A raven delivered a letter to Yae Miko.
"Oh? So something like this happened."
After reading Kujou Sara's request, Miko felt she ought to make a trip herself.
It was just a shame.
Su Ran had only recently returned, and she hadn't even had the chance to spend a few days with him.
Now she had to rush off to work again.
"And what might this be about?"
"Why not tell your senior? I can offer some advice."
Having finally found an excuse to slip away, Kitsune Saiguu immediately set her sights on the pink-haired fox.
Unfortunately, the little fox had grown up.
She wasn't nearly as easy to fool as before.
Nowadays, even Saiguu had to be careful not to get tricked by her instead.
"Weren't you learning swordsmanship from Lord Su Ran, Lady Kitsune Saiguu?"
"So why are you sneaking over here?"
"Could it be you don't have enough talent..."
"and got kicked out?"
The grown-up Yae Miko was no longer the little fox who hid behind Kitsune Saiguu.
She'd grown older.
Which meant...
she'd grown bolder.
As the saying went, one mountain could not accommodate two tigers—unless one was male and the other female.
Their personalities were simply too alike.
Had it not been for their senior-junior relationship, the two of them would've had a terrible relationship.
Much like Yae Miko and Kamisato Ayato.
Fortunately, their past bond meant they merely bickered from time to time, without truly becoming hostile.
"Something like that."
"I probably don't have much talent with the sword."
"Watching Chiyo and that little girl train..."
"I just don't feel involved."
Kitsune Saiguu walked over, snatched the letter from Miko's hand, and began reading it.
"So you're polishing Lord Su Ran's adventures?"
"The Shogun certainly has ideas."
"This is an important task."
As for why Sara had specifically sought out Yae Miko...
Saiguu wasn't surprised in the slightest.
After all, the little fox owned Yae Publishing House.
"So you see~"
"My role in Inazuma is just that important."
"If one day I'm gone..."
"I'm afraid Inazuma would fall into decline."
Miko pressed a hand to her forehead, wearing an expression of helpless resignation.
"Yes, yes."
"So our little Miko is leaving now?"
Kitsune Saiguu looked at the letter, secretly overjoyed.
She hadn't even needed to make a move.
Miko was sending herself away.
"I am."
"But Lady Kitsune Saiguu had better not miss me too much~"
Miko still hadn't realized the severity of the situation.
However, seeing that Saiguu seemed completely unconcerned, she became suspicious.
"Why would I miss you?"
"If you're gone..."
"Then I'll be the only fox spirit beside Master."
"..."
That...
actually made sense.
Yae Miko fell silent.
If Su Ran only had one fox around him,
wouldn't Lady Kitsune Saiguu become completely unstoppable?
No.
Before leaving, she definitely had to remind Su Ran.
He absolutely couldn't let himself be deceived by some other fox spirit.
"I'm afraid..."
"He won't have much time for you over the next few days."
Just teaching Kamisato Ayaka and Chiyo swordsmanship would consume quite a lot of his time.
Would Su Ran even have the energy left for anything else?
"No need for you to worry about that."
"Off you go."
Kitsune Saiguu waved dismissively, urging her to leave quickly.
Miko didn't mind.
She simply planned to stop by and see Su Ran before heading back to Yae Publishing House.
Then...
she saw Jingliu teaching Ayaka.
"..."
If someone else was helping teach, wouldn't Su Ran's workload become much lighter?
"You all are...?"
A very bad feeling began creeping into Miko's heart.
"Master and Miss Jingliu made a wager."
"They'll each teach one student for a month."
"After that..."
"Lady Ayaka and I will duel."
"We'll see whose student is stronger."
Chiyo explained the situation.
After hearing it, Miko's uneasiness vanished.
Excellent.
That meant even more time would be wasted.
Wouldn't Lady Kitsune Saiguu have even fewer opportunities now?
"Miss Jingliu..."
"Is she really that confident?"
Looking at the white-haired swordswoman instructing Ayaka, Miko couldn't help shaking her head.
How confident did one have to be to think a single month could elevate Ayaka enough to rival Chiyo?
Wasn't that simply asking to lose?
What exactly in this world could truly be mastered in one month?
If a month's training could equal someone else's thousand years of effort, Ayaka would've become the strongest swordswoman in Inazuma long ago.
The Kamisato Clan had trained its children from a young age.
Yet even so,
Ayaka had never shown signs of becoming Inazuma's number one.
Besides...rather than believing in Jingliu, shouldn't Su Ran be the more trustworthy one?
Chiyo already had a superior foundation.
And the one teaching her...was Su Ran.
How could she possibly lose?
Everyone here, if forced to choose, would trust Su Ran over themselves.
Miko thought so.
Kitsune Saiguu thought so.
Even Chiyo thought so.
And...
deep down, Ayaka believed the same thing.
"Defeated before the battle even begins."
"So you've already decided you'll lose?"
Jingliu was somewhat dissatisfied with Ayaka's attitude.
The girl trained diligently.
But whenever this competition was mentioned, it was obvious she held no expectations whatsoever.
It was as though she'd already accepted defeat.
"Miss Jingliu..."
"When facing someone far stronger than yourself..."
"Do you still maintain absolute confidence that you'll win?"
Ayaka smiled gently as she asked.
The gap between herself and Chiyo—how could a mere month possibly bridge it?
More importantly, the one teaching Chiyo...
was Su Ran.
Had the instructors been switched, Ayaka would've had confidence.
But now?
Her opponent had advantages stacked on top of advantages.
How was she supposed to compete?
"Even when facing a god..."
"I have always believed I could still swing my sword."
Jingliu dismissed her concerns.
Could the gap between Ayaka and Chiyo possibly exceed the gap between herself and Yaoshi?
Chiyo wasn't even considered a god on this world.
She still lagged far behind Ei.
If that was the case, then what was there to fear?
"...Then..."
"What if it were Lord Su Ran?"
Ayaka cautiously named a different opponent.
"..."
Jingliu fell silent.
Objectively, Yaoshi was far stronger than Su Ran.
Yet somehow... she felt that, compared to Yaoshi, Su Ran was the more impossible opponent.
"You see?"
"You don't believe it yourself."
Ayaka said pitifully, as though she'd just won the argument.
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