"Boom—!"
Arataki Itto felt a surge of hot blood rush to his head, and his vision even blurred for a moment.
All hesitation, fear, and worry were completely burned to ashes at this moment!
He suddenly sprang up from his chair; because the movement was too large, he knocked over the chair behind him, letting out a loud "clatter."
But he was completely oblivious.
Arataki Itto stepped forward, and his large, fan-like hand unhesitatingly grasped King's outstretched hand!
The force was startlingly strong, as if he were pouring all his determination and loyalty into it.
He held his head high, his crimson eyes Burning with an unprecedented fire, and with all his strength, he roared out the phrase he had rehearsed countless times in his heart:
"Why wouldn't I dare?!"
"Arataki Itto—"
"Wishes to offer his loyalty to Lord King!!!"
The roar made the cabin hum, and several seabirds outside the window were startled into flight.
Everyone's eardrums buzzed from this sudden loud voice, and they instinctively covered their ears.
Arataki Itto also realized he was too excited, so he quickly apologized, scratching his head and giggling foolishly.
"Sorry, sorry, I'm just too excited."
Just then, Dainsleif, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, put down his soup bowl and asked:
"Mr. King, when do we set off for Fontaine?"
His question drew everyone's attention back from Arataki Itto.
King pondered for a moment.
The purge in Inazuma had just been completed, relief supplies were being distributed, and the framework for the Ritou Cooperation Zone had just been finalized; some time was needed to observe if the initial operations were smooth.
Moreover, Aeval and Itto also needed some time to adapt.
"In three days," King made a decision. "We return to Fontaine in three days."
This timing wasn't too rushed.
Everyone nodded one after another, starting to calculate what else they needed to pack or settle.
However, just then—
Raiden Ei, who had been sitting quietly by the porthole eating Ochazuke in small bites, suddenly put down her chopsticks.
She raised those purple eyes, looked at King, and nodded very solemnly:
"Mhm, I understand."
She stood up; although the cracks on her puppet body made her movements slightly stiff, she still tried to straighten her back, speaking in a tone as if preparing to head to a battlefield:
"I will handle the handover within these three days, and then go to Fontaine with you."
The cabin fell silent instantly.
Everyone was stunned, turning their heads in unison to look at Raiden Ei, their faces full of question marks.
Paimon even floated in the air, his little head tilted with a face full of confusion: "Huh? Ei, what are you going to Fontaine for? For a vacation? But doesn't Inazuma need you right now?"
The spoon in Yae Miko's hand fell into the bowl with a "clatter," splashing a few drops of soup.
She slowly and extremely stiffly turned her head to look at her own serious, foolish deity.
Her pink fox ears first perked up, then bit by bit, drooped down, finally sticking to her hair completely listlessly.
She raised a hand, covered her face, and let out a near-desperate groan from between her fingers:
"Ugh..."
This idiot, she actually still remembers that?!
Raiden Ei was also a bit bewildered by everyone's questioning; she blinked those eyes that were clear and (scratch that) pure, and answered as a matter of course:
"To stand trial, of course."
"Isn't that why King came? Crossing the ocean to hold Inazuma accountable, to take me back to Fontaine's Opera Epiclese for a public trial."
She paused, even nodding as if to affirm herself, her eyes carrying a resolve of 'I've finally figured it out':
"Although there were some twists and turns in the process, this matter arose from my lack of strict governance; I indeed have the crime of dereliction of duty."
"Now that Inazuma's affairs are properly arranged, I am willing to go and be judged."
"This is the responsibility I should take as the God of Inazuma."
After Raiden Ei finished speaking, she even clenched her fist to cheer herself up.
Everyone: "..."
Paimon's mouth hung open, his starry eyes wide and round.
Lumine's mouth twitched, and she held her forehead.
Clorinde and Lynette were expressionless, but a subtle light flashed in their eyes simultaneously: 'This Raiden Shogun's train of thought is indeed unique.'
Zhongli's hand holding the teacup stopped in mid-air, a trace of extremely complex emotion flickering in his golden eyes—
There was helplessness, and there was sympathy.
Baal, your sister... seems a bit dim-witted.
He silently took a sip of tea to calm his nerves.
Arataki Itto scratched his spiky head, looked at Raiden Ei, then at King, and whispered to Kuki Shinobu beside him: "A-Nin, is The Shogun... a bit... here..."
He secretly pointed to his temple.
Kuki Shinobu stepped hard on his foot, warning him to shut up with her eyes, but she couldn't help but complain in her heart too.
King looked at Raiden Ei's serious expression of "I admit my guilt and am very cooperative," then looked at the nearly collapsing Yae Miko and the colorful expressions of everyone around, and shook his head helplessly.
"Since you've realized your mistake and corrected it, let's settle this matter simply."
"You only need to issue a formal announcement in the name of Inazuma's Archon, explaining the situation to all of Teyvat, offering a sincere apology to Fontaine, and promising that such incidents will never happen again. That will be enough."
That simple?
Raiden Ei blinked, seemingly a bit surprised.
She thought for a moment and nodded: "Alright, I will have someone draft the announcement immediately."
But then, she looked up again, a hint of curiosity and persistence flashing in her purple eyes: "However, I still want to go to Fontaine."
"Hmm?" King was a bit surprised.
"I want to see," Raiden Ei said seriously, "what the nation you are willing to protect actually looks like."
"Perhaps... I can learn something from it."
King pondered slightly and nodded: "Fine."
"Really? That's great!"
Raiden Ei's eyes lit up slightly; although there was still no expression on her face, her happiness could be felt.
"Wait! I'm going too!"
Yae Miko immediately raised her hand, her large pink tail wagging pleasingly at King, a sweet smile plastered on her face: "It would be so inconvenient for Ei to go alone! I can take care of her! Besides, I've researched the cultures of various nations; I'll definitely be able to help!"
However, just as she finished speaking—
"Lady Guuji Yae, please stay behind."
Kamisato Ayato's elegant voice rang out, carrying an impeccable smile, yet his eyes were meaningful.
He took a step forward, seemingly respectful but actually unobtrusively blocking Yae Miko's line of sight toward King.
"Lady Guuji, I'm afraid you cannot leave Inazuma."
"Oh? And why does the Head of the Kamisato Clan say that?"
Yae Miko's brow arched, her fox-like eyes narrowing slightly.
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