**Chapter 46: The Past of Kokomi**
Cloud Retainer felt a chill run down her spine.
She saw Shenhe and Changmeng glaring at her—no, glaring at the wedding invitation in her hand.
Cloud Retainer cleared her throat, feigning composure.
"Little Changmeng, I've already explained that my youngest disciple is with Columbine. Moreover, they are both Immortal Spirits. I've told you about the curses associated with Immortal Spirits in ancient texts."
Changmeng lowered her head, silent for a moment, then looked up with unwavering determination.
"It's just as well. I don't particularly enjoy being human anyway. If all else fails, I can become Columbine and Jingchen's spirit beast to repay Jingchen's life-saving kindness."
Cloud Retainer covered her head with her wings, sighing. *Why is this green snake so stubborn?!*
Shenhe stepped forward, pressing Cloud Retainer.
"Master, there's information about Jingchen in there, isn't there?"
"Hmm?! Indeed."
"Master, please tell me."
Cloud Retainer opened the wedding invitation.
To the esteemed Cloud Retainer of Liyue, whose name I have long admired:
I will be holding a wedding ceremony with Jingchen in thirteen days, on October 15th. As a teacher for a day is a parent for life, and Jingchen often speaks highly of you, I eagerly anticipate our meeting.
I sincerely hope you will attend the ceremony at Grand Narukami Shrine on time, as Jingchen's elder.
Signed,
Yae Miko, Jingchen
After Shenhe finished reading, she stared blankly at Cloud Retainer, her expression utterly bewildered.
"Master, what does this mean?!"
Beside her, Changmeng glared fiercely at Cloud Retainer, her voice rising to a furious shout.
"Immortal! How could you deceive us?! Our benefactor Jingchen isn't marrying Columbine—he's marrying the Vice Priest of Grand Narukami Shrine in Inazuma?!"
Cloud Retainer coughed awkwardly.
"This... there must have been some... unexpected development."
"Unexpected?! What kind of unexpected development? What else could have happened? Yae Miko and Columbine have nothing in common except that they both have four characters in their names!"
Shenhe turned to Changmeng, her face filled with confusion.
"Changmeng, what does this wedding invitation between my junior brother and Yae Miko mean?"
"What does it mean? It means that Jingchen, that fellow, is going to sign a lifelong contract with Yae Miko.
If the marriage proceeds normally and they don't divorce, then from now on, no other girl will ever appear by Jingchen's side except for Yae Miko."
Shenhe froze, her worldly innocence and solitary existence among the immortals making her realize the gravity of the situation.
No matter what, this so-called wedding must be stopped.
Cloud Retainer shook her head calmly.
"Changmeng, Shenhe, rest assured. I sense that this wedding itself is a sham.
After all, that girl Columbine is neither inferior to Yae Miko in strength nor intelligence."
"Immortal, how can you prove this marriage contract is false?!"
Left with no choice, Cloud Retainer continued explaining to Changmeng, while simultaneously confirming her suspicions.
Shenhe was just like Ningguang and the others. *Sigh*, if only she had known Shenhe harbored feelings for Jingchen all those years ago.
If she had arranged for them to be together more than a decade ago, perhaps Jingchen—even with Shenhe's cursed fate as a Heavenly Lone Star—could have brought her a perfect and happy life.
***
In the Slant-Eye Factory on Yashiori Island, Scaramouche toyed with a Slant-Eye in his hand while listening to the Fatui's report.
The half-month truce between Watatsumi Island and Narukami Island would bring a temporary respite from Inazuma's thunderstorms.
And the reason? His colleague Jingchen was marrying Yae Miko!
*Heh, how amusing.*
So the fool had finally heeded his advice and distanced himself from Columbine.
But why hadn't there been any news of Columbine lately? That was rather odd.
Besides, Jingchen marrying Yae Miko was merely jumping from one abyss into another.
*Poor, ignorant, uninteresting, loveless wretch.* If he truly married Yae Miko, his crescent moon-like icy power and secrets would inevitably fall under her control.
*Enough, enough. I can't be bothered with that fool's affairs.*
He should focus on obtaining the Raiden Shogun's Gnosis from Yae Miko. After all, Dottore had promised to help him ascend to godhood.
***
Sangonomiya Kokomi quietly slipped into her secret base and retrieved a small, dust-covered box from behind a bookshelf.
She gently blew away the dust before carefully opening the box.
Inside lay an exquisitely crafted mechanical pearl that could change colors and, under the moonlight, hum melodious tunes.
*Mother once told me this was a gift from the Vice Priest of the Grand Narukami Shrine. I should have thrown it away immediately, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.*
Instead, Kokomi had hidden it away in her secret base, behind the bookshelf.
Whenever she was utterly drained from handling Watatsumi Island's affairs or the war with Narukami Island—when even the light novels from Yae Publishing House couldn't replenish her energy—she would take out the mechanical pearl.
Its presence helped clear her mind and restore her vitality.
"Brother Jingchen, everyone on Watatsumi Island speaks ill of you, spreading malicious rumors. I'm truly sorry. If only I had defied Mother back then and stood by your side... perhaps Misty Cloud Shrine wouldn't have been destroyed, and you could have stayed in Inazuma."
Kokomi's thoughts drifted back to her memories of Jingchen.
He would take her for walks through the violet forests, listening to the songs of the trees.
Sometimes, they would sit together by the sea, gazing out at Liyue, Yashiori Island, and the future.
The moon and stars rose over the horizon, and the sounds of crashing waves and Jingchen's voice echoed in her ears.
Occasionally, Jingchen would pick up a seashell, place it on Kokomi's head, and smile at her.
"Listen carefully, Kokomi. Can you hear the voice of the sea?"
Other times, Jingchen would take Kokomi diving, sharing with her the tranquility of the depths.
This tranquility was a world away from Narukami Island and Watatsumi Island, a refuge from the schemes and betrayals of the surface world.
Schools of fish swam around them, as if all earthly troubles and hatreds sank to the seabed.
Memories welled up with the tears that traced down Kokomi's cheek, dripping onto the wedding invitation with a soft *drip* before abruptly stopping.
Everything—everything—had vanished.
Once, she had dreamed of becoming Jingchen's bride, of wearing a wedding gown for him.
But all those dreams had dissolved like smoke with this invitation.
"Yae Miko!!!"
She screamed, her voice filled with hatred and boundless regret.
Now, she could only lament her past powerlessness.
If she had chosen to abandon her role as the Living God Priestess, to forsake everything on Watatsumi Island, and stand by Jingchen's side...
Perhaps Jingchen wouldn't have left her. Perhaps her name, Sangonomiya Kokomi, would have been inscribed on this wedding invitation.
.....................
Completed Eng PDF of this fan-fic on my Patreon shop if you want to support and own the full fan-fic in one go. Just grab the PDF and binge the entire story from start to finish!
Brother I have Uploaded NEW High Quality english Translated Genshin Impact fanfic on my Patreon shop! Feel free to check it out—if you're interested, you can grab a copy and support me there.
Here are a few titles of recently uploaded fanfics on my patreon shop:
" Genshin Dual-World Travel: Starting by Inviting Furina "
" Genshin Diary: Collapse Begins From Raiden Ei's Defeat "
" Genshin Impact: At Eight Years Old, I Created Immortal Arts, Shocking Skirk "
" Genshin Impact: Ningguang Was Still a Poor Girl… Until I Invested in Her " many more are available for you, Your support means a lot—thanks in advance, legends!
Patreon.com/UIShahbaz
(End of Chapter)