Morning in Inazuma.
"Hm? Who is this...?"
Her Excellency the Raiden Shogun looked at cat Kirara trembling beside His Excellency the Shura Anyakonsen-shou and let out a puzzled sound.
It wasn't that she failed to recognize Kirara as a nekomata; she was simply curious about what kind of nekomata the Shura Anyakonsen-shou had brought today.
Kirara's Great Adventure, Step One: Meeting Her Excellency the Raiden Shogun in person.
The poor little cat was terrified of lightning. At this point, she had already been so frightened by Her Excellency the Raiden Shogun that she couldn't speak human words anymore.
"Your Majesty~"
The pitiful Kirara instinctively let out a fox-like cry and hid behind the Shura Anyakonsen-shou.
When the Raiden Shogun heard the fox cry, her brows furrowed.
She was reminded of that pink-haired fox who always tried to sneak around her to touch Ei.
That fox was definitely an existence that could affect Ei's eternity...
And this furrowed brow was enough to scare Kirara back into her original cat form...
Her Excellency the Raiden Shogun looked at Kirara—who had reverted to her cat appearance—and fell into thought.
This cat... why does it make fox cries? Truly a strange thing.
His Excellency the Shura Anyakonsen-shou looked helplessly at his own cat—who was terrified of thunder—and had no solution.
He simply picked cat Kirara up, rubbed her head to help her relax, and while introducing her, casually explained today's matters to Her Excellency the Raiden Shogun.
"This is cat Kirara, whom I adopted in the forest of guardians. Before, she stayed among a group of foxes for so long that she gained their acceptance and started thinking of herself as a fox I had adopted. She only recently transformed, so I brought her to meet Your Excellency."
At this moment, Kirara was trembling from fear of the Shogun and didn't even notice that the old man had called her a cat.
"Today, Sage Naphis from the Akademiya's Darshan of Propagation (Tighnari's teacher) has come to participate in the diplomatic gesture. The Grand Sage Azar, the highest leader of the Akademiya, will hold discussions with us through the Akasha Terminal.
The Akasha Terminal operates via ley lines, so I will need Your Excellency to assist in linking the ley lines between Sumeru and Inazuma."
"Mm, there is no need to worry about this matter. It was already completed during the previous preparations."
Her Excellency the Shogun nodded to indicate she understood, then glanced at the Shura Anyakonsen-shou's action of ruffling the cat.
"Mm... Would Your Excellency like to try petting her?"
Noticing the Raiden Shogun's gaze, the Shura Anyakonsen-shou asked in a friendly manner.
Upon hearing the old man's words, Kirara instantly panicked.
Being petted by that person-shaped lightning catastrophe over there?
Although Kirara knew this was Her Excellency the Raiden Shogun, an animal's instinctive perception of nature made cat Kirara unable to suppress her overwhelming fear toward the Raiden Shogun...
I'll die! Old man! Kirara will disappear!
"I'd rather not. My body is, after all, an embodiment of thunder, and it would not be friendly to her."
Looking at Kirara, whose color palette had already turned grayscale from fear, His Excellency the Shura Anyakonsen-shou had no choice and simply began discussing official matters first.
"Then, since this meeting is Inazuma's first formal diplomatic engagement, but the opposing god did not appear in person, as a matter of etiquette, Your Excellency cannot appear either.
However, the Grand Sage is representing the face of the Dendro Archon, so our side should show due respect. I plan to bring Lady Yae, the Guuji, to represent Your Excellency in attending..."
Before he could finish, the Shura Anyakonsen-shou could already visibly see Her Excellency the Raiden Shogun's displeasure toward Miko.