"Seriously, why did I hide just now? Isn't that just creating more trouble for myself?"
Shikanoin Heizou scratched his head, laughing self-deprecatingly.
He should have just walked out openly just now; that way, he might have avoided misunderstandings with other members of the resistance later on.
"I've recorded so much; that should be enough, right?" Shikanoin Heizou complained about the unreasonableness of his recent actions while busily writing down the beautiful scenery of Watatsumi Island.
Putting everything else aside, Watatsumi Island's natural scenery is absolutely top-notch.
The azure waterways, the dramatic elevation changes, and the coral and shell formations growing wild across the island collectively create this beautiful isle.
Such scenery was a first even for Shikanoin Heizou, who usually slacked off and avoided work.
"Are you also here for social research?" Ember looked up at the notebook in Shikanoin Heizou's hand, wanting to know what was written inside.
Unfortunately, Shikanoin Heizou's reaction was not at all like a detective; instead, he was even faster than a martial artist.
He reacted instantly, taking a small leap to distance himself from Ember, while also subtly putting away the notebook in his hand.
"Quite quick."
"I think you, this strange gentleman, are even quicker. I didn't even notice when you came up behind me!"
Shikanoin Heizou sized up Ember, then spread his hands and laughed.
"Strange? You're not much different, a strange fellow wearing a Shogunate uniform." Ember raised an eyebrow. If it came to being strange, Shikanoin Heizou wasn't exactly modest.
"Strange? It's precisely by being strange that I can travel peacefully. I am Shikanoin Heizou, a Detective for the Tenryou Commission."
"As for why I'm here... I already said it earlier, for travel!"
Shikanoin Heizou pinched his chin, then extended his hand to Ember.
"And you, Mr. Ember, the Great Adventurer whose name is widely known."
"Am I that famous? Even Inazuma, under the Sakoku Decree, knows my name." Ember also extended his hand and shook Shikanoin Heizou's.
Hearing Shikanoin Heizou call him by his name, Ember was genuinely surprised.
He was just very curious: was the reputation of a Great Adventurer really that useful?
Adventurers seemed to be highly respected only in Mondstadt. In Liyue, Adventurers were already indistinguishable from ordinary professions.
A Great Adventurer, to the average Liyue person, was like a master carpenter or a renowned antique appraiser. While worthy of admiration and respect, no one would specifically seek to understand them unless they were interested.
And in Inazuma, it was even less so. Ember had spent some time in the Inazuman wilderness and hadn't seen a single little green person.
This would be absolutely impossible in Mondstadt or Liyue.
From this, one could infer how few Adventurers there were in Inazuma.
"Haha, the Sakoku Decree can restrict people's movement, but it can't stop the flow of information. I still know a thing or two about what's happening outside."
"The title of Great Adventurer is quite resounding."
After Shikanoin Heizou finished speaking, he confidently puffed out his chest. In truth, Ember's reputation wasn't that widespread in Inazuma; with Inazuma engulfed in war, ordinary people had no leisure to care about news from other nations.
But Shikanoin Heizou was different; he was a Detective, and a crucial foundation for a Detective's deductions was a vast amount of intelligence in his mind.
So, even though Inazuma was under the Sakoku Decree, Shikanoin Heizou had not missed any events happening in other nations.
And he had naturally heard of Ember's esteemed name.
"I see, but there's one thing I must correct: I am not an Adventurer now, but a social researcher!"
"What is that? Social research? Isn't that what Scholars at the Akademiya like to do? How did it become the Adventurers' Guild's business?"
Shikanoin Heizou dug at his ear, looking utterly confused. Why was he hearing a term from Ember that only appeared in Sumeru?
"Ak...a...de...mi...ya... what a strange name, so hard to pronounce?"
Ember's expression was no better than Shikanoin Heizou's. He realized he simply couldn't understand what Shikanoin Heizou was saying.
"Oh, never mind. I was just surprised to hear the term 'social research'."
"I thought only the Scholars of the Amurta Darshan in Sumeru, who spend all day in libraries, would do such things. I didn't expect the Adventurers' Guild to do it too."
Seeing Ember's puzzled look, Shikanoin Heizou explained.
To be honest, the names of Sumeru's six Darshans were not something ordinary people could come up with. Even Shikanoin Heizou, who prided himself on being a genius, took a long time to memorize these tongue-twisting names.
"Sumeru does this kind of thing too?" Ember scratched his head. He had originally thought that this "social research" was his own unique creation, but he hadn't expected others to have done it already.
One really shouldn't underestimate anyone.
"However, this activity is driven by my personal interest and has nothing to do with the Adventurers' Guild." Ember stated that this excellent idea was his own, and had no connection whatsoever with the Adventurers' Guild.
Saying this, Ember pulled out a notebook. Then he pointed the end of his pen at Shikanoin Heizou's mouth and asked earnestly:
"Detective Shikanoin Heizou, what is your view on the current war between the Shogunate Army and the resistance?"
Seeing the pen tip almost poke into his mouth, Shikanoin Heizou couldn't help but take a few steps back.
"How else can I view it? I'm standing and watching, of course."
"I see. Detective Shikanoin Heizou believes that the war between the Shogunate Army and the resistance is too childish."
"Regarding this war, Detective Shikanoin Heizou states that he is merely observing it with a condescending attitude."
Moving forward with Shikanoin Heizou, the pen tip that had been aimed at his mouth was retracted.
The pen tip slid across the paper, and a fresh dialogue appeared in the notebook.
"No? How could you..."
"Then, Detective Shikanoin Heizou, what do you think is the cause of this war?"
Seeing Shikanoin Heizou about to say something, Ember directly preempted him, forcibly suppressing the words in his stomach.
The research was urgent; as for others, he would deal with them after the research was done.
"..."
Shikanoin Heizou had learned his lesson this time. His eyes subtly shifted, but he said nothing.
"Detective Shikanoin Heizou remains silent on the cause of the war. It seems he is under some pressure, whether from Watatsumi Island, the Shogunate, or the Raiden Shogun in the Tenshukaku. This researcher is unaware."
Amidst the'swish, swish, swish' of writing, Shikanoin Heizou's inner thoughts and potential constraints were "perfectly" expressed by Ember.
This time, Shikanoin Heizou couldn't hold back. He stepped forward, attempting to snatch the notebook from Ember's hand.
"Give it to me! Who taught you to write like this?!"
"It seems the pressure on Detective Shikanoin Heizou is unusually great; he doesn't even dare to express his views!"
Ember held his hands above his head, still writing furiously.
The result was Shikanoin Heizou's even more intense counterattack. But unfortunately, Ember was not only taller than Shikanoin Heizou, but also faster, and his strength was self-evident.
Shikanoin Heizou busied himself around Ember for a long time but couldn't even touch a hair on him.
"Bro... Brother, I really give up on you. Even if you're going to write nonsense, you don't need to bother a small Detective like me, do you?"
After his attempt to forcibly take the notebook failed, Shikanoin Heizou changed tactics, beginning to appeal to Ember's emotions and reason.
He started by talking about his tragic family background, then mentioned his older sister who was raising a child alone.
Every word, every phrase, was filled with the word "tragic."
Although Shikanoin Heizou's family background was not tragic, and his older sister was not raising her own child.
[By the way, that tanuki ninja wouldn't have heard, would he?] As Shikanoin Heizou spoke, he glanced around uneasily.
Although the ninja his older sister was looking after was small and lazy, he might be hiding nearby, who knew?
After all, he was a ninja!
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