"Mr. Childe, it was I who was reckless. My apologies!"
In the main tent at the center of the military camp, the Hatamoto General who had just been yelling at Childe to fight him was now kneeling on both knees.
He placed his hands on his forehead, vividly demonstrating Inazuma's unique posture to Childe—the Dogeza!
"Alright, alright, you annoy me just looking at you!" Childe first glanced at the Hatamoto General, then stared at Ember, saying through gritted teeth.
It was true that the Hatamoto General annoyed him, but Ember annoyed him even more!
"Exactly! What's wrong with you? You yell at people to fight as soon as you meet them! Now you've suffered, haven't you!" Ember echoed Childe's words, scolding the three people in front of him.
"This is wartime, everything is urgent, it was our oversight." Kujou Masahito lowered his head, honestly accepting Ember's criticism.
"You may leave, General Aishima." Kujou Sara, standing beside Kujou Masahito, waved her hand at the Hatamoto General performing the Dogeza. The latter, understanding, discreetly withdrew.
Seeing that there were no other people in the tent, Kujou Sara turned her head.
"Wanted criminal..." She first turned to look at Ember, the wanted criminal who had been pursued by the Shogunate for over half a year.
Then she looked at Childe, "Harbinger..., ha, aren't people who aren't on the same path supposed to not walk together?"
"Oh, wow, you're actually a wanted criminal? Tell me, what did you do in Inazuma?"
Childe's interest was piqued when he heard Kujou Sara's address for Ember. He leaned closer to Ember, pressing him about why he was wanted.
"Go away, go away! Is this any of your business?" Ember slapped Childe back, then faced Kujou Sara and Kujou Masahito, slamming the table:
"Wanted criminal? I refuse! Call your Shogun over, let her cut me with her sword again, and you'll see if I'll take it or not!"
"Sara is clumsy with words, just let it go in one ear and out the other." As soon as Ember finished speaking, Kujou Masahito was drenched in sweat.
He had witnessed that previous duel before the Shogun. The scene of Ember taking the Raiden Shogun's Musou Isshin still echoed in his mind.
If the Raiden Shogun really came, Ember might actually be able to take it.
Moreover, Ember wasn't here to cause trouble this time; he came with good intentions.
"Mr. Ember, what you told us in the tent earlier, can it be true?"
Kujou Masahito sat up slightly, his tiger-like eyes fixed on Ember.
He was afraid that Ember's earlier talk about transporting grain and rebuilding was merely a delaying tactic to save Childe.
If that were truly the case..., Kujou Masahito looked down at the sword at his waist, his thoughts unspoken.
"I never lie." Ember crossed his arms and nodded.
"Then the Fatui side..."
"Listen to him, I can't speak for them now."
Childe pointed at Ember in a very resigned manner, looking like a lazy fish.
This made Kujou Masahito couldn't help but glance at Ember again. To be able to make the Fatui do such thankless tasks, it seemed Ember's influence was extraordinary.
"That is excellent. Then, I entrust the people of Kannazuka to both of you." After Kujou Masahito confirmed that Ember and Childe were serious, a smile appeared on his previously solemn and grave face.
"Good, good, I like straightforward people like you! Also, just a heads-up, we also have business on Yashiori Island and Watatsumi Island, so don't mistake us for spies if you see us."
Ember thought for a moment, then also told Kujou Masahito about the matters he had discussed with Watatsumi Island earlier.
Mainly, he felt that the Shogunate Army might misunderstand if they saw them, so it was better to clarify now to avoid trouble later.
After speaking, Ember looked at Childe, and seeing him picking at his nails, he let out a heavy sigh. Childe was a thoughtless fellow, so the task of thinking, he reluctantly had to take on himself.
"???" Seeing Ember sigh, Childe was full of questions. He seemed to have been trimming his nails just now, right? Did he spoil Ember's good deed again?
"Just this, not involving the military?" Kujou Masahito pondered for a moment, then asked as if to confirm.
"That's right, you want me to help you?" Ember ran to the tent door, glanced outside, then shook his head in disdain.
