Genshin Impact: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable

"Good night, Mr. Luo Qing."

Having no valid reason to arrest Luo Qing or anything further to discuss, Neuvillette gave him a polite nod and turned to leave.

But before he could take a step, Luo Qing's voice stopped him.

"Lord Neuvillette, I've had a question weighing on my mind for some time. Could you help shed some light on it?"

"What is it?"

Neuvillette turned back, his gaze meeting Luo Qing's.

"Well…"

Luo Qing began speaking as he slowly approached.

"They say Fontaine is the land of justice—that no one, regardless of their status, can escape the scales of judgment if found guilty. So, I wonder, Lord Neuvillette…"

He paused deliberately, his tone carrying a subtle edge.

"If the guilty party were Lady Furina herself, what would you do?"

"…"

Neuvillette fell silent.

This question was sharp—almost uncomfortably so.

Fontaine prided itself on being the land of justice, and Furina was the embodiment of that justice.

If the Hydro Archon herself were found guilty, would Fontaine's commitment to justice extend to judging her as well?

"Are you unable to answer, Lord Neuvillette?"

Luo Qing's faint smile carried an air of provocation.

Had this been Snezhnaya, the answer would have been simple.

In Snezhnaya, there was no right or wrong—only the will of Her Majesty the Tsaritsa. Whatever she wished for, her people would follow without question.

But this was Fontaine—a nation that boasted justice as its cornerstone.

Yet even Neuvillette, the Chief Justice, couldn't immediately provide a clear answer.

"It seems even you, Lord Neuvillette, lack conviction," Luo Qing said, a knowing glint in his eyes as he struck a sage-like pose.

"And if it were you, Mr. Luo Qing? What would you do?"

Neuvillette asked politely, though the question had clearly struck a nerve.

As someone who prided himself on fairness and impartiality, Neuvillette couldn't deny that this dilemma had unsettled him.

"Isn't it obvious?"

Luo Qing placed his hands behind his head, leaning back casually.

"If this were Snezhnaya, the question wouldn't even arise. Everything in Snezhnaya exists for the Tsaritsa. She is the law, the will, and the guiding principle of our people."

"So, Lord Neuvillette, the answer depends on what you've been striving for all this time—are you fighting for Fontaine's justice, or for Fontaine's Hydro Archon?"

"…"

Neuvillette didn't respond immediately, his expression pensive.

By the time he looked up again, Luo Qing had already vanished.

"For whom…"

Neuvillette murmured to himself, staring up at the moonlit sky.

Despite his introspection, no answer came to mind.

---

The Next Day

Though Luo Qing had succeeded in persuading Furina to continue their collaboration the night before, the victory brought him little comfort.

Now that his Fatui identity was exposed to both Furina and Neuvillette, he had effectively been forced into the open. This eliminated his ability to act discreetly or retrieve the Hydro Archon's Gnosis without drawing attention.

In the future, any turmoil in Fontaine would almost certainly lead to him being the prime suspect in their eyes.

"Well, let's just call it paying off an old debt," Luo Qing muttered, shaking his head with a sigh.

He was well aware that Arlecchino had orchestrated this mess from behind the scenes.

Had it been anyone else, he might have already sent them to dance naked in front of the Palais Mermonia as punishment.

But Arlecchino was his former parental figure, someone to whom he owed a debt of gratitude.

For that reason alone, he decided to let this slide.

"Next time, though, I won't go so easy on you."

Luo Qing chuckled lightly to himself as he prepared to leave and seek out Navia for intel on the Hydro Archon's Gnosis.

Just as he reached for the door, the sound of the doorbell rang out.

Luo Qing opened the door to find a pink-haired girl wearing a high hat standing outside.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Luo Qing, the envoy from Sumeru?"

"And you are…?"

Luo Qing's gaze instinctively dropped to the girl's legs—smooth and well-proportioned. His attention was immediately drawn to the white garter strapped around her thigh, which held a Cryo Vision.

Cryo Vision, huh…

Luo Qing leaned back instinctively, bracing himself.

"Yes, I'm Luo Qing. And you are…?"

"Good day, Mr. Luo Qing," the girl said with a polite bow, her tone warm and professional.

"I'm Charlotte, a reporter for the Steambird. I'm here to interview you about the recent popularity of the Void Terminals and the Void Network."

A reporter? Luo Qing's first thought was disappointment.

He had hoped a wealthy benefactor had come to sweep him off his feet.

"An interview?" Luo Qing forced himself to maintain composure.

He needed to focus and not let his weakness for Cryo Vision users cloud his judgment.

"When were you thinking of conducting this interview?"

"If you're available, we could begin right now!" Charlotte replied enthusiastically, her eyes darting curiously toward the interior of Luo Qing's home.

"Right now…" Luo Qing hesitated, a troubled expression crossing his face.

Theresa was still upstairs, likely sound asleep—and probably not wearing anything. If she wandered down mid-interview in search of food, things could get awkward fast.

"Well, I am available," Luo Qing said tactfully, "but my home isn't exactly in a convenient state for hosting. Perhaps we could meet somewhere else?"

"That works perfectly!" Charlotte agreed with a cheerful nod. She was pleasantly surprised by Luo Qing's cooperation.

Most previous Sumeru envoys she had interviewed were impossibly arrogant, dismissing her questions with phrases like, "With your knowledge, you lack the qualifications to challenge me."

"Let's head out, then." Luo Qing stepped outside, carefully closing the door behind him to ensure Charlotte wouldn't catch sight of anything incriminating—like Theresa's purple lace underwear or a stray pair of rumpled white stockings.

---

At a Café in the Lione District

The two of them sat at an outdoor table in a cozy café.

Charlotte pulled out a thick notebook and her pen, her enthusiasm unflagging.

"Mr. Luo Qing, we can begin whenever you're ready!"

"Of course, Miss Charlotte. Please, ask away."

Luo Qing smiled, doing his best to remain composed.

After all, this was the first Cryo Vision user he had encountered in Fontaine.

"Alright, first question…"

Charlotte glanced at her notebook before meeting his gaze.

"There have been rumors that the Void Terminals introduced by the Akademiya are capable of secretly accessing users' minds and even manipulating their dreams. What are your thoughts on this, Mr. Luo Qing?"

"…"

Luo Qing leaned back reflexively, startled by the sharpness of the question.

As expected of a journalist—coming out swinging right from the start.

"It's true," he admitted after a moment, nodding. "But that was the doing of the former Grand Sage Azar, who has since been deposed. Under the leadership of our current, beloved Dendro Archon, such practices have been completely eradicated. Void Terminals today are entirely safe and do not have the ability to spy on users."

"I see…"

Charlotte jotted down his response diligently before glancing at her next question.

"Next question: there are rumors claiming that you, Mr. Luo Qing, are actually a Fatui Harbinger and that the promotion of the Void Terminals is part of a hidden agenda by the Fatui. How do you respond to these allegations?"

"…"

Miss Charlotte, Luo Qing thought with a wry smile, that's quite a dangerous question…

---

T/N: Oh no... CHARLOTTE RUN U HAVE A CRYO VISION

"..."

- Gardevoir

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