"Sh… Shogun!"
The moment Yoimiya saw Raiden Ei, she froze in shock.
She had never imagined, even in her dreams,
that these small desserts would attract the Shogun herself.
The surrounding citizens all knelt on the ground,
not daring to raise their heads.
But facing everyone's reaction, Raiden Ei did not care at all. She simply looked at the desserts on the stall and asked, "May I try them?"
"Of course! It's our honor to have you here, Shogun."
Hu Tao ran over with a cheerful smile, acting as the vendor.
She picked up a skewer of purple dumplings and handed it over.
"What is this?"
"Taro dumplings, they're very delicious!"
Hearing the word dumplings, Raiden Ei immediately felt the urge to try them.
She took one and placed it in her mouth.
A light sweetness.
Rich taro flavor.
It was incredibly delicious.
Her eyes lit up as she reached for another skewer.
The more she ate, the more fragrant it felt, a texture she had never experienced before.
"Hehe, Shogun, would you like to try this? It's red bean paste."
Hu Tao did not mind the cost at all, handing over more without hesitation.
Skewer after skewer.
People nearby were stunned. The Shogun actually liked sweets this much?
A full half hour passed.
Only then did Raiden Ei feel satisfied. Facing the food Hu Tao offered again, she shook her head. "I'm full. Are these your manga?"
"Yes, we stock them from over there. Would you like a few copies?"
"That's fine."
With her nod, Kujou Sara, who had been following behind, immediately stepped forward to pay.
At this moment, as the Shogun flipped through the manga, her gaze suddenly stopped on something on the stall.
Her movement paused, and she slowly picked it up.
On the Achievements of Inazuma's Fallen Heroes
"Who wrote this? I've never seen it before."
Facing the question,
Hu Tao had long prepared an answer. She smiled and said, "It's a magazine compiled by many editors after reviewing historical records. If you like it, we can give it to you for free."
"Then I'll take this as well."
Without needing instruction, Kujou Sara paid for everything.
Soon after, they left with the manga.
No one knew this was an open scheme, nor that the magazine had been deliberately placed there.
But as long as it worked, Kujou Sara was willing to try.
As for why the Shogun had come out,
it was naturally because the Plane of Euthymia had become too noisy.
There were now flickering lights, and occasionally the shouts of others could be heard.
It was unbearably irritating.
So, under Kujou Sara's suggestion, Raiden Ei chose to take a walk outside.
On the way back,
she did not bother walking and instead returned by carriage.
Opening the magazine, the preface came into view.
[We must remember Inazuma's history, and its heroes. Without them, there would be no Inazuma today.]
"This author is quite thoughtful."
Raiden Ei did not understand governance,
public opinion,
propaganda,
or commerce.
So she had entrusted many matters to clever humans.
Unfortunately, they had betrayed her trust.
She continued reading.
Chapter One: The Shogun's General, Tengu of the Shadow, Sasayuri
[This general was the leader of the Tengu clan, immensely powerful, once stationed on Yashiori Island, with countless military achievements.]
[In life, she repelled numerous bandits and slew countless monsters along the coast.]
[However, when the Watatsumi Island god Orobashi invaded, she ultimately perished while preventing disaster from spreading.]
[Afterward, the enraged Shogun split the island in two with a single strike, creating the spectacle known as Musoujin Gorge.]
[Postscript: After witnessing the god's fall, Watatsumi Island ultimately submitted to Narukami Island.]
The information was extremely detailed,
as if witnessed firsthand.
Raiden Ei even saw events that occurred after Orobashi's death.
But having past companions remembered by the people was a good thing.
Still, a sense of sorrow quietly emerged.
"Sasayuri…"
"What a pity."
"Or rather, every Tengu has always been loyal."
It was not just Sasayuri.
The Tengu general before her was also wholly devoted.
After finishing the first chapter,
she felt the magazine was quite good and continued reading.
Chapter Two: The Shogun's Friend, Oni General, Mikoshi Chiyo
Also known as Torachiyo.
[Five hundred years ago, calamity descended. Mikoshi Chiyo fought to protect Inazuma and ultimately slew an otherworldly beast.]
[However, the Oni bloodline, combined with the curse of the beast's blood, drove her into madness.]
[This general did not willingly raise her blade against the Shogun. Her mind was corrupted, her body no longer under control.]
