At that moment, Futsu Mitama stood completely bewildered. The instant he noticed Raiden Ei's gaze fix upon his hand, he reflexively shifted the condensed resin to his other side. Raiden Ei's eyes followed the movement—only then did she realize that her divine composure had faltered for a brief moment. But she recovered almost immediately. She steadied herself, then addressed him in a calm, serene tone.
"What is it? Why aren't you speaking?"
"Nothing. I was just a little surprised—I didn't expect the Shogun to summon me here so abruptly."
Futsu Mitama quickly regained his composure as well. With a smooth motion, he tucked the condensed resin away.
"This is a dessert," he explained. "A friend gave it to me."
At those words, Raiden Ei felt an unexpected sense of yearning. She wished to taste this never-before-seen sweet—yet embarrassment tempered her desire. Judging by its beautiful appearance and enticing aroma, the dessert must have been crafted with great care. If she were to ask for it outright, Futsu Mitama would undoubtedly give it—but doing so might trample upon the giver's sincere intent.
Thus, Raiden Ei shifted her approach.
"A dessert?" she murmured thoughtfully. "To create something with such exquisite form and fragrance—she must be highly accomplished."
Her expression remained dignified as she continued, "Does she reside here? I shall have the Okuzume visit and purchase a portion for the Shogun."
Her voice remained composed, but her eyes betrayed a faint glimmer of anticipation.
Desserts did not erode eternity. Desserts would not sway her focus. Desserts were harmless.
Therefore— Her wanting one now was perfectly logical. Absolutely reasonable. Yes. Just like that.
"Ugh—"
Futsu Mitama felt a pang of awkwardness. He could hardly reveal that this "dessert" came from Sangonomiya Kokomi—Divine Priestess of Watatsumi and leader of the Resistance—via a check-in reward. Worse yet—this item wasn't even a true dessert.
Its function was extraordinary: it restored mental clarity and physical stamina in a single burst. Kokomi's recent responsibilities had pushed her to her limits. If she hadn't drawn this condensed resin, she would have been forced to delegate critical matters to Gorou, Kazuha, and the other elites while she rested. But after eating one condensed resin, she had felt revitalized enough to work for another forty-eight hours straight. All her exhaustion swept clean. Her condition indescribably improved.
This put Futsu Mitama in an incredibly awkward position. If this miraculous item could be mass-produced, he would gladly offer Raiden Ei one.
But there were only twenty in total—now nineteen, with one consumed by Kokomi.
If Ei were to eat one, she would undoubtedly pursue its origins—that would cause endless trouble.
So Futsu Mitama decisively opened the Chat Group.
Futsu Mitama:Help! I've been dragged into the Plane of Euthymia again!
Yae Miko:I don't sense anything—Could it be your consciousness got pulled in again?
Azhdaha:Beelzebub saw through your little trick long ago.
Raiden Makoto:Not only did Ei see through it—the Group Leader even asked for the sealing method and sealed the good luck charm you gave.
Kamisato Ayaka:Guuji-sama's intention was too obvious—everyone noticed it instantly.
Kuki Shinobu:No one gives out good-luck charms for no reason, right?
Albedo:Remarkable. After examining the condensed resin, I can't fully analyze it in the short term.However, most of its materials appear to be common across Teyvat. Deeper analysis will require more time.
Albedo:I can replicate its appearance and taste, but its true function—eliminating fatigue in one burst—is not reproducible in the short term.
Aila:You analyzed that much already?! Are all Alchemists this amazing?
Futsu Mitama:Isn't it more likely that Albedo is the exceptional one, not all Alchemists?
Yae Miko:My, my~ I'm still just playing with this little thing, and you've already uncovered half its secrets.But more importantly—@Futsu Mitama. Ei pulled you into the Plane of Euthymia. Shouldn't you start a group live feed?
Raiden Makoto:Agreed.
Futsu Mitama:She wants the dessert—the condensed resin Kokomi gave me. If it were mine, I would have given it already.
Sangonomiya Kokomi:It's fine, Futsu Mitama. Please let Shogun-sama have it. I will send you another later. With an alchemist as capable as Albedo, I believe replication is only a matter of time.It makes me very happy that you care so much about my feelings.
Albedo:I will do my best. But I am only an ordinary alchemist, so please do not place excessive expectations on me.
Futsu Mitama:Alright, I'll start the live feed.
One after another, the members entered: Yae MikoRaiden MakotoSangonomiya KokomiKuki ShinobuKamisato AyakaAzhdahaAlbedoAila
Almost all at once.
On screen, Raiden Ei stood before Futsu Mitama. Her expression was tranquil—very unlike the fierce strike she had unleashed the last time they met here.