In his eyes, both the Shogunate Army and the resistance were pure trash. Ember not unleashing a heavy punch right now meant he was already in a good mood.
As for helping? Impossible!
"Ha... haha." Kujou Masahito could only laugh awkwardly at Ember's demeanor.
Anyway, as long as he could confirm that Ember wasn't helping the resistance, being mocked was just being mocked; it wouldn't cost him anything.
"In that case, I will give orders immediately for the Sergeants not to disturb the Fatui's actions. I ask both of you to depart quickly." Kujou Masahito, having finished laughing, resumed his previous solemn demeanor.
"Did you hear that? It's your turn to work!" Ember slapped Childe's head, urging him.
"Got it, I'll go gather my subordinates now." Childe rolled his eyes at Ember, then ran out of the main tent as if escaping.
Haha, finally, he could legitimately get rid of Ember!
"I'm leaving too. If that kid doesn't behave, just post a notice at the Adventurers' Guild, and I'll come teach him a lesson!" Ember waved his fist, then disappeared without a trace.
After the two left, the main tent fell into silence for a moment.
"Tap! Tap! Tap!"
The sound of wooden clogs touching the ground was so crisp, yet it seemed somewhat jarring in the quiet main tent.
"They both left?"
"Childe should have left. As for Ember, I can't tell if he left with my strength."
After a brief exchange, there was another period of silence.
"Big Brother Masahito, why do something so meaningless?" Kujou Sara, unable to bear the silence any longer, asked Kujou Masahito.
"Haha, you tell me, how is it meaningless?" Kujou Masahito laughed heartily at her words.
"I didn't say that helping civilians and rebuilding war zones is meaningless. It's just that these matters are already being handled by people from Inazuma."
"As a soldier, one should prioritize killing the enemy, and prioritize carrying out the will of the Shogun!"
"These matters of the rear are handled by others; why are you worrying, Big Brother?"
Kujou Sara unhurriedly expressed her thoughts.
"Then what do we need 'people' for? We could just buy a bunch of puppets from Fontaine and Snezhnaya, adjust their parameters, and wouldn't that be enough?"
Kujou Masahito shook his head, looking outside the tent with a grave expression: "Moreover, will the people behind us truly handle such matters?"
"Big Brother Masahito, do you mean... that the Clan Head, and Kanjou Commission's Lord Hiiragi, and Yashiro Commission's Kamisato Clan Head are derelict in their duties!"
Kujou Sara looked at Kujou Masahito, her eyes filled with questioning and suspicion.
However, Kujou Masahito, seeing Kujou Sara's strong reaction, merely waved his hand, saying easily, "Don't react so strongly."
"The Head of the Kamisato Clan, he's about my age, but his cunning runs much deeper than mine. I can't see through him." Kujou Masahito recalled Kamisato Ayato's perpetually calm smiling face and shook his head.
"As for the Kujou Clan, they have already forgotten their former glory, that much is undeniable."
Speaking of the Hiiragi Clan of the Kanjou Commission, a cold sneer was not at all concealed on Kujou Masahito's face.
"And Father..."
When Kujou Masahito mentioned the Kujou Clan, he fell silent.
"How is Father?" Kujou Sara, seeing Kujou Masahito's silence, asked anxiously.
"Sara, you are Father's key protégé, his right-hand woman. I've already pointed it out; for the rest, you'll have to investigate yourself."
Kujou Masahito shook his head, and no matter how Kujou Sara pressed him, he said not another word.
Seeing Kujou Masahito in such a state, how could Kujou Sara not understand her older brother's thoughts?
"Since Big Brother Masahito is unwilling to speak, then I will find out myself!"
She gave Kujou Masahito a deep look, then exited the main tent.
After Kujou Sara had been gone for a long time, Kujou Masahito finally sighed.
"Father, oh Father, you were unwilling to nurture me, saying I was indecisive and would never amount to much."
"But..., why did such a matter fall upon me?"
"Family affection and loyalty, it's hard for me to choose."
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