade.
But thinking about it…
Rosalyn’s arrival meant that the time for Lumine and Paimon to arrive in Inazuma wasn’t far off.
And since the last encounter, he had only accumulated ten Frustration Value draws—still a long way from obtaining the Guardian Angel’s Resurrection Armor.
There was no giant creature like Osial in Inazuma that he could squeeze for Frustration Value. Gathering it here was just too slow.
“Who can I use as a Frustration generator…?”
Luo Qing stared blankly at Teresa, who was crouched down, wiping the table. His thoughts drifted.
The more emotionally unstable the target, the easier it was to provoke frustration, and the stronger the target, the higher the Frustration Value gain.
There were only a handful of top-tier combatants in Inazuma.
Ei and the Raiden Shogun both practiced the path of emotionlessness, seeking eternity, and were generally indifferent. It would be hard to squeeze much Frustration Value out of them.
Even though Ei could cry her eyes out reading a light novel, Luo Qing had rarely managed to gain any Frustration Value from her.
As for the Raiden Shogun? That was an even bigger no-go.
Luo Qing was terrified that if he pushed her the wrong way, she might actually take up her blade and slice him in two.
Extracting Frustration Value from her was simply too dangerous.
As for the pink-haired fox at the Grand Narukami Shrine… She was clearly a cunning manipulator, and getting Frustration Value from her wouldn’t be easy either.
Which left only one option.
Luo Qing’s mind wandered to a short young man with a round-brimmed hat, a penchant for snide remarks, and an attitude that got under everyone’s skin.
Didn’t that brat mouth off to him last time?
Maybe he could start with him.
“Lord Luo Qing?”
Seeing Luo Qing staring off into space, Teresa waved the cloth she’d used to clean the bird droppings in front of his face.
The smell brought Luo Qing back to reality.
“What are you doing?”
“Umm… Just wiping…”
“…???”
…
The Next Day.
Time was short. Since Luo Qing had decided to make Scaramouche his new source of Frustration Value, he needed to act quickly. Before Lumine arrived in Inazuma City and faced off against the Harbinger, he had to gather enough Frustration Value to draw that resurrection item.
Early in the morning, Luo Qing set out for Hanamizaka, buying a huge bag of sweets. He then made a stop at Yae Publishing House, purchasing all the trending light novels from the female demographic.
Once they were safely stored in his system inventory, he made his way to Tenshukaku.
Perhaps the Raiden Shogun chose to ignore him, or perhaps she couldn’t sense him—Luo Qing used Time Zero several times within the vicinity of Tenshukaku without drawing her attention.
His actions grew bolder. He no longer bothered with the front gate, now boldly scaling the tower to the upper levels to find the Raiden Shogun.
At noon, inside Tenshukaku.
Kujou Sara, dressed in her military uniform, stood with her head bowed before the high platform, reporting recent developments in the war with the Resistance to the Raiden Shogun.
Suddenly, a heavy thud echoed from above. Startled, Kujou Sara looked up, and her eyes widened.
Beside the Shogun stood the very man she had been ordered to apprehend!
“Uh… Seems I came at a bad time?”
Seeing the two in the midst of a report, Luo Qing felt a wave of awkwardness.
He had assumed that the Raiden Shogun’s chambers would be empty, so he’d jumped in through the balcony without a second thought.
“General… He…”
Kujou Sara’s confusion deepened as she saw the Raiden Shogun remain expressionless, not seeming to care about the intruder. Was this man secretly one of the Shogun’s agents?
“It’s fine. You may leave.”
After a long pause, the Raiden Shogun’s lips moved ever so slightly.
“Yes, General…”
Kujou Sara bowed deeply before respectfully withdrawing.
Although her mind was still full of unanswered questions, the thoughts of a servant were not for their lord to decipher.
“Breaking into Tenshukaku… Do you think I wouldn’t dare to cut you down?”
The Raiden Shogun turned her gaze to Luo Qing, an unusual hint of disdain flashing across her face.
“My bad, my bad…”
Luo Qing scratched his head in embarrassment. He had to admit, he was in the wrong.
“Hmph. Why are you here again?”
The Shogun, uninterested in his excuse, returned to her seat.
“I’m here to see Ei. Can I go in for a bit?” Luo Qing asked tentatively.
The Raiden Shogun’s brow furrowed.
“Do you think I’m your doorman?”
You think you can just come and go as you please?
What do you take me for?
“Ahem, I really have something urgent to discuss with her!”
“Hmph. What is it? Speak, and I will listen.”
“It’s about your brother.”
“…?”
The Raiden Shogun froze for a moment.
“Heh, are you curious?”
Luo Qing teased.
“If you let me in, when I come out, I’ll tell you~.”
“…”
The Raiden Shogun’s frown deepened.
She felt there was more to this than met the eye, but she couldn’t quite figure out what it was.
Whatever it was, this scoundrel was clearly toying with her.
Just as she was about to draw her blade to teach him a lesson, a voice echoed in her mind—Ei’s voice.
Left with no other choice, the Raiden Shogun suppressed her irritation, gave a cold snort, and tossed Luo Qing into the Plane of Euthymia.
—
T/N: Is Culvers good?
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