"Forget all that nonsense. Let me ask you something: do you know why the Shogunate has gone mad?"
Seeing that the conversation between Kujou Sara and Kujou Masahito was about to veer into family matters, Ember quickly interrupted them.
"About that… I'm sorry, I'm not very clear," Kujou Masahito mused for a moment, then shook his head.
"In fact, I don't understand many of Father's decisions. I don't know if I am too foolish or if Father is too brilliant."
Recalling his father's various commands, Kujou Masahito had no shortage of doubts in his heart.
However, out of respect for his father, he did not voice them.
"If you're foolish, then what am I?" Kujou Sara snorted when she heard Kujou Masahito's self-deprecating remark.
If her elder brother hadn't been so weak-willed, the position of Kujou Clan head would probably have been his.
"If you ask me, it's neither you being foolish nor Kujou Takayuki being clever; it's simply that the old man is too old, and his brain circuits aren't normal."
Ember began to disparage Kujou Takayuki in front of Kujou Masahito and Kujou Sara.
This made the awkwardness on Kujou Masahito and Kujou Sara's faces even more pronounced. They watched Ember ramble on, merely scratching their heads and not engaging in his conversation.
Seeing the two distracted, Ember immediately realized. He slapped his head and belatedly said:
"I got carried away with the cursing for a moment and forgot that Kujou Takayuki is your father. I apologize for any offense given, my apologies."
Ember waved his hand at the two, but there was no hint of apology in his tone.
"Father's decisions were indeed ill-considered in many matters," Kujou Masahito could only force a laugh, offering no further comment.
"Could it be that the Raiden Shogun is preparing to act?" Kujou Sara, seeing Ember and Kujou Masahito deep in thought, voiced her speculation.
"The Raiden Shogun is acting? That shouldn't be, should it?" Kujou Masahito looked at Kujou Sara in surprise, seemingly curious as to why she would come up with such an idea.
"The Raiden Shogun has only acted a handful of times in history, and those moments were invariably times when Inazuma faced a major crisis."
"Although Inazuma is currently embroiled in civil war, it is by no means at a point where the Raiden Shogun needs to act, is it?"
The more Kujou Masahito spoke, the more he felt that Kujou Sara's idea was groundless.
Whether out of consideration for maintaining her authority or the destruction her actions would cause, the Raiden Shogun had acted very rarely in Inazuma's history.
There were many times in history when Inazuma was in a more dangerous situation than it is now, and even then the Raiden Shogun did not act. There's no reason she would step out of the Tenshukaku this time to display her supreme martial power.
"The Raiden Shogun will not act," Kujou Masahito shook his head, his tone very firm.
"It is true, as you say, that under normal circumstances, the Raiden Shogun does not act easily."
"Throughout Inazuma's history, there have only been three instances where the Raiden Shogun truly resorted to force: first, the eastern invasion of Orochi; second, the rampage of the Thunderbird; and third, the emergence of the Black Tide from the earth."
Kujou Sara did not rush to refute Kujou Masahito. Instead, she recounted the times the Raiden Shogun had acted.
After briefly narrating the Raiden Shogun's achievements, Kujou Sara changed the subject and said to Kujou Masahito, "Have you noticed that when the Raiden Shogun acts, it's always when Inazuma faces a powerful external enemy?"
"That's right, now that you mention it, it really is. Doesn't that further demonstrate the Raiden Shogun's protection of Inazuma?"
Kujou Masahito nodded in agreement, and following Kujou Sara's line of thought, the common characteristics of the Raiden Shogun's interventions immediately became clear to him.
"Well, there you have it, then?" Kujou Sara said no more. She merely glanced at the bored Ember beside her.
Kujou Masahito, seeing this, also turned his gaze to Ember. Looking at Ember's unusual attire, he immediately understood.
Didn't Ember perfectly fit the conditions for the Raiden Shogun to act?
"Why are you looking at me? Do you think I'm an enemy of Inazuma?" Seeing Kujou Sara and Kujou Masahito staring at him, Ember was greatly shocked.
