After discussing the arrangements with Paimon, Yae Miko said, "Mr. Lu, I have an idea, but I'm not sure if it's feasible. I'd like to hear your opinion."
Lu Heng replied, "What's the idea? Let's hear it."
Yae Miko paused thoughtfully before speaking. "As you know, many people have seen Inazuma's main storyline through Genshin Impact. Here in Inazuma, we're about to address the Eye Hunt Decree and the Sakoku Decree, but news travels too slowly. I've only just joined the internet, and my following isn't large yet. So, I have a bold request—could I possibly borrow your account?"
Lu Heng's account was the most followed across the web. Even though he rarely posted anything, his followers numbered nearly ten million. The only reason it wasn't higher was the limited spread of smartphones. If Mondstadt, Liyue, and Fontaine were all counted together, his followers would easily surpass a hundred million.
"Borrow my account?" Lu Heng quickly grasped her intentions.
Her account was newly registered, with barely any followers. Spreading the news that Inazuma had lifted the Eye Hunt and Sakoku Decrees quickly would be a challenge. Why the rush? The reason was simple. Inazuma's situation was well-known—aside from the Southern Cross Fleet, few merchants could navigate the thunderstorms to trade there. With the Sakoku Decree lifted, Inazuma's scarce resources would attract merchants eager to ship goods for sale.
This influx wouldn't instantly restore Inazuma's economy to its peak, but it would provide some breathing room. Time was of the essence for Yae Miko.
Lu Heng nodded. "Sure, I'm fine with it."
"Thank you so much!" Yae Miko's face lit up with gratitude.
Soon after, she received the account credentials from Lu Heng. Instead of logging in immediately, she turned to Raiden Ei. "You know what we need to do next, right?"
Raiden Ei nodded. "Yes. Return to Tenshukaku, deal with Kujou Takayuki and Hiiragi Shinsuke, clear out the Fatui in Inazuma, and then announce the repeal of the Eye Hunt and Sakoku Decrees."
"Exactly." Yae Miko relaxed. "Let's go. You'll be acting under the watchful eyes of millions to bring Inazuma back on track."
Her words weighed heavily on Raiden Ei, who felt the burden settle on her shoulders. Her gaze hardened with resolve. She knew this was something she had to do—not just for Inazuma, but because of the questions Yae Miko had raised about her leadership.
Inazuma had veered off course, and she needed to correct it. If her sister, Makoto, ever returned, how could Ei face her if she left Inazuma in ruins? Two pressures bore down on her: the duty of the Raiden Shogun to her people and the personal responsibility to her sister.
Ei knew that when she eventually reunited with Makoto, her sister would likely understand her mistakes. But Makoto would also take on the mess Ei had made. While her sister hadn't yet returned, Ei resolved to clean up as much as she could. She couldn't let Makoto come back only to dive straight into fixing Ei's failures.
Yae Miko glanced at Ei, sensing her overthinking but choosing not to pry. She dismissed her Blackwind Demon Bear, and the two of them transformed into streaks of lightning, speeding toward Tenshukaku.
At that moment, inside Tenshukaku, Kujou Takayuki, Kujou Sara, and Kamisato Ayato were present, though Hiiragi Shinsuke, stationed on Ritou, was absent. The commotion from Raiden Ei's earlier actions had shaken the entire Narukami Island, her divine might reverberating through the land. The people's awe of the Raiden Shogun deepened, and the high-ranking officials of the Shogunate gathered at Tenshukaku, expecting orders after she resolved whatever had occurred.
As they neared the castle, Yae Miko logged into Lu Heng's account and started a livestream. In the first second, three thousand people joined. By the second, twenty thousand. By the third, one hundred five thousand. By the fifth, over a million.
Yae Miko was stunned. Lu Heng's account, with no prior announcement, had drawn over a million viewers in just five seconds.
[Wendy]: What's going on? Yo, Yae Miko and Baal? What's up?
[Zhongli]: I thought Mr. Lu was announcing a new product. Is this Inazuma?
