Although the slaying of the demon god had come to an end, the cleanup of remaining monsters outside Inazuma City was still ongoing. Reconstruction efforts, led by the Yashiro Commission, were also proceeding in an orderly manner.
Rover stood on the beach, while Changli, still holding that paper umbrella, smiled at him. The gentle sea breeze caused her hair to sway lightly.
"This journey was certainly not in vain, Rover. I will wait for you—until we finish that unfinished game of weiqi."
Rover nodded. Changli then seemed to remember something and turned her gaze toward Yae Miko, who had been watching the scene unfold.
Yae Miko noticed her glance.
"Since the fox lady enjoys novels, I happened to collect an interesting one in my spare time."
Changli took out a thin novel. Yae Miko raised an eyebrow and accepted it.
"My, Changli, how thoughtful of you. Coincidentally, I also have a gift. I wonder if a weiqi manual from another world might be of use to you?"
The two exchanged gifts. Finally, Changli gave Rover one last deep look before stepping straight into the spatial rift.
After seeing Changli off, Rover prepared to leave, but in the next moment, Yae Miko blocked his path, a trace of confusion on her face.
"What is it?"
Rover watched as Yae Miko held up the novel Changli had given her. When he saw the title, his expression turned extremely odd.
"I don't quite understand the name of this novel. What exactly is a 'Magistrate' in The Tyrannical Magistrate Falls in Love with Me?"
Rover's lips twitched uncontrollably before he finally couldn't hold back.
"Uh... it refers to someone who governs a region."
Yae Miko raised an eyebrow. By Teyvat's standards, wouldn't that be something like The Tyrannical Shogun Falls in Love with Me?
At this thought, Yae Miko couldn't help but chuckle.
...
By the time they reached the shrine, Kamisato Ayato was already waiting at the entrance.
"The two from the Fatui have been waiting inside for quite some time."
Yae Miko nodded, playfully twirling the Electro Archon's Gnosis in her hand.
Aether, seeing this, recalled past events and asked uncertainly,
"Are you planning to hand over the Gnosis?"
Yae Miko, hearing this, patiently explained to him.
"To be precise, it's a transaction. The terms involve evidence of the Tenryou Commission and Kanjou Commission's illegal activities over the years. After all, the first step to changing Inazuma is to remove these two malignant tumors—publicly, no less, to restore the people's confidence."
Rover grasped Yae Miko's meaning and added,
"So the Fatui already have proof of their crimes?"
Kamisato Ayato, standing at the entrance, shook his head.
"To put it another way, the Fatui have been secretly supporting them all these years. During the Vision Hunt Decree, they wielded absolute power, committing countless acts of corruption and illegality. They never imagined the Fatui would meticulously document every action as evidence—initially to control them better, but now it's become the most lethal weapon for their judgment."
Aether, remembering his experiences on Ritou, nodded in agreement.
Yes, they deserved severe punishment.
Yae Miko sighed leisurely and remarked offhandedly,
"Of course, this transaction also requires a credible third-party witness to convince the public. Otherwise, if certain parties decide to renege afterward, there'd be no way to hold them accountable~"
Rover shook his head. Wasn't Aether always the one acting as a witness? He could just leave it to him.
Soon after, Aether and the others entered the shrine, while Rover remained outside, admiring the cherry blossom trees.
"Oh? So you're the so-called hero who rose to fame solely on the so-called 'wishes' of Inazuma. To me, you're nothing more than an actor pushed onto the stage for a performance."
A haughty voice rang out beside Rover. He turned to see a boy wearing a wide-brimmed hat looking at him with disdain.
Rover raised an eyebrow. He seemed to recall seeing this person in Ningguang's intelligence network—the Fatui's Sixth Harbinger, Scaramouche.
"Don't you find yourself ridiculous? A self-proclaimed hero, yet nothing more than a..."
