"..."
Pandora stared blankly at her brand-new outfit. Then, before the Shogun's eyes, she slowly turned like a butterfly. The skirt at her thighs fluttered up like a small umbrella before drifting back down. The size was just right.
"How is it? Does it look all right on me?"
Pandora stepped in front of her, clasping her hands together nervously, her tone a little cautious.
"It suits you very well..."
Looking at the girl before her, she replied with satisfaction.
"Mm... that's good."
Pandora let out a sigh of relief.
"Do you like it? If you don't—"
"I like it. I really like it."
Pandora shook her head, obedient to the extreme. She was never the picky sort to begin with. The Shogun taking her in was already more than she could have hoped for. What more could she possibly ask? As long as she could live here peacefully from now on, that would be enough.
"Mm... then we'll put this one in the wardrobe for now. When the one you're wearing gets dirty, you can change into it."
After speaking, she took out the spare kimono of the same design from the bag, folded it neatly with practiced movements, and hung it inside the wardrobe.
"Shogun... these clothes were—"
"I had Ayaka tailor them."
As if anticipating her question, she answered first.
"...Miss Ayaka?"
"Didn't I take your measurements before?"
She continued tidying the wardrobe as she spoke.
"Mm... I'll go thank Miss Ayaka in person later."
Pandora made up her mind.
"She'll be coming to see you in a few days. You'll have the chance then."
"Please take a rest. I can handle the rest."
Like a considerate little quilted jacket, Pandora tugged gently at her sleeve and spoke to her softly.
"It's fine... I'm almost done."
After organizing the wardrobe, she slid it closed.
"...Are you always like this?"
Pandora asked, somewhat curious.
"Like what?"
After finishing with the clothes, she returned to sit properly on the tatami cushion and looked at her.
"Doing housework, I mean..."
Pandora sat down as well.
"...More or less. When I'm bored, I'll do some now and then."
She answered.
"..."
Pandora did not reply.
"Is it because I don't seem like a god at all? Actually... the true god is only Ei. Though I am her daughter, in terms of aptitude, she is far superior to me. She is the true God of Eternity."
Besides, now that Ei could come out again, the position of god could be returned to her at any time. Of course, when going outside, she would sometimes still appear before others in the guise of the Raiden Shogun.
"That's not what I meant. I just think, Shogun... you're very virtuous. A perfect example of a good wife."
Pandora spoke with a doting smile.
"A good wife... haa... do not tease me like that. I am not yet at the age of discussing marriage, nor do I wish to reach that time. For those of long life... marriage is like a kind of torment. Especially when it comes to ordinary humans who live such short lives."
As she spoke, Ayaka—and other human friends—surfaced in her mind. She did not dare let her thoughts wander further, afraid she would not be able to bear it. That was precisely why she cherished every single day so earnestly. While they still had time, she would treat them well, so that a hundred years from now, she would have no regrets.
"I'm sorry... I spoke out of turn."
Pandora seemed to understand and apologized guiltily.
"It's nothing. I was merely speaking from emotion. Besides... we are not ordinary people. Why must we follow the fate of ordinary people?"
After asking that rhetorical question, she stood and slowly drew open the curtains blocking the sunlight, allowing warmth to fill the room once more.
"Shogun..."
"...Mm?"
She paused slightly but did not turn around.
"You don't need to feel burdened. Thank you... for everything you've done for Pandora. Your trust, bringing me home, buying me clothes... even though I've done nothing for you."
Pandora pressed a hand to her chest, speaking with complicated emotions.
"You need not treat this as a burden. Since you are here, then be at ease. Isn't that enough?"
She turned and smiled at her.
"...Mm."
Pandora did not continue. At times like this, it was better simply to accept.
"Good. Then my goodwill was not wasted."
She walked over and gently patted Pandora's long hair before letting go.
"By the way, have you seen Ei? I haven't been able to find her."
"Mother? She went upstairs just now."
Pandora answered.
"Upstairs? The rooftop?"
She asked.
"Yes..."
Pandora nodded.
"I see. Then I'll go ahead. Rest in your room for now. Go to bed early tonight—don't stay up late."
Before leaving, she imitated the way Ei used to admonish her, repeating the same advice almost word for word.
"Hehe... all right. Shogun too—don't stay up late."
Pandora replied with a doting smile.
"...That remark was unnecessary."
She choked on her words, retorting sulkily. Feeling slightly embarrassed, she turned and left the bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Letting out a soft sigh, she climbed the stairs toward the rooftop of Tenshukaku.