[Tartaglia]: What's the deal?
"Hello, everyone," Yae Miko greeted the camera with a smile. "Many of you probably know me, so I'll skip the introductions. I'm here to briefly explain Inazuma's current situation and the purpose of this livestream."
As she outlined her plans, the chat exploded with comments.
"What?! Inazuma's lifting the Sakoku Decree? I'm contacting my fleet right now!"
"So sudden!"
"This must be a quick response after seeing the future, right?"
"Brothers, this is our chance to make big money! A newly opened Inazuma will surely have trade incentives. I'm chartering a ship!"
"Damn, I'm in Fontaine. There's no cargo I can ship to Inazuma—it's too far!"
"I'm curious—how will Inazuma handle those who had their Visions taken and lost their ambitions?"
"Good question. They'll probably offer some compensation."
Yae Miko sighed. Money could settle some grievances, but it wouldn't erase the scars left on people's hearts. Regret was useless now; all they could do was make amends.
Raiden Ei caught Yae Miko's reproachful glance and lowered her head in shame. Her single misjudgment had led to this mess. No one was infallible, but the mistakes of those in power carried greater consequences. Ei wouldn't shy away from her errors. She'd own them, learn, and move forward. If she let this mistake break her, how could she protect Inazuma?
Inside Tenshukaku, the gathered officials bowed as Raiden Ei and Yae Miko entered.
"General, Lady Miko," they greeted.
"Oh, everyone's here," Yae Miko remarked, scanning the room. Aside from Hiiragi Shinsuke on Ritou, Kujou Takayuki was the key figure present.
"You dare show your face in Tenshukaku?" Raiden Ei's icy gaze fixed on Kujou Takayuki.
"Huh?" Kujou Takayuki froze, confused. What did she mean? As head of the Kujou Clan, wasn't it his duty to report to Tenshukaku when something happened in Inazuma? It was protocol. But the tone from Raiden Ei and Yae Miko suggested something was terribly wrong—and it seemed directed at him.
"Guards!" Raiden Ei called without explanation.
The Okuzume, the Shogunate's elite guard akin to imperial soldiers, entered immediately. "General!"
"Take Kujou Takayuki and execute him," Raiden Ei ordered with a wave of her hand.
"Yes, ma'am!" The guards seized Kujou Takayuki's arms and dragged him toward the exit.
Kujou Sara, stunned, stepped forward. "General, why? What has the clan head done?"
Kamisato Ayato sensed something was off but stayed silent, glancing at Yae Miko. She returned a sly smile, and Ayato relaxed. It seemed he wasn't the target today. But why was Kujou Takayuki being executed so abruptly?
"Colluding with the Fatui and embezzling national wealth—is that reason enough?" Raiden Ei asked coldly.
Kujou Sara's eyes widened, and she turned to the struggling Kujou Takayuki, disbelief etched on her face.
"General…" Sara knelt, her voice steady. "Is the evidence conclusive?"
"It is," Raiden Ei confirmed with a nod. "What, are you pleading for him?"
"No!" Sara shook her head firmly. "If the evidence is clear, then he deserves to die!"
"Kujou Sara!" Takayuki roared, incredulous. He'd thought his adopted daughter would defend him, but she was ready to condemn him?
Takayuki nearly laughed in frustration. He'd raised Sara to be fiercely loyal to the Raiden Shogun—a virtue turned against him now. If he'd remained loyal, Sara would have stood by him. But with his crimes exposed, she was ready to cut ties and uphold justice.
"Enough noise," Raiden Ei said, shaking her head.
The Okuzume, irritated that two young guards couldn't drag out an old man, grew fierce. They hauled Kujou Takayuki to the gates of Tenshukaku. In front of the live audience, a blade flashed, and his head fell.
"Talk about decisive!"
"Decisive? Did anyone actually think Kujou Takayuki was a saint?"
"Colluding with the Fatui? That alone makes him deserve death!"