He recalled the good deeds he had done since coming to Inazuma; which one wasn't beneficial to Inazuma?
Given his busy efforts in Inazuma, Ember felt that it was already a sign of his indifference to fame and fortune that he didn't compete with the Tri-Commission for their positions.
He hadn't managed to get a position in the Tri-Commission, and now he was to be treated as an enemy? This nearly made Ember's nose twist in anger.
Seeing dark energy rising from Ember, Kujou Masahito felt he had to step in to smooth things over.
Otherwise, judging by this situation, Ember might just turn dark.
"Ember, calm down! This is just Sara's verbal speculation; it doesn't represent the Raiden Shogun's true thoughts!"
"What's more, in our hearts, you are a friend of Inazuma!"
Kujou Masahito quickly waved his hand at Ember, telling him to calm down. Not only that, he also gave Kujou Sara a meaningful look.
"Yes, yes, yes! You are indeed a friend to us!" Kujou Sara understood immediately and nodded in agreement.
"Then tell me if the Raiden Shogun has this idea or not!" The dark energy on Ember immediately dissipated, so quickly that Kujou Masahito and Kujou Sara couldn't help but wonder if they had misjudged.
"Oh, that was me cleaning my armor just now. It hasn't been cleaned in a long time, it was dirty." Ember saw the two looking at each other, and he swiped his palm across his breastplate.
Then he slapped the table in front of him with a loud "thwack." When he moved his palm away, a large black handprint appeared on the table.
Kujou Masahito and Kujou Sara's eyelids twitched at this sight. They had just been worried that Ember would turn dark; now it seemed they had truly overthought it.
"Phew… let Sara answer you. She has seen the Raiden Shogun more often and should understand her better than I do."
Kujou Masahito turned his head and took a deep breath, pushing the topic to Kujou Sara.
He was experiencing some chest pain now and needed a moment.
Kujou Sara rolled her eyes at Kujou Masahito upon hearing this. She pondered for a moment, then carefully said:
"From what I know of the Raiden Shogun, her yearning for 'eternity' is so strong that perhaps only Inazuma itself can calm her down."
"Besides Inazuma itself, nothing can deter the Raiden Shogun's pursuit of eternity."
Kujou Sara glanced at Ember; clearly, he too could not make the Raiden Shogun abandon her pursuit of eternity.
"I remember that the Tenryou Commission headquarters was inexplicably leveled some time ago, and the Raiden Shogun even unleashed a sword strike."
"That wasn't you, was it?"
As if suddenly remembering something, Kujou Sara asked Ember with a piercing gaze.
At that time, she was still on the front lines at the Kujou Encampment and received the news a day later. The Tenryou Commission's official explanation was that a strong earthquake had occurred, leveling the mansion.
But anyone with eyes could see that this was merely an excuse for the Tenryou Commission to save face.
As for the reason for the Raiden Shogun's action, the Tenshukaku made no statement. The Raiden Shogun's supreme authority would naturally lead the people of Inazuma to find their own reasons for her intervention.
"Uh… you didn't know? That incident last time was indeed my doing." Ember was stunned for a moment, then admitted it.
"I originally wanted to warn them, but it seems they didn't listen."
Ember rubbed his hands, considering how to give the Shogunate people a taste of their own medicine next.
"In that case… I'm afraid it's troublesome."
"Ember, you've probably already been deemed an external threat by the Raiden Shogun. My previous speculation should be spot on."
Kujou Sara sighed as she spoke. One could only say that Ember was too crude in his actions. With his strength, he should have been able to play a greater role.
But he had drawn the attention of the Raiden Shogun. When the Raiden Shogun acts, there are never any survivors.
Kujou Sara felt that this time would be no exception; Ember's strength would no longer be useful.
"Is that so? I think I warned your Raiden Shogun last time too, didn't I?"
"If she won't listen to good advice, then don't blame me." Ember stopped rubbing his hands, for he had already thought of how to make the Shogunate people suffer immensely.
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"