"Shogun-sama."
Futsu Mitama produced the condensed resin and offered it forward. "Would you like to try it?"
Raiden Ei looked at the dessert. The sweet fragrance drifted softly across the silent Plane of Euthymia. Her desire—barely held in check earlier—rose once again.
"Very well."
Her voice remained calm, yet before anyone realized it, a condensed resin had already appeared in her hand.
'So fast!' Futsu Mitama stared at his now-empty hand in shock. He hadn't even felt her take it.
In the livestream, reactions exploded.
Kokomi:So fast! When did she move?!
Albedo:She seized it instantaneously?
Azhdaha:She is Beelzebub. Even in daily life, she is meticulous.
Makoto:Ei is always serious—but isn't this a little too serious?She didn't just take it—she snatched it.
Yae Miko:Well~ she's been shut away in the Plane of Euthymia for so many years~ ignoring everything~ and hasn't tasted dessert in ages.How pitiful~ I wonder if she'll hide away again after this?
Ayaka:I don't know why, but…it feels like Guuji-sama is genuinely excited to see her eat it.
Kokomi:Perhaps… this is the bond between a god and her retainer.
Aila:No—I think Guuji-sama simply wants to see the Shogun-sama's reaction.
Shinobu:As expected of you—the legendary Guuji
Futsu Mitama didn't check the chat. His full attention was on Raiden Ei. Holding the condensed resin, her voice wavered faintly—an exceedingly rare occurrence.
"You have offered something… I shall give you an appropriate reward in return."
Her gaze turned firm.
"Your development of the Chakra Desiderata remains incomplete. I had intended to guide you later, after your martial arts progressed. But teaching you now will not hinder anything."
As though finding justification for herself, she placed the condensed resin into her mouth. Unlike Kokomi, who had bitten into hers, Raiden Ei let it rest upon her tongue—savoring it with utmost care.
Then—
Her eyes widened slightly. The candy melted instantly, dissolving into a warm sweetness that flowed down her throat and spread through her body.
"—!"
A flood of memories—bright, precious, treasured—rose before her. Moments she had sealed away… Emotions she thought long lost… Warmth she believed severed forever…
In that instant, her heart, sealed by centuries of solitude within the Plane of Euthymia, softened ever so slightly.
"…"
Her gaze grew complicated as she exhaled softly.
"Simply guiding you in the Chakra Desiderata is insufficient."
The loneliness and erosion accumulated across a hundred years had quietly eased. It felt unreal—even miraculous. And it filled her with guilt.
This gift should have belonged to Futsu Mitama. Its effects on an Archon were immeasurable.
Had he consumed it, it could have vastly accelerated his spiritual growth. Instead—she had taken that opportunity. Thus, she resolved to compensate him fully.
"?"
Futsu Mitama tilted his head, puzzled. But he could clearly feel it—the Shogun's aura had changed.
She was sharper. Clearer. More alive.
So the condensed resin works—even on an Archon?
Everyone in the livestream sensed it too. Makoto and Azhdaha were especially shocked.
The change in the Shogun's aura was unmistakable. Yae Miko's eyes gleamed as she toyed with her own condensed resin. She had intended to snack on it eventually.
But this—This demanded proper study. She had to decipher it.
Suddenly—
"Buzz—!!"
Raiden Ei drew Engulfing Lightning. Electro flickered in her eyes; the Chakra Desiderata formed behind her.
"Oh no!!!" Futsu Mitama felt a familiar dread. "Shogun-sama, you said you would only teach me forging methods—"
In just one week, he had already been "guided" by the Shogun multiple times. What others dreamed of receiving… He feared.
"Transcendence: Baleful Omen was originally the key to opening the Plane of Euthymia."
Raiden Ei's voice carried a measured solemnity.
"But before I fully entered the Plane, it served as my eye—perceiving every enemy that dared approach."
"The Chakra Desiderata reads the movements of all foes. The blade, in turn, fulfills judgment."
Before Futsu Mitama could react—
She vanished.
"—!!"
She reappeared directly before him, Engulfing Lightning cleaving downward. He instinctively summoned Musou Isshin to block. In past lessons, either his blade shattered, or he was sent flying.
But this time—
Engulfing Lightning passed cleanly through Musou Isshin—and halted at his forehead. His eyes widened.
"Did you see it clearly?"
Raiden Ei withdrew her blade. With his talent, the meaning of her demonstration should have been evident.
"Spatial— penetration?" Futsu Mitama murmured. "The Chakra Desiderata observes weak points in space—and from those points, you deliver a strike that cannot be avoided—correct?"