Going back a bit earlier in the chat.
Seitenshi: "Why not form a cabinet to help you handle political affairs?"
Saeko: "That's actually a solid idea."
Raiden Ei: "What's a 'cabinet'? Could someone explain?"
Seitenshi, being someone who used to rule, was essentially a professional in governance. Her suggestion seemed worth considering as far as Ei was concerned.
Seitenshi: "Simply put, you pick a group of capable people and form an institution that answers only to you. They come up with plans and solutions for state affairs. All you have to do is decide which plans are viable and which aren't. It saves you a ton of trouble."
Raiden Ei: "That really would make things a lot more convenient! (Excited)"
Seitenshi: "Naturally. However... you need to make sure the people you choose are completely loyal to you, or else... (awkward smile)"
Artemis: "I know this one! Otherwise you'll end up like Seitenshi—a figurehead!"
Seitenshi: "Let's not bring up the past! (Crying)"
Raiden Ei: "I see... That plan might be a bit hard to pull off then. (Regretful)"
Huaizhu: "Why is that, Ei?"
Raiden Ei: "Inazuma's affairs are managed by three major clans—the Three Commissions. If I were to form a cabinet, those three clans would be unavoidable. And I know they aren't truly loyal to me. They're just afraid of me. The same goes for most of Inazuma's citizens, honestly."
Her words made the chat go quiet for a moment.
March: "Ahh, being a ruler sounds like such a pain. I'm way better off just riding the Express and exploring the universe!"
Seitenshi: "I feel that."
Galacta: "Same."
Seeing March's message, Ei—sitting high upon her throne in Teyvat—let out a soft sigh. She wished she could be free of these political burdens, like when her sister was still alive.
Back then, her sister handled everything. Ei only had to raise her blade when strength was needed. She didn't have to think. Her sister told her where to strike, and she struck. The two of them—one wielding the pen, the other the sword—complemented each other perfectly. Those were happy days.
But then the cataclysm came. Her sister died, and Ei was forced to take her place as the ruler of Inazuma. When the Archon War came, she demonstrated her might—one slash, no thoughts—felling a great serpent and achieving a legendary feat.
But that wasn't what she wanted. What she wanted was the life she used to have—with her sister by her side. Even if it meant no longer being the ruler of Inazuma.
Raiden Ei: "March's suggestion does sound appealing. But we're getting off track. Let's go back to the earlier topic."
March: "Oh, right, right! Almost went off on a tangent. I asked Himeko earlier, and she gave me some ideas, like... If that's not enough, I can ask Jingliu for some examples of the Xianzhou's governance policies."
Seitenshi: "That many? That's more than enough!"
As March listed examples of governance policies from various civilizations that Himeko had shared, the chat started buzzing with discussion. That was when Yuki joined in.
In the end, they concluded that while the examples were valuable, they weren't very practical for Ei's situation right now. The core issue was that Ei wasn't skilled at handling administrative work.
She could ask the group for help whenever a specific problem came up—and she had been doing that. But even so, she felt it wasn't ideal. She couldn't keep troubling everyone.
She had been trying hard to learn, but change didn't come overnight. But this kind of thing wasn't like martial arts, where she could improve through sheer effort. For Ei, it was much harder to stomach, and her progress was painfully slow.
Yuki: "Alright, I'll come over and take a look."
After thinking it over, Yuki decided to go help Ei—and while he was at it, apologize for what had happened last time.
March: "Huh? You're going to Ei's place?!"
Huaizhu: "If Yuki goes, the problem should be resolved pretty quickly."
Seitenshi: "Yeah, with him around, anything gets fixed. No need to be so surprised, March."
Saeko: "Oh my, March-chan, are you jealous? (Smirk)"
March: "No! Why would I be jealous of him?! (Arrogant face)"
Up in the great hall of Tenshukaku, the moment Ei saw Yuki's message, her expression froze. The events of that day instantly replayed in her mind. Her heart began to race uncontrollably.
Raiden Ei: "Y-You're coming?!"
Yuki: "Yeah. Why? Not welcome? I seem to recall you offering to introduce me to your fox familiar."
Raiden Ei: "Ah... right. That's what it was... Okay then. Come on over."
Ei looked at the message Yuki had sent and relaxed a little. But the fact that he seemed to have his eyes on her familiar left her with a strange, indescribable feeling.
March: "Wait, wait, wait—fox familiar? What's that?! (Suspicious)"
Saeko: "Oh my, such a big reaction, March. And here you said you weren't jealous."
Seitenshi: "Hahaha!"
March: "Can someone please explain what's going on?! (Frustrated)"
Huaizhu: "This happened before you joined, March..."
And just like that, the conversation in the group chat veered off in a different direction.
Since Yuki had already decided to drop by, he didn't linger at Artemisia's place. He bid her farewell and left the Infinity Corporation building.
After taking just a few steps outside, he focused his will—a Starry Portal enveloped him, and he vanished from the Date A Live world.
Teyvat, Inazuma City, Tenshukaku.
Seated inside the grand hall, Ei saw Yuki's message saying he was on his way and immediately began preparing to receive him.
"All of you, leave." She dismissed everyone else in the hall, leaving only herself behind.
The guards, receiving orders from their Archon, quickly filed out. They had no idea why she had suddenly given such an order, but as guardians of Tenshukaku, their duty was simply to obey.
Meanwhile, just outside Tenshukaku, off a fork in the road leading directly to the palace, stood a mansion.
While smaller than Tenshukaku, it was still spacious and grand. Inside, a middle-aged man was receiving a guest.
The guest was draped in a cloak, but through gaps in the fabric, one could glimpse snowflake patterns on their clothing.
"How are things progressing on Watatsumi Island?" the cloaked figure spoke in a low, raspy voice.
"Quite well. But the shrine maiden on that island is proving to be troublesome." The middle-aged man nodded slowly, a trace of concern in his tone.
"You don't need to worry about that. Leave the rest to us." The cloaked figure sneered, whether at the middle-aged man, the people of Watatsumi Island, or all of Inazuma itself was unclear.