Inside a secluded room at the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the air was thick with the scratching of pens and the rustle of parchment.
This room had been requisitioned by Makoto and her entourage as a temporary office for Inazuman state affairs. Makoto sat at the head of the table, flanked by Kitsune Saiguu, Hanachirusato, and the Raiden Shogun. Below them, Kamisato Ayato and others were buried deep in paperwork. Even Yoimiya and Kazuha, who had arrived only recently, had been pressed into service.
Kazuha, hailing from a noble family, possessed some basic administrative experience, which proved sufficient for the lighter tasks. Yoimiya, however, had absolutely no background in bureaucracy. Yet, living in Hanamizaka meant she understood the needs of ordinary citizens better than anyone else in the room. Though she couldn't offer technical policy adjustments, her insights provided the true foundation for Makoto's efforts to improve the lives of the populace.
Yoimiya diligently organized the marked documents, stacking them neatly. A Dragon Rider was scheduled to transport these to Inazuma that very night, where the Three Commissions would execute them under Gorou's supervision.
Makoto was buried in work. Beside her, the Shogun sat in statuesque silence, observing Makoto's effortless command of statecraft. She was absorbing the lessons, learning how to shepherd a nation. Such complex knowledge could not be transferred via memory; it required a lived, evolving understanding. The Shogun never forgot her primary mission: to protect Makoto and Inazuma, and to assist in the administration of the realm.
Kitsune Saiguu, by contrast, remained blissfully lazy, sprawled across the table with her head propped on one hand, drifting in and out of a light doze. She managed nothing; she worried about nothing. If Narukami Shrine faced a crisis, Hanachirusato would handle it. It was becoming evident that Yae Miko's infamous laziness was less of an inherent trait and more a learned behavior inherited from her master.
As Makoto finished a document, the Shogun silently reached out, taking it to organize and file.
Makoto lifted her head, rubbing her wrists. The sun had dipped below the horizon, and the golden glow of twilight bathed the room.
"Everyone has worked incredibly hard these past two days," Makoto said softly. "Let us push for a final effort. If we finish these matters tonight, we can join the expedition to the New Continent tomorrow."
Kitsune Saiguu shook her head, looking weary. "You are just as driven as you ever were, Makoto. Did Ryen not grant us a full three-day window?"
"Why are you in such a rush?" she whined. "I haven't slept properly in days. Insomnia is the natural enemy of beauty."
Makoto chuckled, glancing at her old friend. "You are still as lethargic as ever. Ryen gave us three days, but that does not mean we must take three days. Besides, the other nations are working just as hard. If we are the last to finish, we will delay everyone's departure for the New Continent. That wouldn't be appropriate."
She ticked off points on her fingers. "Strictly speaking, those three days were never intended solely for Inazuman paperwork. We need two days to resolve our internal affairs, and the third day is reserved for returning to the Minecraft world to organize the military deployment and resource extraction. We must prepare the logistics for this expedition, and Ryen needs to finalize the operational plan for the world itself. Once you calculate the time, tomorrow is the exact deadline."
Kitsune Saiguu pouted but fell silent. She looked at the weary team around her and let out a soft sigh of pity. "I truly envy Miko. She gets to lounge comfortably in Ryen's home, idle to an absurd degree."
If Yae Miko had heard those words, she would have dragged Kitsune Saiguu over to experience exactly how "idle" she actually was. Since that night, Miko had been virtually immobilized, struggling to even turn over in bed without feeling a sharp ache in every muscle. After witnessing what Lumine had gone through, Miko had no illusions about her own survival odds against Ryen.
Makoto rubbed her temples, accepted another document from the Shogun, and asked, "Has Ei returned yet?"
Kitsune Saiguu curled her lip. "Your sister is currently enjoying herself so much at Ryen's place that she's forgotten her own home. Why would she want to come back here and slave away over paperwork? At this rate, Makoto, you might be holding a child of Ei's within the month."
Makoto paused. She genuinely tried to visualize herself cradling a child for Ei. To her own surprise, a profound sense of anticipation blossomed in her chest.
Suddenly, the door creaked open. Ei walked in, her expression calm.
"Makoto, I have returned."
Both Makoto and Kitsune Saiguu instinctively scrutinized her. Finding no outward sign of change, they felt a pang of disappointment. Still no breakthrough?
"You returned at the perfect time," Makoto said, turning back to the mountain of documents. "These are the New Year welfare policies and economic support initiatives for the people. Look them over and see if you have any feedback."
Ei felt a sharp, nervous tremor in her chest. "These matters... you decide them. You know best. I only came to tell you... I will not be sleeping here tonight."
