At Lucian's house, Venti is laughing too, though he's trying to hold it back, his expression almost turning into a meme-worthy dragon face. Who would've thought I'd live to see the Raiden Shogun make that face? His thoughts align with Scaramouche's—They all look the same anyway, so what if I think of her as Baal? Truly a sight to behold. He wonders if he'll ever see Morax make a similar expression someday. As for this boy named Kazuha, he's impressive. The kid on Beidou's ship… Hmm, Venti has an impression of him. I'll invite him for a drink next time.
Venti remembers Kazuha from the battle against Osial, where he watched the whole thing. Hu Tao, who has returned from Fontaine, sighs in relief upon reading this. "I thought we'd have to hold a funeral for Lumine." Though Hu Tao always says Lumine's constant traveling and adventuring make her a prime client, she doesn't actually want Lumine to become her client. If Lumine left standing upright but came back as nothing more than a pile of ashes, it'd be too much for her friends to handle.
As Kazuha's friend, Beidou, still in Inazuma, can't hide the smile on her face, beaming with a "that's my kid" kind of pride. Tartaglia's hands are itching, craving a fight. He desperately wants to spar with Kazuha, his blood boiling with excitement—so much so that he even considers testing himself against Zhongli. If Kazuha can block a god's strike, my blade isn't dull either!
In Fontaine, Clorinde also wants to spar with Kazuha. Though she's quite skilled with Electro, she can't unleash a strike like that. Kazuha, who blocked a god's attack—could she withstand a strike from the Hydro Archon, even just one? Meanwhile, the Hydro Archon herself, Furina, blinks rapidly, her heart filled with awe. So impressive! Both the Raiden Shogun and Kazuha are incredible. If only I had that kind of strength. Then, not only could she face the prophecy, but she could also take revenge on that legendary figure from that place! She'd draw her blade from her chest with a cold expression, showing him what divine pressure truly means! Yes, divine pressure, just like in the Raiden Shogun's illustration!
Speaking of the Raiden Shogun, back to the story. The Raiden Shogun repels Kazuha, who falls to one knee, supporting himself with his sword. Though he blocked her strike, it drained him completely. Fortunately, Kazuha isn't alone. Gorou leads the resistance army, charging toward the Raiden Shogun. Kazuha wants to help, but he's too exhausted to stand and needs to recover, forced to watch his comrades charge ahead.
The Traveler knows the resistance is no match for the Raiden Shogun and takes the lead, drawing their weapon to attack. Electro elemental power coats the Dull Blade, transforming the small sword into a "forty-meter" greatsword. This strike, infused with the Traveler's sheer willpower, could be called "The Blade of My Conviction"! The Raiden Shogun, watching the Traveler charge, closes her eyes, awakening the inner Raiden Ei. The Eye of Malevolent Eternity opens, pulling the Traveler into the "Plane of Euthymia."
In the Plane of Euthymia, Raiden Ei floats in the air, one knee tucked under the other, her hand forming the "Vitarka Mudra," the pose of meditation. Indeed, the Raiden Shogun has "switched accounts," letting herself handle the resistance outside while leaving the Traveler to Raiden Ei. It's a good thing Ei is floating in a "magnetic levitation" state—if she sat like this normally, she'd end up with one leg permanently bent.
As the Traveler enters the Plane of Euthymia, Raiden Ei, who has been in a meditative state, slowly opens her eyes. Her form gently descends, standing firmly, her body swaying naturally with a realistic physics engine—everything that should sway is swaying.
[Raiden Ei: "We meet again."]
Raiden Ei's tone is noticeably different from the Raiden Shogun's. Ei's voice carries far more emotion than the Shogun's. Readers can't hear the tone, but Lucian writes it in a way that conveys the change, so they understand it.
["Let me think… What is it that brings you before me once again?"]
["Is your reckless courage for the sake of protecting those people, or… is your true intent to seek an audience with me?"]
Clever Ei begins analyzing the Traveler's motives. But she doesn't need to analyze—the Traveler tells her directly that they're here to make her understand that the Fatui have deceived her and that the Vision Hunt Decree should never have been enacted.
[To this, Ei responds: "Are you perhaps underestimating me? Of course I know about the Vision Hunt Decree."]
The hearts of Inazuma's people sink. Does the Shogun know of our suffering and still choose to ignore it?
[Traveler: "You know about everything happening outside?"]
[Ei replies: "Not quite. I only know matters concerning 'Eternity.'"]
["Including the enactment of the Vision Hunt Decree, which I permitted."]
["The actions of those Fatui have not yet posed a threat to Eternity. Otherwise… they would have already been purged."]
These words actually bring relief to the people of Inazuma. Thank goodness, the Shogun doesn't know anything. From the documents obtained from the Tenryou Commission, it's clear that Ei has been fed false information. She has no informants outside the Tenryou Commission, not even the Yashiro Commission can report to her. Unless she's not Teyvat's Electro Archon but the Thunder God from One Piece, capable of hearing hearts, she truly doesn't know. No, even if she could hear hearts, it wouldn't help—she's been meditating, and only if the Shogun noticed something and woke her would it matter.
It's her fault for not caring enough, never considering going to see Inazuma's current state herself, isolating herself in the Plane of Euthymia. She thought she knew everything, unaware that the Tenryou Commission betrayed her, and everything she knew was packaged by the Fatui and the Tenryou Commission. She even believed the Fatui's actions hadn't threatened Eternity. In reality, forget Eternity—they're a threat to all of Inazuma.
[Ei: "Chasing desires… often leads people to lose even more."]
["Those who lose their lives are often the ones stubbornly pursuing their desires, are they not?"]
This is true, like Teppei and Stanley. But it's flawed logic. Chasing desires may lead to loss of life, but some are willing to give everything, even their lives, for their wishes. Because Stanley's desire to adventure was dangerous, does that justify stripping him of that right and locking him in a "cage"? Is that protection? That's his pursuit, his reason for existing. The moment his desire is taken away, it's as if his life is taken.
Vision holders, in particular, are people with desires so intense they're as vital as life itself. As Anzai said in an earlier story, "Have you ever asked for their opinions?" Ei's mistake is that she didn't consider "people's thoughts"—only "people's lives." Ei should really reflect on why birds fly.