Kokomi was not the only one struck dumb — even Kamisato Ayato was left blinking.
Were those really words from the Lord Shogun, the one who clung to a heart of Eternity and had not changed in a hundred years?
Raiden Ei's offer sent Ye Xi's thoughts straight back to the meal she had cooked that one evening.
Later, when he went to Sumeru, he had handed that dish — cooked by Raiden Ei's own hands — to The Balladeer. He had kept it in his personal space, so it was still steaming when he took it out.
Since Ye Xi insisted, The Balladeer had no choice but to swallow it down obediently.
Who could have guessed that two bites in, his eyes would roll back in his head.
It had been a tragedy to witness.
At the memory, Ye Xi waved his hands quickly. "Cooking is the sort of thing best left to Xiangling."
Beside them, Kokomi's eyes went wide all over again.
The Raiden Shogun herself, a God in her own right, had volunteered to cook a meal.
And Ye Xi had turned her down!?
Disappointment flickered across Raiden Ei's face.
Kujou Sara saw it and rushed to Ye Xi's ear, muttering, "You've gone and made the Lord Shogun unhappy! Would it kill you to say something nice?"
"Fine — I'll cook for you myself to make up for it, just don't upset the Lord Shogun!"
"I'm begging you here!"
Ye Xi had not expected the situation to work out quite so well for him.
"You mean that?"
"Of course. I never lie."
With Kujou Sara's promise secured, Ye Xi turned to Raiden Ei. "Here's an idea. If the Lord Shogun truly wants to reward me, then how about this — once we're home, change into a few pretty outfits and let me see them."
The words landed, and both Kokomi and Kamisato Ayato froze where they stood.
The sheer amount packed into that one sentence was staggering.
Home?
What home!?
Whose home!?
And asking the Raiden Shogun herself, the God of an entire nation, to dress up prettily for his amusement?
It was unthinkable!
This was the Raiden Shogun they were talking about!
At that moment, Yae Miko nodded along with obvious relish. "Now that's a fine suggestion! I'd love to see Ei in something pretty myself~"
"Ei's worn the same outfit for ages. I'm getting tired of looking at it."
"…Er, is that so?"
Raiden Ei hesitated, but since Yae Miko had said it too, she gave a nod. "Very well. Then it's decided. Only, the clothes—"
"Don't you worry about the clothes. I'll get them ready for you!"
Yae Miko covered her mouth as she laughed, her eyes bright with foxlike cunning — one look was enough to tell she was cooking up mischief.
"She actually agreed!?"
Kokomi's thoughts scattered in every direction.
The Raiden Shogun standing before her was nothing at all like the one she had imagined.
Kamisato Ayato, meanwhile, wore a thoughtful look. So Ayaka was telling the truth after all, he mused.
For days now, Kamisato Ayaka had not been coming home to sleep. On the rare afternoons she did return, she would talk about things inside the Serenitea Pot.
She said the Raiden Shogun and Kujou Sara both lived in there, that even Yae Miko was there, along with a great many high-ranking figures from other nations.
More than that — even the God of Sumeru was staying there.
At first he had not believed a word of it.
But hearing Ye Xi toss off a line about "going home" just now, he decided the story was worth believing after all.
While he was still turning it over, the fleet returned to Narukami Island.
With the sea-beasts scattered and gone, order on Narukami Island had settled again.
Plenty of Shogunate troops were still on patrol, but they carried themselves far more easily now.
Back at Tenshukaku, the evacuees who had been gathered there were still waiting.
When they saw Ye Xi return, curious eyes turned toward him from every side.
Every one of them wanted to know who this Ye Xi was, the man who had pulled Inazuma out of disaster.
Ye Xi had originally intended to introduce himself to the crowd and then lay out his plans for Inazuma.
Judging by the way things stood now, though, there seemed no need at all.
In Sumeru and in Liyue alike, he had explained his plans in public for one reason: to spell out the benefits the reforms would bring, and so win the people's trust.
Here, even without doing any of that, the people of Inazuma were already brimming with gratitude toward him.
As for everything that came next, he could leave it to the three Commissioners.
____
Gift for Everyone: Once we hit 50 Powerstones, I'll release +1 bonus chapter
________________________________________
If you want more chapters, please consider supporting my page on (P). with 50 advanced chapters available on (P)
👻 Join the crew by searching Leanzin on (P). You know the spot! 😉