Inside Tenshukaku, Dehya and the others had already returned. At the moment several of them stood off to one side, arguing over who had killed more sea-beasts.
Lumine, meanwhile, was chatting with Hiiragi and Kujou Kamaji.
The instant Ye Xi walked in, Dehya and Alusha crowded around him to talk about the sea-beast hunt. Paimon pestered Lumine with questions about the Beast Tide. And the moment Raiden Ei appeared, Hiiragi and Kujou Kamaji turned to her, desperate for news.
Only when Raiden Ei confirmed that the whole affair had been settled did everyone finally relax.
"Lord Shogun, then allow me to dispatch my men and see the civilians safely home."
Once Kujou Kamaji had her permission, he left to organize things.
A great battle had just ended, after all. It had dragged on for a full day and night, and everyone was worn to the bone.
Seeing that Kokomi was present, Ye Xi brought up his plans for Inazuma.
"Kokomi, there's going to be a great deal of trade passing through Watatsumi Island from now on. You'll need to pick out a suitable site for a harbor."
Compared with Ritou, Watatsumi Island sat far closer to Port Ormos and Liyue Harbor. Docking cargo ships there simply made the most sense. Before long there would be goods to trade, cargo to load and unload, fleets coming and going, and every one of those things put heavy demands on a wharf.
Watatsumi Island needed to clear out a proper stretch of coast to serve as a port, one that could shoulder the same duties as Ritou.
Kokomi nodded quickly. "I've already received Lord Shogun's documents. I'll set people to work on it at once!"
For Watatsumi Island, this was an enormous opportunity.
The island's people had suffered famine after famine, all because their land had gone barren.
Once that harbor was built on Watatsumi Island, it wouldn't take long for the island to become the economic heart of Inazuma.
By then, Watatsumi Island would be flourishing beyond anything its people had known.
There was just one thing. Yae Miko had her concerns.
The people of Watatsumi Island did not worship the Raiden Shogun. They worshipped Orobashi, a dead Demon God. If Watatsumi Island rose to power too quickly and turned that strength against Narukami Island, things would get difficult.
She had raised the matter with Ye Xi before.
Now she glanced his way and shot him a pointed look.
Watching the pink-haired fox preen and posture at him, Ye Xi remembered, and added, "Right. To keep Watatsumi Island peaceful and stable, I'll be stationing a certain number of Ruin Guards there to handle its protection."
"After that, Watatsumi Island will take on the job of transport between all of Inazuma's islands. I'll be handing you some small vessels. They're fast enough to make the run from Watatsumi Island to Narukami Island in under an hour."
"Kokomi, make good use of these resources."
"I understand!"
Kokomi grasped exactly what lay behind his words. Those Ruin Guards were there to protect Watatsumi Island, yes, and also to make sure its people entertained no dangerous ideas.
The ships carried their own implication: the Shogunate's troops could reach Watatsumi Island within the hour and put down any rebellion. She could understand the worry.
In truth, there was no need for it at all.
The people of Watatsumi Island resented the Raiden Shogun only because the Raiden Shogun had ignored their island for years on end.
With everyone's bellies empty, faith alone couldn't put food on the table. Now that Watatsumi Island stood on the verge of prosperity, no one would have cause for resentment.
Still, one thing puzzled her.
Inazuma was the Raiden Shogun's realm. So why did it feel like everyone revolved around Ye Xi?
And the Raiden Shogun standing right there didn't look the least bit displeased. It felt, honestly, as though Inazuma had been handed over to Ye Xi outright.
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