Sunlight was bright outside the window, butterflies fluttering around the flowerbeds.
Ei knelt on a cushion, her purple eyes fixed on the video, changes gradually appearing within them.
When she saw the Traveler's conversation aboard the ship with Beidou and Kaedehara Kazuha, Ei's brows knit slightly.
Though the Traveler hadn't reached Inazuma yet, Inazuma's general situation was already exposed.
Whether it was Beidou or Kazuha—forced into being a fugitive and fleeing his homeland because of the Vision Hunt Decree—both revealed how oppressive Inazuma's atmosphere had become, completely different from what Ei had sought when she set her rules of Eternity.
Still, Ei didn't think too deeply at first.
Since Makoto's fall, her consciousness had remained in the Plane of Euthymia, not participating in Inazuma's governance. She handed all authority to the Raiden Shogun. The Shogun did have the direct troops, the Shogun's Army—but the real power was in the hands of the Tri-Commission.
When the Tri-Commission acted, there would inevitably be mistakes, so it was unavoidable that unpleasant things occurred.
Even so, Ei always felt that Eternity was the path closest to the Heavenly Principles.
If small sacrifices could be exchanged for absolute Eternity, then for Inazuma's future it would be immense happiness.
So when she saw these early events, she didn't react strongly.
But when she saw the Kanjou Commission—responsible for national finances and trade—rotting from within, oppressing foreign merchants, acting tyrannically and lining their pockets, Ei's brows furrowed deeper.
Strictly speaking, this was a drawback born from the Sakoku Decree, which had bred such parasites.
But in Ei's view, as long as those parasites were dealt with, it could be solved.
As for the Vision Hunt Decree…
It could be handled in a gentler way.
From the overall trend, it shouldn't affect the definition of "Eternity."
Still, the chaos and oppressive mood across Inazuma made Ei's previously firm heart more complicated. She sat upright watching, her face revealing little emotion.
…
In the living room, Ayaka was rather tense.
"Will the Almighty Shogun… be sad?"
In the story, the Raiden Shogun didn't pursue the Yashiro Commission—she even began reusing them. But in some sense, the Yashiro Commission had indeed betrayed the Shogun.
Now the true Almighty Shogun was nearby, watching these events seriously—Ayaka felt nervous.
Her silver-blue hair swayed in the cool air. She pressed her lips together, watching the Guuji beside her calmly sipping tea and eating Blue Star fried tofu, envy in her eyes.
As expected of Lady Guuji—still composed even at a moment like this.
"If the one sitting there were the Raiden Shogun, then yes, you should worry about the Yashiro Commission's fate. But the one sitting there is Ei… so all your worries are useless."
Yae Miko swallowed the delicious tofu, lips slightly pursed.
Looking at the tofu left on the plate, she leisurely picked up another bite with her chopsticks, not worried at all that Ei might react extremely.
As Electro Archon's honored familiar, she understood her dear friend well.
Though Ei could be stiff and loved martial training, her heart was also fragile—and sometimes she could be adorably airheaded.
Overall, Ei wasn't like the Shogun's cold, ruthless image. She simply wasn't good at ruling a nation.
After all, in the original plan, Ei should have lived carefree under Makoto's wings.
Makoto's sudden death forced Ei to take the position of Electro Archon.
But for someone who had been a shadow warrior, how could she understand all the twists and turns of governance overnight? That was why she made the wrong policies.
Yet that didn't mean Ei didn't want Inazuma to be well… she wanted her people to live eternally happy lives more than anyone.
It was just unfortunate that even the most noble god could have things they weren't good at—so errors appeared in governance.
Once Ei realized her mistake, she would certainly change. So Yae Miko wasn't worried Ei would rage.
"How about a game of chess?"
Seeing Ayaka still uneasy, Ken invited her, hoping to distract her.
Ken had been skilled at chess in his previous life—he used to play against computer engines for fun.
After transmigrating, he hadn't played with people in a long time. Seeing Ayaka tense, he wanted to shift her attention.
"Hm? Mr. Ken also plays chess?" Ayaka returned from her unease and looked at him in surprise.
"Yes, though it's not shogi like you're used to. If you're interested, I can teach you."
Inazuma's popular board games differed greatly from this one.
But Ayaka's talent in board games was strong—she'd already been an outstanding player in childhood. Learning chess shouldn't be hard.
"Then I'll trouble you, Mr Ken."
Ayaka was indeed interested, her clear eyes full of anticipation.
As a noble lady, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting were required. Swordsmanship, tea ceremony, ikebana—refined hobbies for cultivating the mind—were also all mandatory.
Ayaka's temperament was quiet; she liked these refined pursuits.
To learn Blue Star's chess was naturally something she wanted—and besides, learning it from Ken… one of her few friends.
Though she didn't know whether the stunning man before her considered her a friend.
But Ayaka knew clearly: in her heart, she already considered Ken a true friend.
"These are the basic rules. You can read first."
Ken searched the rules on his phone and let Ayaka study them.
From the corner of his eye, he noticed the Kitsune girl watching him with a meaningful look.
Ken turned to Yae Miko. The seductive Kitsune lady ate tofu elegantly, those watery eyes full of teasing implication.
