The formal, slightly tense atmosphere of the meeting, with its undercurrents of political maneuvering and profound, world-shaking revelations, was abruptly, and delightfully, shattered by Yae Miko.
"Well," she declared, clapping her hands together with a decisive, cheerful sound. "Now that the dreary, official business is out of the way, I am famished. And I have a sudden, insatiable craving. Ayato, my dear, be a darling and have your staff prepare a hot pot game for us, won't you?"
Ayato, the ever-composed head of the Yashiro Commission, merely smiled his serene, unreadable smile. "An excellent suggestion, Lady Yae. It would be our honor." He gave a subtle, almost invisible, signal to an attendant, and within a remarkably short amount of time, the formal meeting room was transformed. The low table was cleared, and a large, bubbling hot pot, filled with a fragrant, steaming broth, was placed at its center, surrounded by a breathtaking array of finely sliced meats, fresh vegetables, and handmade noodles.
The "hot pot game," as Miko called it, was a favorite pastime of Inazuma's elite, a playful, competitive, and delicious social ritual. And so, the creator of the man-made Visions, the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine, and the two heads of the most powerful clan in Inazuma, found themselves sitting around a bubbling pot, armed with chopsticks, a strange, unprecedented, and wonderfully domestic sight.
Ren, who had never played before, was a quick and enthusiastic learner. Ayaka, her noble composure finally, blessedly, allowed to relax, showed him how to swish the thin slices of meat in the broth for the perfect amount of time. Ayato, his usual strategic mind now applied to the battlefield of the hot pot, would expertly snatch the most delicious-looking mushrooms. Miko, of course, cheated shamelessly, using her long sleeves to subtly distract the others while she stole the best pieces of tofu.
The room was filled with the warm, savory steam of the broth and, for the first time since Ren's arrival, the sound of easy, genuine laughter.
It was into this warm, happy, and slightly competitive scene that Thoma arrived, his usual cheerful grin on his face. And with him was Lumine.
Lumine stopped in the doorway, her golden eyes widening at the scene. She had just returned from a long, emotionally draining day of running errands across the island, of listening to the sad, broken stories of those who had lost their Visions and their ambitions. To walk into this scene of warm, domestic bliss, to see the two most powerful and reclusive siblings in Inazuma playing a game with a fox-eared shrine maiden and the small, magical boy from Liyue… it was a moment of profound, surreal, and deeply welcome peace.
"Thoma! Lumine! Welcome!" Ayaka called out, her face flushed and happy from the steam and the game. "You're just in time to… oh." She looked at the now mostly empty plates of ingredients. "It seems we may have finished."
Paimon, who had been floating beside Lumine, looked at the remnants of the feast, her small face crumpling into a mask of pure, tragic despair. "Hot pot…" she wailed, her voice a squeak of utter devastation. "Paimon missed the hot pot!"
Lumine just sighed, a weary but fond smile on her face as she patted her pouting companion. This was also the first time she was seeing the mysterious Yashiro Commissioner, Ayato, in person. She gave him a respectful, curious nod, which he returned with his usual, serene, and slightly unnerving smile.
Lumine then turned to Ayaka, her expression turning serious, her mind returning to her mission. "I've done as you asked," she said, her voice full of a new, heavy empathy. "I've met with the masterless samurai, the old swordsman, the weaver… I've seen it, Ayaka. The plight of the people, the emptiness left behind when their Visions were taken. I understand now. And I will help you."
A look of profound, grateful relief washed over Ayaka's beautiful face. "Thank you, Lumine," she said, her voice full of a deep, sincere gratitude.
She then leaned in, her voice dropping to a lower, more conspiratorial tone. "There is another front in this conflict. One far from the city. On Watatsumi Island, to the west, the resistance forces are gathering. They are led by their Divine Priestess, Sangonomiya Kokomi. If you truly wish to help all of Inazuma, if you wish to see the full scope of the struggle against the Vision Hunt Decree… you should go to them. See if you can offer them your aid."
It was a new quest, a new path, a journey into the very heart of the rebellion.
Later, as the sun began to set, casting long, peaceful shadows over the beautiful estate, it was time for Ren and Miko to leave.
"Thank you for your hospitality," Miko said with a graceful dip of her head.
Ayaka's farewell to Ren was full of a sincere, reluctant sadness. Her perfect, noble composure was back in place, but her eyes held a soft, wistful light. "Please, visit again soon, Ren," she said, her hands still clenched in her sleeves, her battle against the overwhelming urge to cuddle him won, but only just barely.
As they walked away from the serene, elegant estate and back towards the Grand Narukami Shrine, Ren looked back. He had just spent an afternoon with the leaders of the quiet, cultural rebellion against the Shogun. And his friend, the hero of the story, was now on her way to meet the leaders of the military one. The pieces of the Inazuma Archon Quest were all moving into place, and he, the quiet observer, had a front-row seat.