When she stepped onto the rooftop observatory, the first thing she saw was the purple-haired woman standing at the edge with her back to her. One hand rested on the railing. Clad in a gentian-patterned kimono, she gazed out over Inazuma, taking in her nation in a single sweeping view.
Her long violet hair, braided much like her own, swayed in the wind. On that fair and beautiful face rested an expression similar to hers yet distinct in temperament. There was a gentle softness between her brows, paired with a quiet heroism that never overwhelmed.
No matter when she looked, she always felt that the other's presence surpassed hers by just a trace. After all, she was her mother—Raiden Ei.
Tap tap~
Perhaps hearing the footsteps behind her, Ei came back to herself and slowly turned. Upon seeing her daughter, she revealed a warm smile.
"...You're back?"
She greeted her with her customary gentle, melodious voice.
"I thought you'd be handling official matters. I didn't expect to find you slacking off here~"
She walked to her side and lightly bumped her shoulder against her mother's, teasing in a slightly coquettish tone befitting a daughter.
"Could you not show me a little consideration? I've been working all morning. Am I not allowed to come out and breathe some fresh air?"
Ei bumped her shoulder back in response.
"Haa... that's true. You're not a puppet, after all."
She nodded in understanding.
"What? Are you saying my stamina is inferior to yours? Don't underestimate me, Shogun."
Ei seemed to awaken a hint of competitive spirit as she spoke.
"Oh?"
She raised a brow.
"Haa... have you forgotten who it was that once pinned you to the ground so thoroughly you couldn't even struggle?"
A faint, barely noticeable smug smile curved on Ei's lips.
"Th-That was only because I didn't use my full strength... Otherwise you would have already—"
Her face flushed red as she muttered her rebuttal, unable to finish the sentence.
"Is that so... I'll just take your word for it."
Ei shrugged helplessly.
"What do you mean you'll take my word for it? That's how it was."
She puffed out her cheeks adorably, then turned her gaze forward, looking out over Inazuma together with her.
"I saw you when you came back."
"Saw me? What do you mean?"
She asked, puzzled.
"The view from here is excellent. You can see all of Hanamizaka clearly. And besides, that conspicuous wisteria umbrella of yours is impossible to miss."
Ei gestured toward Hanamizaka with her eyes.
"..."
She fell silent, glancing at the person beside her.
"..."
Ei tilted her head slightly to meet her gaze, then reached out and took her hand. Her palm wrapped over the back of her daughter's hand, gently rubbing it back and forth within her grasp.
"You just came up here for some air?"
Feeling the warmth enveloping her hand, the Shogun could not help but ask.
"...When I occasionally think of old friends, I come here and stay for a while."
Ei answered.
"Can I... share some of that with you? Can I make you feel even a little better?"
The Shogun slowly wrapped her arms around the arm of the woman beside her, asking softly in a voice as gentle as water.
"...You've already been sharing it for me. From the moment you came to my side, you have been."
Ei stroked her hair affectionately.
"But I feel like I haven't done enough—"
"Shogun..."
Ei interrupted her gently.
"...Sorry."
Hearing that, she pressed her soft lips together and fell silent.
"Shogun... I no longer wish for you to be bound by my memories. Perhaps the old me would have chosen the opposite path."
Whoosh whoosh~
She pulled her daughter into her arms, holding her tightly, their cheeks pressed together.
"My only wish now is for you to live happily and peacefully. Do you understand?"
"..."
She nodded without a word.
"Thousands of years in this fleeting world... and yet what I have seen remains but illusions and bubbles."
Ei released her and turned her gaze once more to the vast, unobstructed view of Inazuma before them.
"Ei..."
"Haa... perhaps that is what I would have thought in the past."
In the next instant, she gave a somewhat self-mocking smile.
"But now... it is no longer so. Inazuma has changed, and so have I. I should not remain stagnant. I have said this before. This nation protected by thunder should return to my hands once more."
As she spoke, Ei's lips curved faintly. She looked at the blue sky with relief, her tone far lighter than before. Then she turned to her again.
"Shogun... live well under my protection. Whether now or in the future, I will walk beside you as your mother. I will make sure you remain happy."
Of course she understood what that meant. For Ei to say such words meant she had separated her from the constricting identity of the "executor of eternity," removing the curse-like mission she had borne since birth.
Even though that burden had been lifted, she did not feel as joyful as one might expect. Instead, her heart felt complicated. And yet... she could clearly feel Ei's meticulous care for her, and that made her happy.
Just as Ei had said, this nation had truly returned to her hands. She was no longer idling away her days in the Plane of Euthymia. She had stepped out in truth, and the nation of eternity had begun to move once more.