When she saw Ken look back, she curled her moist red lips slightly and blinked.
"You want to learn too?" Ken asked calmly, ignoring her teasing.
Yae Miko adjusted her skirt to cover her smooth pale legs and smiled. "Compared to that, I'm more interested in Blue Star light novels… could you lend me a couple? So I won't disturb you two."
The centuries-old Guuji, the craftiest kitsune, had sensed a change in the atmosphere between Ayaka and Ken.
It wasn't intense love.
It was more like a seed, long trapped in the soil of aristocratic life, beginning to sprout from a girl's heart—slowly breaking through.
But that wasn't Ayaka's fault.
Ken carried a fatal charm—hard for women to resist. Even Yae Miko's own gaze was often unconsciously drawn to him.
How much more so for young Ayaka?
The Guuji didn't want to interrupt this budding atmosphere. In fact, she very much wanted to see Ayaka truly fall in love with Ken.
Because if that happened…
That famous adventurer would cry, wouldn't she?
Just imagining Alice crying in grievance because her man was stolen made Yae Miko thrilled. She wanted to write the idea into a light novel and sell it in Inazuma immediately.
The great adventurer crying because her man was stolen… thinking about it was fun.
It would definitely sell like crazy.
Most importantly, she could finally vent her anger and take revenge for all the embarrassing black history from her childhood.
Still, thinking of novels, Yae Miko was genuinely tempted. Now that she'd come to Blue Star, of course she had to read Blue Star's light novels—take the essence, discard the dross. It would benefit Yae Publishing House greatly.
"Just read on your phone. This is a reading site—pick what you like and open it."
Ken could see her mischievous intent, but didn't expose it.
Mainly because if he exposed her on the spot, with Yae Miko's personality her mischief would only get worse—she might even start teasing openly. Then the pure Ayaka might die of embarrassment.
…
Time passed. The sun lowered toward the west. Butterflies still danced beneath the blue light of day.
On the other side, Ei had already watched much of the story.
After the Kanjou Commission arc came the Yashiro Commission arc. After meeting Ayaka, three events appeared that shook Ei's heart even more.
Mr. Tejima, whose Vision was confiscated and who forgot the one he was waiting for, becoming muddled and vacant; the Shogunate soldier Kurosawa Kyounosuke, who forgot his original ideals of benevolence and justice; and the swordsman driven mad by obsession with being number one.
Before Eternity, these people and events seemed so small.
But such situations were happening everywhere in Inazuma.
The Raiden Shogun did possess Ei's memory, power, and authority—but in the end she was a machine Ei created. A machine followed commands. Strictly speaking, the Shogun would only act around Eternity.
In the Shogun's view, this was simply a small price to pay on the road to Eternity.
But Ei realized how serious it was.
In the Shogun's view, to push Inazuma toward Eternity, Visions had to be seized. Those whose Visions were taken would suffer, but Vision-bearers were only a small portion, so it wouldn't affect the overall trend.
But in reality, it wasn't only depriving Vision-bearers of their wishes—it was depriving the entire nation of wishes.
Without wishes, there would be no pursuit; without pursuit… how could there be happiness?
Take the three people in the video.
The first Vision-bearer received a Vision because of an intense wish: "waiting for a beloved person's return." That waiting gave life meaning—meaning granted by oneself, not by the Vision.
When the Vision was forcibly taken, it meant he lost his soul—everything tied to that wish, and the meaning for which the wish existed—so he became vacant and muddled.
Losing the meaning of wishes—this was the Vision Hunt Decree's greatest impact.
To seize Visions was equivalent to seizing people's pursuit of wishes. If everyone in Inazuma lost wishes and pursuit, it was hard to imagine what Inazuma would become.
Back then, Ei insisted on Eternity mainly so Inazuma wouldn't repeat Khaenri'ah's tragedy.
In her view, if people didn't obsessively chase wishes, then even seizing Visions wouldn't threaten lives—yet she overlooked how important "wishes" truly were to ordinary people, causing this tragedy.
Ei didn't linger in reflection. She continued watching, wanting to see the ending.
After all, she had upheld Eternity for hundreds of years—changing instantly was hard. But once doubt existed, change would come sooner or later.
Next came the arcs of the Traveler and Ayaka resisting the Vision Hunt Decree and even raiding the execution grounds. Watching the Traveler fight the Shogun surprised Ei a little, but she quickly suppressed it.
After that, the Traveler went to the Resistance—this was what Ei cared about.
From earlier, she already knew the public's view.
Now she wanted to see the Resistance's view.
Watching through, Ei saw the huge impact the Vision Hunt Decree and Sakoku Decree had on Inazuma.
But just as she was reflecting, at the end she saw a familiar figure.
"Balladeer?!"
Seeing the conclusion, with The Balladeer arrogant and manic, Ei narrowed her eyes. Tiny arcs of electricity leaked from her body.
From the Shogun's memories she knew what the Fatui were doing in Inazuma.
But because it didn't affect Eternity, the Shogun hadn't paid much attention. Ei never expected the Fatui's person in charge in Inazuma would be Balladeer.
Watching his cringe, arrogant manner, Ei's lightning intensified.
That brat… looks like he needs a beating.
…