Raiden Ei's answer left Lin Ze completely stunned.
*How could she be so straightforward?*
"Mr. Lin Ze is an extraordinary individual and a formidable warrior. I currently have a request for him, so I am answering all his questions truthfully. Is there anything inappropriate about that?"
Noticing Lin Ze's bewildered gaze, Raiden Ei turned to Yae Miko and addressed her directly.
She wasn't trying to reprimand Yae Miko; she simply lacked the cunning for such maneuvers.
As a Shadow Warrior, Raiden Ei excelled in combat and martial arts. But when it came to political maneuvering and scheming, she possessed absolutely no talent.
She genuinely wasn't trying to reprimand Yae Miko. Instead, she was genuinely asking if her approach was inappropriate.
"Shadow, you're... *sigh~*"
Yae Miko sighed helplessly at Raiden Ei's behavior, shaking her head, unsure how to properly address her.
Yae Miko's reaction was merely one of exasperation, but Raiden Ei interpreted it as Yae Miko trying to hint at something.
But she was a warrior, ill-suited for such convoluted schemes. Moreover, she had resolved to face Lin Ze with complete honesty, withholding nothing, in the hopes of earning his guidance.
She blurted out bluntly, "If there's something wrong, just say it. Why are you shaking your head?"
"Mr. Lin Ze, please forgive my amusement. I'm sure you're already aware.
My Shadow... she used to be just a Shadow Warrior. All political affairs were handled by the True Princess.
Though Shadow has now become the Raiden Shogun, her warrior's nature hasn't changed."
Yae Miko, unwilling to engage with Raiden Ei, decided to take the initiative and speak directly to Lin Ze, while simultaneously salvaging Raiden Ei's dignity.
"I was aware of that, but I never imagined Shadow could be this... straightforward," Lin Ze replied, his lips twitching twice as he regained his composure and muttered under his breath.
*This isn't just straightforward—it's downright naive!*
*No wonder she came with Yae Miko. Without her, Raiden Ei would probably sell herself out.*
"Never mind. Have some sweets while I chat with Yae Miko."
After a moment's thought, Lin Ze handed the dessert to Raiden Ei, then turned to face Yae Miko.
Raiden Ei accepted the treat without hesitation, her sincerity unwavering. She took it and began eating immediately, without a trace of suspicion.
The reason was simple: Lin Ze had told her to eat the dessert first. To demonstrate her sincerity and resolve, she simply complied.
She ate in complete silence.
"Ei..."
Yae Miko felt her composure crumbling. Where had her Shadow gone? Had anyone seen her?
Who was this embarrassing creature beside her? How had it even gotten into the Plane of Euthymia?
She couldn't recall her Shadow ever being this... naive.
Had she been struck by some kind of intelligence-draining aura?
"Ahem, I'm aware of Raiden Ei's situation to some extent. As her familiar, you undoubtedly understand her better than I do," Lin Ze said slowly, glancing at Raiden Ei before turning back to Yae Miko. "Let's set aside this topic for now and discuss the purpose of your visit."
To be honest, Raiden Ei looked quite pleasing to the eye as she quietly ate.
"?"
Noticing Lin Ze suddenly staring at her, Raiden Ei tilted her head in confusion, her bewildered gaze meeting his. Yet she continued eating without pausing.
Lin Ze had told her to eat the desserts first.
It was a simple request, and he hadn't been teasing her. To show her sincerity, she had complied. What was the problem?
Why was Lin Ze staring at her so intently?
"Sigh~
Why are you so quiet again?" Yae Miko sighed.
Lin Ze simply found Shadow's silent, focused eating to be aesthetically pleasing.
Yae Miko, however, tried to interpret Lin Ze's intentions based on his actions.
*He wants me to start the conversation, explain our purpose, and smoothly transition Raiden Ei into the discussion.*
But now Raiden Ei had fallen silent again.
*Where's the chatterbox who just sold me out?!*
"It's nothing. Let's just talk. I just think Shadow looks quite pleasing to the eye when she's eating so quietly."
"Can I take a picture?"
Lin Ze hurriedly waved his hand, offered a brief explanation, and pulled out his phone.
Seeing this, Shadow nodded. A couple of photos were no big deal.
Yae Miko sighed inwardly. *How did my Shadow become so naive?*
*I really can't let her stay cooped up in the Plane of Euthymia any longer.*
*Has she forgotten how to interact with people?*
*And now Lin Ze's getting a free photo out of her!*
*If it were me, even though a single photo is nothing and we can't afford to offend Lin Ze, I'd definitely try to squeeze something out of him in return.*
*But...*
"Oh my~ Mr. Lin Ze, could it be you've taken a fancy to my Shadow?"
A knowing smile suddenly bloomed on Yae Miko's face as she began to probe.
Lin Ze had said he found Shadow's quiet eating to be pleasing to the eye.
*Could this mean I have a chance to lure him back to Inazuma?*
*Besides, Lin Ze is handsome and powerful, even if his personality is a bit enigmatic.*
*If he and Shadow were to become a couple, perhaps he could influence her, helping her grow even more?*
*That would be wonderful!*
"Taken a fancy? Hmm, I wouldn't put it that way. I admire her—yes, that's it, just admiration."
"Have you fallen for Shadow?" Lin Ze wondered if he had. His feelings for Shadow were similar to how he felt about Hu Tao and the others.
It was a strange sensation to suddenly see his virtual wives from the game become real, tangible beings standing before him. How could he describe it? It was...微妙.
"Appreciating? I think you're just drooling over my Shadow. You... *cough cough*... you're being honest."
Yae Miko shot Lin Ze a "you're kidding yourself" look. Ever the mischievous one, she blurted out a meme she'd learned, but quickly caught herself and changed her words.
Too late. Lin Ze had already caught the original meaning.
Still, he didn't mind. In this situation, Yae Miko still managed to joke with him, which only made Lin Ze feel happy and relieved.
"Exactly, I'm being honest. But not *that* honest. No one's ever asked me something like this before, and I've never written about it in my diary."
"In short, my feelings for you all are... strange, aren't they? Come to think of it, we're like familiar strangers, aren't we?"
Lin Ze was being quite honest, answering every question directly, though at least he wasn't as naive as Shadow.
However, his answer made Raiden Ei's eyes light up.
In her eyes, Lin Ze was just like her—speaking his mind without hesitation.
Now, Raiden Ei began to see Lin Ze as one of her own kind.
...........
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