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[Lumine]: This must be the only logical explanation for that strange feeling.
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Lumine planted her hands on her hips and lifted her chin with confidence — the kind of confidence only a seventeen-year-old girl could have when she's absolutely sure her deduction is flawless.
Five hundred years ago, Otto was still a naive romantic with his entire brain wrapped around Kallen.
Honestly, he could've walked straight out of a second-rate soap opera as the overly innocent protagonist.
Given Nagami's level of acting, it made perfect sense Otto never noticed.
After all, the idea of someone time-traveling would've never crossed his mind back then.
In other words — this shrine maiden lady was basically acting like a lovestruck amoeba torn between Nagami and C.C., when in fact… the two people she liked were the same person!
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[Lumine]: Of course, we'll need proof. Otto's the kind of man who'd rather see Kallen fall for Yae Sakura than ever twist her will.
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Lumine continued combing through Nagami's memories, her analytical mind processing data at frightening speed.
When it came to matters that even remotely involved "herself," she wasn't about to hold back.
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[Lumine]: Still, confirming it shouldn't be too hard. Once you return to the Honkai world, just use the Herrscher of Knowledge's power to peek into Otto's memories — that should tell us everything.
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If the Kallen who loved Yae Sakura was actually Nagami, Otto would've noticed.
No matter how perfect Nagami's acting was, Otto's obsession would've caught on to some detail…
Well, probably.
And if Nagami truly was that Kallen, then the future version of him who later traveled back five hundred years must've left behind some kind of hint.
A deliberate crack in the illusion only he could recognize.
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[Nagami]: Of course, we should wait until I return from five hundred years ago to make it official. For now, just keep doing what you're doing.
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As he said that Nagami easily took control of the guards stationed on Ritou Island.
Ordinary soldiers stood no chance against the power of the Feather of Dust.
Together, the group set sail for Narukami Island.
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As they ascended Mt. Yougou toward the Grand Narukami Shrine, the stone-paved path was lined with rows of old cherry blossom trees.
Soft pink petals drifted through the air at five centimeters per second — a sight so gentle it could make even time slow down.
Crimson torii gates stood in succession, each hung with sacred paper streamers that danced in the breeze.
The familiar scenery stirred something in Nagami's mind — the faint echo of a teasing voice:
"Traveler's luck guarantee—no loot, no artifacts, only defense stats~"
He sighed. "Seriously, they might as well just rename it the Yae Shrine."
With a tourist's leisurely pace, he eventually reached the top of the mountain.
In front of the shrine stood a large offering box and two enormous fox statues, their craftsmanship so lifelike it deserved real praise.
The main building was bathed in the shade of the sacred cherry tree — the Eternal Sakura, which bloomed endlessly just like Narukami's concept of eternity itself.
Nagami casually activated his skill, peering through the wooden hallway — and there she was.
A graceful girl with cherry-pink hair sat elegantly inside the shrine, wearing a traditional red-and-white shrine maiden outfit that left her shoulders bare.
Her violet eyes shimmered with quiet intelligence.
Around her waist was tied a white ceremonial rope, and her long pink hair mingled with fur-soft fox ears adorned with purple gem earrings.
"Tsk… yeah, that's definitely a parallel version of Yae Sakura," Nagami muttered. "If she perked her ears up, I couldn't tell them apart."
The only real difference was their aura.
Lady Sakura's gentle demeanor had a soft, almost wifely warmth to it.
Lady Yae, on the other hand, wore her elegance like a mask — clever, seductive, and just a little bit devious.
To put it bluntly?
One was refined, and the other was shamelessly foxy.
(Okay, fine. "Graceful" and "gremlin-tier." Happy now?)
For the record, ordinary counterparts from parallel worlds didn't share things like synchronized emotions or linked senses.
That only happened across multiversal versions of a being.
Within a single universe, no such link existed.
The shrine maiden's long, flawless legs rested bare in the open air. On a small wooden stand beside her were two cups of tea.
