After leaving a note for Yae Miko, several days passed without any reply.
On the Fatui's side, they kept sending letters urging Kokomi to attack Kujou Encampment. It even seemed that they had provided Delusions to the Shogunate soldiers who fled without a fight on Yashiori Island, instigating them to seek revenge. But the Tenryou Commission's control over the Shogunate army was far too strong, military discipline was strict, and during this period of heavy suppression against rumors, Kujou Sara easily saw through their scheme.
Days seemed as though they would continue on in this uneventful calm forever.
Until one day, while Victor Wang was wandering around, he locked eyes with a rather plain-looking shrine maiden from Watatsumi Island.
"What's your name?"
"Sir Strategist… my name is Ayin."
The shrine maiden shyly lowered her head, desperately avoiding Victor Wang's aggressive gaze.
"Ayin… good. Do you have time right now?"
"What would you like me to do?"
"Come to my room. No—whether you're free or not, you're coming. Right now!"
"What… what are you going to do?"
The shrine maiden resisted weakly.
Victor Wang separated the index and middle fingers of his right hand, pointing first at his own eyes, then at hers: "Look me straight in the eyes! You don't want your identity exposed, do you?"
"Sir Strategist… are you really this kind of person? I truly misjudged you…"
"Are you coming with me or not?!"
There weren't many people nearby. Holding in a belly full of anger, Victor Wang was in no mood to drag this out, so he pulled the shrine maiden by the hand and brought her into the inn.
During the whole way, the shrine maiden did not resist. Only after entering the room did she softly murmur: "Sir Strategist, please don't~"
"Yiiiyaaahhhh! Enough pretending, Yae Miko. I'd recognize those eyes even if they turned to ashes!"
"Hehe… so I've left that deep an impression in your heart?"
"And to think I even went out of my way looking for you, only for you to come hiding out here? If you saw the note I left, then why didn't you take the initiative to find me? What are you doing?!"
Yae Miko pouted innocently. "You look so angry… I don't even dare answer your questions now."
(Deep breaths) Haaa… haaa… Thankfully, he hadn't been stupid enough to teleport to the Grand Narukami Shrine every single day waiting for this woman, otherwise he would have collapsed from a heart attack by now.
"You, a Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine, sneaking around pretending to be a shrine maiden from Watatsumi Island—don't tell me you've got some kind of peculiar fetish?"
"Of course I came here for serious reasons. If you really want to know, I suppose I could tell you… I came here because of Lumine."
"…What do you mean by that?"
"Because I wanted to watch her up close."
"…"
The words sounded absurd at first, but on calmer thought… they actually made sense?
Yae Miko had indeed been paying an unusual amount of attention to Lumine. From the very moment Lumine left Ritou and helped Domon, the swordmaster of the Meikyou Shisui Arts who lost his Vision, then later when she performed exorcisms at the Grand Narukami Shrine, Yae Miko had spoken some cryptic words. Then she appeared again at the Delusion Factory to rescue Lumine. Before, Victor Wang had wondered how she always managed to show up on time—perhaps she really had been secretly following her?
Seeing Victor Wang fall silent, Yae Miko continued: "You came from outside Inazuma too, so you should know—Lumine is special. She's someone who can bring change to Inazuma. When Ei drew her into the Plane of Euthymia, I became even more certain of it."
"Was the 'Vision Hunt Ceremony' your doing?"
"Nothing but coincidence. The Three Commissions were roiling with hidden currents: the Kanjou Commission and Tenryou Commission colluded with the Fatui, while the Yashiro Commission stood isolated, naturally becoming the target of suppression.
But the Yashiro Commission wanted to resist the Vision Hunt Decree. I too wanted it abolished. So yes, we did a bit of small cooperation.
My hope was to use Lumine's righteous nature, let her witness the suffering under the decree with her own eyes, and thereby naturally give rise to the thought of opposing the Shogun. That even included luring her to Watatsumi Island… The Resistance's days used to be bitter indeed, but now that things have changed, well… I won't comment."
"So, what, you plan to throw the Resistance back into misery just so Lumine can see?"
