Some battles are planned, others are unexpected—but a true Champion embraces them all. Consider this bonus chapter one of those surprises.
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"W-Wife?!"
Furina faltered, visibly startled by Theresa's declaration. She instinctively stepped back, glancing toward Luo Qing for clarification.
To her shock, he made no effort to refute Theresa's words, his silence tacitly confirming them.
"So, you're already... married?!" Furina exclaimed in disbelief.
She hadn't anticipated that Luo Qing, of all people, would turn out to be a married man.
"What's the matter?" Luo Qing teased with a sly grin. "Disappointed?"
"W-Who's disappointed?!"
Furina crossed her arms with a huff, putting on her usual air of superiority. "I'm just surprised that someone as boorish and disrespectful as you could find anyone willing to like you."
"Excuse me, Hydro Archon," Theresa interrupted, her tone calm but pointed. "I need to correct you on something."
"Huh?" Furina looked confused.
"Luo Qing's wife isn't just me," Theresa said with a confident smile.
"What?!" Furina staggered slightly, leaning back in disbelief. "What do you mean by 'not just you'?!"
"Exactly what it sounds like."
Theresa folded her arms, a triumphant glint in her eyes. "Aside from me, my Lord has several other wives. Enough to count on one hand, actually."
"Th-This..."
For reasons she couldn't explain, Furina found Theresa's confidence infuriating.
Why does she look so smug about this?
"I don't see what there is to brag about." Furina quickly regained her composure, reverting to her haughty demeanor. "Mortal love is fleeting, as brief as a blooming flower. Do you think such a transient thing is worth boasting about?"
"Ha!"
Theresa laughed softly, her expression one of bemusement.
Had it been two years ago, she might have revered a god like Furina, hesitating to even speak loudly in her presence.
But now?
She'd grown accustomed to being around deities, living under the same roof as several. She'd spent countless nights snuggled up with Inazuma's mighty Raiden Shogun, reading light novels and chatting like sisters.
In her eyes, gods were no different from ordinary people—just with more quirks.
Take Ei, for example. She might have been a fearsome Archon, but she'd still cry into her pillow after a particularly emotional novel.
"Alright, that's enough," Luo Qing interjected, stepping between the two women before their standoff escalated further.
"Furina, the livestream ended hours ago. Why are you still here?"
"Huh?!"
Furina's expression turned incredulous, as though Luo Qing had just said something scandalous.
"What now?" Luo Qing asked, genuinely puzzled by her reaction.
"How dare you address me by name?!" Furina exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at him. "This morning, you were still calling me 'Hydro Archon'!"
"..."
What kind of nonsense is this? Luo Qing thought, feeling a headache coming on.
"Fine. Hydro Archon," he said with exaggerated patience. "Why are you here? If you don't have anything urgent, I suggest you head back. If you linger, Neuvillette might get the wrong idea."
"What does this have to do with Neuvillette?!" Furina shot back, crossing her arms and stealing a glance at Theresa, who was watching her with a decidedly unimpressed expression.
"This is Fontaine's classified business," Furina declared. "Irrelevant parties should leave the room."
"..."
"Irrelevant?!"
Theresa's voice rose, her frustration evident.
This was supposed to be her night with Luo Qing—a long-overdue moment of intimacy between husband and wife. They had just started to enjoy themselves when Furina barged in uninvited, only to now label her an "irrelevant party."
How dare she?! I was here first!
Theresa opened her mouth to retort, but before she could, Luo Qing placed a firm hand on her head, gently but firmly cutting her off.
"Alright, enough," he said. "Go upstairs and wait for me. I'll be up once I'm done here."
"My Lord..."
Theresa looked reluctant, clearly unhappy about the situation. But she knew better than to disobey him outright.
With a huff, she shot Furina a sharp glare, gathered her dress, and stomped upstairs.
"Hmph. A mere mortal daring to argue with a god. Truly ignorant," Furina said, placing her hands on her hips in a smug display of victory.
Luo Qing couldn't hold back.
With a flick of his finger, he delivered a light flick to Furina's forehead.
"Ow! That hurts!" Furina yelped, clutching her head. Tears welled up in her eyes from the unexpected sting.
"You dare lay a hand on a god?!"
"Alright, alright." Luo Qing waved her off, utterly unfazed by her indignation.
"Just tell me what you want. I'm not staying up all night for you again."
"You..." Furina looked like she was about to argue but stopped herself. After a deep breath, she regained her composure.
"I had my people investigate today's broadcast," she began. "Apparently, the citizens loved it. So, I've decided to make it a permanent feature."
"You're saying... they loved watching you sell stuff?" Luo Qing teased, raising an eyebrow.
"..."
"They loved watching me! Not the products!" Furina stomped her foot, her frustration mounting. "And don't think I've forgotten how you tricked me today!"
"But didn't I already give you all the instructions for using the device?" Luo Qing asked, genuinely confused. "Just follow the manual. You can start a broadcast anytime. Or do you need me to teach you how to read it?"
"Hmph." Furina crossed her arms, looking every bit the spoiled noble.
"As punishment for today's stunt, you owe me a long-term program idea. Come up with one."
"..."
"Wait. It's your broadcast. Why do I have to plan it?"
"Because you tricked me today! If you refuse, I'll issue an order to recall every Void Terminal you sold!"
"..."
Luo Qing felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him.
Dealing with Furina made wrangling Raiden Ei feel easy by comparison.
"Fine. What do you have in mind?"
"Well," Furina began, as if she hadn't just threatened him moments earlier, "you mentioned that the Void Terminals can stream broadcasts too, right? I want to host a daily morning show so Fontaine's citizens can start their day by seeing their brilliant and noble Archon!"
"Every morning?" Luo Qing blinked. "You mean like... reading the Steam Bird's headlines to recap yesterday's news?"
"That's not a bad idea," Furina mused, nodding thoughtfully. "We can consider it as a backup plan."
Without waiting for an invitation, she plopped down on the sofa, kicking off her shoes before sprawling across it like a lazy fish.
"..." Luo Qing stared at her in silence.
"What are you standing there for?" Furina asked, glancing up at him. "Sit down. The night's just beginning, and we have plenty of time to discuss this."
"Uh..." Luo Qing hesitated, leaning closer to whisper, "Just so you know... my wife is still waiting for me upstairs..."
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T/N: YESSS FURINA U GO GIRL
A true Champion knows that every battle, every choice, and every unexpected twist shapes the path to mastery. Consider this bonus chapter a rare encounter—one that wouldn't be possible without the right support.
That's why you should support WiseTL at [patreon.com/WiseTL]—where every pledge helps bring more high-quality translations to life, staying true to the original while flowing naturally in English. After all, excellence is in the details.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more to prepare for. But you? You should take this opportunity—you never know what rare finds await.
—Cynthia