"In order to expand the demand for Delusions within the resistance, escalate the intensity of the war, and strengthen both commanders' resolve for a protracted conflict, we hereby request all personnel to assist Second-Class Naval Affairs Officer Nathan in his work. We must crush the Sangonomiya Army's hope for a swift victory."
"This is a matter of utmost importance to ensure an uninterrupted supply of Delusions. Remember this well. Remember it well."
[Ningguang: Crush the Sangonomiya Army's hope for a swift victory... Someone wants this war to drag on indefinitely.]
[Keqing: What kind of person could do such a thing?]
[Paimon: Yeah, wars cause so many deaths... so many people die.]
[Zhongli: War affects the lives of ordinary people as well.]
[Navia: People like this deserve the death sentence. Those who toy with lives are unforgivable.]
[Nahida: To casually deprive others of their most precious lives...]
[Ei: I will have the Shogun investigate this.]
[Yae Miko: Actually, the most unreliable one is the Shogun herself. She's merely a puppet. Though she possesses considerable intelligence, compared to a true god, there are too many loopholes to exploit.]
Lumine continued exploring the camp and soon reached the second level, wiping out the Fatui entirely.
"I didn't expect you to find your way here. Not bad, not bad."
"How amusing. The moment we meet, you already look ready to fight to the death."
Lumine assumed a combat stance. "You created the Delusions and distributed them to the resistance."
Scaramouche: "Oh, so this is about that."
"You seem to have misunderstood something. Though I stand here, I'm merely executing the plan on behalf of others. The mastermind is, of course, someone else. You're quite capable, aren't you? Go ahead and find them."
[Yae Miko: Ei's first created puppet.]
[Ningguang: I've been wondering who could be behind all this. One person comes to mind: Dottore.]
[Tartaglia: That man Dottore is completely insane. I despise him.]
[Nahida: I remember him. Dottore was a scholar at the Sumeru Akademiya, but the Akademiya couldn't tolerate his research.]
[Lumine: Why hasn't Dottore appeared?]
[Tartaglia: Although he's incredibly powerful, he prefers to use others as his blades, scheming from the shadows.]
[Il Dottore: Dear Mr. Tartaglia, speaking ill of colleagues is not a good habit.]
[Paimon: Tartaglia is also a madman, isn't he? He released an ancient god.]
[Lumine: If not for Ningguang, if not for Zhongli still being around, Liyue Harbor would have been destroyed.]
[Paimon: Tartaglia also tried to sow discord between the Qixing and the adepti.]
[Lumine: If they had fought, Liyue Harbor would have suffered immense damage.]
[Ningguang: I will never forgive Tartaglia.]
Lumine was furious.
But Scaramouche continued mockingly, "Oh? Getting angry over such a small matter? You seem to have changed. You've become... pathetically weak."
Paimon fumed, "You call this a small matter?"
Scaramouche grinned. "Isn't it?"
"In this floating world, human life is but grass beneath our feet. Without Delusions, they would die anyway. At least the Delusions gave them a chance to fulfill their wishes."
"Do you truly understand the value of the Vision Hunt Decree? Considerable effort went into making it happen, naturally because it benefits us."
"But looking at it now, it was all worth it. Creating conflict, paving the way for Delusions, letting power itself attract the weak who chase after it."
[Kamisato Ayaka: What? The Vision Hunt Decree was orchestrated by the Fatui? They can actually influence Her Excellency the Shogun's decisions?]
[Yae Miko: Truly chilling to think about.]
[Zhongli: It seems the Shogun has weaknesses too. Though she cannot be eroded by time, she also lacks emotion.]
[Kamisato Ayaka: And unknowingly, the people have been hurt because of it.]
[Furina: A puppet without emotion? If a god does not love their people, how can the people of that nation find happiness and joy?]
[Paimon: Well said, Furina.]
[Yae Miko: In the nation of eternity, the people have already sacrificed much.]
Scaramouche let out an arrogant laugh. "At the cost of just a little something, you get to taste what it feels like to hold the world in your hands. Exchanging your life for limitless power—quite a bargain, wouldn't you say?"
Paimon: "You orchestrated the Vision Hunt Decree? Does that mean you一from the very beginning..."
Scaramouche turned back, his face splitting into a wild, unrestrained grin. "Inazuma may look solid from the outside, but inside, it's full of opportunities left wide open for us. Just a little push, and it crumbles from within."
"Eternity stretches time out endlessly, but in doing so, every single moment becomes incredibly fragile. Just like your friend in the resistance—no matter how hard he struggled, it was all futile. A bubble on the water: the moment it shimmers, it bursts. The more you lose, the more you want. The more powerless you are, the more you thrash. Hahaha! What a delightful farce!"
[Paimon: Aaaaagh! This guy is so infuriating!]
[Lumine: What does he think life is? A bargaining chip to be traded away?]
