"Watatsumi Island..."
Standing on the deck, Bai Luo gazed at the distant island with a hint of resignation. He had originally thought the ship was headed for Ritou. Once there, he could have gone back to his leisurely days of slacking off.
He never expected Beidou to drop him right into the heart of the resistance's main camp.
Bai Luo had asked Beidou about this, and the reason she gave him was flawless.
"We're stowaways. Wouldn't going to Ritou be like walking right into a trap? Of course, we have to come to Watatsumi Island, where we have friendly relations."
"Makes sense."
And so, the ship gradually approached the dock.
As the ship drew near the shore, the situation on land came into view. Seeing the dense crowd of soldiers and the flags held high, Bai Luo asked with some uncertainty, "Are you sure... you have friendly relations with Watatsumi Island?"
This formation, no matter how you looked at it, seemed like they were preparing for war.
"Hmm... we should be on good terms, right?"
Now, even Beidou herself was bewildered. If her right arm wasn't still in a sling, she probably would have drawn her weapon to calm her nerves.
Could it be that something had happened on Watatsumi Island during this time? Or had the supplies she delivered last time failed to have the desired effect, and instead, the resistance had been defeated?
But the flags on the coast were indeed the flags of Watatsumi Island.
"Don't tell me the snake I killed earlier was really Orobashi?"
Bai Luo touched the crystal he was wearing as a necklace and said with some uncertainty.
But the system had clearly stated that the creature should have been Beisht.
Everyone was completely baffled, except for Kazuha, who understood what was going on.
"Captain, Mr. Himura, those people are probably here to welcome Mr. Himura."
When Kazuha was on Watatsumi Island before, he could already feel the deep respect the resistance members had for the Battousai. So this time, he had sent a message ahead of their arrival.
"To welcome me?"
Not only Bai Luo but even Beidou was a little surprised. Even though she knew Bai Luo was very popular among the resistance, she didn't think he would be popular to this extent.
Looking at the welcoming party...
Wow, not only had the Divine Priestess herself made an appearance, but even that ever-victorious general with the pointed ears was among the crowd.
In addition, there were many other important figures from Watatsumi Island.
Except for a very few who looked relatively rational, the fanatical expressions on many of their faces inexplicably reminded Beidou of the followers of Rex Lapis.
Hiss, truly terrifying.
"Welcome back to Watatsumi Island, Captain Beidou."
Sangonomiya Kokomi had naturally noticed Beidou's injuries, but now was not a good time to ask, so she temporarily avoided the topic.
"Hahaha, we have an old saying in Liyue, 'The drinker's heart is not in the cup.' I believe Lady Sangonomiya is welcoming this gentleman here, right?"
Beidou didn't have the thick skin to accept the Divine Priestess's flattery and decisively sold Bai Luo out.
After Bai Luo was pushed forward, almost everyone's gaze was drawn to him.
The same red robe as in the rumors, and that cat-faced mask.
But... it seemed a little different.
"Didn't they say Lord Battousai was eight feet tall and eight feet wide? Why does he look less built than me?"
"Yeah, yeah, and isn't Lord Battousai supposed to wear a green-faced, fanged demon mask? What's with this cat face?"
"That's not the point, is it? Since Lord Battousai can slay a god with his blade, his swordsmanship must be absolutely divine, right? Why do I feel like he's just an ordinary person?"
Ordinary. This was the most direct impression Bai Luo gave everyone.
He just stood there lazily, a faint smile on his lips, looking like a very ordinary young man on the side of the road.
If someone hadn't said he was the Battousai, everyone would have just thought he was a poor impersonator, who hadn't even captured Lord Battousai's divine spirit.
Even the high-ranking officials of Watatsumi Island felt the same way.
There were only two exceptions.
One was Sangonomiya Kokomi, and the other was General Gorou.
The former was well-read and knew that some powerful individuals had the ability to conceal their own strength. To be held in such high regard by Captain Beidou, this Battousai must have a similar ability.
As for Gorou, it was simple, purely because of Kaedehara Kazuha.
Although they hadn't interacted much, the two of them had a very good relationship. To be looked at by Kazuha with that kind of gaze, no matter how incredible it seemed, it couldn't be wrong.
"You jest, Captain Beidou. Thanks to your care, our Watatsumi Island has been able to hold on until now. Both Mr. Battousai and you are worthy of such a grand welcome from our Watatsumi Island."
It had to be said that even though Sangonomiya Kokomi disliked socializing, she had studied it very thoroughly.
At the very least, with these words, she not only successfully handled Beidou's line of conversation but also elevated Bai Luo's status alongside her.
"You are too kind, Lady Sangonomiya. According to our last transaction, we have brought the items Watatsumi Island needs. However, due to an accident on the way, there may be some discrepancies in the numbers. I hope Lady Sangonomiya will not hold it against us."
While instructing her crew to unload the cargo, Beidou apologized.
Logically speaking, accidents were inevitable during a sea voyage.
But the Crux Fleet was no ordinary fleet. They would usually keep all losses to a minimum.
Beisht was no small matter. If it weren't for Bai Luo on the ship, they would have all likely been devoured by Beisht, let alone this cargo.
"For Captain Beidou to deliver these items, our Watatsumi Island is already overwhelmed with gratitude. How could we possibly blame you for this? We have already prepared a banquet at Sangonomiya Shrine and hope that Captain Beidou and Lord Battousai will be able to attend."
Sangonomiya Kokomi had a confident smile on her face and behaved with extreme grace and generosity, the aura of a leader on full display.
But no one knew that this Divine Priestess actually detested such things.
Fortunately, the presence of the Battousai had attracted most people's attention, which also made her feel much less pressure than usual.
Otherwise... who knows how long it would take her to recover the lost energy.
Oh, right, we should mention the so-called energy here.
Forcing herself to do things she dislikes severely drains Kokomi's energy, leaving her exhausted.
So she created this concept of [energy] for herself. Doing things she likes restores energy, while doing things she dislikes decreases it.
When her energy is depleted, she will temporarily put aside her duties as the Divine Priestess and revert to being an ordinary girl who stays at home.
In a way, the supreme leaders of both the Shogunate's army and the Watatsumi resistance share a similar hobby.
After she gets back tonight, she'll probably read through that copy of "My Raiden Shogun Can't Be This Cute" again.
This light novel of considerable quality could at least restore half of her energy.
"Then we shall respectfully accept your invitation."
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