That night, after passing through Chinju Forest and climbing the stone steps, she arrived outside the main courtyard of the Kamisato Estate. The first person she saw was Thoma, who had clearly been waiting for quite some time.
The moment he saw her approach, he pushed himself away from the wall, hurried over, and dropped to one knee before her.
"Shogun-sama... welcome to the Kamisato Estate."
The young man greeted her with practiced familiarity.
"No need for such formalities. Where is Ayaka?"
She casually raised a hand to bid him rise while glancing around.
"My lady is waiting for you in the front courtyard together with the Clan Head. They have been waiting for some time."
Thoma rose smoothly and cupped his hands as he reported.
"The Clan Head? Ayato is back as well?"
She asked in surprise.
"Yes. The Clan Head only returned home today."
Thoma answered.
"I see. You may withdraw. I can go on alone. There is no need to accompany me."
She instructed the young man before her.
"As you command..."
Thoma bowed at the waist before withdrawing with practiced ease.
"..."
Watching the young man's departing figure, she pondered for a moment, then sighed and stepped into the courtyard of the Kamisato Estate, heading toward the front garden.
The front garden was not far from the main gate, and no walls blocked the way. Thus, she easily spotted the brother and sister seated in the garden's resting pavilion.
She walked up to the raised platform, deftly shifted her feet to slip off the split-toed sandals beneath them, then stepped onto the platform in her white stockings and entered the pavilion.
"Shogun-sama, it has been some time. I hope you've been well. Please forgive Ayato for failing to come out and welcome you."
Ayato, seated on the opposite side of the long table, was the first to notice the woman approaching. He immediately rose and greeted her with a smiling bow.
"—!"
Ayaka, who had been sitting opposite him with her back to the Shogun while drinking tea, immediately stopped when she heard him.
She set down her cup and rose together with her elder brother.
"Shogun-sama... please forgive Ayaka's discourtesy."
She apologized for failing to notice the Shogun's arrival just now.
"It's fine... I told Thoma not to follow me, so there is nothing to apologize for."
She indicated that it did not matter. She had never cared about such trivial formalities in the first place.
Her gaze briefly fell upon Ayaka's half-finished cup of tea, then upon the faint trace of moisture still clinging to the corner of the girl's lips, and she smiled slightly.
"...///"
Ayaka was perceptive. The instant she noticed the meaning in the Shogun's gaze, she understood.
Blushing, she gently wiped away the moisture at the corner of her lips with a fingertip. She then instinctively opened her folding fan to hide her flushed face while her pale eyes lowered bashfully.
"Hehe..."
Noticing his younger sister's reaction, Ayato quietly chuckled...
"Sit down, both of you... The tea is getting cold. Don't let my arrival interrupt your enjoyment of it."
She took the initiative to invite them to sit, then smoothed the skirt of her kimono and knelt beside the table.
"Hehe, please have a seat."
Ayato could not help laughing when he heard her, then sat down as well.
Ayaka obediently took her seat too, deliberately settling beside the Shogun. She glanced at the cup of tea she had already drunk halfway, then at the woman beside her, a gleam passing through her pale eyes.
"...You're not drinking anymore?"
Perhaps because Ayaka made no move to continue, the Shogun asked in confusion. Did my arrival ruin her mood?
"Not at all. It's just that... though the tea is fine and delicate upon the tongue, it cannot quench the sweetness in my heart, so I suppose there is no need to drink any more."
Ayaka hid her delicate lips behind her fan, lowering her pale eyes as she answered in a soft, subtle tone laden with implication.
"...///"
Caught completely off guard by the sudden flirtation, the Shogun's face flushed red. She immediately suppressed her embarrassment and pretended to cough.
"Ahem..."
Seeing this, Ayaka's lips curled beneath her fan. That makes us even~!
"..."
Ayato watched the two women opposite him with a smile, looking as though he had seen straight through everything. Even so, he did not expose them.
"Haa... Ayato, I heard from Ayaka that you've been very busy lately."
The Shogun abruptly changed the subject and turned to more serious matters.
"To tell you the truth, I was the one who proposed this Test of Courage. However, once the rules had been finalized, the minor details were naturally left to the retainers."
"Considering how widespread Tests of Courage are throughout Teyvat, there are plenty of examples to draw from, so there should be no major problems. I only came back today to routinely check on the preparations."
Ayato answered while skillfully pouring her a cup of tea. Both his movements and his handling of the atmosphere were impeccable.
After all, he and his sister had practically been raised by the Shogun since childhood. She could be considered a second mother to them.
