At this moment, Yae Miko really wanted to throw these two straight into the bug swarm.
Did they even think before speaking?!
If Ei found out that she herself had been pulling strings behind the scenes, she'd definitely get a thorough "lesson."
Sure, because she was a familiar of Narukami, Ei wouldn't actually kill her—
but death might be spared, punishment absolutely wouldn't be.
"I think—"
Yae Miko felt she had to explain herself.
Otherwise, judging by Ei's current mood, she might very well end up skinned alive and turned into a fur coat.
"Seems like you're one of the masterminds too."
Ei cut her off before she could finish.
This fox was far too clever.
Ei didn't believe for a second that Yae Miko had just been a bystander.
"Could you at least give me a chance to explain?"
Yae Miko was speechless.
Why was Ei obedient and agreeable when it came to Su Ran, but when it was her, she didn't even get a word in?
At most, she'd been an accomplice!
The real mastermind was the one currently holding Ei in his arms!
The Traveler? He brought her here.
Morax? He imprisoned him.
That Fatui Harbinger named Tartaglia? Also his associate.
So why trust him and not me?!
At this moment, Yae Miko found herself… actually jealous of a man.
Especially one who not only held tiny Ei in his arms, but had even touched her tail, basically taking advantage of every beautiful woman in her circle.
"Are you going to tell me that none of this had anything to do with you?"
Ei wasn't unwilling to listen—
Yae Miko was simply far too suspicious.
Foxes were inherently sly creatures.
"Of course… not."
Yae Miko didn't deny it.
"Yes, I was involved.
But everything I did was for you and Makoto."
She sighed softly and continued,
"Su Ran only promised me that Lady Kitsune Saiguu and the others could be revived in reality.
And you? You just kept running away.
If I hadn't used a few underhanded methods, you'd never see Kitsune Saiguu again in this lifetime."
The fox's mouth truly was a liar's trap.
There was some truth mixed in— but most of it was skillfully packaged deflection.
As an old friend, Yae Miko knew Ei all too well.
Powerful? Absolutely.
But sharp-minded? …Not exactly.
A little emotional manipulation, and she might just get through this.
Out of Ei's line of sight, Su Ran silently gave Yae Miko a thumbs-up.
He genuinely admired her ability to improvise nonsense with a straight face.
If only she weren't so lazy, she might've been a worthy replacement for Ningguang.
"You only ever thought about staying with Makoto.
But what about Kitsune Saiguu and the others?
Did you ever think about bringing them back?"
Just a few sentences in, and Yae Miko had successfully pinned the blame squarely onto Ei.
Her own sins?
Miraculously transformed into Ei's shortcomings.
The sheer linguistic artistry left Sangonomiya Kokomi deeply impressed.
Especially when she saw Ei's sharp glare slowly turn into guilt—
That was masterful.
"I didn't… I wasn't… I just…"
Ei tried to defend herself.
But Yae Miko's words were airtight.
How could she argue back?
Eternity?
Did Makoto matter, but Kitsune Saiguu and Mikoshi Chiyo not?
"I know. You only ever think about yourself.
You never stop to consider others."
"..."
One hat after another was placed on Ei's head.
Completely unskilled in verbal sparring, she was rendered speechless.
After a long silence, she finally spoke:
"So… you worked with others to destroy the dream…
and that was actually for my sake?"
What kind of twisted logic was this?
And yet—
Ei almost believed it.
"Who else would I be doing it for?"
Yae Miko shot back with a rhetorical question.
And Ei… actually began to think.
As her only remaining friend, Yae Miko really had no reason to help outsiders.
Could it be…
that everything truly was as she said?
"Did it work?"
Paimon whispered into Lumine's ear.
She hadn't expected Yae Miko to actually talk the Raiden Shogun down.
Maybe they could escape punishment after all.
After all, they'd been working for Yae Miko.
Among the crowd, only Kokomi stood frozen, at a loss.
Ei's impression of her was… unforgettable.
And very different from Lumine's.
Lumine at least had directly stalled Ei in battle.
Once her anger faded, Ei might even praise her courage.
But Kokomi?
A strategist.
Exactly the type Ei—being a pure martial god—was least likely to tolerate.
Could she cling to Yae Miko's leg?
Unlikely.
They had no real connection.
As for Ayaka—
too weak, even if willing.
Kujou Sara?
Out of the question.
The Shogun's most loyal hound.
She would always stand by Ei.
And so, in this vast Narukami Shrine—
there was not a single person who could help her?
If no one else could…
Then there was only one hope left.
Kokomi looked toward Su Ran, her eyes full of expectation.
Only he could protect her.
It wasn't that Sangonomiya Kokomi feared death—
But watching other co-conspirators who should've been executed walk free one by one…
Dying here under Narukami's blade just felt far too unfair.
"That… perhaps I really did wrong you."
Ei was about to forgive—
"Don't worry! I forgive you."
—No.
It was Yae Miko forgiving Ei.
She let out a sigh of relief.
Ei did as well.
Though the eternity she pursued was gone, just thinking that her sister and Kitsune Saiguu would return—
Ei suddenly didn't feel quite so miserable anymore.
"And those five hundred years of loneliness—
I stayed behind alone, guarding Inazuma for you, you know."
"I will make it up to you."
Ei's voice softened greatly.
It was worlds apart from the terrifying aura she'd carried when stepping out of blood and corpses earlier.
"And what about me?"
Su Ran turned Ei's face toward him.
"I created the dream.
I'm also the one reviving those people.
How do you plan to repay me?"
Ei: "..."
Such an enormous favor…
Even offering herself didn't seem nearly enough.
—------------------------------
Pat reon Advance Chapters: patreon.com/YonkoSlayer