Raiden Makoto received Ningguang's letter as well.
She responded almost immediately.
There was no way Inazuma was going to fall behind.
"Miko, if I remember correctly..."
"...you're the deputy director of the space station, aren't you?"
Inazuma was severely lacking in talented personnel.
It wasn't easy to completely reorganize the government overnight.
Finding capable people to fill administrative positions was an enormous challenge.
At a time like this, someone who could wear multiple hats was invaluable.
The moment Yae Miko heard that, she had a very bad feeling.
"...Don't tell me you're about to make me work."
"When something good comes up, nobody thinks of me."
"But the moment there's work to do, I'm the first one you call?"
She was unwilling a thousand times over.
Makoto wasn't Ei.
If Makoto assigned her a job, it was guaranteed to be troublesome.
"Please bear with it."
"Inazuma is desperately short on capable people right now."
"I have no choice but to rely on you."
Unlike Liyue, Inazuma didn't have a governing body like the Qixing.
Its administration was divided among the Three Commissions.
The Tenryou Commission had only recently been thoroughly cleaned out.
The Kanjou Commission hadn't been purged, but its foundations weren't exactly spotless either.
The only one still in decent shape was the Yashiro Commission.
Unfortunately, the Yashiro Commission simply lacked manpower.
Only the Kamisato siblings were truly dependable.
But Ayaka's position was unique, while Ayato already had his hands full managing the entire commission.
Makoto really had no better option.
"But Lady Saiguu has returned too."
"She's every bit as clever as I am."
The thought of herself working tirelessly while Kitsune Saiguu enjoyed herself
was almost unbearable.
She'd spent centuries working nonstop.
When her senior finally returned, she'd thought life would become easier.
Instead, it looked as though she'd end up even busier than before.
"Miko..."
"You don't want Inazuma to lose the hard-earned opportunities we've finally gained..."
"...just because you're too lazy, do you?"
Yae Miko: "..."
As expected of Makoto.
That really is the Inazuman style.
She'd effortlessly turned this into moral blackmail.
"...Sigh."
"What can I even say?"
"You're the Raiden Shogun."
"I suppose I'll just have to do as you ask."
Yae Miko gave up resisting.
Not that resisting would've accomplished much.
When Makoto genuinely asked for something, how could she refuse so easily?
If she declined now, that country bumpkin of a younger sister would probably show up with a sword in the next second.
"Please."
"I'll let you go before Ei next time."
Makoto clasped her hands together, looking at Miko with sincere gratitude.
"You really are Ei's wonderful big sister."
Yae Miko was completely defeated.
It didn't really matter.
As long as she was ahead of Ei, she was satisfied.
They were all family anyway.
As long as Lady Saiguu ended up behind her, everything was fine.
Turning around, Miko departed, preparing to board a ship bound for Liyue.
Mt. Yougou had become much livelier lately.
Even Makoto rarely enjoyed a quiet moment anymore.
She looked toward the courtyard, where a young woman was diligently practicing her swordsmanship.
After many days of Jingliu's rigorous instruction,
Ayaka's swordsmanship had improved tremendously.
Her confidence had grown accordingly.
Meanwhile, Su Ran had disappeared somewhere together with Chiyo.
No one had seen them for days.
No one knew just how much he'd taught her.
According to Jingliu's own judgment, however, there shouldn't have been much time to teach anything substantial.
Then, she suddenly sensed a familiar aura.
Her gaze shifted
to the returning Chiyo.
"...Your bearing has changed considerably."
"It seems your master taught you quite a bit."
Jingliu frowned.
Compared to just a few days ago, Chiyo's entire presence had transformed.
Her temperament alone was noticeably different.
"...How strange."
Looking at Chiyo, Jingliu experienced an odd sensation.
"...Are you..."
"...really someone from this world?"
She couldn't shake the feeling that she'd seen Chiyo somewhere before.
But when?
"When exactly was it?"
"Naturally."
"Is there some problem with that?"
Having experienced Jingliu's entire life within the Simulated Universe,
Chiyo had gained an exceptionally deep understanding of her swordsmanship.
She still couldn't surpass Jingliu herself.
But in terms of pure technique, she had already come remarkably close.
"...I can't help feeling..."
"...that I've met you somewhere before."
The strange feeling refused to leave Jingliu's mind.
She was certain she had seen Chiyo before.
And not recently—hundreds of years ago.
Yet...
she couldn't remember where.
"...I see."
Chiyo suddenly formed a hypothesis.
After all, this had been one of the Genius's experiments—territory far beyond ordinary understanding.
If it had somehow produced echoes in reality, that wasn't impossible.
"So..."
"Have we actually met before?"
Jingliu asked.
"Never."
"The farthest I've ever traveled from Inazuma..."
"...is Su Ran's space station."
The Simulated Universe was only a simulation.
Even if one of Su Ran's experiments had briefly affected reality, it couldn't change the fact that everything Chiyo experienced
had occurred only within the simulation.
She had never altered real history.
"...Then perhaps..."
"...it was only my imagination."
Jingliu still couldn't shake the lingering doubt.
Although she had lived for over a thousand years, her memory remained sharp.
She was certain they had never truly met.
"So..."
"How much did he teach you?"
Crossing her arms, Jingliu asked with obvious interest.
Since Su Ran still hadn't shown himself, he had probably wandered off somewhere else to have fun again.
"...Everything, I suppose."
By "everything,"
Chiyo meant all of Jingliu's swordsmanship.
She answered honestly.
The moment Ayaka heard that, her movements faltered.
Her sword slipped from her hands and clattered onto the ground.
"...Far too careless."
"We'll be increasing your training tomorrow."
Jingliu immediately reprimanded her.
"...Yes..."
Ayaka quietly accepted her fate.
She had long since abandoned any hope.
How could she possibly have underestimated Lord Su Ran's talent?
If he wanted someone to master something, they simply mastered it.
If only...
our teachers had been switched from the beginning...
"...Interesting."
"You're even more audacious than a certain little fellow I've met."
Jingliu genuinely admired Chiyo's confidence.
This was someone who boldly claimed to have learned every one of her techniques.
She had far more courage than Jing Yuan's young disciple.
"So..."
"Would you care for a duel?"
Chiyo looked at Jingliu, her eyes burning with fighting spirit.
Inside the Simulated Universe, she'd never had the chance to truly cross swords with her.
But now, in reality, she finally could.
"No."
"You're not my opponent."
"If you wish to make me draw my sword..."
"...you should first defeat her."
Jingliu pointed toward Ayaka.
"...Very well."
"Once I defeat her..."
"...I'll formally challenge you to a duel."
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