"Where is Nathan? Where is he..."
"He's been... dealt with..." Sangonomiya Kokomi was a bit afraid. Raiden Makoto's expressionless face meant she was definitely angry. Moreover, Raiden Makoto was a gentle god; her being angry meant the situation was grave.
"You're quite clever, knowing to deal with Nathan." Raiden Makoto had originally thought Sangonomiya Kokomi was quite naive, but looking at her now, if Kokomi were truly naive, how could she have navigated the various factions of Watatsumi Island until now?
"You even knew to deal with the traitor and resolve the evidence of the crime."
"Was your original intention for forming the resistance really just to oppose the Vision Hunt Decree? Was it not to invade Narukami Island eastward once again?"
When Raiden Makoto saw Scaramouche actually rolling over from that side, she was stunned. Hadn't she told Scaramouche to hurry over? Did Scaramouche really just roll over?
Hearing Raiden Makoto's question, Sangonomiya Kokomi grew more and more terrified. Her small face suddenly turned pale and bloodless. Of course, she had only formed the resistance to oppose the Vision Hunt Decree.
How could it possibly be to invade Narukami Island again?
"It's not... It's not... Sister..." Sangonomiya Kokomi shook her head vigorously.
"Sister, I know I was wrong." Sangonomiya Kokomi was terrified at this moment, her tears falling like rain. She really should have told Raiden Makoto about the events on Ba Yun Island sooner; she shouldn't have hidden anything.
Seeing Sangonomiya Kokomi's excellent attitude in admitting her mistake, Scaramouche knew what he had to do.
"Auntie, I was wrong!" He directly imitated Sangonomiya Kokomi and began to wail loudly just like her.
"That was all Rosalyne's idea, I was just following orders!" He even knelt on the ground with a flourish. To cling to Raiden Makoto's leg and get her forgiveness, he couldn't care about his dignity anymore.
Only by obtaining Raiden Makoto's forgiveness could he return.
"..."
"The Fatui have thrown Inazuma into utter chaos. Do you think that once Ei knows you had a hand in all of it, she will forgive you? Will she acknowledge you?"
"She would wish she had completely scrapped you back then!" Raiden Makoto truly had a bit of a headache. Looking at the tearful Sangonomiya Kokomi and Scaramouche, who was acting like a clown kneeling on the ground, she felt a bit disappointed.
"Can crying solve the problem?"
The Little White Snake wrapped around Raiden Makoto's arm knew she was angry; it began to flick its tongue, gently comforting her.
"Orobashi, take a good look at the people of Watatsumi Island you once wanted to protect. Look at them!"
However, the Little White Snake continued to touch Raiden Makoto gently with its small head, its red crystal-like eyes sparkling.
Gorou lowered his head to the side. He didn't know how to face Raiden Makoto because he had played a part in everything Watatsumi Island and the resistance had become.
Yet now, Sangonomiya Kokomi was bearing it all alone.
"Kokomi counts as half a descendant of yours. Look at her—is she fit to be the Divine Priestess?"
The Little White Snake lowered its head as if it understood, a trace of pity showing in its eyes.
"I know I was wrong..." Sangonomiya Kokomi had completely realized that much of what she had done was wrong, and even forming the resistance was something that shouldn't have happened.
How was she resisting the Vision Hunt Decree? She was resisting the Shogunate, resisting the Raiden Shogun.
But why had she been so easily pushed by the various factions of Watatsumi Island to form the resistance back then? She must have been foolish at the time.
"I am indeed not fit to be the Divine Priestess."
If she could, she would rather not be the Divine Priestess. She just wanted to be an ordinary girl, able to sit at home every day doing the things she liked.
But she couldn't. She was born the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island.
Kujou Sara looked at the bowed head of Sangonomiya Kokomi. Memories of the past resurfaced in her mind, and she began to ask herself: was she fit to be the General of the Tenryou Commission?
"Scaramouche, get up."
"Whether Ei will forgive you, I don't know, but at least for now, I will not forgive you." Looking at Scaramouche before her, Raiden Makoto couldn't help but sigh.
"How to deal with you is not my concern."
Scaramouche could almost be called devoid of humanity, but he truly wasn't human. If he were to have humanity, he would have needed to be taught.
That Scaramouche was able to join the Fatui was partly due to Ei's neglect. Ei lacked common sense, was too simple-minded, and didn't understand the ways of the world. It was also her fault for protecting Ei too well back then and not teaching her.
So at its root, it was her mistake. She should have properly educated her sister; otherwise, her sister wouldn't have fallen into such a conceptual trap now.
"But Kokomi, do you think your Watatsumi Island is worthy of Orobashi?"
Raiden Makoto's question left Sangonomiya Kokomi in complete silence.
As the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island, even her faith in Orobashi had faded, let alone that of the other people on the island.
Many on Watatsumi Island even blamed Orobashi for the faults of that great war a thousand years ago. Yet she had been unable to refute them, and she had never dealt with it.
She was wrong, and Watatsumi Island was wrong.
The little snake's head gently touched Raiden Makoto's arm, as if telling her that it no longer cared.
"I'm sorry..." Sangonomiya Kokomi's eyes were red, her pitiful appearance tugging at one's heartstrings. However, Raiden Makoto continued to reprimand her.
"Saying sorry is useless. What matters is how you handle it in the future, how you resolve it."
"Do you understand?"
"I..." Sangonomiya Kokomi was stunned for a moment, then her gaze filled with determination. "I understand... I know what I must do..."
"Good."
Just then, a Watatsumi soldier rushed in from outside holding a letter. After the soldier delivered the letter to Gorou, he withdrew. Gorou took one look and immediately handed the letter to the contemplating Kujou Sara beside him.
"A letter from Kamisato Ayaka?" Kujou Sara was taken aback, then she walked directly toward Raiden Makoto.
"Grand Narukami, it is a letter from Kamisato Ayaka!"
"A letter from Ayaka?" Without hesitation, Raiden Makoto took the letter and opened it. Why would Kamisato Ayaka suddenly write to her? Could something have gone wrong on Narukami Island?
However, the more she read the letter, the more unpleasant her expression became.
The Sangonomiya Shrine, which had already been completely silent because of Raiden Makoto's anger, became even quieter. Everyone was silent, not daring to speak.
"The ceremony for the hundredth Vision? The target is... Thoma?" Raiden Makoto was stunned. Kujou Takayuki was actually still stubbornly carrying out the Vision Hunt Decree. Even with Kujou Sara absent, he intended to complete it.
Kamisato Ayaka's letter was several pages long, but upon careful reading, the entire letter essentially boiled down to one sentence.
Thoma is in danger, return quickly!
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