[Ningguang: I fear it's even worse than that.]
[Furina: The very existence of life is justice itself. Justice is justice—it cannot be traded, and it cannot be compromised.]
Lumine was shaking with rage. "Teppei was NOT powerless!"
Just as Lumine moved to attack, a purple force entangled her. It was a purple mist covering the entire factory, seeping into her body.
Lumine struggled in pain, but she grew weaker and weaker.
Scaramouche slowly descended the platform, step by step. "Yes, that's it. Be angry. Be angry."
"To the grudges of the gods festering in this factory, anger is the finest nourishment."
The grudges affected Lumine greatly. Soon, she collapsed weakly to the ground, her consciousness fading, her eyes struggling to stay open.
Just before losing consciousness, she seemed to see a pink figure approaching. Then, her eyes closed in pain.
[Paimon: Lumine's in trouble! This is the first time she's lost to an opponent.]
[Tartaglia: Lumine is indeed powerful. Even with my Foul Legacy transformation, I couldn't defeat her. If she hadn't inhaled those grudges out of anger, this place couldn't have trapped her either.]
[Ningguang: So everything Scaramouche said earlier was deliberately meant to provoke her.]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: A truly terrifying opponent.]
"Say it with me—three, two, one, one, two, three. Ah, ah. Faster."
Lumine drifted in and out of consciousness. The person before her seemed familiar. "Miko?"
Yae Miko smiled. "Good, good. At least your brain seems to be working fine."
Lumine slowly stood up.
Miko continued, "I worked hard to fish you out of the ground where you were embedded. It would be a shame if you broke."
Paimon crossed her arms. "Um, I've been wanting to ask since the beginning—Miko, why is your manner of speech so different from when we first met you?"
Miko glanced at Paimon. "Is that so? Perhaps it's because the other shrine maidens aren't around. Besides, I've always been like this, you know."
[Arataki Itto: You can tell that Miko is different from Kokomi. She really likes to laugh.]
[Paimon: Kokomi has too many things to worry about.]
[Yae Miko: I have plenty to worry about too. It's just... facing things with a smile tends to yield better results, doesn't it?]
[Thoma: Ever since the Vision Hunt Decree was enacted, the young lady has rarely smiled.]
[Kamisato Ayaka: Every time I learn about those who lost their Visions, my heart aches.]
[Ningguang: The samurai who guarded his village. The soldier who helped his people. And the swordsman who walked the path of the strong.]
[Yae Miko: Inazuma is sick. Or perhaps... poisoned. Poisoned by the Fatui.]
"What people show you is always the side they want you to see. On that, I'm quite clear."
"So no matter which side it is, it's still their true self. People just like to create meaningless definitions. In this so-called human society, I simply do as I please."
Paimon looked confused. "I... don't think I understood any of that."
Miko smiled in reply. "Study humans more, little one. You'll understand too."
Lumine looked at Miko. "How exactly did you save me from Scaramouche?"
[Paimon: Isn't that simple? Miko must have used her strength! As a familiar of the Electro Archon, she must be incredibly powerful!]
[Yae Miko: My strength? Well, it certainly is formidable. But I'm not particularly fond of fighting.]
[Lumine: Thank you for your hard work, Miko.]
[Yae Miko: No trouble at all. All in a day's work. After all, you came to Inazuma to help.]
"Right!" Paimon's eyes widened. "I was so busy watching over the Traveler that I completely missed what you did!"
Miko gave a sly smile. "It was a secret technique of the Grand Narukami Shrine. I made that Scaramouche fellow beg for mercy on his knees in an instant. Would you believe that?"
Lumine: "..."
Miko continued, "More importantly, shouldn't you be thinking about how to repay me? Or has something indeed gone wrong with your thought processes?"
Lumine: "Thank you very much, Lady Yae Miko."
Miko: "No need to be so formal. What I need from you is action. You're still thinking about the Delusion incident, aren't you?"
Lumine nodded. "Yes. What happened after?"
Miko: "Rest assured. That leader from Watatsumi Island has already sent her troops to clean things up and issued strict orders throughout the army banning the use of Delusions."
[Paimon: Thank goodness for Kokomi.]
[Lumine: It seems the Delusion factory issue has been completely resolved.]
"That Scaramouche fellow wouldn't foolishly resist on behalf of his colleagues now that their base is exposed. Sigh... if only I had the time, I'd love to see those Fatui get what they deserve."
"That woman, Sangonomiya Kokomi, has done quite well. I'd like to meet her properly and have a good chat someday. What a shame that our differences in faith get in the way."
Paimon tilted her head. "Get in the way? But you're the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine!"
Miko continued, "Well, I've told you all this to set your mind at ease so you can focus on doing something for me."
Lumine asked, "Something for you? Is this why you saved me?"
Miko's expression suddenly turned serious. "You've met her, haven't you?"