"Wait… you mean… not a single one of those Fatui confessed?" Aiden asked, his surprise evident.
Yae Miko nodded gravely. "Indeed. And we owe it to Shikanami Nana's quick thinking that they didn't manage to poison themselves. They all carried lethal toxins on their person."
Aiden's expression darkened. "So they acted so boldly because they thought death was inevitable… I suppose that's my fault. If I'd known, I should have pretended to give them even the slightest hope of survival." His voice was tinged with self-reproach—he'd been too arrogant, too blind to the desperate instinct of a cornered beast.
"No," Yae Miko said thoughtfully. "It's not your fault. The Fatui and the Tenryou Commission have always clashed, but even among the Fatui captured in the past, very few chose to spill secrets." She let out a sigh, heavy with experience. "The Fatui gather orphans from across the nations, yes, but most are still warriors loyal to Snezhnaya itself. They won't betray their homeland or their beliefs."
Aiden leaned forward. "Then what about the other vanguard soldiers? They're ordinary people; they should be easier to break than Reina."
"Ordinary people," Yae Miko said, shaking her head. "It's exactly these so-called ordinary people who, in the face of danger, are willing to lay down their lives for their homes. Funny, isn't it? Yesterday, only Reina—the one with the highest rank, the loudest slogans—did not choose suicide."
Aiden froze. Silence fell over him, memories stirring unbidden. Inaba Hisakazo. A man bewildered by the civil strife in Inazuma, yet utterly devoted to the promise of an eternal peace from Raiden Shogun, ready to bear every burden, even to die. And then there was Kudo Kotoko, lauded by countless people, but only exploiting the common folk without conscience. Pitiful.
Aiden let out a bitter laugh to himself. Then his expression hardened. "They didn't confess, and that's fine. No matter how careful the Fatui are, they always leave traces."
Indeed, the Fatui had operated meticulously in Inazuma: building the evil-eye factories in collusion with the Kanjo Commissioner, unsealing the sealed artifacts through planted insiders in the resistance. Each act could have gone unnoticed. Yet certain things—letters exchanged with Kudo Kotoko or Shikanami Shinsuke—would inevitably leave evidence. And those two old foxes? They would hold the Fatui's secrets in their hands.
Aiden wasn't rigid. If needed, he could always use magic to extract hidden information from the Fatui. But Kudo Kotoko… this cancer of Inazuma… she had to die.
"Looks like you've decided what to do next," Yae Miko said, a faint, knowing smile playing on her lips.
"Yes. I plan to head to the Tenryou Commission… that old Kudo Kotoko is about to be cashed in," Aiden said flatly, revealing no pretense before her.
"Kudo Kotoko deserves it," Yae Miko replied, her gaze sharpening slightly. "But Aiden… do you know why I wanted to speak with you today?"
"Hmm?"
"Catching a few Fatui means nothing. Not one Seaworthy Lieutenant, not even a 'lady'—you could have captured them and dealt with them as you pleased. You could even go now and kill Kudo Kotoko and Shikanami Shinsuke, and I would cover for you."
She leaned closer, her gaze steady. "Even by stepping back, you're technically a disciple of the Shogun, the only one who has mastered the 'Source Flow.' As long as you don't threaten the concept of 'Eternity,' the Shogun won't interfere. At most, she would discipline you. In Inazuma, you could live without restraint."
Aiden's lips twitched. "But…"
"But you understand, that's not what I expect of you." Yae Miko cupped his face in her hands, her tone tender yet unyielding. "Since you're staying in Inazuma, consider this your first task: use lawful, reasonable means to eliminate Kudo Kotoko and take her place. Once it's done, you may make one request of me."
Aiden blinked, startled.
"A single request?" He knew Yae Miko had been quietly cultivating his abilities in strategy and tactics; her tests didn't surprise him. But a reward of this scale caught him off guard.
"It's just killing Kudo Kotoko… why all this ceremony?"
"Pay attention. I said lawful and reasonable means. According to Inazuma law, executing a commissioner isn't simple."
The words hit him. In the original timeline, after the Eye Capture Order, everything looked peaceful. But it was false. The Kanjo Commission and the Tenryou Commission had acted treasonously, exploiting the people, yet no one truly paid the price. Shikanami Shinsuke was removed, but the Kudo family retained their power. Even Shinsuke's subordinates continued their posts. Ridiculous.
Still, Aiden remained unfazed. In Teyvat, divine will outweighed law.
"So long as the Shogun executes her, or I do it with her witness or approval, it counts as lawful," he reasoned.
Yae Miko's expression turned suddenly serious. "Of course, Raiden Shogun's will surpasses all. Remember that… don't do anything reckless."
Aiden shrugged. "You overestimate me. How foolish would I have to be to offend the Shogun and wield the Musou no Hitotachi capable of slaying a god? But as for completing the task… I'll consider it carefully."
Yae Miko feigned ignorance of the spark of excitement in his eyes. She had anticipated it would amplify certain thoughts in him, but she had to let it happen.
Her original plan had been simple: let Aiden descend from the mountain and cultivate his abilities. But his actions yesterday revealed a dangerous edge she hadn't anticipated. She realized she had underestimated him. His mastery of swordsmanship was so pure that even the Shogun had admired it—and pure warriors often harbored a focus bordering on obsession, like shadows moving silently in the world.
She had to guide him, tether his impulses with bonds and responsibilities, to prevent a tragedy.
She subtly shifted the topic. "Before that, you must join the Tenryou Commission. Why wait? Report today. Say your role is overseeing operations. I will handle the paperwork afterward."
"Today?" Aiden rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I don't mind starting early, but aft
er the chaos I caused, Kudo Kotoko probably won't welcome me."