Just as the Kamisato siblings were trying to decipher Bai Luo's intentions, Bai Luo was busy trying to figure out what the Kamisato clan was up to.
The loyalty of the Shuumatsuban to the Kamisato house was absolute. While the Fatui had found no opportunity to infiltrate their ranks, that didn't stop them from tracking their movements.
When Bai Luo noticed that the entire Shuumatsuban had been mobilized, even he was startled by the scale of the operation.
However, after reading the report submitted by his subordinates, his expression turned quite strange.
"Has the Shuumatsuban gone mad?"
According to the intelligence, these ninjas were acting like lunatics, searching day and night across Narukami Island for a specific type of flower. Initially, Bai Luo thought they were looking for rare plants like Naku Weed or Amakumo Fruit. At the very least, he expected it to be Dendrobium.
But when a diligent Fatui subordinate presented a sample of the flower they were seeking, Bai Luo was genuinely bewildered.
Isn't this just a damn common wildflower?
Thinking back... when he had teleported to Mount Yougou, weren't there a few of these little flowers near Kamisato Ayato? Could this be what Yae Miko and Ayato were discussing on the mountain?
Looking at the slightly withered blue blossom in his hand, Bai Luo couldn't be certain.
"Send this thing to Watatsumi Island. Let the research department over there have a headache over it." Since he couldn't figure out what it was, he decided to pass the problem to his subordinates.
No matter how wild his imagination was, he never would have guessed that Yae Miko and the others had mistaken these common blue wildflowers for the "medium" of his teleportation.
After making these arrangements, Bai Luo began planning Miss Hina's first "Offline Handshake Event" and prepared for his visit to the Kamisato estate.
The news that the Instructor was going to visit the Kamisato clan spread through the Fatui ranks, causing widespread shock. Was the "slacker" Instructor finally going to do some serious, high-level business?
Although the Fatui had successfully infiltrated Inazuma—controlling both the Tenryou and Kanto Commissions—Bai Luo had virtually nothing to do with those successes.
The Vanguard units had completed those tasks long before his arrival. Only the Yashiro Commission, controlled by the Kamisato siblings, remained impenetrable. To the Fatui members, Bai Luo's visit signaled that their Harbinger was finally moving against the last holdout.
Some members even thought it was a prank, believing the order to be a fabrication. It wasn't until three days later, when three carriages full of gifts rolled out of the suburbs, that they were forced to believe it.
Feeling the bumping of the carriage, Bai Luo found himself missing the comfort of Anemo Slimes. They were slow, but they were stable—you could put a cup of water on a table and it wouldn't spill.
Unfortunately, there were no domesticated Anemo Slimes in Inazuma City, and wild ones would only spook the horses. He was forced to endure the bone-shaking carriage ride all the way to the estate.
After passing through the countless torii gates of Chinju Forest, the scenery suddenly opened up. Kamisato Ayato, who had been notified by his sister, was waiting there with a group of retainers.
The Snezhnayan-style carriage came to a slow halt, and the door creaked open. The Instructor, wearing his bone-white mask, stepped out.
"Lord Commissioner, I trust you have been well."
Bai Luo had decided against wearing the heavy formal regalia, even though the specialized design provided some cooling in the summer heat. In his eyes, wearing such thick clothes in this weather made one look like a "foolish child" in a down jacket.
As the envoy of Snezhnaya, he had compromised by trading his black trench coat for a simplified formal suit. It was still somewhat elaborate, but compared to a Snezhnayan fur coat, it at least looked survivable.
"The Instructor is too kind. Wine and delicacies are already prepared within the estate. Please, come inside so we may talk."
At Ayato's signal, the estate servants took over the gift carriages from the Fatui. As for the accompanying Fatui soldiers, Madarame Hyakubei, the estate's coordinator, would see to their accommodations.
Compared to the Tenryou and Kanto Commissions, the Yashiro Commission clearly knew how to handle high-level social affairs. Etiquette and tradition were observed with far more care here.
The Tenryou Commission's Kujou clan, for instance, would at most book a table at Uyuu Restaurant and call it a day. Usually, when Bai Luo drank with them, they were loud, playing drinking games and cards; with a Harbinger suddenly in their midst, they couldn't relax. That was why Bai Luo always found excuses to skip their invitations.
(Well... if it were a private invitation from Kujou Sara, he wouldn't refuse. Who could resist the lure of her "Southern Hemisphere"?)
After the initial welcome, Bai Luo followed Ayato into the estate. After changing into the wooden clogs provided by the maids, he officially took his seat.
"The wine and food were sourced from the International Trade Association. The wine is Mondstadt's Dandelion Wine, and the dishes are Liyue's Li-style cuisine. I trust they will be to your liking."
Ayato had clearly researched Bai Luo's preferences and background. Back in Liyue, Bai Luo had used Childe's name to eat at Liuli Pavilion several times. The taste might not have been as "down-to-earth" as Wanmin Restaurant, but it certainly had prestige. Hosting friends there was a matter of great face.
Looking at the "Li-style" food on the table, it certainly looked the part. However, it was "similar in form but lacking in soul." It was likely made by a chef who had learned a few tricks in Liyue but got trapped in Inazuma by the Sakoku Decree and couldn't return.
Bai Luo recalled that not just Uyuu Restaurant, but many Inazuman establishments claimed their dishes were on par with Liyue's finest. Hiss... could this chef be the culprit behind that trend?
Once they were seated, Kamisato Ayaka finally arrived. She walked with small, graceful steps to Ayato's side and took her designated seat.
"Instructor, allow me to introduce you. This is my sister, Kamisato Ayaka, who is—"
"The Shirasagi Himegimi, master of the Kamisato Art: Tachi-jutsu. I have heard much of your great name," Bai Luo interrupted, taking the lead.
His words caused Ayaka's hand, which was gripping her folding fan, to tremble slightly. The look in the Instructor's eyes was... strange. It felt as if he could see right through her.
She immediately thought back to the first thing she had said when she secretly brought that potted flower back to her room...
"Master of the Kamisato Art: Tachi-jutsu—Kamisato Ayaka. Pleased to meet you."
He really does know everything!
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