Even setting aside her title as Inazuma's deity, they would naturally still treat her with proper respect.
"Besides, no matter how busy I am, I still come home from time to time to check on my dear little sister... isn't that right?"
After filling the Shogun's cup, Ayato returned to his seat and answered with a smiling expression.
"When my brother returned today, he specifically told me about the Test of Courage. Mainly because I've never participated in an event like this before, and it sounded as though it would be very interesting, so I wondered whether I should invite Shogun-sama to come with me as well. After all..."
Mm... I'm a little scared.
She simply did not say the words aloud.
"Indeed... I would have been somewhat uneasy letting Ayaka go alone, but knowing that you will accompany her puts my mind at ease."
Ayato nodded.
"Understood. Since Ayaka brought it up, I agreed to accompany her. She needs opportunities to relax and enjoy herself like other children from time to time."
The Shogun's eyes softened like water as she glanced at the girl beside her. Ayaka returned her gaze with an affectionate smile.
"In that case, Ayato, tell us the rules... Since it's a Test of Courage, there must be a particular way to play, correct?"
She turned toward Ayato across from them and asked.
"Certainly. As the name suggests, a Test of Courage is a game meant to test one's bravery."
Ayato nodded and began a simple explanation.
"We've set the game grounds in Chinju Forest. Before each round begins, the participants will be divided into pairs."
"Afterward, someone will tell each pair the name of an item. That item will already have been hidden somewhere in Chinju Forest or the surrounding area."
Both she and Ayaka listened attentively to the rules... Ayaka in particular was extremely focused.
"Whichever pair finds the item first will be declared the 'winner' of that round."
Ayato smiled at the two of them.
"That round? You mean... we'll be participating in more than one round under these rules?"
She immediately caught the key phrase.
"Yes. In truth, this Test of Courage is being jointly organized by three parties."
"The merchants raised the funds, the Kamisato Clan provided the venue, and the Grand Narukami Shrine is serving as the 'consultant.' Therefore, there will be three rounds."
Ayato answered.
"Then could it be that the item to be found in each round was chosen by one of those three parties?"
She asked, having already guessed the answer.
"Hehe... As expected of Shogun-sama. That's exactly right..."
Ayato nodded with a smile.
"Then... what are the prizes?"
Ayaka asked.
"You don't know?"
The Shogun was somewhat surprised that Ayaka would ask such a question. Since the Kamisato Clan was one of the organizers, she should have known about things like this.
"Mm... Actually, I only know bits and pieces. If my brother hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't even have known about the Test of Courage."
Ayaka said awkwardly.
Although it was said that the Kamisato Clan was involved, this time it seemed her brother alone was representing the clan in organizing the Test of Courage.
The proposal had also come from him, and she truly knew nothing about it.
"My sister genuinely doesn't know. That's also so she can enjoy the excitement of the unknown and simply have fun."
Ayato explained.
"True... After all, the visitors coming to participate will be just as clueless."
But isn't precisely that kind of confusion and uncertainty what makes people easier to frighten?
That was what she thought.
"Hehe... Exactly. But that's what makes it effective, isn't it, Shogun-sama?"
Ayato smiled with narrowed eyes like a fox.
Haa... this child is as devious as ever.
"We'll award different prizes according to the number of rounds a participant wins. In other words, if someone wins multiple rounds, the prizes will accumulate."
"And if anyone manages to find all three items, they will also receive a 'luxurious gift' provided by the Grand Narukami Shrine."
Ayato continued explaining.
"Of course, what the Test of Courage truly tests is bravery. If someone becomes too frightened and gives up halfway through, then naturally they'll have no chance of receiving a prize."
"Mm... I wonder how many people will be able to endure all the scares and make it to the end?"
"It would be quite troublesome for me if the prizes we've prepared couldn't be given away."
Ayato put on an exaggeratedly "troubled" expression, though his words seemed to carry the distinct implication that he would prefer it if no one managed to claim them.
If I win all three rounds, would Miko give me that "special gift"?
She could not help considering it. Perhaps it was worth trying.
Of course, she had already guessed that this "special gift" would definitely not be Mora. Miko was not nearly tasteless or boring enough for that.
"Perhaps you're worrying too much. Unless something unexpected happens, those prizes will belong to us."
She folded her arms and declared confidently.
Ayaka gazed indulgently at how interested she had suddenly become...
"Hehe... That would be for the best. Perhaps this gift is more suitable for Shogun-sama than anyone else."
Ayato smiled.