The next day, at dawn, mist shrouded the air.
Ritou.
A massive steamship was docked at the shore.
On board, sailors were loading cargo bound for Liyue.
Ever since the Raiden Shogun issued the Sakoku Decree half a year ago and erected Thunder Barriers around the surrounding seas, goods from Inazuma had become increasingly scarce.
Rarity drove up prices.
Now, specialties like Liyue's Violetgrass and Inazuma's Scarlet Sakura Bloom commanded exorbitant rates.
The only vessel that could pierce the Thunder Barriers was the Crux Fleet's Alcor!
The goods from Liyue had been unloaded, and Inazuma's local produce loaded, yet the ship showed no signs of departing.
On the deck, a long-haired woman in a red high-slit cheongsam stood with arms crossed, gazing toward the docks.
"Captain, all the cargo's aboard. We can set sail!"
Sailor Hai Long reported from the side, but the first mate interjected, "We still have one passenger who hasn't boarded. Wait a bit longer."
"But... if we linger too long, and the Three Commissions catch us..."
The first mate shot him a look, and Hai Long fell silent.
Time ticked by.
Under the Sakoku Decree, Inazuma prohibited all foreign trade vessels from docking.
So, every minute at the shore was critical!
Normally, even a quarter-hour was overtime, but they'd already been there for a full half-hour!
Strangely, whether due to the thick fog or some other reason, the Kanjou Commission hadn't spotted the Alcor yet.
Otherwise, the ship would have been seized long ago!
The first mate paced anxiously on deck.
"Captain, why hasn't Brother Ye Xi shown up yet?"
The one called "Captain" was the Crux Fleet's leader, Beidou.
"No rush. Just wait a little longer." Beidou had been standing there for ages, her commanding presence undiminished.
What puzzled everyone was: who exactly was this "Brother Ye Xi" the Captain held in such regard?
Beidou was the most punctual person alive!
No one—no one—had ever made her wait this long!
And waiting on deck, no less!
Even Tianquan Ningguang hadn't received such treatment!
Moreover, this wasn't Liyue; it was Inazuma.
Every extra minute risked the fleet's detention!
Beidou always put the fleet and her crew first, yet here she was, risking conflict with the Kanjou Commission to wait half an hour in Ritou's harbor for this Ye Xi!
If word got out, no one in Liyue would believe it!
Now, the entire crew prayed for Ye Xi to hurry aboard!
Beidou, too, gazed into the distance, anticipating that long-unseen figure.
The morning fog was thick, everything a hazy white.
The unloading crew had slipped away into the mist, leaving the harbor deserted.
The fog was beginning to lift, visibility extending, and once the sun rose fully, it would dissipate entirely.
Just as everyone grew restless, a figure emerged from the thinning mist.
"He's here! Captain, that must be Brother Ye Xi!"
Beidou followed the first mate's pointing finger, her brows furrowing. "Old Zhao, that's Kanjou Commission personnel. Get the documents ready and stall them."
"What? The Kanjou Commission!?"
The first mate was stunned.
But what shocked him more was what came next.
Prepare documents to stall them!
What documents!?
With the Sakoku Decree in place, no ship had legitimate papers!
This clearly meant bluffing their way through with some quick thinking to fool the Kanjou Commission.
"This..."
"Captain!"
Seeing Beidou unmoved, the first mate sighed and headed for the gangplank.
The sailors panicked.
"Old Zhao! You can't go—if the Kanjou Commission grabs you, what then?!"
"Yeah, let me do it!"
"I'll handle the stalling!"
Everyone knew descending now could lead to detention by the Kanjou Commission.
But Old Zhao barked, "This life's the Captain's gift to me—none of you follow!"
With that, he went down alone.
He'd received Beidou's favor years ago, so he had no regrets.
Still, he couldn't fathom why this Ye Xi was worth risking a clash with the Kanjou Commission just to wait!
Soon, a crowd gathered below the ship.
The fog had cleared, the sun rising and gilding the sea in waves of gold.
"Are you the Kanjou Commission's officers? Our ship..."
Before Old Zhao could finish, the newcomers approached with a greeting: "Are you the crew here to pick up Lord Ye Xi?"
"Huh?"
The question left him baffled.
"Fellow sailors, we're from the Yashiro Commission. We've come today to see Lord Ye Xi off!"
At those words, Old Zhao's eyes widened, and the crew above stared in disbelief.
They'd just been grumbling about Ye Xi's tardiness, but now they gawked, dumbfounded.
Seeing Ye Xi off?!
The Yashiro Commission?!
This was Inazuma!
What kind of joke was this?!
With the Sakoku Decree barring foreign merchant ships from docking, how could one of the Three Commissions send people to personally bid farewell?!
It was like seeing ghosts!
Beidou breathed a sigh of relief, murmuring, "That guy's doing alright for himself..."
More people arrived from afar—not just Yashiro Commission folk, but retainers too.
"Isn't the Yashiro Commission in charge of rituals and the arts? Why are they meddling in foreign trade?"
"Hiss—look! Isn't that the head of the Yashiro Commission, the Kamisato Clan's lord, Kamisato Ayato?!"
"My goodness, the Kamisato Clan head?"
"No way!"
"And the one beside him—could it be the White Heron Princess? Oh my, I've never seen her in person before!"
"She's truly as beautiful as a celestial fairy!"
"They can't all be here for Brother Ye Xi, can they?!"
"What kind of status does Brother Ye Xi have to warrant this grandeur?!"
The deck buzzed with chatter; the spectacle had everyone on edge.
Kamisato Ayaka gazed toward the road's end, the golden sunlight bathing her in a glow that made her skin seem even fairer.
"Ayaka, I'll take my leave then. Just follow what I told you."
With that, Kamisato Ayato tactfully withdrew.
No need to play the third wheel when emotions ran so deep.
Ayaka's cheeks flushed pink as she nodded gently.
Soon, two figures appeared in the distance.
"You gluttonous fox, you made us late."
Ye Xi hurried along, having wasted time making fried tofu earlier.
"What's the big deal? I'm the High Priestess of the Grand Narukami Shrine. Even if the Kanjou Commission ignores me, one word from Ei, and they'll fall in line obediently."
Yae Miko sauntered leisurely, though truth be told, she simply couldn't bear to see Ye Xi go.
Even one more second would do.
Ye Xi was speechless.
She had a point, after all.
The Three Commissions answered to Raiden Ei—who dared defy her?
He quickened his pace, but upon reaching Ritou's harbor, he froze at the sight of the crowd waiting on shore.
Yae Miko froze too.
Because she spotted Kamisato Ayaka!
Why was the Yashiro Commission's young lady here?!