Chapter 246: You'll Get Used to It Eventually
"What are Ayato and that pink-haired fox plotting this time?"
Yae Miko believed her barrier had sealed them off completely, severing all prying eyes and ears.
But she had no idea that under Bai Luo's mark, their location shone clear as day.
He couldn't hear what they were saying, nor could he see what they were doing—
But the fact that those two had chosen to meet in secret, and right now of all times, was enough to catch his attention.
And not just them. Bai Luo was certain that the Scaramouche who had just parted ways with him was also scheming something behind his back. That gaze of his… he hadn't even bothered to hide it.
'Sigh~ Inazuma is nothing but layers of intrigue. Liyue was so much better.'
Should he go back to Liyue?
…Forget it.
If he went back, Childe and Zhongli would probably throw him into a cement vat and sink him to the bottom of Guyun Stone Forest, where he'd end up playing cards with Osial.
Not that he minded the game itself. The problem was that Morax might just toss a salt canister into the sea afterwards—right on top of him. Not the most glorious way to die.
Besides, he'd only just bullied Osial's wife not long ago. Meeting again would be… awkward.
Better to stay in Inazuma for now.
Come to think of it, his relationship with Yae Miko wasn't bad these days.
If he showed up at Grand Narukami Shrine, it wouldn't be too strange, would it?
Might as well pay a visit, and see what the two of them were up to.
And conveniently, Ayato had just left the shrine, lingering halfway down Mt. Yougou.
Perhaps he should…
. . .
After leaving Grand Narukami Shrine, the usual faint smile on Kamisato Ayato's lips was gone.
Even the flowers swaying gently in the breeze struck him as unsettling.
It felt as if someone, or something, was watching him through them.
He sighed silently. Part of him wished the Guuji had never told him any of this. From now on, he doubted he'd sleep soundly for quite some time.
Especially with the thought of the potted plants in his study.
What if his secrets had already been carried off by leaves and blossoms, whispered straight into the ears of the Fatui?
Logically, potted plants not rooted in the earth shouldn't fall under the Ausbilder's authority.
But still… to be safe, he decided he would have them removed.
And the pots in his sister's room as well.
'The road ahead is long…'
He shook his head slowly. But then, at the edge of his vision, a faint glimmer of blue caught his eye.
He halted.
He pulled out the photograph Yae Miko had given him.
The pale-blue wildflower blooming beside the torii gate—it was the very same kind she had described. The flower tied to the Ausbilder's terrifying "authority."
He jotted down the location. Then, with every intention of walking away, he suddenly stopped again.
A thought nagged at him.
Perhaps the Guuji was overthinking this?
This business of plants serving as eyes and ears—that was the domain of Sumeru's little Dendro Archon.
And it was far from certain whether that tiny god could even extend her power all the way to Inazuma.
Even if the Ausbilder had been granted some fragment of divine authority, that didn't mean his ability was limitless. Surely there were restrictions, limitations… flaws.
Ayato crouched down, studying the delicate petals swaying in the wind.
Half to himself, half as a test, he murmured:
"…Ausbilder?"
The breeze stirred, setting the flower bobbing gently. A strand of his hair fell across his cheek, tickled by the wind.
The great Sacred Sakura rustled in the distance, its leaves whispering with a dry sound—as if mocking his attempt.
"…"
Ayato's lips twisted into an embarrassed smile.
Had the Guuji simply been toying with him again?
Maybe the Ausbilder did possess some strange power, but it was hardly as exaggerated as she made it sound.
"…Honestly, that Guuji… and that Ausbilder…"
He shook his head, turning away at last. Time to head down the mountain and assign the Shuumatsuban to handle the matter.
But just as he muttered under his breath, mid-sentence—
That sensation struck again.
The overwhelming feeling of being watched.
And then—
"Gululu…"
Scarlet beast-like pupils shimmered into existence above Kamisato Ayato's head. They shifted, swaying in the air—before locking firmly onto him below.
Shhh—!
A pale-blue radiance bloomed, and Bai Luo stepped out from the void, appearing behind him—landing squarely upon the patch of little flowers Ayato had just been examining.
The soft glow of his quantum energy entwined seamlessly with the bioluminescent petals, the two merging together as they swayed gently in the breeze.
"You called me?"
With his ability active, Bai Luo could faintly hear sounds from this place. And so, Ayato's half-finished mutter had naturally reached his ears.
But to Ayato, it felt very different.
A sudden weight pressed down on his shoulder.
Reflexively, his hand tightened on the hilt of Haran Geppaku Futsu at his waist.
His eyes darted down toward Bai Luo's feet.
"…"
The pale-blue blossoms at Bai Luo's feet trembled, their glow still entangled with the fading shimmer of his quantum aura. It was as though… as though he had walked straight out of the flowers themselves.
The hand gripping his weapon began to tremble. His heartbeat thundered so loudly, even Bai Luo could feel the agitation rolling off him.
"…Are you all right?"
Bai Luo had never truly interacted with Kamisato Ayato before—aside from brief dealings during his maneuverings with the Tri-Commission. At best, the two shared the shallow bond of having once shared a single Sunsetia.
"N-no… nothing. It's just… Ausbilder, your sudden appearance startled me, that's all."
Ayato slid his blade back into its sheath, though the sweat soaking through his clothes betrayed his calm facade.
He could hear him—actually hear his words. And what's more, he had appeared through these flowers?
"Don't worry. You'll get used to it."
To Bai Luo, it was merely a reassurance. As a key figure in the story, Ayato would no doubt be drawn into his theatrics again and again. Better to warn him now than later.
But Ayato heard it differently.
'Get used to it…?'
What exactly did that mean?
His thoughts flicked instantly to the Kamisato estate… to the gardens lush with greenery, to every plant and tree.
"…Lord Ausbilder, my sister awaits me at home. I won't impose on your time here. But should the opportunity arise, I would be honored to invite you to the Kamisato estate."
As expected of the young clan head who, even at his age, carried the Kamisato household on his shoulders. With just a deep breath, his frantic heartbeat slowed. His expression, once rattled, settled back into that polished composure.
Though… if someone were to lift his robes at this moment, they would find his inner garments soaked enough to wring out a bowlful of water.
"Very well. As it happens, I must speak with the Guuji. In a few days I'll be sure to visit. I only hope the Kamisato's hospitality outshines the Kujou's. I have… high expectations."
"…"
Ayato watched silently as Bai Luo strode up the mountain path toward Grand Narukami Shrine.
Only when his figure had vanished did Ayato turn to the attendant at his side.
But this time—he did not dare to speak aloud.
Whether or not plants truly served as the Ausbilder's eyes and ears, one fact was undeniable: he could hear him.
And his servant, sharp enough to understand without words, immediately bowed. Taking a shortcut, he hurried toward Grand Narukami Shrine to deliver the unspoken message.
The Ausbilder's authority… it was far more terrifying than anyone had imagined.
. . . . .
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