"He was loyal, sure, but using that loyalty to enrich himself? He got what was coming."
The hall fell silent. Kamisato Ayato knelt quietly, shocked by Kujou Takayuki's actions. As a political rival, Ayato knew Takayuki wasn't clean, but he hadn't realized the extent of his corruption. Profiting from Inazuma's chaos was tantamount to treason. With Takayuki gone, Ayato couldn't help but smile—fewer rivals and one less parasite draining Inazuma. A double win.
"Kujou Sara," Raiden Ei said, turning to her.
"Here!" Sara responded, unflinching. She had nothing to hide.
"You'll temporarily take over as head of the Tenryou Commission. Go to Ritou immediately and execute Hiiragi Shinsuke. Him alone," Raiden Ei ordered.
"Yes, ma'am!" Sara accepted without hesitation.
Ayato, however, couldn't stay silent. The Tenryou Commission was manageable—Sara could handle it. But the Kanjou Commission? If Hiiragi Shinsuke was removed, who would manage the economic fallout? "General, if Shinsuke is executed, who will take over the Kanjou Commission? Its affairs are complex, and mishandling them could spark economic issues."
Raiden Ei paused, considering. Executing traitors was satisfying, but the consequences were clear. The Kanjou Commission was critical. Who could bear that burden?
She looked at Yae Miko, who turned her gaze to Ayato.
"What?" Ayato's heart sank. "Lady Miko?"
"Ayato, dear," Yae Miko said in a teasing, grandmotherly tone. "You've always been clever, raised under my watchful eye. With great ability comes great responsibility. The General and I have full faith in you."
Ayato's smile vanished. He'd been pleased to see his rivals eliminated, but now he realized the cost. With less opposition in the Shogunate, he'd gain influence—but at the price of an overwhelming workload.
This was absurd. He was already swamped as head of the Yashiro Commission. Now they wanted him to temporarily oversee the Kanjou Commission too? Was he a workhorse? He was human, with human limits!
"You'll do it," Raiden Ei declared, unbothered by his concerns. If Yae Miko trusted Ayato, so would she.
"General!" Ayato tried to protest, citing his heavy workload and limited capacity. More responsibilities meant more chances for mistakes—and he'd be the one taking the blame.
"Hmm?" Yae Miko smiled sweetly at him.
Ayato's lips twitched, but he relented. "Understood, my lord."
"Feels like Ayato's going to work himself to death."
"Nah, you're worrying too much! Just yell 'card draw' and we're set! Inazuma's a whole nation—grabbing some stamina-boosting cards should be easy. Pop a couple of those, and Ayato will be raring to go for centuries!"
"Brilliant idea!"
"Learn from Mondstadt and Liyue—step back and just oversee things. Let Ayato carry the weight of all three Commissions!"
"I'd trust Ayato's governance skills over the Raiden Shogun's any day."
"With Yae Miko the old fox and Ayato the young fox running things, Inazuma's future is bright!"
Yae Miko frowned at the chat. Old fox? Really? And governance? Ha! Inazuma was finally seeing the light, and she had no intention of getting buried in work.
"Kamisato Ayato," Raiden Ei said, her tone grave.
"Your servant is here," Ayato replied, forcing himself into workhorse mode.
"You will announce…" Raiden Ei explained her plan. Ayato was to inform the public about the origins of the Eye Hunt and Sakoku Decrees, the roles played by Kujou Takayuki, Hiiragi Shinsuke, and the Fatui, and her own journey of mistakes.
"General?" Ayato hesitated. Admitting fault publicly? Wouldn't that undermine her authority?
"When you're wrong, you own it," Raiden Ei said calmly.
"Yes, ma'am!" Ayato accepted the order.
He understood that lifting the Eye Hunt and Sakoku Decrees marked Inazuma's return to stability. As the temporary head of the Kanjou Commission, his workload would only grow. It was good for the nation, but for him? He just hoped he wouldn't go down in history as the man who worked himself to death.
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T/N:
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