Raiden Ei rubbed her sore wings. They were still swollen—an oddly familiar ache.
Five hundred years ago, when she made a mistake, she had been disciplined the same way.
"Makoto, are you still angry?" she asked sheepishly. Ei knew she was never good at ruling, but she hoped her sister understood her sincerity.
"I know. If it were about fighting, you'd be fine," Ei admitted. "But governing… you were always better at that. If you'd taken the position of Shogun, I'd gladly have passed it on to you."
Makoto gave a faint smile. "It's fine. You've done more than enough."
"Makoto-sama, in these years I've helped Ei resolve many issues," said Yae Miko. "As for the Balladeer… Ei didn't strike directly, but her inaction affected much."
Yae Miko's tone sharpened. "Now that puppet — Scaramouche — has become a nuisance."
Ei sighed. "If I'd known, I would've given the title of Raiden Shogun to you back then."
"It's better that you didn't," Makoto replied, shaking her head. "Being the Shogun leaves no time to relax. Living like that has no joy."
Yae Miko tilted her head. "Ei, when will you finally deal with your 'dear son,' the Balladeer?"
"…The Balladeer?" Ei frowned. It had been so long she'd almost forgotten she'd even made that puppet.
"He's still in Inazuma?" she asked indifferently. To her, he was only an artificial creation.
"Yes," Yae Miko said. "And he's been up to no good lately. Keeping him alive only causes trouble."
"Where is he now?" Ei asked, her voice cold.
Yae Miko glanced at Koji. "You probably know his exact location, don't you?"
Without hesitation, Koji sold him out. "The Balladeer is on Yashiori Island, overseeing a Fatui Delusion factory."
Ei nodded once, her body turning into a streak of violet lightning as she soared toward the island.
Koji, curious as ever, took Lumine along to watch. "A family matter like this? I wouldn't miss it."
Makoto remained in Inazuma to handle internal affairs.
"Balladeer! Show yourself!"
Thunder rolled as Raiden Ei descended onto Yashiori Island. Her voice, calm but filled with divine might, echoed across the entire land.
Bolts of lightning split the clouds apart.
"…Baalzebul?!"
The Balladeer emerged, his expression dark. He had hidden his presence well, yet the Raiden Shogun herself had come for him. Of all the beings in Teyvat, she was the one he feared most.
Even ascension to godhood wouldn't have saved him from her.
"Balladeer. Your end is now."
Raiden Ei drew her blade from her chest in a single, fluid motion.
The air itself grew heavy under divine pressure.
The Balladeer's face turned pale—he was completely locked by her power.
From afar, Lumine stood outside the range of destruction, yet even she felt her skin prickle from the intensity of the lightning.
"This power… she could probably slay Osial with a single strike," she whispered.
"No—!!"
The blade fell—Musou no Hitotachi.
The Balladeer couldn't move, couldn't resist. He hadn't ascended and could only watch helplessly as his form was obliterated by blinding thunder.
Thus, the puppet Raiden Ei had once crafted was erased from Teyvat—
not even a trace remained.
The spreading lightning swallowed the entire Delusion factory, reducing it to smoking ruin.
Whatever the Balladeer had been plotting, it ended there.
"Ei, you acted faster than I expected," Koji remarked.
"What, should I have hesitated?" Ei frowned. "You think that fool would ever sacrifice himself for a Gnosis?"
Koji nodded. "True enough. At least he didn't make you waste your time."
After that, Raiden Ei returned to Inazuma — she wanted to spend her time with her sister while she still could.
"Koji, does this make us traitors to the Fatui?" Lumine asked curiously.
"Don't worry about it. The Balladeer barely counted as a Harbinger anyway. The Fatui's inner factions are always at odds."
Koji's tone was calm. "He was just one of the Doctor's pawns. He didn't even know who his real enemies were. Spent his life blaming everyone for betrayal. Pathetic."
Fatui Base
Koji placed an object on the table. "Here. The Raiden Shogun's Gnosis. The Balladeer gave his life for it."
His tone carried unmistakable mockery.
Rosalyne — La Signora — examined the divine heart in her hands, silent for a moment.
"You killed him?" she asked, intrigued.
Koji smiled faintly. "No. He was taken care of by his dear mother herself. I only told her where to find him."
"I see." Rosalyne's lips curved slightly. "Then it's fine. He's dead. I'll report it to Her Majesty."
She truly didn't care. Even among the Harbingers, the Balladeer's reputation was poor — arrogant, insufferable, and universally disliked.
"So, are we closing operations for mourning?" Koji teased.
"Mourning? For him?" Rosalyne laughed coldly. "The Balladeer made no contribution worth mentioning. We don't halt work for trash."
In the past, when she herself had died in Inazuma, Snezhnaya had halted work for half a day in honor of her achievements—returning two Gnoses was glory enough for that.
But for him? Nothing.
"The Balladeer's death might interest the Doctor," she added. "Be careful. He'll probably want to experiment on you next."
Koji smirked. "If he dares, I'll deal with him myself. Losing one Harbinger won't matter much."
"Good," Rosalyne said, her eyes narrowing. "If you show greater power, killing a Doctor or two wouldn't hurt our ranks."
The Fatui valued strength and results above all else. As long as Koji delivered, even slaying another Harbinger would be tolerated.
(End of Chapter)
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