"Of course not. A theft occurred within the residence—that's all. An investigation is necessary. I hope Miss Lora can understand."
Hiiragi Shinsuke shook his head, smiling politely at her.
"Then investigate."
Lora made no move to stop them. She gave a casual wave, signaling them to proceed.
Everything had already been cleared away. If these mortals managed to find anything now, it would truly be a miracle. Though, come to think of it, Inazuma did have onis…
The Kanjou Commission began their search, keeping it relatively restrained. Then one particularly tactless soldier stepped toward the bedside.
Before anyone could register what had happened, he was hurled backward, crashing into a table and shattering it.
"My apologies, Head of the Hiiragi family. I may have used slightly too much force."
As the others stared in shock at the soldier writhing on the floor, Lora's languid voice drifted across the room.
"Miss Lora, what is the meaning of this…?"
Hiiragi Shinsuke's expression darkened.
"It means exactly what you see."
Lora let out a soft laugh.
"By all means, conduct your investigation—but there are limits. This is my bedside. Given my status, you cannot search wherever you please. What would that look like?"
She felt no guilt whatsoever about striking a Kanjou Commission soldier—least of all in their own headquarters. These were men who preyed on common folk. If one of them got hurt, so be it.
"Miss Lora is correct…"
Hiiragi Shinsuke forced a tight smile and nodded.
Even if he was certain she was involved, there was nothing he could do under the circumstances.
After a perfunctory inspection, he withdrew with his men, his face grim.
Hélie immediately shut the door and took up position outside. As a Melusine, her perception far exceeded that of ordinary humans. No one would slip past her notice.
Lora stepped down from the bed and smoothed her skirt.
"All that posturing was exhausting… though I must admit, it was rather satisfying."
"Lady Lora… that commotion just now—was that your doing? What exactly did you do?"
Fu Hai looked at her, utterly helpless.
"I smashed their treasury."
Lora answered matter-of-factly.
By Rex Lapis… good thing it wasn't the main gate of the Kanjou Commission.
Wait.
The treasury?
Fu Hai's mouth twitched.
"So… you stole money from it?"
"Tsk."
Lora wagged a finger at him.
"When learned people do such things, can it really be called stealing?"
"Captain Fu, you're still too young. Do you have any idea how badly the Kanjou Commission exploited foreign merchants on Ritou during the Sakoku Decree? Quite a few of them were from Liyue. Every last bit of that was ill-gotten wealth."
She tilted her chin slightly.
"I didn't steal it—I reclaimed it. At worst, you could call it robbing the robbers."
"…Uh."
Fu Hai felt a headache coming on.
Robbing the robbers—and she made it sound perfectly reasonable.
Lora took out a portion of the Mora and handed it to him.
"Take this. Use it to smooth things over on Ritou—especially look after the Liyue merchants. When Inazuma's Sakoku Decree is finally lifted, it'll make Liyue's future dealings here much easier."
"Yes!"
While Fu Hai did not entirely approve of her methods—which bordered more on plundering than stealing—he fully supported putting the funds to practical use. From Liyue's standpoint, it was undeniably advantageous.
Besides, the money had been quietly amassed by the Kanjou Commission. They would hardly dare report it.
Hiiragi Shinsuke had no choice but to swallow the loss. He did not dare keep Lora on Ritou any longer, fearing further complications.
Early the next morning, he arranged a formal escort to take her to Inazuma for the ceremony and personally came to see her off.
Lora left matters on Ritou to Fu Hai. She trusted that someone from the Ministry of Civil Affairs was more than capable of handling it.
Accompanied by Hélie and part of the delegation, she followed the escort selected by Hiiragi Shinsuke toward Inazuma City.
As the ceremony marking the confiscation of the hundredth Vision was to be held that day, Inazuma City was under strict lockdown. Every passerby faced close inspection.
However, as a Liyue envoy under Kanjou Commission escort, Lora passed through the city gates without issue.
The streets were sparsely populated. Most citizens had already gathered at the Statue of the Omnipresent God to witness the ceremony.
Unlike its portrayal in the game, the real Statue of the Omnipresent God was colossal. The platform and surrounding plaza were vast, easily capable of holding a large crowd of Inazuma's residents.
Under the guidance of the Kanjou Commission soldiers, Lora was led to an excellent vantage point.
From her vantage point, she could clearly see the Raiden Shogun—and Thoma kneeling in the plaza below.
Her gaze swept over the crowd before settling on a striking head of golden hair.
Lumine and Paimon stood among the spectators. Rhodeia, however, was nowhere in sight. Who knew where that child had wandered off to?
On the high platform, the Raiden Shogun, clad in solemn ceremonial robes, slowly turned.
She lifted a hand, and the Vision at Thoma's waist flew into her grasp.
Just as in the original course of events, the Vision had barely begun to hover midair when Lumine burst from the crowd and seized it.
The soldiers stationed on either side rushed forward, only to be driven back by her elemental power.
The Raiden Shogun regarded Lumine, who stood protectively before Thoma, her expression utterly devoid of emotion.
She stepped forward, her gaze cold and absolute.
"To wield elemental power without a Vision… you are an exception."
"An exception is the enemy of eternity."
As her words fell, thunder erupted from her body.
From within the Plane of Euthymia, she drew forth Musou Isshin. Lightning split the heavens in answer to her blade.
Lora raised her Kamera and snapped photo after photo, capturing priceless images.
She had already come up with the headline.
"Shocking! Inazuma's Archon Draws Her Blade in Fury for a Single Soul!"
Just hearing it made one want to read on.
The Raiden Shogun swept her right hand, carving open a rift in space.
"I will… inlay you into this statue."
To everyone else, the unfolding of the Plane of Euthymia lasted only an instant.
But before Lora's eyes, it slowed to an almost languid crawl. She could observe every detail of its expansion with perfect clarity. If she wished, she could even use that moment to project her consciousness inside.
Yet she did not.
As for attaching her consciousness to some object and having someone else carry it in?
Don't be absurd.
She would never stoop to something so inefficient.