As Yuuko pondered, he suddenly realized it was getting late, so he said:
"Oh right, it's getting late. I need to buy ingredients for lunch. Chief Editor Yae, will you be staying here for lunch?"
Hearing this, Yae Miko's expression first showed joy.
Then she fell into a struggle.
After a period of internal struggle, she finally sighed:
"No need, I still have to receive an important guest later..."
"An important guest? Is Chief Editor Yae that busy?"
Yae Miko spread her hands helplessly:
"Isn't that right? After Ei disappeared, many matters in Inazuma have to be handled by me and the heads of the Three Commissions, don't they?"
"That's true." Yuuko nodded, not pressing further.
"Well then, I won't disturb you, Little Qian. I should head back to the shrine." With that, Yae Miko stood up, intending to leave.
"Chief Editor Yae, please take care."
And so, Yae Miko left.
Yuuko returned to the main hall, his brows furrowed, once again lost in thought:
"Ei said she was going to settle things with the Shogun. Could she be fighting the Shogun right now?"
"But isn't the Shogun a puppet she created? Why would she fight her own puppet...?"
"Forget it, I should go investigate. If Ei isn't in Inazuma, sooner or later, a huge mess will break out."
The period of Raiden Ei's disappearance is still short, so the impact on Inazuma is not yet significant.
If she continues to be absent, one day Inazuma will become a place of widespread panic.
This situation must absolutely be avoided.
Thinking this, Yuuko also walked out of the house... Narukami Island, Mt. Yougou, Grand Narukami Shrine.
Upon returning to the shrine, Yae Miko immediately ordered the shrine maidens to clear out all guests visiting the shrine.
She also had all the shrine maidens leave the shrine.
This was all to welcome an important guest who would arrive later.
The shrine maidens were puzzled by Yae Miko's arrangements, but since it was the chief priestess's instruction, they complied.
After the shrine maidens and guests had left, only Yae Miko remained in the shrine.
Yae Miko sat beneath the sacred sakura tree, leaning against the railing, resting with her eyes closed.
After a long while, she finally opened her eyes, stood up, and walked outside.
She walked to the main gate of the shrine.
She gazed directly at the shrine's entrance.
At this moment, a light blue figure ascended the long staircase, arriving before the shrine's main gate.
It was a woman of remarkable temperament.
The woman exuded an aura of nobility and coldness.
Seeing the woman approach, Yae Miko's brows furrowed slightly, but her tone was still polite:
"Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya, it is an honor for you to grace this humble shrine. I apologize for the lack of proper hospitality."
The Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya, smiled faintly: "No matter. Also, are you Beelzebul's familiar?"
Yae Miko fell silent, not answering the question, but instead asked:
"I heard you wish to establish a mutually beneficial cooperation with Inazuma, but shouldn't such matters be discussed with the Three Commissions?"
The Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya, chuckled:
"I am not interested in those common mortals, and regarding the cooperation, I do not intend to discuss it with you."
Hearing this, Yae Miko's brows furrowed again:
"What do you mean by this?"
The Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya, smiled:
"Beelzebul's familiar, aren't you curious why Beelzebul has been missing for so long, and hasn't appeared for such a long time?"
"You..." Yae Miko's expression instantly turned serious, and she began to regard the Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya, warily.
Noticing Yae Miko's hostility, the Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya, smiled:
"Don't worry, I'm here to seek cooperation, so I'm also here to help Beelzebul."
"By the way, when the Abyssal Monsters attacked your Inazuma before, it was also my intervention that drove them away."
Hearing this, Yae Miko fell silent. After a long while, she looked at the Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya:
"I don't understand, what is it that makes you help Inazuma so much? Both now, and during the Abyssal Monsters' attack...?"
Regarding the sudden retreat of the Abyssal Monsters some time ago,
Yae Miko had always been very puzzled. In her opinion, those Abyssal Monsters seemed to have been coerced midway.
That's why they suddenly retreated.
But Yae Miko couldn't figure out what had coerced the Abyss.
At this moment, hearing the Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya, say this, she instantly understood.
However, Yae Miko still didn't understand.
What was the reason for the Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya's extensive help to Inazuma?
Although there was no deep hatred between the two nations, they were certainly not friendly either.
Facing this question, the Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya, replied:
"It's not important why I do what I do; what's important is that to achieve my goal, I must help Inazuma."
Yae Miko fell silent again, looking at the arrogant and imperious Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya before her.
After a long while, she tentatively spoke:
"Are you... afraid of something?"
As soon as these words were uttered, the smile on the Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya's face instantly froze.
A fleeting look of fear flashed in her eyes.
Even though she quickly regained her composure, Yae Miko still caught this change.
Observing the Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya's momentary change in expression, Yae Miko fell into thought and understood something.
The Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya's extensive help to Inazuma clearly stemmed from fear of something.
Just as Yae Miko was still thinking, the Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya, spoke with displeasure:
"Beelzebul's familiar, was your recent remark a provocation to me?"
The entire shrine was instantly covered in a chilling aura, biting cold.
This caused Yae Miko's expression to change slightly. She quickly retreated a few steps and hastily bowed, saying:
"My apologies! That was my slip of the tongue just now, but there was absolutely no intention to offend. If I have offended you, I will offer appropriate compensation."
As soon as these words were spoken, the chilling aura slowly dissipated.
However, the Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya's expression remained as cold as ever. She snorted, leaving a remark:
"Beelzebul's current situation is not optimistic. As for her whereabouts, I need to make some preparations, and I will come with you tomorrow."
"As for what will ultimately happen to Beelzebul, I cannot guarantee."
With that, the Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya, turned and left the shrine.
It wasn't until the Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya, had departed that Yae Miko's tense heart finally relaxed.
During Raiden Ei's disappearance,
If the Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya, were to truly cause trouble in Inazuma, it would be a very serious matter.
After all, Yae Miko was completely unable to stop this Archon of Snezhnaya.
Yae Miko looked up at the sky and sighed softly:
"Sigh~ It's truly one thing after another. Just give me a break..."
"When Ei is not here, such troublesome figures come knocking..."
"And it seems she even knows Ei's whereabouts..."
"After this, can I only follow her lead...?"
After sighing, Yae Miko fell into deep thought again:
"However, her reaction just now was indeed very subtle."
"What exactly is she afraid of...?"
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