"Perhaps... I should rescind the Sakoku Decree. Otherwise, trade from other nations cannot enter Inazuma, and the people's quality of life will not improve."
Ei was the type to be serious and meticulous. Once she decided to do something, she would focus wholeheartedly—whether it was martial arts or governing. Now was proof of that. Already, she was resting her chin on her hand, contemplating the future.
"..."
She watched Ei's thoughtful profile and did not disturb her at once. Glancing at the golden light of the setting sun gradually sinking beyond the horizon, she considered for a moment before speaking with a smile.
"What are we having for dinner?"
"...Fried tempura!"
See? Ei snapped out of her thoughts instantly and answered without hesitation. The contemplative expression vanished, replaced by eager anticipation in her eyes.
Pfft...
Her mother was truly easy to understand—a complete foodie.
"If you want to eat, then come down with me. Don't just stand here~"
After saying that, she took Ei's hand and led her down the stairs. Ei obediently allowed herself to be led along. Looking at their intertwined hands and her daughter's back, she quietly revealed a doting smile.
...
Around midnight—
The lively Hanamizaka of daytime had now fallen into rare slumber like a sleeping infant. The once brightly lit shops and residences extinguished their lights one by one, swallowed by the darkness of night and losing their individual colors. At the city's center, Tenshukaku stood firm within the darkness like a colossal guardian statue. Occasionally, a faint warm glow could be seen through its curtained windows.
Rustle~
In the bedroom, the Shogun lay beneath the covers, reading a light novel under the faint glow of a paper lamp at her bedside. As her gaze moved across the page, her fingers would occasionally turn the paper gently. The delicate sound was especially clear in the quiet room.
"..."
She read in silence, her brows faintly knitting from time to time.
Rustle~
Another page turned.
Perhaps lying on her back for too long had grown uncomfortable. She shifted her delicate body slightly beneath the blanket, then turned onto her left side. Now lying sideways, the book in her hand caught the lamplight more directly due to the change in angle. Holding the novel with one hand, she used the other to sweep the strands of hair at her neck aside, pushing them all onto the pillow.
Who knew how much time passed...
"Haa..."
She lowered the arm holding the book in mild dissatisfaction, letting it rest casually on the tatami at eye level. After exhaling softly, she closed her eyes to steady her mood before opening them again and resuming her reading.
Several minutes later—
"What is this even supposed to be?"
She muttered under her breath, her tone tinged with complaint.
Rustle~
She flipped through a few more pages, skimming their contents.
These chapters were almost entirely dedicated to Sangonomiya Kokomi—her personal branch storyline. After all, the novel As the Raiden Shogun, I Somehow Became a Universal Sweetheart~ was a standard harem story. A girls' harem story, at that. According to the author's setting, Sangonomiya Kokomi was one of the harem members belonging to the protagonist—a pathetic man who had reincarnated as the Raiden Shogun.
However, under the book's setting, she was treated almost like a "mistress" figure, an unpopular role among some readers. Out of boredom before bed, she had casually flipped through a few pages and stumbled upon these chapters, which piqued her curiosity.
Yet...
"What on earth is this writing..."
She could not help but complain.
Putting aside how the behavior of that disgusting self-insert made her feel nauseated, what angered her most was why the author deliberately subjected Kokomi to such mistreatment.
Yes—mistreatment.
Though these were Kokomi's main chapters, she was constantly slighted throughout. Rarely was she treated sincerely. The protagonist's responses were textbook chauvinistic nonsense, repeatedly wounding her heart. It was supposedly a harem story, yet she was saddled with such an awkward role, endlessly humiliated for no meaningful reason—a character clearly written to lose from the start.
As the real Shogun, she had interacted with the real Kokomi before. She understood the other girl's character. Naturally, seeing such scenes left her dissatisfied—perhaps even angry. She even felt heartache on behalf of the Kokomi in the book.
Why treat that child with such malice?
Did the author personally dislike her? Was it because she was from Watatsumi Island? Was this some sort of petty bias inserted into the story?
As these thoughts surfaced, she suddenly froze, recalling the times she had spent with Kokomi—and the identical light novel she had once seen in Kokomi's room bearing the same title as the one now in her hands.
Which meant Kokomi had read it too. Or was reading it.
If so, what would she think upon seeing such chapters? Would she feel hurt? Would she develop prejudice against her afterward?
The more she thought, the more irritated she became.
"That damned author... should I have Yae take this thing off the shelves?"
She narrowed her eyes, speaking in a fit of temper.