"Aiya, don't get jealous of Lumine now. Actually, you're very special too. So special that if you rashly appeared before Ei herself, she might execute you on the spot."
Victor Wang already knew something of these grudges, and Yasen had once said similar things. Wasn't this a dead end waiting to happen? Is this really a roadblock event?
"…It's really that dangerous?"
"Oh? So, you truly want to approach Ei?"
Like someone who had just discovered a shocking secret, Yae Miko's cunning eyes sparkled as she explained carefully—
"Five hundred years ago, the former Raiden Shogun—Ei's elder sister Raiden Makoto—went to participate in that war behind Ei's back. By the time Ei realized, the abyssal calamity had already begun invading Inazuma. Ei was torn in two. To give her the chance to save Makoto, the former Guuji of Narukami, Kitsune Saiguu, shouldered all responsibility of protecting Inazuma by herself.
But tragically, by the time Ei reached Khaenri'ah… what she saw was only Makoto's death. And when she returned to Inazuma… Kitsune Saiguu was gone as well.
One dear sister, and three of her closest companions: one died by the hand of Orobashi, and so Orobashi died; the other three fell, directly or indirectly, in that calamity. Even if you're just an innocent pitiful one, carrying an aura similar to that disaster, how could Ei not be wary that you too might be cut down with a single strike?"
"…"
Then Yae Miko's voice turned honey-sweet, coaxing: "But—you saved the Sacred Sakura, and you saved Hanachirusato. As long as you help me reestablish contact with Ei, I can in turn put in a good word for you, prove your innocence. How about it?"
"How do I help you?"
"Let me think… Mmm… how about this—give Delusions to the Resistance, let Lumine witness their tragic downfall, and ignite her sense of justice."
In an instant, visions of the Resistance withering away under the power of Delusions flashed through Victor Wang's mind. He stared at Yae Miko in disbelief, remembering once more how, back in the Delusion Factory, when Lumine was poisoned by the resentment of the Archon's remains, this woman had just happened to appear…
Appearing with such perfect timing—if not because she'd been shadowing Lumine, then perhaps… the Delusion affair itself was orchestrated by her?
This woman… Yae Miko.
Victor Wang instinctively took a step back, recoiling. "Don't joke with me. I will never let the Resistance touch Delusions. But you—for the sake of your schemes, you'd go to such lengths… You've really disappointed me."
Yae Miko's brows furrowed, her half-lidded eyes releasing a dangerous glint. "Didn't you save Hanachirusato just to get close to Ei?"
"I saved her simply because I can't stand to see sorrow happen right in front of me! What I don't see, I won't meddle in, nor do I care to. But if it's before my eyes, and I can help, then I will. That's not the same as you!"
"You'd better think this through. Refuse to help me, and you'll lose your only chance to approach Ei."
"There has to be another way—something besides you."
Yae Miko locked eyes with Victor Wang, refusing to yield. Then suddenly, her expression shifted, and she chuckled lightly. "Alright, alright, no more teasing. If I keep this act up, your impression of me will be ruined completely~ It seems your aid to Hanachirusato wasn't for ulterior motives after all."
"…What do you mean by that?"
"I just heard you wanted to approach Ei, so I got the sudden idea to test you. If you took it seriously, well, I'd be heartbroken."
If not for his interference, the Resistance truly would have used Delusions… The distrust weighing heavy in his chest, Victor Wang found himself unable to laugh. Slowly shaking his head, he said: "I can't figure out your true nature anymore."
"Heheheheh… What did you just say? Someone daring to think they can figure out my true nature? That's troublesome indeed."
Without a sound, Yae Miko reverted to her true form, strolling around the room with deliberate grace before continuing: "I am a fox who has dutifully served as Guuji of Narukami for hundreds of years. Does that satisfy you? My first love is the stories of others. My second is the troubled look on their faces. Would that make you see me as a villain?"
"You know that's not what I meant. Why are you really here on Watatsumi Island?"
