"Ah, well... everyone's here, huh? You keep chatting, I'll just be on my way..."
"No, you're not going anywhere."
"..."
Seeing Childe call him out, Luo Qing had no choice but to carry the takeout boxes over to the group, pretending he hadn't overheard their previous conversation.
"Do you all need something from me?"
Paimon pointed accusingly at Luo Qing, shouting, "Luo Qing! So it was you behind all this!"
Feigning innocence, Luo Qing blinked. "Huh? What did I do? I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Don't play dumb! It's obvious you've been planning everything that's happened in Liyue!"
"Oh, you mean that."
Realizing he couldn't fool them any longer, Luo Qing decided to come clean. Glancing at Zhongli, who was standing by silently with a wise expression, he shifted the blame with a grin.
"I was just the schemer, really. The true mastermind was Zhongli. After all, if he hadn't approved, none of us would've dared to act in Liyue. It's not like we could've taken on him all at once, right? Isn't that right, Lord Tartaglia?"
"..."
Childe's expression darkened. He was technically Luo Qing's superior, yet he often felt like he was the one being led around by the nose—as if he were Luo Qing's subordinate.
"Luo Qing, do you want to fight?"
"Ah, no thanks. Too many people want to fight me lately. My schedule's a bit full."
"..."
"Well, if Zhongli had truly wanted to put a stop to everything, he could have done so easily. A god's power would have quickly calmed the storm, right?" Paimon reasoned.
Lumine shook her head. "Not necessarily. Just look at Mondstadt next door..."
"Hmm... that's true."
"Anyway," Luo Qing said with a carefree shrug, "the plan was mine, but Zhongli gave the final approval. If you've got a problem, you can take it up with him. I've got things to do, so I'll be going now."
Luo Qing gave Zhongli a friendly pat on the shoulder, acting like they were the best of buddies.
Childe and Signora observed this interaction thoughtfully. Even though they both acted casually around Zhongli, knowing his true identity as a god meant they still maintained a level of caution. They were well aware of what could and couldn't be done.
Casual gestures like patting him on the shoulder? That was something neither of them dared to attempt.
After a few more minutes of small talk, Luo Qing carried the takeout boxes upstairs. He called his four subordinates to join him, and they began devouring the food together.
With dinner at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor still uncertain, Luo Qing figured it was best to fill up now.
As they were eating, the sounds of footsteps echoed in the hallway. It seemed the conversation downstairs had come to an end. Soon after, Rosalyne pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Luo Qing raised his chopsticks and greeted her with a smile. "Oh, Lady Signora! What brings you here? Have you eaten yet? Care to join us?"
"Hmph, no thanks. Enjoy your meal."
Rosalyne looked disdainfully at the takeout boxes, then made her way to the sofa and sat down, speaking calmly.
"I'll make sure to report the success of the operation to recover the Geo Archon's Gnosis accurately to Her Majesty. It won't be long before you're formally promoted to the Twelfth Harbinger."
Luo Qing chuckled. "Thank you, Lady Signora. But if you have a favor to ask of me, why not just get straight to the point?"
"Hmph, you're certainly smarter than Tartaglia."
Rosalyne crossed her legs and sneered. "I have matters that require someone's supervision. It takes too long to travel back to Snezhnaya."
"I'm Lord Tartaglia's subordinate. If it's a matter of reassigning duties, perhaps you should discuss it with him first," Luo Qing suggested, suspecting that this had something to do with Inazuma.
Rosalyne crossed her arms confidently. "I'm the Eighth Harbinger, and he's the Eleventh. Do I really need his permission?"
"..."
Well, she wasn't wrong.
"Alright, what's the task?" Luo Qing asked, setting down his chopsticks. "Just so you know, I'm not interested in taking the blame for anything shady."
Rosalyne glanced at Luo Qing's four subordinates, smirking. "Fine, let's talk in private."
"Alright, Natalia, you and the others wait outside for a bit. We'll finish eating later."
"Yes, Lord Luo Qing."
Natalia and the others quickly swallowed their food, glanced at Rosalyne, and then hurried out of the room.
Once they were alone, Rosalyne continued, "Although your current rank doesn't require you to know this, you'll soon be the Twelfth Harbinger, so it doesn't matter if I tell you."
"The plan to recover the Raiden Shogun's Gnosis is reaching a critical stage. If it weren't for a direct order from Her Majesty, I wouldn't be returning to Snezhnaya at this time. While I'm gone, I need someone to oversee things in Inazuma."
"Inazuma? That place sounds... a little dangerous," Luo Qing replied, feigning hesitation. "And if all I get are words, it's hard for me to be motivated."
Rosalyne sneered. "Hmph, I'm not asking you to go toe-to-toe with the Raiden Shogun. Everything is already in place. All you have to do is keep an eye on those fools and make sure they follow the plan. Isn't manipulation your specialty?"
Luo Qing shook his head. "I'll need additional compensation."
"..."
[Frustration Value from Rosalyne +1]
"Fine, what do you want?"
Luo Qing hesitated for a moment before grinning. "Uh... how about you?"
"..."
[Frustration Value from Rosalyne +1]
"You better watch your mouth, or I can't guarantee what will happen next."
Rosalyne's eyes glinted coldly, and a thin layer of frost formed on Luo Qing's hair, turning it ice-blue.
"Just joking," Luo Qing said with a smirk, brushing the ice off his hair. He then stepped closer, standing over her.
"I'll go to Inazuma in your place, Lady Signora, but I'll need you to do something for me in return."
Luo Qing's imposing stance made Rosalyne slightly uncomfortable, so she leaned back into the sofa, crossing her arms and meeting his gaze.
"Fine. What's the favor?"
"It's something that will benefit both of us. When you return to Inazuma, I'll tell you."
"Hmph, you're starting to sound like the Doctor."
Rosalyne scoffed and got up to leave. "The ship to Inazuma departs in a month. Make sure you wrap up whatever business you have in Liyue by then."
Rosalyne had never truly seen the extent of Luo Qing's abilities. Her arrogance and self-assuredness made her believe no one would dare challenge her. If she knew what Luo Qing had in mind, she might have regretted agreeing so quickly today.
As soon as she left, Natalia and the others eagerly returned, ready to continue their interrupted meal.
"Lord Luo Qing, what did Lady Signora want?" Theresa asked with innocent curiosity.
"Nothing much. Just wanted me to watch over things in Inazuma for a while."
Luo Qing replied offhandedly, though his thoughts wandered elsewhere.
If he ended up stealing away one of Her Majesty's most trusted subordinates...
She wouldn't be too angry, right...?
---
T/N: AHA I LIED IT WAS NATALIA ALL ALONG! MUIHAUHAUHUAHUAH okay im gonna sleep now...
Future me here, please ignore whatever I said at top.
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