Without any surprises, Durandal and Raiden Ei returned to their original time.
As if nothing had happened, Raiden Ei returned to Tenshukaku, and Durandal returned to the inn, returning to their respective lives.
Although they had lived together in the past timeline for decades, time here had not been affected. From the moment they entered the torii gate until they returned, only a few minutes had passed.
Durandal and Raiden Ei were both a bit dazed; only a few minutes had passed for everyone else, but they had truly been away for decades.
As promised, Raiden Ei soon ordered the abolition of the sakoku decree, eliminating all the thunderstorms shrouding the waters near Inazuma, allowing ships to come and go normally.
This was a great cause for celebration. Many people, upon hearing that the sakoku decree had ended, were moved to tears. Durandal actually saw someone crying—a very burly man at that—who knelt on the ground and sobbed like a child. The sight was bizarre, to say the least.
When he finally boarded the ship leaving Inazuma, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "I will never come back to Inazuma again, never!" This declaration left the Tenryou Commission soldiers guarding the port looking at each other in confusion.
They could actually understand these people's excitement; it wasn't the first time they had heard such shouts from a burly man, and they were already used to it.
"Hey~ The sakoku decree really has been lifted. It seems Durandal and Raiden Ei's actions were successful; they convinced the Raiden Shogun."
Lumine was walking down the streets of Ritou with Shenhe and Paimon. At this moment, Ritou was vastly different from when they had first arrived; the foreign merchants doing business here no longer wore miserable expressions.
Paimon, holding a snack she had just bought, flew happily in front of Lumine and Shenhe and said,
"That's how it should be! The situation before was weird no matter how you looked at it. It's great that Inazuma can now move in a positive direction."
"Mm, the end of the sakoku decree also symbolizes that trade with other nations can resume. Inazuma's steel forging techniques, as well as the crystal marrow unique to this place, can all be used for trade."
The moment the sakoku decree was lifted, foreign merchant ships came here to do business, also looking to reach agreements with the merchants in Ritou to purchase some goods.
Among these merchants, Lumine saw merchants who claimed to be affiliated with [Oriole]. Upon learning that the boss behind [Oriole] was Durandal, the Ritou merchants who were initially hesitant changed their minds and readily agreed to the trade.
Durandal really acted fast. To ensure [Oriole] moved faster than others, she even allowed the merchants to use her own name.
"Mm~ Now that the sakoku decree has ended, we can find some time to go back to Mondstadt or Liyue to take a look. We've been away for so long that, to be honest, I miss everyone."
It just so happens that their commissions in Inazuma are mostly finished, so going back to Mondstadt and Liyue to take a look might mean there are new commissions waiting for them.
"Speaking of which, Durandal went out this morning to submit her manuscript to Yae Publishing House. I wonder if the editor liked her novel."
When she went out this morning, Durandal told them she wanted to go to Yae Publishing House to submit the novel she had been writing during this time.
Everyone knew the content of the novel, so they didn't say much and let Durandal go submit it, promising that when it was released, they would buy a copy to support her.
"She definitely will. Although she didn't write much, the world-building displayed in it is something other light novels can't compare to."
Although it's a story with a tragic ending, such a novel might still have a market. Besides, it's only volume one, so just as a favor to Durandal, publishing it wouldn't be a problem.
"[The thing that gave me life took everything from me]. A very sad statement. Fortunately, she isn't like that anymore, right?"
The three looked at each other. At this moment, Durandal was no longer immersed in the sorrow of the past as she had been before; she had walked out of it and was facing a new... bright future.
On the other side, inside Yae Publishing House, Yae Miko was personally reading Durandal's manuscript.
The content wasn't long, and Yae Miko quickly finished reading the light novel.
However, after finishing it, she didn't put the light novel aside but opened it again to read the content carefully.
"Is this... your story? Durandal."
Anyone with a bit of sense would understand that what Durandal wrote was about herself, about her past self.
How should she put it? She hadn't expected such a powerful person to have such worries. Clearly, she should have been an incomparably evil monster, yet she possessed an incredibly gentle heart.
Clearly, she was a demon who had taken countless lives, yet she cherished and loved life more than anyone else.
What moved Yae Miko the most was a passage describing the survivors who had returned alive from her territory.
"He likes to gaze upon lifeless skies and lands."
Upon reading this, Yae Miko couldn't help but chuckle. It was a sarcastic laugh, not mocking the novel's content, but rather the people who had returned alive.
Likes lifeless skies and lands? What else is there around Him besides these?
She was truly exhausted in the past, but now she bears no resemblance to her former self. She is no longer alone; she has trustworthy companions by her side. People no longer fear her, and she can finally truly appreciate the fragrance of flowers.
Those who don't know the truth and those who do will have completely different reactions to this book. Those unaware will feel sorrow for Durandal in the book, while those who know will be happy for the current Durandal.
The reason she was willing to write about her past was also because she had emerged from the shadows of her past.
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I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/SolyuraMT
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"