"Well, maybe it's just one of those quirks that powerful people have," Lumine said, half amused.
"Zhongli loves getting everything for free, Venti loves drinking… seems the stronger someone is, the weirder their hobbies become. Speaking of which, what about you? Do you have any hobbies?"
Ei blinked, looking puzzled, then slowly shook her head.
What hobbies could she possibly have?
Aside from protecting Makoto, all she ever pursued was the Way of the Sword.
Lumine sighed with mock disappointment.
"In that case, you're not strong enough! All the truly powerful ones have strange habits we mortals can't even comprehend!"
Ei pressed her lips together but didn't argue.
She knew well enough she wasn't on Zhongli's level , after all, he was the God of War.
They had fought before, and she'd lost, fair and square.
But if someone said she couldn't beat Venti… that was another matter entirely.
Ei wasn't much younger than Venti, and though he was indeed one of the top Archons, he was hardly the kind best known for combat prowess.
"Oh, right! I almost forgot!" Lumine clapped her hands and reached into her inventory, taking out a staff and a Totem of Undying.
"Ryen asked me to give these to Makoto. I nearly left them behind!"
"You should recognize them," she added with a smile.
"The Thunder Staff and a Totem of Undying."
Makoto's eyes widened slightly, and Ei's attention was instantly drawn to the staff.
Its aura pulled at her like poison , dangerous, intoxicating, irresistible.
"These are… such precious items…" Makoto said hesitantly, glancing at Lumine.
The Traveler waved it off with a grin.
"Consider it a gift for joining the Alliance! They're valuable, sure, but we've already expanded exploration far beyond the Twilight Forest. We've got plenty of them now."
"If you're not satisfied with the enchantments on that staff, you can always visit Ryen's side later and have the bound spell changed."
Makoto didn't continue to refuse. She nodded gently and accepted the staff.
At that moment, Ei could feel her sister's aura surge upward.
Her strength might not yet rival the peak Archons, but she had already risen to the upper ranks of divine power , enough to protect herself now.
Knowing that Makoto was safer, Ei couldn't help but feel a rush of joy.
"By the way," Lumine added as Makoto examined the staff, "there's something else you should keep in mind."
She crossed her arms and grew a bit more serious.
"The one thousand people you're planning to send into Ryen's world? That's nowhere near enough."
"There are three major realms to manage , the Main World, the New Continent, and the Base Expansion Zones. Then there's military organization, resource gathering, and the expansion projects Ryen's planning. Each nation needs to contribute manpower."
"In short, a thousand won't even scratch the surface of what you'll need."
"Lady Ningguang and her people have already deployed nearly five thousand. You'll need to increase your numbers to match that scale."
Makoto nodded thoughtfully.
"I understand. We'll send the first thousand as the vanguard , the rest will follow gradually."
To be honest, though Inazuma was still in chaos, it had no shortage of manpower thanks to the recent wars.
"Anyway, we just need to stabilize Inazuma's situation first."
"Besides, Inazuma borders the Dark Sea, and the islands are full of monsters. We'll need to keep plenty of the Shogunate troops behind to deal with them."
"But still, it'll be easier to mobilize forces here than in Mondstadt or Snezhnaya."
"Ei," Makoto continued, "in the next few days, focus on pacifying the monsters in Inazuma as quickly as possible. Once that's done, head to Liyue."
"Morax and the others still need to revive the adepti, and we owe them a considerable debt. It needs to be repaid soon."
"Also, make sure you catch up on all the latest progress and coordinate with Kujou Sara afterward."
"You can handle that, right?"
Hearing this, Ei nodded decisively.
"No problem."
"Good…" Makoto's eyes softened as she reached out and gently patted Ei's head.
"Then… tell me about these past five hundred years."
"Have you been eating properly? Is your body holding up? You haven't let your swordsmanship dull, have you?"
What followed was the warm conversation between an elder sister and her younger one.
Ei cherished every second she could spend with Makoto.
Seeing that, Lumine and the others tactfully took their leave.
As they exited Tenshukaku, they could see the Shogunate soldiers moving through the streets of Inazuma City, going door to door announcing the lifting of the Sakoku Decree and the Vision Hunt Decree.
At first, the citizens were wary. But after repeated reassurances from the soldiers, one by one, they began stepping outside.
When they saw the Visions embedded in the Statue of the Thousand-Armed, Hundred-Eyed God being dismantled by the Shogunate troops, they finally believed it.
Before long, stern-faced soldiers stormed into the Kujou estate, arresting every member of the family.
The Tenryou Commission also began apprehending all those responsible for the decrees' enforcement.
Soon, the entire city erupted in cheers.
Ayaka watched the sight with emotion.
"My brother's efficiency is truly remarkable… but he's going to be very busy for a while."
Yae Miko leaned lazily against one of Tenshukaku's main beams, arms folded, smiling slyly.
"Your brother probably enjoys that sort of busyness."
"Mhm!" Ayaka nodded happily.
"Inazuma is finally going to get better!"
"Lumine," she turned toward her companion, "you've been running around with us for so long. You must be tired. Come with me, I'll show you a revitalized Inazuma City!"
Before Lumine could reply, Paimon's eyes sparkled.
"Are we going to eat? Yay, yay!"
Ayaka covered her lips with a soft laugh and nodded brightly.
"Whatever you want to eat, we'll have it!"
"Today, it's my treat!"
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