[Later, Mikoshi Chiyo regained brief clarity. Filled with shame, she fled and vanished.]
Seeing this, Raiden Ei's eyes became moist.
"I never blamed you, you foolish Chiyo…"
"At that time, I was consumed by grief over my sister's death, and I forgot about you…"
"It was all my fault."
Looking back,
everything was regret.
She closed her eyes. The past felt vivid before her.
That day, she had been immersed in sorrow.
She had not noticed the blood-red in Chiyo's eyes,
nor where her hatred came from.
"I thought it was anger over the loss of Saiguu…"
"Now I realize, she was asking for help."
Her heart suddenly ached. She pressed her hand to her chest, unable to speak.
There was no one she could confide in.
That helplessness brought deep despair.
It was precisely because of this that she chose the path of eternity.
After a long time, she steadied herself and continued.
Chapter Three: The White Fox Clan, Heavenly Fox Leader, Grand Narukami Shrine Guuji, Former Familiar of the Electro Archon - Saiguu
[She was beautiful and gentle.]
[She was cunning and full of charm.]
[She was warm and generous.]
[Five hundred years ago, when calamity descended, she sealed all the small yokai within Chinju Forest to protect their final bloodline, deceiving their leader with a game of hide-and-seek.]
[Yet, to protect Inazuma…]
[To safeguard a nation on the brink of collapse…]
[This immortal fox sacrificed herself, ultimately swallowed by black mud.]
[After the battle, countless heavenly foxes howled in despair. To uphold their promise, they all turned into statues, guarding every corner.]
"Saiguu…"
"The one who always called me a fool."
"Now, even if I want to be scolded, she won't do it anymore."
Raiden Ei stepped down from the carriage,
walking alone through Tenshukaku.
This place had been built at her request.
She had said that the dwelling of a god must stand at the highest point.
And so, Tenshukaku was created.
Yet after its construction,
her friends became fewer and fewer.
Thinking about it now, perhaps it would have been better not to build it at all.
Along the way,
Kujou Sara quietly observed.
Watching the Shogun's fluctuating emotions, she knew she had done the right thing.
If a god became cold and emotionless,
the nation would eventually fall.
Back at Tenshukaku,
the two sat inside.
Suddenly, she asked, "Shogun, the governing ideas in this magazine seem to differ from current policies. Should we issue a warning?"
"No need."
"But…"
"I said, no need!"
Raiden Ei's voice turned stern, her expression cold.
Kujou Sara immediately knelt.
But in her heart, she confirmed something.
The Shogun also believed the current policies were wrong.
It was exactly as Su Han had said.
"You only need to follow my instructions. She will react like this. Don't be afraid, she is not rejecting you, she is struggling."
Kujou Sara had doubted it before.
She had never expected it to be so accurate.
Since reading the magazine, the Shogun's emotions had become unstable.
The lightning flashing in the sky reflected this perfectly.
Raiden Ei continued reading. There was much about Saiguu.
Among it were governance principles from five hundred years ago.
These were not fabricated, but truly written by Saiguu and her sister.
Her sister was not mentioned.
Mortals did not know there were two gods.
But precisely because of this,
her emotions became even more unstable.
[Principle One: To fully develop Inazuma, we must continuously cultivate talent, passing our ideals down through generations.]
[Principle Two: The eternal Narukami is not just a slogan, but something future generations must remember.]
[Principle Three: Always maintain faith and love for life.]
[Principle Four: Never fall into extremism. Open discussion may lead to the right path.]
Snap.
The magazine closed.
Raiden Ei did not dare continue reading. She feared her heart would collapse.
The order she had painstakingly built could not be shaken by the past.
"Only eternity is the true path."
As the magazine closed, her eyes gradually turned cold.
Her smile,
her nostalgia,
her regret,
all turned into indifference.
Kujou Sara understood.
The one controlling the body now was the puppet.
Sure enough, afterward, all decisions were handled in a cold, impersonal manner.
In the past, she would have thought this was normal.
But now she understood something.
A puppet could never replace the real person.
The reason was simple.
People grow, but puppets do not.
Even if Inazuma remained unchanged,
the outside world would continue to evolve.
If one day everyone outside became powerful,
then Inazuma's so-called eternity would be nothing but a joke.
Kujou Sara now deeply understood Su Han's words from last night.
About beautiful dreams and drowning.
Those resisting now,
were the ones trying to save themselves.
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