"Why didn't you kill them?"
Kujou Takayuki had already been taken down. Why let Hiiragi Shinsuke off the hook? Was it just because he paid a protection fee? The thought that a mere pair of men could turn the entirety of Inazuma upside down made Raiden Ei feel they truly deserved to die.
Even though the situation in Inazuma had not been reported to her directly over the years, the Shogun had dismissed it by saying it was nothing compared to the death toll during the Archon War. That had left Raiden Ei stunned. Did that mean the Shogun considered the current state of affairs trivial until the casualty count matched that of a divine conflict?
"I am a Fatui Harbinger. The Fatui worked incredibly hard to muddy the waters in Inazuma. I've already taken out one of them, which was bad enough—you still want me to finish off the other?"
Raiden Ei remained silent.
Forget about that ridiculous title of yours. With power like that, why on earth would you choose to work for the Fatui?
"Besides, what is the point of killing them?"
Su Ran lifted the tiny Raiden Ei high in his arms, his satisfaction growing the more he looked at her. She was a puppet of his own design, after all, and remarkably cute.
"Do you want to take one last look at Inazuma before the dreamscape is built? You might not get another chance to see it like this."
***
Walking through the streets of Inazuma City, Kamisato Ayaka appeared deep in thought. The people around them did not seem particularly concerned about the eternal dreamscape the Raiden Shogun had spoken of. Even when people discussed it, they did not seem to take it seriously.
"Ayaka!"
A vibrant girl with reddish hair dashed to her side and tapped her shoulder. "Why do you look so gloomy? Did you not sleep well last night?"
Seeing the energetic girl beside her, Kamisato Ayaka offered a familiar smile. "Oh, Yoimiya... I was just thinking about the dreamscape the Shogun mentioned."
They walked on together.
"The dreamscape? You mean the one without sickness, old age, or pain?" Yoimiya had no real concept of what the Raiden Shogun meant; she simply dismissed it as a dream. No matter how long a dream lasted, one would eventually have to wake up. "Hey, Ayaka, you've been by the Shogun's side for days. You must know a lot more about it than the rest of us."
Remembering that her friend had spent quite some time at Tenshukaku, Yoimiya hoped to get some real insight. She was merely curious.
"It is a dream maintained by three deities combined," Ayaka said quietly.
The thought of mortals losing their physical bodies upon entering the dream was terrifying, yet she dared not share the darker details with Yoimiya. Even though Yoimiya had openly resisted the Vision Hunt Decree in the past, she was better off remaining an ordinary person. Confronting a deity was not a burden she wanted for her friend, nor did she want her pulled too deep into this mess.
Yoimiya noticed her hesitation and felt puzzled. "It isn't another disastrous idea like the Vision Hunt Decree or the Sakoku Decree, is it?"
"It is fine... there will be a way," Ayaka sighed, forcing a smile.
She had only one day left. By tomorrow, she would return to serve at the side of the divine. She decided she might as well enjoy the time she had.
"I heard there is a stall nearby that makes dango milk. Let's go try some."
Seeing that Ayaka was unwilling to say more, Yoimiya reluctantly dropped the subject. She knew this young lady well; despite her gentle appearance, Ayaka possessed a resilient spirit. If she had been able to take action against the Vision Hunt Decree, she would certainly not stop fighting if the dreamscape proved to be a disaster. Yoimiya chose to trust her.
"Alright then! I heard that place is popular, let's hurry."
After walking a short distance, they finally reached the dango milk stall. Yoimiya trotted ahead, brimming with excitement, but Ayaka suddenly froze in her tracks. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief, confirming the identity of the figure standing at the stall.
"How does it taste?"
After handing a bottle of dango milk to Raiden Ei, Su Ran took a sip of his own. It was decent, though Teyvat was not a world known for food additives. The food might be healthier, but the flavor suffered for it. In the original timeline, the Traveler would have been the one accompanying Raiden Ei, but now it was him. Even the timeline had shifted.
Raiden Ei finished her drink, clearly wanting more. Her gaze drifted toward the bottle Su Ran had yet to finish. Seeing the greed in her eyes, Su Ran surrendered his portion.
"I really am at a loss with you. Why are you acting like such a child?"
Raiden Ei accepted the drink without a hint of embarrassment. "I am a child, after all."
Her current form was not that of the Shogun. In such a petite state, who could argue she wasn't a child? Besides, she had no intention of admitting to others that she was the Electro Archon of Inazuma.
"Wow! What a cute doll!"
Yoimiya, who had been queuing behind them, caught sight of Raiden Ei in Su Ran's arms and was instantly captivated. Despite the Raiden Shogun's poor governance, the people's affection for their deity remained unchanged. The Raiden Shogun was still an idol to many.
Su Ran noticed the blonde girl behind them. "My little Ei is naturally the cutest."
Raiden Ei stiffened. I was just joking—are you actually treating me like a child?
"Little Ei? What a sweet name. Tell me, is she dressed like that to play the Shogun?" Yoimiya examined Raiden Ei, acknowledging that the little girl looked remarkably like the true Shogun—even their features were uncannily similar.
"Actually, no," Su Ran replied with a truth that sounded like a lie. "It is the Raiden Shogun who is playing her."
"That is a very boring joke," Yoimiya said, clearly unconvinced.