Chapter 252: Standing Guard: The Fox's Chain, Link by Link
Kano Nana was a peculiar figure, belonging both to the Shogunate and Grand Narukami Shrine.
Unlike most of her comrades, who dealt in blades and blood, her role was more domestic—supervising and, more often than not, looking after a certain tiny ninja.
That ninja being, of course, Sayu.
Raised under the Shuumatsuban from childhood, Sayu's loyalty to the organization was unquestionable. Unfortunately, her love for laziness was even stronger.
In the past, Nana had managed well enough, thanks to years of experience wrangling her and a handful of tricks borrowed from fellow operatives. She could usually sniff out Sayu's hiding places.
But ever since her last mission, the girl had grown far more cunning. Even Nana now struggled to keep track of her.
And the strangest thing—Sayu no longer curled up inside barrels or tanuki plushies to sleep. Instead, she had hammered a wooden peg into the wall and… hung herself there.
The first time Nana saw it, her heart nearly stopped.
For one horrifying instant, she thought the child had given in to despair and taken her own life.
Today, as always, Sayu had gone through her training (read: slacking). When it was done, she happened to bump into a few Shogunate operatives returning via the mountain shortcut.
Nana hadn't heard what they said to her. But suddenly, the usually listless Sayu's eyes snapped open wide.
By the heavens and earth—Nana had known this child for so long, and never once had she seen Sayu's eyes open that wide.
And then—she was gone.
Not slipped away with her usual Fuuin Dash, darting out of sight before vanishing with ninjutsu.
No. This time, she had disappeared right before Nana's eyes.
Such a feat was said to be possible only for the rarest few among the Mujina style. Even then, they needed props—falling leaves, drifting paper, a tumbling kite—to mask their disappearance.
To vanish into thin air, without even a veil, required both a Vision's blessing… and half a lifetime of grueling practice.
What had this child stumbled upon, to suddenly awaken such potential?
"Excuse me… you're Miss Kano Nana, aren't you?"
The voice was gentle, slightly shy. It carried the warmth of early spring, enough to send a tingle down her spine.
Even Nana—whose face was usually as severe as stone—found herself smiling before she could help it.
But then she saw the man's silhouette.
Her smile froze.
Unlike the shrine maidens, Nana's dual role in the Shuumatsuban meant she knew all too well just how terrifying this seemingly ordinary, bookish young man really was.
His title alone—Fatui Harbinger—was enough to make him an honored guest in any nation's court.
And beyond that title lay raw strength. Even the Shogunate's commissioners feared him.
Now she understood why Sayu had hidden. After all, this was the man who had once tormented the poor child for so long that she had been left with deep scars. So deep she could no longer carry out missions, reduced to drifting aimlessly about Grand Narukami Shrine, tended daily by the gentle shrine maidens.
Compared to her unease, Bai Luo's mood was positively buoyant.
As had been said before: never underestimate even his smallest gestures.
Every little move could be a thread in the web of his greater designs.
Take today, for instance.
All along his climb up the mountain—whether in front of Miyuki or before that red fox—he had deliberately, almost carelessly, let slip one thing:
That he intended to gift a Sunsetia to Yae Miko.
And even though she had sought to delay him, planting obstacles to slow his ascent, he had readily played along, bantering with Miyuki and lingering just enough to ease the Guuji's vigilance.
One chain, linked to another.
Perhaps such tactics cost him pieces of valuable intelligence.
But to Bai Luo, the process was more enjoyable than the outcome itself.
Like savoring the process of making Yae Miko choke on her pride.
As long as their attention stayed fixed on the Sunsetia, no one would pay much heed to his real trick—the bookmark.
And at present, the wretched fox had yet to unravel the poem's true meaning.
Granted, that was more because she couldn't read his Liyue script. But results were what mattered.
These uncultured Teyvat people…!
This was art!
Had they never heard of cursive script? Of calligraphy?
Ignorant fools!
At least the pink-furred fox had not only kept his bookmark but even seemed pleased with it.
That, more than forcing her to eat a Sunsetia, filled him with satisfaction.
After all, their clashes had always ended in stalemates, never a decisive victory for either side.
Even that time at the hot spring, when it seemed he had the upper hand… hadn't he, upon reflection, been played right into her trap?
But this time—this time he had crushed her, fair and square.
So what if he relied on cursive script? That, too, was part of his strength.
He could hardly wait for the day Yae Miko finally deciphered the poem's true meaning… to see what kind of face she would make.
"Excuse me, sir. What business do you have? If it's a fortune slip you want, please see Lady Gendou. I don't handle that side of things."
Kano Nana's professionalism as a shrine maiden, combined with the training of the Shuumatsuban, made her acting second only to Yae Miko, who had centuries of experience to her name.
Even before such a terrifying figure, she could keep her voice calm, her expression serene, betraying not a flicker of tension.
"I've just come from Guuji herself," Bai Luo said smoothly, "to borrow Miss Nana's… little tanuki."
The words dripped with ambiguity, phrased as though he had Yae Miko's personal blessing.
In truth, she had said nothing of the sort—only that he should deal with Nana himself.
"My apologies. That child's been missing since morning. I'm still searching for her myself. If you wish her assistance… perhaps wait until I find her, and I'll send word to you?"
It was no accident that she held dual posts in both Shuumatsuban and shrine. Nana was far sharper than Bai Luo gave her credit for.
She saw through his little ploys with ease.
But she was no Yae Miko.
Were it the Guuji, she would have teased out every possible nuance in Bai Luo's phrasing, carefully laid out a range of responses, and selected the most fitting one.
For Bai Luo's words were like a chain binding a fox—link after link, leaving no gaps.
And just like now, if Nana truly grasped his aim, she would invent some excuse to reject him outright.
But by claiming Sayu was "missing," she had already stepped into his snare.
"In that case… if I can find her, you'll let me borrow her?" Bai Luo asked, following up immediately.
"Of course. But that child's ninjutsu is rather unique. For you to locate her would be—"
Thwip!
Before she could even finish, Bai Luo had drawn his dagger and hurled it into the branches of the Sacred Sakura.
Hiss—
Steel wires sang as they wrapped deftly around something hidden.
With a tug, Bai Luo yanked, and from the branches dangled a limp little tanuki, swaying upside down, her eyes full of despair.
Kano Nana: "…"
Would it have killed you to at least let me finish my sentence first?!
. . . . .
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