Before Scaramouche could finish, a blur flashed past him. An inexplicable force clamped around his throat, cutting off his breath instantly. His eyes widened as the man before him lifted him effortlessly by the neck.
"...a puppet... that's all..."
Scaramouche gasped desperately, his hands feebly slapping at the unyielding arm holding him.
"Before judging others, take a good look at yourself. The way you are now—pathetic, like a whimpering stray dog barking wildly."
This was the first time Rover had ever acted without hesitation. No matter which nation he visited, he was always treated with respect. Who did this brat think he was?
Rover's expression remained cold as he tightened his grip. Scaramouche's face turned red, his eyes filled with terror.
"I hope your strength matches the hardness of your tongue."
With a flick of his wrist, Rover sent Scaramouche flying like a broken kite into a nearby wall.
"How dare you—"
Before he could finish, Scaramouche felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down in shock to see a blade pinning him to the wall.
Rover didn't even look angry—just indifferent. He stepped forward, gripped the hilt, and slowly twisted it.
The sound of tearing flesh was unmistakable. Scaramouche's entire body trembled as agony wracked his nerves.
"AAAH! You're dead!"
Scaramouche's Delusion flared to life, unleashing a tempest of wind from his body.
Aether, who had just stepped out after witnessing the meeting, was caught off guard by the sudden gale and sent crashing into a pillar. Darkness overtook him as he lost consciousness.
Rover made no move to stop Scaramouche from going all out. He wanted to see just what made this Harbinger so arrogant.
"Is this your so-called pride? In my eyes, even trash is stronger than you. Hell, even your mouth is more impressive."
Rover dusted off his clothes, looking at Scaramouche with contempt before twisting the blade again, prolonging the torment.
"Signora! H-Help me!"
Scaramouche desperately called out to the woman who had just stepped outside, but to his shock, she walked past without even glancing his way.
"Another fool. I warned you before—some people are not to be trifled with. Hmph, you'll bear the consequences yourself."
Yae Miko, clearly aware of the situation, added with a smile,
"Rover is an honored guest of Inazuma. So even if you die here, the most we can do is offer a eulogy."
At this point, Scaramouche fully understood his predicament. Despair filled his eyes as Rover looked at him with amusement.
"Fine. If you sincerely apologize to me, I'll let you go."
Yes, forcing this brat to say those words would be more painful than killing him.
"You... bastard—"
SMACK!
Scaramouche froze, his face burning from the slap. He had actually been struck!
Signora rubbed her palm and said lazily,
"I'd rather not hold a funeral for a Harbinger during my trip to Inazuma. Choose your words carefully."
She gave Scaramouche a pointed look before putting her gloves back on.
"...S-Sorry..."
Scaramouche turned his head away, gritting his teeth as he forced out the words, his voice barely above a whisper.
Rover shrugged.
"I didn't hear that."
Scaramouche instinctively tried to retort.
"Don't push your—"
SMACK!
Signora, now visibly angry, delivered another slap—this one even sharper.
"You want to die, but I don't. If he decides to kill us both in a rage, you'd better have a backup plan to retrieve the Gnosis!"
Her tone was cold. She had warned this insolent brat too many times. In Mondstadt, she had barely escaped by luck. In Liyue, she had been protected by a contract. But this time, she saw things clearly—if this man was provoked, her death would be swift and brutal.
"...I'm... sorry..."
Scaramouche's words were still fragmented, but the defiance was gone from his eyes, replaced only by emptiness.
Satisfied, Rover pulled the blade free and kicked Scaramouche toward Signora.
The Harbinger tumbled several times before landing at her feet.
"Take your dog and get lost."
Rover sheathed his weapon. Clutching his chest, Scaramouche scrambled away like a beaten stray, disappearing from sight alongside La Signora.
"Where's Aether?"
Rover frowned. None of the onlookers seemed to have seen him.
Yae Miko pointed leisurely behind them.
"The little one accidentally bumped his head on a pillar and passed out."
....