"Almighty Shogun... it was this subordinate's senility... listening to slander... colluding with the Fatui... everything was entirely my idea, it has nothing to do with the Kujou Clan!"
Compared to before, Kujou Takayuki had aged significantly. He looked sickly, with no color in his face.
But when he saw Raiden Makoto, Raiden Ei, and Kujou Sara enter, he hurriedly scrambled up from the ground, pressing against the iron bars with a face full of regret.
"To ensure the Kujou Clan's glory would continue... I was momentarily confused..." Kujou Takayuki spoke as if gasping for his last breath, his sentences halting and broken.
"I thought I could keep the benefits brought by the Snezhnayan envoys and exert complete control over them... This subordinate truly deserves ten thousand deaths!" The next moment, Kujou Takayuki fell directly to his knees.
Raiden Ei's face was solemn as she quietly watched the kneeling Kujou Takayuki, her expression tinged with disappointment.
"Kujou Takayuki, do you know how the Kujou Clan's honor was earned? It was forged in the fires of war, through the hot blood shed for the people of Inazuma—not like this." Raiden Ei's voice was filled with a chilling aura. She still remembered the young man who had challenged her with a sword to earn the position of the Tenryou Commission.
"The ancestors of the Kujou Clan used their blades to prove to me that they were fit for the position of the Tenryou Commission."
"And what about you?"
Kujou Takayuki's collusion with the Fatui had led to her receiving a severe beating from her sister; even now, her backside still smarted a bit.
Of course, she had already fully recognized her own mistakes.
"This subordinate deserves ten thousand deaths!" Kujou Takayuki had thought it through completely in prison. "The Kujou Clan is no longer worthy of leading the Tenryou Commission, but everything I did had nothing to do with the others; they knew nothing."
"Sara can testify that neither of my two sons knew of my collusion with the Fatui; they were merely following my orders."
"I only hope the Raiden Shogun will spare the Kujou Clan..." Kujou Takayuki was filled with total regret. He shouldn't have been swayed by greed, and certainly shouldn't have conspired with foreign envoys to deceive the Raiden Shogun, but regret was useless now.
"Grand Narukami, I can testify for him..." Kujou Sara sighed deeply. Once upon a time, the foster father who had been absolutely obedient to the Raiden Shogun had vanished without a trace.
Kujou Takayuki had changed—completely and utterly.
"The Kujou Clan will naturally receive the punishment it deserves for its actions," Raiden Ei said, staring at Kujou Takayuki. "As for you... you will also receive your due punishment."
"This subordinate acknowledges his crimes... and willingly accepts punishment!" After speaking, Kujou Takayuki began to cough violently. As several splatters of blood hit the floor, he collapsed.
"There is too much Godly Resentment within him; he hasn't long to live..." Raiden Makoto sighed softly. Kujou Takayuki hadn't truly betrayed the Shogunate; he was simply too selfish. He had betrayed the Shogun, but not the Shogunate itself.
"When colluding with the Fatui, how could they possibly leave any witnesses alive? They wouldn't leave behind evidence of their interference in Inazuma's internal affairs." Raiden Makoto likely knew why Kujou Takayuki had fallen bedridden. When La Signora conspired with the Kujou Clan, she never intended to let Kujou Takayuki live.
It could only be said that Kujou Takayuki's greed was like a snake trying to swallow an elephant.
"That would be a severe diplomatic incident... Anyway, killing La Signora and the Scaramouche now is simply the Fatui getting what they deserve. Interfering in Inazuma's internal affairs provides more than enough reason to execute them."
Raiden Ei felt a sense of awe despite not fully understanding. She didn't quite grasp what Raiden Makoto was saying, but she felt her sister was truly amazing.
Raiden Ei looked at Raiden Makoto with pure adoration. As expected of her elder sister!
While Raiden Ei was looking at Raiden Makoto with eyes full of worship, Kujou Sara, standing to the side, suddenly spoke up and interrupted.
"Grand Narukami, I wish to challenge the Raiden Shogun to a Shogunate Duel!" Kujou Sara said with a serious expression, having just heard what Raiden Ei said to Kujou Takayuki.
Although she was an adopted child of the Kujou Clan, she was still a member of the family. For the glory of the Kujou Clan, she had to duel the Shogun to prove she was capable of leading the Tenryou Commission!
"What? You want to restore the Kujou Clan's glory? To prove to me that you can lead the Tenryou Commission?" Raiden Makoto looked calmly at the determined Kujou Sara, having grasped her intention.
"Yes."
As for Raiden Ei, she was slightly stunned. Kujou Sara was actually challenging her to a Shogunate Duel right in front of her sister?
"Forget it."
"Can a warrior rule a nation? You're so single-minded..." Raiden Makoto rolled her eyes. "Even if the Tenryou Commission governs the military, it still requires brains and calm reflection."
"What's the use of only knowing how to fight?" Raiden Makoto didn't know much about the Kujou Clan's history anyway; Inazuma had changed too much in the five hundred years since her passing.
Lines of frustration appeared on Raiden Ei's forehead. Could she suspect Raiden Makoto was talking about her? Yet, she didn't dare talk back.
"In times of peace, the Tenryou Commission is responsible for Inazuma's public security. Can fighting alone solve those problems?"
Kujou Sara glanced at Raiden Ei and, seeing that even the Shogun looked a bit guilty, she breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed she wasn't the only one feeling guilty.
"Grand Narukami, your teachings... this subordinate understands." Kujou Sara then said with determination, "I will do better."
If even the Raiden Shogun felt guilty, then what was there for her to be ashamed of? If the Shogun wasn't embarrassed, neither was she!
"I understand, Sister..." Since Kujou Sara had already seen her rolling on the floor and throwing a tantrum, Raiden Ei had completely lost face before her anyway, so she simply stopped caring.
She stood obediently by Raiden Makoto's side. "Sister, then the Tenryou Commission will be led by Kujou Sara from now on... As for how to handle the Kujou Clan, shall we let Kujou Sara decide?"
"Mhm."
"At least you're showing some sense."
That was exactly what she intended to decide. Although Kujou Sara was technically still not ideal to lead the Tenryou Commission, it was truly difficult to find suitable talent in the current mess that was Inazuma.
The Vision Hunt Decree might have maintained Inazuma's eternity and temporary stability, but it was seriously stifling Inazuma's talent and completely blocking the path of development.
She couldn't help but suspect it was a deliberate move by the Fatui, specifically to stifle Inazuma's progress.
And her foolish sister had actually believed them, entirely unaware of the consequences of implementing the Vision Hunt Decree and the Sakoku Decree.
It would be necessary to educate her more often in the future.
"Hehehehe..." Raiden Ei chuckled like a simpleton. It had been several days since her sister returned, and she had finally received a word of praise. She had to keep up the good work!
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