"How did the topic circle back? Fine, I'll say more then—I want Lumine to owe me a favor, so that she'll help me with tasks. Do I really look thick-skinned enough to demand someone serve me after just meeting a few times?"
"And if such a chance never comes?"
"Wait patiently. It always will. For example, when the Fatui Harbingers crush the Resistance, and I step in to heroically save the day."
"Harbingers… So, if opportunity doesn't arise, you'll just create it yourself?"
"That is a fact of what will happen. There's no such thing as no opportunity."
A fact of what will happen?
Scaramouche's evaluation of Yae Miko came to mind: a pure trickster, indifferent to human suffering.
Victor Wang had once doubted his words. After all, in Scaramouche's eyes, Yae Miko was the callous woman who abandoned Tatarasuna.
But now…
Unaware of what Victor Wang knew, Yae Miko went on: "If no opportunity appears, then I'll just have to lower myself and sincerely beg Lumine instead. Our stances align perfectly—she would never refuse to cooperate. But that would be far less fun. Like… not being able to hear her obediently call me 'Lady Yae Miko'?"
"'The Resistance uses Delusions, problems arise, Lumine is enraged, storms into the Delusion Factory, loses to the Fatui Harbingers, and you arrive to save the day'—have you ever planned such a scenario?"
"That actually does sound entertaining… but wouldn't it be far too cruel for the Resistance?"
This woman still treated it like a game!
Victor Wang clenched his fists. "Cruel? You just mentioned Delusions, didn't you? Then why not stop their spread?"
At last, her smile froze. Yae Miko, rarely, looked hesitant.
"Normally, I wouldn't explain this much to anyone. But you are… unusual. And you did catch me in a lapse.
All across Inazuma, wherever there are foxes, shrine maidens, Yae Publishing House authors seeking inspiration, adventurers exploring, or visitors pouring their hearts out at Narukami Shrine—whatever Kamisato Ayato and his Yashiro Commission, or the Shuumatsuban can see, I too can see.
Beyond Inazuma, I also have my sources. What the Fair Lady did in Mondstadt, what Childe did in Liyue, the arrival of the Fair Lady and Scaramouche in Inazuma, the Fatui crafting Delusions from Crystal Marrow—I knew all of it.
But Watatsumi Island lies completely outside my gaze.
That's why I came here when Lumine did. That's why I only learned of the Fatui handing Delusions to the Resistance afterward. Watatsumi shrine maidens are actually quite cute… If I had the power, I wouldn't want to see them hurt."
…Was that true?
Could he… believe her?
"But you knew all this, yet did nothing?"
"And what did you expect me to do? When the Resistance clashed with the Shogunate, it was I who warned them to guard Yashiori's warding seals well. When the Mikage Furnace at Tatarasuna malfunctioned, it was I who sent people to disperse the villagers and seek solutions. For the Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual, I entrusted the task to Lumine to test her strength—but I was always watching."
Yae Miko's face did not change, but a faint melancholy welled within her heart. Someone daring to seriously question her like this… But her seniors were long gone. Now she was the senior. There was no one left to speak on her behalf.
"So, tell me… Am I still a competent Guuji of Narukami Shrine?"
"As Guuji, you are competent enough…"
"You mean in other things I'm not? What more do you want to say? Let me guess—the duties of the Archon's familiar, of Ei's friend? You're going to blame me for the Fatui too?"
"Since you knew—"
"What good is knowing?"
Yae Miko stepped in close, pressing Victor Wang to the wall.
"Do you think Ei doesn't know of the Kanjou Commission and Tenryou Commission's collusion with the Fatui?
"If she permits it, then I cannot change anything. She is the invincible Raiden Shogun—unparalleled in both power and authority.
"To topple the Commissions is just treating the symptom. The real sickness lies in Ei's ideology. The only thing I can do is try to bring her back on track.
"Tell me, am I not already doing that?"
"…"
"Why so tongue-tied? You've been to Liyue, haven't you? You know the adepti? If we take their lifespan of a hundred years equaling one year for mortals… by that measure, I'm just a five or six-year-old girl. Don't make me sound so impressive."
