"You—! You're still alive?!"
"That's right, Lyudochka," replied Gendou Ringo calmly.
"…Too bad, though. You're about to die right here! Don't blame me—blame yourself for learning things you shouldn't have known!"
Lyudochka let out a forced, dramatic laugh, lifting the Electro Lantern that was supposed to serve as a catalyst and swinging it at Ringo. Yet when her opponent didn't even flinch or dodge, she had no choice but to deliberately make her strike look clumsy and miss on purpose.
The act was so unconvincing that even Ringo felt awkward watching. She sighed. "You can stop pretending. There's no one else here."
"What are you talking about? If you don't want to be silenced, then fight me with everything you've got!"
Ringo ignored the provocation and said evenly, "You're an orphan too. Back at the restaurant, you lied. I thought you just didn't want to be associated with me, but you were actually protecting me, weren't you?"
Lyudochka froze, then snapped back, "Don't flatter yourself! I'm a Fatui—during a mission, I can't afford distractions!"
"And what are you doing now? Your teacher sent you to Watatsumi Island. What mission did he give you? You don't want to carry it out, so you've decided to die instead?"
"H-how do you know that?!"
"That hateful woman who reported to your teacher—I've already captured her. She registered under the name Tae at the Tenryou Commission's 'Royal Bathhouse.' Not sure if it's her real name."
"You're… not an ordinary shrine maiden."
"I'm an agent of the Shuumatsuban. On this land, that makes me your mortal enemy."
"Is that so… How ironic. Then kill me. My teacher's plan is in my hands—it concerns many lives. If you kill me, you'll stop her."
In Lyudochka's trembling grasp was Efim's final orders. Its contents: poison the target.
Once prepared, she and several others were to go to Watatsumi Island, release poison there, and then deliberately expose themselves—the "shrine maiden of Narukami Shrine" alongside "Tenryou Commission soldiers." This would reignite the recently ceased war between the Shogunate and Watatsumi.
And war… brings orphans.
In the House of the Hearth, the orphans took on surnames—boys as "Snezhevich," girls as "Snezhevna."
Even though her teacher bore the same surname, she could still say things like, "Isn't that better? We can take those children in—turn them into new strength for the Fatui."
Could it be… her own life was just another creation of such people?
Lyudochka didn't want to see more suffering. But she was a nobody—too weak in power, too tangled in loyalty and guilt to defy the House of the Hearth or Snezhnaya.
So, she had promised Efim that she would obtain something more valuable than her cover as a shrine maiden: Yae Miko's personal omamori, a token that symbolized Narukami Shrine itself.
Efim had agreed readily—moved by her "determination," even planning to find a way to spare her life during the Watatsumi mission.
What Lyudochka didn't tell her was that such omamori were extremely rare—Yae Miko only gave them to those she deeply trusted. Stealing one from beneath her very nose…
That was a death sentence.
But death, perhaps, was its own kind of freedom.
Ringo, as if reading her thoughts, said softly, "You're not suited to be a Fatui operative. Leave that organization behind. Live properly as a shrine maiden. The Guuji herself said you're even more popular than I am."
"Heh… impossible."
Lyudochka stepped back, her voice trembling with resignation.
"For ordinary members, there are only two ways to leave the Fatui—death, or the death of everyone who knows you.
"In other words, either let them confirm my death, or kill all the operatives who know me. The latter's obviously impossible.
"And if they brand me a traitor, they'll hunt me to the ends of the earth. They'll never stop—until one side is dead. That's how the Fatui keep their ranks obedient. That's why so few ever defect.
"If I die, I won't have to keep struggling between right and wrong. Without my face, they won't be able to carry out their plan to pit Watatsumi against the Shogunate—and they'll stop coming after you."
Ringo nodded. "I understand. Wiping out the Fatui entirely isn't realistic. But what about faking your death? In the Shuumatsuban, faking death is a required skill. Staying alive is always more valuable than dying."
"Even if it works, I'd have to spend my life hiding…"
"You're different—you have a chance. We look so alike—if you take my identity, you can live openly and freely."
"Your identity? Then you—"
"I'm Shuumatsuban. My life's already one of secrecy. Having a few extra identities doesn't matter. Lending you one of them won't kill me."
"…"
Seeing her resolve waver, Ringo pressed on gently, "They think I'm dead—so let's give them proof. I'll make them see me come back to life and kill you. After that, you can keep living here as a shrine maiden—or work at Yae Publishing House proofreading novels again."
"They're not that easy to fool…"
"You like being a shrine maiden, right? I don't. Not one bit. And you love light novels—though I still don't understand what's so great about such unrealistic stories…"
"It's because they show what can't happen in reality—that's why they're wonderful."
"Heh… hahaha! Hahahahahaha!"
"Wh-why are you laughing?"
"I was just thinking—if we really were related by blood, I'd be the older sister, and you the younger."
"Why?"
"Because I'm strict, and you're adorable."
"Th-then maybe it could be the other way around—a gentle big sister and a serious little sister!"
Ringo didn't argue. She stepped forward and took Lyudochka's hand. "Then it's settled. I've already made a substitute body for you—it just needs a set of clothes that the Fatui will recognize as yours."
"But… we might not even be related by blood…"
"Who cares about that? I'm not saving someone who just looks like me—I'm saving someone whose heart isn't yet lost."
Compared to her own numb reaction upon hearing Ringo's death before, Lyudochka felt a pang of shame at her own hesitation. She whispered, "Can I really…"
Before she could finish, a cheerful voice echoed up the shrine path:
"That Tianquan Star sure is generous—five whole nights of fireworks for Inazuma City! Hehe, I wonder if Ei's getting any sleep with all that noise."
"Yoimiya's incredible too—five nights, and not a single repeat pattern. Even Lady Saiguu didn't manage that before."
Before anyone noticed their presence, Ringo tugged Lyudochka's hand, whispering, "Come on. Let's go talk to Sister Momoka about the fake death plan."
"Mm…"