Genshin Impact: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable

The woman floated in midair, her gaze tinged with subtle anger.

In the daylight, Luo Qing could barely make out her features through the faint blue glow outlining her figure.

It was unmistakable—she was the same ethereal presence he'd encountered in the Doctor's camp.

The Tsaritsa's spiritual projection.

"Your Majesty," Luo Qing murmured, bowing slightly in respect.

"Brighella..."

The Tsaritsa's voice was as icy as a snowstorm in Snezhnaya, and with just her words, the temperature seemed to plummet.

"Didn't Dottore inform you that I commanded you to wear this Pure Ice at all times? Yet you dared to cast it aside..."

"Do you think your wings have grown strong enough to defy my orders?"

"Or do you intend to betray Snezhnaya?"

"I wouldn't dare," Luo Qing replied with sincerity, his head slightly lowered.

For some reason, many of his colleagues who had had the rare opportunity to meet the Tsaritsa described her as utterly emotionless. Her cold demeanor often gave the impression of speaking to an unyielding block of ice.

But Luo Qing's two encounters with her painted a different picture.

Was it just my imagination?

It felt like the Tsaritsa had a personal grudge against him.

Sneaking out in the middle of the night to spy on him and Bu'er sleeping together? And now accusing him of betraying Snezhnaya?

"Then why did you discard it? Do you find the gift I bestowed upon you unworthy?"

"No, not at all..." Luo Qing shook his head, exhaling softly. He raised his gaze to meet hers.

"It's just that you hadn't responded for so long, Your Majesty. I thought this might compel you to emerge."

"To compel me?"

The Tsaritsa let out a soft hum, her voice colder now, carrying an unmistakable trace of irritation.

"Brighella, I granted you this Pure Ice in recognition of your achievements in recovering the Gnosis."

"It contains a fragment of my essence. Should your life ever be in danger, I would emerge from it to shield you. And yet you used it to summon me for... this?"

"Well..."

Luo Qing swallowed nervously.

"I understand your reasoning, Your Majesty, but..."

He hesitated before weakly adding, "...you shouldn't be using it to spy on my private life, either."

"Emerging in the dead of night as a spirit? That's terrifying!"

"..."

The Tsaritsa fell silent, the faint glow of her figure flickering as if her mood were unreadable.

"Your Majesty..." Luo Qing tentatively broke the silence, glancing at her nervously.

Before he could finish his sentence, a surge of icy elemental energy erupted from beneath his feet, encasing him in a solid block of ice within moments.

The Tsaritsa's control was impeccable. She didn't harm him, merely encasing him in a frost-covered shell like a decorative ice sculpture.

It felt less like a punishment and more like an icy tantrum.

"If you feel I've been spying on you, then discard it," the Tsaritsa said coolly. "I won't stop you."

With that, her spectral form dissipated, returning to the crystal.

Freed from her control, the Pure Ice began to plummet along the same trajectory Luo Qing had thrown it moments earlier.

"Ah..."

Luo Qing sighed as he watched the crystal arc through the air, then shattered his icy confinement with a thought.

With a flick of his wrist, he retrieved the crystal mid-flight, holding it carefully in his palm.

Examining the faintly glowing crystal, he couldn't help but compare it to the amulet that Ei had once given him.

Ei's amulet was powerful enough to deliver a single, devastating blow that could obliterate even a god.

Yet this Pure Ice seemed even more formidable—it could summon the Tsaritsa's spiritual projection directly.

What did I do to deserve this?

"Your Majesty, perhaps we can discuss this rationally?" Luo Qing tried again, holding the crystal up.

Unsurprisingly, the Pure Ice remained inert, its glow dim and unresponsive.

He knew she could hear him; whether she wanted to answer was a different matter entirely.

"Ah..." Luo Qing sighed again.

After waiting a few moments without any sign of her reappearance, he tucked the crystal back into his pocket.

Discarding it wasn't an option—not unless he wanted to be frozen solid for real next time.

Though it seemed absurd, Luo Qing couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't dealing with an all-powerful sovereign.

Instead, the Tsaritsa reminded him of a pouting girlfriend locked in her room, refusing to speak.

I can't even try to placate her...

He frowned.

Wait, could she hear... everything last night?

---

Descending the cliff, Luo Qing found himself wandering toward his new Mondstadt residence.

The grand mansion, complete with twelve bedrooms, was nearly complete thanks to Kaveh's meticulous craftsmanship. Situated on Eagle's Shore, its scenic oceanfront view added a touch of serenity to the bustling landscape.

The front faced Windrise, while the backyard opened up to a pristine beach—a paradise of beauty and tranquility.

With only minor finishing touches left, most workers had already vacated the site, leaving Kaveh and a handful of skilled artisans to finalize the details.

As Luo Qing approached, Natalia, his overseer, greeted him with a respectful bow.

"Master," Natalia said, guiding him inside.

"The mansion is nearly complete. Master Kaveh estimates it will be ready for you within the week. Shall I inform the Lady of the house?"

Natalia knew all too well about the collection of women Luo Qing had "hidden" away.

She hesitated to admit it, but she hadn't anticipated Theresa's persistence paying off.

To her astonishment, Theresa had managed to worm her way into Luo Qing's affections, securing a place in his household.

And now she lazes around the house all day while the rest of us work. Ridiculous.

"If everything is ready, I'll have them move in soon," Luo Qing replied simply. "Anything else?"

"There is one issue," Natalia admitted.

She explained, "There are many monsters in the surrounding area. Since construction began, we've faced several attacks. Once you've moved in..."

"That's not a problem." Luo Qing waved dismissively.

With Ei, the resident shut-in Archon, stationed at home, it wasn't monsters he had to worry about.

Even a god wouldn't dare trespass.

---

T/N: aint no way he got gaslit

...he's late [patreon.com/WiseTL]