Bonus Chapter!
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"That person... if I'm not mistaken...""It should be him..."
"But didn't he say he was going back to Snezhnaya? Why is he in Inazuma?"
"Maybe... he lied to us earlier..."
Lumine and Paimon whispered to each other as they watched Luo Qing's figure on the stage.
They didn't notice that standing right beside them, Thoma's eyes had widened in shock.
In his view, Luo Qing was gently patting the top of Ayaka's head with his right hand, his expression soft and affectionate.
And Ayaka, blushing shyly, didn't seem to mind Luo Qing's actions at all.
Could it be that what Luo Qing had said before was true?!
Was he really trying to woo Ayaka?!
But this was the Kamisato Princess!
How on earth did he pull this off?!
[+1 Frustration Value from Thoma]
Thoma's mind was suddenly filled with confusion.
He'd been back for several days, yet Ayaka hadn't mentioned anything about Luo Qing.
And hadn't he already given a heads-up to the clan master?
How did Luo Qing still manage to get close to her?
Paimon glanced at Thoma's face and scratched her head in confusion, "Huh? Thoma, why do you look like you just swallowed something nasty?"
"Ah? Cough, cough... it's nothing, really. I just happened to see something... baffling."
Thoma forced a smile, sighed, and said to Lumine and Paimon, "Alright, you've seen the Shogun. We should move on to our next destination. Staying here too long could bring unwanted trouble."
Lumine glanced back at the stage, remembering Ganyu's request. She hesitated.
"Could we wait a little longer? We have a friend over there... A friend from Liyue asked us to bring something for him..."
Paimon chimed in, "Yes! We haven't given him Ganyu and Shenhe's gift yet!"
"A friend?"
For some reason, Thoma's unease grew stronger.
"He's on the stage?"
"Yes, that's right. He's... that person right there!"
Paimon pointed her tiny finger toward Luo Qing's direction.
"..."
As expected, Thoma knew this wouldn't be simple.
If he allowed Lumine and Paimon to go over now, Ayaka's presence might be exposed.
So, even though he had many questions, he had to follow Ayaka's instructions and lead them away for now.
"Your current status is rather sensitive. If it's not urgent, could we wait until after this task is over to visit your friend?"
"Huh? But..."
"Don't worry, I know your friend too. I'll arrange for you to meet him quietly later."
Thoma forced another smile. To get them to leave, he had to pretend he knew Luo Qing.
"Uh... okay..."
Lumine, half-believing, half-doubting, ultimately had no choice but to trust Thoma in this unfamiliar land.
She glanced back one more time at Luo Qing on the distant stage, then followed Thoma out of the Tenryou Commission.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
From the high platform, Luo Qing had noticed Lumine and her group the moment they entered the Tenryou Commission.
But with Ayaka on one side of him and Raiden Shogun on the other, any odd expression on his face might draw unwanted attention.
So, he had no choice but to act as if he hadn't noticed them and continue with the final stage of the exam.
And, while Thoma was watching, he took the chance to gently ruffle Ayaka's hair...
Seeing Lumine and her companions leave, Luo Qing felt a sense of relief.
If Lumine had stubbornly approached him and encountered Raiden Shogun prematurely, he wouldn't have known how to handle the situation.
The final day of the exam concluded.
Luo Qing's one-on-one, hands-on training with Ayaka over the past month had paid off.
In the end, Ayaka delivered the most flawless execution of the First Form of Thunder Breathing: Thunderclap and Flash, earning her Raiden Shogun's praise and the privilege of co-creating a new sword style with Luo Qing.
However, Ayaka, being a noble daughter raised in the Kamisato tradition and well-versed in Kamisato-style swordsmanship, had participated in the training mainly out of duty.
What mattered to her wasn't the so-called privilege, but the chance to work together with Luo Qing.
But with their relationship at such a sensitive stage, Ayaka couldn't linger around Luo Qing after the exam. After exchanging a few polite words, she returned to the Komore Tea Room to meet with the traveler.
Though she couldn't interact with Luo Qing for now, his words remained in her heart.
Knowing that the traveler was coming to Inazuma, she began her preparations.
She hoped that the traveler could truly help them overturn the Vision Hunt Decree.
If that day came...
Maybe her brother wouldn't oppose her relationship with Luo Qing anymore...
...
The month-long training had ended.
As of today, Luo Qing had accumulated a total of 8,011 Frustration Points. With the previous emergency ten-draw, he now had enough for ninety pulls.
Though the system seemed unimpressive, at least it didn't suffer from bad luck.
Now, Luo Qing was certain he could obtain the Resurrection Armor without a hitch.
Returning to his resting quarters, he pondered where to perform this sacred eighty-pull draw.
Opening the door, he discovered someone waiting inside.
A figure was sitting casually on his tatami mat.
"Weren't you supposed to be gone for two months? Why are you back already?"
Seeing Rosalyne lying against the table, flipping through a light novel, Luo Qing calmly asked Teresa to prepare tea and sat down across from her.
He glanced at the cover of the novel she was reading. It read: The Wandering Girl Who Fell in Love with a Noble Knight.
"Hmph, this safehouse isn't exclusively yours. Why can't I be here?"
"This is my room. What, Lady Rosalyne, do you want to sleep here with me tonight?" Luo Qing teased.
"Hmph, all you can do is run your mouth."
After spending so much time with Luo Qing, Rosalyne had become immune to his jabs.
But she was keeping a mental note.
She was just waiting for the day she'd get the chance to punch him hard.
Every time Luo Qing teased her, she imagined those words turning into icy flames, destined to burn him one day.
"Those old geezers at the Commission were easier to deal with than I expected. If it weren't for you, I'd already be on a ship back to Snezhnaya, not wasting time reading this garbage light novel."
"But this is your promise, isn't it, Lady Rosalyne?"
Luo Qing smiled, his gaze drifting over Rosalyne's perfect figure.
He had to admit, compared to a naive girl, a mature woman like her had a different kind of charm.
If she were to wear a maid outfit...
Hiss...
"By the way, Lady Rosa;yne, why did you pledge your loyalty to Her Majesty the Tsaritsa?"
"Hmph, what does that have to do with you?"
"Just curious."
"Hmph, I don't have time to waste on idle chatter with you. In a month, I won't stay a day longer. If you have any tricks up your sleeve, you'd better act fast."
Rosalyne shifted her position, settling into a more comfortable posture, and continued,
"Now get out. Don't disturb my reading."
"This is my room. Shouldn't you be the one leaving?"
"..."
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