Lumine and Paimon left Ritou's checkpoint,
Setting off toward Narukami Island.
Along the way, Paimon asked, "Why did that Kanjou Commissioner suddenly let us go?"
Lumine shook her head. "Probably has something to do with The Fair Lady. He didn't want us near that shipment."
"Who knows what's going on with Watatsumi Island..."
Paimon suggested, "Let's just head to Narukami Island first and find that Thoma guy. Wasn't it called Komore Teahouse or something?"
Lumine nodded. "Mhm. But before going to Komore Teahouse, there's one more place we need to visit."
After arriving on Narukami Island,
Lumine followed Hiiragi Chisato's instructions and went straight to the Tenryou Commission headquarters.
She handed the letter directly to the guards at the entrance.
Before long, a bespectacled young man emerged.
He was Hiiragi Chisato's beloved—
The heir of the Tenryou Commission's Kujou Clan: Kujou Kamaji.
"You must be the travelers Chisato mentioned in her letter. Thank you."
He took out a "Travel Permit" and handed it to Lumine.
"If anyone asks, just show them this permit."
After thanking Kujou Kamaji, Lumine and Paimon began searching the city for Komore Teahouse.
——————
Soon, they arrived at the entrance of a teahouse.
"This should be the address Thoma gave us."
Just as Lumine was about to knock,
A woman dressed in staff attire stepped out of the teahouse.
Her face was sour, and she looked down at Lumine with disdain.
"We don't serve ordinary customers. Please leave."
Paimon quickly waved her hands. "Ah, wait! We're not ordinary customers—"
The staff member crossed her arms, sneering.
"Smuggled and exiled 'special guests' from overseas, I see. Your outfits make it obvious."
Lumine frowned. Was this how Komore Teahouse treated its guests?
She handed over the "Travel Permit" to the woman.
The woman took one look and immediately toned down her attitude.
"So you're esteemed guests of the Kujou Clan. My mistake."
Her tone was merely less hostile—no apology was offered.
Lumine took the permit back.
Thoma was with the Yashiro Commission.
Meaning this place was likely under the Yashiro Commission's jurisdiction.
Since the Yashiro and Tenryou Commissions were equals in rank,
This staff member wasn't the least bit intimidated.
Keeping her composure, Lumine asked,
"Is this place called Komore Teahouse?"
"It is."
Lumine retrieved Thoma's invitation letter from her bag and handed it over.
The woman examined it, and her attitude finally normalized.
"The Yashiro Commission's seal... So you're with Master Thoma. It seems your identities aren't so simple after all."
"Then... welcome to Komore Teahouse, a small sanctuary under the Yashiro Commission's protection."
She gestured for them to enter.
"You may go in now—"
"Apologize."
"Huh?"
Paimon crossed her arms, glaring at the staff member.
"Judging people as 'smuggled and exiled guests' just by their clothes—don't you owe us an apology?"
Only then did the woman realize her mistake.
"My apologies. My attitude earlier was inappropriate. Please forgive me, honored guests."
"You should've apologized the moment you learned we weren't exiles."
However, Lumine made no move to enter.
She was thoroughly displeased.
The invitation only had an address—was showing it really necessary?
If they had the address, why wasn't the staff informed in advance?
Was this yet another "test"?
Tests, tests, and more tests!
Thoma was the one who owed her a promise.
Why was she the one feeling aggrieved?
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
Lumine turned to leave, throwing back a remark:
"Tell Thoma to come find me himself. I won't wait forever."
"Remember—the Yashiro Commission owes me a promise. I'm not the one begging you."
——————
Guinaifen's Livestream
Guinaifen complained:
"Folks, something about this Inazuma arc feels off to me."
"Why does it feel like we can't go anywhere?"
[Damn, Inazuma's xenophobia is on full display here.]
[Didn't Thoma promise to introduce us to the Raiden Shogun?]
[Who's asking whom for favors here? Weren't we the ones who solved the trade association's problem?]
[At least Lumine fought back. If she'd just meekly walked in, I wouldn't sleep tonight.]
——————
Ignoring the staff member's expression behind them,
Lumine and Paimon left Komore Teahouse without hesitation.
Lumine wasn't worried about missing her chance to meet the Raiden Shogun.
Right now, only she could deliver Hiiragi Chisato's letters.
And as that woman had said—
This wasn't just any Tenryou Commission permit.
It was proof of being an esteemed guest of the Kujou Clan.
Kujou Kamaji had upgraded this permit specifically to win Lumine over.
The question was—what did the Tenryou Commission want?
So far, it seemed the Kanjou Commission was colluding with the Fatui.
The Tenryou Commission's motives remained unclear.
And then there was the legendary "Test King"—the Yashiro Commission.
By the time Thoma finally tracked down Lumine and Paimon,
The two were feasting at Inazuma's famous eatery—Shimura's.
Thoma claimed it was a work oversight, not another test.
Lumine reluctantly accepted his explanation.
However, Thoma didn't take Lumine directly to the Kamisato Estate.
Instead, he brought her to the Statue of the Omnipresent God.
When Lumine touched the statue, she seemed to hear others' wishes.
This detour wasn't for nothing—
Thoma revealed everything about the Vision Hunt Decree,
And introduced Kamisato Ayaka as someone who had opposed it from the beginning.
Lumine offered no opinion.
Upon arriving at the Kamisato Estate,
The two had their first meeting—separated by a screen.