"General, smile a little.
You're scaring the kids."
Su Ran waved casually at the Raiden Shogun.
The Shogun's expression twitched oddly, but she still obediently tilted her lips into a stiff smile.
Beautiful woman or not— a smile like that could scare people into a trauma clinic.
Especially the Watatsumi rebels, all frozen stiff inside the lightning seal.
Lumine had long abandoned her dignity, hiding behind Su Ran like a terrified kitten, clutching him while staring at the god in front of her with full alertness.
"You're unbelievable.
You leave for so long, and when you return, you don't come to Tenshukaku first— you're here chatting with rebels?"
The Shogun heard the whispers of panic.
She knew how these intrusions disturbed the dream.
"Just a few days ago, because of their uprising, the dream trembled.
Ei intervened."
That moment, Raiden Ei had truly felt killing intent.
She had wanted to erase these rebels from existence.
Unfortunately, the dream contained no concept of "death", so she sealed them here instead.
Without her authority, no one could break the seal.
Of course, Su Ran was an exception.
And so were the Shogun and Makoto— beings of the same origin.
"She must be furious.
Probably wants to skin them alive."
Su Ran looked at the packed group of rebels.
"So you should be careful too.
She's… a bit extreme right now."
The Shogun still reminded him, lest Ei go too far and scare him.
"Afraid of what?
What's she gonna do—lock me in the little dark room?"
Su Ran wasn't worried at all.
His sweet, slightly dumb archon wouldn't—
A flash of lightning cut him off.
A chain of pure thunder descended from the sky, wrapping around him before he even reacted.
He barely managed to push Lumine aside in time.
Another figure dropped from the heavens— identical to the Shogun in face, garment, and emotionless expression.
The rebels were petrified.
There were TWO Raiden Shoguns?
Their hearts turned to ashes instantly.
Even Lumine felt cold all over.
So Su Ran had been telling the truth— there really wasn't just one Shogun!
Which meant the "dark room" threat
was very real…!
"How passionate of you, Ei~"
Su Ran smiled over the chains.
But Ei's face did not soften.
She was ice-cold.
Cold enough to freeze a soul.
"You lied to me."
"…Lied about what?"
He could break the chains easily, but considering this Ei's mental state, he held back.
Had she gone full yandere because of him?
"You said you'd fix the dream."
The tremors from the rebellion had terrified her.
The rebels made her feel pure disgust.
If they weren't unkillable in the dream, she would've reduced them to dust.
Sealing them was the gentlest thing she could do.
"I did fix it.
I just… picked up some materials outside and played around for a few days."
Ei's expression sharpened instantly.
"You went outside?
Where?"
Why did she suddenly sound like a housewife checking her husband's nightlife?
Was her sense of control really this intense?
Lumine thought to herself.
"The Herta Space Station.
I met another Genius Society member.
She's interesting."
Su Ran answered truthfully— because hiding things would only make Ei spiral harder.
But Ei froze.
A tremor of fear shot through her chest.
He went to the outside world?
He met other women?
He found them interesting?
Was he planning to leave her more often in the future?
"You're not allowed to think about her!"
Even the rebels felt the jealousy radiating off the electro archon.
Such terrifying possessiveness— was Raiden Shogun actually a jealous wife?!
What kind of man was this to seduce Raiden Shogun, and two of them at that?
"But Herta proposed marriage to me.
I shouldn't disregard such a life-defining request, right?"
The Shogun hid her smile badly— she wanted to see Ei explode.
Was Su Ran trying to push Ei into full meltdown?
Just how far was he planning to toy with her?
"I'm enough.
From today on, you are NOT allowed to think about other girls.
And you are NOT allowed to meet any."
Ei's voice turned frosty.
Then she stepped forward, grabbed Su Ran, and slung him over her shoulder like a sack of rice.
"Remember to save me someday~
Unless you want to be stuck here forever."
Su Ran shamelessly threatened Lumine while being carried away.
The posture looked weird, but since the one carrying him was the Raiden Shogun, no one questioned it.
A god being physically forceful was normal.
"What is your problem?!
Why won't you stop dragging me into this!?"
Lumine wanted to cry.
Ei had traumatized her enough over the past days.
Being sealed under thunder, exposed to the elements, had been literal torture.
"You want me to fight Raiden Shogun?
Is that even allowed?!"
Lumine stared at the remaining Shogun.
"Of course it's not.
But if that's what he wants, you can't resist anyway.
Right now, unless he acts personally, there's no way to leave the dream."
The Shogun understood Su Ran was simply bullying the traveler.
As for "breaking the dream to return to reality"— even she couldn't guarantee that was safe.
With body and consciousness already separated, who knew if "waking up" would return one to their original flesh?
"So I really have to fight the other Raiden Shogun?"
For the first time, Lumine felt this Raiden Shogun was approachable.
Maybe—maybe she could ask for help.
"That depends on his intentions."
With that, the Shogun turned and walked away.
"W-wait—!
Don't leave!"
But she vanished in a few breaths.
Lumine felt despair crash down again.
Finally, she had found a big thigh to hold onto—
…and it disappeared just like that.
—------------------------------
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