At the Grand Narukami Shrine.
Ever since Yae Miko had ascended to become the third Raiden Shogun, few had called her "Lady Guuji" anymore. Most simply addressed her as Lady Yae.
As for why no one ever called her "General Yae," no one really knew—perhaps she simply disliked the title herself.
Just as Yae Miko was nearing the end of the light novel in her hands, Inagi Hotomi hurried toward her, looking rather anxious.
"Lady Yae, Mr. Shao Yun has arrived."
At those words, the chopsticks in Yae Miko's hand slipped. The cube of fried tofu she had been holding fell to the floor.
"He's here? Could it be…"
Seeing the subtle shift in Yae Miko's expression, Inagi Hotomi quickly suggested, "Should I tell Mr. Shao Yun you're… temporarily away?"
Before she could finish, Shao Yun strode confidently into the hall, his voice light and teasing.
"What's this? Am I not welcome here?"
"Or has Narukami Shrine turned into Narukami Bank, and you're afraid I've come to rob you?"
Inagi Hotomi nearly gasped aloud, quickly covering her mouth with her sleeve to suppress any sound.
Yae Miko's sharp eyes flicked toward her, silently signaling her to clear the shrine of the attending shrine maidens.
Hotomi understood immediately and hurried to comply. Within moments, only Yae Miko and Shao Yun remained.
Once the others were gone, Yae Miko let out a soft laugh.
Her previously tense features relaxed into their usual calm, languid charm.
With a sly smile curving her lips, she said, "Haha, of course you're welcome here. You're warmly invited."
Shao Yun's eyes drifted to the nearby steps, where a few light novels and an unfinished plate of fried tofu lay.
He chuckled. "Well, well. Looks like you're living the good life. Reading light novels, snacking on tofu, tossing all responsibility to others while you sit back and play the carefree boss."
Yae Miko giggled behind her hand. "Oh, don't say that. I merely steal a moment of leisure amid all the busyness, that's all."
But Shao Yun clearly wasn't here for small talk. He got straight to the point.
"I hope you haven't been so busy that you've forgotten to prepare a reward worthy of my satisfaction."
At the mention of their old deal, Yae Miko's expression remained perfectly still—no flicker of surprise, no arch of a brow.
"Speaking of rewards, shouldn't you—"
Before she could finish, Shao Yun already knew what to do. Reaching into the Legend of the East satchel at his waist, he slowly withdrew something blackened and foul-smelling.
The scorched head of Scaramouche.
Holding it up, Shao Yun said, "It's a little overcooked, I'll admit—but if you look closely, you can still make out who it was."
Then, with a flick of his wrist, he tossed it toward her.
Yae Miko caught it effortlessly. Yet as her fingers touched the charred remains, an involuntary tremor of excitement ran through her.
Though the head still reeked of burnt flesh and acrid smoke, she hardly noticed. She swallowed unconsciously.
"He's finally dead."
Finally. Now that Scaramouche was gone, the secret of her past scheme—her plot to eliminate Shao Yun—would die with him.
But fate was seldom so kind.
As she examined the severed head, Shao Yun's tone turned deceptively casual.
"You know," he said, tilting his head slightly, "you weren't wrong about him. The man was utterly insane—he begged and babbled to me just to stay alive."
Yae Miko managed a calm façade, though her heart rippled with unease. "Oh? Insane talk? What exactly did he say?"
Shao Yun lazily scratched his ear and waved his hand dismissively. "Hmph. He claimed the reason I wanted to kill him… was because I wanted you."
"He said, if I killed him, you'd gladly spend the night with me."
His eyes narrowed; the humor drained from his face. "That line still pisses me off, even now."
Yae Miko blinked in confusion, unsure what point he was driving at.
Remembering Kamisato Ayaka's earlier humiliation, she forced a gentle, careful smile.
"Haha, you jest. I may have some charm, but surely not enough to catch your eye."
Shao Yun didn't laugh. His voice lowered.
"But there was one thing he said before dying that did interest me."
At that, Yae Miko's pulse quickened, her stomach tightening like a snared fox.
"W-What did he say?"
"He said," Shao Yun began evenly, "that you traded your Gnosis to the Fatui—to have them kill me. All to protect Baal."
Her heart plummeted. So the fool really did spill everything before he died!
She swallowed hard, struggling to maintain composure. "Ahaha… don't believe such nonsense! How could I ever ally with the Fatui? Without them, the Shogun would never have enforced the Sakoku Decree—or caused such chaos!"
But Shao Yun pressed on, repeating Scaramouche's logic in his own words.
"Then tell me—how did the Raiden Shogun's Gnosis end up in his hands? When I killed The Fair Lady, he was the only Fatui Harbinger left in Inazuma. You didn't hand such a thing to a common grunt, did you?"
The color drained from Yae Miko's face. Her grip loosened.
Thud. The charred head hit the floor, echoing dully in the shrine's still air.
A shiver ran through her entire body. Her legs went weak, and she collapsed onto the cold stone, sitting awkwardly with her knees bent outward—a pitiful sight for the once-proud kitsune.
"I… I had no other choice!" she stammered. "You were going to kill my god! I'm her vassal—how could I just stand by and watch?"
"So I did everything I could… to protect her!"
Shao Yun's tone remained level, almost calm. "You're right. In war, there are no rules. You use whatever means it takes to win. After all, the victors write the truth."
He paused, voice turning sharp. "But I'm the one who won. The right to explain everything now lies with me."
Yae Miko slowly lifted her beautiful, ashen face. Her eyes were hollow, defeated.
"I knew… this day would come. What do you want from me?"
He chuckled. "Oh? Wasn't it you who promised me a reward that would satisfy me completely? Funny that you're asking now."
Her voice trembled. "I… I did prepare a reward. But now, I fear it won't meet your expectations."
With shaking hands, she drew an omamori from her robes and offered it to him.
Shao Yun took it without interest, turning it over between his fingers.
A plain, ordinary charm.
His face darkened. "A charm? You're joking, right? I killed for your commission—slaughtered a quarter of Sumeru's people, made an enemy of the Dendro Archon, and you think this cheap trinket is enough to settle the debt?"
Yae Miko could feel the oppressive aura thickening around him, cold and murderous. He's serious.
"You—why aren't you… lecherous?" she blurted suddenly.
That odd question caught him off guard. Out of courtesy, he answered, "Who said I'm not? If I weren't, I wouldn't be chasing Lumine. Why ask?"
Desperation flickered across her face as she clutched at her last hope. "Then it's fine… if you desire that, I can—"
Her trembling hands rose to her slender neck, fingertips brushing the fabric of her collar.
Then, slowly, she began to loosen her garments.
After all, the shrine maidens were gone. It was only the two of them now.
But just as she was about to bare herself, Shao Yun drew his revolver—the black steel gleaming cold under the shrine's dim light.
He aimed it squarely at her.
His voice turned frigid. "I'd advise you to choose your next words carefully. Scaramouche said the same thing—and I burned him alive for it."
"You won't save yourself that way. You'll only die slower… and far more painfully."
===BREAK===
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