It was an afternoon when cherry blossoms fluttered like snow.
Raiden Ei sat gracefully in the quiet room of Tenshukaku, gazing at documents concerning Inazuma's eternity. Her brows were furrowed with an unyielding majesty and coldness.
The surrounding air seemed to solidify due to her presence; only the occasional cherry blossom petals drifting in from outside brought a hint of life to the profound stillness.
"Creak—"
The door was gently pushed open, letting in a sweet, fragrant breeze.
Yae Guji, dressed in a crimson hakama shrine maiden outfit, held a delicate plate of fried tofu, trying her best to maintain her cunning and lazy smile.
"I didn't expect the position of Shogun to be so arduous, monopolizing even an afternoon's brief leisure with these documents." Raiden Ei, seated at the desk, raised her eyes. A hint of helplessness flashed in her amethyst-like pupils, but it was quickly replaced by the Shogun's inherent majesty.
"Lord General..." Yae Miko spoke, her voice in the Shrine Maiden's tone, but the subtle hesitation and a trace of imperceptible stiffness could only be discerned by her closest confidants.
Yae Miko placed the pastries on the table but did not immediately retreat, instead looking at Raiden Ei with a displeased expression.
Seeing this, Raiden Ei shook her head helplessly. She walked around to Yae Miko's side, leaned in, almost pressing against her ear, and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Oh, Ei, relax. There are no outsiders here."
As she spoke, the illusion that disguised their appearances and auras gently dissipated.
The seated "General" reverted to Yae Miko's original stunning beauty. The deliberately maintained majesty instantly melted away like snow and ice, transforming into a genuine weariness and languor. And the "Shrine Maiden" standing beside her revealed Raiden Ei's clear, peerless, yet slightly tense face.
Miko let out a long sigh, stretching her shoulders and neck, which had stiffened from maintaining the formal sitting posture. She complained, "Playing you, this block of wood, is truly exhausting. I can't even smile."
Ei looked at her completely un-"General"-like demeanor, a nearly imperceptible smile flashing in her eyes, but she said earnestly, "Don't be negligent, Miko. The General's dignity must not be compromised."
"Yes, yes, my Kagemusha-sama." Miko drawled, her gaze falling on Raiden Ei's profile.
Her skin was fairer than snow, with the luster of cold jade.
She suddenly reached out and, with lightning speed, gently pinched Ei's soft cheek. The touch was slightly cool, with an unexpected delicacy and elasticity.
Ei: "!!!"
Not only that, she pulled it from side to side, making this serious face break into an "exceptionally brilliant" smile.
"Pfft... Look at you, you're quite good at imitating me! That feigned mysterious, calculating look in your eyes and brows just now almost fooled even me. I didn't realize our Ei, besides wielding a sword, also had such Talents in acting?"
Ei frowned slightly from the pinch but didn't pull away, simply letting Miko do as she pleased.
Her cool gaze rested on Miko's smiling face, so close, filled with a tenderness and indulgence that only appeared when she was with Miko.
She raised her hand, covering Miko's hand that was pinching her face, and gently held it, whispering, "Don't be mischievous."
There was no blame in her tone; instead, it was like a sigh, filled with endless doting.
Miko leaned into her embrace, her fingertips now stroking the purple strands of hair falling by Ei's ear, playing with them. Her voice was muffled with laughter, "Mischievous? I'm just checking if my 'Kagemusha' has properly completed her disguise mission. Hmm, outstanding results, worthy of a reward."
With that, she tilted her head back and quickly pressed a kiss as light as a cherry blossom petal on Ei's lips.
Ei's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed, a faint blush quietly spreading to her earlobes.
She wrapped her arms around Miko's waist, pulling the mischievous little fox closer into her embrace, resting her chin gently on Miko's head, inhaling the elegant cherry blossom scent from her hair.
Outside the window, cherry blossoms continued to flutter like snow.
Inside the quiet room, the majestic "Raiden Shogun" and the mysterious "Yae Guji" were gone, leaving only the two of them, sharing a moment of warmth and tranquility.
At this moment, divine authority and rules of eternity were far less real than the warmth of the person in her arms.
Miko snuggled into a more comfortable position in Ei's arms, lazily speaking, "Speaking of which, there's a meeting with the Sangonomiya envoy this afternoon, which requires the 'Lord General' to attend personally~"
Ei was silent for a moment, then tightened her arms and whispered, "...Just a little longer."
Miko was startled at first, then smiled like a fox who had successfully stolen a fish, her eyes and brows filled with triumph and sweetness.
She hugged Ei back, softly responding, "Okay, whatever you say."
Chapter 2: Chess Game Spat
The warm embrace didn't last too long. Miko was eventually "chased" by Ei to handle the meeting with the Sangonomiya envoy.
After all, the "General's" appearance was indispensable.
After Miko left, silence returned to the quiet room.
Ei sat alone at the desk, her gaze sweeping over the plate of fried tofu Miko had left behind. The corners of her lips unconsciously curved upwards slightly, but quickly flattened again.
It wasn't that she didn't long for that warmth, but the responsibility on her shoulders required her to remain clear-headed at all times.
A moment later, she rose and walked towards the chess board in the room.
Black and white pieces lay quietly on it. This was an unfinished game of chess, one of the ways she and Miko passed the time and subtly competed.
Ei played black, Miko played white. The game was in the mid-game, with large black and white dragons intertwined, full of killing intent, just like their cooperation on the battlefield, alternating offense and defense, unpredictable.
Ei gazed at the board, Miko's seemingly careless yet meticulously planned cunning expression as she placed her pieces unconsciously surfacing in her mind.
She pondered for a moment, then picked up a black piece and placed it in a corner of the board.
This move, seemingly ordinary, concealed a sharp edge. It was a brilliant move she had thought about for a long time, intended to cut off the retreat of the white dragon.
In the evening, Miko finally returned. With the barrier set, she shed the "General's" majesty, dressed only in a light yukata, her hair still damp from bathing, as languid as a sated fox.
She immediately saw Ei sitting in front of the chessboard, and the newly placed black piece on the board.
Miko's eyes flickered. She walked over and sat opposite Ei, her fingertips brushing over the black piece. She chuckled softly, "Oh? You secretly improved while I was away? This move... is quite ruthless."
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