The room went dead silent. Everyone looked up from their desks, staring at Ei with wide, stunned eyes.
Ei's face flushed a deep, vibrant red. She lowered her head. "I am staying at Ryen's place."
Makoto went silent, staring at her sister with an expression of profound warmth. "Very well. Do you need to take anything with you?"
"No," Ei replied. "He has everything there."
Makoto offered no further advice. She only offered a pointed, meaningful look. "I understand. As long as you are happy, have no psychological burdens. If you... come to have a child, do not worry. We will take care of everything in Inazuma. Trust your sister, Ei."
Nearby, Kujou Sara stared at Ei, her thoughts racing.
A child born of the Shogun and Ryen... it would undoubtedly be magnificent! If the child inherited Ei's martial prowess and Electro talent, coupled with Ryen's terrifying constitution... would they be born a god? Kujou Sara felt a surge of unbridled adrenaline. She had pledged her absolute loyalty to the Raiden Shogun; pledging that same loyalty to the Shogun's child would be a saga for the ages!
And... a child of Ei and Ryen would surely be adorable. Kujou Sara struggled to contain her excitement, her eyes burning with an intense fervor. She wished Ei would conceive immediately.
Makoto watched Ei with a mixture of nostalgia and pride. "My little Ei has grown up. She has finally taken a step ahead of me."
Ei was mortified. "It is just staying the night! We are arranging things for the expedition to that world tomorrow! There is nothing else happening!"
Makoto, naturally, did not believe her. She just smiled warmly. "I know, I know. I am just saying, if a child comes, do not fret. Inazuma is fully prepared. Trust your sister, Ei."
In this particular matter, Makoto radiated an unprecedented, absolute confidence.
Ei felt helpless. Explanations were futile. She turned and fled the room.
Watching her daughter-like sister retreat, Makoto laughed softly. "My little Ei has finally grown up. Hopefully, once she becomes a mother, she will mature a little more."
"That is undoubtedly a good thing," Kitsune Saiguu remarked, a sly smile on her lips. "Regardless of the details, with Ei and Ryen together, the bond between Inazuma and him only grows tighter."
Makoto nodded. Ryen had never cared for political leverage, but strengthening the connection was never a bad idea. Ryen favored Liyue, a fact driven by many factors, not least of which was his relationship with Ningguang and Ganyu. Ei's affair was just a small, delightful subplot in the grand scheme of things.
Makoto clapped her hands. "You all heard her. Ryen is heading to that world tomorrow to finalize the last preparations. We must finish our business in Inazuma today. Let's put in one last push. We're almost there."
The group adjusted their spirits, nodded, and dove back into the paperwork.
In the adjoining room.
The Snezhnayan delegation was far less festive. Compared to Inazuma, their workload was manageable, and they had essentially finished. The problem was not the volume of work, but the internal instability.
The Jester and his faction had kept Snezhnaya in a state of chaos for the past five centuries. It was not a cycle easily reversed. External pressure was nothing compared to the slow, systematic rot of internal division. Unless the Tsaritsa deployed the Dragon Rider corps and several God-level combatants back home to purge the dissenters, the issue would persist. But that would be a waste of time and incur massive political debts.
They had chosen to proceed step-by-step. In another year or two, The Jester and his puppets would be dismantled. The Tsaritsa was not in a hurry, but she was deeply annoyed. Because of The Jester, many of her welfare policies could not be implemented. She had to constantly calculate whether a decree could actually be enforced on the ground, or if the local lords would simply intercept the resources meant for the people.
The atmosphere in the room was suffocating. Since receiving a letter moments ago, the Tsaritsa's expression had turned grim. Rosalyne and the others watched with growing trepidation.
Finally, the Tsaritsa set the letter down and rubbed her temples, her face etched with frustration.
Rosalyne asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty, is there an issue?"
The Tsaritsa was silent for a long moment before sighing.
"Arlecchino will not arrive tomorrow."
"How is that possible?" Rosalyne frowned, bewildered. "She arrived in Fontaine two weeks ago. By all accounts, she should have entered Liyue territory by now."
The Tsaritsa remained silent. Scaramouche, standing to the side, grasped the implication immediately. His voice was cold.
"The Jester?"
The Tsaritsa gave a slow, solemn nod.
"Indeed. Arlecchino's letter reports that problems arose in Fontaine. The issues themselves are minor, but the terrain is now unsuitable for large-scale troop movements."
"She is forced to move her army through the night, traversing desolate, uninhabited mountain passes. At this pace, it will take at least a week to arrive."