No, no, no—which adeptus would ever calculate like that? That was pure nonsense disguised in solemn words!
"…I understand now that you haven't been doing nothing," Victor Wang muttered, cornered against the wall, "but what about 'the Harbingers crushing the Resistance'? What's that supposed to mean?"
If not for Yae Miko's suspiciously perfect timing, her mentions of Delusions and Harbingers aligning with events that should have occurred, he wouldn't have doubted so deeply… Could it all have been a misunderstanding?
"That matter?"
At last, Yae Miko stepped back, giving him breathing room.
"The Fatui came to Inazuma for three purposes: one, wealth; two, manpower—that is, Delusions; three, a certain object.
By working with the Kanjou and Tenryou Commissions, promoting the Vision Hunt Decree, fueling Resistance struggles—they stirred everything for those three purposes. So, I assumed their Delusions were for themselves, and ignored it. I never imagined they'd use the Resistance as test subjects…
As a result, the war between Resistance and Shogunate stagnated. No one dared use Delusions. The Fatui, naturally, grew impatient. In a few days, they'll launch a surprise night raid on the Resistance, causing heavy casualties to stoke the flames.
By then, two Harbingers may appear. Many in the Resistance will die. For instance, they could wipe out all Resistance forces on Yashiori Island. No one would know the truth, and the survivors would have no choice but to rely on Delusions."
"Two Harbingers?!"
Between tiers of power in Teyvat yawned chasms as vast as the heavens.
Some gaps could be bridged by numbers. Some could not—or not easily. And numbers meant lives. Even if numbers could bridge it, who would dare throw lives away so wantonly?
Sadly, the gap between Fatui Harbingers and ordinary soldiers was precisely this vast. If two Harbingers truly moved at once…
And why two instead of one? Likely Scaramouche plus the Fair Lady. Because the world had already changed… and he hadn't accounted for it!
Victor Wang couldn't help but blame himself. He had nearly led the Resistance into a slaughterhouse.
"Even with two Harbingers, I still have a way to stop them."
A voice that had nothing in common with caution entered his ears. Yae Miko's words were like heavenly music.
"I know the Fatui's main goal in Inazuma. I know they won't give up until they have it. So, I prepared long ago to hand it over. After all, it's useless to Ei, and only ever draws their gaze.
"The reason I haven't handed it to them already is because I wanted a proper price in exchange. Until now, I hadn't decided what that price should be. But it seems the time has come.
"Of course, I can't step forward to heroically save the day—that would clash with Watatsumi's stance. This must happen in secret…"
"…I see. I completely misunderstood you…"
"So, I was just thinking: Aiyaaa~, will I really have to lower myself to request Lumine's cooperation after all? But I'm so bad at begging. All I'm good at is making others beg me. It's truly troublesome."
Well, you really are something, aren't you!
"Now that you know all this, you must help me."
"Huh?"
"I have a way to help Lumine defeat Ei. You go tell her that for me."
"Huh?!"
"The same thing, said by different people, has a different effect. For example, 'With a single word, I scared off two Fatui Harbingers.' If I say it, it sounds like bragging. If you say it, it sounds like praise. This matter is the same—if I bring it up, it makes it look like I'm asking for cooperation, lowering my position. You need to make Lumine come to me of her own accord."
Though he didn't quite understand this kind of personality—or hobby—Victor Wang still nodded.
Yet Yae Miko, seeing how easily he agreed, added, "And you'll also need to have Lumine call me 'Lady Yae Miko.'"
"…Does she have to say it?"
"I'll allow you to spread tales of my heroic intervention, but you can't let them know I asked for it. As the price for stopping the Fatui, that isn't too much to ask, is it?"
Victor's lips turned downward, while Yae Miko's curled upward.
"Fine."
"As I thought, too easy. Then let's add another condition: that Guuji Hanachirusato must call me 'Big Sister Miko.'"
Victor frowned, while joy danced in Yae Miko's eyes.
"Fine, I'll try my best."
"Maybe you should try shouting a few lines first~"
"Which one should I shout...?"
"This isn't a multiple-choice question, it's about the order."