Qiuqian set down his teacup, finishing the story about Ganyu's childhood.
"Haha, I didn't expect Sister Ganyu to be that adorable when she was little," Yae Miko said with a smile after hearing the story, clearly charmed by little Ganyu.
Ganyu had never once told her about her childhood before.
"Haha…" Qiuqian chuckled softly. "She really was adorable."
Just then, a shrine maiden named Kano Nana walked toward Qiuqian and Yae Miko.
This shrine maiden happened to be Shikanoin Heizou's cousin.
When Kano Nana noticed Qiuqian sitting across from Yae Miko, she froze for a moment.
But soon, she shifted her gaze toward Yae Miko instead.
"Lady Guuji."
Kano Nana looked at Yae Miko, seeming somewhat hesitant.
"It's fine," Yae Miko said with a slight nod. "You can say it here."
"Yes."
Kano Nana nodded before reporting the information she had just gathered.
"The foreign traveler you asked us to investigate has already appeared in Inazuma City."
"Our informants personally saw her carrying the Yashiro Commission's seal and entering Komore Teahouse with a strange little creature."
"She's already in Inazuma City?" Yae Miko turned slightly, looking at her own reflection in the teacup as a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"I understand."
"Continue assigning people to keep an eye on that traveler. Report anything unusual immediately."
Kano Nana acknowledged the order before leaving the courtyard.
As she walked away, she couldn't help but think to herself—
This is the first time I've ever seen Lady Guuji treat someone like this.
Could that handsome gentleman perhaps be some kind of close friend of hers?
"No wonder you found me the moment I entered Inazuma City," Qiuqian said teasingly while watching Kano Nana's departing figure. "So it wasn't a coincidence after all."
Of course, he already knew it wasn't.
Back when he had first disembarked at Ritou, he had already noticed someone observing them from the shadows.
"You probably discovered it long ago anyway," Yae Miko replied with a smile. "Surely our gentle Lord Guixu wouldn't hold something like this against me, right?"
Her way of addressing him had quietly changed to Lord Guixu.
"Haha…" Qiuqian couldn't help laughing a little.
"But that little one actually made it into Inazuma City this quickly."
"Looks like the head of the Kanjou Commission failed to stop her after all."
Yae Miko turned toward the direction Kano Nana had left, a playful smile appearing on her face.
"Though… the Yashiro Commission, hm?"
"That brat Kamisato Ayato and Kamisato Ayaka… hehe~"
"Well, this saves me the trouble of interfering personally."
"I doubt it'll be long before this foreign traveler ends up opposing the Vision Hunt Decree under the Yashiro Commission's influence."
Resting one hand against her chin, Yae Miko spoke leisurely with a faint chuckle.
"Sounds like you know everything," Qiuqian said teasingly. "As expected of Lady Guuji."
"Oh, please." Yae Miko waved her hand with exaggerated modesty. "Compared to Lord Guixu, my little schemes probably amount to nothing at all."
By now, it was already afternoon.
"How about we head down the mountain and grab something from the food stalls?" Qiuqian glanced at the sky before making the suggestion.
"After walking for three whole days, I can finally eat fried tofu again." Yae Miko nodded immediately.
Then the two of them headed down the mountain together.
Meanwhile, back in Inazuma City—
After two days had passed, Lumine and Paimon finally arrived in the city.
First, they ran into Thoma disguised as a dog.
Then, under his guidance, they went to see the enormous Statue of the Omnipresent God.
The moment Lumine touched the statue, a sharp pain struck her head.
It felt as though countless people's wishes had flooded into her mind all at once.
Afterward, she followed Thoma to the Yashiro Commission estate.
There, she began speaking with the White Heron Princess behind the folding screen—Kamisato Ayaka.
Receiving distinguished guests from behind a folding screen had long been a tradition of the Yashiro Commission.
"So we don't actually get to see her…"
"How disappointing."
"But her voice sounds so nice. She really feels like a refined noble lady. Though… the voice actress sounds kinda familiar."
Watching the folding screen on her monitor, Xuehua felt the voice strangely familiar.
[Sounds a bit like Katheryne?]
[Probably the same VA.]
"Feels like my expectations got crushed a little," Lumine said to Thoma beside her, sounding disappointed.
"Well, she is the noble White Heron Princess after all," Paimon replied with a grin.
At that moment, Ayaka's voice came from behind the folding screen.
"You two have crossed the seas and endured a long journey, yet upon arriving here, we can only meet in this manner. Please forgive my discourtesy."
"I have long awaited your arrival. From Thoma's descriptions, I have also become convinced that you possess the power to change the current situation."
"In present-day Inazuma, the Vision Hunt Decree is trampling upon the people's ambitions and dreams without restraint."
"Though the Yashiro Commission serves the Shogun, due to our responsibilities, we are also the commission closest to the people."
At that moment, the camera focused on a beautiful purple kimono adorned with sakura patterns.
"The authority of the Commission originates from the trust of the people. If we remain indifferent in the face of such suffering, how could we possibly rest easy?"
"Traveler, please lend me your strength. Together, we can surely…"
Ayaka stopped midway through her sentence, her voice carrying a certain anticipation.
"I only came here to meet the Raiden Shogun," Lumine explained after thinking for a moment. "I'm not here to start a rebellion."
"She rejected her just like that?" Xuehua stared blankly at Lumine's blunt refusal.
[Honestly, refusing is the normal reaction. You just arrived in a foreign nation and people immediately want you to oppose the country's laws. I'd refuse too.]
[Refuse to interfere in another nation's internal affairs.]
[Rejecting makes sense. Lumine has seen the God of Vortex, witnessed the battle between the God of Obstruction and Brother-in-law Qiuqian, and now the opponent is literally the Electro Archon.]
["Start a rebellion" LMAO, that was way too direct.]
[Right now Lumine only cares about meeting the Electro Archon and finding her brother.]
"Umm…"
Lumine's two sentences instantly left Kamisato Ayaka speechless.
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