In her hands, the fox lady held a book — reading it with the focus of a true fan.
Wait… hold on.
Was that… a light novel?
He squinted.
"Life in Inazuma: Starting as the Raiden Shogun?!"
"Wow. That level of otaku energy is actually leaking out of the pages." He smirked.
"Alright then. After this, I'm paying a visit to Yae Publishing House. Let's see what kind of light novels this world produces."
As Nagami's eyes roamed over the girl, the fox lady seemed to notice.
Her brows arched gracefully, and her amethyst eyes glimmered with surprise.
The fox lady crossed her slender, porcelain legs and set her light novel down on the low table in front of her.
Rising gracefully, she turned her gaze toward the temple courtyard — her amethyst eyes seemed to meet Nagami's through the veil of space itself.
A faintly amused smile curved her lips as she stepped outside, each movement elegant and deliberate.
Outside Venti reached out to touch the shimmering bark, his expression tinged with nostalgia.
Turning to Zhongli, who stood quietly beside him, he asked, "What about you?"
"In those days, she was merely a shadow warrior at the banquet," Zhongli replied, folding his arms. "Now, her will has been refined through centuries. To see how far her path has taken her… yes, I would like that."
Paimon tilted her head, utterly lost. "What are these two old-timers even talking about…?"
Shaking her head, she tugged little Seele along, spinning playfully beneath the cascading petals of the sacred cherry tree.
Nagami and Kurumi followed a few steps behind the pair, walking side by side beneath the flurry of pink blossoms.
The scenery was so picturesque, it could've been ripped straight from a perfect date scene.
Meanwhile, Lumine deftly took C.C.'s slender hand in her own and led the green-haired witch toward the shrine gates.
After tossing a generous amount of mora into the offering box, Lumine politely explained that they wished to meet with the High Priestess of Narukami Shrine.
The attending shrine maiden agreed almost immediately, even offering to lead them there herself.
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"Wind from another land…" Yae Miko's soft voice floated through the shrine's inner chamber. "Was that her, peeking at me just now? Or perhaps…"
Her amethyst eyes gleamed faintly as she studied the mysterious woman standing beside Lumine.
Whatever she was thinking, it was impossible to tell.
After thanking the young shrine maiden for guiding them, C.C. and the fox priestess locked eyes for a brief moment.
Then Yae's gaze shifted toward Lumine.
"My, my… little one, our meeting seems to have come rather early, hasn't it?"
"Pfft—!"
C.C. couldn't help it — she burst into laughter on the spot.
'A few hundred years old — maybe a few thousand — and she's calling me 'little one'?
She almost doubled over. That's priceless!'
Lumine sighed in exasperation. 'Here we go again…'
Every time age came up, Nagami's inner voice would jump in with self-deprecating jokes.
If it were anyone else laughing at her, she'd have dropped them straight into a spatial rift already.
"Hmm? Did I say something strange?" Yae Miko arched a delicate brow, her foxlike gaze fixed curiously on the inexplicably amused green-haired woman.
"Ahem—no, not at all!" C.C. coughed twice, forcing herself to look serious. "Actually, we came to see you today because there's something very important we'd like to discuss."
"Oh? Something important?" Yae asked, her tone still graceful but tinged with intrigue.
"Yes," C.C. nodded solemnly, though her voice was far too sincere to be normal. "You see, I have a little fox… and she's been absolutely devastated lately because she hasn't been able to eat any fried tofu. She's been crying nonstop. It's so, so pitiful~"
Her expression was full of mock sympathy, but her delivery was flawless — she sounded like she was reciting a heartfelt tragedy.
It had been ages since the little shikigami, Tamamaru, had enjoyed any fried tofu, ever since being assigned to watch over Yae Sakura.
"So I was hoping Lady Guuji could perhaps… cheer her up a little?"
For a moment, Yae Miko's elegant smile froze.
Wait a second… why did that line sound so familiar?
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