Yae Miko took in Kokomi's momentary shock and subsequent stiffness, her doubts deepening.
What on earth happened to Watatsumi Island?
At this moment, Sangonomiya Kokomi was also restless, her mind in a mess.
The plan to commit treason and defect to the enemy had run into complications.
In her original calculations, she intended to take advantage of the presence of Fontaine's "Great Guardian" King to plead with him privately.
According to intelligence, although this lord acted with a heavy hand, he possessed compassion for the common people.
Watatsumi Island was at a dead end; taking a desperate risk might bring a glimmer of hope.
But she never expected that the Raiden Shogun and Yae Miko would also be here!
And looking at the atmosphere, they didn't seem to be at each other's throats?
This scene exceeded her worst-case projections.
Immense pressure gripped her heart, making her almost want to turn and flee.
The grievances between Watatsumi Island and Narukami Island could not be resolved in just a few words.
Praying for foreign protection in front of the Raiden Shogun?
This was no different from tearing off the god's face and trampling it on the ground, bringing total destruction to Watatsumi Island.
But... images of the islanders' hollow and desperate eyes, the faint cries of children from hunger, and the figures of old people silently walking toward the deep sea to save rations flashed through Sangonomiya Kokomi's mind... those images were like red-hot irons, searing her soul with pain.
She couldn't hesitate anymore, no matter what happened... Watatsumi Island was truly on the edge of a cliff.
Without further aid, no external enemy would be needed.
Hunger and despair alone would consume all life on this land.
Kokomi took a deep breath, an intake of air carrying the saltiness of the sea breeze and the determination of someone burning their bridges.
She stepped forward, walking toward the center of the deck, toward the tall man in the blue trench coat who was faintly surrounded by the crowd.
"The Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island, Sangonomiya Kokomi, pays respects to the Guardian of Fontaine, Lord King."
Under the watchful eyes of everyone—some surprised, some confused, some thoughtful—
Sangonomiya Kokomi lifted the hem of her priestess robes and bent her knees.
Without any hesitation, she actually knelt down before King.
*Thud.*
The sound of her knees hitting the deck wasn't heavy, but it felt like a dull hammer striking everyone's heart.
"Kokomi! You..."
Paimon couldn't help but fly forward, but Lumine pulled back his cloak.
Lumine's expression was solemn now, his amber eyes filled with astonishment.
Yae Miko's pupils contracted slightly, and the folding fan in her hand snapped shut with a "clack."
Raiden Ei remained silent, merely watching the kneeling Kokomi with deep eyes, her thoughts unknown.
King looked at the Damselette kneeling before him and frowned slightly: "No one told you to kneel. Stand up and speak."
Kokomi shook her head; instead of rising, she gently pressed her forehead against the cold deck.
This posture, full of humiliation and submission, caused the eyes of several Watatsumi Army soldiers behind her to instantly redden. They gritted their teeth and lowered their heads, unable to bear watching.
"Lord King, Watatsumi Island has reached a desperate state."
Kokomi's voice came from below, muffled yet every word seemed to weep blood.
"During the Sakoku Decree, Watatsumi Island was already lacking in resources. Trade with Narukami Island was almost cut off, and we barely survived on fishing and the produce of barren land."
"After the Sakoku Decree was lifted, Narukami Island was too busy with its own affairs to provide much aid."
"And the parasites of the Three Commissions are still sucking the already drained blood and flesh of Watatsumi Island."
"Furthermore, the land of Watatsumi Island is unique, and grain yields are extremely low."
"The fishing industry has also seen a sharp decline in harvests due to overfishing in recent years."
"Now, the island's stored grain is exhausted, the markets are empty, wild vegetables have been dug up, and tree bark has been stripped bare..."
She paused, a hint of trembling in her voice—a pain she tried hard to suppress but which still leaked out:
"Hundreds of elderly people... to save rations, have voluntarily walked into the deep sea, never to be heard from again."
"Children cry all day long simply because their stomachs are empty."
"Soldiers cannot hold their blades, and farmers cannot lift their hoes."
"Watatsumi Island... is truly about to starve to death."
There was a dead silence on the deck, only the sea breeze wailing.
Paimon had already covered his mouth, his large eyes brimming with tears.
Lumine clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms.
He remembered the days of fighting side by side on Watatsumi Island, the simple and warm islanders... how could this be?
The elegant smile on Kamisato Ayato's face had long since vanished, his brow furrowed.
As the head of the Yashiro Commission, he was not unaware of Watatsumi Island's plight.
But under the immense pressure of prioritizing the stability of Narukami Island's core and handling internal affairs, the issue of Watatsumi Island had been postponed indefinitely.
Or rather, it had been consciously or unconsciously... ignored.
Yae Miko turned her face away, pressing her folding fan to her forehead, letting out a very soft sigh.
She knew Watatsumi Island was struggling, but she didn't know it had reached the point where people were driven to exchange their children for food.
Those letters had gone unanswered not because Kokomi was negligent, but because she was already overwhelmed and had no time for anything else.
Raiden Ei closed her eyes, her long lashes casting shadows, concealing all emotion.
As the deity of Inazuma, she was to blame for her people suffering to such an extent.
Kokomi looked up, a bit of dust on her forehead, her face pale, but her eyes were startlingly bright—a light of one staking everything on a single throw.
"Lord King, Watatsumi Island is not a people who are ungrateful or who shamelessly beg for charity."
"We still have pearls, coral, and special marine products. We have hardworking people with nowhere to use their skills, and we have some wisdom and heritage left by Lord Orobashi."
"We are willing to use everything as a bargaining chip."
She turned around, and a Watatsumi Army soldier, his eyes red, presented a square object wrapped in faded silk.
Kokomi took it with both hands and carefully unwrapped the silk.
What was finally revealed was a uniquely shaped artifact, only the size of a palm.
It glowed with a gentle, moon-like white luster. Its material was neither metal nor jade, but looked more like a fusion of ancient coral bone and pearl.
In the very center was embedded a deep blue gemstone, like the abyssal sea, with countless tiny points of light slowly circulating inside.
Although small in size, the moment it appeared, an aura of vastness, antiquity, and the weight of whispers and oaths from the depths of the ocean quietly spread out.
Even the teacup in Zhongli's hand paused slightly. A hint of surprise flashed in his golden eyes, and he let out a soft "Oh?"
"This is the 'proof of oathful sight'."
Kokomi held it high with both hands, her voice solemn and ethereal, as if chanting a long-lost epic:
"It is the source of my Watatsumi Island, the final 'contract' and 'witness' left to us by the Great Serpent, Lord Orobashi, before his departure."
"Under the witness of this object, Lord Orobashi once renewed the covenant of symbiosis and mutual prosperity with the Sangonocoral."
"He also once forged a contract of never-forsaking with our ancestors, the people of the lost Whitenight Kingdom, beneath the deep sea with blood and tears."
"This Eye has witnessed the brilliance of oaths and remembers the scars of betrayal."
"It is not a weapon, but 'Oath' itself."
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